Selznick magic strikes again in Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck written and illustrated by Brian Selznick; published by Scholastic, Inc., New York; 2011.

Ben and Rose are deaf children.  Both have suffered more loss than a child should bear.  Their stories run parallel but are fifty years separated.  Yet by some miracle, their paths cross in New York City.  A common love of museums, art and cabinets of wonders (or curiosities), along with other similarities, will keep them walking a common path into the future.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot of this story for fear of giving away some secrets.  But that’s okay.  There is so very much to cover about Selznick’s second novel.  Like The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Wonderstruck is told as much in images as in words.  In the case of Wonderstruck, the images are the only way Rose’s story is told.  Very clever, IMHO, to tell the story of a deaf girl through images.  Parallel stories told in disparate ways not only makes the book interesting to “read” but also helps readers understand the differences in the characters.

I adored this book because one of the main plot points involves museums.  Ben is a collector and displays his treasures in small, divided boxes, which he discovers is called a “cabinet of curiosities” or a “cabinet of wonder,” the first incarnation of museums.  The museum “character” grows as Ben explores New York’s American Museum of Natural History.  In the Acknowledgments at the end of the book, Selznick discusses how he was inspired by a display at the museum as well as by E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  In fact, the author challenges readers to find a number of references to the book about children who run away to the museum.  Additionally, the Queens Museum of Art’s Panorama of New York City exhibit also plays a pivotal role in the book.  You can see the online exhibit here: http://www.queensmuseum.org/exhibitions/visitpanorama.  So for me, an avowed museum loving librarian, this book was the complete package!

So, obviously, I’m going to recommend that all the museum references made in the book be included on a bookmark to hand out whenever the book is checked out.  Let’s get the kids excited about museums so they can explore their passions and become lifelong learners!

 

Leave it to a middle schooler to know The Meaning of Life…and Other Stuff

Amelia Rules!: The Meaning of Life…and Other Stuff written and illustrated by Jimmy Gownley; Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York; 2011.

NOTE: This review is based on an ARC (advance reading copy) provided for free by the publisher.  The publication information is subject to change.

This was my first introduction to Amelia McBride.  I’m sorry I didn’t know about her, her Aunt Tanner and G.A.S.P. (Gathering of Awesome Super Pals) when I worked in an elementary school library; the fifth graders could’ve used her advice before moving up to middle school.  The Meaning of Life…and Other Stuff is Jimmy Gownley’s seventh installment in the Amelia Rules! series (more due out soon!) and explores some heavy subjects, like the scariness of having a parent serving overseas in the military.  Although in graphic novel/comic book format, the experiences of this young lady are universal, real and sometimes overwhelming, just like the daily life of most middle school students.

I look forward to many more titles in this series.  As a librarian, I’d use these books in a pathfinder for middle school students (like a survival guide, maybe?) and in displays related to middle school.  Perhaps elementary or grade school librarians would want to start promoting the series before students graduate to middle school.  Librarians should refer educators to the series (and the teaching guide, as noted below).

Resources for the series are available from the publisher’s dedicated website (http://series.simonandschuster.net/Amelia-Rules!).  In addition to a teaching guide, high resolution images are available to download and print–perfect for displays.  The site also includes a video by the author about the inspiration for the series (http://www.simonandschuster.net/multimedia?video=70864389001) which would be great for a book discussion group.

Best of all, this is definitely a read-alike option for Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid series.

The Storm in the Barn whisks reader back to dusty Kansas

The Storm in the Barn written and illustrated by Matt Phelan; published by Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts; 2009.

Eleven year old Jack hasn’t seen rain since he was seven.  His sister is struggling with dust pneumonia and members of the community begin to think Jack has “dust dementia.”  It’s 1937 and Kansas has become the Dust Bowl.  When the neighbors move away from the desolation of a dust-covered farm, Jack notices bizarre activity emanating from their locked barn.  In between his trips to explore the barn, life around him becomes more desperate.  All the farmers gather to round up and slaughter rabbits (who have been eating the meager green that dares grow in the dust).  Bullies torment Jack.  But it is Jack, in spite of the world falling apart around him, who is the hero.

Phelan has created a surreal yet dramatically accurate portrayal of the Dust Bowl era.  His illustrations in this graphic novel are predominantly overheated browns when we are following Jack’s historically accurate life.  When folklore or fable appear, in the storekeeper’s “Jack” stories or in scenes within the barn, full color or cool blues tell the story.  It was painful for me to look into the faces of Jack’s parents; Phelan captures the essence of the WPA photos of the Great Depression in their hopeless, gaunt countenances.  And the “phantom” in the barn is frighteningly ominous; I rooted for Jack’s victory but doubted he could vanquish this evil presence.

Words are spare in Phelan’s book.  Incorporating folklore from the era, along with excerpts from L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, not only assist in the storytelling but also put the reader firmly in the time period.  The author’s note at the end of the book helps fill in the blanks of the story as well as put us in his shoes as he created this remarkable project.

It is no wonder this book won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2010, the first graphic novel to do so.  Nor is it surprising that it made ALSC’s Notable Book List.  Paired with Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, the two would help sixth graders understand the desperation of this event in American history.  I’d also be sure to include images from the FSA’s photo project covering the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.  The Library of Congress has created a slideshow in Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157618541455384/) that is invaluable.  This image is from the collection; Phelan must have been affected by this woman because his depiction of Jack’s mother is reminiscent of this photo.

"Migrant Mother" by Dorothea Lange

Teachers will be interested in reading through the suggestions on this website: http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/storminthebarn.html.  Certainly, I would include this book on a pathfinder about the Dust Bowl, especially since upper elementary and middle school students study the era.

Tales from the Crypt #9 is Wickeder

Tales from the Crypt #9: Wickeder by Stefan Petrucha, Maia Kinney-Petrucha, Margo Kinney-Petrucha, Scott
Lobdell, Jim Salicrup, writers; and Diego Jourdan, Rick Parker, James
Romberger, and Marguerite Van Cook, artists; published by Papercutz; 2010.

The Crypt-Keeper returns with his GhouLunatics for the ninth incarnation of twisted tales and peculiar parodies in this graphic novel.  Three tales are introduced by the Crypt-Keeper and friends in ghastly good humor.  The first tale is a sequel.  Because the parody of Diary of a Wimpy Kid was so successful, Glugg returns in “Dead Dog Dies!”  Celebrating his one year death day isn’t all Glugg thought it would be—zombies don’t do gifts.  Thanks to his one living friend, Crowley, Glugg may still have something other than dirt to open.  In the second story, nature takes revenge after an oil spill at an off-shore drilling rig.  “Kill, Baby, Kill!” pits big business, green advocates and a surprise avenger against each other.  Who will win?  The scariest part of this story is how close it hits home.  The graphic novel ends with the Crypt-Keeper’s friend, the Old Witch, presenting a play.  “Wickeder” is based on “Frank N. Balmed’s Wizard of Ooze.”  The story follows Dotty’s trial in the murder of Alfalfa, the Wickeder Witch.  All preconceptions are destroyed in this retelling of a classic story.

Because this graphic novel continues in the Tales of the Crypt tradition, readers will expect a bit of guts and gore with a lot of tongue-in-cheek.  All of that is served with illustrations that seamlessly shift styles to enhance each story.  Add text that delivers shocks and laughs simultaneously and you’ve got a fun read for older tweens.  Parody fans of all ages will find this a satisfying read as well.

For me, the word play was most fun.  The Crypt-Keeper’s puns were fairly obvious but still made me chuckle.  However, the witticisms in the three main stories often had me laughing out, (I apologize to the people sitting near me at library).  That wittiness is why I like this book so much:  I think humor is the best way to coerce reluctant readers into picking up books.  With the humor and terrific art, I expect many reluctant readers will be making friends with the Crypt-Keeper and his GhouLunatics.

I would recommend this book to older tweens that appreciate a little gross-out and a lot of laughs.  Reluctant readers should eat this up, especially those with younger siblings that love Diary of a Wimpy Kid or still put The Wizard of Oz on a continuous play loop on the DVD player.  It’s the perfect addition to the graphic novels in the children’s department at the public library.

More information about the book is available from the publisher at http://www.papercutz.com/crypt/cryptgn9_moreinfo.html.  The Tales from the Crypt series is also represented online at http://www.papercutz.com/tc/tc.html.

(Note: A free copy of this book was provided by the book’s publicist for me to review for Stories for Children Magazine. I include the review here.  Please note that all books I review for Stories for Children Magazine are donated to a local tutoring program for homeless and marginalized families.)

DC Super Heroes unite! Matthew Reinhart strikes again

DC Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book by Matthew Reinhart; published by Little, Brown and Company, New York, 2010.

NOTE: This review is based on an ARC (advance reading copy) provided for free by the publisher.  The cover art, below, and the publication information is subject to change.  Expected release: October 2010.

In the hands of paper engineering marvel Matthew Reinhart, the “super” in these superheroes is revealed in glorious 3-D splendor.  I received a blad (book layout and design) from the publisher, so I only have a single pop-up page to judge.  Well, that’s not quite accurate.  That single page includes 4 mini pages (2 on each side) with such imaginative detail I was floored.  When I first opened the blad, Batman was flying out of Gotham City with determination.  Then I peeked at the mechanical pages on the left and saw a replica of the Batcave and the Batmobile.  To the right, I found Robin and Batgirl in battle poses.  But what blew me away was Joker’s face–he was laughing at me as I opened his demonic page.  Literally laughing, mouth opening and closing with evil glee.  A little terrifying.  A lot impressive.  Priceless.

Oh, I read the story too.  Typical DC Super Hero story and back story.  Seriously, you can get that in a comic book.  You’re going to want this for Reinhart’s art.  And here is where I have a problem with the publisher’s promotion of this book.  The back cover states “For ages 3 and up.”  No way.  Nope.  Just because it’s a pop-up book does not mean it’s for preschoolers.  The storyline alone is for like third grade and up.  It’s more like middle school and up who will get the most from this piece.  So, I definitely would shelve this one with the graphic novels, either for middle schoolers or in young adult.  More likely, I would add it to “must-read” lists for comic book readers, Super Hero fanatics, and anyone who appreciates the intricacies of paper engineering.

Final details about the project can be found at the publisher’s website: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/kids_books_9780316019989.htm.  According to their site:

Critically acclaimed pop-up engineer Matthew Reinhart celebrates the history, heroes, and villains of the DC Universe in this ultimate 3-D masterpiece! Bursting with over 25 impressive pop-ups, this deluxe format features a variety of unique novelty elements-including a light-up Bat-Signal, a cosmic Justice League of America battle scene, a twirling Lasso of Truth, and a transparent Invisible Jet!

Starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and many more favorite DC characters, this momentous pop-up exploration releases just in time for DC Comics’ 75th anniversary. With vibrant illustrations, exciting facts, and an eye-catching design, this is an absolute must-have for DC Super Hero fans of all ages!’

Whoa!  I can’t wait to see the twirling Lasso of Truth!  Wonder Woman is the bomb!  Wish they’d included that page in the blad….  I guess that’s the point: Leave ‘em wanting more!  I’ll be checking this one out!

To dream, to dare, to dance

To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel, illustrated by Mark Siegel; published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York; 2006.

A quick look at the end pages summarizes the story—from a young girl dancing on the beach to a young mother with her child and husband dancing on the beach.  The story opens with Seigel explaining that “big, empty spaces always made me dance”—ah, the end pages explained in just a few words.  Siegel’s story, illustrated by her husband Mark, is a biography that will speak to all children who have a passion for something, but especially for the little girls that spend so many Saturday mornings in ballet class, dreaming of becoming a prima ballerina.  Words and pictures blend into a singular story that tells of the development of her passion.  I can’t imagine this story told in any format other than a graphic novel.  For all these reasons and more, this book was an ALA Notable Children’s Book and was a Sibert honoree.

I would certainly use this to introduce upper elementary students to biographies.  I would also use it in a ballet kit for families to borrow or in a display about careers.  Hmm, I think it would be well-paired with a fiction title in a fiction/non-fiction paired kit, maybe with Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield.

Dreaming of friendship

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon; published by First Second Books, New York; 2007.

The innocent images of Dog and his Robot friend belie the depth of emotion in this wordless graphic novel.  Line art is highlighted with typical graphic novel colors, except when Dog and Robot share a day at the beach, which exhibits warm tones of a sunny day on water.  The passage of time is noted in the chapter titles, the passing of the seasons, and in the types of friends Dog finds as he tries to replace Robot.  The theme of friendship, loss and redemption will probably be lost on the youngest readers but will be accessible to children in upper elementary classes, along with their parents.

I would recommend this book to teachers to stimulate language art skills in storytelling.  I might use it in a program in which the children take turns narrating the story.