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