Squirrels Are Fun in Nuts to You

Premise: The adventure begins when Jed the squirrel is captured by a hawk. Managing to escape from the in-flight hawk's talons, Jed fears that he will never see home again. Little does he know, that his friends are setting out to rescue him.

Title: Nuts to You
Author: Lynne Rae Perkins
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 5-8
Format: Digital ARC provided by Greenwillow Books via Edelweiss
Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: adventurous, fanciful, interesting

A fun squirrel story with themes of friendship, adventure, acceptance, and protecting trees. I really enjoyed the relationships between the 4 squirrel friends, and the way they joked with one another was great fun. There were some great observations about life as a squirrel. I also enjoyed the straight-forward, tell-it-like-it-is authorial voice (up until the weird, lengthy sequence of author's notes and epilogues).

Unfortunately, a few bizarre choices made Nuts to You really difficult. It looks like a book that is aimed at grades 3-5, but quite a lot of it was too hard to read. For instance, two of the main characters are TsTs and Tchke. Really!?!? It makes no sense to put such a barrier in the way of  young readers. Even more challenging, was the crazy squirrel dialect:

"Wair y'fromm, then?.. Oim Chuck, roight?"

"Oim Tsam... En oo er yu?"

If you can pronounce these words easily, it certainly makes the character voices fun, but as a 5th grade teacher, I know that dialect is insanely hard for kids. That's why I can't suggest Nuts to You to most elementary readers.

Against the Grain Book Review: The Fourteenth Goldfish

Premise: Things get strange when Ellie's elderly grandfather shows up at her house as a teenage boy. Grandpa is a scientist and he's discovered a way to reverse aging. Now he's living with Ellie and her mom, and things are very strange.

Title: The Fourteenth Goldfish
Author: Jennifer L. Holm
Pages: 208 pages
Genre: Realistic / Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 4-7
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: fanciful, unique, simple

The Fourteenth Goldfish is getting so much positive buzz! There have been talks of it winning the Newbery, the Goodreads page is glowing, and it was even selected for the 2014 Global Read Aloud. So it feels like blasphemy to say, but I found The Fourteenth Goldfish kind of disappointing. That's why I'm calling this an Against the Grain Book Review - my thinking appears to diverge from what most folks are thinking.

The Fourteenth Goldfish just didn't feel complete to me. It's a really straight-forward, single-plot story so that should make it easy to follow, but there were gaps in the narrative that made me lose track of how much time was passing and how various events were connected. A longer book, maybe from different perspectives, may have worked better.

Still, it was a fun read with some great moments. Grandpa Melvin may be one of my favorite characters in a long time.

People seem to really like the science aspect of this book, but it really disappointed me. Maybe it's because I have worked with researchers on how kids view scientists, but this book reinforced more stereotypes than it combated. However, I love love loved the talk about believing in possibilities and that scientists are passionate people who don't give up.

Overall, The Fourteenth Goldfish may provide a good starting point for classroom conversations about science, scientists, and fuzzy morality.

3.5 stars

Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Premise: Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. (from Goodreads)

Title: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
Author: Christopher Healy
Length: 436 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Re-invented Fairy Tale
Series or Stand-Alone: 1st book of (currently) 3
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-8
Format: Hardback in the classroom library

Three adjectives that describe this book: hilarious, creative, adventurous

This book is a rollicking good time with lots of witty humor along with bad puns, fun characters, and a witch with an evil plot. I absolutely loved the way Christopher Healy played around with gender roles and stereotypical fairy tale characters. Healy crafted a book with a distinct authorial voice, and a world of terrifically crafted characters. So fun!

My only complaint is that it got a little slow in the middle. The novelty was wearing off and the climax was a few too many pages away, while the characters traipsed about it in the woods... I wonder if Healy should have shaved 50ish pages off the middle. Overall there was TONS of action, though, so it's only a minor complaint.

Overall, a solid 4 stars!

This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge.

Odd, Weird, & Little is Odd and Weird

Premise: Toulouse is a new student, just arrived from Canada. And he is weird. He wears an old-timey suit, carries a briefcase, and writes with a quill pen. Woodrow is glad that someone weirder than him has joined their class, but he can't decide if he should be friends with Toulouse or not. If they're friends, the bullying will get worse. If not, the bullies may focus on Toulouse instead of him.

Title: Odd, Weird, & Little
Author: Patrick Jennings
Length: 160 pages
Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-5
Format: Digital ARC thanks to Egmont USA and netgalley.com, Publication date January 28, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: strange, disappointing, fanciful

I think I may be in the minority in my views of Odd. Weird, & Little. The reviews that I've read gush on about how wonderful it is to read a book about being yourself, even when faced with bullies.

I mean sure, that stuff is in there. But here's the thing. The main character is an owl. An owl. And nobody realizes it until the end. They keep wondering - how did he get up in that tree? Why can he turn his head around so far? Why are his eyes so large? I mean - Come on!

Classics Review: The 13 Clocks

You probably skip the Premise section of my book reviews. That's okay most of the time... but not this time.The 13 Clocks better than anything I've seen or read. I didn't write it myself. I stole it from Goodreads. But it was just to perfect to ignore. So just this once, be sure to read the premise:

Premise:
How can anyone describe this book? It isn't a parable, a fairy story or a poem, but rather a mixture of all three. It is beautiful and it is comic. It is philosophical and it is cheery... There are only a few reasons why everybody has always wanted to read this kind of story, but they are basic:
* Everybody has always wanted to love a Princess.
* Everybody has always wanted to be a Prince.
* Everybody has always wanted the wicked Duke to be punished.
* Everybody has always wanted to live happily ever after.

Too little of this kind of thing is going on in the world today. But all of it is going on valorously in The 13 Clocks.

Title: The 13 Clocks
Author: James Thurber
Length: 128 pages
Genre: Fantasy / Classic
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 3-5

Three adjectives that describe this book: whimsical, fanciful, amusing

This classic pseudo fairy tale was so much fun to read. The story centers on an evil duke who sets impossible tasks for princes who want took marry the Princess Saralinda. The language of this story is so fun. It begs to be read aloud. Slipping frequently into poetry and word play. There are lots of places where the text hides fun rhythms and terrific rhymes sneak up. As Neil Gaiman says in the introduction, it slips easily and frequently into poetry.

Classics Review: My Father's Dragon

Premise: Young Elmer Elevator embarks on a quest to free a dragon who has been enslaved by the animals on Wild Island. No human has ever come back from Wild Island, but Elmer's not worried because he has lollipops, toothpaste, and ribbon in his backpack.

Title: My Father's Dragon
Author: Ruth Stiles Gannett
Length: 74 pages
Genre: Fantasy / Classic
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate for: Grades PreK-6

Three adjectives that describe this book: fun, fanciful, surprising

I had been avoiding My Father's Dragon because of its terrible cover and title. It just looks old and dinky. I did a quick search to see if a new cover has been designed that will do a better job of enticing readers, but I wasn't impressed by what I found:

Complete trilogy cover. Are they hugging? Weird

Audiobook cover. Just silly.

VHS cover. I like this one best.

It's really unfortunate because this is a terrific story. Elmer's adventure is super fun. This story reads like a fairy tale, with repetition in the events. Each time Elmer meets a dangerous wild animal, he outsmarts the creature with a strange and wise every-day tool from his pack such as chewing gum or toothpaste.

Since this sequence happens several times, I thought it would become boring and predictable. But actually, I began to eagerly await Elmer's next run-in and enjoyed trying to figure out how he would outsmart the next animal.

The best praise for this book is that, when I told my fifth graders that I had read it, one of the boys said, "My dad used to read this book to me when I was little!" He was so excited to see it again, that he grabbed my copy and devoured it. A few days later, he promoted the book to his peers during our weekly Book Commercial time and they were clamoring to read it next.

Overall: This classic would be great to read aloud to your four or five year old. The chapters are short, the illustrations are terrific, and the story is straight-forward, fun, and a bit adventurous. I also appreciated the subtle humor when the 17 crocodiles got super excited about pink lollipops. A fun, quick read.

4 stars

Classic Review: The Phantom Tollbooth

Premise: Milo is transported to a land where the king of Dictionopolis loves words and the king of Digitopia loves numbers. The only solution to this problem is for Milo and his two friends to rescue the princesses, Rhyme and Reason, from imprisonment.

Title: The Phantom Tollbooth
Author: Norton Juster
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 3-8

Three adjectives that describe this book: complex, amusing, fanciful

So... I may take some heat for this review. The Phantom Tollbooth is well-loved by many a folk, but I just couldn't get into it. I mean - YES, it's quirky and fun. And YES, the constant word play is nerd-core goodness. And YES, there are some thoughtful take-aways about appreciating life and the world all around you. BUT...

The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas

Premise: After Stanley's uncle makes life unbearable and commits the ultimate betrayal, young Stan has no choice but to leave home. When Stanley is swept up by the carnival he discovers new ways of living, mysterious happenings, and a tank full of piranhas. Now Stan must search inside himself for his true destiny.

Title: The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas
Author: David Almond
Length: 256 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction (with fantasy elements)
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 3-6
Format: ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: intriguing, fanciful, strange

After reading quite a few gushing reviews of this book, I feel kind of bad about finding it to be so meh. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas, but there were a few annoying flaws and I'm not sure it will grab middle grade readers - the intended audience.

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

Premise: This novella is a Norse Gods adventure. Odd is tasked with saving the gods after Asgard has been taken over by a Frost Giant. He travels to Asgard in the company of three animals who are actually Norse gods Thor, Odin, and Loki.

Title: Odd and the Frost Giants
Author: Neil Gaiman
Length: 117 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone
Content appropriate for: grades 4-8

4 stars

3 adjectives to describe this book: adventurous, fanciful, captivating

This little book was really fun to read. At first glance it looks quite simple with it's large print and glorious illustrations (Brett Helquist), but Neil Gaiman's use of language really kicks it up a notch. Students who enjoy the Percy Jackson series will find a lot to love here, what with a kid saving the gods.

I'm not as familiar with Norse mythology as I'd like to be, but luckily I have seen the movie, Thor. Otherwise I think I would have had a hard time following the story. At only 117 pages, there's simply not enough space to fully develop the world so terms like Asgard and Rainbow Bridge are given just enough berth to allow the plot to unfold.

I really enjoyed the way Odd used logic to defeat the frost giants. This is a nice change from so many recent novels that rely on epic battles (ie Percy Jackson). I found Odd to be a terrific character. I hope that Neil Gaiman will tell more of his story in future installments.