Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

A wave of Percy Jackson fandom has swept over our house in the last month. The last time this happened, my oldest was finishing 5th grade, and the first Percy Jackson movie was hitting the theaters. He read every book, raved about the movie, but our other boys were quite young then and the fire dwindled as he grew a little older.

Always on the lookout for new audiobooks for our two younger boys, I purchased Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief last month, and it has been on auto-repeat in their bedroom ever since. I admit to having a slight ulterior motive for this move. In addition to beginning a series, insuring fresh audio material for the next few months to come, I also managed to score a signed copy of Percy Jackson's Greek Gods when it hit bookstores last month. A perfect birthday present for my middle boy's upcoming birthday; the same boy who slept with d'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths for months last year!

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods is an imposing, grand book with a fabulously illustrated cover. For a Percy Jackson lover, the language, from Percy's own perspective and with his signature sarcasm, is highly descriptive and a perfect touch to lends an air of authenticity to the Greek mythology. Told from Percy's point of view, these stories will entice many young readers who might not otherwise read Greek mythology and will bring a fresh retelling to children who enjoy hearing the tales again and again.

El Deafo

A new category of memoir has appeared on stage in children's literature: graphic novel memoirs. I first saw what an effective medium this could be in Raina Telgemeier's Sisters. El Deafo is another perfect example of how fascinating and funny a memoir can be when it's delivered in graphic novel form.

El Deafo narrates author Cece Bell's childhood from age 4, when she loses her hearing as a result of meningitis, to about 5th grade. Bell uses anthropomorphic bunnies to represent herself, her family and friends. This is really a fabulous idea as bunny ears are very noticeable, and Bell clearly feels similarly about her hearing aids. As Bell begins school and realizes that lip-reading is not quite adequate, she receives a phonic ear which allows her to hear the teacher through a special microphone around the teacher's neck. Bell spends the next few years with a secret: she can hear every conversation, every action of her teacher while the microphone is turned on, including her teacher's private discussions with other teachers in the hall and her teacher's um...bathroom activity. Bell clearly finds this amusing, and because of her newly discovered superpower, she nicknames herself El Deafo. Intertwined in her story is her struggle to feel normal and to find true friends. Many children who feel different in a variety of ways will identify strongly with Bell's feelings here. Parts of Bell's story are difficult and sad, but her strength and perseverance shines. You will not be able to resist rooting for El Deafo!

Brown Girl Dreaming

Jacqueline Woodson's expertly written memoir of a young African American girl's journey through a childhood in Ohio, South Carolina, and eventually Brooklyn during the Civil Right's movement should be in every 5th to 8th grade classroom, every school library, every "Must Read" shelf at the local library, every family bookshelf. Initially I was surprised by her choice to write Brown Girl Dreaming in free verse, but the quiet simplicity creates stark contrasts. Each verse explodes in turn with joy, heartbreak, circumspection, nostalgia. Even the briefest statement can have huge impact in this form. The entire book is amazing, but part of the beauty of Woodson's book is that individual chapters, verses, even lone sentences could easily fit alongside many Language Arts or American History curricula. In today's world of Common Core with snippets of a variety of texts, many teachers will rejoice to include Woodson's work among the required reading.

The Fourteenth Goldfish

Ellie, beginning middle school with a best friend who has just found a passion in volleyball, is dismayed over the changes happening in her life when a surly, grouchy teenager steps into her life. This teenager happens to be her grandfather, a scientist made young again as the result of an anti-aging experiment. Forced to attend school with Ellie, Melvin, her grandfather, has a contentious relationship with Ellie's mother, despite their reversed roles. Worse, he's been kicked out of his own scientific laboratory as a trespassing teenager! As Ellie tries to help her grandfather retrieve his scientific formula, she learns about famous scientists, her mother's rebellion in choosing the arts over science, and even her own proclivity toward scientific thinking.

This is the first book I've read by Jennifer L. Holm. The cover art is eye-catching and cute in this fun and engaging middle grade read. The story is charming while departing astute observations on family dynamics. Ellie's divorce parents not only parent without dysfunction, but they are actually friendly toward each other. And Ellie discovers that despite her grandfather's and mother's oil-and-water relationship, she actually identifies with her grandfather's scientific obsession. The Fourteenth Goldfish is a humorous, enjoyable, speedy read, not laden with heavy vocabulary, and filled with realistic, identifiable characters. I hope we'll see more middle grade books coming from Jennifer L. Holm!

Absolutely Almost

Albie is a fifth grader living in NYC, a boy who is almost good at many things. Almost, but not quite. Albie regularly miscalculates the tip for the man who delivers his Chinese food. Albie only wants to read Captain Underpants, not the more literary books written for fifth graders. Albie struggles with his spelling list each week. Albie also possesses one of the kindest, most compassionate, most sincere hearts recently depicted in children's literature. He knows that he doesn't live up to his parents expectations and that the cool kids in school ridicule him. Albie's best friend still attends his former school, leaving Albie to forge his own way this school year. All of these regular life struggles form a story of a simple boy endeavoring to find his way during the oft-turbulent pre-teen years.

Absolutely Almost provides an interesting narration for today's middle grade reader: the plight of the average child. Albie is not really good at anything. He's not a stellar student; he doesn't have any outstanding hobbies. He is kind and compassionate, but those traits are often overlooked in the search for a tangible talent. His parents are not particularly understanding and often push him to "do better". As a parent of 4 myself, Albie's perspective of his parents demands, even their relative lack of involvement in his education and the detail of his days, resonated heavily with me. Albie's new babysitter, Calista, appears to be his savior, and while most kids reading this novel will fall in love with her, I found her sugar-enabling, school-skipping, Peter Pan-type behavior to be a bit over the line. That said, she is sympathetic toward Albie in a manner he desperately needs, and she frequently points out life truths that help him along the way. One of my favorite exchanges between them occurs while they are discussing the fact that Albie may never find something in life that he's good at:

"I want to be something I'm good at." [Albie] said.
Calista...looked more serious than normal. "You should do something because you love it, not just because you're good at it."
"But you're good at art, and you love it." [Albie] told her.
She nodded. "Did you ever think maybe the love part comes first? Find something you want to keep doing forever, even if you stink at it. And then, if you're lucky, with lots of practice, then one day you won't stink so much."
"But what if I'm not lucky?" [Albie] asked her. "What if I do find something I love, and then I always stink at it?"
Calista smiled her thoughtful smile. "Then won't you be glad you found something you love?"

Albie's struggle does not reach a tidy conclusion by the end of the novel. Although Albie does have a better sense of self, I could easily see Albie's story being open for a sequel. Either way, Albie will leave many children identifying with his plight and even more children rooting for his success.

Electric Ben

The life of Benjamin Franklin is covered in many-a children's book, some I've even posted about previously. But never has Ben Franklin been presented to children quite like this: bold, unconventional, witty, and decisive. From Ben's boyhood in Massachusetts through his various jobs as a printer, publisher, editor, writer, thinker, inventor, statesman, and diplomat, Electric Ben journeys through Ben's life in great detail infusing bits of information not generally found in other children's biographies about him. Covered in these oversized pages are many of Ben's inventions, depicted through text and illustration, as well as his many contributions to the formation of our country, including his many trips abroad and the letters and pamphlets he wrote to aid the cause.

This book is recommended for K-3, although I'm not quite sure I agree with that assessment. The text is rather dense for a kindergartener, even if it is read aloud. My first grader enjoyed listening to it read aloud last year, although not all first graders would. My fifth grader chose this, at my urging, for a biography last year, and he very much enjoyed that he found plenty of information that he needed, while the illustrations kept his interest visually. Whatever ages decide to read this will definitely find a gem of a biography, and I foresee Electric Ben being read often in our household for many years to come!

Hope Is a Ferris Wheel

Hope Is a Ferris Wheel is the story of Star Mackie, who is struggling to find friends and her place in a new school following a move to California from Oregon. Star appears to be the only one at school who lives in a trailer park, and her "layered cut" is constantly misidentified as a "mullet" by the other kids. She decides to start a club at school to help her find friends. After a false start with the Trailer Park Club, she finds limited success with the Emily Dickinson Club. With a mom who's often distracted by her own issues, a sister who attends a school for delinquents, a father who's missing, and a teacher who thinks she's not capable of much academically, Star innocently and honestly navigates her way through the school year.

Star Mackie is such a likable character that you can't help rooting for her from the first paragraph. She tends to see the best in everyone, even those who might not outwardly seem to have many redeeming qualities. Star is definitely naive, but it comes across as genuine, not cutesy. There were two events in the book that really made Star an authentic character for me, the first was when she fell in love with the first Emily Dickinson poem she heard, and the second was a tragic reveal of information that I don't want to spoil. Star radiates honesty in every emotion depicted, confusion over being spurned by her sister, feelings of betrayal by her mother, hope for a relationship with her father, devotion to her beloved Emily Dickinson poems. As a side note, the cover art is pretty great as well. I loved the vintage look of the ferris wheel and the carnival typeface.

Flashback Friday: Caddie Woodlawn

Eleven-year-old Caddie Woodlawn is a tomboy growing up in the 1860s who would rather plow than sew, and she spends the bulk of her time chasing her brothers around the farm, having escapades in the woods. Her mother and sisters do not understand, nor approve, of her rough-and-tumble life. She spends her time stringing one adventure to the next, adventures filled with practical jokes and heartfelt events too. Despite the fun that Caddie has with her brothers, it is eye-opening to see how often death was a part of life back then, between a fall through the ice, settlers planning an attack on the Indians, and a prairie fire. When Caddie's "perfect" cousin Annabelle visits from Boston, Caddie must face her future and the growing up she's always resisted.

Set during the same time period as Little House in the Prairie, there are many parallels to be drawn here. Although the Woodlawns do not face the same suffering that the Ingalls do, from lack of funds, crop failure, and settling in the wrong territory, the pioneering spirit and work ethics are nearly identical. Rather than being a story of survival, like the Little House books, Caddie Woodlawn is more a story of a tomboy's adventure toward adulthood. Caddie Woodlawn is the author's grandmother, who raised her through childhood, and it's easy to see that the author admires Caddie's spirit.

Half a Chance

Lucy's father is a photographer who travels frequently for his job. He heads out on assignment just as her family is getting settled into their new little red cottage on a New Hampshire lake. Lucy quickly meets the family in the cottage next door, one of the summer families. As Lucy gets to know them, she becomes fast friends with Nate, about her age, and often goes with him on Loon Patrol, where she learns a great deal about the lake's feathered residents. As Lucy tells Nate about a youth photography contest her father is judging, they decide to enter the contest which Lucy hopes will help her understand her father's true opinion of her own photography. As Lucy is taking photos, she realizes that her photos are telling a story of Nate's grandmother. A story that Nate is not keen to see or admit.

Half a Chance is a perfect slow summer read. It begs you to find a shady hammock where you can hear the crickets chirping, or perhaps the loons calling, and fully immerse yourself in a quiet summer story. The author, Cynthia Lord, has such a gift for storytelling. She handles the difficulty of dementia, especially from a child's perspective, with the same grace that she handled autism in Rules. The best part is that while the story revolves around Nate's grandmother's slip into dementia, the photography contest, forming new friendships, even the education about loons rounds the novel out so nicely that the reader doesn't feel like the story is just about Nate's grandmother and her illness. I do admit that I wasn't fond of Lucy's father. He felt quite self-centered, and I found myself wanting to shake him into awareness of how much he was hurting his daughter. The intermittent storyline of Megan, a character who was a tad bit jealous of Lucy and treated her unkindly, was lovely though. Lucy negotiated that situation beautifully by ignoring Megan then later reaching out to her; a fine example of how to treat unkind people without making Lucy into a glaringly obvious goody-goody.

You can find Half a Chance in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Under the Egg

Laura Marx Fitzgerald's debut novel, Under the Egg, delightfully weaves NYC childhood with urban farming, WWII history, and art history. I'm not sure any other middle grade novels have ever hit quite as many of my own personal interests. Needless to say, Under the Egg was a captivating read that I could not put down until I finished every last chapter. 

Under the Egg begins with Theodora Tenpenny (Theo) relying on her resourcefulness and grit to manage the large NYC house, and accompanying garden, she inherited following her grandfather's death. Theo's mother lives with her, but she clearly has some mental or emotional challenges that prevent her from truly mothering Theo. When Theo accidentally spills rubbing alcohol on one of her grandfather's paintings, a painting that easily rubs off to reveal another older, Renaissance-style painting, Theo's curiosity kicks into high gear. That curiosity leads her on an adventure involving providential new friends, pretentious art experts, Nazi internment camp research, and ultimately, the secret her grandfather was desperate for her to uncover.

Under the Egg blends equal parts mystery and adventure in an engaging romp through NYC with a most clever protagonist. Theo's self-reliance is remarkable, and her determination is admirable. Fitzgerald's writing shines, and the language, content, and dialogue ring with an advanced tone. Despite being marketed as a middle grade read, I thought 11-14 would probably be the ideal ages to read this novel, and it would make a perfect accompaniment to a middle school WWII unit study. I truly wish I could've read Under the Egg to my own 13 year old when she studied WWII last fall.

Under the Egg can be found in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Counting by 7s

Willow Chance is a genius 12 year old obsessed with counting in multiples of 7, studying and caring for plants, observing and diagnosing medical conditions, and trying to navigate the social complexities of middle school. Shortly after beginning the school year, and being forced to visit the school counselor for suspicion of cheating, Willow's parents are killed in a car accident. Reeling from her loss, Willow is taken in by Vietnamese acquaintances she knows only slightly through her counselor. And in their little one-room garage behind a nail salon, she begins to put her life back together under their care. When her social worker finds a permanent foster home for her, Willow braces for yet more upheaval in her life.

My first thought about Willow Chance after reading only the first couple of chapters was that listening to her narration was often like listening to the younger sister of Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory. She is highly intelligent and remarkably self-aware, regularly commenting to herself that she understands she must follow social conventions rather than speak every assertion that she recognizes as truth. A perfect example of this is when she's riding in a cab and spots a concerning nevus (mole) on the driver's neck. She wrestles internally with the social convention of a 12 year old telling an adult that he should get a mole checked. Further, each of the supporting characters in this novel were fully developed with strengths and flaws that felt authentic. Holly Goldberg Sloan did a remarkable job of providing characters that I could care about while I still grimaced at their failings. The ending did feel a little odd to me, especially where Jairo was concerned. (If you haven't read the book, I don't want to spoil it so I'll leave my remark at that.) Either way, the ending did not detract from my personal feelings about this book, which is that I'm actually shocked it was not at least a Newbery Honor book. Willow's voice was consistently strong, and the dialog was perfect. Although this novel falls into the middle grade category, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone over the age of 10 (adults included). It's truly that good.

You can find Counting by 7s in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Flashback Friday: Tuck Everlasting

Blessed with—or cursed with—everlasting life after drinking from an enchanted spring, the Tuck family spent the last 80 years surreptitiously moving from home to home to avoid the public's notice that they never age. Once 10-year-old Winnie discovers their secret, however, they bring her home with them to help her understand why the ability to live forever isn't the blessing it might initially seem. Winnie's parents, of course, assume she's been kidnapped, and the Tucks inconspicuous life spirals out of control once the authorities are summoned to retrieve Winnie.

Winnie's story begins on a hot summer day, and much like the sluggish heat, the book moves slowly and quietly, even at its most dramatic points. It's hard not to like the Tucks despite, maybe because of, their predicament, and Winnie's character is quite relatable as the fiercely independent young girl eager to protect her new friends. A short and somewhat sad read, Tuck Everlasting will leave you rooting for Winnie while you yearn to discover her ultimate decision: join the Tucks with everlasting life, or continue in this mortal, yet beautiful, life.

Tuck Everlasting can be found in the Middle Grade Books - Classics section of The Book Children Store.

A Snicker of Magic

A Snicker of Magic first caught my eye, before it was even released, because of the magically fun cover. I can tell you now that the story is even sweeter than its ice cream-laden cover. Felicity Pickle just arrived in Midnight Gulch, a town formerly full of magic, after spending years tagging along with her nomadic mother in the Jalapeño Pickle, the family van. Felicity is a word collector; she sees words floating over people, items, even falling from speech, but Midnight Gulch is the first place that she's seen the word "home". Felicity quickly makes a best friend in Jonah, a quirky, wheelchair-bound, local-hero-in-disguise. Jonah encourages Felicity to participate in a school talent competition, sharing her words, something that Felicity has struggled with for a very long time. It might take more than a "snicker of magic" to help Felicity share her words, and at the same time, help Midnight Gulch overcome its past, breaking the spell that has long been troubling the entire town. 

A Snicker of Magic is a factofabulous read from beginning to end. The quirky characters, the mysterious pall cast over the town, the sprinkling of made-up (spindiddly!) words, the beautiful language...every morsel made Snicker all the more difficult to put down. Natalie Lloyd's enchanting personality beams from behind every corner. I wanted to hug Felicity's friend Jonah every time he appeared. Aside from wishing to snuff the chain-smoking aunt's cigarette every few pages, I loved every minute of toe-tapping, ice cream-tasting, word-catching, banjo-dueling delight between these pages. I couldn't imagine a more magical way to begin summer than with this sparkling masterpiece.

In addition to masterful storytelling, Natalie Lloyd left me with a few favorite quotes that I've read as of late. I'll share just a few here.

"And I think if you're lucky, a sister is the same as a friend, but better. A sister is like a super-forever-infinity friend."

"And if you say 'I love you,' and you mean it, then love makes up for a whole lifetime of mistakes. That's some kind of magic."

"I guess it doesn't matter who reached out first, though. What matters is that one of them reached out. What matters is that the other one held on."

This is Natalie Lloyd's first novel. I hope we'll be reading another one very soon.

You can find A Snicker of Magic in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children's Store.

Zane and the Hurricane

New Hampshire resident, Zane Dupree, agrees to visit his great-grandmother, Miss Trissy, in New Orleans to learn more about his long-deceased father's family history. Miss Trissy raised Zane's father, and despite Zane's misgivings about the trip, he finds Miss Trissy warm, interesting, and full of life. Zane is in New Orleans merely days when the threat of Hurricane Katrina bears down on this lively, historical city. Through a serious of mishaps, Zane ends up abandoned in New Orleans when the hurricane strikes. As the levy breaks, he must climb into the stifling attic to escape the rising floodwaters. Once the hurricane dies down, he punches through the roof to get fresh air, and a canoe, carrying elderly man and small girl, floats nearby and rescues him from the attic. Over the next several days, Zane witnesses the lawlessness of New Orleans during that time, along with the discrimination of poor African Americans who are just trying to find help. Zane discovers there is no medical care to be found, and the conditions at the "shelter of last resort", The Superdome, are abysmal. Eventually, the crew is able to amble its way over the bridge and out of New Orleans, where they finally find the help they so desperately seek.

This wasn't so much an enjoyable read, as it is difficult to find the subject of Hurricane Katrina "enjoyable". It was, however, a riveting account of the hurricane and its aftermath; the pages fairly flew. I found Zane's perspective of the tragic events to be a perfectly appropriate account for the 10-13 year olds for whom it was written. It's hard to believe that now, nearly 9 years out, Hurricane Katrina is considered a historical event. I did find the ending quite abrupt, but clearly the author intended to let the story remain in New Orleans. Overall, I would highly recommend this compelling novel for upper elementary and middle school students learning about Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

You can find Zane and the Hurricane in the Middle Grades - Historical Fiction section of The Book Children Store.

Rules

School is out for the summer, and Catherine is not exactly looking forward to spending it without her best friend, who is visiting her father out-of-state over the summer break. Catherine learns that a girl her age is moving in next door, and although she desires a new summer friend (someone she can use flashlights to blink Morse code with at night), she worries that the new girl won't understand her younger brother, David, who is autistic. In an effort to curb some of David's social behaviors, Catherine creates rules for him, such as "No toys in the fish tank." or "Late doesn't mean not coming." While Catherine is attempting to make a new friend next door, she discovers that with little effort she's managed to make a friend at David's therapy clinic. Jason is a mute paraplegic who communicates through a word book, and Catherine, upon discovering he only has boring words, offers to make some hip words with pictures for him. As her friendship with Jason grows, and she tries harder to become friends with the girl next door, Catherine realizes that defining relationships can be complicated. 

When I asked my oldest 3 kids which books were the top 5 that they would recommend to other children, Rules was the very first book my 11 year old mentioned. (Before the Hobbit, even! That's high praise coming from the most sensitive member of this household.) Upon reading Rules, which won a Newbery Honor award, I could definitely understand why he was so moved by this book. The language in speaking of autism, and the feelings and actions of the other family members, rings with an authenticity that generates the backbone of this novel. Catherine is such a relatable character, full of practical observations, and with more responsibility thrust upon her than most kids her age. Although many of the issues in this book, such as Catherine's desire to befriend the girl next door and her ambivalent friendship with Jason, were not wholly resolved, the way Lord ended the book felt satisfying and realistic as life often doesn't wrap up neatly with tidy resolutions to relationship challenges.

You can find Rules in the Middle Grade Books - Philip Recommends section of The Book Children Store.

Sway, plus a chat with Amber McRee Turner!

Sway, Amber McRee Turner's 2012 novel, grabbed my attention on the first page. Anything that describes "tired eyeballs" as feeling like "they've been rolled in corn-bread crumbs" has the potential to be a uniquely descriptive book. I wasn't disappointed. Turner's witty, unusual language provides a great contrast to the novel's often heavy subject of divorce.

Ten-year-old Cass spends the early part of her summer waiting and longing for her mother, who volunteers with a local relief organization, to return from her latest mission. Cass adores her rescuer mother while finding her part-time janitor, part-time meat salesman father to be dull as dirt. Her mother's homecoming quickly goes awry, forcing Cass to reluctantly spend the summer traveling in a beat-up RV, named Roast, with her father. Through random shoes on the side of the road, famous soap slivers, and the extraordinary power of Sway, Cass slowly realizes that not everything, or everyone, in life is what you expect, and sometimes a hero can be disguised in a fraying 70s green-and-yellow-striped suit. Turner's first novel is by turns heartbreaking, enchanting, and just plain awes (that's awesome for you Sway newbies).

Amber McRee Turner's latest novel, Circa Now, comes out today! In celebration of this event, she agreed to have a little chat with me to answer some questions:

What inspired you to write your first novel, Sway?

I love the way God puts imperfect people in our own imperfect lives. We all make mistakes, some big and some small...even parents do. But there’s still so much good all around us, even in the midst of really hard times. The real magic is the hope that he gives us that things will work out okay, even if it’s not the way we thought it was going to be. It might end up even better than we hoped.  

(Detail-wise, there have been many recurring tidbits that have made an impression on me for my entire life...most of them taken in on road trips throughout the American South. In other words, ratty old RVs + small hotel soaps + abandoned roadside shoes + sudden storms + What if? = SWAY.)

You did such an adept job of writing Cass’s perspective of her parents, idolizing the deserting parent and blaming the remaining parent, which is a dynamic many divorced parents can identify with. Is there a particular place from which you drew that experience?

Thank you, Joy. 

I drew inspiration for the heartache from my own mother’s childhood experience. She had a father that left their family permanently when she was young, after a violent encounter. My mom later found out that her dad had secretly started several other families in different states. Thankfully, it was clear to my mother from the beginning that her own stalwart, hard-working mother was not to blame for his actions. So, for the particular “blaming” relationship dynamic, I guess I just put myself in Cass’ shoes and imagined how I might feel had I idolized my mom for so long, only to have her disappear.

How is your latest novel, that is coming out today, influenced by your first work? Or are they a completely different and separate experience for you?

Writing CIRCA NOW was quite a different experience for me, primarily because of the photographic nature of the novel, which Disney was kind and trusting enough to let me illustrate myself. (I will always be grateful to them for that.) The story is full of photographs, some very personal to me, that I have doctored up in silly ways to help tell the story of Circa and her friends. Circa calls them simply, “The Shopt.” It’s a dimension, much like our own, where anything is possible.

Where CIRCA NOW and SWAY do run parallel, though, is that they share in common a hope that can prevail over any natural, or man-made disaster.

What are you working on now? Another middle grade novel or a new direction?

If by working you mean drinking coffee and eating strudel and putting down about a dozen words a day, then yes I am working on a new book. It will be another middle grade, but nonetheless a departure for me. It’s my first foray into the action/adventure world. Truth be told, I’m actually bouncing back and forth between two concepts. One has my heart, and the other has my gut right now...and they are fighting for control of my head. I hope to know a winner very soon. In a nutshell, it’s “submarine vs. big-rig” in my brain right this very minute.

Which children’s books or children’s book authors inspired you as a child?

I was particularly fond of Shel Silverstein as a child. His poems opened a window to me. To see how someone could use silliness to convey big, important concepts. “Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” I love that.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

I thank you for the honor of being a part of your blog! I’d like to include that all are welcome to visit my web site at www.ambermcreeturner.com, where they’ll find a collection of printable “Shopt Story Starters” to try. I’d love to hear what your followers can come up with!

Thanks so much, Amber, for chatting with me here at The Book Children! Amber's books, Sway and Circa Now can both be found in The Book Children's Store in the Books with Strong Females section.

Fallout

Having heard nothing about Fallout prior to stumbling upon it at the bookstore, I'll admit that I was first drawn to the cover art. There's definitely something to be said for catchy design, even on a middle grade novel.

Set in the Cold War-era NYC suburbs, eleven-year-old Scott Porter is quite aware of the threat of nuclear war. His father is the only one on the block constructing a bomb shelter, much to his mother's annoyance, and rightfully so. In Strasser's reimagined 1962, nuclear war is not averted, and Scott is awakened one night by his frantic father and quickly ushered into the shelter. What follows is a tight narrative of the family's two weeks in the shelter. Scott's father only built and stocked the shelter to accommodate their family of four, not the extra six people that force their way inside during the chaos. The adults bicker and snap at each other, privacy is impossible, one of the adults is racist, and supplies, including food, run low almost immediately. The story of their time in the shelter weaves with flashbacks of the months immediately preceding the nuclear bomb's explosion to give you character development and a sense of history.

Despite the fact that the group suffers greatly during their time in the shelter, and the book is quite descriptive of these sufferings, the story is told from Scott's perspective and is very much appropriate for upper elementary to middle school ages. I was a bit less than thrilled with one character's lack of moral compass. He encourages Scott to drink, steal, look at Playboys, and he's obsessed with breasts. For that reason I wouldn't recommend Fallout to kids under 11. However, the 1960s fear surrounding the Bay of Pigs Invasion and nuclear bomb threat from Russia is noticeably missing from children's historical fiction, and this novel does that time period justice.

You can find Fallout in the Middle Grade Books: Historical Fiction section of The Book Children Store.

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue

My older boys have been huge fans of the Origami Yoda books since the first one came out when my oldest was in upper elementary school. Since then, both older boys have eagerly anticipated the arrival of each new volume in the series. The excitement over the books hit its peak when they were able to meet Tom Angleberger in person 2 summers ago and get his signature in the Fortune Wookie book. (I blogged about that experience, and the flurry of paper-folding that commenced, here.) They were, of course, thrilled to get the latest addition, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue recently, and Paulie, my 14 year old, was kind enough to review it for you here:

The kids at McQuarrie Middle School love origami. Their elective classes were taken away because they scored too low on the mandatory testing. The electives were replaced with a program called FunTime which is a guy with his singing calculator teaching everyone how to do simple problems. The kids want their electives back. They start this club called the Origami Rebel Alliance, each of the club members has their own origami counterpart, to demand their principal give them the electives back. The kids wrote a case file, but it was stolen by a mysterious person called Princess Labelmaker and given to the principal along with a origami Princess Leia. 

I liked the book. It was a good addition to the series. I’m anxious to read the last one. And I really can’t wait to try out the origami instructions in the back of the book!

Since I was fortunate enough to win a pair of books, including Princess Labelmaker, in a giveaway last week, I thought I'd pay it forward to one lucky winner here at The Book Children! You can enter the giveaway below in the Rafflecopter. This giveaway only lasts for 24 hours! Enter now!

All of the Origami Yoda Books are available in a new Humor section of The Book Children Store.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Out of My Mind

I'm going to admit from the start that because I read Wonder and Out of My Mind at nearly the same time last summer, it's very hard for me not to compare the two in my head, especially when I'm thinking about reviewing them. I will also admit that I prefer Wonder to Out of My Mind, which is not to say that I didn't find a great deal of merit to Out of My Mind. In fact, I would actually recommend that everyone read both because I find both books to be critically important to middle graders, who can sometimes be a short-sighted, cliquish group.

Out of My Mind tells the story of Melody, who has a brilliant mind and photographic memory despite the cerebral palsy that leaves her mute and unable to control most of her muscles. Although her parents seem to understand, to some extent, that she is intelligent, her doctors and teachers treat her as if her mental faculties are akin to her physical ones. Being unable to communicate effectively drives Melody out of her mind...until she is awarded a device that allows her to finally speak.

Draper does a fantastic job of giving Melody a voice. Her struggles and frustrations are apparent and understandable. I appreciated that the author's bravery in allowing an event to happen to Melody that was not easily resolvable. Often times in children's literature you find the main character on the cusp of a negative event, and suddenly, they overcome. This is fantastic in some cases, but life does not always follow that sunshine and roses pattern. I did have a few problems with Out of My Mind: the teachers were horrific, the children's language seemed stilted at times, and the near-tragedy at the end seemed forced. Despite these few misgivings, I did highly enjoy Out of My Mind, and my children loved it. They actually begged me to read it each day. I think we finished it less than 5 days.

You can find Out of My Mind in the Books with Strong Females section of The Book Children Store.

The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story

Since Wonder was one of my favorite books of 2012, I was thrilled to discover last month that R.J. Palacio was writing an addendum to Auggie Pullman's story. Although Wonder is told from the perspective of many different characters, the primary antagonist, Julian, never has a voice in Wonder. The Julian Chapter aims to rectify that by giving the background of Julian's story in his own voice. 

I admit to being a little nervous about reading Julian's story. I wasn't sure what Palacio could write to redeem Julian or his behavior in my mind. Even as I read the quote on the first page, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle," I was unsure what could possibly be in this bully's past that would account for his atrocious behavior. I think the beauty of Palacio's telling of Julian's story is that when you start to develop some sympathy for Julian, even though it is insufficient to justify his actions, you realize that he's just a 10 year old kid behaving as 10 year old kids sometimes do, especially when the adults in their lives do little to steer them toward kind or generous conduct.

Ultimately, I was grateful that a new character appeared toward the end of Julian's story, his Parisian grandmother. Finally an adult who could gently lead him toward kindness! And as in Wonder, her story, and ultimately Julian's story, will provoke tears by the time you are finished reading.

The Julian Chapter is currently available in eBook or audio version. Wonder is available in our store under the Books with Strong Males category. 365 Days of Wonder, with each of Mr. Browne's precepts (the English teacher's principles to live by referred to in the books) will be published in August.