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A Nest for Celeste (Henry Cole)
Celeste, a recently orphaned young mouse, lives under the floorboards in the dining room at the Pirrie plantation home near New Orleans. She watches and waits patiently until the coast is clear --- neither person nor animal within sight, sound, or smell --- and then she ventures onto the dining room floor to pick up crumbs and bits of food. Whether it is a scrap of bacon, a bit of biscuit, or a prized piecrust crumb, Celeste quickly gathers them all, places them in her tiny handwoven basket and scampers back to safety. Once again she has avoided the furtive cat, the huge dog and the humans. But two big bullying rats nip at her and steal most of her food. Life in the big house may be one of luxury for the human residents, but survival is a daily struggle for tiny Celeste.
Famous wildlife artist Audubon and his young assistant, Joseph, are temporarily living on the plantation. Audubon hunts birds, which he often kills so that he can pose them to appear as lifelike models for his many sketches and paintings. What a cruel thing to do to such lovely creatures, but this was nearly two centuries ago and things were done much differently then. Joseph sketches and paints much of the botanical background for his teacher. He realizes he has a great opportunity to learn from Audubon, but the young lad is quite homesick and lonely.
Because the cat discovered Celeste's hiding place, Celeste is once again on the move and seeking safety. She finds refuge upstairs in the toe of Joseph's boot. When Joseph discovers the little mouse, they quickly become friends. Now Celeste has a safe spot in his shirt pocket and a bird's-eye view of her surroundings. Still, life is hardly idyllic at Pirrie Plantation. Joseph is winged in the head during a hunting accident and is increasingly upset by the hunting of birds, which he believes is a cruel way to locate lifelike models. Celeste encounters a wood thrush named Cornelius, caged for Audubon's study. While hunting the very hungry Cornelius some dogwood berries, Celeste gets lost and is swept far away from home during a dreadful storm. Rescue finally arrives in the form of a very talkative osprey named Lafayette. Celeste returns home and frees Cornelius from his cage, who promptly flies away.
Once again the menacing cat locates Celeste, and frantically she climbs the tall staircase --- no easy task for a tiny mouse --- and finds herself in a musty, dusty attic. There she discovers a real treasure: a fully furnished dollhouse with mouse-sized furniture. Now she feels at home, but misses being near Joseph. As the story continues, the diminutive mouse learns much more about freedom, friendship and a place called home.
This unusual piece of historical fiction comes alive through author Henry Cole’s carefully chosen words and charming pencil artwork. The reader will not soon forget little Celeste and her many adventures.
Celeste, a recently orphaned young mouse, lives under the floorboards in the dining room at the Pirrie plantation home near New Orleans. She watches and waits patiently until the coast is clear --- neither person nor animal within sight, sound, or smell --- and then she ventures onto the dining room floor to pick up crumbs and bits of food. Whether it is a scrap of bacon, a bit of biscuit, or a prized piecrust crumb, Celeste quickly gathers them all, places them in her tiny handwoven basket and scampers back to safety. Once again she has avoided the furtive cat, the huge dog and the humans. But two big bullying rats nip at her and steal most of her food. Life in the big house may be one of luxury for the human residents, but survival is a daily struggle for tiny Celeste.
Famous wildlife artist Audubon and his young assistant, Joseph, are temporarily living on the plantation. Audubon hunts birds, which he often kills so that he can pose them to appear as lifelike models for his many sketches and paintings. What a cruel thing to do to such lovely creatures, but this was nearly two centuries ago and things were done much differently then. Joseph sketches and paints much of the botanical background for his teacher. He realizes he has a great opportunity to learn from Audubon, but the young lad is quite homesick and lonely.
Because the cat discovered Celeste's hiding place, Celeste is once again on the move and seeking safety. She finds refuge upstairs in the toe of Joseph's boot. When Joseph discovers the little mouse, they quickly become friends. Now Celeste has a safe spot in his shirt pocket and a bird's-eye view of her surroundings. Still, life is hardly idyllic at Pirrie Plantation. Joseph is winged in the head during a hunting accident and is increasingly upset by the hunting of birds, which he believes is a cruel way to locate lifelike models. Celeste encounters a wood thrush named Cornelius, caged for Audubon's study. While hunting the very hungry Cornelius some dogwood berries, Celeste gets lost and is swept far away from home during a dreadful storm. Rescue finally arrives in the form of a very talkative osprey named Lafayette. Celeste returns home and frees Cornelius from his cage, who promptly flies away.
Once again the menacing cat locates Celeste, and frantically she climbs the tall staircase --- no easy task for a tiny mouse --- and finds herself in a musty, dusty attic. There she discovers a real treasure: a fully furnished dollhouse with mouse-sized furniture. Now she feels at home, but misses being near Joseph. As the story continues, the diminutive mouse learns much more about freedom, friendship and a place called home.
This unusual piece of historical fiction comes alive through author Henry Cole’s carefully chosen words and charming pencil artwork. The reader will not soon forget little Celeste and her many adventures.
Crenshaw (Katherine A. Applegate)
CRENSHAW is about a young boy who finds a friend and hope in an imaginary skateboarding cat --- hit home. And it should for many others (and not just 20something book reviewers). Most of us had an imaginary friend at some point, usually to blame things on when a mess was made or something was broken.Or, in the case of our main character, Jackson, imaginary friends appear sometimes when things get a little tricky. Jackson's family is struggling. There's not much money for food or rent and it looks like the family of four --- plus their dog, Aretha --- might have to live in their van again.
That would mean giving up everything that Jackson loved about his home, in addition to all of his things that they sold at a garage sale to make money.
Just when things are looking glum, Crenshaw appears. Jackson hasn't seen Crenshaw since they had last lived in the van and even then, he isn't sure why he's appeared. You see, Jackson isn't very imaginative. He likes facts and things that can be proven. He wants to be an animal scientist when he grows up and study something like bats. He doesn't want or need the humongous and loud skateboarding, purple jelly bean-eating, bubble bath-taking cat. He doesn't even like cats.
Written in simple and beautiful prose, CRENSHAW will cement its spot on many bookshelves as a beloved story to be shared and reread forever.
But Crenshaw insists that he can't leave until Jackson is okay and at first, Jackson thinks he's okay if not a little overwhelmed. And as this short little book unfolds, we see exactly why. Despite his parents' best effort to hide their financial troubles, money is tight. Jackson's dad has MS --- a disease that makes it hard for him to work --- and his mom was let go from her teaching job. Food is stretched into as many meals as they can get and they didn't have any money to send Jackson to soccer camp like the rest of his friends.
Jackson tries to look on the bright side, focusing on his dog-walking business with his best friend or playing with his younger sister. He tries not to think about how hungry he is or how scared he is to live in the van again.
It turns out that Crenshaw is a good distraction, and not just for Jackson. This book is a beautiful escape for readers of all ages. It will make you feel nostalgic for the days when imaginary friends were your greatest joy and you didn't have to worry about what your parents were worrying about.
Written in simple and beautiful prose, CRENSHAW will cement its spot on many bookshelves as a beloved story to be shared and reread forever. It's truly magical. I loved Jackson. I loved his story and I loved how true it felt. I didn't want the book to end and after reading the captivating first chapter, you won't either.
This book was truly incredible and excellently told. An instant and modern classic, for sure. I cannot wait for kids of all ages (and adults) to meet Crenshaw and Jackson. You'll find a story with a lot of heart and it will no doubt stay with you long after you finish. I hope that people get an amazing story out of it but also understand the diversity of experience. That homelessness can creep up on people. That the status doesn't just belong to people in cities. That anyone can be struggling and starving and that sometimes, all you need is a distraction and some hope to make it even the tiniest of bit better.
I hope that for the many kids living in situations that their friends and neighbors might be unaware of, this book helps. And that maybe it teaches a kid who can never imagine going hungry or living in a van something. Books have to serve that purpose. They have to entertain, yes, but they also have to teach. And I think CRENSHAW did an amazing job of both. It's a beautiful book. I hope you enjoy it.
CRENSHAW is about a young boy who finds a friend and hope in an imaginary skateboarding cat --- hit home. And it should for many others (and not just 20something book reviewers). Most of us had an imaginary friend at some point, usually to blame things on when a mess was made or something was broken.Or, in the case of our main character, Jackson, imaginary friends appear sometimes when things get a little tricky. Jackson's family is struggling. There's not much money for food or rent and it looks like the family of four --- plus their dog, Aretha --- might have to live in their van again.
That would mean giving up everything that Jackson loved about his home, in addition to all of his things that they sold at a garage sale to make money.
Just when things are looking glum, Crenshaw appears. Jackson hasn't seen Crenshaw since they had last lived in the van and even then, he isn't sure why he's appeared. You see, Jackson isn't very imaginative. He likes facts and things that can be proven. He wants to be an animal scientist when he grows up and study something like bats. He doesn't want or need the humongous and loud skateboarding, purple jelly bean-eating, bubble bath-taking cat. He doesn't even like cats.
Written in simple and beautiful prose, CRENSHAW will cement its spot on many bookshelves as a beloved story to be shared and reread forever.
But Crenshaw insists that he can't leave until Jackson is okay and at first, Jackson thinks he's okay if not a little overwhelmed. And as this short little book unfolds, we see exactly why. Despite his parents' best effort to hide their financial troubles, money is tight. Jackson's dad has MS --- a disease that makes it hard for him to work --- and his mom was let go from her teaching job. Food is stretched into as many meals as they can get and they didn't have any money to send Jackson to soccer camp like the rest of his friends.
Jackson tries to look on the bright side, focusing on his dog-walking business with his best friend or playing with his younger sister. He tries not to think about how hungry he is or how scared he is to live in the van again.
It turns out that Crenshaw is a good distraction, and not just for Jackson. This book is a beautiful escape for readers of all ages. It will make you feel nostalgic for the days when imaginary friends were your greatest joy and you didn't have to worry about what your parents were worrying about.
Written in simple and beautiful prose, CRENSHAW will cement its spot on many bookshelves as a beloved story to be shared and reread forever. It's truly magical. I loved Jackson. I loved his story and I loved how true it felt. I didn't want the book to end and after reading the captivating first chapter, you won't either.
This book was truly incredible and excellently told. An instant and modern classic, for sure. I cannot wait for kids of all ages (and adults) to meet Crenshaw and Jackson. You'll find a story with a lot of heart and it will no doubt stay with you long after you finish. I hope that people get an amazing story out of it but also understand the diversity of experience. That homelessness can creep up on people. That the status doesn't just belong to people in cities. That anyone can be struggling and starving and that sometimes, all you need is a distraction and some hope to make it even the tiniest of bit better.
I hope that for the many kids living in situations that their friends and neighbors might be unaware of, this book helps. And that maybe it teaches a kid who can never imagine going hungry or living in a van something. Books have to serve that purpose. They have to entertain, yes, but they also have to teach. And I think CRENSHAW did an amazing job of both. It's a beautiful book. I hope you enjoy it.
Fish in a Tree (Lynda Lullaly Hunt)
Ally Nickerson, the main character of FISH IN A TREE, has a big problem. However, she has become very good at keeping her problem hidden. And while people have their suspicions, it is her new teacher, Mr. Daniels, who finally uncovers the full extent of Ally’s problem: Ally can’t read. After some testing, it is confirmed that Ally has dyslexia, and, for the first time Ally feels like maybe she isn’t stupid. And with Mr. Daniels’ help, Ally begins to learn how to read.
Although Ally is definitely the star of FISH IN A TREE, Hunt provides a beautifully rendered and complete sketch of a classroom today. Hunt represents all of the stock characters such as the nerd, the bully and the kid who can’t sit still. However, her descriptions of these characters are anything but stock; Hunt provides all of her characters with nuance. For example, Shay, the class bully, is shown being bullied by her mother after she fails to accomplish something.
Hunt provides a beautifully rendered and complete sketch of a classroom today.
Although Ally is definitely the star of FISH IN A TREE, Hunt provides a beautifully rendered and complete sketch of a classroom today. Hunt represents all of the stock characters such as the nerd, the bully and the kid who can’t sit still. However, her descriptions of these characters are anything but stock; Hunt provides all of her characters with nuance. For example, Shay, the class bully, is shown being bullied by her mother after she fails to accomplish something.
Mr. Daniels is the type of teacher that all children wish they had and that all teachers aspire to be. The concern he displays for Ally and her classmates is realistic, as are the steps that he takes to assist Ally.
In some ways FISH IN A TREE is predictable. As an adult reader I knew that things would turn out okay in the end. However, I became attached to the characters and wouldn’t have wanted things to turn out any differently. I believe that younger readers may not find it as predictable, but I think that they too will be hoping for a happy ending for Ally and her classmates.
Ally Nickerson, the main character of FISH IN A TREE, has a big problem. However, she has become very good at keeping her problem hidden. And while people have their suspicions, it is her new teacher, Mr. Daniels, who finally uncovers the full extent of Ally’s problem: Ally can’t read. After some testing, it is confirmed that Ally has dyslexia, and, for the first time Ally feels like maybe she isn’t stupid. And with Mr. Daniels’ help, Ally begins to learn how to read.
Although Ally is definitely the star of FISH IN A TREE, Hunt provides a beautifully rendered and complete sketch of a classroom today. Hunt represents all of the stock characters such as the nerd, the bully and the kid who can’t sit still. However, her descriptions of these characters are anything but stock; Hunt provides all of her characters with nuance. For example, Shay, the class bully, is shown being bullied by her mother after she fails to accomplish something.
Hunt provides a beautifully rendered and complete sketch of a classroom today.
Although Ally is definitely the star of FISH IN A TREE, Hunt provides a beautifully rendered and complete sketch of a classroom today. Hunt represents all of the stock characters such as the nerd, the bully and the kid who can’t sit still. However, her descriptions of these characters are anything but stock; Hunt provides all of her characters with nuance. For example, Shay, the class bully, is shown being bullied by her mother after she fails to accomplish something.
Mr. Daniels is the type of teacher that all children wish they had and that all teachers aspire to be. The concern he displays for Ally and her classmates is realistic, as are the steps that he takes to assist Ally.
In some ways FISH IN A TREE is predictable. As an adult reader I knew that things would turn out okay in the end. However, I became attached to the characters and wouldn’t have wanted things to turn out any differently. I believe that younger readers may not find it as predictable, but I think that they too will be hoping for a happy ending for Ally and her classmates.
Front Desk (Kelly Yang)
Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms,10 -year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.
Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.
Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?
It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao and go for her dreams?
Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms,10 -year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.
Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.
Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?
It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao and go for her dreams?
The Great Treehouse War (Lisa Graff)
Winnie’s last day of fourth grade ended with a pretty life-changing surprise. That was the day Winnie’s parents got divorced, the day they decided that Winnie would live three days a week with each of them and spend Wednesdays by herself in a treehouse smack between their houses, to divide her time perfectly evenly between them. It was the day Winnie’s seed of frustration with her parents was planted, a seed that grew and grew until it felt like it was as big as a tree itself.
By the end of fifth grade, Winnie decides that the only way to change things is to barricade herself in her treehouse until her parents come to their senses—and her friends decide to join her. It’s kids versus grown-ups, and no one wants to back down first. But with ten kids in one treehouse, all with their own demands, Winnie discovers that things can get pretty complicated pretty fast! (Even if they are having the most epic slumber party ever.)
Winnie’s last day of fourth grade ended with a pretty life-changing surprise. That was the day Winnie’s parents got divorced, the day they decided that Winnie would live three days a week with each of them and spend Wednesdays by herself in a treehouse smack between their houses, to divide her time perfectly evenly between them. It was the day Winnie’s seed of frustration with her parents was planted, a seed that grew and grew until it felt like it was as big as a tree itself.
By the end of fifth grade, Winnie decides that the only way to change things is to barricade herself in her treehouse until her parents come to their senses—and her friends decide to join her. It’s kids versus grown-ups, and no one wants to back down first. But with ten kids in one treehouse, all with their own demands, Winnie discovers that things can get pretty complicated pretty fast! (Even if they are having the most epic slumber party ever.)
Greetings From Nowhere (Barbara O'Connor)
Aggie isn't expecting visitors at the Sleepy Time Motel in the Great Smoky Mountains. Since her husband died, she is all alone with her cat, Ugly, and keeping up with the bills and repairs has become next to impossible. The pool is empty, the garden is overgrown, and not a soul has come to stay in nearly three months. When she reluctantly places a For Sale ad in the newspaper, Aggie doesn't know that Kirby and his mom will need a room when their car breaks down on the way to Kirby's new reform school. Or that Loretta and her parents will arrive in her dad's plumbing company van on a trip meant to honor the memory of Loretta's birth mother. Or that Clyde Dover will answer the For Sale ad in such a hurry and move in with his daughter, Willow, looking for a brand-new life to replace the one that was fractured when Willow's mom left. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that Aggie and her guests find just the friend they need at the shabby motel in the middle of nowhere.
Review: The lives of four families change when they intersect at a run-down motel in the middle of nowhere. For years Aggie and her late husband operated the Sleepy Time Motel in the Great Smoky Mountains. Alone now and facing a drawer of unpaid bills and endless repairs on the dilapidated motel, Aggie reluctantly puts a “For Sale” ad in the paper. Eager for a new life since his wife left, Clyde makes an offer on the motel and uproots his lonely daughter Willow to the Sleepy Time. A troubled kid, Kirby and his mom are en route to a special boys’ school when their car breaks down and they show up at the motel. Filled with questions about her birth mother who has recently died, Loretta and her adoptive parents arrive at the Sleepy Time on a family vacation. As these unlikely folks come together in Aggie’s tumbledown motel, they find something they need through the friendships that form. O’Connor artfully weaves together the hopes, fears, disappointments, sorrows and joys of her multi-generational cast to produce a warm and satisfying conclusion.
Aggie isn't expecting visitors at the Sleepy Time Motel in the Great Smoky Mountains. Since her husband died, she is all alone with her cat, Ugly, and keeping up with the bills and repairs has become next to impossible. The pool is empty, the garden is overgrown, and not a soul has come to stay in nearly three months. When she reluctantly places a For Sale ad in the newspaper, Aggie doesn't know that Kirby and his mom will need a room when their car breaks down on the way to Kirby's new reform school. Or that Loretta and her parents will arrive in her dad's plumbing company van on a trip meant to honor the memory of Loretta's birth mother. Or that Clyde Dover will answer the For Sale ad in such a hurry and move in with his daughter, Willow, looking for a brand-new life to replace the one that was fractured when Willow's mom left. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that Aggie and her guests find just the friend they need at the shabby motel in the middle of nowhere.
Review: The lives of four families change when they intersect at a run-down motel in the middle of nowhere. For years Aggie and her late husband operated the Sleepy Time Motel in the Great Smoky Mountains. Alone now and facing a drawer of unpaid bills and endless repairs on the dilapidated motel, Aggie reluctantly puts a “For Sale” ad in the paper. Eager for a new life since his wife left, Clyde makes an offer on the motel and uproots his lonely daughter Willow to the Sleepy Time. A troubled kid, Kirby and his mom are en route to a special boys’ school when their car breaks down and they show up at the motel. Filled with questions about her birth mother who has recently died, Loretta and her adoptive parents arrive at the Sleepy Time on a family vacation. As these unlikely folks come together in Aggie’s tumbledown motel, they find something they need through the friendships that form. O’Connor artfully weaves together the hopes, fears, disappointments, sorrows and joys of her multi-generational cast to produce a warm and satisfying conclusion.
The Key To Extraordinary (Natalie Lloyd)
The author of A SNICKER OF MAGIC returns with another “spindiddly” tale of courage, community and mystery. Twelve-year-old Emma Pearl Casey is the official tour guide of the Blackbird Hollow Cemetery, which also happens to be her backyard. She has the lowdown on all of the local characters --- living, dead and in between --- making her an ideal guide and narrator.
Emma’s no stranger to death, having lost both of her parents and grown up alongside a graveyard. She takes comfort in a deeply rooted connection to the other women on her family tree. Known as the Wildflowers, each experiences a Destiny Dream, dutifully recorded in the Book of Days and passed down to the next generation of girls. The dream always features a field of flowers, and is said to present a vision of the future. Emma is confident that when the dream arrives, her path to glory will become clear and the “Big Empty” feeling --- the one that comes with being an orphan --- will be a little more manageable.
Balancing dreamlike description with engaging action is no easy feat, but Lloyd succeeds for the most part in carrying the narrative forward.
But when the Destiny Dream finally comes, Emma is baffled. What could a bouquet of flowers and a rusty key have to do with her fate? The local lore of Blackbird Hollow, Tennessee may hold the answers she needs. Together with best friend Cody Belle and new kid Earl Chance, Emma sets out to find a long-lost treasure and save her family’s bakery from greedy developers.
Natalie Lloyd weaves surrealism and suspense to make for a quick and compelling read. Balancing dreamlike description with engaging action is no easy feat, but Lloyd succeeds for the most part in carrying the narrative forward. Without spoiling the novel’s big reveal, I will say that I was disappointed in the whitewashed portrait of the southern town’s history. For all its vibrant characters, Blackbird Hollow is far from diverse.
The author of A SNICKER OF MAGIC returns with another “spindiddly” tale of courage, community and mystery. Twelve-year-old Emma Pearl Casey is the official tour guide of the Blackbird Hollow Cemetery, which also happens to be her backyard. She has the lowdown on all of the local characters --- living, dead and in between --- making her an ideal guide and narrator.
Emma’s no stranger to death, having lost both of her parents and grown up alongside a graveyard. She takes comfort in a deeply rooted connection to the other women on her family tree. Known as the Wildflowers, each experiences a Destiny Dream, dutifully recorded in the Book of Days and passed down to the next generation of girls. The dream always features a field of flowers, and is said to present a vision of the future. Emma is confident that when the dream arrives, her path to glory will become clear and the “Big Empty” feeling --- the one that comes with being an orphan --- will be a little more manageable.
Balancing dreamlike description with engaging action is no easy feat, but Lloyd succeeds for the most part in carrying the narrative forward.
But when the Destiny Dream finally comes, Emma is baffled. What could a bouquet of flowers and a rusty key have to do with her fate? The local lore of Blackbird Hollow, Tennessee may hold the answers she needs. Together with best friend Cody Belle and new kid Earl Chance, Emma sets out to find a long-lost treasure and save her family’s bakery from greedy developers.
Natalie Lloyd weaves surrealism and suspense to make for a quick and compelling read. Balancing dreamlike description with engaging action is no easy feat, but Lloyd succeeds for the most part in carrying the narrative forward. Without spoiling the novel’s big reveal, I will say that I was disappointed in the whitewashed portrait of the southern town’s history. For all its vibrant characters, Blackbird Hollow is far from diverse.
The Last Musketeer (Stuart Gibbs)
Greg is none too pleased to be in Paris with his folks as they sell off family heirlooms. Among their belongings is a magical crystal that, when nabbed by a villainous thief, whisks them into the distant past. Suddenly in 17th-century Paris, Greg’s parents are imprisoned in the La Mort Triste and sentenced to die. Greg has only a few days to save them. He elicits the help of three teenage boys: Aramis, Porthos and Athos, each keen for the adventure. As the boys wend their way through the fetid streets of medieval Paris with the king’s guards always on their heels, they endure death-defying battles and swordfights on horseback, chandeliers and ledges. With the past and the present entwining in dizzying tangles of who’s who and what’s what, Gibbs weaves in historical facts about Paris as well as atmospheric tidbits about rats, bed bugs and the lack of toilets and pockets in pants. Greg, now referred to as D’Artagnon, eventually deduces his role in this group, but it’s going to take more than wishful thinking to get him and his parents back home—or is Paris home?
REVIEW: This is the first in a series of time-travel adventures inspired by Dumas’ classic novel The Three Musketeers. When 14-year-old Greg’s parents lose their fortune, the family travels to Paris to sell their antique furniture to the Louvre. A sinister museum official, Michel Dinicoeur, uses a crystal belonging to Greg’s mother to send the family back in time to 1615, when the Louvre was the king’s palace, and immediately accuses them of trying to assassinate the king. As it turns out, Dinicoeur has another identity in 1615: Dominic Richelieu, captain of the king’s guard and brother of the powerful cardinal. While his parents are imprisoned in the fortress of La Mort Triste, from which no prisoner has emerged alive, Greg escapes and meets three boys named Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, who will grow up to become the Three Musketeers. Greg himself takes on the role of D’Artagnan. Together they come up with a plan to break into the prison and rescue Greg’s parents, who are scheduled to be executed in three days. While adjusting to life in the 17th century, Greg comes to realize the value of friendship as he and the Musketeers race against time to defeat the evil Richelieu and the scheming Milady de Winter.
I enjoyed this fast-paced story, and the parts where Greg is trying to adjust to life without electricity, air-conditioning, and indoor plumbing are cleverly written. The book should appeal to fans of the Dumas novel or any of its film adaptations, and it serves as a good introduction to the story of the Three Musketeers for anyone who is unfamiliar with it. Unfortunately, it contains several mistakes that lessened my enjoyment of the book. For example, there are a few mentions of the guillotine, which was not invented until the French Revolution.
Greg is none too pleased to be in Paris with his folks as they sell off family heirlooms. Among their belongings is a magical crystal that, when nabbed by a villainous thief, whisks them into the distant past. Suddenly in 17th-century Paris, Greg’s parents are imprisoned in the La Mort Triste and sentenced to die. Greg has only a few days to save them. He elicits the help of three teenage boys: Aramis, Porthos and Athos, each keen for the adventure. As the boys wend their way through the fetid streets of medieval Paris with the king’s guards always on their heels, they endure death-defying battles and swordfights on horseback, chandeliers and ledges. With the past and the present entwining in dizzying tangles of who’s who and what’s what, Gibbs weaves in historical facts about Paris as well as atmospheric tidbits about rats, bed bugs and the lack of toilets and pockets in pants. Greg, now referred to as D’Artagnon, eventually deduces his role in this group, but it’s going to take more than wishful thinking to get him and his parents back home—or is Paris home?
REVIEW: This is the first in a series of time-travel adventures inspired by Dumas’ classic novel The Three Musketeers. When 14-year-old Greg’s parents lose their fortune, the family travels to Paris to sell their antique furniture to the Louvre. A sinister museum official, Michel Dinicoeur, uses a crystal belonging to Greg’s mother to send the family back in time to 1615, when the Louvre was the king’s palace, and immediately accuses them of trying to assassinate the king. As it turns out, Dinicoeur has another identity in 1615: Dominic Richelieu, captain of the king’s guard and brother of the powerful cardinal. While his parents are imprisoned in the fortress of La Mort Triste, from which no prisoner has emerged alive, Greg escapes and meets three boys named Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, who will grow up to become the Three Musketeers. Greg himself takes on the role of D’Artagnan. Together they come up with a plan to break into the prison and rescue Greg’s parents, who are scheduled to be executed in three days. While adjusting to life in the 17th century, Greg comes to realize the value of friendship as he and the Musketeers race against time to defeat the evil Richelieu and the scheming Milady de Winter.
I enjoyed this fast-paced story, and the parts where Greg is trying to adjust to life without electricity, air-conditioning, and indoor plumbing are cleverly written. The book should appeal to fans of the Dumas novel or any of its film adaptations, and it serves as a good introduction to the story of the Three Musketeers for anyone who is unfamiliar with it. Unfortunately, it contains several mistakes that lessened my enjoyment of the book. For example, there are a few mentions of the guillotine, which was not invented until the French Revolution.
The League of Seven (Alan Gratz)
In an alternate 1875 America electricity is forbidden, Native Americans and Yankees are united, and eldritch evil lurks in the shadows. Young Archie Dent knows there really are monsters in the world. His parents are members of the Septemberist Society, whose job it is to protect humanity from hideous giants called the Mangleborn. Trapped in underground prisons for a thousand years, the giant monsters have been all but forgotten—but now they are rising again as the steam-driven America of 1875 rediscovers electricity, the lifeblood of the Mangleborn. When his parents and the rest of the Septemberists are brainwashed by one of the evil creatures, Archie must assemble a team of seven young heroes to save the world.
REVIEW: In The League of Seven, Alan Gratz imagines an alternate America in the 1870s where electricity (or lektricity, as they call it) is forbidden and has been replaced by a mix of steam, clockwork and gas. A world of steam-powered submarines and airships and aether pistols.And monsters. Many, many monsters. As young Archie Dent soon finds out.
Every so often a group comes together, the League of Seven, made up of a tinker, a law-bringer, a scientist, a trickster, a warrior, a strong man, and a hero. Previous members of the League included legends such as Theseus and Hercules, Anansi and Maat. They fight against creatures called the Mangleborn and their offspring, the Manglespawn, protecting humanity, though only a small group, the Septemberists know anything about any of this. Most of the actual history of the world has become hidden in nursery rhymes and myths and legends.
Archie Dent is the child of Septemberists and hero-worships the League of Seven. Together with his parents and Mr. Rivets, their clockwork mechanical man (or Tik Tok), they travel to warn the Septemberists about the imminent release of Malacar Ahasherat, the Swarm Queen, an especially powerful Mangleborn. Except Archie soon discovers that all of the Septemberists are already being mind-controlled by insects attached to their necks. Archie escapes with his parents only to discover that they, too, are being controlled by the insects. Archie has no choice but to go with them to Florida, where they intend to release Malacar Ahasherat from her prison. The man in charge of these efforts is none other than Thomas Edison, who seeks to restore electricity to the world.
There, Archie meets Fergus, a Scottish boy who is a genius with machines and Hachi, a young First Nations girl who has a menagerie of small, clockwork animals who do her bidding. Circumstance leads them to join forces, in what Archie is convinced is the start of a new League. From there they go on a rollicking adventure to try to stop Edison and save Archie’s parents while saving Archie’s parents and figuring out what Malacar Ahasherat really wants (and why she keeps speaking in Archie’s mind).
Gratz’s world is really a triumph. It has the usual steampunk elements of zeppelins and clockwork men and steam-powered devices, but it also reimagines the United States as the United Nations, incorporating various First Nations as well as the Republics of Texas and California. New York is New Rome. The Inter-Net is a communications network made up of pneumatic tubes (complete with its own version of spam).
The world feels fully developed and there’s plenty here to inspire further stories. It seems clear that this is just the first in a series of books and Gratz plants plenty of seeds here for future books.
Oh, and did I mention that Nikola Tesla is in the book?The League of Seven is a thrilling and exciting (and sometimes dark) beginning to what I hope is a long series to come. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys middle-grade fiction.
In an alternate 1875 America electricity is forbidden, Native Americans and Yankees are united, and eldritch evil lurks in the shadows. Young Archie Dent knows there really are monsters in the world. His parents are members of the Septemberist Society, whose job it is to protect humanity from hideous giants called the Mangleborn. Trapped in underground prisons for a thousand years, the giant monsters have been all but forgotten—but now they are rising again as the steam-driven America of 1875 rediscovers electricity, the lifeblood of the Mangleborn. When his parents and the rest of the Septemberists are brainwashed by one of the evil creatures, Archie must assemble a team of seven young heroes to save the world.
REVIEW: In The League of Seven, Alan Gratz imagines an alternate America in the 1870s where electricity (or lektricity, as they call it) is forbidden and has been replaced by a mix of steam, clockwork and gas. A world of steam-powered submarines and airships and aether pistols.And monsters. Many, many monsters. As young Archie Dent soon finds out.
Every so often a group comes together, the League of Seven, made up of a tinker, a law-bringer, a scientist, a trickster, a warrior, a strong man, and a hero. Previous members of the League included legends such as Theseus and Hercules, Anansi and Maat. They fight against creatures called the Mangleborn and their offspring, the Manglespawn, protecting humanity, though only a small group, the Septemberists know anything about any of this. Most of the actual history of the world has become hidden in nursery rhymes and myths and legends.
Archie Dent is the child of Septemberists and hero-worships the League of Seven. Together with his parents and Mr. Rivets, their clockwork mechanical man (or Tik Tok), they travel to warn the Septemberists about the imminent release of Malacar Ahasherat, the Swarm Queen, an especially powerful Mangleborn. Except Archie soon discovers that all of the Septemberists are already being mind-controlled by insects attached to their necks. Archie escapes with his parents only to discover that they, too, are being controlled by the insects. Archie has no choice but to go with them to Florida, where they intend to release Malacar Ahasherat from her prison. The man in charge of these efforts is none other than Thomas Edison, who seeks to restore electricity to the world.
There, Archie meets Fergus, a Scottish boy who is a genius with machines and Hachi, a young First Nations girl who has a menagerie of small, clockwork animals who do her bidding. Circumstance leads them to join forces, in what Archie is convinced is the start of a new League. From there they go on a rollicking adventure to try to stop Edison and save Archie’s parents while saving Archie’s parents and figuring out what Malacar Ahasherat really wants (and why she keeps speaking in Archie’s mind).
Gratz’s world is really a triumph. It has the usual steampunk elements of zeppelins and clockwork men and steam-powered devices, but it also reimagines the United States as the United Nations, incorporating various First Nations as well as the Republics of Texas and California. New York is New Rome. The Inter-Net is a communications network made up of pneumatic tubes (complete with its own version of spam).
The world feels fully developed and there’s plenty here to inspire further stories. It seems clear that this is just the first in a series of books and Gratz plants plenty of seeds here for future books.
Oh, and did I mention that Nikola Tesla is in the book?The League of Seven is a thrilling and exciting (and sometimes dark) beginning to what I hope is a long series to come. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys middle-grade fiction.
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Rodman Philbrick)
The year is 1863 and 12-year-old Homer P. Figg and his older brother Harold are living with their ornery uncle Squinton Leach in Pine Swamp, Maine. Uncle Squint mistreats both boys by over working and underfeeding them. In order to punish Harold and Homer (and to make money for himself), Squint illegally sells Harold to the U.S. Army, even though Harold is two years younger than the legal military age. Homer runs away from the farm to rescue his brother, and along the way he meets a variety of larger-than-life characters. While on his journey, Homer finds himself in the midst of several adventures: he helps runaway slaves by tricking the slave catchers; he rides on a train and a steamship for the first time; he is featured as an attraction (“PigBoy”) while traveling with a Medicine Show; he is accused of being a spy and escapes with a hot-air balloon; he is captured by the Confederate army, and finally ends up in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg. In the end, he rescues his brother by shooting him, and both boys are taken in by the kindly Brewster family.
PLOT SUMMARY Twelve-year-old Homer P. Figg and his 17-year-old brother, Harold, live with mean Uncle Squinton Leach in Maine. When Harold rouses Squint’s anger, the uncle lies to the officials that Harold is old enough to enlist in the Civil War. Harold is sent to war, and Homer decides he must escape from Squint and find his brother.
Harold hasn’t gotten far into the woods when he’s captured by Stink and Smelt, two bounty hunters in search of runaway slaves. They’ve also seized a free black man named Samuel Reed, who serves as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The bounty hunters believe a group of missing slaves is staying on the property of a gemstone miner named Jebediah Brewster.
When they discover how well Homer lies, they decide to use him to find the slaves. Homer is already weak from hunger when they send him to Brewster’s house. They order him to give his name and say that he’s looking for his brother. They say the best lies always start with the truth. He must bring them back information about the slaves or they will kill Reed.
Brewster is a kind Quaker man who feeds and cares for Homer. Homer sees the man’s noble character and realizes he can’t lie to him. Brewster shows Homer the slaves he’s hiding on his land. When Homer sees their predicament, he realizes he can no longer stand by and do nothing for the people of color in his land. He tells Brewster that Smelt and Stink are lurking about. Brewster says he already knew, and he and Homer make a plan.
Homer returns to Smelt and Stink and says he will lead them to the slaves. On the way to their hiding place, Reed (whom Brewster has found and released) knocks the men senseless. The humiliated bounty hunters retreat, and Reed is able to lead the group of slaves to their next stop on the Underground Railroad. Brewster urges Homer to stay with him, but Homer knows he has to keep searching for Harold.
Brewster says he will help Homer by getting him on a train to New York. This will take him closer to regiments from Maine. Brewster hires a young Methodist parson named Mr. Willow to serve as Homer’s guardian for the trip. Early on in their voyage, the parson meets the Nibblys, a brother and sister who claim to come from a wealthy family. They end up on the same ship as Homer and Willow, and Willow falls madly in love with Miss Nibbly.
Homer can’t convince Willow he’s being conned, so Homer decides it’s best for him to part company. He winds up in a cage full of pigs in the ship’s hull. The pigs’ owner, a traveling showman named Professor Fleabottom, invites Homer to join his act as the Pig Boy. He promises to help Homer find his brother.
Homer travels with Fleabottom and his assistants as they stealthily take their act to the troops in the forests late at night. After each sideshow, Fleabottom sells his Miracle Elixer. Homer is disappointed to learn it is a mixture of medicine and whiskey, but Fleabottom says it gives the soldiers some comfort before they die.
Homer enjoys playing the role of Pig Boy and likes his sideshow friends. As they’re traveling one day, they come upon a man struggling to keep his hot air balloon from dragging him away. They help him get it under control, just before an Army captain and his troops arrive on the scene.
The captain accuses Fleabottom of spying. Fleabottom tries to object, saying he’s been asking questions on Homer’s behalf to help him find his brother. The troops drag Fleabottom’s brother and partner in crime to their evidence. The showman can no longer deny his treason. The captain orders that everyone be arrested, but Homer escapes in the hot air balloon.
He sails for a long time until the balloon gets a hole and starts dropping. Homer sees he’s being swept over a battlefield where heavy fighting is taking place. Confederate soldiers capture him and lock him up with a newspaper man named Griswold. Homer shares his story with the man until wounded begin to arrive.
Suddenly, Homer sees the true nature of battle, as injured, screaming men appear. He hears surgeons sawing off limbs and yanking out bullets. The battle intensifies, and all able-bodied soldiers are called to the field. Unguarded, Harold takes a horse and rides hard to find his brother in the skirmish. He passes horrific scenes of battle until he reaches the Union side.
There he runs into Willow, his former traveling companion. The embarrassed Willow admits he was duped and robbed by the Nibblys. He helps Homer find Harold, who has been locked in a prison wagon for trying to desert. Harold admits that a part of him wanted to go to war so he could get away from Squint and his responsibility of caring for Homer.
As the fighting intensifies, even willing prisoners are released to go into battle. Harold fights bravely, and Homer runs ammunition to the men on the field. Harold’s sergeant is carrying the flag when the sergeant is shot. Harold runs to take the flag from him to keep it from hitting the ground.
Homer shoots at Harold’s foot to cause a distraction, hoping to save his brother from rebel fire. The bullet sends a chunk of rock into Harold’s leg. As he falls, and Homer runs to him, they see that the Union army has forced their enemies to surrender.
Harold loses his leg, but he does not blame Homer. Brewster becomes Homer and Harold’s guardian, and the man convinces Homer to write down his adventures. Homer ends his tale by urging everyone who is haunted by the past to keep marching.
The year is 1863 and 12-year-old Homer P. Figg and his older brother Harold are living with their ornery uncle Squinton Leach in Pine Swamp, Maine. Uncle Squint mistreats both boys by over working and underfeeding them. In order to punish Harold and Homer (and to make money for himself), Squint illegally sells Harold to the U.S. Army, even though Harold is two years younger than the legal military age. Homer runs away from the farm to rescue his brother, and along the way he meets a variety of larger-than-life characters. While on his journey, Homer finds himself in the midst of several adventures: he helps runaway slaves by tricking the slave catchers; he rides on a train and a steamship for the first time; he is featured as an attraction (“PigBoy”) while traveling with a Medicine Show; he is accused of being a spy and escapes with a hot-air balloon; he is captured by the Confederate army, and finally ends up in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg. In the end, he rescues his brother by shooting him, and both boys are taken in by the kindly Brewster family.
PLOT SUMMARY Twelve-year-old Homer P. Figg and his 17-year-old brother, Harold, live with mean Uncle Squinton Leach in Maine. When Harold rouses Squint’s anger, the uncle lies to the officials that Harold is old enough to enlist in the Civil War. Harold is sent to war, and Homer decides he must escape from Squint and find his brother.
Harold hasn’t gotten far into the woods when he’s captured by Stink and Smelt, two bounty hunters in search of runaway slaves. They’ve also seized a free black man named Samuel Reed, who serves as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The bounty hunters believe a group of missing slaves is staying on the property of a gemstone miner named Jebediah Brewster.
When they discover how well Homer lies, they decide to use him to find the slaves. Homer is already weak from hunger when they send him to Brewster’s house. They order him to give his name and say that he’s looking for his brother. They say the best lies always start with the truth. He must bring them back information about the slaves or they will kill Reed.
Brewster is a kind Quaker man who feeds and cares for Homer. Homer sees the man’s noble character and realizes he can’t lie to him. Brewster shows Homer the slaves he’s hiding on his land. When Homer sees their predicament, he realizes he can no longer stand by and do nothing for the people of color in his land. He tells Brewster that Smelt and Stink are lurking about. Brewster says he already knew, and he and Homer make a plan.
Homer returns to Smelt and Stink and says he will lead them to the slaves. On the way to their hiding place, Reed (whom Brewster has found and released) knocks the men senseless. The humiliated bounty hunters retreat, and Reed is able to lead the group of slaves to their next stop on the Underground Railroad. Brewster urges Homer to stay with him, but Homer knows he has to keep searching for Harold.
Brewster says he will help Homer by getting him on a train to New York. This will take him closer to regiments from Maine. Brewster hires a young Methodist parson named Mr. Willow to serve as Homer’s guardian for the trip. Early on in their voyage, the parson meets the Nibblys, a brother and sister who claim to come from a wealthy family. They end up on the same ship as Homer and Willow, and Willow falls madly in love with Miss Nibbly.
Homer can’t convince Willow he’s being conned, so Homer decides it’s best for him to part company. He winds up in a cage full of pigs in the ship’s hull. The pigs’ owner, a traveling showman named Professor Fleabottom, invites Homer to join his act as the Pig Boy. He promises to help Homer find his brother.
Homer travels with Fleabottom and his assistants as they stealthily take their act to the troops in the forests late at night. After each sideshow, Fleabottom sells his Miracle Elixer. Homer is disappointed to learn it is a mixture of medicine and whiskey, but Fleabottom says it gives the soldiers some comfort before they die.
Homer enjoys playing the role of Pig Boy and likes his sideshow friends. As they’re traveling one day, they come upon a man struggling to keep his hot air balloon from dragging him away. They help him get it under control, just before an Army captain and his troops arrive on the scene.
The captain accuses Fleabottom of spying. Fleabottom tries to object, saying he’s been asking questions on Homer’s behalf to help him find his brother. The troops drag Fleabottom’s brother and partner in crime to their evidence. The showman can no longer deny his treason. The captain orders that everyone be arrested, but Homer escapes in the hot air balloon.
He sails for a long time until the balloon gets a hole and starts dropping. Homer sees he’s being swept over a battlefield where heavy fighting is taking place. Confederate soldiers capture him and lock him up with a newspaper man named Griswold. Homer shares his story with the man until wounded begin to arrive.
Suddenly, Homer sees the true nature of battle, as injured, screaming men appear. He hears surgeons sawing off limbs and yanking out bullets. The battle intensifies, and all able-bodied soldiers are called to the field. Unguarded, Harold takes a horse and rides hard to find his brother in the skirmish. He passes horrific scenes of battle until he reaches the Union side.
There he runs into Willow, his former traveling companion. The embarrassed Willow admits he was duped and robbed by the Nibblys. He helps Homer find Harold, who has been locked in a prison wagon for trying to desert. Harold admits that a part of him wanted to go to war so he could get away from Squint and his responsibility of caring for Homer.
As the fighting intensifies, even willing prisoners are released to go into battle. Harold fights bravely, and Homer runs ammunition to the men on the field. Harold’s sergeant is carrying the flag when the sergeant is shot. Harold runs to take the flag from him to keep it from hitting the ground.
Homer shoots at Harold’s foot to cause a distraction, hoping to save his brother from rebel fire. The bullet sends a chunk of rock into Harold’s leg. As he falls, and Homer runs to him, they see that the Union army has forced their enemies to surrender.
Harold loses his leg, but he does not blame Homer. Brewster becomes Homer and Harold’s guardian, and the man convinces Homer to write down his adventures. Homer ends his tale by urging everyone who is haunted by the past to keep marching.
Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe (Jo Watson Hackl)
When Ariana “Cricket” Overland learns that her Aunt Belinda is sending her to live with her Great-Aunt Genevieve (nicknamed GAG), it is the final straw. Cricket is already mourning for her father, still missing her grandmother and unsure where her mother is at all. Though living with Aunt Belinda and her two rowdy cousins is far from ideal, being sent to live with GAG feels like a betrayal. So, when Cricket is forgotten at the grocery store on the day of the February Firehouse Jubilee Fish Fry, she decides not to go back to Belinda’s and instead takes some “Woods Time” and waits for her mother to return on the day her own mother’s headstone is erected.
REVIEW: When Ariana “Cricket” Overland learns that her Aunt Belinda is sending her to live with her Great-Aunt Genevieve (nicknamed GAG), it is the final straw. Cricket is already mourning for her father, still missing her grandmother and unsure where her mother is at all. Though living with Aunt Belinda and her two rowdy cousins is far from ideal, being sent to live with GAG feels like a betrayal. So, when Cricket is forgotten at the grocery store on the day of the February Firehouse Jubilee Fish Fry, she decides not to go back to Belinda’s and instead takes some “Woods Time” and waits for her mother to return on the day her own mother’s headstone is erected. Cricket is the resourceful narrator of Jo Watson Hackl’s poignant debut novel, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE. “Woods Time” means spending some time in nature, perhaps alone, in order to sort things out emotionally. And the woods that Cricket learned to love from her Daddy were those surrounding the ghost town of Electric City, Mississippi. Cricket sets off for the treehouse her father built in what was once Electric City, with only a cricket named Charlene and pockets full of supplies, to wait for her mother’s return. She is confident that her mother would never miss the unveiling of the headstone she designed and she is hopeful that once reunited with her, her mother won’t abandon her again. While she waits, she attempts to solve the great mystery of her mother’s life: The Bird Room.
When Cricket’s Mama was a young girl, before her mental illness was diagnosed, she stumbled across an artist painting a secret room. An artist herself, she was entranced by the room, which was covered by a nature mural full of trees and plants and birds. The birds, in fact, seemed alive to her. No one ever believed her about the room or the life she saw in it --- no one except Cricket. Now Cricket begins to follow a set of clues to find the room and prove her mother wasn’t crazy. Yet as she spends time alone in the woods, battling raccoons, foraging for food, finding ways to stay warm and finding beauty, Cricket reflects on her mother’s life and behavior. After an encounter with a copperhead snake, Cricket makes the acquaintance of Miss V., who helps her come closer to finding the Bird Room and who gives her a new perspective on her mother, acceptance and the meaning of family.
Hackl has founded her story on some realities: Electric, Mississippi, and loosely on the art and biography of artist Walter Anderson. Her compassion for Cricket and for her Mama, unable to mother her, as well as her love for the nature of the American south help create a poignant novel. The timeline can be a bit confusing as it is the exact way the search for the Bird Room plays out, but readers can easily overlook those smaller details in favor of the big picture Hackl and emotional heft Hackl offers.
Cricket is a resourceful and spirited girl who has the best qualities of each of her parents but is challenged by circumstances to find a safe and happy place for herself without them. SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE has elements of adventure, yet this coming of age story is bigger than Cricket’s Woods Time and bigger than her search for the Bird Room. It is the story of a girl grappling with loss and coming to terms with sorrows of the world yet still open to possibility and beauty. A lovely and affecting read.
When Ariana “Cricket” Overland learns that her Aunt Belinda is sending her to live with her Great-Aunt Genevieve (nicknamed GAG), it is the final straw. Cricket is already mourning for her father, still missing her grandmother and unsure where her mother is at all. Though living with Aunt Belinda and her two rowdy cousins is far from ideal, being sent to live with GAG feels like a betrayal. So, when Cricket is forgotten at the grocery store on the day of the February Firehouse Jubilee Fish Fry, she decides not to go back to Belinda’s and instead takes some “Woods Time” and waits for her mother to return on the day her own mother’s headstone is erected.
REVIEW: When Ariana “Cricket” Overland learns that her Aunt Belinda is sending her to live with her Great-Aunt Genevieve (nicknamed GAG), it is the final straw. Cricket is already mourning for her father, still missing her grandmother and unsure where her mother is at all. Though living with Aunt Belinda and her two rowdy cousins is far from ideal, being sent to live with GAG feels like a betrayal. So, when Cricket is forgotten at the grocery store on the day of the February Firehouse Jubilee Fish Fry, she decides not to go back to Belinda’s and instead takes some “Woods Time” and waits for her mother to return on the day her own mother’s headstone is erected. Cricket is the resourceful narrator of Jo Watson Hackl’s poignant debut novel, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE. “Woods Time” means spending some time in nature, perhaps alone, in order to sort things out emotionally. And the woods that Cricket learned to love from her Daddy were those surrounding the ghost town of Electric City, Mississippi. Cricket sets off for the treehouse her father built in what was once Electric City, with only a cricket named Charlene and pockets full of supplies, to wait for her mother’s return. She is confident that her mother would never miss the unveiling of the headstone she designed and she is hopeful that once reunited with her, her mother won’t abandon her again. While she waits, she attempts to solve the great mystery of her mother’s life: The Bird Room.
When Cricket’s Mama was a young girl, before her mental illness was diagnosed, she stumbled across an artist painting a secret room. An artist herself, she was entranced by the room, which was covered by a nature mural full of trees and plants and birds. The birds, in fact, seemed alive to her. No one ever believed her about the room or the life she saw in it --- no one except Cricket. Now Cricket begins to follow a set of clues to find the room and prove her mother wasn’t crazy. Yet as she spends time alone in the woods, battling raccoons, foraging for food, finding ways to stay warm and finding beauty, Cricket reflects on her mother’s life and behavior. After an encounter with a copperhead snake, Cricket makes the acquaintance of Miss V., who helps her come closer to finding the Bird Room and who gives her a new perspective on her mother, acceptance and the meaning of family.
Hackl has founded her story on some realities: Electric, Mississippi, and loosely on the art and biography of artist Walter Anderson. Her compassion for Cricket and for her Mama, unable to mother her, as well as her love for the nature of the American south help create a poignant novel. The timeline can be a bit confusing as it is the exact way the search for the Bird Room plays out, but readers can easily overlook those smaller details in favor of the big picture Hackl and emotional heft Hackl offers.
Cricket is a resourceful and spirited girl who has the best qualities of each of her parents but is challenged by circumstances to find a safe and happy place for herself without them. SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE has elements of adventure, yet this coming of age story is bigger than Cricket’s Woods Time and bigger than her search for the Bird Room. It is the story of a girl grappling with loss and coming to terms with sorrows of the world yet still open to possibility and beauty. A lovely and affecting read.
Smells Like Dog (Suzanne Selfors)
Twelve-year-old Homer Pudding lives on a goat farm but dreams of growing up to be a great treasure hunter like his uncle, Drake Pudding. Drake spent most of his career searching for the greatest mass of loot collected by another great treasure hunter, the late Rumpold Smeller. When Drake dies under mysterious circumstances, he bequeaths a sad-eyed basset hound named Dog to Homer. Attached to Dog’s collar is a coin etched with the letters L.O.S.T. As Homer races to decipher the meaning of L.O.S.T., find Smeller’s treasure and locate the whereabouts of Drake’s vast library, he discovers a valuable secret about Dog. Along the way, Homer encounters the devious Madame la Directeur, the pink-haired homeless girl Lorelei, Ajitabh, the inventor of the cloudcopter, and other equally memorable characters who help or hinder his quest.
REVIEW: Drake Horatio Pudding is a renowned treasure hunter, hot on the trail of Rumpold Smeller’s fortune, when he meets his untimely demise. His nephew, Homer Winslow Pudding, idolized him and hoped one day to follow in Uncle Drake’s footsteps as a “professional treasure hunter.”When the Pudding family first learns that Uncle Drake is dead, they believe it was a tragic accident. The report says he was eaten by a “man-eating tortoise.” Sounds a bit strange, but maybe it could really happen. However, when the estate lawyers deliver all of Uncle Drake’s earthly possessions, they don’t amount to much: only a pair of boots (which were left sticking out of the tortoise’s mouth), a basset hound with no name, and a note to Homer that says Uncle Drake is giving Homer his “most valued possession.”
When Homer finds a coin attached to the dog’s collar with the letters “L.O.S.T.” on it, Homer thinks this is the “most valued possession.” But time and circumstances make him wonder what really happened to Uncle Drake and his possessions, particularly the map leading to Rumpold Smeller’s treasure.
Homer’s father has warned Homer and all his family members never to go into “The City” because bad things always happen there. He issued that same warning to his brother Drake, but Drake didn’t listen to him. Drake’s death, by the jaws of the tortoise in the City Park, is proof that The City is not safe and that absolutely no one from the Pudding family should go there. So where does Homer wind up? In The City, of course. He is on a quest to find out what type of coin his uncle left him and what the initials “L.O.S.T.” mean. He is also trying to locate Uncle Drake’s treasure map. The fun, twisted plot involves the dog, who has a strange sense of smell; the law firm Snooty and Snooty with its secretary, Twaddle; Madame la Directeur, the director of the Museum of Natural History who is looking for something of Homer’s; Ajitabh, a wacky inventor; a giant named Zelda; and Lorelei, a street urchin.
Suzanne Selfors’s third middle-grade novel is sure to be a hit. But don’t take my word for it. Read it yourself --- and enjoy!
Twelve-year-old Homer Pudding lives on a goat farm but dreams of growing up to be a great treasure hunter like his uncle, Drake Pudding. Drake spent most of his career searching for the greatest mass of loot collected by another great treasure hunter, the late Rumpold Smeller. When Drake dies under mysterious circumstances, he bequeaths a sad-eyed basset hound named Dog to Homer. Attached to Dog’s collar is a coin etched with the letters L.O.S.T. As Homer races to decipher the meaning of L.O.S.T., find Smeller’s treasure and locate the whereabouts of Drake’s vast library, he discovers a valuable secret about Dog. Along the way, Homer encounters the devious Madame la Directeur, the pink-haired homeless girl Lorelei, Ajitabh, the inventor of the cloudcopter, and other equally memorable characters who help or hinder his quest.
REVIEW: Drake Horatio Pudding is a renowned treasure hunter, hot on the trail of Rumpold Smeller’s fortune, when he meets his untimely demise. His nephew, Homer Winslow Pudding, idolized him and hoped one day to follow in Uncle Drake’s footsteps as a “professional treasure hunter.”When the Pudding family first learns that Uncle Drake is dead, they believe it was a tragic accident. The report says he was eaten by a “man-eating tortoise.” Sounds a bit strange, but maybe it could really happen. However, when the estate lawyers deliver all of Uncle Drake’s earthly possessions, they don’t amount to much: only a pair of boots (which were left sticking out of the tortoise’s mouth), a basset hound with no name, and a note to Homer that says Uncle Drake is giving Homer his “most valued possession.”
When Homer finds a coin attached to the dog’s collar with the letters “L.O.S.T.” on it, Homer thinks this is the “most valued possession.” But time and circumstances make him wonder what really happened to Uncle Drake and his possessions, particularly the map leading to Rumpold Smeller’s treasure.
Homer’s father has warned Homer and all his family members never to go into “The City” because bad things always happen there. He issued that same warning to his brother Drake, but Drake didn’t listen to him. Drake’s death, by the jaws of the tortoise in the City Park, is proof that The City is not safe and that absolutely no one from the Pudding family should go there. So where does Homer wind up? In The City, of course. He is on a quest to find out what type of coin his uncle left him and what the initials “L.O.S.T.” mean. He is also trying to locate Uncle Drake’s treasure map. The fun, twisted plot involves the dog, who has a strange sense of smell; the law firm Snooty and Snooty with its secretary, Twaddle; Madame la Directeur, the director of the Museum of Natural History who is looking for something of Homer’s; Ajitabh, a wacky inventor; a giant named Zelda; and Lorelei, a street urchin.
Suzanne Selfors’s third middle-grade novel is sure to be a hit. But don’t take my word for it. Read it yourself --- and enjoy!
Tuesdays at the Castle (Jessica Day George)
Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the Castle adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an entire wing. No one ever knows what the Castle will do next, and no one --- other than Celie, that is --- takes the time to map out the new additions. But when King and Queen Glower are ambushed and their fate is unknown, it's up to Celie, with her secret knowledge of the castle's never-ending twists and turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom.
REVIEW: This enjoyable romp turns mischief into political action and a stone palace into a cunning character.Castle Glower always chooses its own king, and its current is Celie’s father. Celie’s family knows the castle’s rules—for example, no matter where you are, “if you turned left three times and climbed through the next window, you’d end up in the kitchens”—so they navigate fine, even when Castle Glower gets bored of a Tuesday and grows a new room or hallway. When disaster strikes, the castle’s protective love becomes paramount. Celie’s parents and eldest brother Bran are reported killed in an ambush, leaving three siblings at home to fend off a foreign prince who’s trying to assassinate Celie’s brother Rolf and steal the crown. Pranks such as spreading manure on the soles of shoes and snipping threads so the baddies’ clothes fall off make the siblings (and readers) giggle, but underneath the capers lies a bit of deftly written grief and fear. Luckily there are comforting clues: If King Glower were really dead, wouldn’t this sentient, active castle have adapted heir Rolf’s bedroom into a king’s room? Instead, the foreign prince’s rooms become ever smaller and bleaker, proving the castle’s disapproval; but Celie and sibs still need to win the day. Never fear: These kids are clever, as is George’s lively adventure.
May pique castle envy. (Fantasy. 8-11)
Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the Castle adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an entire wing. No one ever knows what the Castle will do next, and no one --- other than Celie, that is --- takes the time to map out the new additions. But when King and Queen Glower are ambushed and their fate is unknown, it's up to Celie, with her secret knowledge of the castle's never-ending twists and turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom.
REVIEW: This enjoyable romp turns mischief into political action and a stone palace into a cunning character.Castle Glower always chooses its own king, and its current is Celie’s father. Celie’s family knows the castle’s rules—for example, no matter where you are, “if you turned left three times and climbed through the next window, you’d end up in the kitchens”—so they navigate fine, even when Castle Glower gets bored of a Tuesday and grows a new room or hallway. When disaster strikes, the castle’s protective love becomes paramount. Celie’s parents and eldest brother Bran are reported killed in an ambush, leaving three siblings at home to fend off a foreign prince who’s trying to assassinate Celie’s brother Rolf and steal the crown. Pranks such as spreading manure on the soles of shoes and snipping threads so the baddies’ clothes fall off make the siblings (and readers) giggle, but underneath the capers lies a bit of deftly written grief and fear. Luckily there are comforting clues: If King Glower were really dead, wouldn’t this sentient, active castle have adapted heir Rolf’s bedroom into a king’s room? Instead, the foreign prince’s rooms become ever smaller and bleaker, proving the castle’s disapproval; but Celie and sibs still need to win the day. Never fear: These kids are clever, as is George’s lively adventure.
May pique castle envy. (Fantasy. 8-11)
Ungifted (Gordon Korman)
Eighth-grader Donovan Curtis is a reckless boy with “poor impulse control,” whose classmates have voted him “Most Likely to Wind Up in Jail.” After Donovan’s gift for chaos causes an especially costly accident at school, a paperwork mix-up sees him transferred to his town’s Academy for Scholastic Distinction, instead of being expelled. Donovan is woefully out of place among the ASD’s young geniuses and scholars, but his normality proves something his new classmates desperately need: as he grows academically, the gifted kids grow socially just from being around him. Donovan, his classmates, and his teachers take turns narrating, and while Korman uses basic archetypes to start (from Donovan’s goofball friends at his old school to the awkward nerds at the ASD), he gradually humanizes each of them, revealing them as complex, changing, and surprising individuals. As Donovan’s classmate Chloe puts it, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Especially if one of those parts is Donovan.”
REVIEW: If anyone deserves NOT to go to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), his school district's gifted and talented school, it's Donovan Curtis. He's hardly the smartest kid in the class, and his only talent is for troublemaking. But when his hugest screw-up of all time occurs --- the one that destroys the middle school's largest artwork and results in near total-destruction of its gym (not to mention the disruption of the big pep rally), a paperwork snafu sends him not to the principal's office for life but to the ASD. "Few people write school stories with as much wit and compassion as Korman, and in UNGIFTED, he certainly demonstrates his own talents in spades."
He's more than happy to lay low at the ASD while all the furor over his unintentional prank blows over; after all, while he's safely away from Hardcastle Middle School, the superintendent is unlikely to put two and two together and get Donovan. But it soon becomes more than a little apparent that Donovan just can't hack the school work at ASD. The only things he's good at are downloading funny images from the Internet and driving the robotics club's pet project around --- all those hours of video games give him an advantage on the joystick that his studious teammates just can't match.
At first, Donovan's classmates are as skeptical about his credentials as the teachers are. But as they spend more time with Donovan, his spontaneity and unpredictability --- and, yes, his talent for troublemaking --- cause them to look differently not only at Donovan but also at themselves. Donovan's classmate Chloe, for example, asks herself, "When was the last time one of us broke the rules? This morning, while checking on my experiment in the growth of hydroponic flax, I'd noticed the paper I'd taped to my desk to concentrate the beam onto the seedlings. It was a certificate of merit I'd received for perfect attendance at school. I'd earned seven of these over the years, and what use were they to me? Makeshift lampshades."
Chloe is inspired by Donovan's rule-breaking, as is Noah, the smartest kid in the whole school, who just wants to be normal and around normal kids. Donovan introduces Noah to YouTube, and he's never the same again. The novel develops through a series of short, snappy chapters, told from the points of view of Donovan, Chloe, Noah, and even their teachers. Will Donovan get kicked out before the team wins the robotics championship? Not if his new friends have anything to do with it --- even if they have to take a page out of Donovan's book to do it.
It would have been easy for Gordon Korman to stereotype the kids at the Academy of Scholastic Distinction as typical antisocial nerds, but he's too good of a writer for that. Instead, he treats both the smart kids and the smart aleck ones with equal respect, and he invites readers to do the same. And, of course, given that Korman is one of the funniest writers out there, he also spares no one when it comes to creating hilarious situations or laugh-out-loud one-liners. Few people write school stories with as much wit and compassion as Korman, and in UNGIFTED, he certainly demonstrates his own talents in spades.
Eighth-grader Donovan Curtis is a reckless boy with “poor impulse control,” whose classmates have voted him “Most Likely to Wind Up in Jail.” After Donovan’s gift for chaos causes an especially costly accident at school, a paperwork mix-up sees him transferred to his town’s Academy for Scholastic Distinction, instead of being expelled. Donovan is woefully out of place among the ASD’s young geniuses and scholars, but his normality proves something his new classmates desperately need: as he grows academically, the gifted kids grow socially just from being around him. Donovan, his classmates, and his teachers take turns narrating, and while Korman uses basic archetypes to start (from Donovan’s goofball friends at his old school to the awkward nerds at the ASD), he gradually humanizes each of them, revealing them as complex, changing, and surprising individuals. As Donovan’s classmate Chloe puts it, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Especially if one of those parts is Donovan.”
REVIEW: If anyone deserves NOT to go to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), his school district's gifted and talented school, it's Donovan Curtis. He's hardly the smartest kid in the class, and his only talent is for troublemaking. But when his hugest screw-up of all time occurs --- the one that destroys the middle school's largest artwork and results in near total-destruction of its gym (not to mention the disruption of the big pep rally), a paperwork snafu sends him not to the principal's office for life but to the ASD. "Few people write school stories with as much wit and compassion as Korman, and in UNGIFTED, he certainly demonstrates his own talents in spades."
He's more than happy to lay low at the ASD while all the furor over his unintentional prank blows over; after all, while he's safely away from Hardcastle Middle School, the superintendent is unlikely to put two and two together and get Donovan. But it soon becomes more than a little apparent that Donovan just can't hack the school work at ASD. The only things he's good at are downloading funny images from the Internet and driving the robotics club's pet project around --- all those hours of video games give him an advantage on the joystick that his studious teammates just can't match.
At first, Donovan's classmates are as skeptical about his credentials as the teachers are. But as they spend more time with Donovan, his spontaneity and unpredictability --- and, yes, his talent for troublemaking --- cause them to look differently not only at Donovan but also at themselves. Donovan's classmate Chloe, for example, asks herself, "When was the last time one of us broke the rules? This morning, while checking on my experiment in the growth of hydroponic flax, I'd noticed the paper I'd taped to my desk to concentrate the beam onto the seedlings. It was a certificate of merit I'd received for perfect attendance at school. I'd earned seven of these over the years, and what use were they to me? Makeshift lampshades."
Chloe is inspired by Donovan's rule-breaking, as is Noah, the smartest kid in the whole school, who just wants to be normal and around normal kids. Donovan introduces Noah to YouTube, and he's never the same again. The novel develops through a series of short, snappy chapters, told from the points of view of Donovan, Chloe, Noah, and even their teachers. Will Donovan get kicked out before the team wins the robotics championship? Not if his new friends have anything to do with it --- even if they have to take a page out of Donovan's book to do it.
It would have been easy for Gordon Korman to stereotype the kids at the Academy of Scholastic Distinction as typical antisocial nerds, but he's too good of a writer for that. Instead, he treats both the smart kids and the smart aleck ones with equal respect, and he invites readers to do the same. And, of course, given that Korman is one of the funniest writers out there, he also spares no one when it comes to creating hilarious situations or laugh-out-loud one-liners. Few people write school stories with as much wit and compassion as Korman, and in UNGIFTED, he certainly demonstrates his own talents in spades.
Woods Runner (GaryPaulsen)
In the wild frontier of Bristish Pennsylvania, 13-year-old Samuel is a "woods runner," or someone who hunts food for his entire settlement. Growing up sheltered by his gentle parents, Samuel feels far from the American patriot war they have barely heard about -- until his village is attacked and burned, leaving neighbors murdered and his parents kidnapped by Iroquois and British Redcoats. Armed with only a knife and a rifle, Samuel uses his forest skills to track the kidnappers. When he learns that his parents, as prisoners of war, are being taken to New York, Samuel sets out into enemy territory.
REVIEW: In this exciting and fascinating story set during the Revolutionary War, we meet 13-year-old Samuel, whose love for the forest surrounding his family's farm combined with his talent for shooting game make him the major source of meat for his family and others in the small settlement in which he resides. Samuel's parents are not truly wilderness people even though they live in it. They have fled the city to live a quiet life on the farm, where they can work hard, contemplate big ideas, play music and read.When the story begins, Samuel is tracking a deer deep in the quiet green forest. While following his prey, he remembers reading the paper a neighbor brought over the night before, giving the news of a battle in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, against British soldiers. That war seems far distant from Samuel's life on the rugged frontier, but it won't feel that way for long. By the time Samuel has traveled eight or so miles through the forest, he begins to have a feeling that something is wrong. That inkling is intensified when he sees smoke rising in the direction of his settlement. He must get home, but with nightfall coming on within an hour, he will have to race through the forest. The entire time he's running, Samuel dreads what he will find. Were his parents attacked while he wasn't around to protect them?
Samuel approaches his settlement with caution, worried that he might run into the attackers. But there is no one there…at least no one left alive. His heart breaks as he finds the bodies of his neighbors, brought low by tomahawks or clubs, amongst the ashes of what were once homes. He buries his friends as night falls over the ruins of the settlement. In the morning, he puts his tracking skills to use, which tell him that his parents and others have been kidnapped, dragged away by their assailants. He can tell that some of the attackers wore shoes, others had on moccasins, and two or three horses were with the attackers.
Samuel puzzles over the mystery of why his parents' lives were spared. But one thing he knows for sure: He must rescue his mother and father somehow. As he travels through the countryside, tracking their captors, Samuel sees sights that are devastating to him. Along the way, his talents are tried, he meets deadly enemies face to face, acquires a traveling companion and discovers unlikely friends. He must struggle against hunger, despair and hopelessness as he endures hardships during his quest.
The fictional story alternates with nonfiction pieces giving fascinating information about life in 1776, the Revolutionary War, common weapons used on the frontier and by soldiers of the day, how communication was carried across the frontier, and much more, allowing us a more substantial understanding of Samuel's world. The Revolutionary War, as author Gary Paulsen points out, is often regarded as dramatic, heroic and patriotic. While all these adjectives are accurate, it's easy to forget that, as in any other war, combat was horrible. During the eight years of the war, thousands of young soldiers were killed in battle while dozens of thousands died because of disease and infections. WOODS RUNNER, as an exciting adventure story coupled with enlightening historical facts, makes for a terrific read.
In the wild frontier of Bristish Pennsylvania, 13-year-old Samuel is a "woods runner," or someone who hunts food for his entire settlement. Growing up sheltered by his gentle parents, Samuel feels far from the American patriot war they have barely heard about -- until his village is attacked and burned, leaving neighbors murdered and his parents kidnapped by Iroquois and British Redcoats. Armed with only a knife and a rifle, Samuel uses his forest skills to track the kidnappers. When he learns that his parents, as prisoners of war, are being taken to New York, Samuel sets out into enemy territory.
REVIEW: In this exciting and fascinating story set during the Revolutionary War, we meet 13-year-old Samuel, whose love for the forest surrounding his family's farm combined with his talent for shooting game make him the major source of meat for his family and others in the small settlement in which he resides. Samuel's parents are not truly wilderness people even though they live in it. They have fled the city to live a quiet life on the farm, where they can work hard, contemplate big ideas, play music and read.When the story begins, Samuel is tracking a deer deep in the quiet green forest. While following his prey, he remembers reading the paper a neighbor brought over the night before, giving the news of a battle in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, against British soldiers. That war seems far distant from Samuel's life on the rugged frontier, but it won't feel that way for long. By the time Samuel has traveled eight or so miles through the forest, he begins to have a feeling that something is wrong. That inkling is intensified when he sees smoke rising in the direction of his settlement. He must get home, but with nightfall coming on within an hour, he will have to race through the forest. The entire time he's running, Samuel dreads what he will find. Were his parents attacked while he wasn't around to protect them?
Samuel approaches his settlement with caution, worried that he might run into the attackers. But there is no one there…at least no one left alive. His heart breaks as he finds the bodies of his neighbors, brought low by tomahawks or clubs, amongst the ashes of what were once homes. He buries his friends as night falls over the ruins of the settlement. In the morning, he puts his tracking skills to use, which tell him that his parents and others have been kidnapped, dragged away by their assailants. He can tell that some of the attackers wore shoes, others had on moccasins, and two or three horses were with the attackers.
Samuel puzzles over the mystery of why his parents' lives were spared. But one thing he knows for sure: He must rescue his mother and father somehow. As he travels through the countryside, tracking their captors, Samuel sees sights that are devastating to him. Along the way, his talents are tried, he meets deadly enemies face to face, acquires a traveling companion and discovers unlikely friends. He must struggle against hunger, despair and hopelessness as he endures hardships during his quest.
The fictional story alternates with nonfiction pieces giving fascinating information about life in 1776, the Revolutionary War, common weapons used on the frontier and by soldiers of the day, how communication was carried across the frontier, and much more, allowing us a more substantial understanding of Samuel's world. The Revolutionary War, as author Gary Paulsen points out, is often regarded as dramatic, heroic and patriotic. While all these adjectives are accurate, it's easy to forget that, as in any other war, combat was horrible. During the eight years of the war, thousands of young soldiers were killed in battle while dozens of thousands died because of disease and infections. WOODS RUNNER, as an exciting adventure story coupled with enlightening historical facts, makes for a terrific read.