More mini-reviews of our recent borrowings.
Picture Books
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs as retold by Mo Willems. As soon as I got home with this book I handed it to, nope, not my kids, but my husband. I knew he'd appreciate the parodic, absurdist, sarcastic humor. And he did. A few days later I read it to my girls and, not surprisingly, they didn't really get it. It went over my 4-year-old's head completely. My seven-year-old got that there
were jokes and got that the sarcastic parts meant exactly their opposites, but didn't understand why that should be funny. This is, in my opinion, one of those picture books that is really meant for grown-ups or older children, both because of the humor and because of the fact that it refers to other literature. Willems has the luxury of being so popular that parents are going to buy this either not realizing that it's not meant for (young) kids or not caring. It is, however, perfect for an older class's unit on fairy tales.
Woof Meow Tweet-Tweet by Cecile Boyer. Another picture book for grown-ups, this time for those interested in design. In each place where you would expect to find a picture of an animal, you find the word that represents the sound the animal makes. The book is beautiful but has no plot, being called halfway through (and rightfully so from a story-oriented perspective) by my 4-year-old, "boring."
Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten! by Hyewon Yum. This book about a boy's first day of kindergarten is really about the truth that the parents are often more anxious about this big day than the new student. But while the concept is sweet, the execution, starting with the title, lacks any subtlety. A nice but not necessary addition to the first-day-of-kindergarten canon.
The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer. This book is just impossible to read. With words and letters that fly in all directions over the page it was very frustrating to read; so much so, in fact, that there is actually a guide at the end of the books, which reprints the text of each page in usual left-to-right fashion. Of course, flipping to the back after each page is not practical. Finally, I found the blunt message about the power of words to bring peace, love and understanding sappy as well. Tangent: The format made me think of the new Haggadah edited by Jonathan Safran Foer, which I was excited to check out and then so disappointed with - with footnotes and commentary placed perpendicular to the main text, the book is unwieldy under even the best of circumstances, which being at a table full of nice china and ritual items certainly is not.
Middle Grade Fiction
Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead. Less intricately plotted than her amazing When You Reach Me, Liar and Spy is still a fun, enjoyable read with a believable narrator in Georges (the "s" is silent). I guessed one of the twists but not the other. A city child myself, I especially like Ms. Stead's depictions of city life in both books. And as a parent, I appreciate the good relationships her protagonists have with theirs. A water tower on top of the building would have made the great cover perfect.
Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman. Another middle-grade book about identity and fitting in, popular themes for this age group. Gabe, desperate to impress his about-to-be-stepbrother Zach, tries to keep the true nature of his summer camp (it's a gifted enrichment program) a secret. The format, in which lists Gabe makes are interspersed throughout the narrative, is funny and appealing. One side itemizes the cool, non-nerdy things Gabe does (e.g. karaoke); the other lists the nerdy aspects of each (e.g. the song Gabe sang was a list of the countries of the world... in alphabetical order!). Although the themes are addressed overtly, I'm starting to realize that the middle-grade audience may not be quite ready for subtlety... or at least that books which address these themes overtly have a place.
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage. A spunky heroine, quirky Southerners, a small town - this sounds like books you've read before, right? Here the ingredients add up... if not to something new exactly, to something very enjoyable. The lesson that your family is comprised of those you love you, and whom you love, is a nice one. Some heavier themes, including domestic abuse, not to mention kidnapping and murder, make this a book for the older end of the middle-grade audience.
What books have you checked out from the library recently?
How To by Julie Morstad. This is one of my favorites but my daughters, unsurprisingly, didn't
love it - but they liked it more than I though they would. With
whimsical lessons about how to do all sorts of things - be a mermaid,
watch where you're going - it has simple lessons about how to enjoy life in the moment, more of use to adults, who have forgotten to live in the
moment, rather than children, who still know how to. Humorous touches,
like showing "how to make friends" by drawing your own, and how to watch
where you're going by checking out your shadow, amused my girls. The
illustrations have a quiet, spare beauty. This is one of my favorites.
Line 135 by Germano Zullo. This book follows a child's travels on a bright green and orange train from the city to the country against a background of simple black-and-white line drawings and reminds us that children, unlike adults, know that anything is possible. 
