The Disappearance of Emily H. Author: Barrie Summy
Published May 12th, 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Goodreads Summary: A girl who can see the past tries to save the future in this compelling tween mystery.
A girl is missing. Three girls are lying. One girl can get to the truth.
Emily Huvar vanished without a trace. And the clues are right beneath Raine’s fingertips. Literally. Raine isn’t like other eighth graders. One touch of a glittering sparkle that only Raine can see, and she’s swept into a memory from the past. If she touches enough sparkles, she can piece together what happened to Emily.
When Raine realizes that the cliquey group of girls making her life miserable know more than they’re letting on about Emily’s disappearance, she has to do something. She’ll use her supernatural gift for good . . . to fight evil.
But is it too late to save Emily?
About the Author: Barrie Summy is the author of the I So Don’t Do mystery series starring thirteen-year-old detective Sherry Holmes Baldwin and the recently released The Disappearance of Emily H. Barrie lives in Southern California with her husband, their four children, two dogs, a veiled chameleon, and a fish. There was once a dwarf hamster, but let’s not go there. Visit her online atbarriesummy.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barrie.Cox.Summy
My Review: Raine has moved from town to town throughout her life as her mother tries to find the man of her dreams; however, her mom promises that this last move is finally where they are going to settle. When Raine starts school though, she finds that this may not be where she wants to stay. On top of all of this, she has moved into a missing girl’s home which throws her in the center of Emily H’s disappearance. When Raine finds herself investigating Emily, she ends up in the middle of more than she bargained form.
I often find myself struggling with magical realism books because I can’t grasp the magic that the author is trying to throw in the real world. With this book, however, I really liked the magical twist that was put on this mystery book. Raine has the ability to grab memories. She sees sparkles that show her where the memories lie, and she is transported into the memory. I really liked this addition because it reminded me a little bit of Medium the TV show–just some more clues in a mystery.
Overall a book that I read in one sitting and had twists and turns that made me want to keep reading, and the mystery itself had a satisfying ending.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book will find its most success in a middle school classroom or school library. It is one of those books that one student is going to read and is going to make his/her friend read so they can talk about it.
In a classroom, I, personally, would use this book to talk about bullying and best choices. Sections of the book could be pulled out that will definitely start conversations.
Discussion Questions: Do you think Raine made the right choice when she discovered the secret?; Do you think Raine made the right choice when dealing with Jennifer?; Why do you think Jennifer is so mean?; What caused ____ to make the choice s/he did?; Do you believe that Raine’s mother can change?
We Flagged: “I reach into my front pocket for the small, scratched-up silver heart with a dent in the side where I once dropped it on the sidewalk. I balance the heart in my palm and watch as tiny sparkles dance across it, sparkles only I can see.
I need a memory from my first day of kindergarten. A shot of courage for facing Yielding Middle and all the yuck that goes along with being the new girl.
I close my hand to trap the sparkles, then shut my eyes, drifting into the memory.” (p. 2)
Read This If You Loved: The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney, A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
Recommended For:
Don’t miss out on the other stops of the blog tour!
The Dungeoneers Author: John David Anderson
Published June 23, 2015 by Walden Pond Press
Publishers Summary: The Dungeoneers is an action-packed, funny, and heartbreaking middle grade fantasy-adventure from the author of the acclaimed Sidekicked and Minion, John David Anderson.
The world is not a fair place, and Colm Candorly knows it. While his parents and eight sisters seem content living on a lowly cobbler’s earnings, Colm can’t help but feel that everyone has the right to a more comfortable life. It’s just a question of how far you’re willing to go to get it.
In an effort to help make ends meet, Colm uses his natural gift for pickpocketing to pilfer a pile of gold from the richer residents of town, but his actions place him at the mercy of a mysterious man named Finn Argos, a gilded-toothed, smooth-tongued rogue who gives Colm a choice: he can be punished for his thievery, or he can become a member of Thwodin’s Legions, a guild of dungeoneers who take what they want and live as they will. Colm soon finds himself part of a family of warriors, mages, and hunters, learning to work together in their quest for endless treasure. But not all families are perfect, and even as Colm hones his skills with fellow recruits, it becomes clear that something from outside threatens the dungeoneers–and perhaps something from inside as well.
My Review: This is one of those fantasy novels that transports you to another place and throws you into an adventure that keeps you guessing and reading. In The Dungeoneers, I loved going to school with Colm and learning all about dungeoneering ways including how to be the best rogue, history of dungeoneering, swordplay, and all about monsters. This aspect reminded me a bit of Harry Potter because I got so sucked into his schooling and education, like I did with Harry’s, because I wanted to know everything I could about this world. The Dungeoneers also has some majorly suspenseful moments which makes sense in a book about stealing treasure from dungeons. In addition to his world building, he really knows how to build some characters! The three other members of Colm’s guild are such well-rounded characters and all so different. I can picture each of them, and I so want to be their friends (even Lena, who is a bit barbaric). I also loved the plot twist at the climax of the book! I did not see it coming! Just wait for it everyone!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation/We Flagged: First and foremost, if you teach middle school, you should probably buy this for your classroom. High fantasy and adventure lovers are going to eat this one up.
Also, if you want to talk to students about building characters or setting, this book can definitely be a help with either. There are specific sections in this book that could be pulled out and used to discuss imagery, word choice, and characterization:
“In the flickering torchlight it was hard to make out all of her features clearly, but he couldn’t miss the sharp chisel of her chin, like a weapon itself. Her crimson hair was cropped short in the back, falling across one eye in front, the other shining brown in the flicker of light. Her lips were pursed, pulled tight against her teeth in a determined smirk.” (p. 93)
“Except Quinn didn’t look like he could call lightning from the sky or produce fireballs from his fingers. Colm had expected the first wizard he met to be more in keeping with the descriptions from his book–white-bearded and billowing and larger than life. Quinn looked barely big enough to summon his own shadow.” (p. 96)
“In contrast to the dreary tunnel behind them, the great hall before them was filled with light. Huge chandeliers hung from chains of gold, the flicker of a thousand candles casting fiery halos against the ceiling. Giant marble pillars anchored the four corners of the room, and a hug winding staircase with gold rails led both up and down in its center like a vortex. The floors were polished marble as well, dark green and buffed to a mirror sheen. A strange clock with twenty-four separate hourglasses hung over a set of huge double doors…” (p. 115)
Discussion Questions: If you were Colm, would you have gone with Finn?; What secret do you think Wolfe is keeping?; Lena is expected by her family to do well as a barbarian because of her upbringing. How would it feel to have that type of pressure put on you?; Colm makes a decision at the end of the book–do you agree with it or not?
Book Trailer:
John David Anderson’s Top Five Dungeoneers
Obviously The Dungeoneers owes a lot to fantasy tropes and conventions that have been around since Gandalf packed his first pipe. In fact, while writing it I sometimes felt like I should roll a d20 to see what my characters would do next (here’s hoping the book is a critical hit—ah, nerd humor). Afternoons spent playing Baldur’s Gate or reading Mercedes Lackey (or in my younger days, Lloyd Alexander) coalesced into a love of sword-swinging, lock-picking, monster-bashing rogues who risk everything on the hopes of finding that fabled cache of riches at the end of the corridor. In short, I was raised by dragons. Maybe I’m a Targaryen.
Obviously popular culture is not hurting for dungeoneers of interest, but I thought I would pick five key dungeon divers that had a distinct influence on me and the book. Note: I am defining a dungeoneer as anyone who willingly enters into some dank, creature-and-trap-infested cavern, catacomb, crypt, tomb or lair with the express purpose of taking whatever shiny, valuable objects are to be had. In other words, I’m kind of liberal with my use of the word.
5. Minsc and Boo: If you’ve ever played the game Baldur’s Gate, you will know these two. Minsc, the butt-kicking, infinitely quotable ranger, and his trusty hamster, Boo. Minsc was a tank and liked to carry big swords. More than that he had a big heart and recognized a noble enterprise, especially when it required some head bashing. Favorite quote: “Make way evil! I’m armed to the teeth and packing a hamster!
4. Ellen Ripley. All right, this one is a stretch, I admit, but in Aliens she does go down into a lair and fight off monsters (lots of them, including a queen) to rescue something she treasures (the little girl, Newt). Plus ever since I saw Aliens I’ve been drawn to tough female characters. I won’t lie—there’s a little bit of warrant officer Ripley’s feistiness in The Dungeoneers’ Lena Proudmore, though Lena doesn’t get to fire a grenade launcher (much to her chagrin).
3. Bilbo Baggins. You could name several characters from Tolkien’s mythos that fought their way out of dungeons, but Bilbo gets the cake for not coming out empty-handed. In fact, it’s the Burglar’s snatching of the Precious that drives the mythology. What did you find down there in the goblin caves, Bilbo? Oh—just the makings of a gazillion-dollar franchise. Finn Argos would be proud.
2. Link. Yes, it’s another video game, but for me, Link was the start of my love affair with dungeoneering. Link never met a rupee he didn’t like and spelunking through monster-infested lairs in search of Zelda was in his spritely 8-bit blood. I can still remember playing the original Zelda and getting eaten by an undulating stack of pancakes or impaled by a triceratops all because I didn’t know I was supposed to feed it bombs. To this day I still carry around a candle and a big stick of meat. Thank you Nintendo for stimulating my imagination and sucking away my time.
1. Indiana Jones. No sword (except in the second movie, and then it’s more of a machete). No armor. No dragons or ogres or orcs (though the Nazis are monstrous enough). But Indy, for me, is the archetypal treasure-hunter. Not only was he the dashing film hero of my childhood (and what I wanted to be when I grew up until I realized that everything cool had already been dug up already), he also helped engender my love for wise-cracking, whip-smart, ruggedly-charming, and occasionally flawed protagonists. His make-it-up-as-you go philosophy and daredevil antics were often replicated by a young, eight year old boy named Dave, who would pretend the floor was made of lava as he jumped from dining room table to couch and back again. Plus Indy knew that the greatest treasures always came at a price, a lesson that struck a chord with me.
So those are my top five. I’m sure your list is different. That’s the cool thing about inspiration—there are a lot of wells, and we get to drink from whichever ones we please. Who knows, maybe in twenty years some kid will be making a list of his favorite dungeoneers and put Colm Candorly somewhere near the top.
Read This If You Loved:Hero’s Guide (series) by Christopher Healy, Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling, Foiled (series) by Jane Yolen, Giants Beware! (series) by Jorge Aguirre
What Do You Do with an Idea? Author: Kobi Yamada; Illustrator: Mae Besom
Published: February 1, 2014 by Compendium Inc.
Summary: This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child’s confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens. This is a story for anyone, at any age, who’s ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. It’s a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it some space to grow, and to see what happens next. Because your idea isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s just getting started.
Review: I read this book slowly and purposefully. By page two, I realized I had come upon something very special, and I wanted to savor the moment—because while we can enjoy books over and over again, we can never read a book for the first time twice. When I think of this book, I will remember reading it quietly aloud (cross-legged on the floor of the bookstore) as my son played with trains beside me. What Do You Do with an Idea? illustrates the complexity of ideas, which are inherently imbued with feelings of self-doubt. The child in this book learns to treasure his idea and comes to realize the beauty of its potential. After I read this book, I immediately mailed a copy to my younger sister (who works at Google) because her mind brims with ideas. This book is inspirational for people of all ages. I hope you find it to be inspirational, too.
Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: The author and illustrator combine efforts to illustrate an abstract idea as a physical thing. Readers might consider how they do this with words and illustrations. Then, they could try to illustrated a different abstract idea in a story of their own.
Discussion Questions: Why might the illustrator have chosen to characterize the idea as an egg with a crown?; How is color intentionally used to tell the story?; Why might the author have chosen to use a first person point-of-view? How might the story have been different otherwise?; What is the author’s purpose?; Why/How might this book resonate with readers of all ages?
Look! Author and Illustrator: Jeff Mack
Published April 7th, 2015 by Philomel Books
Goodreads Summary: This hilarious tale of a friendship that develops over a love of books is the perfect picture book for fans of It’s a Book and Officer Buckle and Gloria!
Everyone needs a little attention from time to time. Just ask our gorilla who will stop at nothing to be noticed by the boy with his eyes glued to the TV set. But for the gorilla, it’s going to take more than a quiet nudge to steal away the boy’s attention. When his usual antics fail to catch the boy’s eye—LOOK OUT! The gorilla has some other tricks up his sleeve.
Using only two words—LOOK and OUT—Jeff Mack relates an adorably hilarious story about an attention-loving gorilla, a television-loving boy, and a friendship that develops over books. Simple in construct yet richly creative, this interactive and colorful tale will leave children laughing and loving books for years to come.
Ricki’s Review:Ah! It only uses two words! This creative story about a friendship between a gorilla and a boy captured my heart. It teaches kids the importance of avoiding the TV and picking up a book instead. I am an unapologetic book pusher, so I always appreciate books that promote reading. Readers are forced to use their imaginations to follow the storyline, and the illustrations and characters’ personalities will make them giggle. This playful tale is sure to capture readers’ hearts.
Kellee’s Review:I love how this book teaches a lesson about the importance of getting away from electronics without seeming preaching. The gorilla is entertaining, and it’d be fun to predict what he is going to do next to try to get the boy’s attention. I also think the book will make kids get mad at the boy then will need help realizing that they may be doing the same thing on a daily basis. The use of only two words is also going to be a big conversation starter as well. Look! would also be a good first book to introduce the idea of theme. What is this book trying to teach the reader? And like Ricki, I am big fan of books that promote reading, and this one is a great addition to those out there!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: We are suckers for books that feature only a few words. One great, fun way to improve speaking skills is to give students only the words of the book to start (the book should remain hidden). Students pair up or work in small groups to speak the words in expressive way to tell a story. They perform a skit for the class, and then the class discusses the various ways that words can be interpreted. Then, the teacher reads the book for the first time to the students. Ricki used to do this in her class each year to introduce speaking skills. She stole the idea from her methods class with Wendy Glenn. 🙂
Discussion Questions: How do the illustrations help you understand the book? What do the characters teach you?; Why might the author have chosen to feature only two words in the book? Did you think it was effective?; What is the theme of Look!?
Read This If You Loved: Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka, Moo by David LaRochelle, Ball by Mary Sullivan, It’s a Book by Lane Smith, Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann, Smick by Doreen Cronin, Miss Books Loves Books! by Barbara Bottner
Recommended For:
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**Thank you to Penguin Young Readers for providing a copy for review!**
The Princess in Black Authors: Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Illustrator: LeUyen Pham
Published October 14th, 2014 by Candlewick Press
Goodreads Summary: Who says princesses don’t wear black? When trouble raises its blue monster head, Princess Magnolia ditches her flouncy dresses and becomes the Princess in Black!
Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret —she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? From award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, here is the first in a humorous and action-packed chapter book series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect, but also dressed in black.
My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I am a sucker for girl power books. So much, I was part of writing three Nerdy Book Club Girl Power posts (here, here, and here). Princess in Black fits right in this these books. Although Princess Magnolia must live up to society’s expectations of a proper princess, in secret she fights crime, isn’t afraid of anything, and doesn’t wear pretty dresses. I love the idea that Magnolia can be a princess and all kick some butt. (I wish she could do it not in secret, but that wouldn’t fit the societal views of princesses in most fairy tales.) I know that the Hales wrote this book for their daughters, and I can see why they did: a great heroine, lots of action, funny, and colorful, fun illustrations. Princess in Black would actually be a perfect first introduction to the narrative elements and plot arc. It also just enough complex vocabulary that you could start a discussion about some of the words.
We Flagged: Chapter Two: “Princesses do not run. Princesses do not stuff frilly pink dresses into broom closets. Princess do not wear black. And princesses most definitely do not slide down secret chutes and high-jump castle walls. But then, most princess do not live near an entrance to Monster Land. Stopping monsters was no job for prim and perfect Princess Magnolia. But fortunately Princess Magnolia did have a secret. She was secretly the Princess in black! And stopping monsters was the perfect job for the Princess in Black.”
Read This If You Loved: Salem Hyde (series) by Frank Cammuso, Battle Bunny by Jon Sciezska, Fairy Tales
Recommended For:
Leroy Ninker Saddles Up Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Chris Van Dusen
Published August 26th, 2014 by Candlewick Press
Goodreads Summary: Yippie-i-oh! Saddle up for the first in a spin-off series starring favorite characters from Kate DiCamillo’s New York Timesbest-selling Mercy Watson books.
Leroy Ninker has a hat, a lasso, and boots. What he doesn’t have is a horse — until he meets Maybelline, that is, and then it’s love at first sight. Maybelline loves spaghetti and sweet nothings, and she loves Leroy, too. But when Leroy forgets the third and final rule of caring for Maybelline, disaster ensues. Can Leroy wrestle fate to the ground, rescue the horse of his heart, and lasso loneliness for good? Join Leroy, Maybelline, and a cast of familiar characters — Stella, Frank, Mrs. Watson, and everyone’s favorite porcine wonder, Mercy — for some hilarious and heartfelt horsing around on Deckawoo Drive.
My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I must be honest: I have not read the Mercy Watson books, but luckily it does not matter because Leroy is just so darn loveable. His personality shines through the pages and you just are so happy that Leroy and Maybelline found each other. Also, Kate DiCamillo has a way with voice! I can always hear her characters talking in my head, and they each are so very distinct. I also love her use of vocabulary and humor–perfect! This one is going to be loved by many!
Discussion Questions: Why do you think that Maybelline is the perfect horse for Leroy?; Was Leroy truly prepared to have a horse? How do you know?; Why does Leroy want to be a cowboy?
We Flagged: Leroy Ninker said ‘Yippie-i-oh’ because Leroy Ninker had a dream. He wanted to be a cowboy.
On Wednesday nights, the Bijou Drive-In Theater ran a Western double feature, and Leroy Ninker Stood and watched in wonder as the great white expanse of the Bijou screen filled with purple mountains, wide-open plains, and cowboys.
The cowboys wore ten-gallon hats. The wore boots. They carried lassos. The cowboys were men who cast long shadows and knew how to fight injustice. They were men who where never, ever afraid.
‘Yippie-i-oh,’ Leroy Ninker whispered to the screen. ‘That is the life for me. A cowboy is who I was meant to be.'” (p.2)
“Three Bowls of Porridge…” by Lisa Heathfield, Author of Seed
When I write, I have a ‘writing spirit’ that takes over. I sit for hours at the kitchen table, pen in hand and time sort-of stops. I don’t really know what I’ve written until I read back over my words. So I was surprised when reading a day’s work on my book, Seed, to see the line: ‘There are three bowls on the table, the porridge still warm.’ It seemed lifted straight out of the fairytale ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’.
A few days later, it happened again. When I read how Bobby was making a tiny house out of sticks, it made me think of the tale of ‘Three Little Pigs’. I then realised who Nana Willow reminded me of – tucked up in her bed, with blankets pulled up to her chin, she was the image of Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother. And outside, the wolf, in the guise of Papa S, was waiting.
In so many fairytales, there’s a wicked character that the protagonist must overcome – could this be Papa S? A handsome prince swoops in to save the day – is Ellis inadvertently walking in these shoes? Am I clutching at straws to say that Pearl leaving her slippers in Papa S’ chamber is reminiscent of ‘Cinderella’? I don’t think I am. Because since seeing references to fairytales scattered amongst the lines of SEED, I can see their influence everywhere. I wonder if the roots of fairytales are in every book we read?
The writer and child psychologist, Bruno Bettelheim, said that fairytales were ‘consoling’ to children, yet having re-read many of them recently, I think I sit more squarely in Angela Carter’s camp, seeing fairytales as violent and menacing. Many fairytales have true horror at their core. Take ‘The Juniper Tree’ – in it, a woman cuts off the head of her step-son, attempts to hide her crime by tying his head back onto his neck, before chopping him up into a stew which she feeds to his father. I could hardly bear to read it, yet it began its life as a story for children! Perhaps it’s a natural progression then, that teenagers go on to devour so-called ‘dark’ books. Is any theme ‘off-limits’, when they’ve been fed a literary diet of kidnapping, murder and corruption from such a young age?
With the memory of fairytales unintentionally at SEED’s core, it’s perhaps unsurprising that parts of it are dark. Unsettling themes weave in and out of the pages. It appears that my ‘writing spirit’ was definitely paying attention and taking notes all those years ago. However, she seems to have missed out something crucial – the ‘happily ever after’ part. Maybe she can sort it out in SEED’s sequel…
About Lisa:
Lisa always dreamed of being a writer. She wrote her first book when she was nine – set in a haunted house, in the middle of a dark wood! And she’d sit for hours at her typewriter, creating stories to send off to magazine competitions (none of which got close to winning, but it didn’t put her off trying).
She was always reading. Lying in the grass, on her bed, up a tree, there was always a book in her hand. It was only natural that she would study English at university and go on to become an English teacher in a secondary school. An early fascination with Helen Keller followed her to the classroom and she began teaching hearing-impaired children.
Lisa and her husband settled in Brighton, on the south coast of England, where she concentrated on raising their three wonderful boys. After an ill-advised stint running a cafe, the need to write became too difficult to ignore. And her debut novel, Seed, was born.
About Seed:
Fifteen-year old Pearl has lived her whole life protected within the small community at Seed, where they worship Nature and idolize their leader, Papa S. When some outsiders join, everything changes. Pearl is forced to question everything she’s ever known and all she’s ever believed in. As she prepares to become Papa S’s Companion for the first time, she begins to realize that there’s darkness at the heart of Seed, a darkness that she must escape, before it’s too late.
Excerpt from Seed:
I look at Elizabeth. In the candlelight her cheeks look sunken, her eyes hollow. Is there fear hidden within her?
“I’ve seen it now,” I say quietly. My voice sounds flat as it catches in the earth. “Can I go?”
“We have all done this, Pearl. Every woman at Seed. I promise you will be all right.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you get your first Blessing, when you first start to bleed, you must stay with Nature so that she may give you the gift of a healthy womb,” she says.
I don’t understand. I just stare at her in the flickering light.
“You must stay deep in her womb, so your own womb may become fertile.”
“What do you mean, fertile?”
“So that when it is your time, you will be able to have children.”
“I don’t want to be here, Elizabeth.” My voice cracks as I start to cry. I look at the earth circling me and I’m suddenly filled with terror. Does she want me to stay here?
She puts the lamp down and wraps her arms around me, her face hidden in the shadows. “You know that you must not cry. Your life spirit will leave you and without it, you are nothing.”
I can smell the sweetness of her vanilla scent. It masks the smell of the blood and the damp earth that is blocking the air.
“It won’t be for long.”
“So you’ll shut the trapdoor?” The words fall from my mouth.
Elizabeth steps back and nods. She’s trying to smile.
“But how will I breathe?”
Elizabeth picks up the lantern and shines it on the bottom of the curved earth walls. Tiny black pipes stick out all around. “I have been here, Pearl. It’s all right.”
“It’s not,” I say and I start to cry again. “I don’t want to stay.” My voice is getting louder and Elizabeth looks up the steps toward the light above.
“Shh, now. Papa S must not hear you cry. And Nature is hearing every word.” Then she puts down the lantern once again and turns to go up the steps.
I can’t move. Something holds me to the ground. I want to run after Elizabeth, pull her back, to escape, but I just watch as she goes up towards the air. The last thing I see is her blonde hair as she quickly lowers the trapdoor. It shuts with a muffled thud.
Thank you so much to Lisa for being our special guest this Sunday!
When Otis Courted Mama Author: Kathi Appelt
Illustrator: Jill McElmurry
Published: January 6, 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Goodreads Summary: Apart from sticker burrs and sand fleas, Cardell’s life is mostly wonderful. He knows he’s loved through and through by his perfectly good mama and his perfectly good daddy. They live in different parts of the desert, but that’s okay—Cardell is mostly used to it. Then Otis comes calling, and Cardell feels a grrr form in his throat. Otis can’t make jalapeño flapjacks or play Zig-the-Zag anything like Cardell’s daddy. And so Cardell waits for Mama to say “Adiós, Otis.” But what will happen if she doesn’t?
Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: On a recent Top Ten Tuesday post, I wrote that I would love to see more picture books about different kinds of families. A week later, I found this gem. I absolutely adored Cardell the coyote and think kids will identify with his spunk. Cardell isn’t thrilled when his mother begins dating a new man, and he suspects Otis (the new guy) will be gone quickly, just like the others. This is a great resource to teach kids about accepting and adjusting to life with a new stepparent. I would also use it to teach setting and creative writing–the Southwest flavor adds a beautiful sense of culture that spices up both the text on the page and the illustrations. There is much to discuss with this book, and I think it would make a great read-aloud. I had a lot of fun reading it to my son.
Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Ricki said it so well! This is a book that was needed, and it is a good one at that. Too often, a lack of empathy occurs because one person doesn’t understand the other. I love picture books that help kids understand other people’s situations (but without being preachy), and this book does just that; however, it is also a very universal picture book because it shows a kid having to deal with a new situation. At one point or another, everyone must face the unknown or something s/he dislikes, and that is exactly what Cardell is going through.
This book will become a favorite read aloud for classroom teachers! Cardell’s voice rings true, and it will be so much fun to read aloud. I really loved Kathi Appelt’s writing as well. Her use of descriptive words is spot on and would be a great mentor text for imagery. Teachers could also discuss how her words were translated into illustrations.
Bonus!: Find a full-color door hanger and other fun downloadables at kathiappelt.com.
Discussion Questions: Do you think Cardell treated Otis fairly?; What are some of the different types of families in our world? What makes your family different?; How do you treat new people you meet?
Book Trailer:
Read This if You Loved: ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs, Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman, The Family Book by Todd Parr, And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Two Cool Coyotes by Jillian Lund, Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble, A Tale of Two Daddies and A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager
Recommended For:
Guest Post by Kathi Appelt
When I was in the fifth grade, my parents got divorced. It wasn’t a sudden thing, but it was a sad thing. We went from a whole family to a broken family. Moreover, my father left us—my mom and my two younger sisters and me—to start a brand new family. All at once, I had a stepmother and two stepbrothers, not to mention step-grandparents, step cousins, step uncles and aunts. Lots of steps. It was confusing.
The thing is, whenever life got to be too much, I could duck into the pages of a book and find some refuge there. It’s always been that way for me.
But in that tumultuous time, when my family was becoming something that seemed both smaller and larger, I could really have used a book that gave me some faith that life would eventually be “mostly wonderful.” I could have used a book that had non-antagonistic stepparents. There were—and still are—few picture books that celebrate step families, a notable exception being When We Married Gary, by Anna Grossnickle Hines.
In fact, for the most part, stepparents in children’s literature, are fairly villainous. (I’m reminded of the evil stepmother in Cinderella). In reality, I know that there are many stepparents in the world who are doing their best, and who are making a positive difference in the lives of their stepchildren. I had the great fortune of having George. He came into my mother’s life like a breath of fresh air. And he had the courage to marry her when my sisters and I were sixteen, fourteen, and thirteen. Imagine marrying someone who had three teenagers!
Looking back, I believe that the best thing about George was his ability to spin a yarn. He was a master at telling tales. In a matter of minutes, he’d have all of us laughing right out loud. And that felt perfectly wonderful.
So, when it comes to using my book in classrooms, I have four main hopes for it:
(1) that it can be used to feature an all-too-common modern family—divided, but working it all out; (2) that it honestly portrays a youngster who is having to make adjustments; (3) that it can serve as a way to talk about jealousy and other mixed emotions; and finally (4) with its Southwestern flora and fauna and landscape, that it can just be plain fun to read out loud. That last is my biggest hope.
And if it can offer up a character who is not a stereotype of Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, that will just be a bonus.
Photo of George, Kathi’s stepfather
(He’s with Kathi and her oldest child, Jacob, on his first birthday.)
About the Author: Kathi Appelt’s perfectly wonderful stepfather was a terrific storyteller, and she grew up to become a teller of stories, too. She is the New York Times best-selling author of more than forty books for children and young adults. Her picture books include Oh My Baby, Little One, illustrated by Jane Dyer, and the Bubba and Beau series, illustrated by Arthur Howard. Her novels for older readers include two National Book Award finalists: The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp and The Underneath, which was also a Newbery Honor Book. In addition to writing, Ms. Appelt is on the faculty in the Masters of Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in College Station, Texas. To download a free, CCSS-aligned curriculum guide, visit Kathi’s website at kathiappelt.com.
