Mod 8: Nightmares! Review

What's It All About?

Charlie Laird can't catch a break. When his mom passed away his dad married, Charlotte, whom he is 99.9999% sure is a witch. They had to move to HER house, this weird purple mansion. Worst of all, he can't sleep for fear of running into a nightmare that won't go away.

What'd I Think?

Jason, baby, honey, what are you doing?! I had such high hopes for this novel when I heard you were behind it. Your screenwriting has been brilliant thus far and your acting never leaves me wanting. not to say I thought the book terrible. There were definitely some good comical parts but overall it felt like it was a plot that was stretched too thin and would have been better had it not been made to drag on.I do think kids will enjoy the silly bits and jokes that have been thrown in but won't be overly frightened of the monsters within.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Booklist

(September 15, 2014; 9780375991578)

When Charlie Laird's mom died, he was, of course, devastated, and he's devastated all over again when his dad marries Charlotte, the kooky herbalist with unruly red hair. After they all move to Charlotte's family home a spooky, purple mansion Charlie begins having terrible nightmares starring a cauldron-stirring, red-haired witch, and he starts believing that his stepmom is not who she seems. While investigating her workroom in the tower of the house, he stumbles through a portal into the Netherworld, a creepy, fractured version of his own town that's populated with elements from kids' nightmares, including bunnies with toothy jaws for faces and a fedora-wearing gorgon. There he discovers who's really behind his bad dreams as well as some secrets about not only Charlotte but also his own mother. Segel (of The Muppets movie) and Miller build an entertaining, cartoony world full of scary (but not too scary) monsters, silly jokes, plucky kid heroes, and a cinematic plot that trundles onward to a satisfying conclusion, with a promise of adventures to come. Final illustrations not seen.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2014 Booklist

School Library Journal

(September 01, 2014; 9780385744256)

Gr 4-6-Eleven-year-old Charlie Laird is absolutely convinced that his stepmother Charlotte is a witch. She dresses funny, serves seriously strange food (kale pancakes), and runs a store called Hazel's Herbarium. Charlie's dad, little brother, and friends all like Charlotte and think Charlie's still grieving for his mom. He's also suffering from terrible nightmares, and living in Charlotte's crazy purple mansion isn't helping. The evil witch who stars in those nightmares threatens to follow the protagonist into the real world and kidnap his brother. Instead, he is tricked into the Nightmare World, peopled with monsters and madness: gorgons, goblins, crazy clowns, scary bunnies, tests filled with gibberish, and the monomaniacal President Fear (who also inhabits the real world as the truly terrifying Principal Stearns). But all is not what it seems, and some of the scariest creatures turn out to be sympathetic-or even allies. There are lessons to be learned about facing fears and uncovering the real enemy in this tale. Pals Alfie, Rocco, and Paige are interesting and fairly three-dimensional; most of the adults (with the exceptions of Fear/Stearns and Charlotte) are merely background. The fear is as much psychological as anything, and there's humor and a fairly high ick-factor, but relatively little violence. A good choice for elementary-aged scare-seekers.- Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2014. 

What Do I Do With It?

Students will create their own monster. They must give it a name, powers/scare tactics, as well as other valuable information about it should be mentioned. Their imagination is key here. They will then put the monster on a "wanted" poster to display in the hallway.

Mod 7: Umbrella Summer Review

What's It All About?

Annie is careful. VERY careful. That's because there's a million bad things that could happen. Giving up all the fun things kids her age like to do - such as riding a bike - is a small price to pay to know that she'll stay safe. She wasn't always this way though. She was carefree before her brother Jared unexpectedly died. Can Annie ever go back to the way she was before or is she stuck in her ever-evolving hypochondria bubble?

What'd I Think?

Whew. Watching the heartbreak that Annie goes through after she has lost her brother is rough. All I wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms and tell her it would all be okay, and then take her to feed the ducks like they always did on the Fourth of July.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Horn Book Guide

(October 02, 2009; 9780061431883)

After her brother Jared dies from a rare heart condition, Annie copes by reading about illnesses; though prepared, she's not healing. That comes slowly, aided by understanding friends and a close-knit community of complex, concerned (but never cloying) characters. Expect tears, but also expect to cheer for Annie's recovery as she gradually learns to honor Jared's life and care for her own. (c) Copyright 2010.

School Library Journal

(June 01, 2009; 9780061431883)

Gr 4-6-After her brother's unexpected death from a rare heart ailment, adventurous Annie Richards changes into an overly cautious child who diligently tries to prevent any illness or accident happening to her. Each cut or bump is bandaged. Instead of racing her friend Rachel on her bike, the 10-year-old invents turtle racing to see who can ride the slowest. Games she deems too dangerous are avoided. Annie's neighborhood is filled with friends and neighbors who care, but too often she sees the "dead brother" look on their faces. Only when Mrs. Finch moves into the long-vacant "haunted" house in the neighborhood, and Annie attempts to sell her outdated Junior Sunbird cookies, do things begin to change. Friendship, shared moments, and some careful listening help Annie close her umbrella of sadness. As in The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower (2008) and The Thing About Georgie (2007, both HarperCollins), Graff has created a lively, quirky individual who tells her story with frankness and humor. Annie's three friends come across as real kids who treat Annie's eccentricities with a mixture of understanding and occasional anger. A more complex read than Andrea Beaty's Cicada Summer (Abrams, 2008), Annie's story deals with death with sensitivity, love, and understanding.-Kathryn Kosiorek, formerly at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH (c) Copyright 2010. 

Mod 7: Stargirl Review

What's It All About?

Stargirl breezes into the hallways of Mica High and throws a blanket of colors on the student's drab lives. Leo is smitten from the start. How could he not be. The students can't get enough of her quirky behavior until her optimism is shared with the wrong team. When the tides turn can Leo get her back in the school's good graces? Can Stargirl stay true to herself?

What'd I Think?

I wanted to love this. I did. I had seen it on the shelves time and time again when I was a shelver and think, "I should check that out sometime." I kind of wish I had left it on the shelf so it could still hold its mystique it once held over me. The book came off as overly preachy about the horrors of changing for others as well as her overly eccentric lifestyle.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Publishers Weekly -

(June 26, 2000; 9780679886372)

Part fairy godmother, part outcast, part dream-come-true, the star of Spinelli's latest novel possesses many of the mythical qualities as the protagonist of his Maniac Magee. As narrator Leo Borlock reflects on his junior year in a New Mexico high school, Stargirl takes center stage. Even before she appears at Mica High, Spinelli hints at her invisible presence; readers, like Leo, will wonder if Stargirl is real or some kind of mirage in the Sonoran Desert. By describing the girl through the eyes of a teen intermittently repulsed by and in love with her, Spinelli cunningly exposes her elusive qualities. Having been homeschooled, Stargirl appears at Mica High dressed as a hippie holdover and toting a ukulele, which she uses to serenade students on their birthdays; she marks holidays with Halloween candy and Valentine cards for all. As her cheerleading antics draw record crowds to the school's losing football team's games, her popularity skyrockets, yet a subtle foreboding infuses the narrative and readers know it's only a matter of time until she falls from grace. For Leo, caught between his peers and his connection to Stargirl, the essential question boils down to one offered to him by a sage adult friend: "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others'?" As always respectful of his audience, Spinelli poses searching questions about loyalty to one's friends and oneself and leaves readers to form their own answers. Ages 12-up. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Horn Book Magazine -

(July 01, 2000; 9780679886372)

(Intermediate, Young Adult) Cynics might want to steer clear of this novel of a contemporary Pollyanna, whose glad-game benevolences include singing Happy Birthday to her classmates, dropping change in the street for children to find, and-to her downfall-joining the cheerleading squad and rooting for both teams. High school junior Leo is at first nonplussed by Stargirl's not-so-random acts of kindness, but he really loves her from the start. After Stargirl is shunned for her disloyal cheerleading, Leo persuades her to go along with the crowd, and she even reclaims her birth name, Susan. Predictably, this doesn't work for Stargirl; on the author's part, it occasions much heavy-handed moralizing about conformity. While it is true that we are meant to see Stargirl as larger-than-life (""She seems to be in touch with something that the rest of us are missing""), there are no shadows to contour her character, and thus her gestures seem empty. While Spinelli's Maniac Magee was on the run for a reason and Pollyanna needed something to be glad for, Stargirl has nothing to lose. But as a story of high school outsiders and light romance, this will find an audience, and the book does bear many strong similarities to Maniac Magee, offering a charismatic female counterpart. r.s. (c) Copyright 2010. 

What Do I Do With It?

Students could have a classroom talent show to showcase their own weird quirky talents. Dressing up in over the top, movie wardrobe clothing is highly encouraged.

Mod 6: Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg Review

What's It All About?

Cowpoke Clyde has spent all day long making sure everything was completely clean. Just as he’s about to relax he realizes he’s forgotten one very important, very dirty thing – Dawg. When he tries to get man’s best friend all cleaned up hijinks ensue. 

What'd I Think?

It's not often that I come across a cowboy themed picture book that can hold my attention span but this one did just that! It had a great rhythm to the story and the illustrations were a perfect match. I could even share this with the preschool age kids at storytime without fear that they would be bored before I could finish a page.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal -

(April 01, 2013; 9780547239934)

K-Gr 1-At the end of a satisfying day, Cowpoke Clyde decides that the only thing he'd forgotten to clean was his "ol' Dawg, his faithful, snorin' friend, /all caked with mud from end to end." However, corralling Dawg is definitely not a snap, and Clyde's continued efforts result in a cumulative disaster of frantic chickens, flying feathers, spilled soup, biting fleas, a slippery hog, hissing cats, and a braying mule, all "gettin' soaked" instead of Dawg. Even the hog gets a wide-eyed close-up here. Finely crafted acrylic scenes contain a wide range of angled perspectives and shadows within Clyde's tiny shack and outside on the ranch. Cartoon figures cavort across the spreads and escape their frames. Rhyming couplets reveal a cowboy twang of missing final "g's." A first purchase for most libraries.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2013.

Booklist -

(June 01, 2013; 9780547239934)

Neatnik Cowpoke Clyde savors his tidy house until he notices Dawg, caked with mud. Determined to rectify this oversight, he attempts to bathe his pooch but Dawg has other ideas. In the ensuing chase, feathers fly, fleas jump, hogs skitter, cats topple soapy pails, and mules kick, leaving poor Clyde no choice but to bathe by himself in the moonlight. The author of Cindy Moo (2012) offers here another humorous, rhyming picture book, this one filled with clever language and anticipatory page turns that will delight young listeners: But Dawg ignored his mighty pleas. / Instead Dawg left a trail of . . . / FLEAS. Austin's vibrant acrylic-and-pencil illustrations exaggerate the tall-tale humor. In one spread, both Clyde and Dawg appear to run across the hog's enormous back; in another, airborne Clyde tumbles helplessly after being kicked by the mule. This makes a good choice for story hours or one-on-one sharing. Pair with Jeanne Willis' I Want to Be a Cowgirl (2002) or Amy Timberlake's The Dirty Cowboy (2003).--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2010 Booklist.

What Do I Do With It?

Rodeo is a very popular theme in the Houston area in March as that's when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo always gets underway. It is attended by people from all over the United States and is a source of great fun for schools when they choose it as a field trip destination. Pairing this book with other fun cowboy tales is a sure way to add to the hype. Songs sung could include "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" and "Giddy-Up" (the last being a favorite in our Lapsit and Toddler storytimes.) After the stories have been read and the songs sung, a cowboy themed craft such as a paper cowboy hat or horse made using a paper bag could be made.

Mod 5: Going Bovine Review

What's It All About?

In Going Bovine, we are introduced to Cameron who describes his best day ever as the day he was 5 and almost died at the It’s a Small World ride at Disney. He is just trying to make it through high school as the “lesser twin.” His sister is part of the cool kids and concerned with her grades while Cameron doesn't see the point in trying so hard. Then he receives a diagnosis of Mad Cow Disease. In order to find the cure, he sets off on an adventure with a host of wacky characters looking for random signs and a mysterious time traveling Doctor X.

What'd I Think?

Damn you, Libba Bray! You hit me right in the feels every time. This book is a twisting and turning quixote-like journey that kept me asking what was real and what was fake, and whether or not Cameron would make it through. With his sidekick, Gonzo, by his side surely, he can't fail! 

I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Publishers Weekly -

(August 03, 2009; 9780385733977)

Cameron Smith, 16, is slumming through high school; overshadowed by a sister "pre-majoring in perfection," while working (ineptly) at the Buddha Burger. Then something happens to make him the focus of his family's attention: he contracts mad cow disease. What takes place after he is hospitalized is either that a gorgeous angel persuades him to search for a cure that will also save the world, or that he has a vivid hallucination brought on by the disease. Either way, what readers have is an absurdist comedy in which Cameron, Gonzo (a neurotic dwarf) and Balder (a Norse god cursed to appear as a yard gnome) go on a quixotic road trip during which they learn about string theory, wormholes and true love en route to Disney World. Bray's surreal humor may surprise fans of her historical fantasies about Gemma Doyle, as she trains her satirical eye on modern education, American materialism and religious cults (the smoothie-drinking members of the Church of Everlasting Satisfaction and Snack 'N' Bowl). Offer this to fans of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy seeking more inspired lunacy. Ages 14-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist -

(August 01, 2009; 9780385904117)

*Starred Review* In a giant departure from her Gemma Doyle historical fiction trilogy, Bray's latest offering is an unforgettable, nearly indefinable fantasy adventure, as immense and sprawling as Cervantes' Don Quixote, on which it's based. Here the hero is Cameron, a 16-year-old C-plus-average slacker who likens himself to driftwood, but he suddenly becomes the center of attention after he is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human variant of mad cow disease. In the hospital, he meets Dulcie, an alluring angel clad in fishnet stockings and combat boots, who presents him with a heroic quest to rescue the planet from an otherworldly, evil force. Guided by random signs and accompanied by a teen dwarf named Gonzo, Cameron sets off on a wild road trip across the U.S. to save the world, and perhaps his own life. Talking yard gnomes, quantum physics, cults of happiness, mythology, religion, time travel, the blues, Disney World, the vacuous machine behind reality TV shows, and spring break's beer-and-bikini culture all figure prominently in the plot, and readers may not feel equally engaged in each of the novel's lengthy episodes. But Bray's wildly imagined novel, narrated in Cameron's sardonic, believable voice, is wholly unique, ambitious, tender, thought-provoking, and often fall-off-the-chair funny, even as she writes with powerful lyricism about the nature of existence, love, and death. Familiarity with Don Quixote certainly isn't necessary, but those who know the basic plot will want to start over from the beginning and pick up on each sly allusion to the classic story.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist.

What Do I Do With It?

Students will take a poster-size map of the United States and chart Cameron's epic journey with clip art and photos from pivotal stops along the way. They can enhance the map in anyway they like as long as they make sure to stick to the path listed in the book.

Mod 5: Talkin' About Bessie Review

What's It All About?

Bessie's tale is a truly inspirational tale of a woman who wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to her dreams. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman vowed to become the first African-American female pilot after hearing about the Wright brothers taking flight. She was a mere 11 years old at the time. Through determination and will she proved that no matter obstacles stand in your way, you can overcome them.

What'd I Think?

This is a powerful tale about a very strong woman. I'd never heard of her through all my history classes and travels. Her story is one that I think could start a spark in any young girl's heart to believe in their selves. 

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Horn Book Guide - 
( April 01, 2003; 9780439352437 )

At Coleman's death, Grimes invites twenty individuals to a fictional wake and, in first-person testimonial verse, has each remember Bessie and the forces that shaped her life. Small sepia-toned portraits personalize the tributes. Watercolors on facing pages evoke each incident and often soften the harshness in Coleman's life. Grimes separates fact from fiction in an introduction and an endnote. Like Bessie, this tribute to her life soars. Bib. (c) Copyright 2010.

School Library Journal -
( October 01, 2002; 9780439352437 )

Gr 3-8-This fresh contribution to the spate of relatively recent titles about Coleman has a decidedly unique tone. Talkin' is a well-conceived, well-executed, handsomely illustrated, fictionalized account of the life of the first black female licensed pilot in the world (CIP places the book in the 600s). An introductory note puts the aviatrix in historical context, but neglects to explain some references (e.g., Jim Crow laws). The text consists of 21 poetic vignettes of Coleman delivered by "speakers" at a funeral parlor, all of whom have come to mourn the pilot who died at age 34 in a plane accident. Their reminiscences on stark white pages are illustrated with miniature portraits bordered in sepia, each one facing a full-page watercolor capturing a moment in the woman's life. Skillfully drawn and occasionally photographic in their realism, the pictures perfectly match each speaker's recollections. A concluding note states rather definitively in regard to her death: "The cause of the crash remains a mystery" despite some evidence to the contrary. No sources are listed. While fictional, this is a fine piece to use to set a tone or inspire more research into Coleman's life. It could also serve as an exceptional writing model for students. The concept, much like Marilyn Nelson's Carver: A Life in Poems (Front Street, 2001), is noteworthy.-Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

What Do I Do With It?

This story would be great either during Women's History month or Black History month as a means of introducing students to someone they may not have heard about. After doing so they could research another unsung hero in whichever category they choose. They would then share the story with the class in the form of a picture book of their own creation showing highlights in that person's life. 

Mod 4: The Higher Power of Lucky Review

What's It All About?

Ten-year-old Lucky lives with her French guardian, who happens to be her dad's ex-wife from before her mother. They live with her dog, HMS Beagle, in Hard Pan,  California where they just try to make do. She gets by with her friends Miles, and Lincoln and earns a little extra cleanign up after a myriad of twelve-step anonymous programs. When Lucky believes her guardian has plans to leave her behind and head back to France, she decides it's time to run away. 

What'd I Think?

The story was okay but only reading it as an adult. Reading it from a child's point of view, I think it misses the mark and I can understand why it doesn't get checked out regardless of the fact that it won the Newbery award. This is one of the many books that was listed in an article about award comittees choosing books that are more obscure or unique but that don't really have the factor that the kids crave. 

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal -
(December 01, 2006; 9781416901945)

Gr 4-6-When Lucky's mother is electrocuted and dies after a storm, Lucky's absentee father calls his ex-wife, Brigitte, to fly over from France to take care of the child. Two years later, the 10-year-old worries that Brigitte is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan (pop. 42) in the middle of the California desert. While Lucky's best friend ties intricate knots and the little boy down the road cries for attention, she tries to get some control over her life by restocking her survival kit backpack and searching for her "Higher Power." This character-driven novel has an unusually complicated backstory, and a fair amount of exposition. Yet, its quirky cast and local color help to balance this fact, and the desert setting is fascinating. Lucky's tendency to jump to conclusions is frustrating, but her struggle to come to terms with her mother's death and with her new life ring true. Phelan's cover and line drawings are simple and evocative, a perfect complement to the text. Fans of novels by Deborah Wiles and Katherine Hannigan will be happy to meet Lucky.-Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

Horn Book Guide -
(April 01, 2007; 9781416901945)

Ten-year-old Lucky lives in Hard Pan, California, a tiny enclave on the outskirts of the Mojave Desert. Her legal guardian is a beautiful, melancholy Frenchwoman, Brigitte. Patron's episodic tale of a grieving, insecure little girl is never heavy-handed or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor. Her sensory descriptions, supported by Phelan's gentle spot art, animate this unique community. (c) Copyright 2010.