Book Review: Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate, Feiwel & Friends, September 2015. ARC provided by NetGalley.

Genre: Realistic/Magical Realism

Good for: Grades 3 to 6

Summary: Soon-to-be fifth-grader Jackson is a pragmatist whose number one rule is that there's an explanation for everything. So when his old imaginary friend, a cat named Crenshaw suddenly reappears, he doesn't quite believe it. His first appearance had been 3 years earlier when Jackson and his family had been forced to live out of their van. Now with the threat of homelessness looming again, Crenshaw is there to help Jackson in his time of need.

Thoughts: This book really tugged at my heartstrings. It's a unique take on the issue of poverty. Jackson's father is dealing with losing a good job due to multiple sclerosis and both parents are working part-time jobs just to make ends meet. But it isn't enough and the family goes through cycles of hard times where it's sometimes a challenge just to get food on the table. Jackson is going through a rough patch emotionally where he's now old enough to understand what's happening, though his parents are still trying to shelter him and his younger sister from it. Crenshaw serves as a device for Jackson to hopefully be able to tell his parents the truth about how he really feels even though he puts on a brave face. There's definitely an underlying sadness throughout, but it's coupled with a hopefulness that it so important in children's literature.

The writing style is simple, but lovely. Jackson is a character that readers will want befriend and/or give a big, warm hug to. Using a giant, charismatic cat as a device for dealing with difficult emotions is smart and effective.

Give this to kids who loved books like Keeper, The Higher Power of Lucky, or The Underneath. This would be a great choice for a book club.


My Goodreads Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, HarperCollins, April 2015.

Genre: Realistic/Magical Realism

Good for: Grades 8 and Up

Summary: Fifteen year-old Caden Bosch's life takes place in two different worlds. The first is where he is a crew member aboard a ship bound for the Marianas Trench. The second is where he is a teenager struggling through paranoia and, eventually, schizophrenia.

Thoughts: For me, this was a difficult read. Not because it was boring or a slog to get through, but because of how dark and heartbreaking Caden's story is. It begins with Caden describing his travels aboard the ship along with the crew and their mission: to find treasure by diving into the deepest part of the Marianas Trench called the Challenger Deep. Then the story begins to alternate with Caden in the real world as a teenager who becomes increasingly paranoid at home and school. For instance, he believes that a classmate he barely knows is trying to kill him. His symptoms worsen until his parents have no other choice but to commit him. Most readers will figure out partway through that the "ship" chapters are a metaphor for Caden's time in the psychiatric hospital though until then, the story can make them feel a bit disoriented and confused (much like Caden's state of mind). Illustrations from the author's son, who has dealt with mental illness himself, are interspersed throughout and help to enhance the mood. While the teen appeal isn't obvious (it is quite a heavy, dark read), it's a great one to generate discussion in a book group or classroom.

My Goodreads Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Fish in a Tree

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Nancy Paulsen Books, February 2015.

Genre: Realistic

Good for: Grades 3 to 7

Summary: Sixth-grader Ally Nickerson can't read. She can see the words on the page, but they dance around and don't make any sense to her. Ashamed, she acts disruptive in class in order to hide the real issue of her dyslexia. Even though she's actually good at things like math and art, the other kids call her stupid and slow. So when a new teacher arrives and wants to help Ally with her problem, she is reluctant to come around and finally realize that maybe she isn't as hopeless as she thinks.

Thoughts: Overall, this is a sweet, uplifting story about a girl who thinks that just because her mind works differently, she isn't as smart or as normal as the other kids in class. Along the way, she befriends Albert, a quiet and pragmatic boy with a less-than-ideal home life and Keisha, a confident girl with a talent for baking. Ally herself is coping with a military father who is away from home. Ally and her two friends are the most realistically portrayed characters by far. There are some nice moments with the other classmates, namely a hyper boy named Oliver and the "assistant bully" Jessica. However (and unfortunately) bully-in-charge Shay and the unconventional teacher, Mr. Daniels, fall flat. While the story starts strong, it begins to fall into cliched and sappy territory with one too many uplifting moments to make it ring completely true.  Nevertheless, this is a heartwarming story overall and would be a great choice for a tween book club or classroom.

My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

To Rock with Resolve in 2015

The awesome librarians over at Storytime Underground are challenging everyone to set some professional goals for 2015. Others are already setting the bar pretty high with theirs, but here are mine for the coming year:

1. Read more - I know this one sounds pretty obvious (and maybe a bit lame) but in 2014 I found myself in a bit of a reading slump. I had just come off of an exciting experience on an awards committee where I had to read a crazy amount of books, so I found myself a bit book fatigued. This year, I plan to get back into the swing of it and resolve to read more. I set my Goodreads goal to a modest 100 books and will try The Hub's reading challenge to help keep me on task.

2. Put myself out there more - Amy Koester had a great blog post a few month's ago about her experience at ALA conferences in regards to meeting new people in a professional setting. I, myself, am not a wallflower per se, but the thought of heading to Midwinter this month not knowing anyone else attending kinda terrifies me. I'm lucky to be connected with some really great librarians on Twitter and such, but I'm a bit intimidated to just approach one of them in-person. Also, the sheer scope of an ALA conference in and of itself can be overwhelming. Amy had some truly sound advice and I'm going to resolve to follow it in Chicago.

3. Let it go - In 2014, I found myself wanting to do it all and be it all. So then I found myself stressed out, overwhelmed, and over-extended. This year, I resolve to realize that I don't have to take on everything myself and that it's okay to let others share the load with me.

4. Become good enough at the ukulele to play in storytime - This goal is a carryover from last year. I tried videos, books, and even some not-so-helpful private lessons, but I've just never felt comfortable enough to "pull the trigger" and play in storytime. This year, I'm going to try at least 1 song in storytime in front of an audience.

5. Blog more - I'm pretty comfortable blogging write-ups of my programs and storytimes, but I haven't really tried my hand at blogging on the more theoretical side of librarianship or reviewing the books I've read. I'm going to see if that's something I can do well and will be helpful to other youth librarians out there.

What are your goals for 2015?

That's So Medal: Mock Newbery

As the Youth Media Awards are fast-approaching (yay!), the Internet is abuzz with lists and more lists of contenders (Mock and otherwise) for the winners. I recently posted about my library's Mock Caldecott passive program. Well, just recently a librarian from another library in my area decided to take the bull by the proverbial horns and get a bunch of us together for a Mock Newbery discussion. (There are several small libraries all in the near vicinity to each other in my area, so it's a wonderful opportunity for all of us to get together and work some library magic!)

We all chose about 3 title that we liked and met at my library this afternoon for a hearty discussion about each. Here is the list of the contenders (my picks are in bold):

• Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown (which is my favorite for the Caldecott!)
• Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli
• The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
• Doll Bones by Holly Black
• The Great Trouble by Deborah Hopkinson
• Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell
• Bo at Ballad Creek by Kirkpartick Hill
• Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
• Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
• A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff
• Jinx by Sage Blackwood
• Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
• One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
• The Center of Everything by Linda Urban
• Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco
• Rump by Liesl Shurtliff
• Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington
• The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt
• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Christ Grabenstein

After we discussed each title we took a short cookie and lemonade break to mull over our thoughts/notes and then voted. 

Our winner was (drum roll):

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

I was happy with this pick. I think that it's a great story about a boy going through the usual 2nd grade problems. Henkes' writing style has a lot of appeal for kids. At first, I thought this might a be a little long for a 2nd grader to want to read, but someone pointed out to me that I should think about it as a read aloud and I liked it a lot better. I do still slightly wish though that the book was either slightly shorter (it clocks in at 240 pages) or that Billy was written slightly older. Still, it's a wonderful story reminiscent of Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Our Honor Books were:

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt

I think that this one has great cover appeal for those middle grade readers. I also think that it's one of those rare books that will appeal to kids and adults alike. The interwoven stories between precocious raccoons, a determined boy, destructive hogs, and a very sleepy Sasquatch add enough complexity for older readers and the language, humor, and tone cater to younger ones. There's a touch of Appelt's award-winner The Underneath that makes the story feel familiar, but it definitely holds its own as well.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

I was also happy with this pick. While I'm not completely sure about how much this one will appeal to kids, I think the writing style and subject matter alone make it a distinguished work of literature. Willow Chance feels like a real girl going through real life, because of and despite her mental and life challenges. I've seen this title get a lot of buzz on other Mock Newbery lists.

Do you have a Mock Newbery list? What's on yours?

That's So Medal: Mock Caldecott

Every winter my library hosts a Mock Caldecott Election as a passive program. Throughout the year, the staff keep their eyes peeled for Caldecott contenders. Shortly before the elections, a meeting is held where we narrow down and vote on our choices and then create a ballot for the public. We order/ILL 2 copies of each selection that patrons can browse through in order to help them vote. At the end of the voting period (which is about 2 weeks), we tally up the votes and announce the winners on our library's website. There is a possible 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place instead of winners and honor books.

Here are this years' nominees (my particular picks are in bold):

1. Cub's Big World by Sarah L. Thompson, ill. by Joe Cepeda

2. The Dark by Lemony Snicket, ill. by Jon Klassen

This was one of my picks. I have been a fan of Jon Klassen's artistic style since I first saw I Want My Hat Back. Then I was fortunate enough to hear him give his Caldecott acceptance speech at ALA Annual in Chicago last year. To hear him talk about the thought and intent that goes into each page he illustrates was truly amazing.

I'm always impresses when an artist has the ability to create the illusion of light. Klassen's work is no exception. He skillfully uses gouache to create a contrast between the light and "the dark" (which the main character Lazlo is so afraid of). As Lazlo uses the mere beam of a flashlight to creep closer and closer to the darkness it creates a sense of tension. It feels much like a film where the characters stumble through the dark with the uncertainty that something is lurking around the corner. 

3. A Funny Little Bird by Jennifer Yerkes

4. How to Train a Train by Jason Carter Eaton, ill. by John Rocco

5. Journey by Aaron Becker

6. Locomotive by Brian Floca

7. The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman, ill. by Bagram Ibatoulline

8. Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild is probably one of my favorites. I had learned somewhere down the line of my librarian training that a truly great picture book is one where the illustrations tell the story and can stand on their own. 

Done with a digital combination of India ink, watercolor, gouache, and pencil this is a lovely little story about a tiger learning to break free from the constraints of society in order to be his wild old self.

I love that the end papers at the beginning of the book are brick and at the end are leaves which lends to Mr. Tiger's transition into "going wild". Throughout the book, there's lots of white space on the page so that they never feel too crowded and it's easy for the eye to focus. I also love how the color palette transitions from the more grays and browns in town to richer greens and blues in the wilderness.  And Mr. Tiger himself is always a pop of orange on the page to allow him to stand out as well as create a sense of individuality. I'm not-so secretly rooting for this one to win the real Caldecott!

9. Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

This was another one of my picks. I am such a sucker for wordless picture books. I love that they inspire dialogic reading skills and using the imagination. Truthfully, I didn't discover David Wiesner's work until I was tasked to read a wordless picture book in library school and chose Flotsam. 

Using watercolor and India ink, Mr. Wuffles tells the story of a cat who discovers a toy that really isn't a toy at all: it's an alien spaceship! So the aliens must use their resourcefulness to outwit the cat and get back home. 

There's a wealth of detail on each page. The book begs to be looked at over and over again to discover something new each time. For me,the mark of a good book is one that allows you to immerse yourself in it and find something different with each reading. Even though they never utter a word other than in their native language, the aliens themselves are wonderfully expressive. They go through a range of emotions from frightened to triumphant. 

10. Red Knit Cap Girl to the Rescue by Naoko Stoop

11. That is NOT a Good Idea! by Mo Willems

12. The Tortoise and the Hare by Jerry Pinkney

13. Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park, ill. by Matt Phelan

I'll post the winners after the voting ends on January 18th!

What are your picks this year? Do you host a Mock Caldecott program at your library? How is your program similar/different?

Book Rave - OCD, The Dude, and Me

OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn. Grades 8 and up. Dial Books, 2013.

Danielle Levine isn't your average high school senior. She definitely stands out with her green eyes, orange hair, plus-sized figure, and "unique learning profile". In order to cope with not fitting in, she decides to write autobiographical essays for her "me-moir", a locked and color-coded binder safely hidden from the view of others. She also decides to write scathingly honest essays for her English class, which lands her an recurring appointment with the school psychologist as well as a spot in a "social skills" class. There, she meets another loner named Daniel who has an obsession with The Big Lebowski. Daniel could just be the one to help her break her cycle of loneliness and help her fit in.

I adored this book. I really appreciated the style of writing. Danielle's story unfolds with a mix of English essays, "me-moir" entries, and emails. She is an extremely likeable character. She's quirky (she likes to dress up in period hats and costumes and reenact scenes from Jane Eyre), honest (her essays often receive bad grades for her lack of formality), and real. She feels and sounds like a real teen. Whether or not the reader has a learning disability, they will be able to relate to Danielle in some way.

There are a lot of topics that are addressed in this fairly little book: OCD, adoption (Danielle is adopted), body image issues (Danielle feels like she is too fat), coming out (Daniel comes out to Danielle), fitting in and being popular, unrequited crushes (she has a crush on the popular boy), etc. However, the story never feels preachy or loaded down with these issues. You'll feel like you are reading an all-too real account about being   a teen. Danielle is a great narrator. She is honest about herself and her situation and sardonic about it to boot.

This is a great read for teens who enjoy realistic fiction with a wicked sense of humor. The diary-like writing style will also appeal to reluctant readers.

Readalikes: 

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie