Love & Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo is a story of unrequited first love. Amelia is 15. She works at the local grocery store where she meets Chris. He is cute, funny, smart and... 21. Too old for 15 year old Amelia, but her heart doesn't care. Amelia is in love with Chris. This book captures the feelings of first love perfectly (At least from a girl's perspective!) When you are in love, you do crazy things- pretend to like things you don't, tell lies, try things that scare you... Amelia does all of these things to try and gain Chris' affection.
The book is written from the viewpoint of both Chris and Amelia. Chris is searching for love, and by the end of the book, he starts to think that if Amelia were only 2 years older, she would be the perfect woman for him. Through his journal entries, we experience the life of a college student that drinks to much, cares too much and worries to much.
Everyone who has ever been 15 or ever been in love can relate to this book and empathize with Amelia.
Even though Chris & Amelia are 6 years apart, they share a love of literature. It is great when books talk about other great books- hopefully the reader will be so intrigued she will run out and read those books! In Love & Other Perishable items, Chris & Amelia discuss these books! Check them out if you haven't read them already!
Caring is Creepy by David Zimmerman is a 2013 Alex Award Winner and, well, creepy. Lynn has a rough
life- no dad, overworked mom with a string of lousy boyfriends, small
town mentality, sex starved best friend. Lynn has this perpetual feeling
that everyone dumps on her- and when the going gets tough, they abandon
her. After her friend Dani gets a new computer, the girls spend their
time in chat rooms meeting men. One night, Lynn meets a man and they
start chatting. She has a good feeling about this dude, so she tells him
her name and where she lives. (DON'T EVER DO THIS!) The guy- Logan, is
in the military and is about to be redeployed to Iraq. They
decide to spend an afternoon together before he is shipped out. After
their date, Logan decides to go AWOL- leave the military without
permission. Lynn agrees to hide him in her attic. This is when the story
takes a turn for the... creepy. Something snaps inside of Lynn's little
mind and she decides to keep Logan. Yes. Keep him. Like a little kid keeps a bird with a broken wing in an old shoe box. Keep him.
She becomes obsessed with him and tells lie upon lie to keep him there- she throws away his clothes, makes him pee in pop cans... She will do anything to keep him there out of fear of him leaving her forever.
There is a whacked out side story... even more whack than keeping a naked guy locked in your attic. Lots of drinking, lots of (unprotected) sex, lots of drugs and swearing- oh and violence too. This book is not for the faint of heart or easily offended. this book does contain some LGBT slurs that are more offensive than anything else in the book. Me by the end of the book:
I am not going to spoil the ending of this book for you- I will let you discover the magic as it unfolds before you. Through the entire book, I kept telling Lynn to "shut it down." Shut it down, girl Shut. It. Down.
Have you read Caring is Creepy? What did you think? Have you ever loved a boy so much that you wanted to lock him in your attic? Don't. Not a good idea.
The title of the books is inspired by this song by The Sins
This is my first book talk/book review since... well, for about a year! I have been reading books, just not writing book talks. Since I will be in a high school and middle school library in August, I thought I'd better get a move on and start reviewing some great YA books. So, after searching the library catalog. I came away with Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I went to high school. I know about the cliques and the bullies and the drugs and sex and drinking... but this book confirmed one thing for me:
This fact is laid out for the reader as if Lauren Oliver were holding a large, flashing, neon sign before my eyes. High school girls are scary. Mean high school girls are even scarier and mean high school girls who know they are mean are the scariest. Sam is a mean girl who knows she is mean. She almost gets off on being mean. This is what I thought about Sam for the first 100 pages of the book- even though she had died twice by this point:
This book was Mean Girls meets Heathers meets It's a Wonderful Life meets Groundhog Day all rolled in to one- but it read like a realistic fiction novel. Sam is part of the most popular group of girls in school. She and her friends go out of their way to me mean to everyone they come in contact with- including teachers, siblings, parents and the general public. Sam had everything- looks, grades, money, hot boyfriend... but she still insisted on being mean. I knew girls like this in high school- I was lucky enough to be off of their radar, but I knew what they were capable of.
Sam and her friends head to a party on Valentine's Day where they are confronted by the girl they have bullied and harassed since fifth grade. Juliette Sykes, dubbed Psycho, bursts into the party, calls all the girls bitches and leaves. Hey Sam, Taylor Swift wrote a song about you- you might know it:
The party continues as if nothing happened and at the end of the night everyone leaves. Sam and her friends (who have all been drinking) pile into the car a leave.
On their way home, they get in a car accident. Sam, who was sitting in the front seat blacks out and when she wakes up in the morning- she thinks she must have bumped her head and everything is fine- but it is Valentine's Day again.
Sam figures out that she must have died in that car accident and she is living the same day over again. She has a chance to live this day again- to get it right and may be not die. But she doesn't get it right. She continues to be a mean girl. At one point I hate her worse than I did when she is alive.
As the book progresses and Sam keeps reliving the same day, we see that Sam is starting to get it- she is realizing that her actions have consequences. She also realizes that she needs to take responsibility for her own actions and try to make things better. But- she just can't get it right. She lives the same day 6 times in a row, each day becoming a better person, each day trying to get her story right- but she is missing something. On the 7th day, she wakes up and realizes that she doesn't need to get her story right, she needs to get the story right for those around her. So here I am on the day that I know Sam is finally going to die (or is she? Could she live??) and I finally like her.
In the end, Sam has done the right thing, set a good example for those around her and encouraged me, and hopefully you, to slow down, enjoy each day and each moment- tell people you love them- because you never know if you will get another chance to get your story right.
But seriously- bullying is not something that I take likely. If you are bullying someone stop. Stop now. If you are being bullied- get help. Ask your parents, a neighbor, a friend- your librarian- for help. Grown ups do care and want to help. If you are too scared to talk to someone face to face, click here: http://www.stopbullying.gov/get-help-now If you or someone you know if considering suicide- you need to get immediate help. Do not wait. You can click here to enter Crisis Chat and get immediate, one-on-one help http://www.crisischat.org/ or call 1-877-YOUTHLINE 1-877-968-8454 to get help from other teens. It is never too late.
So many wonderful lines that made me laugh out loud! My favorite character was Mrs. Volker- she may be one of my all time favorite characters.
One of my favorite lines comes when Jack admits to his friend Bunny that he loves to smell books. She is not amused and says "You used to be my friend, but now you stink as a friend! I came over here to give you a second chance and you make me smell the crotch of an old book!"
So funny! Very touching- slow at the get go, but it really pulls together in the end. A great way to get boys to read historical fiction? Hand them this Newbery Winner!
I can't post about a historical fiction book without getting all teacher-y. When you read this book, you will be living in Norvelt Pennsylvania along with the characters. I was fascinated by this little town. Jack Gantos does a great job weaving the history of the town into the story that Mrs. Volker tells, but I still had to research.
As you will learn from the book, Norvelt was established in 1934. It was a town built to provide homes to out of work or injured coal miners. Up until this point, coal miners and their families lived in terrible conditions. As part of The New Deal, 250 homes were built for families.
Originally named Westmoreland Homesteads, it was later renamed Norvelt after Eleanor Roosevelt. 1,800 people applied for the 250 openings in the town. Those who were selected went to work building their own houses. After the homes were complete, the people received a wheel barrow, shovel, rake and hoe next to a pile of dirt where they created their own lawn. They also needed to paint their home. They could pick from white, grey or yellow. Each plot of land had gardens, grape vines, corn crops and a chicken coop.
Families rented the homes from the government for about $12 a month. This rent went towards purchase of the home and by 1948, all of the residents had purchased their homes in full.
I put off reading Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt. because of all the hype- hype kills books for me. So I started reading it and put it down- the dad reminded me too much of my mother. I was encouraged to pick it up and try again- and I did. I started it at 5:00 and didn't go to bed until I finished this morning at 2 AM. The hype? All deserved. As I told Kirby Larson- I'm not lying, this may be the best book I've ever read. I am not going to waste your time with yet another review of Okay for Now. If you want a review, I suggest Betsy Bird's, found here or Travis Jonker's found here. Instead, I give a list of 10 things that you oughta know about before you read this book. Oh- and one more thing, don't be surprised if this book wins the 2012 Newbery Award.
#1Joe Pepitone: In 1964, Joe Pepitone played first base for the New York Yankees. He won 3 Golden Gloves during his career and played in all three consecutive All Star Games during the first 3 years of his career. He was a homerun hitter and won the 1964 World Series against the St Louis Cardinals with a grand slam. Pepitone was a tough guy from Brooklyn and it's rumored that he spent his entire signing bonus on the drive from New York to Florida- he was said to have bought a Thunderbird, a boat, a dog and a shark skin suit.
#2 Jane Erye: Jane Erye was a book written in 1847 by Charlotte Bronte. It is a coming of age novel about an orphan who suffers physical and emotional abuse as she bounces from place to place. For a book written in 1847, it was ahead of its time. Although Jane was a girl, she was portrayed with strength and strong character. She was a survivor and not a damsel in distress.
#3 John James Audubon: Audubon was a French-American painter and naturalist who came to The US from what is now Haiti in 1803 to avoid The Napoleonic Wars. In 1820 he floated down The Mississippi River to draw all of the birds of North America. By the time he was finished, he had drawn over 435 life-sizeds. It took 14 years, his own money and hard work but his book was finally published in England in 1826. The birds below are by Audubon and play a very important role in the book.
#4 The Vietnam War: I didn't know how much impact The Vietnam War would have on this book... no idea. Long story short: Vietnam is a small country in Southeast Asia. It belonged to France and The USA helped Vietnam gain their freedom. After they defeated France, Vietnam split into 2 parts: North and South. The North was communist (government control of people, resources and information) and The South wasn't. The North wanted to get rid of The US in The South and make all of Vietnam 1 communist country. Although The USA was in Vietnam since 1954, The Vietnam War officially began in 1957 when The USA helped The South fight off the communist regime. 8,744,000 <yes, that is 8 million, 7 hundred 44 thousand> (7,484 were women) personnel had served on active duty. By the time the war ended, 303,704 people were wounded in action. Of those wounded, 75,000 were considered disabled, 23,214 were classified 100% disabled. 5,283 lost limbs (arms or legs), 1,081 sustained multiple amputations (removing their arms or legs). Of the 8 million, 7 hundred 44 thousand sent to Vietnam, 58,156 were killed. Imagine those 303,704 soldiers returning to normal American life... easy? No siree, buster. Not easy at all.
#5 Horseshoes: It would be helpful to know a little bit about the game of horseshoes before Doug & his family go to The Annual Ballard Paper Mill Harvest-Time Picnic.
#6 Orchids: Even though orchids look dainty and fragile, they are actually quite hearty. Orchids will thrive... unless they get a "pest" or they are "over watered". Orchids will bloom and when they do- they are breathtaking. Once their bloom has fallen, it takes a long time for a new one to return. Orchids like to be in the light... but not too much light. Orchids have been known to symbolize beautiful perfection. (Ok, for those of you who have read the book, you know that there are 2 orchids in this book that Doug tends to... one if Lil and the other is his mother. You also know who the "pest" is and how they may have been "over watered" in this book.) Interesting that these are the only 2 characters who receive Orchids from Mr. Ballard.
#7 Apollo 11 Moon Landing:
#8 Coca Cola: In case you didn't know, back in the day, Coca Cola was sold in glass bottles. I am convinced that it tastes better out of a glass bottle and that is why I only drink it out of glass today- not plastic for me No siree, buster! Here are some facts you may not know about Coke: (click to enlarge)
#9 Aaron Copland "Duo for Flute & Piano": Just enjoy this music... and remember it.
#10 1953 Royal Deluxe Typewriter: Like Coca Cola, typing in my day is different than it is now. You use a computer to type your stories, or an iPad... but in my day we used typewriters. Yes, I took typing class in Jr High- not computer keyboarding. We learned how to load the "ink ribbon" and unjam the keys and use white out. In the book, a lady by the name of Mrs. Windermere uses a typewriter (not by choice, it's all there was). I imagine that she uses this typewriter, a 1953 Royal Typewriter, in gray. Why do I imagine it like this? Because the author of this book, Gary D Schmidt wrote Okay for Now on the exact same machine. He says that he likes to use a typewriter because it slows him down and he is forced to revisit the words he types over and over again.
A little bonus for you:
#11 Librarians: Yes. Librarians. Librarians are awesome, as you know and they play a very large role in this book. I would have loved the book without librarians, but I love it even more because of them. My favorite quote from the entire book is when Doug questions whether Mr. Powell the librarian knows what he is doing and he says "I am a librarian. I always know what I am doing."
Everybody's parents fight, right? It's normal. They disagree, say things they don't mean, forget birthdays and anniversaries- but they forgive each other... right? Well, not always. Sometimes parents don't make up. Sometimes a mom or a dad can only take so much before they just need a break. A break- from being married, a break from the person they married. Does this mean they don't love each other? I guess that's what the break will tell them. But what about the kids? When a mom and dad decide to take a break- what happens to them? Do they get a choice in the matter? Probably not... parents usually make those kinds of decisions without consulting the kids.
But think about it. How would you feel if one morning you woke up and your mom had packed the car and told you that you were going to Atlanta- right this minute. No chance to say goodbye to your friends, or pack your favorite things or turn in your homework. You had to get in the car and leave everything... including your dad. And what if your dad hugged you goodbye and your mom drove away? What if you looked back to see your dad chasing the car and yelling at your mom to come back? How would you feel? Bigger Than a Bread Box, by Laurel Snyder will show you how you might feel. In this book, Rebecca is the girl who wakes up to find that her mom is leaving her dad in Baltimore and driving to Atlanta to stay with her mother (Gran). Rebecca knew that her parents had been having trouble- but enough trouble to leave her dad behind? And what is worse? Rebecca had no idea. Rebecca had no choice.
After a silent drive from Baltimore to Atlanta, Rebecca, her brother Lew and her mom arrive at Gran's house. When Gran tells her about the new middle school she will be starting on Friday, Rebecca realizes that they aren't there for a few days. She hides in the attic so she doesn't have to talk to her mother. While in hiding, she looks through some of Gran's things and finds a collection of bread boxes. (Bread boxes were used back in the day to keep bread fresh- before it was made with all the preservatives we use today... it would go stale so fast. It also kept out the bugs and the mice) Rebecca is drawn to a beautiful red bread box that seems to stand out from all of the others. As she sits in the attic, bored and covered with dust, she wishes, out loud, that she had a book to read. Instantly, she hears a thud come from the red bread box. She opens it up and finds an old ratty copy of a Nancy Drew book. Rebecca takes the book and the bread box back to her room. She wishes that she had 20 bucks- again, the box makes a sound, Rebecca opens it and there is a 20 dollar bill. Rebecca realizes that she can wish for anything that will fit into the bread box and it will appear... it's magic. Rebecca decides to use this box to her advantage- she wishes for things that will help her adjust to her new situation. (new jeans for her, lip gloss for the new girls at school, gravy fries to ease her homesickness). Eventually, her wishes start to backfire on her. Everything she wishes for ends up causing her trouble. But when she wishes for something to get her parents back together, the box sits empty. What good are wishes when you can't get what you really want? What does Rebecca really want? She wants to go home to Baltimore. She wants her parents to fall in love again. She wants her mom to notice her. She wants the kids at school to think she's cool. She wants to fit it. She wants to make her own decisions. She wants people to listen to her. But can a bread box, even a magical one grant these wishes? May be what she really wants is bigger than a bread box. May be you can't wish for love and have it magically appear... may be love is something that has to appear on its own.
In Bigger Than a Breadbox, Rebecca has a memory of her parents when they were their happiest- they would listen to this song and dance around the living room.
I think this is what Rebecca really wanted to find in that box.
This book will be very popular with kids in grades 4-8. From my experience, it will be the girls who devour this book. Most (or some) boys just can't read a book with all of these emotions and feelings and self discovery. If the bread box turned into a robot that destroyed the city of Atlanta with its laser eyeballs, they would love it. If they give it a chance, they will love this story too. Even though there is a magic breadbox in this book, it still reads like realistic fiction. The times when Rebecca is at her worst- when she is completely devastated by her parent's separation, your heart breaks. You feel every single raw emotion that this little girl feels and you are helpless- you have to watch her go through this storm alone. As a parent, my heart aches to think about how kids take in all of the things that adults do to them, thinking it is for them. They may be kids, but they are little humans who have feelings, desires and opinions. We, adults, are quick to dismiss them because they are shorter than us. I am guilty of this as well. but will be making a concerted effort to change.
Don't be too quick to play biblio-therapist with this book. It would be easy to say "Oh, Kelly's parents got divorced, she needs to read this book." or "Leah's parent's aren't divorced, she wouldn't relate." But this book has greater appeal than "just the divorced kids". All kids (girls AND boys) want to be loved, all kids want their parents to love each other... all kids have a list of things that they would wish for if they had an unlimited supply of wishes... so let them wish, let them be loved, let them be heard and let them read.
I haven't read any reviews of Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, and I won't until I hit the publish button at the bottom of this post. I knew this was a much talked about book, lots of Newbery buzz, and I didn't want to be influenced in my reading or my reviewing.
I am sure you know the story of The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson- right? Well, Breadcrumbs is a retelling of this fairy tale aimed at the tween crowd. Jack and Hazel are best friends and accept each other as they are. Hazel has trouble fitting in and Jack is her only friend. Hazel understands why Jack's mom has distant and sad eyes (she has depression). And Jack understands how Hazel feels about her parent's divorce. He doesn't even ask her what it's like to be adopted. They are soul mates in a sense.
Jack has chosen Hazel over the mean boys at school and the mean boys aren't happy about that. They go out of their way to torment and tease Hazel. One day at recess, a sliver something happens to Jack that turns his heart to ice. He is mean and nasty to Hazel, and then he just disappears.
Hazel can't stand the idea of going on without Jack, so she makes it her quest to find him and save him. She finds out that Jack was taken by a tall, white woman riding a sled pulled by wolves...enter The White Witch (or snow queen as I think of her). Hazel sets off after Jack and endures many setbacks and bad guys along the way. She also encounters many people/creatures who could have helped her but are too consumed with their own troubles to offer her help. Hazel attempts to help each of them and is very tempted to stay where she is- until she is pulled toward Jack by the power of love. As Hazel continues on her quest, she grows and matures but remains innocent through it all. And in the end, it is Hazel's love for Jack that might just save him from The Snow Queen.
As I read this book, I just let it wash over me. The words are so beautiful, almost like a lullaby. I wanted to enjoy the story and not pick it apart and analyze the meaning... so I waited until now to do that. Now, don't take my opinion as the right one, or the only one; I think this book allows the reader to form their own opinions and ideas. I am not a psychology major, so go gentle on me in the comments!
I felt so very heavy as I read this book- I started to become as down as the characters- so it took me longer than usual to finish. I think the Snow Queen (White Witch) is depression... mental illness, perhaps. Jack's mom had depression and it changed his entire life. He was such a young man to deal with something as serious and devastating as having a mother with depression. Jack may have been looking for a chance to hide from it all and forget about his mom- and The White Witch gave him just that: She froze his heart so he couldn't feel anything. I don't think she did this to be mean, she does it because she cares about him and doesn't want him to feel any more pain. (To me, The Snow Queen wasn't a bad guy- just a creature that lived in the woods... no bad intentions).
I thought Hazel was very sad- if not depressed. She struggled with her parents recent divorce, money problems, being adopted, feeling like she didn't belong, a mean teacher and meaner bullies. She wanted to sink into that snow as much as Jack did, but her love for Jack (and eventually her mother) kept her from sinking all the way. As Hazel gets closer to the Snow Queen, her heart starts to freeze (literally) until she stops to smell the roses and remembers what she is after- Jack.
Too much? I hope not! I don't think I would sell this to kids as a fairy tale about depression- but that's what I took away from it... The White Witch was sadness, depression, death and Hazel was love and light and life. Jack had to make the choice between the two.
Hazel makes reference to many well known books and book characters as she ventures on her quest. She thinks about these characters and stories to help her understand her situation. She decides she would have loved the enchanted woods had she read about them, but it was a completely different thing to find herself in the middle of them! Well-read kids will be tickled by all of the references to great books they have probably read- and might want to read after finishing Breadcrumbs. It would be fun to see how many book references students can pick out! This would make a wonderful read aloud for kids in grades 4-6. I see both boys and girls in grades 4-8 enjoying this book. It is a quest, a fantasy and a coming of age story all rolled into one.
I am left wondering why 2 animals that are usually bad end up being quite good in this story. Ravens and wolves have a bad rep, but Ursu has rehabilitated them in Breadcrumbs. If you've read the book- tell me why. What did those 2 animals represent in Hazel's life- who were they? There I go, over analyzing things again! This book will clearly be a front runner in the Newbery race in January.
And if you thought I wasn't crazy enough after reading this post, this is how I picture The White Witch:
I am so impressed with the books that are coming out for tweens this year. Tweens (kids 8-12) are a special group of kids. They are pretty much done learning to read and most of them are now reading for pleasure. You can tell that I have tweens in the library because you will see them flocked around me asking me for a great book to read. It's like a pre-game huddle and I am the QB. I grab books from the shelf and give a quick booktalk- then the kids fight over who gets to check out the books. : ) I have been blown away by the quality of books that are available for these kids so far this year. The Newbery Committee is going to have a very difficult time selecting a winner this year. A book that I am sure will be fought over in The Lemme Library is Hidden by Helen Frost.
8 year old Wrenn is sitting in her mom's gold mini-van when she hears a gunshot. She quickly hides in the backseat as a man enters the van and speeds off. The man has stolen the van without knowing that there is a child in the backseat. Wrenn finds herself alone, scared and unintentionally kidnapped. Each time the kidnapper opens the door that leads into his house, Wrenn gets a glimpse of his family- his wife Stacey and 8 year old daughter Darra. When Stacey learns that there is a stolen car in her garage, she gets a black eye. When Darra hears on the news that there was a little girl inside that stolen car, she is told to turn off the news. Darra has a feeling that the girl is hiding in the garage and worries about what will happen if her dad finds her- so she is determined to find her and help her escape. Wrenn does escape and the police are lead to the house and the man is arrested.
Flash forward 7 years and it seems that Wrenn has grown up to be a happy, well-adjusted teenager. She is just settling into camp when she notices a new camper who is not at all happy to be there. When the new girl runs off, her mother calls after her and to Wrenn's surprise and terror, the camper is Darra- the daughter of the man who kidnapped her 7 years ago.
The 2 girls end up in the same cabin and in the same activities. They are forced to deal with feelings that they have been hiding all these years. Darra is angry- angry at Wrenn for getting her dad arrested and causing her parents to get divorced. Wrenn is overwhelmed with emotions from anger to terror- she didn't even know she felt that way until now.
That is all I will tell you about Wrenn and Darra. This story begs to be unfolded by the reader and not the reviewer.
At one time, Darra is out on a glass bottom boat- the kind of boat that you can look through and see right into the water. She sees all of these sunken ships that are resting on the bottom of the lake. She realizes that no matter how calm the water looks, you never know what is hiding just under the surface. That passage sums up this novel perfectly. Children (and adults) are walking around this great big world with a whole lot of stuff on their minds- issues from their past, problems they have now and worries about the future. Just because someone puts on a happy face and looks calm on the outside doesn't mean there isn't a hurricane brewing on the inside. This book will inadvertently teach kids to stop and think about other people before they pass judgement. An example from my experience- I am not quick to judge a rude store clerk because you never, ever know what they are going through. May be they just flunked a test or their grandma died or their parents got divorced today. You just never know- you should give people the benefit of the doubt- and I think that is a message that kids will walk away with after reading Hidden.
Hidden is a free verse novel written in alternating chapters. Free verse novels are great for tweens. The spacing of the text on the page is perfect, providing plenty of white space. Kids tend to get overwhelmed by too much text. The second I open a book with lots of small words, they freak out! I love that a tween reader can pick up a book with great substance and not be impeded by the text. And- lots of kids who can relate to this book may be reluctant readers... I will say that I have to talk to my students about a novel written in verse before I just hand it to them. I explain that it looks a little different, but it reads just like a book. Helen Frost worked extra hard on this free verse novel, because upon further reading, kids will discover a hidden story within the story. I would hand this book to any student grades 4 and up. Because the main characters are girls, boys may hesitate to pick it up, unless you can sell them on the great story. I dare the Newbery Committee to snub this book!
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
(August 2011).
Picture if you will a newborn baby boy placed in a basket and left to sail the ocean alone. When he is finally rescued by sailors his eyes have been pecked out by a raven. The sailors kill the raven and turn the baby over to the local authorities. The baby is given a name- Peter Nimble-and nothing else, and sent into the world to fend for himself. He lives for a time with a mama cat and her kittens, until they are discovered and thrown into the ocean in a burlap bag to drown. Peter manages to untie the bag and make it to safety. Having nobody to care for him, Peter learns to survive on his own. Although he is an infant- and a blind infant at that- he starts his career as a thief. By the age of 3, Peter had become a true menace to society. His talents were discovered by Mr. Seamus- a beggarmonger (a man who trains orphans to beg and steal and turn their booty over to him in exchange for "food" and "shelter"). Mr. Seamus always wanted to become a thief- but he was too clumsy to follow his dream. When he met Peter, he decided to sell off his other beggars and train Peter to become an expert thief. In fact, Peter became an expert at picking locks because Mr. Seamus locked all of Peter's meals inside an old sea chest- if he wanted to eat, he had to pick the lock.
When a mysterious haberdasher (a man who sells men's hats and ties and such) comes to town, Peter's skills as a thief are put to the test. The boy steals a box of magical eyes from the haberdasher. The first time he touches the eyes, he knows that he must try them. He puts in the eyes and is instantly transported to a mysterious land. As it turns out, Peter had been summoned to help save The Vanished Kingdom. Using the fantastic eyes, he must set out on a fantastical quest where he befriends a part man, part kitten part horse creature, meets a dogfish bigger than a whale and gets stranded in the desert. I can't give away much more, because it will ruin the story for you- and you know I won't do that! But, I will tell you that you will read about swashbuckling, sword fighting, evil Kings, talking ravens and killer apes!
I can tell you that this is a quest that reminded me of so many great quests I have read- including The Wizard of Oz. Peter is a little bit like Dorothy who gets whisked away to a magical land where he must go on a journey to find the answers to his questions and to discover who he truly is and where he truly belongs. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy meets many memorable characters that help her along the way. Peter meets characters that help him on his quest as well (instead of The Cowardly Lion, we have Sir Tode)- and some that try to stop him from completing his quest (Instead of The Wicked Witch of the West, we have King Incarnadine). And like Dorothy, what Peter was looking for might have been with him all along. (Instead of ruby slippers we have... um, can't tell you!)
This a fast paced adventure that will appeal to kids grades 4-8 (boys will devour this books, but girls will love it as well). I love a good adventure story, but what made me fall in love with this book was the storytelling that took place in it. Yes, all authors have a story to tell, but not all authors weave a story in the magical way that Mr. Auxier did here. As I read, I was transported to my favorite books- The Princess Bride, Peter Pan, The Hobbit, The Tale of Desperaux... The language in Peter Nimble is delicate and would roll off your tongue if you read it aloud to your child (which you should!). The narrator coaxes us through the story, and respects us enough as readers to not interrupt the flow of the story or condescend us the way some narrators can. In fact, I missed the narrator when he wasn't speaking directly to me!
When the book ended, I was not only left with the satisfaction a great story brings, but with the idea that each one of us is important and can make a difference in the world. The idea that we need to embrace our talents and be who we are- not what people want us to be. The idea that we can learn from our past. but our past doesn't define us in the present. And the idea that people need people to love and to love them- that family is a bigger treasure than anything you will find in a sea chest. Indeed, this is a book that could quite possibly steal The Newbery right out from under all of the other books I have read so far this year.
*The book includes art done by the author.
See also this great review of Peter Nimble by Betsy Bird (of Fuse8)
My name is Marley Sandelski and pretty much get my butt kicked on a daily basis. The kids at Rancho Rosetta Middle School are ruthless. I get punched, spit on shoved into my locker, chased and taunted and nobody does anything about it. If anyone stands up to the bullies, they will get killed. So, we just grimace and bear it.
I use to be best friends with Standford- until he became a star jock. He completely sold me out. He doesn't even look in my direction any more. I hate him. The only people I can count on are the other geeks in AV Club, I mean Technical Sciences Class. We pretty much run this school- without us, there would be no way teachers could plug in their own DVD players. I can't wait for 6th period because I know that for that short while, I won't get beat up.
Teachers have asked if I'm ok- even my mom and dad have asked. But, I just smile and say that I'm fine. Heck, my mom is blind and she even knows something isn't right. You can't get anything past her. She can see my misery better than the stupid principal of Rosetta Middle School. He is such an idiot- he thinks that bracelets that say "Be a buddy not a bully" will keep kids like me from getting pulverized. Duh. Now when I get my butt handed to me, the bully says- "Wanna be my buddy?"
My best friend is Ramen- yes, Ramen like the noodles. I am stuck with him because we are both geeks, I guess. He's ok, except he has this very unhealthy obsession with Star Wars. I HATE Star Wars. I'm what you call a Trekkie. I can name all of the characters, episodes and quote lines from every show from TOS (The Original Series). I guess I rely on Star Trek to help me through life. Like if I need good luck, I carry my Captain Kirk action figure with me. After school when I need to decompress, I put on my Spock ears. If I am in a sticky situation, I ask myself "WWSD?" (What would Spock do?) Star Trek has gotten me through some rough times. I even keep my own Captain's Log where I record everything that occurred during the day. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse in my life, they do. My AV Club teacher, Mr. Jiang is out for 2 weeks and all the AV Club kids are stuck taking Home Science Class. (On the upside, I met the most beautiful girl in the world, and I may be in love). The richest kid in town threatens to close down my family's theater, The Rialto if I don't do his homework. The Gorn have really stepped up their butt kicking and now chase me through town every day. And- the track coach has seen me run and wants me to join the track team. Did I mention that the new kid Max wants to narc out all the bullies on my behalf? I don't think I can take much more of this. What WOULD Spock do? I wish I knew.
Warp Speed is by Lisa Yee (F YEE) I think we have a Newbery contender on our hands here folks. From my perspective, not Marley's, this book should be required reading for all kids going into jr. high. My heart ached for Marley. I was disgusted by the ignorance of the adults (except his parents) in this book... I thought "Am I this blind? Can I be making a difference?" I must confess that this is the first book of the Rancho Rosetta books that I have read. I just returned from the library with Millicent Min (I thought Marley and Millicent would make a good couple.) I would pair this book with Surviving Brick Johnson by Laurie Myers.
Now- to the kids who might be reading this blog: It is not ok to bully anyone. You might have your own problems, but preying on other kids won't help. And, if you just stand by and watch a bully without helping, you are just as bad as the bully. If you are being bullied, or abused (Like Digger) you need to find someone you can trust. A teacher, a friend, a librarian... someone that you can ask for help. We can't help you if we don't know what is going on. Trust us- most of us are a little brighter than the teachers in Warp Speed... at least I hope we are. If you want to do some reading on bullying, try these sites: Stopbullying.gov Dealing With Bullies It's My Life from PBSKids For Parents: Helping Kids Deal With Bullies And, you can always email me at butcher.kelly@iccsd.k12.ia.us
I love Cynthia DeFelice. My kids love all of her books- especially Weasel and The Ghost of Fossil Glen. I was mesmerized by Signal. So, when I got Wild Life in the mail, I couldn't wait to read it. I was very torn as I read this novel. I don't like guns, I don't like hunting and I sure don't like the idea of a kid hunting with a gun. That being said, my own issues aside, I can name about 12 boys at Lemme School who would love this book, as boys, as outdoorsy kids and as hunters themselves. Because of those boys, I finished the book. If not for the boys, I wouldn't have read it- the scene of Erik cleaning his kill just about put me over the edge. (But I could read The Hunger Games without batting an eye- go figure). But, more on that later.
Wild Life by Cynthia DeFelice (F DEF) is the story of Erik, a 6th grade boy who has just learned that both his mother and father will be leaving for Iraq in 4 days. He wants to stay with his best friend and neighbor, but must move from New York to North Dakota to live with grandparents he doesn't really know. Not much is said about the departure, except that Erik didn't take it very well. He seemed more upset about not getting to hunt that weekend than he was about his parents going to war and being gone for 6 months. May be it's a boy thing, but I needed the character to show more emotion. I don't think boys reading this book will be bothered by his lack of sadness. (Girls would though).
The night before Erik leaves for North Dakota, he overhears his parents discussing his grandparents. He hears his mom say that she was glad to get away from them as fast as she could. When he arrives in North Dakota, he understands why. He will be living in the middle of nowhere with no phone, no computer and only 3 tv stations. He will have to take the bus to a school that is in a different town and all of the shops and stores are boarded up. And, worst of all, his grandfather, Big Darrell is cold and mean. Erik feels like he isn't welcome or wanted by Big Darrell. Even Oma, his grandmother seems to cower to Big Darrell. When his grandparents show him to his room, they keep him from entering the door at the top of the stairs. Erik realizes that this room must belong to his Uncle Dan who died during The Vietnam War.
The next day while Big Darrell is out harvesting beets and Oma is in town with friends, Erik decides to explore the farm. His first stop is the room at the top of the stairs. When he looks in, he sees that it is fact is Dan's old bedroom and it looks just as it must have looked in the 1970's. He see photos of Dan, his military uniform and in the closet, hunting gear and a shot gun. Erik heads outside to check out the land when he sees an animal enter the barn. Upon further inspection, he sees that it is a hunting dog that has gotten into a tussle with a porcupine. The poor dog's muzzle and face is covered in quills. Erik immediately calls Oma who asks the local vet to come help the dog.
When Big Darrel comes home that night, he tells Erik that the dog must go- that he said no more dogs, ever. Erik can't stand this thought and so the next day, he decides to run away. He goes into Dan's room and packs the gun and shells and puts on all of Dan's camo gear. He takes the dog, who he named Quill, and leaves. He has always been fascinated with pioneer life and is excited to live off the land. When his food runs out, he realizes that he has to hunt for his own food. With the help of Quill, he is able to hunt pheasant and rabbits. He becomes very observant of the land and nature as he travels with Quill.
On a cold and snowy night, he finds shelter in what looks to be an abandoned barn. Just as he is falling asleep, he hears a car door slam and then footsteps approaching. A man recognizes Erik from the television and tells him that he will take him home and collect his $5000 reward. Erik is shocked that his grandparents would offer that much money to save him. Erik comes up with a plan to evade the man and get back to the farm on his own. I won't spoil the ending- so you will have to read it to see how things turn out between Big Darrell and Erik. And you will see if Erik gets to keep the dog. I will say that the dog does not die...so don't worry!
About the hunting aspect of this book. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions about hunting, and I respect those who do it responsibly. You are reading the blog of the girl who watched Bambi and stood up in a packed theater and yelled "WHAT HAPPENED TO BAMBI'S MOMMY?!?!" I think that movie left a mark on me. As if reading my mind, Ms. DeFelice writes on page 120, just as Erik is cleaning a pheasant:
"Holding the limp, warm body that had been so full of life just a moment ago, he was flooded with a powerful remorse. This bird had hatched from an egg, been raised by his mother, and survived despite brutal weather and the sharp, watching eyes of hawks and owls and coyotes. Now it was dead, and he had killed it. The enormity of this settled upon him and the exhilaration of the moment before mixed with regret. ...he couldn't help feeling sorrow about it, even as he was grateful for the meat and proud of his and Quill's accomplishments." (page 120)
Because of page 120, I am able to hand this book to any child in my library without having to question my own opinions. The book teaches a powerful lesson about the connection that all living things have. And in a way, that I'm not sure the kids will get, parallels the death of the pheasant to that of his Uncle so many years ago.
"Don't judge a book by its cover." I've said it, but I still do it. Do you? "I don't like old looking books", "I don't like books with unicorns on them", "I don't like blue books"...
You do, don't you? Not just books- you might judge people by their covers. Do you make judgements about people because of how they look, how they talk, where they live or who they love? May be you've even judged a bully by his mean behavior. Many times, a bully is a bully because he (OR she) is insecure, bullied by someone else or even lonely. Lucy, the main character in A Million Miles From Boston by Karen Day (F DAY) deals with this issue when she spends the summer on the coast of Maine. Lucy hates Ian Richards and Ian Richards hates Lucy. Ian has a tendency to steal the spotlight wherever he goes, he lies and he blames Lucy for the trouble he causes. She also hates Julia (The PT). Julia is her father's physical therapist and love interest. Lucy is happy to leave both of them behind and head to her family summer cottage in Maine. 12 year old Lucy, her brother Bucky and her father have vacationing in Maine her entire life. Until she was 6 her mom came too- but her mom died of stage 4 brain cancer. Now, it's just the 3 of them (4 if you count Lucy's dog Superior) and Lucy likes it that way- she likes things to stay the same. But the minute she arrives in Maine, she knows things have changed. A rich family from her neck of the woods (Boston) has bought the once abandoned mansion and have been remodeling. Lucy doesn't like the idea of some snooty family moving in and shaking things up. When she finds out that the rich family is The Richards' family (YES! Ian's family!) she is more than annoyed. She is sure that he will spend the summer getting her in trouble and teasing her. But she meets his mom and sister and likes them- they seem nice. On their first night in Maine, Lucy's dad announces that Julia will be visiting them over the summer. He tells Lucy & Bucky that he really loves Julia- but Lucy doesn't want to hear it. She doesn't want a new woman in her life- and besides, Julia laughs too loud, her teeth are too big and she is clumsy.
As the summer goes on, Lucy becomes conflicted about her feelings for Julia and Ian (and Ian's sister, Allison). Julia makes her dad happy. Ian is good with little kids. Allison has lied to her. Julia reminds Lucy that people often have 2 sides- the side they show to everyone, and the side people rarely get to see. People compensate for problems they have in their lives. Lucy has been judging books by their covers- and it takes a lot of inner conflict to decide to make a change.
This would be a great novel to use when teaching conflict. Lucy struggles with her thoughts throughout the entire book. She struggles with the loss of her mother & the introduction of a possible new stepmother. She struggles with her memories of her mother. She struggles with Ian and Julia and with her feelings about them. I was in a hurry for the conflict to resolve- I wanted to know how Lucy resolved these feelings of hers- and I was happy that Karen Day didn't rush a conclusion (that is one of my bookish pet peeves)
The setting of A Million Miles From Boston is as much a character in this book as Lucy herself. I felt like I was on Pearson Point. I could smell the pine, hear the buoys clanging and see the mist hanging in the air. This book would be well paired with Touch Blue if you were teaching The Northeast Region, and both books deal with conflict.
As a side note, I spent the entire book worrying that Lucy's beloved dog, Superior would die. Blame it on Where The Red Fern Grows, but I have a severe dead dog paranoia. Bigfoot, you will be happy to know that you can read this book- the dog does NOT die!
The main characters of the book are leaving 6th grade, but I think kids in grades 4+ would enjoy this realistic fiction novel. (I received this book from the publisher but received no compensation for my review, nor was I asked to write a review)
It is Children's Book Week! I hope this can be our biggest BTT yet!
I have been searching the web for a great place to post book reviews for librarians and teachers to use in the classroom. Well, I am going to try hosting my own Book Talk Tuesday! I invite teachers, moms, dads and librarians to link to a recent book talk or book review that can be used by others.
My rules?
1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
2. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.
3. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!
4. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)
5. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-4.
In the link title field, be sure to include the title of the book you are reviewing and your site name. In the URL field, please link to this specific post that contains the book review (That way people don't have to scour your blog looking for it!)
I'd love it if you would leave a comment telling me about yourself! You are welcome to grab the Book Talk Tuesday graphic to use it on your blog.
Love & Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo is a story of unrequited first love. Amelia is 15. She works at the local grocery store where she meets Chris. He is cute, funny, smart and... 21. Too old for 15 year old Amelia, but her heart doesn't care. Amelia is in love with Chris. This book captures the feelings of first love perfectly (At least from a girl's perspective!) When you are in love, you do crazy things- pretend to like things you don't, tell lies, try things that scare you... Amelia does all of these things to try and gain Chris' affection.
