Jen Robinson's Book Page

Charles Darwin's Around-the-World Adventure: Jennifer Thermes

Book: Charles Darwin's Around the World Adventure
Author: Jennifer Thermes
Pages: 48
Age Range: 5-8

Charles Darwin's Around the World Adventure by Jennifer Thermes is a nonfiction picture book focused on a five-year voyage that Charles Darwin took as a young man that strongly influenced his scientific discoveries. Charles, chosen to be the naturalist aboard a ship mapping measurements of South America in 1831, writes about his wondrous findings and collects various natural specimens. The book describes some of Charles' key discoveries at various points along his voyage, while rendering Charles as a real, accessible person to young readers. We learn about Charles' sea-sickness, for example, and how he felt when he experienced his first earthquake. 

Here's a snippet, to give you a feel for Thermes' writing:

"Charles dug up bones of ancient sloth-like creatures, including a giant Megatherium, buried on the beach. How many of these huge creatures once roamed the earth? Why had they disappeared? 

He studied the rocks and tried to figure out how steep cliffs and flat plains were formed. Was it possible that the shape of the land affected the animals' survival?" 

Thermes' illustrations are detailed, with labeled maps interspersed between images of Charles and his experiences. A map on the book's end pages shows Charles' journey as a whole, with an accompanying timeline. Although the main text is fairly detailed in and of itself, there are also end notes, sources, fun facts, and recommendations for further reading. There is a LOT here to keep an interested elementary-schooler reading and studying. My six-year-old was utterly engaged in Charles' story, though we did not pore over map in detail. 

Charles Darwin's Around the World Adventure is top-quality narrative non-fiction, featuring a likable historical figure, interesting plant and animal facts, and well-mapped journey. This is a book that belongs in libraries and classrooms severing first through third graders, everywhere. Highly recommended!

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (@AbramsKids)
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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).

Hap-pea All Year: Keith Baker

Book: Hap-pea All Year
Author: Keith Baker
Pages: 40
Age Range: 3-6

Hap-pea All Year is the fourth book in Keith Baker's The Peas series (which started with LMNO Peas). These are basically concept books featuring cute little pea-characters doing their thing in a world of large letters and numbers. Hap-pea All Year introduces preschoolers to the twelve months of the year, and their associated seasons and holidays. Each page spread shows the month written out in giant letters, with the tiny peas cavorting in seasonally appropriate ways, and brief rhyming text that highlights something about that month. For example:

"Hap-pea February! Deliver valentines.
Count to twenty-eight -- or leap to twenty-nine." 

This example may require explanation from a parent for younger listeners, though my six-year-old understood it just fine. My personal favorite text accompanies August:

"Hap-pea August! Bait a fishing hook.
Nap in cool shade, reread your favorite book."

But of course it's the illustrations that make Hap-pea All Year fun. In all cases, Baker uses colors and tone appropriate to the month in question (e.g. yellow for the sunny August). The letters are shown as lightly textured, with the subtle patterns containing extra hints about the month in question. The sky looms large in all of the page spreads, too, particularly July, with a star-filled sky. And the peas covert in endless, joyful ways, from sledding and skiing in January to camping in July to raking leaves and wearing Halloween costumes in October. One of the peas holds a little sign indicating the month number each month, and I'm sure there are other details that I missed on my first couple of reads through the book. 

Fans of The Peas series, and libraries serving preschoolers everywhere, will definitely and to add Hap-pea All Year to their collections. It's a book that offers mild-age appropriate educational facts, keeping things fun all the while. This is a book that simply made my daughter and I happier from reading it. Recommended!

Publisher: Beach Lane Books (@SimonKids)
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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: December 23: #GrowthMindset, Holiday Advice + Young Advanced Readers

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include #BookLists, #DiverseBooks, #GrowthMindset, #ReadAloud, #STEM, bibliotherapy, book awards, book series, Escape Adulthood, free range kids, gift guides, growing bookworms, holidays, parenting, and play. Wishing all who celebrate it a joyful Christmas weekend!

Book Lists + Awards

62 Essential (and less common) #ReadAloud Books for Families from @momandkiddo   #kidlit #BookList https://t.co/QUx5SYtiSl

Timely #BookList from @TrevorHCairney  | 26 Children's Books About the #ChristmasStory http://ow.ly/65Hl307nvY6  #PictureBooks

Ten Fiercely Fabulous Female Heroines, a #BookList by middle school librarian Megan Fink @nerdybookclub  http://ow.ly/X35z307dDha  #YA

Tween-Friendly Romance Titles | The Upper Deck | #BookList from Tara Kron @sljournal  http://ow.ly/mtKY307lKvP  #kidlit

Some of our favorites here: 10 Great Wintry #PictureBooks – #BookList from @tashrow  http://ow.ly/M6kP307lcWD  | I would also add Blizzard

Not Entirely Human: A Top Ten List of Gay characters in #YA #ScienceFiction + fantasy by Rob Bittner @nerdybookclub https://t.co/wO4SzdbyFq

Here's a nice recap of "Best of 2016" #kidlit lists from Classroom Bookshelf @sljournal http://ow.ly/Mbqy307gwVx  @HornBook @KirkusReviews etc

Ten Books To Introduce Kids (of any age! Adults, too!) to #Shakespeare by @lostinthree @nerdybookclub  http://ow.ly/EWvY307nvLN  #kidlit

Events and Programs

This is very fun, w/ quirky holidays every day: Celebrate Everything 2017 Wall Calendar  | I received from @kimandjason http://ow.ly/biqK307dCiP 

Gift Guides and Holiday Advice

Ideal Gift Books for the #STEM Lover in All of Us from @RandomlyReading  http://ow.ly/PJL4307eFge  | #NationalGeographic #Lego + more

How to Give Books that Will Be Loved @5M4B http://ow.ly/PND0307iTGa  #GiftGuides | Keep it fun, make it beautiful, + more

Let’s Shine Together | @kimandjason suggests ways to shine some light into the world this holiday season https://t.co/4t0ebGItbF

10 Reasons #Books Make Great #HolidayGifts, from Wendie Old http://ow.ly/5TSb307nS49  | Easier to wrap than a hockey stick

Maybe useful for some as holiday gatherings approach: 5 Ways to Cope with a Difficult Person from @raisinghappines https://t.co/KIcUXzTtDV 

Growing Bookworms

How #educators + #parents can harness the Power of a Series to hook kids on #reading Katie Muhtaris @nerdybookclub https://t.co/3M93EFLj1U

Books for Young Advanced Readers - Resources, rules of thumb, + #BookList from @thisreadingmama   #RaisingReaders http://ow.ly/VyTT307eEUC 

Many American Adults Don't Read, But That Doesn't Mean their Kids Can't Learn  #LoveOfBooks @KenzaMoller @romper http://ow.ly/6TCT307dEDX 

Growth Mindset

Carol Dweck Explains The ‘False’ #GrowthMindset That Worries Her | @MindShiftKQED  http://ow.ly/Gyn3307dCWx  via @drdouggreen

Developing a #GrowthMindset within a Culture of Compliance – fighting habit of praise @ReadByExample  http://ow.ly/Gu9O307dEJn  #AlfieKohn

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

I share @medinger 's skepticism about @kinderguides | Monica links here  http://ow.ly/nvM7307guGT  to @nytimes piece by @xanalter

This makes sense. @DisneyHyperion Announces New Riordan @camphalfblood Imprint devoted to mythology-based #kidlit https://t.co/9bzjNQ1om5

Apparently there are "book doctors" who dress in doctor's coats and offer #bibliotherapy Rx  Sarah Sloat @WSJ https://t.co/VwLj5XDg09

Parenting

Study finds what people think is judging risk to kids is really making moral judgements of parents @washingtonpost https://t.co/kgjHXoGOeD

What Skill Will Help Your Child Succeed at Anything? Working hard, says @lessonsfromyest and I agree http://ow.ly/x2JN307iNcl 

New Ideas on Teaching Kids #AttitudeOfGratitude during the holidays from Bethany Todd + @LauraBarrEd https://t.co/B1RGEawrpF

Play

"Brave" | kids making their own risk-assessments should be part of childhood | @TheTeacherTom  http://ow.ly/kjkW307eFzq  via @sxwiley #play

#Recess Responses: Challenging 5 Common Excuses for the Removal of Playtime @NotJustCute  http://ow.ly/2nsv307eFno  via @sxwiley #play

Schools and Libraries

Brave but vital | Teaching Tough Topics – An Exploration into Suicide Prevention for middle schoolers http://ow.ly/Z6H4307dD6n  @pernilleripp 

Nice essay @WSJ on why college students should seek out opportunities to engage with people of different viewpoints https://t.co/3VwtDkYXQU

4 Non-Negotiables for #Schools from @gcouros  http://ow.ly/NvBA307dDCv  | I especially like "They stoke curiosity, not extinguish it"

We do not need many $ worth of new tech for #GlobalCollaboration, we can start w/ @twitter says @pernilleripp https://t.co/3fG1T1xaTw

© 2016 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. 

Penguin Problems: Jory John and Lane Smith

Book: Penguin Problems
Author: Jory John
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3-7

Penguin Problems, written by Jory John and illustrated by Lane Smith, is the story of a cranky little penguin who complains about everything. When a mature walrus shares some perspective, the penguin considers whether or not a better attitude is warranted. But overall, his personality remains fairly consistent throughout the story. He's like a preschool-age, penguin-shaped version of Alexander of Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day fame. 

The text in Penguin Problems is written in short, punch text, and the problems are those that preschoolers will be able to understand, even in cases where they may not directly relate. Like this (over four pages:

"It snowed some more last night,
and I don't even like the snow.

It's too bright out here.

I'm hungry.
I'd like a fish.
Where are all the fish?!

HEY!
FISH!
GET OUT HERE!

I'm not buoyant enough.
I sink like a dumb rock."

Buoyant is about as tough as Penguin Problems gets, vocabulary-wise. But can't you just hear the penguin's tone, alternating between whiny and belligerent? 

Lane Smith's illustrations show the penguin as sleepy in his earliest cranky moments of the story. He's also identical-looking to all of the other penguins. This is one of his complaints. The funniest illustration is one in which the penguin laments looking silly when he waddles. There's a page split into four panel. The first three show the penguin tilting in one direction, then another. In the last panel he stands there and says "See?". I snorted with laughter. There's also a funny bit in which he's looking for his parents, but can't find them because all of the penguins look the same. Near the end, when the penguin rails against his many problems, and the fact that "nobody even cares", his slumping posture will be recognized by parents everywhere. 

It's a fact that at least ought to be self-evident that kids like books about penguins. The little unnamed penguin in Penguin Problems has particular appeal, by virtue of his delightfully cranky behavior. And I love the fact that he is NOT, in fact, reformed instantly after being shown the error of his ways. Jory John and Lane Smith make a good team - the interplay between text and illustrations is both seamless and humorous. Penguin Problems belongs in libraries and preschool / kindergarten classrooms everywhere. Recommended!

Publisher:  Random House Children's Books (@RandomHouseKids)  
Publication Date: September 27, 2016
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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).

Christmas in the Barn: Margaret Wise Brown & Anna Dewdney

Book: Christmas in the Barn
Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrator: Anna Dewdney
Pages: 40
Age Range: 3-8

Christmas in the Barn is a picture book featuring text written by Margaret Wise Brown in 1952 paired with new illustrations by Anna Dewdney (of Llama, Llama fame). This book debuted shortly after Anna Dewdney's death in September, lending a certain poignancy to its release. In any event, Christmas in the Barn is a perfect pairing of Margaret Wise Brown's rhythmic text and Dewdney's gentle illustrations. 

Christmas in the Barn tells the story of the nativity, but with a strong focus on the animals in the barn, and the lightest possible touch on the religious aspects of the story. Like this:

"And there they were all safe and warm
All together in that ancient barn

When hail--the first wail of a newborn babe reached the night
Where one great star was burning bright

And shepherds with their sheep
Are come to watch him sleep."

While there's no overt naming of names (God, Jesus, etc.), Brown includes classic references like "Because there was no room at the inn" and "Away in a manger, no crib for his bed." Dewdney, while giving the animals distinct personalities, and often keeping the humans in shadow, gives the star pride of place, and casts a soft glow around the family as the shepherds arrive. The words and pictures are equally lovely and full of quiet joy. 

There is just enough rhyme to encourage repeat read-alouds, but not so much as to be sing-songy, or to take away from the importance of the book's topic. Christmas in the Barn would be a perfect bedtime book to read on Christmas Eve. The text and illustrations are reverent, warm, and soothing. Highly recommended, and definitely going on our "keep" shelf. 

Publisher: HarperCollins (@HarperChildrens)
Publication Date: September 20, 2016
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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).

Growing Bookworms Newsletter: December 18: 11 Year Blog Birthday Edition

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 has refocused this year, and now contains content from my blog focused on growing joyful learners, including bookworms, mathematicians, and learners of all types. The newsletter is sent out every two to three weeks.

Newsletter Update:  In this issue I have five book reviews (picture book and middle grade), one post with my daughter's latest literacy milestone (reading in bed on her ow), and three posts with links that I shared recently on Twitter. This will be the last issue of the Growing Bookworms newsletter for 2016. I'll be taking some vacation time at home over the holidays, though I do have reviews scheduled. 

I didn't do a separate post, but also wanted to mention that yesterday was the 11 year anniversary of the day I started this blog. Hard to believe that 11 years have gone by. I am grateful for the experience and for the fellow book-lovers I have met along the way. 

Reading Update: In the past two weeks I two four chapter book/middle grade, and four adult novels. I read/listened to: 

• Liam O'Donnell (ill. Aurelie Grand): West Meadows Detectives: The Case of the Maker Mischief. Owlkids Book. Illustrated Chapter Book. Completed December 7, 2016 (read-aloud to my daughter). This definitely measures up to the first book, and I hope that others are published in this series. 
• Peter Meisel (ill. Paul Meisel): Stinky Spike: The Pirate Dog. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Illustrated Early Reader. Completed December 12, 2016, print ARC. Review to come. 
• Margaret Mizushima: Stalking Ground (Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries). Crooked Lane Press. Adult Mystery. Completed December 1, 2016, on MP3. Although I like the characters and setting, I found the plot a bit predictable in this one. 
• Sara Paretsky: Guardian Angel (V. I. Warshawski #7). Dell Books. Adult Mystery. Completed December 12, 2016, on MP3. The plot in this novel was a bit all over the place, though I'll surely continue with the series. 
• P.J. Tracy: The Sixth Idea (Monkeewrench). G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery. Completed December 15, 2016, on MP3. These books are always intriguing. 
• Janet Evanovich: Turbo Twenty-Three (Stephanie Plum). Bantam. Adult Mystery. Completed December 18, 2016, on MP3. This book made me laugh out loud on several occasions. The plot is almost beside the point.

I'm reading The Impossible Clue by Sarah Rubin and listening to A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden) by Charlaine Harris. As you can see by the fact that just about all of my reading lately has consisted of audiobooks, I have not had very much time to sit down and read. It's a busy time of year, and I can't seem to get through more than about 10 pages reading in bed before I fall asleep. 

We haven't read very many picture books to my daughter of late. [You can see our reading list for the year here.] This is partly because our schedule has been disrupted, but also because she has become very interested in listening to chapter books. She is interested, but doesn't necessarily have the focus to listen to a longer title all the way through. We are currently part way through The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik (an early Christmas gift from a thoughtful neighbor), the illustrated Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay (our second or third try), and The Homework Strike by Greg Pincus.

She is actually most interested in The Homework Strike at the moment. Although it's a bit above her age level, reading it together has led us to some interesting discussions about the Revolutionary War, taxation without representation, and why and how people go on strike. Just further validation that YES, you should keep reading aloud to kids after they are able to read on their own. She does not have the vocabulary or the scaffolding to read this particular book on her own. But she is doing pretty well, as long as I stop to explain things. And this is what she's interested in right now, which is the important thing. I think the fact that I know the author helps, too. 

My husband is reading her Mike's Gang by Rosemary Weir (one of his childhood favorites) during their bedtime reading. 

I've been continuing to share all of my longer reads, as well as highlights from my picture book reads with my daughter, via the #BookADay hashtag on Twitter, though I may stop that now with the end of the year. Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms. I wish you all a joyful holiday season, and many books to read in the New Year. 

© 2016 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: December 16: Gift Guides, Screen Free Week, and Reading Aloud

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include: #BookLists, #DiverseBooks, #JoyfulLeaders, #PictureBooks, #ReadAloud, #ScreenFreeWeek, #STEM, charitable giving, gift guides, growing bookworms, Hanukkah books, libraries, literacy, and schools. 

Book Lists

Three #PictureBooks featuring Crabby Characters, a short #BookList from @MaryLeeHahn  http://ow.ly/yZTW3078HAX 

Move Over, Shmelf…There Are Other Children's Hanukkah Books on the Shelf — @HornBook  http://ow.ly/6MPN3078GIO  #BookList

Best #PictureBooks of 2016 per @bottomshelfbks @HuffingtonPost  http://ow.ly/ltHy307aFb3  | includes plenty of #DiverseBooks

21 Winter Books for Preschoolers, a #BookList from @growingbbb  http://ow.ly/Jtj4307aWP0  #PictureBooks

51 (less well-known) Must Read Chapter Books for Kids (Not Your Typical Book List) http://ow.ly/g0mj3078Gqw  @momandkiddo #BookList #kidlit

Twenty 2016 titles your Grade 4 and 5 classroom library must have! | @CarrieGelson  http://ow.ly/vqbx3078Hrq  #BookList #kidlit 

Some recommended #science books for kids @guyslitwire from @chasingray  http://ow.ly/eM3x307aFuu  #BookList #STEM #kidlit

Diversity

Broadening and Deepening Your #Reading Life by seeking out #DiverseBooks by Katie @thelogonauts @nerdybookclub https://t.co/9BSd4gzrR3

Why @abbylibrarian is following the #OwnVoices movement, reading #DiverseBooks by people from diverse communities http://ow.ly/r8dX307aX6c 

Events + Programs

This makes sense: #ScreenFreeWeek to Partner with Children’s Book Week May 1-7, 2017 http://ow.ly/GZSZ3078C6B  #CBW @CBCBook @PublishersWkly

Perfect for the holidays: The 2016 Bookish Charitable Giving Guide — @100scopenotes http://ow.ly/XY4r306YWWw  @FirstBook @RIFWEB + more

Nice to see the results of an amazing #CyberWeek of gift-giving for @BallouLibrary http://ow.ly/bLPZ3078H6G  @chasingray

Growing Bookworms

What should you do when students have already read or heard the book you were going to #ReadAloud ? @ReadByExample https://t.co/P0abjcX3Y0

Thoughts from @JGCanada on why #Reading together / #ReadingAloud to kids, is important https://t.co/Caa6NRM7a9

A #Librarian's Quest to Create A New Kind of #BookClub for dift learning styles by Sarah FItzHenry @nerdybookclub https://t.co/U11QeYb4Fj

5 reasons why your kid should read to a dog from @JGCanada  http://ow.ly/uK633078IBB  #ReadingAloud

Gift Guides

Gift Books 2016: 25 #PictureBooks to Gift this Season http://ow.ly/Jt8W3078EBr  @CarrieGelson | Do they bring joy? 

Schools and Libraries

This should inspire a book | Growing Up in a #Library Is As Magical As You'd Imagine | @atlasobscura   via @tashrow https://t.co/NG7DnFOmL5

#JoyfulLeaders: A Hashtag is Born | with 10 habits of #JoyfulLeaders from @bethhill2829  http://ow.ly/OzDE3078FXv  #teaching

STEM

Guest Post @CynLeitichSmith | Brian Anderson Collaborating with His Daughter Amy on Space Dictionary for Kids http://ow.ly/aktE307aFHt  #STEM

Turn children on to #science + sense of inquiry through #reading : @NatureNews via @tashrow  http://ow.ly/lT2e306YW1f  #STEM #kidlit

© 2016 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. 

Beautiful Blue World: Suzanne LaFleur

Book: Beautiful Blue World
Author: Suzanne LaFleur
Pages: 224
Age Range: 8-12

Beautiful Blue World by Suzanne LaFleur is a lovely middle grade novel about the power of love and the abilities of children in the face of war. Sofarende is a country in an alternate world that is at war with its two recently united southern neighbors. People are hungry and scared and many of the men have gone off to fight. Bombs are falling on the city in which 12-year-old Mathilde lives with her parents and two younger sisters. Mathilde's greatest solace in the face of uncertainty is her life-long friendship with another girl, Megs. As things look more and more bleak for Sofarende, the government issues a call for children age 12 to 14. A test will be given, and those selected will be sent away to do unspecified work for the war effort, their families well-compensated. This test changes everything for Mathilde and Megs. 

Technically, Beautiful Blue World is a fantasy, since the set of countries and war in the story are made up. However, there are no magical elements. Sofarende feels a lot like a small European town, circa World War I. There are trains and factories, but I didn't notice cars. Certainly there are no cell phones or other aspects of modern technology. Focusing on an alternate world, rather than on, say, World War I Europe, allows the author to maintain suspense about the outcome of the war, and even the causes and motivations of the invading armies. 

Mathilde is an interesting character. Although this is a first person narrative, the reader will come to understand Mathilde's unique strengths, even as she considers herself ordinary. LaFleur's writing is spare but moving. I didn't flag very many passages as I was reading, because I was so caught up on wondering what was going to happen next. Caught up not by a fast-moving plot but by characters that I quickly came to care about. Here are the two passages that I did flag. The first is Mathilde's thoughts as she is about to separate from Megs:

"I tried not to use words. I tried not to picture.

Hundreds of walks to school, and almost as many back home. Hundreds of summer days. Splashing in the stream. Snowball fights and forts. Braids that had started chin-length and had grown past shoulders. Shared lunches. Snacks. Stories. Smiles. Secrets. Whispers. Walks. Today. 

Eyes still closed, I found the girl sitting across from me. Felt her out." (page 72, ARC)

The second is Mathilde's thoughts as she is being separated from her mother:

"Then Mother's thinner arms clung to me. She moved a hand from my back to my head, pressing me against her chest. I could hear her heart beating; I closed my eyes, remembering it deep within me as the first sound I'd ever heard." (Page 78)

This second scene brought a few tears to my eyes, as did other scenes throughout this book. Although there is quite a bit of tension, as well as sadness, Beautiful Blue World also has small moments of humor. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I certainly hope that a sequel will be forthcoming soon. I wasn't expecting a cliffhanger ending, and I did find the conclusion of the book to feel a bit rushed. But I remained captivated throughout. While I do think that this a book that adult gatekeepers (librarians, etc.) are going to love, I think that Beautiful Blue World has enough suspense to appeal very much to middle grade readers, too. Highly recommended, and a book that I would not be surprised to hear about come award season. 

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books  
Publication Date: September 13, 2016
Source of Book: Advanced review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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).

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina: Kara LaReau + Jen Hill

Book: The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina
Author: Kara LaReau
Illustrator: Jen Hill
Pages: 176
Age Range: 8-12

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina is the first of a new apparent series of illustrated chapter books written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Jen Hill. I hope it's a series, anyway, because it's a fun book featuring unusual characters. 

The Bland sisters, Jaundice and Kale, live on their own in Dullsville. They lead a very quiet, predictable life, eating the same food every day and reading from a single book. Their parents left on an "errand" several years earlier and have not returned. But the girls, who only dimly remember their parents, are managing just fine. Right up until the day that a female pirate comes to the door and kidnaps them. Kale and Jaundice end up dragged along on an adventure that is not at all comfortable or predictable, but that young readers are sure to find entertaining.

The tone of The Jolly Regina reminds me a bit of Maryrose Wood's Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, in which a relatively prim person is surprised to find herself in the midst of unlikely and dangerous circumstances. I found the Bland sisters also to be a sort of fun house image of Pippi Longstocking. Like Pippi, they are self-sufficient and happy to live alone without a parent. Unlike Pippi, they are utterly dull and not even a little bit brave. When something seems perilous, they simply close their eyes and (never successfully) wish the situation away. Here's a snippet:

"Jaundice and Kale pride themselves on their exacting routine. After breakfast (plain oatmeal with skim milk, a cup of weak, tepid tea on the side) they tend to their business of darning other people's socks, which takes the better part of the day. Each allows herself one ten-minute brea, during which she eats a cheese sandwich on day-old break and drinks a glass of flat soda while gazing out the window, watching the grass grow.

The Bland Sisters look forward most to the evenings, when they entertain themselves by reading the dictionary to each other, then staring at the wallpaper until they fall asleep." (Page 3, ARC)

The vocabulary in The Jolly Regina is quite advanced for what a book with short, heavily illustrated chapters.  I'd put this one more in the middle grade than early chapter book camp. Each chapter begins with the definition (and a short sketch) of a word that will be used in the chapter, such as "paraphernalia", "vehemence", and "anthropology". Other rich words, like "fiasco" are used in the text but not necessarily defined. 

There's also a fair bit of wordplay that almost borders on inappropriate - I think that it will make young readers giggle and feel mature. For instance, a pirate ship manned by men is called the Testoroso, while the female-crewed ship is the Jolly Regina. There are a lot of references to "booty" in the context of the male/female battle (of words and swords) between the two ships. We learn that "the crew of the Jolly Regina were not only pillagers and plunderers. They were also ruthless depantsers" and that "Cap'n Ann had the biggest booty ye ever laid eyes on! The Bland Sisters tried to imagine this, with mixed results."  

It is, of course, nice to see that the strong characters in this book (pirate captains and such) are all female, without the book having any hint of sparkly pink that could turn off male readers. This is a book featuring rat stew and pirates marooning people on deserted islands, albeit with the added humor of a singing ship's cook, and puns like "Captain Ann Tennille".

Also worth noting are various hints that the sisters are (or at least Kale is) on the autism spectrum and/or have OCD. Here are a couple of hints:

""Hmm," Kale said. "I seem to recall crying whenever our mother tried to coax us into venturing outside. The sun always felt so harsh and the flowers seemed too fragrant, and the laughter of other children hurt my ears."" (Page 46, ARC)

and

"Kale sighed. She was enjoying counting sand, as it gave her the same feeling she had when she watched the grass grow at home. She felt peaceful, almost sleepy, as if she were not really thinking, or using her brain at all." (Page 131, ARC)

 

I think it's a triumph that LaReau was able to create two heroines who are smart but also intellectually quirky, and who are determinedly NOT interesting, without making the book itself the least bit boring. I especially appreciated the Bland Sisters' choice at the end of the book. 

 

The illustrations in the advance copy that I read were not complete, but there's enough to suggest that they add humor and action to the story. I flagged quite a number of passages and illustrations as I went through, and certainly laughed aloud on more than one occasion. I think that The Jolly Regina is a fun addition to the ranks of not-so-realistic (in a good way) illustrated fiction for middle grade readers. I hope to see future books in the series. Recommended!

Publisher: Amulet Books (@AbramsKids) 
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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: December 9: Multicultural Children's Book Day + Computer Science Education Week

Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include #BookLists, #DiverseBooks, #ELL, #Homework, #math, #poetry, #STEM, coding, gift guides, libraries, Multicultural Children's Book Day, picture books, PISA, re-reading, schools, and testing. 

Book Lists

51 (Unconventional + #Diverse ) #PictureBooks You Must Read to Your Kids, 3 age ranges  @momandkiddo #BookList https://t.co/GiugjHofjo

7 New #PictureBooks That Celebrate Winter | #BookList from @rebeccazdunn  http://ow.ly/XTiH306UmMg 

Our 2016 Favorites List: Libros Latinxs | #BookList from @LatinosInKidLit  http://ow.ly/Mkrs306WT8l  #PictureBooks to #YA

Events + Programs

Multicultural Children's Book Day in January 27th - Meet the Co-Hosts http://ow.ly/xXht306PP6e  @RandomlyReading @Scholastic #DiverseBooks

Gift Guides

Give Your Kids Books for Christmas (Recommendations Plus Free Printable Bookplates) @housefullbkwrms  http://ow.ly/7Zhn306Sivm  #kidlit 

Some fun stuff in this guide to #Literary-ish Stocking Stuffers from @chasingray  http://ow.ly/XG1U306Umx7 

List of Holiday Gifts that Support Creative #Play from @LauraBarrEd  http://ow.ly/F4wd306Uwc1  #DressUp #Pretend #Building

Growing Bookworms

In defense of Repeat Readers by @KirchnerJulie @nerdybookclub  http://ow.ly/6eBo306LmCg  | Does it hurt if a child re-reads a book?

Kidlitosphere

#Kidlit Bloggers: Don't Miss the Call for Roundup Hosts for #PoetryFriday http://ow.ly/weNo306Lmiz  @MaryLeeHahn @frankisibberson #poetry

2016’s Most Memorable Moments in Children’s and #YA Literature | @dcorneal @ReadBrightly  http://ow.ly/R6PI306X3p3  #kidlit

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

When We Want to Believe So Badly that we accept (and pass along) results that are not credible http://ow.ly/ugpW306PLJs  @ShawnaCoppola

Schools and Libraries

Founding a Better Kindergarten - wanting more #JoyOfLearning these parents started their own school http://ow.ly/ywE6306POBA  @HeatherShumaker

Love it! Would You Believe: A Real Life #HomeworkStrike in Spain http://ow.ly/3UrB306PMTx  @gregpincus has the scoop! 

What America Can Learn About Smart Schools in Other Countries from models predicting #PISA results http://ow.ly/S3Hg306SnAg  @UpshotNYT #math

Four Youth #Librarians Among 2016 “I Love My Librarian” Winners | @RoccoA @sljournal  http://ow.ly/Ru45306SogK 

Copying Singapore’s #Math Homework - @WSJ OpEd suggests countries should learn from each other's educational systems https://t.co/vRrbMnkg94

STEM

Celebrate #ComputerScience Education Week with Gene Yang and the Secret Coders @alybee930  http://ow.ly/id1Y306Sien  @secret_coders #STEM

Infographic: Breaking Barriers to #Math Success for English Language Learners http://ow.ly/fZAQ306Sl8I  #ELL @MIND_Research #STEM

© 2016 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 Homework Strike: Greg Pincus

Book: The Homework Strike
Author: Greg Pincus
Pages: 272
Age Range: 8-12

The Homework Strike by Greg Pincus is a sequel to The 14 Fibs of Gregory K (reviewed here), though it's not necessary to have read the first book. Gregory K., math-impaired middle child of a math-loving family, is now in seventh grade. He loves writing, especially poetry, but he finds himself with little time to write, because he spends 3 hours or more each day doing homework. Gregory is struggling, burned out, and, eventually, angry that homework is taking away time for the other pursuits that he and his friends enjoy. And so, with some subtle encouragement from his history teacher, Gregory goes on strike. It's when he's on strike that Gregory finds himself working harder and learning more than he would have ever imagined. 

The Homework Strike is a timely take on an issue that is getting attention around the country. While I don't know of any actual student-directed strikes (yet), there are certainly schools that are experimenting with reducing or eliminating homework. And there are plenty of news stories and even entire books about how homework is leading to burn-out among students, especially those in middle school and high school. Regular readers know that reducing homework levels is an issue near and dear to my own heart. The Homework Strike is a book that would have caught my attention on this front alone. The fact that it's written by a friend and features characters that I enjoyed in a previous book makes it, for me, that much more irresistible. But I shall endeavor to be objective. 

The Homework Strike is something of a primer for social activism via strikes, without feeling like a primer. What keeps the book from feeling didactic in this regard is Gregory's strong first-person voice. Gregory is figuring everything out as he goes along, with some support from his teacher and his parents. Some references are mentioned, and Gregory does read them and refer to them, but this is all in the context of Gregory's journey. References to Click, Clack, Moo and Yertle the Turtle are a bonus (as is a quote from The Princess Bride movie). Gregory's parents are realistically concerned, and impose grounding at one point over grades, but are ultimately awesomely supportive.

The author uses The Homework Strike to make what I find to be valid points about the negatives of homework, while defending the efforts and intentions of teachers themselves (a potentially fine line). Only the heavy-handed school principal really comes off as a bad guy (and someone had to be the bad guy). Particular attention is paid to the difficulty of homework for kids who have learning challenges (one character is revealed to by dyslexic, for example, and requires extra time), and to the many creative interests that kids might have outside of school (writing, painting, making videos, etc.). While I might personally have liked to see Gregory dig up some of the research that has questioned the value of homework, I can see that this could have bogged down the story for middle grade readers. 

Here's one of Gregory's friends on the impact of homework:

"I have a theory that they removed two hours from the day this summer while we weren't looking," Benny chimed in. "That would explain why I no longer have time for reading for pleasure, watching TV, or practicing violin." (Page 23, ARC)

And here's Gregory:

"Gregory knew his friends were probably right about, well, about everything. But school was hard for him -- he left a day of it exhausted and drained -- and homework was harder. He even kind liked school, really, or at least the best classes were enough to make the other classes tolerable. But it just all seemed off to him somehow. Like there was so much attention focused on knowledge he'd never need and skills he wouldn't use, and no time to develop the ones he felt would be important where his life would take him." (Page 42, ARC)

I love Gregory's group of friends, kids who don't fit in to any of the traditional groups (jocks, popular kids, stoners, etc.), but who are ok because they have each other. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, academically and otherwise. And I like that these friends support Gregory but don't blindly follow him into going on strike. I also enjoyed a running theme through the book about whether or not something would make Gregory's calf hurt. You see, his best friend Kelly moved away after the first book. Kelly would always kick him in the calf when she though he was doing something stupid. Even with her living far away, Gregory still gets phantom pains when he knows that she would have kicked him for something. She's like his (painful) conscience. 

There is some risk that The Homework Strike will make elementary school kids worry about the homework burden that is to come with middle school, but I'm pretty sure that they'll be hearing about this in the real world anyway. [My daughter is in first grade and I already have a sense of which teachers give a lot of homework in the upper grade of her elementary school.] The Homework Strike just might give them some ideas for coping, together with positive messages about standing up for yourself and being loyal to your friends and family members. It's really more about larger issues like the relative power of kids vs. adults. 

I think that The Homework Strike is a book that belongs in school libraries everywhere, not just for the messages regarding homework and control, but because Gregory is such an engaging and realistic character, with a strong family. There are fun poems at the start of every chapter, too. This is a book that will particularly speak to kids who feel like outsiders at school (and isn't that most middle schoolers?), and to anyone who has ever felt powerless. Highly recommended for kids age 8 and up, and for their parents, too. [My six-year-old noticed what I was reading and had me read a chunk of this book aloud to her, too.]

Publisher:  (@Scholastic) 
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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).

A Well-Mannered Young Wolf: Jean Leroy + Matthieu Maudet

Book: A Well-Mannered Young Wolf
Author: Jean Leroy
Illustrator: Matthieu Maudet
Pages: 30
Age Range: 4-8

A Well-Mannered Young Wolf, written by Jean Leroy and illustrated by Matthieu Maudet, is a darkly humorous tale with an ending that Jon Klassen fans should appreciate. While technically it is a book about the benefits that can come from using proper manners, the deadpan delivery makes it far more entertaining than didactic. The story begins:

"A young wolf, whose parents had taught him good manners, went hunting alone in the forest for the first time."

The wolf catches a rabbit, but is polite enough to offer the rabbit a last request. When the rabbit's request requires the wolf to leave for a time, the rabbit promises to stay put in order to be eaten later. But, of course, when the wolf returns, the rabbit is gone. The frustrated, but still polite, young wolf goes through a similar process with a chicken. But when a young boy is polite enough to keep his word to the wolf, the wolf finds that he wants to reward the boy. In the end, characters get what they deserve (in the sense that polite = deserving). 

Leroy's narration is pitch-perfect for the story. Like this: "Furious, the hunter resumed his search for more prey to devour" and "At the idea of having to return home a third time, the young hunter exploded with rage." 

There's also quite a bit of dialog. And in that dialog are direct references to what is and isn't polite, as taught by the parents of the various characters. A Well-Mannered Young Wolf is a fun text to read aloud. 

Maudet's illustrations have a spare, cartoon-like feel, with a limited color palette. They display a sly sense of humor. For example, the wolf captures the chicken by throwing a book at it. There's a little thundercloud over the wolf's head when he is angry, and we can also tell a lot about what he's feeling from the appearance of his teeth and eyebrows. 

This book was originally published in France, and to me there does seem to be a French sensibility to it, though I'm hard-pressed to express what makes me say that. What I can say is that the ending made me laugh. A Well-Mannered Young Wolf is a quiet title, but one that I think kids with a relatively sophisticated sense of humor will enjoy. Recommended!

Publisher:  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (@eerdmansbooks)
Publication Date: October 3, 2016
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2016 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).