Book Review: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. (Grades 5-8.)

Life changes for Jeremy Fink when, a month before his thirteenth birthday, he receives a wooden box from his father. Jeremy's father died when he was eight and the box has words carved into the top: "THE MEANING OF LIFE. FOR JEREMY FINK TO OPEN ON HIS 13TH BIRTHDAY."

The problem? The box requires four special keys to open it. And the keys have been lost. Can Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy find the keys before his birthday?

Their quest for the keys will lead them all over New York City. They'll talk to people they never thought they would meet. And they just might find out the meaning of life.

What I love about this book is something that I've loved about the other Wendy Mass books I've read. I feel like I learned so much by reading it. And not in that didactic this-is-an-educational-novel type of way. It was so organic that I didn't even realize it at first, but then I kept having to put the book down to take a deep breath because she was blowing my mind.

In Every Soul a Star, I learned about astronomy. In A Mango-Shaped Space, I learned about synesthesia. In Jeremy Fink, the reader gets a dose of philosophy. And a taste of evolutionary theory. As Jeremy and Lizzy try to find out what their purpose is, they take the reader along with them.

Add to this a host of varied and well-developed characters and a really interesting plot and you've got yourself a great novel here. It's not perfect - the new neighbors and the seance scene don't fit with the story and the book would have been stronger without them - but it's a book I'll happily recommend to boys and girls alike.

This book's been reviewed all over the kidlitosphere. You can find a sampling of them at A Fuse #8 Production, Jen Robinson's Book Page, Big A little a, and bookshelves of doom. Check out Wendy Mass's website and read a great interview with Wendy Mass at HipWriterMama.

Book Review: The Naked Mole-Rat Letters

The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato. (Grades 4-7.)

Frankie can't believe that her dad went on a date. Not only a date, a secret date with a zookeeper who lives practically across the country in Washington DC! And now they're probably going to fall in love and get married and he'll move Frankie and her brothers to Washinton DC. Or this zookeeper woman will move into their house in Indiana and change everything that Frankie's mom left behind! And Frankie's dad won't even come clean and tell the kids what he's been up to!

Okay, if it's a secret, how does Frankie know about it?

Well, she maaaaay have opened his email. And she maaaay have read some things. And she maaaaaaaay have replied to this Ayanna Bayo person.

In her heart she knows it's wrong to answer her dad's email, but she's got to do something! And when Frankie opens this can of worms, things are going to get pretty messy before she can make things right again.

I found myself laughing out loud at Frankie's devious ways. She's self-absorbed and a little obnoxious, but as the story develops, Frankie ends up learning a lot about herself and about other people. The story's told in excerpts from Frankie's diary and in her emails back and forth with Ayanna Bayo, curator of naked mole rats at the National Zoo.

Her first email to Ayanna will give you an idea about Frankie:

Ratlady:

I don't know who you are. But this is just a note to say please don't bother e-mailing again. My father, Robert Wallop, is extremely busy taking care of us children. Perhaps he did not mention the little fact that he has children. He does. Three.

There's me. I'm in seventh grade, and I don't require any care, actually. But I have two younger brothers who require constant care on account of their severe, deliberating illnesses...

Also you should know that my father has several diseases, so kissing him is not a good idea.

I fell in love with Frankie (even though she is so very devious. Her heart's in the right place. Most of the time). I love that she grew and developed over the course of the book. And the ending was perfectly heart-warming.

Plus, it's set in a fictional town in Brown County, Indiana, which took me straight back to my beloved days at IU. (Although the author should know that Indiana and Washington DC are actually both on Eastern time...)

PLUS, lots of little factoids about naked mole-rats are inserted in a fairly organic way. Ayanna, the DC zookeeper, works with naked mole-rats and draws comparisons to them quite often, but it comes across very naturally. I can totally imagine Ayanna actually saying all these things and wanting to share her passion and knowledge with Frankie.

Great for reluctant readers. And highly recommended in general.

Check out Mary Amato's website and check out the National Zoo's Naked Mole-Rat cam!

Book Review: All the Lovely Bad Ones

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn. (Grades 4-8.)

Travis and his sister Corey aren't the most well-behaved children in the world. In fact, they're spending this summer with their grandmother at her Vermont inn because they got kicked out of camp last summer. Grandmother's inn has it all - a pool, video games, grounds to run around on - but the best thing about it is that there are rumors that the inn is haunted.

When Travis and Corey hear this, they immediately think up some mischief. With a few props, some makeup, and some scary sound effects they can scare the daylights out of the other guests at the inn - and have a good laugh themselves. It starts out innocently enough, but soon weird things start happening around the inn. And Travis and Corey will have to figure out how to put to rest the lovely bad ones they've awoken.

I'm not a huge fan of ghost stories, although I think I would have loved this book when I was about nine years old. That said, I liked this book better than I thought I would. Mary Downing Hahn creates a chilling atmosphere and some punky little kids that I wanted to first shake and then hug.

The supporting characters seemed a little like stock characters to me. There's the skeptical adult (Grandmother) and the wise, old believing adult who warns the kids and then helps them solve the mystery. But there are also some funny ghost-chasers who come to the inn when rumors get out that the hauntings are back.

All in all, not exactly my cup of tea, but this is one Caudill nominee that kids will clamor for.

Book Review: Freedom Walkers

Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman. (Grades 4+)

Okay, so you knew about Rosa Parks. But did you know that there were two other women arrested before her because they wouldn't give up their seats on Montgomery's segregated buses? Did you know that the Montgomery bus boycott lasted over a year and that many people walked miles each day just to get to work or school or piano lessons?

If you think you know about the Montgomery bus boycott, you might want to pick up this book. If nothing else, it's got tons of photos that bring the people involved in the boycott to life. And who knows? You might just learn something.

I mean... it's Russell Freedman. Of course it's going to be well-written, accurate, and informative. It's definitely a compelling story, especially in light of the country's first black President being elected. What I wasn't expecting were so many great photos. They definitely brought the period to life, especially the many photos showing segregated areas. It seems so ridiculous today - how do you segregate a Coke machine?? But that's how it was.

The kids who will pick this one up will find an accessible story and much to think and talk about. I do have to wonder how many kids will be picking it up, though. Even now knowing the story behind the cover photos, I think it looks like a dull book, and I don't think this will be the nonfiction book to win the Caudill award. That said, it's an important story to know and I'd recommend it to kids interested in history or studying civil rights in school.

If kids want to know more about integration, I can highly recommend Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges or Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals (both are about school integration). Kids may also be interested in Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum, which is about young people testing the bus integration laws.

Read another review of Freedom Walkers at Maw Books.

Book Review: Crossing the Wire

Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs. (Grades 5-8.)

Ever since his father died, Victor Flores has been the man of the house. He plants and sells corn to support himself and his mother and younger siblings. It's a hard life and they're just scraping by, but when the price of corn falls disastrously, Victor knows he has no choice but to try and get across the border to El Norte where he can make enough money to support his family. It won't be easy. Victor doesn't have the money to hire a coyote to sneak him across and there are miles of desert between him and the American towns that he hopes will be his ticket to work and money. But Victor's got to try. This is his family's only hope.

This was an adventure story with lots of action and characters that had tough decisions to make. I wouldn't expect anything less from Will Hobbs.

In the author's note, Mr. Hobbs writes,

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the majority of illegal crossings along the U.S./Mexican border were deflected from populated areas to the most remote deserts and mountains of Arizona, with more and more people dying every year. I was moved to learn all I could, and to write a story that would put a human face on the complex and controversial subject of illegal immigration. (pg 215)

This story certainly does put a human face on illegal immigration. It's sure to spark discussions and debates just as it's sure to entertain. There's hardly a break in the action as Victor doesn't have an easy time crossing the border. Some people betray him while others provide unexpected kindnesses. Small twists and turns in the plot make this an enjoyable read and the sizzling desert landscape burns through every page.

I'd recommend this one to fans of adventure stories and if kids are interested in other stories of border crossings, hand them La Linea by Ann Jaramillo and Libertad by Alma Fullerton.

Read MotherReader's thoughts on it and check out Will Hobbs's website for more info about him and his books. HarperCollins offers a teachers' guide (link opens a PDF) for the book, which includes classroom activities and discussion guides.

Book Review: The Thing About Georgie

The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff. (Grades 4-6.)

The thing about Georgie is that he's a dwarf. The thing about Georgie's mom is that she's having a baby - a baby that will eventually be taller than him. The thing about Georgie's best friend Andy is that he's making a new best friend and leaving Georgie out. And the thing about the meanest girl in Georgie's class is that she's going to be Georgie's partner for their history project. Could fourth grade get any worse??

The thing about The Thing About Georgie is that even though the main character has dwarfism, the story's about a fourth grade boy who is facing changes in his family and his friends. Of course, his dwarfism affects his life in some ways, but this isn't a story about a boy dealing with dwarfism. It's a story about a boy who's dealing with changes happening in his life and learning that things will still be okay. And this boy happens to have dwarfism.

Besides the fact that this is a character with a disability in a book that's about more than dealing with disability, I loved that all the supporting characters were well-developed. The reader gets a real sense of Andy's Italian family and Georgie's supportive, musical parents. I also felt like Georgie's relationship with Jeanie the Meanie happened organically. She's definitely an oddball, but I believed everything that happened with them. Georgie himself is a great character - imperfect, but likeable.

Hand this one to fans of realistic fiction and school stories. This first novel of Lisa Graff's isn't quite as spot-on as Andrew Clements, but I think it will appeal to his many fans.

Read more reviews at Shelf Elf, Big A little a, MotherReader, and kidsreads.com. Read interviews with Lisa Graff at Bildungsroman, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, The Longstockings, Miss Erin, Fuse #8, Cynsations, and MotherReader (whew!). Lisa blogs with her writing group at The Longstockings.

Book Review: The White Giraffe

The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John. (Grades 4-6.)

When 11-year-old Martine's parents are killed in a house fire, she's shipped off to South Africa to live with a grandmother who doesn't seem to want anything to do with her. Unspeakably sad and somewhat of an outcast at school, the only thing Martine can be happy about is the lush African wilderness that surrounds her new game reserve home. When she hears stories about a mythical white giraffe that supposedly lives on the reserve, Martine is skeptical... until one rainy night when the white giraffe appears to her and Martine finds out that she must meet her destiny.

My favorite thing about this book is the rich setting. Lauren St. John lived on a reserve in Zimbabwe when she was a child and her experience with the animals and plants really shows in this book. It's quite a pleasant thing to be reading in cold, wet Chicagoland and find yourself transported to a lush jungle.

The White Giraffe kept reminding me of Lionboy, another kid-talks-to-animals fantasy book that I really enjoyed. Martine's a likeable character with a special gift that many kids will envy - the ability to speak to (kind of) and heal animals. I wish the background characters were a little more well-developed and, to be completely honest, I found some parts of it to be a little hokey. Overall, I think this is a story that will appeal to kids and I think the cover and title alone are enough to intrigue.

For those who do pick up the book and enjoy it, Ms. St. John has penned a few other adventures with Martine - Dolphin Song (2008) and The Last Leopard (March, 2009). It looks like a fourth book - The Elephant's Tale - is due out in the UK in August, but I don't know when it'll be hitting the shelves in the US.

Check out Lauren St. John's beautiful website to find out a bit more about her and her books. Read more reviews at Fuse #8 (where Betsy addresses the issue of Martine's race) and Deliciously Clean Reads. There's a booktalk posted at Booktalks - Quick and Simple. And definitely worth noting is that it looks like Walden Media is making a movie starring AnnaSophia Robb (yeah you know her; she was Leslie in Bridge to Terabithia). As far as I can tell, it's slated to be released this year. Read an interview with Ms. St. John on Walden Media's site.

And the winners are...

My sources just texted me (thanks, J*!) and I'm happy to announce the winners of the 2009 Monarch Award and Rebecca Caudill Award.

The 2009 Monarch winner is Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude!

The 2009 Rebecca Caudill winner is The Lightning Thief!

Congratulations to the winners!!

(No word yet on the runners up, but I'll post that info as soon as I have it!)

ETA (11:03p) - The runners up for the Monarch are Skippyjon Jones in 2nd place and Superhero ABC in third place. The runners up for the Caudill are The Invention of Hugo Cabret in 2nd place and Shug in 3rd place.

*It was literally perfect timing. I had just turned to N and asked when she thought they would announce the winners. And she said that it would probably be a little bit later. And I said "I want to know now!" and like 60 seconds later I got the text. We are obviously made of win.

Book Review: A Small White Scar

A Small White Scar by K.A. Nuzum. (Grades 5-8)

Ever since Will's mom died, Will's been the one to look out for his feeble-minded twin brother Denny, but at fifteen Will has had enough. He's leaving his dad's ranch. He's leaving Denny behind. He's going to La Junta by himself and he's going to win first place at the rodeo and get a job with another ranch. He's going to start his own life. Finally. But when Will leaves for the rodeo, Denny tags along. And Denny gets in trouble. And Will has to save him. Again. How can Will hope to have his own life if he's constantly stuck with Denny?

Set in Colorado in 1940, this is a great western adventure story complete with roaring rivers, rattlesnakes, bull riding, and more. Will's a conflicted main character, trapped between finding his own happiness and fulfilling his familial responsibility. It's not an easy place to be and Will doesn't have an easy time of it.

Ms. Nuzum paints a vivid picture of the rough Colorado landscape and Will's struggle to decide between his family and his future is one that will stick with me for a long time. One slight critique I have is that I didn't really understand why it was set in the past. Maybe they don't have rodeos like that anymore, I don't know, but it seemed like a story that could have worked just as well in the present day.

Anyhoo, that's just me being persnicketty. This is a great adventure story with strong characters and a lot of action.

Check out K.A. Nuzum's website (which, I swear, just barked at me)!

Mini-Review: Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis. (Grades 4-7)

I listened to the audio recording of this one on my way back from Springfield in October 2007 (pre-blog). Here's what I wrote about it:

"Emma Jean sees the world a bit differently from most of the seventh graders at her school. She is a master of observation, though she doesn't always understand why people act the way they do. She remains detached and it's very hard to get under her skin, so even though she doesn't have any friends her age, she's not bothered by that fact. When she comes upon Colleen crying in the bathroom, Emma Jean discovers that she can use her problem-solving abilities to help her fellow students. And so she proceeds to "help" Colleen with a project that eventually backfires mightily.

Colleen is pretty much the exact opposite of Emma Jean. She lets EVERYTHING get under her skin and is quite prone to crying in the bathroom (or her bedroom or her church or the car or...). At first grateful for Emma Jean's listening ear, Colleen is horrified when she finds out what Emma Jean's done to help. Colleen is certain her life is over. When she's finally able to talk out her problems, she finds that maybe what Emma Jean did was not so bad. And maybe Colleen needs to take another look at her own perceptions of the people in her life.

I feel like I say this about every book I like, but Emma Jean has unforgettable characters and it's both funny and touching. This book explores the meaning of friendship and popularity without being preachy or scandalous. I really enjoyed it."

Read more reviews at The Reading Zone, Fuse #8, Kidsreads.com, A Year of Reading, Shelf Elf, A Patchwork of Books, and Semicolon. Check out Lauren Tarshis's website and be aware that there's a sequel coming in May: Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love.

Mini-Review: The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. (Grades 5-8.)

This is more of a plot summary than a review, but here's what I wrote after reading this in July '07:

"The year is 1967. Holling Hoodhood is stuck having Wednesday afternoons alone with a teacher who hates his guts. At first, she sticks to assigning him manual labor - he pounds erasers, cleans out the rat cage, cleans the classroom... But then she thinks of a more appropriate torture: Shakespeare.

Set with a background of the Vietnam War and the political climate of the late 60s, this story explores religion, politics, finding oneself, and coming of age. Holling's older sister has decided to be a flower child, much to the chagrin of their father. The girl that Holling has a crush on is the daughter of his father's fiercest business competitor. Holling's teacher, Mrs. Baker, has a husband fighting overseas in Vietnam. There is a lot of strife going on here. But through it all, Holling starts to figure out how to figure out exactly who he is, even if it's not who everyone else wants him to be. "

I remember that it took me a long time to figure out that this was historical fiction. And to be honest it wasn't one of my favorite reads (but it won a Newbery honor, so that shows how much I know...).

I think I may be alone in my "meh-ness", so be sure and check out many better-written reviews by people who loved the book like Sarah, Betsy, Becky, and Carlie.

Book Review: The Mozart Question

The Mozart Question by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman. (Grades 5+)

A young journalist has an unexpected assignment: to interview Paolo Levi, a famous violinist. Her supervisor cautions her on one thing: Don't ask the Mozart question.

In the interview, Paolo opens up and tells the story of how he started playing the violin and how his playing unearthed family secrets. Both Paolo's parents were Holocaust survivors and the reason they survived was that they were musicians. Their playing saved them, but the fact that they were used to comfort new detainees as they got off the trains sickened them.

It was an interesting story, based on fact. There were Jews that played music for new detainees. They played to save their own lives even though they knew that the people they were "comforting" were destined for hard labor or the gas chambers.

I'm not a fan of this type of story, where the entire story is narrated by someone within the story. I think this smacks of a "children's book" that's really for adults and I wonder how kids will react to it. The art is certainly beautiful, but the book's not exactly a picture book or a graphic novel. I'd hesitate to call it a novel, though. Maybe an illustrated novella.

I do think the topic has potential kid appeal. World War II and the Holocaust are both popular topics with kids and this story approaches a unique aspect of the Holocaust. And other bloggers disagree with me: 100 Scope Notes calls this "a must-have middle grade selection".

This book just wasn't my thing. But I'm not the one voting in the Caudill awards!

Check out Michael Morpurgo's website.

Mini-Review: Shark Girl

Shark Girl by Kelly L. Bingham. (Grades 7+)

Shark Girl may be the easiest book to booktalk ever. I mean, who doesn't want to read a book about a girl who loses an arm in a shark attack?

Here's what I wrote about it when I read it in December '07:

"This novel in verse tells the story of Jane, an artistic high schooler whose life changes completely when she loses her right arm in a shark attack. A bystander videotapes the event and it's shown on the news. Suddenly strangers from all over the country are sending her cards and flowers, acting like they're her new best friend, like they understand her. In reality, Jane shrinks from all the attention and seems to abandon the things that gave her joy before the accident. Little things like cracking open eggs or buttoning her pants are suddenly insurmountable. But as Jane gives herself time to heal, she realizes that although she wouldn't have wished for this accident, it's taking her down a new and interesting path. Perhaps not worse... just different.

I have no firsthand experience, but I imagine that the voice of Jane is pretty realistic and it's an interesting glimpse into the world of someone with a disability. It made me think about things like how long it would take me to relearn how to write using my left hand (or type, for that matter). Again, I'm not a huge fan of the novel-in-verse format, but I think it mostly works and there are instances where it really works in this novel."

I find it interesting that there are two novels in verse on the list this year (Shark Girl and Home of the Brave). I'm still not sure how I feel about novels in verse, but they're growing on me I suppose.

Consider pairing this one with Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack and managed to return to surfing. Is it in bad taste to also recommend Shark Life by Jaws author Peter Benchley? Oh, well. :)

Read more (better) reviews at MotherReader, Bildungsroman, Oops...Wrong Cookie, Shelf Elf, and Becky's Book Reviews. Shark Girl was a readergirlz pick in April 2008. Read a roundtable discussion about the book at Miss Erin's. Check out the readergirlz forum chat with Kelly L. Bingham and interviews at MotherReader, Bildungsroman, and Cynsations (did you know that Kelly used to be a story artist for Disney?).

Mini-Review: Shooting the Moon

Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell. (Grades 5-8.)

The Vietnam War seems to be a popular topic on the Caudill lists lately. This year we have Shooting the Moon and The Wednesday Wars. Last year we had Letters from Wolfie.

This one got some Newbery buzz this year and here's what I thought when I read it last February (warning: there may be a slight spoiler at the end of this review. Read at your own risk if you are sensitive to spoilers!).

"When Army brat Jamie Dexter finds out her big brother TJ has been sent to Vietnam to fight, she's ecstatic. Her father, The Colonel, has raised Jamie and TJ to support the army way and to take pride in fighting for their country. Jamie declares that if she was allowed to enlist, she would immediately do so. Since she can't go fight, Jamie looks forward to her brother's letters. She's sure they're going to be filled with all the action and adventure going on at the front, so she's surprised when TJ sends her a cannister of film and asks her to develop it for him. Puzzled, Jamie learns to develop film and soon TJ sends more and more cannisters. As Jamie begins to get a look at what's going on in Vietnam, the things her brother can't write home about, and as Jamie befriends an army private who works in the rec center, she begins to change her opinion about the war.

The ending seemed really abrupt and although I appreciate the fact that it wasn't completely depressing, it seemed like it tied things up a bit too neatly. I thought it was interesting to see Jamie's perception of the war and of her father change throughout the book."

Read more reviews at A Patchwork of Books, A Fuse #8 Production, The Reading Zone, Becky's Book Reviews, 100 Scope Notes, and A Year of Reading. Check out Betsy's Winter Blog Blast Tour interview with Frances O'Roark Dowell.

Rebecca Caudill 2010 Nominees

Woohoo! The 2010 Rebecca Caudill Master List has been posted!! (Link opens a PDF.) This looks to be another great list and I can't wait to dive in to the titles I haven't read.

Amato, Mary. Naked Mole-Rat Letters. (2005)
Applegate, Katherine. Home of the Brave. (2007)*
Bingham, Kelly L. Shark Girl. (2007)*
Dowell, Frances O'Roark. Shooting the Moon. (2008)*
Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. (2006)
George, Jessica Day. Dragon Slippers. (2007)
Graff, Lisa. The Thing About Georgie. (2006)
Hahn, Mary Downing. All the Lovely Bad Ones. (2008)
Hobbs, Will. Crossing the Wire. (2006)
Kent, Rose. Kimchi & Calamari. (2007)*
Mass, Wendy. Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. (2006)
Morpurgo, Michael. The Mozart Question. (2006)
Nuzum, K.A. A Small White Scar. (2006)
Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. (2007)*
Smith, Roland. Elephant Run. (2007)
St. John, Lauren. The White Giraffe. (2006)
Stead, Rebecca. First Light. (2007)*
Tarshis, Lauren. Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree. (2007)*
Urban, Linda. A Crooked Kind of Perfect. (2007)*
Wolf, Joan M. Someone Named Eva. (2007)

Starred titles are the ones I've read prior to the list being announced. 8 out of 20 is not quite as good as last year, but I would like to point out that I predicted A Crooked Kind of Perfect, Home of the Brave, and Emma-Jean Lazarus last week. :)

I've linked to my reviews for those titles that I've reviewed. As I read & review them over the next couple of months, I'll change the links from Amazon to my reviews. For those books that I read before embarking on the magical journey that is blogging (or books I didn't review for whatever reason), I'll post a "mini-review" with my thoughts on the book at the time that I read it.

I'll also be adding discussion questions and maaaybe some video booktalks, so keep checking back! I'll link this post in the sidebar of my blog so it'll be easy to find.

ETA (April 15): Apologies, but it looks like I probably won't be getting around to adding discussion questions or other Caudill-related content this year!

Thanks to the Caudill committee for their hard work in coming up with this list!

Caudill predictions

Looking for the 2010 Rebecca Caudill nominees? Go here! I was right about three of my predictions! - AtL, Feb. 4, 2009

Predictions for the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz awards are all over the kidlitosphere every year. I've participated in a Mock Newbery and a Mock Caldecott this year. But today I'd like to offer some predictions for the 2010 Rebecca Caudill nominees. The list should be out soon and it'll consist of 20 books.

Last year I offered a few predictions and even got a couple of them right. What would I like to see on this year's Caudill list*?

Lesley M.M. Blume's Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters was on the 2009 nominee list. There's no stipulation that an author can't win the award twice and there are two other books by Blume that I liked more than Cornelia. Tennyson, which was out in 2008 and The Rising Star of Rusty Nail, which was out in 2007. I'd be happy to see either of those on the list. (It seems like the Caudills tend not to be published in the previous year, so my money'd be on Rusty Nail.)

I'd love to see something by Lee Weatherly on the list. Breakfast at Sadie's (2006) is my personal favorite, but Kat Got Your Tongue (2007) is another possibility.

Other predictions:

Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller (2007).

The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech (2006) and A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban (2007) are both distinct possibilities. I reviewed them both audiobooks here.

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate (2007).

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Laura Tarshis (2007).

No Talking by Andrew Clements (2007).

I'm not sure when the list will be announced, but I suspect it may be next weekend that the committee is meeting. (Is anyone reading on the committee? When will they determine the Master list?)

I'm sure there will be 20 great books on the list, some of which I'll have read and some of which will be new to me. That's one of the things I like best about the Caudill list - it's a way to find great books that I might not otherwise have picked up!

So, Illinois librarians and teachers, what do YOU think might be on the list???

*Note: I'm not and never have been on the Caudill committee, so all of this is purely speculation!

Book Review: Heat

Heat by Mike Lupica. (Grades 4-8)

Twelve-year-old Michael Arroyo has had one dream since before he came over to America on the boat from Cuba: to play in the Little League World Series. He's good. He's very good. And his Papi has always believed in him.

But the road to the World Series isn't smooth. And Michael's got a secret that he's desperate to hide. His Papi has been dead for two months. His older brother Carlos is trying to keep them afloat by working two jobs, but the bills are piling up and the brothers aren't sure how much longer Michael's coach is going to believe that their dad is in Florida taking care of a sick uncle. They live in fear of "Official Persons". Then a challenge is made. A coach from another Little League team accuses Michael of being too old to play in the league. Michael must present his birth certificate, but he doesn't have it. It's somewhere in Cuba. And Michael has nowhere to turn.

This action-packed baseball novel will be a sure hit with young sports fans. Michael is a likable character that I found myself rooting for (even as I, stodgy grownup that I am, was wishing they would get found out so that some adult would step in and take care of them). Michael's got an obvious passion for baseball and when he plays the rest of the world is stripped away. The novel takes place squarely in the summer months with no complications from school or teachers.

I have to admit that I skimmed some of the baseball bits. I like baseball as much as the next guy, but some of the scenes were too steeped in jargon and baseball plays for me to really understand what was going on. It will definitely appeal to young sports players, though, who will see all the sports action as it unfolds. Some of the schemes that Michael and his best friend Manny come up with to protect the Arroyo brothers are far-fetched and the end comes together much too smoothly to be realistic. That said, this is a great book for summer reading. It moves quickly and you get the happy ending that you're looking for in a light, fun read.

There's some mild criminal activity (the book starts with a mugging that is foiled by Michael and Carlos is involved in a not-quite-legal operation to make more money), but no drugs or violence. Sports fans will gobble it up.

Book Review: Project Mulberry

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park. (Grades 4-7)

Julia and Patrick have been best friends ever since Julia moved to Plainfield several years ago. They do homework together every night, help each other study for tests, and they both belong to the Wiggle Club. Wiggle is actually Work-Grow-Give-Live (WGGL = Wiggle), a 4-H type club whose members are now starting to prepare projects for possible entry in the state fair. When Patrick comes up with the idea of raising silkworms, Julia immediately balks. The project seems too Korean to her. She'd much rather do something "American". Knowing she can never talk Patrick out of his idea, she reluctantly goes along with it, though she's counting on something to go wrong and nip Project Mulberry in the bud. Can Julia secretly sabotage the project? And can she do it without Patrick hating her?

This was my second reading of Project Mulberry and I like it quite a bit. The thing that strikes me most about this book is its discussion on race. First of all, Julia feels self-conscious about doing the "weird Korean project". At the same time, her mother is teaching her Korean embroidery (different than Chinese or Japanese embroidery because when you're done it looks the same on the front and the back). Julia's caught between wanting to take pride in her heritage and wanting to blend in with her white-bread neighborhood.

Another interesting issue that arises is between Julia's mother and the African-American man that offers his mulberry leaves to help their project. Julia knows right off the bat that there's going to be a problem because her mother doesn't like black people. It's not something that Julia and her mom have ever really talked about, but Julia pieced it together after she had a black teacher in the fifth grade. Julia's afraid to confront her mother about it because she's afraid that the confrontation will reveal that her mother is racist and Julia doesn't know how to deal with that. Later in the book, Mr. Dixon says something racist, too, and Julia learns that people of all races can have prejudices.

When an unexpected issue comes up with the silkworm project and Julia can't decide what to do, she realizes that there are no perfect solutions to anything.

"Maybe everything in life had its messy bits. Things other people didn't see. Or didn't know they didn't know. Or didn't want to think about.

"Maybe that was exactly the reason I had to think about them." (pg 197)

One other thing I want to point out about this book. In between the chapters, Ms. Park inserts little "conversations" between herself and the main character. The purpose of these inserted bits is to show a little of the "inside story". Ms. Park talks about how she came up with characters, some parts that were based on her own life, etc. I don't know what to make of these, really. Personally, I found that they disrupted the story. The first time I read the book, I read them. This time, I skipped them, but I found that the story still felt disjointed in parts. Maybe kids really love those inserted bits. I could certainly see how it might appeal. And if it was left to the end in an author's note, kids might be less likely to read it. I dunno... What do you think??

Book Review: The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief by Percy Jackson. (Grades 4-8)

In this twist on Greek mythology, Percy Jackson discovers that he is a demigod, son of Poseidon and a human mother. This fact has been hidden from him for the past twelve years, but once Percy finds out, it explains a lot. He's dyslexic because his brain is hardwired for ancient Greek, not modern English. The monster he slayed on his school's last field trip wasn't a figment of his imagination. And his best friend Grover walks funny because he's actually a satyr with goat legs stuffed into human shoes. Whew. Once the secret's out, Percy finds himself at Camp Half-Blood, a training ground for heroes like himself. Unfortunately, his mom disappeared in the struggle that led him to the camp. When Percy is offered a quest, to retrieve Zeus's lightning bolt and prevent a massive war between the gods, he finds his chance to rescue his mom. Along with pals Grover and Annabeth (daughter of Athena and a mortal man), Percy sets off to find the Underworld (located in L.A., where else?) and complete his quest. Along the way he runs into Medusa, Echidna, and a host of other mythological characters, all updated for the modern age.

This is a laugh-out-loud adventure fantasy and will appeal to fans of Harry Potter and Peter and the Starcatchers. I read it several years ago, but decided to reread it because I couldn't remember it enough to booktalk it. I liked it the first time I read it, but I loved it even more this time around. Percy Jackson is this kind of punk kid hero who won't take anybody's crap. He cares about his friends and about doing what's right, but he's also got a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. As the book goes on, he starts to deal with his issues and figure out who he is.

This one will be an easy sell for the Caudills, I think. Who doesn't love Greek myths? And if anyone didn't love Greek myths before they read this book, they'll certainly want to check some out after reading it.

The Lightning Thief is the first in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. It's followed by The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth (coming in May).

And the winners are...

One of my colleagues is at the Children's Literature Conference at NIU as I speak and he just texted us the results of the 2008 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award and the 2008 Monarch Award. (Of course, I had to blog it right away...)

Ahem.

Drumroll, please...

For the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award:

In third place, we have MVP* by Douglas Evans.

In second place, we have The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn.

And our first place WINNER is... Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick!!

For the Monarch Award, which is for K-3rd grade:

In third place, we have Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor.

In second place, we have Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel.

And our first place WINNER is... If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen!!

The children of Illinois have spoken!!!

I'm a bit surprised by the Caudill results, but I'm overjoyed that Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie won. That book kept me amused and riveted at the DMV, of all places. It definitely deserves an award. What do you think, Illinois teachers and librarians? Were you surprised by the results? What would you have voted for?