IPLKIDS

Saraswati’s Way

2011-02-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

Saraswati’s Way
by Monika Schroder
J SCH

Akash, although poor, has lived a happy life with his family in a small town in the desert area of India and has been able to study those 12 years with the village scholar enough to know that he has a great talent and love for mathematics. His desire to study further is thwarted by the death of his father and the betrayal of his relatives who sell him into slavery. Akash has always thought that the gods would provide for him. Akash questions the gods, particularly Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and patroness of mathematicians, and Ganeshe the god of good fortune. The gods do not seem to be offering any chances of a better life to Akash, so the boy takes matters into his own hands.
Akash escapes a work camp and flees to Delhi where he lives with a group of homeless boys. He makes a living by selling trash and recyclable items. While running errands for a salesman he knows named Ramesh, Akash often passes a school where he sees students studying. He watches them with envy.
When Akash earns a few coins, he hires a tutor, only to discover that he knows more math than the teacher. That tutor refuses to return his money even though he has nothing to teach him.
Akash befriends several of the street boys who direct him to other jobs. He barely escapes getting drawn into the drug trade. Akash longs to further his education, but there are things he is unwilling to do to earn money. His older friend Ramesh notes how hardworking and honest Akash is and offers him opportunities to work for him and his fellow business people in the area.
Can someone who is no more than a beggar earn a scholarship to a good education? To find out if hardworking, honest Akash can make his way to his goals in a harsh world, you must read Saraswati’s Way.

Watch the book trailer below:

J’Ann Peacock Alvarado

A Long Walk to Water

2011-02-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

A Long Walk to Water
by Linda Sue Park
J PAR

Salva’s story begins when he is 11 in 1985 in southern Sudan among the Dinka people. War comes to his village while he is in school and he flees alone into the brush. Nya’s story begins in 2008, also in Sudan, where she is 11 years old and has to walk 8 miles daily to bring water to her family of the Nuer tribe. Each chapter tells a part of Salva’s story and a part of Nya’s story with nothing to connect the two young people together except for the country of their birth. They are two young Sudanese people of tribes that are traditionally enemies to each other.

Salva sees much cruelty and death on his march to find sanctuary and safety in his war-torn land. He makes a friend along the way, only to lose him to the attack of a lion. He searches for his family, finding his uncle, who he loses to a group of bandits. He is truly one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Salva is forced to flee through a crocodile infested river when driven from a concentration camp in Ethiopia. He walks from Sudan to Ethiopia to Kenya always searching for safety. It is a miracle that he survives.

Nya walks for hours every day carrying water to her family. There is no time in her life for any other thing; no play, no education, no enjoyment. She walks barefoot through hard, rocky, thorny ground, without complaint, carrying water for her family.

Then a strange man comes to Nya’s village with machinery and a crew of workers. He is there to do a service that will forever change Nya’s life for the better. He has come to drill a well for her village. He is a strange grown man with no tribal markings on his face. Nya’s curiosity gets the best of her. She must find out who this man is, what tribe is he from and why he is in Sudan drilling for water for all the people there.

To find out how Salva’s life is saved and to learn the connection between Nya and Salva, you must read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, based on the true life story of Salva Dut of Sudan.

You can watch Linda Sue Park discuss the story here:

Reviewed by J’Ann Peacock Alvarado

Olivia Goes to Venice

2011-01-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

Olivia Goes to Venice
written and illustrated by Ian Falconer
Call Number E FAL

Olivia is back and this time she and her family go on vacation in Venice. The latest in the Olivia series is once again a book both children and adults can enjoy.

Falconer briefly pokes fun at airport security by having Olivia searched for weapons by two TSA agents. Olivia smiled and was “very pleased.” Olivia is so exhausted after the flight that she does not notice the beautiful view outside her hotel window. After a night at the hotel, Olivia and her family tour the sites of Venice, frequently stopping to purchase gelato (Italian ice cream). Olivia is so enamored of the palazzos off the Grand Canal that she wants to live in one. The family takes a gondola ride on the second day of the trip. Later, Olivia searches for the perfect souvenir, with disastrous consequences.

The beautiful illustrations incorporate stylized photos of Venice and give the story a sense of place. Falconer also captures jet lag in a hilarious illustration of Olivia sleeping at the hotel by drawing x’s for Olivia’s eyes. Falconer’s depiction of the number of pigeons at Piazza San Marco is spot-on (see illustration below).

Olivia’s latest adventure is once again a pleasure to read. It reminded me of my trip to Venice several years ago.

Simon and Schuster created a brief video in which Ian Falconer discusses the inspiration for Olivia Goes to Venice:

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Zombiekins

2010-09-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Zombiekins

Written by Kevin Bolger

Illustrated by Aaron Blecha

J BOL

Who can resist the cutely creepy Zombiekins, the titular character of Kevin Bolger’s wacky new book? I couldn’t. When I saw the cover of Zombiekins, I knew I had to read it.

Stanley Nudelman and his friend Miranda are fourth-graders living in the town of Dementedyville. As the story opens, Stanley and Miranda are walking home from school when they see that the eccentric Widow Imavitch is having a yard sale. While perusing the items for sale, Stanley finds a toy called Zombiekins in its original packaging. The Widow Imavitch tells Stanley that Zombiekins is full of surprises and advises him to read the instructions on the back of the package. When Stanley purchases the “freaky” toy, the Widow Imavitch gives him a bag of taffy that might “come in handy.” Naturally, Stanley discards the package shortly after leaving without reading the instructions.

There is a full moon that night. When the moonlight shines into the playroom, Zombiekins comes to life

Stump!—scri-i-i-i-i-itch… Stump!—scri-i-i-i-i-itch… Stump!—scri-i-i-i-i-itch…

and attacks Stanley’s sister’s toys. Among these toys is Schlemmo, a “furry orange toy far too adorable to be called a monster.”

The next day Stanley takes Zombiekins to school. Mr. Baldengrumpy, Stanley’s teacher, shows a film called Our Neighbor, the Moon. The moonlight from the film awakens Zombiekins. He bites Stanley’s tattle-telling do-gooder classmate Felicity and escapes. Within hours, half the school has been transformed into Zombies. Stanley must find the courage he has never had before and find Zombiekins and figure out a cure for the Zombie plague before his teacher notices there is a problem and gives him detention.

Aaron Blecha’s illustrations fill in some gaps in the text. They also serve to clarify and even contradict the text. Bolger’s sense of humor can be rather sarcastic and understated, though the story is over-the-top in wackiness.

Zombiekins is a wacky spoof of the zombie genre. For instance, there is a scene where Stanley and Miranda are trapped in the teacher’s lounge trying to keep zombies from breaking in. Stanley is concerned about hiding in a room with only one way out. Miranda reassures him, “Oh they always find you. But trust me, this is just the way it’s done.”

Zombiekins is not for those who get grossed out easily. Nothing is too offensive, but this is a zombie book, so there are going to be some gross scenes here and there. The storyline starts to get repetitive towards the end. However, Zombiekins is an entertaining, ridiculous read. I will be reading the sequel when it comes out.

Recommended for fans of Captain Underpants, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Bunnicula, and books by Daniel Pinkwater.

The video below is a trailer for the book Zombiekins

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Heart of a Shepherd

2010-09-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Heart of a Shepherd
by Rosanne Parry
J PAR

A few weeks ago, I was asked several questions about finding good Christian literature for children. I recommended the usual: C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series (some of the best Christian literature for any age) and Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind: The Kids series (which, if it is anything like the adult series, is truly awful and I cringe to recommend it, but that is what people want). I’ve also been recommending Roseanne Parry’s 2009 novel Heart of a Shepherd, which had been on my reading list for some time. I finally sat down to read Heart of a Shepherd, with my fingers crossed that it is worth recommending to other children. It is.

Ignatius “Brother” Alderman, a sixth-grader, lives on a ranch in rural Oregon with his father, paternal grandparents, and four older brothers. At the beginning of the story, Brother’s father, who is in the army reserves, is deployed to command his battalion in Iraq. His oldest brother is sent to an Army base in another state, and his other brothers head off to school miles away. This leaves Brother, his two grandparents , and hired hand Ernesto, to keep the ranch running smoothly.

Brother works hard on the ranch tending to his sheep and his other chores. He doubts whether he was called to either a rancher’s life or a soldier’s life, the traditional vocations of his family. One day while tending to his sickly sheep, Ernesto tells Brother that he has “the heart of a shepherd.” Brother grows into his role as “man of the house” and earns the respect of his brothers. He learns how to handle difficult situations with prayer, strength and resolve. When a fire comes and threatens the Alderman family and ranch, Brother is able to do what needs to be done, though it is not easy (or quite believable.)

Author Rosanne Parry is the wife of a Desert Storm veteran. Her experiences helped her to write a poignant novel about those left behind when a loved one is sent to war.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

I'm Your Bus

2010-09-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

I'm Your Bus

by Marylin Singer

E SIN

School buses with personalities and smiling faces rush through the city carrying children to school and back. This story is cheerful and light, told in verse, and repeats the refrain "You can always count on us. // Daytime, nighttime I'm your bus."

The humorous illustrations by Evan Polenghi, of buses with eyes in their front windshields, fit the mood of the book perfectly.

Reviewed by J'Ann Alvarado

The Last Best Days of Summer

2010-08-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Last Best Days of Summer
By Valerie Hobbs
J HOB

Lucy Crandall has spent the summer working as a helper for Eddie Munch, a thirteen year old with Down Syndrome. But with summer almost over and her annual visit to her grandmother's lakeside cabin approaching, Lucy decides she would rather go to the pool with her friend Megan instead of working with Eddie.

Megan and Lucy have fun at the pool and afterwards go to the Recreation Center. A cute boy from school, Justin, offers to get Lucy a soft drink. As he is walking back to the table, the cup in his hand, Eddie bursts into the room yelling,"Lucy, Lucy." He knocks into Justin, spilling the drink all over him. Justin walks off disgusted.

Lucy goes by the Munch's the next day to tell them she is going to visit Grams. Lucy leaves with her parents for the trip to Crescent Lake California where her grandmother lives. Meanwhile, Eddie is at home upset that he can't see Lucy. He decides he will go too and sneaks out of the house. He walks all the way to downtown. He sees the bus station and goes in, buys a ticket, and boards a bus headed for Northern California.

To discover what happens to Eddie on his journey to find Lucy, read this book, you'll be glad you did!

Reviewed by Carolyn Falk

The Number Devil

2010-08-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure
By Hanz Magnus Enzensberger
J ENZ

The Number Devil is a thought-provoking book. Robert, a twelve-year-old student hates his math teacher, Mr. Bockel, and the word problems his teacher assigns. One night the number devil interrupts Robert’s dream. After hearing Robert complain about word problems, he says, “There’s nothing wrong with a little addition and subtraction… But mathematics, my boy, that’s something else again!”

Over the course of twelve nights, the number devil introduces Robert to prime numbers, infinity, sequences and series, famous mathematicians, axioms, and even topology. The tone is playful rather than didactic and quite a lot of complex concepts are covered in interesting and readable fashion allowing the reader to think and learn along with Robert.

The number devil has his own terms for mathematical concepts. For instance, prime numbers are called prima donna numbers, irrational numbers are called unreasonable numbers,and square roots are called rutabagas. A “Seek-and-Ye-Shall-Find List” in the back translates the number devil’s terms to the mathematical term and provides a helpful topical index.

Mathematics is revealed to be much, much more than arithmetic. Those who already enjoy math class will love The Number Devil. Those who hate math, but read the book anyway, may change their minds about the subject. Recommended for grades 4 and up.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Hungry for Some Tasty Reads?

2010-08-05T18:22:00.001-07:00

Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum
Written and Illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
J 664.6 MCC

During the 1920s, Walter Diemer worked as an accountant for the Fleer Corporation, a gum and candy factory. During that time, the Fleer Corporation was trying to create a new kid of gum. When the company needed more laboratory space, the experimental lab was moved next door to Walter’s office. Walter started observing the process and eventually got involved with the experiments. He created bubble gum after months of trial and error. A brief history of gum is seamlessly woven into the interesting story, which reads like a picture book. Cute colorful illustrations bring the story to life. The last two pages contain supplemental facts and source notes. This book is a treat to read.

Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog
By Adreinne Sylver
Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith
J 641.36 SYL

When Emperor Nero’s chef Gaius decided to stuff pig’s intestines with ground meat and spices, sausage became a popular snack and spread throughout the Roman Empire. Hot Diggity Dog traces the history of the hot dog from the Roman Empire to nineteenth century America to the present day. Interesting factoids are on the sides of the page. Each topic is discussed briefly in 1-2 easily digestible paragraphs. Wacky illustrations add humor and personality to the text.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

We the Children

2010-07-20T12:47:00.001-07:00

We the Children
by Andrew Clements
J CLE

Sixth-grader Benjamin Pratt is dealing with many changes in his life. His parents recently separated, so he moves back and forth every week between his mother’s house and his father’s boat. His school is about be bulldozed to make room for an amusement park. And now Mr. Keane, the head custodian at the Captain Duncan Oakes School, has died leaving Benjamin a mission to save the school from destruction.

We the Children, the first installment in Andrew Clements’ new series Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School, wastes little time setting up the conflict that Benjamin must face. At the beginning of the story, Benjamin is running late for class when he sees that Mr. Keane has been seriously injured. While waiting for the ambulance, Mr. Keane makes Benjamin promise to keep a secret and then gives him a coin made by the school’s founder that reads “First and always, my school belongs to the children. DEFEND IT. Duncan Oakes, 1783.” This coin had been handed down janitor to janitor since the school’s founding. Because Mr. Keane knew that Lyman, the other janitor could not be trusted and the situation was urgent, he chose Benjamin to be the next person to be trusted with the secret.

Benjamin is puzzled by the conversation and stunned when the principal announces a few hours later that Mr. Keane died in the hospital. Benjamin, with the help of his smart friend Jill Acton, begins to unravel the meaning behind the coin, which leads them to a series of clues left behind by the school’s eccentric founder. The more Benjamin and Jill research the deal between Edgeport, their seaport town, and company building the amusement park, the more suspicious things look. What is so important about the school? What is the company behind the theme park really up to? Is Lyman watching their every move? Can Benjamin and Jill figure it all out before the school gets torn down? They have 28 days.

The story does not focus solely on how Benjamin and Jill try to save the school. Benjamin is rounded out into a three-dimensional character. He excels in social studies and sailing. The last chapter of the book is devoted to Benjamin’s sailing club competition on the weekend and how he handles his rival Robert Gerritt. Children can relate to Benjamin as he navigates through the tremendous upheavals in his life and strives to stay afloat.

The book is short (perhaps a little too short) and great for readers ages 7-10 who like mysteries. The second book, Fear Itself comes out January 4, 2011.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

One Crazy Summer

2010-06-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

One Crazy Summer
by Rita Williams-Garcia
J WIL

Sisters Delphine, Vonetta and Fern are sent to California to spend a month with a mother they have never met. Instead of taking them to Disneyland, Cecile greets them with “No one told y’all to come out here.”

It is 1968, the summer when Black Panther founder, Huey Newton was jailed and member, Bobby Hutton was gunned down by police. It is a year when racial tensions are high and changes in the fabric of society are coming to fruition, sometimes in peace, sometimes in violence.

Rather than care for the kids, Cecile sends them to the Black Panther youth program each day. For meals, the girls use their Disneyland money to order take-out from a neighborhood restaurant. She does not allow them into certain parts of the house where she is working on her poetry.

Slowly, over the month, Delphine makes inroads into understanding her mother’s life and past and why she is the way that she is. The sisters also make friends with various children and a few adults in the Oakland community. They are all impressed by Hirohito, the half-black, half-Japanese, young heartthrob of the youth program.
In a presentation given at a Black Panther rally, one of the sisters finds her own poetic voice and expresses it before the cheering crowd.

Delphine is self-sufficient and practical; patient, protective and supportive to her younger sisters. During the month that she spends almost completely without adult supervision, she proves her resourcefulness and her loyalty to her family, including to her new found mother. She experiences her first interest in a boy and the interest is returned. She is exposed to many points of view on many different aspects of life. She forms new friendships and begins a hard won connection with her mother. Her identity as a young African-American woman begins to shift and she learns to refer to herself in new terms.

Reviewed by
J’Ann Peacock Alvarado
June 15, 2010

The Word Snoop

2010-06-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Word Snoop
By Ursula Dubosarsky
J 420.0 DUB

Do you like words and wordplay? Are you curious about how English evolved and the origin of some its wacky quirks? The Word Snoop, the titular narrator, explains all that and more in a fun conversational tone. Each chapter ends with a secret message for the reader to decode using the concepts presented in the chapter. Learn about anagramsl palindromes, euphemisms, spoonerisms, and more.
If you enjoy The Word Snoop, try Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference by Lynne Truss and Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types

2010-05-06T17:35:00.001-07:00

Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types
by Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss
E WER

Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types is not your average alphabet book. Each page features an animal for each letter of the alphabet. However, this book goes a step further by creating the pictures out of the corresponding letter. For instance, the alligator for the letter "A" is composed of a mix of capital and lower case "a" typefaces. Some animals, such as the octopus and the giraffe, are so large that the reader must fold out the pages to see the alphabeast in its entirety. This is a fun book to peruse.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Older Than the Stars

2010-04-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Older Than the Stars
by Karen C. Fox
illustrated by Nancy Davis
J 523.1 FOX

Older Than the Stars creatively presents how the atoms that make up the reader came into being, taking the reader on a journey from the Big Bang to to the present.

There are two components to Older Than the Stars. The first is the main text which is found in a colorful box on each page and is written in an informative easy-to-understand style. The second component, which is what makes the book so wonderful, is a narrative in the style of The House That Jack Built:

“These are the blocks
that formed the bits
that were in the bang
when the world began."

This narrative fills each page spread and is accompanied by vivid illustrations. This narrative’s rhythm is energetic and fun to read aloud. Each verse added is a summary of the main text. A timeline and glossary in the back are helpful references.

Recommended for students interested in science or fans of inventive verse.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

The Mysterious Howling

2010-04-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

The Mysterious Howling
By Maryrose Wood
J WOO

In this first installment of the wonderfully quirky, funny new series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, we meet fifteen-year-old Penelope Lumley, the brightest graduate from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, who has just been hired for a position as governess at Ashton Place. Lord Frederick, the master of the house, had recently discovered three children on his grounds while hunting for game. The children had apparently been raised by wolves and display lupine tendencies. Lord Frederick, for reasons not explained except for “finders keepers”, decides to keep the children and hire a governess to educate them. He names the foundlings Alexander Incorrigible, Beowulf Incorrigible, and Cassiopeia Incorrigible.

Penelope quickly bonds with the children and begins the task of educating the children while teaching them how to behave in a civilized manner in time for Lady Constance’s Christmas ball. Lessons include reading classic literature and poetry, learning how to dress properly, learning to refrain from chasing squirrels, and Latin grammar. During a poetry lesson, Beowulf composes a heartfelt poem that combines what he has learned so far about chasing squirrels and poetry:

“Yum, yum. Squirrel!
No! No!
Yum, yum. Cake?
Yes! Yes!!"

The narrator has a personality of her own and sprinkles her own opinions throughout the story. Though the story is set in the nineteenth century, the narrator is clearly modern and makes comments on modern society, including a snide remark about hyperbole and stock market bubbles. She does not underestimate the reader’s intelligence and makes multiple references and jokes based on classic literature (there is a joke about eavesdropping and Hamlet) and Newtonian physics.

The ending leaves many questions unanswered and sets up the series to resolve those questions. Why were the children raised by wolves? Why is Penelope’s past so mysterious? Is there a connection between Penelope and the children? Why is Lord Frederick keeping the children when his wife clearly wants to dump them in an orphanage? Fans of Lemony Snicket, Roald Dahl, and Lois Lowry’s humorous novel The Willoughbys will enjoy The Mysterious Howling and will be impatient for the next installment of the series. Recommended for children and adults with an off-beat sense of humor.

Games and quizzes based on The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place can be found at http://www.awesomeadventurebooks.com/.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

April Foolishness by Teresa Bateman

2010-03-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

April Foolishness by Teresa Bateman; Ill. by Nadine Bernard Westcott.
Holiday E BAT

Grandma and Grandpa are happy to have their grandchildren come to the farm for a visit, but they are prepared...after all, it's April 1st!

When the children come bursting in the door shouting "Grandpa, oh Grandpa, The cows have got loose - I think Big Brown Bessie just stepped on a goose!" Grandpa just shrugs and pours a glass of milk.

As more and more of the farm animals "escape" the children relay the bad news in excited (and rhyming) detail. Grandpa remains cool and calm until Grandma reminds him that April 1st isn't until tomorrow!

This illustrations are done with pen and watercolors in an exaggerated cartoon style. They are bright and colorful and tell quite a story all on their own. Be sure to check out the inside jokes...after Grandpa hears about the hens, he makes eggs! (then bacon, and cheese and milk....)

Be prepared for some big laughs!

Happy April 1st! And by the way...do you know where your cows are?

Reviewed by Marianne

Wishing For Tomorrow

2010-03-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Wishing For Tomorrow: The Sequel to A Little Princess
by Hilary McKay (J MCK)

Award-winning author Hilary McKay always wondered what happened to the girls Sara Crewe left behind at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary For Young Ladies at the end of the classic novel A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Now she has written a story to answer her question.

McKay picks up where Burnett stopped, using both the third person omniscient narrator and Ermengarde’s letters to Sara to give her readers a new story about Burnett's classic beloved (and reviled) characters. We watch Ermengarde wrestle with her feelings after Sara’s departure, Lavinia become a driven scholar in pursuit of an Oxford education, and Lottie cause mischief and mayhem. McKay shows glimpses of a tormented Miss Minchin who has acquired a new smell (a subtle reference to the headmistress’s reliance on alcohol) that Lottie likes and finds interesting. McKay keeps Sara in the story through letters to Ermengarde, flashbacks, and an appearance at the end of the novel.

Wishing for Tomorrow is an enjoyable and sometimes humorous read, but does not reach the heights that its predecessor reached, which is a high bar indeed. Recommended for fans of Frances Hodgson Burnett and girls in grades 3-6.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

A Very Big Bunny

2010-03-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

A Very Big Bunny
by Marisabina Russo
E RUS

Amelia is a bunny. A very big bunny. She is so tall and so big that the kids at school make fun of her. They don't want to play jump rope with her, "We can't turn the rope go high enough for you" or let her join them in hopscotch, "Your feet are too big for hopscotch." So Amelia spends most of her time alone.

One day the class gets a new student, Susannah. She was a small bunny. A very small bunny. Soon she too is made to feel like an outsider. Eventually the two bunnies find a common ground and learn to stand out while still being themselves.

The language is simple and childlike and the illustrations, done in gouache, reflect this same simplicity. Be sure to check out the endpapers where the story truly begins, with Amelia alone with down-turned ears and at the end, with her new best friend Susannah, ears and hands up high.

A fun exploration of friendship!

Pair this up with some other unlikely pairs like:
Hello, my name is Bob by Linas Alsenas and
Dog and Bear: two friends, three stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Review by Marianne

Chester's Masterpiece

2010-03-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

Chester's Masterpiece
written and illustrated With NO help from Melanie Watt
E WAT

Chester is a cat with a mind of his own. Who needs a silly author when we have his creative genius behind this book? And so the struggle begins.

Our fat tabby friend has taken over the book which is written "with No help from Melanie Watt." The cover is a hodge-podge creation with visible staples, bits of masking tape and lots of red marker.

As the story progresses we learn that Chester has hidden Melanie Watt's art supplies and computer mouse! Thankfully she has a pencil and some sticky notes, and this is how her voice is heard. Little by little, Chester's marker runs out; and litle by little, Melanie explains to readers the bits and pieces that make up a good story.

The illustrations are done with Chester fully drawn, while the rest are done with heavy red marker. You can almost hear the squeak of the marker against the paper. The dialog is snappy and will cause giggles to errupt from readers! Be sure to check out the last illustrated page to solve the mystery of the missing art supplies...and to find out if that cat really got Chester's tongue.

This is the third book in the Chester series and is currently on order at the Irving Public Library. Check out the catalog and put it on hold.

For a storytime on creative writing, you can pair this book with Mary Jane Auch's "THE PLOT CHICKENS."

Another great interactive, cat story try "THERE ARE CATS IN THIS BOOK" by Viviane Schwartz.

Review by Marianne

The Book That Eats People

2010-03-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

The Book That Eats People
By John Perry
Illustrated by Mark Fearling
E PER

The Book That Eats People opens with a dire warning: “CAUTION! This is a book that eats people.” The book has consumed many victims and is hungry for more. One fateful day little Sammy Ruskin forgot to wash the peanut butter off his fingers before reading his book. The book got a taste of the peanut butter, ate Sammy, and realized that people tasted better than anything else. His parents donated the book to the library, where it went on a rampage eating library books, disguised itself as a harmless book, and escaped.

The red cover’s menacing eyes, yellow caution tape, credits shaped as fangs stand out and draw the prospective reader’s curiosity. Fearling’s collage illustrations, reminiscent of Lane Smith’s work, capture the spirit of the narrative and are full of details for the reader to study. The ravenous book’s facial expressions are menacing without being too scary, giving the book personality.

Be on the alert while reading this book and have clean hands.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

The Potato Chip Puzzles

2010-02-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Potato Chip Puzzles (The Puzzling World of Winston Breen)
By Eric Berlin
J BER

Winston Breen, a precocious junior high school student with a proclivity for puzzles, is picked to represent his school in a puzzle-solving competition hosted by a local potato chip tycoon. The prize is $50,000 for the winning team’s school. Winston, to the dismay of his competitive school chaperone Mr. Garvey, chooses his friends Mal and Jake to be on his team. The competition consists of six puzzles scattered in places throughout the city, taking the teams to a planetarium, a farm, an amusement park, and other interesting locales. Throughout the competition, a saboteur wreaks havoc with the competing teams and sows discord and suspicion between the contestants. Winston must not only solve all the puzzles created for the competition, but also figure out who is trying to win at all costs.

Winston faces many ethical dilemmas throughout the competition and shows more maturity and diplomacy than some of the teacher chaperones, who seem a bit one-dimensional. The plot moves at a quick pace and incorporates various fun word and number puzzles for the reader to solve along with Winston and his teammates. (Answers are provided in the back.)

Mystery fans and lovers of puzzles should enjoy The Potato Chip Puzzles. Those interested in solving more puzzles can work on the extra puzzles in the back of the book or visit www.winstonbreen.com. Pair this book with The Red Blazer Girls by Michael Beil (J BEI) or some puzzle books in the 793 section of the library.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

When You Reach Me

2010-02-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

When You Reach Me
By Rebecca Stead
Call Number J STE

Miranda is a twelve-year-old girl who lives with her single mom in a New York City apartment. When the story opens in early 1979, Miranda relates to a mysterious person how her mother had just been invited to be a contestant on Dick Clark’s game show The $20,000 Pyramid in April, an event the mysterious person had predicted. This mysterious person wants Miranda to write a letter retelling the events of the autumn and winter of 1978.
Miranda writes:

“Sometimes I work on it in my head, trying to map out the story you asked me to tell, about everything that happened this past fall and winter. It’s all still there, like a movie I can watch when I want to. Which is never.”

Fortunately for both the reader and the mysterious person, Miranda does consider writing the letter and in the process tells an amazing and tragic story.

As Miranda recalls recent events, we meet her friends and are introduced to the crazy man who has taken residence under the mailbox on the corner by Miranda’s apartment. Miranda’s favorite book is A Wrinkle In Time, which won the Newberry in 1963. Familiarity with A Wrinkle In Time is not necessary, but would enrich the overall story. Miranda makes multiple references to events in her favorite book and her mysterious schoolmate Marcus uses scenes from the book to explain the concept of time travel.

This 2010 winner of the Newberry Medal is an intriguing and quick read. Stead’s narrative is tighter than it seems at first glance, so don’t skim. Part of the suspense is derived from slowly realizing what is going on. When You Reach Me touches on the themes of growing up, friendship, sacrifice, redemption, and even time-travel. The story is powerful and makes the reader think while reading and reflect on the story long after closing the book. After finishing, you might want to turn back to the beginning and re-read to appreciate how all the little details come together and savor the spectacular storytelling.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

The Day-Glo Brothers

2010-02-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors

By Chris Barton
Illustrated by Tony Persiani
Call Number J 535.352 BAR

Have you ever wondered about who invented the color of the ink in your highlighter or where the orange color of a traffic cone came from? In The Day-Glo Brothers, Chris Barton tells the story of how two brothers named Bob and Joe Switzer, who through a combination of hard work, dedication, problem-solving, and serendipity invented what is known as Day-Glo, the bright fluorescent colors used in highlighters, safety equipment, signs, and many other objects.

Bob was a hard worker and a planner who aspired to be a doctor. Joe enjoyed performing in magic shows and excelled in problem-solving. While working a summer job in 1933 inspecting railroad cars at a factory, Bob fell and sustained a head injury that impaired his memory, gave him seizures, and ended his ambitions in the medical profession. While Bob recovered in the basement, Joe kept him company experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescence so he could improve his magic acts. Together Bob and Joe built an ultraviolet lamp. They later took it to their father’s pharmacy and shined light on objects in the dark storeroom. One bottle emitted a yellow glow. This phenomenon inspired the brothers to do further experimentation and research to create different fluorescent colors. At first, the brothers were limited using fluorescent colors in the dark, illuminated by an ultraviolet light. They eventually figured out how to make colors glow during the day and invented Day-Glo.

To find out more about Bob and Joe and how they developed Day-Glo and grew rich, head to the physics section of our library and check out this book, and perhaps some of the surrounding books on light. Author Chris Barton’s narrative of the story is engaging. Illustrator Tony Persiani creatively uses Day-Glo colors to highlight the brothers’ progress throughout the story. If you are interested in learning more about fluorescence and ultra-violet light, visit the book’s website for a brief demonstration.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

The Underneath

2010-01-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt (J APP)

This Newberry Honor and National Book Award Finalist book was hailed by many critics as “lyrical.” I read this book with high expectations, only to finish wondering how it had garnered such high praise. The story is woven together with seemingly unrelated plotlines that leave the reader wondering what is going on until the threads finally converge in one climatic moment.

One plotline involves a bloodhound named Ranger who is forever chained to his master’s porch and a calico cat and her kittens Sabine and Puck who all live under the cruel Gar Face’s decrepit house in the East Texas swamps. Gar Face abuses the animals and one day takes Puck and his mother to the swamp to feed them to the giant alligator he is obsessed with killing. Puck escapes and must find a way back to save Ranger and Sabine from Gar Face’s cruelty.

In another plotline, a character named Grandmother Moccasin is trapped in a pot buried near a tree as punishment for her crimes, which are detailed in an ancient Indian story plot thread.

The novel’s “lyrical” language is annoying, but perhaps it is best suited for reading aloud. The language and style of the book seemed designed in such a way as to be literary and artistic at the expense of spinning a good yarn.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

The Tale of Two Mice

2010-01-21T13:00:00.001-08:00

The Tale of Two Mice by Ruth Brown (E BRO)

Billy is a mouse who lives in a baseboard inside a big house with his older brother Bo. One night they run out of food and are forced to leave the safety of their baseboard in search of nourishment. Bo sees the cat every step of the way, but when Billy turns to look, he sees object arranged in such a way that they give the illusion of being a scary beast, and believes his little brother is just paranoid.
Beautifully illustrated lift-the-flap pages and a special pop-up are essential to this humorous story.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Tillie Lays An Egg

2010-01-21T12:22:00.000-08:00

Tillie Lays an Egg by Terry Blonder Golson (E GOL)

Tillie likes to lay her eggs in unusual places such as the porch, the laundry basket, and inside a pickup truck, rather wait for her turn with the traditional nesting boxes her fellow chickens share.

Vivid color photographs of the author’s chickens, on which the story is based, accompany the simple, fun text. On each page, a chicken asks where Tillie laid her egg. Read it to see of you can find all the places Tillie laid her egg.
The author has a Hen Cam where you can watch her chickens.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go

2010-01-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go (Circle of Heck #1) by Dale E. Basye

When siblings Milton and Marlo Fauster die in a giant marshmallow sculpture explosion, their souls descend into Heck, the netherworld where the souls of bad kids go for rehabilitation and punishment. Marlo is an experienced shoplifter, but Milton is a Boy Scout and straight-A student and believes he was sent there by mistake.

In Heck, children go to a school run by Bea “Elsa” Bubb, Principal of Darkness, and take classes such as home economics taught by Lizzie Borden and P.E. with Blackbeard the Pirate. The cafeteria in Heck serves atrocious food and houses a sappy singing purple dinosaur who hugs children against their will. Events take a turn for the worse for Milton when Damian, the bully responsible for the fatal marshmallow explosion, dies and goes to Heck. Milton and Marlo, along with their new friend Virgil determine to escape from Heck and return to the world of the living.

The premise of the book is creative and leads one to believe that the story will be interesting and worth the time. Unfortunately, the book fails to be either. Filled with too many puns, the story drags on leaving the reader to wonder if perhaps they are experiencing Heck in a way the author did not intend.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard

What's your New Year's Resolution?

2010-01-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

Is it to learn how to do something new?

Maybe it's to get better grades?

Improve a skill?

Whatever your goal the library can help!

For example this week at the Central Library you can

hear stories at Storytime (did you know we have 5 each week?)
learn at a Little Bit of Science (Thursday at noon, for preschoolers)
improve your drawing at Get Graphic (Friday at 4:15, ages 8 to 14)
learn how to create paper art in Origami (Saturday at 2, 8+)
or get some help with your homework (Saturday at 10, grades 1 to 8)

So, as you are making your plans for conquering this brand new year, think about this:

The library...what can we do to help?

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

2010-01-04T09:58:00.000-08:00

Zoe Elias is a ten year old girl with big dreams. HUGE, really.

The problem is, life doesn't always give you want you want.

You can tell that right away in the book because the first chapter is titled: How it was Supposed to Be. The second chapter: How it is.

Zoe faces a lot of the same issues most young girls do, like:

School (ugh)

Best friends (or rather friends who used to be your best friend, but have decided that they like hanging out with someone else now just because they live in the same big house neighborhood and love wearing the same sparkling t-shirts)

Strange friends (like the one that follows you home from school each day...doesn't he have a home of his own?)

Parents (A mom who is always at work, and a dad who doesn't like to leave the house)

Author, Linda Urban, gives Zoe a great voice. She is funny but not mean and let's not forget...she can play a mean organ.

Oh? Did I forget that part?

What Zoe really wants....is to learn how to play the piano.

What Zoe has...is an organ. A Perfectone D-60. (It's in the book!)

Turns out she is pretty good at it too!

This is a fun book about realizing that life doesn't have to be perfect to be ok.

(reviewed by Marianne Follis)

Washington at Valley Forge by Russell Freedman

2010-01-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

I love reading about the Revolutionary War for many reasons:

1) My family fought in the American Revolution and for a long time after the war, our Philadelphia based family named children "George."

2) I grew up in Philadelphia, so we whenever we drove around the city, there were constant reminders of the role it played in the history of our country.

That being said, to me Valley Forge was just a really big park that was right outside of town. Yes, I knew that George Washington and his army spent a winter there, and I read about their hardships in history, but this book really solidified what these soldiers endured and just how far away 20 miles can be!

This book covers the six months that General Washington and his troops were camped at Valley Forge.

Russell Freedman is one of my favorite nonfiction writers. He is one of those rare authors who can make learning new things painless. His narrative voice draws you in as no history text book can...."Private Joseph Plumb Martin leaned into the icy wind, pushing one sore and aching foot ahead of the other and kept on marching." One of 11,000 soldier marching on foot through the brutal winter of Pennsylvania, these half starved and tattered men walked even when their shoes fell apart..."on bare and bleeding feet." (p.1)

While the language and words transports you to another time and place, copies of original sketches and artwork, like a page from a American Manual of Arms, depicting the drill exercises of Continental soldiers. (p. 55)

A clear and concise timeline heads up the back matter of the book, along with excellent source notes, a bibliography, picture credits and an index.

An informative and touching look at the founding of our nation and the men who suffered and died for this cause.

(reviewed by Marianne Follis)

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

2009-12-21T15:50:00.000-08:00

I haven't stopped thinking about Calpurnia since finishing the last page of this book.

It is the turn of the century in rural Texas and so much of Calpurnia's life is changing. At home Harry, the oldest of her six brothers is starting to court a young lady while three others vie for the attention of her best friend. While her brothers get to roam free during the summer, she is expected to start seriously training to have a house of her own. Cooking and stitchery are not her strong suits.

Out in the world there is plenty new too. At the State Fair she got to sit in the first automobile the town has ever seen...and got her nose filled with fizz while drinking her first Coco Cola! A new book by Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species is causing a fuss. Wanting to know more, Calpurnia, or "Callie Vee" as she is known to her family, travels to her closest public library (all the way in Austin) to borrow it. She was told my the librarian that she DID NOT have that book on her shelves and even if she did, she would not let her borrow it.

Callie Vee does learn that her grandfather has different ideas and different views on the world. Through their explorations of the world around them, Callie Vee learns about the scientific method and develops her own thoughts and insights into the strange and wonderful world all around her.

This story is beautifully told with wonderfully descriptive language. I love the way the author describes her pack of brothers. Sometimes they are a pile of sweaty puppies, while other times they are forces of nature, with an energy that erupts into the day.

While I loved this story and these characters, readers should be aware that there isn't a whole lot of action here. This is a "slice of life" story about a young girl whose life is rapidly evolving, as she struggles to find her place.

This is a beautiful and gentle read that I would recommend highly.

(reviewed by Marianne Follis)

Blank Slate

2009-12-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

There is something exciting about a clean sheet of paper. You can create anything on it.

What can we do with this blank slate?

If you are out there and reading, let us know what you would like to see from us.

We have tons of ideas. Here are some of them:

Book Reviews - We are surrounded by great books...we'd love to tell you all about them.

Storytimes - Want to know what we are doing this week in storytime? We can tell you that here! And in case you miss one, we can let you know what we read.

Upcoming Programs - Anyone who knows our library, knows that there is always something going on. You can find out about it here.

Event Photos - Gosh...we took all of these wonderful photos. Where should we put them?

Contests; Special Events and bears, oh my. (I was just checking to see if you were still reading...)

So stay tuned and keep in touch.

You know where we'll be!