Archive for June, 2007
Saturday, June 23rd, 2007
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| Author: | Susan Patron |
| Illustrator: | Matt Phelan |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 12 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | Fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2006 |
As a lover of fairy tales, it was probably impossible for me not to love reading this sophisticated story, simply told, which pretty much turns every fairy tale convention on end:
- When my younger daughter was around 3, she was obsessed with learning how Cinderella's mother had died. In this story, we learn within the first few pages that our heroine's mother died when she was struck by lightening.
- In many fairy tales, the heroine's name has to do with her physical appearance. In this story, the heroine's name has to do with her fate.
- Most fairy tales abound in generalities and their language is very simple, even bland. Some groups are pushing to ban this Newbery Award winner because the word "scrotum" appears on its first page.
- In many fairy tales, the stepmother serves as villain. In this story, the heroine's father's first wife comes to Lucky's rescue -- she raises her after her "real" mother has died.
- In many fairy tales, the protagonist leaves home to seek his (it IS usually his) fortune. In this story, Lucky runs away from home, only to realize that she belongs with her stepmother.
And yet, The Higher Power of Lucky is a fairy tale, albeit a new-fangled one. A good one as well. |
Highly recommended for fairy tale lovers who are somewhat more worldly (older) than is typical. |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Higher Power of Lucky,The |
Posted in Animals, Child-raising, Conceptual: age 12 and up, Death is a central theme, Fairy tales, Female protagonist, Fiction, Gifted, Reading level: age 8 and up | Comments Closed
Friday, June 22nd, 2007
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| Author: | Eleanor Estes |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Learning to read |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 1952 |
A brother and sister pick a dog, earn the money to buy him, raise him, and search for him for months when he is stolen.
Newbery Winner, 1952
My then-11 year-old guessed who the "Man In the Yellow Hat" was long, long before the siblings discovered the culprit. And, in fact, she became quite frustrated with the young protagonists as they searched for their dog in such a disorganized fashion. |
Nonetheless, we both found the descriptions of the children's life in a small town at the turn of the century charming.
Probably best for readers significantly younger than 11 and/or older than 20.
A great choice for a very precocious young reader.
-- Emily Berk |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Ginger Pye |
Posted in Animals, Child-raising, Conceptual: age 5 and up, Dealing with bullies, Fiction, History, Reading level: age 8 and up | Comments Closed
Monday, June 18th, 2007
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| Author: | Simon Winchester |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 12 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 12 and up |
| Genre: | non-fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2005 |
Simon Winchester begins and ends with the San Francisco earthquake (and fire) of 1906, but by the time he gets around to it the second time, he's provided descriptions of earthquakes and tsunamis throughout the world so detailed that I was almost afraid to finish the book. But how could I not? |
Winchester's descriptions of the people and places affected are compelling. For example, the Cassandra in me
was moved by the story of the fire chief of San Francisco, Dennis Sullivan, who argued "for years that the city was a tinderbox waiting to be struck.... He must have felt vindicated when, in October 1905, the National Board of Fire Underwriters declared that San Francisco's water-supply system... was in such poor shape that the hydrants would not be able to halt anything approaching a major fire." "[T]he San Francisco fires raged, at first wholly unchecked, for ... three days" after the earthquake. Within 12 hours, half of the city had been completely burned. "Time and again, since almost every one of the hydrants proved to be dry, the firemen could only look on impotently and suffer the jeers of the crowds which at first could not understand why nothing was being done to contain the inferno."
Winchester's explanations of the geology are clear and frank. The appendix about the Richter Scale is worth the price of admission.
Obviously, not for the squeamish. But a must-read for everyone else who lives on Earth. And not just for those who live in California. Look up New Madrid in the index.
-- Emily |
| Similar books |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Crack In the Edge of the World, A: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 |
Posted in Biography, Conceptual: age 12 and up, Culture, Death is a central theme, History, Reading level: age 12 and up, Science | Comments Closed
Friday, June 15th, 2007
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| Author: | George MacDonald |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 5 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 5 and up |
| Genre: | fiction, fairy tale |
| Year of publication: | 1873 |
A parable that preaches unquestioning loyalty to an inherited monarchy and being hospitable to strangers. |
Like At the Back of the North Wind by the same author, this one is a book that fails to transcend its times.
I found it nearly impossible to stomach from early on. My 12 year old became outraged by the ending.
-- Emily Berk |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Princess and Curdie, The |
Posted in Conceptual: age 5 and up, Culture, Dragons and/or mythological beasts, Fairy tales, Fiction, History, Reading level: age 5 and up, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007
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| Author: | Diana Wynne Jones |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 8 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 1991 |
A magical chemistry set unites the five children in a newly-blended family, and, eventually, helps three of them learn to respect and trust their new father, who is big and loud enough to be an ogre. |
As usual, Diana Wynne Jones successfully combines magical and mundane realities in highly creative and unpredictable ways.
-- Emily |
| Similar books |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Ogre Downstairs, The |
Posted in Child-raising, Conceptual: 8 and up, Fairy tales, Fiction, Gifted, Parenting gifted children, Reading level: age 8 and up, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
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| Author: | Georgia Byng |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 5 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2003 |
"Why don't they make books like THIS one into movies?," my 12 year old exclaimed. I was listening to this book on tape and dear daughter, who had read the book a few years earlier, was lured into listening.
Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism like Molly Moon's Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure, which we read a while back, narrates the story of Molly Moon, an orphan, and her best friend Rocky. |
Unlike Harry Potter, Nathaniel, and many of Diana Wynne Jones' fictional heroes and heroines (all of whom we enjoy reading about), Molly does not inherit her gift, but instead studies and works hard to master it pretty much on her own.
In this first book in the Molly Moon series, a celebration of independence and librarians, Molly learns to be a very powerful hypnotist. Although at some points in the book, she uses her powers "for the dark side", she eventually reflects on the ethics of her actions and comes up with creative solutions that make amends for the problems she caused.
Highly recommended for children and for lovers of books.
-- Emily Berk |
| Similar books |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism |
Posted in Animals, Broadway musicals, Conceptual: age 5 and up, Culture, Dealing with bullies, Fairy tales, Female protagonist, Fiction, Gifted, Reading level: age 8 and up, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
