Nonfiction Review - How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland

Dinosaur mania continues to reign supreme around Casa de Kinser. Even as I type this, the kiddo is building a "jurassic island" in the living room, using the new dinosaur figures he bought as his souvenir from Disneyland (yes, my kid is such a dino freak that he even chooses to buy dino-themed toys from the happiest place on Earth). We cannot make it home from the library without first perusing the nonfiction shelves to see what new titles may have appeared, and dinos continue to be the favorite topic of dinner-time conversation, from Sprout's perspective at least.

So you might imagine that Mama scored a big hit when I brought home Jessie Hartland's nonfiction title How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum. I thought this book was going to be a bit of a stretch for Sprout, as it's cataloged in the juvenile nonfiction rather than the picture book section. It's also pretty text-intensive, but no matter - Sprout hung in through the whole thing, and has requested it multiple times as bedtime reading. There are nice bits of new vocabulary used here, but Hartland gives them plenty of context so even younger readers can interpret what she's trying to get across. That's a very nice touch, for my money, as it gives kids practice at puzzling out contextual cues, a critical skill in developing reading comprehension.

The nice thing about How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum is it's not just a dry recital of facts. When I remember nonfiction from my own youth, it was all pretty serious stuff - those authors were in it for communicating information, not for spicing things up with story and character and that kind of frivolity. But Hartland has a different approach. She's telling kids the story of a Diplodocus that was unearthed at what is now Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah. We start out in the beginning, when Diplodocus was living, and discover the changes that happen to the environment after her death. Then Hartland brings in the humans who discover the bones of the Diplodocus - first a dinosaur hunter, then a paleontologist to confirm the find, then a group of excavators to begin looking for the rest of the skeleton. Each step of the way, a new spread discusses the role of the next set of experts to work on the Diplodocus, even as Hartland reinforces the steps that went before.

This is a really thorough overview of all the people involved in the process of bringing a dinosaur to the museum. What I appreciated most, aside from the care taken to describe the job of each individual group of specialists, was the illustrations. They are approachable and have high kid-appeal, and it's great that Hartland incorporates some diversity within her cast of characters. Granted, there could be more, but I appreciate that there was an effort to keep the people somewhat diverse.The experts aren't all middle-aged white men - there are women and people of color there too. Sprout thought it was cool that there's a female welder on one of the pages ("girls can do that job too!"). There are also some small touches of humor throughout, such as the Diplodocus being tickled by the feather duster, and problems that arise which need to be solved creatively.

How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum is just one of Jessie Hartland's nonfiction titles; similar books include How the Meteorite Got to the Museum and How the Sphinx Got to the Museum. These are great choices for homeschooling families, for classrooms and libraries. If you want to spark questions and get your kids thinking before an upcoming trip to a museum, check out this or Hartland's other titles. You might just find yourself surprised by how the dinosaur got where she is!

How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland, published by Blue Apple Books
Ages 6-10
Source: Library
Sample: "Here, rooting around the old river bed in 1923, is the Dinosaur Hunter. He has studied geology, pored over maps and books, and knows roughly where to look for dinosaur fossils. After searching and digging for months and months, he finds AN UNUSUALLY LARGE BONE in what today we call Utah."
Recommended

30 Days of Picture Books - Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard

Today's Day 14 of our 30 Days of Picture Books. It's at this point in the project that I realize I'm probably not going to get to every single book I want to share with you. Sigh. It's just that there's such a bounty of picture book goodness out there, that it's hard to winnow it all own. Oh well, that only means there is that much more for next year, yes?

Our pick today is one I put off reading for a long time, which is weird, because I really love the cover:

But I think it's because I read a ton of raves when the book came out, and I just didn't want to be disappointed in the result. I mean, that bird - he has such promise, right? That tuft of feathers, that upturned eyebrow, that beak out-of-joint. And if Grumpy Bird didn't live up to Jeremy Tankard's amazing cover work, well, I'd be all kinds of cranky myself.

Lucky for us, and for you, dear reader, Grumpy Bird is ever bit as great as you might expect. In fact, it has become a frequent library checkout (and re-checkout) for us because it always delivers as a mood-lifter. So whenever Sprout's getting a little frumpy about life -- such as the days he complains about being "so bored" -- I know it's time to perk things up with Grumpy Bird.

The story starts out with our title character, who wakes up with his feathers in a bit of a twist. He decides to go for a walk, because he's even too grumpy to fly. But right off the bat, to Bird's annoyance, Sheep sees him walking and wants to join along. Whatever, Bird thinks, but then Rabbit sees the two and decides to come along. On each new spread, another animal decides to join in, until there's a whole crew keeping the very disgruntled Bird company. Bird plans to drive them away by jumping, hopping and the like - but to Bird's surprise, all he manages to scare away is his own crabby mood. And now he's got some awesome friends to have a snack with!

This colorful title is a great one to break kids, or adults for the matter, out of a funk. How can you stay grouchy around this cute little dude? Even grumpy, Bird is super adorable - which I think is what makes this book work so well, because kids can't help but be drawn to him, and that message Tankard's woven in sneaks up on them before they know it. It's a perfect springboard to talking about friendship, emotions, and the power of looking beyond your own mood. (And also, it's just a lot of fun to read!)

Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard, published by Scholastic

30 Days of Picture Books - Platypus by Chris Riddell

It's Day 2 of our 30 Days of Picture Books. What do you love about picture books? I'd hazard a guess that if you asked 100 different people, you'd get 100 different answers. For us it's more than one thing, and each book we read brings out a different aspect of the format that we enjoy. But I have to say that we are often bowled away by the sheer charm of picture books, especially those that are just bubbling over with wit.

And that pretty well sums up today's pick, Platypus by Chris Riddell. I don't know how I missed this title (or this series, because there are two other titles featuring the beguiling main character) until now, but I was happy to stumble upon it one day at work. Of course it was the cover that got me -- how could you not be totally taken by this cute little guy -- but the story instantly won me over, and Sprout as well. In fact, the first time we read it we had to reread it twice more, and then Sprout asked for it at bedtime. If that's not a ringing endorsements, friends, I don't know what is.

Beyond the darling illustrations, which are bound to tickle even the youngest readers' fancy, the plot is a total winner for us. Riddell knows his craft, and he keeps the storyline uncluttered by diving right into a day in the life of Platypus. We learn that our hero is a collector, and this day he's out to add to his collection. But nothing he finds seems quite right, until he happens upon a lovely curly shell in his bucket. What fun! Only pretty soon Platypus figures out that something's up with this perfect souvenir, and readers will love happening on the answer to the mystery along with Platypus.

I mentioned that it's the charm of books like this that we especially appreciate, and I think that's where the true craft of Platypus comes through. Because it's not just the twist of the story, or the cheerfully adorable visual style Riddell employs. No, the charm is in the way Platypus is a preschool-age everyman, and that's something that parents, teachers, and even kids themselves will pick up. Platypus' behavior rings true with how a young child would behave, faced with the same set of circumstances - and in that facet comes not only the humor, but the immediate pleas to "read it again!".

Platypus by Chris Riddell, published by Harcourt

(note: the Platypus books are, sadly, tough to find -- so put these titles on your list for the library or the used bookstore!)

Series Spotlight - Shanna's First Readers by Jean Marzollo

I've mentioned before that I'm always on the hunt for series that have diverse characters. A similar hunt is for diverse reads for beginners - it seems like there are plenty of picture books, and novels for middle grade and teen readers, but where the multicultural children's literature field falls short is in board books (more on that another time) and books for beginners. Beginning readers are tough because they already have to accomplish so much: be readable for those just starting to decode the written word, but at the same time be colorful and inviting, have plots that are easily understood, and be interesting enough to compel those beginners to pull them off the shelf. Tall order indeed!

But there are choices out there, if you're willing to look. Libraries are one of the best places, as are used bookstores, for the simple fact that some of these series start out strong and then don't get the backing from their publishing houses that one might hope. (Lots of thoughts on that, again, for another time.) Today's pick is a series that I unearthed by rooting around in the library catalog. It's one I hope will stick around for a while on our library shelves because Sprout loves them now, and I know he'll be thrilled to read them on his own one day.

The series in question is Jean Marzollo's Shanna's First Readers. We've read three of the titles: Shanna's Hip, Hop, Hooray!; Shanna's Bear Hunt; and Shanna's Party Surprise. Each of the books is fairly shimmering with energy and excitement, from the cover right on through, which makes them a perfect selection for catching and keeping a beginner's attention. They're also fairly simple, so perfect for low level readers, and make use of speech bubbles and other comic-inspired devices. There's so much going on here, but each spread is carefully constructed to move beginners sequentially through the story.

And the plots, while easy to follow, are fun too. In Shanna's Hip, Hop, Hooray!, Shanna and her brother Shane are putting on a show with their animal friends. Everybody's dancing and moving to the beat, which readers can't fail to catch on to - it's infectious, to say the least! Illustrators Maryn Roos and Shane Evans keep the backgrounds uncluttered so the focus is on the characters and the action, just as it should be. At the end of each story, Marzollo gives kids a fun word game to help reinforce the skills learned in the book. For Shanna's Bear Hunt, for example, the game is matching up rhyming words, underscoring the rhyme scheme occurring in the text -- just what a beginner needs to succeed.

Sadly this series is out of print (come on, Jump at the Sun, bring it back, will you?) but you can find used copies if you hunt around. Our library copies have seen better days, but I'm hoping they can hold on a bit. Fun, engaging titles just right for a beginner, featuring an adorable girl and her equally cute little brother? What's not to love?!

Shanna's First Readers:

Shanna's Animal Riddles
Shanna's Bear Hunt
Shanna's Hip, Hop, Hooray!
Shanna's Lost Shoe
Shanna's Party Surprise
Shanna's Pizza Parlor

also look for the Shanna's Show titles:

Shanna's Princess Show
Shanna's Doctor Show
Shanna's Teacher Show
Shanna's Ballerina Show

Series Spotlight: Messy Bessey by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack

A while ago a reader contacted me asking about series featuring children of color. Ever since then I've been on high alert for series that fit the bill - those that have a recurring character or characters but for which diversity isn't the driving force of the story. Rather, I'm looking for books where diversity is a side element, less the focus of the narrative than a characteristic. I've already written about a few, and featured a couple on a Pinterest board, and I've got several others in the wings (one of these days I'll have time to write all those blog posts I want to, right?).

One series that cropped up early on in my research was the Messy Bessey series by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack. Patricia McKissack is a familiar name in kidlit circles, and for good reason - she's written some outstanding picture books and novels, both with her husband and on her own, and has received both a Newbery Honor and two Coretta Scott King Awards. But her Messy Bessey series is a bit of a departure from her historicals and nonfiction titles, and it is for beginners so it may have flown under the radar of most of her readers.

And that's a shame, really, because this is a terrific series to share with kids just learning to read. Don't look for complex plots or intense character development; like most early readers, these titles drop readers right into the action and feature swift, satisfying resolutions. The series is filled with colorful and lively illustrations by Dana Regan, a point that's sure to draw kids in from the covers alone. Add to that the trope of a recurring character who finds herself always on the clean-up end of a big mess (usually her doing) and you have the makings for a charming little series for beginners.

I brought home three of the Messy Bessey titles to share with Sprout and he's insisted every time that we read all three together. Quite frankly I think he identifies most with the first title, Messy Bessey. In that outing, our heroine must clean up her room, which is a frightful disaster -- gum on the ceiling, for goodness sakes! (Sprout thinks that's hilarious). And being a typical kid, Bessey does just what she needs to do - clean up the surface and shove most of the debris into her closet. I love that - no goodie two-shoes ending here, which would be a total drag for kids anyway, as who loves a book where the main character does just what they are told?

The other two titles we read are Messy Bessey's Family Reunion, in which Bessey's extended family gets together for some fun at the park and then must clean up afterwards, and Messy Bessey's Holidays, which sees our girl baking cookies for three winter holidays. I especially love the last one, because it shows a rare nod to Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Christmas all together. In that outing, we learn that different people celebrate differently, but everyone enjoys a colorful sugar cookie!

We've had great fun reading these three books together, and I know that we'll revisit the series when Sprout's ready for some easy readers of his own. Simple and readable, with relatable characters and situations, the Messy Bessey books fit the bill for parents and teachers looking to move beyond licensed characters and familiar faces for the beginner reader set. Though these are older titles, it's still worth checking out your library or used bookstore to find them - you never know what Bessey's up to, but you can be sure a mess isn't far behind!

Titles in the Messy Bessey Series (note: I couldn't find a complete series listing):
Messy Bessey
Messy Bessey's Holidays
Messy Bessey's Family Reunion
Messy Bessey's Closet
Messy Bessey's Garden
Messy Bessey and the Birthday Overnight
Messy Bessey's School Desk

Bonus: an interview with Patricia and Fredrick McKissack from Reading Rockets

12 Days of Christmas Picture Books - How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? by Jane Yolen

**Due to technical difficulties - this didn't publish last night. Which is OK, it just means you'll get 2 posts from us in 24 hours!**

It's Day 8 of our 12 Days of Christmas Picture Books series. Wow, where does the time go? Still so many awesome Christmas picture books we'd love to share. . . guess we'll get a jump on the project for next year! And remember, we'd love to hear what your favorite holiday reads are, whether they are for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. You can leave a comment here, track me down on Facebook or Twitter, or shoot me an email with your suggestions!

Today's pick is one of Sprout's new favorites: Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?. Yolen has a whole series of these How Do Dinosaurs books, and we've of course brought several home from the library because Sprout is nuts for them. Each one is not only fun and spirited, but teaches us a few more dinosaur names. Sprout has fun poring over the end papers and noting which dinosaurs appear where in the pictures, done by illustrator Mark Teague (look for the name of each dinosaur cleverly woven into the spread on which its picture appears). And as with each of the books, there's a little bit of a lesson embedded, though it's done with such wit and charm that it'll sneak right up on the kiddos.

It's really hard to separate the pictures and the text in these titles, and Merry Christmas is no exception. Much of the humor comes from the antics of the dinosaurs, and the way their outsized shenangans are depicted in the setting of a modern-day home. In this title, there's a lot of tearing up presents, shaking Christmas trees, and the like, all of which are so ridiculously over-the-top that they make Sprout laugh like crazy. And I love that Teague includes a multicultural cast of characters in all of these titles - proof again that it doesn't have to be a book about racial issues or set in a foreign land to show a little diversity! Thank you Jane Yolen and Mark Teague for that kind of sensitivity and thought.

On Christmas morning it may feel like a gigantoraptor has been frolicking through your living room, but take heart - if even a dinosaur can learn to use manners and express gratitude, so can your little sprout!

How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? by Jane Yolen, published by Blue Sky Press
All ages
Source: Library
Sample: "On Christmas Eve, does a dinosaur sleep? Does he go up to bed without making a peep? / Or does he sneak out, just to check what's to see? / Does he rip open presents set under the tree?"
Recommended

30 Days of Picture Books - Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson

Happy Thanksgiving! It's Day 22 of Picture Book Month and we have much to be thankful for around here: family, good friends, a warm home, plenty to eat, and of course loads of books. As we have been the last couple of years, we are extra thankful for the process of adoption, which allowed us to become parents, and to the country of Ethiopia, where our hearts were made full. We hope you are having a wonderful day celebrating with those you love most.

This is the first year that Sprout is really aware of the holiday. He's been doing turkey crafts at preschool (a pinecone turkey!) and talking about things he's thankful for. We've also been talking a lot at home about gratitude, about how fortunate we are to have so much in our lives. Naturally that entails reading books about Thanksgiving. I've shared some already, from multicultural titles to a nonfiction choice, and today's pick features one of our favorite picture book characters.

We first met Karma Wilson's Bear in the now-classic Bear Snores On, and since then we've read a number of Bear's other adventures. Sprout adores Bear, and with each book he studies Jane Chapman's illustrations carefully. In his latest outing, Bear Says Thanks, Bear and his forest friends gather in his cozy cave for a lovely feast. Everyone brings something, from Mouse's huckleberry pie to Badger's catch of the day. But Bear is upset because his own cupboard is empty and he has nothing to add to the dinner spread. Fortunately, his dear friends reassure them that Bear has plenty to share: his wonderful stories! And so the group gathers together to share a meal and some cameraderie.

You can't go wrong with any of these excellent Bear titles. Karma Wilson's stories touch on the kinds of issues that are important to preschoolers, and her writing really lends itself to read-aloud, whether at home or in the classroom. I love that each title gives us more to talk about -- in this case, the importance of sharing what we have with others who do not, as well as the fact that we all have different gifts to contribute. And the illustrations by Jane Chapman are just delightful, with color palettes and cozy details that match the tone of each tale to a T. In one of the last spreads, the friends are gathered around Bear, eating and laughing and having a very enjoyable time; Chapman's homey translation of the scene will make young readers want to join right in!

Stories unite us and help us understand ourselves and our world in ways we could never anticipate. We hope you, dear readers, are as thankful for the gifts of talented authors and illustrators as we are. In the spirit of Bear and his friends, we all say "Thanks!"

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, published by Simon & Schuster

Series Spotlight - Ruby and the Booker Boys

This is the second in my series of posts focusing on series that feature people of color as main and supporting characters (check out the first post here). The purpose of these spotlights is to offer alternatives to other titles where diversity is lacking - not that I don't enjoy many of those popular series books, but in recognition of how important it is that all kids see themselves represented in the literature around them.

This time around, we're looking at Derrick Barnes's series Ruby and the Booker Boys. This is a fantastic early chapter book series for young readers, packed with humor, emotion, and lots and lots of fun. Fans of Clementine or Judy Moody will be equally smitten by the self-proclaimed ultra-fabulous Ruby Booker, a narrator who sparkles between every line. Ruby may have three awesome older brothers, but she refuses to stand in their shadows. No sir, Ruby Booker is a star, and she's not afraid to show it.

 

In the first book of the series, Brand-new School, Brave New Ruby, our heroine is starting third grade in a new school, Hope Road Academy. Now Ruby's not one to be intimidated by just anything, but the thing is that at Hope Road, her older brothers are already legendary. This could work to her advantage, if their star power shines bright enough. But it could also mean that their little sis is outshined, and Ruby cannot let that happen. Instead, she's determined to make her mark at Hope Road in her own unique way.

The second title sees Ruby having found her footing at Hope Road, but she's still got to establish herself as her very own Booker, not just the little sis. In Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme, the students have a chance to win a great prize in the school-wide trivia contest. And Ruby knows her stuff, because she's a trivia manaic. So what's the problem? Technically the contest is only open for the upper grades, which means that Ruby's brothers are eligible but she isn't. Can she convince the principal to allow her to compete? And if Ruby does get in, will she be able to beat the older contestants?

There's a lot to love about the Ruby Booker titles. Though Ruby competes with her older brothers, they all love each other very much, and that affection shows through in each story. Her parents are supportive and want the best for all their kids, though some good-natured teasing is definitely in order. But best of all is the character of Ruby herself. She's confident and self-assured, sassy and full of fun. She loves music, her pet iguana Lady Love and her orange-and-purple sneaker set. Ruby's the kind of kid boys and girls can relate to, and readers will want to hear more about this bouncy, vibrant kiddo and her fun-loving brothers. And those adorable illustrations by Vanessa Brantley Newton are the icing on the cake!

The Ruby and the Booker Boys Series:
Book 1: Brand-new School, Brave New Ruby
Book 2: Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme
Book 3: The Slumber Party Payback
Book 4: Ruby Flips for Attention
Book 5: Tad P. Loves Ruby B. (no release date set at this time)

Age range: Elementary/Middle grade

Bonus: interview with author Derrick Barnes from the blog Color Online

Series Spotlight: Clubhouse Mysteries by Sharon M. Draper

Recently a reader asked about series for her middle-grade son, in particular those that feature characters of color. She wants books where the protagonists and supporting cast have diversity, but that don't explicitly deal with race as a feature of the storyline. Her son wants books about kids that "look like me", a desire I think all of us can relate to. How many times can you read books about characters you have nothing in common with, before you just give up on reading altogether?

To that end, I began researching series that might fit the bill. I was pleased to uncover quite a few, from beginner readers up to those for older kids. Best of all, many of them are just fun to read, with the kind of easy plots and satisfying resolutions that we look for when we read series books. For reluctant readers, the prospect of tackling a new book might seem easier when they've already gone through the process of getting to know the characters. Being able to relax into the storyline and watch familiar friends navigate the events they encounter is the very best part of series fiction. (When life is especially stressful for me, I often turn to mystery series -- the formulaic nature of the books can be a welcome relief from chaos!)

One of the best series I've found so far is Sharon M. Draper's Clubhouse Mysteries. The books feature the exploits of buddies Rashawn, Jerome, Ziggy and Rico. The boys are neighbors and have formed a club called the Black Dinosaurs, named after Rashawn's toy apatosaurus. The mission behind the Black Dinosaurs is to be a group where the boys can have secrets, make plans, and above all, hide their treasures. The four boys built themselves a clubhouse in Ziggy's backyard (his parents are the most laidback about things like this) and have regular meetings with a rotating secret code word - which works out great, except that Ziggy can never quite remember the current code.

The first entry in the series, The Buried Bones Mystery, is the set-up, explaining a bit of each boy's back story and telling about the formation of the club. Right away, the boys find that their clubhouse is much more than a place for hanging out - it may just be built on a burial site! When they uncover a box of bones while digging a hole to hide their treasures, the boys find themselves deep in the midst of a mystery that only four intrepid heroes like themselves would dare to tackle. Is there a connection between the destruction of the neighborhood basketball court and the strange bones the boys found? And why does old Mr. Greene keep singing that creepy song, "Them bones gonna rise again"? Leave it to the Black Dinosaurs to get to the bottom of things.

Draper's background as an educator is readily apparent here - she knows what kids like to read, and she gives it to them, with just enough thrills to keep even the most uninterested reader turning pages. There's lots of humor and plenty of quirky behaviors (no one takes him/herself too seriously). Her characters are compelling too, each boy solidly filled-out with a unique persona and perspective. Rico, for instance, craves Ziggy's wild and rambunctious household which stands out in stark contrast to his own carefully structured home he shares with his cautious mother. Rashawn has a police officer dad and a somewhat crazy dog named Afrika. And Jerome loves basketball, but most often he gets stuck watching his two younger sisters in order to help out his grandmother, who cares for all of them. Together these four make a fantastic team, as each one has strengths that complement the others' weaknesses. Boys especially will love the Black Dinosaurs and wish there was a troupe like these in their own neighborhood.

Other entries in the Clubhouse Mysteries series:
Book 2: Lost in the Tunnel of Time
Book 3: Shadows of Caesar's Creek
Book 4: The Space Camp Adventure
Book 5: The Backyard Animal Show
Book 6: Stars and Sparks on Stage

Age range: Elementary/Middle Grade

Bonus: interview with Sharon M. Draper from the blog Fireside Musings

Easy Readers - The "Max" Series by Adria F. Klein

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there is a huge need for early reader books featuring characters of color. Series titles in particular are thin on the ground. If you don't believe me, take a look at your local library or bookstore next time. Beyond Diego and Dora, and the occasional Little Bill title, it's pretty darn white over in the easy readers. And yes, I realize that there are excellent choices like "Frog and Toad" and "Little Bear" - but there's also a real lack of representation of diversity in this section of most collections.


Enter Adria F. Klein, a professor in the Education department at California State University and the author of the Max books, published by Picture Window Books. These are entries in the "Read-it! Readers" series, a set of leveled readers that is similar to "I Can Read" or "Step into Reading". The Max titles we've read are at the beginning end of the spectrum: purple and red, the first two steps in the "Read-it!" system.

There's a lot to love about Max. For starters, here's a character with some color! The Library of Congress info page lists Max as "Hispanic-American", which fits, but quite frankly Sprout thinks Max looks just like him, and we are good with that. In the titles we've read there aren't any cultural details clearly linking Max to a particular ethnicity, though if there were we'd welcome that too. What's important is that for once we have a series character of color who is book-based only. Love it! And bonus: many, if not all, of the Max titles are available in bilingual English/Spanish editions. Whether your focus is bilingual education or ESL, these books provide a high-quality option.

So far we've read three Max titles: Max Goes to School, Max Goes to the Barber and Max and the Adoption Day Party. Each one is charmingly simple, with vivid and bright illustrations that support the text in meaningful ways. These are great books not only for fostering reading readiness and supporting emerging readers, but also for introducing kids to new and different situations. Sprout's fascinated by the School title, as it walks kids through the essentials of Max's day: meeting his teacher, finding his desk, eating his lunch, playing at recess. Adoption Day Party provides a basic familiarity with adoption celebrations; while it focuses more on the party aspect rather than on the notion of what adoption means, the book's greatest strength comes from showing that being adopted doesn't mean you're different from everyone else.

A quick online search reveals lots more titles in the Max series. Name a situation, and Max probably has it covered, from staying overnight to going to the dentist to taking his dog to the vet. Fortunately our library carries several Max titles. If yours doesn't, I'd strongly recommend making a purchase suggestion, as these provide much-needed depth and diversity to the early reader section. We're looking forward to exploring more titles with Max -- can't wait until Sprout's reading these to me on his own!

Chapter Book Review - Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis

Right over our back fence is a patch of land that the owners have pretty much left alone. There's a  plum tree, some grapevines, and blackberries galore. This jumble of wildness presses itself into our fence, bursting over the top and shoving aside random boards in its untameable chaos.

We love it.

And it was this very wildness that I thought of from the first pages of Wildwood, the richly imaginative new novel by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. The book is set in Portland, OR, but a Portland unlike that most people know, one bordered by the fierce forest known as the Impassable Wilderness. Residents know to avoid these woods entirely. Prue McKeel and Curtis Mehlberg aren't sure just why, as their parents never really talk about it -- but when Prue's baby brother Mac is snatched by a murder of crows who fly into the Impassable Wildness, suddenly everything changes. Prue is determined to get her brother back, and Curtis is equally set on helping her, so, somewhat trepidatiously, into the Wilderness they go.

What they find is something they are completely unprepared for. Armies of talking coyotes, regiments of birds, deposed rulers trying to regain power, and always, everywhere, wildness and magic. Prue and Curtis soon are in the thick of it, trying to piece together which side they should be fighting for and just how Mac could disappear like he did. And the deeper Prue and Curtis get into the woods, the more they discover about themselves, their families, and how dense the wildness really is.

Wildwood is the kind of book that fantasy lovers long for, vividly detailed and fantastically suspenseful. Meloy's writing is offset perfectly by Ellis's illustrations, whimsical and just a bit dangerous. I love the use of color plates inset at points throughout the story -- it reminds me of old editions of the Oz books that I used to pore over. And, in fact, Wildwood owes a lot to L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis and even Lewis Carroll, as readers of these authors will find much that's familiar but also a completely new departure in this novel. Curtis in particular was quite reminiscent of Edmund from Narnia, at least at first, but then Curtis's own character emerges and we can see that he's definitely a personality all his own. My favorite bit was the bandits, especially the Bandit King Brendan, that rakish devil.

I can't wait for the next entry in this series, to catch up with Prue and Curtis and visit Wildwood once more. Share this with anyone who loves magic, mystery and epic adventure -- whether you read it aloud or they jump in all your own, Wildwood is one to curl up with on a stormy winter night (and keep reading long past your bedtime!).

Wildwood by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis; published by Balzer + Bray
Ages 9 up
Source: Library
Sample quote: "'Impassable Wilderness? Oh boy, would that it were. I might have a little more time at home. Nah, I don't know who told you that, but you Outside folk have got it all wrong. 'Course, you're the first of your kind I've ever seen here, so it stands to reason that no one ever made an effort to find out about the Wood -- Wild, North, or South.' He looked at Prue and smiled. 'Seems like you just might be our first pioneer, Port-Land Prue.'"
Highly recommended

For more about Wildwood, check out this interview with Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis!

Audio Review - Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner

One of the reasons audiobooks are popular, it seems to me, is that we all really enjoy having someone read to us. I don't know what it is, exactly. Maybe the heritage of storytelling in days gone by simply sunk into our collective DNA, so that we respond to a tale read aloud in a different way. Or maybe it's just the luxury of sinking completely into a story as it unfolds around us.

Such was the case for me with the new book Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner. This is a fantasy in the truest sense of the word, as Tanner gives us an alternate-reality tale taking place in a world somewhat like our own and yet vastly different. In the city of Jewel, children are kept under adult protection at all times, linked either to their parents or to the Blessed Guardians by a silver guardchain until the age of Separation. For Goldie Roth, this is altogether normal, though restrictive, and she lives for her own Separation. But then Separation Day is canceled, and Goldie impulsively runs away from her Guardian. She washes up at the Museum of Dunt, a bizarre building that seems to have a personality -- and secret life -- of its own. Here Goldie meets a most  unusual cast of characters. Gradually Goldie realizes that her own fate is drawing her to the Museum, for she is one of only a few who can interpret the mysteries that lie within its walls, and stand in the way of forces that might destroy her world.

This story worked for me on many levels -- the unique slant on the child-destined-to-save-the-world formula, the truly original voices of the characters, the wry humor that pervades Tanner's vision of a world devoid of any potential dangers (at least on the surface). But as an audiobook, what made it truly spectacular was the narrator, Claudia Black. Black does a full complement of voices and she is compelling at each of them, from the imperiousness of Guardian Hope to the reasoned wisdom of Herro Dan to the fearfulness of Goldie's parents. She sustains the drama of Tanner's plotline while never giving away a hint of the secrets yet to be unveiled. Black has plenty to work with here -- a tightly plotted story peopled with memorable characters and delicious mysteries -- and she puts her considerable vocal talents to good use. It was a true pleasure to listen to Museum of Thieves, and I'm eagerly awaiting City of Lies, the next book in the series, due out in September.

Bottom line: great audiobooks are a marriage of excellent writing paired with enthusiastic narration. Museum of Thieves has both, in spades. And how can you not love a writer who names a character Toadspit?!

Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner, published by Delacorte Press (audio by Listening Library)
Ages 8-12
Source: Library
Sample quote: "She knew that she mustn't linger in this strange place. She took one last look around the office, and her eyes fell on the coins. There were so many of them, and they were in such untidy heaps that she was sure the owner wouldn't miss a few. And they would make her trip to Spoke so much easier. I'm already a thief. I might as well steal something else."
Recommended