The Diary of Melanie Martin: or How I Survived Matt the Brat, Michelangelo, and the Leaning Tower of Pizza

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Mrs.N

The Diary of Melanie Martin: or How I Survived Matt the Brat, Michelangelo, and the Leaning Tower of Pizza (Melanie Martin Novels) by Carol Weston

This was a perfectly adequate middle grades travel book written in a diary format.  Melanie is off to Italy with her parents and bratty six year old brother Matt.  She’s excited about the trip even though she’s missing a week of fourth grade.  They hit all the high spots in Italy with Melanie learning an important lesson about how much she values her family.

This was a slightly lower reading level than I’d expect given its audience, so it might work for some fourth graders who look for easier books.  It had slightly more pseudo-swearing and off-color humor than I’d look for in a book,  but this may prove appealing to the intended age group.  I did like the juxtaposition of a girl who’s trying to figure out liking boys and whether to wear a bra with her snuggling a hedgehog toy and being jealous of how much attention her parents give her brother.  That mix of still a being little girl and yet eager to grow up is very real, especially in this age group.

The book includes phonetic pronunciations of Italian words which is pretty cute, but may not be entirely accurate.

Great for: Fans of Marissa Moss’s Amelia series may enjoy another diary style book (albeit one with fewer pictures). This would also be a nice on-the-plane treat for middle grades girls heading to Europe for the first time.

Sex, Nudity, Dating –  Melanie and her best friend both like the same boy, but that boy won’t talk to either girl, so it’s okay.  Matt and a girl are in love.  They are in first grade.  Dad is half dressed one morning, wearing knee socks and boxer shorts. Melanie wears lipstick, eyeshadow and blush, which is a lot of make up for a ten year old.   At the Ufizzi Melanie and Matt run around pointing at all the naked people in the artwork.  They also see the David statue (note: David is naked) and laugh and point at his “you-know-what”.  Cecily dared Melanie to talk to her mom about “girl things” while in Italy.   There’s talk about when girls should start wearing bras.  Mom and Dad kiss. In Italy Dad runs into a former girlfriend.  A postcard shows a statue of a wolf nursing two naked baby boys (Romulus and Remus – you can see the actual statue here).  Matt and Melanie point and laugh at a statue where the man’s “you-know-what” is missing.
Profanity – “dork,” “brat,” “stupid,” “dum-dum,” “stinks,”  “dumb,” Melanie shares that her father has been cursing, “the H curse once and the D curse twice” “moron,” “h_ll”, hell,” “bratface,” “H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks”, Melanie calls her brother “mental,” “anus” isn’t exactly profanity… “Butthead,” “turd,” “D curse,” “stupido”, “twerpy pea-brain”
Death, Violence and Gore – sibling squabbling means that Melanie sometimes “lightly” hits her brother.  Matt bit Melanie. Melanie tells Matt that she’s going to kill him.  We learn that Michelangelo cut up cadavers to learn more about anatomy. In a bed-jumping accident, Melanie gets a bloody cut on her eyebrow.  The painting The Last Judgment shows Jesus with the holes in his hands and feet from the nails on the cross.  Together Matt and Melanie sing a song about killing Barney the dinosaur.  They visit the Capuchin Crypt Cemetery which is decorated by the bones of monks.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – The parents have champagne on the plane and Melanie says she hopes they’re not drunk.  Mom and Dad buy a bottle of liqueur at the airport.
Frightening or Intense Things – Matt is gets lost periodically. Dad’s wallet is stolen by a pickpocket.  There’s some questionable bike safety, with no one wearing helmets and six-year Matt just holding on tight to his father.

 

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Jerk, California

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Mrs.N

Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen

Living in a small town in Minnesota, Sam Carrier’s world has always been defined by other people and his Tourette Syndrome.  His self-worth (or lack thereof) is a product of the intense bullying he suffers at the hands of peers and his step-father. Even his name, Jack Keegan, was taken from him when his mother remarried.  But secrets have a way of working themselves out, and shortly after graduation Sam’s life begins to change.  Jerk, California chronicles his transformation from Sam, a lonely teenager full of anger and despair to Jack, a strong young man with a sense of self, family and future.

I really loved this book.  If you simply list the components, it sounds like a million other surface level book cliches; mean stepfather, road trip, teen pregnancy, finding God.  It’s Friesen’s execution that makes it special. His own experience with Tourette Syndrome allows him to write about this struggle from a personal place.

Great for: Anyone who wants to read a book about people who live with neurological differences.  It does a great job of showing teens that the world is better outside the bubble that is high school; that there are people who don’t judge on superficial characteristics.  I think it’s also a YA book that translates well for an adult audience.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – At one point a doctor smiles and Sam speculates that he “got off” on destroying people’s lives.  There is a teen pregnancy in the book, but the act that causes it is not really mentioned.  The pregnancy is the result of a relationship that would qualify as statutory rape.  This pregnancy does not occur as a result of the romantic storyline.  There is kissing, lots of nearness that causes sexual tension and excitement.  People mistake what they overhear for an “intimate session.” A male character is shirtless several times.  A male character believes a girl is not interested in him and that she views him as a “eunuch.”
Profanity – “jerk,” “damn,” “hell,” “crap,” “sucks,” “idiot,” “pissy,” “asshole,” “dang,” “loser,” “retard,” “heck,” “screwed,”
Death, Violence and Gore – A BB gun is used to shoot targets.  There are several brawl level fights.  Some important people die before the start of the book, another character dies during the book.  This is a big part of the story, from the funeral, to carrying out the wishes of the deceased.  There is some violence that is a result of involuntary actions caused by Tourette Syndrome.  The main character is afraid of hospitals recalling the intense testing he underwent as a child.  There’s a rumor that a man tried to shoot anyone who came on his property, and another rumor about a man who drove over a bag of kittens with his tractor.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Sam says his father was a drunk.  His stepfather drinks whiskey and beer.  Although he’s not an alcoholic or drunk, he does get drunk.  A man chews tobacco.
Frightening or Intense Things – The main character has Tourette Syndrome.  Most frightening though is the emotional and physical abuse the characters suffer at the hands of “Old Bill.”

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Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Mrs.N

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy is alone.  Her brother is in rehab, her father is dead and her mother is on the other side of the country arranging a move for the family.  When the time comes for Amy to rejoin her mother, it means driving the family jeep across country.  There’s a small problem though – Amy just can’t bring herself to drive.  Her mother arranges for Roger (the college age son of one of her friends) to drive both the jeep and Amy back to her.  She creates an agenda, books the hotels, maps the route.   Things don’t always go as planned though, and Amy and Roger end up crossing the country their way.

This was everything I wanted out of 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Matson does a great job of describing the places Amy and Roger visit.  The book is chock full of cute details like receipts, pictures, entries in a travelogue and best of all, playlists!!  The romance aspect doesn’t feel hurried and both Amy and Roger start out having a lot of other things to deal with besides each other.

Great for: Anyone going on a trip or vacation!  Nothing makes you feel more in the mood for a trip than a good travel book.  Be inspired by Amy and Roger and create some themed playlists for your journey to add to the fun.  Also, Amy’s little notes on each place visited just might convince a teen that a journal might be fun.

Sex, Nudity, Dating –  There’s kissing and sex.  The sex isn’t particularly explicit, in one case it’s completely fade to black, in the other we’re focused on the emotions around having sex rather than in the technical details.  There’s a flashback to where Amy loses her virginity and it raises a lot of important questions for girls about being sure and how you feel afterward. However, despite the reflection, Amy doesn’t exactly grow or change or make better decisions in the future.
Profanity – “fuck” several times, “damn,” “goddamn,” “jesus”
Death, Violence and Gore – Amy’s father has recently died, the accident that caused his death is related in some detail.  At Yosemite Park, there are signs saying the park is not liable in cases of death and dismemberment.  There are also dangerous bears.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Our main characters stick to beer (although they are underage).  Amy’s brother Charlie is in rehab due to drug and alcohol addiction and has been stopped for possession of drugs.  There’s a joke about making meth.
Frightening or Intense Things – Clearly anything dealing with the death of a parent can be upsetting.

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How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A.

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Mrs.N


How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A by Marjorie Priceman

I will admit that I am most certainly biased in my review on the basis of the fact that the dog featured throughout looks suspiciously like my own little rascal.

In How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A. it is nearly the Fourth of July, so who wouldn’t want to make a cherry pie?  When the little girl discovers the local cook shop is closed, she embarks on a country wide journey collecting raw materials for her baking.  Rather than stick to only the food products needed, the author has our heroine learning all about America’s natural resources as she collects coal in order to make a steel pie tin or oil to make plastic for the spoons.  Of course, various national landmarks make appearances along the way.   Children and adults alike will be fascinated at learning about the origins of everyday items.  Furthermore unlike Travels with Charlie, this shows plenty of people of color throughout. An added bonus? The book has a cherry pie recipe!

Sex, Nudity, Dating – None.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – None.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.

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Mare’s War

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Mrs.N

Mare’s War by Tanita S. Davis

The last thing that Tali and Octavia want to do with their summer is drive cross country with their crazy grandmother, but their parents aren’t exactly giving them a choice.  Once the girls are in the car, their grandmother begins to tell stories about her life.  The book is written alternating between the past, Mare’s story of her service as a WAC in World War II and the current road trip.  While the modern tale held little interest for me, it was a minimal part of the book compared with Mare’s reminiscing.  Furthermore, it provides modern readers with sometimes much needed observations and reflections about how things have changed since Mare’s day.

Mare’s life at home in Bay Slough isn’t easy.  She works two jobs in order to help her family and dreams about finding a way out.  Despite wanting to leave, Mare knows that she must stay and protect her younger sister Feen.  When Feen is sent away to Philadelphia to stay with an Aunt, Mare sees her chance.  Telling a little white lie about her age, Mare enlists in the army and serves, both in the US and in Europe for the duration of the war.

Learn More: Check out this information from Iowa Public Television or this history of the Women’s Army Corps.

Great for: Giving important and lesser known historical information in an interesting story.  This would be great for anyone who enjoyed Flygirl or for use in tandem with Flygirl in a classroom setting.

Sign of the Times: In the parts of the story set during Mare’s youth, the term “colored” is used.  When they go to England they are referred to as “blacks” which they find offensive, saying the English should know enough to say “Negro.” A man in England uses “nigra” to denigrate a black man.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – Grandma wears padded push-up bras and the girls once found panties with a padded rear that belonged to her.  Mare and Josephine endure sexual abuse at the hands of their mother’s boyfriend. While the implications don’t point to rape, there is a mention of him “pinching” one of the girl’s privates.  While in London girls see interracial dating.  There is a lesbian character, we never see her act on this, but it is not brushed past as part of the plot. Tali is worried her grandmother is going to give them a “sex talk.” (She doesn’t).  A husband cheats on his wife.  The papers wrongly accuse black WACs of whoring around.
Profanity – “hell,” “Lord have mercy,” “Lord Jesus,” “nigra” is used as a slur, “piss,” “Krauts,” “Japs,” and “dagos” were all slurs for referring to the enemy during the war.
Death, Violence and Gore – Grandma once thought the UPS guy was a burglar and maced him.  Mare’s father died when she was young.  Mare’s mother smacked her.  Octavia jokes that she’d kill her sister. Mare is punched and hit in an attempted sexual assault. She is forced to use a hatchet to protect herself, she gets injured herself in the process.  Mama fires a shotgun although possibly only a warning shot.  Mare’s aunt had a baby who died.  As it takes place during a war, there is some war related violence: Mare knows that grenades can blow off your legs, hands, arms; Annie has a friend from home go MIA after being shot down; Nazi death camps and starving prisoners are mentioned.  In the South, Ruby saw a girl beat bloody for using a “whites only” water fountain.  President Roosevelt dies.  In rough water, the ship rolls and girls are injured; one is quite bloody.  White men provoke a fight with black men.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Grandma smokes and drinks bourbon.  Mare’s mother and her boyfriends get drunk. Bus driver smokes a cigar.  Mare and her friends drink in pubs.  A cake soaked in whiskey is eaten.  French children drink watered down wine.  When Mare caught her son smoking, she made him smoke a whole pack as punishment.  Tali orders a drink and doesn’t get carded.  She is disciplined by her grandmother.
Frightening or Intense Things – Mama’s completely cold-hearted attitude towards her daughter will be tough for some to take.  Octavia is allowed to drive although she doesn’t have a permit. In Post V-E France, some people are still suffering from malnutrition.  Mare says that having a child was a mistake. This might really rub some people the wrong way.  She is in no way advocating abortion, she’s just saying she shouldn’t have gotten married and had a child to begin with.  She seems to love her son and grandchildren.  It’s a topic rarely broached, but I think presenting having children as a choice rather than a necessity is something girls should hear and then process in relation to their own values.

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Are We There Yet?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Mrs.N

Are We There Yet? by David Levithan

Elijah and Danny are separated by more than just their large age difference.  In fact, the brothers have trouble finding any common ground anymore.  In an effort to make their sons come together, their parents schedule them a bonding trip to Italy.  By the time they head home, their relationship has changed, but more because of the introspection on the part of Danny rather than because of any Italy induced fits of brotherly love.  There is a girl in the mix as well, Julia, whom they encounter while traveling.  Although I discovered this when looking for teen romances, I would say it holds up better as a travel book or book about sibling relationships.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – There’s prominent kissing, handholding and touching.  Sex occurs although off screen.  Porn is mentioned.  There is both nudity and mention of nipples in relationship to art.
Profanity – “damn,” “bitch/in'”
Death, Violence and Gore – Throughout the trip to Italy the brothers visit various Jewish landmarks, including the Jewish ghetto in Venice.  As part of the history of the place, the numerous deaths at concentration camps are mentioned.  A synagogue in another city is guarded by men with machine guns.  There’s a man with a head injury.  Someone is said to look like someone on their way to the gallows.  Danny ponders the dangerous nature of driving.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – I would say this had a slightly higher than usual incidence of drugs.  There are references to dropping acid and copious mentions of pot/joints/dope/bong hits/other marijuana related words.
Frightening or Intense Things – They find swastika graffiti.

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The Last Little Blue Envelope

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Mrs.N

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

In this sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Ginny has one last quest to complete.  The final envelope (so tragically lost at the end of the previous book) has appeared.  Unfortunately, it is in the possession of a very stubborn, slightly mercenary, rather good-looking fellow named Oliver.  He wants in on the adventure and this time, he accompanies Ginny, Keith (returned from the other book) and Ellis on the mission to locate Aunt Peg’s final piece of artwork.

I greatly preferred this to its predecessor, in large part due to the fact that we are all allowed to acknowledge that Keith isn’t really a good person.  I spent the better part of 13 Little Blue Envelopes loathing him and it was quite a relief to have him openly written as a jerk.  Maybe because I wasn’t so filled with ire, I also enjoyed the location descriptions here much more than in 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

Great for: Romance for the younger teen and travel inclined set.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – There some sort of speculation about what a couple might be doing when left alone, but sex is NEVER stated nor obviously implied.  You could just as easily assume kissing or snuggling if your mind weren’t in the gutter.  There’s some actual kissing with accompanying clutching, near swooning and magical feelings.  A character skinny dipped.  A character is seen by an opposite sex character while wearing only boxers.  Boobs are mentioned.  Keith calls his car a sexmobile for no apparent reason.  Richard jokingly asks Ginny if she’s going to become a prostitute (as it’s legal in Amsterdam and she’s in Amsterdam).  Keith had a prior girlfriend who got pregnant and dumped him.  There’s a naked lady in a painting.
Profanity – “hell,” “crap,” “bastard,” “wanker,” “div,” “God,” “dammit,”  At one point Keith swears for a solid 10 seconds but we are not privy to any of the words he says.
Death, Violence and Gore – As with the prior book, the basic premise is that Ginny is sent on a mission by her Aunt who has passed away from brain cancer.  In this book Ginny visits the site where her Aunt’s ashes were scattered.  There’s some joking that various people they have to trust (the owner of a room they rent, the owner of a van they need a ride in) might be serial killers or child molesters.  There’s a joke that someone’s evil ex is off burning orphans.  Keith jokes about pushing Oliver out of a car.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – All characters drink, at least one gets very, very, drunk.  One character smokes cigarettes throughout and this is not particularly painted in a bad light.  Richard asks Ginny if she’s using marijuana (again, it’s legal in Amsterdam).  Ginny goes to a coffee house where people are liking using marijuana.
Frightening or Intense Things – There’s some theft.  Mainly the thing that scares me (grown-up that I am) is how trusting these teens are of strangers.

 

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Travels with Charlie: Travelin’ the Northeast

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Mrs.N

Travels with Charlie: Travelin’ the Northeast by Miles Backer

I scooped this up because the title caught my eye. I was reminded of Travels with Charley in Search of America a travelogue written by Steinbeck as he drove with his beloved dog. I wasn’t expecting Steinbeck, but figured the reference was deliberate and was intrigued. Although the name choice can’t be accidental, it is never mentioned.

The book takes us through the states of the Northeast (poor Delaware and Maryland must bristle at this grouping). It is somewhat alarmingly configured in alphabetical order, which has to be the least useful way to arrange a geography book. Each state has a rhyming bit, the state flag and capital, a cartoon map and a somewhat random selection of factoids. Charlie, the title dog is hidden in each illustration.

Children who want to treat this as a real treasure hunt may encounter some difficulties. I went through and tried to find each named item in each rhyme. I stumbled a bit in Maryland because you need to know what a “skipjack” is (it’s a boat) to find one. In New York you’re asked to find Manhattan Island which is also unmarked. Washington’s house is unlabeled on the Pennsylvania page (although his home in Valley Forge is at least on the map).
What’s the Deal with That? The people are WHITE. Out of over 200 people shown in the book there are fewer than 10 people of color, including a green witch, one person of color shown shooting basketball and a Native American complete with headdress shown on the Mohawk trail.

Good for: People who don’t mind their books devoid of diversity and anyone who wishes geography had more Where’s Waldo and fewer cumbersome map skills.  This is also one in a set of Charlie’s travels.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – Cartoon people are shown in bathing suits, some two-piece. Cartoon people kiss.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – Guns and cannons are showing being fired.  Soldiers and battles are referred to and shown throughout.  We learn that the Heimlich Maneuver has saved people from drowning and choking.  Lumberjacks are shown holding axes. Jousting is Maryand’s official sport and a knight is shown with a lance. A quarter of the troops at Valley Forge died from harsh weather and lack of supplies.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – A bear is shown snarling at a water park. The first bank robbery is listed in the facts. Ghosts are shown coming out of the Providence Athenaeum.

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March – Hit the Road Jack!

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Mrs.N

Across the nation, college students are making plans.  Plane reservations for far off journeys, ridiculous road trips, exciting adventures, anything is possible during spring break.  While it has been many a year since I could jet off to Florida or Italy or otherwise have a life changing travel based adventure (at least at this time of year), this March I’m set to jet, in book form at least.  All month long we’re going somewhere…come along for the ride!

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A Countess Below Stairs

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Mrs.N

A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson

Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination may have meant the start of World War I, but it also meant the beginning of the end for tsarist Russia.  With the War going badly, things soon turned to revolution, and many noble families were forced to flee.

The Grazinsky family finds refuge in England with Anna’s beloved governess, but the move has left them nearly penniless.  What meager funds they have are used to send Anna’s young brother to school so that he may keep a position in life more like what they left behind.  In an effort to do her part, Anna puts thoughts of her life as a Countess behind her and seeks work as a servant.  She finds herself at Mersham, the estate of the Earl of Westerholme.  While the Earl is dashing and charming, he is also very much engaged to a woman of breathtaking beauty and immense fortune.  As Anna starts to fall in love with the people of the estate, including its handsome owner, the Earl’s fiancee begins to show her true colors.  But with the estate in deep financial trouble, the Earl is not only honor bound to keep his troth, but fiscally bound as well.

Ibbotson writes with excessive beauty.  Her descriptions are so very lovely you cannot help but to want to go to the places she describes.  While The Countess Below Stairs is not as evocative as the books she sets in her native Austria, her accounts of the Russian aristocracy (both in Russia and in exile) carry a wonderful sense of other-worldliness.  The only fault I find is that Ibbotson often writes her villains dark to the point of caricature.  Dear Muriel is no exception.  While her obsession with Eugenics may seem bizarre, it is interesting to consider it through the lens of Ibbotson’s own experience.  Ibbotson and her family fled Vienna when Hitler rose to power, so while it remains unstated throughout the book, the connection between Muriel and Dr. Lightbody’s philosophy and Nazi practice is considerable.

Warning: Eva Ibbotson writes for children, teens and adults.  Her books need to be considered independently when you are determining whether or not the content is appropriate for a given reader.

Great for: A lovely work of historical fiction, this will appeal to lovers of fairy tales and historical fiction.  While Ibbotson’s books are all over the map in terms of content, this remains fairly chaste, making it a good choice for teens and tweens.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – Compared to the other romances I’ve read of late, this is quite innocent, without so much as a kiss passing between the main characters.  There are a few references to certain women as buxom or full-breasted.  A brief scene includes a man accidentally noticing a woman bathing in a lake, but there isn’t any real implication of him seeing anything inappropriate.  An elderly uncle likes to grab/grope/pinch servant girls, it is treated lightly.  A very minor subplot involves an unsavory branch of the family who has some children out of wedlock/getting a housegirl pregnant issues.  A Jewish woman laments the possibility of an uncircumsized grandson.  There’s a major subplot mentioned above about Eugenics.  This means some discussion of how only attractive people should mate and that the only reason people should “touch” is for the purpose of creating more beautiful offspring.  The people that believe these things are definitely treated as slightly crazy.
Profanity – “God,” “ass,” “hell,”
Death, Violence and Gore – Set before, during and in the immediate aftermath of World War I and the Russian Revolution, there are quite necessarily some deaths and injuries.  Quite obviously Archiduke Franz Ferdinand is shot, various Russian nobles are injured, threatened and killed, and there are many war deaths mentioned.  The detail of the war deaths ranges from simply the fact that the person died, to short descriptions of the death (i.e., was blown up at Verdun).  The Earl has nightmares about seeing a fellow soldier die of burns.  The Russian Club features a trunk which may contain a mummified grandmother.  One house contains horrid paintings and tapestry which include the martyring of various saints.  There’s a rumor about a black sheep family member who murdered his wife.  There are two very minor tangential deaths.  There’s a quick joke that someone will beat his wife.  A man says he’ll kill anyone who harms a certain character.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – A character has a cigarette.  Alcohol is mentioned throughout, both drunk, but also used in cooking.  A character’s total abstinence is regarded as bizarre (especially as it pertains to using wine in cooking).
Frightening or Intense Things – None.

 

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