Classics Review: Nancy Drew #1

Premise: Wealthy Josiah Crowley has died, but his relatives and friends are shocked to find that he left his entire estate to the mean, already-wealthy Topham family. When Nancy learns that Josiah had promised an inheritance to many needy families, she goes searching for Mr. Crowley's hidden will.

Title: The Secret of the Old Clock
Author: Carolyn Keene
Length: 192 pages
Genre: Mystery
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 in the long-running Nancy Drew series
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-6
Format: Hardback gifted to me by a student

Three adjectives that describe this book: simple, predictable, disappointing

I read this book as part of the Classics Club challenge to read 50 classics books in 5 years. My list is comprised entirely of children's books.

Apparently Nancy Drew books really work for lots of people. There are a great many nostalgic 5-star reviews. Now as a 30-something, this was my first time reading a Nancy Drew, and I was underwhelmed. 

Nancy comes off as a bit snobby and entitled. The supporting characters are ridiculously flat, and always single-minded. The central mystery hinged on locating a missing will, and I found myself not caring much about it. I mean, of course she'll find the will and the poor folks will get the money they've been promised. Duh. Classic, over-done scenario.

Overall, it probably only warrants 2 stars from me, but the extra star is because so many people credit Nancy with getting them started as readers.

Reissued Review: The Flying Classroom

Erich Kastner's The Flying Classroom, was originally published in German in 1933. Last year I read (and enjoyed) his classic, Emil and the Detectives. So I was curious to see if The Flying Classroom would have the same charm.

Premise: Six German boarding school boys get into mischief around Christmas-time.

Title: The Flying Classroom
Author: Erich Kastner (translated by Anthea Bell)
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Realistic fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 6-8
Format: Digital copy provided by Pushkin Children's Books

Three adjectives that describe this book: confusing, lacking, simple

Although The Flying Classroom had some memorable scenes, overall it was really disappointing. While this book will certainly appeal to an adult audience looking to relive older-styled stories, I doubt it will find much of an audience in the US in 2015.

But there are lots of problems with this book starting with the premise itself. Did you notice that premise at the top of the post? Very little happens in this book, and there is no over-arching problem. The story simply follows 6 boarding school boys over the course of a week or so. Young readers today want things to happen in their books.

Another major problem - even though not much happens, the story still manages to be confusing. I had to reread the first 40 pages THREE times because I couldn't keep the 6 main characters straight. They are called at various times by their full names, nicknames, last names, etc... such that the 6 boys feel more like 15. It was very hard to keep track.

And there are two more things - the characters all smoke (even fellow students), and one of the boys is on scholarship and his peers are constantly "amazed" by how smart he is even though he's poor. I found it very offensive.

The one redeeming quality is that the illustrator, Walter Trier, is marvelous. He keeps the book light and helps clarify some of the confusing scenes.

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

How to Train Your Dragon ~ The Book

When the movie for How to Train Your Dragon came out, I didn't realize it was a book so I broke my rule and watched the movie first. I absolutely love love love the movie. At first I was mildly disappointed that the book is SO different from the movie. Had I read the book first, I probably would have been angered by the movie. The only real similarity is that some of the characters have the same names.

So - be warned - this book is it's own thing.

Title: How to Train Your Dragon
Author: Cressida Cowell
Length: 224 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 of 11
Content Appropriate For: Grades 3-5
Format: Paperback from the classroom library

Three adjectives that describe this book: fun, entertaining, simple

The best thing about the book being so completely different is that I quickly dropped all my expectations and was able to just judge the book on its own merits (I hope).

Kensuke's Kingdom

Premise: Eleven year old Michael is washed up on an island with his dog, Stella. At first they appear to be alone, but soon they realize that someone else is on the island with them. Is he an enemy or a friend? And how will they manage to get back home?

Title: Kensuke's Kingdom
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction, survival
Series or Stand Alone: Stand alone
Format: Paperback in classroom library
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-7

Three adjectives that describe this book: believable, engaging, simple

Kensuke's Kingdom is a straight-forward survival story. Michael and his dog, Stella, are only able to survive on the island thanks to the help of a mysterious and possibly dangerous stranger was stranded there many years before.

Short and Scary. Hide and Seek is Perfect for Struggling Readers

I was intrigued by this book because it was written with the express goal of targeting upper middle grade readers (Grades 5-8) who struggle or have dyslexia. The text is written in mostly simple sentences. After reading it, I found that the novel didn't suffer much from this approach.

Title: Hide and Seek
Author: Catherine MacPhail
Length: 67 pages
Genre: Horror
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 5-8
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher and netgalley.com

Three adjectives that describe this book: dark, spooky, simple

I don't typically read horror novels because I scare easily. This one definitely did the trick. It was scary. Even though the book is super short, very straight-forward, and written with simple text, I found myself hooked by increasing fear. I also thought it was interesting that this novel is written from the (third person) perspective of a bully. That's an unusual approach, and I found it fascinating. It really made me wonder why people can be cruel to others. Of course, since this book is so short, the characters are all rather flat and the plot follows only one main storyline. Therefore, there isn't any delving into why the main character is cruel to others. That would have been a great element to add, though.

In an effort to interest middle school readers, the main character, Nicole, spends an awful lot of time trying to get the interest of Danny. We hear a lot about his dreamy eyes and how much she wants to hold his hand. This will probably limit the audience for the book to girls, unfortunately.

Overall Hide and Seek was sufficiently scary and does the job of grabbing older readers who need simpler text.

3 stars

Classics Review: Emil and the Detectives

Premise: When Emil takes the train to Berlin to spend the week with his aunt and uncle, he carefully checks his pockets to see that his mother's $140 is safe and sound. This money is for his aging grandmother. But when Emil falls asleep on the train, his money is stolen, and now knows who took it. Now, Emil must find a way to get that money back.

Title: Emil and the Detectives
Author: Erich Kastner (Translated in 2007 by W. Martin)
Length: 159 pages
Genre: Mystery | Classic  (1929)
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 3-6 (Note: 2 curse words are used)

Three adjectives that describe this book: simple, fun, believable

I chose this book as a children's classic for The Classics Club, even though it's not well-known or on many classics lists. This book is a classic, in part, because of the author's storied history. Largely a poet, Erich Kastner spoke out against the Nazis. In 1938 many of his books were burned.

Emil and the Detectives marks an important change in children's literature. At the time of its publication, most children's books were fantasies and/or clearly explicit moral lectures. Emil and the Detectives is set in contemporary Berlin, was an instant hit, and helped spur the "child detective" genre.

I really enjoyed Emil and the Detectives. It's a quick read and a pretty straight-forward mystery. As an interesting twist, the mystery is not who stole his money, but how will he get it back. In doing so, Emil garners the help of over 20 neighborhood boys who quickly set up a complex operation of spies, messengers, and phone-operators. It's a fun boy-fights-crime story.

Side Note: I was curious how much 140 German marks would be worth today. Using the information at a German history professor's website, I calculated it to be about $2,000. No wonder Emil was so desperate to get that money back!

I really appreciated that this translation (2007 by W. Martin) tried to use colloquial American idioms to help today's students understand and appreciate the intentions of the author. I'm sure there are lots of purists who disapprove of this approach.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is that Kastner opened with 10 paragraph-long vignettes and illustrations to tell us about each character and setting. I've never seen that before and I thought it was effective and very fun.

My only issue with this book is that the only girl character, Pony the Hat, frequently makes comments about women's work. For instance, she serves the boys hot chocolate and explains that she has been washing dishes because "women's work is never finished." Here she is serving the boys:

When I share this book with students, I plan to include conversation with them about this issue, how women were viewed in the 1920's, and how that view has shifted and still has room to grow.

Bottom Line: This text is a fun mystery, and could provide an interesting springboard for discussing gender roles as portrayed in literature.

3.5 stars

Classic Review: It's Like This, Cat

Premise: Dave will soon be leaving junior high. He and his pet, Cat, live in Manhattan in the early 60s. Dave is street savvy and so is Cat. Along the way, they befriend a girl with quiet confidence and a troubled boy who rescues Cat. Soon, Dave's friends even impact his relationship with his parents.

Title: It's Like This, Cat
Author: Emily Neville
Length: 181 pages
Genre: Really realistic fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 6-8

Three adjectives that describe this book: believable, simple, lacking

It's Like This, Cat is a 1964 Newberry Honor Book. I don't know why. As you can tell from the premise above, it's not a complex plot. In fact, there's virtually no plot at all. I tried really hard to make the premise of the book sound intriguing, but it just isn't... This book is about a teenage boy in 1960s New York. He goes around town. His cat gets in street fights. He hangs out with a girl. The end.

The saving element of this book is how well the author described the setting. Throughout the novel, NYC is painted with loving strokes of clarity. The author takes us all over the city. We experience Brooklyn, Fulton's Fish Market, Coney Island, and the Bronx Zoo. The setting of this book is almost a living character. Actually, it's probably the most complete and compelling character in the novel.

If you're looking for a book that helps you understand New York City life in the early 60s, this book is for you. If you want a mentor text to help you write a compelling setting, this book is for you. Otherwise, don't bother.

2 stars

It's Like This, Cat is my second read for The Classics Club. My entire list of classics to read is composed of children's books and I'm looking forward to filling this gap in my reading.

Classics Review - Because of Winn-Dixie

Premise: India Opal and her father, the preacher, have just moved to the small town of Naomi, Florida and Opal wants to make some friends. Soon, she finds a stray dog, names him Winn-Dixie, and starts getting to know the eclectic people in her new town.

Title: Because of Winn-Dixie
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Length: 182 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 2-5
3 adjectives that describe this book: sweet, easy-to-read, simple

Because of Winn-Dixie is my first read for The Classics Club. My entire list of classics to read is composed of children's books and I'm looking forward to filling this gap in my reading. Because of Winn-Dixie is a simple read, the text is sparse and the plot is straight-forward. I've read a few other books by Kate DiCamillo (Tiger Rising and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane). Like these other titles, Because of Winn-Dixie features a main character that is struggling with loneliness. Opal's mother left when she was three years old and, now, Opal is constantly wondering about her.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Premise: Liam is exceptionally tall and already growing facial hair. This allows him to pose as an adult even though he is only in 6th grade. Liam poses as a teacher, test drives a Porsche, and enters a contest for a dad and a kid. Of course, Liam poses as the dad. When he discovers that the contest's prize is a trip into space in a real rocket, his "adult" life becomes quite real.

Title: Cosmic
Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Length: 256 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone
Content Appropriate for: Grades 5-7

3 stars

3 adjectives that describe this book: amusing, simple, interesting

I was really looking forward to reading Cosmic. The cover and blurb made me think that we'd be going on a fantastic space adventure. There aren't enough middle grades novels that are pure space adventures. Actually it mostly turned out to be the story of how a regular kid ended up in space. We endure training for space and trying on astronaut outfits. Boyce also spends a lot of time examining the fellow adults and kids on this space journey. This materials reminded me of the characters in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Unfortunately all of this training and character development takes up a full three-quarters of the book. They don't even make it to space until the last 50 pages or so! The segment where the characters were actually in space was wonderful! The characters experience weightlessness and space walks and moon landings. If only more of the book had been spent in space, Cosmic would have been a true adventure.

Tiger by Jeff Stone

Premise: Fu is one of 5 children trained in kung fu. When their temple is viciously attacked, he must decide how to defend truth and justice now that he is on his own.

Title: Tiger
Author: Jeff Stone
Length: 208 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series or Stand-Alone: First book in a 7-book series
Content appropriate for: grades 3-5

3.5 Stars

3 adjectives that describe this book: action-packed, unique, simple

I enjoyed this kung fu novel. It's a genre I'm not accustomed to and I found it quite fun. It was kind of like watching a kung fu movie in my mind. I am already thinking of which students would love this book, especially some of my boys who are developing and dormant readers.

I have two primary thoughts on Tiger. For one thing, Jeff Stone does a great job managing perspective. I hate it when the reader understands things long before the character. That approach just makes me think the character is stupid. Jeff Stone, however, designed his writing so that my understandings evolved in sync with the character's understandings. When Fu was angry with the tiger hunters, I was angry. When he attacked them, I believed that his attack was justified. Later when he realized that he had acted too quickly and made a mistake, I found myself agreeing with him. When he felt ashamed, I also felt ashamed. Jeff Stone's writing really impressed me in this regard.

On the other hand, the kung fu fighting scenes were really confusing. There was so much detail about each hand, elbow, and finger position that I got lost. Also, the story only follows one primary incident (stemming from Fu's attack on the tiger hunters). I found the world of early China fascinating and wanted more. Yes, I know this is a series so I can get more that way, but there wasn't really enough here to get me really invested.

Still, I think several of my students, especially the boys, would love this book.