The Magic in Changing Your Stars by Leah Henderson

First, apologies for not having a better image of this book's cover. I am having some formatting issues and the new Blogger platform is giving me fits, so I've defaulted to an image I took for Instagram (complete with tap shoes). You should be able to click on the image to enlarge it. I couldn't get a saved image of just the cover to load properly. 

The Magic in Changing Your Stars by Leah Henderson is a middle grade book about a boy named Ailey who desperately wants to win the role of the Scarecrow in his school's production of The Wiz. He's a rapper and a dancer but he can't sing and he's not so hot at memorizing lines. Still, he's made up his mind; Scarecrow is the role he wants and he's certain he can make the role unique, both in the way he moves and dresses. 

But, when it's Ailey's turn to try out for the role, he totally freezes and can't remember a single line. His competition, a girl named Mahalia with a fabulous voice, does a fantastic job of trying out so Ailey is certain he won't get a callback. Feeling defeated, he goes home and later admits what happened to his grampa [sic], who is in a hospital bed. Grampa tells him the secret he's kept from all but one person, about his own personal defeat and how he's lived with regret his entire life. 

Grampa sends Ailey to fetch and care for a pair of tap shoes that were given to him by the famous dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and when Ailey makes a wish, the shoes magically transport him back in time, to the day of Grampa's mistake. Can Ailey convince a young Grampa, then known as "Taps", that he has the talent and help him summon the courage to dance for Mr. Robinson? Together, will they change the way the stars align for the old man he adores? 

Recommended but not a favorite - I didn't love the writing style, which kept The Magic in Changing Your Stars from being a favorite, but I did love the story and got totally sucked up into it, at least partly because I'm a sucker for anything that involves time travel. But, I also liked the theme that hard work pays off and even if it's painful or embarrassing or terrifying, you should do your best to make your heart's desire come true. 

I recognized a few famous names used by the author as character names but only a few, so I also really loved the fact that the author included a substantial list of character names she used in the book and where they came from. That list would be terrific for kids looking for ideas for Black History Month as it described each famous Black person briefly but enough that it certainly piqued my interest to read more about some I'd never heard of. 

©2020 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Monstrous Devices by Damien Love

In Monstrous Devices by Damien Love, when Alex's grandfather sends him a robot, Alex is not surprised. He's been collecting robots for years. But, this one is different -- older, unique, even a bit creepy. And, it has a secret.

Alex's grandfather shows up in England shortly after Alex receives both the robot and an unexpected visit from two dangerous little robots that attack Alex. He'll have to miss a bit of the school term but it's almost over and Grandfather's in a hurry. So Alex quickly goes along with his Grandfather's scheme and they take the Chunnel train to Paris. There, they hope to stop a very bad man and his entourage, who use deadly robots to get what they want. As they travel, Grandad tells Alex stories, things that are are connected to the robot's secret, and bits of history that relate in some way. He tells him about the first robot ever made, in Prague, and the story of a missing robot, one of a set of three.

From England to Paris to Prague, Alex and his grandfather chase down clues, run and dodge dangerous flying robots, a man who can jump long distances, and two beefy bald men, as well as a little girl who has control of a large number of fliers (flying robots) with sharp edges and hooks. All are after the robot Grandad sent to Alex because only that robot can help them acquire something dangerous in the name of power.

Highly recommended - Monstrous Devices is an adventurous, riveting middle reader with so much action that I occasionally yearned for the slower chapters that served to allow this reader to catch her breath. It's exciting. Alex is bullied at the beginning of the book but by the afterword, he has come into his own. I enjoyed Alex's character arc and the lighthearted grandfather who always does something and then tells Alex, "You should never do this. Very unhealthy. Could get you killed." Grandfather made me smile. A nice blend of action, adventure, and humor.

Below the title it says, "Beware of things that go click in the night," in case you can't read the tiny print.

©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett, illus. by Mike Lowery

First things first: Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Undercover is a hoot. I read a lot of children's books that claim to be funny but this one really had me smiling all the way through. I thought that was worth mentioning, in case you skip everything else. Awkward title, though.

Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Undercover is fiction, of course, but the author humorously calls it a memoir of his time as a spy.

At the opening of the book, Mac reflects on a time when Her Royal Highness, the Queen of England called Mac. She chose him because he had A's in every class (although his handwriting needed work). She needed a spy to find her missing crown jewels. Actually, just one piece of the crown jewels: the Coronation Spoon. Sure, Mac was American and a kid, but he was definitely the right guy for the job.

In 1989, after receiving the phone call, Mac flies to England, where he's given instructions and learns about the spoon. He is given a secret identity kit and the queen loans him one of her corgis to help out. Mac follows the trail from London to France to Moscow and then goes home without his pants.* It's an interesting story.

Highly recommended - I think what I loved most about Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Undercover was the fact that it was educational. Any time the author shares some interesting fact he says, "You can look that up." I looked up a few things. Some I already knew because I'm not in middle school. I knew nothing at all about the Coronation Spoon. That was quite interesting. I lived through 1989, so I know a little bit about the reason Mac went home without his pants. Anyone who lived through the 80s knows all about that (it's a spoiler, sorry). The worst thing about the book is the title, but I loved the book so much that I found myself wishing the publisher had sent me the next book in the series. A great book for the adventurous, humor-loving middle grade reader in your world. Also great for class or library.

*"pants" is the American version that refers to trousers - in this case, a pair of jeans


©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

In Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson, a group of children are sent to talk amongst themselves -- nothing else, no teacher accompanying them, just the six of them chatting without any rules.

There were eight of us then. Our small class had come together because the school wanted to try something new: Could they put eight kids together in a room with one teacher and make something amazing? Eight special kids?

~p. 5

The children are understandably confused, at first, and the number of them drops almost immediately from eight to six. What's the point? Why are they here and what should they say to each other?

The walls are broken down a little by Esteban. We think they took my papi, he says. His father, an undocumented immigrant, has disappeared. Esteban is shocked, hurt, terrified. Where is his father? The other children, it turns out, have challenges of their own. But, it's Esteban's pain that helps them to open up.

The story is narrated by Haley. Her mother is dead, her father in prison. Haley lives with her uncle and keeps her story close to her chest. But, as Esteban, Holly, Amari, Ashton, and Tiago open up about their own struggles, Haley is encouraged to share. During the months that they meet in the classroom alone to talk, their stories unfold and the children learn that everything is easier when you can share it with friends.

Recommended but not a favorite - I have mixed feelings about Harbor Me. I love Jacqueline Woodson's writing. The characters are interesting people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, all living in Brooklyn. They're believable and well-rounded. I liked the theme that sharing with friends created a safe harbor of sorts, that in opening up they were able to think about what it means to harbor someone else in need. But, the children are younger than they sound and far more understanding of each other's difficulties than I can imagine in reality. To me, they sounded more like young adults. I had to keep reminding myself they were only -- I think this is correct -- 5th graders.

I also struggled with understanding the purpose of this experiment. Would a school really agree to leaving children alone in a room for no other reason than to talk to each other? I think I would have easily bought into the concept if there had been some sort of school requirement -- a report about what they learned, for example, or a book that they read together and discussed, rather than only talking. The problem was not the writing or even the story, simply the single element that stretched my ability to suspend disbelief. Fortunately, I do think middle grade readers will likely enjoy the book without worrying about that particular element and Harbor Me will be a particularly good addition to classrooms and school libraries. It's a book that could very well make children feel a little less alone in their uniqueness and encourage them to empathize with others.


©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ada is 10 years old and has never set foot outside her apartment. Because of her club foot, Ada is confined to the indoors, where she is trying to learn to walk and spends most of her time looking out the window, watching her younger brother Jamie play and waving to the neighbors. When the children of London are evacuated to the countryside, only Jamie is going to be sent. But, Ada's tired of a life of abuse and sneaks away to be with Jamie.

When they arrive at their destination, nobody chooses the two children so they're left with a single woman who doesn't want them. Susan Smith is depressed after a devastating loss but she's kind. She keeps the children well-fed, clean, and nicely dressed. Both children are traumatized and lacking in education. Ada has never even felt a blade of grass, much less learned her ABCs. While Ada teaches herself to care for Susan's horse and ride it, Susan begins to instruct the children in life and eventually teaches them to read, showing them what it's like to be cared for in the process. But, what will happen when the war ends? Will they have no choice but to go home to their abusive mother?

Highly recommended - I can see why The War that Saved My Life is a Newbery Honor Book. It's a lovely, emotional story and you can't help but get caught up in the lives of the children and admire Susan for her gentle way of caring for them and dealing with their response to trauma. She's flawed but immensely patient. I know it's fiction but I've read so many tales of how evacuated children were badly treated that it was refreshing to read a story that's about how much difference kindness and patience make in the lives of children. You also get a good feel for the experience of WWII in their little village: the airfield nearby, the fear of German spies and potential bombing, the sheer terror when the bombs finally fall. A wonderful story with a beautiful ending.

There's a sequel to The War that Saved My Life and I hope to read it, someday. I learned about the books in reverse order. A friend mentioned reading The War I Finally Won on Facebook and when I looked it up, I discovered that not only was it a WWII book (my favorite time period!) but a sequel. So, I backtracked and read about The War that Saved My Life. And, then, of course I bought it because of the WWII setting. Another book that made me cry happy tears and a new favorite children's WWII book, one I'll be thinking about for a long time, no doubt.


©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Nightbooks by J. A. White

"Is it like you said yesterday?" Yasmin asked. "You afraid people will think you're weird?"

He nodded.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that happening with me," Yasmin said. "I already think you're weird. You can't make it any worse."

~from p. 80 of Nightbooks Advance Reader's Edition (some changes may have been made to the final print version)

Alex is in trouble. After sneaking out of his family's apartment in the middle of the night, he's been lured into the apartment of a witch named Natacha. Now, he's trapped in an enchanted apartment. One other child is stuck in the apartment. Yasmin has been trapped for a long time and she knows to work hard and keep her head down. Escape attempts are far too dangerous, and so is doing anything at all that makes Natacha angry. But, Alex can survive as long as he does what Natacha asks of him. He must read a scary story to her, every night. Alex has a ready supply of stories in what he calls his "Nightbooks". But, fear and the determination to escape are keeping him from writing more. When disaster strikes and most of his stories are destroyed, Alex knows time is running out. Can Alex and Yasmin find a way to escape? Or will escape lead to an even worse fate?

What a fun, creepy read. Nightbooks is for middle grade readers (Grades 3-7, ages 8-12, according to the publicity info on the back of the ARC) but this older adult found the book both creepy and delightful. I enjoyed the stories within the story -- the tales that Alex told Natacha to keep her and the magical apartment happy -- and the surprises that gradually unfolded as Alex finally learned why Yasmin avoided talking to him, the meaning behind certain objects, and the connection of Natacha to an age-old fairy tale.

Highly recommended - Children and adults alike will enjoy reading about Alex, who is charmingly weird, the incredible library in which he's tasked with writing stories, the stories within the story, and the tale of Alex and Yasmin's daring escape attempt. A great book for spooky fall reading.


©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Who Was George Washington Carver? by Jim Gigliotti and Who Was Genghis Khan? by Nico Medina

First an explanation of this tour: The WhoHQ Blog Tour is a review of the books in a children's biography series, now with a companion show called The Who Was? Show on Netflix. I'll describe the books, first, and then the episodes I viewed and how they portrayed the content of the books.

I've always thought of George Washington Carver as "The peanut butter guy," because he's often falsely described as the inventor of peanut butter. Who Was George Washington Carver? by Jim Gigliotti will open your eyes to the real story of George Washington Carver, and it's a doozy. Born a slave, taken in by his owners and educated, taught to care for plants and animals and do chores like laundry and sewing, even as a child he was known as a bit of a miracle worker with plants.

He had a burning desire to learn, a sharp mind, and a willingness to work hard to get the education he desired. A scientist, inventor, business owner, and educator, George Washington Carver was an amazing man who dedicated his inventions, his writings, and business ventures to improving the lives of people.

All this and more is in Who Was George Washington Carver? At 105 pages, the book is slim but Gigliotti packed a lot of information between its covers and with a stunning clarity. I was impressed by how much I learned from this little book. Gigliotti gives you a thorough overview of Carver's life and the illustrations add an extra dimension, with images of the places he lived and worked, maps, inventions, and people who were important to him.

Who Was Genghis Khan? by Nico Medina had the same effect on me that Who Was George Washington Carver? had - mind boggled at how much I learned in such a short time. I think I'd just thought of him as some legendary conqueror who went around slaughtering people for the spoils, and that was that. Instead, I learned that by invading other Mongolian tribes on the Steppe, he not only united a people but created a decent society out of one that was formerly a bunch of tribes who invaded each other whenever they needed something.

He introduced wealth sharing and a delay in hunting so that animals had time to grow, allowed freedom of religion, created a written language and a postal service . . . all sorts of things that we might consider modern or progressive were introduced by Genghis Khan.Who Was Genghis Khan? is a single page longer than the bio of George Washington Carver, so they really cram a lot of information between their covers. I didn't know, for example, that Genghis Khan never allowed anyone to paint his portrait or represent him in any other way. So, we have no idea what he looked like; we can only guess based on how other Mongolians looked.

Both highly recommended - I received both of these books for review and I only wish they'd sent me the entire series. The Who Was? series is a great way to introduce children to a variety of important historical characters.

Netflix has a show that serves as a companion to the Who Was? book series called The Who Was? Show and I watched the episode that describes George Washington Carver and Genghis Khan. I admit, I was a little stunned to find it so goofy. I wasn't entirely sure I found it all that educational, either. So, I watched another episode (Pablo Picasso and the Wright Brothers). This time, my husband sat down and watched with me. It was a lot more palatable the second time. Young actors dress up as the characters. They dance, they sing, they tell jokes, and they act out scenes from the lives of the famous characters. Sometimes, they'll show a brief cartoon or have a cartoon character interact with the humans. Point being, I was looking at it all wrong, at first. I was watching from the perspective of an adult who had read the books and was expecting all that information to be crammed into an episode. But, it's geared to kids, of course, and once you know what to expect, it's great.

Watching an episode that was about characters whose biographies I had not read really gave me a good perspective of how much information they managed to impart. Husband also reminded me that our kids watched something similar when they were young: Beekman's World, a science show that was goofy but informative. I didn't remember the fact that it had a huge rat character; I do recall the kids loved it, though, and that's what counts.

Bottom line - I recommend the series, but I'd suggest watching an episode before you read the book, if you plan to do both. Either way, they're both informative. But, the books go into a great deal more detail, of course.


Fiona Friday was moved to Thursday, this week, due to today's book tour: Fiona Fursday

©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans

I don't feel like being formal with the book info I normally type at the top of each post, today. Instead, I'll just tell you in text that Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans is a Sterling Children's publication that's 271 pages long, an April 2012 release and a middle reader. I got my ARC from Shelf Awareness and I am so, so glad I requested this book! I almost never request anything via Shelf Awareness, anymore, but I love children's books and the word "adventure" will grab me, every time.

Ten-year-old Stuart has wonderful, wacky parents -- a father who writes crossword puzzles and an absent-minded scientist mother. He loves his home and friends. So, when Stuart's family decides to move, he's dismayed . . . and then bored, till he finds a note challenging him to find Great-Uncle Tony's hidden workshop, where he created magic tricks using clever mechanisms. Great-Uncle Tony, aka "Teeny-Tiny Tony Horten" mysteriously disappeared in 1940, after his factory was destroyed by a firebomb.

Stuart sets out to uncover clues to the location of the lab while trying to avoid the pesky triplets who live next door, eventually finding that one of the triplets is not only quite helpful but also very fun to hang out with. Will Stuart find the missing laboratory or has too much time passed since his great uncle disappeared? What became of Great-Uncle Tony and the woman he loved?

I love a good "quest" book and Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms is one of the most delightful adventures I've read in quite some time. Stuart is a likable hero and his father is hilarious in that sly way that happens to be educational (by using big words, which are always nicely defined). There are a few slapstick scenes mixed in with the moments during which Stuart ponders clues, making for perfect pacing. A "madcap sequel" is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2012 and I absolutely cannot wait.

5/5 - Excellent writing, great characters, well thought-out quest with loads of humor and fantastic pacing make for an enchanting read.

I was looking for a link to Sterling Children's Books and found this review:

Slaven Says review of Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms

Also worth mentioning: Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms was longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2011 in the UK (England is the setting), which is likely to send me on a quest to locate the titles of the winners.

I chose to highlight the title in red, even though there's no red on the cover, to make it stand out. But, the red reminded me that I have a photograph that makes me wonder . . . Do you think it's difficult for people who paint telephone boxes in Great Britain to get home without being stopped by a police officer? In absence of the paintbrush, I think I'd be convinced the man below committed some heinous crime.

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Copyright 2011

Atheneum - Historical Paranormal Fiction

Middle Reader (Ages 9-12, that is)

295 pages

Stephanie Burgis' website

If my plan had worked, I would have woken up the next morning in a stagecoach heading toward London, with a whole new life waiting to unfold before me. I would have breakfasted on apples and cheese with the passengers around me, heard all their stories and been halfway adopted as an honorary nephew into all their families by the time we reached London.

Instead, I had to face my own family.

I walked into the breakfast room at eight o'clock and Stepmama's jaw fell wide open, exposing a mouthful of mashed toast.

"Katherine Ann Stephenson!" she uttered in a dreadful tone. "Whatever have you done to your hair?"

Book Description:

Kat's older sister Elissa is almost certainly going to be married off to some dreadful old geezer. The family is in dire straits thanks to big brother Charles, who has gambled the family into debt. But, Kat needs a better idea than running away. When she finds out her other sister, Angeline, has come up with a plan that involves casting spells from their deceased mother's magic books, Kat decides she needs to figure out some magic of her own. But, when she discovers she's inherited her mother's genuine magical gifts, chaos and danger ensue.

While Angeline casts a romance spell that doesn't work quite right and Elissa prepares to meet the man she will marry, Kat finds herself in all sorts of trouble. And, Elissa's potential fiance is showing a strangely sinister interest in Kat's magical powers. Will Kat be able to control her power in time to save the family?

What I loved about Kat, Incorrigible:

Kat, Incorrigible is a fascinating mix of magic, romance, adventure and slapstick fun in the Regency time period. I don't know that I had any idea what I was in for when I opened Kat, Incorrigible, but I absolutely loved everything about the book. The dialogue is witty and believable, the characters are a bit exaggerated (but in a good way), the story action-packed, sometimes hilarious, sometimes a little scary, always magical.

One of the things I adored about Kat, Incorrigible was the fact that the author successfully kept the secret of who was trustworthy and who was dangerous dangling for the majority of the book.

What I disliked about Kat, Incorrigible:

I think I would like there to be at least 2 more books about Kat available, right now. Other than that . . . nothing that I can recall. Kat, Incorrigible is, according to Amazon, the first in The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson, so someday I'll be satisfied. The author manages to keep a consistent tone and the characteristics of her nutty cast fall within the bounds of reason. Kat, Incorrigible is playful, hilarious, paranormal fun.

The bottom line:

Highly recommended. Magical, adventurous, entertaining and clean reading. If Kat, Incorrigible had been around when I was young, I might have read it around the 3rd-grade age range. And, then I would have reread it and reread it and reread it till it fell apart. I have always loved a book that makes me smile. My thanks to Simon & Schuster for the review copy, which I received via Shelf Awareness.

In other news:

We had quite a weekend. My plans to whip through Till I End My Song (poetry, edited by Harold Bloom) and share a poem fell flat when I came down with a nasty migraine on Friday. Mid-afternoon on Friday, I discovered Fiona had a raw, bleeding bald spot between her shoulder blades -- confirmation that she did have a nasty reaction to her shots. But, I couldn't drive because I couldn't see straight and husband arrived home too late to take us to the vet. By morning, the dime-sized patch had grown four-fold.

We rushed Fi to the vet, where her wound was pronounced "abscessed" and she received a cocktail shot of anti-histamine, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory . . . all of which are painful to inject. My sweet kitty just put a paw on my chest and said, "Meow?" The vet said, "She is a good cat." I know!!! We dosed her with painkillers and rubbed some hydrocortisone cream on her ouchie. Today was really the first day Fiona's been her normal, energetic self in a week. But, she obviously still has some recovering to do, poor baby. And, next time she gets shots, she is going to have one nervous slave.

I missed the royal wedding . . .

thanks to a migraine hangover. But, I watched some video clips and that was enough for me. Was Kate's dress perfect, or what? I think she earned the "princess" title, myself, just by dressing the part. But, I'm in agreement with the American comedian who said seeing the royal wedding was a reminder of how great it is that we live in a country where people don't wear weird hats to weddings (not his exact wording).

I did finish one book:

It wasn't much of an accomplishment, since the book is a quick and fairly silly read, but I managed to finish the mental_floss Genius Instruction Manual. John Green fans may be interested to know that he contributed to the book and is listed as one of the three authors.

Here, have a lizard:

It's been a long time since I shared a lizard pic, so there you go. This next couple of weeks will be overwhelming, so I'm going to do my best to inundate you with reviews during the next couple of days. If I fail, it'll be a few weeks before I can catch up. But, I'll give it the old college try. I'll probably take off next week from the internet. We shall see. Happy Monday!

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop

Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop

Copryight 1952

Puffin Books - Children/Middle Reader

76 pages

While we were still waving we saw Suzanne slip off Philip's back and run toward us at top speed. She tumbled into the midst of us, shaking from head to foot. "They're coming! They're coming!" she yelled. And suddenly Philip and George were also among us, panting. "They're coming! They're coming! The Nazis are coming!"

"What?" we shrieked, and we all raced up the slope and looked, the smaller ones taking turns on Philip's back.

Far, far down on the valley road two green spots with helmets moved toward us on bicycles.

We looked at one another, terrified. Then I don't know how but Henry, Arthur, Denise, and I, we all said at once, "The cave!" And we ran toward the back of the house. The others followed us.

--from p. 44 of Twenty and Ten

Kiddo and I recently cleaned out one of his cabinets, tossing out junk and setting aside children's books to donate. And, one of the books we came across -- which Kiddo promptly added to the donation pile -- was Twenty and Ten. I was intrigued by the cover image of a Nazi sitting on a rock while children peek out of a cave behind him, so I set the book aside and read it the next day.

Published in 1952 and penned by a Frenchwoman from Le Havre whose grandfather was the village storyteller, Twenty and Ten is based on a true story. And, I must say . . . it certainly has the tension of a real-life Nazi story. The story is about twenty children who are living and attending school together with their teacher, a nun named Sister Gabriel, safe in the hills above their French village. Most of the children are the same age -- about 11, as I recall -- but one of them is the younger brother of one of the girls and he's only 4.

As the book opens, the children are playing a game called The Flight into Egypt about Mary, Joseph and Jesus, and arguing about who gets to play the roles of Mary and Joseph. It's WWII and France is occupied by the Germans, but the children and Sister Gabriel live a fairly comfortable life. Rations are tight but they argue and play like children everywhere in spite of growling stomachs.

Then, one day a young man shows up dirty and starving with ten Jewish children in tow. He asks the nun if the children can stay because he thinks they'll be safest around other children.

Warning: I tell about this story in quite a bit of detail so there may be some spoilers. If you plan to read the book soon, skip this part.

Sister Gabriel and the children agree and the children slowly adapt to each other. At some point, they discover a cave on the school grounds, but it's not till they're playing in the cave and think of the Nazis that they realize the value of their find. And, soon it comes in handy. One day, Sister Gabriel must take the hour-long walk to town to fetch the mail and she doesn't return. The children are on their own.

The Jewish children hide in the cave, one of the boys is taken to a barn and beaten because the Nazis are convinced the missing children are somewhere nearby, and he escapes briefly to let the children know what's happening to him. The children work together to make sure their Jewish friends in the cave are provided with food and water. Then, the youngest child says something that sounds like a confession that Jews are nearby to one of the Nazis. Will the Jewish children be found and taken away?

End spoiler alert. It's safe, now.

I was surprised at what a nail-biter Twenty and Ten turned out to be and, of course, I loved the way the children used their heads and courageously worked together. I don't know if Twenty and Ten is still in print but it looks like ours was the 22nd printing, so I'd guess it's likely still around. Highly recommended for children and adults. And, isn't the cover stunning? There are also illustrations inside, by William Pene du Bois, whom you may know as the author of the Newbery Award-winning book The Twenty-One Balloons.

In other news:

I'm pre-posting this review and will be taking a few days off from the blog while the weather is nice. Not sure when I'll be back, apart from sometime next week. If you leave a comment and don't see it for a couple of days, don't panic! I moderate comments so it might take me a while to get to them. I'll leave you with a picture of Isabel deciding what to get into next and see you next week!

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Copyright 2008
Walden Pond Press, a children's division of HarperCollins
Ages 9-12
311 pages

Liam is twelve but he looks thirty and that fact is a bit of a nuisance for him. "You should know better, big fellow like you," people are always saying. Why should he know better merely because he's big? he wonders. At any rate, he's caught between the world of the young and that of adults. And, when he's offered an opportunity to do something kids love but has to pretend to be an adult in order to do so, it's not so much of a stretch for Liam. He's used to pretending to be an adult with his young friend Florida. He's often pretended to be her father; Liam got in a good bit of trouble for that incident with the Porsche.

"Oh, dear." Dr. Drax sighed. "We girls are so complicated. Let's leave Dad to sort this out, shall we? I imagine Mr. Digby knows how to deal with his own daughter."
I don't know what made her imagine that. Florida was actually kicking me now and bawling,"You said we were going to a theme park!"
"We are. This is it."
"It's in the desert. Not even a normal desert. A Chinese desert. In China. You said it was down south."
"It is down south."
"I thought you meant London."
"But we were on a plane for hours. If you're on a plane for hours and hours, obviously you're going to go farther than London."
"I thought it was a slow plane."
A slow plane.

--from Cosmic, page 96

Pretending has gotten Liam in quite a bind, this time. Offered a chance on the "ultimate thrill ride", he has pretended to be the responsible adult in a group of children. The thrill ride? A trip to outer space. But, something went terribly wrong and now they're stuck in space with earth totally out of view.

I won't ruin the potential experience by sharing too much of what happens, but I will go ahead and tell you that this book was just about the most fun a kid can have. Even an old kid. Cosmic begins with Liam noting that he and his shipmates are lost in space and then you find that he's dictating his experience into his rather fancy cell phone. Then, it backtracks to how he ended up in space in the first place and most of the book details the adventure that led to the trip on the ultimate thrill ride and why he and the rest of the children were stuck in space.

There is so much to love about this book that I'm afraid I'm going to forget to mention half of it, but here are a few items of note:

• Liam is "gifted and talented" and, as such, tends to spout some very informative material. Ha! What a sneaky way to teach kids, making them laugh their socks off while sneaking in bits of information!
• The author makes some astute observations about children and adults in a way that may possibly cause you to spit out your drink. I would definitely set the book down before taking a drink.
• Cosmic is hilarious. Did I already mention that?
• The hero, Liam, is a really good egg, a terrific character.
• The ending is upbeat and the entire book is delightful.
• There are some touching parent/child moments and yet the author still manages to make you laugh through most of them. Also, you really want to reach in and give Liam's dad a nice pat on the back (and the rest of the dads the occasional head-slap).
• The other characters are, for the most part, annoying -- in a funny way, of course. The contrast makes you love Liam even more.
• There's a whole lot of "clever" in Cosmic. Like, the way the names of the characters fit their personalities (Mr. Martinet, for example) and the way Liam uses his head to solve various dilemmas.
• The author is English, so the characters are English. Because I'm a total Anglophile, this is a big thumbs-up, for me. But, it's never so British as to be confusing. Another thumbs-up.

"And why is it so sandy?" She seemed to think the Gobi Desert was my fault.
"Because the area in which we are standing was once the seabed of a great ocean that was exposed by a fall in the water level. The rocks and the mountains that were on the seabed have been broken down into sand by the wind over the last thousand million years." . . .
. . . "Well, Mr. Digby, you've done this before. What do you suggest we do now?"
I said, "Wait for the wind to die down?"
"You'll be waiting a long time," said Florida. "It's been blowing for a thousand million years so far, apparently."

--from Cosmic, page 132

The bottom line:

Oh, how I loved this book. There is nothing I like better than a book that makes me laugh and if this book had been around when I was a youngster, I would have reread it a dozen times or more. Also, it's notable that both of my kids experienced the, "You should know better, big fellow like you," thing, as they both reached their full height around the same time as the protagonist. I had to reassure ticket-sellers at theaters and sellers of kids' meals that, yes, that giant critter was younger than he looked. In fact, when Kiddo was 4 years old, someone asked him what grade he was in and he proudly replied, "I'm in Miss Jackie's 4-year-old preschool class!" You should have seen the eyeballs pop.

Also, I love that cover. Don't you just love that cover? It's really eye-catching.

In other news:

Our little Isabel is wounded. Awwww. Apparently, she tried to stop her fall when she plummeted off the back of a chair, earlier today. She split open one of her little paw pads and bled and bled and bled all over the place. I've been instructed by Carol at the veterinary clinic to watch for infection or abcess because there's not a whole lot you can do about minor cat injuries. They lick off ointment and bite off bandages. We did lock the poor girl into the utility room with a super-fresh litterbox, some food and water and a couple of toys until she stopped bleeding, just for her safety (okay, yes, and because my husband was worried about the new carpet -- but really for her safety).

I have 10 pages to go before I finish reading Voice of America. And, we're under a tornado watch. Here I was, thinking we were beyond tornado weather because it's been so nice and cool! Serves me right for thinking. Sending warm thoughts to those of you who are experiencing the winter storm.

Bookfool in muggy weather with injured kitty

©2010 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Case of the Crooked Carnival by Michele Torrey

The Case of the Crooked Carnival

by Michele Torrey

Copyright 2010

Sterling Publishing - Children's (Middle Reader)

92 pages

From the publisher:

Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey, are fifth-grade crime-fighting science detectives, and the two best friends solve mysteries in their home lab – by analyzing the evidence, developing a hypothesis, and testing out their theories. In The Case of the Crooked Carnival, Drake and Nell will take readers on four exciting new whodunits: Are ghosts and ghouls keeping Edgar Glum awake? Have aliens invaded Mossy Swamp? What’s the crooked game everyone’s losing at the carnival? And why is the town bridge going bananas?

The Case of the Crooked Carnival is the 5th in the Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives, series. I'd never heard of the books until this one arrived in the mail, a surprise from Sterling Kids. I sat right down to read it immediately and absolutely loved it .

A middle reader with short chapters, The Case of the Crooked Carnival is easily readable by children of many ages and excellent for educational use. I wouldn't limit the reading to the ages specified: 9-12. At least one of my children would have probably enjoyed this book by the time he was 5 or 6 and even older kids who find science frustrating or just enjoy a good story might get a kick out of this series. There is nothing annoyingly childish or cutesie about this particular title. It's funny but intelligently written. The two young science detectives solve four different mysteries using science principles and then the latter third of the book is devoted to setting up your own lab (what to gather, where to put it) and how to do some simple experiments.

I would have loved to have the Doyle and Fossey series available when I was homeschooling my eldest son. Also, it doesn't matter that The Case of the Crooked Carnival is the 5th in a series. The author does a great job of filling in readers so that they get a decent understanding of how the two science detectives work and why they are interested in science (both have a parent working in a science field). The author is a microbiologist and immunologist and I believe her love of science and her sense of humor are both evident in this delightful series.

Bottom line: Science is made fun in this humorous book that would make a great addition to any home library. Especially recommended for teachers, homeschooling parents, and kids old enough to handle "chapter" books.

Gushy thanks to Sterling Kids for the review copy!

©2010 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Bookfoolery and Babble, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

A Place for Delta by Melissa Walker

A Place for Delta by Melissa Walker
Illustrated by Richard Walker
Copyright 2010
Whale Tale Press - Middle Reader
266 pages

"Whoever shot the bear, also shot at my dad. The bullet that killed the bear probably came from the same gun. They want to find out who did the shooting, but they don't want anyone in town to know about it. It could be anybody."

"Anybody?" Joseph asked.

"I mean anybody who has a motive. It could be someone hired by one of the oil companies. It could be someone who killed the female to capture her cub," Ada said.

"I don't understand. Why would an oil company want a polar bear dead?" Joseph asked.

"I'm not sure, but I heard Chipic say something about denning sites being in areas where they think there's oil and want to drill. A dead bear can't go back to her den."

I finished A Place for Delta nearly two weeks ago, but it seems apropos to include a quote about a generic Evil Oil Company when we're all so frustrated about the horrifying pollution of our beloved Gulf of Mexico. The author gives us one more good reason not to allow drilling in a fragile wildlife refuge in this quote -- the protection of bears whose lives are already endangered by shrinking habitat.

A Place for Delta takes place in Alaska and Georgia. Joseph Morse is eleven years old, the grandchild of a naturalist who researched salamanders and nephew of a wildlife biologist. His Aunt Kate is working in Alaska and he lives in Georgia, near his grandmother Lisi. As the book opens, Kate has just invited Joseph to join her in Alaska. At the beginning of the summer, an orphaned polar bear was rescued by one of the local scientists and Kate has been charged with its care. It's an exhausting, round-the-clock job and her boss understands that she needs help. Joseph quickly accepts her offer, knowing it's an opportunity for adventure he may never be offered, again.

As Joseph helps care for the bear, which Kate has named "Delta", he also gets to know a local girl named Ada. Ada and Joseph love a good mystery and they're curious about the things they're overhearing at their favorite restaurant and through the scientists and Ada's uncle, who works with Kate. Throughout the summer, they listen in on conversations and take notes in order to try to help solve the mystery of who killed Delta's mother and what the unfriendly men from outside are trying to hide.

I found A Place for Delta a little hard to get into, at first. It begins with Joseph's acceptance of the invitation to Alaska and then backtracks to explain his family's background as naturalists, along with the origin of Aunt Kate's and Joseph's parents' love of bears. The switch to the past kind of felt superfluous to me, at first, but then as I got into the story I realized that background was necessary. I still can't say I think it was handled in the best way, but the older scenes helped round out the story.

The author mentions in her notes (at the end of the book) that she specifically geared the story to 11-year-olds and had several 11-year-old beta readers give her advice on what was and was not of interest to them. I thought that was really fascinating. As I was reading, I realized that I had a little difficulty getting into the book because of the simplicity of the writing, but at the same time it occurred to me that I would have loved it as an elementary-school student. It's adventurous and has interesting characters. The only thing I really disliked was the fact that the author felt it necessary to describe almost every meal and snack eaten by the main characters. Each of those descriptions read like "lessons in healthy eating" and they really got on my nerves.

Bottom line:

A Place for Delta is written simplistically and with quite a few deus ex machina bits (you can practically see the deliberate plotting to make things work together just so) and that makes it an awkward read for an adult. But, it's intended audience is middle readers, specifically around 11 years old, and for them I think the book is perfect. As a child, I know I would have loved some of the plot twists that seemed as if they were just a bit too convenient -- like the discovery of a hidden treasure when the combined group of scientists and Joseph's relatives needed money to create a foundation. That's fun stuff for a kid. I definitely recommend this book to those who are looking for an adventurous book for middle readers. It would make a great summer read for youngsters. It's clean - no bad language, no violence.

What I loved most about A Place for Delta:

The author is obviously passionate about her love of wildlife and the need to protect endangered animals. I loved the way she crafted the novel to clearly describe the importance of animals and the reasons polar bears are currently threatened (climate change, drilling in their habitat).

My thanks to Lisa, the fabulous Online Publicist and the author for the review copy! By the way, I absolutely love the cover illustration. The illustrations inside the book are somewhat less exciting but also lovely.

Recently walked in:

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester - from J. T. Oldfield (Thank you!)
You'll be Sor-ree!: A Guadalcanal Marine Remembers the Pacific War by Sid Phillips - from Valor Studios, via Shelf Awareness

Semper Cool: One Marine's Fond Memories of Vietnam by Barry Fixler - from Exalt Press for the Vietnam War Reading Challenge

The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen - purchased at Sam's Wholesale club (this one's been on my wishlist for a while and SuziQ's wonderful review made me even more anxious to own a copy).

A Fiona Friday post will appear later tonight. Happy Friday!

Spaceheadz by Scieszka and Prigmore - Book 4 for Children's Day

Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by Shane Prigmore
Copyright 2010
Simon & Schuster - Children's (Ages 9-12)

Michael K. is new at P. S. 858, and so are two other children, so they're all stuck at the same table. Michael K. is nervous enough, just being new. But, the new kids are really, really weird. They're aliens and their job is to convince 3,400,001 children to be SPHDZ. If they don't succeed, Earth will be "turned off".

Michael K. resists. He doesn't want to be associated with those two weirdos and their hamster, but he's eventually convinced that they are, in fact, aliens. They've received TV signals from earth and, as such, communicate by spouting out advertisements.

Meanwhile, Agent Umber of the Anti-Alien Agency has been alerted to the detection of an Alien Energy Wave and is sent to investigate. Maybe if he catches an alien, he'll get to change his code name to a better color, like black or gray or tangerine.

Spaceheadz is the first in a series, so Agent Umber will undoubtedly keep bumbling along for a while, trying to catch the elusive aliens. It's possible I'm a little too old for this kind of book, but it's funny and I enjoyed it. The only thing I disliked about it (besides the fact that Spaceheadz is frequently abbreviated to texting form: SPHDZ) was the sentence fragments. There are lots and lots of fragments --to the point that they totally lose impact and become simply annoying and, at times, confusing. Again, I think that just might be because I'm getting old. I don't even text, so I'm annoyed by fragments and abbreviations.

But, I doubt that would bother most children and I am certain both of my sons would have really enjoyed this book when they were the right age.

4/5 - A nutty beginning to a series that youngsters will love, with terrific, goofy illustrations.

Spaceheadz is scheduled for release on June 22. I'm jumping the gun a bit because I still have quite a large catch-up stack to review.

This is Book #4 for Children's Day. One more to mention and then I'll stop for the day.

Tuesday Twaddle - in which the entire family becomes crazed and eats yarn

Okay, just one of us ate yarn but we were all pretty crazed, this weekend.

There hasn't been a great deal of posting going on around here because I was sidelined by an 8- or 9-day migraine (I lost count) that went through the weekend. Layered over that bit of joy was some teen angst as the Kiddo helped his father do yardwork and came down with a raging case of poison ivy. He overslept the Saturday clinic hours and even our insurance company, with a toll-free hotline and a book-sized list of preferred and non-preferred providers could not find a single clinic open on Sunday -- including within the Jackson metropolitan area (the Big City).

Call us the House of Whine. I slathered the Kiddo with some old prescription-strength cortisone that I happened across, doped him with benadryl and we all piled in the car to go to Jackson for a distraction because even the on-call doctor had told the messaging service not to accept anything but "serious emergency calls", meaning, "Have him meet me at the hospital"-type calls. Sheesh.

These books just came in the mail, which helped to assuage the misery of coming off the weekend -- seriously, we're still working on calming down. Especially the cat.

Top to bottom:

Keeper - Kathi Appelt

She's So Dead to Us - Kieran Scott

The Blue Orchard - Jackson Taylor

The Finishing Touches - Hester Browne

Shadow Princess - Indu Sundaresan (all 5 appear to be from Simon & Schuster, if the cat and I did a halfway decent job of reading -- and sniffing - the envelopes)

Jane's Fame - Claire Harman (from Henry Holt)

Argh, stupid blogger spacing. I didn't intend to skip lines, there. Grrr.

Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden (from Lisa at Books on the Brain) showed up shortly after that stack. And, I got a little pile from a wonderful blogging buddy whose enthusiasm makes me look like I've been dipped in blue funk. They included:

Benny and Shrimp - Katarina Mazetti

Green Grass, Running Water - Thomas King

Should I admit that as soon as the big pile of books arrived, I promptly spilled my drink and had to blow-dry my copy of Keeper? No, probably not. Hmm, the floor still feels a bit sticky, too. Better fix that.

Since that migraine lasted nearly all last week, I only managed to finish a single book (not including the children's books I reviewed -- all of which I've read at least twice) and that was The Lotus Eaters. Since I reviewed it, I'm only two book reviews behind.

Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School by Andrew Clements is one. In fact, let's just get this over with, shall we?

Subtitled, "We the Children", Benj. Pratt, etc. is the first in a series for middle readers. Ben is thrust into a mystery when the school janitor hands Ben a special coin whilst having a medical crisis and then the janitor is hauled off to the hospital, where he dies. A developer has his sights on the school's prime waterfront property and plans to tear it down, but there are secrets in the school and Ben is the new keeper. He and his best friend must unravel the mystery while he deals with trouble on the home front (parents who have separated; spending time in two different homes).

What I loved: The story is adventurous, gripping, clever and fun. Benjamin's best friend is a girl and she's really the brainy one.

What I disliked: It's one of those books that just ends abruptly, apparently as a lure to continue the series. I hate it when a book doesn't end. It's not necessary to torment people to get them to purchase a second book. Also, there's a good bit of throwing up -- it can be gross, at times. I just ignored that.

I'd rate it a 4.5/5 for the storyline (ignoring the yucky bits) and 2/5 for annoying non-ending, which probably averages out to about 3.5 and gives you an idea how messed up a week of migraine can make a girl. Let's call it a 4/5. It was fun, after all, and clever.

Just finished:

Flyaway by Suzie Gilbert - the memoir of a wildlife rehabber who specialized only in birds and nearly worked herself to pieces. That will be next because I must post tomorrow for a book tour (and it was fabulous, so I hope I'll do a good job of describing it), but then I'll backtrack and review . . .

Postcards from a Dead Girl by Kirk Farber - One of the most entertaining, touching, quirky, funny, delightful books I've read in 2010. The author has agreed to do a guest post for my blog because I told him how much I loved his book and he's a nice guy, so that will probably show up Friday. Maybe Saturday because I have some really good potential Fiona Friday pics.

I think that's all, for now. I really do have to work on the sticky spot that keeps grabbing my socks and then I have to hop on the treadmill because I've been bad and it shows. Happy Tuesday!

Great Expectations Classic Starts - #3 for Children's Day

Great Expectations (Classic Starts) by Charles Dickens
Retold by Deanna McFadden
Illustrated by Eric Freeberg
Copyright 2010 - Sterling Children's Books
Ages 9-12
152 pages

Classic Starts is a line of classic stories, retold and illustrated for youngsters. Retellings have been done and redone, over the years. This is the first time I've managed to read a retelling of Great Expectations.

I read the original Great Expectations by Charles Dickens two or three years ago and loved it. Does this retelling live up to the beauty of Dickens' writing? I'd say not even close. It lacks the wit and humor, the depth of character development and, of course, some of the storyline had to go. But, I like retellings of classics for two reasons:

1. They serve as an excellent introduction, especially to the lengthier and/or dense classics that some youngsters aren't ready to wade through.
2. Even adults can be intimidated by classics and reading a children's version before tackling the original can be surprisingly helpful. I've read children's versions of a couple of Shakespeare's works and then returned to the original, when reading outside of a classroom setting. I think sometimes they're a better option than Cliff's notes.

What I missed most in this book was the character development of Joe Gargery. Joe was my favorite character because he had such a big heart and I particularly missed my favorite line, "She were a fine figure of a woman." Joe's devotion and admiration for his wife put her character into perspective and was also touching and beautiful.

I like Dickens' flowery language but for younger readers, I'm sure Victorian prose can be really difficult to understand. At times, I found some of Dickens' sentences twisty and garbled. This book cuts through the flowers and goes straight to the dirt, making the storyline clear.

Story: 3.5/5 - Nicely told, but lacking the original's wit, humor, flowery language and character development.

Illustrations: 4/5 - Very nice, detailed pencil illustrations add flair to the book.

This is #3 for Children's Day. Still more to come!

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Copyright 1998
Simon & Schuster Young Readers - Dystopian Fiction
153 pages

Luke lives in a world in which third children are forbidden and has thus been forced to spend his entire life hiding. Until the woods next to his family farm were cut down, he was able to occasionally go outside. Now, with a new housing development quickly being built, he can't go outside at all. He's bored and lonely.

Then, one day he spots a face in the window of one of the new homes. Luke has spent time watching all of the houses; he knows the two children are gone. There must be another shadow child living in the home of this "baron". When he meets the shadow child, Jen, Luke is stunned by Jen's fearlessness. She's willing to do anything to bring herself and other children out of the shadows. But, her plan is risky and Luke is afraid. Will he summon the courage to become involved in Jen's dangerous plan? Or, will he remain in hiding all of his life?

Yikes. This book was really, truly horrifying. I couldn't help but think, as I was reading, how difficult it would be to only be able to interact with one's family, never go outdoors, have to hide and be quiet when anyone showed up at the door. I thought the book drew a sharp parallel to life as a Jewish child in Nazi Germany. Luke's family is what really made the book for me. As awful as his life is, even his big brothers have managed to keep the secret until Luke meets Jen; and, each family member willingly spends time with him, playing games, talking, reading.

This is my second book by Haddix and the first in the Shadow Children series. I liked Found much better, but I appreciated the fact that Among the Hidden makes you think about what it would be like not to have the ability to move freely amongst society. On the cover of the book, the Shadow Children series is described as "chilling". Good word choice.

3.5/5 - Solid start to a series, intriguing and thought-provoking. I found it a bit dark and depressing, but I loved the characters and will continue to read on. The ending is not really a cliffhanger so much as it's "to be continued".

Since this book is dystopian, it's book #4 (I think - losing count, here) of the YA Dystopian Challenge.