new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts from the Reviews category, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 25 of 159,457
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts from blogs in the Reviews category in the JacketFlap blog reader. These posts are sorted by date, with the most recent posts at the top of the page. There are hundreds of new posts here every day on a variety of topics related to children's publishing. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. Click a tag in the right column to view posts about that topic. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
No excuses! These are just the books that I read in 2016 that I thought knocked it out of the park. These aren’t the “best of the year”. These are just the books that were particularly good and that somehow crossed my radar. I read a lot more than what you’ll see here, but I loved these the best. For your consideration:
Wonderful 2016 Children’s Novels
Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet
My dark horse Newbery front runner. I found it because Roger Sutton mentioned it off-handedly on his podcast, but it was Monica Edinger’s Horn Book review that got the most attention from the folks at Heavy Medal. It’s just the most delightful little Cold War, East Germany, book you could name. I’m gaga over it. If your kids read it, they will be too.
Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders
Again with the book recommendations from Monica! This time a couple years ago, when she found the English edition of this book. It came out this year with surprisingly little fanfare, but I just adored it. The question is whether or not kids unfamiliar with the works of E. Nesbit will get anything out of it. The eternal optimist, I vote yes! I mean, it’s about a tyrant finding its (his) soul. There’s something to that.
Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
Funny that I never reviewed this one, but with Jenni Holm you sort of don’t have to. The woman’s masterful. To read her book is to marvel at how seemingly effortlessly she pulls various elements together. I will say that though this book is a prequel, you will not need to have read its predecessor to get anything out of it. It is, in a nutshell, sort of perfect.
Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
To ask anyone to craft a wholly original fantasy novel for kids is just setting that person up for a fall. If Mafi succeeds in any way here it is in her writing rather than her ideas. Not that her ideas aren’t interesting. They are, but it’s the characters, their interactions, and their personalities that sold it for me. It is infinitely readable and a lot of fun to boot. I like fun. I liked this book. I don’t hold it against it that it’s a New York Times bestseller either.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Years ago (three?) I said this Jason Reynolds guy was gonna be a star. I had a chance to hear him speak for the NYPL librarians after the publication of his first solo YA novel. In 2016 he started publishing middle grade in earnest and if he doesn’t win any major awards this year it’s simply a matter of time before he does in the future. I don’t know if Ghost is gonna take home a Newbery in any way, shape, or form. I just know that it was incredibly fun to read. One of my favorites of the year.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
It’s anyone’s guess as to why it took me 8 months or so to finally pick this book up. When I saw Kelly speak at BookExpo here in Chicago this year I knew she was on to something. But to be perfectly frank, I’ve loved her work since she wrote The Mostly True Story of Jack (a book that I would contend still doesn’t get the attention and respect it deserves). I liked this one a lot. It’s a thick one, no question, but it also compelled me skip ahead a little just so that I could make sure that the villain wouldn’t win. There’s only one other book on this list this year that made me do that. I’ll let you guess what it was.
The Inn Between by Marina Cohen
I include this book not because it’s some deep, insightful, heavily meaningful book fraught with consequence and award-worthy pain. No, this is just the kind of book I would have LOVED as a kid. I was the one who checked out all the Apple paperbacks that involved ghosts from my Scholastic Book Fair orders. So, naturally, this would have appealed. I mean, the back flap copy calls it “The Shining meets Hotel California” and that ain’t wrong. You’d never know it from the cutesy cover, though, would you? Someone needs a cover do-over.
The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz
It doesn’t need my help. It never needed my help. But it’s wonderful and winning. Smarter than almost every other book on here by half. Gutsy. Challenging. And I can’t wait for the movie. I call dibs on Tom Hiddleston to play the King of France.
The Magic Mirror: Concerning a Lonely Princess, a Foundling Girl, a Scheming King and a Pickpocket Squirrel by Susan Hill Long
Poor little book. You were the first novel I read in 2016 and I came dangerously close to forgetting you here today. I liked this one very much, going so far as to say in my review that it was similar in tone to The Princess Bride. It actually makes a rather good pairing with THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON, come to think of it. If you’ve a kid looking for light, frothy fantasy, this is the one to pick up.
Makoons by Louise Erdrich
Does anyone ever point out how funny these books are? Yes, we all know Louise Erdrich to be a master writer, but she’s also incredibly hilarious when she wants to be. The latest book in the Birchbark House series did not disappoint and even gave us a few new characters. My favorite is the character done in by vanity, brought low, and ultimately redeemed. I’m a sucker for that kind of tale.
The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow
If you could have any superpower, would you choose the normal one or the weird one? If you chose the weird one then this book is for you. I think we’ve seen the outcasts-with-superpowers motif a lot (Spiderman, arguably, was one of the first) but I like Ignatow’s style so much that this is one of my current favs. How much do I love it? I actually bought a copy for my niece and I almost never ever buy books. What can I say? It was just that good.
Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson
Not usually my kind of book but I liked Anderson’s Sidekicked years ago and figured that in spite of the description it might work for me. And it did! Granted, there’s more than a touch of Dead Poet’s Society to it, but all I cared was that it had an honest ending. An honest earned ending. This title doesn’t pander and I appreciate that. Worth discovering.
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Can you believe this book came out in 2016? I feel as if we’ve been talking about it for two years. It’s still one of the strongest of the year, no matter what anybody says. When I was a child, I had a thing for foxes. Clearly I missed my era. If you’ve somehow managed to avoid reading this title, you have time to get your hands on it before award season. Do that thing.
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
While I would repeat that this book would be Because of Winn-Dixie if you dipped that book in a vat of sadness, that doesn’t mean it isn’t remarkable. I found it breathtakingly sad, but also smart. I didn’t care two bits for the main character (she’s remarkably forgettable) but the other characters just popped off the page. Quite a book.
Rebel Genius by Michael Dante DiMartino
Poor action/adventure fans. What do I even have for you here today? Well, I have a fantasy novel coming from one of the co-creators of the Avatar: The Last Airbender television series, and that ain’t peanuts. Though it does come across as a slightly less scholarly His Dark Materials, I enjoyed the premise of Rebel Genius (a great title, if ever there was one). The big bad villain never makes an appearance but plenty of other baddies do. It’s compelling to its core.
When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin
I just finished reading my daughter Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and wanted to just skip directly to this one, but Starry River of the Sky is next on our list and we shall not go out of order. Of the three books in the series, this is by far my favorite, and you certainly don’t have to have read the other books to enjoy it. Lin gets better and better with every book she writes. Annoying for her fellow authors, I’m sure, but great for the rest of us!
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
This marked Peter Brown’s debut as a novelist. Doesn’t seem quite fair that he should be able to write AND draw. Leave a little talent for the rest of us, won’t you, Peter? In any case, I’m all about the strong female heroines. So often in robot books the de facto pronoun is “he”. Brown made it “she” and it works for her. Better still, it works for us.
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Remember earlier when I mentioned that there was one other book on this list that made me so tense I had to skip to the back to know precisely who would live, who would die, and what would become of the villain? Because the villain in this book does meet a terrible fate, but even so remains a cussed little wretch to the end. She is, without a doubt, the best villain I’ve encountered in a children’s book in years. A true blue psychopath. Best you know now.
Interested in the other lists of the month? Here’s the schedule so that you can keep checking back:
Koko's Kitten. Francine Patterson. Photographs by Ronald H. Cohn. 1985. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Koko's full name is Hanabi-Ko, which is Japanese for Fireworks Child.
Premise/plot: Koko's Kitten is a nonfiction picture book for elementary-aged readers. Though the book is called "Koko's Kitten," the picture book biography (of a gorilla) tells much more than just that one little snippet of her life. It tells of how Koko was/is the subject of a special project, how she started learning sign language, the special bonds she's formed with the humans in her life, etc. The climax of this one, is, of course, how she came to have a kitten of her own.
My thoughts: I remember learning about Koko in the 1980s. And I had fond but vague memories of Koko's Kitten. I remembered she had a kitten. A kitten named All Ball. I remembered that the kitten died and she wanted a new kitten. It turns out I remembered only *some* of this one. I still like it. But it is more wordy than I remembered.
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Borden Murders. Sarah Miller. 2016. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: It happened every spring in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Premise/plot: Sarah Miller's newest book is a middle grade nonfiction book about Lizzie Borden and the 'trial of the century.' On August 4, 1892, Mr. and Mrs. Borden were murdered. Miller chronicles the events stage by stage. Her book is divided into sections: Lizzie Borden Took An Axe, Murder!, The Bordens, Investigation, Inquest, Arrest, Preliminary Hearing, The Waiting Time, The Trial of the Century, Aftermath, Epilogue.
My thoughts: This one was incredibly compelling and very well researched. (Over twenty pages of notes documenting among other things all the dialogue in the book.) Miller presents a balanced perspective of the case allowing readers to make up their own minds. Miller gives all concerned or connected the human touch. The press does not come out looking innocent.
Whether your interest is true crime, biography, or nonfiction set during the Victorian period, this one is worth your time.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
This is My Dollhouse. Giselle Potter. 2016. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: This is my dollhouse. It used to be just a cardboard box. But then I painted bricks on the outside and divided the inside into rooms and made wallpaper with my markers and it became almost like a real little house.
Premise/plot: Readers meet an imaginative young girl who loves, loves, loves to play with a dollhouse she created by herself. Readers also meet her friend, Sophie, who has a store bought dollhouse. The two do work out how to play together despite their differences.
My thoughts: I could relate to this one! For me and my sister, it was Barbie doll houses. (She had one. I didn't. She had a *real* refrigerator, mine was out of blocks. She had a *real* bed, mine was an egg carton.) I loved the celebration of imagination AND friendship. I loved the focus on PLAY. Part of me does wonder if kids are allowed enough PLAY time and encouraged to PLAY creatively. I think there is a huge difference between PLAYING and playing on. (I want to play ON the computer. I want to play ON the ipad.)
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
I have several siblings (several- more than three, less than a dozen). For years, I gave every sibling a Christmas present. Then, I gave every sibling and his or her significant other a Christmas present. THEN, I gave every sibling, their S-O and their CHILDREN individual Christmas presents. THEN, I gave each family a box of Christmas presents. Finally, I sent some of my siblings a “family” Christmas present. Now, they are lucky to get a greeting card from me. This is the evolution of my family gift-giving.
( I did not expect nor did I often receive presents in return. Sometimes I was happily surprised. I just like giving gifts.)
A lot of these gifts were homemade. Because homemade gifts are super, right? Well, they are, if they come from my sisters, who all take great pride in crafting the most delightfully sewn, knitted, quilted items. I go for the Big Effect, and that sometimes means that my gifts fall apart 24 hours after they are unpacked. Still, it’s the thought.... Or, is it? (My food gifts are usually awesome!)
A gift can be as small as a button, as mysterious as an empty box, as ephemeral as a kiss.
Books about gift-giving and generosity that I love.The Best Christmas Ever by Chih-Yuan Chen. I will mention this book every Christmas season in some form or other, because I love it so much. I love the brown paper feel of the illustrations. I love the feeling of winter, darkness, and struggling hope. I love its simplicity. And I love the joyous resolution. The Bear family is so poor that they don’t even hope for presents this year. On Christmas morning, they find that “Toddler Christmas” visited in the night and brought them small, precious gifts.
Birthday Surprises edited by Johanna Hurwitz. Hurwitz asked 10 children’s authors to write a story about a birthday in which a child received an empty box. Sometimes, the box was the actual present. Sometimes, the box represented something else. In one case, the box was sent by mistake and the present was delivered in person. Imagine getting a box filled with air.
Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant. First published in Rylant’s collection,
Children of Christmas, this story tells of a train that rolled through the mountains and gifts that were thrown from the back to the impoverished children. Every year, a boy wishes for one particular gift. Every year, he gets something he needs. He returns as an adult and we find out whether his wish ever came true.
The following website offers a list of books about gift-giving and generosity to share with your young ones.
The Best Childrens Books about Generosity.
Back on December 9th I wrote a piece on those reprinted picture books I was happiest to encounter in 2016. Now I’ll say a word or two about the reprinted novels of this year. Naturally, if you look at the output from the publisher New York Review Books you’ll find a lovely array of titles. For more than are listed here, that’s for sure and for certain. The books I’m including today are ones I’ve read, so it’s fairly short. Still, don’t miss the books listed here today. The book market is not kind to reprints that could be called “forgotten”.
2016 Reprinted Children’s Novels
The Borrowers Collection by Mary Norton
My knowledge of previous collections of all the Borrowers stories is not good enough to determine whether or not any previous versions also included the short story “Poor Stainless” or not. Whatever the case, this new bound volume of full stories is delightful. Chock full of illustrations, it’s the ultimate Borrowers collection.
The Golden Key by George MacDonald, ill. Ruth Sanderson
The title probably hasn’t been out-of-print before, but I do know that back in the day it was Maurice Sendak who illustrated it. Sanderson’s a different take than Sendak, that’s for sure, but it’s a lovely new edition.
The Rescuers by Margery Sharp, ill. Garth Williams
If Disney had any sense in its monolithic head it would have years ago grabbed the literary rights to every publication ever brought to the silver screen. Imagine, if you will, a children’s book collection that consists of books that are better known now for their Disney adaptations. 101 Dalmations by Dodie Smith, Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss, and, naturally, The Rescuers. As with most Disneyfied products, when I read this book as a kid I was struck both by how sharp the writing was (not cutesy in the least) and also by how good illustrator Garth Williams was at making horrific looking humans. Turns out the master of whimsy had a penchant for the grotesque as well.
Never knew he had it in him.
For other celebrations of reprinted books, please check out the ShelfTalker piece Hello, Old Friends. I wish I’d seen the Lobel book mentioned there. Ah well. Can’t get them all.
Interested in the other lists of the month? Here’s the schedule so that you can keep checking back:
The World of Little House. Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson. 1996. 160 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: We know Laura Ingalls Wilder best through her nine Little House books, which tell the story of her life as a pioneer girl.
Premise/plot: This biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder would be perfect for upper elementary or middle schoolers. In some ways it's "just" a biography, but, in other ways it's so much more than that. One thing that I loved about it, for example, is the inclusion of HOUSE PLANS for all the houses Laura Ingalls Wilder lived! That plus the inclusion of crafts and recipes and extension activities really just made me happy.
For any reader who loves the book series or even the television series, this one is a fun and easy-going read.
My thoughts: While I didn't learn anything "new" about Laura Ingalls Wilder, I found it a fun, delightful presentation of what I already knew. The only book that truly was packed with I-didn't-know that information was the recently released PIONEER GIRL. This biography shares an intended audience range of the actual books. So one could go from the series to this biography smoothly. (I can't imagine a fourth or fifth grader picking up PIONEER GIRL and finishing it. Pioneer Girl just has SO MANY footnotes.)
Easy to recommend this one!
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Louise and Andie. The Art of Friendship. Kelly Light. 2016. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Art, this is the BEST day ever! I'm so excited to meet our new neighbor. I hope she loves art too.
Premise/plot: Louise and Art are back in a second book! (Though the focus is on Louise and not her adorable, little brother Art!) Louise and Andie, the girl next door, become good friends quickly. But things don't stay wonderful long, soon, these two realize they have artistic differences. Can this friendship be saved?!
My thoughts: Loved this one. I did. I really loved it!!! It is so important--no matter your age--that you learn how to resolve conflict! I love seeing this friendship endure the stress of a big argument. I love that these two are able to work things out and really come to know and appreciate each other better.
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
I peer into the darkness and at long last I see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re almost there! Almost at the end of this month’s 31 Days, 31 Lists challenge. I’m certainly delighted, not least because I’ve managed to keep it up so far (knocking on wood now as hard as my brittle knuckles can knock).
As with some of the lists, today’s is not by any means complete. I fell down on the job of reading as many chapter nonfiction books as I should have. And since I refuse to place any books on these lists that I haven’t actually read myself, it’s going to be far too short. For a variety of far more complete lists featuring nonfiction, please check out the Best of the Year compilations from all the major review journals (SLJ, Kirkus, Horn Book, etc.) as well as libraries like NYPL, Chicago Public Library, and others.
2016 Great Nonfiction Chapter Books for Kids
A Celebration of Beatrix Potter: Art and Letters by More Than 30 of Today’s Favorite Children’s Book Illustrators, edited by The Stewards of Frederick Warne & Co.
It seems a pity that I’m only just now mentioning this book, but I honestly couldn’t figure out if there was any other list it would slot into easily. In truth, it’s probably made for adult enthusiasts and not actual kids, but who knows? There could be some Potter loving children out there. Maybe they’d be interested in the wide variety of takes on one classic Potter character or another. Whatever the case, this book is a beautiful ode to the works of Beatrix and anyone would be pleased to receive it.
Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World’s Brightest Bird by Pamela S. Turner, photos by Andy Comins, ill. Guido de Flilippo
This is right up there with Sy Montgomery’s Kakapo book as one of my favorite books about obscure birds out there. Of course, the Kakapo is dumb as a box of rocks while these birds are smarter than human 4-year-olds, but who’s counting?
Deep Roots: How Trees Sustain Our Planet by Nikki Tate
Orca consistently produces fun nonfiction titles on serious subjects in a voice that never patronizes its young readers. This latest is no exception.
The Hello Atlas by Ben Handicott, ill. Kenard Pak
I really wasn’t sure where to put this one either, and it just feels like it has a bit too much content to consider it a picture book. The publisher calls this, “A celebration of humanity’s written and verbal languages is comprised of fully illustrated word charts depicting children of diverse cultures participating in everyday activities, in a reference complemented by a free downloadable app for iOS and Android that allows readers to hear the book’s phrases as recorded by native speakers”. Cool, right? Well, says Kirkus, “This will be a necessity for just about everybody, as there are no phonetic spellings”. So word to the wise. It’s still a pretty amazing book.
Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West by Candace Fleming
Did I mention I liked it yet?
I liked it.
Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelson
Still one of the most powerful books of the year.
Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turner, ill. Gareth Hinds
This one came out so early in the year that I almost forgot it was a 2016 title. Then I remembered that there’s this crazy outside chance that it could win a Newbery for its fantastic writing. So there’s that.
Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweet
It took me a while to jump on the bandwagon with this one, since I’m sometimes slow on the uptake. Now that I’ve read it, I’m gratified to write that it really is quite amazing. I’m not sure what kid would pick it up on their own, but it does a really lovely job of encapsulating White’s life and spends a good amount of time on his writing for children. Visually arresting from start to finish, this is one of the best bios of the year. Glad I followed the crowd on this one.
What Milly Did by Elise Moser, ill. Scot Ritchie
I’m not a huge fan of the cover, but I think the book’s worth its weight in gold. FYI.
Interested in the other lists of the month? Here’s the schedule so that you can keep checking back:
December 1 – Board Books
December 2 – Board Book Adaptations
December 3 – Nursery Rhymes
December 4 – Picture Book Readalouds
December 5 – Rhyming Picture Books
December 6 – Alphabet Books
December 7 – Funny Picture Books
December 8 – Calde-Nots
December 9 – Picture Book Reprints
December 10 – Math Picture Books
December 11 – Bilingual Books
December 12 – International Imports
December 13 – Books with a Message
December 14 – Fabulous Photography
December 15 – Fairy Tales / Folktales
December 16 – Oddest Books of the Year
December 17 – Older Picture Books
December 18 – Easy Books
December 19 – Early Chapter Books
December 20 – Graphic Novels
December 21 – Poetry
December 22 – Fictionalized Nonfiction
December 23 – American History
December 24 – Science & Nature Books
December 25 – Transcendent Holiday Titles
December 26 – Unique Biographies
December 27 – Nonfiction Picture Books
December 28 – Nonfiction Chapter Books
December 29 – Novel Reprints
December 30 – Novels
December 31 – Picture Books
My Two
Latest Picture Books
As well as Kobi and Oscar, many other unique Down Under animals
share the adventures in both these books.
An Aussie Word Glossary and animal information are at the back of each book, plus fun details about Koalas and Tasmanian Devils.
Kobi is a young koala who thinks he knows everything about
surviving in the Aussie Bush. He soon discovers he is lost,
scared, and REALLY misses his mom.
Oscar is a Tasmanian Devil who looks like his relatives--mean and ugly.
All the Aussie bush critters are afraid of him. Yet Oscar longs to be
friends with everyone--you see, he REALLY is different.
How he makes the other animals see his friendly
nature becomes a grand adventure.
16x books to choose from ( PB to Young Teen)
Ages 5 through 14 years.
AUTOGRAPHED--with DISCOUNT
(Direct from my Website) $2.50 POSTAGE
Add 50c for each extra book.
**************
Magic Carpet of Books
SKYPE Author Visits to Schools
************
Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths. Marilyn Singer. Illustrated by Josee Masse. 2016. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Ancient Greece: an age of marvelous myths, gone, but not forgotten. Heroes that rise and fall.
Premise/plot: This is the third collection of reverso poems by Marilyn Singer. The first two were: Mirror, Mirror and Follow, Follow. Both of those were fairy tale inspired poetry collections. This third book is inspired by Greek mythology.
So what is a reverso poem? A poem that is both read top to bottom, and bottom to top. The two 'versions' of the poem might tell completely different stories! Word order and punctuation can accomplish a LOT. Much more than I ever thought about!!! Most of the reverso poems in this collection have two narrators. For example, with "King Midas and His Daughter," the first poem is from the daughter's perspective (top to bottom), and the second poem (bottom to top) is from the King's perspective.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I'm not sure I loved, loved, loved it as much as the previous volumes. But. It's been a few years since I've read them, and, I'd have to reread all three closer together to truly decide which is my favorite. I can tell you that I do like Greek mythology. (Thanks in small part to Edith Hamilton and good old Percy Jackson.)
I think my favorite poem might be "Pygmalion and Galatea."
Wondrous!/ How/ life-/ like! There is nothing in this world/ so perfect. Oh, these lips, hands, eyes!/ The artist/ is in love with/ his creation./ Let a heartfelt wish be granted,/ kind Venus:/ Only you could make this stone breathe!
Only you could make this stone breathe!/ Kind Venus/ let a heartfelt wish be granted./ His creation/ is in love with/ the artist./ Oh, these lips, hands, eyes--/ so perfect!/ There is nothing in this world/ like/ life! How/ wondrous!
*The book does have at least one typo. And I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't chosen to share it. I would have just auto-corrected in my head without thinking twice. "There is nothing is this world." I include it here just in case it hasn't been caught yet and fixed already for future editions.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Many things have to happen after you hand in the final text of your manuscript and its publication.
http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/no-one-tells-page-proofs-blurb-requests
The Anthropology of Gifts - Part One
Look what I got in the mail right before Christmas!
-a beautiful slip-covered
copy of
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass with the original illustrations by Sir John Tenniel.
(The book pictured comes from Atlas Books, a book marketing company. The mention of this company is not an endorsement. The Atlas Books catalog offers lots of lovely looking books. However, I suggest that authors looking for a marketing company do a thorough investigation on their own.)This is an example of a traditional "gift" book - lovely to behold and to hold. Other traditional gift books are coffee table books, heavy with color plates, or educational tomes to enrich the recipient's mind, or inspirational volumes. Gift books look impressive on display.
Every major publisher puts out books in the Fall that are designed to catch the eye and to answer the needs of the gift-giver.
Most book review sites produce Best of... lists before the holidays so that no one goes ungifted. I prefer to let people do their own choosing. I am not alone in having received book gifts that were not to my liking. I have GIVEN books as gifts that ended up in yard sales.
This brings me to something I have been mulling over during this season of grabbing, getting, gifting, griping, to say nothing of wrapping, worrying and wondering - the anthropology of gifts.
Part One:
Did you get what you wanted this holiday? Did you give the perfect gift? Are you wishing that you had spent more...or less? Did your friend get a better gift from you than you got from him?
Does it matter?
Why do you give gifts, anyway?We learn that there are two acceptable reasons to give gifts;
to show affection,
to earn affection.
(The second reason is, ahem, less acceptable than the first.)
It follows that gift-giving should be completely altruistic. There should be no thoughts of, “Whoa, she will be blown away when she sees my awesome gift.” Nor, should we be worrying that, “This gift won’t seem too brown-nosey, will it?”
In the history of gift giving there are so many other reasons;
to show power, - as in, “No gift you give me is worth as much as the gift I give you. So watch it. I might take it back.”;
to earn prestige, - “Look how very important and special I am. I can give so much.”;
to flatter, - “YOU deserve this wonderful gift.”;
to insult, - “YOU barely even merit this tiny awful gift.”;
because it’s expected, - “I got invited to my cousin’s step-son’s wedding and I never even met him. I don’t want to look cheap.”;
because it meets a need - “I noticed that your socks are worn. Here, have some socks.”
The feelings that accompany gift-giving and getting are also significant -
insecurity,
hope that the recipient will be pleased,
envy over what others receive,
worry that we haven’t quite discharged our gift-giving duty,
worry that someone will be empty-handed,
worry that we will be disappointed,
hurt that the giver has no idea what we like - or who we are - even what colors we hate!
Yep, it’s a mine field, this giving of gifts.
A young friend once complained that her relatives, whom she barely saw, gave her a beautiful Christmas stocking.
“As if I was a little kid,” she snorted. She was in her late teens. “They have no interest in me, at all.”
By the way, the stocking was absolutely gorgeous. It was not appreciated. The relatives did not want to show up empty handed, especially when they spent so little time with my friend.
And this brings up the politics of RECEIVING gifts.... Whoo, Nellie! Do we really want to go into that, right now?
The ONLY acceptable way to receive gifts is happily and with a “Thank you.” Jumping up and down with glee is acceptable if you are small enough to jump up and down without shaking the floors. Sulking is never a good thing.
If the gift is insulting, the giver has been thwarted. You seem pleased. They will have to try harder.
If the gift attempts to impress, well, act impressed if you want to, but it is not obligatory.
If the gift was meant to flatter, don’t make much of it - unless you want to flatter back.
If the gift feels obligatory, remember, the giver didn’t have to give you anything.
If the gift seems insignificant, perhaps it is all the giver could give you.
As mothers, and grandmothers, and maiden aunts, and crotchety old uncles are always telling us, “It’s the thought that counts.” (Except when it IS the thought that counts, - and the thought is nasty - then we are not supposed to notice.)
This holiday season, I decided not to worry about it. I asked my loved ones what they wanted and gave them what I could to meet those requests.
I love every gift I receive, because I love the givers.
The best gift we have is our friends and family. So, if we remember that, it’s all good - (in the words of Pete the Cat).
I'm Wild About You. Sandra Magsamen. 2016. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: I love the way you monkey around. I love the way you stomp up dand down! I love the way you waddle when you walk.
Premise/plot: An animal-themed board book for parents to read aloud to their little ones. The message from cover to cover is very sweet and affectionate. (Some readers might think it a little over the top with sweetness.)
My thoughts: I definitely like this one. It's for little ones--babies, toddlers--no doubt. I like the animals. I especially like the elephant!
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10 © 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
It's nearly time to sum up the year's reading, and I have a great deal to talk about on that front. Unfortunately, I've been felled by a flu, so I'm hoping I'll be back my feet and in a state to write meaningfully about, well, anything by the time the 31st rolls around (which, as everyone knows, is the only proper time to talk about the year's best anything). In the meantime, however, here are
Itsy-Bitsy I Love You! Sandra Magsamen. 2016. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: review copy]
First sentence: My itsy-bitsy spider climbed up to snuggle me. Down came my arms, we hugged so happily.
Premise/plot: This board book reworks the classic song "Itsy Bitsy Spider."
My thoughts: I liked this one. I did. This is definitely for little ones, and, not so much preschoolers. (Although if you have preschoolers and little ones, then both might enjoy it.) The illustrations are very bright and bold. The text is cute. You can still sing it as a song. This one begs to be acted out. (As did the original song!)
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10 © 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
It's Tuesday! Write. Share. Give. 
It’s finally come! The list is nearing its end. So it is with great delight that I present to you some of the last of the lists. Today’s is particularly long, celebrating what I consider to be some of the best books of 2016. Since so many of them have shown up on my other lists I’ll leave off the comments this time around except for those that haven’t appeared here before.
These are the nonfiction titles I was most impressed by in 2016:
2016 Nonfiction Picture Books
Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer by Diane Stanley, ill. Jessie Hartland
Ada’s Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World’s First Computer Programmer by Fiona Robinson
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood, ill. Sally Wern Comport
Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics by Steve Jenkins
Anything But Ordinary: The True Story of Adelaide Herman, Queen of Magic by Mara Rockliff, ill. Iacopo Bruno
A Beetle Is Shy by Dianna Hutts Aston, ill. Sylvia Long
Circle by Jeanne Baker
Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois by Amy Novesky, ill. Isabelle Arsenault
The Deadliest Creature in the World by Brena Z. Guiberson, ill. Gennady Spirin
Death Is Stupid by Anastasia Higginbotham
Dining With Dinosaurs: A Tasty Guide to Mesozoic Munching by Hannah Bonner
Does a Fiddler Crab Fiddle? by Corinne Demas & Artemis Roehrig, ill. John Sandford
Dorothea’s Eyes by Barb Rosenstock, ill. Gerard DuBois
Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappaport, ill. Matt Faulkner
Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal, ill. Laura Freeman
Gabe: A Story of Me, My Dog, and the 1970s by Shelley Gill, ill. Marc Scheff
Grandmother Fish: A Child’s First Book of Evolution by Jonathan Tweet, ill. Karen Lewis
Growing Peace: A Story of Farming, Music, and Religious Harmony by Richard Sobol
If this hasn’t appeared on a list before it’s only because I’ve never found a place to slot it. Though it has elements of biography to it, it’s mostly about sustainable farming, overcoming religious differences, and working together. And since I never made a peace and global studies list (next year?) it shall go here instead.
How Cities Work by James Gulliver Hancock
Very keen. It’s a good book to use if you want to describe to a kid how cities form, what they contain, their problems, their solutions, and their future. Lots of lift-the-flap elements as well.
One note – if you’re buying this book for your system through Baker & Taylor, they’ll have a warning note attached saying that there are small parts and that it’s not appropriate for children under the age of three. They sometimes will put this warning on books with small lift-the-flap flaps. I personally think the book is safe, but you may be strict in your policies. FYI.
How Much Does a Ladybug Weigh? by Alison Limentani
I Am NOT a Dinosaur! by Will Lach, ill. Jonny Lambert
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy, ill. Elizabeth Baddeley
The Kid from Diamond Street: The Extraordinary Story of Baseball Legend Edith Houghton by Audrey Vernick, ill. Steven Salerno
Lift Your Light a Little Higher: The Story of Stephen Bishop: Slave-Explorer by Heather Henson, ill. Bryan Collier
Martin Luther “Here I Stand” by Geraldine Elschner, translated by Kathryn Bishop
The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation by Gilbert Ford
Since the book is focused far more on the invention than the inventor, I couldn’t really put it on the biographical list. So for all that it’s fun and funny and interesting and beautiful (really beautiful) I’ve had to wait until now to put it on any lists. That said, it was worth the wait.
Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus by John Hendrix
The Music in George’s Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue by Suzanne Slade, ill. Stacy Innerst
My Book of Birds by Geraldo Valerio
Natumi Takes the Lead: The True Story of an Orphan Elephant Who Finds Family by Gerry Ellis with Amy Novesky
The Navajo Code Talkers by J. Patrick Lewis, ill. Gary Kelley
Olinguito, from A to Z! / Olinguito, de la A a la Z! by Lulu Delacre
Otters Love to Play by Jonathan London, ill. Meilo So
Pink Is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals by Jess Keating, ill. David DeGrand
A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day by Andrea Davis Pinkney, ill. Lou Fancher & Steve Johnson
The Polar Bear by Jenni Desmond
Prairie Dog Song by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
The Secret Subway by Shana Corey, ill. Red Nose Studio
She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland by Loki Mulholland & Angela Fairwell, ill. Charlotta Janssen
A Spy Called James: The True Story of James Lafayette, Revolutionary War Double Agent by Anne Rockwell, ill. Floyd Cooper
Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman, ill. Daniel Minter
Ticktock Banneker’s Clock by Shana Keller, ill. David C. Gardner
The Toad by Elise Gravel
The Tudors: Kings, Queens, Scribes, and Ferrets! by Marcia Williams
Under Earth / Under Water by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski
When Grandma Gatewood Took a Hike by Michelle Houts, ill. Erica Magnus
Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton, ill. Don Tate
Whose Eye Am I? by Shelley Rotner
The William Hoy Story by Nancy Churnin, ill. Jez Tuya
You Never Heard of Casey Stengel?! by Jonah Winter, ill. Barry Blitt
Interested in the other lists of the month? Here’s the schedule so that you can keep checking back:
December 1 – Board Books
December 2 – Board Book Adaptations
December 3 – Nursery Rhymes
December 4 – Picture Book Readalouds
December 5 – Rhyming Picture Books
December 6 – Alphabet Books
December 7 – Funny Picture Books
December 8 – Calde-Nots
December 9 – Picture Book Reprints
December 10 – Math Picture Books
December 11 – Bilingual Books
December 12 – International Imports
December 13 – Books with a Message
December 14 – Fabulous Photography
December 15 – Fairy Tales / Folktales
December 16 – Oddest Books of the Year
December 17 – Older Picture Books
December 18 – Easy Books
December 19 – Early Chapter Books
December 20 – Graphic Novels
December 21 – Poetry
December 22 – Fictionalized Nonfiction
December 23 – American History
December 24 – Science & Nature Books
December 25 – Transcendent Holiday Titles
December 26 – Unique Biographies
December 27 – Nonfiction Picture Books
December 28 – Nonfiction Chapter Books
December 29 – Novel Reprints
December 30 – Novels
December 31 – Picture Books
There are several reasons when you should use a flashback, and many why you shouldn't.
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/reason-story-flashbacks/
Tom Sawyer Abroad. Mark Twain. 1894. 108 pages.
First sentence: DO you reckon Tom Sawyer was satisfied after all them adventures? I mean the adventures we had down the river, and the time we set the darky Jim free and Tom got shot in the leg. No, he wasn’t. It only just p’isoned him for more. That was all the effect it had.
Premise/plot: Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and Jim (now free) accidentally have an adventure together--in a hot air balloon--that takes them halfway across the world to Africa. The trip has its dangers certainly. But Tom is so smug and obnoxious that one of the biggest dangers is the size of his ego. The book's biggest weakness perhaps is its sudden and abrupt ending. I can almost imagine Mark Twain going, well, it was fun and interesting when it started...but I've got a new idea for a book now and I just don't care about this anymore. So let's type THE END and send it off to be published.
My thoughts: If the ending had been an actual ending, perhaps this one would have been worth my time--and your time. As it is, I can't really recommend it! Was it easier to get published back then? Was Mark Twain under contract? Did his editor not care either? Did he even have an editor? Instead of improving as it goes along, it does the opposite. Each chapter shows Twain's growing lack of interest in what happens on this balloon ride.
I don't think the fault is solely in the premise. I think it's just that when you start a book you should see it through to the end...or else not publish it.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Identifying Barbie Dolls. Janine Fennick. 1998. 80 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: Collecting Barbie dolls is one of the most popular hobbies today.
Premise/plot: Janine Fennick's book is a nonfiction guide for adults (primarily) about collecting Barbie dolls and caring for your doll collection. She essentially divides Barbie dolls into three categories. (The book was published in 1998; I'd argue there needs to be a fourth category). Her categories are: "The Ponytail Era" (1959-1966), "The Mod Era" (1967-1972), and "The Collectible Era" (1973-present).
The first fifteen pages essentially act as an introduction to doll collecting itself. The remaining three chapters focus on a specific era of doll production.
The writing is both technical and practical. A fun, swinging narrative it is not. If you want to know the difference between a #1 Ponytail and a #2 Ponytail (the first two dolls) this book will tell you ALL you need to know. If you want to know what year Midge got bendable legs, this book is for you.
My thoughts: I'll be honest, though she discusses all three eras, the author's bias for the first two eras is obvious. I wouldn't mind knowing what she thinks of the current state of Barbie. (I am disappointed not with the Fashionista line, but, with the other offerings. Almost all Barbies produced in the past five to seven years have the exact same face, almost the exact same makeup, almost the exact same hair. There is no point anymore to buying *more* dolls. To have two or three dolls with the same face is one thing. Twins! Triplets! But to have sixteen? That's just CREEPY. Instead of buying more dolls, you'd almost be better off just buying fashion accessories. But clothes can be very taste specific. (I always LOVED, LOVED, LOVED sewing my own Barbie clothes. In fact it's probably the number one thing I miss about playing with Barbies.) I miss the 80s and 90s. Yes, the author doesn't really see the point of it all. But I did and do.
Probably the biggest strength of this book is the use of COLOR photographs. So many dolls, so many fashions shared in FULL color. Some of the Barbie biographies (for lack of a better word) just have black and white photographs. Yes, the narrative might be more entertaining. But it's the PICTURES OF BARBIE that makes you want to keep flipping through the pages.
I should also note that I am and always will be a believer that Barbie is meant to be played with and loved. This view puts me at slight odds with the strict collector looking for everything to be in a never been opened box.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Slaves of Obsession. Anne Perry. 2000. 368 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: "We are invited to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Alberton," Hester said in reply to Monk's questioning gaze across the breakfast table.
Premise/plot: William and Hester Monk attend a dinner, and, soon most of the guests will be caught up in a murder case. The victim--one of several--is Mr. Alberton. And it looks like he's been killed by someone he knew, someone he entertained in his own home. Monk isn't directly on the murder case, so to speak, but he's hired by Mrs. Alberton to find her missing daughter and bring her back home, no matter what. And the number one suspect in the case is the daughter's love-interest. So chances are, if you find one you may find the other. So Hester and Monk have their hands full in this one. It takes place on TWO continents. (The daughter has fled to the United States....)
My thoughts: I really am enjoying this series again. I really like seeing Hester and William settle down into married life. I really love seeing these two love and respect and cherish one another! Yet the romance in the book is never in-your-face or time-consuming. Instead it is in the background, subtle. The issue in this book is "slavery" and whether it's right or wrong to sell guns to the South. Does someone who sells guns for a living have a moral obligation to sell guns only to people whom he agrees 100% with? Does he have the right to refuse to sell guns to interested buyers because he finds their cause distasteful? Who is really capable of deciding which causes are good or bad?
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
I love seasonal picture books, because I love the way they connect us with what is going on outside at this particular moment. They connect us to a rhythm that is bigger than the one that many of humans seem to follow. Today's picture book takes us into a snowy, wintry landscape that is beautiful and stark. On the pages we meet a determined little mouse who is trying to collect firewood so that he can keep his family warm.
A warm winterFeridun Oral
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Minedition, 2015, 978-988-8341-29-0
One cold winter’s day Little Mouse leaves the comfort of his nest to go out into the snow to find some firewood. Trailing his red scarf, which is very long indeed for such a small animal, Little Mouse finds twigs, pinecones and sticks until he has a huge pile.
Little Mouse ties up the pile with his scarf, rests a little and then he tries to pull his load across the snow. There is no way the pile is going to budge. Little Mouse is just too small to pull so much weight.
Little Mouse asks his friend Rabbit for her help. Even when they “join forces” they cannot move the massive pile of firewood. The animals then ask Fox if they can borrow his sled, which he is quite happy to lend them. The firewood is piled on the sled and they all start pulling, but “the pile simply would not budge.”
There is only one thing left to do; the animals are going to have to wake up Bear to ask for his help. The weather is getting bad and if they don’t get indoors soon everything will soon be buried.
Bear, being a good fellow, is happy to help his friends, even though they woke him up. Together the four animals pull and pull until something very unexpected happens.
This wonderful snowy picture book celebrates friendship, and shows to great effect how wonderful it is when people (or animals) work together to help one another.
View Next 25 Posts
No excuses! These are just the books that I read in 2016 that I thought knocked it out of the park. These aren’t the “best of the year”. These are just the books that were particularly good and that somehow crossed my radar. I read a lot more than what you’ll see here, but I loved these the best. For your consideration:
.jpeg?picon=2691)
Thanks for the mentions!
I read aloud FIVE CHILDREN ON THE WESTERN FRONT to my 4th grade class last year and they loved it. None had read FIVE CHILDREN AND IT. I also gave it to a kid this year who reads literary sorts of things.
My Horn Book review of CLOUD AND WALLFISH is here: http://www.hbook.com/2016/11/choosing-books/review-of-the-week/review-of-cloud-and-wallfish/
Oh yeah! I had gotten out of reading middle school fiction because life intervened. Looks like a few here that will entice me to return. Thanks for the list.