Family Reads

Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink

Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink

by MAC (Melissa A. Calderone) © 2008, 256 pages Level 5 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

Eleven-year-old Anna Smudge stumbles on to a career of helping people figure out their problems while she gets handed a doozy of her own to solve. While juggling loads of homework and therapy sessions in a storage closet of her apartment building, she has to unravel a complex mystery involving an escaped hitman, her off-kilter art teacher, and someone named Mr. Who. Her father's life depends on it! Her band of misfit yet likable friends joins with her in cracking a case that has the adults of New York City so baffled that they deny the very existence of Mr. Who.

We received an advance reader's copy of Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink from the publisher, Toasted Coconut Media. It's the first in a series of books titled The Professionals, featured on their website WhoisMrWho.com. They describe the book as a graphic novel and despite the fact that the only illustrations are at the beginning of chapters, it definitely reads like one, explaining its debut at the New York Comic Con this February.

Lori

I have to begin by saying that this book is not the type I would normally choose to read. It's a fast-paced action story low on emotional involvement. Ben and I read this book separately and I was tempted to give up several times because it just wasn't clicking with me. Ben, on the other hand, zipped through it in a couple of days. But after we watched the Nancy Drew movie, I could see some similarities between the two female sleuths that made Anna a little more appealing. Finally, I got hooked on the mystery and finished it quickly after that.

I'm still a little torn about this book because it isn't as sweet or kind-hearted as the ones I like to recommend. It's a little crude here and there, but no more so than an average family movie like Kicking and Screaming. It's a very modern book, and that probably says a lot about why it's not my favorite ;) But it's an interesting concept, the unique characters are smart and capable, and kids who enjoy quick-moving mysteries should be amply entertained. I'm looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

Ben

I really enjoyed this book. It is fast paced and has lots of action. I disagree with the fact that Anna Smudge is a touch crude, and if I'm wrong it is because it is a modern story. There is a slow beginning, but the book builds up speed like a train until the cliff-hanger ending. I highly recommend this book to any young mystery fan.

The Strictest School in the World

The Strictest School in the World

by Howard Whitehouse
© 2006, 252 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

It's 1894 and a pioneering young scientist named Emmaline is working on creating a flying machine. The only problem is...she's intensely afraid of being in the air. She needs an assistant, and that's where Robert "Rubberbones" Burns comes in.

So begins The Strictest School in the World: Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly Broken. Set in an English village, the story follows the efforts of Emmaline and Robert, as aided by her indulgent Aunt Lucy and their butler, Lal Singh.

The group spends a summertime happily engaged in their aviation endeavors until Emmaline's distant parents send her away to St. Grimelda's School for Young Ladies, which happens to be The Strictest School in the World. It doesn't take long for Emmaline to experience the horrors that occur behind its towering stone walls and decide that she must find a way out. Many students have come to the same conclusion, but not one has ever escaped successfully. But with Emmaline's knowledge of flying machines and her cohorts on the outside who are willing to assist in her getaway, will she have what it takes to break free?

This is a thoroughly fun book and a perfect candidate for a multi-age family read-aloud. It's enjoyable on so many levels, featuring lovable and brave characters, a simple story, and humor throughout. The author takes advantage of every opportunity to play with the book, from the "reviews" on the back cover written by characters in the book, and the prehistoric pet pterodactyls kept by the school to maintain order with the students, to the names of the characters like Miss Sumfiddle, the mathematics instructor, and Miss Venividivici, the frightening Latin teacher.

The Strictest School in the World is a lighthearted book that's wonderfully suited for the end of the school year when most of our students are dreaming of their own impending freedom. And it looks like the adventures continue with a followup all ready and waiting for us: The Faceless Fiend: Being the Tale of a Criminal Mastermind, His Masked Minions and a Princess with a Butter Knife.

Odd Velvet

Odd Velvet

by Mary Whitcomb
© 2007, 32 pages Level 2 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

You know those kids who are just different? Velvet is one of them. On the first day of school, she gives the teacher an egg carton filled with treasures, including seven of her favorite rocks. She wears her sister's old sweaters. She brings in a milkweed pod for Show and Tell, while all the rest of the girls bring in dolls. And then there's her name...Velvet.

The other children in school aren't mean to her, but they do keep their distance. "No one wanted to be different the way Velvet was different." They don't quite know how to relate to her unusual ways.

But bit by bit, they see how those unique traits make her more interesting. When they visit Velvet's birthday party for example, they are surprised at first when there are no magicians, wizards, or clowns to entertain them. But when they're allowed to paint their faces, put glitter in their hair, and turn her room into a castle and jump off her bed into a blue-blanket moat, they join right in to the homemade fun. As the children get to know Velvet she begins to make sense to them, and they see that though she may be different, she's not quite so odd after all.

Odd Velvet has a special place in my heart and it's one of those books that seems to get everything right. The quirky illustrations are a perfect match for offbeat Velvet and the text is nicely paced to keep younger readers' attention. Parents who find themselves making choices that put their children in the "different" category (whether it's clothing, entertainment, spending, etc.) will certainly appreciate the positive example set by lovable Velvet.

The Loud Silence of Francine Green

The Loud Silence of Francine Green

by Karen Cushman
© 2006, 240 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

The 1950s are usually portrayed as a time of peace and prosperity. World War II was over, the Baby Boom was in full swing, and the concept of a "teenager" was just gaining popularity. Sure, the political landscape was filled with the Cold War and Edward R. Murrow saying, "Good Night and Good Luck," but compared with what the world had just endured, these were happy days.

Amidst these events, 14-year-old Francine Green is figuring out who she is, who she wants to be, and where she fits into all this. As with most teenagers who are shaping their identities, Francine finds herself questioning her surroundings, circumstances, and authority figures in her life....Why do the nuns at her school squelch good questions? Why do her favorite immigrant storeowners have to move away? Why does her father want to build a bomb shelter?   

Francine rarely ever thought about these issues before Sophie Bowman transferred to her Catholic school, preferring to daydream about movie stars like Montgomery Clift. But as she befriends the rebellious new student, Francine begins to see that having an opinion about what's going on around you isn't necessarily a bad thing. Now she just needs to figure out what to do with her newfound ideas and how they can live alongside her father's directive: "Don't get involved."

While the story is set in 1949-50, Francine's quest to figure out her place in her world could just as easily take place in our post-9/11 culture. Growing up in the 80s, I remember similar thoughts and questions after viewing the The Day After, the TV movie about the aftermath of a nuclear war. Though the Cold-War era events in The Loud Silence of Francine Green are an important part of the plot, it's really Francine's relationships and search for self that form the foundation of this novel. Remembering the girl I was in my early teens made it especially easy to relate to Francine and understand her struggle to reconcile her meek and mild side with her braver, better self.

This book is a departure from the positive fare we tend to feature on Family Reads and if you have an especially sensitive or fearful child, you may want to steer clear. Ideally with a story containing this degree of political content, you'd read (or listen) to this book with him or her so you can take breaks to discuss the events. Regardless of your views, Newbery-Award-winning author Karen Cushman has provided the perfect opportunity to step into another era, take a look around, and form your own perspective on these historical happenings. 

The Thing About Georgie

The Thing About Georgie

by Lisa Graff © 2006, 220 pages Level 4 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

The Thing About Georgie is that he is a dwarf. And in Georgie's mind, that affects everything about his life—the clothes he wears, the way he turns on lights, the activities he joins, even the friends he has...and doesn't. And just about the time Georgie has figured out how to navigate his world, it gets turned upside-down. His parents announce that they are having another baby (who will probably be taller than Georgie very soon), he has a big fight with his best friend, and for a group project, he gets paired with his least favorite person in school.

Georgie feels pretty much on his own in the midst of his misery, and can't figure out how to clean up any of these messes. But when he finds help from an unexpected source, he starts to see that everything he thought he had figured out might have caused some of his problems in the first place.

Lori

For a book that's primarily about relationships, The Thing About Georgie still has an underlying what's-going-to-happen-next vibe that kept us zooming through it. I love it when a book can teach us something without ever feeling like a "And That's One to Grow On" PSA. Lisa Graff steers plenty clear of that preachy pitfall, while showing us what happens when we get through life based on a very narrow definition of ourselves: we limit the delightful surprises we might discover about who we are and who we can become.

Ben

My favorite part about this book is how the author keeps the story flowing with an exciting plot and interesting characters. She also reveals an unexpected twist about who narrates certain portions of the book. But my favorite thing about Lisa Graff is that she is helping me out big time with a school assignment by answering interview questions for a career project. Thanks, Ms. Graff!

Dear Max

Dear Max

by D.J. Lucas, a.k.a. Sally Grindley
© 2004, 141 pages Level 3 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

"When a world-famous author, D.J. Lucas, gets a letter from Max, a boy with a big imagination, anything can happen." What begins as a fan letter from Max to his favorite author, D.J. Lucas, leads to a correspondence between the two which eventually develops into a sweet friendship.

Max shares his day-to-day life and troubles in his letters to D.J., like the fact that he is being bullied at school because he's smaller than everyone else. He also talks about his ideas for a story he wants to write, and D.J. offers advice and encouragement along the way. In turn, she tells him about a book she's working on, plus a story she's recently been inspired to write...which just so happens to bear a striking resemblance to the life of Max.

I loved the tone of DJ's letters to Max—honest, down-to-earth, wryly humorous, and sympathetic, but never condescending. And Max's letters to D.J. are real, curious, creative and enthusiastic. Plus, they feature great illustrations, courtesy of Max. The characters are both English and just enough of their dialect shows through to add extra charm.

This was my second book in a row that consisted entirely of letters, and I've become a big fan of the format for several reasons: 1) It almost guarantees a quick reading pace, 2) when it's done well, the letters are dialogue, plot, and character development all rolled into one, and 3) you get all the pleasure of eavesdropping with none of the guilt ;)

Two books follow Dear Max and allow us to keep up with his further adventures: Bravo Max, in which Max decides to write a play, and Relax Max, where Max reveals his feelings through poetry.

Letters from Rapunzel

Letters from Rapunzel

by Sara Lewis Holmes
© 2007, 184 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

I devoured Letters from Rapunzel in a few quick gulps. Written as a series of letters, lists, and short essays; the format deserves partial credit for my speedy reading.  But the honest, funny main character and her quest are really why I raced through the pages.

The story begins with a girl who calls herself Rapunzel, because as a twelve-year-old stuck in the Homework Club, she feels trapped. Rapunzel uses her time there to start writing letters to a mysterious post office box number she found on a ripped up piece of paper in her father's favorite chair. She hopes this unknown recipient can help her in her quest to free her father from the evil spell that has seized control of his life.

In reality, the evil spell is clinical depression and Rapunzel's letters chronicle her initial refusal to accept her father's illness and then her struggle to understand its hold on him. The story never reads like an after-school special; instead, it moves along like a mystery. And the answers Rapunzel finds have just as much to say about her as they do her father.

The frank and humorous tone of the letters keep the mood of the book lighthearted despite its weighty subject matter. Rapunzel is a clever girl and it's easy to identify with her point of view as she points out just how ridiculous school can be.  "And it's the only thing keeping me sane while we review how to set up word problems again. Except Mrs. Seisnek says we should really think of them as word OPPORTUNITIES. Ha!"

Though our library categorized Letters from Rapunzel in its Juvenile Fiction section (and not Young Adult), I'm still calling this a Level 5 book, because an older reader might be better equipped to understand depression as well as some of Rapunzel's behavior which shouldn't be imitated.

Letters from Rapunzel is Sara Lewis Holmes's debut novel. I can't wait to read what she writes next! Until then, I'm looking forward to digging around in her blog.

The Boy Who Loved Words

The Boy Who Loved Words

by Roni Schotter
© 2006, 40 pages Level 2 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

Some people collect stamps. Some people collect stones. Some people collect baseball cards. At different points in his life, our son has collected all of those and more. Though one thing he's never tried to collect is words. But, Selig, the main character in The Boy Who Loved Words, chooses to do just that.

Selig loved everything about words—the sound of them in his ears (tintinnabulating!), the taste of them on his tongue (tantalizing!), the thought of them when they percolated in his brain (stirring!), and, most especially, the feel of them when they moved his heard (Mama!).

Whenever he hears a word he likes, Selig shouts it loud, jots it on a slip of paper and stuffs it into his pocket. Unsurprisingly, this attracts the notice of his schoolmates, who nickname Selig, "Wordsworth" and label him an oddball.

One night, lonely Selig has a dream in which a genie gives him some wise advice. Selig has found what many people spend their whole lives looking for—a passion. Now he just needs to find a purpose for his passion. What can he do with all those words? Selig sets off on a journey to find his mission in life and realizes it's as simple as spreading the word—sharing his words with others!

There are some great things going on in The Boy Who Loved Words that definitely make it worth your while: embracing who you are, learning to share your passion, and, my favorite, seeing words as something to love simply on their own. While the vocabulary in this book is somewhat daunting in an SAT kind of way, don't let that scare you away from sharing it with your kids. It's good to come in contact with words we don't know and figure out what they mean. Plus there's a handy glossary in back to help you along. And the effort will be worth it when you and your children make some new word-friends!

Charlie Bone and the Beast

Charlie Bone and the Beast

by Jenny Nimmo
© 2007, 464 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Read Amazon Reviews 

 

Charlie Bone and the Beast is the sixth book in the Charlie Bone series. This book gets a little confusing if you haven't read the first five, so you may want to start at the beginning. There are so many endowed children now that it is hard to keep track of them all. I highly recommend reading the three pages of notes on the endowed children and looking at Charlie's family tree before you begin reading.

There is a new endowed person called Dagbert Endless, a drowner (someone who has the power to drown people), who comes to Charlie's city one night with his father. The dastardly duo meet up with the evil Manfred and the rest of the Bloors.

The townspeople keep hearing howling noises at night. They call the creature who is making them the Wilderness Wolf. Who is the Wilderness Wolf? And how will this newest endowed battle work out?

For the most part, Charlie Bone and The Beast is a wonderful book, although it does, like every book, have its problems. The characters are sometimes hard to keep track of; you may find yourself asking, "Who's Olivia?" or "Wasn't Dagbert was the one who could fly." Also, if you are an older reader, you might find this book an easy read.

Though this novel has its ups and downs, Charlie Bone and the Beast provides a nail-biting story with a stupendous conclusion.

The Hundred Dresses

The Hundred Dresses

by Eleanor Estes
© 1944, 81 pages Level 3 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Let me start by emphasizing that this book is not too girly for boys! I skipped over this title for years while picking out books for Ben and once I finished it, I instantly regretted it.

The Hundred Dresses is a beautiful book about prejudice. Though written in 1944, this story could easily take place today (and does, just wearing different clothes). Peggy, the most popular girl in school, and Maddy, her friend, have a sidewalk encounter one day with an immigrant student named Wanda Petronski. As girls tend to do, they are discussing clothes and they begin to one-up each other about the style and magnitude of their wardrobes. Wanda, who wears the same threadbare dress every day, finally asserts that she has a hundred dresses, all lined up in her closet. This statement becomes an invitation for ridicule from the other girls. It was one thing for Wanda to sit in the back of the classroom quietly and rarely speak in her stilted English. But it was quite another to  come forth boldly with what was so obviously a lie. Peggy, Maddy, and their friends latch on to Wanda’s claim and snidely ask her about it each chance they get, walking away afterwards snickering and whispering.

Maddy feels guilty about the teasing and hesitates to join in, but her fear of being the next target (since she is plainly dressed herself) pushes her to participate in the mocking. One day, Wanda doesn’t show up at school and Maddy is seized with regret about the way they treated Wanda.

The events that follow are a powerful illustration of the true price to be paid for bullying – what happens when we grab the dignity of another person and carelessly toss it about for our own pleasure. The author gets down to a child’s perspective when telling the story, so it never feels preachy. And the ending shows us that the tragedy of the way the girls treated Wanda lies not only in how it made her feel, but in that they missed out on knowing an incredible human being.