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+