The Book Stacks

Ashley was not prepared for the turmoil and disasters this baby chimpanzee would create. At times, she wished she had left baby Tina at her home in Africa.

Would they ever be able to control her? Just how far would she go?

I haven’t reviewed a children’s book here on The Book Stacks and I can’t claim to know anything about the industry or how you do things when writing a children’s book. So if anything I say sounds strange or off track, please remember that.

That being said, I am happy to review a fun children’s book by Grace Riddick.

Riddick takes one childhood fantasy and turns it into a reality for her character, Ashley. Having brought home a chimp from Africa, Ashley quickly realizes that it’s not all fun and games when you care for a pet.

Like a good children’s book, Ashley’s Unforgettable Summer teaches a lesson as well as entertains. Children will love Tina the chimps mischievous all while seeing how much work a pet can be.

While I did notice a few errors in the punctuation, they didn’t take much away from the overall story being told. I would have personally liked to see more illustrations, but that’s purely just me.

I would recommend this story to any parent or child wanting a fun and entertaining read.

You’ve heard the claims that the earth is warming up just because of cars, light bulbs, factories and the many other wonders that human ingenuity has created. But is it really true?

Yes, it’s OK to chill about global warming. Look inside and find out why.

I was, admittedly, someone who didn’t know much about global warming. So when I heard this book is about global warming but also geared for children ages eight and up, I felt quite excited. I’m not ashamed to say I wanted to start at this level of reading to start learning about things.

The first thing that struck me about this book is that right in the beginning, Fretwell points out that her list of sources is in the back and you should check them out for yourself. That is probably the best beginning of a ‘might not agree with popular opinions’ book I have ever read.

She doesn’t want to challenge your beliefs without being able to back up what she’s written with facts.

I would love to send this book to everyone, child and adult alike, because there are so many people who have no idea about the facts that are in this book.

For example, if humans are the sole cause of global warming, then why is Mars getting warmer too?

There are a lot of amazing facts like that in there that you probably didn’t know.

I firmly believe that it is the informed country that can truly take steps towards making the world a better place for everyone. If you want to be more informed about global warming (with a list of sources to back up your knowledge) then you need to read this book.

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell was the most banned book of 2006 according to the ALA. Now, I can see why some folks may not like this cute story about a couple of male chinstrap penguins who hatch an egg and raise the chick together, but if they don’t like it, they don’t have to read it. That will not, however, change the fact that the book is based on a true story. A true story with a very high “awwww” factor, in my not so humble opinion. Yes, Roy, Silo, and Tango are real penguins that live in New York’s Central Park Zoo. I wonder how long penguins live. I’d like to visit this zoo (which was mentioned in Meg Cabot’s Princess Dairies by the way) and I’m not sure how long it will be before I can make it out there.

Henry Cole, the illustrator for this book, did an excellent job making each page visually interesting. Many of the pages have the same basic colors, so it must have been quite the challenge for him to add enough movement and body language among the penguins to accomplish this. The faces he drew for the penguins are very expressive, as you can see from the cover. The penguins do not speak for themselves in this book. The reader must rely on narration and the illustrations to understand what is going on. The authors do just as good a job with their end of things as the illustrator does with his. Apart from being a cute story, this book has teaches tolerance for non-traditional families and I feel that it does it well.

To sum up: This controversial book tells its story in a way that should be easy enough for anyone to understand. It is well written and entertainingly illustrated. Read it. Tell your friends about it. Annoy the folks who try to keep it from you.

And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, Henry Cole

Scaredy Squirrel is back with another harrowing adventure. Before I tell you about it, though, he would like you to wash your hands and brush your teeth. Our hero is not fond of germs…or things that bite. In Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Mélanie Watt, Scaredy decides to make a friend. This involves a great deal of planning and preparation. It’s not okay to just jump into these things, you know. There are things that can bite you out there, and you need to have a idea of what to do when you find that possible friend. As you might expect, things don’t really end up going according to the plan. Don’t worry. Scaredy doesn’t encounter any suspicious bunnies or *gasp* Godzilla.

The artwork in this sequel is just as cute as it was last time around. Truthfully, I’d love to frame the book and put it on my wall. I love every page. I particularly enjoyed the page called “How to make the Perfect First Impression.” Who knew that lemonade was involved? I would like to thank Dan for telling me that this book was available. I have already read it at two people…and they didn’t scream and run away, so that should tell you something. If you enjoyed Scaredy Squirrel, be sure to get yourself a copy of this one too.

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, Mélanie Watt

The Secret Life of Walter Kitty by Barbara Jean Hicks and illustrated by Dan Santat, is the story of a cat with a vibrant inner life. To begin with, he insists that his name is not “Walter,” “Wally,” “Kitten,” and especially not “Nincompoop.” His name is “Fang.” Why will no one listen to him? He even helps out around the house. The Biddles should give him more respect…and maybe let him finish his wonderful dreams.

As you can see on the cover, “Fang” has a dark spot around his left eye that looks a bit like an eye-patch. Throughout the story, this spot lends our hero a slightly roguish appearance. Even when he is trying to “help out” you can feel a little bit of mischief lurking in the background of his character. Although the illustrations tend to rely on more “earthy” tones of expression, Walter Kitty’s energy makes each image seem to be sparkling with energy. As you may have gathered, I quite enjoyed this little story which is told in prose from the cat’s point of view. I am owned by a couple of cats myself, so I recognized the relationship between our hero and his person. It’s so nice of him to tolerate Mr. Biddle for the sake of Mrs. Biddle, don’t you think? I feel that The Secret Life of Walter Kitty would be a great bed-time story for any household that includes a cat.

I almost didn’t have a book to review for today. I have holds on three picture books (Thanks, Dan!) but they haven’t arrived yet. I meant to go over to the Children’s Section at work today, but things got really busy. I got back to my desk after we closed and despaired of having something fun to share with you all. And then… My Co-worker Sally appeared with this book in her hands, insisting that I take it home and read it. Obviously, it was a sign. I had to read the book. I’m glad I did. (And I hereby promise the cat who is curled up next to me not to wake her from her dreams…just in case.

The Secret Life of Walter Kitty, Barbara Jean Hicks, Dan Santat

Hello, and welcome to this meeting of the Book Stacks Book Club: Cover to Cover. Today we are discussing Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper. This book is the first in the The Dark is Rising sequence. The second book is The Dark Is Rising, which tends to confuse folks. My copy of Over Sea, Under Stone is autographed by Mrs. Cooper, as I had the opportunity to hear her speak back in 2001. She’s quite the interesting speaker. I suppose that you have to be in order to keep a room full of Librarians interested. The thing that stuck with me the most from her lecture was her account of her childhood during World War II. At that time, apparently, it was common for children to have collections of shrapnel, like children today might have a collection of sea shells. As I said, it was an interesting lecture. (It was also just down the street from Powell’s Books in Portland. *grin*)

I first encountered this book, and the rest of the books in the series, in my Mother’s Middle School Library. She was a big fan of the series herself, and if you ask her about it the first thing that she will tell you is that she had to wait for each book to come out. That would place her reading of the series in the 1960s. I agree with her. I love this series. Perfectly normal kids are on holiday with their family and Great Uncle, and the war between light and dark finds them. I suppose that who you adopt into your family can make a difference, yeah? I feel like the book has aged a bit, but I don’t care. It’s still a great fantasy adventure in the land of Arthur.

Well, what did *you* think of the book? As is now customary, I would like to begin the discussion with the following question:

1. Did you like the book?

I love this book. Heck, I love the whole series. The Drew children are believable characters. The war between light and dark is fought without great magical attacks. Instead, there is an adventure with a treasure map and the battle is fought against folks in boats and the incoming tide.

2. Who was your favorite character?

Great-Uncle Merry. Well, I liked Barney for his Arthurian fixation, but there is just something about Great-Uncle Merry. Perhaps it has something to do with his identity that Barney realizes at the end. Okay, it actually has a lot to do with things that happen later in the series, but I’m not going to get into that right now. My pick is Merry Lyon.

3. Do you think that they should adapt this book for film?

Well, someone was filmed reading it back in 1969 as part of a series called Jackanory on the BBC, but that’s not the same thing. Yes, I think that they should film this book, but it should be filmed by the BBC on location in Cornwall. I don’t really see this as a big-budget blockbuster. This is more like some of the things that were filmed for Big Blue Marble when I was wee. It would probably air on CBBC and I would never get to see it.

4. What did you think of the Arthurian overtones?

Like Barney, I am always a fan of anything Arthurian. I’ve read an entire book on the stories surrounding the Holy Grail (and I hope to make it back to Vacaville some time soon so that I can retrieve my book from the friend who still has it.) The Arthurian bits in the story make me very happy. If you read the rest of the series you will discover exactly why. Right now, all I can say is that King Elvis and The Alien Space Ducks are involved.

5. Does this book make you want to visit Cornwall?

Yes. Seriously. Ever since I read this book for the first time twenty years ago I’ve wanted to go and see Cornwall for myself. I’m pretty sure that this book is the reason that Cornwall ended up on my dream itinerary for a two week vacation in the UK. Anyway, who wouldn’t want to visit Logres?

Okay, it’s your turn. What did you think?
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The book which we will be discussing next time is The Black Dudley Murder (a.k.a. The Crime at Black Dudley) by Margery Allingham. It’s the first Albert Campion mystery. We will be discussing it on September 7, 2007. Please join us for the discussion. (Oh, and I am always accepting suggestions for future selections for Cover to Cover, so feel free to comment your suggestion now. Just remember that if I choose your book you will be expected to participate.)

Cover to Cover, Over Sea, Under Stone, Susan Cooper, The Black Dudley Murder, The Crime at Black Dudley, Margery Allingham

Those of you who read this blog regularly may have noticed that I have a slight obsession with filmed books. Okay, major obsession. So, I thought that you all might enjoy a list of filmed books for this week’s Thursday Thirteen. There are so many films out there that originated as books. This time around I will concentrate on Children’s Books. I love children’s books, and some of the most entertaining films have come from that age-range.

13 Children’s Books That Have Been Filmed:

1. Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key - (Ignore the second version of the film. Ew.)
2. Return From Witch Mountain by Alexander Key - (One of the closest adaptations I’ve seen.)
3. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot - (Different from the book, but fun all the same.)
4. Mio, My Son by Astrid Lindgren - (Filmed as “Mio in the Land of Faraway.”)
5. Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White - (One live action and one animated adaptation.)
6. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - (Also filmed as “The Hideaways.”)
7. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans - (The live action version is quite well done.)
8. Lisa and Lottie by Erich Kästner - (That would be “The Parent Trap.” Yes, it’s been done at least twice.)
9. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander - (It has the name of the 2nd book of the series, but contains some of the the first 2.)
10. The Borrowers by Mary Norton - (This seems to have been filmed 4 times.)
11. Chocky by John Wyndham - (I saw this one on Nickelodeon ages back.)
12. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett - (Filmed several times.)
13. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine - (I still need to read that book…)

Has your favorite Children’s Book been made into a film or tv series? Did you like the adaptation? Let me know.

Thursday Thirteen, Escape to Witch Mountain, Alexander Key, Return From Witch Mountain, Alexander Key, The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot, Mio, My Son, Astrid Lindgren, Charlotte’s Web, E. B. White, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg, Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans, Lisa and Lottie, Erich Kästner, The Black Cauldron, Lloyd Alexander, The Borrowers, Mary Norton, Chocky, John Wyndham, A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

Today’s book review is in honor of Dan the Library Man at Vacaville Public Library - Cultural Center, as he is the first person who ever read the book to me. Or was that George (his puppet dog extraordinaire)? In either case, Bark George by Jules Feiffer is a fun little romp about a pup named George and his mother who would really like him to bark. He’ll moo, oink, or quack, but he just won’t bark. What exactly is going on?

This book is perfect for storytime. It’s short. Most of the images are very simple. Oh, and it’s darn cute. Well, apart from the tiniest bit of grossness (that the kids will love) that involves a vet. It’s set up in a “echo/response” format. George’s Mother asks him to bark on one page, and George make another sort of noise instead on the facing page. Give it a try. It won’t take very long, and you’ll really enjoy the end. Trust me on this.

book review, Vacaville Public Library, Bark George, Jules Feiffer

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while may have noticed that I tend to enjoy fantasy books. Lately books of that genre have become hot properties in the film industry. Harry Potter, Eragon, The Dark is Rising…the list goes on. Once such film is The Spiderwick Chronicles based on the series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. It’s due to appear in US theaters on 15 February 2008, and it stars Freddie Highmore as twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace.

Amazon says this about the first book in the series: “The first book in a beautifully produced series of five, The Field Guide sets up the story of the Grace children–13-year-old Mallory and 9-year-old twins Jared and Simon–who with their mother move into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate only to quickly find themselves sucked into a dark and fascinating world of faeries.”

I’m not sure how much of the series that the film will cover, but I’m intrigued now. I’ve been meaning to read this series for ages. Enjoy the trailer!

The Spiderwick Chronicles, Holly Black, Tony DiTerlizzi, Freddie Highmore

And Now, a Guest Review of The Lorax By Dr. Seuss as reviewed by JM of Fiction Scribe

“I am the Lorax. I Speak for the trees.”

There aren’t a lot of specific words or phrases from my childhood that continue to stick with me today, but that one from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax has since the first time it was read to me so long ago.

In his traditional Seuss style, Seuss tells a not-so-traditional tale of tragedy which rivals that of the tale of Juliet and her Romeo. You may think me foolish for comparing the two, but they are both tragedies. We are taken through the terrible destruction of paradise caused by the greed of only one person, the Once-ler, whose name has deeper meaning if you’re willing to look.

In the end of The Lorax, we are offered a bit of hope, as should be the way with any children’s book, but I wonder if the real world will reflect the ending of “Unless” as the book did.

I enjoy books which speak to both the child and the adult, which Seuss accomplishes very nicely in this book. I’m not exaggerating when I say I hold this book up as one of the reasons I became environmentally conscious at such a young age and it stuck.

You’ve probably read The Lorax as a child, but take another look at it and let it touch you like it did when you were a child. In this day and age, we don’t have nearly enough Lorax’s to speak for the trees…

The Lorax, Dr. Seuss, Fiction Scribe

I have owned my copy of The Fire Cat by Esther Averill off and on since sometime in the late 1970s. My Mother subscribed to some sort of “I Can Read” book service, and The Fire Cat was one of the books we received. According to the inner cover, my sister and brother both owned this book at some point, but it eventually made its way back to me. Written for beginner readers, it is the story of a cat named Pickles who must learn to be good if he wishes to do big things someday. His friend Mrs. Goodkind believes in him, but even she knows that he needs to make a change in his behavior if he is to achieve his potential. One day, while chasing another cat up a tree, Pickles gets stuck, and the firemen must come and get him down. Can Pickles prove to the firemen that he can be a good, helpful cat? Will he finally do big things? Well, conveniently, The Fire Cat is not out of print, so it is likely that you can find a copy of the book and discover the ending for yourself.

As you may have gathered, I still love The Fire Cat. I rather suspect that this is because the story is told from Pickles’ point of view. It’s just fun to watch this cat’s thought process. My copy of this book has gotten a bit yellowed over time, but the illustrations are still just as I remembered them. They are quite simple, on the whole, and they are mostly in colors ranging from yellow to red with black borders. The author is also the illustrator. This may be why I’ve always thought that the illustrations complement the story. …And I love the image of the cat sliding down the fire pole on the cover. So, to sum up: Simple, easy to read story told from the cat’s point of view. Cute illustrations that complement the story. And a storyline of a naughty cat trying to change his ways. If you know a beginning reader who is fond of cats, you might give The Fire Cat a try.

The Fire Cat, Esther Averill

Caldecott Award winning Drummer Hoff was adapted from a folk song by Barbara Emberley and illustrated by Ed Emberley. It’s really quite short, but *very* colorful and I had almost forgotten about it until I ran across it at work the other day. You see, in first grade we did a little play based on this book..and *I* was the only one who had a line. Yes, I was very proud of this. And it would seem that I still am. *sheepish grin* This is yet another classic book that I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed here yet. Told in a cumulative fashion (after each new event is mentioned, it is added to a list that is re-read, just like “I know an old lady who swallowed a fly.”) seven soldiers put together a cannon and fire it off. That’s about it really. It’s quite fun to read aloud, as the rhymes really roll off of the tongue. I’m not too sure what modern children will think about this book, though. I guess I’ll just have to ask some. Emberley’s woodcuts are beautiful to look at, the poetry of the story appeals to the ear, and I remember having a great deal of fun acting out the story in school (I called “Fire,” then we all said “Kaboom” and fell down). I still enjoy this book it turns out. Has anyone else read it? What did you think?

Caldecott Award, Drummer Hoff, Barbara Emberley, Ed Emberley

Oh No! Miss Nelson, the sweetest teacher in school (who has the most ornery class), is missing. She didn’t come to work today. In her place was Miss Viola Swamp, the meanest substitute teacher in the world. Whatever shall the kids do? Who can help them find Miss Nelson? Will Viola Swamp finally give them too much homework? Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard and James Marshall is another of my favorite picture book classics. The art throughout the book is rather cartoony in style, and includes many clever details. For example, the book obviously takes place in Texas, as there is a Texas flag in Miss Nelson’s classroom. Another amusing detail is the sign which appears during one of the theories about where Miss Nelson went, that reads “Sharks (very unpleasant).” (Actually, those of you who are picture book fans will recognize the distinctive style of James Marshall, as seen in The Stupids series.) The storyline is a simple one, and yet it has elements that appeal to both children and the adults reading the book. Lots of read-aloud fun can be gained by doing the different character voices. Miss Nelson is Missing became so popular, that it acquired sequels. I have always enjoyed the original best, however.

Miss Nelson is Missing, Harry Allard, James Marshall

The Moon Singer by Clyde Robert Bulla (Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman) has been one of my favorite books for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it is because the main character is a singer, and I also love to sing. It could also be the theme of an outsider finding a place to belong, which is a desire that many people can identify with. Whatever the reason, this book gets to me on a visceral level. And that’s pretty amazing for a picture book that doesn’t even have page numbers. Torr was left with the Miller and his wife one night when he was quite small. Grudgingly they took him in, and as he grew he would often go out and spend hours under the night sky. One summer night, the Miller and his wife were awakened by Torr singing a song to the moon. Afraid that he would wake the whole village, they punished him. After that, he went deep into the woods to sing his songs. One day, the Queen heard about Torr’s beautiful voice, but even then things did not go smoothly.

So, it has a nice satisfying storyline, complete with conflict. Trina Schart Hyman’s art is quite distinctive (yes, you’ve seen it before, even if you don’t know it.) and is so perfect for this story. I have included another picture at the bottom of this post to give you a better idea of what I’m talking about. Sadly, it appears that this wonderful book is out of print, so you may need to hunt a bit to find a copy to read. Hopefully your local library or used book-seller can help you out there. Make the effort, and hopefully The Moon Singer will sing for you too.

The Moon Singer, Clyde Robert Bulla, Trina Schart Hyman

Daja’s Book is the third book in Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic series. This time Daja is the central character, as she and her friends encounter major grass fires and some of her own people. Unfortunately, Daja has been named outcast from her people and has been forbidden to speak with them. Can she and her friends stop the spread of the flames? Daja is the third of the four young mages to be featured in this series. Her magic works through smithcraft, and as a result, the reader begins to gain a small amount of knowledge in this area. As you may remember, one of the things I enjoy is well researched fiction. It’s fun to learn stuff while enjoying a good story. As is usual with Tamora Pierce’s books, this book contains thoroughly realized characters and a well thought out plot. The four children have very different personalities, for example, as well as very believable motivations. I have enjoyed the whole series so far. If you enjoy fantasy aimed at folks who are around grades 5-8 (like I do), definitely give this series a try.

Daja’s Book, Tamora Pierce