Monthly Archives: December 2007

Children's book reviews, Spare time - Culture

Aaaaah

There’s nothing like a vacation, even a vacation that’s only four days long.  In amongst many wonderful visits with family, Jim and I were good and lazy over the long weekend, reading (both of us) and playing guitar (Jim) and watching a corny movie (Knocked Up) and even cleaning the house (the cats thanked us for that).

With no book group meetings in the next two weeks, I chose a couple of books that I wanted to read, rather than had to read (even though I do have ultimate choosing authority over those book group books, there’s still a sense of them being an assignment – weird how that works).  First up was Starcross by Philip Reeve, the sequel to one of my favorite books of last year, Larklight.  Surprisingly, I didn’t like Starcross nearly as well as I did the first book.  This puzzled me, since I’ve been looking forward to it, and I’m wondering whether one problem was simply my mood when I read the book.  But that’s too simple an explanation.  The trouble with Starcross, in my opinion, is that it’s just Larklight, Round Two; where Larklight was innovative and fresh, Starcross is just a repeat with a slightly different plot line.  I don’t really know what Reeve could have done to make the sequel as interesting as the first book, since the charm of Larklight lies in its unusual conceit of Victorian-era England having dominion over most of space due to the discovery of chemical wedding that propels spacecraft in the nineteenth century. 

And I wonder whether Starcross will find an audience at my library.  When I enthusiastically presented Larklight to one of my book groups last spring, they absolutely hated it.  Hated it.  I loved it, the kids despised it.  If they despised the original model, chances are they won’t even bother taking the newly published sequel out of the library.  I’m going to keep tabs on the circulation numbers for this pair of books, and see how often they get checked out. 

Tomorrow I’ll write about the other book I read over the weekend, Duchessina by Carolyn Meyer, a piece of historical fiction about Catherine de’ Medici.

Etc.

Snow blues

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It’s going to be a tough winter.  Too much snow already, and way, way too cold already.  Pippa, our heat-loving cat, positioned herself on top of the heating vent this morning, giving me a baleful look that said, “I’m cold, dammit.  Why don’t you have a fire in the wood stove??”

I like winter, I like snow, I like cold, but even I am a bit annoyed by this early start to winter.  If only I could hibernate for a few months…

Book groups, Children, Children's book reviews

The Fairy-Tale Detectives, part II

The 5th grade book group has completed its evolution, and it’s fantastic.  Yesterday we had eight kids (the ninth got the week wrong, and was sad to have missed the group), all of whom were bursting with enthusiasm and totally anxious to discuss The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley.  I had come to the group armed with a variety of things to discuss about the book, but in the end my role was simply moderator.  And that is how it should be, what I’ve been aiming for all along with these book groups.  There was a moment half-way through the group yesterday, as I was looking at five kids with their hands eagerly raised, and I realized that this particular group of kids has become a true Book Group.  They read the book, think about it, come to the group meeting with things they want to discuss about it, and even bring questions about the book to pose to the rest of the group members.  They stay on topic for the whole meeting, are courteous listeners when someone else is speaking, and, most of all, they make really intelligent comments.  Our only challenge yesterday was making sure that I did a good job calling on people – that everyone got equal opportunity to speak.  Sometime, in the not so distant future, I’m expecting that the kids will be able to take control of the group moderation themselves, and that I’ll just get to sit back and appreciate the discussion. 

And, for the record, they LOVED the book, boys and girls alike.  Absolutely, unequivocably, totally LOVED it.  Most of the kids in the group have moved on to read at least one of the sequels, and all were thrilled to learn that there are going to be eight books in the series. 

Next month’s book is the classic Five Children and It by E. Nesbit.  I can’t wait to hear their comments on it!

Children, Library events

Elmo

Elmo came to visit last Thursday – he made the trip all the way from Sesame Street to our library.  Before Elmo came out to say hi to his fans, I read two short stories about him (not the best stories in the world, but you take what you can get), and then Elmo sauntered out and sat down in a big chair to greet everyone. 

Some of the kids who attended were so in awe of Elmo that their parents had to gently nudge them towards him, but most kids were SOOOO excited that it was all I could do to organize them into a line.  Once the line was established, everyone got a turn posing with Elmo and getting their picture taken with him.  Many kids went back two or three times to visit with the big red monster.

The two cutest stories of the day belong the just-over-one-year-old who couldn’t stay away from Elmo, and to an older boy.  The littler boy ended up snuggling in Elmo’s lap, each hand grasping some fur on Elmo’s legs, and his head tucked down into Elmo’s, um, lap (the mom was quite grateful to find out from me that Elmo was inhabited by a woman, not a man, that day).  And the bigger boy, who is about seven, carefully studied Elmo from every angle, pausing longest at Elmo’s back, where the zipper was just visible next to a tiny gap where the head fit on.  This boy didn’t say anything about what he observed until Elmo had left for the day, and the young woman who had played Elmo came out to chat with the kids (she was great, saying “I missed Elmo!  I can’t believe I didn’t get to see him!”).  The boy got talking to the young woman, and whispered to her: “There was a HUMAN in there.  I felt his hand, and there was a HUMAN hand inside!!!”

Thank you to the Start U Reading folks for bringing Elmo to the library!  It was fun!

Book groups, Children's book reviews

The Fairy-Tale Detectives

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This week’s book group book is The Fairy-Tale Detectives, first in the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley.  I brought this series into the library after hearing about it from a very well-read young lady who raved to me about how much she loved the series (and she still keeps me up to date on when the next book is coming out, for which I’m eternally appreciative).  So I chose the first book for this month’s 5th Grade book group meeting, and I’m quite happy with the choice.

Not that it’s the best book that I’ve ever read, but it’s a quick, fun, invigorating story with strong characters and an interesting premise.  To think that the Grimm brothers were writing down true stories, and to think that all of those fictional characters are actually alive and living in one special town in New York – this clever plot will surely open up many avenues for discussion.  And I’m certain that the kids in the group will appreciate having a book that’s shorter and more manageable than some we’ve read lately, especially in December, the season of multiple school projects and family events.

And I did enjoy the book enough that I’m considering reading some or all of the sequels, as well.  In all my free time, that is…

Book groups, Children's literature, Young adult literature

1 day, 2 book groups

Of Wintersmith and Clementine, one book was a hit, and one book was a flop.  Any guesses as to which was which?

Once again, I demonstrated my deep understanding of the appeal of children’s and young adult literature: my opinions on the two books were polar opposite to the kids’ opinions.  Granted, the third grade book group had never met before, and only two kids showed up (and a newspaper reporter stayed for the whole meeting), so they tended towards shy rather than forthcoming.  I’d like to think that’s why they claimed to love Clementine, but I think I’ll have to face the sad truth that they actually DID love the book.  They loved the humor, they loved Clementine’s character, and they made some thoughtful observations about language and connections to their lives and other texts.  All in all, a successful first meeting.  (And I decided not to spoil it by saying that I hated the book. 🙂 )

As for the teen book group’s discussion of Wintersmith: by the end of our meeting, they had convinced me that the book is a bit flimsy, with weak characterizations and an abrupt ending.  I had been swept along by Pratchett’s language and the humor (especially the humor of the Feegles, and especially the scene in which the Feegles talk about women – the pursin’ o the lips, the foldin’ o the arms, and the tappin’ of the feet), but the girls in the book group saw past the humor and found many flaws with the novel.  They’re right.  The witches are rather interchangeable, lacking real character, and the plot flounders in the final third of the book.  I still like the book, but I agree with the teen book group that it should be given a B- or C+, no better. 

That’s what I love about these book groups – the kids who come to the meetings are open to and freely participate in intelligent discussions that ultimately expand the appreciation of the book for all participants, me included.  The teen book group mentioned yesterday that they’d like to read some classics (Pride and Prejudice was specifically named), and they will each be sending me lists of books that they’d like to be considered for our February, March, April, May, and June meetings.  I’d love for us to discuss a truly great piece of literature, and see where our discussion leads.

(keep your eyes on the Book List page of this blog, since I’ll be adding many new titles in the coming days)

Book groups, Young adult book review

Slogging along

Not much of an entry today, since I’m still slogging through Wintersmith.  And I don’t mean slogging in a derogatory way; it’s just a thick, dense, meaty book, and I haven’t been able to skim through it.  But I do love it, and recommend it highly.  (Just don’t expect to read it quickly.)

Book groups, Young adult book review

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

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Christmas is on a Tuesday this year, and Tuesday is book group day, so I’m having to double up on book groups this week.  The third grade book group will be meeting from 4:00 to 4:30, then the teen book group takes over from 4:30 to 5:30.  A lot like teaching school, and also a lot like the year I tutored a student at the high school first block of the day, then hurried over to the elementary school for my “real” job, and started right in with a third and fourth grader who I taught each morning.  It’s actually kind of fun to have two such different age groups right next to each other: breaks up the day, and keeps you on your toes mentally.

Clementine, which I butchered in my last post, is the third grade book, and Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett is the teen book.  As of this writing (I’m writing this on Sunday afternoon – one of the secrets of blogging is writing posts ahead), I’ve only gotten one third of the way into Wintersmith, so all opinions appearing here are subject to change upon completion of reading.  The initial chapter of Wintersmith was a real struggle for me; I was turned off by the language, the obtuseness, and the Feegle Glossary that appears on page three.  “Grumble, grumble, grumble,” I thought to myself, “clearly I’m going to hate this one, and it’s a lot harder to skim than Clementine.  Grumble, grumble, grumble.”  I’ve changed my tune, though, after reading more without allowing myself to think of my available reading time.  Pratchett uses a lot of subtle humor, and once I got into the rhythm of his words I could actually hear the Feegles and the witches speaking.  Yes, it’s a dense book, but it’s also masterfully written fantasy in the manner of The Owl Service or The Hobbit or any other great piece of fantasy. 

Looking at the two-page “Also by Terry Pratchett” list, I’m rather astounded that I’ve never read anything by him before.  We’ve purchased several of his books recently for the library, both for the young adult room and for the children’s room, yet I’ve never looked past the book reviews to the actual books.  One definite down side of my job is that I simply don’t have enough time to do all my required duties AND read the new books.  Any reading of books that I do has to be completed at home, and being a slow reader and generally busy person, that limits me to one, maybe two books a week, which works out to be the book group book for each week.  And maybe a New Yorker article, too, if I’m lucky.  Though having too much to read is a better fate than too little to read.

The teens who are in the book group have just as many demands on their free time, if not even more demands, than I, so I do hope that they’ll all have time to read at least part of Wintersmith.  I’ll post their reactions to the book after we meet on Tuesday.

Book groups, Children, Children's book reviews, Children's literature

Clementine

Oh dear.  Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

I’ve been recommending Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (illustrations by Marla Frazee) to coworkers, patrons, and friends for quite a while now.  Of course, I hadn’t actually read it, but I’d read all of the reviews, listened to a third grader who loved it, and been dazzled by the cute cover.  So I chose it as the first book for my newly formed third grade book group, and sat down Friday night eager to finally read it.

But – you guessed it.  Overly cynical, highly critical Abby didn’t like the book.  Hated it, more like.  How can that be??  Here’s how: I’ve known a LOT of third graders, kids I taught at the elementary school, kids that I tutor in my off-library hours, and kids who come in to the library.  And not one of those third graders has ever been as cluelessly, annoyingly, cloyingly CUTE as Clementine.  Blech.  Ptooey.  Ptooey. Blech blech blech.  Take a little syrup, add some sugar, molasses, and saccharine, and you’ve got Clementine.  She’s an adult’s idealistic vision of what a third grader should be, and about as far away from Sendak’s Max as possible.  Like Sendak, I’d like the characters in children’s books to reflect real children, with their lumps and bumps and streaks of meanness and startling insights and un-cute moments. 

I won’t be talking with the third grade book group about my feelings about Clementine, since it’s our first meeting and I haven’t even met some of the kids yet.  I know that I tend to be a harsh, harsh critic, and I don’t want to burden our very first meeting with that baggage.  Unless, of course, the kids bring up Clementine’s character, and they want to discuss her.  It will be really interesting to see what they think of her.Â