Book Reviews
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A delightfully charming picture book from Chris Wormell, FEROCIOUS WILD BEASTS (Knopf, 2009, $16.99) arrived recently. This little story is truly what I would classify as a standard children’s book. Jack is lost in the forest. Yes, the forest his mother has warned him about numerous times. This place, she says, is where the ferocious wild beasts live, hide and pounce on people. Then they gobble them up.
Imagine Jack’s surprise when one day, after he gets lost in the woods, he is approached by a large grizzly bear. He tells the bear the woods are dangerous and full of ferocious wild beasts who gobble people up. The bears asks if they gobble up bears, and Jack replies Yes. With some fear the bear agrees to lead Jack out of the forest. Along the way they encounter other wild beasts who are equally alarmed over the wild ferocious animals of the forest. This makes for a wonderful parade of scared ferocious animals. Mother ultimately finds Jack and safely leads him out of the forest and home.
Chris Wormell’s art is absolutely perfect for this amusing clever storyline. The expressions on the faces of the animals, when they hear of the ferocious wild animals in the forest, are wonderful. The ending, when a real ferocious something (Jack’s mother) comes into the forest, the faces of the forest animals are extra special. Such fear will send young listeners or readers into giggle fits.
The art is up to Mr Wormell’s usual high standards. There is a minimum of details allowing the reader/listener to focus full attention on the title characters. This is a magnificent book.
Seasonal books appear from the various publishers. Many are repeats of the Nativity story each with some original twist or new character. And, yes, they are important to share with young readers to illustrate the true meaning of this holiday.
A new book goes way beyond the familiar and takes youngsters back to grandparents’ farm. THE TRUE GIFT: A CHRISTMAS STORY by Patricia MacLachlan , illustrated by Brian Floca (Atheneum, 2009, $12.99) opens with Liam and Lily arriving at their grandparents for an annual holiday visit. Liam has brought his red sock with grey trim full of money to buy presents for everyone. Both children enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the small town where their grandparents live.
Since their last visit all the farm stock have been sold off. In the barnyard stands a lone white cow. The children are told the cow simply arrived one day and has been staying there at the farm. Both children are concerned the lone white cow must be lonely. There are no other animals on the farm at this time.
Things begin to happen when this notice appears on the bulletin board at the post office. WANTED: A cow friend for a lonely sad cow. It is Christmas and she needs a friend. Think how you’d feel. I’m buying, call Liam. (Gran and Grandpa’s phone number is at the bottom.)
Well, this is the season of wonders and strange happenings. A delightful honest simple story capturing the real meaning of this holiday especially as it relates to two youngsters imbued with holiday love. One to cherish after the buying rush.
One of America’s premier authors for young readers, who took them into Terabithia and then into the mills in early New England, now takes young readers to the conflict in Bosnia. In Katherine Paterson’s latest book, THE DAY OF THE PELICAN (Clarion books, 2009, $16.00), we first meet Meli Lleshi on the day she draws a picture of her teacher with his pelican nose. From that day on serious problems begin, and Meli blames herself for the trouble.
Meli’s family are Albanian living in Serbia. This alone causes conflict. Meli’s family is forced to flee from their home to seek sanctuary elsewhere. They load the family farm truck with provisions but before they can leave the soldiers come and confiscate the truck and its contents. Now the extended family, including an aged grandmother, set out to walk to the border. The survival of the family is amazing as they cobble together shelter and food along the way.
The family finally make their way to a Displaced Persons encampment in Macedonia, ultimately going to Barre Vermont where they now reside.
If you are ever interested in a study of Alaska, at any level beyond say Grade 6, than may I recommend an amazing book, THE GREAT DEATH by John Smegler ( Henry Holt, 2009, $16.99). This book of only 166 pages follows two young Alaskan native girls at the beginning of the twentieth century who are fleeing a pandemic of measles, smallpox and influenza. Some light-colored strangers with red spots on their bodies came to their village. Very quickly disease and death spread everywhere.
The sisters, 13 year old Millie and her younger sister Maura, know they have to escape from the village to seek safety. Millie recalls her father’s stories about settlements down the river. With meager supplies and little equipment the sisters set out to find safety. The journey through the wilderness is harrowing and frightening to say the least. The stamina and courage each girl musters will hold every readers’ rapt attention.
Overcoming nature’s obstacles, as well as those of man, are handled with dignity. Their ultimate survival comes through their great devotion and love for each other. Native lore abounds in and during this amazing story.
No matter where one goes today there is talk about going green. Kids as well as adult are bombarded with frightening images of what is in store for our world if we do not immediately take action. Many naysayers are also working hard to distract attention from this problem telling people there is no problem. Educating the very young seems to me one way to get the world’s attention on this problem. EARTH FEELING THE HEAT by Brenda Z Guiberson, illustrated by Chao Wallace, (Henry Holt and Company, 2010, $16.99) does draw young readers attention to the problem the planet is facing. Through very dramatic illustrations and very simple prose the book shows that the earth’s climate is getting hotter. The author travels all over the world showing an animal in trouble. Each brief section ends with “Who can help the polar bear, the puffin, the frog, the tiger, etc?” The final spread answers, “People can!”
Simple, direct , not burdened down with details. a simple statement of fact. The artwork is also equally effective. The final end papers contain simple little actions we all can do to help alleviate this serious problem. Available Spring 2010
Another oversized picturebook arriving this week was JANUARY’S SPARROW by Patricia Polacco (Philomel Books Penguin Young Readers Group 2009, $22.99.) This remarkable 96 page treasure needs all the pages to relate a monumental tribute to the Crosswhite family.
The story opens when the entire family, including Sadie, the youngest Crosswhite, have been assembled in the slave yard to witness the beating of January, a longtime family friend. Sadie knew January had talked of running. He had carved a sparrow for her saying, “It’s fixin to fly. And so am I.” Later that night her father returns to the cabin carrying a shovel saying he had done some buryin’. Much later Sadie is awakened by her mother encouraging her to hurry as “we is goin cross water tonight.” In the rush Sadie forgets her beloved sparrow.
After a horrifying journey the Crosswhites arrive in Marshall, Michigan, a town “dead set against keepin’ slaves. While at school Sadie develops a friendship with Polly whom she tells about the lost sculpture. She thought of January as her big brother, but actually he was only an orphan who lived with her family.
The family adjusts to their new life of freedom. However, they are always on the lookout for slave hunters. At Christmas the fourth year a package wrapped in calico arrives for Sadie. It holds January’s Sparrow. Her father confesses he treated January’s wounds and buried rocks. Then the worst comes when the slave hunters come specifically for the Crosswhite family. However, the town collects to prevent their seizure. Things are not going well until a stranger steps forward and shows the townspeople his scarred back. Yes, January has found the family.
This book is one of Patricia’s magnificent stories treating slavery in America. These make excellent reference books for schools studying slavery and the Civil War. I also feel her work could find an honored place in any study of Black History month. The art is so spectacular. The faces very dramatically show the anguish, fear, love, joy the Crosswhite family endured as they sought freedom and dignity in their lives. The scenes of slavery are particularly dramatic , but not too frightening for young readers.
Books come in all sizes and lengths! And the book for all the little wiggly nerds is here. I absolutely guarantee they will be totally enchanted, enthralled, amused and educated by Bill Bryson’s A REALLY SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING (Delacorte Press, 2009, $19.99). This oversized 169 paged volume immediately piques the interest of a young reader by opening, “This is a book about how IT happened– in particular, how we went from there being nothing at all to there being something.”
Bill starts the journey looking at the cosmos goes to the size of the earth, to our dangerous planet ending on the road to us. The trip is arranged and studded with fact after fact building to a picture of us today. Each chapter, and even each smaller piece, contains information the reader needs to develop a complete understanding of us and our world.
I opened the book probably halfway and almost two hours later found myself at its end. I was totally taken on a memorable educational journey. I am not usually a non-fiction devotee, but Mr Bryson has a gift for language any adult will enjoy. His A WALK IN THE WOODS, and the companion radio shows, about travel on the Appalachian Trail are treasured memories for this adult reader.
Copies of this book should be in every classroom library for students to simply pore over at their leisure. You might even consider chaining to the bookshelf to discourage it walking away. A definite MUST! This newly illustrated, abridged and adapted edition was originally published in Great Britain in 2003.
A non-fiction book for all ages is the Update of the 1962 book, LIFE STORY by Virginia Lee Burton (Houghton Mifflin, 1962, copyright renewed 1990, 2009. $22.00). For almost a half century this book has been informing and amazing readers of all ages, Ms Burton in a very direct almost simplistic style explains the history of planet earth.
Ms Burton unfolds her story as a drama in Five Acts. Each act builds on the information presented in the prior Acts thus making the learning come in bite-size pieces more easily understood.
The information must be accurate, or I do not believe this volume would have survived all these years. I know I found reading it interesting and informative. I can see the young non-fiction fan getting lost in the various Act and Ages.
WE TROUBLED THE WATERS Poems by Ntozake Shange, Paintings by Rod Brown (Amistad An Imprint of HarperCollins 2009, $16.99) arrived yesterday and my mind is still mulling over the message found here.
The first image to hit the reader comes from the title page. Minimum amount of text giving pertinent data about the book at the top of the two page spread. One’s eyes instead are drawn immediately to the body of a black man floating the stream on the bottom half of the page. No words other than the book data. What a shocking sight. It helps set up the reader for what is to come.
The poems in the following pages recount the struggle of the black man from Jim Crow Days to today. Each page speaks of the horrible actions as white men have tried to keep the blacks in America subjugated. One can literally taste the hatred; feel the hatred and I believe even smell the anger and hatred blacks faced in their fight for freedom.
I found the poetry astonishing. Ms Shange, poet, playwright and children’s author expresses in a few well-chosen words the emotions and innermost feeling of the paintings for each happening. Yet in those few words the reader/listener is awash with emotions.
I do not know which came first, and it makes no nevermind. The marriage of artistic talents here MUST be shared with school children around the world.
This amazing book comes to us in picturebook form. And that is appropriate and beautiful–truly beautiful. Unfortunately this book will be placed in an elementary library. I do not believe many young children will truly appreciate or learn any message from this book. This book needs a place in a Middle School or High School Library where students can discuss the impact of the words and pictures on themselves and others around them.
This is THE Book to examine and study during Black History Month. From my limited vantage point, it seems young black students today lack any real deep understanding of what their parents and forefathers endured to bring them the style of life and living they now enjoy. This book with all of its brutality so clearly depicted in words and paint would educate todays’ youth.
Let the questions come. Let the discussion begin. Maybe somewhere a youth will find an answer he/she can share with the troubled world.
Patricia Reilly Giff, dear friend and author of so many significant books, especially the series that brought Chapter Books (THE POLK STREET KIDS ) into the lives of so many very young readers. Her newest book, WILD GIRL by Patricia Reilly Giff ( Wendy Lamb Books, Random House, 2009, $15.99) takes the reader into the world of horse racing. The main character, Lidie, lives in Brazil where she spends her time riding horses and dreaming about the day when she’ll be able to join her father and brother in America. Lidie’s mother has died and now she is twelve, she figures she’s ready to join her family on Long Island in New York.
Upon arriving at the stable her father owns and where her brother is training to become a jockey Lidie discovers she is regarded as the young child they left behind. She must work to prove to them she is capable of doing more adult tasks and chores. A foal was born at the time of Lidie’s arrival in the states She is determined to put all of her riding skills to the ultimate test by riding the filly her father has just purchased.
Her father finally accepts his spirited daughter aboard his spirited horse. This story provides a glimpse into the life of the people who populate the horse racing world today.
A compelling read with special interest for horse loving female readers where the ultimate dream is to have their own special horse.