Sandy's Picks - 2010

2010 is quickly drawing to a close. It's definitely been a crazy year for me, especially here in Library Land. Fortunately I managed to read lots of really great books along the way! According to Goodreads.com I've managed to read 119 books this year - almost all of which are for children and teens. This number also does not include many picture books, so this number is really probably only half of what I really read. Instead of predicting award winners like I did last December, I'm going to instead highlight some of my personal favorites from 2010.

Juvenile Fiction

First, a disclaimer: I'm not going to talk about picture books today. Hundreds and hundreds to picture books are published every year, and I've seen so many that it's hard to keep track of them all. Perhaps I should start tracking them on Goodreads like I do the chapter books? I'll make it a goal to do better next year. But chapter books are a little easier to keep track of since one generally reads fewer of them due to their relative length. So here are my favorite chapter books of 2010!

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
One of the best examples I've ever seen of a books that really gets middle school. The kids in this book are varied and realistic, and the general premise of a geeky kid dispensing advice with an origami Yoda figure is too much fun. Go grab this one today.

Crunch by Leslie Connor
This book is definitely a product of our times. Kids can't help but hear about the rising gas prices, environmental issues, and economic constraints that all factor into the hypothetical situation presented in this novel. A gas shortage has left Dewey's parents stranded far from home, leaving him and his siblings to cope on their own. These kids are resourceful and it was great to see how the community banded together during the crisis.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
An unusual story, but one that really made me think about the differences between childhood and adulthood. In this book, our main character is a boy stuck in the body of a grown man. Liam is constantly mistaken for an adult, which has its pros and cons. But when he decides to use his appearance to con his way onto a civilian space flight things get a little hairy.

Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
This is perhaps the most unique book I've ever seen, blending sparse text and vibrant pictures with an impressive vocabulary and whimsical characters. Awesome.

Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale
This graphic novel is the sequel to 2008's delightful Rapunzel's Revenge, and it certainly did not disappoint! This time the story is told from the perspective of Jack, the boy of beanstalk fame. He tries to set things right with the giant back home, all the while desperate to hide his criminal past from Punzie. The steampunk setting makes this fractured fairy tale really stand out, and the illustrations grab you and pull you into the story. A fun adventure.



Teen Reads

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Probably the most anticipated book of the year, the conclusion to The Hunger Games Trilogy was a great success. Katniss becomes fully embroiled in the rebellion against the cruel Capitol, but quickly begins to wonder how far she's willing to go for the Districts' freedom. If you haven't read this book or its predecessors yet, do yourself a favor and track down a copy today - it's one of the most amazing series I've encountered.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
This story about two teens who share the same name is told in alternating voices. The authors' different styles blend together impressively and this quirky tale of love and friendship stands out for it's dynamic characters.

Unidentified by Rae Mariz
Another futuristic dystopia - clearly there are a number of good books being added to this genre. In this story corporate sponsorship mingles with education and social networking as teens earn prestige by impressing various businesses. Makes you think about all of the issues that social networking has brought to light in recent years.

Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu
Lucy has been keeping her mother's hording a secret for years, fearing the response that other people will have to her home situation. But when tragedy suddenly strikes, how will she clean up the mess? Lucy's emotional journey is powerful and her fears palpable.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
I'm a big sucker for fractured fairy tales and I especially love Little Red Riding Hood, so this book was pretty much a guaranteed hit for me. Even without my own biases, I really thought that this modern retelling put a very unique spin on the story and turned it into its own animal.

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar
Alton has always been told by his parents that his great-uncle Lester Trapp is his favorite uncle as the grown-ups schmooze in the hopes of inheriting the man's fortune. But when Alton is forced to take Lester to his bridge club and act as the blind man's cardturner, he soon realizes that there's more to his uncle than meets the eye. Lots of bridge talk in this story, but you don't have to know anything about the game to appreciate the great characters and their circumstances.



What are your favorite books of 2010?

The Princess Thing

A very interesting article came my way recently via my Facebook news feed thanks to the ever-glorious Teenreads.com The article is actually a blog post from author Meg Cabot's website, and it kind of rocked my world. Cabot (author of "The Princess Diaries" and "Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls" series) tackles an issue that I'm sure she's encountered before: The Princess Thing. Are princesses antiquated role models for girls, waiting to be rescued by the Handsome Prince? Or can they be empowered characters who write their own destinies? Using the lovely Rapunzel of the new Disney movie "Tangled" and our mutual hero Princess Leia as prime examples, Cabot shows us that "the princess thing" isn't something to be feared, but rather something to be embraced.

Click here to read her blog post. It's pretty awesome.

This article got me thinking about the princesses that we see in books. Which ones are strong, and which ones aren't? Here are a few strong, smart princesses that a girl can look up to:

Picture Books:
The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke
Princess Violetta is taught to be a mighty knight just like her brothers. But when she turns 16 her father holds a tournament with her hand in marriage as a prize. Will this independent princess stand for it? Not a chance!

A Brave Little Princess by Beatrice Masini
Teased for being so small, a princess goes on to save the day not once but three times.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
In this fractured fairy tale the princess forgoes proper decorum and goes off to rescue the handsome prince from the fire-breathing dragon. She's feisty and smart and demands equal treatment.

Don't Kiss the Frog: Princess Stories with Attitude by Fiona Waters
The title says it all. These princesses are somewhat sassier, spunkier, and more independant than their classic fairy tale counterparts.

Chapter Books:
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
OK, so the title character in this book (and subsequent series) isn't a princess. He's not even a girl. But you can't deny that the fiery Luxa, an important secondary character, is kind of awesome. As she is being groomed for the throne she continually makes sacrifices and takes risks to help her people. She's flawed and she isn't always right, but she's got spunk and passion and she knows how to use a sword. I would also argue that she grows and changes more than any other character in the series.

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
After the events of the classic "Cinderella," the title princess becomes embroiled in the political games of the royal house. Soon she begins to realize that maybe she doesn't really want to marry the prince after all.

The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
When it it prophesied that the girl who will marry the prince will come from an impoverished mountain village, a Princess Academy is set up to teach the village girls everything they need to know about royal living. In the end the girls realize that they can use these skills to make their village safer and more prosperous.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
"Cinderella" is a favorite fairy tale to parody, and this Newbery Honor book proves why. Levine's version of the title character is cursed with obedience and is determine to protect herself and the people she loves from being manipulated. She's smart and has to use her wit to get out of a few sticky situations.

Teen Reads:
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
The series that made Meg Cabot famous! Mia thinks that she's pretty average, until she learns that her father is actually the prince of a small country. It's modern teen drama given the royal treatment.

Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner
This novel tells the story of Helen of Sparta, better known in mythology as Helen of Troy, the woman who started the Trojan War. Friesner's Helen isn't just a beauty though. She knows that if she's going to get by in the world she needs to have more than just a pretty face - she needs to know how to make people listen to her. She needs to be smart and strong, and she needs to learn to use a sword.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Cimorene is sick of having to behave like a proper princess, so she decides to run off and become the housekeeper for a dragon. Here she has the chance to learn some magic and fights back against trouble-making wizards. But can she keep the princes who keep trying to rescue her away?

Lulu and the Brontosaurus

Lulu is, shall we say, a bit spoiled. What she wants she gets, and if her parents say no she throws a fit. Picture Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - selfish and shameless. With her birthday approaching, Lulu decides that what she would really like more than anything is a pet brontosaurus. But for the first time in memory Lulu's parents actually put their collective foot down and give her a firm no. After all brontosauruses are huge and wild and would certainly not make a good pet. Stubborn to the end, Lulu refuses to take no for an answer and storms off into the woods determined to bring home a brontosaurus. All the while she chants a rhyme to herself: "I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna gonna get / A bronto-bronto-bronto-brontosaurus for a pet!" But when she finally finds one, what will Lulu do when the dinosaur refuses to come home with her?

Author Judith Viorst is perhaps best knows for her classic picture book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Lulu and the Brontosaurus is her latest work, and I have to say that this short chapter book is quite clever. The narration is whimsical and clever and absolutely begs to be read aloud. The story's weird curveballs are very well paced and don't become overbearing - impressive considering the briefness of the text. Lulu is a character that will make readers smile even when she is acting like a total brat, and her growth over the course of the story adds a sweet, not-preachy moral to the tale. The award-winning Lane Smith rounds out this fun book with expressive illustrations.

This book does feature one very unique feature that you won't find in most books: Alternate endings! Who doesn't love that?

Overall Grade: A-

Santa Night

Last night we had a very special visitor at the library - Santa Claus! This program has been held annually for the past ten years or so, and I was excited to keep the tradition going. This program was a great blend of general holiday fun, stories, and crafts. Here's how it worked:

One of the great features of my library is what we refer to as the Pit Area. Nestled in a nook along the front wall of the library (and surrounded by huge windows!) is a big open space. Normally this space is great for younger kids to play in or older kids to lounge around. The floor is lower down than the rest of the building, with a few steps leading down into the Pit. These steps make great seating while a presenter sits or stands in the big open space.

The kids and their parents gathered on and around the steps, eagerly awaiting the appearance of Santa himself. To start out the program I suggested that the kids all sing a Christmas song with me to call Santa out. And what better song than Jingle Bells! The kids sang, and after one round of the chorus Santa appeared, ringing his own set of magical bells. The kids were thrilled.

Then it was time for Santa to share his favorite story, The Polar Express. The kids listened, enraptured by Santa's stunning tale of Christmas magic.


As a side note, if you have never picked up The Polar Express, you need to do so now. It's really a magical story about the Christmas spirit. The pace of the text is perfect and it's such a good story to share aloud with family close by. Chris Van Allsburg's illustrations are absolutely stunning - it's no wonder that this book was the Caldecott Medal winner in 1986 when the book was published. Track down a copy of this book and share it today with someone that you love.

After the story we invited the kids to visit with Santa. A line quickly formed and most of the kids took the chance to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. We also had several craft projects available around the Children's Room for kids to work on, either while they waited for their turn to see Santa or after they finished sitting on his lap. We had plenty of coloring sheets, plus three other crafts available.

The first craft was a paper wreath:


For this craft, take one paper plate and cut out the center (we used small snack plates). Punch a hole in the top and tie on a piece of yarn for hanging. Then cut out one-inch squares of crepe paper or tissue paper. I personally prefer the tissue paper as it is a bit easier to manipulate. Crunch up each piece of crepe/tissue paper and glue it onto the plate. Then glue on three small red circles to act as holly berries - you'll probably want some sort of liquid/tacky glue for this. Take home and hang in a festive location.

We also had some festive ornaments:


These were super easy. We were able to cut out these ornament shapes in bulk using our die cut machine, but for home use I'm sure you can find templates with fun shapes. Punch a hole and thread with a small length of yarn for hanging. We gave the kids a few stickers (three stickers were plenty!) and some crayons to decorate the ornament. Perfect for your Christmas tree!

Our last project was a pair of mittens:


Just as with the ornament, we cut out the mittens using a die cut machine. Instead of paper, we used foam (available at your local craft store) for the shapes. We gave the kids each one festive foam shape with adhesive on the back to stick on one mitten. The other we decorated using glitter glue. In our sample we wrote the message "warm wishes," but I saw a lot of kids get creative with their glitter designs. Holes were punched in the mittens and the two were tied together with a length of yarn. I envision these mittens being hung over a doorknob or on a hook for some added fun.

All in all, our Santa Night was a great success! I'm definitely in the holiday spirit now.

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer

John Grisham is one of the most recognizable names in the publishing world. He is famous for his legal thrillers for adults, with titles under his belt that include The Pelican Brief and The Client. But what happens when a prolific adult author decides to write a book for kids? The answer to that question is unpredictable. Some authors, such as environmental writer Carl Hiaasen, enjoy a great deal of success writing for this new audience. Others have a bit more trouble. John Grisham has stepped into the world of children's literature with his latest novel, Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, and the result is ultimately a mixed bag.

Theo is not your typical 8th grade student. His parents are both lawyers, and as a result he is, shall we say, a bit obsessed with the law. He knows the ins and outs of the legal system better than many adults and offers advice to his friends free of charge. What legal problems can a bunch of kids possibly have? You'd be surprised. One friend has concerns about her parents' upcoming divorce hearing, another doesn't know what will happen when her dog is picked up by the pound, and another has a bother arrested for drug possession. Theo is glad to share his knowledge with his classmates, and when his government class decides to sit on on the first day of a major murder trial Theo gladly shows the class the ropes and explains the proceedings. The murder trial is the most exciting thing to happen in his small town in quite some time, and Theo is obsessed with following the trial's events as closely as he can. But when he stumbles across some information that could drastically alter the outcome of the trial, Theo isn't really sure what to do. Should he come forward with the identity of the surprise witness? Or should he protect the identity of his friend, an illegal immigrant?

A few things to note about this book: First of all, I can't think of a single other legal tale in the kids' lit world, which makes this book very unique. All in all, Grisham does a solid job of explaining the legal system in terms that kids can really understand. The legal thriller aspects of this novel, centered around a sensational courtroom trial, are spot on and really show off Grisham's expertise.

However, I really think that Grisham has some trouble adapting to his new audience. Theo doesn't ever really seem much like a kid - more like a mini lawyer who occasionally needs advice from the grown-ups. He's a bit too perfect for his own good - too smart, too charitable, to mature. As a result his character is never particularly interesting or three-dimensional, and come to think of it neither are the supporting characters. The dialogue is a tad stilted as Theo (you guessed it!) talks in a formalized, adult, professional tone that just isn't realistic for a 13-year-old boy. There are also sections of expository narration as Theo explains legal proceedings. These sections are actually useful and well explained, but they could have been inserted into the text more creatively.

John Grisham's latest thriller really shines when the author is able to do what he does best - write about an unusual legal battle. And while not a bad attempt, he just misses the mark when writing for this young audience. Still, kids looking for a different kind of mystery or who have an interest in such legal matters will probably be satisfied enough.

Overall Grade: B-

The Unidentified

In the not-too-distant future, the federal government has proven unable to continue to put money into educating the nation's youth. Instead, school are taken over by corporate sponsors who provide the latest and greatest in technology and give students the freedom to choose their own activities and learn at their own pace. In exchange, the students are constantly monitored by where they swipe their ID cards and their activity on social networking sites for the purposes of market research. The best of the best are chosen by the sponsors to be "branded" and become spokespeople for their products. Education is driven by so much consumerism and virtual technology that they no longer call it school - it's just The Game.

Kid Dade is a mediocre student. She's smart but doesn't quite have the drive that other students do to become branded. She would rather confide in her two best friends than have a huge network of almost-friends and prefers to make music just for herself than for the masses. But after a strange prank catches her eye Kid becomes entangled with a group known as The Unidentified, a small group of students who value their privacy and refuse to be taken in by The Game's consumerism. But when Kid's interest in The Unidentified is picked up by the sponsors they decide to brand her, giving the sponsors the rights to all of Kid's ideas and creations in The Game and greater access to The Unidentified. How will this group rebel when their actions are simply spun into the latest trend?

This first novel by Rae Mariz takes a compelling look at social networking and consumerism in our society. The kids in The Game are constantly online and constantly connected via gadgets like smartphones and social networking similar to Twitter and Facebook. The scary part is that you can really see how this fictional world stems from our own. I really give this book credit for making readers think about issues like privacy in social networking and commercialism, and how challenging it can be to find our own truly unique identities in a consumer-driven society. I would have really liked to see the educational aspect of The Game a bit better developed as the characters seemed to nearly exclusively participate in extra-curriculars (or is this purpously done?), but this book still remains incredibly thought-provoking and absorbing.

Overall Grade: A-

Yippee!

Today was another installment of LEGO Club, and once again I had a room full of school-age kids eagerly creating masterpieces out of colored bricks. At one point during the 1 1/2 hour Club time one of the boys asked me how much more time we had left. I reassured him that we had about 30 minutes left, so he had plenty of time to keep building. Pleased, the boy said, "Yippee!" and hurried off happily to have some more fun with the LEGOs.

I don't think I've ever heard the word "yippee" used in a sincere, non-sarcastic manner in my life. Hearing it come out of a 9-year-old's mouth was actually kind of awesome. Such honest jubilation, complete with an exclamation point or two tacked on the end, is actually a pretty challenging thing to vocalize. Phrases like "hooray" and "yippee" tend to sound a bit cheesy and, dare I say, a bit old fashioned when said out loud.

We have other words in the English language that accomplish the same thing as "yippee" that are used much more frequently in our society. "Awesome!" "Yeah!" "Cool!" "Woot!" "Gnarly, dude!" (I may be being a tad facetious on that last one.) But I'll be honest, it totally made me smile in a completely happy, non-sarcastic way to hear a good old-fashioned "Yippee!" here in the library.

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Bulletin Board - Non-Fiction

In my library, the children's non-fiction is set up in a pretty interesting way. Instead of rows and aisles of books, our non-fiction collection wraps around the room, covering two whole walls. Above these shelves I have a good amount of bulletin board space to play with. But what should I do with this space?

Remember, I personally believe that library bulletin boards should be both useful and decorative. And what better use of this unique space than to highlight the non-fiction collection below! I decided to think about the questions that we get fairly regularly from kids seeking materials. Where are the dinosaur books? The sports books? What about joke books? I selected 24 different subjects and made simple signs with the appropriate Dewey call number and the subject name.



Next came the fun part. I went through the non-fiction section and selected 2-3 books from each of these subject areas. I made color copies of the covers of each book, shrunk down in many cases to the appropriate size. A ladder and several dozen pins later and voila! A lovely bulletin board that is both attractive and useful to patrons. Now when they ask us where they can find books about animals (or pirates, or fairy tales, or the weather...) we can use these signs to guide them to the materials they need.

Livvie Owen Lived Here

Things haven't been easy for 14-year-old Livvie Owen. Her parents lost their jobs at the local mill when it closed down and since then have had to commute to the nearby city of Neighbor to work. They have spent the past several years renting homes and trailers, but they can't stay in one place for too long. A big part of this is because Livvie has autism, and occasionally she throws violent fits that damage the property. Livvie is obsessed with finding the perfect home for her family - one with four bedrooms so that her sister don't have to share, one that is pet-friendly so she can keep her cat, and one that just makes Livvie and her family feel at peace. On top of it all, Livvie has started hearing the sound of the whistle that once called and dismissed workers at the mill from their day at work. Most chalk it up as a figment of Livvie's imagination created by her autism. But will anyone - her teachers, her sisters, or her parents - be able to understand how important it is that she get to the bottom of this?

There are a lot of great books out there about kids with autism - Marcello in the Real World, Rules, and Anything But Typical immediately come to mind. Author Sarah Dooley did a great job of getting inside the head of a kid with autism, and Livvie's existence is in do doubt inspired by Dooley's own experiences as a special ed teacher. The narration is lyrical and beautiful - perhaps a tad too elegant and refined for someone with autism, but nevertheless it is a joy to read. Perhaps most remarkable about this story is the relationship that Livvie has with her family, especially her sisters, which is honest in both its struggles and its joys. I'll admit that I teared up a bit at the end of this book with happiness as things finally started to come together for Livvie and her family.

Overall Grade: B+

Halloween Storytime

To gear up for Halloween, I decided to do a storytime all about this holiday. The week prior I asked all of the kids to wear their costumes to storytime, and many did so with excitement. I brought along a costume of my own to share - my Little Red Riding Hood cape. We talked about how much fun it was to dress up before moving on to some "scary" stories.

Spooky Hour by Tony Mitton
This backwards counting book introduces a lot of scary or spooky creatures, but the bright, bubbly illustrations and whimsical rhymes keep the tone light.

Moonlight the Halloween Cat by Cynthia Rylant
This is a quiet story. Only a sentence or two on each two-page spread, but the pictures work well to set the mood. The Halloween references in this book are a tad subtle, but it was nice to break up my storytime with something not so incredibly saturated with the holiday.

Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
My favorite Halloween story ever! This story lends itself really well to dramatizing to make it exciting for the kids. Just find a large pumpkin, tape the vine to the wall, and play the part of the witch while the kids take on the other roles.

We did a number of other activities, including a flannelboard story about Five Little Pumpkins and a draw-and-tell story about a witch and her cat. We also sang a song about Halloween creatures to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It."

If you're a ghost and you know it just say "boo!"
If you're a vampire and you know it show your fangs...
If you're a bat and you know it flap your wings....
If you're a werewolf and you know it give a howl....
If you're a skeleton and you know it shake your bones....

At the end, I also gave out a few treats. AAA had given the library a bunch of glow-in-the-dark Halloween bags perfect for trick-or-treating along with bookmarks outlining Halloween safety. The kiddos also received mellocream pumpkins as a fun candy treat

Crisis Averted! Sandra Boynton

When I started planning my Baby and Toddler storytimes, I wanted to incorporate an activity that I had seen done during one of my library school practicums. I picked out two board books (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton) and ordered 15 copies of each. My plan was to pass out one book to each parent and have them all read together as a group. It's a great activity to use with this age group because it really models how to read with young children. It's amazing how many parents are nervous about doing such a thing, so having practice during storytime is wonderful.

Well, my books finally arrived today. I was so excited! And then I got a phone call from my library director as she was cataloging the new books. "Sandy, did you know that we don't have copies of either of these books in the circulating collection?" What!?!? I was shocked. These are fairly prolific titles! So I wrote out cards to order these two titles. But then I got curious. Did we have other board books by these authors? We seemed OK with the Bill Martin books, but a search for books by Sandra Boynton revealed that we had only one of her board books.

Oh no! This shocked me. Sandra Boynton is one of the biggest names in the board book industry, and with good reason. There are several things that a good board book needs to be successful: 1) Quality, but simple illustrations, 2) Brief text, preferably with a good rhythm, and 3) Appeal to the sensibilities of both toddlers and adults. I have yet to see an author/illustrator achieve these goals with such flair as Sandra Boynton.

If you haven't had the opportunity to take a look at one of Sandra Boynton's books, I highly recommend that you do so now. In fact, look at several. Don't worry, I'll wait for you to finish. :) Your local public library will hopefully have copies, and even stores like Target and Wal-Mart usually have a few in stock in their book sections. Boynton's illustrations are distinctive - her characters' faces are so expressive, and the soft lines of her drawings are whimsical.

The text of her books is just about pitch perfect too. Boynton has an excellent sense of rhythm and all of her books have a good beat to them - not surprising when you remember that she has put together several collections of silly songs, several of which have been turned into board books. The sing-songy rhythm is great for babies and toddlers, who find the rhythm comforting and likewise use it to hear the distinct sounds in the words. There's just enough silliness to leave children and grown-ups alike with big grins on their faces when they are finished reading.


Sandra Boynton is the best of the best as what she does. The only good news about discovering my library's distinct lack of books penned by her? I got to spend the afternoon browsing around her website, looking at all of the wonderful books that I plan to order for the library. I can only imagine how giddy I'm going to be when the order arrives and I get to put the books on the shelves!

Overall Grade: A+

Here is just a sampling of my favorite Sandra Boynton titles. Check out her website for a complete listing of her books!

Barnyard Dance
Moo, Baa, La La La!
What's Wrong, Little Pookie?
Blue Hat, Green Hat

100th Post! Featuring a Funny Story

Today I am pleased to present this blog's 100th post! To celebrate, I'd like to share a story from my day yesterday.

Preschool storytime was all about the letter B. As a craft, we made birds by tracing our hands and then gluing the thumbs and palms together. You then fold down the finger to make wings and VOILA! A bird!


One little boy in my storytime got really excited about this craft. He even got creative with the paper scraps and constructed feet for his bird. After storytime cleared out the boy and his mother headed to the children's area to play and look at books. Awhile later I saw the boy run around the corner, ducking and weaving and making "Pshew! Pshew!" noises as he went with mom in tow. Mom called over her shoulder as they left the children's area that they were running from the bad guys and that his bird had laser eyes to protect them.

I was laughing too hard to tell the boy to stop running. And man, who am I to stop creative play like that? I'm actually kind of proud that my craft got this kid excited enough to imagine something crazy like that.

Moments like this really make me love the library.

Sisters Red

I have a confession. While I ended up going to library school and becoming a children's librarian, I almost went to grad school to study English Lit. Specifically, I wanted to look at fairy tales and the way that they have grown and changed over time. I really love fairy tales in all of its forms. The oldest versions of the tales we know today are fairly dark, and Little Red Riding Hood and among most perverse of the bunch. It's also one of my favorite tales, and I've always thought that this fairy tale would lend itself well to a modern retelling.

Good news: Jackson Pearce's version, Sisters Red, has proven my theory correct.

In this modern version of Little Red Riding Hood, there are actually two girls who fill the title role. The two sisters witnessed the murder of their beloved grandmother by a vicious Fenris as young children, and in the attack the oldest sister, Scarlett, was injured and lost an eye. Since that day Scarlett has devoted her life to hunting down and killing the Fenris, one werewolf at a time. Her younger sister, Rosie, is just as strong as Scarlett, but seems to long for something other than the hunt. When the two girls find themselves caught in the Fenris' search for a new potential wolf, how will the two girls reconcile their desires? And how will Silas, the son of their old woodsman friend, play into the mix?

This book really pleased me. This version of the story takes all of the classic themes that make Little Red Riding Hood interesting and molds them into something unique. Scarlett and Rosie are both strong characters and their alternating voices are smooth and distinct. It was also refreshing to see a supernatural story where a romantic relationship plays second fiddle to another relationship (in this case, the sisters') while still containing plenty of spark. The book has a few minor flaws (How many times can one really use the word "dilapidated" over the course of 100 pages?) and you have to let a couple of things go (What exactly does the modern woodsman do for a living?), but this book is a real satisfying page-turner.

Overall Grade: A

LEGO Club

This past Saturday I had the privilege of holding my first LEGO Club meeting at the library!

The LEGO Club was actually started last spring by my predecessor. The club took a hiatus for the summer and met again for the first time a few days ago. The club is actually very informal. Basically I put out several buckets of LEGOs and let the kids go nuts. It's open to kids between the ages of 6-12, which is a pretty wide range but actually works pretty well for this event. We had several sibling pairs in attendance for our first meeting of the fall season. The kids started out working with their sibling(s), who they were the most comfortable with, and over the course of the hour slowly started intermingling and working with the other kids. That's one of the great things about this program: It really gives kids the chance to be creative and be social in a non-competitive environment. I didn't even really do anything to guide them - I just let the kids go to town and stood back to watch them have fun.

One thing I am going to change for next time is the length of the club's meeting. Past meetings were always an hour long, but I was met with loud groans when the hour was up. The kids were just getting into the swing of things! Next time we'll keep the doors open for a full hour and a half to give them some extra build time. I also need to see if I can buy a few extra pieces - big green boards are a must, as are more LEGO people.

This was such a great program and I'm excited to keep it going. I'm hoping that these kids will remain as enthusiastic about this even as I am!

Bink and Gollie

Bink and Gollie are great friends. The best of friends. Marvelous companions to the end, using their remarkable treehouse as a base for their adventures. But these two girls are vastly different too. Bink is short, impetuous and loves her brightly colored socks. Gollie is tall and a bit more serious but nonetheless has a flair for adventure. Though they do not always agree, the two girls share three delightful adventures - one involving Bink's socks, one with an adventure in the Andes, and another featuring a third marvelous companion - in this brilliant new book, Bink and Gollie, written by aclaimed authors Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee.

I have to say that this is one of the most brilliant books that I've seen this year. Not quite a picture book, not quite an easy reader, and not quite a chapter book, this is a piece of work that truly stands on its own and could appeal to a wide range of readers. The illustrations by Tony Fucile are vibrant and fun, with soft lines for the background and bright colors for the two girls. There are only a few sentences on each page, but the vocabulary features delightfully big words (including "spectacular" and "baffled") and a formalized tone that will make readers smile. This is a book that I truly envision being shared - parents reading with their children, and kids sharing with their friends. This deceptively and elegantly simple book begs to be read aloud and the characters beg to be loved - and with spunky and imaginative girls like Bink and Gollie readers will find both tasks easy.

Overall Grade: A+

Bulletin Boards

One of my responsibilities at my new job is to decorate the children's area. Spruce it up; make it special. One easy way to to that on on the two large bulletin boards in the hall that leads from the children's area to our meeting/programming room.

I have a few opinions about what makes a good bulletin board in the library. It should be fun. It should capture your attention. Color is a must. But I also really think that it should have something to do with the library itself. Somehow these spaces should promote what the library has to offer - a part of the collection, programs, or even reading/literacy as a whole. After all, I didn't get my MLS so that I could work as an interior decorator, so any decorating that I do is going to (generally) accomplish something.

Here's my first board, the larger of the two:


To help get geared up for fall I decided to do something seasonal. I immediately thought of trees and colorful leaves. The tree is pieced together from about 20 pieces of brown construction paper. I pinned the paper up to the board and then used a box cutter to trim the paper to the shape I wanted. Turned out pretty good if I do say so myself! The smaller leaves which fill in the space were left over from a past display and were done on a die-cut machine. For the larger leaves, the acorns, and the squirrels I actually found a box full of large outlined images (aprox. 9"x6") that seemed designed to be copied and used for classroom activities. I made photocopies of the shapes on colored paper, cut them out, and pinned them up.

This season also lends itself to a delightfully cheesy catch phrase: "Fall into a good book." I had hoped to actually print off cover art of several different books to put onto the falling leaves to go with this theme and promote these titles, but unfortunately the library does not have a color printer! Black and white images would not do. Perhaps in the coming days I'll make color copies of actual book jackets shrunk down to the appropriate size to suit this purpose.

Here is my second bulletin board:


This board is definitely more geared for parents, featuring descriptions of the six early literacy skills that experts believe that children need to master before they can become good readers (more on this later). Each sheet describes one skill and tells parents ways that they can help to encourage this skill at home. The building blocks along the bottom are there for visual interest and support the idea that these skills are, "the building blocks of reading." I like to talk about these skills during storytime whenever possible and having this information posted for parents to explore on their own - especially so near the room where storytime takes place - can only help to promote these ideas.

Another bonus - because this board isn't seasonal, I can leave it up as long as I need to!

Mockingjay

Good news: I'm safely moved and have survived the first two weeks at my new job! I'd say things are going well. My Internet access is still a tad shaky (trouble with wireless = not able to use laptop), but hopefully that'll be cleared up soon-ish so that I can get this blog rolling again.

Amidst all of this month's chaos, however, I did manage to read the book that I've been most looking forward to all year: Mockingjay!

As the final installment in the Hunger Games trilogy opens, Katniss finds herself in a difficult position. District 12 has been completely destroyed. Peeta is being held captive by the Capitol and is certain to face nothing but torture and death. And the rebels who lifted her from the arena desperately want Katniss to pose as a figurehead for the rebellion - their Mockingjay. Distraught by the violence around her but desperate for revenge, Katniss agrees. But will she simply become a pawn in another game - one perhaps even more dangerous than the Hunger Games?

Suzanne Collins has once again done what she is so great at: She has taken a piece of very challenging subject matter and tackled it from all sides. She has created dynamic and interesting characters who crawl under your skin and make you eager for more. The world building as readers explore the underground District 13 is superb. The writing continues to leave you breathless. In these respects, Collins is a crafter of stories like no other.

This book did not go the way I had expected. Mostly I actually think that this was a good thing as the surprises kept me on my toes. And just as in the final volumes of The Underland Chronicles, Mockingjay's exploration of war and violence leaves readers with much to think about as all sides of the argument are explored. Overall, this book is superb. But I can't help thinking of what I had hoped for that we didn't see. I had hoped for a tad more spark from Katniss. Not much, just a little. While Collins does not pull any punches in this action-packed volume, it seemed to me that the ending was a bit rushed. And I do kind of feel that Collins took the easy way out in regards to her expertly-created love triangle. Does it work? Absolutely. Is it great? Certainly. Was it perfect? Maybe, maybe not. Personally, this reader wants to tackle the book a second time to see how it resonates upon a slower, less ravenous reading.

Overall Grade: A-

SLP Challenges

I don't know that I spoken yet about the interesting predicament that my library found itself in this summer. On top of the usual chaos that comes with the Summer Reading Program, our Head of Youth Services gave birth to her first baby in early June - right before the chaos began. While we were all thrilled about the baby, the rest of us had to scramble a bit to figure out how summer was going to work. After all, it is our busiest time of year and we would be without the person in charge. What's a library to do?

Well, we all had to step it up a bit. The library director took responsibility for managing the children's department and making the big executive decisions. Myself and the other assistant kept most of the day-to-day stuff rolling along. Thankfully we've both been through SLP a few times so we knew pretty much what to expect. Programming was unfortunately cut back a little because we just didn't have the man-power to have so many events. We did hire some extra LTE (limited term employee) help, but given their position and lack of training they were mostly there to help with SLP check in and keeping the area clean. Mostly we learned flexibility and how to tackle problems as they come.

This summer was certainly challenging and contained some high and low points. Even though we had some leadership from the director, she also had her regular job duties and the rest of the library to worry about so she wasn't physically there to help at every moment when we would have liked. The LTEs proved to be more helpful than expected given their training and expectations. Our total number of participants was sadly down just a little bit from last summer, which we attribute to the fact that our HoYS was unable to do school visits. While some programs were cut from the summer schedule, the ones that were held proved to be huge hits.

One big lesson that I take from this experience is that it's so important to make sure that more than one person can do a given job. Under my library's current union contract, myself and the other assistant can only be given so much responsibility, so we weren't aloud to take on all of the HoYS' responsibilities when she was gone. If we had been able to take on some additional responsibilities (programming, decision making, etc.) then things might have been a lot easier. I also think that it's huge to have the entire staff involved at least in some aspect with planning. Because of the responsibility structure, the HoYS did all of the planning for SLP...and then wasn't there to see it though. Those of us who were there to implement the program weren't involved in the planning so there were a few holes in our understanding of how things were supposed to work. If everyone works together on all stages though, then it's easier for things to flow smoothly when something goes wrong.

Despite the challenges, SLP proved to be a major success. The kids all had a great time and it was fun to see so many faces at the library. Even if there were a few bumps along the way, nothing burned down so it couldn't have been that bad...right? ;)

New Blog Design!

I decided that this blog needed a bit of a face lift. Sort of a "new job, new color scheme" sort of thing. After all, the design templates on Blogger have grown to include a lot more designs and customization is easier than ever. What do you think?

I'd also like this opportunity to ask my readers (small in number though you may be) if there's anything in particular you'd like me to post about - a book, a particular library or literacy issue - whatever you're interested in along this general theme. Suggestions might keep me a bit more active during the coming weeks of madness.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Tommy is a kid with a problem. He needs to find out if his super-freak classmate, Dwight's, origami Yoda can really predict the future. He seems to have given excellent advice to other kids, but Tommy's friend Harvy insists that Yoda's wise powers can all be explained away. After all, it's Dwight who controls Yoda - what can this kid possibly know? But part of Tommy wonders - could origami Yoda be for real? He needs to know the answer ASAP because Yoda has given him some advice that he's terrified to follow. If Yoda is right, then everything will be perfect. But if he's wrong it will mean certain humiliation. What's a kid to do?

I have to say, this was one awesome little book. Middle-schoolers are a real challenge to capture correctly in books, and author Tom Angleberger does a great job of creating interesting, believable characters. Dwight, the dopy kid who creats Yoda, is especially well-drawn. He's a kid who's truly strange. Everyone knows it, everyone makes fun of it, and there's no denying even to the adult reader that this kid is weird. But you can't help but love him anyway, especially as the book goes on and you realize that not everyone will just write him off because of his eccentricities.

The hardest part of creating a great middle-grade novel is capturing the "in between-ness" of the middle-school mind. Some kids at this age think that they're on top of the world, while some are struggling to get by. Some are huge and/or hugely popular, and some flounder along at these other kids' mercy. It's sometimes tempting for authors to generalize and age middle-school kids either too much or too little - as either full-fledged grown-up teens or still little kids - but Angleberger has done a good job of finding the right balance between the two.

But enough critique. This book is a ton of fun to read. It's funny and it makes you think. It'll definitely put a smile on your face. Besides, who doesn't love Yoda? And who doesn't love a book about a good weird kid? After all Diary of a Wimpy Kid proved that millions of middle-grade readers love weird kids. Just like DoaWK, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda will find a readership with kids of various ages and genders who just want a good, fun story - no fuss, no muss - and it will keep readership because of it's awesome quality of writing and characterization.

Overall Grade: A+

Exciting Announcement!

It's been nearly two weeks since my last post and things are likely to be just as sporadic over the next month or so. Why? I got a new job! I've now officially graduated from Overqualified-Library-Assistant-Who-Nonetheless-Mostly-Loves-Her-Job to Full-Fledged Youth Services Librarian. Huzzah! I'm really excited about the new job. It seems like it will be a great opportunity and I'm totally excited to plan programs and order books for the kids and teens in my charming new community. While I don't start the new job until the end of August I am a bit distracted with trying to pack up my life and move to this new town, so my reading and blogging time may be cut short. But I'll do my best to keep you all entertained.

Meanwhile, Summer Reading Program is in full swing. I've talked to a couple hundred kids this summer about all of the books they've been working on. My favorite conversation thus far was with an eight-year-old boy who's been working his way through a series of biographies about all of the presidents. Wow! Here are just a few other books that I've seen pop up this summer:



















































What else have you all been reading this summer?

The Mysterious Howling

Penelope Lumbly is a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females seeking a position as a governess. After all, what else is there for a Poor Bright Female to do? Penny is lucky enough to get a job working at the Ashton household, but quickly discovers that her charges are far from ordinary. The three children, Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia were all found living together in the woods, and they seem to have been raised by wolves. Instead of teaching them French and Latin, Penny quickly finds herself needing to teach the children to not chase squirrels and how to eat with a knife and fork. Things being even more complicated when Lady Constance Ashton announces that she will be holding a grand Christmas party that the children must attend. Will they be ready in time, or will they humiliate Lady Constance? Where did these children come from in the first place? And why does Penny keep hearing talk of a hunting party on Christmas?

The Mysterious Howling is the first in an expected series by author Maryrose Wood. In her first novel for younger readers (her previous books have been for teens) she brilliantly blends and old-fashioned type of story with perfectly paced humor that kept me laughing. Describing the style of this book is a challenge - the best I can do is to say that it's kind of like a bizarre blend of Jane Eyre, Mary Poppins, and Lemony Snicket. It all works very well. Very few of the questions and mysteries set up in this first volume are fully solved which will make readers eager to pick up the next volume, expected to be published in 2011. Some might find this wait frustrating, but the book is a light enough romp and the kids are such delightful characters that many will probably not mind the lack of true resolution. It's hard to say if this series is destined to be a favorite just yet, but I have a gut feeling that if the next book in the series is as fun and as funny as its predecessor then readers will be in for a real treat.

Overall Grade: A-/B+

The Cardturner

Alton's summer doesn't look exciting at first. His girlfriend dumped him for his best friend and his parents are forcing him to spend time with his elderly great-uncle at a bridge club acting as the blind man's cardturner. His whole life Alton's parents have forced him to kiss up to his "favorite uncle Lester" in the hopes of securing a significant inheritance, and they're sure that this quality time will secure their fortune. But things become much more interesting than Alton could have imagined. First off, he discovers that the game of bridge is much more interesting than he first thought, full of strategy and dynamic team play. He slowly begins to understand the great amount of skill that the game requires, especially for his uncle who can't see the cards and has to memorize his hand. And who knew that Uncle Lester, better known to his bridge club as simply Trap, was actually a nationally renowned bridge player? The only thing that Trap has yet to achieve is a national championship, something he hasn't even attempted in over thirty years. Slowly Alton uncovers the story of Trap's early bridge-playing days and the brilliantly human story of his former partner, Annabelle. The summer shapes up to be even more interesting when Alton begins to spend more time with Toni, Annabelle's pretty granddaughter, and the two find themselves trying to help Trap on the long road to the nationals.

Author Louis Sachar has created another brilliant gem for readers to enjoy. This is a book about the game of bridge, but it's about a lot more than that. It's about learning to not be manipulated and how to take chances. It's about starting over fresh. And I loved it. The characters are strong, expertly built and easy to love (or, in the case of Alton's parents, fun to dislike). They make it easy for readers to enjoy a book so wrapped around a game that most of them have likely never played. If you hesitate to grab this one because of the bridge stuff though, fear not - Sachar does a great job of explaining what you need to know about the game as you go. Older readers who loved Holes will likely enjoy Louis Sachar's newest book for its tone, its endearing characters, and bits of magical realism that make the story come full circle.

Overall Grade: A

White Cat

Cassel comes from a family of powerful curse workers - magicians who are able to perform magic that affects other people. Some are able to change others' luck, or their memories, or can even kill a person with a single touch. These curse workers are generally feared by the public for the work that they do. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Cassel himself does not have any powers; he's just a normal kid in a family with a long history of working. While Cassel wishes he had the abilities that his mom and brothers have so that he can belong, part of him is happy to be normal. But Cassel's history isn't quite as perfect as he pretends it is - at the age of 14 he killed his best friend. He does not even remember doing it, but Cassel has never quite gotten over this event and has desperately tried to be as typical of a teenager as possible. The wall of normalcy that Cassel has built around himself comes crashing down however when he begins sleepwalking and slowly begins to uncover the truth about himself and his family.

Holly Black is the author of such other beloved fantasy books as Tithe and The Spiderwick Chronicles. White Cat is the first book in what will become a series about Cassel and his life among the curse workers, and it pleases on all counts. Black has done a good job of creating a sort of alternate history peppered with the struggles that the workers have endured over time and a world where being a worker is both a great blessing and a curse. I greatly enjoyed the extra dimension of the crime family that Cassel's family works for, which creates some extra intrigue to keep things fresh and intense. Parts of the story are a tad predictable, but this is comforting rather than irritating and peppered with just enough twists to keep readers on their toes. Now that things are set up I'm very curious to see where Black goes with the rest of the series.

Overall Grade: A

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Living in Chicago's suburbs are two teenage boys named Will Grayson. One, from Evanston, has a history of not caring that is complimented by his gay best friend, Tiny Cooper, and his lust for life. The other, from Naperville, is a depressed ball of angst full of anger and desperate affection for a mysterious boy named Isaac who he met online. The two live completely separate lives but are thrust together one night by sheer chance. Tiny Cooper becomes the thread that connects the two Will Graysons as all three learn something about how love makes you a part of the human race.

This book is co-authored by prolific YA authors John Green (An Abundance of Katherines) and David Lavithan (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist). Alternating chapters narrate the story from the perspectives of each Will Grayson and the distinct voices of each author, remaining distinct while still blending their stories together. I personally have never been much of a David Levithan fan, but I gave this book a chance because I adore John Green. While I distinctly preferred the chapters written by Green (Evanston Grayson), I greatly enjoyed this book as a whole. The entire novel is a great discussion about love and how learning to care about people and take chances with them is necessary for all of us to truly be happy. And Tiny Cooper, the fabulous and flamboyant character who ultimately ties the two stories together, is truly one of the most endearing characters I've seen in awhile.

Overall Grade: A

Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf

As Ginny begins the seventh grade things look promising. She has a a big To-Do list full of things she'd like to accomplish (ranging from looking good in her school photo to getting a dad to ignoring horoscopes). She has plans to baby-sit her way into the money she needs to buy a coveted yellow sweater (as long as it isn't Tiffany Kurtz). And she really wants to win the role of the Sugarplum Fairy in her upcoming ballet recital. Unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned. Ginny gets her new dad when her mom remarries, but doesn't like it when her family's dynamics change. Her school photo is ruined when she botches an attempt to dye her hair. It seems that Mrs. Kurtz is the only one who ever needs a baby-sitter. And Ginny looses the role of the Sugarplum Fairy to her ex-best friend Mary Catherine Kelly. How can things possibly get worse? They can when her delinquent brother takes things one step too far.

Middle school really is a difficult time for a lot of kids (myself included) and this book really does a great job of capturing the changes and the different emotions that kids of this age experience. From the mundane to the extreme, Ginny seems to experience an awful lot during this trying year but really does come out stronger in the end despite the challenges she faces. The story is told not in regular prose or even in diary entries, but in everyday items such as report cards, notes, receipts, and school papers. This unique format still manages to be emotionally moving and really shows how the everyday and seemingly unimportant really can be everything in the world to someone else.

Overall Grade: A

Shredderman: Secret Identity

Nolan has spent his whole life as a nerd. He doesn't have a lot of friends and bully Bubba Bixby seems to have made it his goal to make Nolan's life miserable. Things are bleak until one day when Nolan has an idea. A great idea. One that will change his world forever. He decides to create a secret identity, a superhero named Shredderman, and put Bubba Bixby in his place! Nolan uses his greatest asset - his brains - and builds a website devoted to exposing Bubba for the cruel bully he really is. When Shredderman.com goes live Nolan starts by posting a few jokes, later adding photographic evidence of Bubba's misdeeds obtained from his cleverly hidden camera. Soon traffic on the website is growing and Shredderman, champion of truth and justice, is the most popular thing to hit the 5th grade.

Children always cry for justice, while their parents tend to beg for mercy. This book is perfect for every kid who's ever wanted a villain to get his just deserts. After all, I'd hate to be Bubba Bixby after everything that Shredderman puts him through! Nolan's spy tactics are very clever and engaging. This story is pretty straightforward, an easy read that can still appeal to slightly older kids. Best of all, Shredderman's adventures continue on in three additional volumes.

Overall Grade: A-

Spells

Last year I wrote a fairly glowing review of debut author Aprilynne Pike's enchanting teen novel Wings. Today I'm pleased to announce that she's managed to craft an equally stunning sequel!

In the last book, 15-year-old Laurel discovered that she isn't human. Instead, she is a fairy placed in the human world so that she can grow up as a part of the family who owns the land that houses on of the world's many gates into the fairy realm of Avalon. The fairies hoped that in time Laurel would inherit the land from her human "parents," ensuring that the gate would remain both secret and secure. Unfortunately, the fairies aren't the only ones who want control of this gate.

As Spells begins, Laurel makes her first journey into Avalon to begin her studies at the Academy, where she hopes to learn the skills she needs to protect her friends and family from the trolls who wish to control her family's land. During her time on Avalon, Laurel not only learns to make useful potions, but also has her first exposure to the fairies' strict class system. When her eight weeks in Avalon are up, however, Laurel is left with even more questions. Will she be able to hone her powers in time to protect the ones she loves? When the time comes, will she choose to live in the human world or in Avalon with the fairies? Which boy - David, her loyal human boyfriend, or Tamani, her childhood fairy friend who has loved her from afar for years - will she give her heart to? Is she able to trust Kea, a fully-loaded and very strong woman who seems to know an awful lot about trolls?

When I reviewed Wings I said that this was a book that you could easily give to fans of Twilight. This remains true as the core elements of the book remain similar. However, it seems that while the epic love triangle and supernatural themes live on, this series will stand proudly on its own two feet. Laurel is an exceptionally well-drawn character and the way that she is torn between the human and fairy worlds - not to mention her somewhat selfish reluctance to make a firm decision between the two - is so real. You don't spend the duration of the book wanting to just tell Laurel what the right decision is. As a reader, you instead get sucked into Laurel's place and find yourself feeling just as torn and uncertain as she is. Author Aprilynne Pike seems to have also grown a bit as a writer. I can't put my finger on exactly where I see the differences, but I think that her writing was a bit smoother and stronger in her second novel.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment. Next May can't come soon enough!

Overall Grade: A

Awesome Quote

At work it sometimes take a few months for one of the journals that we use to help us select books to make its way to me. After all, I tragically don't get to actually do much ordering. But that's a sad tale for another day. The point is that as I was reading the January 2010 issue of School Library Journal, the cover story by YA author John Green (delightful author of, amongst other things, An Abundance of Katherines) had the most ridiculously cool quote about children's librarians:

Adult librarians are like lazy bakers: their patrons want a jelly doughnut, so they give them a jelly doughnut. Children's librarians are ambitious bakers: You like the jelly doughnut? I'll get you a jelly doughnut. But you should try my cruller, too. My cruller is gonna blow your mind, kid.

Awesome. And now I want to eat some form of pastry.

In the spirit of this quote, I'd like to encourage everyone to go out and read something new. Something you wouldn't normally think to try. Need help coming up with something? Ask your librarian for a suggestion. He or she is probably awesome.

Time Warp Trio

I've been reading lots of books with tremendous boy appeal lately. Admittedly, I'm doing a bit of research for a bibliography I'm trying to put together targeted at this demographic. Often when people think of "boy books," they think of something with lots of action and/or an overabundance of gross/toilet humor. Neither of these traits is ever a bad thing though, and there are plenty of books out there that use these attention-grabbing themes is amazingly clever ways. Take, for example, today's featured series: The Time Warp Trio.

In the series' first book The Knights of the Kitchen Table, Joe receives a birthday gift from his magician uncle. It's a mysterious book with ornate writing. Before he quite realizes what's happening, Joe manages to use the book to transport himself and his friends Sam and Fred back in time to King Arthur's court. How will the three boys get home? More importantly, how will they manage to defeat the dragon and the giant who have besieged the castle?

The series continues to document Joe, Sam, and Fred's adventures through time. The formula is actually kind of similar to the beloved Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne, but funnier, wackier, and just a little bit edgier. The books are super quick and painless to read, making them great for relatively new readers or older reluctant readers alike.

Overall Grade: A

Cosmic

Holy cow, I've been away for too long. Many apologies - life got crazy.

Fortunately, that means that I've had some time to read! I've got a backlogged list of books that I'd like to share, starting with Frank Cottrell Boyce's latest book, Cosmic.

Liam is a boy trapped in a man's body. At the age of twelve, he goes through a series of growth spurts and is regularly mistaken for an adult. Sometimes this is great, such as the time when he was the only kid tall enough to go on the Cosmic theme park ride, or the time when he was mistaken for a teacher at school. But sometimes Liam just wants to be treated like a normal kid instead of having everyone expect him to act like an adult just because he looks like one. But Liam decides to use his adult appearance to his advantage when he wins a contest for the world's greatest dads, convincing schoolmate Florida to pose as his daughter. The prize? A chance to go on the greatest thrill ride ever: A trip into outer space. What could possibly go wrong?

I liked this book well enough when I read it, but it's really grown on me over time. At first I just didn't quite buy the fact that Liam could carry on this deception for so long (someone would eventually catch on...right?), but I now appreciate this gimmick as an artful way of making commentary on the nature of childhood and adulthood. Because that's really what this book is about: Age and expectations. What does it really mean to be an adult or a parent? Is it really just about filling out boring forms and making your kids do things they don't want to do? What does it mean to be a child? Isn't adulthood wasted on adults, who don't seem to understand why it's important to visit all of the Waterloos the world over? Adults will appreciate Liam's awkward transition into "adulthood" (I know I saw a bit of myself in it) and kids will enjoy Liam's crazy adventures, both on Earth and in space. Everyone will love this book for its interesting characters.

Besides, it's a space adventure. What's not to love?

Overall Grade: A