The Rock and the River Review

Book Talk: The year is 1968 and the civil rights movement is in full swing.  Sam's father is at the forefront of the non-violence movement, along with his mentor and friend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Sam has grown up listening to his father stir up crowds and rallies and preach the tenets of non-violence, but when King is assassinated he begins to question if peaceful protest will ever be enough.  His older brother does more than just question his father's methods and becomes a member of the Black Panthers.  Sam loves both his father and his brother, and he can understand the reasons each chose their methods.  But during the increasing turmoil of the times he can't straddle the line between the two extremes forever.  Sam's life is swept along by the tide of both movements and when he realizes he can no longer return to the life he once knew he has to pick which path he will follow.

Rocks my socks: This is one of the most unflinching and well-written historical novels I have ever read.  It takes on difficult issues without backing down and performs an amazing balancing act with elements of historical fact, character development, and plot that resulted in a pitch-perfect novel that keeps you turning the pages while still providing occasional relief from the tension of the plot, which allows each pivotal moment to have all the more impact.  A lot of historical novels make the mistake of allowing historical events to entirely drive the plot and the result is characters that are basically stand-in guides through an era, but the characters in this novel are complex and layered fully developed, which really allows the reader to be immersed in the era and see events and care about them through the character's eyes.  The book left me without any definite answers but with a deeper understanding of the questions, and as far as I'm concerned that's the mark of a great book.

Rocks in my socks:  My eyes were so sore from crying by the time I finished the novel, which isn't a real complaint, but I'm hard-pressed to come up with any.  I do think the ending would have been more interesting if we hadn't found out what Sam's final choice was, if it had ended a few pages sooner.  It would have upset readers, but it would have got them talking and led to some interesting debates.

Every book its reader: This would be a good book to read as a class or in a discussion group both so that more historical context could be provided and because this book screams to be discussed.  I'd recommend it to 7th grade and up.

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon.

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Shark vs. Train Review

Finally a book has been published answering the age-old question of who would win in a fight: a shark or a train.  The book thoroughly explores the possible outcomes given different situations ranging from the standard scenario of a shark winning in the ocean to the more original circumstance of a train using its powerful furnace to win in a burping contest.  The playful illustrations that accompany each scene will delight young readers as they are taken on a train trip through their imagination, or is it a shark ride?  Either way the fanciful landscapes in this book will stretch and spark a child's imagination.  This book will be particularly valuable and entertaining for children in the preoperational stage described by Piaget where children begin to understand symbols and enjoy fantasies and dreams.  The sparse text and elaborate drawings will provide rich materials for children in this stage as they begin to draw pictures from memory and delight in fantasies.

Shark Vs. Train. By Chris Barton & Tom Lichtenheld. Little, Brown and Company, 2010. [16] pages. $16.99, ISBN 978-0-316-00762-7

Velma Gratch Review

It's hard being the last of three sisters to enter first grade.  All of Velma's teachers remember Frieda for her wonderful singing voice and skills in math.  They remember Fiona for how fast she could run on the soccer field and how well she spelled.  But Velma's teachers can hardly even remember her name!  All this changes, however on a field trip to a butterfly conservatory where Velma gets to stand out for her own reasons.

This story will resonate with all children entering school in the shadow of an older sibling and the whimsical nature of the text and the colorful and engaging illustrations will be sure to please and entertain even only children.  The lesson of the importance of being true to yourself and carving out your own path is one that is important to all children, and reflects principals of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences.  Velma's sister Frieda appears to be strong in rhythmic and logical intelligences while Fiona appears gifted in kinesthetic and linguistic intelligences.  As linguistic and logical intelligences are highly valued in traditional school settings, both older sisters did well in school and are fondly remembered by their teachers.  The interactive nature of the field trip allowed Velma's own skill in naturalist intelligence to shine through.  This shows the importance of differentiated education in making each child feel valued by allowing them to explore subjects using a variety of intelligences and not just through the traditional linguistic and logical modes.

Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly. By Alan Madison.  Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Schwartz & Wade Books, 2007. [18] pages. $17.99, ISBN 978-0-375-83597-1

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Picture Book Reviews

I am taking a course in children's materials ages 5-8 this semester, and I will have to review a lot of picture books for it.  I'm going to post them here, but they will follow the format my teacher has outlined rather than my regular one.  They will also probably contain some odd add-on regarding whatever part of the week's readings in educational theories our teacher wants us to discuss.  I will also keep up with my regular posting of books read in my free time in the usual format.   Just a heads up; I hope you enjoy them!

The Great Wide Sea Review

Book talk:  When Ben's mother dies all he wants is some time to be alone, but his father has other plans.  One day he announces that he's sold their house and bought a sailboat and that the family is going to spend a year sailing around the Bahamas.   Ben and his two brothers don't want to go, but he is their father and so they have to go anyway.  Ben is so upset with his father he doesn't even want look at him, so living on a 30 foot long boat with him 24/7 seems like the worst fate imaginable, that is until the worst truly does happen.  One morning they wake up in the middle of the ocean to find their father gone.  The boys are left all alone, and a storm bigger than any they've ever seen is brewing on the horizon.

Rocks my socks:  I like how layered the characters are and the changes they go through as they deal with their grief.  None of the characters are perfect, they all make mistakes they wish they could take back, but in the end they're family and they know that they have to stick together.  I also found the descriptions of their trip fascinating.  I could tell that the author had actually been to many of these places, and her experience and the sense of place really comes through and enriches the novel.

Rocks in my socks: The tone of the novel was pretty unrelenting and even scenes that could have been nice, relaxing interludes were told in a way that made me extremely aware of the fact that it was just the calm before the storm so I was still on edge.  I read the book in one sitting and by the end I felt like I had been battered by a storm myself.

Every book its reader: This book is perfect for a teenager seeking a fast-paced adventure novel, especially for those who like survival stories or with an interest in sailing.

The Great Wide Sea by M. H. Herlong

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Toby Alone

Book talk: When you are only one and a half millimeters tall, a tree can seem like the whole world, and that world is a dangerous place.  Ants, weevils, birds, and even rain drops can pose a big threat.  But the world is even more dangerous for thirteen-year-old Toby who suddenly finds himself the subject of a massive manhunt.  A whole army of big muscled and small-brained crooks are out looking for him, and with his parents held hostage and his friends turning on him, he quickly finds himself alone.  But Toby's not the only one in danger: with organized criminals taking over the tree, exploiting all its resources and silencing all the opposition, the tree itself is in danger, and all who live in it.  How can Toby save the tree and its people when most of them are trying to kill him?  It's a big responsibility for such a small boy, especially one who's all alone.

Rocks my socks:  The world Fombelle creates is delightfully creative and entertaining.  Just imagining the world as it would appear to someone one and a half millimeters tall is a refreshing lesson in perspective.  Toby is constantly getting himself into scrapes that seem almost absurd from our lofty stature, but Toby's bravery and ingenuity in getting back to safety won me over.  There is also a cast full of wonderful characters, including Toby's parents.  It was nice to see a story where a kid actually has adults he can rely on and look up to, and yet due to the fact of their being held hostage we still get to see Toby trying to survive on his own.  I like the themes it weaves in of sustainability and doing the right thing in the face of danger and prejudice.

Rocks in my socks: Even though the book is full of action the tone of the book is almost one of detached amusement so that the pacing doesn't feel very fast.  When Toby got out of a scrape I often thought "How clever!" but I never thought "Phew, that was a close one!"  The book was very entertaining, but I read it over a week or so right before bed and I never had difficulty putting it down when the time came to go to sleep.

Every book its reader: I recommend it to fans of adventure grades 4th and up.  There's plenty to appeal to a wide range of readers because while the main narrative starts with Toby at 13, it ends with him at 15 and much of the story is spent in flashback to when he was younger.  While there is a lot of action, there's nothing too frightening in there, the only obstacle for younger readers would be its length.

Bonus Quote: "Words are the enemy of darkness.  If you choose to be their friend, they will help you out all your life...that was why people talked about being 'familiar' with a word or language.  They were like a family to you."

Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle, translated by Sarah Ardizzone, illustrated by Francois Place
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Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin Review

Book Talk: After Will leaves his deaf school for a mainstream one, he has plenty of trouble just trying to fit in. So he stays on the sidelines, lip-reading from afar to see what the cool kids are talking about and writing it down with his own snarky commentary in a notebook.  But a whole new level of trouble is unleashed when one of his classmates dies on a field trip.  Was it a jealous friend?  A jilted lover? A hired hitman? Suddenly, Will's notes and lip-reading abilities become valuable assets in his investigation.  Will and his new friend are a far cry from the Hardy boys, but together they just may be able to find the killer--if they don't get themselves killed first.

Rocks My Socks: The author clearly did his research for this book, and I really appreciated it.  From the politics of Deaf culture that I remember learning about in ASL class to Will's reflections on what the mechanics of certain signs remind him of.  I also really loved Will as a character and it's easy to empathize with his outsider perspective and appreciate his snarky take on the conversations of the cool kids.  The Hardy boys references were amusing to me as well, even though I haven't read any Hardy boys books.

Rocks In My Socks: The characters other than Will aren't particularly well developed, and even Will doesn't make much of a change from the beginning to the end of the novel.  The novel also suffers from Useless Adult Syndrome with most of the adult characters either actively harming the kids in the book or indirectly doing so through indifference or ignorance.

Every Book Its Reader: I'd give it to grades 7 and up who appreciate a sarcastic sense of humor.  Fans of the Hardy Boys who have grown up and are looking for something a bit darker will enjoy this novel.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk; Knopf, 2010
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