Start Saving, Henry! by Nancy Carlson
Carlson’s Henry books are always inviting discussions of concepts. In this book, Henry is faced with the task of saving his allowance to get a more expensive toy. He had been used to just spending his money as soon as he got it, until he wanted a $30 Super Robot Dude. So week-by-week in $5 increments he saves his money. Of course, it’s not that easy. He buys a comic book which sets him back. Then he loses a library book that he has to pay for himself. He reaches his goal in the end, but not before one more surprise changes things again!
Carlson’s ability to write a full story in very few words is remarkable. She is concise and simple, allowing the humor of the circumstances themselves to get laughs and groans. Her bright-colored art is done in an almost child-like style that is very friendly. This is an ideal book to introduce saving money and sound finances to children because it is kept very simple and to the point.
Fans of Henry will love this new book and it is sure to create new fans of the series as well. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
Reviewed from copy received from publisher.
A page in my glue book made with savings receipts from the 1920s, a vintage picture that came on a junk mail postcard, a fortune cookie fortune, and some colored foil from a candy bar.
There’s only one month until the American Library Association names the winner of the first Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production. This new award, a joint effort of the Association for Library Service to Children & the Young Adult Library Services Association, will recognize the single best audiobook created for listeners ages birth through age eighteen, along with possible honor titles. The award, on the same tier as the Printz, Newbery, and Caldecott awards, establishes audiobooks as a true literary genre. Find out more here.
Do you have time for a Mock Odyssey in the next month? Poll your patrons to see which 2007 audiobook titles they think deserve the Odyssey Award. Or share your choices here with the other ALSC Blog readers. Then log on to the ALA website Monday, January 14th, from 8-9 a.m. (EST) to watch the award press conference and see the announcement live.
The 2008 Odyssey Committee has evaluated 379 audiobooks which total just short of 2000 hours of listening – an amount of time equal to 50 weeks of full-time employment! We are still under the headphones, entering the final stages of listening to the very best in children’s and young adult audiobooks. Be sure to watch for the final selection, and lend your ears to the sound of great literature!
Mary Burkey
Chair, 2008 Odyssey Award Committee
