Saturday, September 10, 2011
Poppy
by AviHarper Trophy
978 0 380 72769 8
This is one of those classics I've always thought I should read, and a favourite of many. It finally jumped off a shelf at me, and I took it home (no really, it did, when I pulled down something else for a patron!).
It's not the first of the series, as I had figured it would be, but a followup to Ragweed. Thankfully, it is not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one, and I really didn't feel that I was missing much background starting here.
Poppy is a small mouse who lives in a field under the sadistic control of an owl who restricts their movements and eats them for any infraction. Not that he wouldn't eat them anyhow, but he enjoys their terror and gives them the illusion of safety and choice to play with them. Terrible stuff, but handled deftly, this.
After the owl eats Poppy's boyfriend and denied her family permission to move to a larger home with more food, Poppy takes matters into her own hands, and sets out to find out more about this new home. The owl, Mr. Ocax, is both panicked and enraged by her defiance, and tries to stop her, but she allies herself with a grouchy porcupine who helps her avoid him as she finds out what has Mr. Ocax so scared and returns to her family home. By the time she gets there, she has made fast friend of Ereth the porcupine, and Mr. Ocax has died, never to harrass the mice again, who can now move as they please. The scene is set for the next book of the five-book series.
These are fantastic animal tales in the vein of Redwall or the Rats of Nimh, with the small overthrowing the mighty, and the valiant taking the day. It's got some scary bits, of course, but on the whole is written to be pretty accessible even to grade two or three kids, if they are not the easily frightened type, like my girl is.
Labels: action/adventure, animal story, golden oldies, good stuff, middle grades
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Search for Delicious
by Natalie Babbitt
This is one of those classics that I had never quite gotten around to reading but always wanted to... until I saw it sitting out one day a couple of months ago, and grabbed it. Glad that I did, too!
Set in a world that is perched on the border between olden days (maybe even medieval) and fantasy, this tale begins with a Prime Minister who is creating a dictionary for the king, and providing relateable examples for each entry. When he gets to "delicious," however, a dispute erupts in the castle and sows discontent. The king sends the Prime Minister's boy, Gaylen, out to poll the countryside on the topic, ignoring the likelihood of spreading even more dissent, and off the boy went on this errand. This may have been enough to cause problems, but the king's jealous, ambitious brother-in-law set out as well, spreading lies in a bid to create havoc that would let him lead a coup.
Aside from all of this, there are old, near-forgotten tales of creatures believed to be the stuff of fairy tales that are discovered to be real, though few would credit it, and their stories are interwoven and used by both the brother-in-law and, as he learns more, Gaylen in his effort to stop Hemlock.
The whole is a wonderful fantasy, and a book that would make a terrific read-aloud, being a great story and gentle enough for younger kids. I'd recommend it for reading to grades 1-4 or for dreamier older kids to read on their own.
This is one of those classics that I had never quite gotten around to reading but always wanted to... until I saw it sitting out one day a couple of months ago, and grabbed it. Glad that I did, too!
Set in a world that is perched on the border between olden days (maybe even medieval) and fantasy, this tale begins with a Prime Minister who is creating a dictionary for the king, and providing relateable examples for each entry. When he gets to "delicious," however, a dispute erupts in the castle and sows discontent. The king sends the Prime Minister's boy, Gaylen, out to poll the countryside on the topic, ignoring the likelihood of spreading even more dissent, and off the boy went on this errand. This may have been enough to cause problems, but the king's jealous, ambitious brother-in-law set out as well, spreading lies in a bid to create havoc that would let him lead a coup.
Aside from all of this, there are old, near-forgotten tales of creatures believed to be the stuff of fairy tales that are discovered to be real, though few would credit it, and their stories are interwoven and used by both the brother-in-law and, as he learns more, Gaylen in his effort to stop Hemlock.
The whole is a wonderful fantasy, and a book that would make a terrific read-aloud, being a great story and gentle enough for younger kids. I'd recommend it for reading to grades 1-4 or for dreamier older kids to read on their own.
Labels: golden oldies, good stuff, middle grades
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Understood Betsy
by Dorothy Canfield.
Someone I know - maybe Mad Hatter Mommy, another children's librarian? - mentioned in an offhand way the book Understood Betsy, and that it had been an old classic they'd read and loved as a child. I had never heard of it! So I ordered it from another library branch, and dug in.
To my surprise - it was funny. It takes gleeful little pokes at the modern science of childrearing and at applying psychology to raising young people, it makes fun in a sly, tongue-in-cheek way that is not mean, but is unmistakeable. and predictably, when Betsy escapes this dreary, fear-inducing, crippling environment by mere happenstance and is sent to live with her "most dreadful" cousins on a Vermont farm? She flourishes under their no-nonsense but quietly loving ways, blossoming into a sturdy, sensible, fun-loving girl with ideas and a fierce heart of her own.
And when, at the end, she is to go back to her original guardian aunt, she is terribly sad, but determined not to hurt the aunt's feelings, she puts on a brave face. In the end, though, the aunt will be traveling with her new husband, and it is agreed to the secret delight of everyone, that Betsy should stay right where she is.
There is nothing in this old gem from 1917 that will come as much of a surprise - it all happens just as it should for a book like this, but the tale is captivating, quickly moving, and wryly humourous enough to be a true delight. Thanks to whomever happened to mention this one and pique my curiosity!
Someone I know - maybe Mad Hatter Mommy, another children's librarian? - mentioned in an offhand way the book Understood Betsy, and that it had been an old classic they'd read and loved as a child. I had never heard of it! So I ordered it from another library branch, and dug in.
To my surprise - it was funny. It takes gleeful little pokes at the modern science of childrearing and at applying psychology to raising young people, it makes fun in a sly, tongue-in-cheek way that is not mean, but is unmistakeable. and predictably, when Betsy escapes this dreary, fear-inducing, crippling environment by mere happenstance and is sent to live with her "most dreadful" cousins on a Vermont farm? She flourishes under their no-nonsense but quietly loving ways, blossoming into a sturdy, sensible, fun-loving girl with ideas and a fierce heart of her own.
And when, at the end, she is to go back to her original guardian aunt, she is terribly sad, but determined not to hurt the aunt's feelings, she puts on a brave face. In the end, though, the aunt will be traveling with her new husband, and it is agreed to the secret delight of everyone, that Betsy should stay right where she is.
There is nothing in this old gem from 1917 that will come as much of a surprise - it all happens just as it should for a book like this, but the tale is captivating, quickly moving, and wryly humourous enough to be a true delight. Thanks to whomever happened to mention this one and pique my curiosity!
Labels: family, girly, golden oldies, good stuff, growing up, middle grades
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
The Real Thief
by William Steig.
I have drivelled on ad nauseum in various places about how dearly I love William Steig, so I am slowly tucking in everything of his I haven't read before, reading them between other, more current fiction I'm reading. This latest is the slimmest of chapter books, an Easy Reader size and format, with a handful of his illustrations, though I would not necessarily place it there because of the reading level Steig writes at. Steig loves rich vocabulary and tends to use words that would leave the average ER reader in the dust, so I would still place this in fiction for middle grades, despite its slender size.
In the book, Gawain, a most honourable goose who has been appointed Chief Guard of the king's treasury, finds himself in a terrible bind when he brings some small discrepancies in the treasury's inventory to the attention of the king. The thefts continue, and he is accused, being the only one besides the king who has keys. The king doesn't want to believe this, but faced with the evidence, he brings Gawain to trial, and the goose is cooked, so to speak. He escapes, flying away, and then we meet the real thief, who had not really faced that he was stealing, exactly, only redecorating with the help of the treasure he had found his way to. When he sees his friend Gawain accused, he decides he must steal more so as to make the goose's innocence obvious. Accomplishing this, he then returns all that he has stolen, and sets out to find his friend, bring him home, and restore his honour.
The story is lovely, of course, sweet and simple, and the language beautiful. It would be a great early read-aloud, but do be prepared to answer lots of "what does that word mean?" questions along the way.
I have drivelled on ad nauseum in various places about how dearly I love William Steig, so I am slowly tucking in everything of his I haven't read before, reading them between other, more current fiction I'm reading. This latest is the slimmest of chapter books, an Easy Reader size and format, with a handful of his illustrations, though I would not necessarily place it there because of the reading level Steig writes at. Steig loves rich vocabulary and tends to use words that would leave the average ER reader in the dust, so I would still place this in fiction for middle grades, despite its slender size.
In the book, Gawain, a most honourable goose who has been appointed Chief Guard of the king's treasury, finds himself in a terrible bind when he brings some small discrepancies in the treasury's inventory to the attention of the king. The thefts continue, and he is accused, being the only one besides the king who has keys. The king doesn't want to believe this, but faced with the evidence, he brings Gawain to trial, and the goose is cooked, so to speak. He escapes, flying away, and then we meet the real thief, who had not really faced that he was stealing, exactly, only redecorating with the help of the treasure he had found his way to. When he sees his friend Gawain accused, he decides he must steal more so as to make the goose's innocence obvious. Accomplishing this, he then returns all that he has stolen, and sets out to find his friend, bring him home, and restore his honour.
The story is lovely, of course, sweet and simple, and the language beautiful. It would be a great early read-aloud, but do be prepared to answer lots of "what does that word mean?" questions along the way.
Labels: friendship, golden oldies, loved it, suspense
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues
by Ellen Raskin
The author of my favourite kids mystery (The Westing Game) may have topped herself with this one. It's an oldie, nearly unknown, and totally overshadowed by the Newbery bestowed on her aforementioned, more famous work. Still, I loved it.
Art student Dickory Dock finds herself the apprentice of a strange artist, a man obssessed with disguise and detection, who teaches her the art of keen observation. The two of them solve a handful of mysteries for an NYPD detective, while some mysterious activities are going on in the artist's own house. Dickory, in the end, solves some older riddles, putting things to right as they should be.
Raskin's usual deft touch for telling detail left me guessing all the way through, as does her Westing Game, no matter how many times I read it. That, more than anything, tells me how much she draws me into her mysteries, because I don't do that with any other mysteries, adult or children's.
The author of my favourite kids mystery (The Westing Game) may have topped herself with this one. It's an oldie, nearly unknown, and totally overshadowed by the Newbery bestowed on her aforementioned, more famous work. Still, I loved it.
Art student Dickory Dock finds herself the apprentice of a strange artist, a man obssessed with disguise and detection, who teaches her the art of keen observation. The two of them solve a handful of mysteries for an NYPD detective, while some mysterious activities are going on in the artist's own house. Dickory, in the end, solves some older riddles, putting things to right as they should be.
Raskin's usual deft touch for telling detail left me guessing all the way through, as does her Westing Game, no matter how many times I read it. That, more than anything, tells me how much she draws me into her mysteries, because I don't do that with any other mysteries, adult or children's.
Labels: golden oldies, loved it, middle grades, suspense
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
How To Eat Fried Worms
by Thomas Rockwell
This is one of those books I know I read as a child, but couldn't quite remember. One of those books that centres around the capers of madcap young boys long ago, in a less decidedly urban setting. I sort of lump it in with Robert Newton Peck's Soup books, hilarious and full of mischief I'd never find myself in. So I had to reread it so I could recommend it to some boys who I was pretty sure would love it. I mean, if nothing else, it has that gross-out factor, which is pretty cool with the young and masculine.
And indeed, it was funny and full of getting into trouble while trying to avoid even more trouble. The schemes on the one side to cause the worm-eater to lose are wild and full of imagination, while his stout resolve is fascinating, maybe even a little admirable, but certainly entertaining as the battle of wits and wills rages on. It's the very ending, though, that capped it off for me. I totally didn't expect a little twist!
Great stuff for the grade 3-6 set, I would say.
This is one of those books I know I read as a child, but couldn't quite remember. One of those books that centres around the capers of madcap young boys long ago, in a less decidedly urban setting. I sort of lump it in with Robert Newton Peck's Soup books, hilarious and full of mischief I'd never find myself in. So I had to reread it so I could recommend it to some boys who I was pretty sure would love it. I mean, if nothing else, it has that gross-out factor, which is pretty cool with the young and masculine.
And indeed, it was funny and full of getting into trouble while trying to avoid even more trouble. The schemes on the one side to cause the worm-eater to lose are wild and full of imagination, while his stout resolve is fascinating, maybe even a little admirable, but certainly entertaining as the battle of wits and wills rages on. It's the very ending, though, that capped it off for me. I totally didn't expect a little twist!
Great stuff for the grade 3-6 set, I would say.
Labels: golden oldies, good stuff, humour, middle grades
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card.
I am not a science fiction reader, but I do make occasional forays into unfamiliar genres of children's and teens' fiction in order to broaden my horizons and better my Readers' Advisory skills from time to time. I often start with the big names, the classics, the always-on-the-list items, figuring there has to be a reason people keep talking about them. And so it was that I picked up this classic starting point for teen Sci-Fi.
The story begins as young Ender, just six years old, is plucked from school and sent to Battle School to learn among the big boys. It seems many hopes ride on this tiny genius being their next great fleet commander, a gem of rare tactical brilliance, and hopes of destroying the "Buggers" and avoiding future wars lay with him. He is pushed hard, odds stacked against him and circumstances manipulated in any way possible to make him work harder. Years before any one else in history, he was pushed up to a position of command within the school, in charge of his own army of soldiers - green ones, at that, whom he was to mold. All old rules about resting time and battle practices were thrown out in the interest of pushing him and his crew to the breaking, forging them by fire. Not long after, he is again moved up, some five years earlier than normal, to Command School, where he is pushed further and harder than before, now being trained and opposed by the only surviving hero from the earlier wars.
Throughout, we see the master manipulators discussing their concerns, their needs and fears about Ender and about the upcoming invasion, which make this whole thing both more and less humane. Ender is no normal kid, to be sure, even at six he is light years ahead of most average ten- or twelve-year-olds, a genius who had been annealed to pain by his cruel older brother. This and the twist at the end, as well as Ender's occasional lapses into frustration and his fear about his own nature give this an incredibly deep humanity, rather than being a mere adventure tale. He had to be, as they explain to him when all is said and done, someone empathetic enough to understand the enemy and thus defeat him, but survivalist enough to make the tough decisions about us or them. He is indeed, just that person. For this extra depth and dimension, I really, really liked it.
I am not a science fiction reader, but I do make occasional forays into unfamiliar genres of children's and teens' fiction in order to broaden my horizons and better my Readers' Advisory skills from time to time. I often start with the big names, the classics, the always-on-the-list items, figuring there has to be a reason people keep talking about them. And so it was that I picked up this classic starting point for teen Sci-Fi.
The story begins as young Ender, just six years old, is plucked from school and sent to Battle School to learn among the big boys. It seems many hopes ride on this tiny genius being their next great fleet commander, a gem of rare tactical brilliance, and hopes of destroying the "Buggers" and avoiding future wars lay with him. He is pushed hard, odds stacked against him and circumstances manipulated in any way possible to make him work harder. Years before any one else in history, he was pushed up to a position of command within the school, in charge of his own army of soldiers - green ones, at that, whom he was to mold. All old rules about resting time and battle practices were thrown out in the interest of pushing him and his crew to the breaking, forging them by fire. Not long after, he is again moved up, some five years earlier than normal, to Command School, where he is pushed further and harder than before, now being trained and opposed by the only surviving hero from the earlier wars.
Throughout, we see the master manipulators discussing their concerns, their needs and fears about Ender and about the upcoming invasion, which make this whole thing both more and less humane. Ender is no normal kid, to be sure, even at six he is light years ahead of most average ten- or twelve-year-olds, a genius who had been annealed to pain by his cruel older brother. This and the twist at the end, as well as Ender's occasional lapses into frustration and his fear about his own nature give this an incredibly deep humanity, rather than being a mere adventure tale. He had to be, as they explain to him when all is said and done, someone empathetic enough to understand the enemy and thus defeat him, but survivalist enough to make the tough decisions about us or them. He is indeed, just that person. For this extra depth and dimension, I really, really liked it.
Labels: golden oldies, good stuff, sci fi, teen
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Dominic
by William Steig
I just posted over at Pick of the Litter (at MBT, that is) about William Steig. And in getting that post ready, I read my first of his fiction books. (And this is, pretty much, a more in-depth version of the short annotation there.)
Let me start by saying I adore William Steig. His picture books are perfection, filled with his cartoon-y artwork, his wonderful storytelling, the kind of mild magic that makes for lovely fairy tales, characters of strong character, evocative decriptions of the natural world, and a vocabulary of the kind of depth that makes me smile for its appropriateness (if that is, indeed, a word from a real vocabulary) and for the slightly comic effect to which he uses it. So I had high hopes mixed with some trepidation when I opened Dominic.
I need not have worried. Steig retains his position in my heart as a master storyteller. He has claimed to be highly influenced by Pinocchio, and indeed, it shows here, for the story has the same sort of picaresque feel, moving from episode to episode. Some are the geneses (is that how you pluralize genesis?) of friendships, some are about the repeated battles with the Doomsday Gang, but all show him to be a pretty good guy, if a little young and a little self-interested. What really stands out for me again is his revelling in the world around him, taking in all the sights and smells (well, he is a dog) that nature has to offer, as well as the abundant and rich vocabulary employed throughout. What a wonderful treasure to share with a child old enough to enjoy a read-aloud without too many pictures. It is quite gentle enough for that, for the occasional fight scenes are glossed over nicely, and end with the bad guys fleeing, though parents who don't want to even approach that might wait a while longer and lean on Winnie-the-Pooh and Paddington and their cozier brethren in the meantime.
I just posted over at Pick of the Litter (at MBT, that is) about William Steig. And in getting that post ready, I read my first of his fiction books. (And this is, pretty much, a more in-depth version of the short annotation there.)
Let me start by saying I adore William Steig. His picture books are perfection, filled with his cartoon-y artwork, his wonderful storytelling, the kind of mild magic that makes for lovely fairy tales, characters of strong character, evocative decriptions of the natural world, and a vocabulary of the kind of depth that makes me smile for its appropriateness (if that is, indeed, a word from a real vocabulary) and for the slightly comic effect to which he uses it. So I had high hopes mixed with some trepidation when I opened Dominic.
I need not have worried. Steig retains his position in my heart as a master storyteller. He has claimed to be highly influenced by Pinocchio, and indeed, it shows here, for the story has the same sort of picaresque feel, moving from episode to episode. Some are the geneses (is that how you pluralize genesis?) of friendships, some are about the repeated battles with the Doomsday Gang, but all show him to be a pretty good guy, if a little young and a little self-interested. What really stands out for me again is his revelling in the world around him, taking in all the sights and smells (well, he is a dog) that nature has to offer, as well as the abundant and rich vocabulary employed throughout. What a wonderful treasure to share with a child old enough to enjoy a read-aloud without too many pictures. It is quite gentle enough for that, for the occasional fight scenes are glossed over nicely, and end with the bad guys fleeing, though parents who don't want to even approach that might wait a while longer and lean on Winnie-the-Pooh and Paddington and their cozier brethren in the meantime.
Labels: golden oldies, loved it, middle grades
Monday, March 26, 2007
Mr. Little
by Robert Newton Peck, author of the side-splitting Soup books.
This book treads territory familiar to any reader of Peck's Soup series. It is in a similarly rural setting, it also feels set in the 1930s or 1940s, and it features two boys pulling similar pranks, and getting into the same sorts of trouble with their parents and teachers. This time, however, these are different boys, and they have a new teacher. They are not thrilled, because he is replacing the sweet and pretty Miss Kellogg, and they try to pull some pranks on this new guy, hoping to see him crack. As it turns out, he's got a tougher shell than expected, and a trick or two of his own. By the end, the boys and the man have come to some respect and a bit of a friendship.
I quite liked this for putting a twist on the tale and making the teacher something other than the nemesis. It's also a short and fun book for a younger, less skilled, or more reluctant reader, with high boy appeal, though I loved these when I was a kid, too.
This book treads territory familiar to any reader of Peck's Soup series. It is in a similarly rural setting, it also feels set in the 1930s or 1940s, and it features two boys pulling similar pranks, and getting into the same sorts of trouble with their parents and teachers. This time, however, these are different boys, and they have a new teacher. They are not thrilled, because he is replacing the sweet and pretty Miss Kellogg, and they try to pull some pranks on this new guy, hoping to see him crack. As it turns out, he's got a tougher shell than expected, and a trick or two of his own. By the end, the boys and the man have come to some respect and a bit of a friendship.
I quite liked this for putting a twist on the tale and making the teacher something other than the nemesis. It's also a short and fun book for a younger, less skilled, or more reluctant reader, with high boy appeal, though I loved these when I was a kid, too.
Labels: early chapters, golden oldies, humour
