Chronicles of a Book Evangelist

Link Trove #18

Smart Owl by Amy Hamilton

The print above is "Smart Owl" by Amy Hamilton, and the Art Print size is available for only $17.  My bird girl's (whose favorite books include Owl Moon and Owl Babies) has her 4th birthday coming up -- as well as a redo of her big girl room.  I see a framed "Smart Owl" in her future.  Now that I've mostly stopped curling my toes at the cute owl, on to the links!

Censorship:

• Following a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Davis School District has returned "In Our Mothers' House" by Patricia Polacco to school library shelves.  It was removed from shelve after a group of parents petitioned the school for its removal.  You know, because we can't have a book that represents a same-sex household as normal or anything! (That was extreme sarcasm, for the record.)

• The New York Times had an interesting question in their Room for Debate feature, What’s ‘Just Right’ for the Young Reader?  The various perspectives were all interesting to read, though I must admit that I still think Sendak said it best, "I don't believe in children, I don't believe in childhood. I don't believe that there's a demarcation. 'Oh, you mustn't tell them that. You mustn't tell them that.' You tell them anything you want. Just tell them if it's true. If it's true, you tell them."  In all fairness, that is essentially what a few of the debaters, especially Lisa von Drasek, said.  I also found the opinion of Betsy Bird, who wrote "kids are excellent self censors," to be particularly interesting in terms of this next piece:

• Susane Colasanti's When It Happens will stay in the teen section of IL library, despite a parent's attempt to remove it.  The unsuitability of the reading material for her daughters' age group was pointed out to her by -- wait for it -- her daughter.  As Leila from bookshelves of doom responded:

Discounting the whole challenge thing, this story was actually a nice example of a younger reader holding her hand up and saying, "WHOA. THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR ME."  I mean, obviously, the parent took that statement and went a step further to "IF IT'S NOT FOR YOU, IT'S NOT FOR ANYONE YOUR AGE", which is problematic, but still."

• Oddly enough, Maggie Stiefvater was also recently weighing in on the issue of age appropriate content, albeit in a much more light-hearted fashion.  After mentioning that she won't let any of the children in her family read her current books until they are 30, she announced that she will be participating in a middle grade level project with scholastic.  Very cool.

For The Girls:

• Elizabeth Burns of A Fireplace, A Chair & A Tea Cozy raises an interesting question about the importance of (or lack thereof) including menstruation in stories about teen girls with her post It’s That Time of the Month.  I highly recommend reading the comments as well as the post, as there are lots of interesting things being said, and good books being recommended.

• Jezebel managed to scare the crap out of me with their article about teen girls meeting strangers in real life that they met on the internet.  According to a new study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 30 percent of teenage girls have met an internet contact without confirming their identity beforehand.  YIKES.

To Lighten Things Up:

• McDonald's in the UK is replacing its Happy Meal toys with books.  How awesome is that?!  Now, if they could just make this an international policy!

• Maureen Johnson is offering up some awesome swag in the form of custom stickers and an autographed bookplate to anyone who preorders Madness Underneath from an indie bookstore.  Check out her website for a view of the stickers and a list of participating bookstores.

• Finally, a lovely quote from Ursula K. Le Guin found via teaching literacy:

"While we read a novel, we are insane—bonkers. We believe in the existence of people who aren’t there, we hear their voices… Sanity returns (in most cases) when the book is closed."

Maurice Sendak, 1928 – 2012

 

"And in and out of weeks"from Terrible Yellow Eyes (via Bookshelves of Doom)

Finding out Maurice Sendak had died on Tuesday morning was crushing for us as a family.  I still don't really have the emotional wherewithal to do him any sort of justice.  I have also been avoiding the internet all week because I wasn't really ready to read what everyone else had to say.  You see, he is not just one of the favorite authors in our house, he is one of the favorite authors in our house.  Of course, we all love Where the Wild Things Are.  (We even dig the movie.)  But it isn't our favorite -- we all have different favorites for very different reasons I would suspect.  My favorite is Brundibar.  I will explain why, but first a little background.  

I freaked out when I became a parent.  I went nuts researching every little thing during my pregnancy and the subsequent baby years -- and are there ever books for those years -- but it hit me when my son was about 18 months old that pretty soon I would be on my own.  The multitude of parenting books that would dicker over a few months difference in age for starting solid foods would soon give way to a vast array of...nothing.  I mean, yeah, there are a few books on parenting for older children, but they are primarily for children with a special need: gifted, troubled, ADHD, etc., etc., etc.  I felt lost in a sea of nothing.  I wanted to protect my son from the dark and scary things of the world, but I also wanted him to have empathy and compassion for people less fortunate.  I wanted to shield him from violence, but I wanted him to understand why, how and when things are worth fighting for.  How could this possibly be done?  Then I found one of my favorite quotes of all time:

"I said anything I wanted because I don't believe in children, I don't believe in childhood. I don't believe that there's a demarcation. 'Oh, you mustn't tell them that. You mustn't tell them that.' You tell them anything you want. Just tell them if it's true. If it's true, you tell them." -Maurice Sendak

If it is true, you tell them.  Tell them if it is true.  If he is old enough to ask the question, he is old enough to hear a true answer.  As a child I loved adults like Sendak because they respected the possibility of a child's intelligence.  That is not to say he thought all children were brilliant (listen to some interviews, obviously not.)  That is to say that he afforded all people, no matter what qualifiers might be tacked on, the same level of respect.  He didn't condescend.  If I wanted to be the sort of adult I respected as a child, I had to show my children that same respect.  Maurice Sendak helped my husband and I shape ideas that would become part of the core of our parenting practices -- how we operate as a family.

When my son was a little older I went back to school.  Toward the end I took a class that I both loved and hated, and that would eventually change me forever.  It was German-Jewish Writers with Dr. Hoyer, and there were nights where I would come home emotionally shredded.  Roo (my son) would come to me, wanting to know why I was so sad, and I wanted to tell him something...but also something true.  But how do you explain the Holocaust to a child, a young child?  You read Brundibar.  Then you talk about the history, the story, the sadness, but also the hope and how they are all interconnected.  We didn't go into every tiny detail, or even a lot of the big ones.  (Being truthful, after all, doesn't mean telling everything you know.)  But I was able to share a little of why I was so sad with Roo, a little truth, just enough for him to empathize.  As he has gotten older, we have discussed more of those little details Sendak has nested in the book -- the yellow Star of David sewn to their clothes or the Hitler-esque nature of Brundibar.

Since that initial reading my son has experienced a lot of personal loss -- he understands much more deeply now what it means to be gone forever.  As a family we like to talk about how sharing stories from and about people who are gone helps keep them alive and present in our memories and lives.  On Tuesday we scrapped our Language Arts lessons and instead we read different Sendak books in honor of his passing: some just illustrated by him, many both written and illustrated by him.  Lady A wanted Little Bear.  And my Seven Little Monsters/Where the Wild Things Are boy?  He chose Brundibar; maybe because he knows how much I love it, and knew that I was sad.  While reading Brundibar, Roo made a wonderful connection: "Brundibar isn't just keeping that musician and those kids alive anymore, mom, but also Maurice Sendak."  Stories within stories making up our lives.  I am sad that there will be no new stories, but I am grateful for the ones we have.  I know that in this household Maurice Sendak will be greatly missed, but he will also always be present.

A Mighty Girl: For Your Mighty Reader

Do you know a bright young girl?  A daughter, sister, cousin, niece, neighbor, student, friend?  Does she like to read?  (Or do you want her too?)  Have you heard about A Mighty Girl: The world's largest collection of books and movies for smart, confident, and courageous girls?  They are relatively new (launched in March of this year!) but already have a varied and interesting collection of books and movies.  Here's what they have to say about themselves:

After years of seeking out empowering and inspirational books for our four young nieces, we decided to create A Mighty Girl as a resource site to help others equally interested in supporting and celebrating girls. Our labor of love has now come to fruition as the world’s largest collection of books and movies for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls.

The site was founded on the belief that all children should have the opportunity to read books and watch movies that offer positive messages about girls and honor their diverse capabilities. We believe that girls do not have to be relegated to the role of sidekick or damsel in distress; they can be the leaders, the heroes, the champions that save the day, find the cure, and go on the adventure. It is our hope that these high-quality children’s products will help a new generation of girls to grow and pursue whatever dreams they choose -- to truly be Mighty Girls!

 I already see a substantial amount of our birthday and winter holidays budgets being spent here!  Just a few products that have caught my eye:

My Lady A is nuts about birds.  She can spend hours watching them out the window, or looking through bird watcher books at all the lifelike pictures.  It took buying bird-bedecked sheets and blankets to get her to make the move to her very own big girl bed.  So, naturally we feel in love with Sara Pennypacker's Sparrow Girl; the story of a girl so entranced by the sparrow that she goes against her family, her community, even her country to save them.  And the illustrations by Yoko Tanaka are just stunning.

From the Website:

Ming-Li looked up and tried to imagine the sky silent, empty of birds. It was a terrible thought. Her country's leader had called sparrows the enemy of the farmers--they were eating too much grain, he said. He announced a great "Sparrow War" to banish them from China, but Ming-Li did not want to chase the birds away. As the people of her village gathered with firecrackers and gongs to scatter the sparrows, Ming-Li held her ears and watched in dismay. The birds were falling from the trees, frightened to death! Ming-Li knew she had to do something--even if she couldn't stop the noise. Quietly, she vowed to save as many sparrows as she could, one by one...

"Opposite the grave historical account, though, is an uplifting image: on a field of white, a small nest with seven eggs promises the hope that springs from the simple actions of one empathetic heart." -- Booklist

 

And, although we own most of the movies in her age range, we did find the Miss Mallard movies.  (How have I never heard of these before?)  I am really excited to give them a try.

From the Website:

Here are stories that stimulate children with simple problem-solving puzzles that increase learning skills. More than that, the stories encourage 5 to 12 year olds to analyze events and scrutinize characters that they can apply to their daily lives. That's why children can't get enough of mysteries and why they love the adventures of Miss Mallard and her nephew, Willard Widgeon of the Swiss Police. The world-famous ducktective and her nephew travel around the world encountering all kinds of fowl play. No detail is overlooked by Miss Mallard. There's never been a case she couldn't "quack." -- Author's Site

This set includes the episodes:Taxi to Intrigue, Cable Car to Catastrophe, Express Train to Trouble, Whistle Stop to Fear, Footbridge to Jitters, Snowmobile to Panic. Miss Mallard's adventures continue in Miss Mallard Meets the Masters of Mischief.

I am really excited to see what A Mighty Girl picks up next!

Just a note: I am in no way being compensated for this!  I just really like the website and wanted to bring it to the attention of other people looking for positive books and movies for girls!

 

Review: Two Crafty Criminals! and How They Were Captured by the Daring Detectives of the New Cut Gang by Philip Pullman

Expected Publication Date: May 08, 2012

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Goodreads Description:

Benny Kaminsky and Thunderbolt Dobney lead a rag-tag gang of neighborhood rowdies. Their territory is the New Cut on London's South Bank—a place bristling with swindlers, bookies, pickpockets, and the occasional policeman. And their aim is to solve crimes.

When counterfeit coins start showing up in their neighborhood, Thunderbolt fears his own father may be behind the crime. But his friends devise a way to trap the real culprit. Then the gang takes on the case of some stolen silver. They have just two clues—a blob of wax, and an unusually long match. But even this slippery thief is unmasked by the determined kids of the New Cut. 

Filled with silly sleuthing, improbable disguises, crazy ruses, and merry mayhem, these stories are action-packed romps from one of the best storytellers ever—Philip Pullman.

Review:

 Two Crafty Criminals! and How They Were Captured by the Daring Detectives of the New Cut Gang is actually a really long, unwieldy new title for two previously released UK novellas: Thunderbolt's Waxwork and The Gas-Fitters' Ball.  These two hilarious stories tell the adventures of a 'gang' of  enchanting, lively, quirky, kids in Victorian England.

Once again, Pullman has crafted characters that dwell in the reader's mind rather than the page.  These kids are real kids: by turns smart, clueless, brave, cowardly, resourceful, compassionate, condescending, or just plain weird.  Pullman takes turns following the different children, boy and girl alike, with each holding their own.  I think that Two Crafty Criminals would be an exuberantly lively and amusing read to boys and girls alike--no matter which character takes the lead.

Pullman also does and excellent job of establishing time and place.  He drops little hints here and there that make the story feel authentically Victorian, while never allowing the setting to overrun the story.  And the slang is just fun; it was an absolute delight to read this aloud to my son!  

The mysteries, and the antics the kids get up to while solving them, are often over-the-top--making them feel like the stories kids tell each other about their weekends or school vacations while bragging at recess.  They are easily solved, but in a way that leaves young readers feeling triumphant at having figured things out.  Plus, there are whimsically amusing pictures scattered throughout.

I think that Two Crafty Criminals joins the ranks of other Pullman works that are a pleasure to read aloud at bedtime.  It would also do well to encourage a newly independent chapter book reader.  My only caveat: the stories lend themselves best to younger middle grade readers, but the ability needed to understand the slang from context clues, and the occasionally difficult vocabulary words, make them better for older middle grade readers. 

This review also appears at Goodreads; a review copy was provided by the publisher.

Review: The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

Publication Date: May 21, 2010

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Literary Awards: YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011)

Goodreads Description:

Thirteen-year-old Natalie Minks loves machines, particularly automata—self-operating mechanical devices, usually powered by clockwork. When Jake Limberleg and his traveling medicine show arrive in her small Missouri town with a mysterious vehicle under a tarp and an uncanny ability to make Natalie’s half-built automaton move, she feels in her gut that something about this caravan of healers is a bit off. Her uneasiness leads her to investigate the intricate maze of the medicine show, where she discovers a horrible truth and realizes that only she has the power to set things right. Set in 1914, The Boneshaker is a gripping, richly textured novel about family, community, courage, and looking evil directly in the face in order to conquer it.

Review:

I have put off reviewing The Boneshaker for some time now because it leaves me feeling absolutely inadequate to the task. It is quite possibly one of the best books I have ever read. 

The Boneshaker is the story of Natalie Minks, a young tomboy with a passionate love of all things mechanical. Few things give her more pleasure than tinkering with her father on their automata, unless it is perhaps her red Chesterlane, a beautiful boneshaker of a bicycle he built for her. Except that she cannot ride it just yet. She has grown up in a small Missouri town near a crossroads, listening to her mother's fantastical stories of the town and it's people, because all things are possible at a crossroad. And it is in this way that The Boneshaker becomes a story of stories. Tom Guyot's victory over the devil with a guitar that can talk. The mysterious drifter. Simon Cofferett's frightening jump, and his uncanny youth for one who has lived just outside town as long as anyone can remember. When 'Dr. Limberleg's Nostrum Fair and Technological Medicine Show' comes into town with intricate automata, fantastic healing machines and miraculous cures, Natalie begins to realize there is more truth in her mother's stories than she previously suspected. 

Though a steampunk novel (for kids!), The Boneshaker is so much more. There are layers upon layers to it. The language is so evocative of the region and time about which she writes that her fantasy feels like truth. This absolutely could have been Missouri in 1914, it just wasn't. It makes me think of my Grandmother, and the way she would say, "sometimes it's easier to see the truth when it's in a story." Everything about it feels real from the dusty roads under her bicycle tires to the taunting boys down the lane. You can hear the music as Tom Guyot plays. No, really. You can. 

"Tom's humming turned into strange syllables, sounds that weren't words but sort of broken pieces of words, bits and bobs of song dodging and darting over and around and under the music of the guitar, rising and falling and ducking, and every once in a while climbing sharp and clear and plaintive... 

It made a strange tableau, and plenty of people paused to look: the old black man singing blissfully with the guitar flashing sunset colors on his knees; and the sweaty, bruised, and scraped girl, unmoving and rapt, absently holding on to a bizarre bicycle with her head cocked like a bird's. Neither of them noticed anyone else's stares." (p32-33)

It is like Milford lifted the essence, the very life force, of the folklore of an entire region, and slipped it into her novel. I could feel my grandparents in it. I could hear the echos of their parents. I caught myself, over and over again, stopping to savor something I had just read. As soon as I finished the book, I immediately read it again, only out loud to my husband and son. We spent weeks lingering over it, bellowing to sell wares or whispering in fear. It almost feels wrong to NOT give voice to the words, to NOT have the Boneshaker become the very oral history it describes. 

The Boneshaker is the kind of book that will grow with you. A mid-grade reader could pick it up and be entranced by the mystery, captivated by Natalie's courage. A few years later, they may better understand the fear motivating the choices Natalie's father and brother made about her mother; grasp the deeper, darker elements of the story that are always running just under the surface. It talks about darkness and light, good and bad, courage and weakness in a way that just leaves me breathless at times for its beauty. The different meanings of this book are so multilayered that different readers of different ages will experience what is happening in very different ways, none of them wrong. If I could, I would give a copy of this book to every boy or girl I know. Adults, too. 

I purchase my copy from Barnes and Noble.

Review also on Goodreads

Poetry in Stillness

So often when I think of my children I think of vibrancy, energy, motion.  Sometimes it's dancing, sometimes it's that I'm-too-tired-to-admit-I-need-a-nap frantic zooming from one thing they shouldn't do (or touch, or put in their mouth) to another.  Poetry and children just seem to go together.  Children respond with pleasure to the unexpected rhyme, the tap-tap-tapping of an alliterative phrase, or the reassuring rhythm of a familiar meter. In so many ways, kids are poetry - poetry in motion.  Most of the the poetry I read to my kids reflects that motion, that high energy.  Shel Silverstein. Dr. Seuss. Sandra Boynton.  

Then one day in the bookstore, after grabbing the newest Skippyjon Jones and dragging my son away from the trains, this caught my eye:

  

 

and I remembered.  I remembered the first time I read Robert Frost.  The first time I ever read a poem that made me stop; that made me feel the weight of the pauses, the meaning in the silence between words.  So it came home with us as well.

That night, we read Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, but we read it slowly.  The illustrations by Susan Jeffers really couldn't be more perfect.  We savored each of Frost's lines, then asked each other questions about the pictures - looking for the spots of color in the winter blacks, whites, and greys.  'Do you see any more animals?' or 'That owl is beautiful!'  I have read this poem, with these illustrations, to my son time and time again, and to his little sister as well.  Yet, however many times we read it, it never ceases to amaze me how still they are, and how wonderful it is to have a children's poetry book to reflect that stillness. 

Children are poetry in motion.  But they are poetry in stillness, too.