Feel free to weep tears of joy--the SLJ Battle of the Kids' Books is back!

At the risk of effusing, it is with great delight that I announce the return of the School Library Journal Battle of the Kids' Books. Not that I have anything to actually do with it, per se, except act as cheerleader and generally gush about it to my readers (who are hopefully following it themselves.) This is the tournament's third year, and it is still early days over at the Command Center. But Team BoB has presented its list of 16 finalists which will go head to head until there is but one remaining title. The one thing that really strikes me about this year's list is this: I have only read a single title from it! The shame........

Still, it's early days, with the website still under construction, so there's plenty of time for me to catch up. And I am curious to see if they raise the ante even further. Last year they introduced the Undead Round. What surprises do they have in store this year? Go to the aforementioned web site for links to last year's tournament, if you missed out on the fun and want to see what it's all about. You can also follow the BoB on twitter.

Hold on to your hats, folks! This should be fun.

Subversive Favorites: The Worst Person in the World at Crab Beach by James Stevenson

While it is generally understood that bad behavior in children is not tolerable, bad behavior in the elderly seems to be more acceptable. I am generalizing, of course, but allowances are made for age, and the older you are, the more people let you get away with being a curmudgeon. This is certainly the case with The Worst, the eponymous anti-hero of the "Worst Person in the World" series. He is a cantankerous codger who is surrounded by kindly, patient neighbors who humor his foul moods while they wait for him to come round to their way of thinking.

The Worst is not only bad tempered and unreasonable, but he is at his happiest when a situation is at its worst. If he's not making life miserable for someone else, he's more then willing to make life unpleasant for himself. When he goes on vacation in The Worst Person in the World at Crab Beach, he chooses a hotel based on how many mosquitoes they have (in this case, many,) how awful the food is, and, when given the choice of room, he chooses a room in the cellar with a hard bed and "no view whatsoever."  However, The Worst meets his match in caustic Miriam and her odious son, Cranston. And that's what makes this, for me, the best of The Worst.

Miriam is considerably younger than The Worst, so there is no justifying her surliness. Described as "shrill and screechy," she is liberal with her use of insults and would be a nightmare to meet in person. And yet, she has her softer side. In an unparalleled display of maternal love, she flings The Worst's lunch into the ocean when he kicks over her son's sand castle. '"Lunch is over," she said. "Why don't you shove off?"' When The Worst declares that he is leaving, Cranston, not to be out done by his mother, quips, '"Not fast enough."' You just can't get dialog like that in a children's book anymore! At least, not without a moral.

So why do I recommend this book about grown-ups behaving badly? Well, it's funny. And other than enjoying The Worst and Miriam fling Three Stooges-style zingers at each other, I am always in favor of books that show that grumpiness is an option. I don't believe that a book has to be an edifying experience every time a child picks one up; it's okay for them to laugh at foibles for the sake of them. But since an entire book can not be sustained by one joke, author/illustrator Stevenson slips in an almost unrecognizable dose of warm-fuzzy into his Worst books. In this case The Worst, Miriam, and Cranston clearly recognize kindred spirits and become friends. For them, friendship means sitting around drinking prune juice, watching poison-ivy grow, and chasing away would be visitors. It works for them (and Klingons, but that's a tangent we don't need to visit right now.)

An argument could be made that The Worst is simply lonely, and his behavior is a way to shield that. Like someone who practices false modesty to fish for a compliment, The Worst always manages to surround himself with people, despite the "Go Away" signs in his yard. I'm not totally convinced; I simply think The Worst is crusty, difficult and unrepentant. By crossing paths with Miriam and Cranston, The Worst is actually challenged by behavior as bad as his own. Fortunately, for all of us, it only makes him.....worse.

Rave Review: Jack's Path of Courage

Thursday 20 January 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of John Fitzgerald Kennedy as the 35th president of the United States. Growing up in Boston, I have lived a lifetime within the sphere of the Kennedy family's local influence. And as the daughter of an immigrant who grew up in post-war Italy with her eye on JFK and all that was promising about the USA, I am steeped in Kennedy lore. So, frankly, I am inclined to like this book. The fact that it is well-written and exquisitely illustrated just makes the admiring easy.

I love the decision to have the cover completely free of text. The man on the front is without a doubt the man who inspired a generation of people around the world; he is handsome, charismatic, and looking onwards and upwards. The profile which is presented within the pages of the book is of an individual who grew up loved but challenged by the expectations of his father and constantly in physical pain due to a back injury exacerbated by war-time damage. Kennedy's is a life defined by courage: the courage to compete with an admired older brother, the courage to fill his shoes when necessary, the courage to make mistakes and own up to them. And while his assassination always leads to discussion of a life cut short and potential snuffed, this book highlights how much he did manage to do in a short period of time. His was a life of privilage, but also a life of service.

The images and text combine to introduce to readers a man who was nothing less than remarkable. Illustrator Matt Tavares mentions in a note that he used actual photographs as reference for his illustrations. The photographic influence is evident; many of the illustrations have the intimacy of captured moments, as if someone peeked in and snapped a quick picture. The text by Doreen Rappaport, which incorporates quotes adapted from original sources, is straightforward, reverent, yet honest.

This book is a beautiful tribute to a man who, whatever his detractors might think, will always be looked to as an individual who inspired not just a single nation, but the whole world in a way that no leader has been able to do since. His legacy is far-reaching--the death this week of Sargent Shriver was a link to that legacy.  Legacies are not created by men and women who turn away from life's challenges, but by those who face them head on, and this book shows how John Kennedy spent a lifetime doing just that.

To see more of the artwork, check out this book trailer

30 Second Review: Do You Have a Cat? by Eileen Spinelli

Do You Have a Cat? by Eileen Spinelli

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


My favorite Eileen Spinelli books are the ones where she tells a story, Such as "Sophie's Masterpiece" or "Something to tell the Grandcows", but she does generic quite well, too. I particularly liked the nod to famous cat-owners throughout history. Helps to set this one apart from other cat-lover books.



View all my reviews

Goodbye to Dick King-Smith

Well, here's a kick in the teeth. I just read in School Library Journal that British author Dick King-Smith died on Tuesday, 4 January. He was 88. It's not right to feel cheated by the death of an 88 year old man--that's a long life (and if you read his autobiography, Chewing the Cud, you will know that it was a varied life which he enjoyed to the fullest.) But Dick King-Smith is an author that I discovered as an adult, right about the time that my interest in children's literature was reignited. So for me, his loss feels personal.

Dick King-Smith will be most widely known as the author of  The Sheep-Pig, which became the film Babe. But he wrote many, many books, and they all deserve a look. You can read a run-down of some of my favorites, here.

And for another look at the film Babe--which can still make me weep tears of joy at the end!--check out the trailer.

Anticipated ARCs--My Forever Friends by Julie Bowe

There are books at work which I consider to be my "go-to" titles; the ones I always make a bee-line for when a reader comes up to me looking for a recommendation. My Last Best Friend, the first book in what has become the "Friends for Keeps" series by Julie Bowe, is one of those books. Written for the 8-12 age bracket, it has a near perfect balance of content and read-ability; it can be enjoyed by either end of the demographic without dumbing-down for the youngest reader or feeling outgrown to the oldest.

The rest of the series has proven to be just as popular, so when I had the opportunity to preview the fourth book in the series...I had to ask! I have many fans of Ida May, Stacy, and even Jenna to report back to, as they wait for their chance to read the book themselves. I'm pleased to say that they will not be disappointed.

The action of the story has shifted away from the still developing relationship between Ida and Stacy and is centered on the feud between Jenna and Brooke. These two girls, who at times seem like they could only be likable to each other, have fallen out, and the repercussions are felt throughout the class as their fight becomes a power grab for the support of their classmates. Ida--kind, perceptive Ida--feels stuck in the middle; she is spending more time with Jenna and her younger sister Rachel, due to the fact that their mother is on bed-rest with a difficult pregnancy and the girls are sent to Ida's house after school. Her increased exposure to the habitually controlling Jenna has helped Ida learn how to deal with her. (Jenna's transformation from class bully to complex individual which the reader can care about is one of the most impressive accomplishments of this series.) At the same time, Stacy is becoming chummy with Brooke. Ida soon finds herself losing one friend because of her loyalty to another. In the end, she doesn't care who is right or wrong in terms of Jenna and Brooke; she simply wants the feud to end before the all-round damage is beyond repair.

Throughout the series, Ida May has shown herself to be a sensitive girl juggling the ups and downs of friendship with thoughtfulness and wisdom--and the occasional aid of Choco Chunks. In My Forever Friends she exhibits a level of maturity which is simultaneously admirable and bittersweet (I say "bittersweet" as a parent, because if she was my little girl I would be proud of her but sorry that I had not been able to spare her the experience.) As an adult reader I sometimes found my heart filling up at the responsibility Ida felt to be the peacemaker in a feud which was not even her own. Young readers, possibly dealing with similar friendship trials, will see a girl they would like to emulate and love to be friends with themselves.

Julie Bowe reports on her blog that she has been contracted for two more "Friends for Keeps" books. This is news that will delight many girls. Not to mention this librarian, who repeatedly falls back on this excellent series when it comes time to place a quality book in eager hands.

My Forever Friends is due for release in July 2011. Thank you to Julie Bowe for providing me with an ARC to review.

Picture Books for Older Readers: Snook Alone

In my continued attempt to keep this blog organized, I thought I would introduce a new segment to feature picture books written for an older audience; let's say for readers from 9 to 99. These are books written for the reader who can appreciate sophisticated vocabulary, a well-turned phrase, and a story complex enough for a chapter book. I'll try to make this a weekly feature, but no promises! I do, however, promise fabulous books.

First up is Snook Alone, written by poet Marilyn Nelson (author of A Wreath for Emmet Till,) and illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering (who also illustrated The Tale of Desperaux.) The story is deceptively simple: Snook is the dog of Abba Jacob, a contemplative monk. When Snook is separated from Abba Jacob during a storm, he has lots of time to investigate the island on which he has been abandoned until his master comes back to fetch him. But that summary is merely the scratch on the surface.

When I first read this book, I was reminded of Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell, mainly because of the survival element. Snook learns how to find water and fish safely (out of the reach of sharks,) tries to defend his bed against a rather fearsome crab, and spends a good deal of time exploring the island and marking trees "which no dog on earth but he had ever marked."  But when I reread Snook, aloud to my daughter, I was reminded of Absent in the Spring by Mary Westmacott (who was actually Agatha Christie trying her hand at psychologically driven character pieces.) Absent in the Spring tells the story of a fairly shallow woman who finds herself isolated for a few days with no company but her own, and nothing to do but think. Which is kind of what happens to Snook. It's interesting that it took reading the book aloud for me to hear the different silences in the story. For that is where the action of the book takes place, in the silent moments, first at the hermitage where Snook and Abba Jacob live, and then on the island, where Snook is left to wait. Nelson describes life at the hermitage as "a striped flag/of silence, work, food, silence, work, food." On the island the silence is initially described as black, empty, and lonely. But eventually, the isolation of the island is a way of communing with Abba Jacob: "Snook sat still enough/to find the shared silence/of Abba Jacob's chapel/under the rhythmic surge of surf."

In an interview with School Library Journal, Nelson talks about Snook Alone and compares longing to prayer. Snook's longing to be reunited with Abba Jacob is evidence of his spiritual growth but written in proportion to the fact that Snook is, in fact, a dog. Nelson masterfully avoids anthropomorphizing the story with such eloquent phrases as, "In the morning /there were only faint sips of his friend's scent/left for Snook to drink in here and there." The realistic illustrations by Ering also go a long way towards keeping the story honest and empathetic without distilling the impact of the text with cutesy pictures. Domineering landscape portraits drive home the point of a tiny dog against the cathedral of sea and sky. But smaller spot illustrations on those same beaches present a more intimate look at Snook and the way his experience is changing him.

When the "good ending" comes (and it does!) it is a well deserved ending for Snook, Abba Jacob, and the reader. For while there is never any evidence of despair on Snook's part, and the separation was not as long as it probably felt to Snook (and no doubt Abba Jacob,) the lessons of silence--compassion, patience, serenity, joy--are best utilized when the period of silence ends.

The Best of 2010

As the year draws to a close, it's time to list my 5 star books for 2010. I should preface this by saying that this list chronicles only chapter books and graphic novels (of which I read 71 this year,) and does not include the numerous excellent picture books which I read (a situation I really should rectify for 2011.) Books with a * next to them indicate titles published in the United States in 2010. Some of the books are re-reads, revisited either for book club or for fun. There are even a few adult titles included. They are listed chronologically as I read them.

Drum roll please...........

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
Living Hell by Catherine Jenks *
Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman *
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Gareth Stein
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia *
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins *
Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce *
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness *
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Smile by Raina Telgemeier *

You know, the list of 4 star books is pretty good, too. They are:

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger *
Boom! by Mark Haddon *
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker: Girl vs. Superstar by Robin Palmer *
The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye by Nancy Springer *
Doctor Who: The Forgotten by Tony Lee, Pia Guerra and Nick Roche
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins *
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White *
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Secret Life of Ms. Finkelman by Ben Winters *
The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
Alvin Ho: Allergic to birthday parties, science projects and other man-made catastrophes by Lenore Look *
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
Numbers by Rachel Ward *

And there you have it--the best reading that 365 days had to offer. May 2011 be filled with just as many--if not more (a girl can be greedy)--great books. Happy New Year, folks!

Fenway Park--Still America's Favorite Ballpark!

Perhaps it's petty of me, but I cannot deny that I took great pleasure in discovering that the first title in the new "Ballpark Mysteries" easy chapter series is The Fenway Foul-up. The book based at Yankee Stadium--book number 2. Looks like the American League East is already shaping up with the Red Sox on top, at least in terms of chapter books. The book pubs in February 2011--just in time for spring training.

Favorite Christmas Picture Books

Okay--so I meant to get this posted right after Thanksgiving. But there is still plenty of time to share a Christmas picture book. While shiny copies of Dewey's, Marley's and Fancy Nancy's holiday escapades are being showcased at your local bookstores, these older classic are not too be missed, so be sure to check those library shelves. They might be the dog-eared leftovers on the display table, but like Charlie Brown's twig of a tree, they have much to offer.

So, in no particular order, I present my favorite Christmas picture books:

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox; illus. by Kerry Argent

Wombat has waited a long time to be in the annual Nativity play, and now he's finally old enough. The problem is that he is ill-suited for every part: he's too heavy to be the Archangel Gabriel, too clumsy to be the innkeeper, and too short to be one of the Wise Men. With all the parts allocated to more suitable animals (and I do mean emus, koalas, and bilbys,) it looks as if Wombat will be sitting out this year's play, too. Until....inspiration strikes. This is a sweet tale from one of Australia's greatest contributors to children's literature.

We Were There by Eve Bunting; illus. by Wendell Minor

Let me clarify--there aren't just illustrations featured in this unorthodox Nativity story. There are paintings. There aren't many Christmas books which can boast a scorpion on the front cover (I can't think of any others) made sacred by the inclusion of the Christmas Star glowing beneath the tip of the scorpion's stinger. If Wendell Minor's stunning paintings of rats, tarantulas, and warty toads aren't enough to distinguish this Christmas book (you can see some of the other paintings here,) then have a read of Bunting's text, told in verse and from the point of view of each creature, making their way to the stable to worship the Christ child. This unique perspective on a familiar story makes a poignant statement about the relevance of Jesus' arrival, not just for the good and the easily lovable (i.e. the ox and lamb,) but the lowly inhabitants of the dark, as well.

Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present by John Burningham

Santa's had a long night, and he's knackered. He no sooner finished his rounds, gets his reindeer in bed, and dons his pajamas, before he realizes that he's missed delivering a gift. And of course, the gift is for Harvey Slumfenburger, who is poor and will get no other gifts but the one from Santa. And he lives in a hut. At the top of the Roly Poly Mountain. Which is far, far, away. So there's nothing else for it but for Santa to deliver that gift. Not wanting to wake the reindeer, he tosses his red coat over his jammies and sets off by foot for Harvey Slumfenberger's hut. It's a long and arduous journey requiring many modes of transportation, but Santa will not be deterred. And with the final five words of the book, John Burningham shows why he is a master at writing for children.

Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs

While Burningham's Santa is a dogged and dutiful man, Brigg's St. Nick is no jolly old elf. From the moment his alarm goes off on Christmas Eve, to his final grumbly blessing, Father Christmas looks as if he'd rather be anywhere than delivering presents on a cold and snowy night. As he preps his thermos, feeds the cat, and locks his front door, he could be heading off for a shift at the local factory.  The humor in this books is generated by the rather working class perspective to Santa's story, told in graphic blocks like a comic book. Father Christmas has to work around restrictive chimneys (or none at all--I particularly like the image of him trying to squeeze out of the top of a cooker,) try to avoid roof-top aerials (remember them?!) and tripping over cats, and in true British fashion spends most of the book complaining about the weather. And when he gets home, he still has to make his own Christmas dinner! Evidently this Santa is a bachelor. And, without a doubt, the hardest working man in the world.

A Pussycat's Christmas by Margaret Wise Brown; illus. by Anne Mortimer

This book was originally published in 1949, and then re released in 1994 with illustrations by the incomparable Anne Mortimer. She is, for my money, the best illustrator of cats. From cheeky, to contemplative, to serene--her ability to capture their essence is amazing. Brown's understated yet precise description of the sounds and smells of a Christmas Eve in preparation, makes for a quiet, almost reverent, reading experience.

The Church Mice at Christmas by Graham Oakley

The Church Mice would like to plan a slam-dunk Christmas party at the church, but they are having trouble procuring funds. Raffling off Sampson doesn't raise much--particularly when he returns to the church and the mice have to refund the money. And caroling is fraught with danger on a busy high street crowded with shoppers. Raiding the choirboys' stalls for abandoned sweeties produces no dividends either. When Arthur and Humphrey make the rather rash declaration that Father Christmas will be visiting the vestry, things almost take a turn for the riotous as antsy church mice find their holiday disappointment difficult to contain. But all ends well--and humorously--for the church mice. As ever, this book is filled with detailed illustrations which are as much of a joy to inspect as the story itself.