Jen Robinson's Book Page

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: January 30

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include book awards (with more to come on that next week, as the ALA Youth Media Awards are announced), book lists, the Cybils Awards, diversity, growing bookworms, National Readathon Day, Multicultural Children's Book Day, reading, schools, libraries, and publishing. 

Awards

The 2015 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction goes to @KirbyLarson for DASH, reports @RogerReads http://ow.ly/I6Jix @Scholastic

New Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children announced @NCTE http://ow.ly/HYIZW Kudos to #RainReign + @AuthorAnnMartin

#OrbisPictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children announced by @NCTE | Congratulations to #TheFamilyRomanov http://ow.ly/HYIux

The 2015 Edgar Award Nominees have been announced. @tashrow has the #kidlit and #YALit shortlists http://ow.ly/HQeLz #mysteries

Betsy Bird @FuseEight Returns to Host SLJ’s Youth Media Awards Pre-Game—and Post-Game—Show reports @sljournal http://ow.ly/I3l4C #ALAyma

Watch the Newbery and Caldecott Announcement Live! — @100scopenotes has the scoop on the webcast for #ALAyma http://ow.ly/IbrOM 

CBC + Every Child A Reader Revamp Children's Choice Awards, add professional input, reports @PublishersWkly http://ow.ly/IbtTb  @CBCBook

Book Lists

Building your library: Board Books that are good for a group (bigger, sturdy + w/ more story) from @Everead http://ow.ly/I6KW9 #kidlit

The 22 Best Feminist Picture Books, Because You're Never Too Old To Be Saved By A Princess | @Bustle http://ow.ly/Ibuzk  @PWKidsBookshelf

New Thematic Book List from @missrumphius on Clouds, Rain, and Snow, includes #nonfiction + fiction + #poetry + links http://ow.ly/I7zBU

A nice resource: Stellar Beginning Chapter Books for Young Readers │ JLG’s Booktalks to Go @sljournal http://ow.ly/I3lnY #kidlit

Ten Mystery Series That My Students Love by @bookbrownieblog @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/HYRDB #kidlit #ChapterBooks

The Circs So Far: The 10 Most Popular Books in @100scopenotes K-4 School Library shows love of illustration + humor http://ow.ly/I6KDk

Today's Timely Tuesday Ten @TesseractViews features speculative #kidlit with snowy settings. I'd add BREADCRUMBS http://ow.ly/I2Uoo

4 New Book Series Your Child will Love from Jennifer @5M4B http://ow.ly/HYPwQ #kidlit #literacy

10 Exciting, Kid-Approved Books for 10 Year Olds selected by @momandkiddo 's son http://ow.ly/HYNPn #kidlit

Cybils

Today's Featured #Cybils Review is The Living by @mattdelapena reviewed by ME! Thanks @Book_Nut http://ow.ly/HYLLP

Today's Featured #Cybils Review is Extraordinary Warren: A Super Chicken by Sarah Dillard, reviewed by @kagmoran http://ow.ly/I2iLQ

Today's Featured #Cybils Review: I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, reviewed by Megan at YA? Why Not? http://ow.ly/HQese #YALit

Today's Featured #Cybils Review is Handle With Care by @LoreeGBurns reviewed by Carrie @indyplkids http://ow.ly/IbrqJ 

Diversity

Where's the contemporary middle grade feminist realistic fiction? asks @amyeileenk (w/ data from Amelia Bloomer proj) http://ow.ly/HYOGO

The Importance of Dreaming: Why #Diversity Matters in SF and Fantasy – by C. Taylor-Butler at The Brown Bookshelf http://ow.ly/HYNqB

Why #Diversity In Children's Literature Is So Important For Kids' Development | Chelsea Hawkins KPLU via @tashrow http://ow.ly/HQgFL

More than 50 reps of UK Children’s book industry discussed #diversity charter | @TheBookseller http://ow.ly/IbuiO  via @PWKidsBookshelf

A Rich Year for Art-Related #KidLit with Latino Flair | Sujei Lugo + Lila Quintero Weaver @LatinosInKidLit http://ow.ly/IbrDW 

Events

RT @RandomHouseKids TODAY is the 1st National Readathon Day, aiding the National Book Foundation. What will you read?! Make #TimeToRead! http://global.penguinrandomhouse.com/readathon/

Here are my #TimeToRead candidates (top one is in progress, by @TiffanySchmidt + @bwkids ) #ireadeverywhere

Today is Multicultural Children's Book Day 2015! Co-organizer @PragmaticMom has the scoop here: http://ow.ly/I2j9b #ReadYourWorld

You can find a host of Multicultural Children's Book Day resources today @growingbbb http://ow.ly/I2jql #ReadYourWorld

Betsy @fuseeight is participating in The 21st Century Children’s #Nonfiction Conference in June http://ow.ly/HYRVO #STEM

Growing Bookworms

RT @Scholastic: Frequent readers ages 12-17 = more likely than infrequent readers to do these things: http://bit.ly/KFRR5th #KFRR

How I Encourage My Kids to Become Readers by Brenda @dailymayo @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/HQfad #GrowingBookworms

Hilarious and true: The Many Uses of Books, According to Toddlers, by @Rcordas@bookriot http://ow.ly/Ibvbx via @PWKidsBookshelf

On Reading, Writing, and Publishing

Great stuff! 5 Misconceptions About Science Fiction for Kids by @TesseractViews http://ow.ly/HYQ0M (FYI @SheilaRuth + @charlotteslib )

This is pretty fun: 15 signs to prove you're a book addict | @GdnChildrensBks via @PWKidsBookshelf http://ow.ly/I3o3g

For Toon Thursday, @aquafortis shares "A Day in the Life of a Reading Addict" - fun and accurate! http://ow.ly/Ibr6w 

What Makes a Good Math Storybook? Qualifications and examples from Audrey Quinlan @HornBook http://ow.ly/I6Kgp #kidlit

RT @Scholastic: 10 Things Beauty and the Beast’s Belle and #HarryPotter’s Hermione Have in Common: http://bit.ly/1tlRwVF via @TIME

Amazon Moves Into Textbook Publishing With Launch of KDP EDU and Kindle Textbook Creator http://ow.ly/I2UW9 @infodocket @Amazon

Schools and Libraries

Mom: #CommonCore wants kids to develop reading skills at the same pace. My daughters didn’t. @ValerieStrauss http://ow.ly/IbuXS 

#Ebooks Will Surge in K-12 Classrooms, Study Says, reports @sljournal http://ow.ly/Ibtx7 

Social Media and #Libraries: 5 Quick Tips for Using Instagram from @molly_wetta http://ow.ly/IbrBC 

© 2015 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.

Mark of the Thief (Praetor War): Jennifer A. Nielsen

Book: Mark of the Thief (Praetor War, Book 1)
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Pages: 352
Age Range: 10-14

Mark of the Thief is the first book in Jennifer Nielsen's new Praetor War series, set in ancient Rome. When a slave boy who works in the mines discovers (and appropriates) a magical artifact that last belong to Julius Caesar, his life is changed forever. Nic soon finds himself able to do magic, but still relatively powerless as a pawn between rival Roman senators and other officials. There ware twists and turns, magical animals, and Roman baths. This is a very fun series launch, certain to be popular with upper middle grade and middle school fans of fantasy and adventure. 

Despite the differences in setting and use of magic, Mark of the Thief has a similar feel to the books in Nielsen's Ascendance trilogy. Nic's voice brings Sage's voice to mind, at least a bit, though the two boys come from very different backgrounds. Both boys are stubborn, arrogant beyond their current station, and fiercely loyal.

This is not a bad thing -- fans of the Ascendance series (I am one myself) are going to simply gobble up Mark of the Thief. I read it in a single day, enjoying the layers of secrets that Nielsen reveals, as well as the tidbits of historical background about ancient Rome. I can't say that Nic's voice feels particularly Roman (or slave-like) to me, but I think that any attempt to do this differently might have rendered the book too difficult to read. Here's the opener:

"In Rome, nothing mattered more than the gods, and nothing mattered less than its slaves. Only a food of a slave would ever challenge the gods' power.

I was beginning to look like that fool.

I was a slave in the mines south of Rome and, generally speaking, did my job well. I worked hard and kept my head down and even took orders without complaint -- unless it was a stupid order, one that risked my life. Then I was just as happy to ignore it." (Page 1)

Mark of the Thief also features a strong female character, Aurelia, whom the reader senses early on will become important to Nic. There are a number of other characters whose loyalty is unclear, as well as a kidnapped sister who Nic worries about. There's also a somewhat cranky griffin, which is pretty cool. There are also plenty of intriguing settings. A couple of key scenes take place in the Flavian Amphitheater, where gladiators fight, another occurs in a vineyard. 

I think in a way, in reading this book, I was harmed by having read The False Prince books. I was expecting twists and hidden identities. So it was tough for Nielsen to surprise me. But I nonetheless enjoyed Mark of the Thief very much. I'm certain that kids are going to love it, and I look forward to the next book. A must-purchase for libraries, and a great gift item for any fantasy adventure fan (male or female), ages 10 and up. 

Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic) 
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2015 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, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

When: Victoria Laurie

Book: When
Author: Victoria Laurie
Pages: 336
Age Range: 13 and up

I resisted reading Victoria Laurie's When because the premise seemed to similar to that of another book I had already read (Numbers by Rachel Ward). In both books, a teenage girl has spent her life seeing a set of numbers whenever she looks at people. At some point in her childhood she has figured out that the numbers are the dates that people will die. This knowledge eventually gets her into unwitting trouble with the law, even though she is just trying to help people. Yeah, same premise.

But Leila Roy (who had also read Numbers) called When "entirely entertaining" anyway, and I decided to give it a go. And I'm glad I did. I found When to be the most fast-paced, engaging book that I've read in several months. I did NOT fall asleep when reading it in bed (as I do with almost everything lately), and I read the whole thing in 2 days. I was also irritated when people tried to talk to me when I was reading - always a sign that a book has my full attention. 

When features 16-year-old Maddie Fynn, daughter of a barely functioning alcoholic mother and a deceased cop father. Maddie is bright and hard-working, but also a bit of an outcast, bullied at school, and with only one friend, a geeky boy nicknamed Stubby. To keep her mother in vodka, she runs a little business telling people about their death dates. When she warns a woman that he son is expected to die next week, the woman responds badly. When the son disappears on his way home from school, on the appointed day, Maddie becomes a suspect, and is grilled by the FBI. Things rapidly spiral worse from there.

I'm not normally a fan of what I call the "hapless suspect" books - where someone ends up being investigated by the police for something that they clearly didn't do. But I was willing to give When a pass on this, because Maddie remained a strong character, and because the action was so suspenseful. There are one or two aspects of the book that I might quibble over, but I found the characterization in When strong, and the pacing excellent. I wasn't sure who the bad guy was until the end. There were a number of possibilities, and Laurie had me second-guessing all sorts of people's motives. She made me care about Maddie, and I had to keep reading to find out what happened to her.

I would recommend When more for high schoolers and adults than for middle schoolers. There are torture murders (though these occur offscreen), and the portrait of life with an alcoholic parent is fairly grim. The bullying to which Maddie is subjected is also pretty harsh (though probably not unrealistic). While generally a fast-paced thriller, I do think that When offers some food for discussion for parents and teens who co-read the book (Should you intervene when someone is being bullied? Is one's fate pre-determined?). 

I recommend When for anyone (teen or adult) looking for a fast-paced, intriguing mystery. If you haven't read Numbers, so much the better, but even if you have, When is a very different book, and well worth a look. I especially enjoyed the ending. 

Publisher: Disney Hyperion 
Publication Date: January 13, 2015
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2015 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, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

#KidLitFaves: Recent Children's and YA Books that Bloggers Love: Jan. 26

This is a relatively new series here at Jen Robinson's Book Page (see the inaugural post here). As I travel about the kidlitosphere, encountering reviews by other bloggers (people I trust, and generally have been following for some time), I take note of those reviews in which it is clear that the reviewer really, really likes the book. I share links to those reviews on Twitter (with hashtag #KidLitFaves) and Facebook and round them up here. Hopefully over time this will become a useful resource. I welcome your feedback! 

All Ages:

At A Fuse #8 Production, Elizabeth Bird shares her thoughts on Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes, collected by Elizabeth Hammill. Betsy especially appreciates the attention given to diversity i this compilation, saying:

"Tsimshian and Creole, Jamaican and Australian, Chinese American and Chippewa, this is a book that not only speaks to a wider audience than nursery rhyme collections of the past, it’s cleverly constructed and perfectly illustrated to boot. Hammill has clearly created the very first nursery rhyme collection of note for the 21st century."

Picture Books:

At Story Snug, Catherine Friess shares Otto the Book Bear by Katie Cleminson, calling Otto "a lovely celebration of reading, writing, libraries, books and friendship". She adds:

"This is a lovely story to stimulate a discussion about children’s favourite book characters and what children think that they get up to when nobody else is looking!"

Early Readers/Early Chapter Books:

Joyce Grant at Getting Kids Reading recommends Guinea PI(g): Pet Shop Private Eye: Hamster and Cheese, spotlighting "a reluctant PI with a mystery to solve." Here are her reasons for recommending this series for newer readers:

"1) The aforementioned fact that IT’S ABOUT A GUINEA PIG DETECTIVE.
2) It’s got a bit of an edge.
3) The dialogue is not only realistic, but it’s actually funny.
4) You can almost feel the fluffiness of these guinea pigs. I mean, really."

Middle Grade:

Jennifer at Jean Little Library quite likes Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and their Noses) Save the World by Nancy F. Castaldo. Noting that "THIS is what a nonfiction book should look like", her decisive verdict for librarians is:

"A high-interest subject, with sensitive subjects delicately handled, well-written, and a beautiful layout. This will fly off your shelves and I highly recommend it."

Young Adult:

At Random Musings of a Bibliophile, Brandy raves about This Side of Home by Renee Watson, calling the protagonist's voice "perfect". She says:

"What attracted me to This Side of Home by Renee Watson was the cover. The story hooked my interest. The characters made me fall in love... This is a great book to spark thoughts on what defines a person." 

April at Good Books and Good Wine stayed up late into the night reading Emery Lord's Open Road Summer, calling it "exactly my favorite kind of contemporary book". She concludes:

"The friendship between Dee and Reagan is excellent and the sort of friendship where there is give and take in equal amounts... I’ll just say that the romance in this book is super adorable and I think you guys totally will enjoy those bits when you read this book." 

Tasha Saecker at Waking Brain Cells calls Holly Smale's Geek Girl "hilarious, geeky and great fun." She says:

"The first book in a trilogy, this book came out in the UK in 2013 and was nominated and won several awards. It certainly lives up to the hype with its wit, strong heroine and inherent joy. Appropriate for ages 13-15."

Closing Thoughts:

I do hope that you'll click through to read the full reviews if any of these titles pique your interest. Quite a few reviews pass through my screens each week. The seven highlighted here stood out as being particularly enthusiastic examples of each reviewer's work.  

Two other notes about these review excerpts:

1. If I have quoted from one of your reviews, and you prefer that I not do so in the future, just let me know. No worries.
2. The book covers that I have included beside each blurb include my personal Amazon affiliate ID, mainly as a convenience to readers so that I can include the cover images. If you don't want your reviews to be included in future because of this, just let me know. 

Please let me know what you think of this new feature!

© 2015 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, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: January 23

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. This week we have, as usual, plenty of books lists, along with posts about the Cybils Awards, diversity, growing bookworms, reading-related events, literacy programs, reading, writing, publishing, schools, and libraries. 

Awards and Book Lists 

CCBlogC: Sparky! by Jenny Offill Wins 2015 Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a #PictureBook http://ow.ly/HJfww #kidlit

The 2015 Sydney Taylor Book Awards have been announced. @HornBook has the scoop (plus reviews) http://ow.ly/HEdR2 #kidlit

10 Math Books for Babies and Toddlers from @momandkiddo http://ow.ly/HLTbR #kidlit #STEM

A Tuesday Ten @TesseractViews | Even More Science Fiction Picture Books! | #kidlit http://ow.ly/Hz7rM

20 New Classics Every Child Should Own by @JordanBNielsen @HuffingtonPost http://ow.ly/HMUEB #kidlit #diversity via @bkshelvesofdoom

So many of our favorites here: 12 Kids' Books Illustrated by @MarlaFrazee | compiled by @mrskatiefitz http://ow.ly/HEeOP #kidlit

10 Best Cootie-Free Valentine's Books for Boys from @rosemondcates http://ow.ly/HJf4l #kidlit

For MLK Day, @Book_Nut shares A Dozen Books about the African-American Experience http://ow.ly/Hz9Dz #kidlit

Soon to be needed in my house! 9 Easy Reader Series Starring Girls, from @mrskatiefitz http://ow.ly/HLRul #kidlit

More titles for me to keep an eye on in: Series I'm Adding to 3rd Grade Classroom Library from @frankisibberson http://ow.ly/HLUZF

This week's Tuesday Ten @TesseractViewsshares books where humans have magical control or linking w/ animals http://ow.ly/HMORf #kidlit

Top 10 books for reluctant and dyslexic readers from Tom Palmer in @GdnChildrensBks http://ow.ly/HN9kv via @PWKidsBookshelf #kidlit

Ten Texts to Get Kids Talking by middle school language arts teacher Emily Rietz | @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/HzcWx

At @HornBook @randyribay shares some of his favorite #GraphicNovels for high school students http://ow.ly/HMOqn #YALit

Stacked: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire: YA Books With A Lot of Lying from @catagator http://ow.ly/Hz4b0 #YALit

The Great 2015 YA Series Round-Up from @catagator @bookriot http://ow.ly/Hs3lY #YALit #BookList

Cybils

Today's Featured #Cybils Revew is YA #Nonfiction title Be a Changemaker by @lauriethompson reviewed by Lcapizzo http://ow.ly/HMO3a

Today's Featured #Cybils Review: Brimsby’s Hats by Andrew Prahin, highlighted by @mteblogmama http://ow.ly/HEdBq

Today's Featured #Cybils Review is for #BookApp Angus the Irritable Bull – A funny story of friendship on the farm http://ow.ly/Hs1Du

This Month's Featured Blogger at #Cybils is Margo Tanenbaum, blogger at The Fourth Musketeer + @kidlitwhm http://ow.ly/Hz819 #kidlit

#Cybils 2014: A (Spoiler-Free) Peek Behind the Scenes from Round2 #GraphicNovel judge @aquafortis http://ow.ly/HEuZy

Diversity

12 Chapter Books About Diverse (and Loving) Families from @momandkiddo #kidlit #BookList http://ow.ly/Hz0TW

Why Topics Of Social Justice Belong In Children's and Young Adult Books by @afrocubansista @dos_twinjas http://ow.ly/HMQ5g #diversity

More Libros Latin@s: 21 YA & MG Novels By/About Latinos in 2015! @LatinosInKidLit http://ow.ly/HLTAO #kidlit

#WeNeedDiverseBooks Launches Short Story Contest reports @CarolynSSun in @sljournal http://ow.ly/HEFOZ #diversity

Embracing the Modern Female Heroine – In All Her Forms | Ann Dye for @CBCBook #Diversity http://ow.ly/HEco0 #YALit

Women in Comics, #GraphicNovels Finally Getting Spotlight They Have Deserved for Generations @Bustle @bkshelvesofdoom http://ow.ly/HzaT3

Shining the Light: Announcing the Honorees for The Brown Bookshelf's 28 Days Later celebration of Black History Month http://ow.ly/Hz1u2

Where are all the interracial children’s books? asks @nevinmartell @washingtonpost http://ow.ly/HN8K8  via @PWKidsBookshelf

Events + Programs

It's Coming: Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 (books you can't live without), says @cathymere #nf10for10 http://ow.ly/Hz28B

A reminder from @abbylibrarian that Saturday 1/24 is National Readathon Day (12 to 4) http://ow.ly/HJfhy #timetoread @RandomHouseKids

More on National Readathon Day (Saturday, noon to 4 in your own time zone) from @PublishersWkly http://ow.ly/HN7sO  #TimeToRead

Today is apparently National Hug Day. Here's a timely review from @cjfriess | Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo http://ow.ly/HIIba

What's happening in children's books in 2015? A literary calendar @GdnChildrensBks via @bkshelvesofdoom http://ow.ly/HLS89 #kidlit

Ahead of International Book Giving Day (2/14), get a book plate via @PragmaticMom http://ow.ly/HEfvz #giveabook @bookgivingday (poster to left designed by Chris Haughton)

The @BookChook says: Let’s Celebrate International Book Giving Day 2015! Susan wrote a love letter to her #library http://ow.ly/Hz7V0

How can you get involved in International Book Giving Day, 2/14/2015? @cjfriess has the scoop! http://ow.ly/Hs2Qd #BookGivingDay

Spread the Word: Feb 4 is Global School Play Day says Peter Gray at Freedom to Learn blog http://ow.ly/HEfTz #GSPD

Multicultural Children’s Book Day #ReadYourWorld says Claire Noland at A Field Trip Life http://ow.ly/HEFff

Press Release @MrSchuReads | CSLP Appoints Kate DiCamillo as New National #SummerReading Champion http://ow.ly/HEehf #libraries

PNC Bank’s $350 Million Early Learning Push | Lisa Kropp has the scoop in @sljournal http://ow.ly/HEFHj  #literacy

Gorgeous new PSA from @FirstBook + @Disney w/ goal to get 1M books to kids across the country #magicofstorytelling http://ow.ly/HEHAP

Growing Bookworms

If we stop telling kids what to read, they might start reading again @MaxEhrenfreund @washingtonpost http://ow.ly/Hs679 @Scholastic

True! How to get kids to read — let them pick their own damn books @voxdotcom via @tashrow http://ow.ly/Hs5E4 | Cites @scholastic report

Metacognitive (self-reflective) books: How early should they be introduced? asks Armida Lizarraga @HornBook http://ow.ly/HEgeo #kidlit

Read for Fun at Home (a.k.a. How to fight formal reading instruction in kindergarten) by @StaceyLoscalzo http://ow.ly/HIJlN

A defense from @ReadingShanahan of early reading instruction for kids (in response to a report to the contrary) http://ow.ly/HEuCq

#RaisingReaders Monday @kateywrites : Martin Luther King, Junior Edition, supporting #literacy for kids in poverty http://ow.ly/Hz765

UK children’s reading shows simultaneous rise and decline. How can that add up? | @GuardianBooks via @tashrow http://ow.ly/Hs58H

On Reading, Writing, and Publishing

Do I Read This Sequel Or Not? Consult this Flowchart from @read4keeps http://ow.ly/HEtwA #kidlit #YALit

Funny post by @TheUglyVolvo | All of my Issues With the "Goodnight Moon" Bedroom via @FuseEight + @100scopenotes http://ow.ly/HIK4V

Over @bookriot a happy @catagator declares 2015 the Year of the Feminist YA Novel http://ow.ly/HMTUj via @bkshelvesofdoom #YALit

In a followup to earlier piece, @haleshannon answers readers' "burning questions about authors and filthy lucre" http://ow.ly/HMNyP

DBW 2015: @Amazon, Publishers Look to #Ebook Subscription Services as Discovery Platform http://ow.ly/HEGlp @matthewenis @LibraryJournal

Schools and Libraries

"Libraries are how people become readers" | A defense of funding for #libraries by Nicola Morgan @AwfullyBigBlog http://ow.ly/HMPlt

Fun photos! School #libraries shelve tradition to create new learning spaces | @Guardian via @tashrow http://ow.ly/Hs4BB

The Past, Present And Future Of High-Stakes Testing @anya1anya @NPR_ED http://ow.ly/HN8jI  via @PWKidsBookshelf

© 2015 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.

I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo!: Jill Esbaum & Gus Gordon

Book: I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo!
Author: Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Gus Gordon
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3-5

I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! by Jill Esbaum and Gus Gordon is the story of a cow named Nadine who claims not to be afraid of anything, not even the dark, overgrown n woods. When Nadine's friends call her on her bluff ("just to prove it, let's go"), she discovers that she DOES like the woods. Well, during the day, at least. But when she ends up alone in the woods at night, the reader certainly sees that Nadine isn't so brave. When Nadine emerges unscathed, she neglects to tell anyone else that she wasn't, in fact, a hero. By the end of the book, despite Nadine's fears, the other animals are advertising "Sunset Tours" from "Brave Nadine." 

I suppose there's a bit of an implied message in I Am Cow, Hear Me MOO! to the effect that one must be careful about bragging of capabilities that do not exist, as one may be called upon to demonstrate said abilities. But Nadine never actually learns this lesson, which makes I Am Cow, Hear Me MOO! fall on the side of straight-up funny. Esbaum's rhyming text is enjoyable to read aloud, and sometimes laugh-out-loud humor. Like this:

""Well, moooove it, Nadine,"
Starla gave her a nudge.
"Lead on!" urged Annette.
Still, Nadine didn't budge.

She blinked at the woods.
Overgrown.
Dark as night.
Were there creatures in there,
and ... did they bite?

Her milk nearly curdled.
Doubt prickled her skin.
But what choice did she have?
Nadine gulped and stepped in."

The bit about "her milk nearly curdled" made me snort. And this, late in the book:

"A hero? Egad. Nadine knew she was not,
and she wanted to say so, but ... sorta forgot."

A flawed heroine who does not learn her lesson. I love it! I Am Cow, Hear Me MOO! is full of sound effects and fun words and laughs large and small. Gordon's illustrations, "created using watercolor, pencils, crayons, and collage" add fun details to reward close reading. On the second page, Nadine is reading "Fire Breathing got Bovines." When she is scared, her eyes are huge and round. 

The collage aspect of the illustrations works especially well, as various portions of the pictures are shown with unusual textures, like silos that seem to be cut out of graph paper, and a pine tree crudely made out of taped together green rippled fabric (or paper, or something).

I Am Cow, Hear Me MOO! is read-aloud friendly and humorous, with a distinctive illustration style. I think that it will work best for preschooler, kids old enough to appreciate the humor, and young enough to accept the absurdities of the story without question. Recommended for group read-aloud, though probably a better fit for one-on-one parent/child reading, where one can look at the illustrations in detail, and perhaps discuss how Nadine ended up in trouble. This is a fun one!

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers (@PenguinKids) 
Publication Date: May 15, 2014
Source of Book: Library copy, checked out for Round 1 Cybils consideration in Fiction Picture Books. All opinions are my own. 

© 2015 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 and iBooks affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Growing Bookworms Newsletter: January 21

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 the newsletter out every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have five book reviews (picture book through middle grade), a post about the latest Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report, and two posts with literacy and reading links that I shared on Twitter recently. I also launched a new #KidLitFaves series this week in which I highlight rave reviews of children's and young adult books by other bloggers. I would love to hear your feedback on this new feature. Not included in the newsletter this week was another links post focused on the Cybils awards. 

Reading Update: In the last three weeks I completed two middle grade and three adult titles. I read/listened to:

• Jordan Stratford (ill. Kelly Murphy): The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, Book 1: The Case of the Missing Moonstone. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade. Completed January 8, 2015. My review.
• Jonathan Stroud: Lockwood & Co, Book 2: The Whispering Skull. Disney-Hyperion. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 14, 2015, on MP3. I had some difficulty getting through the print version of this sequel, but I did quite enjoy the audio. 
• Susan Cain: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. Broadway Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 11, 2015 (Kindle and print). Lots of great stuff here. I would recommend Quiet to any introvert. I found the first part to be a bit slow, but enjoyed it once I got past Tony Robbins. 
• Rhys Bowen: Her Royal Spyness: Heirs and Graces. Berkley. Adult Mystery. Completed January 17, 2015, on MP3. Still fun! 
• Charles Duhigg: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 19, 2015, on Kindle. I found this book interesting, and would recommend it to people looking to better understand or change their own habits (or organizational habits within their organizations). 

I'm currently reading When by Victoria Laurie and listening to Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen (the most recent published title of this series, so I will be moving on to something different soon). The books we've been reading to my daughter can be found here. Today she declared as her favorite book Arthur's Reading Race by Marc Brown. She's also been quite into reading about Paddington Bear, in anticipation of the movie (for which she saw a trailer a couple of months ago, and which she is dying to see). 

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

© 2015 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. 

Tiara Saurus Rex: Brianna Caplan Sayres & Mike Boldt

Book: Tiara Saurus Rex
Author: Brianna Caplan Sayres
Illustrator: Mike Boldt
Pages: 32
Age Range: 5-7

Tiara Saurus Rex, by Brianna Caplan Sayres and Mike Boldt, is a dinosaur book for tiara-wearing, dress-up-loving girls (or a beauty pageant book for dinosaur-obsessed boys who have a yen for sparkle, I suppose). The Miss Dinosaur pageant is taking place. Dinosaurs of various types prance about, excited, in their fancy clothes. But one by one, the other dinosaurs disappear from view, to the refrain: "Beware ... Tina has to win." Tina Saurus Rex eventually wins the crown because "There are no other girls."

There is a twist at the end involving one remaining dinosaur, but the others are never seen again. For tender-hearted readers, there is a hint that the others have run away, rather than, say, been eaten by Tina. But I say it's no coincidence that the "Saurus Rex" is the last one standing.

Sayres uses rhyming text with enough variation in structure to keep it from being sing-songy. Like this (over 3 page spreads):

"Dino pageant day is here!
They stampede through the door.
Each creature hopes that she'll be crowned
the next Miss Dinosaur.

They put their lipstick on with care,
give their mirrors one last stare.

But makeup artists warn, "Beware...
Tina has to win.""

She uses strong vocabulary works like "contender" and "brilliant." This vocabulary, combined with the mystery around the disappearance of most of the characters, makes me agree with the publisher's recommendation of five and up for Tiara Saurus Rex. Personally, I found the text a bit stilted in places. But I did enjoy the puns that Sayres uses for some of the dinosaur names, like "Teri Dactyl" and "Sarah Topps". She conveys facts about these dinosaur types, too, with Teri flying about, and Sarah using her three horns to twirl hula hoops. 

Illustrator Mike Boldt (123 versus ABC) clearly delights in displaying the dinosaurs, particularly Tina, with her sly smile. The dinosaurs are not shown to scale, exactly, and they are shown in brighter colors than one normally sees used for dinosaurs (purple, teal, orange). But there are enough visual clues for interested readers to tie these dinosaurs to those shown in more traditional representations. And for those who just care about the beauty pageant, well, they can appreciate the emeralds used to decorate the spines of Stef O'Saurus, and the four-inch heels in Patty Saurus's broad feet. Boldt uses a riot of color, and an appropriate mix of preening and nervous expressions. Tina's tiara, as well as the letters of the title, are sparkly on the cover of my advanced copy. 

And there you have it. A hybrid beauty pageant / dinosaur book, with rhyming text and over-the-top illustrations. Tiara Saurus Rex is not going to be for everyone, but it stands a good chance of broadening the perspective of dress-up fans and dinosaur fans alike, blurring traditional gender boundaries along the way. 

Publisher: Bloomsbury (@BWKids) 
Publication Date: February 17, 2015
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher

© 2015 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 and iBooks affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

New KidLitFaves series: Recent Children's and YA Books that my Friends Love!

I'm kicking off a new series here at Jen Robinson's Book Page. People come here (I hope) in the expectation that I will help them in their quest to grow bookworms. And one of the ways that I can help parents, teachers, and librarians in this quest is by pointing out great new children's and young adult titles.

There are only so many titles that I can review myself, however (particularly without burnout). But every day I see reviews on my friends' blogs. So I've decided to try to keep an eye out for those reviews, by people I trust, in which it is clear that the reviewer really likes the book.

I'm going to start sharing links to those reviews on Twitter (with hashtag #KidLitFaves, first used by Australia mom @SquiggleMum) and Facebook, and rounding them up here. Hopefully over time this will become a useful resource. I welcome your feedback! 

Picture Books:

Here is Mary Kinser's conclusion on Imani's Moon at Sprout's Bookshelf (a book that I also reviewed):

"Don't miss Imani's Moon, a great addition to collections for its focus on bravery, honoring oneself and never giving up. Let the magic sweep you up, as it does Imani, to touch the moon. Imani's Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood, published by Mackinac Island Press."

At Waking Brain Cells, reviewer Tasha Saecker calls A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall an "exceptional picture book". She concludes:

"A joy to read and share, this book has all the delight of a great dessert but is also packed full of historical information and detail.  Appropriate for ages 6-9."

The Picture Book Review calls Thank You, Octopus, by Darren Farrell "Crazy Good!". This in-depth review includes several sample illustrations from the book (provided to The Picture Book Review with permission of the author), so you really should click through to see. There are also links to professional reviews of the book. The reviewer concludes:

"t’s really wonderful!  It’s a joy and I am sure you’ll love it!"

Early Readers/Early Chapter Books:

At A Year of Reading, Franki Sibberson discusses Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny by John Himmelman. She says:

"I get so happy when I find new early chapter books that are perfect for our transitional readers... It's a great book for first graders who are strong readers and need something they can relate too. It is also great for 3rd graders who will catch some of the subtle humor."

Middle Grade:

Over in Australia, the @BookChook, Susan Stephenson, raves about Legends of Zita the Spacegirl + Return of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke. She says:

"I recommend that librarians looking for graphic novels suitable for primary schoolshould snap this series up. It’s perfectly pitched at the primary level, is light-hearted and action-packed."

Reviewer Ms. Yingling Reads quite likes A Plague of Bogles (sequel to How to Catch a Bogle) by Catherine Jinks. She says:

"This was delightful, mainly because all of the characters were so plucky and undeterred... Like Jonathan Stroud's Lockhart and Co., this series is an action packed sojourn in a rather seedy, but somehow still delightful London."

Young Adult:

At The Book Zone (a blog focusing on "boy-friendly" books), Darren Hartwell recommends Big Game by Dan Smith. Published by Chicken House in the UK, this book is available in the US in audio and digital formats. The Book Zone says:

"Big Game could be added to the dictionary as the definition of 'edge of your seat thriller'. The short chapters and fast-paced and relentless action make it one of those books that is incredibly difficult to put down"

At Bookshelves of Doom, Leila Roy shares her thoughts on re-reading Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. She says:

"I love that, despite all the pain, it is also, at moments, an incredibly funny book. And I love that it's funny without minimizing Melinda's pain, without being disrespectful to her or to it or to any other survivor ... So. If it's been a while, I suggest that you revisit. There's a reason it's become a modern classic."

Closing Thoughts:

Long ago, I did a series on my blog called Reviews that Made Me Want the Book. That series was similar to this, in that I would link to other people's reviews. However, back then I was focused on reviews of books that met with my own particular taste. Here, I'm focusing more on the other reviewers' tastes - on the books that other bloggers seemed to particularly like. I think that this focus will be more useful to readers, and help me to be able to recommend books that don't fall into my personal areas of reading. I do hope that if you find these blurbs useful, you'll click through and discover the blogs that they come from. 

Two other notes about these review excerpts:

1. If I have quoted from one of your reviews, and you prefer that I not do so in the future, just let me know. No worries.
2. The book covers that I have included beside each blurb include my personal Amazon affiliate ID. This is mainly done as a convenience to readers who might wish to purchase these titles, and so that I can show the book covers without copyright issues. If you don't want your reviews to be included in future because of this, just let me know. I am not looking to get rich off of other people's work - merely trying to help get more books into more readers' hands. 

Please let me know what you think of this new feature!

© 2015 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, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: January 16

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include: book lists, the Cybils awards, diversity, growing bookworms, kidlit events, literacy research, the kidlitosphere, reading, publishing, schools, and libraries. 

One other note: I shared several links this week related to a new feature that I'll be starting soon, with hashtag #KidLitFaves. Those links are not included here, but will be in a separate post. In the interest of recommending more books to you all, I'll be rounding up a selection of reviews for titles that my blogging friends particularly liked. Stay tuned! I plan to kick off this series on Monday. 

Book Lists

Show But Don’t Tell: Must-Have Wordless Picture Books │ JLG’s Booktalks to Go | @sljournal http://ow.ly/HgVdw  #kidlit

10 Favorite Picture Books about Birds selected by @rosemondcates http://ow.ly/Hd9Ec  #kidlit #BookList

10 Picture Books about Overcoming Fears, selected by @rosemondcates http://ow.ly/HoPCz #BookList

14 President Books For Kids (That Won't Put Your Kids to Sleep) selected by @momandkiddo http://ow.ly/Hdaqu  #kidlit #BookList

The @HornBook Calling Caldecott blog is looking for people to share their Mock Caldecott results http://ow.ly/HgPnK  #kidlit

Changing the World | New Books about African American History Joy Fleishhacker for @sljournal http://ow.ly/HgVxX  #kidlit

Stacked: Getting Started with Comics: Guest Post from Becca and Allison of This Week in Ladies http://ow.ly/HgT1P 

Feminist YA Romance Novels: A List |@steel_n_velvet http://ow.ly/H8u1E  via contributor @catagator #YALit

Highly Anticipated Titles from Printz-Winning Authors |#YALit | @sljournal http://ow.ly/H3Zh3  via @bkshelvesofdoom

2015 YA Fiction Preview: 105 Titles For Your January - March Radar by @catagator @bookriot http://ow.ly/H40JC  #YALit

Cybils

On the #Cybils blog: 2014 Finalists: Things That are Being Said, Part 2 | http://ow.ly/H8uel  @Book_Nut @SheilaRuth #kidlit

Every year the fabulous @aquafortis creates printable PDF flyers of the #Cybils finalists. The 2014 one is available! http://ow.ly/HkHJY 

Today's Featured #Cybils Review is Boys of Blur by N D. Wilson, reviewed by @brandymuses http://ow.ly/HgOYN  #kidlit

Today's featured #Cybils Review: Firefly July by Paul B. Janeczko + Melissa Sweet, reviewed by @KellyFineman http://ow.ly/Hd9yl  #Poetry

Friday's featured #Cybils Review was Feathers: Not Just For Flying by @mstewartscience reviewed by @carwilc http://ow.ly/H8uKh 

Today's Featured #Cybils Review is The Meaning of Maggie, reviewed by Jennifer from @5M4B http://ow.ly/HoPtF #kidlit

For #Poetry Friday @JoneMac53 shared some #CYBILS Poetry Books Left on the Shelf (not shortlisted) http://ow.ly/H8uHY 

Alysa @Everead shares her thoughts on the graphic novels for younger readers (part 2) shortlisted for #Cybils http://ow.ly/HoOxC 

Diversity

List of 2014 African American MG & YA Fiction compiled by @ZettaElliott http://ow.ly/HgMIs  via @bkshelvesofdoom #kidlit

Guest Post by @aravere on @LatinosInKidLit | Why I’m Not Interested in a Mexican Katniss http://ow.ly/Hd9Z9  #YAlit #kidlit

RT @PWKidsBookshelf Gene Luen Yang: "Comics are more diverse in terms of genre, format, and culture than they've ever been.” http://pwne.ws/1Bzd2Yi 

Events, Programs and Research

Celebrate International Book Giving Day this February 14th urges @delightchildbks http://ow.ly/HkHYJ  #literacy #kidlit (poster shown to the left, designed by Chris Haughton)

The 2015 Contenders! have been announced for @SLJsBoB SLJ's Battle of the Books http://ow.ly/HkHt0  via @bkshelvesofdoom #kidlit

Report: requiring kindergartners to read — as #CommonCore does — may harm some @ValerieStrauss @washingtonpost http://ow.ly/HkGgf  @mariaburel

The Uni Project: Bright Lights, Big City, Mobile Reading Rooms in NYCity, books read on premises http://ow.ly/HoSpv@PublishersWkly

Growing Bookworms

Scholastic’s New Report Examines Kids’ Attitudes on Reading. @CarolynSSun recaps in @sljournal http://ow.ly/HgUNq  #literacy

"Reading Aloud is Important", says @StaceyLoscalzo, sharing her family's routines + the recent @Scholastic report http://ow.ly/HkIk4

Slice of Life: When they read and when they don't, and letting kids go at their own pace, by @mariaburel http://ow.ly/HkHgT 

What "I am the most passionate about writing are these books that get kids reading" James Patterson @GdnchildrensBks http://ow.ly/HoT3N 

The @readingtub 2nd #Literacy + Life post features ways that music can contribute to literacy growth (+ book ideas) http://ow.ly/HoPf7

I love @mrskatiefitz series on Early #Literacyin Everyday Places. Today features The Grocery Store http://ow.ly/HoPQM

The Power of Mystery Series for Teen + Tweens (w/ suggested titles) by Ruth Shagoury @ChoiceLiteracy http://ow.ly/H8w3e 

The Book is Not Dead! 6 reasons why the paper book is still loved from @TrevorHCairney http://ow.ly/HlbFL  #literacy

Kidlitosphere

Hey there, @FuseEight is on #KidLit TV, talking about her book (w/ @SevenImp + Peter Sieruta) Wild Thingshttp://ow.ly/HkIOh

Miscellaneous

This seems like good advice: Happiness Tip: Stop Checking Your Freaking Phone | @raisinghappines http://ow.ly/Hd7O0 

On Reading, Writing, and Publishing

Guest Author: Rin Chupeco and The Underrepresented (strong female) In Teen Fiction | @booksmugglers http://ow.ly/H8ubX via @catagator

RT @DailyMirror Studious schoolgirl reads 942 books in a YEAR - and wishes she could have got through 1,000 http://mirr.im/1Aw9RPH 

The @TIME "100 Best Young Adult Books Of All Time" Is Very White... And Not Very YA | @Bustle http://ow.ly/Hh2US  via @PWKidsBookshelf

Love it. @medinger takes on @Time Magazine’s So-Called 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time (it includes #MGLit ) http://ow.ly/H8uzZ 

They Put THAT Into a Book for Kids?! Unexpected Elements in @NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing by @FuseEight http://ow.ly/H403r 

The nitty gritty on authors, signings, and filthy lucre from @haleshannon http://ow.ly/HgOLU  #kidlit

Breaking the Hypnotism of the Now | Mark Aronson in @sljournal on helping students break past immediate blockbusters http://ow.ly/HoS09 

Schools and Libraries

Ten Read-Aloud Lessons from group reading with Preschoolers, shared by @BookChook http://ow.ly/HoORI  #libraries

Five Trends That Make 2015 Worth Celebrating for school librarians | @sljournal Editorial by Rebecca T. Miller http://ow.ly/HgTJw 

Toledo-Lucas County Public Library Legacy Foundation aims to increase #literacy - @toledonews http://ow.ly/Hd44u 

5 Tips for Helping a Student Find the Right Book | @Edutopia @WorldLib via @tashrow http://ow.ly/H43Vx  #libraries

Sense and Sensibility: Why Librarians Remain Essential to Our Schools | @YohuruWilliams via @tashrow http://ow.ly/H43kZ 

RT @JuleeMurphy Study: In-School Reading Time Is Key to Building Love of Reading http://ow.ly/HkYDS via @educationweek

Very cool! Fayetteville Free Library’s Geek Girl Camp: Creating a Community of Future STEM Leaders | @sljournal http://ow.ly/HoRoH 

© 2015 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 Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, Book 1: The Case of the Missing Moonstone

Book: The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, Book 1: The Case of the Missing Moonstone
Author: Jordan Stratford
Illustrator: Kelly Murphy
Pages: 240
Age Range: 8-12

The Case of the Missing Moonstone is the first book in a very fun new mystery series for younger middle grade readers. The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series features the imagined adventures of two real-life historical figures: Lady Ada Byron (daughter of the poet, and who has been called the world's first computer programmer) and Mary Godwin (author of Frankenstein, and who has been called the world's first science writer). In Jordan Stratford's reimagined history, Ada and Mary are close in age (unlike their actual 18 year age difference), and become friends after sharing a tutor. Together, these two largely unsupervised girls form a detective agency. 

The author includes a brief preface, as well as a more extensive notes section at the end of the book, outlining the historical vs. fictional elements of the story. He slips in various other historical figures thought the story, profiling them at the end. But the primary focus of The Case of the Missing Moonstone is on Ada and Mary.

Stratford's characterization, particularly in regards to Ada, is quite strong. Ada is a quirky genius who would perhaps be diagnosed on the autism spectrum today. She fears leaving her house (though she is brave when necessary), has little thought for the people around her (not even aware of her maid's name), and sees mysteries in terms of variables to be fit together. She is dirty and sometimes rude, and altogether a breath of fresh air. 

Mary's nature as a writer, as well as her uncomfortable status as being from a lower social order than Ada, come across clearly also. She is an observer who often sees things in a poetic way, and she's also a pragmatist who can sometimes balance Ada's quirks. Her admiration for the tutor, who has the initials PBS, is a little inside joke for the adult reader. Here's an example of Mary's (limited third person) voice:

"Pitter clop splosh badunk? Clop splosh badunk pitter.

Mary listened to this conversation between the coach, the horse, the cobblestones, and the rain, but felt she had little to add. Instead, she observed the unexpected stranger seated opposite her." (Page 17)

and:

"Mary entered Ada's bedroom for the first time. The word "disaster" presented itself to Mary. It does a good job of describing things like earthquakes and mudslides and tornadoes, but it was simply not up to the task of describing Ada's bedroom. Mary suddenly felt sorry for the word." (Page 37)

The mystery itself is interesting and age-appropriate. The solution turns on a word which is reasonably well-known today, but was something new and unknown at the time of the story. There is some rather implausible action here and there, but I think that young readers will find it fun.

Stratford's writing style is well-suited to the historical time period, a little bit formal ("Ada continued to look displeased..."), but not so much so as to be over the heads of the target audience. Like this:

"Mary followed, thinking of poor Anna Cumberland (the maid), who would have to clean up Ada's mess once again, if "once again" meant "all the time without stopping ever." (Page 129)

The Case of the Missing Moonstone also includes regular black and white illustrations, generous line spacing, and a light humor that makes it work well for readers on the younger end of the middle grade spectrum. Kelly Murphy's illustrations help bring Ada and Mary, and the time period, to life for readers. The girls' hair and dresses convey the time period, even as other details to the pictures lend humor to the story.

The average 9-year-old reader is not going to know much of anything about the historical figures starring in The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency. But I think that Ada and Mary are strong enough characters, as portrayed in this book, to hold any young reader's attention. Bonus points for both protagonists being strong young women, each somewhat ahead of her time (but not in an unrealistic way, given that, you know, they were real people). The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Moonstone has an intriguing plot and plenty of humor. I think that it will make a very nice addition to the ranks of mystery series for elementary age readers. Recommended!

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids)  
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2015 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, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Sparky!: Jenny Offill & Chris Appelhans

Book: Sparky!
Author: Jenny Offill
Illustrator: Chris Appelhans
Pages: 40
Age Range: 4-8

Sparky! by Jenny Offill and Chris Appelhans is a new entry into the picture book sub-genre of kids with unusual pets. The beginning of Sparky! reminded me quite a bit of A Promise Is A Promise by Florence Parry Heide and Tony Auth in which, after several crazy attempts at pets are shot down, a boy ends up with a pet parrot. In Sparky!, a girl keeps asking and asking for a pet, and is finally told that she can have a pet if she can find one that "doesn't need to be waked or bathed or fed." The girl comes up with a sloth. Sparky! is the story of what it's like to have one of "the laziest animals in the world" as one's pet.

Sparky mostly just sleeps in a tree. He's not very good at King of the Mountain or Hide-and-Seek, but he's champion at Statue. When a (not very understanding) girl from school criticizes Sparky, the narrator attempts to teach him tricks, and hosts a performance. The results are not impressive. In the end, however, (and this is conveyed in a subtle fashion) the girl makes peace with the limitations of her pet, and just appreciates him. 

While unusual pet stories are fairly common, Sparky! has a nice, subtle humor that worked for me. Like this:

"That weekend, Mary Potts came over to investigate.
Let me show you what Mary Potts is like.
This is a picture of her room."

The accompanying picture shows a drawing (like a kid drew it) of a big-mouthed girl. Certificates hang on her wall for "Excellence in Permission-Slip Compliance" and "Most Likely to Chew Close-Mouthed in Lunchroom." 

I think what I like is that the narrator just quietly keeps trying. She never complains about having a somewhat lame pet. When she holds a show for Sparky she dresses in a crown and cape and asks her mother "Do I look like a ringmaster?" Her mother tells her "You look very interesting." I respected the mother's ability to be honest without being mean. 

Appelhans' watercolor and pencil illustrations match the tone of Sparky! He uses a muted palette and minimalist backgrounds. He perfectly captures the droopiness of Sparky pretty much all the time and the girl's quiet hopefulness.   

Sparky! is not a dramatic, exciting sort of book. Instead, it's the kind of book that makes readers smile, and that you appreciate more on the second reading than on the first. Sparky! is a quiet celebration of loyalty towards an unconventional friend. I read this from a library copy, but I am strongly tempted to purchase my own copy. Recommended, particularly for first and second graders. 

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (@RandomHouseKids) 
Publication Date: March 11, 2014
Source of Book: Library copy, checked out for Round 1 Cybils consideration in Fiction Picture Books. All opinions are my own. 

© 2015 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 and iBooks affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).