Meet Doreen Cronin - Author Extraordinaire

Doreen Cronin, is the author of many #1 bestselling picture books. These would include a Caldecott honor book Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type. She is a prolific author with a great sense of humor. Two of her most recent publications include: M.O.M and The Trouble With Chickens.

M.O.M is a picture book that is actually more for the adults in the house than the kids. While it has fabulous comic like illustrations that are appealing to the eye, it really reads with an adult sense of humor. The book could be considered for the older picture book crowd. M.O.M is a Mom Operating Manual, batteries not included, of course. It is a manual on how to take care of mom. To sum it all up, basically it tells you how to avoid damage to your mother’s well being.

“It is widely accepted that mothers are the most advanced human models on the planet. They are capable of superhuman energy, strength, patience and creativity. They come in many shapes and sizes. They have various talents, skills, like cooking, singing, sewing, Olympic athleticism, and neurosurgery.”

Cronin defines mom as a female parent, a lady of authority or utterer of “Because I say so.” But most important mom is the definition of a complex machine who runs full speed on little fuel and almost no sleep whatsoever also WONDER WOMAN! Brilliant!

The book continues to talk about the type of mother you might have, well rested (not too many of these are around) to barely upright but still functioning mom. Care and maintenance of a mother, the daily basics include, sleep, nutrition, exercise and water short for SNEW. Who knew? The book also points out that each mom has her own dress code and of course there is no override button on this one. The author’s advisement to all, keep comments to yourself, especially important for dads.

But really the adults will get the biggest chuckle out of this book. It is hilarious but at the same time a book that can help children understand their mothers and how to please them? Biggest message of the book, moms are indispensable and if you take care of mom she’ll take care of you.

The Trouble with Chickens another recently released book is a fabulous read aloud or a wonderful chapter book for grades 2-4^th. This is another hilariously written story written from the point of view of a rescue dog with great black and white illustrations.  J.J. Tully, a retired search and rescue dog, has just recently retired to a lovely farm and enjoying the good life. Suddenly one day he has been asked to come out of retirement to find an annoying chicken’s missing baby chicks.  The mother hen fears that her missing chicks have been kidnapped and are being held hostage inside the house. J.J. Tully decides to take the case on with the reward being a hamburger. Unfortunately the case isn’t an easy one. This is a great comical mystery that keeps the reader wondering until the very end. Hopefully this is a first in a series of many more hilarious J.J. Tully Adventures.

Thank you Doreen Cronin for your fabulous sense of humor and wonderfully written books for all ages. I personally can’t wait to see what you will publish next.

Check out her website for more information on this great author: http://www.doreencronin.com

Doreen Cronin's Books:
Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type (Caldecott Honor Book)
Duck for President
Dooby Dooby Moo
Thump Quack Moo
Wiggle
Bounce
Stretch
Rescue Bunnies
Diary of a Worm
Diary of a Spider
Diary of a Fly
Click, Clack, Splish, Splash
Click, Clack, Quackity, Quack
Trouble with Chickens
M.O.M

Hugo - The book or the movie, I say both!

Want a great book to read and a fabulous movie to watch? Check out “The Invention of Hugo Cabret “by Brian Selznick or the wonderful movie, “Hugo” directed by Martin Scorsese.

Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese

Throughout his extraordinary career, Academy Award-wining director Martin Scorsese has brought his unique vision and dazzling gifts to life in a series of unforgettable films. This holiday season the legendary storyteller invites you to join him on a thrilling journey to a magical world with his first-ever 3-D film, based on Brian Selznick's award-winning, imaginative New York Times best-seller, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." Hugo is the astonishing adventure of a wily and resourceful boy whose quest to unlock a secret left to him by his father will transform Hugo and all those around him, and reveal a safe and loving place he can call home. – Paramount                 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick                 

“Paris in the 1930's, a thief, a broken machine, a strange girl, a mean old man, and the secrets that tie them all together... Welcome to The Invention of Hugo Cabret.” – author Brian Selznick

The story is about Hugo, a young orphan boy, living in the walls of the Paris train station in 1931 where he tends to all of the clocks in the station. Hugo continues his father’s job once of winding the clocks and keeping them running in the train station. His father, once a clockmaker and museum curator, died tragically in a fire. Now that his father is dead, 12-year-old Hugo must continue his work in the station without being caught and sent off to an orphanage. But that isn’t all Hugo must do. He also continues to work on an automation (a mechanical imitation of a human being) that his father had brought home from the museum. Now he is obsessed in making the automation work in memory of his father. To do this he must steal parts from the grumpy old toy maker in the train station. But in the process of stealing  the parts and trying not to get caught, Hugo befriends the toy maker’s granddaughter (also an orphan who was much more fortunate than Hugo). Together the two unlock the mystery of filmmaking.

This is more than a story about a young orphan boy. It is also about the beginnings of filmmaking and the life of the real French filmmaker George Melies (who is played fabulously by Ben Kingsley in the movie).  Melies was a magician before he became a filmmaker in the 1900’s.  Author Brian Selznick says that this book was inspired by one of Melies first movies in 1902, “A Trip to the Moon;” a film about a rocket that zooms towards the moon that has a human face on it. Once the rocket hits the face squarely into the eye, a liquid oozes from the moon.

“Hugo” can be seen in 3-D. Why 3-D? Because Scorsese wanted depth added to his film and he wanted to make it real by having the story come to life for the audience. Scorsese wanted the audience to actually be a part of the film, and he did so successfully.

Personally, I think the movie portrays a different part of this story, the history of filmmaking. This movie isn’t only for kids (probably not the young ones as the movie is a bit too long) but also a great one for adults too. Can you imagine watching some of the history of filmmaking in 3-D by one of the most infamous filmmakers of all time? While the movie is long, both the movie and book are highly recommended for ages nine and up.

The book itself is a beautiful piece of work, winning the Caldecott Award in 2008. Brian Selznick created a story that is half pictures and half words. This 500 plus page book is half text and half finely penciled illustrations that tell the story in turn. A must read book for all middle grades.

Read the book first and then go see the movie, or see the movie first and then read the book. Either way, I promise you won’t be disappointed.  Rarely does a movie live up to the expectations of the book. Kudos to Martin Scorsese for making a magnificent film while also staying true to the book. This film is truly a moving tribute to filmmakers everywhere. Both Scorsese and Selznick should be commended for helping us to remember the past.

Meet Laura Resau

I just recently discovered this amazing author, Laura Resau. I was reading a review on her most recent book, Queen of Water when I decided to check it out of the public library. I couldn’t put it down and finished the book within days. After reading this fabulous, intriguing book I decided to do some research on the author to see what other books she might of written. I tend to do this when I find an author that I truly enjoy.  In the midst of my research on Laura Resau I discovered her fabulous website that also includes a writing blog. It really is a wealth of information about her as a writer, her life and her many books. http://www.lauraresau.com/

Laura Resau is an aspiring author with real messages. Her writing is not only beautiful but poetic. She uses rich language and imagery and researches much of what she uses in her books. Most of her stories are about life in Latin America.  Here is her bio from her website:

With a background in cultural anthropology and ESL-teaching, Laura Resau has lived and traveled in Latin America and Europe - experiences that inspired her books for young people. Her latest novel, The Queen of Water (cowritten with María Virginia Farinango) was praised as "riveting tale... by turns heartbreaking, infuriating and ultimately inspiring " in a starred review by Kirkus. Her previous novels - Star in the Forest, The Ruby Notebook, The Indigo Notebook, Red Glass, and What the Moon Saw - have garnered many starred reviews and awards, including the IRA YA Fiction Award, the Américas Award, and a spot on Oprah's Kids' Book List. Acclaimed for its sensitive treatment of immigration issues, Resau's writing has been called "vibrant, large-hearted" (Publishers' Weekly) and "powerful, magical" (Booklist). Resau lives with her husband and young son in Colorado. She donates a portion of her royalties to indigenous rights organizations in Latin America.

To date I have only read two of her books and in the middle of a third one. I can tell you from the two that I have read I will continue to read her other books and will definitely follow this prolific author. She has much to say about the world of immigrants from Latin America and I believe she will continue to write and receive starred reviews on her books. Here are two books that I have just finished reading.

What the Moon Saw (published in 2006)– This is a story of a young girl, Clara Luna, who has been invited to visit her grandparents in a small village of Mexico. Clara Luna, means ‘clear moon’ in Spanish. She receives a letter written in Spanish from grandparents that she has never met before. Her father had run away from home as a small boy to escape life in the small village to find a better life for himself. For many years he was an illegal alien in the United States. He held many small jobs before meeting his wife and starting his family. Now Clara, age 14, has been asked to go and visit this family she knows nothing about for an entire summer. She doesn’t know how she will survive without her friends, her TV, her iPod and her family. Instead what she finds in the village of Yucuyoo with her grandparents and their fabulous bird holds many surprises. She can’t believe her grandparents live in a simple shack in the mountains of Southern Mexico where most people speak Mixteco, an indigenous language. But instead Clara has a summer full of adventures and hears many stories of how her grandmother became a healer. Now Clara believes she has the same power too. A beautiful story of discovering your true self in the most unexpected place. (Recommend reading for ages 10 and up)

Queen of Water is her most recent book (published 2011)

Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indígenas, it is not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta—stupid Indian—by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds. In this poignant novel based on a true story, acclaimed author Laura Resau has collaborated with María Virginia Farinango to recount one girl's unforgettable journey to self-discovery. Virginia's story will speak to anyone who has ever struggled to find his or her place in the world. It will make you laugh and cry, and ultimately, it will fill you with hope. (Recommended reading for ages 12 and up)

Troublemaker by Andrew Clements

Do you think the saying is true, once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker?

Clayton, 6^th grader at Truman Elementary School is always getting into trouble. And he thinks it is funny. The more he gets in the trouble the happier he is. The most recent incident that has brought him to the principal’s office is a portrait that he has drawn of the principal as a donkey or jackass. Clayton wants to be just like his big brother Mitchell, who had a huge reputation at school for being a troublemaker. But as the story unfolds Mitchell has come home after spending some time in jail for some serious trouble. While Clayton wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps, Mitchell has different plans for his younger brother. He has come to the understanding that being a troublemaker is the wrong path to choose in life. Mitchell now understands the difference between good and bad behavior and how making the right choices in life are very important.  Now he must make his younger brother, Clayton, understand this too. But it isn’t easy.

Troublemaker by award winning author Andrew Clements is another popular story about real life with actual situations and authentic characters that children can relate to. He is also the author of the very popular book, Frindle, as well as Extra Credit, Lost and Found, No Talking, Room One, Lunch Money and many more. Mr. Clements taught in the public schools near Chicago for seven years before moving East to begin a career in publishing and writing. He lives with his wife in central Massachusetts and has four grown children. 

I believe this is a book that every principal should have in his/her office to hand out to kids who've lost their way. Troublemaker is a wonderful story and  a very empowering book for troubled kids. It is not only a story for troublemakers but for those kids who know troublemakers. Recommended reading for grades 4-6^th.

Check out his website at: http://www.andrewclements.com

Sardoodledom

Sardoodledom by Krishna Dalal

How do you say sardoodledom? Can you spell it? Sardoodledom, definition means overly dramatic, almost unbelievable. I didn’t even know this word existed until I picked up this adorable picture book called Sardoodledom: A Spelling Bee Tale by local author Krishna Dalal.

This sweet little book with wonderful illustrations is a story about an annual elementary spelling bee. It takes place in the auditorium of Jefferson Elementary School. The students, Chloe, Ryan, Juan and Hannah, are the main characters that are participating in the annual spelling bee. But this really isn’t an ordinary spelling bee, because it is all about a play on words. The students use homophones, oxymorons, palindromes, rhymes and knock knock jokes to spell or define their words. Because of the fabulous play on words, this isn’t just a story for children but one for tweens, teens and adults too, especially if you ever participated in a spelling bee. Not only will readers learn some new words, but learn that spelling bees can actually be lots of fun, full of excitement or even complete sardoodledom. Of course the story isn’t a story until a surprise character comes along and puts in a sting into the plot. But you have to read it to find out what happens.

I found this story to be wildly creative. The author was very creative in using word plays with the spelling words to make this story very unique. The illustrations are very whimsical and the illustrator did a wonderful job creating characters with their adorable personalities.

Sardoodledom can be a great read-aloud because it really engages students and provides for many teachable moments. I would even recommend using this story in a classroom.  This is a great book for children ages 6-10 (but of course it can be read to younger ones as well with some explanation of the terms.)

You can find this fabulous book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble online.

This is definitely a must for any library, home or school. I hope to see more from this new and imaginative author.

Banned Book Week (Sept. 24-Oct. 1st)

Did you know it was Banned Book Week? Go out and find a book that has been banned or put on the challenged list. Go ahead read it and you decide for yourself if this book should be banned. Celebrate the freedom to read!!

According to the American Library Association, there were 348 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2010, and many more go unreported.

The 10 most challenged titles of 2010 were:
And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: offensive language, racism, religious viewpoint, sex education, sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: drugs, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group
Lush, by Natasha Friend
Reasons: drugs, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group
What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich
Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint
Revolutionary Voices edited by Amy Sonnie
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit
Twilight (series), by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence, unsuited to age group

During the last week of September every year, hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2011 celebration of Banned Books Week will be held from September 24 through October 1. Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,000 books have been challenged since 1982. For more information on Banned Books Week, click here

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon

Do you have a little boy who loves superheroes? Or who wants to be a superhero? Michael Chabon, best selling author and Pulitzer prize winning author has just published one of the best picture books yet on superheroes, called The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man with Moskowitz the Awesome Dog. Not only is the story packed with lots of punches, the illustrations by Jake Parker are just spectacular.

The story begins with awesome man having a secret. He can shoot positronic rays out of his eyeballs, fly straight as an arrow and hug mutant Jell-O. His cape is as red as a rocket and his mask black as midnight. Not to mention he has an awesome letter “A” on his chest. But who is this man? In his own words, he is basically awesome.

The story and illustrations are brilliant, it looks like a 21^st century comic book with brightly colored computer formed illustrations that literally want to pop off the page. This is a fabulous fantasy book for kids and adults, really! Hopefully we will see more from Michael Chabon and Awesome Man.

The Mailbox

The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer

This is not your ordinary teen read. It is one full of beautiful writing, substance and deals with several serious topics; war, the foster system, and the life of veterans. This is a very touching and emotional story that shows us how people can save each other. Ages 12 and up.

12 year-old Gabe is lucky to live with his Uncle Vernon after spending many miserable years in the foster care system. He grows to love his grumpy old Uncle until one day he comes home to realize he has died. His body is left laying on the floor and Gabe doesn’t know what to do or who to call. He goes to bed distraught only to find the next morning that the body is gone, disappeared. Gabe goes about his business keeping the secret that Uncle Vernon has died, trying to take care of himself, clean the house and go to the store for groceries. He knows this is what his Uncle would want him to do. But suddenly he is receiving strange notes in his mailbox from a secret friend. The story continues with exchanges from this friend that Gabe believes to be his “fairy godmother”. Gabe is a wonderful character and this is really a very touching story about life and love. This could be a great read-aloud because it could lead to some great life discussions. A great recommendation for 6^th grade and up. 

Two great classics!

The Phantom Tollboth by Norton Juster

The Phantom Tollboth is a wonderful classic that was first published in 1961. It is one of those stories that can be either a read alone or read aloud. And it is also just as much of an adult book as it is a children’s book because of the author's play on words.

The story begins with Milo, our main character, who comes home from school to find a very large package waiting for him, which happens to be a magic tollboth. This tollbooth transports him away to the kingdom of wisdom. It is in the kingdom of wisdom that he learns he must restore order by finding two important people, rhyme and reason. The many adventures help Milo to understand the power of words, books and the importance of learning and knowledge. Something that we all can be reminded of as well. 

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

The Cricket in Times Square a very sweet story about three friends, a cricket, a cat and a mouse and their many adventures in New York City. This 1961 Newbery honor book, first published in 1960, is a classic that can also be read alone or as a read aloud to children ages 9 and up. The story begins with a young boy Mario who tends to his parents news stand near the train station. The news stand is failing financially but when Mario finds the cricket he begs to keep it as a pet because he believes that crickets bring good luck and that is exactly what his family needs. With some ambivalence his mother allows him to keep the cricket but only at the news stand, it cannot come home and thus the friendship begins between Mario and Chester. The cricket also becomes fast friends with Tucker the mouse and Harry the cat in the evenings when Mario goes home. The story continues with these four friends as they stumble upon many adventures in the bustling city of New York. 

First day of School

It is that time of year again, back to school. Many are sad that summer is over, many are excited to get back to school and their friends and then there are those who are just starting school for the first time and are full of nerves. Luckily there are so many wonderful books out there to help with the many different emotions that go with starting a new school year which includes starting school for the first time, going to a new school, making new friends, reconnecting with old friends, having new teachers, moving schools, starting middle school, starting high school, the list goes on. The first day of school for everyone is always full of excitement and anxiety. Here is a list of some of my favorite "going back to school" books that are available at your local libraries, school libraries and even bookstores.

Preschool Books:
Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins
Mouse's First day of school by Lauren Thompson
Will I have a friend by Miriam Cohen (this is one of my favorites and an all-time classic!)

Picture Books: (in no particular order)
Seymour Slug Starts School by Carey Armstrong-Ellis
Look out kindergarten, here I come by Nancy Carlson
Never Spit on your Shoes by Denys Cazet (for the child who loves rules)
I am too absolutely small for school by Lauren Child
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (for the child who has a hard time separating)
First day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
My mom made me go to school by Judy Delton
Meet the Barkers: Morgan and Moffat go to school by Tomie DePaola
Back to School for Rotten Ralph by Janck Gantos
Miss Mingo and the first day of school by Jamie Harper
Jessica by Kevin Henkes (for the child who has an imaginative friend)
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes (for the child who worries a lot)
Froggy goes to School by Jonathan London
Mr Monkey's Classroom by Jiwon Oh
My name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits (for the child who has moved from another country)
Vera's first day of school by Vera Rosenberry
Miss Bindergarten gets ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
Don't eat the teacher by Nick Ward
First Grade Stinks by Mary Ann Rodman
Sam and Gram and the First day of School by Dianne Bloomberg
Slippers at School by Andrew Clements (for the dog lover)

Beginning Readers:
Lucky Goes to School by Gail Herman
Arthur's Back to School Day by Lillian Hoban
Amanda Pig, Schoolgirl by Jan Van Leeuwen
The first day of school by Margaret McNamara
Princess Posey and the first day parade by Stephanie Greene
Stuart goes to School by Sara Pennypacker

3-5th grade books:
Cam Jansen and the first day of school mystery by David Adler
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary
Back to school Mallory by Laurie Friedman
The New Kid at School by Kate McMullan
Moxie Maxwell does not love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford

4-6th grade books:
Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
The reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt by Elizabeth Kimmel

We all know that starting middle school and high school can be very anxiety ridden. There are also some great stories and even survival guides available on how to make friends, navigate around a new school, making good choices and decisions and surviving the pre-teen and teen years. These are just a few titles but there are many more available online or at your local bookstores.

Middle school:

A Smart Girl's Guide to Starting Middle School: Everything You Need to Know About Juggling More Homework, More Teachers, and More Friends (American Girl Library) by Julie Williams 

The fashion disaster that changed my life by Lauren Myracle

High School:

High School 101: Freshman Survival Guide by Dawn Burnette

Ultimate High School Survival Guide (Peterson's Ultimate Guides) by Julianne Dueber

Back to school is an exciting time, full of new beginnings and new adventures. I hope everyone has a great year! I know I will!

School is back in Session!

Summer is just about officially over for me. It was definitely the fastest summer I have ever had. Even though I was productive and read so many wonderful books for children, I can't help but feel a bit cheated that I didn't read anything for myself. On my quest to change that and read one great adult book before I head back to work, I recently picked up

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

I read about 1/4 way through it and decided I just couldn't finish it. I'm not one to not finish books but it was just too war heavy for me. Even if I don't really love a book, I always finish it. But with this book, there was no guilt, I just put it down knowing that I will read it at another time. But it did take courage to allow myself not to finish it. And for the record I loved her first book, Seabiscuit.

So in my quest to do something for me I went and saw The Help in the movie theaters last night. Once again, another first. I always read books before I see them in the movie theaters. Books are always better than the movies, right? (Well maybe Harry Potter can be the exception). Although reading the books before seeing the movies definitely makes the experience that much better. But this time I did not read the book! But, the movie was fabulous! And there is no doubt in my mind that the book was probably that much better.

So once again that leaves me back without reading anything for me, something for my adult mind. Something to make me think, or enjoy or experience.  I read two parenting books this summer out of sheer frustration that I wasn't parenting my two children right. I just felt like everything I was doing was all wrong. On my nightstand I have two "must have" parenting books, Raising a Son by Don and Jeanne Elium and The Blessings of a B Minus by Wendy Mogul. Every once in awhile when I get really frustrated and feel like I'm doing everything wrong as a parent I reach out for a parenting book full of wisdom to help me through my insecurities. This was one of those summers where everything I did and say with my 11 year-old son caused a fight or a yelling match. So after some researching books in the public library and local bookstore I found the perfect "boy" book for me to read and help in raising my son. Boys pose special challenges, different than girls, and this book really talks about the different developmental changes that occur from infancy to young adulthood. It has actually been very helpful, I'm on the chapter The I'm-on-my-way-but-I-don't-know-where-I'm-going years: Eight to Twelve.

On top of my challenging summer with my son, my 14 year old daughter is heading off to high school  and quite frankly I'm scared to death. Partly because I remember my high school years for good or for bad. So when I heard that one of my favorite authors, Wendy Mogul, had finally written a teen book (her first book was Blessings of a Skinned Knee) I pre-ordered the book, The Blessings of a B Minus.  This book was published last year and once again is based on her own experiences with her children, or now young adults. Wendy Mogul is a child psychologist and lecturer that uses Jewish teachings in her books in raising children. But you don't have to be religious or even Jewish to enjoy and appreciate her philosophy on raising children. This book is geared towards raising teens in our world today and I highly recommend it. If you haven't read her first book for raising younger children, that is also a delightful and inspiring read. 

So as I count the hours until I head back to the school library next week I realize, it isn't the end of the world that maybe I didn't read anything for myself. I saw some wonderful movies this summer, spent quality time with my children, family and friends and maybe that will just have to do for now.

The Red Umbrella

I just finished reading a really fabulous and very powerful book called, The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. This is a great historical novel for grades 5^th -8. I would also recommend this book for an “in-class” read because it teaches a part of history that many children today don’t know much about.

The story begins in Cuba in 1961 and spans over the course of just about one year. Lucia is 14 years old and has a wonderful life with her family in Cuba. She is a typical teen, thinking about fashion, dreaming of parties and liking boys. But everything changes when the revolution begins. Her friends are no longer friends and her family is being stripped of their rights. After Lucia witnesses a brutal murder her parents decide to make a heart wrenching decision, one that many had to make during that time. They decide to send Lucia and her little brother, Frankie, to America alone. While one can’t imagine being torn from your family, Lucia makes the best of their new situation and learns to adapt to her new lifestyle in America while waiting for her parents to bring her back home.

This novel is based on historical events that took place during this time period when over 14,000 unaccompanied minors were sent over to the United States to escape Castro’s Operation Pedro Pan. This was considered to be one of the largest Exodus of unaccompanied children in the west. The author created this story based on true experiences of her own parents.

Christina Gonzalez did a fabulous job as a first time author creating a very real story portraying authentic feelings. Another special touch that I enjoyed was the inclusion of brief newspaper headlines at the beginning of each chapter. These headlines give the reader a glimpse into the Cuban politics and history. There is also an author’s note as well as an index of Spanish words and phrases that the author used throughout the story.

The Red Umbrella is a moving story of Cuba, family and the true meaning of home. Find it today at your local library.

The Sister's Grimm- Fractured Fairy Tales

 
I just finished reading The Sister’s Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. This is the first in a series of 8 books with book 9 on the way. For more information on this fabulous series check out this site The Sister's Grimm.

The Fairy Tale Detectives is considered to be a fractured fairy tale. First let’s define fairy tale. A Fairy tale is a story, an oral story, that has been passed down through the generations as well as through many different cultures. These stories are usually full of magic with characters such as Fairies, trolls, goblins, elves, giants or gnomes. The stories usually begin with “Once Upon a Time” and end with “Happily Ever After”. Some of the most famous fairy tale authors are the Brother’s Grimm, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen and Paul Galdone.

A fractured fairy tale is just another way of reinventing or rewriting a fairy tale with humor. There are many authors that enjoy writing fractured fairy tales. Check out this list of wonderful fractured fairy tales by many different authors at this site. Fractured Fairy Tales

The Sister’s Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives begins with two sisters, Daphne and Sabrina, who have been abandoned by their parents and are moved around within the foster care system. Suddenly they are sent to live with their grandmother, Relda Grimm, who they believe is dead. When they find themselves in Ferryport Landing with Grandma Grimm the girls are skeptical that she is their real grandmother. But in time they learn their true history of being related to the famous ancestors, the Brother’s Grimm. The girls learn about a collection of case files of magical mischief but then suddenly find themselves in the center of another crime and they need to solve it. And so the story begins of the The Sister’s Grimm and their exciting adventures with many characters that we all know and love, Snow White, the three little pigs, Jack and the Beanstalk, Prince Charming, and none other than the big bad wolf. This magical story is delightful in that it weaves so many wonderful fairy tale characters and plots within the story. As the girls begin to solve their first crime they learn about the mystery that leads to their ancestor’s magical beginnings with witches, pixies and fairies.

A delightful read and a definite must for lovers of  fairy tales. This story is full of imagination, creativity and adventures but with a modern-day twist. I would recommend this set of books for children in grades 4-6. It might be helpful to even go back and reread some of the classic fairy tales before reading this story.

Some of my favorite fractured fairy tales include:

Sleeping Ugly by Jane Yolen

Jack and the Meanstalk by Brain and Rebecca Wildsmith

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

The Book that Jack Wrote by Jon Scieszka

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka

The Frog Prince, continued by Jon Scieszka

Somebody and the Three Blairs  by Marilyn Tolhurst

Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale  by Lynn Roberts

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson

Cinder-Elly by Frances Minters

Lauren Myracle - An Author for Tweens

Lauren Myracle is a young author who relates well to tweens and teens. She has written many books that deal with adolescence, relationships, families, school life, as well as sex, drugs and alcohol. While I prefer her tween books to her teen books, I am happy to recommend the “Winnie Series”.

Winnie Years Series

1. Ten (2010)
2. Eleven (2004)
3. Twelve (2007)
4. Thirteen (2008)
5. Thirteen Plus One(2010)

Ten was just recently published, even though it is the prequel to Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, and Thirteen Plus One. For those of you who are just starting out with this series I recommend beginning with Ten. For those readers who have already read "The Winnie Years", Ten is really a great beginning to this sweet little series and a wonderful read even though you know Winnie as she gets older.

I’m happy that Lauren chose to come back and write Ten as I feel this story gives more background to our fabulous character Winnie and I think readers can relate more to her as a young tween. Each book begins with Winnie celebrating her birthday. Through the years we deal with different issues as Winnie gets older and more mature and life gets more complicated.

Ten introduces the character Winnie Perry who is so excited to become ten, the double digits. She is almost a middle-schooler and that means of course more responsibility. This story is predictable as it concludes the last year of elementary school with Winnie and her best friend Amanda .

In Eleven, Winnie finds a new best friend but what happens to Amanda? In Twelve, her body begins to develop and she buys her first bra and gets her period. In Thirteen boys become really important and there are big changes in Winnie’s family, all good. Thirten Plus One is the end of the middle school years and now Winnie and her friends are typical teens getting ready to start high school. This brings about different challenges and issues for these young girls to deal with.

"The Winnie Years" is a great little series for girls in grades 5 and up. 

Check out this great author, Wendelin Van Draanen

I just finished reading The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen. Honestly I picked up the book because I was attracted to the title and book cover. I always get excited about stories that have to do with one of my favorite sports and hobbies, running. But you don't have to be a runner to enjoy this one. The Running Dream is about a young high school girl who is a great track athlete, until she is in a tragic bus accident and ends up losing her leg as well as her future dreams. The story begins with her waking up in the hospital and realizing what has happened.  I think the School Library Journal review of this book really sums it up nicely.

Jessica has run her personal best at a track meet-then there's a tragic bus accident and the high school junior loses her leg as well as her future dreams. From waking up in the hospital and coping with the trauma, to her return home, then school, she tries to grab her life back. On one level the story offers inspiration to those dealing with physical changes in their own lives and the stages of recovery, fight, survival, and victory as Jessica reaches deep to push past her wall of self-pity and loathing, and moves beyond the "finish line." On a deeper level, there is her blind discrimination toward a fellow classmate who has cerebral palsy. Rosa is hard to understand and easy to ignore. She is anchored to a wheelchair. Jessica, encumbered by her crutches and her tender "stump," is seated in the back of the class, out of the way, next to Rosa. She learns that the girl is smart, wise, and friendly. They pass notes and share lunch. Rosa writes, "I wish people would see me and not my condition." When Jessica is running again-on a specially engineered prosthesis-she challenges herself to help her friend be seen. How Jessica orchestrates putting Rosa in the forefront of a community race and pushing her wheelchair across a finish line is a study in faith and determination. Readers will cheer for Jessica's recovery and be reminded to recognize people for their strengths and not overlook them because of their disabilities -Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

This was not the only book that I read this summer by the author Wendelin Van Draanen. Earlier in the summer I read Runaway and ran a teen book club through the local public library.  It was a great book to have some meaty discussions with. While this was a very different type of book both stories have two very strong female characters with some strong messages for the readers. Both stories really are about keeping hope alive.

Readers wont look at homeless people in quite the same way after meeting Holly and seeing her through five long months on her own. An urban, female version of Gary Paulsens Hatchet (Macmillan, 1986), this novel chronicles the daily struggle for food, shelter, safety, and cleanliness that becomes the focus of life once a home and income are stripped away. Twelve-year-old Holly knows a lot about living on the streets, since she lived that life with her drug-addicted mother before the womans death from an overdose. She determines that it is preferable to continuing in her abusive foster home. A journal provided by a compassionate teacher is where she records her lonely and difficult struggle for survival. While the plot has the occasional convenience, readers will be drawn to the gripping details of both physical and emotional landmines hidden in the ordinariness of everyday life. This is a great book to hand-sell or booktalk to young teens who enjoy a dose of emotional trauma in their fiction or for reluctant readers who need suspense to keep them turning the pages. Van Draanen has shown great versatility in adding another dimension to her already respected body of work.–School Library Journal, Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL

I would recommend both of these books for children in grades 7 and up. They deal with very real and sensitive issues. 

Wendelin Van Draanen is a prolific writer. She is also the author of the Sammy Keyes Mystery Series for middle grades, Shredderman, Gecko and Sticky, and other stand alone novels. One of my all time favorites is Flipped. Flipped was actually made into a motion picture a few years ago. Despite my feelings about books being made into movies, this one was very well done. For more information on this great Northern California author check out: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/vandraanen.

Learning how to fly

Calvin Can't Fly The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne is a gem of a book. This beautiful and touching story is about a little starling bird. He isn't like his brothers and sisters or his thousands of cousins. (Because starlings have big families). Calvin is different from the start. Instead of learning how to fly he learns how to read. He visits the library each day while his family learns how to swoop, fly and do figure eights in the sky. But Calvin is busy learning to read and learning about adventures, legends, folktales, poetry and facts about the world. He learns that books can take him places that his wings can't. But suddenly the weather is beginning to change and it will be time for the starling family to migrate but Calvin still hasn't learned how to fly. So the story continues with wonderful cartoon like illustrations using gouache by illustrator Keith Bendis. The colorful pictures are descriptive with wonderful facial expressions. I think this is a very original story, both heartwarming yet a little quirky but a definite must for library shelves. (Recommended for grades K-2)

Some trumpet drama

So my daughter is heading off to a wonderful overnight music camp tomorrow. One of her passions is playing the trumpet. While she plays in various orchestra and bands during the school year she loves to attend her music camp each summer. This Northern California music camp is set outside under the Redwood trees in a beautiful grove. It really is a stunning setting. Unfortunately in the past few days her trumpet has been acting up. Now, one might ask, how does a trumpet "act up". From a non-trumpet player it has something to do with the valves, slides and some interior issues that need to be fixed. Unfortunately there is also the possibility that the trumpet cannot be fixed. My heart goes out to her because she has been waiting all year to head back to this fabulous camp but if her trumpet isn't working properly how can she possibly enjoy herself and play beautiful music? While we try to fix this issue the day before she leaves for camp, a book comes to mind The Philharmonic Gets Dressed by Karla Kuskin. It is one of my favorites and I remember reading it over and over to my children when they were younger. It actually isn't a picture book but rather a beginning reader (probably level 3 or 4). It was at one time a Reading Rainbow Book, for those of you familiar with the Reading Rainbow series through PBS.

The story begins late at night. Outside it is dark and all around the city there are 92 men and 13 women getting dressed to go to work. We don't know where they are going or what they are doing, but we watch as they bathe, put on their underwear, and then their special black and white apparel. We try to guess what they are doing and where they are going. Then we watch all these people take a musical instrument and travel to town where they begin to work together, playing. It really is a gem of a book.

While I'm on the subject of music there is another wonderful author, Matthew Gollub that comes to mind. His stories include music and rhythm. Matthew's books are picture books and I have actually had the opportunity to see him speak/perform at a local book store for a group of children. He was fabulous. My favorite books of his include: The Jazz Fly,  and Gobble, Quack, Moon. Both of these books include a CD that you can listen to and follow along with the book.  Matthew's musical talents in these CD's are wonderful and they just make you want to get up and move to the beat. For more information on Matthew Gollub, check out his site at: http://www.matthewgollub.com