Historical Fiction: Terror in the Harbour (Penelope)

McKay, S.E. (2001). Terror in the Harbour: Penelope. Toronto : Penguin Books.

To be honest I picked this book because it satisfied my criteria for:
a) Historical fiction
b) Canadian
c) For girls
I had not picked this book because it appealed to me itself. With this in mind I am happy to say that it was an absorbing read. The story quickly hooked me and the descriptions took me to Halifax in 1917 with ease. Whether other books in the Our Canadian Girl series, or even if the three other books in Penelope's series would interest boys is uncertain, but this one definitely did. This is due to the narrative covering several of the categories Jon Scieszka laid down on his website Guys Read. There is at least one explosion (the biggest man made one EVER), war, blood, swearing, and the knocking over of a chamber pot. What else could a guy ask for in a book marketed as written for girls?

Realistic Fiction: Zee's Way

Butcher, K. (2004). Zee's Way. Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book Publishers


Orca publishes levelled readers for older kids. Orca soundings is for tweens and teens, Orca Currents is for middle school students, and Orca Echoes is for kids 7-9. There is also Orca Sports and Orca for young readers. Zee's Way by Kristin Butcher is from the Sounding series, and it shows. The book opens with a bunch of tattooed, punked out teens in some beef with a group of bullying store owners. Given the books racy start I found the ending to be slightly cliché. The book is small, but has an attractive cover. It is just over 100 pages, but the font is large, legible. These features keep it looking like an age appropriate book, but keep it at the appropriate literacy level for those who read reluctantly because of difficulties. Orca books are the best example I’ve found that might get teens reading and draw them away from equally racy TV dramas.

Series Fiction: A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons

Cowell, C. (2008). A Hero’s Guide to Deadly Dragons. London: Hatchet Children’s Books.

Each novel contains several small adventures and while they do progress in a chronological fashion I am happy to say I wasn’t hindered by skipping ahead to the sixth of Cowell’s eight books, a good thing to keep in mind given the availability of these books in the library as the movies come out. One facet of this series that has impressed me is the uniqueness of the published product. It is of unique value that on any given page there can be up to three distinct font settings, depending on the intensity of the description, or when someone is speaking Dragonese. I really liked how Cowell presented the issues of literacy and cognition in this book. Viking culture forbids fastidious thinking and reading, thus compelling the reader to do so via reverse psychology, and that all the books are guarded in a dark, creepy castle by the Hairy Scary Librarian makes any library seem a haven in comparison.

Series Fiction: How to be a Pirate

Cowell, C. (2004). How to be a Pirate. London: Hachette Children’s Books.

This is the second book in Cowell’s series that follows the exploits of the meek, but potentially mighty Hiccup Horredndous Haddock III. In this volume Hiccup not only solidifies his claim as heir to the ruling family of Vikings, but also overcomes his horrendous (as in pathetic and wholly unviking) sword fighting skills by discovering that he is actually left-handed… one more weird trait from an already pretty weird kid. What I really liked about this volume was that it seems that tense moments often happen at the end of a page, forcing the reader to continue another page. I also noticed that the accompanying illustrations were larger and appeared more frequently at the start of the novel than at the end, dissipating only after my interest in the story had been cemented. Cowell writes with the flair of Roald Dahl and after a child had finished with Hiccup’s adventures I would send them directly to Dahl.

Levelled Reader: S-S-Snakes

Penner. L.R. (2009). S-S-Snakes.(Barret, P. Illus.). New York: Random house.

This is a level three reader all about snakes, the closest comparable subject the library had to dinosaurs. This book talks not only about 24 different snakes, but details some of their family histories, how to protect oneself from them, and how to keep them as pets. The set up is a similar style to the previous levelled reader where the text and detailed, hand painted pictures intertwine across the page spread. I am a disappointed that the book has neither a table of contents nor a glossary, as these are staples of non-fiction works regardless of the level. This book has almost twenty pages more than the last level. It is an interesting book, but probably a guys read more than anything else.

Levelled Reader: Beyond the Dinosaurs: Monsters of the Sea and Air

Brown, C. L. (2007). Beyond the Dinosaurs: Monsters of the Sea and Air. (Wilson, P.Illus.). New York: Harper Collins.

This is a level two reader about the prehistoric creatures of the water and air. Whereas the level one reader dealt with only five dinosaurs this next level deals with eleven. The illustrations in this book are done by hand and span both pages when the book is open. The text is strategically placed around the dinosaurs in the pictures so that image and text become a single experience. There is more fine detail in these illustrations and there is double the number of sentences per page as the previous level, the font is smaller and each dinosaurs name is now accompanied by a syllabic breakdown of pronunciation. The number of pages is comparable to the previous level, but there are more words.

Levelled Reader: Snack Time, Tyrannosaurous Rex!

Bentley, D. (2004). Snack Time, Tyrannosaurus Rex! (Carr, K. Illus.) Norwalk, CT: Trudy Corporation.

This is a level one reader about a female Tyrannosaurus Rex’s daily routine to get food. The book is a good size for a “hopper” (preschool to grade 1, as defined by the publisher’s criteria). It is large enough to appear big to a 5 year old and the pages while thin, are sturdy. the book is comprised of alternating full page pictures, detailed computer generated graphics, and large print text, usually no more than two sentences per page, and size twenty-six font. After the story there is a fact page and a glossary of the difficult dinosaur names. I would like to see how a preschooler handled pronouncing “Quetzalcoatlus” the first time they saw it, as it was a tongue twister for myself. However, pronouncing big words is one thing young readers take pride in, so this is a good choice I feel.

Classic Fiction: Tom's Midnight Garden

Pearce, P. (1958).Tom's Midnight Garden. London: Penguins Classics.

I never read this book as a child, but as I read it now in adulthood I am overwhelmed with nostalgia. There is a magical quality woven into Pearce's book and I am glad to be given a pass back into the feeling of my youth. While I very much enjoyed this book for two reasons I feel that it should be recommended only to an advanced and eager reader. Firstly, the book is fairly long and written in antiquated British English. Secondly, it takes a bit of time for the action to really grasp the reader. However, just because Tom's best companion turns out to be a little girl/woman and there is no aggressive or fantastical action in the narrative (except a clock that can turn back time) doesn’t mean that all boys will turn away from the story. In a world that is increasingly busy the possibility for escape may become increasingly enticing.

Nonfiction: Hoaxes

Herbst, J. (2005). Hoaxes. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co.

Judith Herbst's book, Hoaxes is a great introduction to the subject of weird things. She does a good job of discussing some of history's major hoaxes, without splitting hairs over the religious or political angles. She touches on crop circles, fairies, extra-terrestrial life, and uncontacted tribes. The book is written in a conversational tone that sounds close to gossip, a great medium for talking about hoaxes! There are lots of illustrations and old grainy photos that add authenticity and appeal to each story. In a world where kids are often told what to do all day long it can be a relief for them to find out that:
a) Adults be wrong!
b) Adults can fall for something so silly even a kid wouldn't believe it!
There’s not a lot of depth in the book and if a child was interested my next recommendation would be the World of the Unknown series of books.

Picture Book: The Three Pigs

Weisner, D. (2001). The Three Pigs. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

To slowly lose the imaginative powers of childhood as we age is one of the saddest trends of growing up. However, what is lost is not always gone forever. David Weisner's book is as good for adults as it is for budding minds. In his fracturing of the three little pigs classic Weisner has the wolf blow the pigs right out of the story into a limbo-esque white space. Here all the pages of all the children's book stand in cue, waiting to be read. The style of illustration changes from cartoony when the pigs are inside the pages to a more realistic portrayal when they are gallivanting outside the delineated pages. It is no wonder that this book won a Caldecott as the story can be perfectly understood independent of the text which is quite sparse to begin with. A great book for kids to stuff their snouts into!

Biography: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Venezia, M. (1995). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Chicago: Children' Press.

I chose to include this particular biography because it involves both enormous childhood talent and obsessive parental control. Every kid should have a role model like Mozart to remind them that being a child doesn't restrict one from being the best in the world at something, and these days parental control has risen to Star Wars defence status (just watch the documentary Living Dolls if you doubt my statement).
Venezia's variety of illustrations is also a notable feature of the book. These range from personally drawn cartoons that anachronistically bridge the gaps between the 16th C. and modernity, in one cartoon Mozart is pictured wearing a powdered wig asking his father for some roller blades. These are contrasted by traditional oil portraits of Mozart, and some photos of Mozart's opera's being performed in real life.
The book is textually heavy and so would be better for kids 6-10, also a glossary in the back would be beneficial.

Picture Book: In the Night Kitchen

Sendak, M.(1970).In the Night Kitchen. U.S.A.: Harper & Row Publishing.

This book has endured its fair share of controversy since its initial publication. This is due to Christian outrage over Mickey's accurately drawn nudity and agnostic outrage over the religious parallel between Mickey, Christ, and the resurrection. Regardless, this book is a fun and fanciful tale with illustrations that I still evoke fond childhood memories (the dough outfit and plane that Mickey dons and flies still produce feelings of comfort and ease in me when I see them). I wonder how young kids, especially girls, would react to the nudity, but kids tend to be surprisingly open minded, provided they have a grounded upbringing. There is so much else to look at in the illustrations that Mickey's little penis should not prove to be the sole focus of a reader’s attention...and if it is, so what? Are we going to lie to our children and make them think they are the only ones with genitals? If you have a child who has enjoyed Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are this will be a good follow up read.

Realistic Fiction: Blubber

Blume, J. (1974).Blubber. New York: Dell Publishing

Despite being over 30 years old, this book seems more relevant today than ever. This book is frequently challenged due to the persistent cruelty that runs through the text. The story revolves around Jill, a girl in the fifth grade. There is a girl in Jill’s class, Linda, who has weight issues and after presenting a report on whaling she is dubbed, Blubber. Throughout the book there are issues of peer pressure, mob mentality, children's cruelty towards each other, and so on. In a society that is in the midst of an obesity epidemic the reality of Linda's situation hits home. There are many passages that are hard for even me, a perpetually skinny male, to read, which speaks to Judy Blume's ability to spin a convincing narrative. The reader alternatively feels Linda's pain, spite for the antagonism of her classmates, and relief that this isn't happening to them... but somewhere this story is happening to someone and that is why this book should be read.

Poetry: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You

Hoberman, M. A. (2001). You Read to Me, I'll Read to You. New York: Megan Tingley Books & Little Brown.

The best way to create reading habits is to start early and to participate with your child. As well, the best way to spur phonological development and form superior reading and writing skills is through poetry. Mary Ann Hoberman's book is a great tool for both of these necessities, plus it has another powerful attribute that is much sought after; this is a book that boys will enjoy! In addition to the cover shot I have included the first poem/story of the book because I want to highlight the illustrations. Clearly these are geared towards boys, and interestingly enough the second story is about those two mean cats being picked on by dogs, so don't worry about moral shortcomings in the book. Most of the stories are gender neutral, but it is good to start in a comfort zone for boys, who are traditionally the ones most averse to reading.

Picture Book: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Willems, M. (2003). Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! New York: Hyperion.

Mo Willems series about the escapades of Pigeon is sure to be a hit with every young child and this book in particular is a great way to kick off pleasure reading for youngsters. I once had a preschool class (ages 3-5 year old) read this book every day and each day draw a page from it. The ultimate goal was to have each child create their own copy of the book. This exercise took about a month and at the end my kids were still enthusiastic to read both the published version and their own copy! This is a great way for kids to get involved in reading and a great way for adults to help introduce children to the rules of society without boring them to tears! The story is simple, but engaging, the drawings are basic, but hilarious. There is nothing bad to be said about this book, everyone should read it.

Picture Book: They Were Strong and Good

Lawson, R. (1940). They Were Strong and Good. New York: Viking Press.

This book written and illustrated by Robert Lawson certainly merits the Caldecott award it received as the black and white full page prints are impeccably intricate in detail, but still clean and easy to assimilate. Unfortunately, the racism of the narrative shows up in several of the prints and the story itself is very idealized. Natives are described as chronic beggars, black people, who are clearly slaves, are shown in many pictures, but never referred to in the text, and one of the characters is cast in a positive light for his brave support of the confederates during America's Civil war. This book merits a picture walk for sure, but if one is going to read the text with a child I highly recommend accompanying this book with Martin's Big Words, so that both sides of America's civil rights history are provided.

Fairy Tale: Truly Grim Tales

Galloway, P. (1995). Truly Grim Tales. Toronto: Lester Publishing.

Priscella Galloway retells eight of the Grimm’s fairy tales under extremely different lenses. The stories are rearranged to be so different from the original versions one is left in the dark sometimes until the final page. The stories also occur in landscapes different than the one described in Grimm’s world. There is a land where people suffer from a disease cured only by a compound found in the bones of a nearby pigmy tribe (this is a revamped Jack and the Beanstalk), or where animals have become gargantuan as a side effect of atomic war (an SF retelling of Little Red Riding Hood). This book is a really interesting read and unlike the original, moralistic Grimm’s tales, these ones have no clear-cut hero and villain and the reader is forced to see things from very fresh perspectives. As the title suggests these tales often do not have a happy ending and are probably better suited for those who are familiar with the brother's Grimm and are nearing the double digits in age.

Science Fiction: The House of the Scorpion

Farmer, N. (2002). The House of the Scorpion. New York: Simon Pulse.

Need a good book to encourage the reading habits of a male tween or teen? Look no further than this Science Fiction adventure played out in the atmosphere of a classic westerns. The story of Matteo Alvarez a secret clone of El Patron the most powerful man in the country of Opium, a country established between what was formerly Mexico, and the United States. Unlike most books that try to address the issue of drugs and their negative side effects there is none of the artificial and moralistic After-4 feeling in Farmer's work. Drug use rarely enters into the narrative, but the harmful effects of drug production are heavily emphasized. Our society is invested in recreational drug use and so the older images of “your brain on drugs” are losing their impact. However, the negative impact drug production has on some regions of the world is terrible and this book is a good introduction into thinking about the global harm drug use creates.

Picture Book: Martin’s Big Words

Rapport, D. (2001). Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York & Toronto: Scholastic.

This is a superb book for children, but one that should be read with an adult the first few times. The big words of Dr.Martin’s aren’t big in the sense that they are long and hard to pronounce. They are big words because they are concepts, like peace, love and freedom that have big, powerful meanings. As with most good picture books the story is told as eloquently in the illustrations as in the text. The illustrations are truly unique and captivating, formed from a hybrid of watercolour painting and collage. Each page of text contains Doreen Rapports story of Dr. Kings life with supporting excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther Kings sermons and speeches. This book has won 11 awards of distinction since it's publishing in 2001!

Picture Book: Voices in the Park

Browne, A. (1999). Voices in the Park. Singapore: Picture Corgi Books.
Anthony Browne’s book is a great book to share with kids. This is because the book is four stories of the four different perspectives found in two adults and two children’s afternoon in a park. In addition to the multiple viewpoints the illustrations on each page contain many of the themes from the particular perspective hidden in the details of the art. There’s something that almost everyone can identify with in this book and it contains valuable lessons in the varying perspectives to foster understanding. Kids can start enjoying this book around 4-5 years of age. The large print and simple language should make it appropriate for the reading level of some children at that age