Book Reviews

Wicked Girls

| Tasha

Wicked Girls: a Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill

Through gripping verse, the story of the Salem Witch Trials is told from the point of view of several of the accusers themselves.  A fictionalized account, the book captures the lies and hysteria of Salem in 1692, embracing the theory that the girls were deliberately telling lies.  There is Ann Putnam, Jr. who leads the group of girls despite the fact she is 12 and others in the group are 17.  She is the daughter of a prominent man in Salem.  Her servant, Mercy Lewis, is also an accuser.  Beautiful and tempting to many, she finds a haven in accusing others of witchcraft.  Ann’s cousin, Margaret Walcott, is a girl in love and struggling to hold onto the boy.  Her beloved will not stand for the accusations, so she is torn between her friends and her heart.  These three girls form the center of the novel, each making accusations for different reasons, each lie leading to another, until nineteen people are killed in the name of piety.

Hemphill’s poems are beautifully constructed, they lend depth to the book at the same time they manage to move the story forward.  Each girl has a distinct personality and perspective that comes through in the poems.  The author weaves symbolism of the time into the poems, always making sure that these are girls of that period who have the concerns and sensibilities of that time.  Yet at the same time, modern girls will understand the aches of love, the power of lies, and the group dynamics that are inherent here. 

Hemphill tells the story from the girls’ points of view, allowing readers to see into their thought patterns and what drove them to do it.  This perspective makes the book particularly gripping and powerful.  She also frames the poems with the seasons, capturing each turn of the season in a poem.  Each of these separate poems that is not one from a girl’s view has a decorative corner on the page, marking them as separate.  It is a subtle and important touch.

This is a powerful book that speaks to a horrific time in Salem and is told in verse that illuminates all.  Appropriate for ages 13-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

Interrupting Chicken – Blog Tour!

| Tasha

I’m very happy to be the concluding blog on the Interrupting Chicken blog tour!

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Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Stein’s new picture book will earn him even more fans in the picture book world.  It is time for little red chicken to go to bed.  Her father agrees to read her a story, but tells her not to interrupt.  She promises not to.  So he begins Hansel and Gretel but just as they are about to enter the witch’s house, little red chicken interrupts and changes the story.  Her father tries again with Little Red Riding Hood with exactly the same result.  Finally, after little red chicken pleads for another chance, he tries Chicken Little.  She interrupts again and is still wide awake.  So her sleepy father climbs into bed himself and has her read him a story.  I wonder if interrupting runs in the family?

This book is a charmer and will have children laughing gleefully along as little red chicken continues to interrupt at just the right (or wrong) time.  Stein’s short introductions to the familiar fairy tales nicely set up each story and lead to a climactic point.  Then little red chicken’s interruptions add a great tone and speed to the text, filled with enthusiasm about the stories themselves.  My favorite part is that she is so drawn into the stories that she feels she must help the characters.  This book really is about the power of reading with a child. 

Stein’s illustrations are done in a great palette of colors with reds, teals, blues and greens that are vibrant and exciting.  The depth of color on the page is fantastic with few of the pages offering white space at all.  This gives it a very warm, cozy feel. 

A perfect read aloud, this book will be loved by anyone who hears it.  The comedic timing is built into the story and it is a pleasure to share it aloud.  Add this one to your pile of funny chicken books and your bedtime stories.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Candlewick.

 

Visit the other blogs that are part of the tour:

Aug. 9 – Picture Book Review, http://picturebookreview.com/

Aug. 10 – Katie’s Literature Lounge, http://katiesliteraturelounge.blogspot.com/

Aug. 11 – Readaholic, http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/

Aug. 12 – Two Writing Teachers, http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com

Aug. 13 – Not Just for Kids, http://notjustforkids.blogspot.com/

Aug. 14 – Milk and Cookies, Comfort Reading . . ., http://janasbooklist.blogspot.com/

Aug. 15 – Bookworm’s Dinner, http://bookwormsdinner.blogspot.com/

Aug. 16 – Where the Best Books Are, http://wherethebestbooksare.blogspot.com/

The Kneebone Boy

| Tasha

The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter

Released September 14th, 2010.

I’m afraid I don’t know how to review this book without gushing, but I will do my best.  I’m hoping to see some recognition of it in this year’s awards.

The Hardscrabble family is shunned in their small town for several reasons.  Partly it’s because their mother disappeared suddenly and suspiciously.  Her body was never found.  Partly, it’s because all three of the children are a little odd and unusual.  Their father creates portraits of royals who have lost their throne, traveling around the world.  When he is gone, he leaves them with Mrs. Carnival, but then he makes a mistake and the three children are sent to stay with their aunt in London, who happens to be out of town herself.  So the three children are alone in London with nowhere to stay.  Luckily, they saw a letter from their great-aunt to their father giving vague hints about the truth about their mother.  So off they head to her home, which happens to be a miniature castle next to a very large castle with plenty of mystery and atmosphere.  Before they know it, they are off on an adventure that will change their lives.

Potter, author of Slob and the Olivia Kidney series, has outdone herself with this novel.  I tend to dislike books with a narrator voice that interjects, but here it is a perfect fit, since the text is written as if one of the characters is writing it.  It is less a narrator voice and more of one of the characters telling their story complete with asides.  It works beautifully here, adding to the wryness and intelligence of the book.

When the story reaches the castle folly, the setting really comes to life.  From the escapades on the beach and in the woods to the folly itself, details are shared and the entire world is suddenly bright with interest.  Potter writes these details into the story, weaving them together to create a world that is fascinating, childlike and still sinister.

The three children act like real brothers and sisters, which in a fantasy novel is a pleasure to see.  They are neither enemies or like friends, they are siblings through and through.  Their dynamic is ever-changing and very honestly written.  Potter also writes each of them with a distinct voice and perspective.  This strengthens the novel even more.  The children are delightfully but not distractingly odd.  They are the types of children we all wanted to be friends with when we were little, because we were just as strange too.

I have saved the best for last.  This is a book that reads like a fantasy but is realistic in the end and throughout.  Yes, there are adventures, there are skills, there are castles and there is a secret to be unraveled.  But in the end, it is real, sometimes achingly so.  It is also an ideal book to read aloud to a class, because the adventures will keep them mesmerized and there is plenty to discuss.

A must-buy for all libraries, this book is a winning read.  Fans of The Graveyard Book will enjoy it but so will children who look for adventure and reality.  It is a cross-genre book that fans of both will enjoy despite the fact it is definitely not really a fantasy.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Feiwel and Friends.

Also reviewed by:

Teen Book Reviews by a Teen – Red Pyramid

| Tasha

Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

DO Judge a Pyramid by It’s Color

Hi there. This is Rowan. (I’m Tasha’s son, if you didn’t know.) and this is the first of my Teen Book Reviews by a Teen. Well, without further distraction, let’s begin!

I liked the Percy Jackson series. It’s hilarious take on Greek Mythology was, well… hilarious. The humor is back in Rick Riordan’s new book (and possible series,) Red Pyramid. The switch from Greek Mythology to Egyptian provides a fresh experience with new characters and a new story. I don’t want to go much further, for the sake of the story, but I will say that if you liked Percy Jackson, you’ll LOVE this book.

Come to Me, My Chickadee!

| Tasha

Come to Me, My Chickadee! by Carol Thompson

A celebration of all of the pet names we use for our children, this book compiles names from around the world and from different cultures.  Thompson melds these names into verses that have a lilting rhyme that is ideal for the youngest listeners.  The end pages start the mood with the flowering and fruiting branches surrounded by endearments from around the world.  Thompson’s friendly children of all different races make for inviting characters.

Thompson’s verse has a wonderful rhythm and rhyme that make reading it aloud great fun.  There will be foreign words and endearments, but nicely Thompson uses most of them in rhymes so that readers can figure out how to pronounce them.  Her illustrations are done in mixed media and capture the enthusiasm and energy of toddlers.

This one could become a favorite at bedtime and will lend itself to multiple readings.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Child’s Play.

Hattie the Bad

| Tasha

Hattie the Bad by Jane Devlin, illustrations by Joe Berger

Hattie was a very good little girl until she realized how dull it was.  Then she became Hattie the Bad, doing naughty but very fun things.  The other children loved her, but their parents stopped letting them play with Hattie.  So Hattie decided to be good again, perfect even.  The parents started pushing their children to be more like Hattie, but then the children stopped playing with her because she was so perfect.  Hattie was so very good that she even got an award for being the Best-Behaved Child Ever!  When in front of the cameras and asked to speak, Hattie stopped being good for good.

This book is all about being true to yourself and not trying to be what others expect you to be.  Hattie strikes a nice balance at the end of the book, being quite naughty, with “just a teensy bit of good.”  Devlin’s writing is over the top, adding to the fun and zinging energy of the book.  Berger matches that with his great illustrations.  Though the cover has a limited orangey palette, the book uses a more full spectrum of color.  Nicely, the illustrations have a bit of seventies vibe in them.  Readers should have fun watching for the frogs to appear and reappear throughout the book as well as laughing in glee when Hattie turns back into herself.

A naughty girl, perhaps, but a very nice read.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial.

Also reviewed by:

Side by Side/Lado a lado

| Tasha

Side by Side/Lado a lado : the story of Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez by Monica Brown, illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Released September 1, 2010

Bright and vibrant, this book tells the true story of Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez and their fight for the rights of migrant farm workers.  The book begins with both of them as children and their early connections to the needs of farm workers.  The real change started when the two of them met and began working together on the cause.  They traveled from town to town talking from the beds of trucks in fields.  They successfully fought to get the poisons used on California grapes stopped.  They marched for 340 miles to demand that workers get living wages.  Cesar went on a hunger strike to get people to listen.  The two worked together for 30 years and were two of the most important voices for labor change in the United States.

A bilingual book, this is a heartfelt homage to two heroes of our time.  The writing is simple and honest, reflecting the subject matter with a great respect.  For young readers, the book is fairly free of dates, leaving the heart of the story uncluttered.  In the author note, readers can learn more about the dates  and associations that were created.  The focus of the book is on advocacy, action and passion.  Things we all hope children will learn.  Cepeda’s illustrations are strong and bright.  Filled with rich colors, the illustrations underscore the normalcy of both Huerta and Chavez while capturing their energy and dedication as well.

An empowering and inspiring read, this book is appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from ARC received from HarperCollins.

Pigs to the Rescue

| Tasha

Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman

I loved Chickens to the Rescue which was released in 2006 and this next book is just as winning and funny as the first!  Each day of the week Farmer Greenstalk and his family need help.  The tractor breaks down, the garden needs watering, a shoelace breaks and a kite gets stuck in the tree.  In each case, the pigs launch in to help out, always leaving the situation a bit worse than when they “helped.”  This zany book is sure to have guffaws galore as the illustrations are there to tell the rest of the story, especially the results of the pigs’ frenzied help.  The book ends with a wonderful twist that will have readers laughing all over again.

Himmelman allows his illustrations to really tell the story here.  The text is matter-of-fact, playing the straight man against the wild humor of the illustrations.  The cartoon feel of the pictures works perfectly here with the larger-than-life humor that is mostly physical.  Reluctant readers will enjoy the juxtaposition of the simple text against the vibrant background.

Sure to be a hit, this book will work best one-on-one because the illustrations should be enjoyed close up.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt.

How I Made It to Eighteen

| Tasha

How I Made It to Eighteen: a mostly true story by Tracy White

Based on the author’s experiences, this book takes a straight-on look at depression and self-destruction.  Seventeen-year-old Stacy Black checked herself into a mental hospital to help deal with her anger and depression.  She had just put her fist through a glass window.  Stacy hated the hospital but knew that she had to be there to survive, so she stayed.  As she spent time there, she developed new friends who helped her in her recovery and in being honest with herself.  Told in graphic novel format that is more like a journal than manga, this book is honest, blunt and intelligent.  Teen readers will easily see themselves in Stacy whether they are struggling with similar issues or not.

This book appears to be a regular novel until you open it and see all of the illustrations.  Done in line drawings, the illustrations are quirky and have the unedited feel of a real journal.  Readers get to know Stacy as well as her friends both in the hospital and from outside.  This perspective shift, done at the end of each chapter is a welcome view of how outsiders view a teen who enters a hospital.  While they express confusion and concern, all of them realize that it was a necessary step.  It is a brilliant and subtle way to tell teens that they will not be vilified if they get the help they need.

Though heavily illustrated, White’s writing is also a large part of the story.  Stacy is a sarcastic and caustic character.  Readers will realize immediately that she is putting on a front, but it takes time for readers and Stacy to acknowledge what exactly has brought her to the hospital and to this place in her life.  The slow unveiling of the basis of her problems mirrors the steps in her counseling.  This makes the entire book feel organic and honest.

A book that teens will enjoy and relate to, this graphic novel will appeal to a much broader audience than graphic novel readers.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.

Also reviewed by: