Day: July 9, 2010

Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World

| Tasha

Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat

It all started when a smart girl builds a giant robot as a science project.  When it goes on a rampage, she realizes all of the features that she should have included and ones that it definitely should not have, like the laser eye.  She also realizes that it is up to her to stop it.  She tries to communicate with it, but when that and hitting it fail, she comes up with another solution.  She builds a gigantic toad programmed to destroy the robot.  And it works!  Now just to solve the problem of what can stop a giant toad…

Riotously funny, this book is a brilliant tribute to the monster flicks of the 1950s.  Barnett’s dry, understated text heightens the drama and action of the story.  Santat’s illustrations pay homage to vintage comics in the colors and stylings, but remain firmly modern too.  The illustrations are worth lingering over, especially the many and varied signs shown throughout the city, some in Chinese letters, strengthening that tie to monster movies. 

This is a picture book worth sharing with a wide range of ages, even young teens who may have seen some of the type of movies this book references.  Happily cheesy, wonderfully funny, this book is extraordinary.

Reviewed from library copy.

Magic Below Stairs

| Tasha

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer

Half of the duo that created the Sorcery & Cecelia series returns with this story of a young man working in wizard Thomas Schofield’s household.  Frederick was selected from the orphanage he lived in when he fit the last boy’s livery perfectly.  That alone is odd, since the boy was much larger than Frederick.  Frederick had also completed an impossible task, despite falling asleep during it, thanks to a strange little man who Frederick thought may have just been a dream.  Frederick is a very hardworking, dedicated boy who took to his new job as a servant easily.  But working in a wizard’s household brings some strange happenings, some of which may be Frederick’s fault, or the fault of the brownie Billy Bly who followed him there.

A delightful read filled with small details that really bring the Victorian period to life.  Frederick is a very  unique young protagonist with his love of details and dedication to working hard for the sake of doing a good job.  Frederick starts the book focused solely on having escaped the orphanage and happy with his lot.  It isn’t until he realizes that there is more that can be attained that he starts to seek more.  It is a pleasure to read a book about someone happy with who and where they are, but also able to move forward when possible.  Stevermer has balanced this aspect of the book perfectly.  Frederick is surrounded by characters that fans of the original series will recognize, but this is a book for younger readers who will enjoy it without having read any of the previous books. 

Stevermer offers a book that is well-paced with plenty of action, but also periods where the details of Frederick’s work and life can be seen.  Her setting is very strong, brought to life via small details rather than long paragraphs of description.  Her prose is friendly and inviting, making the book difficult to put down as the action soars.

A jaunty, fun read filled with plenty of action and magic, this book is appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

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