And I’m not talking a movie based on one of his books, but instead a film based on his life. The Hollywood Reporter has the news that Illumination Entertainment and Infinitum Nihil are developing a film about the life of Theodor Geisel.
The other big news is that Johnny Depp will be producing with the potential of him starring as Dr. Seuss as well.
Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman
This vibrant picture book plays with color and perspective as well as characters who leave the flat page and enter the real world. The picture is almost finished when one of the chickens in the picture pops her head out. She then stands up and walks over to the paint pots that are waiting to finish the picture. When the chicken peeks into the blue paint, she accidentally tips it over and ends up painting herself. She is joined by a little duckling and then more who splash around in the new blue puddle, turning themselves and the cat who walked past blue. Soon all of the animals are blue. Now what can be done to turn them all back to normal?
There is a wonderful playfulness about this title. Even the grumpy animals end up enjoying the escapade. At the same time, there are lots of options to discuss colors, perspective, and art. The book has real depth to it, allowing it to be read just as a cute story, or used more seriously with children.
The words are simple and try to stay out of the way, allowing the art to really shine here. And shine it certainly does. It dazzles and glows, inviting young readers into the humor of the book and revealing a magical quality that is lovely. From the freshness of the first spill of the blue to the sogginess and flatness that results, there is an exploration of the media here right on the page.
Highly recommended, this is one of my favorite picture books of the year. It is a charming jewel of a picture book that is fun, silly, yet offers plenty to learn. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Viking Books.
Also reviewed by Fuse #8.
I was honored to be asked to participate in Patrick Ness’ blog tour that features his new book: A Monster Calls. You can see my glowing review here.
Here is our conversation about his writing:
Monsters are a primary theme in both your Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls. They contain different types of “monsters.” Which monsters do you find most frightening? Which do you enjoy writing more?
Ah, it’s an eternal question, isn’t it – and one I find endlessly interesting in writing – is whether there are actual monsters or whether there are just people who act monstrously (and who can therefore, theoretically, also act otherwise). Redemption is such a powerful theme for me, I think, both in writing and reading, and so the "monster" in Chaos Walking for example was tremendously good fun to write in the character of the Mayor. Because he was so polite and so clear-speaking and yet did such horrible, horrible things, which is gleeful in a way. But more interesting for me was that there was always the question hanging, could he be redeemed?
And then you get something like the monster in A Monster Calls. There’s the actual big monster, of course, who’s got monstrousness written all over him and who was also tremendously fun to write because he refuses to settle down into something easily explainable, even when he’s being nice. But isn’t the real monster the unnamed thing that Conor’s afraid of? Isn’t that the scarier monster? The one we can’t face, the one we can’t even imagine as a physical presence? I think that’s probably the scariest thing. The monster we fear inside us, so much so we can’t even look at it. Even though the mere act of looking is often enough to slay it.
Another universal theme of your writing is the idea of “truth.” From the Noise of Chaos Walkingto the important truth that must be spoken in A Monster Calls, truth is central to both stories. Tell me about why truth is such a vital subject in your work.
For me it’s a way of trying to deal with the complexity of people. We’re never, ever just one thing. Be it all the mess of the Noise or the incredible contradiction in Conor that he’s trying to live with that’s causing him such pain, for me it’s just trying to embrace that we’re more than a single idea or a single thought. We can believe opposite things to be true at the same instant. It’s what makes us human, and I suppose what’s important to me about the idea of truth is that, if we can be truthful about our complexity, about our contradictions, then they don’t have to be such a burden. We’re all in our own thicket-filled forests, trying to find our paths; wouldn’t it be nice to share the journey? I think truth does that for us. I hope so, anyway.
There has been a lot of talk and news coverage lately in the U.S. about the darkness present in books for children and teens, and viewing it in a negative way. As an author who writes books that contain darkness and violence, why do you see it as an appropriate subject for young readers?
My answer to this is always a very simple one: have you seen what teenagers write? I’ve judged teenage writing contests and the entries are beyond harrowing, darkness without relief past anything I or any other YA writer comes up with. Because that’s what being a teenager FEELS like, so what on earth would be the point in writing a book that says, "No, you don’t really feel that way." I never wanted to read that when I was a teenager, so why would I expect any teenager to want to read it now?
BUT, if you do tell the truth about the darkness of things (which they know already) then when you ALSO tell the truth about lightness, about love and hope, about connection with another human being, about the possibilities of redemption and healing, well, then those things tend to feel more true because you haven’t lied about the darkness. I’ve said it before, but to not write about darkness and serious issues is, in one way, abandoning your teenage reader to face the darkness alone. And there’s just no way I’m ever going to do that.
Huge thanks to Mr. Ness for participating and answering my questions so fully. My favorite answer is his last and one that I will use in the future as a librarian when I am asked why we have such dark books on the shelves for teens.
Check out the rest of the tour, of which I am the caboose:
Mr. Putter and Tabby Ring the Bell by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
When autumn arrives with apples, falling leaves and cool wind, Mr. Putter finds that he is missing school. He wishes that he could return if only for one day. Then he comes up with a solution: visit a classroom along with Mrs. Teaberry and have Tabby and Zeke do tricks! The only problem is that Tabby and Zeke really don’t do tricks. But Mr. Putter is sure that they can be taught in time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t all work out as Mr. Putter thinks it will. It’s a complete disaster: but also completely funny.
I have been a fan of Mr. Putter and Tabby for years. They are at that reading level that is so hard, where the children are reaching towards chapter books but not quite there yet. Rylant has taken a very unlikely character in Mr. Putter and turned him into a man that children will happily relate to. Tabby on the other hand is easily beloved by young readers.
Howard’s illustrations are equally appealing, filled with plenty of color, lots of action, and more than a touch of silliness. Readers from a broad range of ages will enjoy this new edition to the popular series.
A great pick for when children are back at school, this book reads aloud well but works best when young readers tackle it themselves. Look for the whole series and enjoy them all! Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from library copy.
Lark by Tracey Porter
Sixteen-year-old Lark is kidnapped, raped and left to die in a snowy woods. The story is told in alternating chapters by Lark and two of her friends. There is Eve, a girl who used to be Lark’s best friend until one argument destroyed their friendship. Finally, there is Nyetta, who struggles with being able to see and hear the ghost of Lark. She is tasked by Lark to save her from being bound into a tree. Nyetta is put into therapy because of this. While the book is certainly centered around the tragedy of Lark’s murder, it is also about the two living girls and their need to be believed, cherished and understood.
Porter’s writing is art. She has created a book that has only 192 pages, but is a book that also requires careful reading and has depth and darkness as well. Her writing verges on verse at times, thanks to it being spare but also filled with images. She plays with magical realism here, speaking definitely to the real-life issues but imbuing them also with a certain symbolism that reaches beyond the actual. This lends a real depth to the story, creating a book that is worthy of discussion and thought.
The three lead characters are differentiated well, each a solid character with her own personality and problems. One issue that is woven into the story is sexuality and molestation with two of the girls having experienced molestation or rape. The book teases readers with reading too much into what the girls were wearing or what they looked like, but then firmly says that that is not why girls are molested or raped. It is well written, clear and reassuring.
This is a short book that is a deep read. The darkness will appeal to some teen readers and the magical realism to others. Appropriate for ages 15-17.
Reviewed from library copy.
Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Released October 25, 2011.
Perry’s band has gotten their first big break, a gig in New York City. Unfortunately, his parents are insisting that he take their foreign exchange student, Gobi, to prom that same night! Perry thinks that if he manages to leave prom early, he can still make it to his gig on time. Little does he know that his entire night is about to explode, literally. Perry is caught up in an assassination attempt, taken hostage in his own father’s car, and forced to speed through the night in Manhattan. This is one wild ride through a dark city that you won’t want to end!
Schreiber has written a book that reads like a movie. The pace is fast even at the beginning of the book but becomes almost breakneck speed by the middle. The ending is wild and blazing. This book is not about character development, though there are moments of growth in Perry especially where he realizes the truth about his father and his own relationship with him. In some respects it is a gun-filled story of a boy turning into a man in one amazing night.
This book comes in at 192 pages, which is sure to appeal to reluctant teen readers. Add the appeal of guns, fast cars, explosions, assassins, and romance and you have a book that readers will race right through.
The movie rights to this book have already sold to Paramount, which makes perfect sense given a book that reads so much like it’s already on the screen. Get this in the hands of reluctant readers who will enjoy the action and the humor of this thrilling read. Appropriate for ages 14-17.
Reviewed from ARC received from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group.
Also reviewed by:
Good Night, World by Willa Perlman, illustrated by Carolyn Fisher
A small child says good night to the world around him before he goes to bed. He says goodnight to the sun and stars, planets, and the Earth. He then says goodnight to the deserts, mountains, oceans, and jungles. Then the book moves closer to home as he bids goodnight to animals, twisting roads, and houses. The book returns to where it began, right in his bedroom where he curls up and sleeps.Told in rhyming couplets, this is a gentle, soothing book that is just right for bedtime.
Perlman’s verse is simple and quiet. The circular feel of the book as it moves far away and then comes back again creates a hug of a story, where children will feel warm and secure. Yet at the same time, it is a book with a strong arc that invites children to think beyond themselves and far out into space. So it has a touch of adventure and an outward looking approach that is welcome.
Fisher’s art is a mix of painting and collage that is lovely. She evokes both the larger world outside and the closer, comfort of home in a way that makes both equally beautiful and welcoming. The illustrations are colorful, intriguing and have a sense of fun as well. Children should watch for the red-winged blackbird in each picture too, a friendly guide throughout the story.
This book manages to be both a bold, colorful picture book and a quiet bedtime story that evokes warmth and coziness. An ideal picture book appropriate for ages 2-4.
Reviewed from copy received from Beach Lane Books.
Also reviewed by:
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Karou is a blue-haired art student in Prague who lives a double life. She has her small flat where she sleeps under the spread of a pair of huge wings she created. She attends class, tangles with her ex-boyfriend, and hangs out with her best friend. Her sketchbooks are filled with strange creatures, so she is known to have a great imagination. No one knows that these are not creatures she has made up, but rather some of her closest family. Because she also has her secret life where she runs errands for Brimstone who is a wishmaker. Her errands take her across the world through magical doorways and what sounds amazing actually results in hauling elephant tusks on Paris subways or bargaining for the teeth of the dead in Morocco. Brimstone needs teeth to do his job, and it’s Karou’s job to bring them to him. Her life is complicated and busy, but filled with questions that are never answered. Karou has always felt something is missing, she’s just not sure what it could be.
Taylor has created a stunning novel here. Her heroine is complicated, vibrant, amazing and conflicted. She is strong, vulnerable, beautiful, and mesmerizing. She is also tough as nails when pushed, raised by monsters, and at the same time big-hearted and kind. She is a study in contrasts that really works, each piece making sense and creating a believable whole.
The writing is equally spectacular. Taylor’s descriptions of places is filled with beauty. She describes Prague as “a city of alchemists and dreamers, its medieval cobbles once trod by golems, mystics, invading armies.” Contrast that with Marrakesh “a mad, teeming carnival of humanity: snake charmers and dancers, dusty barefoot boys, pickpockets, hapless tourists, and food stalls selling everything from orange juice to roasted sheep’s heads.”
The entire book is filled with richness. Her descriptions are deep and meaningful. The relationships between characters are strong and true. And when she writes a love story, you’d better be ready for your own stomach butterflies to awaken and flutter. It is honey-sweet, hot and shining. She has created a world that you will not want to ever leave.
This is one ravishing read that breaks away from the paranormal romance label that could have bound it. Whether you are a paranormal romance fan or not, this is a book worth reading. Appropriate for ages 15-18.
Reviewed from ARC received from Little, Brown and Company.
Check out the trailer for the book:
Also reviewed by:
Zoozical by Judy Sierra, illustrations by Marc Brown
This sequel to Wild About Books continues with the same vivacious spirit of the first. It is winter and the visitors to the zoo start to stay home. All of the animals had the winter blues too. But just when the blues seemed to be inescapable, a very small hippo and young kangaroo started to hop. Soon everyone was dancing along with them and then everyone started to sing. The dancing and singing turned into their own stage show complete with sets and costumes. Once again, the zoo was the place to be despite the snowy weather.
Told in rhyming verse, there is a bubbly, bouncing feel to the book. The verse also reads aloud tremendously well thanks to the rhymes and the natural rhythm that Sierra has created in each line. The thrill and creativity of the theatre are captured in the jaunty text as is the slow, winter dullness.
Brown’s art is boisterous, big and bright. The colors change from the blues and grays of winter into an almost tropical feel when the animals are feeling themselves again. Greens, oranges, yellows and reds pop and glow on the page. There is always plenty to keep your eye on in the illustrations as well, giving children a reason to read this one again and again.
A standing ovation to Sierra and Brown for this bright, bubbly, boisterous book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.
Waking Brain Cells 