Month: May 2018

The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow by Jan Thornhill

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Groundwood Books

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Summary:  As she did in The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk, Jan Thornhill tells the story of the interaction between birds and humans.  This one has a happier ending, though, as house sparrows have proven to be incredibly adaptable, often becoming pests that feed on agricultural grains.  The birds have spread around the globe with humans, traveling on ships with Roman soldiers to Great Britain and being introduced to the United States by homesick immigrants.  Despite their peskiness, sparrows also eat a lot of insects, as Chairman Mao discovered in 1958; his campaign against the Eurasian Tree sparrows led to a devastating famine in China. In the early 1980’s, the population of sparrows began to fall, and the author offers several theories–all of them based on human factors–for this decline.  In some places, this is starting to level off, offering hope that the house sparrow’s adaptability is helping it to survive in a changing world. Includes a map showing where the house sparrow lives; its life cycle; a glossary; and additional resources. 44 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Beautifully illustrated and engagingly narrated, this informational book will help students learn more about animal adaptation and the relationship that exists between humans and animal species.

Cons:  I’ve always thought sparrows were kind of cute, and didn’t realize they are considered “the most despised bird in human history.”

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Bigfoot and Little Foot by Ellen Potter, art by Felicita Sala

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Published by Amulet Books

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Summary:  Hugo lives with his Sasquatch family and friends in the North Woods.  He’s curious about the outside world, especially humans, and one day he sends a toy boat into a stream to have an adventure.  When the boat returns with a plastic human figure inside, Hugo can’t resist replacing it with a tiny wooden Sasquatch and sending it back out again.  Before long, he and human boy Boone are exchanging notes.  Finally, against all the Sasquatch rules, Hugo goes in search of Boone, and the two become friends.  Sworn to secrecy, Boone comes back and meets Hugo’s Sasquatch community.  Their adventures will continue in book 2, due out in September.  144 pages; grades 2-4.

Pros:  Beginning chapter book readers will love Hugo, Boone, and the rest of the Sasquatches.  Hugo faces some pretty typical 8- or 9-year-old problems, often with a lot of humor, and there are plenty of illustrations to help those just transitioning to longer books.

Cons:  It’s hard for me to believe Boone won’t ever tell anyone about his Sasquatch sighting.

If you’d like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Whatshisface by Gordon Korman

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Published by Scholastic Press

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Summary:  Army brat Cooper is used to being the new kid in school, and tries to fade into the background as much as possible.  As consolation for the family’s most recent move, his parents have gotten him a top-of-the-line smartphone, but it seems to have some bugs.  Then one day, an oddly-dressed boy named Roddy appears on the screen and starts talking to Cooper in Shakespeare’s English. Coincidentally, Cooper’s new hometown, Stratford, is crazy about Shakespeare, and every year the seventh grade puts on one of the Bard’s plays.  This year, it’s Romeo and Juliet, and although Cooper would love to be Romeo to his crush Jolie’s Juliet, he’s relegated to the part of second watchman.  But Roddy has some personal knowledge of William Shakespeare, particularly Romeo and Juliet, and he’s not about to let Cooper get sidelined.  The two of them work together to capture Jolie’s heart, reveal the true author of Romeo and Juliet, and make this year’s production the most memorable Stratford has ever seen. 240 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Gordon Korman fans won’t be disappointed by this fast and funny middle school story; Roddy’s old English interpretation of the 21st century is laugh-out-loud funny.

Cons:  The first few chapters were kind of flat.  I like the way Korman often tells stories from different characters’ perspectives, but this was all third person from Cooper’s point of view.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk (and how to fight back) by Andrea Curtis, illustration by Peggy Collins

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Published by Red Deer Press

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Summary:  If you’ve ever chuckled at the antics of Ronald McDonald or felt a kinship when your favorite movie star drank a Diet Coke, you’ve been the target of junk food marketing.  This book explains how kids are a big market and how food companies try to get inside their young heads to persuade them to purchase their products.  From cartoon characters to apps and online games to signs around your favorite stadium, advertising is everywhere.  The author helps kids, parents, and teachers understand the insidious ways of the marketers so that they can have an awareness of what is being sold to them and make informed decisions.  Includes a list of activities, glossary, sources, and an interview with the author.  40 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Liberally illustrated with photos (ironically, many look mouth-wateringly delicious), this is an effective message for kids and their parents and teachers to use, and gives them tools to make healthier choices when it comes to food.

Cons:  The pages are pretty text-heavy, so this may be used more for research than for browsing or recreational reading.

If you would like to buy this on Amazon, click here.

Smart Cookie by Elly Swartz

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Published by Scholastic Press

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Summary:  Frankie’s got a few secrets.  She’s posted a profile of her widower father on a dating site and is interviewing potential candidates.  She and her friend Elliot are investigating the possible existence of a ghost at the Vermont B&B that Frankie’s family runs.  It seems only right  to have some secrets, though, since the people around her seem to be keeping their own.  Her dad and grandmother have both been away a lot lately, and Gram has taken to uncharacteristically wearing lipstick and perfume.  They’ve been squabbling over Gram’s possessions, which are threatening to take over the B&B.  Frankie’s overheard a few conversations that make her think her father may be in some financial difficulties that could force them out of their home.  And Jessica, Frankie’s former best friend, may have some valid reasons for her recent cold behavior.  There’s a lot going on, but by the end Frankie’s learned that keeping things secret usually doesn’t help the problem, and that the people who love her extend well beyond the walls of the B&B.  288 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  A heartwarming story of family and friendship, told with humor and a lot of tasty-sounding cookie descriptions.

Cons:  There are a lot of characters and subplots to keep track of.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

A Most Unusual Day by Sydra Mallery, illustrated by E. B. Goodale

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Published by Greenwillow Books

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Summary:  Caroline’s day is unusual from the moment she wakes up.  Her usually organized family is forgetful, and Caroline’s grandmother sends her to school without socks or a lunch.  She’s distracted during the day, accidentally knocking a friend’s loose tooth out, playing with her food at lunch, and drawing an airplane on the wall at the end of the day.  When her parents arrive to pick her up, she notices that her father’s glasses are taped and her mother is wearing mismatched socks. Then her mom reaches into the back seat, and brings out…Caroline’s new baby sister!  The family is adopting a little girl. “This baby made everything, every usual thing, unusually new and perfectly right.” 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Older siblings will appreciate this story, no matter how the new baby at their house got there.  The illustrations are nicely diverse, both in their portrayals of Caroline’s classmates and her family.

Cons:  Young readers may not realize the new baby is adopted, as this has to be inferred from the story and pictures.

If you’d like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Dude! word by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Dan Santat

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

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Summary:  Cowabunga, dude, this book only has one word, but lots of gnarly pictures!  A platypus and a beaver head out on surfboards one sunny day, disregarding a sign with a big red exclamation mark on it.  The beaver is laughing hysterically after the platypus gets pooped on by a seagull, when suddenly–DUDE!–a great white shark appears.  Thinking fast, the beaver produces an ice cream cone, and the three become friends.  Surf’s up until a big wave smashes the boards into the rocks.  The shark has a solution, and the three head out to sea again, the two smaller animals catching a wave on the back of their great white pal.  Everyone on the beach flees in terror, and the trio enjoy samples from the vacant ice cream stand.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Aaron Reynolds and Dan Santat is a pretty brilliant pairing, and this book of summer fun that includes ice cream, a great white shark, cartoon bubbles, and a poop joke, is pretty much a guaranteed hit at any storytime.

Cons:  If you’re trying to get your offspring to practice reading this summer, this probably isn’t the book for you.  Dude.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon and Garfunkel by G. Neri, illustrated by David Litchfield

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Published by Candlewick

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Summary:  This story of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel begins at their Central Park concert on September 19, 1981, then travels back in time 30 years to when the two boys were growing up in 1950’s Queens.  They became friends in a sixth-grade production of Alice in Wonderland, and were inspired by Elvis and other early rockers to try harmonizing, later adding Paul on guitar. At 15, they had their first hit record as Tom and Jerry (Simon and Garfunkel was deemed to Jewish-sounding for 1950’s America), but later recordings failed to catch on.  They met up again in the early 1960’s and released another record, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., another flop, except that one song, “The Sound of Silence”, slowly started climbing the charts.  The book ends on New Year’s Day, 1966, when that song reached number one. Includes an afterword, discography, bibliography, and list of musical connections.  48 pages; ages 10 and up.

Pros:  An absorbing history of one of the greatest duos of the rock and roll era.  Each page is a poem titled with one of Simon and Garfunkel’s songs, beginning with “My Little Town”, describing the suburb of Queens where the two grew up.  The illustrations are occasionally goofy, as the two boys were, but really capture the changing times from the 1950’s to the 1960’s. Any fan of their music will enjoy this history and undoubtedly learn a few things as well.

Cons:  Although this looks like an elementary school purchase, it would probably be more interesting to middle schoolers and older, and definitely requires some familiarity with Simon and Garfunkel’s music to be fully appreciated.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Road Trip With Max and His Mom by Linda Urban, illustrated by Katie Kath

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

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Summary:  Max is surprised when his mom tells him they are going to drive to a family reunion to celebrate his great-great-aunt’s 100th birthday.  He’s in the middle of a book report on explorer Ernest Shackleton, so he starts incorporating what he’s learned about exploration into the road trip.  This has a few unfortunate consequences, like bringing a collapsible fishing pole instead of clean clothes, but Max is undaunted as he and his mom make their way from Michigan to an amusement park in Pennsylvania.  There are many unfamiliar relatives there, but Max finds some cousins to pal around with, and has a pretty good adventure at the park.  By the end of the weekend, he has learned a little more about his extended family, his own (divorced) parents, and himself .  160 pages; grades 2-4.

Pros:  The second book about Max shows him continuing to adjust to his new family dynamics (in the first book learned to enjoy spending weekends with his dad at his new apartment).  His mom is also learning to do things on her own, and their ups and downs make for a realistic story full of gentle humor and love.

Cons:  Loved the first book, but no matter how much I’ve book talked it, it never seems to be very popular at my library.

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The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Disney Hyperion

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Summary:  Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi, three unlikely Chicago-area middle school students, are chosen to compete for a $10,000 scholarship.  A mysterious “Mr. Smith” gives each of them a driver, a cellphone, a debit card, and three clues to solve about landmarks in their city.  Wilf, the slacker, chooses to focus more on using the debit card than solving the clues, while Melissa and Bondi compete for money that they both could use.  Bondi’s the first to present his solutions, but when he realizes he’s made a mistake that Mr. Smith doesn’t pick up on, he begins to suspect foul play. Breaking the rules, he teams up with the other two kids, and the three of them uncover a plot with stakes much higher than the initial $10,000.  Combining their brains and talents, the three kids manage to thwart some bad guys, discover a good guy who’s been presumed dead, and find a way to treasure and a happy ending for all of them. 368 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  A fun, fast-paced mystery with funny characters and plenty of Chicago history and trivia.  The text is generously interspersed with letters, memos, and texts that keep things moving along quickly.

Cons:  The Internet makes solving some of the clues disappointingly fast and easy.

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