Kids Lit
Books and More for Children and Teens

Here's hoping all of you a Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!  I will be off spending time with my kids and hubby until after New Year's.  I may post periodically, but don't really plan on it.  Depends on how many Cybil nominees I get through!

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The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.

I am a finicky holiday book reader.  The book has to give me more than people merrily opening large presents or fretting that their gifts aren't good enough.  There has to be depth, magic and that special holiday something that makes it a worthwhile holiday read.  This book has all of that.

Set in the middle of the Depression, this picture book features a family struggling to give everyone a wonderful holiday.  Nella and her family always have Christmas, but don't always have presents.  But Nella is hoping and wishing for a Baby Betty doll.  Her sisters tell her that it will never happen, but on Christmas morning there it is!  All of the girls struggle to be the one who gets to play with Baby Betty.  Nella wins, but slowly realizes there is more to Christmas than just ending up with the best present.

With two such great talents working on a book together, you know this is going to be wonderful.  McKissack is as much an artist with words as Pinkney is with paint.  McKissack has created a book that looks frankly at a poor family struggling to get by.   I love her wording as she describes Baby Betty:

"There before us was a for-real, store-bought, brand-new Baby Betty doll, the color of chocolate, with rosy cheeks, black curly locks, and thick eyelashes." 

One can almost smell the new toy, much less visualize it so clearly.  So much of the book reads with this clarity and style.  It draws readers into the story, and allows them to bask there in that place for awhile.  Add to that Pinkney's signature illustrations, and you have a real wonder of a book.  Pinkney again captures children in mid-stride, mid-expression, so that readers finish the movement mentally, dancing their own images in their head along with the story. 

Highly recommended as a holiday story with all the right messages for the true spirit of the season without any preachiness.  This book will work well as an annual family read, or as the perfect companion to a sweet baby doll present.

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Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore, illustrated by LeUyen Pham.

Yes, this is written by the actress Julianne Moore, but don't judge it harshly because of that.

There once was a seven-year-old girl who loved to ride bikes and had lots of friends, but she was ashamed of her freckles.  People mentioned them all the time, and they made her different than the other kids.  She tried to remove them, but nothing worked.  Then she covered her entire body and face and no one talked about her freckles!  But they didn't talk to her either, because they didn't recognize her.  Lonely, hot and sad, she finally finds that she likes living with her freckles better than being plain and alone.

Perhaps I like this book because I am head to toe freckles and moles.  My kids say I am polka-dotted.  I never tried the lemon juice route, because my equally freckled mother informed me that nothing she ever tried worked! 

The illustrations have a vintage feel with a lot of pizzazz and charm.  The opening page of Freckleface grinning out at the reader is a winning way for the book to begin.  I also love the fact that her freckles are not just charmingly dotted on her cheeks, but extend to her legs and arms.  This is a great way to talk to children about being different, because no matter how homogeneous a group you are dealing with, we are all different and have things we fret about.  Some of us are chubby, some tall, some short, etc. 

Recommended as a way to start discussions about being different, this book is appropriate for ages 4-6.

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A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Chad Cameron.

Liza loves to color with crayons, she fills coloring book after coloring book.  When she runs out of coloring books, she discovers a blank wall in her room and starts to color there.  But when her mother finds out, she takes away Liza's crayons for the rest of the day.  Now Liza has to find a new way to express herself, and she certainly does!  Cameron, the illustrator, pays homage to great artists in his illustrations, and it is lovely the way color returns to Liza's life as she discovers more and more ways to be an artist.

This book really speaks to me.  I love that it is about a child basically learning to see art in her life, to express herself in new media, and to use a variety of styles and techniques.  It is a winner to get children redefining art in their own lives and seeing the potential for art all around them. 

Highly recommended as a book to be used in elementary art classes, it would also be a winner in a story time about art.  What a great idea it would be to then offer children a chance to create art without crayons! 

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I was going to attend ALA Midwinter, but it didn't work out after all.  The biggest draw was going to be attending the Newbery and Caldecott announcements live!  But since I won't be there, I hope to be able to attend the live webcast that ALA will be offering on January 14th.  Last year I missed it, logging in too close to the time it started to get a seat on the stream.  I will try again this year!  And happily type as quickly as possible to get the titles posted as they are announced.  Hopefully!

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The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett.

Brett has taken The Three Bears and moved it to the Arctic where Goldilocks is a little Inuit girl named Aloo-ki who has managed to get separated from her sled dogs.  The three polar bears are out for a walk waiting for their porridge to cool when they discover the dogs trapped on an ice floe.  Aloo-ki discovers the bears' igloo where she is drawn in by the smell of porridge, she tastes them all, then moves into the igloo further to try on three different sizes of boots and finally to fall asleep on the perfect sleeping bench.  Meanwhile the bears save the dogs and return home to discover Aloo-ki asleep.

Brett has refreshed this traditional tale by not only moving its location but infusing it with regional details.  I really enjoyed Brett's attention to the smallest details in her illustrations.  The story is carried forward not only by the main illustrations on each page, but also the side panels where the other branch of the story is happening.  The side panels also have whimsical arctic animals dressed for the wintry weather. 

A perfect winter book, this is a good book to share with a few children at a time so that the details of the illustrations can be enjoyed.  Highly recommended for ages 4-7.

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Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George.

Creel's aunt decides that the best way to secure Creel's fortune is to send her to a dragon's cave to be taken prisoner.  That way a knight will arrive to rescue her and be bound to marry her despite her lack of a dowry.  But of course it doesn't work out quite as planned.  First, Creel really doesn't want to marry a pompous knight.  Then, the dragon isn't interested in taking Creel prisoner.  And finally, the dragon doesn't horde gold, but instead collects shoes.  So Creel makes a deal with the dragon.  He will be spared the need to fight and she will get to choose any pair of shoes she wishes from his collection.  Creel heads out to the large city to find work as a seamstress, wearing her new blue shoes.  Creel is not done dealing with dragons though, far from it!

This story is wonderfully written with warmth and humor.  Creel is a heroine worth journeying with as she uses her intelligence and skill to overcome obstacles.  She is a welcome change from many female characters as she is a true individual and doesn't shy away from hard work or confrontations.  Yet she is human, has weaknesses, and is not proud.  She is a true treat of a character.

Readers will also appreciate the range of personalities seen in the dragons themselves as well as the secondary characters in the story.  The author has really built a credible world with a sense of history, tradition and currency.

Highly recommended for young fantasy readers, this book will most appeal to young girls, though boys may be willing to try it due to the dragons and the battles.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

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Philip Pullman has announced a new companion to his Golden Compass trilogy.  To be released this spring, the companion book is entitled Once Upon a Time in the North.  The book details the history of Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, the balloonist and the bear. 

Pullman will also be releasing a full-length novel in 2009, called The Book of Dust. 

Two things for Pullman fans to cheer about!

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Oo la la!  The Inkheart movie trailer is gorgeous!  Looks like a wonderful cast too.  Take a look for yourself.

I posted about the books over the years and know that I have lots of fans of the books reading this blog!  Take a look at the long list of comments on the Inkspell entry I made in 2005.  They are still debating Basta and Dustfinger and who is hotter.  Perhaps the movies can resolve the argument?

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The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has a nice piece on the new history of the Little Golden Books.  I look forward to getting my hands on a copy to see it for myself.



Personally, my favorite wasn't The Poky Little Puppy.  I loved every book done by Eloise Wilkin as a child and even now can find myself sighing happily over the illustrations.  Her pictures are the icon of my childhood.  How about you?  Got any undying love for a Golden Book?

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Alfred Kropp:  The Seal of Solomon by Rick Yancey.

This is the second book in the Alfred Kropp series.  Alfred Kropp is back in school being mercilessly bullied until he is kidnapped and taken out to the desert where he learns that the Seal of Solomon and its vessel contain demons of incredible power.  He isn't the strongest person or the most coordinated, but he just may be the key to recontaining the demons who are changing the face of the earth itself.  First, he will have to learn who to trust and why he is the pivotal figure in the situation.

This is a wild ride of a book perfect for teen boys.  Its entire premise is very like Indiana Jones, but if anything it is more frightening, more vivid and faster moving.  Once a reader enters the story, there is no turning back, only turning pages faster and faster.  Yancey has mixed the perfect blend of horror, action and humor to make this a real winner of a novel.  His characterizations are strong, his pacing is phenomenal and his story is sound. 

Highly recommended for teen readers of either sex, this book will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson.

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The New York Times has an announcement from Scholastic about what they hope will be their next hit series.  The new series is called The 39 Clues and will be a series of 10 books, each written by a different author, but following a single story arc. 

The first book, The Maze of Bones, was written by Rick Riordan.  Gordon Korman has been signed to write book 2, Peter Lerangis to write book 3, and Jude Watson to write book 4.  Riordan is also responsible for the overall story outline. 

The series will have a strong online component as well as collectible cards. 

The Maze of Bones will be released in September 2008 with consecutive books following every few months. 

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The Chaos King by Laura Ruby.

This sequel to The Wall and the Wing is a great read all on its own, though readers will want to find out the details of the first book after reading this one.  Georgie is the Richest Girl in the World, but she is learning that wealth doesn't solve all of her problems.  She is shunned and teased in her new school and her friendship with Bug is disintegrating.  Georgie would feel all alone, but before she can dwell on it, she finds herself once again in the middle of an adventure where a giant octopus, a pen that can alter the world, and a chocolate-loving sloth feature prominently.

Ruby has managed to take the world we are familiar with and change it into something wondrous and amazing.  The city library has secrets galore, some people can fly, and there are incredible creatures at every turn.  The book is fast paced and fun.  It is certainly an adventure worth embarking on, I guarantee you will never see cats or budgies in the same way again.

Recommended for fantasy lovers from age 10-12. 
 

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Rabbit's Gift: a Fable from China by George Shannon, illustrated by Laura Dronzek.

Rabbit smells more snow coming and dashes out to find food.  He finds two turnips and leaves one at Donkey's door in case she hadn't found any food.  Donkey takes the extra turnip to Goat, who takes it to Deer, who returns it to Rabbit.  Rabbit finds it at his doorstep by tripping over it and decides to share it with everyone.

A very simple book about sharing and the power of community.  This book is not preachy at all, just an easy tale of friendship.  With the emphasis on snow and sharing, this could easily be used during the holiday season as a non-holiday specific book that showcases the feeling of the season without alienating diverse audiences. 

Highly recommended for adding to preschool story times focused on snow or the holidays.  The gentleness of the story will work well with preschoolers who will also not see the circular nature of the story coming. 

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The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: a Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket.

Who doesn't need a subversive book in the middle of all of the holiday carols, glam and glitz?  Snicket has created a Christmas book that speaks to those of us who don't celebrate Christmas and those of us who celebrate it with a lot fewer lights, inflatable Santas on motorcycles and blasting carols.  I too have felt the need to start screaming, but knew if I did I would never be able to stop again. 

This book mixes Hanukkah and Christmas with a splash of sarcasm and lot of nerve.  It features the disrespect we show other faiths and customs with our blaring of Christmas everywhere.  The illustrations are fifties-style with simplicity and a sense of fun.  They mix well with the text that is the real winner here.  Some of the passages are so funny that I was unable to read aloud for awhile because I was laughing so hard.

While this book is appropriate for children, I think that adults will enjoy it the most.  If you have someone on your Christmas list who celebrates Hanukkah, get them off of that list and buy them this book!  And don't wrap it in red and green paper either!  Don't make me start screaming!

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Anne of Green Gables is celebrating 100 years!  They have a great website filled with details about the celebration, vacationing in Prince Edward Island, educational resources, and much more. 

With regret, I must admit that I love the films, but really don't enjoy the books.  I know!  I know!  You don't know how I have tried to love the books!  But I don't.  The films on the other hand capture me every time and I can watch them again and again. 

Any other freaks out there like me?  Or perhaps you can persuade me to try one more time?

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The Times reports that British publishers are going to start putting age guides on children's books.  Sigh.  Librarians have a love-hate relationship with age guidelines already.  Yes, they make it easier for patrons to find appropriate films, but they are also so very arbitrary and often strange.  Video games especially are oddly rated and because the ratings range so widely from one title to the next they are less than helpful. 

I worry that book ratings will be even more difficult to pinpoint.  The age range for books has very little to do with reading level, unless you are looking at the levels of beginning readers and any person who has tried to use numerical levels from one series to the next knows that there is no standard there either.  But what do they do with teen novels purposely written at lower reading levels.  There will be teen content but their ratings seem to have more to do with reading level than content, making it a completely different type of rating than anything else parents have dealt with. 

How about you?  Do you see book ratings as a positive move?

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The Los Angeles Times has a list of new holiday titles to try.  The list has my two favorites of the year that I hope to review next week: 

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket and The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll by Patricia McKissack. 

Two very different but equally wonderful books. 

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I am honored to have been interviewed by Seven Imp about my blogging.  Thank you so much to the bloggers who contributed such nice statements about this blog. 

I can't tell you how very much I get out of blogging on both a personal and professional level.  So thank you for reading.  Thank you for enjoying it.  And thank you for making this such a pleasure. 

I'd do it with no readers, but am so pleased to have all of you reading! 

I should also mention that if you check out the interview you will see two very rare photos of yours truly.  :)  Just in case you always wanted to put a face on this blogger.

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It has been announced that Terry Pratchett has a rare form of early Alzheimer's disease. 


"Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things
cheerful," he continued, saying it was "too soon to tell" if the
condition was immediately life-threatening.

Sad news for a great author of the hysterically funny Discworld series. 

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Nominated for a Cybil Award in Science Fiction & Fantasy.



Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins.

Kiriel is a Fallen Angel, okay a demon, who decides he is sick of working in Hell and takes over the body of a teenage boy named Shaun.  It may be unethical, but Shaun was in the last seconds of his life and Kiriel was able to continue that life.  Kiriel attempts to live as Shaun, but is continually distracted by sights, feelings, and touch.  Plus, he is far more interested in the details of Shaun's life.  Even homework is fun because he can try out the feel of different writing implements.  As the possession goes on, Kiriel learns about humanity as well as lessons about his own position in the universe. 

Written with a great sense of humor, this book dashes along quickly but has far more depth than it might seem to on the surface.  The questions of Hell, self-imposed suffering, guilt, family connections, and what it means to be human are all part of it, handled deftly and as a part of the story itself.  Kiriel is a fascinating character who is clearly written and a joy to spend time with.  His grappling with modern human life makes for great action and the pacing of the novel is fast but never frantic. 

The book does have some mature themes, so it is appropriate for older teens.  A lively fun read that generates more questions than answers, this book is sure to infuriate and anger some people with its questions of faith, demons and God.  However, it is more than worth the trouble of having it available for teens who may be on their own quest to figure it all out.

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Ivan the Terrier by Peter Catalanotto.

As the author tries to tell stories like the Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Bears and the Three Little Pigs, he is constantly being interrupted by Ivan, a small black and white dog.  Ivan bursts into each story, barks loudly and makes a horrible mess.  When finally the author decides to tell a story featuring Ivan himself, Ivan ignores him.

The illustrations of each fairy tale are deep colored and pastoral, but when Ivan arrives, each image has bright white as a background and all pastoral feeling is gone.  It is a dynamic way to make the illustrations burst with noise and surprise as well as the words.  The language of the book uses the same model from calm storytelling to a wild burst of yelling and scolding of Ivan. 

If you are looking for a story to capture the attention of children at the end of a preschool storytime, you have found it.  Recommended for sharing with a group, especially if you are not afraid of really yelling out loud.  This book will have children giggling and demanding a return of Ivan as soon as possible.

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Glass slipper, gold sandal: a worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis.

Fleischman has created a picture book that pays tribute to the varied Cinderella stories from around the world.  The storyline of the book follows the Cinderella tale, but touches from each country can be felt.  What could have been a muddled mishmash is a truly amazing experience as readers see the differences and the similarities in Cinderella tales.  A large part of the success is Fleischman's ability to showcase cultures in single lines, small details and wording.  Another part of the book's success are the illustrations which have bright colored frames that allude to other details of the story in that culture.  Each frame offers insight into the differences of that exact story, and the book could be read again and again looking at the various pictures.

This is exactly what is meant by a multicultural story.  It is a celebration of both our kinship and our diversity.  A must-purchase for all public libraries, you will find that older children who have a sense of different countries will enjoy this more than 4-6 year olds.  Highly recommended for folktale units or just for the joy of sharing.

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Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol, reimagined and illustrated by Christopher Myers.

Myers has done a courageous and marvelous thing in recreating the battle of the Jabberwocky using basketball.  Jabberwocky is one of my favorite poems, one I remember from my childhood.  The power of the imaginative language and creating images in one's head about what "brillig" and "slithy" meant.

The illustrations are strange and edgy enough to suit the language of the poetry.  The dynamic motion, deep colors and use of colors even in the words themselves makes this a book that kids will pick up and enjoy even if they don't understand most of the words.  And what more joy could there be?

Highly recommended for children ages 8-12.  It is the perfect vehicle to introduce children to the poem and the fun of a frabjous day.

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Nobody Notices Minerva by Wednesday Kirwan.

Minerva just can't get noticed by her family!  No matter how very naughty she is, her mother and father just ignore her.   Finally, it is too much to take and Minerva starts to cry.  Her father sits near her and explains that he has noticed her and that she probably wants to be noticed for other things than being naughty.  So Minerva makes up her mind to be noticed for being very good.  And it works!

Minerva is a charming little whirling dervish of a child.  The scowl on her face and the attitude of her body completely encapsulate her attitude.  The illustrations are bright, and vibrantly colored.  The book is well done with just the right amount of information for the reader who will also be worried that Minerva's parents ignore her!  I haven't seen a book before on ignoring unwanted behavior, and this one captures it perfectly.

Recommended as a book to share with preschool groups or with your own child.

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NPR Music has a list of the Top 10 Kids' CDs of 2007.  I admit that I don't listen to much children's music and neither do my kids.  So I have no reaction to the list except for joy that they offer a link so that you can listen to parts of songs. 

For those of you who do listen to children's music, do you have any favorites this year?

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Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart by Marybeth Lorbiecki, illustrated by Renee Graef.

Lucette Diana Kensack was quite a large girl, an equal to Paul Bunyan.  She and her similarly large cow, Nel, would mix up rivers of butter, quilt acres of seeds, and create cooling breezes by shaking out her rugs.  When Paul Bunyan comes to meet her, she sets him three tasks.   He tries his best to do her bidding, but somehow never gets it right.  Lucette's tasks are all about respecting the environment and loving the land they are using.  In the end, she shows Paul and the readers exactly how to do just that.

Lorbiecki has created a book with a rollicking rhythm to the text, a heartiness to the tale and a lovely and worthwhile message for readers.  Her text has nice touches to it that make one read it with a certain woodsy cadence.  Combined with Graef's illustrations, the book really sings.  The illustrations have a certain Garth William's feel to them with a similar softness. 

This book begs to read aloud.  Reading it silently will not give you the same feel for the rhythm and joy of the language here.  Recommended for sharing with children for environmental units or just for a rollicking super-sized time. 

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Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer.

Reading new holiday books is always a treasure hunt.  Some of the titles will be surprising and wonderful while other are distinctly NOT. 

This is one of the treasures.  Humphrey is a camel who is part of the caravan taking the kings to the baby Jesus.  But most of the story is dedicated to Humphrey mourning the loss of his blanket.  He has a plan to get a new blanket from his master by disturbing and bothering him, and it works!  When they reach the manger, Humphrey is surprised by his reaction to this small shivering child. 

The illustrations in the this book will immediately capture children.  They are filled with closeups of Humphrey in all of his bucktoothed glory.  The image of his long lashes and his eye is a marvelous way to start the book.  The pictures are richly colored, filled with details and almost photo realistic.  One can almost feel the chill of the desert at night. 

The prose is also very rich.  The story begins and ends with similar phrases, making it a nicely framed tale.  The language of a grumbling camel is perfectly captured as well. 

Highly recommended as a Christmas tale for ages 4-8.

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Little Rooster's Diamond Button retold by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Will Terry.

A great story for reading aloud and storytelling, this picture book captures the rambunctious spirit perfectly.  Little Rooster finds a diamond button but before he can take it home to his mistress, he is stopped by the King who takes away the button and claims it for himself.  But the Little Rooster goes to the kingdom and demands the button be returned.  The King disagrees and has the rooster thrown into a well.  Now the story takes a major turn and readers discover that the Little Rooster has a magic stomach!  He drinks up the water in the well.  The King next order the rooster thrown into the fire, but the rooster uses his stomach again and pours the water from the well onto the fire.  They try to throw the rooster into a beehive but the rooster eats up the bees with his magic stomach.  And I wonder if you can guess what happens next?

The retelling is joyously fun to read aloud, filled with great rhythm, repeating patterns, and humor.  The illustrations are equally vivid with their bright colors.  The pop-eyed rooster is lusciously colored and the pictures don't shy away from the spectacular nature of his magic stomach.  Terry has created a world filled with colors that zing and dance as much as the story itself does. 

Highly recommended for reading aloud in your next preschool story time about chickens or birds.  This one is a certain winner that will have children eager to listen.  Appropriate for ages 4-8. 

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The Wishing Club: a story about fractions by Donna Jo Napoli, pictures by Anna Currey.

When Petey wishes on a star for a dollar, he ends up finding a quarter instead.  His little brother wishes for a cookie, but gets half a cookie instead.  His twin sisters each wish for a bag of marbles and each ends up with 10 marbles, 1 eighth of a bag.  The star turns out to be a comet and on the final day it will be visible, the children come up with a plan to put their fractions together into one big wish to get one whole thing.

So many math-based picture books are more about the cleverness of the math than the quality of the story, but Napoli has created a math book with heart and magic.  A large part of it is the strength of her writing and the wonder of the characters at what is happening.  The illustrations work with this wonder in their soft washes that make it seem as if anything is possible. 

Highly recommended for classrooms working with fractions, this book works well as a read-aloud at any time.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

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The Sunday Times has their list of the Best Books for Children 2007 up.  The books are selections from Nicolette Jones, their reviewer.  Because the Times is British, you will find books not available in the U.S.  But some of her favorites will be very familiar.  Her list spans books for babies through those for teens.

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VOYA has released their 11th annual compilation of adult mysteries for teen readers, called Clueless.  The list ranges from mysteries that cross genres to historical mysteries to police procedurals.  VOYA is known for their understanding of older teens' desire to read adult books.  Their reviews of adult books for teen audiences are always right on the mark and offer high school librarians and public librarians working with teens a great basis for collection development and book lists.

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