Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford

After Peggy Gifford gives a few introductory Moxy facts – nine years old, starting fourth grade, has big plans – readers of Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little find this short passage (my commentary added):

“Now, Moxy loved to read books.” (Ok. So far, so good.)

“She loved books so much that sometimes she would stay up all night and read.” (Right! I’m liking her more and more.)

“It’s just that Moxy liked to read what she wanted to read and not what someone told her to read.” (Amen! Preach, Sister! Can you see my hands waving?)

And that explains why, on August 23, the day before Moxy Maxwell starts fourth grade, she still has all one hundred forty-four pages left to read of Stuart Little.

It’s not as if she hasn’t spent any time with Stuart Little over the course of the summer. She has! She’s had the book with her all summer just in case of in-between. That is, as Moxy kindly explains to her mother, just in case one thing ends before the next thing begins. It’s not her fault that her in-betweens are always interrupted.

This is the point of the story in which Mrs. Maxwell introduces Moxy to the word “consequences.”

So Moxy heads to her room to read, lest she miss her performance in the “Goodbye to Summer Splash.” But who can read in a room that needs cleaning, and who can clean on an empty stomach? So, while Stuart Little patiently waits, snacks are procured, a peach orchard is planted, a future is planned, and mud (but not Mudd, one of the Maxwell dogs) flies.

Try as she might, and she tries pretty hard, Moxy can’t escape the pull of Stuart Little. “Why ever did I spend the whole summer avoiding a ride in this little car with the fabulous fenders?” she wonders. Sure, Moxy likes to read what she wants to read, but maybe others have good taste too.

At least she’s a mature enough reader to admit it. It’s just that some of us…pardon me. I mean, some people are more stubborn than others and maybe, possibly, those people…eh-hem…will continue to refuse to admit a book is good all the way into adulthood rather than acknowledge the fact that his sixth grade might have been right when she said he’d enjoy A Wrinkle in Time and maybe…

Sorry. Well, anyway, good for Moxy.

Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker

All we’ve come to love about Clementine is back in Clementine’s Letter. Her visits with Mrs. Rice, her vegetable-named brother, her awesome cool parents, and her creative imagination that produces ideas faster than her logical brain can filter them. But it wasn’t until this book that Sara Pennypacker showed readers the size of Clementine’s heart.

When her teacher, Mr. D’Matz, is named a finalist in the Adventures for Teachers program, Clementine shows how much she cares for her teacher…by trying to prevent him from winning. Then he won’t have to leave and thereby break his promise to be their teacher, and she won’t lose him.

Clementine helps her father start his book, The Building Manager. She keeps his writing on track when he strays off with something about “extremely handsome” and “the strength of ten oxen.” When her impulsive actions appear in the plot line, the focus of her father’s book moves from handsome building manager to love, apology, and forgiveness.

Clementine, thanks to another imaginative yet unfiltered idea, gives her mom a gift so wonderfully cool that Mom makes that ‘Wow! I must be dreaming!’ face and can’t finish her sentences.

Clementine helps Margaret and Mitchell deal with the disappointment of their father’s cancelled visit by finding them a substitute.

Clementine finds her brother some new vegetable names.

And in the end, baby-bird Clementine, after a gentle nudge from the nest by Mr. D’Matz, spreads her wings and does all she can to help him succeed.

(Now, that’d be a great place to stop, but I need to be sure everyone knows it’s still Clementine we’re talking about here. She names her brother Bok Choy and Bamboo Shoots. She plays Beat the Clock in class. She confesses her love of bricks. She reminds readers that when she has a boyfriend, which will be never, he will be like Mitchell. She writes reminders on her arms. See? Same old Clementine! It’s just that now we know she has an XXL heart inside her S body.)

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

In The Talented Clementine, the second book in Sara Pennypacker's Clementine series, I’m immediately reminded why I like this little girl so much. She notices things. “I have noticed that teachers get exciting confused with boring a lot. But when my teacher said, ‘Class, we have an exciting project to talk about,’ I listened anyway.”

Then Clementine noticed another interesting truth. She gave her teacher a wonderful suggestion, “But he ignored me, which is called Getting on with the Day when a teacher does it, and Being Inconsiderate when a kid does it.”

When she asked Mrs. Rice the difference between smashed and crashed, Mrs. Rice handed her a dictionary. “And then suddenly I didn’t want to know anymore! That is the miracle about dictionaries!” How many of us teachers never realized that exact truth with our students? (C’mon, I don’t see very many hands up. I know you’re out there…)

Clementine also notices that she has no talents. The third and fourth grades are putting on a talent show – Talent-Palooza, Night of the Stars (thank you, Margaret) – and she’s got nothing to offer. No singing. No dancing. No musical instruments. Not even hopping. Her father gave her some good suggestions – she’s good at math, she has new ideas, she won the Great Pigeon War, she’s empathetic. Unfortunately she can’t do those things on a stage.

Clementine’s attempts to discover a hidden talent include beer bottles, Elvis, new shoes, and a leash on her brother, Spinach. None work. In the end, however, it’s Clementine’s unique talent that saves the entire talent show. Even Mrs. Rice acknowledges that without Clementine, there would have been no show at all.

(By the way, just in case you were wondering, Clementine noticed one more thing. The difference between smashed and crashed? Crashed is easier to clean up.)

The Overlord Protocol by Mark Walden

After an in-flight explosion sends Otto Malpense sailing chaotically through the night sky and plummeting toward the earth at breakneck speed, Otto tries desperately to slow his descent. Due to the pitch blackness, illuminated only by burning debris, Otto must completely rely on his instruments and calculations to hit his drop zone accurately, knowing one mistake means imminent death and that he’ll never learn who is responsible for the murder of his best friend, Wing Fanchu.

Well, there’s your prologue. But don’t worry, the pace picks up after that.

Chapter 1 then introduces a new character, Cypher, a mysterious masked supervillain (what supervillain isn’t mysterious?) at a meeting of the Global League of Villainous Enterprises, or G.L.O.V.E., also attended by Dr. Nero, H.I.V.E.’s headmaster. Cypher openly challenges Dr. Nero’s authority at H.I.V.E., and there is an attempt on Dr. Nero’s life after the meeting.

Chapter 2 then flashes back to one week earlier. It is now 6 months into Otto’s first year at the Higher Institute of Villainous Education. After their unsuccessful escape in book one, Otto, Shelby, Laura, and Wing are still enrolled, learning the ins and outs of villainy. When Wing learns of the death of his father, he is excused to attend the funeral and is allowed to take a friend – Otto. Suddenly they are allowed to leave H.I.V.E. and the protection it provides.

Readers are also introduced to events from 15 years earlier. Dr. Nero was working on Project Overlord, a highly sophisticated computer, one with evolutionary capabilities. Despite all attempts to prevent it, within seconds the computer evolves into a higher intelligence, shuts down the laboratory, and threatens the lives of all present. Overlord doesn’t succeed, and all...remnants...are...destroyed.

Which brings us back to Otto’s midnight dive through the night sky. Yes, he successfully lands beneath the earth’s surface (I’ll let you figure that one out) and yes, he encounters Wing’s murderer. He also discovers mercilessly trained and tireless assassins, twelve-foot murdering robots, an ingeniously hidden stronghold, and a plot to overthrow H.I.V.E. and ultimately kill Dr. Nero.

In the end the mystery of Wing’s necklace pendant and his connection to Dr. Nero is solved. (And no, it’s not a “Luke, I am your father” solution either.) Shelby and Laura, Otto and Wing’s classmates from book one, are back. They reaffirm their devotion to their friends and put their incredible talents to good use.

Mark Walden again weaves a story that moves with the speed of Otto’s descent and includes enough explosions, gunfire, double crosses, and near escapes (not to mention the jaw-dropping, you-gotta-be-kidding-me ending) to keep fans eager for book three of the H.I.V.E. series.

Comprehensive Literacy Model Institute

Here is a list of all the books I mentioned this morning at the Summer Literacy Institute and a bunch of bonus titles I couldn't get to. I've already written about some of them for the site, and you can give those titles a click for more information.

Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esme Raji Codell
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School by Candace Fleming
Beware of the Frog by William Bee
HIVE: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden
HIVE: The Overlord Protocol by Mark Walden
NO,UB&SOTTAaS,M,DoHYFALL,SC,CftS,PWDiP,aMNLF,&OOSWCQF,SMYCHUO (Or Noisy Outlaws...) edited by Ted Thompson - not that Ted Thompson, Packer fans - and published by McSweeney's. It is now available for $9.00 packaged with a book titled The Future Dictionary of America, a book I know nothing about but admit looks interesting.
Hate Mail From Cheerleaders by Rick Reilly
My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont
Chowder by Peter Brown
The Fabulous Bouncing Chowder by Peter Brown
This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman
Hey Batta Batta Swing! by Sally Cook and James Charlton
One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root

And a couple of wolf books...
The Big Bad Wolf and Me by Delphine Perret
Wolves by Emily Gravett
Big Bad Wolves at School by Stephen Krensky

If you have any questions or thoughts, please leave a comment below or send me an email. My email address is on the book to the right. I'd love to hear from you. Thanks!

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold

Oh what a difference one little letter can make. Pet or pest? That’s the question being asked by Buzz, the pith helmet wearing, neighborhood exploring young man in search of an entry for the Amazing Pet Show.

Pet or pest? The answer makes a big difference to Fly Guy. It’s life or death! It’s life as an honored pet with the finest of meats and accommodations (a hot dog and spacious jar) or an untimely date with Dad’s swatter.

So how will people decide? Buzz knows Fly Guy’s a pet right away, but when Fly Guy shows that he knows Buzz’s name (“BUZZ!”), the boy realizes he’s the smartest pet in the world.

Dad thinks pest immediately, and the chase with the swatter begins. Then Dad hears Fly Guy call Buzz’s name (“BUZZ!”) and he drops the S. Pest becomes pet.

At the Amazing Pet Show, the judges don’t give awards to pests, and judges, especially those all high-and-mighty in their top hat and tails, tend to be a bit hard headed. Fly Guy needs to do some convincing. He does some fancy flying. He speaks (“BUZZ!”). He shows that he knows his own jar. Finally, finally, the judges realize there’s no S in pet, and they award Fly Guy with the appropriate pet show award.

Other books in Tedd Arnold's Fly Guy Series: Super Fly Guy, Shoo Fly Guy, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Guy, Fly High Fly Guy, and Hooray for Fly Guy.

Beware of the Frog by William Bee

Beware of the Frog is about a “sweet little old lady named Mrs. Collywobbles” who “lives in a little house on the edge of a big, dark, scary wood.” Mrs. Collywobbles has a beautiful parasol, curly gray hair, and wire rimmed glasses. She has a pleasant smile and wears a lace apron, two rows of grandma pearls, and a fine flowered hat that matches her sensible red handbag. (She has the look of a woman who would call a neighbor child “darling” and make a mean dessert, probably strawberry shortcake or a blueberry tort, using berries gathered from the edge of the big, dark, scary wood. I don’t know for sure, but that’s her look.)

Mrs. Collywobbles has what every little old lady needs, especially little old ladies who live on the edge of a big, dark, scary wood. Protection. In the form of her little pet frog.

But can a little pet frog really protect sweet Mrs. Collywobbles from the dangers of the wood when said dangers venture out with minds set on mischief…or worse? When Greedy Goblin shows up singing his greedy song, can a frog help? What about Smelly Troll? When Mrs. Collywobbles hears “Dum-de-dum, dum-de-dummy, I’ve got a very, very hungry tummy…” sung by Giant Hungry Ogre, a beast whose favorite food is sweet little old lady, will a little pet frog be enough?

Umm…yes. One might say her little pet frog has an appetite for protection. (Heh, heh, heh.)

As in most stories involving mythical beasts, fair maidens, and frogs, the story ends with a kiss. There is a kiss, but there is no prince. There is a transformation, but like I said, there is no prince. And author William Bee shows that when double-crossed, even sweet little old ladies, even ones who need protection, have an appetite for vindication.

A Somewhat Related Post...Kinda Sorta

Maybe this is an excuse for not posting more in the recent past or maybe it's just shameless self-promotion, but I do some non-website related writing and thought I'd share it. Here's a link to my latest column in the local paper. Those of you visiting Help Readers Love Reading! for book reviews, know that while the article is related to children, it's not necessarily related to children's literature.

'Old' Dad Gives Advice To New Dad

If you click the link...thanks for reading! If you don't click...thanks for visiting Help Readers Love Reading! in the first place. I hope you visit again.

Me Hungry by Jeremy Tankard

Me Hungry is a simple story. A boy is hungry. Dad is busy. Mom is busy. So the boy goes hunting. He tries one animal, then another, then another. One hides, one warns, and one threatens. While fleeing imminent peril at the paws of animal three, he meets a fourth animal who offers a unique solution. Success through teamwork and friendship.

It seems an odd solution for a young caveman named Edwin. (Edwin! Isn’t that great? I figured he’d be named Hairy or Little Grunt or just Ugh.) One would expect a caveman, even a young one, to solve problems more simply. With a club. Thunk!

Young readers will find success quickly with the simple story (“Me hungry. Me busy. Me hungry. Me hunt.”), and parents are presented with an easy grammar lesson. (“Is that how he should say that? What should he say instead?”) Be prepared, however, for your four-year-old to ignore said grammar lesson, turn prehistorically growly, and declare, “Me hungry!” around noon. It’ll happen.

It’s the pictures that make the story come alive. Bold and bright. Simple, yet amazingly expressive. Not being an artist, I am impressed every time I see pictures that show emotion so simply. With two lines and two dots – eyebrows and eyes – Jeremy Tankard shows a tiger that’s slightly surprised, mildly inquisitive, and unsure of a potential threat. On the next page the eyebrows and eyes are part of “Back up if you know what’s good for you! You don’t want a piece of me!”

Read the story once. Then reread and look carefully at the pictures. There are details to be found and discussions waiting to happen on each page. How does he feel? What is she thinking? Is that going to work? Would you do that? Me Hungry is a story that holds numerous rereads, each as enjoyable as the last.

It’s 2009 Newbery Preview Time, Part Deux

A couple weeks ago I posted some thoughts on the Newbery and where it seemed to be headed for 2009. Here’s my original list:

Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti
The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman
Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Another book was suggested, one I’d heard about but hadn’t included. The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. What can I say but the truth? I judged the book by its cover. Jowly dog, kittens, under the bed...no thanks. But I said I’d add it to the list. Consider it added.

So now I’m three titles into the list…well, two and a half actually…and what I feared might happen is happening: I’m not having any fun. I’m not having fun reading the books, I’m not having fun adding the “Not Recommended” label to new posts, and I’m not having fun trying to explain why I don’t recommend books that so many other people consider excellent.

I’m getting away from my purpose. The banner at the top of the page makes it pretty clear that the site offers books that will Help Readers Love Reading! Unfortunately people keep checking in for new updates and find…another non-recommended book. It’s also pretty clear (right here) the kind of book I’m looking for, and still, since the original 2009 Newbery post two weeks ago, no one has offered any suggestions of books that fit that description and qualify as distinguished.

Will I get back to the list sometime? Maybe. I’ll definitely read the award winners in January and offer my opinions then. We’ll see. Right now there’s a book about supervillians waiting for me that I have a hunch might just appeal to some fifth grade boys I know. Even if it doesn’t appeal to any committees.

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

I’m going to come forward right away and admit that I didn’t finish this book. And at this point I’m not planning to. I tried. I even preach to my students that sometimes the greatest rewards come from the books you least want to finish, but I just couldn’t get excited about this one. I even broke another personal rule in my attempt. I looked ahead. I had to! I wanted to see if there was any change in the life-is-so-hard-now-that-I-have-two-and-half-million-dollars attitude. Fifty pages…still there. A hundred pages…still there.

Everything about the story makes sense. Rich guy wants to free himself of the burdens of millions of dollars so he begins giving the money away. Waitress receives $2.5 million tip and inherits the burdens the rich guy was trying to escape. Boyfriend starts spending “their” money. Mom resists a new house, claiming she’d rather have her pride. Younger sister set on saving the world is cleansed of her benevolence by a good washing of materialism. Brother dating rich girlfriend thinks money will make him more acceptable to the girl. (Okay, I don’t know that one happens since I quit reading. But it sounds right.) Divorced father is the only one who sees that Indigo’s plan to just “be me with more money” might not work out but doesn’t do much about it. Coworkers assume she’ll quit her job.

I know how to solve all of this! Of course I do! Don’t we all? Don’t we all presume to know exactly how to handle a sudden $2.5 million windfall? Who among us wouldn’t at least welcome the challenge?

Maybe that’s what frustrated me. If Indigo had immediately gone to a financial advisor and, after purchasing a comfortable yet modest house, placed the money into a trust (or whatever kind of financial fund thingy) where the interest was used to pay the three kids’ college tuition, I would have been much less frustrated, but the book would have been much more boring. It’s probably great for all teenage million dollar dreamers to read so they can see that, while money can solve certain problems, it can create a whole new unforeseen set of problems.

I have no doubt others will like The Fortunes of Indigo Skye. I’m going to ask some former students (and you know who you are out there) to read it and give me their opinions. There’s a good chance – and I’m willing to admit it up front – that: A. I’m letting my personal tastes cloud my judgment, B. I’m out of touch with older readers, C. I simply missed the boat on this one, or D. All of the above to varying degrees.

Big Bad Bunny by Franny Billingsley

What seems to be two stories set to intersect with much weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth turns out to be only half that. Yes, Big Bad Bunny is two stories that intersect, but instead of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth…okay, I guess all those things are indeed in the book! Cool! What a great bedtime story!

Read this one during the day first. See how your youngster reacts. Nobody wants bad dreams about vicious, man-eating rabbits permeating their child’s peaceful slumber.

Big Bad Bunny is on a rampage in the forest. There are long sharp claws and pointy yellow teeth and a howl as loud as a hungry hyena. TEN hungry hyenas, in fact. Big Bad Bunny can go anywhere. Rushing streams, mucky swamps, and tangly bushes are no match for Big Bad Bunny. Even a steep, slippery hill…

Meanwhile, Mama Mouse is tucking in her little dears for naptime. Little Tippy and Little Flurry get their kisses, but wait! What’s this? Where’s Baby Boo-Boo? Missing?

Off Mama Mouse races, directly into the dangerous forest, directly into the path of Big Bad Bunny, intent on finding Baby Boo-Boo. Mama Mouse can go anywhere. Rushing streams, mucky swamps, and tangly bushes are no match for Mama Mouse. Even a steep, slippery hill…is where she finds Big Bad Bunny. Mama Mouse heard a howl like a HUNDRED hungry hyenas.

But Big Bad Bunny is no longer big and no longer bad. And no longer a bunny. Baby Boo-Boo has been found.

Mama Mouse discovers more than her missing Baby Boo-Boo. She discovers a young mouse who firmly insists, “I’m not a baby! I’m Big Bad Bunny!”

“Oh,” says Mama Mouse. “Nice to meet you. Do you want to go home?”

And off they go, back to naptime, where all three Mouse children are now tucked in, and Big Bad Boo-Boo, no longer considered the baby of the family, gets a Big Bad goodnight kiss.

Recognition? Are you kidding me? Thanks!

I'm not sure if the best website news of yesterday is the fact that a fellow reader/reviewer/teacher, Megan at Read, Read, Read, has chosen to recognize Help Readers Love Reading! with an Arte y Pico Award or the fact that I know, I really know - with proof and everything - that people are reading my stuff!

So, yeah. I received an award. Peer recognition. It does make me a bit nervous that I can't read the majority of the Arte y Pico website. I don't see any blatant promotion of global warming, demands to trade Brett Favre, or anything else equally as offensive, so we'll roll with it. Arte y Pico. It's art...let's take a peek...apparently.

All kidding aside, there's like a bajillion (give or take a gazillion) websites out there. Thanks, Megan, for choosing to recognize mine.

On to the award rules, the paying it forward:

1. Select 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award, based on creativity, design, interesting material, and contribution to the blogger community. The blogs can be in any language.

2. Post a link to each blog so that others can visit.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and link to the blogger that awarded it.

4. The award winner and the one who has bestowed the prize have to show a link to the Arte y Pico website.

Okay, I'm going to be honest. If I'm reading, it's books. I'm not a big blog-o-phile. I'm more of a Google-what-I'm-looking-for type of guy, get the needed information, get back home. Sort of like when I go to the mall. I want to follow the rules, I really do, but I'm going to have to do it creatively.

Since I don't really have a fav-five, I'm going to search backwards through the links of the Arte y Places that have been honored before me and rerecognize the Arte y People who run them. So here are my five links, paying it forward...backward:

1. Read, Read, Read - Any teacher that reads like crazy and wants their students to do the same deserves a link or two. This would be two.

2. Author Deb Renner Smith - Writing and reading lessons from a former teacher...and current tooth puller, or so it would seem.

3. A Year of Reading - More teachers who read. A lot. (We'd all probably read a lot more if we didn't write so doggone much. Consarnit.)

4 .There is No Such Thing as a God-Forsaken Town - An interesting name to start. Ruth is at a Christian International school teaching seventh and eighth graders. What's harder, teaching in a foreign country or teaching seventh and eighth graders? I know where my vote is.

5. Quill Cottage - I found a lot of scrapbooking and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I know more about one than the other. Guess which one? Oh! And the peaceful music has just loaded. Haunting and mysterious. Makes me want to go to the spa.

This is kind of fun! Sort of a six degrees of Kevin Bacon type thing. In six links or less, can you get from your website to one about scrapbooking? Done! Here's a bonus link:

6. Six Clicks: Devin Hester

That's all I got, folks. Whew! I hope I didn't break the rules or break the chain of goodwill being passed along the web. I'd like to thank Megan who gave me this award. I'd like to [sniff] thank Ernie and Bill and Jeff and Sheri and [sniff] all the good people at...

Lost and Found by Andrew Clements

It’s only the end of July, but it’s back to school time anyway with the next book from Andrew Clements. Lost and Found continues what was begun so masterfully in Frindle: telling readers a school story about school kids that quite easily, and with very little imagination, could happen in the very school readers attend.

Everyone knows a kid like Nick in Frindle. Most kids could imagine a class newspaper like in The Landry News. Most kids can relate to, or at least imagine, a new rich kid in school (A Week in the Woods) or a genius classmate (The Report Card) or life in a one room school house (Room One). But Lost and Found covers a subject that every single kid daydreams about at one point or another: What if I had an identical twin?

Yep, every single kid. Except the twins.

Jay Ray and Ray Jay are identical twins, save for the freckle on Ray’s right ankle. All their life they’ve been known as the twins. “Look at the twins!” and “Aren’t they cute?” They’ve had matching sailor suits and cowboy outfits and Superman pajamas and pictures, pictures, pictures. Of them both. Always both of them. The twins.

Other kids found it hard to make friends with one of them since, well, there were two of them. How would you pick? As they got older the frustrations grew worse – switched grades, love notes to the wrong brother, revenge paid back to the innocent twin. How can you avoid comparisons to your brother when the two of you are exactly the same?

So when the Grayson family moves to a new town and Ray stays home sick from school on the first day, Jay realizes that school officials aren’t expecting two brothers. Ray’s file has been mistakenly stuck inside Jay’s. He lives a full day as Jay. Just that…Jay. Not Jay and Ray, Ray and Jay, the twins. And it’s great! After Ray’s second day home sick, they both realize how cool it is to be twinless.

They also realize that if nobody expects two kids, only one needs to arrive at school. What if they shared the load, rotated days, did half the work?!?! After all, they’re identical. Nobody could tell the difference! So they put their plan into action. Two boys, one person. Easy.

But then Ray has to go to soccer practice when Jay is the better athlete. And then Jay has to talk to lab partner Melissa when Ray’s much smoother with the ladies. How can Ray get extra help in math when Jay is doing problems on the board? How can Jay get to know Julie Parkman when Ray has his eye on Melissa?

When Ray secretly confesses the ruse to Melissa and Jay confesses to soccer teammate James, who has twin brothers of his own, the secret slowly seeps out. And when the school nurse discovers the missing file, Jay and Ray’s plan becomes the secret everyone knows.

Eventually Jay and Ray – and everyone else – realize an important truth: Just because two people are identical doesn’t mean they’re the exactly same.

After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

The more I read, the more I liked the characters in After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson. Responsible parents, loving and accepting families, kids with dreams, a neighborhood with people who watch out for one another, and friends to the end. Great stuff.

Whether it’s a big family or an only child and a single mother, the parents in the story recognize the importance of parenting. The narrator is an only child living with her single mother. Her best friend Neeka lives across the street with her parents, two older brothers, two younger brothers, and toddling twin sisters. Neither girl is allowed off the block, even though they’re twelve, and they complain that their moms are always watching. (Isn’t that a sure sign a parent is parenting?) Their friend D, whose mom has left, lives with a foster mother. The narrator and Neeka envy D’s freedom, but D envies their families.

Neeka’s oldest brother Tash was arrested and imprisoned for “doing something stupid.” The family recognizes what he did, knows the truth, and loves him anyway. Tash is openly gay, a fact accepted by the family even if his flamboyance isn’t always appreciated by his mom. When the family visits Tash in jail, Jayjones, second son and aspiring NBA player, “just kept looking at Tash and grinning, like he couldn’t believe he was getting to be right across from his big brother.” Two brothers couldn’t be more different, yet their relationship as brothers supersedes all differences. Rock solid relationships despite differences and difficulty. That’s family.

The narrator and Neeka dream of “roaming” like their friend D, while D dreams of her real mother, not a foster mother, and of finding her Big Purpose. Jayjones works toward his dream of playing in the NBA and taking care of his family. Tash hopes his experiences will help steer his siblings in the right direction – away from the law and the stupidity that attracts trouble.

Their neighborhood has front steps, men playing dominoes, moms watching out the window and seeing when their kids come and go, little girls who watch the older girls jump double-dutch and soon become the older girls themselves, and neighbors who know you by name. I’ll admit it: I like my neighborhood. I like my yard and being set back from the road and the air that, when the wind is right, brings the fresh smell of cut hay or the dairy farms just outside town. But there’s an attractive quality to the community built through a neighborhood’s physical closeness.

The narrator, Neeka, and new friend D spend two years together. D just shows up one day, watching them from across the street. They talk briefly, and the next time D arrives she brings her double-dutch rope. Woodson ties the timeline of their friendship to that of Tupac Shakur’s life – D arrived just before Tupac was shot the first time and left the summer before he died – and marvelously shows how people can see life through art, in this case Tupac’s lyrics and videos. Only real friends, knowing it’s not true, can still feel “like we’d grown up and grown old and lived a hundred lives in those few years that we knew [D].” Three girls. Three the Hard Way.

Can you tell I liked it? Are you sure? I want you to be sure since…here it comes…I’m not recommending it. Not because it’s not a good book. It is. But I’m recommending a specific type of book here, and this one doesn’t fit. After Tupac & D Foster deserves a place on library shelves and in classroom discussions and in the hands of the right readers, and I certainly hope it reaches those destinations.

Hey Batta Batta Swing! by Sally Cook & James Charlton

Last night I watched the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Astros and tie the Cubs for first place. So in honor of the First Place Milwaukee Brewers (that sounds great to a Brewer fan, and if you don't believe me, click this out) here's a book subtitled The Wild Old Days of Baseball. What's wilder than these sweet uniforms from 1982? The Brewers in the World Series? Are you kidding me? They haven't made the playoffs since then, the longest post-season drought in the major leagues (not counting the Montreal Expos who were robbed of one in 1994). Twenty-six years and no playoff appearances. Even the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino and won two - TWO - World Series since then. The Cubs even sneak into the playoffs every couple of years, only to fall victim to the Curse of the Billy Goat. Yep, Harvey's Wallbangers sure seem like the wild old days of baseball, at least for most Wisconsin sports fans.

So I want to post this before anything happens. Sure I'm confident. Sure I think the Brewers are due. But I'm also a realist. They may not - maybe - be in first place for long. So, as I said, in honor of your First Place Milwaukee Brewers, here's Hey Batta Batta Swing! The Wild Old Days of Baseball by Sally Cook and James Charlton.

Hey Batta Batta Swing goes back to the earliest days of baseball, played in pastures with wool uniforms. All sorts of history is given from uniforms and equipment to rules and how teams have broken them over the years. Baseball words are included throughout the text with handy definitions in the margins. So if you want to know what it means when someone says, "That guy's normally the team's ace, but his high heat wasn't working, so after an easy can of corn, he gave up a frozen rope gapper and two gopher balls in the opener of a twin bill before the manager gave him the hook," then this is the book for you.

Learn about Murderer's Row and the origins of numbers on unforms. Learn about player nicknames and team nicknames (the Spiders, Blues, and Naps all were the same team, and they still exist today). Even umpires get a section about their uniforms and equipment.

As the book progresses through history, the connections to today are constant. Baseball has the longest history of sports in the United States - traditions, records, and even superstitions. It's all in there.

Here's hoping the Milwaukee Brewers return to their wild old days too. (I just hope the result is a little better than 1982.)

One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root

As indicated in the title, one duck is indeed stuck. In the muck. Down by the deep green marsh. (Those webbed feet are great for paddling but apparently they create quite a vacuum when submerged in the sleepy, slimy marsh.)

“Help! Help! Who can help?” asks the narrator.

“We can! We can!” responds a chorus of swampy helpers.

Two fish swim to help, followed by three moose and four crickets. After them come snakes and snails and killer whales…oh wait, not the killer whales. But there are snakes and snails and numerous other helpers. Some big, some small. Some fly, some crawl. Some slither, some hop. But all are willing to help.

Unfortunately each time the result is the same: “No luck. The duck stays stuck.”

Bold pictures clearly illustrate each of the helpers. The number of helpers increases with each creature until finally, after the ten dragonflies fail by themselves, all of the creatures team up to help the duck together. “Spluck!”

“‘Thanks,’ said the duck who got out of the muck down by the deep green marsh.”

Kids quickly figure out the correct response to the plea for help (“We can! We can!) and the unfortunate result (“No luck. The duck stays stuck.”). One Duck Stuck keeps kids from staying passive listeners and makes them into active readers.

Have fun counting each of the animals. Of course the illustrations match the number of animals that come to help, and both words and numbers are given. When all the animals team up at the end, see if young readers can locate and count all fifty-four helpers. Listen carefully to the arrival of each animal, too. Their activity rhymes with their name, “Seven snails making slippery trails,” for example.

Just be careful where you walk when you’re done reading or you may end up like the moose…

Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Jamie Dexter is your typical Army brat. Loves her family, loves her country, and loves the United States Army. She'd go to Vietnam along with her brother if the Army suddenly allowed twelve-almost-thirteen-year-olds to enlist. She's Army through and through. Combat ready.

When her brother announces that he's enlisted, her father’s emotions are not what Jamie expects. Colonel Dexter had medical school in mind for TJ and, to Jamie's confusion, encourages TJ to opt out of his enlistment and continue on his path to the University of Georgia. Why would a man who loves the United States Army just a bit less than his own family discourage his son from following in his own Army footprints? (Maybe the answer is within the question.) While Mom stays typically quiet, Jamie supports TJ completely.

TJ has a love of photography, especially the moon. He has a photographer's eye, the ability to tell stories in pictures, a talent that even a younger sister like Jamie can recognize. When the first letter arrives from Vietnam, it includes a long (boring, in Jamie's opinion) letter and a canister of film for Jamie to develop.

As more and more film arrives, TJ's story unfolds. Over time the photos change from pictures of huts and buddies drinking beer to helicopters and severely injured soldiers. Jamie begins to realize the truth of war, reevaluate her blind support for the war, and understand her father's hesitancy to support his son.

An interesting subplot involves Jamie's card partner at the rec center, Private Hollister, and whether he will be reassigned to Vietnam, a decision that falls to Jamie's father. Predictably, TJ is reported MIA, just as Private Hollister is no longer working in the rec center.

Shooting the Moon isn't a bad book, but I couldn't get past the feeling that I'd read it before. Other than the interesting photography thread and the photos of the moon, this reads as your typical someone-goes-off-to-war story. I do like the ending, not as tightly tied up as some like, and certainly not at dismal as it could have been.

It's 2009 Newbery Preview Time

Now that we're past the halfway point of 2008, it's time to start looking at books that are garnering 2009 Newbery buzz. A quick look around the Internet (which adds up to a page and a half of Google results) leads to the usual suspects: war (5 titles and 3 different wars), dead/dying siblings (2), dead/dying parents (2), divorced/separated parents (2), learning disabilities (2), and bullying.

I say “the usual suspects” because each year it seems the most attention is given to the books that explore the heaviest and most serious themes. Why is that? Is it easier to be distinguished, as designated by the Newbery Medal’s criteria, when writing about serious topics as opposed to the potentially hilarious?

Check recent history. From 1999-2008 there have been ten Newbery Medal winners and thirty Honor books. Of those forty books (of which I’ve read thirty-eight – sorry Rules and Penny from Heaven), I count only four (A Long Way from Chicago, 26 Fairmount Avenue, A Year Down Yonder, and Surviving the Applewhites) where “funny” is my first reaction. Other books certainly are funny (Bud, Not Buddy, Joey Pigza Loses Control, and The Wednesday Wars to name a few) but remembering “funny” is tough when Bud lives in the Great Depression, poor Joey can’t control himself, and people are dying in Vietnam.

Here’s a partial theory, in two parts. First, serious topics are always serious whereas comedy is subjective. If a book is about the atrocities of war, everyone will agree that war is atrocious, so the discussion will immediately progress to the book’s distinguished-ness. Comedy is too widely varied. One person’s hilarity is another person’s confusion. “That was funny? Really? Why was that funny?” Nothing kills a conversation like having to explain a joke. The joke is clarified, the discussion wanes, and it’s off to another book about a dead sibling. As E. B. White said, “Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it."

Second, we adults get too caught up in our adultness. We evaluate children’s books based on a strict set of guidelines, none of which is appeal to children, and few of which kids actually use in their personal evaluations. As readers we understand the characteristics of quality literature. As teachers and children’s librarians we should have a feel for what our kids will enjoy and appreciate. As professionals we need to find a balance.

It is possible (Holes, Hoot, Surviving the Applewhites, 26 Fairmount Avenue, Mercy Watson) to write books kids love that don’t burden their shoulders like a backpack full of four hours of homework. Where are these books?

It’s hard to believe that the best books for children don’t necessarily have to appeal to the children themselves.

I read once that when The Long Winter was written, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s original title was The Hard Winter. Her publisher, however, didn’t want children or their parents to be scared away by such a foreboding title, thus the change. If it was published today it certainly would have retained the original title and probably subtitled Frozen Death Stalks at the Door. A Pioneer Girl’s Survival of the Dreadful Great Plains Winter of 1880-1881.

[In an effort to prove I’m not anti-everything, I will admit that one of my top all-timers includes the death of two beloved characters plus a stillborn sibling and a mother in an institution. Can you name this Newbery book?]

Nevertheless, it’s on to the potential 2009 Newbery books. Here’s where I’m starting, gleaned from online mock Newbery lists, and given in no particular order:

Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti
The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman
Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

I’ll post my thoughts as I finish, but right now I’m curious what readers think. Is this list a good start? Is anything missing? What’s your opinion about serious and comedic themes in children’s literature and the likelihood of these books to be considered distinguished? Leave comments below or send me an email.

Update: Part II and Part III of my updates are also available. To see my opinion on all the potential 2009 Newbery Books I've read, click here.

Update II: Now that the real deal has been announced, click here for my initial thoughts and additional reviews.

The Downhill Lie by Carl Hiaasen

All adult hackers - current, former, recovering, or as Hiaasen, returning after a 30 year layoff - will relate to The Downhill Lie. (And make no mistake, this is a book for grown-ups.) We've all played Ray-Ray golf. (One shot like Ray Floyd, the next like Ray Charles.) After slicing/hooking into the woods, we've all deserved to be called Daniel Boone for our affinity to the wilderness. Every golfer who has struggled for mediocrity, who has set "average" as a goal, will relate to Hiaasen's superstitions (find items that hold great mojo) and attempts at the mystical (Sympathetic Resource Technology via the Q-Link necklace), the medicinal (Mind Drive capsules), and the technological (the RadarGolf kit).

Something, we think. Something will allow us to eliminate the three-putts, slices into the water, hooks into woods, and second shots from the ladies' tee. If we could just do that we'd be happy. That's all we ask.

At one point a friend of his describes the wonder of numberless golf and suggests that it's a much more enjoyable sport when you don't keep score. I half expected him to ask his friend, "So how do you compare yourself with other golfers?" only to hear, "By height."

Why is it that sub-par golfers... Wait a second! Why is it that sub-par is used to describe something less than desirable? "My bagel was good, but the coffee was sub-par." That makes absolutely no sense. Sub-par is exactly where golfers want to be. I'd love to be described as sub-par when it comes to golf. It'd be a ton better than being described as a double-par golfer, which, in actuality, is much more accurate.

My apologies for the digression. Back on topic. Hiaasen perfectly captures the emotions in the golfer's quest for adequacy. Part hope, part despair, part neurosis. We've all deconstructed a round of golf, realizing we were only two three-puts, one triple bogey, two lost balls, and that one #$&#%@ snowman away from breaking par.

We've all stood on the last tee box swearing we'd never play this ruinous sport again, promising ourselves to mothball the clubs as soon as we got home. And then...what's this? A drive that splits the fairway? A long iron that sticks? (Have the heavens opened? Do I hear the heavenly host singing?) A twelve-footer for birdie?

And that's enough. Those two shots feed the addiction. Whether we knock down the birdie or three-put for a bogey, both equally probable, we'll be back tomorrow.

HIVE: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden

So where do all the supervillains of the world come from? Really! How do the likes of Lex Luthor and the Joker and Dr. Doom and Lord Voldemort come up with these schemes? Oh sure, the history of each is well documented within their respective books or comics of origin, but honestly, can we really believe each is capable of developing their nefarious skills without formal training? That they can simply become the full embodiment of evil without a little "polishing" along the way?

Maybe. But had they displayed such reprehensible behavior as youngsters, it is highly unlikely they would have escaped the watchful eye of the Higher Institute of Villainous Education. And had they been enrolled at H.I.V.E., due to the school’s secrecy, Superman and Batman and the Fantastic Four and Harry Potter (heck, even Dumbledore) would never had known.

H.I.V.E. is a school created to guide the immensely talented on the road from petty crime to true villainy. Otto Malpense got their attention. His stunt with the Prime Minister of England got everyone’s attention, but only H.I.V.E. recognized that Otto was the brain behind the scheme. Likewise, Otto’s future roommate, Wing Fanchu, and numerous other youngsters have shown great potential in the realm of supervillainy. Each has been enrolled at H.I.V.E., an immense fortress located inside a remote island, for a six year education. Once selected, enrollment is nonnegotiable. Students don’t leave H.I.V.E. midstream.

And this is what bugs Otto. Sure, the education he will receive is interesting. His first day’s class schedule includes Deathtraps: Their Use and Care, Effective Threats, Elementary Evil, Global Domination: What You Need to Know!, and A Beginner’s Guide to Doomsday Weapons. But all of that doesn’t outweigh the fact that Otto is a prisoner. He has been given no choice in the matter. Wing agrees, as do other classmates, which leads to a plot no students, let alone first-years, have ever accomplished.

Escape from H.I.V.E.

Their plot is secretly put into motion, but as most plots, especially those conceived by villains, there are snags. Otto, Wing, and their accomplices handle them all. There is one snag, however, that takes both teachers and students by surprise, demanding everyone’s immediate attention.

The school is amazing. A vast underground cavern with gadgets James Bond (and Alex Rider) would admire, technology beyond what the world knows, and weapons so advanced they keep the “conventional” weapons in storage. There are four streams of education: Henchman, Technical, Political/Financial, and Alpha. Otto is in the Alpha stream, designed for leadership and strategy training.

The staff at H.I.V.E. represents a cross section of villainy. Dr. Nero is the devious leader who always knows more than he lets on. Contessa Sinistre, complete with long cigarette holder and Italian accent, has a sickly sweet voice that reveals her slight irritation when questions are not to her liking. Raven is the virtually invisible assassin who stealthily patrols the halls of the institute.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that got my attention like this one. The action is nonstop, the setting is fascinating, and the devious double-crosses and characters’ secrets will keep readers guessing. (Of course! They’re all villains! Who can you trust?)

Other books in the series: The Overlord Protocol and Escape Velocity (upcoming).

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman

From the opening chapter of Son of the Mob, readers know Vince's life is juuuust a bit different from your average seventeen-year-old. Most guys don't have a father who works in the “vending machine business.” Most guys don’t get dates with girls like Angela O’Bannon. Most guys don’t have brothers who do business with someone named Benny the Zit. And finding a body in the trunk of your car? Yep, again…not for the average seventeen-year-old.

So Vince, on his first – and last – date with Angela O'Bannon, goes to the trunk for a beach blanket only to find it wrapped around Jimmy Ratelli. Seems Jimmy Rat is delinquent on a business loan from Vince’s father, and Tommy, Vince’s brother, borrowed the car to "encourage" Mr. Ratelli to settle his account.

Of course Angela sees Jimmy Rat drooling and bleeding on the blanket, she freaks, screams, and demands to go home. Then there’s a police road block, Jimmy Rat’s thumping, and the imminent police search of the car. But just in time, who comes to the rescue? Benny the Zit! He causes quite a distraction, the police forget about Vince, the date ends, and Vince heads home.

There you have it. Life in the “vending machine business.”

Vince wants no part of his family’s business. No “relatives” named Uncle Shank or Uncle Pampers or Uncle Fingers. No “vending machine” money. Nothing. Just a happy, clean, lawful life. His father respects that, but then again, he always thought Vince would grow out of it.

Eventually Vince does something most seventeen-year-old do. He gets a girlfriend. The problem is that this young lady, Kendra Bightly, is the daughter of one Agent Bightly, the FBI agent assigned to watch one Anthony Luca. Vince’s father. But give these two love-struck teenagers credit! Just because their families don’t, shall we say, see eye to eye doesn’t mean they’ll let their relationship crumble.

Gordon Korman has a knack for writing books that don’t slow down. After Jimmy Rat there’s plenty more interesting characters, some family members and some business associates, who enter into Vince’s life. Uncle Uncle (yes, that’s his name) even shows up on one of Vince and Kendra’s dates…singing karaoke!

Vince trying to stay clean in his family is like a mole trying not to dig. Regardless of even their best efforts, dirt inevitably will fly.

Other books available in the series: Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle.

Duck on a Bike by David Shannon

Duck is the friend that most of us have, the one who gets wild ideas and acts on them rather hastily but somehow the outcomes never backfire. Secretly we admire these friends for their daring and bravery. Aloud we ask, warningly, "Are you sure that's a good idea?" while we shake our heads and inwardly mumble, "I'd never get away with that," knowing full well the friend will. And way down deep, sometimes even unknowingly, we think, "Wish I'd thought of that."

Don't have a friend like that? Maybe it's you.

Anyway, one day Duck gets the wild idea that he could ride a bike. So just like that he tries it. The bike's a little big, he rode slowly and he wobbled a lot, but he did it. Just like that.

So Duck sets off on the Tour-de-Barnyard (alas, there is no yellow jersey). He rides past all the other farm animals, and each gives the standard bark or neigh or bleat or cluck.

Ducks don't ride bikes, but of all the barnyard animals which one would be more likely to attempt it? Here’s part of the beauty of David Shannon’s book. Each animal’s standard “Moo” or “B-a-a-a” or “Woof” is followed by their actual thoughts. These thoughts, to this non-farmer anyway, seem to match the animals’ personalities. The horse, smug, thinks, “You’re still not as fast as me, Duck!” The cat thinks, “I wouldn’t waste my time riding a bike.” The goat, rummaging through the garbage and with a tin can in his mouth thinks, “I’d like to eat that bike.” Only mouse recognizes his desire to duplicate Duck’s feat.

Good ole Duck. After being so daring, there’s only one thing to do when an entire flock (herd? school?) of kids park their bikes in the yard: Recognize your inward desire to be like that friend and go riding!

I’ve said this before, but any book that gets kids calling out words is a winner. Kids will quickly be moo-ing and meow-ing and woof-ing with each corresponding animal and will also notice the repeated text (“But what he thought was…”).

THE END

Hey. Why is Duck looking at the tractor that way?

What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire

After checking dictionary.com, I realize now the misunderstanding between the book and me. You see, I was originally intrigued by the “rogue” tooth fairy subtitle.

Here’s what I was expecting:
rogue noun- 1. a dishonest, knavish person; scoundrel.

Here’s what the book presented:
rogue noun- 2. a playfully mischievous person; scamp. 3. a tramp or vagabond.

So after seeing What-the-Dickens on numerous shelves in libraries and bookstores, I finally was ready to read about a “rogue” tooth fairy. Maybe this rogue would tweak kids’ noses while they slept or swipe teeth and leave no change. Or better yet engage in underground black market sales of baby teeth, getting in over his head with the fairy mafia, risking broken knees and wings as, now remorseful, he tries to reconcile his past by going undercover for the Fairy Police Department, eventually seeking asylum in the Fairy Witness Protection Program, but as he secretly moves to the Seattle suburbs, he discovers his protection is limited as winged assailants with thick Brooklyn accents and short cigars arrive hoping to “discuss his past business practices.”

Instead we get an orphan fairy born in a tuna can who thinks a cat is his mother and his reflection is a friend. Sigh. Not what I expected.

Two stories are told. The first involves the Ormsby children, Zeke, Dinah, and toddler Rebecca and their distant cousin Gage, who’s been left to supervise the children in their parents’ place. Mr. and Mrs. Ormsby left suddenly to attend to an emergency in the middle of a horrible storm, leaving the children with no food, no power, and not much hope. This medical emergency is later revealed, but I can’t figure out why it was left secret for so long.

The second story is that of What-the-Dickens, the orphan skibberee, left to independently discover who he is and what he is and what in the world he’s supposed to do in this world. In his search for a home, and despite his immaturity and ignorance, he soon discovers others like him.

The explanation of the skibbereen is fascinating. They have sectors and divisions and roles they play in the tooth trade. There are other tribes, each with their own hidden villages, each with their own community rules and regulations. Tooth fairy mysteries are explained such as how skibbereen get change to trade for teeth and what they do with all those collected teeth anyway. Birthday wishes are also tied in.

Unfortunately, that was too little of the book for my tastes. Other than the reassurance that the Ormsby family will be okay, too little of their whole story is told, and the good parts of What-the-Dickens’ story – the community of skibbereen – were too few and far between. My guess is that kids will get lost in their questions (Why did the parents leave? Is there something going on besides a bad storm? Where did What-the-Dickens come from anyway?) and reading will not reap adequate answers.