What You Want to Read

This wonderful story was one surprise after another.  It starts out with Ronnie, her brother “Gee” (who happens to have ADHD), and their mom in the emergency room after a squirrel has gotten into their home and caused havoc, resulting in a serious knee injury for their mom.  It is the beginning of the kids’ summer vacation, and since their mom is out of commission, they need some adult supervision.  Just by coincidence, their grandfather (who is a wind prospector by trade) arrives just then from his travels, and their mom comes up with the idea for the kids to go along with him on a “business trip” through Kansas.  The grandfather takes Ronnie and Gee along reluctantly, especially given the fact that Gee is such a handful.  Gee’s ADHD and general exuberance get them into some UNIQUE situations, and in the end helps Ronnie find the adventure and maybe the direction she has been looking for.  I really enjoyed reading this book, and I will most definitely recommend it to kids.

Posted by: Mary

This is a quick read and a funny story by a well-known, well-liked author, about a 12-year-old boy’s summer job ballooning into something way bigger than anyone could imagine.  Our protagonist starts out wondering where he could get enough money for a new bike inner tube.  In an unrelated happening, his grandmother gives him an old riding lawn mower for his birthday present.  As our boy begins to cut the little dead lawn his family has, more to test out his machine, than to earn money his family doesn’t have, another neighbor offers him a lawn job, and then another and another, and business takes off like a meteor.  Enter, now, neighbor Arnold who is a day-trader and wants to pay for his lawn cutting by purchasing some stock shares with the proceeds (if there are any) going to the boy.  Too many lawn requests necessitate helpers being called in, and now our lawn boy has employees to take care of, too.  Everything really gets out-of-hand with jobs, employees, stocks, investments, strong-arm thugs, and too much (?) money.

As we mow through this funny story, we learn little lessons about capitalism along the way, and our young lawn boy who starts out without a penny will surprise you very much.  Even if other 12-year-old kids can’t quite relate to all that happens to our boy here, they will wish they could.  I recommend this humorous story for 4th graders and older – even adults!

Posted by: Fran D.

This is another Medusaesque story, based on the ancient Greek myth.  One morning, Dussie wakes up to find her head covered in snakes.  She is obviously completely freaked out.  Then, in the space of 24 hours, she learns her mom is a Gorgon (yep, a real Greek Gorgon which means her looks can turn people to stone), turns the boy she has a crush on to stone, and meets The Sisterhood (a group of women from mythology….think Sphinx, harpy, etc).  So her life pretty much sucks.  But she somehow manages to make friends, learn about her snakes, and figure a way out of this mess.  This is a great book that explores mythology in a modern setting.  Springer, as usual, does a great job of conveying what it would be like to be a character from mythology. 

Posted by: Kate

Merriweather and Magdelana Mudd are primatologists (people who study apes and monkeys), and their specialty is the study of the golden-haired apes of Ikkinasti Jungle. Now the Mudds are not like typical parents in that they are committed to raising their daughter, Evangeline, in the same fun-loving and happy lifestyle as they’ve observed in the golden-haired ape families. As a result, they have installed trapezes in their house so that Evangeline can braciate (swing) like the apes and they have encouraged her to eat using her feet

Evangeline is a happy 10-year old who loves her parents very much. Things are all good in the Mudd family until the day that the famous primatologist, Dr. Aphrodite Pikkaflee, calls needing some help. She has broken her leg and needs the Mudds to go the the Ikkinasti Jungle to observe a new family of golden-haired apes. The Mudds jump at the chance to go see their beloved apes. There is just one little problem – Evangeline can’t go along with her parents because the Ikkinasti Jungle is simply too dangerous for a 10-year-old. There are giant spitting spiders, mosquitoes the size hummingbirds and worms that crawl right into your bloodstream.

During the 2 weeks that her parents are away, Evangeline has to stay with distant relatives. Her time with them is just awful and she counts the days until her parents come home. Unfortunately, their return home never happens, and weeks, then months go by before Dr. Aphrodite Pikkaflee arrives to take Evangeline to the Ikkinasti Jungle to find her parents.

Evangeline is a spunky, likable character who has just what it takes to find out the cause her parents’ mysterious disappearance. This is a fun book that is full of exciting twists and turns.

After reading this book, look for Evangeline as she returns in the sequel, Evangeline and the Great Mink Escapade.

Posted by: Wendy

Move over, Dr. Seuss.  Make way, Dav Pilkey.  Take cover, Lane Smith and Jon Sciezska.  There’s a another team on the block and they’re going to take the first to third grade “boy market” by storm.  At least they will if I have anything to do with it.

The Cat on the Mat is Flat is the latest endeavor from the duo of Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.  They’ve been around for a while and they know they’re audience.  They have a series for older kids—boys, really, maybe the occasional girl—called Just Stupid, Just Annoying and Just Joking.  All the titles live up—or down—to their names.  However, The Cat on the Mat is Flat is their first move into the easy reader—and poetry–arena.  The verses are easy to read, have a wonderful meter and will offer a genuinely engaging experience for even the most reluctant reader.

In the manner of the old Roadrunner cartoons—or the more contemporary, Itchy and Scratchy, though not quite so disgusting—the poems and illustrations make you laugh and cringe at the same time.  This is no Hop On Pop. Forget fairies, puppies and kids who live in log cabins.  There’s a lot of kersplats, kersplogs, smacking, wacking, hills and swill plus frogs, logs and a muck sucking truck.  I guess you could say that it takes one to know one, because Griffiths and Denton are spot on here.   Little boys play, think and dream this way. This is what they want when they pick up a book.  And that’s exactly what they’re going to do, over and over again, all the while giggling, poking—and reading.  Who could ask for more?

Posted by: Eileen

I hate romantic comedies.  I find them boring and I can’t keep from rolling my eyes constantly.  In fact, I think the reason that I avoid most realistic fiction is because I’m afraid that the book will turn into a romantic comedy-in-writing.  BUT.  I really loved My Most Excellent Year.  Which is definitely a romantic comedy.  Which might mean I’m slipping.

T.C. Keller, Augie Hwong and Alejandra Perez are all 9th graders at a Boston high school, and each of them–without realizing it–is trying to figure out where they belong in life.  T.C. is trying to stay a B+ student, in spite of his natural intelligence and love of politics; Augie is trying to reconcile himself to being both a sports star and a theater director of genius proportions; and Ale is trying to  live up to her diplomat parents’ expectations, while also following her dream of performing in musical theater. 

Do they figure it out?  (And find love along the way?)  Jeez, guys, come on–this is a romantic comedy!  Of COURSE they do!  But the process of finding their way is a wonderful read.  Most reviews will probably point out that it’s heartwarming and poignant, descriptive terms that usually make me run screaming in opposite direction.  BUT.  It’s true: the book is heartwarming and poignant.  More importantly, though, the book is also hilarious.  (Also, I love musicals).  My Most Excellent Year probably won’t make me reconsider my antipathy to romantic comedies, but I’ll definitely recommend it to any 9th and 10th graders who love realistic fiction.

Posted by: Sarah

Do you like playing imaginary games? Do you like suspense? Do you like thinking about Egyptian mythology and mummies and hieroglyphics and other intriguing stuff? If so, you can join April and Melanie and their group of assorted friends as they play their Egypt game. Then you can use your imagination to play your own Egypt game or Africa game or Indian game – the possibilities are endless.

Posted by: Iris

Kitty Princess and the Newspaper Dress is a story about an ill-mannered kitty who learns that kind words go further than barked orders.  When Kitty’s Fairy Godmouse can’t conjure up the right dress for Prince Quince’s ball, Kitty takes matters into her own hands and goes shopping. 

Kitty’s too busy shouting orders to realize that she is shopping at all the wrong places.  It’s hard to find a pair of shoes at a vegetable store or a dress at a newspaper stand.  The store owners meet Kitty’s demands with silly results.  Things are set right only after Kitty apologizes.  And there’s one more silly surprise in store. 

Read this book and that’s an order!

Posted by: Liz

This picture book is a very fun and informative look at the people who are working while most people are sleeping.  The illustrations are very appealing and done in a very child-like, maybe 4th or 5th grade boy style.  The stories of each of the people working the night shift are all woven together by questions such as  “Who does the road worker visit for a snack at 3:30 a.m.?”.  We learn about donut bakers and tugboat captains and bridge painters and window dressers.  There is a lot of good information that would appeal to teachers teaching about careers and occupations, but mostly it is was interesting to think of a whole world of activity happening that we might not often think about.  I think boys would especially love this book, but I really liked it too!

Posted by: Mary

Accomplished author Rosemary Wells writes her first short historical fiction chapter book for third graders and older in the book Wingwalker.  Her story line is appealing because it is a slice of American life, probably not known about by our young contemporary readers, and has familiar family elements (like a peaceful, secure loving environment, but also parents losing jobs), and unfamiliar elements (the unusual way these parents work to survive their particular hard times).

Second-grader Reuben witnesses the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of 1933 first hand watching farms and crops dry up, turn to dust, and smother peoples lives.  Reuben’s dad, who had been a ballroom dance instructor, loses that job when times get tough, but finds a job in another state as an airplane wingwalker.  Reuben’s mom also loses her job as a cafe cook.  The family sells all their furniture to buy a car and moves to Minnesota where the wingwalking job happens to be with the county fair circuit.  Reuben’s mom finds work cooking for the fair performers and life settles in with Reuben and his folks living and working among a tattooed lady, a fire eater, a huge black fat man, clog dancers, the human snake man with the flexible body, and more.  These all become Reuben’s family and new circle of friends. 

The story has the inevitable tension of the mom not wanting the dad to walk wings, Reuben himself being very afraid of heights and afraid of perhaps losing his dad, and the dad loving the idea of being a wingwalker and even wanting to bring Reuben up with him.  This title might be a good suggestion for a second or third grade parent-run book discussion group as we sometimes get asked for a recommendation.  This short book speaks to fear and courage, people who are ‘different’, superstitions and whether or not bargaining with God works.  This is a short, well-written adventure for the younger reader. 

Posted by: Fran D.