heroines – Peaceful Reader

Sufficiently Creepy; The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West

One day at work our lovely library volunteer was reading behind the desk. If I didn’t have to teach classes I’d be doing the same thing. She had a book checked out from the public library from their “Just Arrived” shelf and she was fascinated. It was elementary fiction and one that I hadn’t heard of at that time. It was The Shadows, the first book in West’s new series.

Synopsis:

Olive and her parents move into a creepy old house on Linden Street. The house has some history as the previous elderly owner died while living there and all the household stuff stayed right there. Olive, a curiuos girl, finds a pair of old fashioned glasses that help her enter the oil paintings stuck to the wall all around the house. She meets the people in the paintings, she meets three cats who belonged to the previous owners and life gets downright creepy as she tries to solve one little boy’s mysterious existence inside a painting of Linden Street. As per adventure stories her parents are busy with their own lives, leaving Olive plenty of free time to explore.

It begins like this:

Mrs. McMartin was definitely dead. It had taken some time for the neighbors to grow suspicious, since no one ever went in or came out of the old stone house on Linden Street anyway. However, there were several notable clues that things in the McMartin house were not as they should have been. (1)

Great first sentence. Perfect hook for young readers.

The second book in the series, Spellbound, has Olive drifting around the house aimlessly, trying to think of ways to rescue Morton, the trapped young boy. She meets another young boy, Rutherford, who is visiting his grandmother right down the street. He gets her thinking about a spellbook-a grimoire-as he puts it. Olive now has a purpose as she tries to find a way to release Morton and she thinks the spellbook might be the answer.

A little further on:

There was another reason Olive didn’t tell anybody about the cats or the paintings or the McMartins. She always put this reason second, even in her own head, but the truth was that her secrets would be a lot less fun if she shared them with anyone. Sure, a candy bar tasted good if you ate one half and let your dad have the other, but it was much, much nicer to eat the whole candy bar by yourself. (5)

Perfect thoughts for an eleven-year-old girl to have. There is so much mystery and excitement in both these books. I hope West is hard at work on the third-I think we’ve only touched the surface of this new amazing Elsewhere!

Wonderully illustrated by Poly Bernatene. I’ve easily been able to read these and book talk them as we have them in our library collection now. It’s wonderful to have someone here helping me everyday who likes to read and shares that with me and students.

Find Jacqueline West at her great website.

Other reviews:
Kimberly at Cool Kids Read
Jennifer at Jean Little Library

*Not to be read late at night or by yourself*

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship of Her Own Making

Official Website: Fairylandbook.com

Groovy Girl, Handsome Husband and I stopped for a ~~quick~~ library visit on Sunday. We found a few books and had fun wandering together. Groovy Girl and I had finished up the sixth Sisters Grimm the night before and she was anxiously scanning the Buckley section for the seventh. It was gone (gasp!) and the nice librarian at the desk put a hold on it for her.

In the meantime I scanned the new elementary fiction section for something inspiring and The Girl Who Circumnavigated... popped out at me on the shelf. Literally I think it moved a few inches out to attract me. My friend V and I had recently skyped with our three kids to talk books and this was one we discussed. She hasn’t been able to get it from the Little Rock Library and here it was popping off the shelf for me. I tucked it under my arm and hummed just a little.

Mind you, I haven’t finished it so this is not a review per se but Groovy Girl and I have read 4 chapters the last three nights and I’m in love with the writing. It reminds me of one of my favorite books, Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth. The main character’s name is September. She has conversations with the Green Wind, Latitude and Longitude, two witches named Goodbye and Hello and rides on the back of a flying leopard. And if that isn’t cool enough the language is thrillingly descriptive and beautiful.

It was difficult to choose just one but here is a sample:

The Leopard of Little Breezes yawned up and farther off from the rooftops of Omaha, Nebraska, to which September did not even wave good-bye. One ought not to judge her: All children are heartless. They have not grown a heart yet, which is why they can climb tall trees and say shocking things and leap so very high that grown-up hearts flutter in terror. Hearts weigh quite a lot. That is why it takes so long to grow one. but, as in their reading and arithmetic and drawing, different children proceed at different speeds. (It is well known that reading quickens the growth of a heart like nothing else.) Some small ones are terrible and fey, Utterly Heartless. Some are dear and sweet and Hardly Heartless at all. September stood very generally in the middle on the day the Green Wind took her, Somewhat Heartless, and Somewhat Grown. And so September did not wave good-bye to her house or her mother’s factory, puffing white smoke far below her. (4)

and this from what we just finished with tonight…

The full moon shone jubilantly as September strode up over the dunes and into the interior of Fairyland with her belly full of witch-cake. She smelled the sweet, wheat-sugar of sea grass and listened to distant owls call after mice. And then she suddenly remembered, like a crack of lightning in her mind, check your pockets. She laid her sceptre in the grass and dug into the pocket of her green smoking jacket. [given to her by the Green Wind] September pulled out a small crystal ball, glittering in the moonlight. A single perfectly green leaf hung suspended in it, swaying back and forth gently, as if blown by a faraway wind. (38)

It is hard for me not to read ahead after I tuck her in…
Sweet Dreams.

Girl Power picture books

Groovy Girl read all these picture books the first two days we had the bag home from the library. Me, well, it has taken me over two weeks to read all of them and I had to renew them once in order to write about a few of them.

1. The Queen of France by Tim Wadham, ill. by Kady Macdonald Denton (2011); Rose wakes up and “feels royal” so she plays dress up and goes to look for her mother dressed regally. Using her imagination her parents play along as Rose changes from the queen to Rose and back again. A seemingly simple tale of love and acceptance, Rose demonstrates one can be a girl with many sides. Denton draws Rose with a Ramona-like haircut in amazing watercolor illustrations. Click here for an interview with Tim Wadham. Hooray for first time author Wadham, a fellow librarian, with this picture book.

2. Not All Princesses Dress In Pink by the mother/daughter writers Jane Yolen & Heidi E.Y. Stemple; ill. by Anne-Sophie Languestin (2010); Similar message in this one with quirky digital illustrations. Each page shares how princesses can play soccer, baseball, wrestle with a dog, dance in the rain, break their nails while planting a garden of pumpkins (of course), and my favorite, escape a stony tower using all their cool girl power, using a ladder like monkey bars. I like Denton’s illustrations better but the message of this one is equally strong: whatever you choose to be you can still wear your sparkly crown!

Happy Sunday and wear your crown with pride!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

(2009)

Fantasy

471 pages

I just finished and am overwhelmed with how wonderful this book was to read. Cashore created a world of kingdoms ruled by kings where two people, Katsa and Po, meet and become friends in the truest sense. Both Katsa and Po are graced with a special talent far beyond what others can imagine. Katsa, orphaned at a young age lives with her uncle, King Randa, who has control over her and uses her killing grace to his advantage but through her own rebellious feelings she forms a council to right some obvious wrongs. On one of the council’s missions she meets Po, a prince from one of the seven kingdoms, and things begin to change in her world as Po teaches her that no man, especially Randa, can control her; that her control always lies within her.

I don’t want to go into detail as much of what was great about this book took me by surprise; points I don’t want to now hand to you, if you haven’t read it. I like fantasy and I thought Cashore built a believable world with very likeable characters. I liked how the characters from part one were not forgotten as I liked Raffin and Helda. I want to know more about Po’s family, Katsa’s decisions and Bitterblue’s struggles.

Last night we drove for two hours home from a music fest and I couldn’t put the book down, even though my head was nodding, begging for sleep and I was reading with a tiny book light. I woke up this morning, picked the book up again, read, made breakfast, read until I turned the last delicious page. I think I will probably be at the library when the doors open tomorrow morning to get Fire.

After Thoughts: I’m a little perturbed because I did some research about Fire, the “sequel” to Graceling and it’s about a different character and as much as I can gather does not further Katsa and Po’s story. (How many of you already knew this…?) I will still read it but am not racing to the library to get it.
I also read a few other reviews and want to comment. The whole relationship issue was believable to me…this is something many people grapple with today and marriage is complex. Can you marry someone and not feel a little “owned” even when you love that person? Yes, but it’s not always easy and the book makes that argument. Katsa and Po are not high school teenagers either and Katsa hasn’t had any positive guidance in this area either. She knows she doesn’t want someone to be in charge of her life. I think it is a worthy debate and thought the example of love was done well; showing depth from both characters.

I did think the book ended quickly but I didn’t think it let the story just drop off. I was ready to read about Katsa’s lessons with Bitterblue and Po’s journey home. I think Katsa and later Bitterblue offer strong female characters for readers and great examples of friendship and self-esteem exist in the book.
Find Kristin Cashore at her blog, This Is My Secret.
Find Graceling at an Indie Bookstore near you.

Saving the world thorugh Judy Moody's eyes.

Judy Moody saves the world! by Megan McDonald (2002)

This is one fast-paced book, which makes it very appealing to kids! Judy and her brother, Stink are trying to win a band-aid decorating contest, which Stink ends up winning. At school, Mr. Todd, is teaching Judy’s class about saving the earth. When her teacher says “it only takes on person to make a difference”, Judy is off and running with this great idea. Here is my favorite quote ” One person! If all it took was one person, then she, Judy Moody, could save the world!” Such enthusiasm!!
They learn about all sorts of recycling ideas like composting and Julia Butterfly Hill-my favorite tree-hugger!!! Judy has very similar energy to Junie B. but without all the negative (stupid, etc.) language. Appropriatly, J and I found this wonderful gem at our local second-hand book store. Find a copy and read it with a little person!

How many readers out there know who Julia Butterfly Hill is…or are willing to find out? Post a comment and tell me what spectacular thing she did to make a difference…I’ll send you a copy of her amazing book.

Judy’s own website-click here!

Find Megan McDonald’s website here.

Julia Butterfly Hill’s weblog here.

Also known as Harper by Ann Haywood Leal

I finished it but I didn’t want to finish it, if you know what I mean. I wanted to be 14 again reading this book, loving it and then rereading it, which is what I used to do when I was 14 because my days were never-ending read fests.

Ann Haywood Leal has created touching and realistic characters focused around the central theme of poverty. Harper Lee and her brother, Hemingway live with their mom, who is barely surviving financially. Harper’s happiness comes from her family and her ability to transform words into poetry. Her mom works odd jobs, mostly cleaning other people’s houses and working at a laundromat. It seems at one time the family had happier times with Harper’s memories showing us a trip to the fair, and swimming together until Daddy’s life becomes consumed with “the whiskey”.

Harper’s memories also shift to show us this new bitter daddy and how his acerbic tongue belittles the women of the family. In another flashback we are witness to mom demanding dad leave because of his drinking. I think this will really help young readers see a side of poverty they might never be witness to and it may show others that what they are experienceing in poverty is very much like Harper’s life. I know many children at my elementary school have been traumatized by house fires or evictions. As the librarian, I often hear excuses like “i can’t get my book back…it’s at my dad’s and I’m not going there right now.” Sometimes I hear from teachers that this family is now living in a motel because a house fire took their belongings or certain kids have been taken from a mom or dad’s home, quickly. I’ve always been sympathetic to these situations but reading this book I will be more empathetic to how quickly life can spiral out of control, especially for a child.
I particularly liked how Harper, even though she couldn’t get back and forth to school, really wanted to get there. She deeply missed her teacher and her school surroundings. Harper is forced to miss school for a few days because she has to watch her young brother, Hemingway while her mom works as much as she can to try to raise any kind of rent money. I guess when I hear about kids missing school for days at a time because of living situations I think they must be enjoying their freedom. Harper, Randall and Lorraine show the other side of students just doing what they can to get by on a very daily basis. This book, realistic fiction at it’s best, will be a must-purchase for my library when I make my first book order in the fall. It reminds me of a series I read during my graduate days by Cynthia Voight called the Tillerman series; The Homecoming and Dicey’s Song. These books also featured a young family in crisis.

Ann Haywood’s website.

Another week gone…

I finished Elvis and Olive by Stephanie Watson today-great cover illustration which perfectly matches the story inside. Elvis and Olive, aka Annie and Natalie, find themselves sharing a summer together with all the fun and trouble two young girls can find. They don’t like each other in the first few minutes of meeting on the first day of freedom. Annie, the risk-taker, shows Natalie a dead bird and then invites Natalie into her makeshift under-the-porch clubhouse.
Who knows why Natalie goes with her at this point-she is grossed out by the dead bird and Annie’s up-front behavior. She does go with her though and somehow their differences turn into a caring relationship. I thought both characters were so lovable and real. I love their spy names and all the neighborhood secrets they discover together. I thought the conflict that arose was especially poignant for 3rd-6th grade girls to read about it; Arguments happen then you get over them!! check out what others have said…Kidsreads, The Breakfast Platter, me (te he) previously and haiku written by Ms. Watson herself!
I noticed her interview on the haiku for two site that a sequel is on its way-we can continue to read about this little friendship.

Story time in Little Rock

Today I was hanging with my friend Verda at her home in Little Rock when I nonchalantly went through her current library pile and found an absolute gem of a book by Holly Hobbie called Fanny! I don’t know how this book got passed me because the adorable heroine on the front cover is wearing cute-as-a-button glasses and I am always looking for role models for J. in this area. I love the Toot and Puddle books so I don’t know how this one slipped by but thank heavans Verda had it in her library pile so I had to stop and read it to Sela and Japhy right then and there. I love Fanny’s sense of style because at our house we often have dance outfits mixed in with outfit of the day and we don’t give in to the Bratz doll craze although we do have antique Barbies. Fanny is a heroine who does things for herself in the face of adversity…her Mom saying “no” to the fancy Connie doll. She makes her own doll and stands up to her friends as well. I would like to invite Fanny over to my house for a playdate with J.-the two could commiserate over their Mom’s but have a blast playing in the meantime! Thank you V and S for introducting us to this great book!