Genie Wishes

Dahl, Elisabeth. Genie Wishes
April 2nd 2013 by Harry N. Abrams
Nominated for the Cybils by Adam Shaffer.  
Copy provided by the publisher

Genie has a rocky start to her fifth grade school year at Hopkins Country Day school when her best friend Sarah is thrilled to have Blair, a super stylish girl she met at summer camp, at their school. Genie manages to get elected to write the class blog, but that has its good parts and bad parts. As the year progresses, she deals with many problems, including her widowed father starting to date, her lack of a cell phone, and the growing interest of all the girls around her in embarrassing facets of puberty. She manages to get through all of these occurrences by thinking about them critically and discussing them on the class blog, and with the help of her supportive family and friends.
Strengths: This was very true to life when dealing with issues of friend drama and liking boys, and was written in an easy to read and fun way. I can see precocious third grade girls really enjoying this.
Weaknesses: Genie lives in an incredibly rarified private school environment, which will make this less accessible to some readers, and the fact that she is so concerned with having a cell phone might date this one quickly. And really? Bra snapping? I only ever this being a concern one time, when my older daughter told me that someone at school had done it. I gave her my complete permission to take out the teeth of whatever boy did that to her with her elbow. If this happened in my school, it wouldn't be a delicately phrased "talk". It would be a polemic rant.

Not that I'm, you know, sensitive to issues of personal space or anything!

World Wednesday-- A Girl Called Problem

Quirk, Katie. A Girl Called Problem
April 19th 2013, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers 

Nominated for the Cybils by Patricia Tilton
Copy provided by the publisher

Shida lives in a small, rural Tanzanian village in 1962. She was named "problem" because her father died right before she was born, and now she and her mother struggle to survive. When the government encourages her village to merge with another so that they can both have access to better medical care and schools, Shida's village reluctantly agrees to move. Shida is thrilled to be able to go to school and to learn from the local nurse, but things are still not easy. Many believe that girls should not be in school, but should be at home cooking and cleaning. When a spate of problems start to plague the village, Shida can't believe that there really is a curse, and investigates why crops are failing and children are getting ill. Despite the obstacles she faces, she is determined to use her new skills and knowledge to help her village.
Strengths: This was a very well written and interesting account of one village at the crossroads between native superstition and modern science. Shida is just old enough to question traditional ways, especially since they have never worked to her advantage. Notes and pictures at the end help explain some of the more difficult concepts.
Weaknesses: Younger readers might not fully understand how deeply ingrained superstitions are in some cultures, and might have trouble believing that people predicate all of their behavior on them. Some explanation might be necessary for them to fully understand the story.

Dream On and other Fantasy Books

Mlynowski, Sarah. Dream On (Whatever After #4)
November 26th 2013 by Scholastic Press
Copy provided by Deb Shapiro and Co.

Abby is excited to have Robin sleeping over at her house-- instead of an annoying younger brother like Jonah, Robin has a glamorous older sister named Dahlia, so Abby hopes to work on some dances and enjoy her sleepover. Instead, Robin sleepwalks into the basement where there is a magic mirror inhabited by the fairy Maryrose, and Abby, Robin and Jonah are sucked into the story of Sleeping Beauty! Robin promptly pricks herself on a spindle and falls asleep, making the princess, Brianna, very angry. She has looked forward to the day when she would fall asleep and wake up to her one true love in 100 years. Abby is worried about getting Robin home, so manages to put together a birthday party for Jonah so that he can be given "wifticals" by all of the fairies so that they can manage to get back, and hopefully fix the fairy tale at the same time. Of course, things don't go as well as she hopes, and there are a lot of complications to work through.
Strengths: This is a fun fantasy series for tweens-- a lot of Abby's concerns center around the fact that she doesn't have a cell phone, that she doesn't have cool clothes like Robin, etc. Abby is a strong character who takes matters into her own hands to fix the situation. Light and funny, with appealing covers, I can see these being very popular with fifth and sixth graders.
Weaknesses: There is something a bit odd about the fairy tale world that doesn't ring quite true. This would be fine for younger readers, but I somehow wanted a consistently medieval world for Abby to be dropped into.

Klimo, Kate. The Dragon at the North Pole (Dragon Keepers #6)
September 24th 2013 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Copy received from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there. 

Daisy and Jesse are excited about Christmas, and when it snows in their town, they are even more excited, since Emmy, their dragon, has never seen snow. Unfortunately, Emmy is enthralled with snow and the idea of Santa, so she is missing on Christmas morning, but leaves a notes saying that she has gone to help Santa. With the help of Alodie, Daisy and Jesse get magic snowshoes that take them to the North Pole as well. At first, everything is great. The snowshoes keep them warm, and while Santa and his elves are not quite the way the children imagined them, they enjoy their glimpse at the magical world. Soon there are cracks, though, and Daisy and Jesse begin to realize that Santa is actually Beowulf, the dragon slayer, and he has Daisy and Emmy brain washed. Jesse has eaten some of Alodie's magical crackers and can see what is going on, but will he be able to save his cousin and dragon, as well as the other dragons imperiled by Beowulf's evil plan?
Strengths: While I have not read the other books in this series, I can see them being enjoyed by children who have read through all of the Magic Tree House books. The dragon is fun, and the adventure to the North Pole is one that children who are on the fence about Santa will enjoy.
Weaknesses: This took a bit of a dark turn. It's not Santa who is evil, but a Santa impersonator, and I could see a first or second grader being a bit upset by this.

Hunter, Erin. Darkness Falls (Survivors #3)
September 3rd 2013, HarperCollins 

Lucky is still struggling with the Alpha dog of the pack, who thinks that Lucky is responsible for the death of pups in the second book and wants to permanently scar Lucky, who is now the pack Omega. Lucky isn't having it, so he runs off, but has some complications. The city is poisoned, and when Lucky meets up with Mickey, the two find that Mickey's "longpaws" are gone, and his house is being robbed by evil longpaws, but not the ones with yellow fur. Shortly after this, the two find three puppies who belong to the "fierce dogs", but whose mother has died. They decide to take the puppies back to the pack so they can be cared for, but the Alpha thinks that the fierce dogs will never be anything but a threat and wants them gone. More dog politics ensue, and much running around the countryside from one settlement to another, being pursued by coyotes and worrying about the spreading black clouds from the ruined city.
Strengths: Kids love these. Some children want to read nothing else, so there is something to be said for them. The Broken Path comes out February 11th 2014, and The Endless Lake June 3rd 2014. The dog books are better than the Warriors series, and WAY better than Seekers.
Weaknesses: Personally, I find these to be extremely painful to read. This book in particular was full of meanness and violence which we would never condone were the characters human. Combine that with the sheer number of dog characters and the weird language that obscures some of what is going on (longpaws with yellow fur in loudbirds= humans in hazmat suits in helicopters) and these are ones that I would not read if left to my own devices. I would, however, rather read these than The Silmarillion. My daughter asked me that as I was complaining about the number of books that the lovely ladies who write as Erin Hunter produce. I shouldn't complain, but these are not my thing!

MMGM- Ultra and Expressionista

Good morning! It's snowy and oh, so cold here in Ohio, but we're trying to have some fun. School was canceled on Friday, so I didn't get to play my parody of One Direction's Up All Night on the announcements, so I have that planned for today.

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday at Anastasia Suen's blog. Instead of having to visit lots of different blogs, all of the nonfiction posts will be at Nonfiction Monday. Convenient, although I like to visit all the blogs when time permits.

Carroll, David. Ultra
1 September 2013, Scholastic Canada
Nominated for the Cybils and copy provided by the Publisher

Quinn loves to run, and his body is well suited for it. His heart is stronger, and his body makes less lactic acid than most people's, so he has blossomed into a fantastic runner under his father's tutelage. Since his dad isn't around, he's decided to run the Shin Kicker 100-- an ultra marathon in the mountains. He has done all of the painstaking preparation, has his support team (including his mother, younger brother, and best friend, Kneecap) with him. On the trail, he makes a few allies of other runners who have done other ultra marathons with his father. There are plenty of problems along the way-- his water container bursts, he gets caught in a small tornado, and some of the other runners are less than honest. Quinn keeps going, despite all of these obstacles and hallucinations as well, and he shows how strong he can be not only for the race, but also for all that life has thrown his way.
Strengths: Fantastic details about running an ultra marathon, and running in general. I was surprised at how much NOT running occurs during these very long races. It makes sense that people can't run for 24 hours without some stopping, but I thought that the break scenes added a lot to the story. I also thought that the way Quinn's issues with his father were handled was realistic, for a number of reasons. Quite a good book, and one which I think would appeal even to people who aren't runners.
Weaknesses: I'm not sure that I liked the story framed by an interview that Quinn is doing. There's enough introspection from Quinn himself during the race, and the story is well-paced as it is, so I felt the interview broke it up unnecessarily.

Walker, Jackie and McKuen, Panela Dittmer. Expressionista: How to Express Your True Self Through (and Despite) Fashion.
September 3rd 2013 by Aladdin/Beyond Words
Copy provided by Young Adults Books Central and reviewed there.

This tween version of the adult book by this author offers some good advice about dressing oneself, as well as feeling good about the clothes one wears. Since this is a topic that fascinates me, I read it avidly. The advice is good-- figure out what type of person you are, and once you know this, it is easier to put together outfits and have clothes that you feel comfortable putting on. The different types are ones that I do see in the middle school-- Classic (which I am-- long live the polo shirt!), Natural (hoodie and jeans, Picky Reader all the way), Romantic, Dramatic, and Trend Tracker-- and the suggestions for obtaining and wearing the clothing are reasonable.  There is a chapter on different body types, and tips for getting clothes to fit the vagaries of each shape, with an emphasis on accepting the bodies we have and making the most of them, rather than advice on how to change the type, which was very prevalent in similar books fifty years ago. There are several quizzes in the book, which girls should like. All in all, this was a fun book to read, and the advice offered in it was helpful and constructive. The only problem with this is that ANY book on fashion is bound to be dated within ten years. Unlike the contents of my closet, which are still perfectly in style, if not in fashion!

Summer Stories

VanSickle, Vikki. Summer Days, Starry Nights
1 June 2013, Scholastic Canada
Nominated for the Cybils by CanLit HelenK

Reenie loves her family campground, Sandy Shores, but it has fallen on somewhat hard times in 1962. Her mother is depressed and occasionally leaves home without telling the family where she has gone, but after one trip, decides that what the campground really needs is a dance instructor. She brings in the daughter of a friend, Gwen, who is a bit older than Reenie and very glamorous. Gwen isn't too thrilled to be stuck in the boonies, and misses her artsy gang from the city, as well as her somewhat famous boyfriend, who is a singer. Reenie finds Gwen fascinating, and wants to copy her clothing and her ease with boys, but is struggling through an awkward adolescent phase and finds it hard to interact with people as easily as Gwen does. To cheer Gwen up, Reenie arranges for the boyfriend to play a show at Sandy Shores, but a number of surprising issues come to light in the process.
Strengths: Strong writing and a nice sense of place make this Dirty Dancing type story a fun read.
Weaknesses: There was no compelling reason for the historical setting; this could easily have been set in the modern day and been a bit more accessible to readers.

Philbin, Joanna. Rules of Summer
June 4th 2013 by Poppy 

Rory wants to get away from her mother, who is always bringing home inappropriate boyfriends and making Rory pay bills and keep the household together. In exchange for running errands, she is allowed to stay with her aunt, who is a housekeeper for the Rules, a well-to-do family with a fancy house in East Hampton. Rory is quickly put in her place by the spoiled daughter, Isabel, and for a while, has to be content with being able to live in a great house and rub shoulders with the rich. When Isabel meets Mike, whose family has a farm and produce stand, she thaws a bit toward Rory, and the two have an uneasy peace while partaking of the area social life. When Rory has her eye on one of the elite, however, will they be able to maintain their friendship?
Strengths:This has some nice "rich people" moments like The Clique books, and would have been a light, summer read for girls who like Sarah Dessen and Maureen Johnson. However...
Weaknesses: Not for middle school. Mike and Isabel take their relationship to the next level, and while it's not explicit (and I can see this series being popular in high school), it's also a bit much.

Nancy Drew Diaries

Keene, Carolyn. Curse of the Arctic Star (Nancy Drew Diaries #1)
February 5th 2013 by Aladdin 

Nancy (who is in high school) is called to a Superstar Cruise ship by her friend Becca, who has taken a job with the line. Even before the ship's maiden voyage, odd things are occurring, and who better to solve the mystery than Nancy. Her cover is that she won the trip, and so she brings good friends George and Becca. Becca's college aged boyfriend, Alan, is studying ecology, so he asks to come along as well. Things continue to go wrong on the ship-- a bratty boy's tarantula is set loose on the buffet, a chandelier falls, a mannequin shows up in the ship pool covered in red drink mix. Who is out to sabotage the cruise line? There are suspects everywhere, and even though someone is arrested for stealing jewelry from the gift shop, Nancy is not convinced that the real culprit has been apprehended.
Strengths: The travel aspect of this is quite fun, and who doesn't want to read about a cruise to Alaska? The characters all have distinct personalities, and Nancy uses her sleuthing skills well.
Weaknesses: I was thinking that Nancy would be a middle grader; while her age is true to the original series, it seems somehow odd today that Nancy would be allowed to go on a ship alone and share a suite with Becca's random college boyfriend. This makes for an odd feeling, since the series is clearly aimed at younger middle grade readers.

Keene, Carolyn. Strangers on a Train (Nancy Drew Diaries #1)
February 5th 2013 by Aladdin 

Nancy's trip continues with a train ride across Alaska. Even here, bad things keep happening, like broken glass on Nancy's seat. Everyone's a suspect, and many of the suspicious people turn out to be suspicious for other reasons-- someone is trying to set up a union, crew members are romantically involved, etc. When it seems that the train and ship might be being used to smuggle illegal objects, Nancy goes in to high gear and finds the culprit in a rather unlikely place (even though I thought the person who did it was creepy from the beginning!)
Strengths: Good descriptions of Alaska, some mild suspense and danger, mention of Ned Nickerson, Nancy's trusted boyfriend of 80 years, near the end.
Weaknesses: Same sort of age disconnect as in first book. I don't know that I will buy the next books in the series, Mystery of the Midnight Rider or Once Upon a Thriller.

Books All Night!

Had my chorus in during 7th grade lunch. It's not perfect, but it will have to do. On announcements first thing in the morning, and I'll post lyrics and the YouTube karaoke link in case other people want to perform it on their own!

BUT... it's been flinging ice pellets from the sky for the last half hour. Considered skating to work with CD player in back pack, but thought better of it. Drat.

This worked on the computer but not on mobile devices.
http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/mppihmtqyl/120513-155713_1

Guy Friday- Foul Trouble

Feinstein, John. Foul Trouble.
November 12th 2013, Knopf Books for Young Readers

Danny and Terrell are both stand outs on their high school basketball team, Terrell slightly more than Danny, whose father is their coach. After attending a summer basketball camp, the two are inundated  with offers for all sorts of things-- college scholarships, cars, girls, product deals. Some of these are on the up-and-up, and others are not. The seamy side of college and product deals is aptly discussed by Feinstein, and there is enough basketball going on that I didn't understand the vast majority of the book!
Strengths: Feinstein's Last Shot series has a good following in my library even though the readers don't care quite as much about the journalism portion of the books. The fact that this book (which is a stand alone) has more basketball and things tangential to fame will be appealing.
Weaknesses: A bit confusing, but the whole college recruiters and product people approaching the athletes will be interesting to the students.

Hadn't updated my "Sports" tab at the top right recently, so at least looked at the basketball titles. If I've forgotten something awesome, plead add it in the comments. 

Basketball Fiction

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem. Sasquatch in the Paint.
Eighth-grader Theo Rollins' growth spurt has Coach Mandrake trying to transform him into a basketball star, but training time is hurting the science club's chances of winning the "Aca-lympics," and being accused of stealing could mean Theo is off both teams.

Bowen, Fred. The Final Cut.
After tryouts for the school basketball team, eighth graders Zeke, Eli, Ryan, and Miles find their friendship tested when two of them make the team and two of them do not. Includes facts about Michael Jordan and Bill Russell.

Bowen, Fred. Hardcourt Comeback
Seventh-grade basketball star Brett is used to being good at everything he does, but after finding one thing he cannot do, he loses confidence and starts making mistakes.

Bowen, Fred. Real Hoops.
When Ben and Logan go to a recreation center to practice basketball with more experienced players in hopes of getting on the freshman team, they meet Hud, who could be the perfect point guard if he is willing to listen to the coach.

Bruchac, Joseph. Lay-ups and Long Shots
A collection of nine short stories about sports by various authors, including David Lubar, Joseph Bruchac, and Terry Trueman.

Coy, John. Box Out.
High school sophomore Liam jeopardizes his new position on the varsity basketball team when he decides to take a stand against his coach who is leading prayers before games and enforcing teamwide participation.

Coy, John. Take Your Best Shot
Four friends in middle school face challenges both on and off the basketball court with issues that affect their families, friendships, school, and sports.

Deuker, Carl. On the Devil’s Court.
Struggling with his feelings of inadequacy and his failure to make the team in his new school, Joe Faust finds himself willing to trade his soul for one perfect season of basketball.

Dixon, Franklin. Slam Dunk Sabotage.
The team is headed to the championship basketball game, but somebody wants to knock them out of contention by getting the Hardys out of the way.

Dygard, Thomas. Outside Shooter.
A high school basketball star's personality problems threaten not only his own career but the success of the whole team.

Feinstein, John. Last Shot.
Steven Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are aspiring journalists and winners of the U.S. Basketball Writer's Association 14-and-under writing contest.

Fink, Mark. Stepping Up
At a competetive basketball camp, fourteen-year-old Ernie Dolan finds his just average performance separating him from his best friend Mike Rivers and the rest of the campers until a near tragedy turns Ernie from outcast to hero

Gutman, Dan. The Million Dollar Shot.
Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.

Harkrader, Lisa. Airball: My Life in Briefs.
Uncoordinated Kirby braves his coach's ire and becomes captain of the basketball team in order to help him prove that NBA star Brett McGrew is his father .

Heldring, Thatcher. Toby Wheeler, Eighth Grade Bench Warmer.
When Toby finally decides to join the middle school basketball team, he does not anticipate the changes that will occur in his relationship with his best friend JJ, who is the team's star player, as well as in other areas of his life.

Klass, David. Danger Zone.
When he joins a predominately black basketball team which will represent the U.S. in a basketball tournament, a boy discovers prejudice, racism and politics.

Krech, Bob. Rebound.
Determined to make the varsity basketball team, Ray finds his efforts to play both hindered and helped by the atmosphere of racism in his town.

Langan, Paul. Schooled. (Bluford High)
Lionel Shephard dreams of joining the NBA, but while his father disapproves of his plans, his teachers are threatening to fail him--unaware of his poor reading abilities--and Lionel needs to decide how far he is willing to go for his dreams.

Lupica, Mike. Play Makers
Ben McBain is considered the best point guard in the league, but his teammate Chase Braggs is the complete opposite of Ben who likes to talk on the court and show off. 

Lupica, Mike. Travel Team
After he is cut from his travel basketball team--the very same team that his father once led to national prominence--Danny forms his own team of cast-offs.

Lupica, Mike. True Legend.
Fifteen-year-old Drew "True" Robinson loves being the best point-guard prospect in high school basketball, but learns the consequences of fame through a former player, as well as through the man who expects to be his manager when True reaches the NBA. 

Mack, W.C. Mathlete vs. Athlete.
When their two worlds collide in seventh grade, fraternal twins and opposites Owen and Russell find themselves in direct competition at school, on the court, and at home. 

Mackel, Kathy. Boost
Thirteen-year-old Savvy is the girls basketball team's star player, but, despite her height and skills, Savvy struggles with her self-confidence and searches for some way to boost her performance, but when steroids are found in her bag, Savvy denies they are hers and the rumors start to fly.

Maddox, Jake. Free Throw.
Since Derek is the tallest player on his team, the coach decides to have him play center but Jason, the former center, has little confidence in Derek and will not pass him the ball.

Mikulski, Keri. Head Games.
Taylor Thomas is confident and in control on the basketball court, but off the court, she finds her life spinning out of control as she juggles the team, two potential boyfriends, and her friend's fashion show. 

Myers, Walter Dean. Game
Drew Lawson, counting on basketball to get him into college and out of Harlem, struggles to keep his cool when the coach brings in two white players and puts them in positions that clearly threaten Drew's game.

Myers, Walter Dean. Hoops.
A player from Harlem is befriended by a former pro who, after quitting because of a scandal, hopes to prevent other athletes from repeating his mistake.

Myers, Walter Dean. Slam
A 17 year old boy is counting on his basketball talent to get him out of the inner city but his coach sees things differently.

Parker, Robert. Edenville Owls.
Bobby finds himself facing challenges as he tries to pull together his coachless team and discover the identity of the mysterious stranger.

Rud, Jeff. In the Paint.
Twelve-year-old Matt Hill struggles to make the basketball team in his new school while keeping out of trouble.

Rud, Jeff. Crossover.
Rising basketball star Kyle's interest in theater causes huge problems both on and off the court

Russo, Mirasabina. House of Sports
Jim cares only about basketball but Hhs pleasure in winning a spot on the traveling team dims when his grades drop and his grandmother becomes ill.

Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. The Hoopster
A teenager who loves to play basketball, is happy about his summer internship at a magazine, but his life is unexpectedly changed by a random act of violence.

Soto, Gary. Taking Sides.
An aspiring basketball player, must come to terms with his divided loyalties when he moves from the Hispanic inner city to a white suburban neighborhood.

Stoudemire, Amar'e. Home Court (series)
Between sports, school, and working for his father, eleven-year-old Amar'e's life is full and he is not yet ready to concentrate on basketball--but when a group of older boys start hogging the local basketball court he knows that he has to do something to help his friends.

Telander, Rick. String Music.
An unlikely friendship develops between a lonely boy and the professional basketball star whom he idolizes.

Tunis, John R. Go, Team, Go!
When a player from an overconfident team is expelled for gambling and the others penalized for breaking training, they angrily quit the basketball varsity team.

Volponi, Paul. Black and White
Two high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught.

Volponi, Paul. The Final Four
Four players at the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament struggle with the pressures of tournament play and the expectations of society at large.

Wallace, Rich. Technical Foul
Jared, a high-scoring member of the Hudson City Middle School basketball team, gets angry when the point guard accuses him of being responsible for their string of losses, but finally realizes they can win only if he becomes a team player.

Yee, Lisa. Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time
After flunking sixth-grade English, basketball prodigy Stanford Wong must struggle to pass his summer-school class, keep his failure a secret from his friends, and satisy his academically demanding father

Yep, Lawrence. Dragon Road.

Cal and Barney, Chinese Americans, are trapped in a world of racial prejudice in 1939 with no jobs and no future until the Dragons, a barnstorming basketball team, invites them to join the team.

The Stormglass Protocol

Pratt, Tim and Deemer, Andy. The Stormglass Protocol
September 4th 2013 by Stormglass Ventures LLC
Nominated for the Cybils by Publisher/Author; copy received from publisher

Jake is quite happy with his parents when Filby and Lizzie break into his house and tell him that he is the newest recruit for Stormglass. Before he can even be properly trained, he is supplied with spy gadgets and whisked off to England to find out where killer bees are originating. The group meets with The Beekeeper about genetically engineered bees that have been found with the Vindiqo logo. Since bees are increasingly endangered, these new ones seem to be put in place to help resurrect colonies, but they are not quite right; their venom sacks are too large and are made to hold too strong a poison. Sure enough, there is evil lurking in the form of The Doctor, who is trying to sell the bees and create global chaos. Jake, Filby and Lizzie gets caught up in trying to figure out what is going on, but there is a traitor in the organization that is putting them in peril.
Strengths: I appreciated that the problem of bee populations was put to good use in this. There are lots of gadgets (a Stormpad!), plenty of action, and a decent group dynamic. While I saw the twist coming at the end, I'm not sure students would. There is a lot of online supporting material for the book at Stormglass.com.
Weaknesses: This strained my credulity somewhat. Jake has no real reason to run off and be a spy, he doesn't get properly trained, and Filby and Lizzie didn't strike me as being too knowledgeable. Jake is specifically warned against adult help. Perhaps the title made me compare this with Stormbreaker, which had a more believable premise.