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Every so often a book comes along that is so splendid/marvelous/fabulous that I want to go to the top of the highest building and shout out how splendid/marvelous/fabulous it is. Since the tallest building around here is not tall at all and I would not reach many people shouting from the top, I am going to tell you about my latest Great Find.
The book is called Destiny Revealed and it was written by Kathryn Fitzmaurice. The story explores how one eleven-old girl tries to understand what destiny is. She has been told that she will be a poet when she grows up, but what if she doesn't want to be a poet? What then? Can she write her own destiny?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Fiction
For ages 9 and up
HarperCollins, 2013, 978-0-06-162501-5
The day before her baby daughter is to born, Isabella goes to a second hand bookshop where she hopes she will be able find a name for her child. She is looking for a name that will set her daughter’s “life direction.” After discarding Juliet as too tragic a name, Isabella finds a copy of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, and she knows in her heart that she has found what she is looking for. Her baby will be called Emily, and she will grow up to be a poet.
Emily is now eleven years old and she really does not care for poetry, though she does try to. She has the copy of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson that her mother bought and it is Emily’s most treasured possession because her mother has made notes in the book to commemorate important days in Emily’s life. The book tells Emily’s story. Or at least most of it. Emily still has no idea who her father is. Isabella firmly believes that when the time is right Emily will know who her father is. The problem is that Emily does not feel like waiting for that moment, and what if it doesn’t even exist? Emily wants to know who her father is now and she is stunned when her mother finally tells her that her father’s name is written in Emily’s precious copy of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson.
Emily runs to get her book only to find out that it got mixed up in a donation for Goodwill. The book is gone. Emily can hardly believe that her book, with all those wonderful notes from her mother, is gone forever. Emily’s mother believes that the book got lost because Emily wasn’t ready to find her father’s name. Isabella insists that things cannot be forced; they should be allowed to happen when they are supposed to happen, when they are destined to happen. Emily finds it hard to accept her mother’s take on destiny, and she wants to find that book no matter what it takes.
It ends up taking a lot. Emily and her mother go to the Goodwill store, but the book isn’t there. The person working at Goodwill tells them that the books are often picked over early by people buying books for bookstores. Now Emily is going to have search who knows how many book stores to find her book.
Desperate to find the book with her father’s name in it, Emily even goes so far as to set aside her rigidly organized and predictable way of doing things. She forces herself to be unpredictable, even when doing so pains her. She will do whatever it takes if there is a chance that she will find the book with its precious notes. She never expects that her journey will be full of surprises. As she tries to understand what is happening around her she will question who controls her destiny, and she will end up opening doors that she didn’t even know were there.
In this extraordinary book Kathryn Fitzmaurice explores the inner world of a young girl whose mother made a decision about her child’s future when that child was just an infant. It is quite remarkable to be able to see how Emily struggles to come to terms with the path her mother chose for her; a path that Emily does not feel is right for her. Emily’s voice, and the voices of the other characters in the book, are delightfully honest, genuine, and often sweetly funny, and readers will grow to love the quirky people who live in Emily’s world.
Though this book was written for younger readers, adults will get a lot out of reading it. They may even question the path they are on. It is a path that they are supposed to be following?
These days, when I want to relax and give my brain a break, I read a mystery novel. I have always loved mysteries and read (and reread) all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books when I was young. There were also the Famous Five and Secret Seven series, books that were published in England. I remember feeling rather disappointed that there weren't more mystery titles being published for young readers.
Today, young readers have a much bigger selection of mystery novels to read. In several of them the main character becomes a secret agent of some kind. Today's title is just such a book. In it a tween girl, Ruby Redfort, is asked to help a secret agency to solve a problem. The writing is clever, often humorous, and it is full of thrilling moments and interesting situations.
Lauren Child
Fiction
For ages 10 to 13
Candlewick Press, 2011, 978-0-7636-5120-6
Ruby Redfort looks like a rather ordinary tween girl, but she is not in the slightest bit ordinary. She is extremely intelligent, can learn new things very quickly, and she has superlative observation skills and problem-solving skills. Ruby loves mystery and crime stories, movies, and television shows. She also loves to figure out puzzles, ciphers, and codes.
Until now, other than winning a Code-Cracking Championship and creating a code that took Harvard scholars two weeks to break, Ruby has had a quiet life. She lives with her rather uninteresting parents, spends time with her friend Clancy, and goes to school. Then, one day, she comes home from school to find out that someone has stolen everything in her house. Everything is gone including Mrs. Digby the housekeeper. On that day Hitch, a household manager (butler), arrives to work at the Redfort home, and Ruby is immediately suspicious. Something about Hitch is off, but Ruby cannot figure out what.
Then Ruby gets a very odd phone call. An unknown person tells Ruby that he or she has heard that Ruby is good at noticing things and that she is also a good code cracker. The person talks some more and Ruby agrees that she “can crack a code.” After saying “Good,” the person hangs up. Ruby is very puzzled by the call. If the person on the phone wants her to crack a code why didn’t the person give her a code to crack?
Some time later Ruby figures things out. The code was in the conversation itself. She analyses what the person said and soon she is following clues, each clue leading her to another one. The final clue leads her to a manhole cover. She opens it and reluctantly goes down the drain and into a tunnel, which then opens into a very large room. It is in this room that Ruby meets a woman called LB who just happens to belong to the voice on the telephone.
LB explains that she works for a secret agency called Spectrum, and she invites Ruby the join the agency to help them deal with one problem and one problem only. If she is willing to take on the challenge, Ruby will first have to pass a test and get cleared by security. If she gets through these, she will be told about the problem, which she will hopefully be able to solve. After the task is complete, Ruby will go back to being an ordinary schoolgirl and her association with Spectrum will be over.
Not surprisingly, Ruby agrees to the terms. She passes the test and security check without any trouble, and then she finds out that she has been recruited to break a code. Someone is apparently planning to steal an enormous amount of gold from a local bank. A former Spectrum code breaker figured out something important about the plan, but she died before she could tell LB about what she had found. LB wants Ruby to go through the deceased code breaker’s papers to figure out what it was she was going to reveal.
Lauren Child has delighted countless children by creating Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean, wonderful characters who appear in picture books, novels, and in television programs. Now she gives us Ruby Redfort, and readers will have a splendid time sharing Ruby’s adventures and trying to figure out the codes and puzzles Ruby encounters. Who can resist a story that is packed with colorful characters, unsolved mysteries, cool gadgets, and challenging puzzles.
Some years ago I read a delightful beginner chapter book about two little foxes who have everyday adventures. There was something about the characters, Zelda and Ivy, that I found very appealing. I was therefore delighted the other day to receive a new Zelda and Ivy book to review.
Laura McGee Kvasnosky
Fiction
For ages 5 to 7
Candlewick Press, 2010, 978-0-7636-4180-1
Zelda and Ivy and their friend Eugene are going to the movie theatre, and Zelda and Eugene are really looking forward to seeing the movie Secret Agent Fox. Ivy is worried that the movie is going to be too scary and she is not comforted when her sister and friend tell her that what takes place in a movie is not real.
When the movie starts, Ivy soon forgets to be afraid. In fact, she is captivated by the action that she is watching on the screen, as is Eugene. Both of them are so interested in the movie that they fail to notice that Zelda, who not long ago said “the scarier, the better,” is not actually watching the movie.
Some time later, inspired no doubt by the movie they saw, Ivy, Zelda, and Eugene decide to be secret agents and “spy on people.” They each choose a secret agent name, they decide on a code word, and then they proceed to spy on Mrs. Brownlie. In their opinion, Mrs. Brownlie is behaving in a suspicious manner. She is wearing goggles while she is mowing her yard, and the three friends are eager to find out why.
In this delightful Zelda and Ivy story, there are three chapters, and in each one Zelda, Ivy and their friend have delightful adventures that children will be able to identify with. The characters are charming, and the stories are perfect for children who are starting to read on their own.
I love dragon stories, and today's fiction title is a wonderful book about the adventures that two children have when they find themselves in the company of a dragonologist. This book is a companion to the Dragonology books, a series of novelty titles that have delighted dragon fans of all ages for ten years now.
The Dragon’s EyeDugald A. Steer
Illustrated by Douglas Carrel
Fiction
For ages 9 to 12
Candlewick Press, 2006, 0-7636-2810-7
Daniel and his sister Beatrice are looking forward to their summer vacation a great deal. Their parents, who live and work in India, are coming to England to visit. When Daniel gets to Waterloo station, his sister is waiting for him with a letter in her hand. The letter was written by their mother and in it is she explains that once again, for the fourth year in a row, she and her husband cannot come to England after all. Instead of spending the summer with their parents, the children are to spend it with Dr. Ernest Drake.
Following their mother’s instructions, the children get themselves to Wyvern Way, a small street near Trafalgar square where Dr. Drake has a shop, which is called Doctor Drake’s Dragonalia. When they arrive, Dr. Drake is deep in conversation with someone, and the children have no choice but to wait until he is free. Feeling bored, Daniel explores one of the basement rooms beneath the shop, which is where he comes to face to face with an honest to goodness dragon. Dr. Drake catches the boy snooping and he makes it clear that Daniel should not tell anyone about what he has seen.
Later that day the children travel with Dr. Drake to Castle Drake, his country home, and the following morning Beatrice goes into the woods with Dr. Drake while Daniel studies Charles Darwin’s book, On the Origin of Species. While the doctor is away, Daniel cannot help snooping again, even though he was told to stay in the house, and he finds out that the dragon that he saw in the London shop is now at Castle Drake. Once again, the doctor catches Daniel doing something that he shouldn’t be doing.
Daniel and Beatrice soon learn that Dr. Drake is a dragonologist, a scientist who studies dragons. The young people learn that dragons are found in many countries around the world, but there are not a lot of them left and they need to be protected. Every summer, Dr. Drake trains a few select young people to become dragonologists, and this summer Daniel and Beatrice will be his pupils.
The children’s studies do not progress very far before they find themselves caught up in a very unpleasant situation. A man called Ignatius Crook has decided that he should be the next Dragon Master and he is doing everything that he can to get his hands on some artifacts, in particular the Dragon’s Eye, to achieve this goal. Since Ignatius Crook does not truly care about dragons, Dr. Drake has to do everything that he can to stop the man before it is too late, and Daniel and Beatrice end up joining in his adventure.
This companion to the now famous Dragonology books will delight readers who have an interest in dragons. The author not only gives us an action-packed tale full of adventure and misadventure, but he also helps his readers to understand the scientific process of study and why all creatures (including dragons) should be protected.
In just a few days it will be the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. When I moved to the United States in 1991, I didn't really know much about this event. Since then I have read a number of books for both adults and young people that describe what took place in Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Today's book describes the events of that fateful day through the eyes of a boy, and it also looks at what took place after the attack was over.
Lauren Tarshis
Historical Fiction
For ages 8 to 10
Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-545-20698-3
Not long ago, Danny came to live on the lush and beautiful tropical island of Oahu, and now all he wants to do is to go back to New York City, which is where he used to live. Though his apartment was in a dirty, crowded, ugly, and sometimes dangerous neighborhood in the city, it was his home and his misses it. More than anything he misses Finn, his best friend. Danny’s mother decided that they had to move after Finn had an accident when he and Danny were exploring an abandoned building. She wants her son to have a better life in a new place, but all he wants it to have his old life back, which is why Danny plans on stowing away on a ship.
Danny is just about to start packing when he hears a horrible squeal and a scream coming from his back yard. When he goes to investigate, he finds a little boy, Aki, who is holding a baby pig. Aki offers to show Danny his “puppy,” which is when the piglet’s mother arrives on the scene. Danny is just able to get Aki out of the way before he is injured by the furious wild boar.
Danny and Aki go to Aki’s house where the little boy’s mother invites Danny to lunch. She tells Danny that his mother is “lucky to have a boy like you.” The next morning, on December 7th 1941, Danny has a hard time motivating himself to get onto a ship that is bound for San Francisco/ He keeps thinking about how his mother will feel if he abandons her.
Then Japanese airplanes start to bomb Pearl Harbor and Danny forgets all about trying to get onto that ship. Hickman Field, where his mother works as a nurse, gets hit and Danny runs there to find out if his mother is all right. Suddenly Danny’s dreams of going back to New York City seem ridiculous, and he focuses of surviving and getting to his mother.
In this excellent I Survived title we see what it might have been like to be in Pearl Harbor when it was bombed in 1941 through the eyes of a young boy. We see how Danny is changed by the experience, and how he learns to have a new appreciation for the life that he has.
This is one in a series of historical fiction titles.
When I was a child most of the grownups I knew had no idea how to communicate with a kid. Or at least that is what it felt like. They had no idea how to listen, or how to respond in the appropriate manner. My father was one of the exceptions. He really wanted to know what I felt and thought, and made me feel that my opinion mattered.
In today's book you are going to meet a boy who develops a close friendship with a children's book author. They write to one another, and though they are very different, they are able to help one another.
Sally Grindley
Illustrated by Tony Ross
Fiction
For ages 6 to 9
Simon and Schuster, 2004, 978-1-4169-3443-1
Not long ago Max’s uncle gave him a copy of a book by the author D. J. Lucas, and now Max is writing to D.J. to tell her how much he likes the book. He also tells the author that he, Max, would like to be a writer when he grows up. D.J. writes back to tell Max that she has written thirty-five books and that she is about to start writing another one.
The two correspondents, who are both having a hard time coming up with a story, decide to help one another. D.J suggest that they should both write about “what interests us most.” Max decides to write about a spectacled bear, and over time, as letters go back and forth between the boy and the writer, his story evolves.
In addition to his story, Max tells D.J about his uncle and the new puppy his uncle got who “wees” in shoes. Max incidentally lets slip that his father is “never coming back,” and that he has to go to the hospital a lot. He thinks that these visits are a waste of time because the doctors never do anything to make Max better. He also talks about a boy at school who enjoys bullying Max because Max is small for his age. Then he tells D.J about his friend Jenny, who is behaving less and less like a friend.
Recognizing that Max’s life is sometimes hard, D.J offers him support and her friendship, and she does her best to cheer him up. She is there for him when he feels very alone, angry, and scared.
One would never think that an adult lady author and a nine-year-old boy could have much in common, but in this book they do, and they both benefit from the friendship. It is fascinating to see how Max’s very lifelike story evolves, and how he learns how to deal with his problems himself, finding the courage that lies within him.
With a story that is funny, touching, and punctuated with little doodles and pictures, this is a tale every child can relate to.
When I was a child, my grandmother lived on the other side of the world, so I didn't get to see her very often. I envied the children I knew whose grandparents lived in the same city or at least in the same country. Thankfully the grandmother who lived downstairs decided to adopt me. It did not matter that she spoke Greek and that I, at least at first, couldn't speak a word. We would sit together watching TV, I would hold her crochet yarn for her, and she would let me help her bake bread and make homemade pasta.
Today's fiction title is about a boy who has a very close relationship with his grandfather. This is just one in a series of books about Gus and his splendid grandfather.
Claudia Mills
Illustrated by Catherine Stock
Fiction
For ages 5 to 7
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999, 978-0374428471
Gus loves to go and visit his grandfather. There are so many wonderful things to do at Grandpa's house, simple yet special things. There is the ditch to jump over again, Skipper the dog to play with, shopping trips to go on, and much more. Best of all there is Grandpa with his gentle and often funny ways. The author of this charming little book beautifully succeeds in showing us the closeness of the relationship between Gus and his grandfather, the comfortable nature of their relationship, and the ways in which they enjoy one another's company. She does this with short sentences and simple language, which makes the story very accessible to early readers. At the same time, she introduces early readers to chapters, giving them several Gus and Grandpa stories to enjoy in one volume.
My daughter came into this world with a natural affinity for music. Learning how to play the piano when she was five was easy for her, but practicing was something she avoided as much as possible. I cannot tell you how many times we had the "you need to practice or you will never move forward" conversation.
Today's book will resonate with every young artist, musician, and athlete who hates to practice, and with every adult who has tried to find ways to encourage their child to practice regularly.
Monika Bang-Campbell
Illustrated by Molly Bang
Fiction
For ages 6 to 9
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007, 978-0-15-205305-5
Little Rat comes from a music-loving family. Her father is a gifted musician who can play four instruments, and her mother loves to sing. Her mother takes Little Rat to folk-music concerts, and her father takes her to listen to orchestral performances. Little Rat particularly enjoys watching the violinists, who “played all sorts of notes” and thus create a variety of musical moods.
One day Little Rat and her mama are walking past the Community Hall when they heard the sound of music. When they go inside, they see a group of young animals playing violins. Little Rat is charmed by the sounds she hears, and so her mother arranges for her to have violin lessons.
At her first lesson, Little Rat and the other beginner students learn how to hold their bows and violins. They don’t learn how to play a single note, let alone a little tune. How boring it all is. At the next lesson, Little Rat is finally asked to play a note, and what a note it is too. Little Rat’s note sounds like “an angry seagull.”
Over time, Little Rat’s playing gets better, but one thing Little Rat hates to do is to practice. It is boring and frustrating. Why does learning how to play the violin have to be so hard?
Acquiring a new skill is rarely easy, and often the early learning phases are very hard to deal with. The only way to get better is to practice, but practicing is dull because you do the same thing over and over again, and what you produce is often not that good. In this wonderful chapter book, we see how a young rat comes to accept that practicing is necessary, and that it takes work to become good at doing something. With touches of humor and great sensitivity, Monika Bang tells a story that will resonate with young people who are experiencing their own practicing issues. Artists, musicians, and athletes all have to make the same journey that Little Rat makes.
There are many people out there who are mortally afraid of spiders. I luckily am not one of them, but I must confess that I am not exactly thrilled when I find a black widow or a brown recluse around my house or in the yard/garden/garage/barn. Let's face it, these little animals are dangerous. There is nothing wrong with being wary of them. I must confess though, that I am never going to feel the same way about a brown recluse spider now that I have read the first Deadlies title, which is today's fiction title. Read on to find out why.
Kathryn Lasky
Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Fiction
For ages 7 to 9
Scholastic, 2010, 978-0-545-11681-7
Felix the brown recluse spider lives in a philharmonic hall with his mother Edith and his two sisters. Felix is a devotee of music and greatly admires the Maestro who always stays in the theatre after a performance is over to practice his conducting. Felix and his sisters have always been told that the most important rule to remember is to “never, ever reveal yourself to human beings,” and they always do their best to follow this rule. They know all too well that humans hate spiders, especially species that are venomous, which Felix and his kind are.
Then one evening Felix makes the mistake of letting the Maestro see him. The Maestro hits Felix with his baton, and then he passes out. Though the Maestro is not dead, he has seen Felix, and everyone knows what is going to happen next. Exterminators will be hired to rid the music hall of spiders. Felix and his family are going to have to move.
Poor Felix feels very bad about what has happened, because he never meant to cause so much trouble. At the same time, he is rather annoyed at the unfairness of his situation. It is not his fault that he was born a brown recluse spider. It is not his fault that he has highly poisonous venom that can kill people. It is not fair that he has to hide himself because of who he is. He isn’t just a venomous spider, he is also a kind fellow who loves music.
Felix and his family are lucky enough to have a cat friend, Fatty, who carries them to a dusty antique shop specializing in maritime “treasures.” The shop is a perfect temporary stopping place for all of them, including Fatty, who will be able to hunt for mice. There are other spiders in residence who are unkind to Felix and his family, but the recluses are used to this sort of thing. They are not only feared by humans, they are also despised by other spiders as well. It is such an unfortunate situation, but it is one that they just have to put up with.
Then pirate spiders attack, and Felix and his family are presented with a new set of problems. Will they ever be able to have a safe, happy, and quiet life?
Many people are unfairly judged in this world because they are different in some way. In this book, young readers will see how this feels through the eyes of recluse spiders. Rather than hiding away, artistic Felix wants others to see him for who he is and not for what he is. Surely, this is what everyone wants.
With humor and sensitivity, Kathryn Lasky tells a story that explores big and meaningful themes from the point of view of very small animals. Her tale is a joy to read, and readers will be glad to know that this is the first book in a new series. Felix and his family will be back.
As we grow up, many of us lose the ability to believe in things that cannot be seen, in things that cannot be captured in a picture or on film. We stop looking for fairy rings, and think that pixies, boggarts, elves and their kin do not exist. This is a very dangerous assumption to make, as you will find out when you read today's book.
Paul Crilley
Fiction
For ages 10 and up
Egmont, 2010, 978-1-60684-031-3
When she wakes up on a cold winter’s morning, Emily Snow has no idea that the day ahead of her is going to be a very unusual one. As usual she gets up and sets off for the market to buy her supply of watercress, bunches of which she will sell to make a little money. Though she is only twelve years old, Emily has to take care of her little brother William, making sure that she earns enough to keep him fed, clothed, and with a roof over his head.
Three years ago Emily and Will’s father left home and never came back. Then, not long after, their mother vanished as well. Since then, Emily has had to shoulder the burden of caring for her little brother alone. Sometimes the responsibility weighs on Emily, but she presses on, doing the best she can.
When she is halfway to the market, Emily witnesses a fight between two groups of people. Fights are reasonably common on London’s streets, but fights between two sets of beings who are less than half the height of a twelve year old girl are not. Emily can hardly believe her eyes, but before she can investigate, the creatures suddenly disappear.
Soon after sighting the fight, a tall and rather terrifying man called Mr. Ravenhill questions Emily about what she has seen. She denies seeing anything and gets away from the man as soon as she can. Then Emily discovers that she has lost the penny that she was going to use to buy her day’s supply of cress. She must have dropped it in the alley where she witnessed the strange fight. Though she does not want to go back to the alley, Emily returns there. If she does not buy some cress to sell, she and William will not be able to eat that evening.
Back in the alley, Emily finds one of the creatures who was involved in the fight that she witnessed. The creature explains that he is piskie from Cornwall, and his name is Corrigan. Then Corrigan and Emily are attacked by the Black Sidhe, pixies who hate Corrigan and his kind. Not knowing what else to do, Emily picks up Corrigan, who is injured, and runs away.
Corrigan then explains that the Black Sidhe arrow sticking out of his leg is poisoned and that he needs Emily to carry him to a place where his wound can be tended by someone who knows how to deal with such things.
At a bookshop owned by Merrian, a half giant, Corrigan’s wounds are treated, and Emily finds out that London is not only home to humans, it is also home to countless creatures of Faerie. Most humans cannot see the piskies, faeries, gnomes and
I began reading the Amelia journals created by Marissa Moss many years ago. I love the format that the author uses, and I also love the way in which she addresses issues that are important to young people. Today's fiction title is another Amelia story, and it is perfect for summer because it is about a road trip that Amelia takes with her mother and big sister.
Marissa Moss
Fiction
For ages 8 to 12
Simon and Schuster, 2006, 978-1469-0906-4
Amelia, her mother, and her big sister Chloe are driving from their home in Oregon to the Grand Canyon, stopping along the way to see a ghost town, Death Valley, Manzanar, Mono Lake, and Yosemite. Though Amelia is looking forward to seeing these places, perhaps most of all she is looking forward to visiting her friend Nadia, who lives in California. Amelia will be staying with her for a few days on the way home.
The first few days of the trip are a trial. Being in close quarters with Chloe is a challenging under the best of circumstances. Being in close quarters with her when she is being car sick is almost unbearable. Amelia cannot help wishing that Chloe was somewhere else, anywhere else in fact.
Despite Chloe and her annoying habits there are a few bright moments during the journey to the Grand Canyon. When they stop for dinner at a diner, Amelia not only gets to eat some fantastic food, but she and Chloe have fun listening to real records that are being played on the old fashioned juke box. Staying at motels is fun too, but all the driving is driving Amelia “crazy.” Can the Grand Canyon be worth all this boredom?
Amelia soon discovers that the Grand Canyon is definitely worth visiting. She is amazed at how huge and how beautiful the place is, and she makes friends with a nice boy from Japan who is visiting America. She buys gifts for her friends and sends them postcards.
One thing that Amelia cannot help worrying about is whether Nadia will still be the Nadia that Amelia was best friends with a year ago. What if Nadia has changed, and what if they don’t have anything in common anymore?
In this splendid Amelia journal, Marissa Moss gives her readers a perfect picture of Amelia’s summer vacation road trip. We get to experience the
I grew up reading the Roald Dahl books, and I still enjoy reading Danny the Champion of the World, The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda. How wonderful it is when the bad guys are defeated and get their just desserts. In today's fiction title, the bad guys get the shock of a lifetime, and they learn a memorable lesson.
Roald Dahl
Fiction
For ages 7 to 9
Penguin, 2009, 978-0142413852
I’d like to introduce you to an eight-year-old girl who has a rather unusual gift, if you can call it that. When she gets annoyed at someone, she points her finger at the person and then strange things happen. For example, after the girl’s teacher, Mrs. Winter, tells her that she is a “stupid little girl,” the girl points her finger at Mrs. Winter who then sprouts a cat’s whiskers and tail.
Apparently the Magic Finger is something she has always had, and she has no idea why or how it works. All she does know is that when she gets “cross,” her finger tingles, “a sort of flash” comes out of her, and the person she points at, the person she is cross with, experiences something unpleasant.
One day the girl sees her neighbors coming home from a hunting expedition carrying a dead deer. The girl thinks that hunting is a horrible sport and she has tried again and again to persuade Mr. Gregg and his two sons to give it up. Being dedicated hunters, the Greggs ignore the girl’s words. When she sees that poor deer, the girl really loses her temper and she puts the Magic Finger on Mr. Gregg and his sons, and on Mrs. Gregg who didn’t even go hunting.
At first the little girl has no idea what her Magic Finger has done to her neighbors, but later on she finds out that they have an experience that truly changes their attitude towards hunting. It is an experience that is, at times, quite terrifying.
Children who enjoy stories about magical happenings are going to love this delightful tale. It is hard not to feel cheered when one sees how things work out for the Greggs after they experience the wrath of the Magic Finger.
As always, Roald Dahl has crafted a clever and often funny story that perfectly suits a child’s definition of justice.
Telling stories that are amusing and interesting, and that are also suitable for beginner readers is not easy. I am always keen to find easy chapter books that actually tell a story, and that have characters that have substance. Today's book is just such a title. Children just beginning to read books with short chapters will be charmed by Squirrel and his friends.
Lisa Moser
Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev
Fiction
For ages 6 to 8
Candlewick Press, 2007, 978-0-7636-2929-8
Squirrel is perpetually busy and on the go, and he thinks that it is his duty to help all his friends be busy too. When he finds that Mouse is collecting food to store, Squirrel decides to help. He buries Mouse under a mountain of corn cobs, and he shakes so many apples down from the tree that it is “raining apples.” Poor Mouse has more food now than he could ever eat.
Down by the pond, Squirrel finds Rabbit. Rabbit very much wants to retrieve one of the lily pads, but he does not like getting wet. Busy and enthusiastic Squirrel decides to help Rabbit. He uses a stick to “wack wack wack that leaf” in an attempt to free it. All he manages to do is to soak Rabbit. Squirrel then decides that they should float a log into the pond and “reach reach reach” for the leaf. Though Squirrel is doing all that he can to be helpful, poor Rabbit ends up getting soaked all over again.
Squirrel is, without a doubt, a very hyper and rather exhausting fellow to be around, but his intentions are good, and he clearly has a kind heart. Young readers will find it hard not to like this well meaning animal, and they will laugh when they see what he gets up to, and how he drives his friends to distraction.
This wonderful early reader chapter book is perfect for young children who are eager to start reading ‘real’ books on their own.
I love books that are presented in a diary or journal format. Today's title is just such a book, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. In the book, the writer is a boy whose summer vacation is just starting. All he really wants to do is to lie around and be lazy all summer, but this is not what ends up happening at all.
Karla Oceanak
Illustrated by Kenda Spanjer
Fiction
For ages 9 to 12
Bailiwick Press, 2009, 978-1-934649-04-6
Aldo’s grandmother Goosy has given him a sketch book for his birthday and he has no idea what he is going to do with it. Goosy’s inscription says that the book is for “recording all you artsy-farsty ideas,” which has Aldo feeling a little concerned. He does not really want anyone to think of him as an artsy-fartsy kind of person, even though he really does like to draw.
Not knowing what to put in the book, Aldo goes and asks his neighbor, Mr. Mot, for his opinion. Mr. Mot, being a word fanatic, thinks that Aldo should write as well as draw in his new book. Actually Aldo has already started doing this, so Mr. Mot’s suggestion isn’t that outrageous an idea.
The summer vacation has started and Aldo is all set to laze about and do what a ten-year-old boy who hates sports is supposed to do during the summer vacation. Then his mother announces that she has signed Aldo up for summer baseball. Aldoo throws a fit, but this has no impact on his parents whatsoever. Aldo, the boy who hates to do anything physical, is going to have to do baseball.
The pain of having to do baseball is tempered a little bit by a mystery. Aldo leaves his new sketchbook in his tree hideout while he is at baseball, and when he retrieves the book, he sees that someone has drawn in it. Who would do such a thing? Since the drawing is flowery in nature, Aldo and his friend Jack are convinced that the culprit is a girl, and they set about trying to find out which girl did the drawings. The problem is that Jack and Aldo generally ignore girls, so they have no idea which of the neighborhood girls would do a thing like this. Will they catch her in the act if they hide near the tree, or will they have to do something more sneaky?
This funny and realistic summer vacation tale will delight readers who like stories that are presented in a journal style format. Aldo’s observations about himself, his friends, his family members, and the world in general are deliciously amusing. Readers who have their own (perhaps ambivalent) artistic aspirations will find Aldo’s artsy fartsy adventures quite revealing.
This is the first title in what promises to be a splendid series of books.
Several years ago, I came across a series of books that intrigued me a great deal. The
Regarding the... books written by Kate Klise and illustrated by her sister M. Sarah Klise both entertain and enlighten readers. The stories are presented in the form of letters, notes, newspaper articles, and other similar documents, and they are full of clever wordplay, amusing situations, and colorful characters.
Today I have my review of one of these titles, and I hope you get a chance to read the book.
Kate Klise
Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
Fiction
For ages 9 to 12
Harcourt, 2007, 978-0-15-205711-4
The principal of Geyser Creek Middle School, Mr. Russ, is going to be taking off the fall semester, and he has appointed Mr. Sam N. to be the Acting Principal while he is gone. Mr. Sam N. has asked his friend Florence to take care of his seventh grade class so that he can be the Acting Principal.
Florence lives in California, so she will be teaching her 7th grade class using letters, giving the students assignments regularly. Mr. Sam N. writes to Florence to tell her that this year the seventh graders face a particularly tough BEE (Basic Education Evaluation) in December. Apparently, the powers that be have decided that any seventh grader who does not do well in the BEEs will have to repeat middle school. The only problem is that he does not tell Florence what BEE stands for, so she is under the impression that he is talking about real honest-to-goodness bees, as in the insects.
Not surprisingly, the fact that Florence does not know that the BEE is an exam and not an insect causes rather a lot of confusion. Instead of helping her class prepare for the exam, she sets about educating them about bees. She even sends them a pet bee and some hives to take care of.
This misunderstanding is only the tip of the iceberg though. In addition to the BEE problem, Mr. Sam N. and his wife Goldie are having communication issues, as are Chef Angelo and his wife Angel. Then there is also the fact that Polly Nader, a teacher at Springfield Middle School, is determined that her students must win the Show-Me Spelling Bee and do well on the BEEs so that she can win the HIVE (Highly Innovative and Victorious Educator) Prize. She is willing to do anything to make this happen, including trying to get Florence removed from her job as teacher.
Packed with bee-related information and clever word play, this deliciously clever story will keep readers on their toes, as they try to guess what crazy thing is going to happen next. Instead of using a straight narrative, the author tells the story using letters, newspaper articles, and school assignments. Readers will be amused to see how a simple lack of communication causes all kinds of misunderstandings and probl
In a week it will be the first day of summer, and I'd like to kick off the season with a deliciously funny book about a boy and how he spends his summer vacation. The book perfectly captures the flavor of summer, and it shows readers that you don't have to venture far to have adventures.
You can find more summery books on the
TTLG Summer Days feature page.
Summer in the cityDavid Hormel and Marie-Louise Gay
Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Fiction
For ages 7 and up
Groundwood Books, 2012, 978-1-55498-177-9
School will soon closing for the summer, and something very “fishy” is going on. Usually, by now, the sitting room in Charlie’s house is littered with travel books, guides, and maps. Every summer, Charlie, his little brother Max, and their parents have gone on trips to out-of-the-way places where they have had the most extraordinary adventures. Charlie’s parents aren’t interested in going to the Bahamas, Disneyland, or London. No, they like to go to places that are hard to get to, places where one never knows what is going to happen next.
Then one evening Charlie’s parents finally explain why there is a singular lack of vacation planning. Apparently, money is a little tight, so they have decided that the family is going to stay in Montreal for the summer and have a “stay-cation” instead of a vacation. Charlie cannot imagine how staying at home is going to be any fun. Nothing ever happens in his neighborhood.
Since he has control over his life this summer - for a change – Charlie decides that he is going to get a summer job, or “go camping in the wilderness and see wild animals.” Perhaps he will get the opportunity to “save someone’s life.” The problem is that he does not know how to make any of these grand ideas come about. Then, when he is at the laundromat, he gets a job idea. Charlie notices that there are a lot of lost cat posters pinned to the walls, and he decides that he will try to find the missing cats and claim the rewards that many of the worried pet owners are offering.
In theory, this job sounds like a fantastic idea, but Charlie and Max soon find out that matching lost cats up with their owners is a tricky business. Charlie does however manage to get Romeo, Madame Valentino’s cat, out of a tree. He saves a life. Kind of.
After this exhausting job, Charlie is cajoled into camping with Max in the back yard. After tussling with the tent for some time, it is finally erected (sort of), and Max and Charlie are ready for their camping adventure. They tell scary stories for a while, and then they play flashlight tag. After Max falls asleep, Charlie hears some animal making noises outside. He peeks through the tent flap and sees a skunk. Then he sees the family cat, Miro, pouncing on the skunk. Then, of course, he sees (and smells) Miro getting sprayed by the skunk. After a washing Miro thoroughly, Charlie and his family once again settle down for the night, but Charlie�
I live with two people who procrastinate in a big way. Both my husband and my daughter like to put things off until the last possible moment. The more I remind them of the things that they have to do, the more they try to get out of doing them. My daughter still thinks that I might forget that she needs to brush the dogs or tidy her room, but I never do.
In today's book you will meet a girl who takes procrastination to a whole new level. Her adventures are deliciously funny, and grownups will be hard pressed not to laugh at the various tricks that she comes up with to get her out of trouble.
Peggy Gifford
Photographs by Valorie Fisher
Fiction
For ages 7 to 10
Random House, 2008, 978-0-440-42230-3
It is August 23rd, and tomorrow is the first day of school. Moxy Mawell is in dire trouble because she has not read Stuart Little, the book that her teacher assigned his students to read over the summer vacation. Moxy’s teacher, Mr. Flamingo, will be quizzing the students about the book tomorrow, so Moxy cannot just pretend to read the book, she actually has to do it.
The reason why Moxy has not read the book is quite simple; she does not like reading books that some one tells her to read. She only likes to read book that she chooses to read. All summer long she has carried Stuart Little around with her, and though it has had lemonade spilled on it, and it has fallen in the pool, and it has been used to prop up a table, it has not been read at all.
Now Moxy’s mother has announced that there will be “consequences” if Moxy does not read the book. In fact, Moxy’s mother even goes so far as to say that Moxy will not be able to perform in the water-ballet show that afternoon if the book is not read by five o’clock. The very idea of having such a consequence imposed on her makes Moxy feel positively unwell.
One would think that this threat would be enough to finally get Moxy to read those one hundred and forty-four pages. Unfortunately, it does not inspire Moxy to read the book. Instead, it inspires her to find new ways to avoid reading the book, which brings about a disaster of monumental proportions.
Readers who struggle with their own procrastination tendencies will find it not to smile (or even laugh) as they read about Moxy’s end-of-the-summer battle. Her deliciously funny personality comes through beautifully, and one cannot help liking the nine-year-old who has a list of potential careers, a list of things she hates to do, and who has the tendency to “go to extremes.”
Today's fiction title is one of the best mid-grade books I have read in a long time. It is not only beautifully written, but it is also full of a very special brand of wisdom that would benefit all readers above the age of 8 or 9.
What happened on Fox Street
Tricia SpringstubbIllustrated by Heather Ross
Fiction
For ages 9 to 12
HarperCollins, 2010, 978-0-06-198636-9
As far as Mo Wren is concerned, Fox Street is the best place in the world to live. Everything she cares about is here, and she is of the opinion that “your every need could be satisfied on Fox Street.” In her little neighborhood, there are people who care about her and who watch over her, and there is an area called the Green Kingdom where The Den is located. Mo has lived here on Fox Street from the moment she came into the world, and she plans on continuing to stay here. The only thing that is missing on Fox Street are foxes and girls
Thankfully, every summer Mo’s best friend Mercedes comes to visit, so at least for a while there is a girl around. Merce’s grandmother Da lives on Fox Street, and Mo and Merce have known each other forever. Usually Mo and Merce reconnect at the beginning of summer as if they have never been apart, but this year Merce is different. She has been living with her mother’s rich new husband, and for the first time Merce does not think Fox Street is wonderful. Instead, to her, it looks “Used up.”
What should have been a perfect summer only gets worse when Mo’s father’s behavior suggests that he might be considering selling the family home so that he can open up a restaurant. For years he has been dreaming of having his own place where he can serve good food and beer. Mo cannot bear to imagine that her father would do such a thing, but perhaps it could really happen.
Then Mrs. Steinbott, the neighborhood crabby person, starts behaving very strangely. She has always ignored Da and Merce, but now she keeps asking Mo to give Merce things on her behalf. Merce, like most of the people on the street, wants nothing to do with the old lady, but something about Mrs. Steinbott’s behavior touches Mo. Somehow she gets the sense that something very important is going on. There are secrets lying just below the surface and Mo is afraid of what is going to h
Many children dream of being an adventurer, a "discoverer" who does something that makes them famous. They play at being an archaeologist who finds the tomb of an ancient king or queen. They pretend that they are travelling through a snake-infested jungle where they find a species of dinosaur. They dig holes all over the garden looking for the lost gold of a pirate.
The main character in today's fiction title is just such a discoverer. She has big and grand dreams, but in the end what she discovers is more precious than the gold she dreams of finding.
Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Heather Ross
Fiction
For ages 7 to 9
Hyperion, 2012, 978-142313173-1
Not long ago, Iva’s father gave her a few things that belonged to her great-grandfather Ludwell Honeycutt. The stack of old National Geographic magazines, the geography bee medal (from 1923), and the tire record book that belonged to Ludwell are some of her most treasured possessions. One day Iva discovers that there two pieces of paper inside one of the magazines. One is a letter that her great-grandfather received from the National Geographic Society in which the secretary of the society says that Ludwell cannot become a member until he discovers something. Now that the summer vacation has begun, Iva decides that she is going to fulfill Ludwell’s dream. She is going to be a discoverer.
The second piece of paper that Iva found in the magazine is a map. After a little investigating, Iva decides that the map will lead her to where General Braddock buried a stash of gold. The story is that he stopped in her town, Uncertain, when he was on his way to Pennsylvania to fight the French during the French and Indian War. General Braddock died in battle so he never came back to Uncertain to retrieve the gold.
Iva convinces herself that finding the treasure is going to be “easy peasy,” but she soon comes to the realization that it is not going to be easy at all. Iva’s search for the treasure is made all the more difficult because Heaven, her twice-cousin, keeps messing things up, and Iva’s mother enrolls her in vacation church school.
Heaven is without a doubt one of the biggest trials in Iva’s life. Iva’s two sisters are very close to their of-the-same-age cousins, but Iva is not. In fact she and Heaven fight all the time. Everything Heaven does irritates Iva. Heaven gets a kitten, she is chosen to assist in vacation bible school, and she even steals Iva’s best friend. Iva feels that it is “not fair” that what should have been a great summer full of adventure is turning out to be such a miserable one.
It is never easy being different from other people. There are always grownups around who want you to be like everyone else. Iva is quite content to be different, but she cannot help being hurt when people complain about the fact that she chooses to do t
There are lots of books coming out these days that are about life on Earth in the future. Most are pretty grim, and some are downright depressing. I sometimes find it hard to read such titles because they are so dark. Today's fiction title is different from many of these futuristic books. Yes, we humans have mucked up the world, and yes the characters are struggling to survive. The difference is that in this story there is a message of hope. The main character is able to make a difference, and we are left with a sense that all is not lost. Not yet anyway.
Jenn ReeseFiction
For ages 9 to 12
Candlewick, 2012, 978-0763654177
Many years ago, humans finally came to understand that their population was too large and no longer sustainable. They came up with an extraordinary solution to this problem: they decided that some of their number they would modify their bodies to that they could live in places that had hitherto not been populated by humans. Thus the Kampaii lived in the shallower oceans, the Deepfell lived in the deep oceans, the Aviars had wings and lived in the skies, and the Equian people had hooves and lived in the deserts.
Life has been comfortable for the Coral Kampii, Aluna’s people, until now. Recently several of the Kampii have drowned because their shell necklaces, the tech devices that allow them to breathe underwater, have failed. When Aluna finds the body of her friend Makina floating in a kelp forest she gets furious. How can the Elders pretend that all is well? Someone needs to find out why the breathing necklaces are failing before all the Coral Kampii die.
On the day when Aluna is supposed to get her tail, she decides that she cannot stand by while her people die. Someone has to go to the Above World to find out why the necklaces, which wer
Many years ago my mother bought me a used copy of Pippi Longstocking and I quickly fell in love with the quirky main character who was so very odd looking, and who did not seem to care about anyone's rules. Pippi was a law unto herself, and woe betide anyone who got in her way.
Some books are wonderful when you are a child, but when you reread them as an adult they seem to have lost their spark. This book is the kind of book that will charm children and adults alike. I think this may, in part, be because both children and adults sometimes wish that they could be Pippi Longstocking. Wouldn't it be grand to be able to do whatever you want?
Astrid Lindgren
Illustrated by Michael Chesworth
Fiction
For ages 8 to 12
Penguin, 2005, 978-0142402498
Annika and her brother Tommy are terribly good children who always do as they are told, who are always clean, and who are wonderfully polite. They are also often bored and lonely. If only they had someone to play with. If only someone with children would move into the empty house next door.
Then, one day, when they get back from a weekend away, the two children see that someone has moved in next door, and what a peculiar looking someone it is too. They see a little girl whose braids are so tight that they stand straight out from her head. Her dress is patched, and her shoes are enormous. It doesn't take them long to find that not only does the little girl look odd, but she also thinks, speaks and behaves oddly as well. What Annika and Tommy soon determine is that the little girl, Pippi Longstocking, is a most unusual and quite delightful person.
Soon Annika and Tommy are not the only ones to discover that Pippi is odd. Two tramps who think they can rob Pippi because she lives alone with only a monkey and a horse for company, quickly come to the conclusion that she is not an easy mark. A busybody trying to get Pippi to go to a children's home gives up, and as for making Pippi go to school – well, suffice it to say that one day with Pippi in the class is more than enough for the class teacher.
Pippi's deliciously funny tall tales, her generous spirit, her outrageous ideas and behaviour, and the little flashes that she lets us see of her inner self, all come together to make this a classic tale that has delighted children for decades. Though she is incredibl
Over the years, I have read several of John Grisham's thrillers, and I have always enjoyed the way many of them are about lawyers who are challenged to solve problems in unique ways. I was therefore intrigued when I saw that John Grisham had written a mystery book for younger readers.
Unlike the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books, which I loved when I was a kid, this story does not contain a lot of action and drama. This does not mean that there isn't any tension in the tale though, as you will see when you read the book for yourself.
John Grisham
Fiction
For ages 8 to 12
Penguin, 2010, 978-0-14-241722-5
Both of Theodore Boone’s parents are lawyers, and one would think having two lawyers in the family (plus Uncle Ike, who is also a lawyer) would make Theo fed up with everything that has to do with the law. For some reason this is not the case. In fact, Theo is fascinated by every aspect of the law. When his eighth grade classmates are playing baseball and hanging out, Theo is at his parent’s office soaking up information about the law, or hobnobbing with judges and clerks at the courthouse. As far as Theo is concerned, becoming a lawyer is the only goal worth having.
When the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife begins, Theo is eager to observe what it going on. His instincts tell him that the man, Mr. Duffy, is guilty, but even he has to admit that the evidence is thin and circumstantial. Theo cannot see how the prosecution can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Mr. Duffy did indeed kill his wife. He certainly seemed to have a motive (a million dollars in life insurance money), and he could be said to have opportunity, but no one saw him at his home (the scene of the crime) at the right time, and there is no evidence that he was there when his wife was killed.
Then a boy from San Salvador who Theo knows from school asks to speak to Theo. Everyone knows that Theo is a wiz when it comes to the law, and Julio wants Theo’s advice. Apparently Julio’s cousin, who is an illegal, saw Mr. Duffy going into his house at the time of the murder. He saw Mr. Duffy put on some gloves, which he later threw away in a garbage can. In short, it would appear that there was a witness who can place Mr. Duffy at his home when his wife was killed. The problem is that the witness does not want to come forward because he doesn’t want to be deported. Julio swears Theo to secrecy, but Theo knows that the secret is one he cannot keep. Somehow he has to convince the witness to come forward on his own, otherwise a guilty man could walk free.
John Grisham is famous for writing very successful adult thrillers, and now he has created a thoroughly enjoyable novel for younger readers. Children who have a fondness for mysteries will find this book intriguing. The story is not fast paced with a lot of action and drama, but it is gripping all the same. There is a suggestion of danger that lies just beneath the surface, and readers will be eager to find out how Theo solves the problem that he is presented wi
In our house, my husband is the one who really loves hot and spicy food. He used to spice up the food I cooked when it was in the pot. He has since learned that this is not such a good idea, and he spices up his meals at the table instead with a dash of hot sauce here, and a pinch of cayenne power there.
Today's fiction title is a chapter book that tells the story of two friends who try to cook a meal together and who encounter a problem.
Michael J. Daley
Illustrated by Thomas F. Yezerski
Fiction
For ages 6 to 8
Charlesbridge, 2012, 978-1-58089-347-3
Pinch is hungry, and he fancies having a bowl of soup to eat. He looks in his refrigerator and sees that it contains a potato, some spinach, and some cheese, but he does not feel like making some soup himself because he is feeling lazy. He is also feeling too lazy to walk down to the Chat and Chew restaurant to get a bowl of soup. There is only one solution to this problem; Pinch is going to visit his friend Dash because Dash is always cooking something delicious.
Sure enough, when Pinch arrives at Dash’s house, Dash is in his kitchen and he is cooking something. Dash explains that he is making skinny soup, in other words, “soup with not much in it.” Dash invites Pinch to join him, which is exactly what Pinch wants to do. There is a problem though. Dash’s soup is a bit too skinny. It needs to be “fattened up.” Pinch offers to go to his house to get the potato that is sitting in his fridge. When it is clear that one potato has not quite done the trick, Pinch gets the spinach, and then he gets the cheese from his house. Now the soup is sufficiently “fat,” but Pinch feels it is lacking seasoning. Dash refuses to let Pinch put any pepper or hot sauce into the soup, and the friends squabble about who has the right to season the soup.
This amusing young reader’s chapter book not only contains an humorous story, but it also explores the idea that sometimes you have to make compromises for the sake of your friends. Children will chuckle when they see what lazy Dash does to get the kind of soup that he wants.
I know that countless American children have grown up listening to, and then reading, the Ramona books. Unfortunately, I was not able to have this experience. For some reason the books in this superlative series never crossed the Atlantic. I cannot imagine why they were not available in Europe when I was growing up, but they weren't. I moved to the U.S. in 1991, and soon after I met Ramona for the first time. Despite my adult status, I love the Ramona stories, and I know I would have loved then when I was a child too. Just in case there are some of you who have somehow missed reading about Ramona and her family, here is a review of the first title in the collection.
Beverly Cleary
Illustrated by Tracy Dockray
Fiction
For ages 8 to 10
HarperCollins, 1990, 038070918X
Beezus Quimby has a problem - her four-year-old sister. Ramona is the kind of child who does exactly what she wants and heaven help anyone who tries to change her mind. For example, at the moment, Ramona is fixated on one book, “The Littlest Steam Shovel.” Everyone in the family, with the exception of Ramona of course, is sick of the book. Desperate for some respite from Scoopy the steam shovel, Beezus takes Ramona to the library. Surely Ramona will pick a new kind of book, a book that everyone will like? Alas for Beezus and her parents, for Ramona decides to borrow “Big Steve the Steam Shovel.”
As her little sister finds endless ways to make her life miserable, Beezus finds herself getting angry again and again. Even worse, she discovers that there are moments when she really does not like her little sister at all. There are times when she wishes she could have a break from Ramona. Does this mean that she is a bad person and a bad sister?
Any child who has been around an annoying younger brother, sister, cousin, or friend will appreciate the six stories in this book. The problems that Beezus and Ramona have to deal with are of the everyday variety; they are the kind of problems that children can relate to. At the same time they are also funny and highly entertaining.
This is the first title in a series of books about Ramona Quimby.
Many of the fiction titles that I read when I was between the ages of 8 and 12 were wonderful, but very few of them were what I would call amusing. In the last ten years or so, a number of mid-grade novels written using a diary/journal format have been published. I am a huge fan of these titles because the format allows the authors to really get inside their characters, and to write in their voices, complete with spelling mistakes. Often the resulting narrative is both interesting and funny. Today's fiction title is a great example of this kind of book.
Lauren Child
Fiction
For ages 8 to 10
Candlewick Press, 2002, 076362788-7
Clarice Bean has a problem. Actually, she has several problems. At home, she has to share her bedroom with her five-year-old brother, which is very trying indeed. At school, she has to deal with her teacher, Mrs. Wilberton, who thinks that Clarice is “utterly lacking in the concentration department.” Clarice does her best, but she cannot help it when her thoughts wonder away when Mrs. Wilberton is speaking.
One day, Clarice’s thoughts are drifting away, as per usual, when she is brought firmly into the present by an announcement about the forthcoming parent’s night competition. This year the students are going to have to do a presentation that is based on a book that they have read “and learned something from.” How dreary. Try as they might, Clarice and her best friend (and project partner) Betty Moody cannot come up with any ideas.
One day soon after this announcement is made, on a day when Betty is absent from school, Clarice is forced to come up with a project idea all by herself. Not knowing what else to say, Clarice tells her teacher that she and Betty are going to do an exhibit on Ruby Redfort, a book character who is a secret agent. Clarice and Betty love the Ruby Redfort books, but Mrs. Wilberton thinks that they are “drivel.” Clarice has been paired up with Karl Wrenbury (the class hooligan) because Betty is still absent, and she cannot imagine that they are going to be able to produce much of anything, let alone a competition winning exhibit.
At first, Karl is reluctant to have anything to do with Ruby Redfort and her splendid adventures, but then he sees the errors of his ways and he comes up with some splendid ideas. Maybe Clarice and Karl will be able to create an exhibit that is not altogether terrible. If nothing else goes wrong. Which is sure to happen because it always does.
Written in Clarice Bean’s own singular voice, this wonderfully funny title perfectly captures Clarice Bean’s quirky and highly imaginative personality. We follow her everyday adventures closely as she tries to survive problems she encounters at home and at school. Will Clarice be back soon? Hopefully she will.
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