Book Reviews

The Pencil

| Tasha

The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Bruce Ingman.

Ahlberg and Ingman have created a picture book that is both charming and inventive.  It is the story of a lonely pencil who decides to start drawing and creates its own world, filled with a boy, a dog, a cat, a paintbrush and much more.  Trouble comes when the pencil creates an eraser who starts to take control.  But clever thinking and quick drawing bring the story back full circle.

The humorous bits are what make this book work so well.  There are small running gags, silly moments and other funny bits that add up to a book that will get giggles but has a lot of depth as well.  Ingman’s illustrations are integral to the book.  They create this world of creativity on both the subtle black-and-white spreads and those wild with color.  The partnership of author and illustrator here is so successful that it is hard to imagine the book was done by two different people. 

Highly recommended for art classes or classes doing drawing, this is also a great book for craft days at libraries or to share with your own little artist.

Goodnight Goon

| Tasha

Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex.

I’ve always been fond of parodies and nothing needs a silly send-up as much as the classic and very sweet Goodnight Moon.  The illustrations perfectly mirror those of the original, except this time there are spiders, bats, gravestones and skulls in the "cold gray tomb."  The tone is kept exactly the same as is the rhythm and rhyme.  The same flat style of sentence adds to the fun.

This book will appeal primarily to those who were read the original book as a bedtime story and are now much to old for that.  It is appropriate for younger ages, but early elementary children will enjoy the parody the most.  Recommended for a Halloween read aloud for ages 6-8.

Baron von Baddie and the Ice Ray Incident

| Tasha

Baron von Baddie and the Ice Ray Incident by George McClements.

Baron von Baddie was an evil genius who built huge robots to take over the world, or perhaps just to steal ice cream.  Thank goodness for Captain Kapow, who could always take care of Baron and keep him in check.  That is until one fateful day when Captain Kapow was frozen by Baron von Baddie’s ice ray.  No one could stop Baron von Baddie from doing what he wished.  He built robots, changed the days of the week around and ate lots and lots of doughnuts.  But eventually, even these pleasures lost their appeal.  So what is an evil genius to do if he misses his super counterpart?

Pure silly fun, this picture book will appeal to all sorts of children, but especially those who enjoy super heroes.  McClements’ paper art is eye-catching and comical.  The text of the book begs to be read aloud and the art will project well to even a large crowd. 

Anyone looking to practice their evil villain voices and super hero strut (and really, who isn’t?), will find plenty to enjoy here.  Highly recommended for rowdy classrooms of children or as a final read in a story time.  This is a book that will be asked for again and again.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Otis and Rae and the Grumbling Splunk

| Tasha

Otis and Rae and the Grumbling Splunk by Laura and Leo Espinosa.

Otis and Rae head out camping.  All Otis wants to do is eat his peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but Rae fills his head with all sorts of scary stories, especially the one about the Grumbling Splunk.  They head to bed, but Otis can’t sleep as he worries and frets about whether the Splunk is real or not.  When the crickets suddenly stop chirping, Otis faces his fear head on.

The illustrations here are charming and modern, evoking a manga and anime spirit similar to Totoro.  The friendship between the two characters rings true right down to their very dissimilar personalities.  The book is fast-paced, interesting and often surprising.  One of the joys is that you are never quite sure what to expect next. 

A great rollicking fun read for children, this book is appropriate for ages 4-6.

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-You Notes

| Tasha

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-You Notes by Peggy Gifford.

Moxy returns in splendid style in this second book.  This time she is stuck writing twelve thank-you notes after Christmas.  She has to have them done by today, or her mother has threatened her with not going to see her father in California.  And Moxy knows that if she goes to California, she will be discovered and become famous.   As the time ticks by despite Moxy’s best intentions, her ideas for finishing the thank-you’s get more and more wild.  Expect hilarity and slapstick galore.

Moxy is a fabulously real heroine, who wrestles with the insurmountable problems of childhood.  Her wild antics are reminiscent of  Homer Price and the doughnut machine.  While it is very funny, the book does not veer too far in that direction, staying based in real life and having real moments of sadness and realization.  A pitch-perfect balance is struck by Gifford in this book.  The photographs that illustrate the book add to the grounding in reality as well as the funny moments.  Their perfect timing is part of the charm of this series.

Highly recommended for 8-10 year olds, these books have covers that will keep them moving off of library shelves.  They are great fun to read aloud, and this would make a perfect class read aloud around holiday time.  I can’t wait to see what Moxy is up to next!

The Retired Kid

| Tasha

The Retired Kid by Jon Agee.

Agee returns with a charming look at an overworked kid who decides to retire from his hectic school and personal life.  8-year-old Brian has had enough and flies off to Florida to life at the Happy Sunset Retirement Community.  Brian finds swimming pools, golf, and card games in his retirement.  It is certainly not hard work.  But eventually, Brian realizes that he doesn’t fit in with the other retirees.  He starts to think back about the fun parts of being a kid and realizes that though retirement is great fun, he just might want to do the hard work.

Agee has captured the exhaustion of the modern kid perfectly here.  There is a broad sense of humor to the book, which kids in elementary school will thoroughly enjoy.  Agee’s illustrations carry his unique style with interesting angles and proportions.  They are timeless and modern at the same time. 

Perfect for reading aloud to ages 6-8, this book is funny and true at the same time. 

Guardian

| Tasha

Guardian by Julius Lester.

This is a gripping, striking novel of lynching told from the point of view of a white teen boy who witnesses the hate crime.  It is the summer of 1946 and Ansel is fourteen years old.  He is the son of the store owner in a small town in the Deep South.  One of his best friends is Willie.  Though they fish together often, there is always an awareness of their differences solely because of the color of their skin.  Ansel is also in love with Mary Susan, daughter of the local pastor, who fairly glows with purity and sexuality.  Enter into this an evil spoiled wealthy kid and you have everything it takes to make a lynching.

Lester’s language is lyrical, somber and almost languid with the heat of the South.  He takes the time to examine each person in the story down to their soul.  Each person trapped in their own pain, their own decisions.  Each with their own guilt and shame.  This is done for a reason, so that knowing these people that deeply, one can only feel gut-wrenching, fearful amazement at what they allow to happen. 

Let me give you one example.  This is Maureen, Ansel’s mother:

It takes Maureen a while to understand why she looks forward to seeing the colored faces every Saturday.  Their lips turn up at the ends and their lips part to reveal their teeth, but she sees only sadness in their eyes.

One Saturday morning she understands.  Smiles begin in the eyes and flow downward to the lips.

Her eyes are dead.

She wonders: "When did I die?"

And that leads her to ask: "Was I ever really alive?"

Racism is dealt with head on.  Lester doesn’t hide the evil of racism, but rather shows that a community and nation this divided must inevitably lead to horror and evil.  It is a powerful book for all that it says without being didactic and preaching.  It is instead a moment in history caught, captured and revolting.

This powerful book with its amazing writing is also invitingly short.  High school classrooms will embrace it as a catalyst for discussion of race in America.  Even adult book discussion groups should take a look at it.  One of the most powerful novels on race I have ever read, this is one of my top teen novels of the year.  I can’t wait to see the cover art.

Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Melting Stones

| Tasha

Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce

Released in October 2008.

Created first to be a Full Audio production, this is the written novel form.  The novel continues the story of Evvy, a stone mage, who after a disgraceful scene in Winding Circle finds herself on a boat with Rosethorn, the plant mage, to investigate strange happenings on an island.  Traveling with them is a prickly water mage, who scorns Evvy’s presence on their trip.  Evvy herself is unhappy to be there until they get to the island and she is thrilled to find unusual stones everywhere.  As they investigate the changes on the island: lakes turning to acid and trees dying suddenly, they find themselves in the middle of a volcanic emergency where they must use all of their skill and magic to keep not only themselves but everyone on the island safe from harm.

Pierce has created an engaging heroine in Evvy.  She is at times sullen, self-absorbed and critical, but readers will see through those harsh defenses to the real girl.  As the novel moves forward, Evvy herself changes realistically with no sudden jumps or unexplained realizations.  It is a pleasure to read a character so well developed and written.  The secondary characters are equally well crafted. 

The action here is thrilling and vivid, even scenes that take a lot of imagination deep within the earth are captured to best effect.  The island itself as a setting is almost a character as it reveals its secrets and story. 

Pierce’s Circle of Magic series expands one more ring with this novel, and I hope to read more about these new mages in future novels.  Recommended for all libraries because of Pierce’s fan base, this novel is sure to find readers easily.  Appropriate for ages 12-14.

Would You?

| Tasha

Would You by Marthe Jocelyn

Natalie is a free-wheeling kind of teen.  She breaks into people’s swimming pools just to have a cool dip with her friends.  They play the would you game where you have two impossible choices:  Would you rather lose all your hair or all your teeth?  Would you rather die or have everyone else die?  They are secure in their own immortality, safe in their sheltered worlds.  Until the accident.  When everything changes.

The characters here are fresh and engaging.  Jocelyn has perfectly captured the mix of angst and hubris that teens feel.  The writing is equally vibrant, pacing itself with the story.  I really appreciate that during the crisis, Natalie’s friends do not abandon her.  Just because they are breezy free teens does not mean they are heartless and cold.  It is a small touch, but just one of many that make the book read so true to life.

Recommended for tween readers in particular, this book is appropriate for ages 12-15.  Readers of Lurlene McDaniel will enjoy this book and will find more than tears to revel in.