Bobby Vs. Girls (Accidentally)

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Mrs.N

Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee

Bobby has been friends with Holly forever, but now they’re at an age when the other kids really don’t understand why boys and girls would want to be friends.  Holly has a new friend Jillian, who clearly doesn’t approve of Bobby.  And it’s not as if Bobby’s friends are any more understanding.  He and Holly are in for a tough time this year and it’s not clear if their friendship will survive.

Bobby Vs. Girls (Accidentally) manages to be warm, positive about both genders and yet employs some of the gross-out humor that third and fourth grade students enjoy.  There was nothing that I felt was over the edge, just enough that it should keep the attention of readers.  It also has frequent illustrations.  It would be a good choice for on-level third grade readers and for some fourth graders as well.

Great for: Exploring gender roles.  Some characters are very much stereotypes of their gender while others go against typical gender expectations.  Bobby’s father is a former football player, who’s now a stay at home dad and a “PTA lady”, but he doesn’t have domestic skills, except the ability to make heavenly cinnamon rolls.  Bobby’s older sister is a much better athlete than he is, while his younger sister is into girly princess-y stuff.   Holly is starting to act more girly now that she’s in fourth grade and Bobby misses the way she used to be.

Also, with Bobby being 1/2 Chinese + 1/8 English + 1/8 French + 1/8 German + 1/8 Not Sure and his best friend Chess being Indian, there’s actual diversity in this book.  I was also thrilled to find that Bobby has asthma and that this played a pretty big part in the book.  Kids with asthma rarely get to read about it.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – a pair of Bobby’s younger sister’s purple underpants get stuck to his outfit.
Profanity – “stupid”, “dumb,” “dunderhead,” “stinkpot”
Death, Violence and Gore – A girl gets accidentally scratched.  As a prank, someone’s shoe laces are tied together making him fall.  Chess had to go to his great-uncle’s funeral once.  A pet dies.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – As preschoolers Bobby and a friend ate paste once.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.

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The Year of the Dog

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Mrs.N

The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

If you’re looking for a chapter book about Chinese New Year, you couldn’t do any better than this.  Grace Lin draws from her own childhood experience to write a sweet tale of friendship, family and cultural identity.  The book opens with the family preparing for the Year of the Dog.  Pacy’s older sister and mother tell her that the Year of the Dog is a special year for making friends, but that it’s also a year for finding out about yourself.  Over the course of the year, Pacy makes a new best friend, struggles with whether she is Chinese, Taiwanese or American  and learns that she has  special talent for writing and illustrating.

The book lightly touches on racism, from the school lunch ladies confusing Pacy with the only other Asian girl at school, to girls at a Taiwanese camp telling her that she’s a Twinkie “yellow on the outside, white on the inside” because she doesn’t speak Taiwanese or Chinese, to Pacy feeling excluded from plays because there are never parts for Chinese people.  The way these situations are presented really make the reader see things from Pacy’s perspective, even if these are issues they’ve never really pondered before.

My only warning: the descriptions of the meals throughout the book are particularly tantalizing, so you may find yourself desperately needing a Chinese food fix after reading.

Great For: This has all of the old-fashioned charm of a series like Betsy-Tacy, but is modern, so it will appeal to fans of realistic fiction as well as children (and families) that are looking for cultural diversity or a good, clean, family story.  It was a huge hit with my third graders, boys and girls alike.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – The girls have crushes on boys.  They pretend that they will marry them.  A boy and a girl hold hands.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – Grandpa is a doctor and sees a patient who is bleeding a lot due to injury.  Lissy tells Pacy that when she was little she got really sick and had a tube in her ankle.  Dorothy kills the witch in the Wizard of Oz (I know, that was a bit of a spoiler…)  Chinese foot-binding is briefly referenced.  A boy writes a book about a knight who killed people.  There is a story with a ghost, but it is not scary or violent.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – In search of candy, the kids eat more than the recommended number of gummy vitamins.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.

Posted in Middle Grades, Primary Grades | 6 Comments

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Mrs.N

Sure, you’re excited about 2012.  But if you wait, just a little while, January 2012 has even more to offer. Because this year, Chinese New Year is not wasting any time.  The Year of the Dragon will begin on January 23rd.  Now, I don’t want to make any judgments about who does the New Year better, but I will point out that they have dragons. For serious.  So you know, consider that versus a bunch of heavily branded blue hats that covered Times Square.

In honor of Chinese New Year (and also because why wouldn’t I jump at an opportunity to feature one of my favorite authors), this month will feature characters of Chinese descent, and if we’re lucky, a few dragons.

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Happy Almost New Year!

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Mrs.N

I hope you all are gearing up for some New Year festivities! I am relaxing, giving much love to the dog and of course reading, but giving myself a short break from posting until it’s 2012. See you next year!

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The Very Best Hanukkah Gift

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Mrs. N


If you know author Joanne Rocklin from Strudel Stories
please don’t get your hopes up too far. While Streudel Stories is a lovely set of short stories about different generations of a Jewish family, this is really just a “for fun” book. Nonetheless, it has its place, as Christian children have a huge selection of Christmas themed books, this is a great alternative to a child who is looking for something light to read about Hanukkah.  This tells the story of Danny and his family’s Hanukkah celebrations along with how Danny overcame his fear of dogs.  Nothing earth-shatteringly interesting here, but as I said before, there are a million Christmasy chapter books out there, here’s a light read for advanced second graders or on level third graders who want a Hanukkah chapter book.

This book expects readers to have a fairly in depth knowledge of Hanukkah. Although it has a fairly detailed retelling of the Hanukkah story, there are many parts of this book that will require explanation if you are not familiar with Jewish culture and history.

In the first chapter there is the Hanukkah blessing, which you can hear here.  The only difference between the printed version in the book and the recited version I linked to is the end of the blessing, which on the recording is lhadlik ner Hanukkah, and in the book is lhadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

You’ll need much of your Hanukkah vocabulary that I introduced in The Latke That Wouldn’t Stop Screaming:

Necessary words pertaining to Hanukkah:
Antiochus pronounced An-tie-uh-cuss – King of the Syrians
dreidel pronounced dray’-dull – for more info see here.
gelt – pronounced to rhyme with melt – gelt means money in Yiddish, and at Hanukkah reers to the coins (often chocolate covered in foil) that are given to children.
latke pronounced lot’-kuh – a potato pancake
Mattathius pronounced Mat-uh-thigh-us – Jewish man who fled to the mountains and caves with his sons (one of whom was Judas who would lead the Jewish resistance).
menorah pronounced muh-nor’-ah – most people use this term to refer to the holder of the 9 candles lit to celebrate Hanukkah, but a more thorough explanation is here. Technically a menorah is any candelabra/candle holder whereas one used specifically for Hanukkah would be a hanukkiyah.
hanukkiyah pronounced hahn-new-kee-uh – a Hanukkah menorah.
Maccabees pronounced mack’-uh-bees – the Jewish rebel army that was victorious against the Syrians.
shammas pronounced shah-mahsh’ – the candle in the menorah that you use to light the other candles
sufganiyot – jelly doughnuts
Torah – pronounced Tore’-uh – Jewish scripture, for a more detailed explanation see here.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – A cat has kittens.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – Maccabee soldiers carry swords.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – As with most retellings of the Hanukkah story, this does mention a battle and that the Maccabees were victorious. It also tells of the temple being smashed. Daniel is afraid of dogs because he was bitten by a dog.

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Hanukkah Moon

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Mrs.N

Hanukkah Moon by Deborah de Costa

This Hanukkah book is just lovely.  Isobel is worried about spending Hanukkah with her Aunt Luisa.  Things will be different there than at home.  But Isobel soon learns that her Aunt’s way of celebrating is incredibly special.  Her tradition includes many ties to nature, including leaving Hanukkah treats for animals and celebrating Rosh Hodesh, the new moon marking the start of a new Jewish month.  The book is beautifully illustrated and does an excellent job of integrating religious faith, cultural diversity and awareness of the natural world.

Great resource: The back has a pronunciation guide and glossary to help readers with unfamiliar terms.

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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Mrs. Greenberg’s Messy Hanukkah

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Mrs.N

Mrs. Greenberg’s Messy Hanukkah by Linda Glaser

This is the sequel to The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes which I reviewed last year.  It’s a good follow up, with a similar story line.  This time Rachel invites herself over to Mrs. Greenberg’s and then talks her into making latkes.  Rachel tries to help out, but the only thing she’s really making is a mess.  In the end, her parents come to the rescue and help clean up.  It’s a very simple book, and little kids will enjoy the repetitious parts as Mrs. Greenberg tries to tell Rachel not to worry about the mess.

Bonus: The first page of the book is a recipe for latkes which breaks down what Rachel, Mama and Mrs. Greenberg do.  It’s great to be able to see which parts are kid-friendly tasks and which are for grown-ups.

Yiddish word of the day: katchkeleh – Mrs. Greenberg calls Rachel katchkeleh which means little duck.  It is immediately translated in the text.

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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What to Buy: For the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fan

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Mrs.N

It’s been no secret around here that I am personally not a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. (Want to know more about why?  Click here and here.)  But I can acknowledge that they are huge with kids and that clearly, a lot of adults are okay with having their kids read them.  So, what can you possibly get for the child that has already blown through the first five books in the series and already has the brand-new sixth safely tucked under the tree? Well, I’ve got a few recommendations, ones I actually did enjoy reading.  I’d still say wait until Grades 3 and up, but then again I wouldn’t really recommend Wimpy Kid for below Grade 3 either.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar has plenty of school humor, nice short self-contained chapters, plus it features girls as something beyond just objects of hatred and disgust.  What else is there to like?  Click here for the full review.  Think it’ll be a hit?  Go in for the box set.  It includes two follow ups: Wayside School is Falling Down and Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger.

Another fabulous choice, and I really can’t talk this up enough is:

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Angleberger’s characters are dorks and outcasts too and the book features cool cartoony doodles just like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  The difference?  Angleberger’s books are well-written and don’t rely purely on potty humor to get laughs.  The actual story is good enough to keep kids engaged and entertained without needing to write poop, pee or have someone get hit over the head with something.  Why all the Angleberger love?  Read more in my original review.

Bonus!  Angleberger has released a second book in the series:
Darth Paper Strikes Back.

I liked this sequel nearly as much as the original.  Angleberger takes the time to construct a whole new plot rather than just rely on  rehashing what happened in book one.  And again, all of the awkwardness and difficulty of middle school is shown in a humorous yet heartwarming way.  This book is also empowering because it shows kids again and again how they can take control and have a say at a time in their lives when they often feel powerless.  Just don’t tell them there’s a really good lesson in it.  Also, I would not have predicted the ending, which was great, it’s not too often I get surprised by children’s books.  My only minor complaint is that my old lady eyes had some trouble with the fact that much of the book is printed on gray, but kids really shouldn’t have any trouble with that.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – There’s talk of boyfriends, girlfriends.  A couple broke up.  A girl calls a boy hot stuff.  The squirrels who like nuts make a return appearance.  But don’t worry, Tom Angleberger himself responded to my original post about the squirrels and gave his word that they’re just acorns.  Let me know if that changes how hard you laugh at it.  One of the boys tries to help with a school government campaign and draws a picture of a girl, but as a finger puppet, so the picture is of a girl with a finger up her dress.
Profanity – “shove it, ” “shut up,” “stupid,” “jerk,” “suck,” “heck,” “idiot,” “pain in my butt,” “crap,””screwed up,” Someone’s grandmother curses with real swear words but they’re done all $#&# so you don’t read them.
Death, Violence and Gore – A kid got beat up at a correctional facility.  A kid has been suspended for fighting frequently.  A character says he’s going to kill someone, then says he was kidding. Someone gets popped in the eye with a chapstick lid.  Kids think about punching another kid. A reference to a Star Wars movie mentions a kid getting sliced by a light saber.  There’s a game that involves pretending to blow up ships.  Do paper light sabers count as a weapon?
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.

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Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (Nutcracker Part 7)

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Mrs.N

Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite by Anna Harwell Celenza

When I ordered this from the library, I was remembering that The Harlem Nutcracker had been created using Ellington’s version of the Nutcracker Suite as its core music.  I hoped this book would provide a Nutcracker with diversity and jazz without having quite as mature content as The Harlem Nutcracker.  But the focus of this book is really on Ellington, his fellow musicians and how he wrote it, rather than a blend of the jazz and ballet.  Sadly, the most likeable thing about this book is the illustrations.

The author’s background is in classical music, not jazz, which shows pretty quickly as it’s presented as a crazy new thing that Ellington would adapt classical music and that a jazz musician would record Christmas music.  Neither was a particularly new or ground-breaking idea. That’s not to take away from Ellington’s accomplishments, which stand on their own without any artificial enhancement.

The book begins with Irving Townsend, a record producer, trying to get Ellington to sign with him.  It assigns the Nutcracker odd significance, with Ellington telling Townsend either he gets to do the Nutcracker or he doesn’t sign.  Ellington’s long-term collaboration with Billy Strayhorn is central to the book as well.  His band is depicted as generally uncooperative.  Jive talk is sprinkled throughout in a way that can only be described as awkward.

If you’re looking for a picture book about jazz, there are much better ones out there, and if you’re looking for a book about the Nutcracker, this surely isn’t it.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – None.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – The mouse king and nutcracker duel with swords.  The mouse army is armed with swords.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – People are shown drinking alcohol.
Frightening or Intense Things – Not frightening or intense, but some may be bothered by the gambling which occurs in the background.

 

 

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What to Buy: Books for Teen Girls

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Mrs.N

I don’t know about you, but my weekend agenda includes more than a little holiday shopping.  If your list includes any teen girls, I have just what you’re looking for: some of my favorites, complete with links so that you can check out their full reviews as well as links to Amazon so you can get that shopping out of the way.  Whether you’re buying for your own daughter or another lucky girl, the content reviews will help you pick a book you can feel comfortable giving. Disclosure:  If you do decide to buy a book based on my recommendation and click through to Amazon directly from here, I will make an itsy bitsy bit of money.  Most likely less than a dollar.  I promise not to spend it all in one place.

For an old-fashioned girl: If your gift recipient dreams of pinning up her hair, wearing long dresses and a boy to go steady, the classic Betsy-Tacy series might be just the thing.
Packaged together, the first two high school books Heaven to Betsy and Betsy in Spite of Herself are filled with old-fashioned fun. You could round out the high school set with just one more book Betsy was a Junior and Betsy and Joe.  Need to know what these turn of the century teens are up to?  Check out the full reviews here, here, here and here.

 

For the girl who likes her romance to be star-crossed:
Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins

When Asha’s father goes to America to seek work, her family must go to Calcutta to live with relatives.  With her circumstances changed, Asha must find a new normal, but when things change again, nothing could have prepared her for what happens next.  This book is relatively inoffensive, details here.

For the girl who likes a) baseball or b) Glee! or c) books where the boy has to do the longing, pining and chasing.

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park by Steve Kluger

Check out the details on this wonderful book about love, Mary Poppins and Fenway Park. The book is so good I even recommend it to adults.

For the girl who knows her own mind :
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
This is the perfect book for a girl when you want to make sure she doesn’t lose her backbone. Frankie is beautiful, smart, a touch wicked and she’s certainly not going to let the boys win. Read more about Frankie (and check out the content here).

For the girl who’s desperate to go abroad – also, my top romance pick!
This book was enough to make me wish I were back in high school, and believe me, that’s no easy feat. Of course, it would have helped if the high school were in Paris and came with a super cute guy.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is not pleased to be sent away to boarding school in Paris, but things change when she realized just how great her new friends are.   Need to know how racy it gets?  Check it out here.

For the grown-up romance girl:
Shopping for a girl who’s grown-up enough to read just about anything? Get her hooked on a series that will give her all the mature content she craves without sacrificing a strong female lead or real teenage issues. Bonus: No vampires, werewolves or crazy super accelerated pregnancies.
Sloppy Firsts: A Jessica Darling Novel by Megan McCafferty
Check out the full review, including content of Sloppy Firsts.

For the girl going Greek:
Goddess of Yesterday by Caroline Cooney

Whether she’s into Greek tragedy or Greek myths this is the perfect novel to tie it all together. Most objectionable content is in the area of violence, because really, what Greek myth or tragedy would be complete without it. More details here.

 

For the hipster girl – also a big win for an Open Before Christmas gift
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

A New York holiday scavenger hunt to spark a romance will be perfect reading for getting in the mood this holiday season.  Best for teens who’d probably drop the f-bomb anyway.

 

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