Family Reads

Operation Typhoon Shore (The Guild of Specialists, Book 2)

Operation Typhoon Shore (The Guild of Specialists, Book 2)

by Joshua Mowll
© 2006, 277 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Operation Typhoon Shore is one of the most creative books I have ever read and definitely a Best Read. About 95% of the pages have at least one photograph, sketch, or databank that relates to the story. The book is mainly told in third-person, but Becca's diary entries, which are featured throughout the book, give her view of the story through a first-person perspective. I highly recommend reading the first book, Operation Red Jericho (which is just as great), before this one, as the second book doesn't give you much information about the events that occurred in the first one.

Becca and Doug MacKenzie are two children who live with their uncle, a captain of the Expedient and a member of the Guild of Specialists, on his boat. Though their parents are missing mysteriously, the MacKenzies are loyal to the captain, and go with him on a mission to find an evil man named Julius Pembleton-Crozier. They get caught in a typhoon on their way to his hide-out however, and are dumped on a strange island.

The rest of the story unfolds in a magnificent tale of betrayal, loyalty, and dark secrets. Operation Typhoon Shore is a spectacular book for a fifth level reader.

Family Reading Time

One of our favorite times as a family is when we read together. We started doing it here and there a few years ago and enjoyed it so much that we've made it part of our weekly schedule. One night a week, we sit down together in our living room after dinner, each of us with our own book or magazine, and read. Sometimes we put on some pleasant music, but often we just enjoy the silence and each other's company.

Once your children are reading books on their own, this is a great way to make a somewhat lonely activity ("Why don't you go in your room and read for awhile?") into something you can share together (even if your little ones can only last for a few minutes). Plus, it's great for children to see their parents read. It may even make young kids who wouldn't normally choose reading to want to act "grown up" and read just like the rest of the family.

Also, here's a twist that we have fun with. While we're all cozy on the couch, we'll take a quick break and each read a couple sentences from our book out loud. It's a revealing, random peak into what someone else is reading, exposing each of us to a wide variety of writing. We're inevitably amazed at just how different our three books are.

If you don't already do something similar, see if you can find 15-30 minutes sometime this week and give Family Reading Time a try. Let us know how it goes and feel free to share any tips or twists from your family!

Owl Babies

Owl Babies

by Martin Waddell
© 1992, 32 pages Level 2 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Okay, so maybe we are just a teensy bit partial to owls at Family Reads. But similarities to our logo notwithstanding, Owl Babies is a must-read picture book.

Honestly, the first time I picked up this book, it didn't do much for me. The illustrations are gorgeous, but the story seemed so-so...until I read it aloud. And then the text came alive with perfect rhythm, repetition, and a sense of humor I hadn't detected on my initial reading.

The story is simple and classic. Owl Mother is missing and, as good mommies do, she returns, assuring her three owl babies there's no reason to fret. In her absence, the siblings try to talk their way out of fear and into bravery by sticking together and guessing where she might be—except for Baby Bill, who can only squeak, "I want my mommy!" (You have to whine that part when you're reading aloud ;) It's a sweet look at a stage in life when everything is made all better just by Mommy coming back.

I'm excited to see that Owl Babies is available as a board book now. This one might get added to my shower gift collection!

Walk Two Moons

Walk Two Moons

by Sharon Creech
© 1994, 288 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

The Newbery Medal winner from 1995, Walk Two Moons  is a rich and bittersweet story told by main character Salamanca Tree Hiddle. After her mother leaves their farm in Bybanks, Kentucky, the family learns that she will not return, so Sal and her grandparents set off on a cross-country journey to visit her in Idaho.

Along the way, Sal's grandparent's ask her to tell a story and instantly she thinks of Phoebe Winterbottom. Sal tells them the story of Phoebe, her disappearing mother and the lunatic. Author Sharon Creech weaves in Sal's story so seamlessly yet clearly that we understand the parallels—and the differences—between the two girls' lives.

At one point in the book before Phoebe's mother disappears, anonymous notes start showing up on their front porch containing short phrases like, "Everyone has his own agenda," and, "Never judge a man until you walk two moons in his moccasins." And though these truisms could seem trite or preachy, they aren't. They come along at just the right time and are illustrated subtly and beautifully in the characters' stories.

I absolutely loved the language in this book, especially as it captured Sal's Kentucky upbringing with wonderful descriptive phrases like, "thumpingly hard." Gram, Gramps, Phoebe, and Sal's father all have their own distinct voice and it helps us get to know them a little better. I can tell these characters are going to stick with me for quite some time.

This is one of those books that classifies as young adult fiction because the main characters are in their early teens, yet the story definitely speaks to adults as well. I listened to the unabridged audio edition read by Hope Davis—highly recommended!

Spoiler alert! As a parent, I thinks it's important to know when a book for children involves death. In this case, near the very end of the book we learn that Sal's mother has not left her, but actually died in an accident. And as shocking as it is, it's also kind of a relief that she did not abandon her intentionally. One of the reviews on Amazon suggests that this book is appropriate for grades 6-9, and I agree completely.

Summerhouse Time

Summerhouse Time

by Eileen Spinelli
© 2007, 218 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Growing up in Michigan, many of my friends took the same summer vacation every year, spending time with extended family on the shores of the Great Lakes. It always sounded like so much fun to be part of a big group like that, enjoying the same people and familiar vacation rituals year after year. Summerhouse Time invites us to come along for just such a getaway on a beach in New Jersey.

"Every year:
A rented pink cottage full of family,
sand and sun—
Summerhouse Time.
Morning trips to the donut shop,
fish fry dinners, swapping stories—
Summerhouse Time.
Mom and Dad, dancing on the beach.
Sophie and her cousins, riding the waves.
Every year:
Summerhouse Time."

Written in simple free verse, this story pulls you in quickly and entices you to keep turning the pages with just the right amount of suspense as we wait to see what happens with different characters and situations. It's astonishing how much emotion, character development and plot author Eileen Spinelli manages to pack into these short chapters! She brilliantly captures that slice of life where we want everything to remain the same, even though we, ourselves, are caught up in the inevitable tides of change.

It was difficult to decide whether this book is a Level 3 or 4, because although it is a fairly short book, the main character Sophie is 11 years old and has her first crush on a boy—consider it an easy-reading Level 4 book.

Thanks for the feedback

We've received some terrific responses to our request for feedback earlier this month. We wanted to learn a little about our readers, especially the ages of your children, so that we always feature books and ideas that are truly helpful. Thanks to everyone who commented and also for your kind words! They are great to hear and duly celebrated around the dinner table. If you haven't introduced your family yet, we'd still love to hear from you.

Two more quick things before we return to our next regularly scheduled, dependably delightful book. First, we had a great conversation this week with a reader who is interested in contributing reviews. This is wonderful news! Each of you has many treasured books that we will never come across. Plus, now that we have a (so-close-to) teenager, we're not quite as up-to-date on books for young children. If you'd like to share some of your favorite books, we'd love to post them here. And don't be intimated by the thought of writing an in-depth review — we also plan on featuring Quick Picks that require little more than a few sentences on why you and your family loved the book. If you're interested, learn more here.

Second, we found out some fun news about Family Reads this week that will help spread the word; look for more details in two weeks! In the meantime, thanks to everyone who has linked to Family Reads or added a graphic to your site. If you haven't yet, check out our lovely images here (plus the simple HTML to make it happen).

Project Mulberry

Project Mulberry

by Linda Sue Park
© 2005, 225 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Project Mulberry is a realistic fiction novel about friendship, silkworms, and racism. The book, a Bluebonnet Award Nominee, is told from the point of view of a Korean girl named Julia Song. She has recently moved into a small town in Illinois and is struggling to fit in, while still honoring her heritage. A neat thing about this book is that the main character, Julia, and the author have a conversation with one another at the end of each chapter. These are often colorful and hilarious.

I made this book a Level 5, because it does deal honestly, but in a good way, with racism, friendship, and family life. Project Mulberry is a delicious book with a flowing plot and good word choice.

A Fairy Tale Beginning

As I mentioned in my post yesterday about the Sisters Grimm, fractured fairy tales are everywhere these days, and for good reason—they are fun! But you'll find them even more entertaining when you know the real story behind them. So before you dive into modern takes on these classic tales, get familiar with the original version first.

You'll find some startling stories awaiting you in the works of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and their yarn-spinning counterparts in other countries. But, despite what can sometimes seem like fairly brutal tales, don't shy away from the complete text of the original version. Certainly, you'll need to preview the story ahead of time and gauge whether it's appropriate for your child's stage of development; however, the rich, complex language is a large part of the fairy tale experience and deserves to be enjoyed in full.

These tales are deeply woven into the fabric of our culture. Whether or not, as adults, we remember the specific plots and characters, fairy tales are a major component of our collective folklore. Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of these celebrated stories:

• Get a good translation. Here's the version of The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales we bought eight (!) years ago to read to Ben.
• Read fairy tales aloud, and don't rush it. Take your time, using a clear voice.
• The lack of pictures is a good thing. Imagination will provide abundant illustration in the minds of your listeners. Have them draw what they see, even if it is just expressive colors.
• Consider reading one story several times in a week, perhaps even acting it out with simple dolls or yourselves.
• Once you tackle the basics of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and solo stories like Perrault's Cinderella, branch out into other cultures and genres—Greek mythology, Aesop's fables, Native American stories, African folktales and more. There is a wealth of wonderful stories out there, and reading these to your children is a great way to lay a foundation for future explorations in world history.
• And don't miss this National Geographic site presenting 12 unvarnished tales from the Brothers Grimm!

The Sisters Grimm - The Fairy Tale Detectives

The Sisters Grimm - The Fairy Tale Detectives

by Michael Buckley
© 2005, 284 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Two sisters find themselves launched into a strange new world following the seemingly inexplicable disappearance of their parents. After fleeing from a series of freaky foster families, Sabrina and Daphne are taken to their long, lost grandmother. This is confusing for the girls since their parents had told them their grandparents were all dead. So who is this weird old lady with strange habits? And what does she want to do with them? Just as the girls begin to think this is one more bizarre home to escape from, Granny and her friend Mr. Canis are captured by a giant. The girls come to learn about their Grimm heritage and realize they must rescue the only family they have left. And that's when The Sisters Grimm become Fairy Tale Detectives.

Fractured fairy tales certainly aren't scarce these days (I kept finding similarities to Shrek in particular), but it's hard not to be charmed by this book, which keeps you laughing while eagerly turning the pages to find out how the girls solve this case.

The occupations of the Everafters (as the fairy tale characters are called) are particularly amusing as they try to fit in to our world. Jack works at a Big and Tall Clothing store, the Three Little Pigs go into law enforcement and Prince Charming suffers a string of business failures such as a failed diamond mine partnership with the seven dwarfs and a wholesale carpet company poorly managed by his business partner, Ali Baba.

After the exciting climax, the book paves the way for future adventures in the Sisters Grimm series, as Sabrina and Daphne are given brand-new, cloth-bound journals to continue the family tradition of recording the events in the Everafters' lives.

"As your father and generations of Grimms before him did, it is your responsibility to put on paper what you see, so that future generations can know what you went through," Granny said. "We are Grimms. This is what we do."

I'd highly recommend checking out some of the original tales before you dive into this fun variation—more on that tomorrow!

Flotsam

Flotsam

by David Wiesner
© 2006, 40 pages Level 2 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

If you haven't had a chance to pick up Flotsam yet, put it on the list for you next library trip! Author/illustrator David Wiesner won the Caldecott Medal for this wordless picture book about a boy's day of discovery at the beach. As described on the jacket flap, flotsam is "something that floats. If it floats in the ocean, it may wash up on the beach, where someone may find it and be astonished, and share the discovery with someone else..."

When an inquisitive boy explores the beach he's visiting with his parents, he finds something amazing has washed in with the waves: a Melville Underwater Camera. He runs to get the film developed and what he sees in the pictures is food for many fantasies. The last picture in the bunch gives him an idea, and allows him to further the journey of this magical found object.

And if that description isn't enough to tempt you, don't miss the glowing reviews on Amazon about this much-loved book!