Oliver Button is a Sissy

Oliver Button is a Sissy
written and illustrated by Tomie dePaolo
Harcourt Childrens Books, 1979. 48 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Hardcover: $15.99

Annotation: Oliver Button doesn't like to play football with the other boys, he likes to dance.

Summary: Oliver Button doesn't like to do the things that boys do. He doesn't \
like sports because he is not very good at them. Instead, he loves to read and draw, play with dolls and jump rope in the woods. Oliver Button loves to dress up and pretend he is a movie star and he especially loves to dance. So his mother enrolls him for Ms. Leah's dance class and buys him some shiny new tap shoes. All the boys at school make fun of him and call him a sissy, even his father. But Oliver Button doesn't let that bother him and practices and practices anyway. One day at the local talent show he demonstrates what an amazing dancer he really is. Even though he doesn't win, his father finally tells him he is "great" and the next day at school, instead of being a sissy, he is a star.

Evaluation: Oliver Button is an endearing little boy and the dePaolo's use of both his first and last name is even more charming. But is the illustrations which make Oliver come to life. The tale follows the life of Oliver as he particpates in the things he loves, instead of following what society prescribes. Oliver Button tells an important truth and does so in a manner that children can both understand and learn from, while enjoying the fun and playful nature of dePaolo's artwork.  As the School Library Journal says,  “There is a good balance between the simple text . . . and the expressive pictures . . . an attractive little book.”  Like, Oliver, dePaolo also loved to draw more than play sports and look where that landed him, with numerous awards and this year's Wilder winner.

Significance: It's not easy being different, but this book helps children realize it is okay for boys to like hobbies that have been traditionally assigned to the female gender. Even when everyone is telling you to do one thing, if you follow your heart, it will be okay in the end.

Personal Choice: Admittedly, the title of this book immediately captured by attention and I had to find out just what Oliver Button was up to.

Awards: Laura Ingalls Wilder Winner, 2011 / IRA-CBC Children's Choice

One Crazy Summer

One Crazy Summer
by Rita Williams-Garcia
Amistad, 2010. 224 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 9-12
Hardcover: $15.99

Annotation: As three young sisters set off to visit a mother they barely remember, they can’t imagine the craziness that awaits them.

Summary: Delphine (11), Vonetta (9), and Fern (4) are going to visit Cecile in Oakland, California this summer. Cecile is the woman who gave birth to them, but they never refer to her as their mother because what kind of mother leaves her toddlers and newborn child to fend for themselves? However, their Pa insists they meet her and so they leave the familiarity of New York for the glamour they feel sure is waiting for them in California, home to movie stars, Disneyland and all sorts of amazing adventures. But when Cecile barely acknowledges them at the airport, won’t cook them dinner and never allows them into her kitchen, they know this summer is not going to be what they expected. With no warmth and lots of crazy talk, Cecile sends them to the Center each morning for breakfast, angrily reminding them not to return until dark. At the Center the three black sisters encounter “The Panthers”, a black power movement formed to ignite a revolution and give power back to the people. Charged with the care of her younger sisters, Delphine is wary of becoming involved in such a dangerous cause, but somehow they are pulled into it anyway. But it is through this experience that Delphine and her sisters will finally come to know and understand the woman who is their mother.

Evaluation: One Crazy Summer is a smashing success. Told from the perspective of 11-year-old Delphine, who is equal parts naiveté and wisdom and robust enough a character to ensure that she’ll make a permanent home in your heart. It’s beautifully written with a prodigious sprinkling of humor and the prose will knock you out of your seat. Jacqueline Woodson writes, it “absolutely blew me away.” Williams-Grace presents real characters, real problems and real resolutions. Fantastic research, coupled with engaging characters and a intriguing plot make this book an important addition to the civil rights literature and a must read for everyone.

Significance: Set during the civil rights movement, One Crazy Summer highlights “The Black Panthers” organization and their operations during this tumultuous time period. The book emphasizes an important era in history and highlights the significant contribution that children made and can make in changing our world for the better

Personal Choice: Not only had this book won the Coretta Scott King, but it was also a Newbery Honor and so I knew it had to be something special. I wasn't disappointed in the list and this is now one of my top 5 recommendations for children.

Awards: Coretta Scott King Winner, 2011 / Scott O'Dell for Historical Fiction Winner, 2011/ Newbery Honor Award, 2011 / National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist, 2010

The Dreamer

The Dreamer
by Pam Munoz Ryan
illustrated by Peter Sis, read by Tony Chiroldes
Scholastic Press, 2010, 384 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 9-12
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: Far from being siple-minded, Neftali is merely dreaming up ways to use the beautiful words that he collects.

Summary: Shy and timid, Neftali Perez likes to read books and collect every interesting thing imaginable (including the words which he writes down on scraps of paper and saves in his dresser). However, Neftali is not strong and this, along his constant daydreaming, infuriates his father who runs the household like a tyrant. Neftali and his brother, sister and stepmother all jump whenever the train whistle sounds the impending arrival of this formidable man. Constantly battling his father's demeaning negativity, Neftali continues to dream and to write, winning school contests and penning love notes the neighborhood bully forces him to write to the prettiest girl in the village. A trip to the sea brings further conflict and Neftali is pulled between disgust for his father--who forces the children to swim in the cold, choppy waters until he blows his whistle--and the beauties of sitting on the sand and listening to the waves swoosh out to sea. But Neftali's uncle is sympathetic and a positive role model. As a newspaper man he encourages Nephtali's writing and introduces him to the plight of the native Mapuche people. In the end, despite his father's glowering opposition, Neftali is offered an internship at his uncle's newspaper and his first published essay is only the beginning of a long career for Chile's most beloved poet and politician.

Evaluation: To be successful, a book about the famous Pablo Neruda should be as beautiful as Neruda's poetry. Luckily, The Dreamer is just such a book. In a gorgeous collaboration, Ryan supplies the prose while Sis illustrates the book and introduces three magical drawings done in a pointellist style found at the beginning of each chapter, foreshadowing what is to come. Ryan's prose is rhythmic and poetic and a perfect compliment to the life of Neruda. While the biography is fictionalized, the magic and imagery Ryan use conveys a life of beauty and Nephtali / Neruda emerges as a sympathetic character the reader yearns to protect and champion. In short, Ryan manages to convey the wonder of a inquisitive, sensitive mind and demonstrates that dreaming isn't always a disdainful waste of time.

Significance: The book is a beautiful, magical--although fictionalized--introduction to the younger years of Pablo Neruda and it demonstrates that even with severe oppostition to your goals, if you perservere you can achieve wonderful things. In a society where doctors, lawyers and businessman are trumpeted, it is refreshing to see that the product of dreams isn't always measured by money. Moreover, the book fosters an interest in Neruda that will hopefully lead children to examine the beauty of his poetry.

Personal Choice: I fell in love with Pablo Neruda after watching Il Postino--which tells the story of a simple postman who learns to love poetry as he delivers Pablo Neruda's mail each day.

Awards: Pura Belpre Winner, 2011 / Children's Notables for Older Readers

The Freak Observer

The Freak Observer
by Blythe Woolston
Carolrhoda Books, 2010. 208 pgs
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $16.95

Annotation: Loa has not one, but two deaths to contend with and the nightmares and anxiety just keep getting worse.

Summary: Loa is attacked by her toilet plunger wielding father, not because she did anything wrong, but simply because she didn't die. Sometimes fright will do that to a person and he's already lost one daughter. But it wasn't Loa who died that night, it was Edith and now Loa must figure out how to survive the horror of her sister's death and her friend's. She's not doing particularly well though, with horrible nightmares of The Bony Guy, anxiety attacks and the inability to concentrate all contibuting to her dropping grades. Even her best friend Corey has betrayed her by going to Europe to a new school, sending her cruel postcards in the mail and posting shocking internet photos of her in compromising positions. On top of that, when her dad loses his job, she must help support her family doing dishes at the Piney Woods care center. And through it all she has that make-up essay to write for science class about the Freak Observer. Feeling like a freak herself, she's doing all she can to keep it together without going crazy. But it's more difficult than  she imagined and until "the nice boy" shows up, she's not doing a very good job.

Evaluation: Set in a logging community in a small Montana town, Woolston writes about the grieving process as experienced by one very unfortunate girl. Told in a mixture of both present day and numerous flashbacks, the story reveals the crippling nightmares Loa endures as her mind tries to come to terms with Asta and Edith's deaths. The book is particularly realistic in it's treatment of grief, anxiety and the separation from reality that trauma brings. Each chapter begins with a black page on which a science experiment is written, symbolizing several things. One being that Loa herself is attempting to understand her world in terms of a scientific equation; two, that she herself feels like a science experiment; and three, that science is a field where answers should be as easy to determine as a well-wrought equation but, real life often doesn't work that way.

I particularly liked this recipe for grief as given by Loa.

1) Heat the oven to Denial
2) Prepare the pan with a spray of Anger
3) Mix in two medium-size Bargain with The Bony Guy
4) Add 1/3 cup of Depression (tears will do if you want low fat)
5) Bake for 35 minutes, or until you can jab a toothpick in your arm and it seems Acceptable.

I thought Woolston was overly fond of the "f" word, but concede that it's probalby realistic of teens with an anger issue. The backstory of Asta's death and Corey's betrayal was well done and added layers of sorrow and confusion to an already desparing teen. The use of postcards was a particularly clever idea and demonstrated Loa's inability to see beyond her depression. When Loa ultimately realizes she had been connecting dots that weren't there, we see her brain beginning to heal. Loa's research on the freak observers is a nice literary device and mirrors her own disassociation from her world, just as the scientific theory of this discombobulated brain does.

With teen drinking, harsh language, nonchalant teen sex, PTSD and parental abuse the book is dark and inappropriate for all but the most mature teen readers. I feel hard-pressed to recommend it to anyone unless they've experienced death themselves. All said, the book is treats a dark, heavy topic with literary aplomb and even though it's "enormously sad" as Kathe Koja relays, it's an important addition to the body of literature treating the wretched reality of death.

Significance: While there are many teens who make it through adolescence without having to experience the horrors of a sibling or a friend dying, there are the unfortunate number who do not. This book addresses a difficult, important subject and follows a teen as she battles through the grieving process. Eventually, she will learn how to see the world clearly again and rid herself of her debilitating nightmares.

Personal Choice: Being acquainted with death, grief myself, I wanted to see how Woolston would treat the subject. The book wasn't my favorite, but probably realistic as far as the nightmares and PTSD are concerned.

Awards: Morris Winner, 2011

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Dave McKean
HarperCollins, 2008. 320 pgs
Reading Level: ages 9-12
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: When your parents are ghosts and you're raised in a graveyard, life is both a fascinating and frightening adventure.

Summary: Nobody Owens is the only living boy to make his home in an English village graveyard. After his parents and sister are killed by the man Jack, the littlest child toddles off to a nearby graveyard and at the insistence of his newly dead mother, a ghostly couple agree to adopt the child and raise him as their own. Christened Nobody, "Bod" is reared by his guardian, Silas, and the spirits whose bodies have been layed to rest in the graveyard. He makes friends amongst graveyard dead and leads a peaceful, fascinating life. The graveyard folk raise him as their own, with various spirits giving him lessons of sorts, not always useful to his current time-period, but superbly interesting nonetheless. The graveyard can be a dangerous place though, and after his encounter with a pack of hellhounds and night-gaunts, Bod barely escapes with his life. But one day a live girl enters the graveyard and the two become fast friends. However, it isn't until the girl finds herself back in Bod's life many years later that trouble begins and the man Jack manages to find Bod--setting out to finish the job he started on that long ago night.

Evaluation: Gaiman's work is an outstanding piece of literature and a pure delight of fanastical fiction with lovable characters. Macabre and humorous, the darkness of this ghost story is made light by the delicate touch Gaiman gives his ghostly souls. Humor abounds and the story is appealing to readers of all ages. Listening to the audio version only enhanced the experience, as Gaiman reads his story himself in a delicious English accent with all the right touches of ghostly delight and wry humor. An immenently bittersweet read and a real treasure to enjoy.

Significance: Gaiman tackles the complex world of the orphan and manages to create an enriching experience, teaching us the diffcult truth that sometimes friendships must end and that we must eventually make our own way in the world.

Personal Choice: I've been wanting to read this book ever since my friends and colleagues raved about it and I wasn't disappointed.

Awards: Newbery Winner, 2009 / ABA - Indies Choice - Best Indie YA Book Buzz, 2009

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
by Jacqueline Kelly
Henry Holt & Co, 2009. 340 pgs
Reading Level: ages 9-12
Hardcover: $16.99

Annotation: Calpurnia and her grandfather begin a scientific journey to discover a new species and end up building a lasting friendship.

Summary: Calpurnia Virginia Tate, known as Cally V to family and friends, is unconcerned with the normal feminine pursuits of her time. Growing up on a Texas cotton farm at the turn of the century means she should be baking pies, knitting and tatting, practicing the piano and generally learning how to comport herself as a young lady. But the great wide, outdoor world holds more wonder for Calpurnia than the promise of a "coming out" and so when brother Harry gives her a notebook to record her many observations, thus begins her career as a naturalist. Calpurnia's grandfather is scientist himself, always puttering about his laboratory at the back of the house and collecting specimens down by the river. When Calpurnia shyly reveals her interest in the great Darwin, a surprised Colonel Tate begins to take notice of his only granddaughter and the two begin practicing science together. They spend long, magical hours of exciting exploration, trying to create a recipe for distilled pecans, nurturing a caterpiller into a beautiful butterfly (which regretfully turns out to be a mammoth moth) and hoping that they really have discovered a new species of vetch. While the two naturalists patiently wait to hear back from the experts in Washington, Calpurnia and her six brothers romp and sweat in the magnificent Texas heat, experiencing all the glories and trials that a large family on the edge of the frontier were wont to have.

Evaluation: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is one of those rare treats that warms your heart and gladdens your soul. With prodigious research that creates a well-fleshed novel, Kelly explores the precocious character of Calpurnia Tate. Calpurnia is eminently lovable and your fondness for her will grow like the weeds she and grandfather are always documenting. Kelly nails the dialect and Calpurnia's voice is true. You'll delight in her first taste of coca-cola, her 3rd place ribbon at the town fair and each entry in her scientific journal. Excerpts from Darwin's Origin of Species grace the beginning of each chapter, encapsulating the events to come. Every encounter with her brothers, best friend Lula, her mother or Viola the cook add vibrant color and another enjoyable moment in Calpurnia's rich and varied Texas life. But it is the growing relationship between grandfather and granddaughter which tops off this solid read with a sweetness that mimics the apple pies Calpurnia is learning to bake. Deeply satisfying, Kelly's novel is a downright charmer and you'll want to rush out and buy your own copy. Highly recommended, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is destined for the classics list.

Significance: Ever the budding feminist, Calpurnia proves that girls can do more than just pursue housewifery skills, they can actually become scientists.

Personal Choice: A good friend, whose reading tastes I trust and admire, highly recommended the book and I'll be forever grateful.

Awards: Newbery Honor, 2010 / IRA Children's Book Award / IRA Teachers' Choices / CPL: Chicago Public Library Best of the Best / Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Choice Award Master List / North Carolina Young Adult Book Award / Texas Lone Star Reading List / TN YA Volunteer State Book Award ML / Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Master List

What Can You Do With a Paleta?

What Can You Do With a Paleta? / Que Puedas Hacer Con Una Paleta?
by Carmen Tafolla
Illustrated by Magaly Morales
Tricycle Press, 2009. 32 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 3-8
Hardcover: $14.99

Annotation: When the warmth of summertime shines down, just what can you do with a paleta?

Summary: In a Mexican barrio a little girl shares all the ways she can make magic with a paleta. This charming tale explores the many uses little ones can find for a traditional Mexican popsicle treat. From painting your tongue different colors to scare your little brother to drawing colorful, sugary masterpieces on the sidewalk, a paleta is a wonderful pleasure.

Evaluation: With gorgeous, brightly colored illustrations, Morales shares the warmth of Mexico and coolness of a summertime treat. She effectively captures the essence of youth and the vibrancy of her work makes you thirst for your own paleta. With a lovely, poetic prose Tafolla recounts the joys of her own little village (barrio) and the marraige between text and image is a seemless masterpiece.

Significance: The work highlights a large sub-culture within the United States that is growing at tremendous rates. This is a dual language book, with each page written in  both  English and Spanish. It's a perfect introduction to either a Spanish-speaking or English-speaking child who wants to learn the other language and is a delightful work in both languages.

Personal Choice: I wanted to read this book because I'm trying to learn Spanish and I couldn't wait to find out just what a paleta was!

Awards: Charlotte Zolotow Award Winner, 2010

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave
by Lavan Carrick Hill
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Little, Brown & Company, 2010. 48 pgs
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Hardcover: $16.99

Annotation: Even though he was a slave, Dave the Potter made beautiful pots inscribed with his own special poetry.

Summary: Dave the Potter was an extraordinary slave artist living in South Carolina in the 1800's. This exquisite picture book tells the story of his art, how he took earth and clay, combined them with water and then threw pots large enough to hold more than 20 gallons. Afterwhich, he inscribed them with his short, fascinating haiku-like snatches of poetry. Sometimes he only signed his name but other times he wrote lines such as "I wonder where is all my relation friendhsip to all-and, every nation". At the end of the story proper, the full story of Dave and the making of the tale add a more definitive look into the life of the artist and complement the book's main body.

Evaluation: The book is a must read for anyone interested in the history of African American art. The illustrations are subdued, using darker, muted colors for the most part and exhibiting a layered effect that is visually interesting as well as gorgeously rendered. Dave's face and his hands are life catching glimpses into this man's soul and I loved the fold out pages that let you see the steps a potter follows when creating a pot. It's an important work in that it documents a unique man in history and his extraordinary talent and the illustrations are a triumphant celebration of Dave's life.

Significance: Slaves were normally forced to remain unskilled and illiterate, the fact that Dave was both shows special privilege and  remarkable talent.

Personal Choice: I have a degree in art history and was curious to see Dave's creations and how this author and illustrator team portrayed this remarkable man.

Awards: Coretta Scott King: Illustrator Award, 2011 / Caldecott Honor, 2011 / Children's Notable for Middle Readers, 2011

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. Schmidt
Clarion Books, 2007. 264 pgs.
Reading Level: ages ages 9-12
Hardcover: $17.00

Annotation: Because Mrs. Baker hates his guts, Holling Hoodhood is being forced to study Shakespeare with her every Wednesday.

Summary: It's the turbulent 60's on Long Island and Holling Hoodhood is an average presbyterian in a town full of Catholics and Jews. He's in Mrs. Baker's class this year and while the rest of the students are off at Catechism or studying for their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Holling must stay indoors with Mrs. Baker. The problem is that Mrs. Baker hates his guts and forces him to read Shakespeare plays with her to pass the time.  As the town struggles with the Vietnam War, Holling struggles with his family, his dislike of Shakespeare and his feelings about Mrs. Baker. But, there might be more to Mrs. Baker than meets the eye as she gets him a part in a Shakespeare play, introduces him to some Yankee baseball players and serves as his running coach--having been an Olympic athlete herself. Holling finds that afterall, Shakespeare might have something to say about life and comes to understand and even like the guy, afterall he seems to understand what love and life are all about.

Evaluation: It's a brilliant coming-of-age story set during a difficult time in America's history and a book that everyone, and I mean everyone, should read. Each month of Holling's seventh grade year is a successive chapter in the book and so the reader moves along with Holling as he encounters a new adventure in his confusing life. Mrs. Baker is an absolute gem and teachers everywhere will delight in the fact that Schmidt presents her/them in such a glorious light. She is a friend, mentor, confidant and coach and the relationship between the two is genuinely touching. The book is engaging, inspiring and Holling is a character to love and commiserate with as he manuevers through what is often a very complicated time of life. The book tackles real life with equal parts humor and wisdom and I'm convinced Schmidt is a genius.

Significance: Schmidt deals with a multitude of real life situations. He discusses the difficulties inherent in the hatred and misunderstanding of the Vietnam War, real conflict between family members, a teacher who seems out to get you and the travails of middle school--when all you want to do is get through it unnoticed and without incidence.

Personal Choice: I'd heard rave reviews from friends and colleagues and being a Shakespeare fan myself, was extremely curious too see how the author would make the great man paletable to a younger audience.
Awards: Newbery Honor, 2008

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken
by Kate DiCamillo
pictures by Harry Bliss
narration by Barbara Rosenblat
Harper Collins, 2008. 56 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Hardcover: $17.99 / Audio: $50.00

Annotation: Louise is no ordinary chicken and her many adventures involve pirates, the circus and even a tall, dark stranger.

Summary: Louise longs for adventure and so without further ado she leaves the henhouse and sets out for the high seas. But sailing is no picnic and soon the sailors spy pirates in the distance. Being captured by pirates is certainly an adventure, espcially when the pirates begin arguing about how best to cook her. Luckily though, before matters can progress much further, a storm brews and the ship capsizes. Fortunately, Louise manages to cling to a piece of timber and after seven days at sea, finds herself on land again and walks all the way back to the henhouse. Louise is content for awhile, until the urge to adventure seizes her again and she follows the bright lights to the circus. Louise is content to be a tightrope walker, but after awhile it loses it's thrill and it's only when a lion escapes that she finds true adventure. She narrowly escapes the lion's jaws and decides to head home, before the ringmaster can use her in his unique and death defying act. Her next adventure involves a strange, foreign land where she is imprisoned by a tall, dark stranger in a room full of other chickens. Picking the lock is no problem for Louise and she helps free the rest of the birds. Finding her way home again, Louise is met by the rest of the chickens who beg her to tell them of her adventures and Louise happily obliges.

Evaluation: Talking animals are always charming and Louise is no exception. But, it's Barbara Rosenblat's vivid narration which makes this book an Odyssey award favorite. With page turn signals and Rosenblat's upper-crust accent, Louise the french chicken comes to life. Appropriate music plays in the background for each adventure and the sounds of the sea, the circus and the market fill the air and make the adventures authentic. I was very impressed with Rosenblatt's pirate voices and thought there must be multiple narrators for sure. But no, it's simply Rosenblatt's broad range and exceptional skill that make this story a wonderful pick for young readers. Additionally, because the CD comes packaged with the book, it's a fun way to teach reading and should be a sure hit for girls and boys.

Significance: Having adventures is great and we all crave some excitement once in a while, but it's always nice to come home again to your family, your friends and your very own bed / henhouse.

Personal Choice: Louise is my middle name. I never liked it growing up, but came to appreciate it later on when I learned it was French, just like Louise.

Awards: Odyssey Honor Award, 2010

The Book Thief

The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2006. 560 pgs.
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: Death follows Leisel Meminger as she steals book after book during the horror and heartbreak of Nazi Germany.

Summary: Leisel steals her first book at her brother's gravesite before she even knows how to read, but The Gravedigger's Handbook becomes the satiric tome her foster father uses to teach her. Sent to the town of Molching, Germany during WWII to live with the Hubermanns, Leisel struggles with nightmares and her foster mother's caustic personality. But she finds a friend in Rudy, the German boy down the street who becomes her fast playmate and partner in crime. They steal apples from the neighbors and commit other petty acts, but it is Leisel who continues to steal book after book (including, hungering for the beauty of the words. Then Max appears, a Jewish boxer whose father Hans owes a favor. So they hide him in the basement, where he wastes away in fear and darkness, becoming friends with Leisel and ironically painting over the words of Mein Kampf to make her a comic book. Molching is caught between its citizens' desire to remain humane and the Nazi's increasingly constrictive tyranny; however, Leisel is somewhat protected by the sweetness of accordian-playing Hans. But even he cannot protect her when the Nazi's come to town and she will end up losing one of her most precious friends.

Evaluation: Juxtaposing horrific evil and resplendant beauty, Zusak writes one of the most moving novels to hit the literary world. The Book Thief is based on stories his mother used to tell of Nazi, Germany and although it began life as a 100 page novella, it blossomed into the 560 page volume we now know. The story is engrossing and the language is resplendant. Zusak's use of Death as the narrator is a brilliant, original choice and Death moves silently through the book, "haunted by humans" and his increasing death duties throughout the war, but providing an omniscient perspective and a grim wit. Leisel is a sympathetic character and the rest of the cast is well-wrought and increasingly more beloved. The book is haunting, lovely and superbly written. Line after beautiful line flows from Zusak's pen and it's difficult to choose a favorite phrase, but here are some of the choicest ones:

- "She was the book thief without the words. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain."

- "I am haunted by humans." (Death)

- "Five hundred souls. I carried them in my fingers, like suitcases. Or I'd throw them over my shoulder. It was only the children I carried in my arms." (Death)

- "So much good, so much evil. Just add water." (Death)

- "It was a Monday and they walked on a tightrope to the sun."

- "I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant." (Death)

I listened to the audio version and was mesmerized by the narration of Allen Corduner, whose performance even brought Zusak's hard-bitten parents to tears.

Despite being set during the most apalling time period in history, the book celebrates hope. The New York Times writes that,  "hope is embodied in Liesel, who grows into a good and generous person despite the suffering all around her, and finally becomes a human even Death can love."
Significance: It's difficult to enumerate the power this book wields. Leisel teaches us that books have power. They have the power to hate and the power to heal. This is a title about Nazi Germany told from the somewhat rare perspective of the Germans who resisted the Nazi's pervasive influence.

Personal Choice: I have a fascination with books about the Holocaust and after reading several good reviews, this one caught my eye. I'm proud to say I began my literary love affair with Markus Zusak after reading this book.

Awards: Printz Honor Award, 2007 / ABA - Book Sense Book of the Year, 2007

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

A Sick Day for Amos McGee
by Philip Christian Stead
illustrated by Erin Stead
Roaring Book Press, 2010. 32 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 3-8
Hardcover: $16.99

Annotation: The animals at the zoo look forward to Amos McGee's visit every day, but what will happen when he falls sick and can't come to see them?

Summary: Every morning Amos McGee wakes up in his yellow and white striped room and puts on his uniform. He makes tea and oatmeal, leaves his little blue house and walks to the city bus stop. Amos McGee is a zookeeper. Each morning he visits his animal friends, playing chess with the elephant, racing the tortoise, sitting quietly with penguin and reading to the owl. But, one day Amos gets the sniffles and can't go to work. His animal friends miss him so much that they take the city bus to visit Amos! Amos is delighted to see his friends and he and the elephant play chess on his bed; the tortoise and he play hide-and-seek, the penguin keeps his feet warm during his nap; and the rhinocerous is handing with a tissue when Amos sneezes. Amos starts to feel better and shares a pot of tea with his friends as they all sit around his kitchen table. Everyone retires to bed early so as to get up for the morning bus and they all sleep peacefully that night in Amos's yellow and white striped room.

Evaluation: The story is outright lovable. The words are spare, but the illustrations are so intimately rendered, they speak for themselves. The artwork is phenomenal and Amos McGee and the animals simply exude charm. Erin Stead used wood-block prints and pencil drawings and the background items in each page are done in black and white while Amos' uniform, the animals and the wardrob, etc. are bright spots of color on each page.  Stead uses white space well and the balance between color and space is perfect. I loved Amos McGee's yellow and white striped bedroom, with the colors reaching to the tops and bottoms of the pages,implying there's more to his room than we can see. The stripes add a lot of fun color to the book and connect the story. The expressions on Amos's face and the zoo animals are extremely detailed and the artist has a fine sense of humor. The story itself is whimsical, feeds the reader's imagination and you'll fall in love with Amos McGee and his zoo friends just as surely as I did.

Significance: Everyone has good days and bad days. If you spend time with your friends and treat them well, when you have a bad day they will be willing to help and comfort you when you need it.

Personal Choice: I'm not really an animal lover, but the cover art was so enchanting I couldn't resist. Amos McGee, along with the elephant and the penguin look so cozy sitting together on their blue blanket, playing cards with the bright yellow and white stripes in the background that I succumbed to the temptation and loved, loved, loved every minute.

Awards: Caldecott Winner, 2011 / Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, 2011

Jellicoe Road

Jellicoe Road
by Melina Marchetta
HarperTeen, 2008. 432 pgs.
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: On the Jellicoe Road, the Townies, Cadets and the Jellicoe School children all vie for supremacy in the territory wars.

Summary: Abandoned by her mother on the Jellicoe Road, Taylor Markham is found by Hannah and taken to the Jellicoe School. Now coming upon her senior year, Taylor has just been named a House Leader at the boarding school and commander of the unoffical organization that runs the children's clandestine after-hours activities--translation, the territory wars. What the adults don't know is that the territory wars are serious business and began nearly 20 years ago when the cadets first came to camp next to the Jellicoe School for a 6 week outdoor education program. Then began a war of territory between the school, the townies and the cadets. Each year the children vie for trail rights, make boundary negotiations and try to win back key landmarks, such as the Prayer Tree or the clubhouse. But neither Taylor nor the rest of the house leaders think she's actually up for this monumental leadership role and her continually deteriorating emotional state make her less and less capable. When Hannah leaves the school without word, Taylor grows even more upset and when she finds the story Hannah's been working on the line between fact and fiction blurs until she's not sure what to believe anymore. And through it all the wars continue, with violent skirmishes, unlikely friendships and the complexities of first love forming between Jonah, Santangelo, Raffaela and herself.

Evaluation: Told from alternating chapters of present day and the past of 20 years ago, Jellicoe Road is a difficult story to unravel. But the tantalizing bits Marchetta slowly divulges keeps the interest high and the mind working frantically to decipher the story within the story. Once you figure out what's actually going on in the story Hannah's writing, it's difficult not to want to go back to the first of the novel and re-read it with this newfound perspective and even the most sophisticated teen readers will likely struggle with the past/present connection. As for characters, Taylor Markham is a complicated soul, but her goodness of heart, exterior toughness and her ultimate vulnerability will win the reader's heart. Hannah's relationship with Taylor is a continuing mystery and when you finally hit upon the truth the answer seems like it was always there. The war between the three factions is always riveting and their constant battles and increasing closeness is a beautiful testament to the power of friendship and comraderie. The novel tackles deeper themes and can be melancholy, but there are spots of humor and resiliency of character that lighten it's overall feel. There are bouts of strong language and casual teen sex makes an appearance so it's not for everyone. However, I loved the book for its complexity and for the masterful way Marchetta reveals the intricate threads that bind the characters to each other.

Significance: The title explores the journey adolescents take as they make their way through the perils of death and abandonment and learn to trust their peers while discovering the complex nature of family.

Personal Choice: My best friend raved about the book, so trusting her discerning taste I, along with my bookclub, had to give it a try we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Awards: Printz Winner, 2009

The Lion and The Mouse

The Lion and the Mouse
Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Little Brown & Company, 2009. 40 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Hardcover: $16.99

Annotation: Can the king of the jungle and the smallest of mice ever truly be friends?

Summary: As an owl hoots and screeches over a nighttime jungle scene, a tiny mouse scampers and scurries through the brush until he is caught by a mighty lion. As the fable goes, the mouse convinces the lion to let him go, promising the lion he will sometime return the favor. Not seeing how this could ever be possible, the lion lets him go and walks off, only to be caught in a hunter's lair later that day. As the lion hangs from the rope trap, manifesting his displeasure with long and mighty roars, the mouse hears the cries and rushes to repay the lion by saving his life. Chewing through each piece of rope the tiny mouse is eventually able to free the large beast and the two part as unlikely, but faithful friends.

Evaluation: Pinkey tells Aesop's story through his stunning watercolors, with nary a word to move the story along save the sounds the animals make. A mere screech from an owl, a squeak from the mouse and a roar from the lion are the only letters on the page, yet Pinkney's gift is to convey the plot beautifully through image alone. The expression in the lion's eyes, particulary on the cover illustration is exquisitely rendered and Pinkney does a beautiful job, making good use of white space (a technique he wasn't necessarily good at in the past) and creating a lovely addition to Aesop's library.

Significance: The Lion and the Mouse is a favorite for many, children and adults alike. While Pinkney had won numerous Caldecott Honor Awards, this is his favorite of Aesop's and perhaps it was what gave him the impetous to show his best work yet. As for the fable itself, the ability to find friends in unlikely places is a wonderful lesson and Pinkey does an admirable job making it come to life.

Personal Choice: I was fortunate to be part of a mock Caldecott committee at my local library and our committee chose this title before the winner was acutally announced. What geniuses we were. :)

Awards: Caldecott Award Winner, 2010 / ABA - Indies Choice for New Picture Book, 2010