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Master storyteller Marcus Sedgwick winds four separate tales along a connecting spiral shape. Twirling from prehistory into the future, characters face the symbol of life that "copies itself and builds on itself, forever."

A girl in a cave with a charred stick, an accused woman plunged below water, a poet in a sanitarium, and an astronaut turning in a spiral in space all find the stair to climb higher and higher, while they remember the past and reach forward into the future.

Marcus' woven stories turn the reader round and round, yet he leaves them before the light of wet grass, an apple tree, and love. If you didn't cross paths with The Ghosts of Heaven last year, readergirlz, find it and turn, turn, turn.

The Ghosts of Heaven
by Marcus Sedgwick
Roaring Brook Press, 2015

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Our selection of hot new releases and popular kids' books has a lot to offer!

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Reading books together is an incredibly easy and, not to mention, enjoyable way to be present and engaged with kids.

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Hey there!

Surprised to see me?

After last week's debacle...???

I still can't believe I forgot to post last Friday!  I'm so sorry!  There I was, all caught up in family and leftover pie, and I never even realized it was Friday until it was suddenly Saturday and I hadn't posted!  Any of you who had a Perfect Picture Book last week are welcome to add that link to today's link list in addition to your titles for today!

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that this will be the last official Perfect Picture Book post for 2015, as the next few Fridays will be taken up with the Holiday Contest and then the holidays themselves.  So I'll meet you back here for the next PPBF on Friday January 8, 2016!!!

Now then, I hope you will all enjoy the today's story.  I think it's beautifully done, and has much to offer young readers!

Title: Oskar And The Eight Blessings
Written By: Richard Simon and Tanya Simon
Illustrated By: Mark Siegel
Roaring Brook Press, September 2015, Fiction (with some fact)

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: Hanukkah, kindness/compassion, looking for the good

Opening: This is an unusual picture book.  It has what could almost be called a prologue before the actual story starts - a set up to explain why Oskar happened to be traveling alone to New York City in December 1938 - with the text in italics and the illustrations on a black background.
Opening of the book: "Oskar's mother and father believed in the power of blessings.  So did Oskar...until the Night of Broken Glass."
Opening of the story: "Oskar arrived in New York on the seventh day of Hanukkah.  It was also Christmas Eve.  He knew his Aunt Esther would be lighting the menorah at sunset. To reach her before the sun went down Oskar would have to walk over a hundred blocks on the avenue called Broadway."

Brief Synopsis: Oskar is a refugee, seeking sanctuary from the horrors of Kristallnacht.  He arrives in New York City with nothing but a photograph and an address for an aunt he has never met. It is both the seventh day of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve, 1938. As Oskar walks the length of Manhattan, he views the city's many holiday sights, and encounters various people. Each offers Oskar a small act of kindness, welcoming him to the city and helping him on his way to a new life in the new world, and proving the truth of his father's last words to him: "Oskar, even in bad times, people can be good. You have to look for the blessings."

Links To Resources: The book is a resource unto itself.  An author's note details the origin of the story and the historical accuracies, including the presence of both Count Basie and Eleanor Roosevelt in New York City on Christmas Eve 1938.  There is also a map of Manhattan, showing Oskar's route from the ship to his Aunt's house with some of New York City's well-known landmarks.  Older children/students can discuss Kristallnacht and the holocaust.  All children/students can discuss the power of kindness and think about what small acts of kindness they might be able to perform during the holidays and all year round.

Why I Like This Book:  This story tackles a difficult subject in an accessible, child-friendly way, and it reminds us of the true meaning of the holidays with its emphasis on compassion and human kindness, looking for the blessings in life even when times are hard - lessons that should not be reserved for the holidays, but carried with us throughout the year.  The art has the feel of an old photograph album, like pictures your grandparents might have shown you.  The inclusion of historical fact makes the story feel believable even though it's mostly fiction.  Though on some levels a more serious holiday title, the story is uplifting, and the ending emotional.  A wonderful addition to any library!

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Now then, before we all go off for our weekend of fun, I want to remind everyone that the Holiday Contest opens on Monday!!!  Whoopee!!!  Think of all the stories we have to look forward to!  Think how much fun it will be to read them ourselves and share them with our children and students!  I can't wait!

except for the teensy weensy difficulty of not having an inkling of what I will post for a sample...

Polish up those drafts!  Put the finishing touches on your masterpieces!  There are some pretty great prizes on offer!

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  See you Monday for the Holiday Contest extravaganza!!!

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This list of “9 Excellent Jewish Kids Books for Hanukkah Gifts and Beyond” was curated by Bianca Schulze.

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I SEE KITTY is an adorable board book, perfect for preschoolers and younger.

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For many kids, August is back-to-school month. The stories in this month's hot new release kids books will make back-to-school (and anytime) reading a breeze.

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by Mac Barnett and Patrick McDonnell (Roaring Brook Press, 2015)

The Skunk is a book I’ve been wanting for ages but I had no idea that I was.

I’m going to spoil this podcast interview for you, and you should still listen to it anyway, but when asked where he got the idea for this book, Mac said it was a writing prompt on an old poster in a school library:

A skunk won’t stop following you.

A fun thing is knowing Mac, and hearing his booming and contagious laugh, and picturing his long, lean self hunched over a desk with eight-year-olds hunched over their desks, writing about a skunk who won’t stop following you. I think Mac would love that too, because there’s a thing that resonates in all of his work for kids, which is a true and uncanny understanding of kid-ness, and a willingness to give them stories that grownups can’t observe in their own natural habitats.

(Sidenote: I wrote a whole thing about this recently, about honesty as a necessary thing in picture book writing and a necessary part of understanding the audience. Check it out here!)

I’m also going to spoil a big design piece of this book, so if you like to read things untainted, unspoiled, and fresh, bow out now. You’ve been warned!

But: the skunk and his man. A story you didn’t know you were dying for.

Mac Barnett and Patrick McDonnell didn’t collaborate on this book; rather, in publishing’s traditional sense, Mac did words and Patrick did pictures, and they didn’t speak of it until it was finished. In that same podcast, you’ll hear them speak of what an honor it was to work with lumps of clay the other had thrown down.

That, of course, is the very nature of a picture book. The text is incomplete without pictures; both parts are needed for the dance. 100

Here’s how I read a book.

First the endpapers.

Then the case cover. (Have I told you how angry my students get when a book does not have a secret underneath?! Also, see Travis Jonker’s latest post on this for more. A treat for sure.)

And the title page.

This is so interesting to me, this differently styled skunk here. His etched-ness gives me pause, and is a little bit dizzying. Because here’s the thing: this small moment gives the whole story true plausibility. This skunk, this real skunk, did all of the things in this book. But I’m seeing it through an artist’s lens who might have represented it in a way that I can understand, that I can see.

Curious.

The color palette here is a smart choice. It maintains this noir experience, but also serves to connect the duo physically: the skunk’s red nose, the man’s red bowtie. The skunk’s black and white tail, the man’s tuxedo tails. (Both of those with a flip and a flourish.)

There is no other color, save for a muted peach, a brightness in the shadows.

Soon, the man understands what’s really happening. His eyes speak fear.

This standoff is one of my favorite parts. The offerings here–an apple, a saucer of milk, a pocket watch–are of no interest to a skunk. But it’s a moment of connection, the first time the man has turned to face his follower. That’s some bravery.

Then things get dire and the pace quickens, and if you haven’t felt it by now, we’re talking some serious Twilight Zone stuff.

This man moves to a different part of the city, buys new things, and perhaps breathes a bit easier.

The man misses the skunk, because things like that worm and weasel and skunk their way into your routine, and all of a sudden, the missing it part is very real.

And here’s what else you probably noticed. The color!

Without the skunk, in a new house, with new things, the man is different. Transformed? Suddenly aware? What’s happening?

As he searches for his skunk, the colors mute. The world returns to whatever that normal was before.

My skunk.

And the endpapers again. Bookends, that duo.

There’s a thing that happens with books when your eyebrow wrinkles and you’re not quite sure where you are anymore. Those are the best kinds of stories–the honest and the daring ones and the ones that make you look at your own world with a mix of wonder and skepticism.

Thanks to Mary Van Akin at Macmillan for the images!

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And we thought May was a tough month to select the best new kids books! June has so many awesome books to dive into this summer.

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The best non-fiction picture books of 2014, as picked by the editors and contributors of The Children’s Book Review.

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The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press. 2014. Review copy from publisher.

The Port Chicago 50 tells a story that I was not familiar with -- actually, many stories I was not familiar with. The Port Chicago 50 are fifty African American sailors accused of mutiny in the aftermath of the Port Chicago disaster. I don't want to go into the details of the disaster or the mutiny accusations or the aftermath -- read the book!

The story of these fifty men is not just about allegations of mutiny and these fifty individuals; it is also bout the segregation of the Navy and other armed forces before and during World War II and the efforts to end it. It's about just what it meant, to have segregated troops, and institutionalized racism both within and without the armed forces. Segregation and racism, and the actions at Port Chicago and by the sailors, cannot be viewed in isolation of each other.


Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

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Well, guess what?

After a (very!) brief foray into the 20s, we're back to zero degrees!  But at least it's not (currently) snowing :)  And it's not BELOW zero!  It's important to keep sight of silver linings :)

Thank goodness for Perfect Picture Book Fridays, where we can enjoy lots of great titles and ignore the weather!

My choice for today is on a more serious topic, but the book is well written - on a level that kids can understand and appreciate without it being scary/upsetting in any way - and I hope you'll enjoy it and find it a useful addition to your libraries.

Title: Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond Between A Soldier And His Service Dog

Written By: Luis Carlos Montalvan & Bret Witter

Photographs By: Dan Dion

Roaring Brook Press, May 2014, Nonfiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: service/therapy animals, military life, photographic book, love, nonfiction

Opening: "In the morning, every morning, my friend Luis wakes up to . . .   this."


Brief Synopsis: After tours in Iraq left him wounded and distressed, Captain Luis Montalvan returned home to a life he was no longer comfortable living.  He reached a point where he was afraid to leave his apartment.  But a service dog named Tuesday changed everything for him.  Tuesday helps Luis with daily tasks, and he calms and comforts Luis by always being there for him.  Tuesday has made it possible for Luis to live a rewarding life.

Links To Resources: Facts About Service Dogs for Kids; Wayside Elementary Schools Special Needs Awareness Program (SNAP) (video); discuss how animals make you feel and what they do for you.


Why I Like This Book:  Every day, men and women risk their lives overseas for our freedom and way of life.  When they return home, it is often difficult to readjust, and to carry on with a life so at odds with what they've seen and survived.  This book gives kids a glimpse of the difficulties a soldier might face upon coming home at an appropriate and accessible level.  It also shows how the love and care of a therapy animal has the power to change a life.  It's written from the point of view of the dog, which makes it friendly and non-threatening.  For kids who have a relative or family friend who is a veteran, this book could be very helpful in understanding what they might be going through and in opening a discussion.  For any child, this book can encourage empathy and understanding.

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!  I can't wait to see what books you're sharing this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  Maybe Springing forward will give Mother Nature the hint! :)

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February is African American History Month. Sharing these books with young readers comes with the responsibility to discuss ... progress towards equality.

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Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner The most distinguished American picture book for children, announced by the American Library Association.

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Two of the finalists for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award.

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press. 2014. Review copy from publisher.

The Port Chicago 50 tells a story that I was not familiar with -- actually, many stories I was not familiar with. The Port Chicago 50 are fifty African American sailors accused of mutiny in the aftermath of the Port Chicago disaster. I don't want to go into the details of the disaster or the mutiny accusations or the aftermath -- read the book!

The story of these fifty men is not just about allegations of mutiny and these fifty individuals; it is also bout the segregation of the Navy and other armed forces before and during World War II and the efforts to end it. It's about just what it meant, to have segregated troops, and institutionalized racism both within and without the armed forces. Segregation and racism, and the actions at Port Chicago and by the sailors, cannot be viewed in isolation of each other.

Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw. Roaring Brook Press. 2014. Review copy from publisher.

Burcaw's memoir, based on his tumblr of the same name, is a humorous look at his life with spinal muscular atrophy. It's told in short, episodic chapters -- while it's roughly chronological in order, it doesn't have to be read in order or even all at once. This structure is both a weakness and a strength: those wanting an in depth, detailed examination will be disappointed. But, that's looking for this bok to be something it isn't. It is, instead, a funny, hilarious look at life. And that is it's strength: the short chapters means it's easy to read, and also easy to read over an extended period of time. A few chapters here, a few chapters there, is, a think, the best way to approach Laughing at My Nightmare.

While Burcaw's memoir is uniquely about his own experiences, it's also universal. Starting middle school, worrying about making friends, anxious about a first kiss -- Burcaw isn't the first person to worry about these things. Burcaw is funny and blunt: he knows teen readers will wonder "but how does he go to the bathroom?" and so he addresses those questions. And the humor is such that will appeal to a lot of teen readers.






Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

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The Mouse Who Ate The Moon. Petr Horacek. 2014. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

One evening, Little Mouse peered out of her hole. She was looking at the moon. "The moon is beautiful," she said as she settled down to sleep. "I would love to have my very own piece of the moon."

I enjoyed reading The Mouse Who Ate The Moon. I liked Little Mouse very much. One night Little Mouse wishes she could have a piece of the moon. The next morning, she discovers that her wish has come true. She is delighted to find a piece of the yellow moon had fallen from the sky and landed on her doorstep. She never expected it. She also didn't expect to be tempted by it, tempted to want to eat it. One thing leads to another, and soon Little Mouse is convinced that she's eaten HALF the moon and the sky will never be the same again... Her friends try to gently tell her that she's just being silly. NO ONE can eat the moon they say again and again and again. Can her good friends cheer her up again?

I love the illustrations. I love "the piece of the moon" that Little Mouse discovers. Readers may realize the truth about "the moon" long before Little Mouse does! It is a simple story that is beautifully illustrated.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

The Way to the Zoo. John Burningham. 2014. Candlewick. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

One evening, just before Sylvie went to sleep, she thought she could see a door in the wall of her bedroom. She decided to look again in the morning to see if the door was really there. In the morning, Sylvie was late for school and forgot about the door until bedtime. 

What will Sylvie find when she opens the door? You'll want to read this one and find out for yourself.  (Or you could read the title and take a guess, I suppose!) I loved John Burningham's The Way to the Zoo. It was oh-so-magical for me. I loved the story progression. How Sylvie brings back animals--small animals, mainly--back to her own room night after night. I loved how careful she was with this magic. She always made sure to leave the door closed. But I also loved that there was just this one time when she forgot...

The story is just fun and joyful. I loved seeing what happened next, what animals she brought back with her. I loved the story, I did. But I didn't love the illustrations. At least not as much as I loved the text itself.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10


Alexander, Who's Trying His Best To Be The Best Boy Ever. Judith Viorst. Illustrated by Isidre Mones. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Can Alexander be "the best boy ever" for one whole week?! After suffering the consequences of eating a whole box of donuts, Alexander sets out to prove that he CAN and WILL be good, better than good, the BEST. His parents and his brothers may have their doubts, big doubts, that Alexander can stay away from trouble for even just a day or two. But Alexander has something to prove to himself. His goal is ambitious, his temptations are many. At home and at school, everywhere he goes Alexander is tempted. There are so many things he wants to do during those six or seven days that are a bit naughty--some more naughty than others perhaps. What will Alexander learn about himself during this week? Is it good or bad that he learned it? Will readers agree or disagree with Alexander's conclusions?

I liked it. I didn't love it.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10 


Druthers. Matt Phelan. 2014. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

It was raining. And raining. And RAINING. "I'm bored," said Penelope. "If you had your druthers, what would you do?" asked her Daddy. "What are druthers?" "Druthers are what you would rather do if you could do anything at all." 

I really enjoyed reading Matt Phelan's Druthers. I loved how Penelope and her Dad played together on a rainy day. I loved turning the pages to see what she wanted to do next. Each activity was a "druther" of course. For example, wanting to go to the zoo, wanting to be a cowgirl, wanting to go to the moon, etc. Each druther leads to a fun opportunity for this father and daughter to explore together. This is a book that celebrates imaginative play. It also celebrates family! (I suppose you could also say the book handles disappointments as well.) The book is very sweet. I definitely recommend it.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10


Frances Dean Who Loved To Dance and Dance. Birgitta Sif. 2014. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Once there was a girl whose name was Frances Dean. She loved to dance and dance. 

Frances Dean loves to dance. She does. She loves, loves, loves to dance. But only in private. Only outside surrounded by nature. In front of people, well, Frances Dean gets too shy to dance. Will meeting a little girl who loves to sing inspire her to share her love of dance with another person? It just might! 

I love the illustrations. I do. This is a beautiful book. The story and illustrations are charming. I love how passionate Frances Dean is. This book is dedicated to "all those who live with all their heart."

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10


A Bunny in the Ballet. Robert Beck. 2014. Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Of the great many things in this world that we rabbits LOVE to do, ballet dancing tops the list! At least it does for me, Desiree Rabbit. But there were NO BUNNIES in the ballet until I came along. And this is my story...

Desiree is a bunny with big dreams. She is a Parisian bunny that wants to study ballet. She loves it so much. Dancing is her life, her passion. She adores ballet. If only she can convince a couple of humans to give her a real chance to learn and perform. Will Desiree achieve her dreams? Will she dance in a ballet? 

This one is a cute read. It's predictable, I suppose. But charming too. I definitely enjoyed some of the illustrations. There were one or two that were just so very right. (I liked the illustrations of Desiree better than the illustrations of the humans in her life.)

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10


My Pet Book. Bob Staake. 2014. Random House. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Most pets, you know, are cats and dogs. Go out and take a look. But there's a boy in Smartytown whose pet is... a little book. 

The boy in this story has a book for a pet. It's not that his parents wouldn't allow a cat or a dog, but, that this boy really wanted a pet book. The premise is quirky and not without potential. For some readers, this one may prove completely charming. 

My problem with the Pet Book was not the premise. I found the rhythm and rhyme to be a bit off or unnatural. The rhyming just didn't work for me. And it felt like it was the need to rhyme that was driving the book, the story. For example when the book "runs away," this is the rhyme we're "treated" to:

"He ran away! He ran away!" The boy began to bleat. "How could a pet book run away without a pair of feet?" 

It continues, 

The maid could hear the crying boy. (That sound was such a rarity.) "I think I know what happened..." (gulp) "I gave your book to...charity."

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 4 out of 5

The Good-Pie Party. Elizabeth Garton Scanlon. Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. 2014. Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Posy Peyton doesn't want to move. 

Posy Peyton may not want to move, but, Posy Peyton really doesn't have a choice in the matter. What she does have a choice in perhaps is how to handle it, how to cope with it. And one of the ways she does handle it is by baking in the kitchen with her friends. (The kitchen is the only room in the house that hasn't been boxed up...yet.) What she discovers is that GOOD PIE is better than saying good bye. And so inspiration comes, they throw a good-pie party and invite their friends and neighbors. Everyone is to bring a pie....

I liked this one.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Say Hello Like This! Mary Murphy. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

A dog hello is licky and loud...like this!
bow-wow-wow-wow!
A cat hello is prissy and proud...like this!
purrrrrr...meow

Say Hello Like This! is a fun, playful book to read aloud to little ones. It is all about the animal sounds! It is also rich in descriptive words. (licky, loud, prissy, proud, silly, happy, tiny, tappy, etc.)

I would recommend this one as a read aloud. I love the bright illustrations.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

The Midnight Library. Kazuno Kohara. 2014. Roaring Brook. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Once there was a library that opened only at night. A little librarian worked there with her three assistant owls. Every night, animals came to the library from all over the town. And the little librarian and her three assistant owls helped each and every one find a perfect book. 

I really, really liked this one. I still don't know what it is about it that I do like so very much. If it is the illustrations. If it is the premise. But there is just something magical about this one for me. I find myself mesmerized by the illustrations. Most picture books are after all illustrated in more than three colors. (Midnight Library is all black, blue, and yellow.) They are simple too. Yet I find myself spending time looking at the illustrations carefully. I find the story charming. My favorite part? Well, I guess that would be when the little librarian insists that the tortoise gets a library card. The image of him with the book on his back, it just makes me smile!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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5 Stars Don’t Feed the Boy by Irene Latham Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin Pages:  288     Ages: 8 to 12 ……………………. Back Cover:  No kid knows more about zoo life than Whit. That’s because he sleeps, eats and even attends home-school at the Meadowbrook Zoo. It’s one of the perks of having a mother who’s the [...]

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Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition. Karen Blumenthal. 2011. Roaring Brook Press. 155 pages.

Sometime after 10 A.M. on this shivery cold and windy Chicago morning, seven men gathered in a nondescript garage warehouse on Clark Street.

I'll never be able to do this book justice. I don't think I can adequately convey just how fascinating and engaging and completely interesting this nonfiction book is! Would you believe me when I say that the narrative is just that good that you lose yourself?

I knew this book was for me from the start. The opening paragraphs brought to mind one of my favorite movies--Some Like It Hot. And from there the magic continued. Readers learn about the history of alcohol in the United States, from the colonial days until the beginning of the twentieth century. Readers learn a little bit about saloons and why they weren't especially well-liked by women. And they learn about a couple of groups that formed to response to the problems they saw in society. Men and women who felt the nation--as a whole--had a problem with alcohol. Men and women who thought that the removal of alcohol would lead to the removal of other problems as well. They wanted better men and women. They wanted stable homes, stable lives. The early chapters of the book cover the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. But most of the book is set during the years immediately following the first World War. In the years when groups were urging legislation through to dry up America. The book covers SO MANY things. And the way the story is conveyed is so engaging, so reader-friendly. I learned so much while reading it!!!

Read Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition

• If you enjoy engaging nonfiction narratives
• If you're interested in learning more about the early twentieth century
• If you're looking for nonfiction companion reads to books such as Moon Over Manifest and The Black Duck

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Forget Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich! Children’s author Nick Bruel has cast the “purrfect” candidate in his latest chapter book: Bad Kitty for President. We’ve embedded the book trailer above.

We caught up with Bruel to ask a few questions about politics, writing and illustrating.

Q: With your latest title, Bad Kitty for President, why did you decide to touch on such a
topical event?
A: I find politics in general to be a very weird, absurd, and sort of wonderful creature in this country. As Americans I think we have a propensity to take politics too seriously (myself included), but at the same time I don’t think many Americans understand our political system as much as they should. It’s a bit like watching a full season of baseball but never really understanding the rules of the game.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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James Rumford,
Tiger and Turtle
Roaring Brook Press, 2010.

Ages 4+

Tiger and Turtle live in the same forest and stay out of each other’s way.  They may not always agree, but they have learned there is no use arguing or fighting.  After all, “a tiger’s claws could not harm a turtle’s shell any more than a turtle’s feet could outrun a tiger’s.”  Then one day, the tiniest of flowers drifts down from the sky and changes their relationship forever.

Turtle wants to eat the flower, but Tiger has other ideas, and, while they may not be able to hurt each other (at least not very easily) they can sure fight over a flower!  For instance, Tiger can swipe at the flower and send it soaring out of Turtle’s reach.  And Turtle, once she is angry enough, learns that biting Tiger’s leg is actually pretty effective.  The two go back and forth escalating their efforts to control each other and gain the flower.  It seems as though disaster will surely befall them both, but at the last minute, we learn there was never anything to fight about as Tiger and Turtle narrowly escape a gruesome fate—together!  It is no surprise at all that after this, Tiger and Turtle move beyond mere tolerance to become the best of friends.

This gorgeous book, with a strong message about resolving conflict and the futility of fighting is, perhaps fittingly, dedicated to the author’s brother.  It is likely that the sibling relationship is the first place many children learn such lessons, and they will doubtless relate to the silliness and extremes Tiger and Turtle go to, to get their own way.  The art, inspired by Indian and Pakistan designs for shawls, rugs, and jali windows and rendered on handmade Chinese paper, is simply beautiful.  Indeed, gazing at Rumford’s warm colors, transcendent designs and the boldly drawn yet slightly dreamy Tiger and Turtle is likely to make anyone feel peaceful and at ease.  A book that can bring children to laugh, dream, calm down and think about important lessons is certainly a treasure.  Parents and children, perhaps for different reasons, will both want to reread Tiger and Turtle many times.

Abigail Sawyer
November 2011

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A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Philip C. Stead. Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. 2010. Roaring Brook Press. 32 pages.

Amos McGee was an early riser. Every morning when the alarm clock clanged, he swung his legs out of bed and swapped his pajamas for a fresh-pressed uniform. He would wind his watch and set a pot of water to boil--saying to the sugar bowl, "A spoonful for my oatmeal, please, and two for my teacup."
Belly full and ready for the workday, he'd amble out the door.

Amos McGee stars in this understated charmer. He may be slightly predictable, but it's all good. For there's just something likable about him. He works at the zoo and all the animals love him. We meet many of his animal friends in the first half of the picture book. We see Amos McGee's daily routine. But then, readers see Amos on a day when he's not feeling his best. A day when he's not up to ambling out the door to the zoo. How will his absence be felt by those in his life? What will the animals do without him? Amos is so very good at taking care of them, can they return the favor? Can the animals take care of him for a change?! Readers may just be surprised at this playful twist!

As for my impressions of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, well, I liked it. I really liked it. I can't say it's love. Not like I loved Interrupting Chicken. But I did enjoy it. I liked the character of Amos McGee. I liked meeting all the animals. I thought it was fun. I thought it was cute. True, I thought it a little strange. Especially seeing all those animals on the bus! But I liked it all the same. I happened to like the text more than the art. But only slightly.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

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Title: The Mourning Wars Author: Karen Steinmetz Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press ISBN: 978-1596432901

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Based on true events, THE MOURNING WARS is a gripping, powerful, and utterly memorable historical novel. In 1704, Mohawk Indians attacked the frontier village of Deerfield, Massachusetts, killing 50 and kidnapping 112 more, including John Williams, a Puritan minister and prize hostage, and his children.

This is Eunice’s remarkable story, fictionalized but based on meticulous research, about a seven-year-old girl’s separation from her family, harrowing march to Canada, gradual acceptance of her new Native American life, and ultimate decision at 16 to marry an Indian and reject her stern father’s pleadings to return to the fold.

Review:

When I saw this book, I immediately wanted to read it.  I love books about Native Americans, and the setting looked like something right up my alley.  I admit that reading it was rough going at first, because I found it difficult to immerse myself in the third person, present tense narrative, but as I continued to read, I was caught up in Eunice’s new life with the Mohawk family that adopted her.  This was a great read, and Eunice’s struggle to understand who she is and where she belonged was very, very compelling.

When Eunice was 7, the small settlement of Deerfield is attacked by a group of Mohawks warriors.  During the nightmare journey that follows, she loses her mother and several of her siblings as they are marched to Canada through the freezing snow.  Eunice is separated from her father, a preacher and esteemed member of the Deerfield community, and she’s adopted by Atironta and Kenniontie.  The couple lost their daughter to an illness, and the raid was sanctioned by the tribe’s leaders to replace people who died from sickness or from the clashes between the warring French and British colonists whose European war has trickled to the colonies. 

Eunice at first waits for her father to pay a ransom for her and take her home, but as the years stretch forward and she hears nothing from her English family, she begins to settle into her new life.  She is always troubled by her feelings of abandonment, and this continues to eat away at her, even as she finds contentment with her new family and friends.  As she begins to feel comfortable and at home, she begins to fear that her father will come and get her.  This constant internal struggle was heartbreaking.  Even though Atironta and Kenniontie love her unconditionally, Eunice is still stung by the thought that her father has forgotten her.  There is an emptiness inside of her that nothing can fill, and this emotional turmoil kept me glued to the pages.

The Mourning Wars unfolds through little slice of life activities.  They slowly build together to create a fascinating snapshot of what life might have been like before Twitter, Facebook, and, heck, even the USPS.  Though occasionally the narrative was a bit too textbookish, I enjoyed this story.  A lot.  There is so much emotion packed into these pages, as a brave young girl works through who she is, and where she’s meant to be. 

Grade:  B+

Review copy provided by publisher

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The Plot: Tamara Ann Simpson should be having a great time because it is summer. It's 1969, and for a ten year old in a Long Island suburb, summer is the ice cream man and kickball games, mothers who stay home while fathers take the train into the city. It's a neighborhood where the neighborhood kids get together and play all day long.

Except. Things aren't so perfect. Her best friend, Kebsie, has moved away; and Muscle Man McGinty (totally annoying and totally a liar) has moved in. Her father Marshall doesn't do much other than go into work and argue with her brother, Tim. Tim, in college, stays away, having been told to "cut your hair" one too many times. Shirley, her mother, watches soap operas and heats up TV dinners.

Tamara thinks she has the answer. Expose Muscle Man as the liar he is. I mean, really? How can people believe all his whoppers, like his uncle is the astronaut Neil Armstrong? Then one day Muscle Man goes to far, saying he can beat the entire neighborhood at kickball. Kickball; Tamara's sport. A game the kids take very seriously. Muscle Man is going down....

The Good: Neil Armstrong begins and for just a moment, you think, this is going to be an old fashioned type of book, set in a nicer, calmer time. Before working parents and structured playdates. Oh, a sweeter and gentler time, when a sad day was when your best friend moved away.

And in a way, Neil Armstrong is that. Those parents who want that type of book will be satisfied with the old-school tone.

But Neil Armstrong is so much more than just an old fashioned read about friendship among ten year olds.

First, the casual mention of Kebsie being a foster child who has now moved back to live with her mother. Suddenly, the story shifts; a hint that the past was not so perfect. Kebsie was the foster child on the street; and Muscle Man and his older brother are the two new foster children. Tamara, our narrator, never over explains -- never explains beyond how a ten year old would see the world -- but suddenly we know, we know why the neighborhood indulges Muscle Man's lies.

Second, the casual dysfunction of the Simpsons, never explained. Mom just likes to sit and watch TV all day long, cooking or cleaning only when son Tim comes home from college. Beautifully, Mom isn't given any lost career dreams; she doesn't fit in with the other Betty Draper-era wives but she also doesn't talk about any other wishes or desires than escape through watching her stories.

Third, this story can be read differently at different ages. The adult reader sees the despair of the Simpsons life; the younger reader will just know that Mrs. Simpson isn't like the next-door neighbor who makes delicious foods, sews her children darling clothing, makes sure her girls look picture-perfect, buys them Barbie dolls. The child reader goes along with Tamara and her loss of a friend, her dislike of the prissy neighbor girl. The adult knows Tammy is jealous of the girl with the "better" mother. Book discussions may bring out some of the depth to younger readers; and more mature young readers will discover the layers on their own, and be rewarded by that richer reading experience.

Fourth, the great use of time. Readers of this blog know that when I read historical fiction, especially fiction set during the author's own childhood, I ask, why this time? Why not set this in the present? Setting this book in 1969 does show us a more innocent time -- but with serious undertones. Marino uses the war in Vietnam; now, it would be our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. So while this is "history," its also the present for some children. The moon-landing gave those in 1969 a moment to come together, a chance to dream, hope. And, sadly, I cannot see a similar modern moment to give the child Tamara what she needs to move forward with her life.

Lastly, but most important, Tamara's anger. I stand up and applaud you, Nan Marino. Rarely have I read a child so angry -- and a girl child, no less. Her anger and rage is so pure and so complex that Tamara doesn't even know she is angry. Oh, she misses Kebsie; she dislikes Muscle Man; she's not satisfied with her mother. And the child reader will go along with all of that, and feel sympathy and empathy with Tamara, rooting for her. When Tamara plays kickball, her passion fuels the game, and we know why this means so much to Tamara. It's not just the game; not just beating Muscle Man; it's a legitimate outlet for the depths of emotion a ten year old feels, emotions with no other outlet. As Tamara finally makes peace with the loss of her friend and allows herself to make friends with Muscle Man, so to does the child reader.

Meanwhile the adult reader sees that what is happening is Tamara is one angry child, rightfully so. The neglect by her parents -- a neglect that the rest of the neighborhood can see, we realize, but Tamara doesn't quite realize. Oh, she knows her mother doesn't bring cookies to bakeouts and lets the grass go to dandelion seed, but she doesn't quite realize the extent to which the neighbors view her. We, who have "that family" on the block? Or have been "that family"? get it.

Tamara is a prickly child; not the nicest child on the block, or the kindest, or the prettiest. The child reading this may not pick up on the fact that Tamara is "that" child; they will go with the roller coaster of emotions Tamara faces, agreeing with her about injustices, going along with Tamara's ride and so maturing as Tamara does, when Tamara reaches the stage of seeing someone and something outside herself. Part of this is just Tamara being ten; part of it is that it looks like Tamara hasn't had much role-modeling in her own household.

Kebsie, the foster child, may or may not have been Tamara's best friend; it's hard to tell, from Tamara's narrative. Tamara, ten, sees things how she wants to. One thing is clear; Kebsie, abused foster child, was also angry but voiced her anger and Tamara was clearly attracted to that, to Kebsie's willingness to literally howl at the moon. Tamara is angry at the loss of her friendship with Kebsie; but she has also gained. Kebsie has shown her it's OK to be angry, even though Tamara doesn't realize that is the true gift Kebsie has given her.

Girls are supposed to be nice and pretty; even their anger, today, is frowned upon. Tamara is glorious in her anger, misdirected though it may be at Muscle Man, a child who is equally hurting but instead of pushing the world away and hating it, looks to be loved and thinks he can achieve that love by telling a lie or two or three. Part of the sweetness of this book is how the neighborhood realizes what Muscle Man is doing and accepts it. It is only Tamara, hurting herself and angry at the world, who cannot see beyond herself and see Muscle Man for who he is.

I hope I haven't scared you away. Let me say, that the writing, the portrayal of setting and the character of Tamara, make Neil Armstrong a title that should make everyone's short list predictions for Newbery. And it's because of that -- the way Marino portrays Tamara, who may I say is a little bitch and that is a compliment -- that I gave that much room to Tamara's emotions. Tamara is the neighbor girl with the mismatched clothes and the hair that makes you think "doesn't her mother ever brush it." But the child reader won't know this, only think "poor Tamara, who has lost her friend."

For the children readers? This is a great read. Ignore the above, which is for the adult reader. For your kids? Tell them this is a perfect summer story, with ice cream cones and kickball games and cookouts. Sometimes its sad, because Tammy's best friend has moved away and a new yucky boy has moved in, and only Tammy sees through his lies. Tell them how Tammy keeps trying to be fair, but the others aren't, and don't you hate it when people think the rules don't apply to everyone? Tell them about the annoying next door neighbor girl who boasts about her thirteen Barbie dolls. Tell them how the kids get together and have their own justice system for when someone does something wrong. Ask them, "have you ever just wanted to howl at the moon? Tammy's the type of girl who does that."

I listened to this on audio; Bauer does a great job of capturing Tamara's indignation, at her shock, at her joy, at her disappointment.

I have a semi-connection to the author. I've only met her once or twice; but she works at the library system I used to work at, so is basically "friend of friend." All this means is that when I read it, I began thinking "please don't let this suck, because that would be awk.ward." First I felt relief when I realized this was good; then it was excitement when I realized I was listening to an incredibly well written and crafted story; and then it was awe at the creation of Tamara.

Check out Fuse #8's review for her review and also for all the links about the book and Marino.


© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

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Below are a few of the picture books I've been reading. These books offer a wide variety of subject matter and illustrations.

ONE THOUSAND TRACINGS: HEALING THE WOUNDS OF WORLD WAR II by Lita Judge. Hyperion Books for Children, 2007.
This is a simply told, true story of a girl and her mother in post-World War II United States who began a grass roots movement to provide shoes and supplies to war victims in Germany. The end page collages of photos and letters combined with the breathtaking watercolor illustrations bring this tale to life with poignant detail. This book is a slice of history and humanity that should be shared in every classroom. http://www.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Tracings-Healing-Wounds/dp/1423100085/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206555149&sr=1-1


THE STORY OF SALT by Mark Kurlansky. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006.
A colorfully illustrated history of salt, this book examines one of the most common elements used worldwide. Kurlansky shows how salt, now virtually taken for granted, has played such a pivotal role in various locales in the past. A timeline of “Salt through the Centuries” concludes the text. http://www.amazon.com/Story-Salt-Mark-Kurlansky/dp/0399239987/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206555188&sr=1-1


HENRY’S FREEDOM BOX by Ellen Levine. Scholastic, 2007.
This 20008 Caldecott Honor book tells the fictionalized description of Henry “Box” Brown’s escape from slavery in 1849 when he mailed himself to freedom from Richmond to Philadelphia. The bold pictures and provocative story should encourage young readers to find more books exploring slavery in the pre-Civil War United States. http://www.amazon.com/Henrys-Freedom-Caldecott-Honor-Book/dp/043977733X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206555227&sr=1-1

AT GLEASON’S GYM by Ted Lewin. Roaring Brook Press, 2007.
Bold, bright illustrations accompany a condensed story of Sugar Boy Younan’s workout routine and quest for the National Silver Gloves Champion in the 110 Pound Bantam Weight Division. A couple of girl boxers are shown in the story as well, but the book’s primary audience would seem to be boys—especially reluctant readers. http://www.amazon.com/Gleasons-Gym-Neal-Porter-Books/dp/1596432314/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206555264&sr=1-1

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