Reproductive Rights: Who Decides?

Wittenstein, Vicki Oransky. Reproductive Rights: Who Decides?
January 1st 2016 by Twenty-First Century Books 
Copy provided by Blue Slip Media

Starting with ancient methods of birth control, this book covers a variety of issues involved with women's attempts to control the number of offspring they have and the social issues that go along with the practices of various eras. The Victorians get a chapter of their own which addresses both the innovations in contraception, the desperate need for it among the poor, and the complicated social structures of the times. Once the book starts to cover the 20th century, when society started to more openly address these issues, things get really interesting. I did not know, for example, about Mary Ware Dennett, and the fact that she considered Margaret Sanger's attempts to make birth control and birth control information widely available detrimental to the movement because she was so outspoken! Sanger is much more widely known, so the fact that Wittenstein covers lesser known historical figures makes this book a great resource. The information about the development and wide-spread adoption of the birth control pill also informed me of people as issues of which I'd never heard. 

The politics of reproduction are addressed as well. There are even two sections entitled "Pro-life Tactics" and "Pro-Choice Tactics" that address the political stances of both groups in admirably calm language. While all sides are given mention and considered, and the tone of the book is very factual and even tempered, it's clear, even from the title, that this is a book about giving women as many options as they can about their own bodies. 

Other topics, such as advances in infertility treatment, surrogacy, sexual violence, and issues with reproductive rights around the world, are covered as well, making this an essential high school resource about reproductive issues that is an essential purpose for high school libraries. I can see this being used for debate topics, studies of social history, and women's studies, especially since the format is also very clear and readable, with graphs, charts and diagrams that support the text. 

I won't put it in my middle school library because, while frank and matter-of-fact, there is some information that some younger students might not know, and my rule of thumb is that I don't want books in my library to be how they find out about these matters. Even though the map in this book indicates that the state of Ohio requires sex ed of some kind, it's certainly not provided at my school, and I don't have time to fight with parents. 

From Blue Slip Media:

Before becoming an author, VICKI ORANKSY WITTENSTEIN prosecuted criminal cases as an assistant district attorney with the Manhattan District Attorney's office. She earned an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Vicki has written a number of science articles and books for the juvenile market, including Planet Hunter: Geoff Marcy and the Search for Other Earths, which won the 2011 Science Communication Award from the American Institute of Physics. Her book For the Good of Mankind? The Shameful History of Human Medical Experimentation was a Junior Literary Guild selection. Vicki and her husband live in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her website at vickiwittenstein.com.

Praise for REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: WHO DECIDES?

★"Though slim, this volume packs a wallop."  --Booklist (starred review)

"Well written and impeccably researched, this volume will appeal to budding activists and feminists and to those concerned about human rights." --School Library Journal

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Follow the tour:

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Tues, Feb 16	The Book Monsters	http://thebookmonsters.com/
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Tues, Feb 23	Through the Tollbooth	http://www.throughthetollbooth.com/
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Thurs, Feb 25	The Pirate Tree	http://www.thepiratetree.com/
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Guy Friday- Vehicles

McGovern, Cammie. Just My Luck
February 23rd 2016 by HarperCollins
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Benny struggles to ride his bike and feels that since he is in fourth grade, he should have this down. He also has trouble making friends at school, and his family life is somewhat difficult, with an older brother who is becoming too "teen" to pay attention to him, and a brother who is autistic. After Benny's father suffers a brain aneurysm, things become even more difficult, and Benny must find a way to keep going in school, make friends, and deal with all of the problems that his family is having. 
Strengths: Great cover, and good portrayal of children on the autism spectrum. (In addition to George, Benny's teacher's son is even more affected by the disorder.)
Weaknesses: Great big heaping cup of sadness. Sadness everywhere. Does this happen to kids. Absolutely. Do they want to read about it? Not so much. Very few of my boys want to read about sad things, and my girls who like depressing books tend toward books about child abuse, drug abuse, and eating disorders. Just reporting-- it's not like I encourage them to read about depressing things. 
What I really think: Won't be buying. Just don't have the readers.

Meister, Carl. Guinness World Records: Wacky Wheels
2 February 2016, HarperCollins
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there

This 32 page book introduces readers to a variety of customized vehicles. Each picture, from the longest golfcarts and skateboards to heaviest vehicles and lowest rode safe ones, is accompanied by brief information about who built the vehicle and what record it broke, along with the specific statistics. 

The brightly colored pictures, combined with clear, simply formatted text, make this a good introduction to the Guinness franchise for very beginning readers. This is a Step 2 book, which is described as a "high-interest story for developing readers". Readers who love vehicles of all kind will spend a lot of time poring over the details of the tallest bike or the smallest caravan while increasing their reading vocabulary.

The Big Dark

Philbrick, Rodman. The Big Dark
5 January 2016, Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

The residents of Harmony, New Hampshire are watching particularly vivid Northern Lights on New Year's Eve when all of the power suddenly goes out. Nothing works; no batteries, no back up generators, no cars, no flashlights. At first, people assume that the power will come back on, but it is very quickly apparent that this will not happen. Local survival enthusiast Bragg tries to buy all of the canned tuna and peanut butter at the local grocery with gold coins and isn't happy when the proprietor turns him down. Part time security office and school janitor Kingman realizes that people need some sort of direction and sense of optimism, and sets up help for the elderly and infirm. Bragg doesn't like that either, and eventually ends up setting fire to the grocery store and stealing firewood from the common stack. This puts Charlie in a bad position-- he and his mother have been trying to help Kingman, but his mother's medication for diabetes is running out, and since the pharmacy was burned down, he is worried about what will happen. He borrows skies and sets off through the terrible snow to Concord. He has some help along the way, but when he gets to the city, things are bad there. He eventually gets the medication, but when he returns home, things are even worse. 

Strengths: This is the best sort of dystopian tale-- long after more science fiction tales like The Hunger Games have fallen out of favor, basic survival tales will still be requested, and this fits into both categories. For readers who enjoyed The Rule of Three, there is the inexplicable power outage and community gathering, and for readers of books like Hatchet there is a snowy trek and plenty of survival skills. The story moved along at a nice brisk clip and the characters were appealing. One of Philbrick's best books. 

Weaknesses: The ending is a bit deus ex machina, and Bragg was over the top. I could have done without his racist rants; they were uncomfortable to read, but perhaps that was the point. 

What I really think: Definitely putting this on my order list, and think that this will do well in paperback at Scholastic book fairs. 

You're Invited Too (RSVP #2)

Malone, Jen and Nall, Gail. You're Invited Too (RSVP #2)
February 16th 2016 by Simon & Schuster Aladdin Mix 
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

The girls are back after RSVP: You're Invited, and Sadie is a little worried-- her party planning business has been hired by Alexandra Worthington to plan her wedding. The catch? Alexandra has just fired Sadie's mom before hiring the girls. She's not happy to find that the company is run by teenagers, but decides that their references are good, and proceeds to besiege them with unreasonable demands, like having one of them fly to Paris to pick up eclairs from a particular bakery! Vi is struggling with several issues-- her father has been hired as custodian at her school, and Linney is making fun of her AND dating Lance, Vi's crush! Becca is taken by the new boy in town, Philippe, but worried what he will think of her new braces. Lauren is trying to keep her A+ grades, polish her resume for college, and still have fun. The girls enjoy planning the wedding, but get a little tired of Alexandra's incessant demands, especially as the wedding nears and a hurricane threatens Sandpiper Beach. Will they be able to put on a wedding and save their company's reputation?

Strengths: Like Greenwald's Dog Beach series, this has an attractive, seaside community setting, a fun business, and good friends. The adults are supportive, if busy, and the general feeling of this book is upbeat. As a middle school student, this was my very favorite sort of book to read-- one that detailed the lives of girls similar to me, but who lived in a different place and had different sorts of friends and interests. 

Weaknesses: It was a stretch to believe that Alexandra would hire tweens to plan her wedding, or that she would demand a nut free peanut butter and chocolate wedding cake, but it was funny. 

What I really think: Definitely purchasing, but still waiting for a book where the girls have a less "girly" business. Could also use a book with boys who set up a business. 

My Relationship With Computers

It's always been a struggle. I hate the computer. I hate crouching over it all day at work (the architects, in their infinite wisdom, thought I would sit at my computer. Ha!), and the last thing I want to do is to be anywhere near it at home.

So, I type up my book reviews, check my e mail, post something quick on Facebook or Instagram, and then I want to run screaming out of my office.

Reading on a Nook is fine, it's sitting at a desk with a computer for which I have very, very, very limited patience.

And when it's winter on top of everything else, I feel victorious if I can stay awake past 8:00 p.m.

That's why I haven't posted Cybils winners yet. Maybe tomorrow...

Space Hostages

McDougall, Sophia. Space Hostages
February 16th 2016 by HarperCollins 
ARC from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there.

Alice Dare, having survived Mars Evacuees, has written a book about her experiences and has gained some renown as a "plucky kid from Mars". When she has an opportunity to visit her friend Thsaaa's home planet (The Morrors have an Earth colony in the Swiss Alps, where it is nice and cold!) with her friends Carl, Noel and Josephine, she's very excited, but her parents aren't. Her father doesn't want her traipsing around the galaxy, and her mother is called away to deal with a Vshomu infestation. When her father becomes ill, she manages to get on the space elevator and boards the Helen of Troy, Ramus Trommler's luxury ship. Things go well until the ship is attacked by Krakkilluks, lobster-like creatures who have no use for "spawn", so throw Carla and Alice out of the space ship when they get lippy! Luckily, Josephine jumps after them and brings the Goldfish, and the group manages to crash onto the moon that is an article of contention for the Krakkilluks. They are angered that Dr. Muldoon has been terra forming it for eventual use by the Morrors; the Krakkilluks are using it for their own purposes. Stuck on a strange planet that is warm but has too much oxygen, the group tries to befriend local life forms with the help of the Goldfish's translating skills, and uncovers information about various plans to attack Earth. Will Alice be able to make it back to the ship to alert someone about these plans, or will she and her friends get stuck on the moon as slaves?

It's so good to see space adventure books instead of Dystopian ones; while Mars Evacuees had more Dystopian elements, the plot of Space Hostages is perfect for adventure-- there is a fun trip planned to visit friends, but things go wrong and Alice and her friends get to meet aliens and visit places they wouldn't have seen if the voyage had been smooth sailing. Readers who enjoyed the new Random House Voyagers! series, Krokos' Planet Thieves, Fry's Hunt for the Hydra or Searles' The Lost Planet will be glad to see that this series is continuing. 

The world building in this book is spectacular, especially when it comes to alien languages. I am usually annoyed by made up languages, but both the Morrors' and the Krakkilluks' languages are carefully crafted to go along with the sort of creatures they are. It's also impressive that McDougall is able to be more imaginative with the alien life forms-- Thsaaa's people have five genders and their moods are expressed through the color of their skin; they are also very sensitive to heat. The Krakkilluks' language is "crunchy" and goes along with their crab-like appearance; their insistence on speaking with a married couple is funny, but also shows that culture is not the same for all races. Their disregard of "spawn" leads to most of the adventure, and I loved the scene where the Earth dwellers just can't believe that the Krakkilluks are willing to dispose of the children without even blinking! 

Alice's troubles with Josephine, as well as Josephine's own difficulties, add a more serious note to the book, but the Goldfish is one of the best comic relief characters I've come across. If you are looking for an interplanetary romp with amusing characters and vivid world building, definitely pick up Space Hostages... just remember to bring your own duct tape!

MMGM- Pete Milano's Guide to Being a Movie Star

Greenwald, Tommy. Pete Milano's Guide to Being a Movie Star
February 16th 2016 by Roaring Brook Press
E ARC From Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Pete is a bit of a goof, and after he runs off from a girl's mother after hiding the girl's pom poms (just for fun!), he ducks into a coffee shop. There, he impresses a movie agent, who gives him her card and tells him to have his parents contact her, because her company is casting a film that will shoot nearby. Pete's parents run an Italian restaurant that isn't doing particularly well, and are leery about this opportunity. Pete shows up at the auditions and manages to captivate the high powered Shelden Felden, and gets the part. He has to spend half of the day at school, and half shooting, so his time is quickly taken up with memorizing lines, getting homework done, and trying to keep everything together. Everyone wants to be his friend, but he has no time. 

It doesn't help that Pete's girlfriend, Mireli, is jealous of him working with starlet Shana Fox. When Shana stages a kiss with Pete for a publicity shot (without warning him!), Mireli sees it and gets angry. When Pete suggests that some of his classmates get hired to be extras on the film, they suddenly understand how Pete's life really involves a lot more work than glamour. 

Greenwald uses his knowledge of the performing arts industry to extremely good effect in this companion to his Charlie Joe Jackson books. Many middle grade readers fantasize about being in films, and this is a great, nitty gritty explanation of what goes on during filming! Pete is an ordinary kid with ordinary challenges who gets in just a bit over his head, and the reactions of the other students at his school are perfect. 

Fans of this series, or readers who want humorous books, will cheer on Pete as he attempts to keep both his employers and his class mates happy with him and enjoy his wild ride as he grapples with starting an acting career. 

Happy Valentine's Day- Ava XOX

Weston, Carol. Ava XOX (Ava and Pip #3)
February 1st 2016 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Ava has been friends with Chuck for a long time, so she is surprised when he starts "dating" Kelli, who is rather mean. Also surprising is how jealous she feels when she sees Chuck with another girl. Aren't they just friends? In her diary, Ava chronicles her feelings about Chuck, as well as her problems that start with Pip and one of her friends having to give a talk about the artist Botero. Unfortunately, Pip's partner, Taryn, is on the heavy side, so when the two show pictures that the artist painted of heavier women, the boys in the class make fun of Taryn. Hoping to help, Ava makes some posters with "tips" about being "Fit, not Fat" and gets permission to hang them in school. Taryn seems grateful for the information, but some of the mean girls in the class accuse Ava of being sizist and mean. Since that wasn't her intention, Ava is surprised, but tries to work to put a more positive spin on the tips. She also finally talks to Chuck, and the two come to a very nice compromise somewhere between being friends and dating, since they are only in 5th grade. 

Carol Weston's years as an advice columnist for Girl's Life Magazine show here, as she realistically addresses preteen concerns. I met her at Kidlitcon, and she talked about how hard it was to address issues of weight in fiction without seeming accusing, and I think she did a good job here showing not only Ava's concern with being healthy, but also showing how difficult Ava found it to have a discussion about weight. I enjoyed the budding romance with Chuck, and Ava's feelings of confusion are something that seem all too realistic to anyone who has ever had a middle school crush. 

Ava's family is very supportive, and she has a nice relationship with her quiet sister, Pip. While I am not a fan of Ava's obsession with palindromes, it does set her apart from other characters in middle grade fiction, and readers may pick up some interesting facts about words from her. 

For readers who like Lowry's Anastasia Krupnik series, Naylor's Alice books, or Myracle's Ten, the Ava and Pip series will provide a new literary friend who shares many of their concerns. 

Lee & Low's Dive Into Reading

Yoo, Paula and Ng-Benitez, Shirley. Lily's New Home

February 15th 2016 by Lee & Low Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Lily is not happy that she and her parents are moving to the city-- it's too noisy, and she misses her yard. Soon, however, she learns that there are lots of interesting things in her neighborhood, and lots of new fascinating people. 
Strengths: The illustrations are very pleasant, and the story simple yet interesting. A great choice for beginning readers. 
Weaknesses: Not really much new; there are lots of books about moving.


Yoo, Paula and Ng-Benitez, Shirley. Want to Play?

February 15th 2016 by Lee & Low Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Settling in to her new neighborhood, Lily meets some new friends, and they spend their days playing inventive games. There is some friction, but it is easily solved. 
Strengths: I liked that the children were shown playing fun, outdoor games rather than looking at computing devices!
Weaknesses: The cast of characters seems rather contrived. Still, that is where we need to start with #WeNeedDiverseBooks. This is a great introduction to books with a variety of characters. Expect nothing less from Lee and Low. 

I was hoping that this series would be good for my struggling readers, but it is for VERY beginning readers. 

I hope that Lee and Low will investigate having a book with characters who have recently arrived in the US from Nepal. We are seeing more and more students from there, and this year we have three new students from India, who are making great strides with their English. They are reading a lot of Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta, but it is hard to give them books they enjoy that are also something that they can understand. 

Houran, Lori Haskins and Pamintuan, Macky. Flat Stanley on Ice
October 13th 2015 by HarperCollins
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Jeff Brown's favorite traveling character is back at home with this easy to read tale. Stanley and his younger brother, Arthur, are enjoying some winter activities more than others-- Stanley can't make a good snow angle because he is flat! Ice skating is a lot of fun until the day gets warm and the ice starts to melt. Luckily, Coach Bart and the other skaters come to the rescue when Stanley gets stuck out on the ice!

Winter tales are always fun, and readers who have followed Stanley's adventures will be glad to see him back. There have been many incarnations of this character since the publication of the original in 1964, and many kindergarten classes still hand out Flat Stanley drawings to decorate and mail away to relatives so that they can report back about his adventures. This is a great choice for young readers who are familiar with the character,and want a book they can read independently. It is also a good introduction to Stanley and his family. 

I know my children always loved books that came in a series, and there are so many Flat Stanley books that many happy hours can be spent reading about this beloved character. 

Friday Poetry Stretch- Judith Viorst

Viorst, Judith. What are you glad about? What are you mad about?
February 9th 2016 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
E ARC from Edleweiss Above the Treeline

In some ways, this is a sort of sequel to If I Were in Charge of the World, a book that was one of my daughter's favorites when she was in elementary school, mainly because it captured so many of her emotions at the time. This one is for a slightly older audience, and many of the poems were perfect for middle school students. I'm Not My Best Friend's Best Friend Anymore could, in fact, be the signature poem of middle school experience, but there are others, like All Alone Inside My Very Own Skin and Keeping Up With My Friends that also very brilliantly portray some of the more difficult moments that middle school students go through.  

The illustrations by Lee White are very attractive. Fun, with a 1960s retro vibe, probably because of the quality of the line drawings. More modern illustrations are very smooth, and look computer generated, but White's have a Joe and Beth Krush, Quentin Blake quality to them. 

As for the quality of the poetry-- Viorst is my gold standard for light hearted verse. She uses form and rhyme in innovative ways, has amusing topics, but is always flawless in her execution. The perfection of scansion and rhyme while playing with the rules a bit... it's breathtaking. If you haven't picked up her volumes of poetry for adults, such as How Did I Get to Be 40: & Other Atrocities, do yourself a favor and find copies right now. They are hysterically and heartbreakingly true to the experience of being thirty, forty or fifty.

I definitely want to see an actual copy of this, but the 6.3" x 8" size bodes well for this. At 112 pages, it looks more like a middle school book than an elementary one, and will be perfect for the poetry unit that the 7th graders at my school do. There's plenty of figurative language, and poems longer than 40 words if students need one to memorize. In fact, this is so perfect that I may have to buy two copies. 

Some Kind of Courage

Gemeinhart, Dan. Some Kind of Courage
January 26th 2016 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Joseph is being cared for by the horrible drunkard Mr. Grissom after the death of his father in an accident. He's been mistreated, but the final straw is that Grissom has sold his horse, Sarah, to the equally horrible Ezra Bishop. Joseph takes his father's gun, the money Grissom got for Sarah, and a few provisions to which he feels entitled, tells Grissom what he's doing, and runs away. Before he gets too far, he meets a Chinese boy who has lost his relatives to disease and who seems unable to leave the town. Without speaking his language, Joseph invites the boy, whose name is Cheng, to join him on his journey to find Bishop and retrieve his horse. Joseph understands loss, since his mother and younger sister both fell victim to diptheria. It's not a bad idea to have a companion in the wilderness in the Northwest territories in the late 1800s, and the two boys face grizzlies, bad weather, "Indians" and plenty of evil doers. Cheng eventually finds his father, and Charlie finds not only his horse, but a home along the way. 

Strengths: This was the best kind of historical fiction-- fast paced and interesting with lots of good details about what it was like to live in a certain time and place. Joseph's situation is certainly one that would have been common, and the inclusion of a variety of horse dealers was something new. 

Weaknesses:  While the terms and descriptions of the Chinese immigrants and the Indians are very true to the time period, and Gemeinhart goes out of his way to talk about the approved terms for the Chinese and how Joseph thinks that they should not be treated differently from other people, I am concerned that the depictions of Native Americans will not meet with approval. The tribe dealt with is named as the Wenatchi.

What I really think: I was not a fan of The Honest Truth, so wasn't thrilled to pick this one up, especially with the unattractive cover. This also just about lost me in the first couple of chapters, and when Joseph went on and on about his mother and sister. STILL, in the end I was completely engrossed in Joseph's journey, was glad that he ran into helpful people, and was relieved that he found a suitable situation at the end. I have added a copy to my list to purchase for next year. (This year's money was all spent back in December!)

In fact, this was sort of like a novelized version of a Very Special Episode of the television program Little House in the Prairie. You can just see Joseph ending up with Laura's family. Or at the blind school. 

The Future is Now

flashbak.com/1960s-space-age-fashion
-a-retrospective-10963/

When a science class was leaving the library yesterday, the teacher instructed the students to do the following when they returned to the classroom:

"Grab a Chrome Book and log onto Nearpod.com. I'll put your PIN on the white board."

When I was in 8th grade, circa 1978, this entire sentence would have been gobbledygook. 

It makes me want to construct sentences to say to my students using outdated phrasing that they won't understand. 

"Hang up the phone and grab some whole milk or Tang from the ice box; I'll stack these records on the Hi-Fi while we alphabetize your index cards so we can type your bibliography on the typewriter."

At least I'm wearing a granny square vest my daughter crocheted, so I LOOK as incomprehensible as I'll SOUND!

#WNDB Wednesday- Sara, Lost and Found

Castelman, Virginia. Sara, Lost and Found
February 9th 2016 by Aladdin
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Sara and her sister Anna have gone more than a week without their father returning home. In desperation, Sara steals a roll of paper towels from a convenience store in order to have something to eat that will quell the hunger pangs the girls feel. When their caseworker, Mrs. Craig, knocks on their door with a policeman the girls panic and run out of the house, ending up at Ben and Rachel Silverman's. The Silvermans have kept the girls for short periods before, so get them warm and clean. Anna has some problems relating to others, and tends to bite and hit if someone touches her, so Sara is worried when the girls are placed temporarily with a doctor and his family. The girls do well there, and even find a stray cat to have as a pet, but the family is moving to South America. For their next placement, Anna is sent to a residential treatment facility, and Sara is sent to the Chandlers, in the same neighborhood where she and Anna found the cat. This time, things go fairly well. Sara makes a friend in Lexi, gets tutored in reading at the library by Ben, and gets some psychological counseling. She and Lexi even make a small local news splash by starting a program to place stray cats at senior care facilities. Eventually, her father ends up in jail, and is taken to court to surrender his parental rights so that Sara can be adopted by the Chandlers. 

The author mentions that she was put in an orphanage when she was young, and this personal experience add a poignant authenticity to Sara's struggles. While Sara faces difficulties, and her placements don't always go smoothly, there is some hope in her life, and people who try to do what is right for her. This doesn't gloss over the fact that sometimes, placements don't go well; Anna has been abused at a home when she was separated from Sara. 

For some reason, books about abused children are popular reads for older middle grade readers; perhaps reading such things makes their own experience seem much better. For readers of Hunt's One for the Murphy's, Connor's Waiting for Normal or Dowell's Where I'd Like to Be, Castleman's nuanced portrayal of a girl navigating life without her parents will be a sad but interesting book to pick up. 

This is not a great cover, though. This book was published earlier by Archway, and that cover gives a little more insight into the contents of the book. 

Baker's Magic

Zahler, Diane. Baker's Magic
February 1st 2016 by Capstone Young Readers
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Bee has been orphaned when both of her parents were killed in a shipwreck. She survived, and is cared for by foster parents who are unkind. She eventually runs away, and eventually ends up in Aradyn at the bakery of Mr. Bouts. She tries to steal a bun but is tripped by Wil and caught. She is so starved and pathetic that the local citizens take pity on her. Bouts hires her as his apprentice, and Wil, the son of a blacksmith, becomes her fast friend. Bee proves an apt baker, and her moods tend to be baked right into her pastries. When Master Joris, the city mage and the guardian of the orphaned princess Annika, wants to try the bakery's products, Bee is sent to the palace to deliver them. She finds the palace to be rather decrepit, but makes friends with Annika. Eventually, the two realize that Joris (who has killed all of the trees in the kingdom to make room for tulips) is trying to marry Annika off to a much older king in order to have the kingdom for himself. Annika runs away with the help of Bee and Wil, and the three have quite an adventure. They not only find out secrets about the heritage of the girls, but they discover environmental problems caused by Joris, even though they also find some solutions. Add help from a pirate ship with a fiesty female Captain, an adorable per hedgehog, and a happy ending, and this was a very fun read!

Strengths: Bee had a hard life, but found kind people to help her. The descriptions of the buns as well as the clean clothing and soft bed were heart felt and wonderful. I loved how she had the power to bake her emotions into pastries. The friendships were all solid and helpful. The twists about the parentage of the girls was good as well. Had a vaguely Dutch, 1600-1700s feel, so very standard fantasy setting.
Weaknesses: This started to lose me a bit when they found the island and tried to move it back to the kingdom. There was plenty going on before that. 
What I really think: This was such an enormous relief to read. Only happy surprises, parents returning from the dead instead of dying, magical tarts... sigh. Must purchase. My readers love happy stories and anything to do with baking!

At first, I was disappointed that the cover wasn't in the same gorgeous style as the other covers of this author's books, but the plain blue one will no doubt make it easier to get boys to pick up this book, since it has plenty of adventure. 

           

Happy 10th Blogiversary

My first ever blog post was on 16th February, 2006, but the Cybils Awards announcement of the winners is 14th February, so we're celebrating early.

Why I started a blog is lost in the mists of time. I think I took a class where it was suggested; it seemed like a good way to be able to remember all of the books as I read through the hardcover fiction in the library. I was at the "M"s in 2006, and finished in 2011, just in time for my fifth anniversary. 

I always wished I had a better blog name!

This isn't the "sexiest" blog-- I don't do giveaways or interviews or talk about what's going on in the library. I'm not good with Twitter or Instagram or Facebook, and the Podcast experiment left me cold. 

I read as many of the books as I can; I opine. I base these opinions on interactions with actual tween readers. I try to be honest about whether or not I like a book, but also about whether or not my students will. Sometimes this is two different things. 

For now, this is enough. You want to know about books, scan my posts once a week. It's like reading a dozen or more books without the time commitment. 

MMGM- Biographies

Armand,Glenda and Cooper, Floyd. Ira's Shakespeare Dream 

August 15, 2015, Lee & Low Books

Copy received from the publisher

Becoming an actor is one good way to irritate your family, and in the early 1800s, Ira's father would really rather he become a minister. Ira loves the stage, however, and is especially fond of Shakespeare. Since he is free, he is able to work for the African Grove theater in New York, but has a close call with slave traders who want to buy him. Frustrated by his limited possibilities, and not wanting to go to ministry college, Ira goes to London. There, he manages to find roles after working very hard to perfect his craft, and he was also able to share the story of the plight of African Americans in the US. 

This is a great biography about a very renowned actor who is hardly known today. Armnad does a great job at constructing believable scenes from his life as they most likely happened. The illustrations by Cooper are dramatic, and yet tinged with a sepia-toned sadness. Like many picture book biographies, this is really for older children, due to the length and challenging text, but would be great to share with younger classes as well. 

I am not surprised that Lee & Low Books were able to herald an African American "celebrity figure" from history in a respectful and informative way!

Calkhoven, Laurie. Women Who Changed the World: 50 Amazing Americans
December 29th 2015 by Scholastic Paperback Nonfiction
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central 

Starting with Pocahontas and continuing through Margaret Bourke-White and Misty Copeland, this brightly illustrated book introduces readers to fast facts about women who  have made contributions in many fields. A photograph, if one exists, is accompanied by basic biographical information, and a larger illustration of each woman is shown alongside further descriptions of her work and accolades. There are also sidebars with statistics or other interesting facts. 

This would be a great resource to have if children have to chose people to research for a project, since the information is brief yet complete. There is also a two page list of additional women at the end of the book, as well as a glossary of terms. 

There is always room for books that introduce students to historical personages, like or Chin-Lee's Amelia to Zora or Schatz's Rad American Women from A to Z. This Scholastic paperback would have been my daughter's first choice if it had been included in a book club flyer! There is, however, still room for other corporate biographies of lesser known women-- most of my students have heard of Amelia Earhart, but few know of Frances Perkins or Clare Booth Luce. 


Miller, Pat Zietlow. The Quickest Kid in Clarksville
9 February 2016, Chronicle Books
Copy received from the publisher

Alta is looking forward to seeing her idol, Wilma Rudolph, in a parade in her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee. Alta is a runner herself, and when she meets Charmaine, she starts to doubt herself. Not only is Charmaine a fast runner as well, but she has new tennis shoes, while Alta's are worn out. Alta thinks about the challenges that Wilma faced on her way to the Olympics, and doesn't let Charmaine's superior attitude get to her. When the girls need to work together to get a banner to the parade site, they realize that it's more fun to be friends than to fight. 

While I knew about Rudolph's athletic accomplishments, I hadn't thought much about her impact on young girls at the time. A note in the back mentions that when Clarksville wanted to honor Rudolph's accomplishments with a parade, she refused to attend unless the event were not segregated. This was unusual for the time, so the illustration showing black and white faces cheering on their hometown hero together is very effective.

Period details abound in the illustrations, and I love that the children are shown wearing brightly colored clothing against gray and tan, rather run down buildings. The faces of the characters are very expressive, as are the postures the girls strike when quarreling. While I thought that this book would be a biography of Rudolph, I was charmed to find another story entirely. This would be a good read aloud for Black History Month, and could spark some conversations about working together.