Category: Children

Children’s literature

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The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Synopsis

Ivan is a silverback gorilla, captured as a baby and living his entire life in captivity—a featured attraction in the third-rate Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. With his artistic talents (drawings by Ivan sell for twenty bucks apiece), life is bearable. Plus, he has two good friends, Stella the elephant and Bob, a stray dog who enjoys leftover scraps from Ivan’s domain.

The arrival of a baby elephant changes everything. Ruby’s grief in captivity stirs Ivan’s memory, and when tragedy strikes this little circus family, Ivan is determined to find a better home for Ruby.

Pros

  1. Ivan’s predicament and how he solves it teaches children to think outside the box.
  2. The book unashamedly promotes animal rights. While there are no evil villains, the owner of the arcade struggles to maintain his business, and as a result, the animals are not well cared for. Applegate rightly shows how horrible it is for animals to live in such conditions.
  3. The second half of the book had me cheering Ivan on as he attempts to execute his plan to save Ruby. Your kids will do the same.
  4. The novel is written in charming, simple prose as if a gorilla really could write his story in book form.

Cons

While I admire the author’s passion for animals’ well-being, I found the first half of the book totally depressing. So much so that I almost stopped reading. Ivan philosophically accepts his crummy life and has no hope for freedom, fully expecting to stay in his domain all his days. He refuses to use the word “cage.”

Discussion Questions

You may have a sad, thoughtful child on your hands when you read this book together. I don’t recommend it as silent reading for anyone under ten. A  current of despair runs under the setting. Natural questions will generate discussion. Possibles:

  1. “Why is Stella’s leg injured?”
  2. “Why doesn’t Bob have a home?”
  3. “How did Ivan end up in the arcade?”
  4. “Who is the nicest human in the story?”

Conclusion

Once the reader accepts Ivan’s depressing conditions, they gain the satisfaction of a happy ending. All the characters—human and animal—end up in happier circumstances. The reader will close the book with a smile.

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Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

I read this Newbery winner when I was in junior high school. Ordinarily, I didn’t go for man-against-nature type of stories. I didn’t go for a novel told in first person present tense. But Island of the Blue Dolphins featured a girl who had to survive totally alone on her island. And when the author introduced a dog? I was hooked.

In order to review Scott O’Dell’s masterpiece, I read the book again.  I now appreciate the story even more than when I was a kid. And would you believe it? The Author’s Note at the end provides a Big Reveal which I never bothered to read when I was twelve. Boy, did I miss out! It took many years into adulthood to realize other portions of a book can be interesting as the novel itself.

This is what I missed the first time around: Island of the Blue Dophins is based on a true story. The island really exists, named San Nicolas, not far off the coast of southern California. A girl really did live alone on the island for eighteen years from 1835 to 1853. She was known as The Lost Woman of San Nicolas and is buried near the Santa Barbara Mission. If I had known this, I would have been begging my parents to take a vacation to California, and the book would have made my Top Five.

Synopsis

Aleuts and Russians visit Karana’s island, over hunt the otter, and break the trade agreement with her tribe.  When her people object, the Aleuts kill most of the men. The new chief decides they should move to a new country, but Karana, at the tender of age of twelve, is accidentally left behind. She knows they will not be able to come back for her until the next summer. However, she has learned survival skills. She is sure she can make it through the winter.

Summers continue to pass, and no one returnsr. How she thrives as the solitary human on her island becomes the fascination of the story. She builds a new home and makes sure it is well-provisioned. She gathers food and makes weapons to defend herself against wild dogs. She befriends the wounded leader of the pack, who remains her faithful companion. After many years, a new ship arrives to rescue her.

Pros

  1. Children who enjoy nonfiction books will like this fiction book as they see how Karana tames animals, gathers food, and fashions tools that she can use to survive.
  2. Children who enjoy fiction will love how Karana builds relationships with animals and accepts friendship from a girl of the enemy camp.
  3. Karana’s courage is amazing and without bravado. She takes each day at a time and doesn’t waste hours feeling sorry for herself. She doggedly survives. Kids will recognize what an admirable character she is.

Cons

  1. Today’s editors would not be happy with the fact that there is no huge climax. Instead,  Karana grows up by herself, she learns to adapt and practice skills traditionally reserved for the men of her tribe, and she accepts the help of strangers when given the opportunity to join civilization once again.
  2. At no time is there a huge “aha” moment, although she slowly accepts the fact that no one is coming for her. She is content to live alone.

Discussion Questions

  1. What quality to you admire most about Karana?
  2. How was Karana different from her little brother Ramo?
  3. Why did Karana choose to never kill otters or seals or dogs again?
  4. What do we call the “devil fish?”

Conclusion

Island of the Blue Dolphins is one of those ageless stories. Adults and children alike will find something new to love with every read.

 

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Flora and Ulysses The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

Scriblerians.com

As a fan of Kate DiCamillo, I’m delighted to report that Flora and Ulysses The Illuminated Adventures does not disappoint. In fact, it may have just become my favorite book of hers. This 2014 Newbery Medal winner is mostly a standard text, but it’s sprinkled with scenes like a graphic novel thanks to illustrator K.G. Campbell. While Flora and Ulysses is perfect for readers eight to ten years old, the story appeals to every age.

Synopsis

Listen. Do not hope. Instead, observe. Ten-year-old Flora is a natural born cynic. She depends on her comic book, The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto!, to help her survive if terrible things should happen to her. (It has a handy-dandy bonus section titled, TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!).  Flora is hanging in there after her parents’ divorce, but Mom pays more attention to her writing career than to her daughter. And Dad only gets to visit.

Flora rescues a squirrel that was accidentally vacuumed up by her neighbor. Once she has resuscitated him, she names him Ulysses and discovers he has acquired extraordinary powers as a result of his near-death experience. He can read, he can type, he is super-strong. And he can fly.

As you can see, Flora and Ulysses pops the reader into a rollicking story from the get-go. But as the novel develops, sadness underlies many characters’ lives. While Flora holds fiercely to her cynical persona, she gains compassion for Ulysses, her dad, William Spiver from next door, and finally, for her mom. Flora learns to love and be loved.

Pros

  1. Every chapter entertains. It even has chapters from the squirrel’s point of view!
  2. This book could be very helpful to children whose parents are divorced. While there is hope for reconciliation between Flora’s mom and dad, Andrew Spiver doesn’t have that hope, but he does have friends to help him cope.

Cons

  1. …
  2. I can’t think of any negatives.

Discussion Questions

  1. How did Ulysses get his superpowers?
  2. Why was Flora jealous of a lamp?
  3. Why does Ulysses love Flora?
  4. Who was your favorite character and why?

Conclusion

Read it.

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The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright

Synopsis

The Saturdays, first book in The Melendy Quartet, is a delightful trot into yesteryear’s childhood. Elizabeth Enright created a family of four siblings who live an “ordinary” life in New York City, yet their minor escapades become “special” adventures. Set in 1941 before America entered World War II, the Melendy children are a little bored. They decide to pool their allowances so each can afford a solo adventure in the City on Saturday afternoons.

What are the adventures? A visit to an art museum, attending the opera, an afternoon at a beauty salon, and going to the circus. Those excursions might sound dull to this generation, but not in the eyes of these characters. Randy’s visit to the art museum initiates an important friendship. On the way home from the opera, Rush acquires a beloved pet—who later saves their lives. The new hairstyle and manicure is a fleeting thrill teaching Mona the meaning of “someday.” And the trek to the circus proves to Oliver that Father’s training pays off in an emergency. Other simple incidents in their lives bring either catastrophes or blessings.

Pros

  1. Kids won’t read about trips to the mall or the latest Xbox game. Instead, they’re drawn into the world of imagination, discovering there are ways to entertain yourself by interacting with people face to face, and without breaking the bank. For people like me this is a good thing. It breaks my heart to watch kids sit with a small device in their hands, ignoring the world around them.
  2. Each of the Saturday adventures teaches the Melendy child (and the reader) a lesson without being preachy.

Cons

Kids won’t read about trips to the mall or the latest Xbox game. For people who are sold on the society of today, they would wilt in boredom if forced to read a chapter about a ten-year-old who discovers an elderly acquaintance had been captured by gypsies in her youth.

Conclusion

If we sense our children are becoming jaded by our texting-social media-video game society, force them to imagine themselves in the Melendy’s moments. As proof that many kids will like what they read, my own experiences in sharing with my students serves as an example.

My growing-up years were well past the Melendy clan, but my brothers and I enjoyed simple adventures of our own. We walked along a highway to reach the ice cream store. We spent entire afternoons in the woods. We biked to the pool and to the movies. We played kickball in the street.

My students were jealous! “You could just go off and not come home for hours?” “They let you walk on roads with no sidewalks? Alone?” “Weren’t they afraid you’d get lost?” “Wouldn’t you get run over?” “How old were you when they let you do that?”

My answers: “Our parents taught us to walk on the left shoulder facing traffic. We packed a lunch and came home in time for dinner. We never got lost. When a car approached during the game, we ran to the side until it passed. I was nine. My brothers were younger.”

If those students thought adventures on their own would be fantastic, your kids will enjoy The Saturdays.

 

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HITTY Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field

HITTY Her First Hundred Years was published before I was born, before my mother was born! I wanted to see if such books are still “readable” in the twenty-first century. My answer? It depends.

As soon as I opened the book, my heart sank. Long narrations and detailed descriptions filled page after page. White space was almost nonexistent. Our instant society can’t stand that, but I challenge those of you who are interested in sampling variety in your reading pleasure:

PLAN to take your time and savor the details that Rachel Field offers to you in this historical novel for children.

Synopsis

HITTY is a doll, carved by a backwoods peddler in the 1820s. Now, she’s an expensive antique watching the world from a shop window. And she decides to write her memoirs. From her beginnings in early America Maine to the South Seas and India, from New Orleans to New York, Boston, and eventually, her original home town, Hitty regales her readers, young and old, with historical details of events, cultures, and fashions. The further I progressed, the more enthralled I became with her story. No wonder Fields won the 1930 Newbery Medal.

Pros

1. Hitty’s voice is immediately distinctive. I love reading passages out loud just to hear her!
2. Field’s talent for description is amazing. Read the words and YOU ARE THERE.
3. The book is a wonderful history text, told in story form, and gives us a living sense of the times of each era.

Cons

1. Since Hitty has no ability to speak, dialog is minimal, and I do love dialog in fiction. The only conversations we can read are those where Hitty was a witness.
2. I found myself skimming some of the long descriptions. I’m sure they were just as good as the ones where I read every detail. I confess—while I’m a patient reader, I live in the twenty-first century, and I have my moments of “hurry up and get on with it.”

Discussion Questions

Pick a chapter, any chapter. Ask your child or students about the setting, about how things have changed since Hitty first started her adventures. What have they gleaned from her description of her current surroundings? Hitty maintains an 1830s worldview, so as the decades pass and society’s mores evolve, her values do not.

Conclusion

Take your time and enjoy this gentle voyage through history.

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The Cat who went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth

Knowing this story won the Newbery Medal in 1931, I expected fantastic writing. Looking at the title, I assumed it was a book of faith. I was mostly correct. Yes, The Cat who went to Heaven is magnificently written, a wonderful read-aloud giving your child a full picture of the setting. Yes, it’s a book about faith—but not the Christian faith. Its themes are subtle, so it’s a book best read by children ten and up.
Look past the synopsis to see what I find worthwhile about reading a book centered on Buddhism.

Synopsis

The story centers on a talented, poverty-stricken artist who has been commissioned to paint the scene of Buddha’s death for the local temple. Such a painting includes all the animals lined up to give honor to this master teacher. Cats, however, are never included. They are traditionally associated with demons. To the artist’s dismay, his faithful housekeeper brings home a cat, but this cat seems different. He observes its gentleness with other living creatures and with his art, and he names her Good Fortune.
As he adds more and more animals to his paintings, the cat seems sadder and sadder, which makes him feel guilty for not putting her into the picture. She’s such a sweet cat! Finally, he gives in to his conscience. Even if the priest refuses to pay him, he adds a painting of his cat as the last animal in line to honor Buddha. What happens next would give away the ending!

Pros
1. With supervision, The Cat who went to Heaven makes for an excellent education about Buddhist history and myths, and it creates plenty of room for discussion on how Buddhist beliefs compare to the Christian faith. For example, it is filled with side stories of Buddhist myth. While each story is an example of another incarnation of Buddha, in every instance, the story involves Christlike self-sacrifice.
2. The entire message of the book teaches compassion, kindness, and mercy.
3. Told like a fairytale, the prose is almost poetic in its beauty.
4. Lynd Ward’s illustrations are exquisite.

Cons
1. Because it features a different religion, Christian parents may feel wary reading a book that promotes a faith other than their own.

Discussion Questions
1. The artist would think about the stories he’d heard about Buddha while he painted his masterpiece. How are those stories like the stories you know about Jesus?
2. What is the biggest difference between Buddha and Jesus? Why is that important?
3. How was the painting different at the end of the story? What do you think that means?

Conclusion
Elizabeth Coatsworth (1893-1986), a product of Ivy League colleges of Vassar and Columbia, traveled to the Philippines, Indonesia, and China throughout her twenties. Her knowledge of Buddhism and the man who initiated its teachings far exceeds mine. Believed to have lived in the fifth century B.C, Siddhartha gave up his status as a Hindu prince, lived an impoverished life, taught others to show mercy to the unfortunate, and to display kindness toward all. We might call him a secular humanist by today’s standards since he gave more credit to the possibilities of goodness in man than he did to any of the Hindu gods. If even a portion of what is known of Siddhartha Gautama is true, I can’t help but wonder if he would have embraced Christianity, for surely, he would have admired Jesus.
The blessing of sacrificing self for the sake of others is central to this story. It’s worth your time.

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Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

I’ve previously reviewed Kate DiCamillo, and there’s a reason she consistently wins the highest awards in the nation for her stories. Because of Winn-Dixie is no exception.

Synopsis

Winn-Dixie is a dog, so named under unusual circumstances, and he really doesn’t do much in this tale except act like an average dog, but if it weren’t for Winn-Dixie, much of the story wouldn’t have happened.

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni tells the story. Opal is new to town. Her dad’s the preacher of a little church, and her mom has disappeared for reasons we learn throughout the book. As Winn-Dixie and Opal explore the town and meet an odd assortment of characters, she learns what it means to treat people with kindness, even those who may not deserve it. And who knows? She might find a new friend.

Pros

  1. Without ever mentioning the name of Jesus, the message throughout Because of Winn-Dixie is clear. Love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, encourage one another, be kind.
  2. The language is simple, and each chapter can be read as its own short story, which makes for a great family reading time.
  3. While most kids might not ever meet characters like Gloria Dump or Otis, all kids bump up against bullies like Dunlap and Stevie, or they must deal with stuck-up princesses like Amanda. Opal learns how to deal with both types. Her example makes for a great object lesson for her readers.

Cons

Today’s child is so sucked into instant everything that the novel, as with most vintage reads, will feel too slow at first. Yet Because of Winn-Dixie was only published seventeen years ago. What does that tell you about how quickly our society has changed?

Discussion Questions

My copy has a series of questions in the back. If your copy doesn’t have it, here are three of my own:

  1. Why does Opal decide to adopt Winn-Dixie in spite of how he looks and smells?
  2. What would not have happened to Opal if she never kept Winn-Dixie?
  3. Why do you think Opal doesn’t miss her mother quite so much by the end of the book?

Conclusion

As a dog-lover, Because of Winn-Dixie is one of my favorite books. The author obviously understands doggie behaviors. As a lover of literature, Because of Winn-Dixie is a favorite. DiCamillo is an artist in using few words to evoke powerful emotions in the reader.

 

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Skeleton and Ghost by Nathaniel Dowell

Skeleton and Ghost by Nathaniel Dowell is a book for children, appropriate for ages 3 and up.

Synopsis​

Skeleton lies in his coffin, listening to the earthworms crawl, and longs to walk around outside. Unfortunately, he is stuck underground because he has a ghost. Then one day, he meets a sad little ghost who is looking for his mother and father. Skeleton his happy to help his new friend reunite with his family, and with his help, rises from his coffin and pokes his head out into the night sky. As the two journey together through the peaceful night in search of the little ghost’s family, a beautiful friendship is formed.

Pros:

  • Sweet, positive characters who genuinely care for each other
  • Beautiful, colorful illustrations
  • No mischief or trickery
  • It is not an overtly Halloween story, but it is an option for those who prefer a “soft,” family-friendly Halloween for their children free of creepy elements. Honestly, the only creepy aspect of it is the fact that it is about a skeleton and a ghost.

Cons:

  • Some may be uncomfortable with a book about a skeleton and a ghost.

Personal Thoughts

If you are a child at heart who loves Halloween but are not into the over-the-top creepy aspect of it, or if you are looking for a book to share with an important child in your life, this is the book for you. This is a simple, sweet story about two characters that happen to be a ghost and a skeleton. I found the writing enchanting and the illustrations were gorgeous creations by the author himself. This is the perfect book for you to enjoy with your child, little sibling, niece, nephew, or friend.

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The Forever Man by Eoin Colfer

The Forever Man is book #3 in the middle grade fantasy Warp Trilogy written by well-known Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series.

 

Riley, a fifteen-year-old, lives in Victorian London as a magician. In book #1, he defeated his murderous master Albert Garrick, with the help of Chevie Savano, a seventeen-year-old FBI agent who travelled back in a time pod.

Garrick, who had been banished in a wormhole for two hundred years, vowed to return and seek revenge on Riley. Garrick returns in book #3 with wormhole caused mutations that enable him to seem immortal.

Garrick lures Riley (and Chevie) to a prison under false pretences to see Riley’s long-lost brother. After the three are swept inadvertently into another wormhole, they end up in a puritan village in 1649. Due to the wormhole spitting out many horrific mutations to the village in the past, the villagers are fearful and Garrick is known by previous visits, as the witch hunter and protector.

Chevie is caught and is to be burned at the stake for being a witch, but Riley breaks free from his entrapment. With the help of a few new characters, Pointer (an FBI mutant who is a dog), Fairbrother Isles (another FBI agent), and the ghost of Professor Smart (the scientist who created the wormhole), Riley devises a plan to save Chevie. But they also must save humanity before Garrick destroys the wormhole.

 

 

Pros

 

  • As in the previous two books in the trilogy, Eoin Colfer’s incomparable style pulls the reader in with his wit and the lure of fast-paced action.
  • Garrick is a well-developed antagonist, and I found myself fascinated/horrified at his actions, as I would have been watching a black widow catching a bug in slow motion. He reminded me of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the joker in Batman, The Dark Knight.
  • The romantic attachment between the Riley and Chevie is at the core of the story, so the reader is more invested in the outcome.
  • Each character he introduces is unique and identifiable.

 

Cons

 

  • By this time, I was more or less used to the omniscient POV, although at times I still found it irritating to be jumping back and forth so quickly between the heads.
  • This story is classified as MG, however I feel that there was too much violence and the style was slightly confusing for most readers of that age group.
  • The scientific details on the wormhole and how humanity was going to be obliterated by the destruction of the wormhole was not clearly explained. I never did quite understand that.
  • Chevie in this story seemed to lack her zeal and powerful persona that she possessed in the previous books. She was more or less just a maiden in distress that needed to be saved. I was disappointed in her role.

 

 

Final Word

 

I quite enjoyed this final book, and I feel of the three, it was the best.  I still enjoyed the Artemis Fowl series better, but this was a close second. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Eoin Colfer, but I would caution that it is a bit more dark and technical to be regarded as MG.

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Stepping Stones, A Refugee Family’s Journey by Margriet Ruurs

Stepping Stones, A Refugee Family’s Journey is a story from a Syrian girl’s perspective about having to flee her country.

Rama loved playing with her dolls and her brother Sami, going to school, drinking tea with her neighbours and buying produce at the market. Life was peaceful and fun in her Syrian village. But her grandfather, Jedo, complained that they were not free to sing their favourite songs, or dance, or to pray the prayers of their choice. Then a few neighbours started to leave. When bombs began to fall near her village, the birds didn’t sing, and there was not enough to eat. More people left, fellow villagers in search of a place where they could be safe from bombs and enjoy life. The day came when Jedo told her family they had to pack up and join the rest leaving their village, their pets, and their life in Syria. They walked for a long time, carrying blankets, food and clothing.

They finally came to the sea and boarded a boat with many others. The ocean tossed and punished their boat and some people didn’t make it. Prayers were said for those they had to leave at sea. When they landed, again they walked, but this time they walked without the fear of war. New friends helped them and gave them food and clothes, and a doll for Rama. She and her family were called the lucky ones, the ones with hopes and dreams of peace.

Pros:

  • Margaret Ruurs has stayed away from politics, and has simply told a story from a child’s perspective. The child neither understands why the conflicts happen or when it will stop.
  • The Syrian illustrator, Nizar Ali Badr, has achieved so much with so little. He gathers stones from the seashore where he lives and creates amazingly powerful and expressive illustrations that are truly inspiring.
  • Children will love the details of the story, and feel for Rama who merely wants the security of having family and friends around and to live in peace.
  • Terrible things happen, but they are written in such a way so as not to scare small children.

Cons:

  • Frankly, I couldn’t think of a single thing to put here! I felt it was a powerful and moving story, and one that should be told.

My Personal Opinion: 

As an artist, I was pulled into the story because of the sincere understated style and the expressive and sensitively portrayed figures. The fact that the illustrator is also a Syrian who used local materials in such an ingenious way was a bonus. I always appreciate artists who think and work outside of the box, and the illustrations in this book showed amazing imagination. I also loved the story from a child’s perspective. Being a parent, her plight hit home. Their predicament will also help children see how lucky they are to live where they live.

Discussion Questions: 

  • Before the war, how did Rama’s lifestyle compare to yours?
  • Rama had to leave her home and bring very little with her. Have you ever been sad to leave a home? If so, what could you not leave behind?
  • The illustrator did not draw or paint the pictures. How do they differ from most of the illustrations you have seen?
  • Have you ever created pictures using something out of the ordinary? If so, what did you use?
  • When Rama and her family landed in a new country, they had to learn a new language. Have you met or played with someone who either didn’t know English at all, or knew only a little? If so, were they shy and scared?
  • If you know of someone who doesn’t know English, what are some ways to help them learn and to feel welcome?