Author: Janet Dawson

Big Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  When the houses of the three little pigs are trashed, there’s only one suspect:  Wolfgang, the big bad wolf.  He swears he didn’t do it, and the sheriff decides to give him one day to prove his innocence before putting him in jail.  Ferkel, the fourth little pig, is eager to play detective, and Wolfgang reluctantly agrees to team up with him.  They talk to Cinderella, Jack (of the beanstalk story), Hansel and Gretel, and others, but everyone seems to have an airtight alibi.  Time is running out.  Will the real culprit be found before Wolfgang gets sent to jail?

Pros:  From the author of the Chet Gecko mystery series, this is the first in a new series that would be good for third and fourth graders.  Plenty of action and humor will keep readers engaged until the last page.

Cons:  Another children’s book based on the story of the three little pigs?

Draw What You See: The Life and Art of Benny Andrews by Kathleen Benson, illustrated by Benny Andrews.

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Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Born in 1933 to sharecropper parents in Plainview, Georgia, Benny Andrews started drawing at the age of three.  He was able to finish high school, attend college, and eventually studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  He worked as an artist and a teacher, illustrated children’s books, was an activist to get museums to include more works by artists of color, and started a prison art program.  In 2006, he traveled to New Orleans to help children to use art to express what they had seen.  In an age of abstract art, Andrews believed in the power of “drawing what you see”, focusing his work on people and scenes from his own life.

Pros:  Not only does this story bring to life a man who contributed to the world in many positive ways, but it’s illustrated with his own works.  Since Andrews died in 2006, it doesn’t appear that he actually illustrated the book, but the artwork chosen vividly illustrates the text, and provides many examples of his interesting work.

Cons:  This seems to be the only biography in existence about this interesting and inspiring artist.

Masterminds by Gordon Korman

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Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  (323 pages)  The kids of Serenity, New Mexico know they are lucky to live there.  There’s no crime, subjects like meditation and contentment are taught at school, and everyone in town has their own swimming pool.  But one day Eli and his best friend Randy ride their bikes to the outskirts of town.  Eli, who’s never left town, becomes violently ill, and is immediately picked up by Serenity security guards.  Two days later, Randy is sent away, barely being allowed to say good bye to Eli.  Gradually, Eli and four of his classmates uncover a horrifying conspiracy carried out by all the adults in town, including their own parents.  Told in alternating voices by the five kids, Mastermind ends with a cliffhanger that promises at least one sequel.

Pros:  The kids go from “ignorance is bliss” to “trust no one” in 322 action-packed, plot-twisting pages.  The alternating points of view approach works well, as each character is flawed but immensely likeable.   There’s no one moment of revelation; instead, the kids individually and together uncover one clue at a time to put together the whole awful truth.

Cons:  Eli learns to drive on a stick shift truck with the whole town pursuing him?  You’ll have to suspend your disbelief once in a while to get through some of the narrow escapes.

Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Hungry Hoot Owl is flying through the night, looking for something to eat.  Fortunately, he considers himself a master of disguise, so when he sees a rabbit, he disguises himself as a carrot.  No luck.  A pigeon?  Hoot Owl transforms himself into an ornamental birdbath.  Alas, one disguise after another fails, until finally Hoot Owl dresses up as a waiter and is able to snag a pepperoni pizza.

Pros:  Kids will enjoy Hoot Owl’s high opinion of himself, as well as his dramatic narration of his actions.  The big bold illustrations will be easy for everyone to see.  And Hoot Owl is a master of similes.  Ask the kids how many they can find in this book.

Cons:  It wasn’t clear why Hoot Owl’s disguises failed.  I thought his carrot was pretty good.

The New Small Person by Lauren Child

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Elmore Green’s life as an only child is pretty idyllic.  He’s got a great room, his own TV on which he can watch whatever he wants, AND he gets to eat all the jelly beans.  But one day, everything changes.  A new baby moves in.  It cries when Elmore wants to watch TV.  It comes into Elmore’s room and knocks things over.  And worst of all, Elmore suspects people might like it as much as or maybe even more than they like him.  One terrible day, its bed is moved into Elmore’s room.  Elmore can’t get away from it.  But one night, Elmore has a bad dream, and, lo and behold, the new small person comforts him.  After that, Elmore begins to notice some other not-so-bad things about his new brother.  Finally, he is even willing to share his jelly beans with Albert (except the orange ones).

Pros:  It’s an old tale, but this book tells it with humor and a pretty good dose of reality.  I love how the small person goes from being “it” through most of the book to “him” after he comforts Elmore at night, to finally, “his brother Albert”.  This would make a great sibling gift to a kid whose home has recently been invaded by a new small person.

Cons:  If only sibling relationships were this simple…

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  “The mountain was calling me.”  12-year-old Dan is running away from home with his dog Beau.  As the story unfolds, the reader learns that Dan has had cancer for 5 years.  He was in remission, but the cancer has returned.  Unable to face more treatment, he has decided to fulfill a life-long dream to climb Mount Rainier, even if it means he dies in the attempt.  Most chapters are told by Dan, but there are short half chapters (e.g., Chapter 9 ½) that tell what’s happening back home from the point of view of his best friend Jessie.  Some of these half chapters include Jessie’s memories, which serve as flashbacks that flesh out Dan’s story.  There may be a few tears at the ending, but there is a bit of hope there, too.

Pros:  Dan encounters numerous obstacles, including confronting a gang of kids who beat him up and rob him, getting kicked off a bus in the middle of nowhere on a cold snowy day, and having to rescue his dog from falling down a crevasse.  Readers will have a tough time putting this book down until they find out whether or not Dan makes it to the summit of Rainier, and more importantly, back down again.  Fans of The Fault in our Stars will enjoy this.

Cons:  I’m not a fan of The Fault in our Stars.  Like the characters in that book, Dan and Jessie did not ring true to me.  Dan was a little too into reflecting on his life and writing about it (in haiku, no less) in his journal.  Although Jessie and Dan call themselves “best friends”, there was definitely a romantic, you-and-me-against-the-world quality to their friendship that didn’t quite ring true for 12 year olds.  While the book was a quick read for me, the characters didn’t engage me, leaving me to ultimately not care a great deal what happened to them.

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker, illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss

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Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary:  When veterinarian Harry Coleburn saw a baby bear for sale at a train station in Canada, he couldn’t resist buying her.  World War I was raging, and Harry was traveling with his division to military training camp in Quebec.  They named the cub Winnie after their home town of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and she quickly became the company mascot, playing with everyone and sleeping every night under Harry’s bed.  When he was called up to go to England, she traveled on the ship with him, but when he got orders to go to the front in France, he knew it was time for Winnie to find a new home at the London Zoo.  It was there, several years later, that he was spotted by a little boy name Christopher Robin.  The boy couldn’t stop talking about Winnie, even changing the name of his teddy bear from Edward Bear to Winnie-the-Pooh.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Pros:  The narrative has the feel of a story, even though it’s true.  Kids will enjoy hearing the history of a familiar character.  The illustrations are adorable.  An author’s note and montage of photos on the end papers provide more interesting information.

Cons:  What about Piglet, Eeyore, and the rest of the gang?

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Treetop Festival by Rebecca Elliott

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Published by Scholastic, Inc.

Summary: In the first book in this series, Eva (an owl) decides to organize a spring festival at her school.  Her excitement turns to dismay as the date approaches and she realizes there is no way she can have everything ready in time.  She finally remembers her teachers advice when she suggested her idea: share the work.  It’s easy to ask her friends for help, but a little tougher to go to mean girl Sue Clawson.  Everyone pitches in, even Sue, and the fair is a big success.

Pros:  Scholastic has a relatively new line called Branches, which are chapter books for ages 5-8 (scholastic.com/branches).  They’re all in the guided reading level range of M-P.  Not great literature, but definitely high interest.  The different series are clearly being marketed to girls and boys (see Cons).  This one is definitely for the girls, and is written in the very popular diary format.

Cons:  I’ve recently read two entries in the girls’ series—Lotus Lane and Owl Diaries.  Both main characters love fashion and their BFF, and have to deal with a mean girl at school.  It would be nice to see a series about a girl that is not quite so stereotypical.

Snoozefest at the Nuzzledome by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Kristyna Litten

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Published by Dial Books

Summary:  Champion sleeper Snuggleford Cuddlebun (a sloth) spends a LOT of time sleeping, but she does get up every year for the annual Snoozefest.  All kinds of animals gather for a few days at the Nuzzledome, slinging a hammock in the coziest spot they can find and settling down with their blankies to enjoy such entertainment as a pajama fashion show and a lineup of musicians like the Nocturnal Nesters and the Drowsy Duet.  Not surprisingly, the end of the Snoozefest finds Snuggleford still catching some z’s.

Pros:  Adorable illustrations, clever rhyming text (haiku and didgeridoo wowed me), and a story guaranteed to wind down the craziest three-year-old.

Cons:  If your teenager catches you reviewing a book called Snoozefest at the Nuzzledome, you might as well book your one-way ticket to Siberia.

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 by N. Griffen, illustrated by Kate Hindley

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Room 11 is having a bad day.  Not only do they have Mr. Carper, a.k.a. the worst substitute in the world, but someone is going around gluing things to people, and the whole class gets in trouble for it.  Then the worst happens…Patches, the new hamster, disappears!  Smashie didn’t really want to get a hamster (she thinks they have creepy feet), so she’s a prime suspect.  She and her best friend, Dontel, decide they better do everything they can to solve the mystery.  Smashie dons her Investigation Suit, and Dontel sharpens up his scientific reasoning as they attempt to figure out just what happened to Patches.

Pros:  Candlewick is getting a reputation for its one-of-a-kind children’s books, and this one fits the bill.  Sure, it’s a great mystery, perfect for third, fourth, or fifth graders, but it’s also got a level of humor that adults will enjoy as well.  “There are days when the only thing that gets me through is the thought of a glass of wine and two hours’ research with a copy of GQ,” announces Mr. Carper.  And he’s just one of a whole host of quirky and appealing characters that populate Room 11.

Cons:  Do nine-year-olds need this much quirkiness?  Smashie sometimes came across as too much of an oddball to really ring true.  I wonder if elementary readers will appreciate the kids in this story or just think they are weird.