CINNAMON by Neil Gaiman and THOSE KIDS FROM FAWN CREEK by Erin Entrada Kelly

We all loved Divya Srinivasan's authentic India-themed illustrations of our picture book, Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman. Long ago a Rajah and a Rani had a daughter, princess Cinnamon, who was not only blind, but also did not talk, and they offered a mango grove, a parrot, and a portrait of the Rani's aunt, once a raging beauty, to anyone who could teach their daughter to talk. All failed except for a ferocious tiger, who (amazingly!) could talk, and who taught Cinnamon about pain, fear, and love. It turned out that Cinnamon never talked because she had nothing to say, but learning about the world from the tiger made her want to go away with him "...for a while to further her education." We all loved that! Some of us loved the writing and the humor in the telling, others not so much; some felt the story was too dark, others remarked that most fairy tales have dark elements; some felt it was too simple or too fantastical. The written and illustrated details that made the story enjoyable are too numerous to mention here, but worth a look. We did feel it could be a good read aloud, and could be used with students alongside other traditional tales with similar motifs.

None of us were thrilled with the title of our novel, Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly, the story of a strange newcomer, Orchid, a seemingly ethereal girl, who arrives to join a very entrenched group of 12 seventh graders who have been together since kindergarten in Fawn Creek, a tiny Louisiana town. As Orchid begins to affect the long-held behaviors of the other kids via her positive attitude, everything seems to be thrown into turmoil. The story, told from many points of view, deals with several of the usual issues among kids of this age: cliques, 'mean girls,' crushes, friendship, gender roles, bullying, lying, etc. etc. etc. Some readers thought the different points of view as the story progressed were confusing, but others pointed out that the drawings at the beginning (as if on a yearbook page) made it easier to figure out who each kid was, and why each of their descriptions/actions/feelings made sense. Some thought that it would have been good to read Orchid's point of view also, but that never arose. Some thought it was a psychological study of kids' thinking/reactions at that age but not so thrilling to read. Others felt that young readers in the target group would certainly relate, and that it was a quick read, including moments of suspense, which kids would also like.

SMART COOKIE by Elly Swartz and THE GARDENER OF ALCATRAZ by Emma Bland Smith

We began our November discussion with our novel, Smart Cookie by Elly Swartz. We had several issues with this book. Although we thought that the major plot point, Frankie's efforts to find a mate for her dad online after her mom's death in a thunderstorm, was a good idea, but it lacked depth. We felt that there was just too much other stuff happening -- ghosts, friendship problems, hoarding, rules, secrets, and more that got in the way of the plot and were never properly developed or resolved. We liked the relationship between Frankie and her best friend Elliot and between Frankie and her dad and grandma, but since there was so much other 'mini-plot stuff' to think about none of us really felt anything as the story proceeded. We did agree that young readers of the target age group (8-12) would probably like the book, and anything that keeps a kid reading is good.

We liked both the great opening and the tone of the writing of our picture book, The Gardener of Alcatraz by Emma Bland Smith, which told an easily accessible story of Elliott Michener, a convicted counterfeiter, who had been transported from Folsom Prison to Alcatraz, decided to be a 'good guy', and ultimately redeemed himself by tending the Alcatraz garden outside of the prison walls. We thought the engaging story showing that people can change would be good for young readers as they read about Elliott's passion and pride as he learned more about gardening and gained skill. We thought Jenn Ely's illustrations were well done in terms of showing facial expressions, changes in perspective, and the way that color crept into the garden that developed in a previously barren place. We agreed that the back matter, for those who would read it, was helpful in presenting further details about Elliot's life and encarceration, the Alcatraz garden, background on (usually un- or poorly-paid) prison labor, treatment of nonwhite prisoners, and other social issues. We thought the book might be especially relatable for students who had incarcerated parents or relatives, and could present some hope of redemption and transformation through the idea that one is not 'just a prisoner.'

THE BEATRYCE PROPHECY by Kate DiCamillo and THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU: All About Your DNA by Rajani LaRocca

At our August meeting we began with our novel, The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Most of us had varying degrees of love for this book for a variety of reasons. We all appreciated the seemingly very simple, but actually very deeply thought out text, which at times felt like a fairy tale and at other times felt even biblical. We appreciated DiCamillo's amazing storytelling skill, and we also felt that the black/grey illustrations done with "real and digital pencils" were entirely appropriate. We were enamored by Beatryce, who, during the medieval times in which she lived, was destined, according to an ancient prophecy, to become king. Beginning when she is found in a pen with a goat, Answelica, and with amnesia, the story goes on to explore her quest to find out who she really is, and to find out what her place is in the world. There are so many details that become evident as the story proceeds -- too many to mention here -- but the main one is that she knows how to read and write, which is prohibited for girls in the time she is living. With the help of a monk, Brother Edik; a boy, Jack Dory; an ex-king, Cannoc; and the goat, Beatryce's perseverance leads her through many hairy adventures en route to the palace. We loved the way that the story developed as we learned the reasons that each character joined her quest; we loved the suspense, and the final resolution, which made a reader feel the power of love as well as the power of story and the importance of reading. One reader was less enamored of the book, and although she did like the story and the writing, she felt it might be a bit too didactic as far as Beatryce's strength as a female and the importance of reading were concerned. We all felt that young readers would become fully engaged in this book from the very beginning, and that since it is a relatively easy read (and not too long) they would stick with it until the end -- where they could not help but to feel -- something!

We decided to read The Secret Code Inside of You: All About Your DNA by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Steven Salerno because we had loved her writing in Red, White, and Whole, which we discussed in July. We wanted to see what she would do with a nonfiction picture book for younger readers. We had varying opinions on this book whose role was to simplify the very complicated subject of cells, DNA, chromosomes, genes, and how they all create specific  characteristics in humans and animals. Some of us liked the rhyming couplets that comprised the text throughout the book, others thought they were terrible, and that the introductory part of the book -- before getting into the actual science -- was too long. We all basically liked the illustrations, which were quite colorful, and did show what the text talked about -- like the cell and the double helix of the DNA. One reader felt that this book was terrible -- that it wasn't totally scientifically correct, and that it was poorly written. But most of us felt that kids could definitely learn from it but probably would be unlikely to just pull it from a library shelf.  However, if a teacher or parent read it to them and showed them the pictures they might want to read it again themselves, and might even want to read more books about this topic. We did feel that the back matter of the book was helpful, but probably for adults -- since young kids rarely read it. 

SOUL FOOD SUNDAY by Winsome Bingham and WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE US by Pamela N. Harris

We began our discussion with our picture book, Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham and Illustrated by C.G. Esperanza. We had various reactions to this book. Most of us loved the vibrantly colored, detailed illustrations of the young Black boy who decided to help his Granny in the kitchen as she prepared the delicious food for the weekly large family Sunday gathering at her house. A couple of readers were not so entranced by the art -- they weren't fans of Esperanza's somewhat bold and brash style. That's OK. Most of us liked the repetitive text where the little boy worked very hard as he learned various important tasks and was praised by his Granny each time with a repeated phrase. We were honored to have one 17-year-old join us, and she liked the book a lot because it helped her to learn about a custom and food of another culture. She said she would have liked to read it as a younger kid. One reader was not so thrilled with the book, she said it didn't seem real, and she had issues with some of the cooking details presented. We thought it could be useful in conjunction with several other excellent books about the foods and gatherings of different cultures.

We all agreed that our novel, When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris was too long, and contained some scenes that could easily have been cut. We all felt for 16-year-old Jay whose dad had died, whose mother was in prison, and whose older sister Nic was missing, and we all had the need to keep reading just to see if she would be found. We got a glimpse into the good and bad parts of his life in the housing project where he lived, his school interactions, his friends, his love for his grandma (MiMi) and his desire to take charge of finding his sister, where several blunders were made. But -- many of us felt bothered by the fact that he didn't tell anyone Nic was missing for the longest time, and that when he finally did it was almost too late. A couple of readers said it reminded them of a Nancy Drew mystery, others didn't see that. We were all glad about the ending, although most of us felt it was almost too 'pat' when his sister was found. One reader absolutely loved it, and felt that all of the characters and actions in the book were very real. Another mentioned that it was all about perceptions and expectations -- how Jay thought he was perceived by various adults, teachers, other kids in his life, the police -- and how the expectations he had of many of them turned out to be wrong. We all agreed that young middle- and high-school readers would love this book.

WATERCRESS by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin, and THE LAST CUENTISTA by Donna Barba Higuera

 

It was interesting this month that both of our books spoke to the importance of story. We began with our picture book, Watercress, by Andrea Wang; illustrated by Jason Chin. We all loved the "breathtakingly beautiful" poetic writing and the perfectly executed illustrations, using Chinese art techniques and brushes, of this first-person story of a young girl whose parents are immigrants from China. She describes the annoyance she feels when her parents stop the car on a family trip to pick watercress growing by the side of the road, and then her refusal to eat it later because it reminds her of "hand-me-down clothes and roadside trash-heap furniture." The importance of story comes to the fore when her mother shows an old family picture, showing famine years ago in China, and ultimately our heroine comes to the realization that her mother's younger brother had died because of it, and her outlook on everything changes. We loved the way it depicted an example of the immigrant experience, of struggling, of yearning for a land long ago left, and of a young girl being ashamed because she isn't "American enough." We felt that it was an excellent read-aloud that students with immigrant parents could relate to, and that would give non-immigrant kids an understanding of what it felt like to be different. We also related to the universal shame of being economically needy, and wanting to be able to just buy things at the store rather than obtain them by other means. We also thought that it would encourage all readers (and listeners) -- especially youngsters -- to seek out and hear and ultimately tell -- the stories of their own families.

Stories were also the emphasis in The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera; the title of which actually means 'the last storyteller.' We had a variety of reactions to this dystopian novel, which starts in the year 2061, when Earth is threatened with total destruction by a giant comet, and goes on for seemingly hundreds of years, as Petra a 13-year-old and her younger brother Javier and scientist parents are among those chosen to begin/create life on Sagan, a new planet. We all agreed that the book was too long, and the plot somewhat convoluted as we learned that everyone's memories of Earth had been technologically removed...everyone except Petra, who continued to remember her life on earth as well as her time spent with her beloved grandma (abuelita, or Lita) who made her very aware of her ancient culture thru the vehicle of storytelling. We liked the relationship Petra had had with her 'Lita' and her desire to not only remember her past on earth, but to share her stories with other children in her midst to help them remember their families also. There are so many more details to this story, too numerous to recount here -- which is mostly why it needed editing -- and why we had mixed feelings about the book. One reader absolutely loved it, and said it brought her to tears when Petra's brother was found and made the ultimate sacrifice so that all could live, and she felt that middle schoolers today would "eat it up" given the kinds of stories they are 'into' these day about alternate universes -- online and in books and movies. Although the rest of us all found parts that we liked, we were mostly not fans of dystopian fiction. A couple of readers felt that some of the things that happened to many of the characters were just 'too horrible', and one reader felt that most of the tropes of this sci-fi fantasy had been done before -- that there was nothing new here. Others had a hard time getting thru the whole book (but did!) and felt that there were just too many details to remember and that it wasn't particularly engaging. Our bottom-line conclusion was that there will be plenty of young readers (and -- obviously adults -- since it is a Newbery Award winner) who will love it, and others, like those in our group, for whom it just isn't their 'cup of tea.'

LOOK BOTH WAYS by Jason Reynolds and STRONG AS SANDOW by Don Tate

Greetings to all!   .....Our October Zoom meeting provided a ton of positive reactions to both of our books. We started with our novel, Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds. Although one reader said that the first chapter completely turned her off due to the graphic discussion of bodily functions (think: nose), the rest of us -- though agreeing that this chapter was the weakest of the ten chapters -- each depicting particular middle-schoolers walking home on a certain street -- kept reading and finished the book. We thought that the first chapter, although off-putting to adults would immediately pull young readers in. We ultimately felt that this book was a masterpiece of plotting, character, and brilliantly fresh writing. We thought it was very real, respectful of the youngsters it depicted, a great examination of joy and kindness and love -- along with some realistic 'kid meanness' -- and that its intended audience of young readers would 'eat it up'. We loved how each chapter/street was a short story within itself, and presented a new world to explore, ending with the last chapter/street in which the relationship of all the characters became evident as well as other things we didn't understand earlier. We also commended the book designer, who used a small line-drawing sketch to introduce each chapter/street and how -- visually -- these drawings descended downward, so that at Chapter 10 the drawing was at the bottom of the page. We hoped that our own 'reluctant reader' would give this book another try.

We had equally positive things to say about our picture book biography, Strong as Sandow by Don Tate. All of us were happy to learn about Eugen Sandow, a body builder in the middle/late 1800s that none of us had ever heard of, and we felt the first page really made one want to read further and the vivid illustrations that bounced off the page were also enticing. We liked the layout of the book where each boxed chapter heading included the location and date where the depicted events occurred. We liked how the story flowed as it told the story of Friedrich Wilhelm Muller, a weak, sickly 10-year-old boy who -- against his parents' wishes -- worked hard at physical exercise to become --at the age of 20 --Eugen Sandow: Strongman. We thought this story was a good page-turner and could be inspirational for young readers as it described the pursuing of a dream and never giving up. We also liked the Back Matter a lot, where: 1) the Afterword elaborated on Sandow's life, where he prescribed physical fitness progams in schools and healthy diets for all; 2) simple exercises anyone could try at home were presented; 3) the Author's Note where Tate described his own experience with bodybuilding; 4) an excellent and extensive bibliography; and 5) actual citations for quotes used in the text. (This is often missing in picture biographies.) ...So great to have two books with (almost) total pluses!

 

BROWN ANGELS by Walter Dean Myers and THE VANDERBEEKERS OF 141st STREET by Karina Yan Glaser

We started with our picture book, Brown Angels by Walter Dean Myers (1993). The book presents many black-and-white or sepia-toned photos of African-American babies and young children that appear to have been taken in the early 20th century. Myers began purchasing these photos in second-hand stores years ago, and had amassed a collection of thousands when he was inspired to write poetry for several of them and combine them in an album-like book. We all loved the photos showing beautiful children in their Sunday-best as they probably posed for professional photographers. We felt that each photo had a story to tell, but that, sadly, Myers -- brilliant writer that he was -- fell a bit short when it came to poetry. We did single out two that we liked: "Pretty Little Black Girl," -- a counting rhyme -- and "Jeannie Had a Giggle," which was humorous, but very real. We weren't sure that young readers would relate to the rest of the poems, since their observations seemed much more adult-like. We thought that young readers today would probably enjoy looking at the photos, and that in a classroom setting it might be fun to have students write their own poetry or stories after seeing them.

We had mixed feelings about our novel, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (2017) by Karina Yan Glaser. We all agreed that it was a very 'old-fashioned' book, reminiscent of The All-of-a-Kind Family or Little House on the Prairie, and that factor was a plus for some readers and a minus for others. A couple of us loved this story of a family of Mom and Dad and five children: Jessie and Isa,12-year-old twin girls; Oliver, 9; Hyacinth, 6; and Laney, 4 3/4. The family was losing their lease of their dad's childhood brownstone home in Harlem (NYC) by their seemingly grouchy landlord, Mr. Beiderman, who was feared by all. As the children tried various plans to circumvent this dire situation, five days before Christmas, they became individuals -- each with their own quirks -- and there were several plot twists that brought out each of their personalities as well as those of their parents. Everyone agreed that once they 'got into' the actual story there was suspense, and even though we knew the family would probably be able to stay in their house at the end, there were several surprises before that was actually assured. But some readers felt that the language was just too old-fashioned, and that even though the story takes place sometime after 2007, it just wouldn't grab the interest of today's kids in the 9-13-year-old reading crowd. Some felt that there was a disconnect between the language of the narrative and the way kids actually talked during the time of the story. We basically agreed that it was definitely a very 'wholesome' story and that it was great that the children were given space to figure things out and to solve their problems without hovering parents. Another issue was the fact that this seemed to be an interracial family, but that was never really clearly dealt with, which seemed unrealistic, given the time and the place. Some readers felt that this story could have taken place anywhere; and even though it was in Harlem, in New York, they really didn't get a feeling of that from the story. We learned that this book is the first in a series, and that three sequels follow. Some will read them; some will not. This discussion was a great example of why the differences in opinions and reactions to books makes our group so interesting and fun!

MARVELOUS CORNELIUS: HURRICANE KATRINA AND THE SPIRIT OF NEW ORLEANS by Phil Binder and WE ARE THE GARDENERS by Joanna Gaines

We had our second Zoom meeting on June 4 (the first for me!!) and it went quite well. I think we are all learning how to deal with this experience in the best way in our own homes....lighting, placement of computer, how to show pictures, etc. I personally missed the Good Food that usually accompanies our discussions, and look forward to the time when we can continue -- IN PERSON -- again.

First, Michelle read Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans by Phil Binder (2015), the story of a beloved sanitation worker in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina. We loved the illustrations which we felt really gave us the feeling of New Orleans, and we also loved a lot of the lyrical language that described Cornelius, his work, and his city. We felt that the story had a folktale-like feeling..perhaps similar to 'John Henry' stories, and that it was well-done. THEN we read the author's note at the back, where we learned that Cornelius Washington was a real man, a diligent and beloved worker for the NOLA Department of Sanitation, BUT that many of the events told in the story did not actually happen, and were just included to make the story better. WHAT??? This note totally destroyed our good feelings about the book, and we felt that it could have been solved if the author had merely stated, at the very beginning, something like, "...based on life and work of Cornelius Washington" We also noted that even though 'Hurricane Katrina' is in the title of the book, only two pages are devoted to that horrific tragedy....which didn't seem exactly right. So -- we liked it, but with reservations.

Caroline read us the second book, We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines (2019). We acknowledged the fact that Gaines and her husband Chip are hosts of a reality show on HGTV which deals with home decor, gardening, cooking, and other family endeavors. We liked many things about this book: the fact that the family worked together, the explanations of how they planned their garden, and the trials and tribulations of creating a large family garden, and never giving up. We liked many of the illustrations showing how the plants developed, and the explanations of the various elements that are needed for a successful garden to thrive. We were unhappy however, that there was no real explanation of the time element entailed in creating a garden -- from the first planting of the seeds to the ultimate joy of having actual vegetables to eat. We thought that could be misleading for kids (and families) who might want to try the same activity at their own homes. We also thought that the entire narrative was just too long, and would have benefited from some cuts. We weren't sure that young readers would keep reading all that was written. But -- a book with some good qualities...so -- OK!

So -- not a bad way to spend an hour online doing something we all love: reading children's books!

SOMETHING TO TELL THE GRANDCOWS by Eileen Spinelli and THE TWO BOBBIES: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery

This month we had our first ever virtual meeting of Book Chat Thursday on Zoom. We had eight participants and a lively discussion. With libraries and book stores closed, we did not attempt to read books ahead of time. Instead, Ann Paul chose two books off her shelf and read them aloud, showing the illustrations via a second screen. The first was Something to Tell the Grandcows by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Bill Slavia, a fictional telling of a true event. We loved the way the cow conveyed her emotions and excitement of the adventure and at the same time was very cow-like. We also liked the inclusion of so much information about the trip and Antarctica–what they brought (suitcases, building material, even a ukelele) and what they saw (icebergs, seals, endless sunshine in summer and endless nights in winter.) We liked the language of the story and the illustrations that paralleled the light-heartedness of the text. Here’s a link to an article about the actual expedition: Cows in Antarctica

Our second book was The Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels.  This book tells the true story of a dog and a cat, both without tails, who got left behind during Hurricane Katrina and after fending for themselves for four months, finally found a friend at a construction site, and eventually a permanent home. We liked how the story depicted the friendship of the two animals and the way they helped one another. This book felt much more matter-of-fact than the first story. We discussed whether it would be shelved with fiction or nonfiction in the library. Some felt that it was fiction because no one knew exactly what happened to Bob and Bobby before they were rescued; others felt that as a true story, it should be classified as nonfiction. In any case, we felt that young children would enjoy hearing this story of friendship and learning more about the impact of Hurricane Katrina.

THE RABBIT LISTENED by Cori Doerrfeld and WISHTREE by Katherine Applegate

Due to the corona virus, our meeting this month was cancelled. However, several of our members who had read the books shared the following comments.

The Rabbit Listened
Reader #1. I found the title intriguing, and the art charming – faces and bodies of both Taylor and the animals highly expressive. The choice to omit any background art was an effective way of keeping the focus on the characters. I particularly liked the fact that Taylor could be either a boy or a girl, so any child can identify. And the images of Taylor and the rabbit were sweet and tender. The message of the book was an essential one – sometimes just listening is the best choice – but ultimately the story came off as a little too message-y. Overall, though, I liked it. 
Reader #2. I thought it would be a great read-aloud and I loved the illustrations -- the expressions on Taylor's and the animals' faces were wonderful, and I also liked all of the white space which eliminated distractions and allowed the reader to focus on what was actually shown. I thought it was so good that Taylor could be a boy or a girl...the illustration gave no clue or opinion on that. I also liked the parallel between all of the animals' suggestions and what Taylor ultimately told Rabbit, and I loved the fact that Rabbit listened -- a great message for young and old.

Wishtree
Reader #1.  I wanted to like this book much more than I did. Katherine Applegate is a terrific writer, and she can be very imaginative. I loved Ivan. This novel had some strong moments and a certain dry, arboreal humor, but it took forever to get started, and once the story was launched, it was too sentimental for my taste, and too predictable. A kid, however, might be much more engaged than I was.
Reader #3. It took way too long to get into the story. I’d doubt that kids would be that patient. If I remember correctly it took nearly 30 pages before any kid came in. I nearly didn’t read further, but suffering from a mother’s admonition to “finish what you start,” plugged on and was sorry that I did. Too pat, too predictable, too preachy.

DRAWN TOGETHER by Minh Le and Dan Santat and ONCE YOU KNOW THIS by Emily Blejwas

We had delicious nibblies for our last meeting, and great discussions on both of our books. We started with our picture book, drawn together [sic] by Minh Le and Dan Santat. Most of us agreed that the illustrations were beautiful, at least the large, colorful ones and the detailed line drawings when the little boy and his Thai-speaking grandpa began to communicate with each other through 'drawing together'. We liked the way they came to understand each other, and the happiness that the little boy, his mother, and his grandpa felt as a result. However, some readers were not thrilled with the comic-book-like illustrations that showed the actual scenes of the story. One reader thought it might make a good graphic novel....although a very short one! We all agreed that it was not a great read-aloud for a group, since even the good illustrations needed to be seen up close, and there wasn't really that much to actually read. We did think it might be good for an adult to share with a young child who might be experiencing the same lack of communication with an older relative because of language differences. We felt that the theme of the story was quite relevant, but that this book did not completely fill the bill for telling it.

Many readers felt that the writing in our novel, Once You Know This by Emily Blejwas was stunning. We were amazed that the book was this author's first attempt at middle-grade fiction. We loved the voice of Brittany, the main character, and the way her relationships with her mother, her dementia-impaired granny, her best friend Marisol, and her neighbors were developed. We also loved the character of Mr. McInnis, Brittany's teacher, and the fact that he guided Brittany into solving her problems rather than telling her what to do. She was the hero of the story. She had to think and do research and talk to various people in order to solve the problem of her mother living with an abuser and how they could get away. We liked the way it showed the strength in Brittany's low-income community, and how the neighbors looked out for each other even though they were all struggling to survive, as well as the way it portrayed a (very smart) child in an abusive situation finding a way for a good resolution at the end. We are eager to see more from this author.

NANETTE'S BAGUETTE by Mo Willems and FULL OF BEANS by Jennifer Holm

We had a small, but verbal group at our last meeting, including the grandson of one of our members, a third-grader, who read our picture book, Nanette's Baguette aloud to us. In his opinion it was great! He said it was "weird, but in a good way," and that it was a "tonguetwister." He also loved the use of the words, 'Krack!' and 'Kaboom!' It was neat to hear the opinion of a real kid! We pretty much agreed with him. We liked it a lot, the use of '-et' words throughout a delightful story of a little girl sent for the first time to buy a baguette for her family at the neighborhood bakery allowed for many language activities in a classroom. One of our members who grew up in France explained that this was a real honor for a small child, and that it was very normal to eat up the pointy ends of the warm, good-smelling baguette on the way home. Nanette, however, ate the whole thing, and was worried about her mother's reaction once she returned home, but we loved how the mother understood perfectly and they both returned to the bakery for another one, which mom proceded to eat on the way home. (Krack!) We thought the illustrations were humorous, and appropriate for the story, although some of us would have preferred that the characters shown were actual humans instead of frogs. We learned that Mo Willems had actually created a paper village for this story, and that the scenes in the book all occurred in parts of this village -- as shown in each illustration...quite an unusual and creative premise. Altogether, positive opinions on a fun read.

We also all liked our novel, Full of Beans by Jennifer Holm. We liked the fact that it reminded us of a simpler time (1934) when kids were pretty much left alone to explore their town and solve their own problems without helicopter parents. We liked that Beans and his friends were very resourceful in finding ways to earn a bit of money during this Depression-affected time in Key West, FL. A few readers felt it was somewhat reminiscent of many of the Beverly Cleary books. A couple of readers were a bit put off by the fact that Beans did some illegal things: transporting liquor for a rum-runner in his wagon and setting of fake fire alarms to distract attention from what he was doing. They thought that he wasn't adequately punished for these things, even though his guilt had a profound effect on him. We thought it was a well-plotted and well-written story, and we liked Beans' voice as he described his life and the activities of the WPA people who had come to Key West to revamp the town to attract tourists. We also liked the Author's Note, which explained that many of the incidents in this story had actually happened, and the list of resources at the end provided many websites with further details and photos of Key West before and after the WPA project. So -- two good books, two positive reviews. It's great when that happens!

THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME by Karen Rivers and CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG by Mo Willems, illus. by Jon Muth

We had very interesting discussions at our last meeting, starting with our novel, The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen Rivers. We all marvelled at the fact that a novel that almost totally takes place in a well where Kammie has fallen could even get published. We had varying opinions of the story however. Many readers said the whole thing made them feel very claustrophobic and therefore difficult to read. We basically liked how Kammie's story developed as she told about how her father had been sent to prison for embezzlement, why she and her mother and brother had to move to Texas, and how she had so much wanted to be accepted by the 'cool girls' -- who actually turned out to be mean girls, since they did little to help her after she fell in the well, and may have even caused her fall. Many of us felt that they didn't receive proper comeuppance at the end after Kammie was rescued. Although we liked Kammie's descriptions of the various details of her life, several of us felt that when she started describing what was going on in her mind, after she became delirious, it just went on for too long. A couple of readers skipped thru that part quickly. We also felt that there were a few things that just weren't plausible, even though they made for a good story. Mixed opinions all around.

We mostly all liked our picture book, City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems; illus. by Jon. J. Muth. We all loved the illustrations, which revealed new details each time one re-looked at them, and beautifully depicted the year as the seasons passed. Most of us liked the development of the friendship betwen the two animals as they taught each other new things each season, but a couple of readers felt that the friendship actually became too dispensable, since it appeared so easy for Dog to make a new friend at the end when Frog wasn't there waiting for him when Spring returned. We felt it could be a good story to read to a small child to help deal with the death of someone near and dear, OR to explain why a good friend had left. At first we all felt that Frog had certainly died, but as we talked more, we learned from one reader that frogs hibernate, so Frog could have just left for that reason. It's amazing how knowing one additional piece of information can affect one's perception of a story. . . which is why reading, and the thinking it creates, are wonderful things!

FOUND by Salina Yoon and PAX by Sara Pennypacker

We had quite animated discussions at our May meeting. We talked about the picture book, Found by Salina Yoon first. We all loved the illustrations and the simplicity of the story of a little tricycle-riding bear who finds a toy stuffed bunny in the forest, tries to find its owner, but then becomes very attached to the bunny, and ultimately has to return it to its original owner, a 'grown-up' necktie-wearing moose. We felt that it would be a good read-aloud, and might be helpful for kids who had to get rid of unused or outgrown toys. A couple of people loved the book, but a few others felt that it fell short in a few respects. They thought that the transition when the 'older' moose decided to give the bunny back to the little bear was a bit too 'convenient,' and that it would have worked better if there had been a couple of 'beats' between the moose reclaiming his bunny and then almost immediately returning it back to the little bear. But we basically liked it, and everyone loved the endpapers, which showed a colorful collage of various 'LOST' signs (and one 'FOUND' sign!), some of which would have garnered a good giggle from any adult reading this book to a little one.

We had several differing opinions on the novel, Pax by Sara Pennypacker, the story of 11-year-old Peter, who lived with his widower father, and had rescued a young orphaned fox from the forest, raised it as a pet, and then had to release it back to the wild when his father went to war and Peter was sent to live with his grandfather. The story is told in alternating chapters in the voices of Peter and the fox, as they are each determined to do whatever it takes to find the other, and as each has various harrowing adventures and adverse situations to overcome in the process. Many readers were upset and even a bit annoyed that there was no specific time or place for this story. Which war? Where? When? Others felt that didn't really matter since the major themes were related to letting go of something loved and then trying to find it again, and also to the idea of what really constitutes a family as well as the anti-war message provided in many of the passages that dealt with what war does to people (and animals.) Some readers felt that the author tried to undertake too much in the development of too many plot points, and others felt that both Peter and the fox seemed to exhibit just too much thought and insight given their ages and statuses (11 & a fox!) in life. Many felt that the character of Vola, an embittered female war veteran whose cabin Peter finds in the middle of a forest and ultimately befriends, was somewhat gratuitous, and really unnecessary; others thought she filled an important role in sort of substituting as a mother figure for Peter when he needed that. We all agreed that the black and white illustrations by Jon Klassen added absolutely nothing to the story, and we also all agreed that this book provided some beautifully written passages, and a lot of 'stuff' for us to think about, but none of us felt that it would become 'a beloved classic', as many of the reviews  had stated. ....and so it goes.

BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL by Philip C. Stead and LIZARD MUSIC by Daniel Pinkwater

BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL by Philip C. Stead. (Illustrated by Erin Stead, who won the 2011 Caldecott for A Sick Day for Amos McGee):

We had a small but lively group at our last meeting, and delicious 'nibblies' also! We discussed the picture book first. We all agreed that the illustrations were wonderful, and we especially loved Bear and all of his expressions as he tried to get his small animal friends to listen to his story as he helped them prepare for winter. We did however agree that as a read-aloud to a group of children, it might not work so well, since many of the illustrations were quite pale, and couldn't be seen so well from a distance. Some people objected to the fact that it was a 'circular' story....reading the last page would send you back to the beginning. Some people liked that idea, while others didn't like the ending at all and wanted to know exactly what Bear's story WAS. We also read aloud A Sick Day for Amos McGee, the Caldecott winner for the same author/illustrator team, and some liked that book better, while others preferred Bear. Differences in perception and opinion are what makes our group so much fun!

 

LIZARD MUSIC by Daniel Pinkwater.

As for the novel...there are Pinkwater lovers and then there are others! We all loved the beginning of the book, and the fact that Victor was a normal kid with a normal family...not the usual middle school smart aleck of so many current books. A couple of us loved the rest of the story also -- but not everyone. A couple of people felt that Victor didn't really DO anything...he merely reported everything that happened on the strange lizard island, but he had no real part in any of the action. Some folks couldn't figure out the purpose for the story. We did love Victor's obsession with Walter Cronkite and TV news, however. One of our members said she had always loved this book and her son had loved it and read it several times when he was young. Some of us wondered about any symbolism in the story, knowing a bit about the author and some of his other works. We thought it might be good to read another book of his to figure out where he's really 'coming from'....maybe we will some time in the future.

 

Other news: Two of our members, Ann Paul and Nancy Hayashi, have a new book coming out in November: 'Twas the Late Night of Christmas. They will be doing a book signing at Skylight Books in LA, and the details are here:

http://www.skylightbooks.com/event/ann-whitford-paul-reads-twas-late-night-christmas?utm_source=November+Events+at+Skylight+Books&utm_campaign=October+events+2013&utm_medium=email  Perhaps you'd like to attend.

 

Have fun on Halloween! BOO!