Jen Robinson's Book Page

The Dead: An Enemy Novel: Charlie Higson

Book: The Dead: An Enemy Novel (WorldCat)
Author: Charlie Higson
Pages: 496
Age Range: 14 and up

The Dead is the second book in Charlie Higson's Enemy series, though most of it takes place before the events of the first book (The Enemy, reviewed here). Both books take place in and around a post-apocalypse London. The city, and the world, have been decimated by a plague that killed most adults and left the remainder as mindless, deformed, child-eating creatures. The Dead takes place shortly after the collapse as a group of boarding school boys set out from their once-safe school in search of food and sanctuary.

The viewpoint in The Dead alternates primarily between two one-time best friends, Jack and Ed, now currently experiencing some friction. Ed was always a leader before, but finds himself holding back, unable to commit the violence that's now needed for survival. Jack is a reluctant leader, even though all he really wants to do is go home. Together, Jack and Ed lead a motley crew of jocks and geeks towards London. The boys learn a lot about survival, and figure out a few important things about the diseased adults that they're fighting. They encounter a variety of other kids, some become allies and some rivals, before the action links up with the events of The Enemy.

Like The Enemy, The Dead is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. There are many gruesome sights (and sounds and smells), and quite a few deaths. One of the deaths I found particularly sad (though not on the level of Rue from The Hunger Games), more so than any in the first book.

The Dead explains a few things that were left vague in the first book, and is, if anything, more suspenseful. It suffers not at all from the traditional weakness of the second book in a series. Even though most of the events take place prior to those of The Enemy, I still think that it makes sense to read the books in the order published. Otherwise, you'll miss out on some nuances, and spoil the suspense regarding the survival of a key character from The Enemy.

I don't have a whole lot more to say than what I said about the first book. The Enemy novels are solidly-written tense thrillers set in a perilous world in which children need to work together, negotiate with one another, and figure out how to keep the tattered remnants of civilization intact. Highly recommended and compulsively readable. I look forward to the next book. 

Publisher: Hyperion Children's Books
Publication Date: June 14, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Growing Bookworms Newsletter: July 26

Today I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. There are 1455 subscribers. Currently I am sending the newsletter out once every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have four book review posts and one children's literacy roundup (published in detail at The Family Bookshelf). I also have a recap of my Tips for Growing Bookworms series (originally published at Booklights), plus a new tip suggested by crime author Denise Hamilton. All of my posts from the past two weeks are included in the newsletter.

Reading Update: Since the last newsletter, I finished three books, one middle grade and two young adult novels (as well as various picture books and board books, see those here, here, and here):

• Dana Reinhardt: The Summer I Learned to Fly. Wendy Lamb Books. Completed July 20, 2011. My review.
• Maggie Stiefvater: Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 3). Scholastic. Completed July 14, 2011. My review.
• Jeff Hirsch: The Eleventh Plague. Scholastic. Completed July 17, 2011. Excellent post-apocalyptic fiction. I am holding the review until late August, closer to the publication date.

I'm still listening to The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder and also listening to Trust Me, a thriller by Jeff Abbott. I'm reading The Dead: An Enemy Novel, by Charlie Higson. I've also dipped a toe into reading The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder aloud to Baby Bookworm, but she's not so great at sitting still these days (she's just starting to walk).

My new reading challenge is that Baby Bookworm enjoys pulling the bookmarks out of my books and eating them (when she isn't tossing my books into the trash. Sigh! She never throws her own books into the trash, I've noticed...). Ah, the challenges of a mommy bookworm.

How about you? What have you been reading and enjoying? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms.

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

The Summer I Learned to Fly: Dana Reinhardt

Book: The Summer I Learned to Fly (WorldCat)
Author: Dana Reinhardt
Pages: 224
Age Range: 10-14

The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt is a coming of age novel set in the summer of 1986 on the central California coast. Thirteen-year-old Drew Solo, sometimes known as Birdie, and sometimes called Robin, doesn't have very many friends her own age. Drew likes to spend her spare time at her mother's cheese shop, hanging out with a woman she considers an aunt, an older teen on whom she has a tremendous crush, and her pet rat.

Her father died when Drew was very small, and she clings to a book of lists about himself that he left for her, sometimes seeking guidance from his words. Her relationship with her mother is a bit strained, as Drew learns that her mother is hiding something from her. Her only friends are away for the summer (not that she really misses them anyway). But when she meets an unusual boy called Emmett Crane, Drew feels an immediate sense of connection. Her friendship with Emmett changes her forever.

One style thing that I didn't like in The Summer I Learned to Fly was the way it starts out as a book that an adult is writing, looking back nostalgically on the long-ago events of a childhood summer. This gave me a bit of a feeling like the book was aimed at other adults who were kids in 1986, rather than at kids themselves. I would be interested to see how kids react to this (the scene is set on the first page). The 1986 setting is, in general, fairly subtle, more noticeable for what isn't there (computers, cell phones, Internet) than what is (rainbow shoelaces, an economic recession).

But that's a minor point. The Summer I Learned to Fly is filled with small mysteries and poignant moments. The short chapters feature cryptic titles like "mom, a vanishing act" and "absolutely, positively fine". The first-person narrative jumps around a bit, especially early in the book, as Drew fills in necessary backstory. Stylistically, this book reminded me a little bit of Please Ignore Vera Dietz, though it's not as complex.It took me a little while to get into the book, but the end brought a satisfied little tear to my eye.

Here are a few quotes, to give you a feel for Reinhardt's writing:

"I was the only youngish person she knew in her life, and so I received the fully bounty of her auntlike energy." (Page 22)

"I would never be that girl. I would never swim where there was nobody certified to rescue me from an undertow. I'd never jump into any body of water fully clothed. I doubted that any boy would ever take my hand like that, run beside me, and then pull me toward him into the waves, laughing, grabbing on tighter." (Page 95)

"We all have our stories. The ones we're told or read as children that never leave us. For me, that story is Charlotte's Web, and it always struck me how Emmett mentioned it the very first night we met in the alley, as if he'd removed a big fat crayon from his pocket and drawn a line connecting us together." (Page 153)

Dana Reinhard is a writer who sometimes makes me nod in recognition, and sometimes makes me see things from a different perspective. (See also my reviews of her novels A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life and How To Build A House.) The Summer I Learned to Fly is a quick yet thoughtful read, with just enough mystery to keep kids turning the pages. Recommended for readers more interested in real human connection than popularity and fitting in. Although Drew is thirteen, she seems younger, and I would say that kids (particularly girls) about to start middle school, or in middle school already, would be the ideal audience. Recommended.

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: July 12, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Tips for Growing Bookworms: Guest Tip from Denise Hamilton

Last week I wrapped up my Tips for Growing Bookworms series, saying that I would add future tips if anything that anyone suggested inspired me. Crime novelist Denise Hamilton (who tells me she "will definitely NOT be reading her upcoming book Damage Control to her 13 year old son") was kind enough to send in a guest tip. I have not yet read Damage Control, but I have enjoyed Denise's mystery/thriller series about LA Times reporter Eve Diamond. Denise also works for the LA Times, and this lends authenticity to the series. She's written articles for the Times about reluctant boy readers and Beverly Cleary, and has been a subscriber to my Growing Bookworms newsletter for several years now. As makes sense coming from a crime novelist, Denise's guest tip for growing bookworms is about using cliffhangers to draw in young readers.

Tips for Growing Bookworms #11: Use the Power of Cliffhangers to Spur Independent Reading, by Denise Hamilton

When Mom is an author,  kids grow up with a natural love of books, right?

Not necessarily.

When they were younger, my children assumed that all parents read to their kids for a half-hour before bedtime. For my younger son, that ended at age 11, when he pried Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere from my hands, announced I was reading too slowly, and trotted off to read to himself.

My younger son is a more reluctant reader.

Sometimes he’ll pick up books when he’s bored and I won’t let him play video games.

But the bulk of his reading happens at night.

He’s 13, and I still read to him before bed.

It’s a ritual that we cherish. He clambers into bed with the cats and I prop up my feet and read aloud. Standouts: The Hunger Games Trilogy, Stephen King The Stand, The Shining and Firestarter, Justin Cronin’s The Passage, James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, Philip Reeve’s Hungry Cities Chronicles, anything by Rick Riordan, the entire Redwall series, Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World, John Connolly’s The Gates, and many others.

Often, I’ll bring home several books and he’ll peruse the dust jackets, study the cover art, thumb through them and decide which to read next. Having a choice is very important at his age, when so many things in life, such as Algebra, Health Science and P.E., offer very little in that department.

But as much as I love our time together, I want Alex to read on his own too.

So I’ve come up with a way to whet his interest.

At night, I’ll often read until I hit a big fat cliffhanger. I size these up like a military general, waiting until he’s rapt and on the edge of his seat. Then announce I need to go feed the dog or lock up the car. I hand him the book.

He wants to wait until I get back.

But he needs to find out What Happens Next.

Guess which side usually wins?

As he reads, my one chore will often mushroom into five and 20 engrossed minutes will pass without him calling for me. Several times I’ve even sat back down, careful not to disturb him, and picked up my own book.

When the action lulls and he looks up and realizes I’m back, he’ll hand me the book and I’ll read him another chapter. Then another errand might call – but only when something very suspenseful is about to happen.

Is it manipulative?

A bit.

Does it work?

Try it yourself and see.

Thanks, Denise, for sharing such a clever tip. I especially like the bit about sizing up cliffhangers "like a military general". I have every expectation of trying this tip out on my own bookworm as soon as she's reading on her own, and old enough to care about What Happens Next. Alex is a lucky kid. Enjoy your reading time together!

Readers, have any of you used this technique? Do you have other ways that you encourage your kids to read on their own? I'd love to hear about them. Links to the other entries in my Tips for Growing Bookworms series are here.

This post © 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

You Are My Little Cupcake: Amy E. Sklansky

Book: You Are My Little Cupcake (WorldCat)
Author: Amy E. Sklansky
Illustrator: Talitha Shipman
Pages: 16
Age Range: 0-3

You Are My Little Cupcake merges two delightful things, babies and cupcakes, in a frothy confection of a board book. Amy Sklansky draws a different analogy on each page, with pairs of page spreads forming rhyming couplets. Like this:

"Your skin is smooth as butter,
Your giggles sugar-sweet.

Your scent is so delicious--
Each hug's a special treat."

Talitha Shipman's pastel illustrations shows different parent/baby pairs, in a range of ethnicities, all with matching smiles. Pictures of cupcakes are in the background on every page, on the shower curtain, on a baby's bib, on a book cover, etc. The front cover of the book features a touch and feel cupcake wrapper, with ripples that make noise when kids run a fingernail across them. Although there are no touch and feel or flap elements inside, that cupcake is enough to draw a one-year-old's attention.

You Are My Little Cupcake would be a good gift book for any new parent, deliciously immersed in kissing, hugging, and tickling a new small person. And if that new parent should happen to be a fan of cupcakes, well, then you have a perfect fit. And really, who isn't a fan of cupcakes? You Are My Little Cupcake is a nice addition to anyone's board book collection.

Publisher: LB Kids (@LBSchool)
Publication Date: April 19, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Forever: Maggie Stiefvater

Book: Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater (blog)
Pages: 400
Age Range: 12 and up

Forever is the final book of Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. This review may contain spoilers for Book 1: Shiver and Book 2: Linger (but not for Forever). Honestly, it feels a bit pointless to review Forever. If you've read Shiver and Linger, then you already know that you want to read Forever. You don't need to know what I think. And if you haven't read Shiver and Linger, then you shouldn't read this review at all, because you don't want to spoil those books (though you SHOULD immediately get yourself Shiver and get started). But here are a few thoughts anyway.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series is about a group of teens who are affected, in various ways, by a werewolf contagion. Those who are infected turn into wolves whenever the temperature drops too low. Since Mercy Falls is in Minnesota, this means that they spend their winters as wolves, only returning to their human bodies (and human thoughts) in the summertime. Although the wolf premise is interesting (and frequently suspenseful), what makes The Wolves of Mercy Falls series wonderful is Maggie Stiefvater's lyrical writing, and her ability to capture true love in the pages of a book.

Forever finds former part-time wolf Sam apparently cured, no longer turning into a wolf (though the cure feels a bit shaky). Sam's love Grace, however, is coming off of her first winter as a wolf. Former musician Cole is also adjusting to his new life as a part-time wolf, and circling around the aloof Isabel whenever he can. Because Grace has disappeared, Sam is under suspicion from the police, Grace's parents, and the general public. Meanwhile, the entire family of wolves is under threat from Isabel's father, who wants to see them destroyed. Forever is told through the alternating viewpoints of Grace, Sam, Cole, and Isabel as they fight both these external threats and their own desires and internal demons.

Like the other books in the series, Forever is beautifully written, full of pithy truths, apt analogies and tactile descriptions. I flagged dozens of passages, finally stopping mid-way through, since I knew that I couldn't possibly quote them all. For example:

"I spent so long debating my options that I  missed my window of opportunity for escape. I was standing in the foyer, my phone in my hand, waiting for me to give it orders, when my father came trotting down the stairs at the same time that my mother started to breach the door of the living room. I was trapped between two opposing weather fronts. Nothing to do at this point but batten the hatches and hope the lawn gnomes didn't blow away." (Page 11, Isabel)

"Everyone harbored the secret fantasy that everyone who was friends with them would also be friends with each other." (Page 163)

As I indicated above, Maggie Stiefvater's greatest gift, I think, is her ability to convey love and longing. For example:

"Without Grace, I lived in a hundred moments other than the one I currently occupied. Every second was filled with someone else's music or books I'd never read. Work. Making bread. Anything to fill the thoughts. I played at normalcy, at the idea that it was just one more day without her, and that tomorrow would bring her walking through my door, life going on as if it hadn't been interrupted." (Page 20, Sam)

"There is no better taste than this: someone else's laughter in your mouth." (Page 78, Sam)

"She turned to look at me and it was her eyes and my eyes and I felt a surging sensation of rightness, of saying the right thing at the right time to the right person, that too-rare sensation of having the right thing to say and believing it, too". (Page 93, Cole)

There is suspense to Forever. Will Sam be arrested? Will Grace reconnect with her parents? Will the wolves survive? And yet, it's a book to be savored, rather than gulped down for plot. Take your time. Linger. Enjoy being in the hands of a master.

Maggie Stiefvater is, hands down, one of my very favorite authors. Forever does not disappoint. Existing fans of the series will want to get their hands on it as quickly as possible. And if you haven't read any of Stiefvater's books, start now. You won't be disappointed. (See also my reviews of Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception and Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie.)

Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic)
Publication Date: July 12, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Children's Literacy and Reading News Roundup: July 15

The July 15th Children's Literacy and Reading News Roundup, brought to you by The Family Bookshelf, Rasco from RIF, and Jen Robinson's Book Page, is now available at The Family Bookshelf. In the past couple of weeks, Terry Doherty, Carol Rasco and I have collected a variety of interesting tidbits about literacy and reading-related events, literacy programs and research, and suggestions for growing bookworms. Terry has pulled it all together into a joyous celebration of reading, perfect for mid-summer (how did it get to be mid-summer so quickly, by the way?).

I especially liked this tidbit:

Latino literacy expert Robert Rueda wishes more Latinos could discover literature when they are young. Many Latino youths don’t see the practical value in reading and never fulfill their potential, according to Mr. Rueda. To prevent that, Riverside County literacy officials are offering a reading program aimed at young Latinos called Un Libro, Mil Mundos, or One Book, a Thousand Worlds. The goal of the program is to spark a passion for reading in Latino students and improve literacy skills by offering books that focus on life matters they can relate to. You can read more in the Riverside Press-Enterprise and become a fan of the Riverside Public Library on Facebook to learn about upcoming Un Libro events.

I had also somehow missed Michelle's excellent post at Reading Rewards about how to pick the best books for your kids. Lots of great suggestions (including the Reading Rewards Book Recommendations tab, which is highly visual). I especially like Michelle's tip to get recommendations from your children's friends. A nice way to promote social reading!

One event that's going on this week that I wanted to add is the Summer Blog Blast Tour, organized by Colleen Mondor from Chasing Ray, featuring a host of author interviews across a variety of blogs. The Summer and Winter Blog Blast Tours are always well-thought-out and varied (much more interesting, I think, than reading about a single author day after day). You can find the master schedule here.

Please do check out the full mid-July children's literacy and reading news roundup at Family Bookshelf. We'll be back at Rasco from RIF at the end of the month with more news. Thanks for reading, and for caring about children's literacy.

Animals Should Definitely NOT Wear Clothing: Judi Barrett

Book: Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing (WorldCat)
Author: Judi Barrett
Illustrator: Ron Barrett
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4-8

Author/illustrator team Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett are best known for writing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (recently made into a motion picture). I hadn't run across their book Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing until Baby Bookworm received it as a birthday gift from a very dear friend. And oh my goodness, this book is hilarious. Just about every page had me giggling aloud.

The cover image, of a porcupine wearing a quill-torn outfit, sets the stage. Each page spread displays a different animal, with a corresponding reason why that animal really, definitely, shouldn't wear clothes. For example:

"because a giraffe might look sort of silly" (Picture of a giraffe wearing seven ties spread out along its long neck)

and my personal favorite:

"because it might make life hard for a hen" (Picture of a hen wearing pants, and attempting to lay an egg. Get the book. It will make you laugh. I promise).

Judi Barrett's text is brief and to the point. It's really the juxtaposition of the text with the ludicrous illustrations that make the book so giggle-inducing. The sweating sheep in a sweater, hat, and scarf, tongue hanging out of mouth, is unforgettable. Apart from the clothing, Ron Barrett draws the animals straight up, with detailed, realistic sketches, and mostly patient expressions. This is what makes the contrast with the ridiculous clothing work so well.

Baby Bookworm isn't old enough to appreciate the humor of this book yet, but I'll be reading it to her anyway, because I find it so entertaining. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing is going on my mental list of books to give as gifts, which is pretty much my highest form of praise for picture books. Highly recommended.

Publisher: Atheneum (@SimonSchuster)
Publication Date: 1970
Source of Book: A birthday gift for Baby Bookworm

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Tips for Growing Bookworms: Series Recap and Future Plans

This post was originally published at Booklights on April 5, 2010 (fortunately I had already scheduled the post, because that was the morning that Baby Bookworm was born). I have updated it to reflect the reissued posts on my own blogs, and to add new tips as published here on Jen Robinson's Book Page.

Tips for Growing Bookworms: Series Recap and Future Plans

Back in 2007 I wrote a post for my own blog about 10 Tips for Growing Bookworms. Over several months in 2009 and 2010, I expanded upon each of those original ten ideas in separate posts at Booklights. This year, I've republished each of those 10 Booklights posts back at my own blog (because the Booklights blog is no longer active, and I wanted to make sure that the posts were archived here, too).

In today's post, I'm going to link to each of the original 10 tips posts, as presented at Booklights and back here at Jen Robinson's Book Page, so that they'll all be handy in one place. Some of the reissue posts have added commentary, based on my experience with Baby Bookworm, now 15 months old. I'll also be adding new tips as they become available, so that they can all be found in one place (such as Tip #11 below).

1. Read Aloud [reissue]
2. Read the Books Your Children Read [reissue]
3. Choose Books that Your Children Enjoy [reissue]
4. Make Sure Your Children Have Books of their Own [reissue]
5. Visit Libraries and Bookstores [reissue]
6. Read Yourself, and Model an Appreciation for Reading [reissue]
7. Point Out When You're Learning Useful Information by Reading [reissue]
8. Be Selective in Television Watching [reissue]
9. Create Cozy Reading Spaces within Your Home, and Keep Books Handy [reissue]
10. Let Them Stay Up Late Reading Under the Covers [reissue]
11. Use the Power of Cliffhangers to Spur Independent Reading, by Denise Hamilton

It should be noted that the original ten tips owe a debt to the following references, all of which I read prior to writing the original post (versions updated here as appropriate). Any of these books would be an excellent place to start, in learning more about growing bookworms.

• The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. My review.
• How to Get Your Child to Love Reading: For Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike by Esmé Raji Codell.
• Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox.
• Raising a Reader: Make Your Child a Reader for Life by Paul Kropp.
• The Gift of Reading by David Bouchard.

I'd also add Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer to my list of recommendations, of course. That hadn't been published yet when I wrote the original set of tips. [And Pam Allyn's What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child--and All the Best Times to Read Them.]

I would love to know if there are other tips that you'd like to share to help parents and teachers in encouraging young readers. In my mind, there's no particular reason why the list has to stop at ten tips, after all. Any suggestions? If anything here in the comments (or elsewhere) inspires me, I'll add further entries to the series, and/or include some guest Tips for Growing Bookworms on the blog. Thanks for reading, and for caring about growing bookworms!!

A slightly different version of this post was originally published at Booklights on April 5, 2010. Since Booklights has ended, I am republishing selected posts here, at Jen Robinson's Book Page, with permission from PBS Parents. Booklights was funded by the PBS Kids Raising Readers initiative. All rights reserved.

Growing Bookworms Newsletter: July 12

Today I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. There are 1439 subscribers. Currently I am sending the newsletter out once every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have five book review posts and one children's literacy roundup (published in detail at Rasco from RIF). I also have the last two installments in my Tips for Growing Bookworms series (originally published at Booklights). Finally, I have a post with reasons to attend September's KidLitCon in Seattle. The only post from the past two weeks not included in the newsletter is one with photos from a visit to my home by the RIF BeBookSmart car, B. B. Smart.

Reading Update: Since the last newsletter, I finished three books, one YA and two adult mysteries (as well as various picture books and board books, see those here and here):

• Libba Bray: Beauty Queens. Scholastic. Completed June 30, 2011. My review.
• Charlaine Harris: Dead Reckoning: Sookie Stackhouse #11. Ace. Completed June 28, 2011, on MP3.
• Janet Evanovich: Smokin' Seventeen: A Stephanie Plum novel. Bantam. Completed July 11, 2011, on MP3. Not a particularly suspenseful mystery, but a fun, quick listen on audio. If kids can read light, fun summer reading books, so can I.

Clearly, I need to get back to reading more middle grade novels. My to be read stack is enormous. I'm still listening to The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. I'm reading (and lingering over) Forever by Maggie Stiefvater.

How about you? What have you been reading and enjoying? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms.

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York: Kevin Hawkes

Book: The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York (WorldCat)
Author: Kevin Hawkes
Pages: 40
Age Range: 3 to 8

Somehow I missed Kevin Hawkes' The Wicked Big Toddlah, though I'm not sure how it escaped my attention. When the sequel, The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York, arrived on my doorstep, it went straight to the top of my reading stack. Because really, how could anyone raised in New England resist a book about a wicked big toddlah? (Note the Maine accent on "toddlah". Note the use of the word "wicked" for emphasis.)

The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York finds Toddie, a super-sized toddler, visiting New York City with his parents. They visit Yankee Stadium, ride a train, and visit Staten Island. Toddie is separated from his parents for a time, but makes friends with a group of children and dogs, and even visits FAO Schwartz. When it's time to come home, he takes a very big souvenir along with him. Toddlers rarely have a strong grasp of what is and isn't theirs, after all.

There are two running jokes with this book. The first is the super-sized Toddie, who acts like a classic toddler, and whose family treats him as though he's any old regular kid. They even manage to misplace him, despite his enormous size. This humor will appeal to kids (and parents) everywhere. The second theme is Hawkes' poking fun, with affection, at Toddie and his parents' Maine background. Anyone who has ever been to Maine, or even to Boston, will smile when Toddie says "STAAAHS!" or "HOMAAH!!", or when his dad says "Ayuh". The two jokes actually work together, because it's very Maine to be low-key about your child, even if said child is 50+ feet tall.

Examples are on every page. When the family first arrives in New York:

"Whoa! This place is busier than Rupert's Bait Shop on Memorial Day weekend!" said Pa.
Toddie stared at all the cars honking their horns. He looked at the crowds. Then he looked up, and up, and up!
"WICKED BIG!" he whispered.
"You'd better hold on to me," Ma hollered. "We don't want to lose you in this crowd."

After Toddie has been off playing with other kids for a while, lost, we have:

"Meanwhile, Ma and Pa were busy snapping pictures.
Let's get a photo of you and Toddie at the Brooklyn Bridge," suggested Pa.
"Toddie!" said Ma. "I thought you had him."
"I thought you had him," said Pa.
"Leapin' lobstahs!! Where's Toddie!?!?!?"

The accents make this a book that cries out to be read aloud. It would also be great for storytime. Hawkes has illustrated a number of other picture books, and his experience shows. The illustrations in The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York are India ink, charcoal, and acrylic. They are bright and exuberant, with Toddie practically leaping from every page. Despite Toddie's large size, the illustrations feature lots of small details, too, like a tiny baseball in Toddie's palm. My favorite picture shows Toddie's parents nestled in his pocket as he sleeps sitting up on the roof of a building, back against a taller building, the moon shining down on the family from Maine.

In many places, the pictures are needed to tell the full story. For instance, the text says that "They took the Staten Island Ferry". We learn from the picture that "took" refers to Toddie picking the ferry up and wading across to Staten Island. Hilarious, on multiple levels.

The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York is a delight from start to finish. I can't wait until Baby Bookworm is old enough to appreciate it. Meanwhile, I've already started giving The Wicked Big Toddlah as a baby gift to friends (sight unseen, though I do want to get a copy for us one of these days). Funny, witty, and delightfully illustrated. The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York has my highest recommendation.

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: April 5, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

The Fenway Foul-Up: Ballpark Mysteries: David A. Kelly

Book: The Fenway Foul-Up: Ballpark Mysteries, Book 1 (WorldCat)
Author: David A. Kelly
Illustrator: Mark Meyers
Pages: 112
Age Range: 7-10

Regular readers of this blog will understand that I was unable to resist reading The Fenway Foul-Up, the first book in David A. Kelly's new Ballpark Mysteries series. This is a Stepping Stone book for newer readers, with roughly two illustrations per chapter. There are also "Dugout Notes" at the end of the book that fill in more details about Fenway Park.

Cousins Mike Walsh and Kate Hopkins have great seats and all-access passes to Fenway Park during a Red Sox game against the Oakland A's, courtesy of Kate's mom, a sports reporter. When someone steals the lucky bat of star slugger Big D, Kate and Mike set out to solve the mystery. They follow clues (including a red herring or two), while lamenting Big D's poor performance without the lucky bat. Then hasten to solve the mystery in time to give Big D a chance to save the game.

As a Red Sox fan, I personally didn't learn too many new things about Fenway (except about some secret writing on the scoreboard, hidden in plain sight, which I had never heard of). But I appreciated the fact that there was a knuckleball pitcher (with "field" in his name), and that the presence of Wally the monster played a part in the events of the story. I enjoyed passages like:

""The field looks so much bigger when you're down here," Kate said. "I can't imagine hitting a home run all the way over that wall."

Kate was right. The field did seem bigger. Mike couldn't believe he was walking on the same grass that the Red Sox played on. It was like a dream come true." (Page 92, ARC)

I especially liked one scene in which the kids are able to visit the pressroom, with open windows out to the infield. The behind-the-scenes look at the park is a lot of fun. Overall, I think Kelly did a good job balancing information-sharing (about baseball in general, and Fenway park specifically) with plot (a challenge in books for this age group).

As for the plot itself, I thought that the solution to the crime was inventive, and the aftermath satisfying for young readers. I did identify the culprit quite early, which is not my favorite thing as an adult reader, but I think that if any young readers do this, it will probably make them feel smart. And even once you know who committed the crime, there's still a question of how, which resolves much later in the book. There's a nice "clue follows from clue logic" to how Mike and Kate go about solving the crime.

Mark Meyers' black and white sketches help bring the characters to life (especially secondary characters like Bobby the Bat Boy). There is plenty of white space, and reasonable amounts of dialog, italics, and exclamation points, all of which should make this book non-threatening to relatively new readers.

All in all, I think that The Fenway Foul-Up is a solid start to The Ballpark Mysteries series for new readers. Baseball fans will like the behind-the-scenes peek at the parks, and the extra information in the Dugout Notes. Mystery fans will like working alongside Mike and Kate to solve the (age-appropriate) mysteries. The Fenway Foul-Up, with its two protagonists, should appeal to both boys and girls. Recommended.

Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher. Quotes are from the advance copy, and should be compared with the final book.

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

The RIF #BeBookSmart Mobile and Me

Today I had an opportunity that really thrilled my inner 8-year-old, the one who grew up watching RIF public service announcements about how Reading is FUNdamental. The RIF #BeBookSmart car, a truly awesome little smart car with a stack of books on top, is touring California right now. B. B. Smart, as the car is called, is drumming up excitement for RIF's summer promotion with Macy's to raise money so that RIF can continue to buy books for kids. (You can find more details here and you can enter a related contest on Facebook here.) This program is extra-important this summer, given the large funding hit that RIF took in this year's federal budgeting cycle.

Anyway, B. B. Smart made a quick stop this afternoon at my house in San Jose. Here are some photos:

Is it not the cutest car you've ever seen? Even if it didn't have books on top, it would be cute. But as it is? Priceless. I only wish I'd had more advance notice - I could have planned a little party. But Baby Bookworm and I still had a great time meeting B. B. Smart and driver Charles.

If, like me, you think that RIF's book distribution program is fundamentally important, please do consider checking out the RIF Macy's summer promotion. Just go to any counter at Macy's and give $3 to help provide a book for a child. You'll then get $10 off a $50 purchase. Macy’s will donate 100 percent of every $3 to RIF. Or, you know, you can just donate to RIF directly. I can't promise that you'll get to see B. B. Smart. But I can promise that you'll be helping to put books into kids' hands. 

What a great afternoon for me and my inner child! You have to love a nonprofit that has such a spirit of fun.

Have You Registered for KidLitCon 2011?

The date has been set, the hotel has been picked, session proposals are being accepted, and it's time to register for KidLitCon 2011. If you blog about children's or young adult books, or you're thinking about starting a blog, or you write or publish children's or young adult books and you'd like to interact with bloggers, KidLitCon is for you.

This year's KidLitCon will be held at the Hotel Monaco in Seattle on September 16th and 17th. Organizers Colleen Mondor and Jackie Parker have been working hard on the venue and other logistics, and it's sure to be a fabulous time. You can find the logistical details (location, pricing, etc.) here.

Now in it's 5th year, KidLitCon was the first conference to bring book bloggers face to face. KidLitCon started on a whim in 2007, when author Robin Brande offered to host a pot-luck dinner in Chicago. Robin, who at the time hosted a Friday watercooler type of post, wanted to meet some of the friends she had made through blogging. One thing led to another, and before we quite knew what was happening, a full day of sessions was scheduled, followed by a festive dinner, and people, myself included, were winging their way to Chicago. And KidLitCon was born.

I'm proud to say that I was one of the very first people to sign up for that first KidLitCon. And I haven't missed a KidLitCon since. Not even last year, when I had a six month old, premature baby. This year I have a bit of a family conflict, but I am working things out, and will definitely be there for as much as I can of the conference. KidLitCon is one of the highlights of my year, and I would not miss it.

So what is KidLitCon exactly, you ask? This year's KidLitCon is a 1 1/2 day conference on topics related to blogging about books for children and young adults. This year's sessions are still being worked out, but past topics have included things like: adding podcasts to your blog; blogging the backlist; navigating the author/blogger relationship; staying clear of FTC regulations; participating in the Cybils; and many other aspects of blogging, reviewing, and children's literature. This year's keynote speaker is author Scott Westerfeld. There will be sessions of interest to both new and experienced bloggers.

KidLitCon also includes plenty of networking time (lunches, dinners, breaks, etc.), so that friends who only know each other via online exchanges can meet up and chat in person. I am a die-hard introvert, and I still LOVE KidLitCon. It's a fairly small conference (usually around 100 people), so it's not as overwhelming as, say, BEA or ALA. And the thing about it is that even if you've never attended it before, you still have people there that you already know. If you're reading this post, then you must know me in some way. Perhaps we follow each other Twitter, and exchange literacy news. Perhaps we're Facebook friends. Perhaps you've been reading my blog for 5 years, or I've been reading yours. The point is that when we meet at KidLitCon, we already know each other. KidLitCon just gives us a chance to put a face with a name.

The other thing that's wonderful about KidLitCon is the chance to be surrounded by kindred spirits. Those of us who are adults immersed in the world of children's literature may find that our friends and family members, even when they are supportive, don't completely "get it". They maybe find it a little odd that we were more eager than the kids for the last Hunger Games book to come out, or that we can't resist scanning their children's bookshelves, and making recommendations. But the people you meet at KidLitCon? They understand. And they feel the same way.

So, come because you're interested in the sessions, and you want to learn more about blogging platforms, or writing reviews, or interacting with publishers, or whatever the final topics turn out to be. Come because you've been commenting back and forth with MotherReader for five years now, and you'd like to finally meet her face to face. Come because you love the idea of sitting up late in a hotel lounge, drinking a glass of wine and talking about the best children's books of the year. Come because you live in Seattle, and you figure you might was well see what the fuss is about. Come for whatever reason resonates with you. But do come. I personally guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

KidLitCon 2011 is not to be missed!

Tips for Growing Bookworms #10: Let Them Stay Up Late Reading Under the Covers: A Booklights Reissue

This post was originally published at Booklights on March 30, 2010. This one is not yet relevant for my Baby Bookworm.

Tips for Growing Bookworms: #10 Let Them Stay Up Late Reading Under the Covers

This is Part 10 of a continuing series on encouraging young readers. These ideas were originally captured in a post that I did on my blog in 2007, 10 Tips for Growing Bookworms. Here at Booklights I'll be expanding upon and updating each idea, and adding links for more information. Then we'll recap, and see what we can do to come up with some more.

Tip #10: Once in a while, let your kids stay up late reading under the covers. Pretending you don't know is probably acceptable in this case, though I'm not generally a big advocate of deception. Staying up past bedtime reading a great book under the covers makes reading fun. It's a special treat. It's a way to keep reading a joyful experience. It feels sneaky and grown up at the same time. It's the kind of thing that kids remember, and helps them to associate reading with pleasure as they grow older. [Image credit: Microsoft ClipArt Gallery]

I think that this idea could tie in to the whole concept of "social reading", too. Say, when the new Rick Riordan book (The Red Pyramid, featuring Egyptian mythology) comes out in early May, or the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid book by Jeff Kinney is released. If your child stays up late reading that buzz-generating book under the covers, and can brag about that at school tomorrow, well, I think that could go a long way.

As kids get older, one of the challenges is that reading isn't always perceived as "cool." I say, if your child wants to read enough to sneak a flashlight into bed - you should consider yourself very lucky. (See Tricia's post about this at The Miss Rumphius Effect. That post was the inspiration for this tip.) Of course sleep is important, too. But I think that the occasional bending of the rules about bedtime could be a real asset in growing bookworms.

What do you all think? Do you ever let your kids stay up late, reading under the covers?

This post was originally published at Booklights on March 30, 2011. Since Booklights has ended, I am republishing selected posts here, at Jen Robinson's Book Page, with permission from PBS Parents. Booklights was funded by the PBS Kids Raising Readers initiative. All rights reserved. 

Roundup of Children’s Literacy and Reading News – June in Review

A new Children’s Literacy and Reading News Roundup, brought to you by Jen Robinson’s Book Page, The Family Bookshelf, and Rasco from RIF is now available at Rasco from RIF. Over the month of June, Carol Rasco, Terry Doherty, and I have collected content for you about literacy & reading-related events; literacy and reading programs and research; and suggestions for growing bookworms. Carol has all of the details here.

I especially liked the story about a program that's putting books in the back of taxi cabs in Cairo (link from Jenny Schwartzberg). Also interesting: two different posts about how family moves affect children's literacy (and how reading can help reduce the stress of the move).

Also not to be missed are articles about “Prioritizing Early Childhood Education: We Can’t Afford to Wait” and Achievement Gaps: How Hispanic and White Students in Public Schools Perform in Mathematics and Reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Carol has a bunch of posts with suggestions for growing bookworms in this roundup. I hope you'll take a few minutes to check them out. Thanks for reading, and for caring about children's literacy. Terry or I will be back mid-month with the next children's literacy and reading news roundup.

The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale: Lucine Kasbarian

Book: The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale (WorldCat)
Author: Lucine Kasbarian
Illustrator: Maria Zaikina
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4 to 8

The Greedy Sparrow is a retelling by Lucine Kasbarian of an Armenian Folk Tale. Since my husband is Armenian, and Baby Bookworm is half Armenian, this seemed like a book that we needed to have in our collection. And we're happy to have it.

Like most folk tales, The Greedy Sparrow has an overt moral. But, in Kasbarian's version, anyway, the reader is not bashed over the head with the moral. Rather, we spend most of the book shaking our heads at the antics of the greedy sparrow, and only see him get his (relatively mild) comeuppance on the last page.

The sparrow starts out with a thorn in his foot. He asks a baker woman to pull it out. She does, cheerfully, and throws the thorn into her fire. Then the manipulative sparrow demands to have his thorn back. When this is impossible, he guilts the woman into giving him a piece of bread. He then repeats this behavior, trading up and up and up by taking advantage of people's good nature, and in some cases their own inability to resist things (e.g. he asks a hungry shepherd to watch the bread, and then ends up with a sheep when the shepherd eats the bread, etc.). Of course he faces a reversal at the end, because that's how these stories work.

My favorite part of The Greedy Sparrow, having spent a lot of time with Armenians, is when a groom, left to care for the sheep at his wedding, wonders "what would happen if I slaughtered the sheep, grilled it, and made shish kebab for all the guests?" (The Armenians that I know eat a lot of shish kebab.) Of course this aspect of the book may not be pleasing to everyone. (No worries - the pictures go straight from worried sheep to skewers on the grill - no details.)

Another aspect of the book that I liked, but that non-Armenian readers might find challenging, is that there are various Armenian place names mentioned, like the Arax River, Mount Ararat, Lake Van, and Aghtamar. A pronunciation guide, at least for the last location, might have been useful, but isn't strictly necessary.

Maria Zaikina's illustrations are perfect for the story. The art was created with layers of wax and oil paint, with layers then cut away to reveal the colors underneath. The resulting illustrations have bold colors and decisive lines, and a crayon-like texture. The illustrations feel rustic, as befits a folk tale set in mostly rural areas. The church, the wedding clothes, and the people's faces all look, to my eyes, authentically Armenian. Even the greedy sparrow has kind of a Middle Eastern look to him. The book's designer, Anahid Hamparian, is apparently Armenian, and her attention to detail shows. I also love the expressive face of the ill-favored sheep.

The Greedy Sparrow is a lovingly created rendition of a traditional Armenian fable. It is authentic and entertaining, and conveys the anti-greed message with a deft touch. The Greedy Sparrow is a welcome addition to the ranks of multicultural picture books and folk tale retellings. Recommended.

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (@MarshallCav)
Publication Date: April 1, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Beauty Queens: Libba Bray

Book: Beauty Queens
Author: Libba Bray
Pages: 400
Age Range: 13 and up

Libba Bray's Beauty Queens is a satire for young adults with an irresistible premise: a plane full of beauty pageant contestants crashes on a deserted island. In contrast to Lord of the Flies, the dozen or so Miss Teen Dream survivors prove that girls can work together in isolation. Except that it turns out they aren't alone on the island after all...

Beauty Queens is laugh out loud funny. Both in the main text and in an assortment of footnotes, Bray pokes fun at everything from reality television to the fashion industry to CEO's salaries. It's the sort of book from which one could select an amusing quote from nearly any page. Here are a few examples:

"Ohmigosh. No food at all." Tiara sank down on the sand as if the full weight of their predicament had finally hit her. She blinked back tears. And then that megawatt smile that belonged on cereal boxes across the nation reappeared. "I am going to be so superskinny by pageant time!" (Page 11)

"The Shills, The Corporation's wildly popular program about product placement and the teens who love it. Currently, it ranks #3 among the coveted 13-18 demographic, just behind What Would You Do to Be Famous? and My Drama So Tops Your Drama!" (Footnote 5, Page 18)

"The earth beneath them gave way suddenly, and the girls were swept down the mountainside in a spiral of mud and sequins and screams." (Page 55)

We have beauty queens practicing their runway speeches in between scavenging for food and fighting off monster snakes. We have makeup and hairspray used as weapons, and tumbling skills turning out to be useful for fighting. Opportunities for humor abound.

And what of the girls themselves? They start out giving a near-universal impression of shallow inanity (with the exception of Adina from New Hampshire, who turns out to have entered the pageant under false pretenses). But, gradually, most of the girls reveal secrets and/or hidden depths. All of them are changed by their time on the island (most for the better), though it can't be denied that a couple of them remain dim-witted to the end. But really, the beauty of this book is the blossoming of the girls as individuals, and as a team, once they are removed from their original, relentlessly competitive surroundings. Favorite passage:

"Mary Lou wiped fruit juice from her mouth with the back of her hand. "Maybe girls need an island to find themselves. Maybe they need a place where no one's watching them so they can be who they really are." (Page 177)

Beauty Queens is not a quick read - it's one to take slowly and savor. The plot  meanders a bit. It's more like a serialized television show than a novel (as is clearly the intent). There are quite a few characters to keep straight (though Bray handily lets us know which are the less important characters, by referring to them as Miss New Mexico, etc., instead of by name). There are sections of supplemental material interspersed between chapters, like "Miss Teen Dream Fun Facts Pages!" for the various girls, words from "Your Sponsor" (The Corporation), and "Commercial Breaks". And there are the aforementioned footnotes, 49 in total.

All of this takes a fair bit of time to read through, and is a bit of a change from more standard fast-paced, plot-driven YA novels. But for teens who have a keen sense of humor, and for anyone who enjoys satire, or likes the idea of a book about girls coming into their own that is the very opposite of preachy, Beauty Queens is not to be missed. Highly recommended.

Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic)
Publication Date: May 24, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.