Happy New Year!

Picture Book Monday - A review of Brontorina

All too often people are told by others that they cannot do something because they are not suited to doing that thing. We are told "you are too small," or "you are too old," or "you are too young," or "you are too large," or "you are too small," and so on. It is very tiresome to be told these things, and often one is better off if one ignores such negative thinking. In today's picture book you will meet a dinosaur who wants to be a dancer, and who is told that she is just too large. 

James Howe

Illustrated by Randy Cecil

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Candlewick, 2010, 978-0-7636-4437-6

Brontorina the dinosaur has a dream; she wants to be a dancer. So, she goes to Madame Lucille’s Dance Academy for Girls and Boys and she tells Madame that she “wants to dance.” Madame Lucille has never had a dinosaur for a student before and she is concerned because Brontorina is very large and she does not have the right shoes for dancing. Luckily for Brontorina, Clara and Jack believe that Brontorina should be allowed to join the academy and they ask Madame Lucille to let the dinosaur join their classes.

   Madame Lucille soon sees that Brontorina is a very graceful dancer with a natural ability for dance. Unfortunately, it soon becomes apparent that Brontorina is just too big for the school. When she does her releves and jetes the poor dinosaur’s head goes through the roof. Madame Lucille reluctantly has to tell the dinosaur that she cannot accommodate a student who is so large.

   In this splendid story readers will meet a character who is incredibly sweet and loveable, even though she is two stories tall. Children will see how problems can be solved, even enormous ones, if you are willing to make changes, and if you think about the problem in a different way. The story wraps up with an ending that is perfect and funny. 

Poetry Friday - A review of Got Geography

When I was a kid I loved geography. It was one of my favorite subjects in school, and whenever my father's copy of National Geographic arrived in the mail, I eagerly tore off the mailing wrapper to find out what new adventure I was going to take to distant places on its pages. My father had a large, rather battered, copy of the Times World Atlas, and he and I would spend hours looking at the maps. Dad would tell me about the countries we were seeing, and we would get out volumes of our encyclopedia to find out more about Mongolia, Chad, Tasmania, and other countries.

Today's poetry title explores geography through poems, and readers will be enjoy seeing their world through the eyes of some of America's most beloved poets.

Got Geography!

Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrated by Philip Stanton

Poetry

For ages 7 to 10

HarperCollins, 2006, 978-0-06-055601-3

These days, thanks to the internet, email, text messaging, telephones, cars, fast ships, airplanes and other technology, the world seems to be smaller than it was, say, in Magellan’s time. We often forget to think about the fact that the geography of our planet is such that places on opposite sides of the Earth vary greatly and often have little in common, and that great forces beneath the Earth’s crust, powers we cannot control, shape the surface of our planet. We forget that the forces that build mountains and move continents are more powerful than all the technology that we have created. Our geographical location is something that affects our lives every day, and the study of geography is not only important, but it is also fascinating.

   In this splendid selection of poems, poets J. Patrick Lewis, Marilyn Singer, Jane Yolen and others take us to far off places and into the minds of those who created maps and explored foreign lands. The collection begins with a poem about “Mapping the World.” As an artist creates a map of the world, he almost feels as if he is journeying to the lands he is laying out on his canvas. For example, as Africa’s outline takes shape he thinks about the fact that it is the place where the River Nile flows “past ancient folk.” It is where the Serengeti lies and where people can see Victoria Falls. For the artist, “Geography is like our own / Room with a view we can’t forget.”

   In another poem Kathryn Madeline Allen imagines what she would do if she were the equator. One thing she is sure of, and that is that she “would have an attitude,” and why not? After all, the equator is the only line that runs from east to west for nearly 25,000 miles. It is the line that “splits the globe in half” and it is the “only one” to do so.

   Marilyn Singer tells us about explorers that we often forget to think about. In Antarctica, “where whole mountains are hidden / under ice” humans were not the first ones to arrive in that freezing place. Long before explorers set foot there, penguins “laid shambling tracks” in the snow. Similarly, hot and steamy jungles were explored by creatures with wings or feet long before humans got there.

   In this splendid collection, the poems chosen truly capture how intriguing and fascinating geography is.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Ruby Redfort: Look into my eyes

These days, when I want to relax and give my brain a break, I read a mystery novel. I have always loved mysteries and read (and reread) all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books when I was young. There were also the Famous Five and Secret Seven series, books that were published in England. I remember feeling rather disappointed that there weren't more mystery titles being published for young readers.

Today, young readers have a much bigger selection of mystery novels to read. In several of them the main character becomes a secret agent of some kind. Today's title is just such a book. In it a tween girl, Ruby Redfort, is asked to help a secret agency to solve a problem. The writing is clever, often humorous, and it is full of thrilling moments and interesting situations.

Ruby Redfort: Look into my eyes

Lauren Child

Fiction

For ages 10 to 13

Candlewick Press, 2011, 978-0-7636-5120-6

Ruby Redfort looks like a rather ordinary tween girl, but she is not in the slightest bit ordinary. She is extremely intelligent, can learn new things very quickly, and she has superlative observation skills and problem-solving skills. Ruby loves mystery and crime stories, movies, and television shows. She also loves to figure out puzzles, ciphers, and codes.

   Until now, other than winning a Code-Cracking Championship and creating a code that took Harvard scholars two weeks to break, Ruby has had a quiet life. She lives with her rather uninteresting parents, spends time with her friend Clancy, and goes to school. Then, one day, she comes home from school to find out that someone has stolen everything in her house. Everything is gone including Mrs. Digby the housekeeper. On that day Hitch, a household manager (butler), arrives to work at the Redfort home, and Ruby is immediately suspicious. Something about Hitch is off, but Ruby cannot figure out what.

   Then Ruby gets a very odd phone call. An unknown person tells Ruby that he or she has heard that Ruby is good at noticing things and that she is also a good code cracker. The person talks some more and Ruby agrees that she “can crack a code.” After saying “Good,” the person hangs up. Ruby is very puzzled by the call. If the person on the phone wants her to crack a code why didn’t the person give her a code to crack?

   Some time later Ruby figures things out. The code was in the conversation itself. She analyses what the person said and soon she is following clues, each clue leading her to another one. The final clue leads her to a manhole cover. She opens it and reluctantly goes down the drain and into a tunnel, which then opens into a very large room. It is in this room that Ruby meets a woman called LB who just happens to belong to the voice on the telephone.

   LB explains that she works for a secret agency called Spectrum, and she invites Ruby the join the agency to help them deal with one problem and one problem only. If she is willing to take on the challenge, Ruby will first have to pass a test and get cleared by security. If she gets through these, she will be told about the problem, which she will hopefully be able to solve. After the task is complete, Ruby will go back to being an ordinary schoolgirl and her association with Spectrum will be over.

   Not surprisingly, Ruby agrees to the terms. She passes the test and security check without any trouble, and then she finds out that she has been recruited to break a code. Someone is apparently planning to steal an enormous amount of gold from a local bank. A former Spectrum code breaker figured out something important about the plan, but she died before she could tell LB about what she had found. LB wants Ruby to go through the deceased code breaker’s papers to figure out what it was she was going to reveal.

   Lauren Child has delighted countless children by creating Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean, wonderful characters who appear in picture books, novels, and in television programs. Now she gives us Ruby Redfort, and readers will have a splendid time sharing Ruby’s adventures and trying to figure out the codes and puzzles Ruby encounters. Who can resist a story that is packed with colorful characters, unsolved mysteries, cool gadgets, and challenging puzzles.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Happy Christmas Eve folks! I hope you are having a splendid day surrounded by friends and family members. For today's picture book I have chosen a title that would make a wonderful gift - just in case you need a last minute idea. Or, should you get a gift certificate or a gift of money tomorrow, you can buy this book for yourself.

This is the kind of book that children and adults alike will enjoy. It's message is universal in nature, and every reading makes one think about stories, books, and what they mean to us. The story in the book won an Academy Award for best animated short film in 2012.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

William Joyce

Illustrated by William Joyce and Joe Bluhm

Picture Book

For ages 7 and up

Simon and Schuster, 2012, 978-1-4424-5702-7

Morris Lessmore loves words, stories, and books. He loves to write about his “joys and sorrows” in a book every day. Unfortunately, just like most stories, Morris Lessmore’s story has an “upset.” A terrible storm blows Morris Lessmore and everything around him through the air, and when Morris finally comes to earth, he has no idea where he is. Even worse, the storm has clean blown the words off the pages of his book.

   Feeling quite lost and not knowing what to do, Morris begins to wander. Then Morris sees a pretty lady drifting by. She is being carried across the sky by “a festive squadron of flying books.” Morris wishes his own book would fly, but it refuses to do so. The pretty lady knows that Morris needs a flying book of his own so she gives him one of hers.

   The flying book leads Mr. Morris to a building that is full of flying books, and he decides to stay there. Mr. Morris is delighted with his new home, and he spends time repairing the books that are damaged. He also reads the stories in the books, gives the books to people who need them, and he once again writes his own story. Little does he know that one day his story will play an important role in the life of another book lover.

   William Joyce started writing this story many years ago. It began as a tribute to a book lover, and then evolved over time to become an award winning animated short film, a fabulous story app, and now this book.

   The story of Morris Lessmore takes readers on an extraordinary journey, one that they will never forget. It will remind readers that books are treasures to be loved and treasured. How grim and lonely our lives would be without them.

Poetry Friday - A review of Book Speak!

I have reviewed several books of poetry that are full of poems about books and reading. Today's poetry title is special because in it the author gives books (and not people) the opportunity to speak. Instead of reading about how people feel about books, we get to find out what it feels like to be a book. Or an index. Or a book cover. The idea might sound strange, but I found it to be delightful, and I think you will too.

Book Speak! Poems about Books

Laura Purdie Salas

Illustrated by Josee Bisaillon

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 11

Clarion, 2011, 978-0-547-22300-1

If a book could talk, what would it say? Perhaps it would ask the reader not to fold page corners and to be careful not to break its spine. Maybe it would describe, in an excited whisper, the story that lies on its pages.  It might brag, loudly, that it is the best book to read if you want to know about a certain subject.

   In this deliciously clever collection of poems, Laura Purdie Salas gives books, and parts of books, a voice. We hear from an index, who tells us to “Forget that pretty picture on the cover.” Instead, it tells us how it, the index, “can tell you the page number / of anything you are looking for.”

   A book plate explains very firmly that it is not the kind of plate that requires a napkin. It is not a “soup bowl’s mate,” nor is it a receptacle for “peas or bread.” No, a book plate should be pasted in a book and used to show who it belongs to.

   A book is a very brave thing, just in case you didn’t know. Yes indeed, it can “swallow up dragons and /cannons and /wars.” It does not fear the dark at all. There is only one thing that it is really frightened of. Water. Water and books simply don’t mix.

   Vacations offer books the opportunity to have grand adventures. You get to visit exotic places, fly on airplanes, and lie on beaches. A book never quite knows where its “reader is bound / and hundreds of times I’ve been lost and then found.”

   Though this is, of course, a children’s title, book lovers of all ages are going to enjoy reading these skillfully crafted and often unusual book-centric poems. Throughout the book, colorful multimedia illustrations provide a perfect backdrop for the poems.

Season's Greeting!

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Zelda and Ivy: The Big Picture

Some years ago I read a delightful beginner chapter book about two little foxes who have everyday adventures. There was something about the characters, Zelda and Ivy, that I found very appealing. I was therefore delighted the other day to receive a new Zelda and Ivy book to review.

Zeldaand Ivy: The Big Picture

Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Fiction

For ages 5 to 7

Candlewick Press, 2010, 978-0-7636-4180-1

  Zelda and Ivy and their friend Eugene are going to the movie theatre, and Zelda and Eugene are really looking forward to seeing the movie Secret Agent Fox. Ivy is worried that the movie is going to be too scary and she is not comforted when her sister and friend tell her that what takes place in a movie is not real.

   When the movie starts, Ivy soon forgets to be afraid. In fact, she is captivated by the action that she is watching on the screen, as is Eugene. Both of them are so interested in the movie that they fail to notice that Zelda, who not long ago said “the scarier, the better,” is not actually watching the movie.  

   Some time later, inspired no doubt by the movie they saw, Ivy, Zelda, and Eugene decide to be secret agents and “spy on people.” They each choose a secret agent name, they decide on a code word, and then they proceed to spy on Mrs. Brownlie. In their opinion, Mrs. Brownlie is behaving in a suspicious manner. She is wearing goggles while she is mowing her yard, and the three friends are eager to find out why.

   In this delightful Zelda and Ivy story, there are three chapters, and in each one Zelda, Ivy and their friend have delightful adventures that children will be able to identify with. The characters are charming, and the stories are perfect for children who are starting to read on their own.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Christmas Quiet Book

I really enjoy the holiday season but I must confess that sometimes the often frantic preparations one feels compelled to make are rather tiresome. When I read today's book I was reminded that the Christmas season can be a gentle, quiet, happy season if we just stop, notice and enjoy the good times, and let some things go. Ahhhh, much better.

The Christmas Quiet Book

Deborah Underwood

Illustrated by Renata Liwska

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, 978-0-547-55863-9

For many people the Christmas season is a busy, even frantic time. It is a time full of noise and bustle, to do lists and what-did-I-forget moments. Thankfully, Christmas does not have to be this way if you slow down, take a deep breath, and savor the moments. If you do this, you might even be able to have a Christmas that is quiet.

   Perhaps you don’t know what a quiet Christmas is. A quiet Christmas is a Christmas season that is full of quiet moments. There are those searching for presents quiet moments that are all too often followed by “Getting caught” quiet moments. There are those quiet moments when we look out of the window and dare to hope for a snow day. There are the soft quiet moments that come when you are making a snow angel or when you are gliding across the ice. Then there is that delicious quiet that comes when the lights on the Christmas tree are lit for the first time. Sometimes this happy quiet moment is followed by a “Blown fuse quiet.” And what about that Christmas Eve quiet when children listen for sleigh bells, and when they fall asleep trying to stay awake.

   In this delicious holiday book Deborah Underwood’s simple text is beautifully paired with Renata Liwska’s lovely soft illustrations to give readers of all ages a bookish experience that is sweet, funny, and as comforting as a warm hug and a cup of hot cocoa. 

Poetry Friday - A review of If you were a chocolate mustache

One of the things that I love about poetry is the fact that it comes in so many 'flavors.' When I was little, I had no idea that poetry had so many forms. I had never seen a haiku or a concrete poem. I am delighted that children today can enjoy all kinds of poetry early on. They can see and hear that one can be delightfully creative when one writes a poem.

Today's poetry title shows to great effect how one poet plays with words to create poems that are incredibly varied.

If you were a chocolate mustache

J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Poetry

For ages 7 to 10

Boyds Mills Press, 2012, 978-1-59078-927-8

Poems come in many forms, more forms perhaps than most of us are aware of. J. Patrick Lewis, the Children’s Poet Laureate, loves to play with these forms, and this is what he has done in this collection. In this book readers will find riddles, limericks, haiku, story poems, concrete poems and more. The only thing that the poems have in common is that they are all serve to amuse the reader, to make the reader smile or even laugh.

   On the pages of this title you will find a poem that describes dragon dinner etiquette. If you are a dragon, never accept a dinner invitation “If St. George is the guest of honor.” If you are going to eat Chinese food use “chop stakes,” and nights when you have pizza delivered “Spare the delivery boy.”

   In another part of the book you will encounter another dragonish poem. In “Dragon vs. Girl” we meet a dragon who is complaining about a girl who sprayed him with water using a squirt gun. The dragon’s mother points out that the dragon has got “a flame to throw,” which should make short work of the girl and her squirt gun. Unfortunately, the mother dragon fails to take one very important fact into consideration; that water puts out fire.

   Some of the poems are riddles that are both amusing and challenging to solve. There are the Haikus that are “City/State Riddles.” If you know your US geography you should be able to solve these riddles, some of which are quite tricky. In addition there are three book riddles. If you know your fairy tales you should have no problem figuring them out. For all of the riddles, readers will find that the answers written in small looking glass type next to the poems. All you need to read the solutions is a mirror.

   This is a splendid collection that young readers are going to enjoy dipping into. It is likely that they will discover some poetry forms that they have never seen before.

Fiction Wednesday - A Review of The Dragon's Eye

I love dragon stories, and today's fiction title is a wonderful book about the adventures that two children have when they find themselves in the company of a dragonologist. This book is a companion to the Dragonology books, a series of novelty titles that have delighted dragon fans of all ages for ten years now. 

The Dragon’s Eye

Dugald A. Steer

Illustrated by Douglas Carrel

Fiction

For ages 9 to 12

Candlewick Press, 2006, 0-7636-2810-7

Daniel and his sister Beatrice are looking forward to their summer vacation a great deal. Their parents, who live and work in India, are coming to England to visit. When Daniel gets to Waterloo station, his sister is waiting for him with a letter in her hand. The letter was written by their mother and in it is she explains that once again, for the fourth year in a row, she and her husband cannot come to England after all. Instead of spending the summer with their parents, the children are to spend it with Dr. Ernest Drake.

   Following their mother’s instructions, the children get themselves to Wyvern Way, a small street near Trafalgar square where Dr. Drake has a shop, which is called Doctor Drake’s Dragonalia. When they arrive, Dr. Drake is deep in conversation with someone, and the children have no choice but to wait until he is free. Feeling bored, Daniel explores one of the basement rooms beneath the shop, which is where he comes to face to face with an honest to goodness dragon. Dr. Drake catches the boy snooping and he makes it clear that Daniel should not tell anyone about what he has seen.

  Later that day the children travel with Dr. Drake to Castle Drake, his country home, and the following morning Beatrice goes into the woods with Dr. Drake while Daniel studies Charles Darwin’s book, On the Origin of Species. While the doctor is away, Daniel cannot help snooping again, even though he was told to stay in the house, and he finds out that the dragon that he saw in the London shop is now at Castle Drake. Once again, the doctor catches Daniel doing something that he shouldn’t be doing.

  Daniel and Beatrice soon learn that Dr. Drake is a dragonologist, a scientist who studies dragons. The young people learn that dragons are found in many countries around the world, but there are not a lot of them left and they need to be protected. Every summer, Dr. Drake trains a few select young people to become dragonologists, and this summer Daniel and Beatrice will be his pupils.

   The children’s studies do not progress very far before they find themselves caught up in a very unpleasant situation. A man called Ignatius Crook has decided that he should be the next Dragon Master and he is doing everything that he can to get his hands on some artifacts, in particular the Dragon’s Eye, to achieve this goal. Since Ignatius Crook does not truly care about dragons, Dr. Drake has to do everything that he can to stop the man before it is too late, and Daniel and Beatrice end up joining in his adventure.

   This companion to the now famous Dragonology books will delight readers who have an interest in dragons. The author not only gives us an action-packed tale full of adventure and misadventure, but he also helps his readers to understand the scientific process of study and why all creatures (including dragons) should be protected. 

Picture Book Monday - A review of How do dinosaurs say Happy Chanukah?

Hanukkah (Chanuka) began over the weekend and I know that millions of families around the world are enjoying the traditions that are a part of this Jewish holiday. Sometimes, when one gets caught up in the excitement of a holiday, one forgets to remember to behave nicely; one forgets to appreciate the simple joys of the holiday season. In today's picture book, which is another of the wonderful How do Dinosaurs... titles, Jane Yolen helps young readers to remember that Hanukkah is a time for reflection, for being grateful, and for sharing. With gentle humor she shows children how Hanukkah should be celebrated.

How do dinosaurs say Happy Chanukah?

Jane Yolen

Illustrated by Mark Teague

Picture Book

For ages 3 to 6

Scholastic, 2012, 978-0-545-41677-1

It is Chanukah, a time for remembering, giving thanks, and sharing with others. At least that is what the holiday should be about. Of course, there are some young (and naughty) dinosaurs who forget this. Instead of being helpful, kind, and well behaved, they “act up,” “fuss and fidget” when the candlelight prayer is being said, and blow out the candles when no one is looking. They also refuse to let anyone else play with the dreidel, and swipe all the gelt so that no one else can have any.

   In this splendid book, Jane Yolen and Mark Teague have once again joined forces to create a picture book that combines verse, gorgeous illustrations, and splendid touches of humor. They help children to see what is and is not acceptable behavior during Chanukah, and best of all, thanks to their wonderful dinosaur characters, they manage to do this without being overbearing. 

Poetry Friday - A review of Forgive me, I meant to do it

Long ago I had a friend who would do naughty things and then apologize profusely when he was caught. He was convinced that apologizing for his naughtiness was enough to get him off the hook, even when it was obvious that he wasn't in the least bit sorry for what he did. In today's poetry book you will encounter some delicious apologies that are delightfully funny, and completely insincere. 

Forgive me, I meant to do it: False apology poems

Gail Carson Levine

Illustrated by Matthew Cordel

Poetry

For ages 7 and up

HarperCollins, 2012, 978-0-06-178725-6

All too often people make apologies for their actions that they really don’t mean. In 1962 the poet William Carlos Williams wrote a poem called “This is just to say,” and in the poem the narrator apologizes for eating the plums in the fridge. Though the words “Forgive me,” are there in the poem, readers can tell that the narrator really isn’t that sorry for eating the plums. In fact, perhaps he or she is feeling rather pleased that he or she got to the plums first.

  For this funny and clever collection of poems, author Gail Carson Levine has created her own “This is just to say” poems where a person says “Forgive me,” though we can tell that the apology is a sham. In fact, the narrators in these poems are quite unrepentant for the things that they have done.

   We begin with a man driving a bulldozer who has flattened the thorny hedge around Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The driver knows that the princess “expected to sleep behind” the hedge “until the prince came,” but he wants to charge tourists for the privilege of visiting the princess’s castle, which is why he got rid of the hedge.

   Further on in the book we meet Snow White. She ‘apologizes’ to the dwarves for “making myself ugly / and leaving / with the witch,” but explains that she is only doing so because they have appalling manners and refuse to make an effort to “be at your best.”

   The author even writes a false apology from herself. She slips the introduction to the book after the table of contents and several pages of poems. Clearly she is doing her best to irritate her editor who “excruciatingly loudly / screeched” that the introduction does not belong in such a place. The author apologizes for her behavior and then mentions that she shredded the editor’s red pencil and “stirred / the splinters into” the editor’s tea. I think we can tell that the author is not in the slightest bit sorry for what she has done.

   The out-of-place introduction explores William Carlos Williams’ poem and it also invites readers to try writing their own “This is just to say” poems. The form to use is very simple, there is no punctuation, and you don’t even need to come up with a title. Plus, the ninth line is always “Forgive me.” The one thing Gail Carson Levin thinks is necessary is that the writer needs to be in a “grouchy mood.” One cannot write a false apology poem if one is happy and light of heart.

   This is the perfect book to read when one is feeling disgruntled and annoyed with someone. The reader is guaranteed to find that he or she will not be able to stay disgruntled for long because the poems are just too clever and too funny. A smile or a laugh will be unavoidable.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of I survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941

In just a few days it will be the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. When I moved to the United States in 1991, I didn't really know much about this event. Since then I have read a number of books for both adults and young people that describe what took place in Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Today's book describes the events of that fateful day through the eyes of a boy, and it also looks at what took place after the attack was over.

I survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941

Lauren Tarshis

Historical Fiction

For ages 8 to 10

Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-545-20698-3

Not long ago, Danny came to live on the lush and beautiful tropical island of Oahu, and now all he wants to do is to go back to New York City, which is where he used to live. Though his apartment was in a dirty, crowded, ugly, and sometimes dangerous neighborhood in the city, it was his home and his misses it. More than anything he misses Finn, his best friend. Danny’s mother decided that they had to move after Finn had an accident when he and Danny were exploring an abandoned building. She wants her son to have a better life in a new place, but all he wants it to have his old life back, which is why Danny plans on stowing away on a ship.

   Danny is just about to start packing when he hears a horrible squeal and a scream coming from his back yard. When he goes to investigate, he finds a little boy, Aki, who is holding a baby pig. Aki offers to show Danny his “puppy,” which is when the piglet’s mother arrives on the scene. Danny is just able to get Aki out of the way before he is injured by the furious wild boar.

   Danny and Aki go to Aki’s house where the little boy’s mother invites Danny to lunch. She tells Danny that his mother is “lucky to have a boy like you.” The next morning, on December 7^th 1941, Danny has a hard time motivating himself to get onto a ship that is bound for San Francisco/ He keeps thinking about how his mother will feel if he abandons her.

   Then Japanese airplanes start to bomb Pearl Harbor and Danny forgets all about trying to get onto that ship. Hickman Field, where his mother works as a nurse, gets hit and Danny runs there to find out if his mother is all right. Suddenly Danny’s dreams of going back to New York City seem ridiculous, and he focuses of surviving and getting to his mother.

   In this excellent I Survived title we see what it might have been like to be in Pearl Harbor when it was bombed in 1941 through the eyes of a young boy. We see how Danny is changed by the experience, and how he learns to have a new appreciation for the life that he has.

   This is one in a series of historical fiction titles.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Day Louis got eaten

Though I strongly believe in not judging a book by its cover, I must confess that some book covers grab my attention and I feel compelled to read them straight away. Today's picture book title, The Day Louis got Eaten, is just such a book. The title made me immediately want to find out what happened on the day Louis got eaten. Trust me, you too will want to know the answer to this question!

The day Louis got eaten

John Fardell

Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Andersen Press USA, 2012, 978-1-4677-0315-4

One day, Louis on his scooter and his big sister Sarah on her bike go into the forest. They don’t get very far before a large Gulper, a furry monster with a long tongue, eats Louis. Being a well-informed girl, Sarah knows that Gulpers eat their food whole. For at least a while Louis will be safe in the Gulper’s stomach. She quickly grabs something and then she sets off after the Gulper.

   Sarah almost catches up with the Gulper when a huge black feathered Grabular swoops down out of the sky and gobbles up the Gulper. The Grabular then flies out to sea. Sarah quickly converts her bike into a water bike and she peddles after the Grabular as fast as she can. She is just about to reach the Grabular’s nes, when the bird is eaten by an Undersnatch. Now she has to chase a beast that swims underwater!

   Children are going to love this deliciously bizarre adventure. Full of fantastical monsters that have splendid names, it is a picture book that is full of surprises and a perfectly perfect ending. Children will enjoy looking for clues in the art that indicate that a monster might be in the offing!

Poetry Friday - A review of Mother Goose

When I was a little girl I had a large format hardback book that was full of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. I don't remember what it looked like, and unfortunately it was not one of the books that was saved. I do remember many of the rhymes though, and I was pleased to encounter many of my favorites in the book that I reviewed for today's poetry title.

MotherGoose

Illustrated by sixteen Illustrators

Poetry Board Book

For ages 2 to 5

Groundwood Books, 2009, 978-0-88899-933-7

The Mother Goose rhymes are truly timeless. Countless children have listened to and enjoyed the nursery rhymes since the first collection – called Mother Goose’s Melody - was published in England in 1791 by John Newbery.

   Often Mother Goose books include a large number of rhymes that are accompanied by illustrations that were created by one artist. In this Mother Goose, there are fifteen of the popular rhymes, and each rhyme is complimented by artwork that was created by a different illustrator.  Each illustrator was free to choose how he or she wanted to interpret the rhymes.

  For the poem Round and Round the Garden, Debi Perna has created some delightful art where the text is punctuated by cunning little vignette illustrations. The poem Father and Mother and Uncle John comes next, and for this poem Barbara Reid has created a piece of clay art that is textured and that shows a deliciously funny scene.

   Later on in the book, Marie Louise Gay’s distinctive art is paired with the poem Hoddley, poddley, puddle and fogs. We see a picture of mice and rats playing musical instruments, and they are following a cat and poodle who are on their way to the alter. The scene is lit by moonlight and it is wonderfully festive.

   With its heavy duty board pages, its wonderful rhymes, and its splendid artwork, this is a book that children will enjoy exploring again and again.

   The artwork for this book was donated by the artists, and royalties from the title benefit the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of The Jamie and Angus Stories

Many children form very close relationships with their stuffed animals. Often there is one particular stuffed animal who is extra special, and you can always tell which animal this is because it is the one that has that well worn look.

In today's fiction title you will meet Angus,  the stuffed highland bull, and his little boy, Jamie. The stories in this title perfectly capture the unique relationship that a child can have with that special stuffed animal.

The Jamie and Angus Stories

Anne Fine

Illustrated by Penny Dale

Fiction

For ages 6 to 8

Candlewick Press, 2002, 978-0-7636-3312-7

When Jamie sees a small toy Highland bull in a shop window, it is love at first sight. Jamie’s mother agrees to buy the toy, but she won’t let Jamie have it until Christmas. Jamie agrees to this readily, and while he waits for Christmas to arrive, he makes Angus (for that is the little bull’s name) a farm to live on. He also tells Angus, who is on a high shelf in a cupboard, what is going on. After all, it would not do to ignore the toy.

   At long last it is Christmas Day, and Jamie finally gets to hold, cuddle, and play with Angus. The two are inseparable, and they have many grand adventures together. Not surprisingly, Angus’s silky white coat soon starts to look rather “scruffy.” Early on in their relationship Jamie removed a tag that was attached to Angus, one that said “DRY-CLEAN ONLY.” One day, when Jamie is at school, Granny decides that Angus needs to be cleaned, and not knowing about the now absent tag, she puts Angus into the washing machine. Angus comes out looking dreadful and poor Jamie is heartbroken. Granny, feeling sorry for her grandson, gets Jamie another toy highland bull that looks exactly like Angus. As he looks at the two toys, Angus comes to realize that looks are not all that important in the big scheme of things.

   Any child who shares his or her life with a beloved toy will immediately identify with Jamie. There is nothing quite like the relationship a child has with a best toy friend. The six stories in this splendid award-winning book are deliciously warm and gently humorous. Anne Fine perfectly captures Jamie’s little boy world, and readers will find it easy to share in his everyday adventures.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Zephyr takes Flight

I imagine that most children, at some point, dream about flying. Often children pretend that they are flying a plane high in the sky, or they pretend that they have wings that allow them to fly like a bird, bat, or dragon.  Such dreams and games are so wonderful, and it is always disappointing when they are over.

In today's picture book you will meet a little girl who is crazy about planes, and who wants to fly in a plane of her own more than anything else in the world.

Zephyr Takes Flight

Steve Light

Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Candlewick Press, 2012, 978-0-7636-5695-9

   Zephyr loves airplanes. In fact she spends a great deal of time making planes out of various materials and then playing with them. Her dream is that one day she will be able to fly in one of her own planes.

   One day Zephyr does a triple loop-de-loop in the sitting room (bouncing on the couch in the process) and she crashes into a piece of furniture. Plates, glasses and other items are broken, and Zephyr’s parents are furious with her. They send Zephyr to her room where she sadly makes a paper plane. The plane lands behind a dresser, and when Zephyr pushes the dresser away from the wall so that she can retrieve the plane, she finds a little hidden door in the wall. On the other side of the door is a room that is full of planes, plane parts, plane plans, books about planes and travel, and the tools one needs to build and design planes. For Zephyr, the room is a kind of heaven. Then she gets an idea and her life gets even better.

   There are times when our hobbies, or passions, get us into trouble. This is exactly what happens to Zephyr in this book. Thankfully for Zephyr, and for us, Steve Light decides that his little girl character deserves to go on a splendid adventure, and this is exactly what she does.

   With a delicious and magical story that is paired with wonderful illustrations, this is a picture book that dreamers of all kinds will enjoy.

Poetry Friday - A review of Poetry for Young People: Rudyard Kipling

Sometimes, when you read poetry that was written by someone who lived long ago, it is hard to understand the world that they are describing. The language used is strange to our ears, and the poet alludes to things that are not familiar. Rudyard Kipling was the kind of person who wanted to make his poetry accessible to all, and even today we can read and appreciate his poems.

Poetry For Young People: Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling and Edited by Eileen Gillooly

Illustrated by Jim Sharpe

Poetry

For ages 10 and up

Sterling, 2000, 978-0-8069-4484-5

Many poets develop their own unique form for their poems, creating patterns of rhyme and rhythm that best encapsulate what they want to say. Rudyard Kipling had a different goal. Rather than developing his own style of poetry, he drew on the styles of others, using forms that were familiar and accessible because he wanted to touch the hearts and minds of as many people as possible. He wanted his readers to see the connections we all share, to appreciate that though we speak in different ways and have different backgrounds, we share many of the same experiences and emotions. He wanted to “think in another man’s skin,” so that he could see the world through someone else’s eyes.

   In this book we see examples of this in several of the poems. In “The White Seal” we hear the voice of a seal mother singing a lullaby to her baby, and in another section of verse from his Just So Stories, Rudyard Kipling describes what it is like for a child (from the child’s point of view) to be traveling on a ship where all the adults are seasick and the child is temporarily free to do as he or she wishes.

   Kipling also used his poems to share his opinions and to explore ideas. In “The beginning of the Armadilloes” we catch the excitement that he feels when he considers travel. How grand it would be to see a jaguar or an armadillo “dilloing in his armour.” How splendid it would be to go to Rio “Some day before I’m old.”

   In “The Ballad of East and West” he presents us with the idea that East and West “never the twain shall meet.” Then he goes on to say that that in real life strong men from the east and west can stand “face to face, though they come from the end of the earth!”

  What makes this collection of poems so special is that the editor gives us a short biography of Kipling’s life at the beginning of the book and she introduces each of the poems. We therefore can read the poems while being aware of their context. This helps us to understand what kind of a man Kipling was, and what motivated him to write the poems he wrote. As they read, readers will come to appreciate that he was a complex man. He believed strongly in the superiority of the British Empire on the one hand, but he also believed that people from opposite sides of the earth could meet and respect one another. He praised men who went to war for their courage, but wrote a poem about the weapons of war, clearly showing that he is all too aware that such weapons can inflict great suffering, and that their development over the ages has been a singular folly. How interesting it is to explore a poet’s words and his story at the same time. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Daisy's Perfect Word

Every so often, when I am reading a book, I encounter the perfect sentence or collection of words. Perhaps a description of a place, thing, or person is so vivid that I can see in my mind's eye what the author is talking about, or perhaps an emotion comes through so clearly that I almost resonate with it.

Today's picture book is about a little girl who loves and collects words. She is a the kind of person I would enjoy spending some time with.

Daisy’s Perfect Word

Sandra V. Feder

Illustrated by Susan Mitchell

Fiction

For ages 6 to 8

Kids Can Press, 2012, 978-1-55453-645-0

Daisy enjoys doing lots of different things. In the summer, she makes dandelion chains and plays kickball, and in winter she has fun “stomping in puddles.” Daisy also likes spending time with Emma, who is her best friend. Though Daisy loves doing these things, sitting quietly and reading a book is Daisy’s favorite occupation. The little girl with the curly hair loves words, collecting her favorite ones and keeping them in lists in a special notebook. Not only does she collect existing words, but she also has a collection of made-up words.

   One day Daisy’s teacher, Miss Goldner, tells her students that she has a special announcement to make. Daisy and Emma have a hard time waiting to hear what she has to say, and they are thrilled when they hear the news. Miss Goldner is getting married. Daisy is happy for Miss Goldner, but she is also sad that her wonderful teacher will be moving away.

   Daisy decides that she needs to get her teacher a special engagement gift. She does not want to give her teacher “boring” gifts like vases or candlesticks. No, Daisy thinks Miss Goldner is special, and a special person needs a special “one-of-a-kind” gift. The problem is that Daisy has no idea what the gift should be. What does Daisy have to offer her teacher that is unique?

   This delightful book not only takes us into the everyday adventures of a wonderful character, but it also explores the ways in which words affect us, and sometimes seem to take on a life of their own. Through Daisy, young readers will discover that words are not just inanimate things sitting on a page, they have the power to make people happy or sad. They can inspire and excite people, and they are full of possibilities. 

Picture Book Monday - A review of Bear Says Thanks

In just a few days, Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Though the holiday is tied to an event in America's history, I think the essence of the celebration is universal in nature. We all need to take the time to give thanks for the good things and the wonderful people that we have in our lives.

In today's picture book a sweet and lovable bear finds out that he has so much to be thankful for.

Bear Says Thanks

Karma Wilson

Illustrated by Jane Chapman

Picture Book

For ages 3 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2012, 978-1-4169-5856-7

It is a cold and windy day, and Bear is bored and missing his friends. Then Bear comes up with an idea; he will put together a feast that he can share with his friends. This is a splendid plan, but there is a rather big problem; Bear’s food cupboard is empty. How can Bear host a feast if he has no food?

   Thankfully for Bear, his friends are generous creatures and they come to Bear’s lair in ones, twos, and threes bringing all kinds of delicious things to eat. Bear thanks Mouse for his pie, Hare for his muffins, and Badger for the fish he has brought. He also thanks Gopher, Mole, Owl, Raven, and Wren for their contributions. Poor Bear is grateful for the things his friends have brought to his home, and he feels terrible because he has nothing to share with them.

   The story in this wonderful picture book explores the idea that friendship is one of the greatest gifts we can give to others. Children will see that true friends, and the times we share with them, are precious.

   This is one of the titles in a collection of books featuring Bear and his friends.

Poetry Friday - A Review of Eureka!

I have always enjoyed reading biographies about inventors. So many of them had such interesting lives, and often they had to overcome great obstacles to do the work that they loved to do. Today's poetry title explores the lives and inventions of some of the world's most famous inventors.

Eureka! Poems about Inventors

Joyce Sidman

Illustrated by K. Bennett Chavez

Poetry

For ages 8 and up

Lerner, 2002, 0-7613-1665-5

It is hard to imagine what life in our world would be like if we humans had not invented the wheel, the printing press, paper, or the telephone. We depend on inventions every day, some of which are necessary, for example the light bulb, and some of which entertain us, like the television.

   In this book, poet Joyce Sidman introduces us to some of the inventions that have shaped human society. She begins by going far back in time, imagining how a young woman might have come up with the idea of using river clay to make a bowl.  Having no means to transport the berries that she has found, the young woman is frustrated until an idea comes to her and she realizes that perhaps there is a solution to her problem, one that can be made out of clay.

   Next we hear the words of Ts’ai, a young man who worked for sixteen years to make something to write on that was not “costly.” What he came up with is now called paper. Johannes Gutenberg also worked for many hours to create a printing press that would make the creation of books less expensive. If books could be mass produced, then more people would have access to them.

   In the next section of the book, “The Age of Invention,” we meet the French brothers who built the first hot air balloon that carried passengers up into the air. The passengers were a duck, a sheep, and a rooster. Then there is the man, Francois-Louis Cailler, who figured out how to turn cacao beans into the first chocolate bar, “a wafer of heaven.” We also find out about the woman who invented the washing machine, the woman who found a way to save babies in poor families from going blind, and the man who found out how to keep a train’s moving parts well greased.

   The collection of poems wraps up by looking at some of inventions of the “Modern Age.” Here we read about Marie Curie, who discovered radium, and we find out about the invention of the bra, an item of clothing that freed women from their “corsets of whalebone and steel” that were like “a cage.” In this section we also read about Velcro, the Frisbee, the work of a Nobel prize-winning scientist, and the World Wide Web.

   Each of the four sections in this book is followed by sections of text that provide us with further information about the inventors and inventions that are mentioned in the poems.

   As they read through this collection, readers will come to understand how the genius of a few has made the lives of many better, safer, and healthier. The poems serve as a tribute to the ingenuity of the men and women who dared to think outside of the box.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of The Case of the Missing Marquess

Relaxing with a good mystery to read is one of my favorite things to do. When I was growing up there weren't that many mystery titles available for young readers, and I read the Nancy Drew books, the Hardy Boys books, and Emil and the Detectives over and over again. Now there are some wonderful mystery books for young readers, including ones starring the siblings of the great detective Sherlock Holmes.

Today's title tells the story of Sherlock's younger sister Enola, who is prone to running into trouble and who is very good at solving puzzles.

The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery

Nancy Stringer

Fiction 

Ages 10 and up

Penguin, 2007, 978-0142409336

   When Enola’s mother disappears on Enola’s fourteen birthday, Enola doesn’t know what to think. Why would her mother do such a thing? What is Enola supposed to do now? After the initial shock wears off, Enola contacts her brothers Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes. After they arrive, Enola discovers why the brothers stayed away from the family home and she begins to wish that she hadn’t called for them at all. Mycroft announces that Enola is to be sent to a girl’s finishing school and that she will have to start wearing clothes befitting a young lady of her class. The idea of having to live in a corseted world where she will have to learn how to be an ornament rather than a thinking and reasoning individual horrifies Enola. There is no way that she is going to accept this.

  So, like her mother before her, and for very much the same reason, Enola runs away from home. Thankfully, before she leaves, Enola discovers that her mother did in fact leave messages and money for Enola. Enola realizes that her mother knew exactly what she was doing and that she gave Enola all the tools that the girl would need to make it in the world by herself if she had to.

   Enola has barely started her adventure when she stumbles across what everyone is calling a kidnapping. Having many of the skills of her famous detective brother, Enola soon discovers that this is no kidnapping and that the child, a Marquess, has in fact run away from home. Little does Enola know that she and the young Marquess are going to cross paths in London and that they are both going to be running for their lives in the not too distant future.

    Nancy Springer presents a very compelling picture of Victorian England, helping her readers to see that it was not always the warm comforting world that one sees on the covers of Christmas cards. It had a dark side too. It was a world where the poor had little hope, where women and children died in the streets by the hundreds. It was also a world where women could not own property and where they were expected to live in a narrow confined world without many of the freedoms that men took for granted. It was a world where, of you were female and wanted to be yourself, you had to find a way around the system through subterfuge and careful planning. The author presents this world in its true and stark colors and yet she leaves us with the hope that Enola will indeed find what she is looking for.

   This is the first book in what promises to be a gripping and superbly written series about a girl sleuth who tries to make her way in a man’s world.

   

Picture Book Monday - A review of Me and my Dragon

I love dragons. I always have, so I make a point of looking for good dragon books to add to my collection and to share with my readers. Today's dragon book is wonderfully sweet and funny, and it made me wish all over again that I had a dragon in my life.

Me and my dragon

David Biedrzycki

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Charlesbridge, 2011, 978-1-58089-279-7

Many children want to have a pet. They beg their parents for a puppy, a kitten, a hamster, or a snake. There once was a boy who was not interested in any of these conventional pets. More than anything he wanted a pet dragon. He didn’t want a huge dragon or a three-headed dragon. No, those kinds of dragons would be far too difficult to care for. He wanted a moderate sized, fire-breathing dragon.

   Once he got his new pet he made sure that his dragon had a complete checkup at the vet, and when he got home he did all the things that a responsible pet owner does. He named his dragon, fed and bathed him, took him for walks, and he even taught him to fly, which is not something most pet owners have to deal with. Though having a pet dragon can be problematical at times, there are also a lot of wonderful things that happen in your life when you have a dragon for a pet.

   Dragon fans of all ages are going to love this clever and wonderfully funny book. Readers will, without a doubt, want a dragon of their own after they have read the story. Amusing and expressive illustrations are paired with a clever text so that readers will see that a dragon is definitely the best kind of pet in the world.

Poetry Friday - A review of Julie Andrews' Treasury for all seasons

Some of the best days in the year are the ones where we celebrate a season or a holiday with friends and family members. Not long ago I took my daughter to choose our fall pumpkins. Ever since she was little, we have bought little pumpkins and gourds to arrange in a basket. She spends ages trying to figure out how to make the arrangement look "just perfect."

Today's poetry title is a collection of poetry that takes readers through the year with poems that capture the joys of many of our most beloved special days.

Julie Andrews’ Treasury for all seasons

Selected by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton

Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Poetry

For ages 6 and up

Little Brown, 2012, 978-0-316-04051-8

The year is full of special days. Some are personal, like the arrival of a new baby, a wedding, or a birthday, while others are holidays that millions of people enjoy. Then there are those days when the joys of the season seem to be especially noticeable. It might be a summer day when a child builds a sandcastle on a beach, which when the tide comes in, is “tumbled down / like dominoes.” At the other end of the year it might be a winter night when Jack Frost comes and leaves chilly “Willow trees with trailing boughs / And flowers – frosty white” on the window.

   For this book, Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton have collected poems and songs that take readers through the year, and that celebrate the holidays, special days, and special moments that we enjoy. The collection is divided into seasons, and then subdivided into months. In each month, all the major holidays that occur during that month are featured, and additional poems and songs give readers the flavor of the season. For example for October there is a poem by Ogden Nash about Christopher Columbus for Columbus Day, there is a poem about Halloween, and then there are poems that give readers a taste of autumn. These include a poem about apples, which are such a joy to eat “In the firelight” when “they’ll be / The clear sweet taste / Of a summer tree.”

   Each seasonal section is prefaced by a section of text where Julie Andrews and her daughter share their thoughts and memories, giving us a very personal look into their lives, and showing us how words, songs, and traditions are an integral part of their year.

   This is a perfect book to dip into as the year unfolds, offering readers of all ages poems and songs that are beautiful, whimsical, amusing, and thought-provoking.

Fiction Wednesday - A review of Something Wickedly Weird

Today's book reminded me of some of the titles that I read when I was a child. The author perfectly mixes together magical doings, villains, a mystery, clever touches of humor, and colorful characters. There is also a soupcon of creepiness, just to keep you on your toes.

Something Wickedly Weird: The Wooden Mile

Chris Mould

Fiction

For ages 9 to 12

Roaring Brook, 2007, 978-159643-383-0

Stanley Buggles is a very ordinary eleven-year-old boy who has had, for the most part, an ordinary and unexciting life. Then one day Stanley gets a letter and he learns that his great-uncle has died and that he, Stanley, has inherited his great-uncle’s house and possessions. Not long after getting the letter, Stanley travels to Crampton Rock to see his inheritance.

   When Stanley gets to Crompton Rock he is amazed to discover that the little fishing village is on an island, and that the only way to get to and from the island is by walking on a long wooden bridge (only at low tide) or by boat. 

   Stanley is fascinated by his great-uncle’s house, Candlestick Hall. It is an enormous place full of interesting objects. There is something wrong though, for the housekeeper, Mrs. Carelli insists that Stanley be indoors before it gets dark. Stanley sees with his own eyes how the streets in the little village empty at dusk after the sounding of a bell, and how several people climb into watch towers. What are they looking out for?

   Things only get more mysterious the next day. A stuffed and very dead pike displayed in the house speaks and tells Stanley to “Stay away from William Cake, and beware of the lady who lives in the water.” Stanley has no idea what this mean. Sometime later he learns how his great uncle died. Apparently the poor man was attacked by some creature and the people in the village had a hard time identifying him because his head was missing.

   Stanley then finds out that the owner of the sweet shop in the town is called William Cake, and an ex-pirate tells the boy that William Cake is a werewolf who turns into a dangerous beast at night. Stanley has no idea if the pirate is telling the truth about William Cake, or if he is lying through his teeth. How on earth did he end up in the middle of such a bizarre and frightening situation?  

   Young readers are sure to find this story thoroughly captivating. Full of adventure, secrets, and touched with dark humor, this is the first in what promises to be a popular new series.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Babymouse for President

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. Finally, after months of speeches and debates, Americans are going to choose their next president. Many American children have been watching the campaign process,   and some of them have even staged elections of their own in their classrooms.

In today's title we see what happens when Babymouse decides to run for the school presidency. Being Babymouse, the election does not quite work out the way she hoped it would.

Babymouse for President

Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Graphic Novel

Ages 7 to 10

Random House, 2012, 978-0-375-86780-4

It is election time at Babymouse’s school, and she has decided (after eating a terrible school lunch) that she is going to run president of the school council. The narrator tells her to “be part of the solution,” which is when Babymouse begins to fantasize about what it would be like to be the president. Then she is brought firmly to earth when she is asked what her platform is going to be. Platform?

   At school the next day, Babymouse realizes that several of the other kids in school are running for the presidency, including Babymouse’s arch enemy, Felicia, and her friend Georgie. Then one of Babymouse’s friends offers to help. He takes her in er…wing, and helps Babymouse see that running for president is hard work. In fact, it requires that Babymouse do a lot of things that she would rather not do. Then there is that far bigger problem; that Babymouse has no idea what she believes in. Is she running just for fame and glory, or does Babymouse see that there is something bigger going on around her?

   In this deliciously funny tale, Babymouse once again manages to get the wrong end of the stick. She thinks only of what the school council presidency might do for her, and never stops to think that she might have something to offer, that she might be able to do something for the school to make it a better place.

   With delicious touches of humor and a clever story, Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm poke a little fun at political campaigns, and they also remind us that political office is more than just an opportunity for self-aggrandizement.