Jen Robinson's Book Page

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: February 28

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. There are a few extras, because I missed last week (computer woes). There is a ton of great stuff in the growing bookworms section, in particular. 

Me, elsewhere

I'm quoted in this Denver Post article by William Porter about Dr. Seuss http://ow.ly/u0d4P  (text below)

""I think that the key to Dr. Seuss' enduring appeal lies in the spirit of playfulness that permeates his work," said Jen Robinson, a children's literature expert who oversees the website Jen Robinson's Book Page. "He encourages children and adults to look at the world in different ways, whether this means upside-down, from the top of a tree or from inside a tiny speck. "One can't look at the 'Whos down in Whoville' without smiling over their joie de vivre, for example," she said."

Book Lists

A fine list from @Book_Nut | 20 Middle Grade/YA/Teen Books Adults Should Be Reading http://ow.ly/tZXMh  #kidlit #yalit

12 Books for Teens Adults May Enjoy — Suggestions Welcome! » @storysnoops http://ow.ly/tZSJJ  #yalit

On the Trail of....Middle Grade Mysteries!, roundup of coming titles by @KKittscher http://ow.ly/tZXhn  #kidlit

Nonfiction Books for Kids on Architecture and Building, booklist from @growingbbb http://ow.ly/tZWWf  #kidlit

At Stacked, @catagator is collecting YA Adaptations of Adult Novels http://ow.ly/tZUGG  #yalit

Book list: Scandinavian Folktales for Kids from @momandkiddo http://ow.ly/tXIj8  #kidlit

RT @tashrow: 5 obscure children's books the whole family should enjoy http://buff.ly/1eNYEMn  #kidlit

Cybils

Very fun! 30 Bits of Wisdom and Advice from Mostly #Cybils Sources from @semicolonblog http://ow.ly/tXI6u  #kidlit

Diversity and Gender

Ms. Yingling Reads: Boys Read Pink Wrap Up with Alexander Vance @MsYingling http://ow.ly/tXIem  #kidlit

20 More Authors Who Promote Diversity in School Visits | @CBCBook http://ow.ly/tEhun  #kidlit

Boys Will Be Boys, and Girls Will Be Accomodating — Open Ticket http://ow.ly/tEcgZ  via @CynLeitichSmith

Beth Revis shares paragraphs from various authors on: Why is Diversity Important? http://ow.ly/tEc0H  @BethRevis via @tashrow

Events

Press Release Fun: 2014 Children’s Book Week Poster Revealed! — @fuseeight @CBCBook http://ow.ly/u4EVc  (isn't it beautiful?)

Comprehensive list of reading / #literacy events coming up in March from @BooksBabiesBows http://ow.ly/tZX4m  @ReadAloud_org

Growing Bookworms

Reading to babies is crucial for language and #literacy development | @TheTiser via @librareanne http://ow.ly/u1TSi 

Nurturing #Literacy: Tips and Resources For Developing Lifelong Readers | @Edutopia via @librareanne http://ow.ly/u0bAA 

Nice! 11 Reading Hacks for Parents | from @HarperChildrens via @librareanne http://ow.ly/u0buT  #GrowingBookworms

6 ideas for creating reading buddies for your child, from @growingbbb http://ow.ly/tZXsO  #literacy

The Board Book Conundrum, when the books your child loves are not in a a sturdy enough format by @NoVALibraryMom http://ow.ly/tZWzq 

Taking a Picture Walk (when you stroll through a book before you read it) by @ReadingWithBean http://ow.ly/tXID4  #literacy

Making oral & repeated reading fun, while increasing fluency from @TrevorHCairney http://ow.ly/tXIlN  #literacy

Great series on Using ebooks and digital media with young children by @MaryAnnScheuer | Here's Part 6 http://ow.ly/tXINJ 

On Reading, Writing, and Publishing

I could relate to this @buzzfeed piece on loving and losing favorite children's books http://ow.ly/u0eOL  via @PWKidsBookshelf

Do We Really Need Negative Book Reviews? asks @nytimes http://ow.ly/tZVjQ  via @catagator

Is Writing Unfavorable Reviews a Necessary Evil? {On Reading} — @jenndon @5M4B http://ow.ly/tZXYq 

Interview of @danielle_binks from Alpha Reader by @snarkywench about the state of blogging (commercialism, burnout) http://ow.ly/tZUv0 

What’s New About New Adult? @lizb @sophiebiblio and @catagator in @HornBook http://ow.ly/tZTW2  #yalit

Why I Love Middle Grade Romance, by @rj_anderson for So You Want To Read Middle Grade series @greenbeanblog http://ow.ly/tZTBr 

I Bookshame Myself, admits @gail_gauthier at Original Content http://ow.ly/tEcGL 

On Not feeling Guilty about reading #YAlit by Michael M. Guevara | @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/tEcD1 

Programs and Research

Fun! ASU Students Aim To Turn Used Food Trucks Into Mobile School Libraries @LibraryJournal http://ow.ly/u0bFS 

The 13-Year-Old Who Is Championing World #Literacy, a Million Books at a Time | The Good News - Shine http://ow.ly/tEjU2  via @cmirabile

Schools and Libraries

On the joys of Skyping with authors in the classroom by @patrickontwit @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/tZVVo 

Nice post by @katsok on the long-term influence a good teacher can have http://ow.ly/tZWfc 

On making classroom read-aloud time feel like sitting Around the Campfire by @donalynbooks @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/tXIrX 

A good question RT @smaystein: Without libraries, how will schools create avid readers? http://flip.it/4pDKu 

The #CommonCore Curriculum Now Has Critics on the Left @NYTimes via @PWKidsBookshelf http://ow.ly/u0eG8 

Social Media

Some solid advice on how to avoid becoming a tweeting leper from @snarkywench http://ow.ly/tZWmZ 

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Max Makes a Cake: Michelle Edwards & Charles Santoso

Book: Max Makes a Cake
Author: Michelle Edwards
Illustrator: Charles Santoso
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3-8

Max Makes a Cake is a new picture book by Michelle Edwards and Charles Santoso. It's a gentle introduction to some of the customs surrounding Passover, but it's also a story about independence. Max Osher is probably about five years old. He lives with his parents and baby sister. His mother's birthday falls during Passover, and Max and his father are supposed to make her a special Passover-friendly cake (from a mix). However, Daddy gets caught up in the needs of Max's sister, Trudy. And Max is forced to take matters into his own hands. The cake he makes (and no, safety conscious people, he does not use the oven) is creative and fun. 

I'm not a fan of nonfiction disguised as fiction. As in, a book designed to introduce kids to what Passover is, disguised as a story about cake. But that is NOT what this is. What makes Max Makes a Cake work is that the entire book focuses on Max. Passover is introduced, but only as it relates to Max. So we have: 

"Max Osher was an expert at getting dressed. He could almost pie his shoes. And he knew the Four Questions for Passover in Hebrew and English. He sang them in both languages at the Passover Seder. All by himself. Without any help." 

There's even a completely kid-friendly explanation of what Matzoh is, which Max relates to his sister. The bottom line is that Max is a real kid. He is SO impatient when his dad is delayed. And he is SO proud of himself when his attempt to make frosting works. Most of the action in the book centers around the cake. 

I thought that this book might be over my three year old's head, but she adores it. In fact, she declared it her favorite book (though we haven't read it very many times). If I think about it, there's nothing much more kid-friendly than cake. To have a kid make his own cake, for his mother, is inherently cool. And Michelle Edwards understands the interests of preschoolers, I think. Like this:

"Trudy tipped over her sippy cup. She spit out her banana smush. Then she pooped." 

Yeah, that's life with a baby in the baby in the house.

Charles Santoso's illustrations are a nice fit for the story. Max is bright-eyed, with expressive features. His glower as he waits impatiently for Daddy is completely true to life. The characters are shown large against the canvas, with minimal backgrounds, keeping the reader's attention on the people. 

At the end of Max Makes a Cake readers will find the recipe for Max's cake, followed by a single page of factual information about Passover. Just enough to give interested readers a jumping off point. 

Max Makes a Cake is an engaging book for young kids about taking matters into their own hands. And about cake. It also introduces the concept of eating matzoh for Passover. For Jewish kids, I think this will likely be validating to see. For kids who aren't Jewish, Max Makes a Cake opens a little window into other faiths, without being at all heavy-handed. Well done all around, I'd say. And well worth a look for home or library use.  

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids) 
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Growing Bookworms Newsletter: February 25

Today I will be sending out a 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. I currently send out the newsletter once every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have four book reviews (middle grade through middle school), as well as a post documenting some of my daughter's emerging literacy skills, and a tip for growing bookworms related to not bookshaming your child. I have one post with links that I shared on Twitter recently. 

Reading Update: I've been having a rough combination of computer troubles and pressing work deadlines (isn't that always the way?) over the past week so, so my reading has been a bit lacking, Still, in the last two weeks I read:

• Kevin Henkes: The Year of Billy Miller. Greenwillow Books. Early Middle Grade. Completed February 14, 2014. Review to come.
• Shannon Messenger: Exile: Keeper of the Lost Cities, Book 2. Aladdin. Middle Grade. Completed February 16, 2014, on Kindle. My review
• Jonathan Stroud: Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase. Disney/Hyperion. Middle Grade. Completed February 24, 2014, on MP3. I'm not planning to review this because it has already received so much acclaim (including winning a recent Cybils award), but I did enjoy it. I look forward to the next book. 
• Sue Grafton: R is for Ricochet. Berkley. Adult Mystery. Completed February 21, 2014, on Kindle. After reading two of these Sue Grafton books in the past few weeks, I am ready for a break, but I imagine that I'll return before too long to finish catching up on this series. The nice thing is that these are very popular, and hence are available on Kindle from my local library. 

I'm currently reading Mark Frost's Alliance (sequel to The Paladin Prophecy) in print and reading Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan on Kindle. I just started listening to A Week in Winter, Maeve Binchy's final book (so sad). 

We're also still reading to Baby Bookworm these days, of course. You can check out the complete list of books we've read to her this year on my blog. She still surprises me in her reactions sometimes. Last night we read Buglette: The Messy Sleeper by Bethanie Murguia fo the first time in a long time. And it was too scary for her (there's a crow that threatens the bugs in the story). We had to immediately turn to some Little Critter and Fancy Nancy to chase the chills away, so that she wouldn't have nightmares. I'm considering giving the Winnie the Pooh stories a try soon, though. Definitely not scary!

What are you and your family reading these days? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms. 

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Books 1 and 2

Books: Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities, Book 2)
Author: Shannon Messenger
Pages: 512 and 576
Age Range: 8-12

I don't recall whose recommendation inspired me to try this series, but I picked up the first one on Kindle recently, and I was completely hooked. In fact, I have to admit that I was hooked in spite of myself.

The first book, Keeper of the Lost Cities, starts with a 12 year old girl who has never quite fit in who discovers that she is actually an elf. And not just any elf, but a special elf, for whom elves have been searching for years. I'm so over this "chosen one" premise, with all its echoes of Harry Potter. (There's even a special school.) And yet ... I was hooked anyway, from Kindle sample to low price purchase of book 1 to the higher priced purchase of book 2. These books have even helped me to exercise, because I want to keep reading. Here, I'll talk her mainly about the first book, and endeavor to avoid spoilers for those new to the series. 

Naturally, I have been asking myself "what makes these books work for me, despite certain thematic parallels?" I think it boils down to a combination of relatable protagonist and thorough world-building. Oh, I have a technical quibble or two about the world-building. But I still love it. Like this:

"She stood at the edge of a glassy river lined with impossibly tall trees, fanning out their wide emerald leaves among the puffy white clouds. Across the river, a row of crystal castles glittered in the sunlight in a way that would make Walt Disney want to throw rocks at his "Magic Kingdom." To her right, a golden path led into a sprawling city, where the elaborate domed buildings seemed to be built from brick-size jewels -- each structure a different color. Snowcapped mountains surrounded the lush valley, and the crisp, cool air smelled like cinnamon and chocolate and sunshine." (Chapter 3, Page 19, Book 1)

Who wouldn't want to go there?

The main character, Sophie, has been hearing other people's thoughts ever since an accident that occurred when she was five. She has a photographic memory, and is about to graduate from high school at twelve. She loves her family, but looks nothing like them. So when a strange boy with gorgeous eyes comes along and tells her that she's actually a long-lost elf, well, this isn't as much of a shock as it might have been. 

Sophie quickly learns that she will have to give up her human family and go to live with the elves (they live in hidden cities, where humans aren't allowed). A kidnapping attempt convinces her that this is necessary, even as it breaks her heart. Once in the elf city, she has trouble fitting in at school, and with her new foster parents. She is insecure and anxious, and desperately wants to understand her own background. Her combination of gifted and vulnerable is, I think, what made her get under my skin. 

The elf city is full of fabulous buildings, interesting customs, and delicious (vegetarian) foods. It's a brighter, more glittery world than that of, say, the Harry Potter books, even as danger lurks. I found myself wanting to spend more time there. There are also interesting social aspects (it's quite hierarchical, for instance), which I expect to develop more as the series progresses. 

The plot is filled with conspiracies and hidden clues, set against the mishaps of a girl raised by humans adapting to elf-hood. I did see a couple of the twists coming, but I also puzzled over the motivations of the people leaving Sophie clues, and wondered who Sophie should trust. The ending is quite suspenseful.

Several of the supporting characters are strong, though I would like to see a couple of Sophie's friends fleshed out a bit. Age-wise, I think this book is fine for elementary school kids who are strong readers (it is long). But there are enough hints at crushes and peer groups to keep it relevant for middle schoolers, too. 

The second book picks up right where the first one leaves off, and has the same feel. Here are a few snippets from the books, to give you an impression of Sophie's voice:

"That night Sophie dreamed the Keebler elves were holding her hostage until she perfected all their cookie recipes. Then she told them she liked Oreos better, and they tried to drown her in a giant vat of fudge. She woke in a cold sweat and decided sleep was overrated."(Chapter Six, Book 1)

"There were many, many questions racing through Sophie's mind as she scratched her neck where the furry collar was tickling it. But the most important one was probably, "Why am I dressed like a shaggy elephant?" (Chapter Sixteen, Page 146, Book 2) 

While I can see these books perhaps not working for jaded adults who have read a lot of fantasy, I think that kids will really enjoy them. Personally, I've found the Keeper of the Lost Cities series to be addictive, and I look forward to the next book. Recommended for fantasy fans, boys or girls, age 8 and up. 

Publisher: Aladdin (@SimonKids)
Publication Date: October 2012 and October 2013
Source of Book: Bought them both on Kindle

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

The Shadow Throne: Jennifer A. Nielsen

Book: The Shadow Throne (Ascendance Trilogy, Book 3)
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Pages: 336
Age Range: 10-14

The Shadow Throne is the conclusion to Jennifer Nielsen's Ascendance Trilogy, after The False Prince and The Runaway King (links go to my reviews of those titles). I found the first part of The Shadow Throne difficult to read due to excessive bleakness (including torture). But once I got through that part (and I never doubted that Jaron would get through it), the rest of the book was an exciting race to a thrilling and clever ending. 

As The Shadow Throne begins, King Jaron's country is at war, besieged on all sides by enemies (some who were once allies). The woman he loves (if he could but admit it to himself) has been taken hostage, and the woman he is betrothed to, a Princess, is in danger. He does have the loyalty of his core team and of his people. But it's going to take every trick in Jaron's arsenal, and then some, for Carthya to make it through the war intact.

The Shadow Throne retains the best aspects of the prior two books: Jaron's voice and Nielsen's thorough worldbuilding. Jaron retains his core determination under even the harshest of conditions. He bends, he grieves, he almost breaks, but then he's back to his sarcastic and sometimes reckless self. Here are a couple of snippets:

"Then I ran over to Imogen, whose honey brown eyes blazed with disapproval. I knew she'd be angry with me -- she often was. I rarely blamed her for that since, admittedly, I usually deserved it. But this time, it wasn't the sort of anger I could laugh off. We remained in a very dangerous situation."(Page 68)

And:

""I told you to humble him," Vargan said to his men. "Does he look humble?"

In all fairness to his soldiers, until the moment I spit on their king, I probably had looked pretty humble." (Page 105)

In addition to plenty of action (much of it centered around battles and escapes), The Shadow Throne includes a bit of romance, an appreciation for friendship, and aspects of a coming-of-age novel. One thing that I especially like in this book is the way that, despite writing about a fairly traditional, male dominated civilization (the men go to battle, the women cook), Nielsen creates strong female characters, too. Princess Amarinda is smart and tenacious, as is Imogen, though the two young women are quite different from one another. And there's a wonderful scene in which the local women turn out to protect a surrounded city. (The army captain says: "The men may have fought for this city, but it will be the women who save it.")

Nielsen's plotting is strong in The Shadow Throne, too. This would actually be an enjoyable book to re-read, knowing the ending, to review all of the clues that she has planted along the way. It all comes together in a highly satisfying finish. 

I will say that The Shadow Throne, even more so than the other books in the series, is quite dark in places, and not for the faint of heart. I think it's more a middle school book, or even a high school book, than a middle grade novel. The publisher lists it on Amazon as being for ages 10-14, but I personally see it fitting better at the higher end of that range (and going up to adults). It is certainly boy- and girl-friendly. 

The key to enjoying The Shadow Throne, I think, lies in trusting in Jaron's cleverness and resilience, which keeps even the darkest situations from seeming impossible. Don't even think of reading this book out of order. But for those who like dashing adventures with kings and pirates, leavened with humor, The Ascendance Trilogy is not to be missed. Fans of the series will be pleased with The Shadow Throne, I think, particularly the last 2/3 of the book. 

Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic) 
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

A Tip for Growing Bookworms: Avoid Bookshaming

A post at the Nerdy Book Club this week really made me think. Priscilla Thomas, an 11th grade teacher, wrote about the repercussions of what she called "bookshaming". Thomas says:

"To be clear, opinion and disagreement are important elements of literary discourse. Bookshaming, however, is the dismissive response to another’s opinion. Although it is sometimes justified as expressing an opinion that differs from the norm, or challenging a popular interpretation, bookshaming occurs when “opinions” take the form of demeaning comments meant to shut down discourse and declare opposing viewpoints invalid."

She goes on to enumerate five ways that bookshaming (particularly by teachers) can thwart the process of nurturing "lifelong readers." I wish that all teachers could read this post. 

But of course I personally read this as a parent. Thomas forced me to consider an incident that had taken place in my household a couple of weeks ago. We were rushing around to get out of the house to go somewhere, but my daughter asked me to read her a book first. The book she wanted was Barbie: My Fabulous Friends! (which she had picked out from the Scholastic Book Fair last fall). 

I did read this book about Barbie and her beautiful, multicultural friends. But at the end I made some remark about it being a terrible book. And even as I said it, I KNEW that it was the wrong thing to say. Certainly, it is not to my taste. It's just little profiles of Barbie's friends - no story to speak of. But my daughter had picked out this book from the Book Fair, and she had liked it enough to ask me to read it to her. She seemed to be enjoying it. And I squashed all of that by criticizing her taste.

Two weeks later, I am still annoyed with myself. Priscilla Thomas' article helped me to better understand why. She said: "When we make reading about satisfying others instead of our own enjoyment and education, we replace the joy of reading with anxiety." What I WANT is for my daughter to love books. And if I have to grit my teeth occasionally over a book that irritates me, so what? 

Rather than continue to beat myself up over this, I have resolved to be better. The other night I read without a murmur The Berenstain Bears Come Clean for School by Jan and Mike Berenstain, which is basically a lesson on how and why to avoid spreading germs at school. As I discussed here, that same book has helped my daughter to hone her skills in recommending books. It is not a book I would have ever selected on my own. But I'm going to hold on to the image of my daughter flipping to the last page of the book, face shining, to tell me how funny the ending was. 

Growing bookworms is about teaching our children to love reading (see a nice post by Carrie Gelson about this at Kirby Larson's blog). They're not going to love reading if we criticize their tastes, and make them feel anxious or defensive. I'm sorry that I did that to my daughter over the Barbie book, and I intend to do my best not to do that again. If this means reading 100 more Barbie books over the next couple of years, so be it. Of course I can and will introduce her to other authors that are more to my own taste, to see which ones she likes. But I will respect her taste, too. 

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate.

Clementine and the Spring Trip: Sara Pennypacker & Marla Frazee

Book: Clementine and the Spring Trip
Author: Sara Pennypacker
Illustrator: Marla Frazee
Pages: 160
Age Range: 6-8

As I've said many times on this blog, I love Clementine. She's one of my favorite children's book characters, and I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to appreciate her. So when I was browsing in a bookstore last week and spotted this book on the shelf, in paperback, I didn't hesitate to buy a copy. And over the weekend I treated myself to a visit with Clementine and her family.

In Clementine and the Spring Trip, Clementine is a bit nervous about the upcoming field trip that her third-grade class is taking with the fourth graders. Her friend Margaret is in fourth grade, and continually warns Clementine that loud eating is not allowed among the fourth graders. Clementine worries about what she'll take for lunch that won't crunch or snick, or any of various other noise-related offenses. She also worries that her class will end up on the school bus that has "The Cloud", a truly horrific stink.

Meanwhile, a new girl in Clementine's class, Olive, has Clementine feeling a bit left out. And Clementine's family is preparing for the arrival, in a few months, of a new baby. Her mother is having cravings, and ranting more than usual about social issues. Margaret's family is undergoing changes, too, leaving Margaret more cleanliness-obsessed than ever. [Margaret is actually a really interesting character - she's going to need therapy one day, I think, but Clementine takes her in stride, and understands her issues.]

Like the other Clementine books, Clementine and the Spring Trip has some nice nods to Boston, like this:

"Mitchell acts extra Mitchelly in the spring too. Not because of the weather, but because the Red Sox are back in town. According to Mitchell, the Red Sox are the greatest team in the history of the universe, and it's just a matter of time before they ask him to play for them." (Page 5-6)

And some fun Clementine-isms, like this:

"I dropped the tape and spun around, because elevator doors are like game-show prize doors: until they open, you never know what valuable stuff is hiding behind them. Okay, fine--in our building, it's usually just the same old people, riding up and down from their condos." (Page 43)

"When you are pregnant you get to eat whatever you want, together with whatever else you want, whenever you want it, just by saying the magic words: "I'm having a craving." (Page 63)

That last quote made me laugh out loud. I also continue to adore Marla Frazee's illustrations, and the way that she completely nails Clementine and her family. 

And yet, I must admit that Clementine and the Spring Trip is not going to stand out as my favorite of the series. The conclusion felt a bit over the top to me (including the presence of a plot-resolving coincidence), and a couple of aspects seemed a bit message-y. The last couple of chapters left me a little flat.

I still love Clementine, but I didn't end up loving this particular book. I liked it, sure, but I didn't love it overall. Not to worry, I'll still be eagerly awaiting the next book. And all libraries should certainly pick up Clementine and the Spring Trip. 

Publisher: Disney/Hyperion (@DisneyHyperion)
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Source of Book: Bought it at Books, Inc. 

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: February 14

Happy Valentine's Day, International Book Giving Day, and Cybils Day! You can find the Cybils winners on the Cybils blog, in categories ranging from picture books to young adult fiction and non-fiction. This set of winners is the culmination of tons of work on the part of many bloggers, and is NOT to be missed. You can also find out where to get started for International Book Giving Day at Playing By the Book. Wishing you a wonderful, book-filled day!

Meanwhile, here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage.

Book Lists and Awards

At Stacked: A new #YAlit Mini-trend: Circuses http://ow.ly/tyZ4R

A Tuesday Ten: Speculative #kidlit with A Dash of Romance | Views From the Tesseract http://ow.ly/tyYVq

SLJ’s Battle of the Books’ Contenders Revealed | @sljournal http://ow.ly/tyZt9 #SLJBOB #kidlit

2014 American Indian Youth Literature Awards | @tashrow #kidlit http://ow.ly/twQb8

A roundup of best book lists for different types of readers from @catagator @bookriot http://ow.ly/3h9AMB

On the #cybils blog: The 2013 Cybils Winners Are Coming... http://bit.ly/LFiXo8

Common Core

Meet the Parents: Critical for Implementing the #CommonCore | @sljournal Editorial http://ow.ly/twPKg

New York teachers get five years to fully enact #CommonCore @NYDailyNews http://ow.ly/twPA5 via @PWKidsBookshelf

Diversity and Gender

2014 New Releases: More LGBTQ YA Fiction collected by @molly_wetta http://ow.ly/tumKV #yalit

Resources to encourage girls to be The Next Generation of Coders @oceanhousemedia via Jeff Berger http://ow.ly/tou7V

Black History Month: Strong Women for Strong Girls (a collection of biographies) | @ReadingTub http://ow.ly/totgb #kidlit

Mitali's Fire Escape: "Casual Diversity" Depends on the Unseen Work of the Author @MitaliPerkins http://ow.ly/tunDo

Events

For the Love of Reading | The @bookchook on International Book Giving Day and Library Lovers Day http://ow.ly/tBcUE #literacy

Make Valentine's Day Sweeter with International Book Giving Day! says @BooksBabiesBows http://ow.ly/twZTD #kidlit

Love our Library Lollapalooza Honors Supporters and Raises Money, reports Cynthia Cheng in Santa Clara Weekly http://ow.ly/tBahd

Using the Olympics to help teach kids geography from @momandkiddo http://ow.ly/twZYi

Growing Bookworms

Using poetry to help kids learn to love reading, from @ReadingWithBean | "poetry is like a good fling..." http://ow.ly/tx0bX

Good stuff! The importance of the home/school partnership in raising readers by @carriegelson @KirbyLarson http://ow.ly/twQor

This made me think! | A Little Stone: The Rippling Repercussions of Bookshaming by Priscilla Thomas | @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/tuo2T

Ideas for using Environmental Print when raising readers @ReadingRockets via @librareanne | http://ow.ly/tqrld #literacy

On Reading, Writing, and Publishing

When Adults Read Books For Teens — @lizb | A reminder that "Books for teens are, well, for teens." http://ow.ly/tBrSE

Can Re-Illustration Ever Be Justified? asks @fuseeight (with examples) http://ow.ly/tx01w #kidlit

Covers for new paperback editions of @camphalfblood the original Percy Jackson series are being announced next week pic.twitter.com/GpM94gu7C5

Pretty neat! Awesome Visual Featuring The Most Popular Books of All Time @medkh9 http://ow.ly/ttJEb via @cmirabile

Parenting

Another good post from @SensibleMoms | Kids Need the Word "No" | http://ow.ly/tumOI

Schools and Libraries

Mid-Continent Public Library Proves Summer Reading Programs Boost Student Achievement | @sljournal http://ow.ly/tBwJY

Good points | The trouble with calls for universal ‘high-quality’ pre-K @alfiekohn @washingtonpost http://ow.ly/tunbc via @FreeRangeKids

Teachers, "I would encourage you to keep in mind that some readers hate reading" by @booktoss @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/tumAR

Technology and Social Media

It's complicated | Five Myths About Teens, Technology, and Social Media | Peter Gray at Psychology Today http://ow.ly/tB6Lv

The Revenge of the Printed Book (why people, inc young people like books) @StephenMarche @esquiremag http://ow.ly/ttIGt via @cmirabile

How the 'Netflix of books' won over the publishing industry (Q&A) | Internet & Media @cnet http://ow.ly/ttHZE via @cmirabile

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Emerging Literacy Skills for My Baby Bookworm

I'm back with a few more recent moments in my daughter's journey towards literacy (and hopefully towards the love of books). She'll be four in about 2 months, and she is developing a few early literacy skills. These days she is: 

Appreciating new formats: We read Herve Tullet's Press Here together for the first time the other night. I learned that Press Here is actually not the best bedtime book. It is too exciting and interactive. But my daughter adores it! I also discovered that Press Here is even better than I thought it was when I reviewed it a couple of years ago. By mid-way through the book on our first reading, my daughter could anticipate what the book was going to ask her to do next, and was eager to do it. She was excited and engaged, and couldn't wait to read the book again with my husband. That is a successful book. Baby Bookworm's take: "This is a really crazy book!" (said with admiration).

Making Connections between Books and Life: On her first wearing of a new dress received from Nana, my daughter said: "I love it already." Then she laughed. "Just like Penny." She was, of course, referencing Penny and Her Doll, by Kevin Henkes. Penny receives a new doll from her grandmother, and says right away: "I love it already." 

Playing with Language: after reading Cool Dog, School Dog by Deborah Heiligman and Tim Bowers, my daughter wanted to make up her own rhymes in the same rhyming scheme ("Tinka is a fun dog, / a sun dog, / a run-and run-and-run dog."). Her results were not eloquent, perhaps, but I liked that she understood that there was a scheme, and wanted to try to follow it. I wish I had written some of them down. 

Acting Out Books: We regularly act out scenes from Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton's Bear and Mouse books, and add our own Bear and Mouse scenes. She's pretty good at channeling Bear. 

Learning New Vocabulary (Painlessly): I mentioned that it was drizzling as we drove to school the other day, and asked her if she knew what the word "drizzle" meant. She said, "Of course. Brother and Sister were at school one day and they couldn't play outside because it was drizzling." She was clearly referring to some Berenstain Bears story, though I don't know which one. She talks about Brother and Sister Bear as though they are people she knows. 

Assessing and Recommending Books: She just came in to show me the book that her babysitter had read to her, The Berenstain Bears Come Clean for School, a new selection from the library. She flipped it open to tell me what happened on the last page (something involving everyone washing their hands), and pronounced "It's pretty funny. Did you hear me laughing?" 

Recognizing Authors: The other night my daughter said, pointing to the stack of books we had selected: "I want to read the Mo Willems book, Mom." I'm not at all surprised that Mo is the first author that she recognizes. He does a nice job of linking his books together. (The Pigeon makes cameos in other books, for instance.) This particular title was an Elephant & Piggie book, Elephants Cannot Dance. 

 My conclusion from tracking these little book-filled moments is this: the path to literacy can be an awfully fun place. Thanks for sharing it with us!

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy: Karen Foxlee

Book: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
Author: Karen Foxlee
Pages: 240
Age Range: 8-12

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy is a retelling of the Snow Queen by Karen Foxlee. I don't know the original story, so I can't comment on faithfulness to that tale. But Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy works well as an old-fashioned fantasy novel for middle grade readers. 

Ophelia is a glasses-wearing 11-year-old girl who believes in facts, not fantasy. She is mourning the recent death of her mother, who was a novelist specializing in horror stories. Ophelia also laments that change that her mother's death has wrought in her older sister, Alice. As the story begins, Ophelia and Alice's father has dragged them to a mysterious snow-covered city, where the dad, a sword expert, is working on a sword exhibition. The exhibition is in an enormous, rambling museum full of odd artifacts. Poking around one day, Ophelia is amazed to discover a boy in old-fashioned clothes who is locked in a room. Even though she on principal doesn't really believe in this boy, Ophelia is unable to resist his request for help. 

Ophelia reminds me a bit of Meg Murry from A Wrinkle in Time, a lonely person with smudgy glasses mourning a missing parent, confronted with impossible occurrences. But of course Ophelia is her own quirky person. Like this:

"Everything in the world can be classified scientifically. For instance, I am from the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Primates, family Hominidae, genus Homo, species Home sapiens. I only eat class Pisces and only if they're called sardines. I don't believe in unicorns or dragons or anything magical, really." (Page 16, to the Boy)

"Of course she couldn't save the world. She was only eleven years old and rather small for her age, and also she had knock-knees. Dr. Singh told her mother she would probably grow out of them, especially if she wore medical shoes, but that wasn't the point. She had very bad asthma as well, made worse by cold weather and running and bad scares." (Page 17)

I did find Ophelia a bit slow to catch on to a couple of major plot points, and I think that young readers will, too. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. Ophelia plods along trying to do the right thing, and the reader gets to feel clever. Also, having figured things out ahead of time lends a tension to the book, as the reader worries about Alice's situation before Ophelia even realizes that there is a problem. 

The boy's story is told in the form of tales that he tells to Ophelia. It's more high fantasy (wizards, a village, great owls, etc.), but blends well with Ophelia's slightly more real-world story. Here's a snippet:

"And you might think a name is just a name, nothing but a word, but that is not the case. Your name is tacked to you. Where it has joined you, it has seeped into your skin and into your essence and into your soul. So when they plucked my name from me with their spell, it was as heavy as a rock in their hands but as invisible as the wind, and it wasn't just the memory of my name, but me myself. A tiny part of me that they took and stored away." (Page 21)

Lovely prose, I think! The entire book has an otherworldly, dreamlike feeling. The primary setting, the museum, is full of intriguing and sometimes creepy things (including ghosts). There's a literal clock ticking away the time in which the world can be saved. All set against a sub-text of Ophelia and her family coming to terms with the loss of Ophelia's mother.

It's a powerful book all around. And it has a great title and an appealing cover. I picked it up knowing very little about it, but certain that Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy had to be interesting. I was correct. Recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy, and anyone else who likes fairy tale retellings. Knowledge of the Snow Queen story is not necessary to appreciate the book.  

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids)  
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

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© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Growing Bookworms Newsletter: February 12

Today I will be sending out a 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. I currently send out the newsletter once every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have four book reviews (picture book through middle school), as well as thoughts on some recent Valentine's Day-themed picture books. I also have a post about my daughter's latest literacy milestone (reading a book aloud with me). I have two posts with links that I shared on Twitter recently, both chock full of book lists and growing bookworms links. 

Reading Update: In the last two weeks I read 5 middle grade books and 1 adult title. I read:

• Karen Foxlee: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade. Completed January 31, 2014. Review to come.
• Sara Pennypacker (ill. Marla Frazee): Clementine and the Spring Trip. Disney/Hyperion. Early Middle Grade. Completed February 1, 2014. Review to come.
• Maryrose Wood: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book IV: The Interrupted Tale. Balzer + Bray. Middle Grade. Completed February 7, 2014, on MP3. This series is sheer genius. I can't wait for the next book. I LOVE the audio versions.
• Shannon Messenger: Keeper of the Lost Cities. Aladdin. Middle Grade. Completed February 9, 2014, on Kindle. Review to come.
• Jennifer A. Nielsen: The Shadow Throne (Ascendance Trilogy, Book 3). Scholastic. Middle Grade/Middle School. Completed February 9, 2014. Review to come.
• Sue Grafton: Q is for Quarry. Berkley. Adult Mystery. Completed February 2, 2014, on Kindle (library copy). I enjoyed this re-immerson into the world of Kinsey Milhone, my first visit in several years. 

I'm currently reading Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities, Book 2) by Shannon Messenger on my Kindle and The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes in print. I'm listening to Lockwood & Co. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud. Reading on my Kindle while I exercise has helped me to increase my reading time lately, as has extra audiobook time in the car. 

We're also reading a ton of books to Baby Bookworm these days. You can check out the complete list of books we've read to her this year on my blog. I have a post due up tomorrow with some recent highlights from her reading journey. Her latest set of library books included many of the usual suspects: The Berenstain Bears, Splat the Cat, Arthur, Carl (from Good Dog, Carl), Little Critter, Max and Ruby, and Elephant & Piggie. But she picked out a few new picture books, too. 

What are you and your family reading these days? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms. 

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Literacy Milestone: Reading Aloud Together

This weekend my daughter and I experienced a new literacy milestone. We read our first book aloud together. She had requested Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills. (We are not hung up on seasonally appropriate literature in our house.) On each page spread of this fun book, reviewed here, Duck or Goose will ask his friend a question ("Is our pumpkin in the log, Goose?", etc.). Then the other will say: "No". It's the illustrations and the deadpan delivery together that make this book funny.

My daughter pointed to the word "No" the first time it appeared, and said: "That says no." It's unclear if she already knew how to spell "no" or was getting it from context, but she was correct either way. So I told her she could read the "No" parts the rest of the way through. And she did. She took pride later in telling Daddy that we had read the book together. As I take pride in telling all of you.

This makes four words that she can spell aloud and recognize by sight: her name, her friend's name, Mom, and No. It's a good start, I think!

© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate.