Elementary School

Up We Grow! – Glorious Farm Life

| Tasha

Up We Grow! A Year in the Life of a Small, Local Farm by Deborah Hodge, photographs by Brian Harris

This book shows the beauty and work of running a small farm.  The book moves from season to season, highlighting the work being done at that time.  In spring, seeds are sown, plants are transplanted, compost is spread.  In summer the animals and plants are growing bigger.  The flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, crops are being harvested, and they have a farm celebration.  In fall, it’s harvest time for crops and for honey.  The farmers markets are active and the farmers are saving seeds to use next year.  In winter, it is slower.  The farmers repair their equipment, feed their animals, and grow plants in the greenhouse.  This book offers lots of information in friendly green boxes that specifically talk about sustainable practices.  It is a gentle way to introduce organic farming to young readers.

Hodge’s text is refreshingly light in tone, often asking readers to talk about their own experiences.  Her use of text in boxes for the more dense, factual portions works very well, making the book flexible for different ages and audiences.  Harris’ photographs really capture the fresh air and sunshine of a farm.  From friendly animals to deep rich soil, his photos are interesting and vibrant.

A book that will have everyone wanting to munch some farm-fresh veggies and visit a friendly goat or two, it is a warm invitation to investigate small farms in your area or at least spend some time at a farmer’s market this fall.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

Anna Hibiscus – Brilliant New Series

| Tasha

Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Hooray for Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke

Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa in a great big house filled with relatives, including her parents, her little twin brothers, her grandparents, her many aunts, her many uncles, and all of her cousins.  She is never lonely because there is always someone to play with, share stories with, and have fun with.  In the first book in the series, Anna Hibiscus discovers that it’s not so easy to have a family vacation with just your small family.  She meets her Aunt Comfort who lives on the other side of the ocean, though she frets that Aunt Comfort will have forgotten how to be African.  Anna Hibiscus also learns about hard work and dreams of seeing snow for the first time.  In the second book in the series, Anna Hibiscus sings before a crowd, refuses to get her hair braided,  loves the quiet of nights without electricity, and travels to the other side of the city. 

Obviously written by a storyteller, these books are unique and offer American children a fascinating glimpse of life in Africa that is guaranteed to break stereotypes.  The stories are all set definitively in Africa and all of the stories have a focus on things that make Africa special.  Another positive for the books is how the simple pleasures of life are the best, something that so many children in America need to learn. 

Anna Hibiscus is a great protagonist.  She is still learning herself about the differences between her own life and that of the poor children she sees around her.  She learns about this in very concrete and tangible ways that children in any country can relate to.  Nicely, Atinuke has created books for children that instead of shying away from difficult subjects like poverty embrace them and focus attention about them.

Atinuke’s use of rhythm and repetition in her stories adds to the feeling of them being written by a storyteller.  There is also a powerful tie to the oral traditions of Africa thanks to these storytelling phrases.  Beautifully written and wonderfully simple and straight forward, these books are something very special.

Highly recommended, these books belong in all public and school libraries.  They are a wonderful modern look at Africa and the people who love her.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copies received from Kane Miller.

Also reviewed by Fuse #8.

Bones

| Tasha

Bones by Steve Jenkins

Really all any book needs is Steve Jenkins’ name on the front and his great illustrations inside.  Just those two things and you know it’s going to be great.  In this book, Jenkins turns his attention to bones and skeletons.  The size and shape of bones are explored as are skeletons of the human body and of various animals.  Information is given about bones and the illustrations of the bones are laid out on very colorful pages that highlight the bones but offer some vibrancy as well.  This book of bones should be in every school and public library.

Jenkin’s text here offers just enough detail to be informative but also never too much too be weighty.  It offers the same bright, freshness as the illustrations themselves.  His illustrations are studies in restraint as he works his paper magic using a very limited boney palette of colors.  The design of the book makes it rather like an archeological discovery, since you never know what bones you will find when you turn the page.  Several of the pages fold out to offer large scale illustrations, including a full human skeleton.  Along the way, readers are asked questions and get to think about the body, the bones and how they function.

A virtuoso book, pull this one out for Halloween and get some sweet science mixed in with the candy.  It is appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from library copy.

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:

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown

| Tasha

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

A fourth book in the spectacularly funny Lunch Lady series, this book returns with the same formula of humor and action.  In this book, Lunch Lady is working at a summer camp that the Breakfast Bunch kids just happen to be attending.  This is not going to be the relaxing summer they all expected!  A swamp monster is on the loose at camp, coming out only at night.  Now Lunch Lady and the kids have to once again join forces to find out who is behind the attacks.

The puns here are just as funny as in all of the previous books.  They are guaranteed to have readers groaning and then sharing them aloud with friends.  The art is just as simple and fun too, sticking to the limited color palette that marks this clearly as a Lunch Lady book. 

A winning addition to a very popular series, every library should have this series for young graphic novel fans.  Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from copy received from Knopf.

Also reviewed by:

Doodlebug

| Tasha

Doodlebug by Karen Romano Young

Dodo has been expelled from her last school because she tried to sell her Ritalin to other students in her class.  Now her family is moving from LA to San Francisco.  Her parents are hoping for a fresh start for their careers and for Dodo.  Her younger sister Momo is angry about the move, and Dodo is unsure that it will make any difference at all.  On the trip, Dodo discovers that she loves to draw, that doodling makes her calmer and better able to deal with the drive and the move.  Dodo starts a new school, changing her nickname to Doodlebug.  Her doodling is accepted in some classes and forbidden in others.  Momo is desperate to join the school’s choir, so she tries several stunts, like singing into the PA system of the school.  Both girls may have pushed it a bit too far in their new school.  Will Dodo be expelled again?

A fabulous combination of journal, graphic novel and story, this book allows readers to really understand what it is to be a visual learner and to have ADD.  Dodo is a great character, fully developed and complex.  Just as wonderfully drawn are her family members, even the new cat, Sven.  They are all complicated and interesting, portraying a real, multicultural family dealing with change and opportunity. 

Young’s creativity is fully on display here with pages filled with a variety of lettering, lots of drawings and plenty of forward momentum.  Several touches will resonate with young artists who will find the names of the pens used to make the black and white illustrations.  They will get plenty of inspiration to create their own journals, capture their own lives and adventures. 

Highly recommended, this book will be enjoyed by readers who enjoyed the Joey Pigza series, Amelia’s Notebook, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Appropriate for ages 9-13.

Reviewed from copy received from Feiwel and Friends.

Also reviewed by:

Check out Karen Romano Young’s website.

Scumble

| Tasha

Scumble by Ingrid Law

Released August 24, 2010.

This companion book to Savvy features another member of their extended family who has a savvy of his own to try to deal with.  Ledger Kale just turned 13.  He had been dreaming of getting a savvy that would enable him to run faster than anyone, because his father was a runner.  But instead he gets a rather alarming savvy: he is able to demolish things with a thought.  Small items like watches stand no chance, nor does the motorcycle he busts into bits.  Unfortunately, a nosy would-be reporter Sarah Jane saw him destroy the cycle, so now Ledger has to worry about his entire family being exposed.   When Sarah Jane threatens him, people have to really watch out as his savvy grows bigger and bigger until he manages to flatten an entire barn.  Now Ledger is stuck at his uncle’s ranch because it would be too dangerous for him to travel by car and it’s much safer for him to practice control in open spaces.  In a story filled with great characters and plenty of action, this book extends the world of Savvy in a delightful way.

The cast of characters features those from the previous book as well as new characters for readers to enjoy.  It is an adroit melding of new and old together into a cohesive and interesting story.  Ledger, the main character, learns so much about himself in the novel.  His growth is believable and steady throughout the book, learning that his father’s dreams and his own may not be the same.   The character of Rocket was another of my favorites in the book, a young man who is unable to leave the ranch much at all because of his electrical savvy and lack of control.  He is the ideal character to pair with Ledger, a warning of what could happen, yet also a vibrant and fascinating character himself.

The setting on the ranch is richly drawn, with the marriage glade, the second barn just for insects, and Rocket’s small home where Ledger is sent to stay to minimize his damage.  The ranch almost becomes a character itself as it is so pivotal to the story and such a part of everything. 

It is nearly impossible to meet the expectations following such a successful first book as Savvy.  Law does it with grace, style and a lot of savvy.  Appropriate for ages 9-13.

Reviewed from ARC received from Dial Books.

Also reviewed by:

Chalk

| Tasha

Chalk by Bill Thomson

In this wordless book, three children discover a bag hanging from the mouth of the dinosaur toy in the park.  Inside is sidewalk challk, very special sidewalk chalk.  When one child selects yellow and draws a sun on the wet pavement, it turns real, leaving the drawing and heading into the sky, ending the rain.  Another child draws orange butterflies, which also lift from the ground and into the air.  Excitement unfolds when the third child draws a dinosaur which comes to life, chasing them around the playground.  The quick-thinking child draws a cloud with rain coming out of it and saves the day.  Told in rich photo-realistic illustrations, this book is a magical journey into imagination.

A wordless book that is not strictly for preschoolers is a rare find.  One that is told with such energy and style is even more rare.  Thomson has created a book that is inviting, mesmerizing and unique.  Told in such a way that the story flows through the illustrations, needing no narration, this book is superb.  The realistic illustrations add to the modern feel of the book as well as the action and surprise of the magic.  In fact, the juxtaposition of magic with photo-realistic illustrations is what elevates this book to another level.  Beautifully designed and envisioned.

Highly recommended, this book will fly off the shelves by the strength of that cover alone.  It can also be used as the basis for art and writing projects in a classroom setting beautifully.  Appropriate for a wide range of ages, 3-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Marshall Cavendish.

Also reviewed by:

Touch Blue

| Tasha

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord

Released August 1, 2010.

Tess firmly believes in luck and does all sorts of things to try and capture some of it.  But wishes and luck are difficult things to grab ahold of as Tess quickly discovers.  On her island home, the number of children have fallen below the threshold to have a school.  If nothing is done, Tess and her family will have to leave the island and Tess will be unable to become a fisherman the way she wants to.  So the islanders decide to take in foster children to both increase the number of children on the island and to help other people.  Tess has been envisioning an orphan like Anne of Green Gables, who loves to read, loves the island and loves their family.  But real life is more complicated.  Her family ends up fostering Aaron, a boy haunted by his past and the loss of his mother, a boy who is silent and distant, moody and who plays the trumpet with amazing skill.  Where is the luck in that?

Lord’s writing is effortless and enjoyable.  While this book feels like a light summer read, it offers many insights into family, loss, luck and bravery.  Lord has again tackled a difficult subject with such a brilliant approach that readers will be happily afloat in her hands before realizing that the book has a lot more depth than they may have expected.

Lord also excels at characters.  Here Tess is the main protagonist, a girl who holds onto her haven of a community and clings to all the luck she can.   She is a complex character written with restraint and understanding.  Her delightful mix of bravery, self-assurance, and doubt is masterfully presented.  Another great characterization is Aaron who reveals himself to the reader slowly, just as he does to Tess and her family.  He is a foil to many characterizations of foster children, yet at the same time he has a darkness and need to him that speaks volumes.

You are guaranteed to have luck if you pick up this title, even more if you share it with another.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic.

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