Now here’s a girl after my own heart: My Name Is Mina
My Name Is Mina by David Almond; published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, New York; 2010.
Nine year old Mina keeps a journal. What was once a blank book by her bedside is quickly filled with observations of life from her perch in a tree. After some defiant outbursts at school, her widowed mother has decided to homeschool her. Mum offers loving nudges in one direction or another, but for the most part, Mina is exploring the world through her extraordinary writing and observation skills. Although the book appears to be about nothing in particular, by the end Mina’s growth is apparent. Maybe she’s ready to step back into the world of school and friendships.
I really don’t know how to describe this book. Like Mina, it was extraordinary. Almond’s inclusion of “extraordinary activity” suggestions blew me away; I can think of dozens of patrons and former students that would jump at the opportunity to read a book that challenges them to try things Mina tried; to think outside the norm. Expressing Mina’s growth through observations, poems and short stories is remarkable. I did feel like I was reading a diary found under a mattress.
So, who will read this? It is certainly not a book that will appeal to the general population. However, there are so many children, girls in particular, who feel isolated and are looking for characters like them. Well, as Mina discovers at the end of the book, to make friends you only have to introduce yourself. Hello, my name is Mina.
By the way, this book is promoted as the prequel to Skellig. I did not read that book. This one stands on its own as realistic fiction. Don’t let the “prequel” or the “fantasy” terms prevent you from reading or recommending this book!
For more information about the books or the author, and resources that include audio excerpts, visit http://www.davidalmond.com/.
Reluctant eaters chant Rah, Rah, Radishes!
Rah, Rah, Radishes! A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre; published by Beach Lane Books, New York; 2011.
Rooting for vegetables after the overindulgences of the holidays? Have a reluctant eater? Perhaps April Sayre’s gorgeous photos from her local farmer’s market will heighten your appetite for veggies of all kinds and colors. Along with the poetic chant celebrating all things veg, even vegetable snobs will be seeking out some color for their winter dinner plates. Using appetite increasing colors and white fonts adds to the appeal of the harvest on each page.
Of course this is a wonderful book for spring (why we plant gardens) and harvest time (yum), but I would promote this book in the dead of winter just to remind the kids why vegetables are a great addition to the dinner plate. Seriously, how much meat and potatoes can a family eat in the winter? It’s already bland outside, so add color to your plate!
I also adore the author’s note (“A Few More Bites”) at the end of the book explaining what vegetables are and using powers of persuasion to get wee folk to try new veggies. As a librarian, I nearly squealed out loud when I visited the author’s website (www.aprilsayre.com) because she has a list of resources (including a read-aloud of the Rah, Rah, Radishes chant) and story time plans (yes, I said, story time plans) and resources for teachers (standards based). Her resources are listed here (be sure to scroll all the way down to see all options): http://www.aprilsayre.com/educator-resources/. Since we’re chanting, can I get an “Author! Author!”
The Emerald Atlas may appease young Potter fans looking for next series
The Emerald Atlas (Book 1, The Books of Beginning) by John Stephens; published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York; 2011.
On a snowy Christmas Eve, three children were taken from their warm beds and their loving parents, only to be delivered on an orphanage doorstep. Four year old Kate was the eldest and her only memory is her mother urgently whispering, asking her to promise to take care of her younger siblings, two year old Michael and the infant Emma. The children were given mementos as well. Ten years into the future, after being shifted from one orphanage to another even worse home, the children board a train for a mysterious orphanage in New York; an orphanage that only has three children in residence: Kate, Michael and Emma. Dr. Pym, the head of the children’s home, strikes a familiar chord on the periphery of Kate’s memory, but that isn’t the weirdest thing. On an adventure to the basement, a world of time travel, child labor and Screechers opens. The mystery of the Books of Beginning is introduced as Kate has been chosen by the Emerald Atlas. What lies ahead for the trio depends on Kate’s mastery of the atlas and, in future installments, the Books that reveal themselves to Michael and Emma.
A patron was asking me about this new series that bookstores have been promoting as the heir to the Potter series. Of course, she said, there are orphans and, of course, only they can save the world from a future ruled by an evil master. Where have I been and what have I been missing, since I hadn’t heard of any such series? With a little research, we discovered The Emerald Atlas. I gave her one copy and kept the other for myself. Yes, I definitely see a nod to the Potter books, but at least in this initial installment, I found this story a mashup between The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter; and, the adventure kicks off quickly with some fairly intense fights. I found Rowling’s series got darker and perhaps directed at more mature audiences with each book; Stephens’ book starts right off by letting readers know this is a battle for the future and it’s not going to be easy.
As a whole marketing product, the rough cut paper, the emerald green end pages, and the unique illustrations that introduce each chapter all work with the text to gently nudge readers into the realm of suspension of disbelief. The cover is also beautifully illustrated to reach the right readers.
I will be recommending this series to fans of Harry Potter, science fiction or fantasy. Even fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Shadow Children or Lost series will enjoy this.
More information about The Books of Beginning can be found at http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/emeraldatlas/. The website includes a book trailer, activity guide, and information about the characters. You can even read a chapter here to decide if this is the next fantasy series on your to-read list. :)
Joyce’s Guardians of Childhood introduced by The Man in the Moon
The Man in the Moon (The Guardians of Childhood) by William Joyce; published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing Division, New York; 2011.
Look up in the night sky. Do you see the moon? Did you know it wasn’t always there? And do you see MiM? What, you’ve never heard of MiM? Perhaps you’ve heard him called the Man in the Moon. In William Joyce’s picture book introduction to the Guardians of Childhood, his multimedia illustrations tell MiM’s story as eloquently as his text. Joyce’s creativity seems boundless as his imagination soars to the night sky with detailed maps, fascinating characters, and a wild tale of good vs. evil.
I adore this book. There is no condescension or watered-down fairy tale here. Oh no. As in the first chapter book in the series (Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King), there is humor and tension, dark and light. This is a series that will have something for every member of the family. I hope that families read the picture book together then share the chapter book together, perhaps one chapter a night.
So, as a librarian, I am happy to recommend both books to patrons. In fact, around Christmastime, I was talking to a patron who had a preschooler and a second-grader. She was checking out this book for the preschooler but I recommended they read it all together. I then recommended the chapter book as bedtime story leading up to the Christmas holiday. How embarrassing! The chapter book is not yet in our collection. Well, the patron returned after Christmas and said that they loved The Man in the Moon so much that they bought Nicholas St. North and put it under the tree for the second grader. They did indeed read the chapter book together between Christmas and New Years Day and gave both books a big, unanimous thumbs up. They’re looking forward to the next books as am I.
According to Simon & Schuster’s blog for booksellers, The Inner Sanctum, there will be seven books in both the picture book series as well as the novels. For the sake of families reading together, I hope William Joyce can keep creating rich stories in all 14 books. You can visit The Guardians of Childhood’s dedicated website at http://theguardiansofchildhoodbooks.com/.
2011 Buckeye Children’s Book Award winners announced
According to the Buckeye Children’s Book Award website, “Our goal each year is to encourage more kids to read by providing the opportunity to share their joy of reading by voting for their favorite books.” Voting for the 2011 award was reportedly the highest ever. So, which books won?
Kindergarten-2nd Grade:
Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton and Tom Lichtenheld
Grades 3-5:
Chalk by Bill Thompson
Grades 6-8:
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Congratulations to all winners! Have you read them?
For more information about the Buckeye Children’s Book Awards, visit their website at http://www.bcbookaward.info.
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!
Along a Long Road one of the best picture books of 2011
Along a Long Road written and illustrated by Frank Viva; published by Little, Brown and Company, New York; 2011.
NOTE: This review is based on a promotional copy provided for free by the publisher for an honest review.
Take a long ride up and down, in the country and through the city, going fast and going slow, sometimes stopping and always looking. The story is simple and spare. The illustrations (actually, one illustration, but more on that later) are deceptively simple. Children will look for the smallest details in the pictures and that will help tell the story.
The illustrations were created on a computer as a single, continuous piece of art. Were it to be printed as it was originally created, the illustration for the book would be 35 feet long! For this reason, the continuity of the ride is impeccable. The continuation of the road on the end pages offers an opportunity to discuss maps and travel with youngsters. The limited palette keeps distractions to a minimum; the glossy yellow road is easy to follow from cover to cover. So what makes this one of the best picture books of 2011? IMHO, it’s the art. This could easily be a wordless book and still have the same impact. Combined, the words and pictures create a simple trip that tots will want to travel over and over.
Frank Viva’s trip provides opportunities to discuss new vocabulary with toddlers and preschoolers. These words can be used on a walk or in the car for reinforcement. Another reason to love the book!
At a mini-conference on story telling through the arts, Denise Fleming had us use large gestures to read aloud her book In the Tall, Tall Grass. What a great way to engage listeners and reinforce vocabulary! Viva’s Along a Long Road lends itself to the same read-aloud concept. What a great addition to a librarian’s professional collection for story time (travel? bikes? so many options). I’d also use it in displays for summer reading.
Watch for this book to be on some awards lists!
Don’t forget! Winter’s a good time for Feeding Friendsies
Feeding Friendsies written and illustrated by Suzanne Bloom; published by Boyds Mills Press, Honesdale, Pennsylvania; 2011.
Five friends are planning a grand feast with puddle soup and mud pies. But will they eat all they’ve made? ”Oh no, no, no.” They are feeding their friendsies: birds, worms, frogs and a few stuffed animals. When Nana calls them back insides, they wash their hands and sit down to their own “sticky bits, crunchy munchies and pink drinks.” Feeding all their friendsies made these pals hungry, too!
I love so many things about this book. First, I love the depth and detail in Bloom’s gouache and colored pencil illustrations. They felt so full of summer and sunshine. So, even though the flurries flew here today, I decided this would be a great book for a winter story time. Why? Because around here, our friendsies outside could use a snack or sip of unfrozen water to get through the cold weather.
That leads me to the second reason I love this book. These pals created unusual snacks, drinks and habitats. All are great ideas for crafting with kids. And winter’s a great time to work on these crafts, especially when a bit of cabin fever sets in and the critters outside need a helping hand. I recommend gathering dryer lint and placing it outside to help pad nests and burrows. Around Christmastime, my family creates “ornaments” to decorate the outdoors but which also help the animals. We use pipe cleaners (“knotted” at one end) to string oat cereal “Os” (like Cheerios) and hang from bushes and branches (This is a great fine motor skill activity, by the way). We peel apples then put them on wooden skewers and place them in snow banks and hang them in trees or bushes. Of course, there’s the old pine cone covered in peanut butter and rolled in small seeds to hang outside. We’ve even strung popcorn and wrapped a small pine tree in the yard–but that took a loooooonnnnnnnnngggggg time to string. Instead, I might even buy generic oat cereal and string that instead.
Last but not least, I love this book because it’s a terrific read-together read-aloud. The kids will chime in with the “Oh no, no, no”s without prompting and that should be encouraged. Predicting who will enjoy each concoction will be an easy way to engage listeners too.
This book’s definitely going on my list of future story time resources! 
Sometimes life gets turned Inside Out and Back Again
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai; published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, New York; 2011.
Ten year old Ha has lost her father. He is missing in action. With his disappearance, and the imminent fall of Saigon, Ha’s mother has packed up the family to flee the Vietnam War. Their destination is Alabama. How will this ten year old girl adapt to the American South?
Thanhha Lai’s stark yet brilliant novel in prose is perhaps the most beautifully written book I’ve read in a long time. The precise choice of words sometimes strike like pin-pricks to the heart of immigration, bullying, fitting in, and family. I actually read the book twice, once to learn Ha’s story, then again to be swallowed by the poetry. Just when I felt too overwhelmed by Ha’s plight, I found myself laughing at some absurdly typical kid event, like learning and using new vocabulary or trying new food. I see why this was chosen the winner of the 2011 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
That being said, I do not think children will read the book. Often the books we adults find enchanting and beautiful are boring and inaccessible to the intended audience. With pushing, like as a school assignment or book challenge, it will be read and probably enjoyed. But not without pushing and prodding. Because it is so beautifully written and because it offers a lesson in diversity and acceptance, I hope it is pushed and pushed hard. Teachers may want to share it as a classroom read aloud. Librarians should use it in displays about immigration, ethnicity, and even bullying.
Lucille Beatrice Bear knows You Will Be My Friend!
You Will Be My Friend! written and illustrated by Peter Brown; published by Little, Brown and Company, New York; 2011.
After her disappointment making a boy her pet, Lucy is back! When she awoke today, she told her mom she was going to make a friend. Unfortunately, Lucille Beatrice Bear is not the most subtle of characters. Her overbearing insistence that everyone she meets must be her friend results in perpetual disappointment. Will she ever learn how to make friends?
As any parent of an overzealous child knows, making friends is a most delicate dance. Maybe our exuberant friend Lucy can help our kids learn how to be themselves and let friendship happen.
Peter Brown’s combination of over-the-top story telling and art are engrossing. The children I’ve read this to are always pointing out details or joining in with Lucy’s proclamations. I loved the story, but the pencil, construction paper and wood illustrations are enchanting. They have a woodsy feel, making us at home in Lucy’s world.
As I stated before, this is a great story to include with preschoolers, especially as they find themselves in battles for friendship (which are inevitable). What kid can’t relate to Lucy’s abundant energy and stubborn resolution?! Another fun way to engage young listeners is to view the video interview with Peter Brown (who is the mysterious interviewer behind the camera?!) who discusses how he creates his books:
YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND, PETER BROWN! from Gwen Schroeder on Vimeo.
Don’t miss the author’s website: http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/. And Lucy has her own Facebook page, parents, in case you’re interested!
