Book Review #27

 Meshuggah Food Faces  

Authors: Bill and Claire Wurtzel
Publisher: Behrman House Publishing, 2020
ISBN: 978-1681150666
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Topics: Humor, Kid's Cooking, Yiddish Culture.

I Gave This Book 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 4 Roars? I love the idea of creating food faces with children and the tidbits of Yiddish culture and humor are very witty. I think this book would work well for many different ages and reading levels.  

Critical Analysis
Accuracy: 

The authors have written several other popular Children's Picture Books using food. 

They include the following:
Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts, Funny Food Made Easy: Creative, Fun, & Healthy Breakfasts, Lunches, & Snacks, and Foodie Faces. 

“A standout…Some picture books cry out to be shared, and this is a prime example. Teachers will enjoy reading it aloud during units on feelings, while kids will want to show it to friends and family. From cover to cover, 

great fun.” ~~Booklist 

Design: The design uses actual food to create the edible art work.

“Though the concept is simple, the intricacies of each face beg for closer examination, and readers might find themselves transfixed in wonder at the fantastical creations.... A visually delightful experience."

~~Kirkus

Style: The name, Meshuggah Food Faces translates into Crazy Food Faces, a great title for the book.  There are quite a few crazy food faces, such as Albert Pinestein, and cousin Yetta the Yenta. 

“Engaging…fresh….A playful addition recommended for libraries that serve young children.”

~~ School Library Journal

Connections: Meshuggah Food Faces

Book Review #26

 Feliz Navidad, Jorge El Curioso / 

Merry Christmas, Curious George

Author: Catherine (Cathy)Hapka

Translations: Carlos E. Calvo

Illustrations: Mary O'Keefe

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 2012

ISBN:978-0-547-74503-9 

Reading Level: 4 to 7 years 

Main Characters: Curious George, the man with the yellow hat, Santa.

Plot: Curious George and the man with the yellow hat visit a Christmas tree farm to pick out a tree. George and the tree manage to find their way to the local children's hospital. George meets Santa and the man with the yellow hat comes to take him home.   

Settings: Christmas tree farm, local children’s hospital. 

Genre/Theme/Style: Children's Picture Book. Juvenile Fiction. Holidays. Bilingual, written in both English and Spanish. 

I Gave This Book 3 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: I absolutely did not like the fact that this book was not written by Margret and H.A. Rey! Margret Elizabeth Rey (May 16, 1906 – December 21, 1996). 

It is written in the style of their work, but it is considerably lacking for me. I love the idea of translating classic children's stories into Bilingual editions, but this simply fell flat for me in every area.  I lost interest in the plot after George visited the Christmas tree farm. 

Why 3 Roars? I think this book missed on several levels. It is not written by Margret and H.A. Rey, it did not translate as well as it should have, and it did not have much  of a plot. 

After having a Spanish speaking collogue read it, the translation felt a little awkward for the bilingual reader. When allowing someone more knowledgeable to assess this aspect of the review, it was given only 3 Roars in this area, also.  

I really love the Curious George books and the authors. Their own personal story is fascinating, as well.  

"As Jews, the Reys decided to flee Paris before the Nazis seized the city. Hans built two bicycles, and they fled Paris just a few hours before it fell. Among the meager possessions they brought with them was the illustrated manuscript of Curious George."

~~ Goodreads Reviews

I do not think this book is in keeping with the rest of the Curious George books. 

    

Connections: 

Curious George

Book Review #25

Meditation Station 

Author: Susan B. Katz

Illustrator: Anait Semirdzhyan

Publisher: Bala Kids, 2020

ISBN: 978-1611807912

Reading Level: 4-8 years

Genre: Children's Non-fiction

Topics: mindfulness, meditation, self-control, focus, yoga.

Main Characters: A teddy bear and his thoughts that appear as trains running through a train station.

Plot: The book uses the images of a teddy bear as the train conductor, a train station, and trains zooming through the train station to teach children about meditation and mindful practices. 

Settings: Inside the Meditation Station

 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 4 Roars? I love the comparison the author makes between zooming trains and thoughts zooming through a child's mind.  I think this would be a great way to teach children that we can simply watch the trains go by without getting on the trains. 

"As thoughts zoom in and out of your brain, stay in the station and just watch each train." 

~~Meditation Station

Critical Analysis

Accuracy: The author is a teacher and an educational consultant. She is an award-winning author who has also written eight chapter books and biographies. 

“As a seasoned, bilingual educator, I see that kids need specific skills to calm their bodies and minds. In addition to teaching, I’ve been practicing meditation, mindfulness and metta (loving-kindness) for over 25 years. 

One dharma talk I heard at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, centered around how to train ourselves to stay with our breath and not get swept up by our racing train of thoughts. Stay in the station, as they say. You can also liken it to passing clouds in the sky. Just letting our thoughts pass, and not going down the rabbit hole of “what ifs” which flood our brains with emotions about hypothetical scenarios, allows us to stay in the present.” 

~~ Susan B. Katz, Thrive Global

Organization: The book is organized to read as a simple story. 

Design: The illustrations are simple, clean, and very calming, and the illustrator uses traditional ink and watercolor, along with new methods.

"Although my favorite tools are traditional Pen & Ink and watercolor, I also work digitally and am always eager to try new media and learn new techniques."

~~ Anait Semirdzhyan

Style: The book uses calming lyrical passages in many places and gives readers the choice of centering oneself and being an observer in the Meditation Station. 

"This delightful book offers children one of the most precious of gifts—an understanding that we are not our thoughts! The evocative theme and beautiful illustrations remind all of us that we can stay balanced and calm instead of being taken for a ride by reactive 

stories in our mind."

~~ Tara Brach, author of Radical Compassion

Awards: Winner of the 2020 International Children's Mind/Body/Spirit Book Award

Connections:

Susan B. Katz Books

Anait Semirdzhyan

Book Review #24

 The Rugrats' Book of Chanukah

Author: Sarah Willson

Illustrator: Barry Goldberg

Publisher: Turtleback Books: A Division of Sanval, 1997

ISBN:978-0613058063

Reading Level:  4 - 8 years

Main Characters: All of your favorite Rugrats' characters are here. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Angelica, & the grown-ups. 

Plot: The plot involves a retelling of the Hanukkah story, as seen from the babies’ viewpoint. There is a pageant going on at the Jewish synagogue and there are flashes of Hanukkah history happening when a book about Hanukkah is read to the babies. The book is based on the television series Rugrats.

Settings: The home of Tommy, the Jewish Synagogue, and several significant places in Jewish Hanukkah history. 

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture Book. Religious Holiday Books. Jewish Culture. Jewish Holidays.  

The style is very in keeping with the Rugrat’s humor. It is easy for kids isolate the parts that they can understand and there is enough humor to prevent this book from being overwhelming for younger readers. There are layers and levels of understanding that can be found in it. 

5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: This book is an older book, but it became a tradition at our house. My children did not have very many books about Jewish kids that highlighted the religion in a way that kids could relate to during that time period. We see more cultural books available to children now, but it was a bold move for Nickelodeon to create characters that celebrated the Jewish holidays. These characters helped to pave the way for more children's Jewish characters in television and books. 

My grandchildren are now watching the Rugrats television series and my kids are sharing the Rugrats' books they loved with their children. I might break into a chorus of the "Tradition" song from Fiddler on the Roof, but I am not sure if other Jewish people would shake their heads at this tradition or not. Oy, Vey! 

Discussing the television episode that is very similar to the book with the same name, Ian Spelling writes:  

"Back in December 1996, Nickelodeon kicked off season four of their acclaimed show with an episode simply titled, 'Chanukah.'"

"The sweetest moment arrives when Schlomo, much to Boris’s surprise, perfectly explains the importance and legacy of the menorah and its burning for eight nights. ‘In times of darkness,’ he shares, ‘it shines on the whole world, reminding us not to be afraid to be different, but to be proud of who we are.’”
~~ Ian Spelling

Why 5 Roars? This Rugrats' book and characters helped children become more aware of other cultures during that time period and gave my kids a sense of belonging to a very long history of a people who still find joy in their traditions. I think it is important to remember the time period in which this book was written when assessing its worth. 

Connections: 

Reading of Rugrats' Book of Chanukah

Hanukkah Sameach!

Book Review #23

 Little Penguins

Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade, 2019

ISBN: 978-1984830586

Reading Level: 4-7 years 

Main Characters: Five, little penguins, and Mama penguin

Plot:  The five, cute, little penguins are having fun in Winter and Mama is there to help. 

Settings: Somewhere in a cold climate.

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture books. The style is fun and the cover uses bits of torn paper with letters on them for falling snowflakes.

I Gave This Book 4 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis:
This book is fun and easily appeals to younger audiences. It depicts the first snow of Winter for five baby penguins. It is whimsical and easy to read.

"Caldecott Honor winners Rylant and Robinson collaborate in this visually stunning depiction of winter in Antarctica, but it’s really about winter fun anywhere." 

~~ Booklist

Why 4 Roars? I liked the feeling of family that this book provided. Even in the cold of winter, Mama is there to help the baby penguins. 

Who doesn't love a Mama that bakes warm cookies, and hands out sippy cups? I also like the thank you that implied the need to thank Mama for her help. The books ends with the five, baby penguins wrapped up tight for the night. 

Acknowledgements:

“Newbery Medal–winning author Cynthia Rylant and Caldecott Honor-winning, bestselling illustrator Christian Robinson pair up to tell this wintry story about five little penguins enjoying a snowy day.” 

~~ Amazon Reviews

Connections: 

A great little project that would be perfect with this book would be to cut snowflakes out of white paper. Simple, but great for younger readers. 

Kids Can Make

Book Review #22

Love You Forever

Author: Robert Munsch  
Illustrator: Sheila McGraw  
Publisher: Firefly Books, 1995  
ISBN: 978-0920668368    

Reading Level: 4 and up

Main Characters: A baby boy and his mother. 

Plot: The plot is a simple story of a mother's love for her son. 

Settings: The home of the mother and later in the story the home of the son.

Genre/Theme/Style: Children's Picture Book. A simple story but with a lot of emotions. 

 5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: This book has a lot of mixed reviews. I personally loved it. I do not think it was ever meant to be read as a literal interpretation, but more of an allegory, or a spiritual journey. 

The mother experiences a deep, forever love for her child. The child eventually returns the love his mother has given him and becomes a caring human being because of her unconditional love for him. 

Are there unusual parts in this story? Yes, but again, I never thought it was meant to be taken literally, and I explained that to my children before I read it to them. I think the parts that are meant to be understood come across easily, even for kids.  

"There is a powerful, age-old resonance to the story, centered on that intangible, steadfast bond between mother and child." 

~~ Shelley Fralic, National Post 

"I have yet to read this book through without crying. It says so much about the circle of life, youth, parenting, and our responsibility for our parents as we grow older. The message is so simple yet so profound. Love You Forever is a great gift for anyone with a child, or even for your own parents."

~~ Maria Shriver

Why 5 Roars? When I read this book, I get a little choked up every time.

Acknowledgements: Based on a 2007 online poll, it was listed on the Teacher's Top 100 Books for Children list. 

    

Connections: 

The Story Behind the Book

Book Review #21

 This Book Will Not Be Fun

Author: Cirocco Dunlap
Illustrator: Olivier Tallec
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2017
ISBN: 978-0399550614

Reading Level: 3 - 7 years

Main Characters: Mouse, Flying Word-Eating Whale, Glow-in-the-Dark Fung Fu Worm, & other impossible creatures.

Plot: A mouse wearing reading glasses and reading a book explains that this book will not be fun, unless you think a Flying Word-Eating Whale, a Glow-in-the-dark Fung Fu Worm, & other impossible creatures are fun!

Settings: The characters inside the book appear to come to life outside of the book. 

Genre/Theme/Style: Children’s Picture Book. Children’s Humor.

 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis:

This is a great book to read to children about the joys of opening a book and finding something you did not expect. It has the element of surprise to keep the reader entertained.

"Tallec’s adroit caricatures and talent for building visual drama are a welcome pairing with the monologue voiced by the 

scholarly rodent." 

~~ Kirkus Reviews

Why 5 Roars? I gave this book 5 roars because the students at the library where I work at beg for this book over and over. They never get tired of it! Even our older students get a kick out of hearing it read.

“I don’t know why you’re still here. Even this flying whale is bored, bored, bored.” 

~~ Mouse, This Book Will Not Be Fun.

Illustrations: The illustrations are bright and lively and hold the reader's attention. 

Awards: Children's and Teen Choice Book Award Finalist

Connections: A great way to engage children in the book is to ask them to draw and color what they think an impossible creature would look like. It is a simple way to allow them to participate in the story.

Book Review #20

 Fry Bread: A Native American 

Family Story

Author: Kevin Noble Maillard

Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal 

ISBN: 978-1626727465

Reading Level: 4 – 9 years

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2019

Genre/Theme/Style: Children’s Non-fiction. Indigenous people. Simple verse and beautiful art work. 

Topic: Native American Culture

 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis:

The book emphasises the deep connection between culture and food. 

Accuracy:

The author is a member of the Seminole Nation.

 “Fry Bread celebrates the thing itself and much, much more . . . Maillard and Martinez-Neal bring depth, detail, and whimsy to this Native American food story, with text and illustrations depicting the diversity of indigenous peoples, the role of continuity between generations, and the adaptation over time of people, place, and tradition.” ~~Booklist

Organization:

The Author's Note found in the back of the book is a nice addition. The back also includes a Reference section and Notes. 

“This warm and charming book shows and affirms Native lives. The informational text and expressive drawings give it broad appeal.” ~~ School Library Journal 

Design:  The design is simple but allows for easy access to information. The only real regret is that the book does not include a recipe for Fry Bread. That would have been a nice touch for readers to try at home.  

Why 5 Roars? It is a lovely book that gives the reader a feeling of family and shared culture. 

Awards: Winner of ALA's Sibert Award for Nonfiction 2020

Connections:

This recipe and photo for a traditional Native-American fry bread is provided by Chef Freddie Bitsoie from PBS Food's Lidia Celebrates America. https://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/fry-bread

Native-American Fry Bread

Recipe provided by Navajo Chef, Freddie Bitsoie 

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2-4 cups warm to very warm water

4 cups canola oil

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl and mix well.

Add about 3 cups of water and knead very well using hands or stand mixer. (The amount of water depends on local humidity, so if the dough needs more water, add accordingly.)

Make sure the dough is smooth and soft. Cover, set aside, and allow the dough to rest.

Heat the oil to about 375° F in wide heavy-bottom pan.

Roll the dough out into four balls, and pat out flat (can use a rolling pin).

Carefully place one piece of dough into the hot oil. Once the edges of the dough are golden, turn the bread over and let it finish cooking.

Remove the bread to drain on paper towels.

Repeat with the remaining dough.

*Tips/Techniques - All “fry bread” recipes vary in Native America, and no single recipe is the right one. Enjoy this very simple recipe!

Book Review #19

The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak
Audible Audiobook: Unabridged (13 hours and 56 minutes)
ASIN: B000J20TZA
Publisher: Listening Library
Release Date: Audible.com, 2006

Narrator: Allan Corduner -  He is an English actor that grew up in London, in a secular Jewish home. His mother escaped from Nazi Germany in 1938. He has narrated many novels and voices for video games. 
 
Quality of the Audiobook:
The sound quality was quite good.  Corduner has a very distinctive British accent that lends itself well to the character of Death in the story. The narrator of the book is Death and Corduner offers Death, the character, an embodiment that is very believable, yet endearing.
 
Listening Experience:
The listening experience was enjoyable. However, having read the book previous to listing to the audio version, I already had separate voices for the characters in my head. The rhythm and pace were nice and comfortable, and I had no problems following along with the story. The audio book was easy to access, and I like the simplicity of being able to hear a story at times when I am busy doing other things.
 

“The kind of book that can be life-changing.” ~~The New York Times

 
Reading Level: 12 & up
 
Main Characters: Death, Liesel Meminger, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Rudy, & Max.

Setting: Most of the story occurs during 1939-1942 in the  fictional town of Molching, Germany.
 
Plot: Death is observing and extracting souls during a horrible time in history. Liesel’s brother dies and they burry him. Liesel steals a book from the gravedigger, hence the name book thief. Liesel’s Mother sends her to be cared for by foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. She becomes friends with Rudy, and boy in her neighborhood. Hans teaches Liesel to read.
 
The town holds a book-burning and Liesel steals another book. The mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann allows her to read from her library. Hans has made a promise to take care of a Jewish boy, Max. Liesel become friends with Max, while he is hidden in the basement. Liesel continues to steal books and Ilsa gives her a book to write her own story.
 
Her neighborhood is bombed, and Hans, Rosa, and Rudy are killed. Liesel leaves her completed book, called “The Book Thief” behind in the rubble and Death salvages the book.
 
 5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁
 
Critical Analysis: As death is talking to the reader, he gives you the feeling that nothing good is coming if it is Death that is narrating the story. Death is drawn to colors, mainly as a survival technique.  Death mentions at the beginning of the book that “leftover humans” those he calls the survivors with the “punctured hearts” are disturbing for him to see. 

 

“They were French, they were Jews, and they were you.''

~~ Death, The Book Thief

 
The reader feels as sorry for Death, as the loss of the character that is leaving the story when he comes for them.  For me, Death became the character I felt the most sorrow for, because his job continues, while the souls exit the sadness of the world and move on to something other than this world. Death is clearly both poetic and damaged by the job, but cannot leave this suffering world behind.  

There is a lot of figurative language in the book.

 

"In The Book Thief, where battling to survive is sometimes an act of weakness, we see fighting in all its complexity. Max dreams, for instance, that he is boxing with the Führer. 'There was only one round, and it lasted hours, and for the most part, nothing changed. The Führer pounded away at the punching-bag Jew.' But then Max recovers and knocks Hitler down. Hitler takes off his gloves, seemingly defeated — until he whips the crowd into a fury. The 'fists of an entire nation' attack Max, and he cannot fight them all off. This is fighting as The Book Thief understands it: winners often lose."

~~ Review by John Green, 

The New York Times

I think the average 12-year-old might be overwhelmed by the sadness and the loss of life in this book. I think this book is better suited for readers 15 and up, or adults.
 
Why 5 Roars? It is a sad time in history, but the book is worth trudging through the sorrow and hardships of the characters to read it. It leaves you with the understanding of how valuable the words we read are and that the freedom to read should not be taken for granted.
 
Awards:
Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award,
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year,
Daniel Elliott Peace Award,
Publishers Weekly Best Children Book of the Year,
Booklist Children Editors' Choice,
Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book,
Boeke Prize,
ALA Best Books for Young Adults,

Connections:

 The Book Thief Official Movie Trailer 

Book Review #18

 Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute: Lunch Lady #1

Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka

ISBN: 978-0375846830

Publisher: Knopf Books for 

Young Readers, 2009

Grade Level  7-10 years

Genre/Theme/Style: Graphic Novel.

Good vs. evil, superheroes, and secrete crimefighters.  

The style of this graphic novel series is based on undercover, superheroes that fight crime with lots of humor.    

 

Main Characters: The Lunch Lady and Betty, her assistant. The Breakfast Bunch - Hector, Dee, and Terrence.

Setting: The school where the Lunch Lady works.

Plot: The school lunch lady is a secret crime fighter. Along with Betty her gadget crafting side kick, the lunch lady uncovers an evil plot by the suspicious, substitute teacher to replace all the teachers with robots. 

While the lunch lady is spying on the substitute teacher, Hector, Dee, and Terrence are spying on her. The lunch lady discovers that the substitute teacher is really a cyborg and they must stop his evil plan.  

 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: This is a humorous, slapstick Graphic novel that centers on a lunch lady and her sidekick Betty that solve crime and injustice along with serving up, “whaaamburgers and cries.” 

The humor comes in the form of finding ways of making the ordinary cafeteria and the ordinary lunch lady into something anything but ordinary. Fun examples of this are the secret lunch tray laptop, and chicken nugget bombs. It is part of a series, so kids that enjoy this type of humor can enjoy more Lunch Lady adventures.  

“This tongue-in-cheek superheroine graphic novel will hit the spot for chapter-book readers. Lunch Lady and Betty, her assistant in both the cafeteria and her role of wrong-­righting supersleuth, investigate the strange case of an absent teacher, his creepy substitute, and a plan to grab the Teacher of the Year Award by truly foul means. Three little kids join in the action as Lunch Lady, equipped with a variety of high-tech kitchen gadgets like a spatu-copter and a lunch-tray laptop, tracks a cleverly disguised robot to his maker’s lab, where a whole army of cyborgs require kicking, stomping, and the wielding of fish-stick nunchucks. Yellow-highlighted pen-and-ink cartoons are as energetic and smile-provoking as Lunch Lady’s epithets of “Cauliflower!” and Betty’s ultimate weapon, the hairnet. There is a nice twist in the surprise ending, and the kids’ ability to stand up to the school bully shows off their newfound confidence in a credible manner. Little details invite and reward repeat readings with visual as well as verbal punning.” ~~Francisca Goldsmith, Booklist

Why 4 Roars? The humor was cute, but the plot left something to be desired. I think it might hold a younger reader’s attention longer than an older reader. It is a charming idea, but the actual storyline was lacking for me. It was a short read, but with a lot of action and adventure.   

Illustrations: I liked the simple yellow, gray, and black, illustrations by Krosoczka. They would be great for younger readers, and they have a light playful side to them.

Awards: Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices & IRA Children’s Choices

Connections:  

Meet-the-AuthorRecording 

Book Review #17

 The Graveyard Book

Author: Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Dave McKean

ISBN:978-0060530945

Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition, 2010 

Genre/Theme/Style: Children's Fantasy. Good vs. evil, community, life & death, the supernatural. 

The style of the book changes narration at times and uses episodic layout to break the work into manageable pieces. This works well for emerging readers, in my opinion. It borrows heavily from Gothic literature with flashes of darkness, dark humor, prophesies, and Supernatural events. 

Main Characters: Nobody "Bod" Owens, Silas, Mr. & Mrs. Owens, Jack Frost, Liza Hempstock, Scarlet Perkins, & the community of the Graveyard. 

Setting: A graveyard in an English village, & beyond the gates of the graveyard. 

Plot: Jack murders an entire family, except the toddler that climbs out of his crib and goes up the hill to the graveyard. Mr. and Mrs. Owens, departed ghosts, adopt him and Silas, a vampire, becomes his guardian. They name him Nobody Owens and call him Bod. The community of the graveyard accepts him, and he is given Freedom of the Graveyard. This includes the privileges of Haunting and Fading. Bod becomes friends with a human girl, a witch, and a werewolf. 

As Bod grows up, Scarlett, the human girl, realizes that the police never solved the case of Bod’s family’s murders. Jack, who is a member of the Jack of All Trades, an ancient society that wants to murder Bod because of a prophesy about a boy destroying all of them, becomes friends with Scarlett's mother. Bod goes to Mr. Frost’s house with Scarlett, with the hope of finding out his real name. Bod is shocked to find that Mr. Frost is actually Jack. Bod and Scarlet manage to escape to the graveyard. Bod has a few tricks up his sleeve, but you will have to read the ending for yourself.   

 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. I have a small collection of his books that sit on my home library shelves along side much loved authors like Terry Pratchett, and Douglas Adams. 

Gaiman skillfully weaves mythology into many of his stories, plays with and redefines personifications of old deities such as Jack Frost, and yet still feels contemporary and timeless. He uses dark humor effortlessly to make these characters seem fresh and modern. 

However, for me it is all about how he interlaces bits of wisdom into his overall work. I think Gaiman, Pratchett, and Adams all do this with ease. Gaiman leans on small bits of wisdom, and sprinkles of insight into the human spirit to make you want to read more of his stories.  

"People want to forge the impossible.  It makes their world safer."

~~ Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book

  

"Fear is contagious. You can catch it. Sometimes all it take is for someone to say that they're scared for the fear 

to be come real."

~~ Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book

  "We are deep in Neil Gaiman territory here, and it's hard to think of a more delightful and scary place to spend 300 pages. Mrs Owens names the boy Nobody, "Bod" for short, and in each successive chapter Bod is another two years older, growing from infant to young teenager through a series of not always connected adventures." ~~ The Guardian

"Childhood fears take solid shape in the nursery-rhyme–inspired villains, while heroism is its own, often bitter, reward." ~~Kirkus Reviews 

Why 5 Roars? With quotes like, “Nearly' only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades.” The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is hard to ignore. The characters are well defined, the atmosphere is pleasantly spooky in a suspenseful but tasteful way, and the humor gets better each time you read the book.  

Awards: Hugo Award for Best Novel,  Newberry Medal, Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel, & Carnegie Medal 

Connections: Gothic Novel Study 

Book Review #16

 Turkey Trouble

 

Author: Wendi Silvano
Illustrator: Lee Harper
Publisher: Two Lions, 2009
ISBN: 978-0761455295
Reading Level: 3 - 7 years

Main Characters: Turkey, Farmer Jake, and all his farmyard friends.

Plot: Thanksgiving is at hand and Turkey🦃 is wondering what to do, fortunately he comes up with a clever solution. He disguises himself as other farmyard animals that he thinks Farmer Jake will not eat for Thanksgiving. Will his costumes work? Turkey's last costume is his best idea ever, and everyone loves the Thanksgiving meal!

Settings: Farmer Jake's house and farmyard.

Genre/Theme/Style: Children’s Humor
The style is comical and leaves you with a smile and possibly a craving for pizza! 🍕

 

"Kids will eat this up this clever 

and comical tale."

 ~~Booklist

5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: A great addition to your Thanksgiving traditions. The artwork is cute, the story is witty, and the ending is happy. 

 

"Stuffed with clever wordplay, groanable puns, and easy-to-ham-it-up animal sounds, the chuckle-inducing narrative makes a crowd-pleasing read-aloud. Turkey's getups are exuberantly silly, and the animals' sardonic facial expressions are sublime." 

~~School Library Journal

Why 5 Roars? Who doesn't love a terrific turkey tale at Thanksgiving? I know I do! It is great fun for young and old readers alike. It can easily be read at a family gathering and enjoyed by all. Gobble, Gobble!  

Connections:

Turkey Facts

Book Review #15

 Breaking Stalin's Nose

Author: Eugene Yelchin

Publisher : Henry Holt and Co., 2011

ISBN: 978-0805092165

Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading Level: 9 - 12 years

4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 4 Roars? I think an adult might need to explain some of the details to a reader between the ages of nine and twelve years old. A great deal of reading between the lines is necessary to fully understand the whole of the story. 

There is such an underlying gloom of political fear that I wonder if some readers will be able to grasp all of it. The majority of the themes are aimed at an adult understanding of the political climate that occurred during this time period. That might make it difficult for readers without contextual support.   

Main Characters: Sasha Zaichik and his father, a good Communist who works for the State Security (secret police).

Plot: Sasha, a ten-year-old boy, is committed to Stalin and is eager to become a Young Pioneer. His father works for the State Security and is a hero in Sasha’s eyes. His American mother has died mysteriously. His father is arrested, and a confused Sasha is left to wonder what happened.  Even though his relatives refuse to take him in, he continues to attend school. He accidently breaks off the nose of the school's sculpture of Stalin and Sasha realizes that he does not want to be a Young Pioneer.

Setting: Soviet Russia during the Cold War period.

Theme: The book is written from a child's point of view. The protagonist goes through a touching major shift in viewpoint and a life changing predicament when his father is arrested. His mother has died mysteriously and the events surrounding him are very in keeping with a child living in a tyrannical society. 

There is a lot of secrecy and disappointment that creates a feeling of disenchantment for the reader during the course of the story. The humor is overshadowed by grief and deep loss. Sasha’s understanding of the world is dimly lit by the oppressive shadow of communism. 

After taking small bites of a carrot to make it last longer, Sasha feels sorry for children in capitalist’s countries. “I wonder what it’s like in the capitalist’s countries. I wouldn’t be surprised if children there had never even tasted a carrot,“ he ponders.

Style: The author's drawings are interesting and adds a good bit to the storyline. The book is a quick read with short chapters, but especially descriptive.

“Mr. Yelchin has compressed into two days of events an entire epoch, giving young readers a glimpse of the precariousness of life in a capricious yet ever-watchful totalitarian state.” ~~Wall Street Journal

The ending is left open and does not happily wrap up the problems. The ending gives the reader a great deal to ponder or discuss, which could be frustrating or great for allowing readers to make their own predictions.   

Additional Criteria:

I did not get a great deal of historical detail in the book, due to its brevity. I thought it focused on principles and personal choice more so than historical facts. However, the accuracy is based on the author’s own personal experience of the Russian communist establishment.

“Sasha is 10 years old and is devoted to Stalin, even writing adoring letters to Comrade Stalin expressing his eagerness at becoming a Young Pioneer. But his mother has died mysteriously, his father has been imprisoned and Sasha finds he has important moral choices to make. Yelchin’s graphite illustrations are an effective complement to his prose, which unfurls in Sasha’s steady, first-person voice, and together they tell an important tale. Yelchin’s graphite illustrations are an effective complement to his prose, which unfurls in Sasha’s steady, first-person voice, and together they tell an important tale.” 
~~Kirkus Reviews

“ This brief novel gets at the heart of a society that asks its citizens, even its children, to report on relatives and friends. Appropriately menacing illustrations by first-time novelist Yelchin add a sinister tone.” 
~~ The Horn Book

Awards: A Newbery Honor Book, Washington Post Best Children's Book of the Year

Connections: 

Information about Communism

Information about Democracy