THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. 2008. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060530938

Audio Book:

Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. Narrated by Neil Gaiman. 2008. New York: Recorded Books. ISBN 9781436158848

Nobody Owens is the name of the boy in this uniquely Gaiman fantasy.  While just a toddler, Nobody is  orphaned by "the man Jack." Nobody escapes being killed himself by toddling his way to a nearby ancient graveyard that has been repurposed as a nature preserve for the past 30 years.  There he finds protection, education, and an interesting upbringing.   Mr. and Mrs. Owens, resident ghosts who had been childless in life, become his adoring parents.  He is affectionately nicknamed "Bod" (not to be confused with "Bud") by a living-dead creature named Silas who becomes his guardian.  Because Silas is allowed out of the graveyard at night, he is able to supply Bod with food, clothes, books, and other necessities for a living boy. 

Hinting of the sentiment "it takes a village," Silas convinces the reluctant ghosts that it will "take a graveyard" to give the living boy a proper upbringing.  Bod is given “The Freedom of the Graveyard" which allows him to see in darkness and other spectral abilities.  Over time he learns "Fading, Sliding, and Dreamwalking" which seem as reasonable as "reading, writing, and arithmetic.”  Silas explains to Bod, "it's only in the graveyard that we can keep you safe.  This is where you live and this is where those who love you can be found.  Outside would not be safe for you.  Not yet."  

In eight chapters, Gaiman charms and chills us with Bod's story from toddler to young adult.   He is loved, nurtured and prepared to eventually take his place in the real, living world where he belongs.  The phantasmagoric personalities he encounters are every bit as believable as the living people he meets.   They all play a significant part leading up to the final confrontation of his ultimate adversary.  Themes of love and friendship flourish in the midst of the struggle between good and evil.  Themes of bravery and sacrifice weigh heavily in the plot as well.

The Graveyard Book lends itself to a celebration of other scary stories and scary music.  Episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the Twilight Zone can be shared along with works by other masters of suspense such as R. L. Stine or John Bellairs.  Holidays such as Mexico’s Day of the Dead and our own Halloween are obvious times to explore goose bump inducing fantasy.  Music such as Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette (Alfred Hitchcock’s theme music), and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain (from Disney’s Fantasia) would be pieces students should be introduced to if they are not already familiar with them.

Gaiman's Newbery gold for this work credits his storytelling and writing genius, but the audio book showcases yet another talent.  Performing his own work, Gaiman reveals a mellifluous, British voice and silver tongue that brings even more life to his story.  Bod, Silas, and the many other colorful characters in the story have distinct voices performed by Gaiman.  Never over done, or silly, but always endearing, Gaiman's performance is award worthy.   

Unabridged on 7 discs, the audio book is almost 8 hours of ghost-story entertainment.  Each disc opens with music arranged and performed by Bela Fleck and his trademark banjo.  Recommended for ages 10 and up, it is an excellent choice for a family road trip or for a nightly read aloud on a camping trip.  Kirkus sums it up as “Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy.” 

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. 2006. New York:  Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375931007

Audio book:

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Read by Allan Corduner. 2006. New York:  Random House Listening Library. ISBN 0739338005

Markus Zusak reprised his Michael Printz honor award with The Book Thief, easily, one of the best books I've ever read in both style and story.   Brilliantly told from Death's perspective, World War II Germany comes alive as we experience the lives of Liesel Meminger, her foster parents, Mama and Papa Hubermann, her best friend Rudy, and her Jewish hero, Max.  We enter a period of history that nightmares are made of and survive it through the eyes of a young girl and the people who love and sacrifice for her, and the freedom only a book thief could know.

Zusak writes the story in ten parts of about nine chapters each, a prologue and epilogue.  He uses lists to help Death describe parts of the story which lends to its unique structure.  A Kirkus review notes, “The writing is elegant, philosophical, and moving. “  Zusak's prose is poetic in its rich imagery.  Each character, place, and event so skillfully described that the words live and breathe.  His word craft makes Papa's love as tangible as Mama's chaffing exterior, and Rudy's endearing antics as palpable as Max's intensity.  In describing Hans Hubermann, Liesel's foster father, “Death" says of his eyes, "They were made of kindness, and silver.  Like soft silver, melting.  Liesel, upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot." 

The plot contains a full plate of emotions.  There are lavish and prolific helpings of love and hate, humor and horror, joy and sadness, to name a few.  Themes of fear, survival, sacrifice, and friendship are strong and poignant.  Given the historic reality of the sobering subject matter, this book is recommended for readers ages 12 and up. 

Several book parings come to mind in promoting this book.  Hitler Youth by
Susan Bartoletti deals with the world that Liesel and Rudy found themselves in.  Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin deals with the fear children experience under tyrannical governments.  Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables touches the desperation that leads one to steal. 

The unabridged audio book is 14 hours on 11 discs.  Allan Corduner's performance is superb in every way.  His accent fits the story, and given that his mother is German, the German expressions sound 100% authentic.  His voice is always rich and clear while he captures the gentleness of Papa, the harsh mask of Mama, the innocence of Rudy, the determination of Max, and the unique persona of Death.  “When Death tells a story we pay attention” (Kirkus review) and this story is one that makes even Death draw a breath.

RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE by Shannon and Dale Hale

Hale, Shannon and Dale. Rapunzel's Revenge. Ill. by Nathan Hale. 2008. New York:  Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781599900704

Husband and wife team Shannon and Dale Hale give the classic Rapunzel fairy tale a cowboy twist that will lasso young readers into graphic novels.  Set in a storybook Wild West, "Punzie" escapes her evil witch mother, Gothel, finds her real mother (enslaved), and teams up with a dashing but cocky bowler-donned Jack (as in the beanstalk). Together they set out through the territory of Gothel's Reach to right the wrongs brought on by Gothel's greed.      

“Rich with humor and excitement” (Booklist), some of the adventures and mis-adventures of this vigilante duo include rescuing a kidnapped spoiled brat, a horrific battle against ferocious beasts, and a spine-tingling ride with a giant sea serpent. In each episode we see Rapunzel’s long braided hair used as a whip or a rope to get them out of trouble--not your traditional damsel in distress.

Nathan Hale (no relation) illustrates the action in vibrant color.  The word bubbles are clear and easy to read.  The pages are beautiful to look at and not too cluttered.  It is easy to follow who is good and who is evil, and the good guys are likable enough to make us care what happens next.  The fantasy world is easy to buy into aided by the cartoon format of the book. 

Tie in a few other classic tales such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Little Red Riding Hood, give them a Texas twist, and watch the creativity grow as fast as Rapunzel’s hair.  With any luck, you just might find new meaning to “let your hair down.”

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys

Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. 2011. New York:  Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399254123

Audio Book: 

Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. Read by Emily Klein. New York: Penguin Audio. ISBN 9780142428979

Ruta Sepetys breaks into young adult literature with a heavy weight contribution of historical significance in Between Shades of Gray.  Set during the Stalin purge of the Baltics 1941, we follow the horrific plight of 15 year old Lina and her family as they are taken from their home in Kaunas, Lithuania and moved to northern Siberia, across the Arctic Circle and ultimately left to survive at Trofimovsk, North Pole.  Thousands of others from Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia were submitted to this cruelty.

For Sepetys, this is a very personal story as she is of Lithuanian decent and has created her novel out of events told to her from her family’s history and subsequent research.  Some of the characters in the story are named after real people that were in her family and by people she met getting her facts.  Her extensive research even led her to arrange to be locked in a Soviet prison.  Consequently, the characters are practically three dimensional with life and breath.  Reading about “living” in freezing conditions in Siberia made me want to wrap up in a warm blanket.  The story feels so real, it reads like nonfiction.

Sepetys used a flashback style to fill in the blanks on what life was like before the loss of freedom.  We see a normal family unsuspecting of the magnitude of cruelty that was about to reign down on them.  Themes of love, survival, friendship, sacrifice, and forgiveness are all represented.  Included as reference are two maps representing the journey into exile by miles and by days and locations.  Both are visuals that add depth to the horror.  Her “Author’s Note” and “Acknowledgements” speak of the process and people who assisted her in her quest.

The audio book is recorded unabridged on seven discs for eight hours of listening.  The story is told in Lina’s voice, and I must confess I was disappointed that the professional voice talent for the audio version had no Russian or Lithuanian accent.  I think an authentic accent would have been a plus as it is in other audio books such as The Book Thief or Life of Pi.  Emily Klein’s voice talent is very clear and articulate, but seems forced at times, like a performance in a high school oratory competition.  Additionally, there are no pauses or sounds to alert when the story shifts to a flashback, so I found it very confusing to listen to without looking at the book. 

One thing I did appreciate about the audio version, however, was the author’s comments at the end about her experience writing her first novel, and her intimate connection to the material.  The story has been buried for decades, and she felt a strong calling to be the voice of the thousands who suffered.   At the very end she is overcome with emotion as she thanks the publishers who took a chance on her to let the story “come out of the dark.”  It is very touching.  You can find a video and extended version of her comments at her website at www.rutasepetys.com.  Horn Book quotes her in its review:  “A haunting chronicle, demonstrating that even in the heart of darkness, ‘love is the most powerful army.’”

I hope this story and the history behind it makes its way into more and more classrooms.  Hitler’s holocaust is widely studied, and this holocaust should be equally known as well.  If we can glean lessons of forgiveness, compassion, abhorrence of greed and cruelty, and the power of love over hate, then perhaps the lives lost will not have been in vain.

Between Shades of Gray deserves its many acknowledged, nominated and selected credentials,
among them being a Best Book of 2011 by School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, iTunes, and the Amazon Top Ten of 2011.  I heartily agree with Booklist:  “An important book that deserves the widest possible readership.”

THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages

Klages, Ellen. The Green Glass Sea. 2006. New York:  Viking. ISBN 0670061344

Ellen Klages captures the Scott O’Dell Award with this poignant story of Dewey Kerrigan, daughter of a scientist working on the secret Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1943-1945.   By age 11 she is displaced physically and emotionally more times than many adults are in a lifetime.   On top of the loss of home and family is the hardship of having a physical infirmity that makes her look different, as well as unusual interests that push her to the outside of her social circle.  When her father has to take a job away from her yet again, she is forced into a family with a girl who loathes her and mistreats her.  She keeps a “stiff upper lip” through it all until a final tragedy leaves her truly alone, but also in a position to feel the acceptance she eventually finds.

This human drama is set against the back drop of the secrecy of the building of the first atomic bomb.  The scientists assembled to work on the project are consumed with making the “gadget” that will end the war.  The juxtaposition of the lack of power that Dewey has to alter her circumstances and the lack of power that the victims of the bomb have, may or may not be intended by the author.

The authenticity of the times are secured in various references to real people of the era such as Dr. Robert Oppenheimer “the head of the whole hill,” and Presidents Roosevelt and Truman.  Other markers of daily life include “Chattanooga Choo Choo” on the radio, the Chemex coffeemaker, the fountain pen, the Studebaker, the “Brylcreem he used to slick back his hair,” as well as rampant smoking of cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.  LIFE Magazine and popular comic books of the times such as Captain America and Billy Batson, also color the day to day landscape.  The style of language is also reminiscent of a former time with the use of expressions such as “swell,” “skedaddle,” and “nifty-keen.” On two occasions, however, the use of the word “lame” sounded too contemporary.  For example, Dewey thinks “the grown-up line…seemed really lame.”

Klages characters are believable and thoroughly developed.  The isolation that Dewey feels is universal to kids of her age even when they don’t have all the precipitating circumstances Dewey had to face.  A particularly telling feeling is expressed when Dewey explains about her foot that is shod in an odd corrective shoe:  “I get tired of having to explain all the time, or pretending that I don’t notice when people are staring.” 

The electronic version of this book had some added features that the library hardback copy did not have.  An interview with Ellen Klages about the novel as well as her acceptance speech for receiving the Scott O’Dell Award was included.  Additionally, a piece by Monika Schroder included several connections that could be used in the classroom including discussion questions, activity suggestions, and a selected bibliography.

With the veterans of WWII becoming fewer every year, it is important to garner as many firsthand memories as possible.  Veterans Day is a good time to invite grandfathers and great-grandfathers still available to share their experiences in WWII.  The themes of secrecy, survival, and changes that the atomic age brought, are just a few of the gems to mine from this book.  Book List notes, “the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”

UNDER THE BLOOD RED SUN by Graham Salisbury

Salisbury, Graham. Under the Blood Red Sun. 1994. New York:  Delacorte Press. ISBN 038532099x

Salisbury’s Hawaiian roots and interest in WWII come together in this Scott O’Dell Award winner about a Japanese-American family during the days surrounding the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  The central character is Tomi Nakaji, an eighth grader who lives with his fisherman father, housekeeper mother, honor-obsessed grandpa, and young sister, Kimi.  Tomi has a best friend named Billy who is haole (white) and loyal throughout the story.  Tomi has to mature quickly when his father and grandfather are arrested after the bombing, his mother is fired from her job, and he faces a bully whom he cannot fight without shaming his family. 

Salisbury is thorough in detailing life on the islands as well as capturing the tension between the races following the bombing.  The hardships, suspicion, prejudice and fear experienced by the Japanese-Americans is believably portrayed.  There was authentic broken English among the immigrant characters who still struggle with a foreign tongue, and several Japanese words used throughout the book also add to the flavor of authenticity.  I found, however, that this hindered the flow of the story for me as I had no background to know how the words should sound, and it was not always clear in the context what the words meant.  I found myself wishing there was a glossary of the foreign words to help with pronunciation and meaning.

Themes of love of country, loyalty, friendship, national and family honor, permeate the story.  Grandpa repeatedly emphasizes “You cannot be a troublemaker and bring shame on this family.” Yet the shame he feels when his own country attacks Pearl Harbor, practically breaks him.  Baseball also plays a prominent role in the story as it brings a measure of normality to the chaos during the healing after the bombing.

Under the Blood Red Sun would be a good launching point for middle schoolers to explore the WWII conflict in the Pacific.  It could be paired with Marissa Moss’s Barbed Wire Baseball, the biography of Kenichi Zenimura who was sent to an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during the war.  He brings baseball to the prison camp as a means of coping with the tragedy of the unjust imprisonment of Japanese-Americans.  It could also be paired with The Green Glass Sea to explore the US solution to ending the war.

Student enthusiasts of the book have posted reviews on Barnes and Noble with glowing accolades such as, “I felt like I was Tomi,” “This is the best book that I ever read!”, and “this book helped me understand the concept of the bombings at Pearl Harbor. Especially since it came from the perspective of a boy my age.”   Kirkus is spot on as it observes, “Salisbury evokes historical time and place effortlessly so that the true message of the story—the value of friendship—shines through.”

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST by Sy Montgomery

Montgomery, Sy. The Tarantula Scientist. Ill. by Nic Bishop. 2004. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618147993

Attention all who are scared or indifferent to spiders, animals, and science in general.  I recommend you try The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery with photos by Nic Bishop.   This dynamic duo has collaborated on several projects any researcher would sacrifice their lap top to experience.   This expedition is no exception.   Nic Bishop's camera lens takes us up close and personal with the hairy scary creatures we call tarantulas.  Sy Montgomery conjures a documentary brew with generous amounts of 'interesting,' 'funny,' 'creepy,' 'gross,' 'weird,' and a dash of 'unbelievable!'   The result is most satisfying.  School Library Journal claims it "a treat even for arachnophobes."

This photo essay is recorded in 80 pages of magnificent color.  The bulk of the photos are from the rainforest expedition in French Guiana.  The study focused on the Goliath bird eater tarantula, a spider big enough to cover your whole face.  But for an animal that big, it is surprisingly understudied.  Sam Marshall is the scientist we follow through the rainforest and into his lab at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.  His mission is to learn as much as possible about these creatures he loves so much and re-educate the public about these gentle, shy, and non-threatening arachnids.  Quoting Marshall, “They are just really interesting, beautiful animals, not horrible creatures.”

Being one of only four scientists of his kind, Marshall pretty much wrote the book on tarantulas, literally.  Two out of three books in the selected bibliography were written by him.  Other helpful access features include an extensive glossary cleverly disguised as "Spider Speak," a list of web sites for more spider information, and an index.  Each caption to the brilliant photos has interesting, brief, and relevant information.  There are well defined chapters and clear subheadings throughout, but no table of contents.  A large map of French Guiana follows the title page. 

Classrooms will be crawling with projects ignited by this book!  October is the perfect month to frolic in the plethora of Halloweenish genre and uncover the real truth about these misunderstood creatures.  I can just see Team Hagrid (spider lovers) and Team Weasley (arachnophobes) facing off with spider stories, spider art, spider video, spider costumes, spider food, spider facts, and any number of other spin offs. 

This Sibert Honor Book was also chosen as an ALA Notable Book, a Kirkus Editors Choice, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, to name just a few of its credentials.  With a book so beautiful, scientific, and entertaining, you might agree with the Kirkus review, “It’s enough to make Miss Muffet fall in love.”

LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer

Krull, Kathleen and Paul Brewer. LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE, How Laughter Saved the President (And the Country). Ill. by Stacy Innerst. 2010. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780152066390

Another Lincoln biography?  Why not?  It seems we cannot get enough of Abraham Lincoln, so Kathleen Krull and husband Paul Brewer have written a short and unusual bio focusing on Lincoln's famous sense of humor.  LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE, How Laughter Saved the President (And the Country), is a title so intriguing, it's hard to resist.  Stacy Innerst's illustrations fit the subject matter with humorous caricatures in acrylics with gold and yellow tones hinting of aging documents.  The jokes and funny quips are highlighted with a cursive script slightly larger than the text font, so they are easy to spot. 

Some of the interesting events Krull and Brewer include bring to mind other Lincoln biographies. Lincoln’s struggle with paper clutter is spoken of in Martha Brenner’s Abe Lincoln's Hat (1994).  His first nonsense poem, (“Abraham Lincoln, His hand and pen, He will be good but, God knows when”) is also mentioned in Nancy Carpenter’s, Abe Lincoln, the Boy Who Loved Books (2003).  Two of the quips included were familiar to me, but I had not known they were attributed to Lincoln:  "You can't fool all of the people all of the time,” and "better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

 The story is organized in chronological order and points out how much sorrow and poverty accompanied Lincoln's life.  With the deaths of his mother, sister, and two sons, not to mention the thousands of deaths in the civil war, Lincoln was often emotionally overwhelmed.  Laughter was his way of coping.  Kirkus observes “it reveals the human side of an American icon in an unusual, lively and thoughtful way.”

The authors site  sources in their bibliography and note that the jokes chosen for the book were "from collections compiled by a variety of .people, often after his death."  The Krull-Brewer duo holds its own with other Lincoln bio award winners like the d’Aulaire’s Caldecott, Abraham Lincoln and the Newbery gold Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman.  It was chosen as a Smithsonian Notable Book for Children for 2010 and received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.  It also received nominations for a Cybil award and an ALA Notable Book.

Lincoln Tells a Joke provides a jumping off point for hilarity in the classroom. It would be fun to find favorite jokes of former presidents by writing to former presidents still living as well as the current president.  Researching other presidents to find other funny jokes or stories would send kids deeper into history than they might otherwise mine for a more serious objective.  Favorite jokes could be compiled in a large Lincoln hat and then later voted on to find the class favorite joke or quip.  Democracy and humor at its best.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. What Do You Do With a Tail Like This. 2003. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439704154

In a book line up showing covers only, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? is picked as consistently as the best batter on the playground baseball team.  It has a crisp, uncluttered look.  The colorful cut paper collage art is set on a clean, white background that makes the pictures pop.  Visually similar to the art of Eric Carle, the design appeals to young readers, but the subject matter is a winner for curious minds of all ages. 

This concept book is organized simply and clearly in six sections, baiting our curiosity with a clever premise.  Dangling the noses, ears, tails, eyes, mouths and feet of different animals before our eyes, the reader is asked, “What do you do with a [body part] like this?”  This style sets up an interactive guessing game to identify the animal that belongs to each part.  Turning the page reveals the whole animal with a brief sentence that tells how that animal uses its body part   Of course there are plenty of surprises like ears on the knees, "seeing" ears, blood squirting eyes, and disposable tails.  At the back of the book there is more detailed information in a paragraph each for all 30 animals.  A miniature of the same art for each animal accompanies each paragraph for easy reference. 

Jenkins and Page cite no sources in this Caldecott honor winner, but the awards won and the reviews given speak well of the authenticity of the material.  Booklist’s starred review says “This is a striking, thoughtfully created book with intriguing facts made more memorable through dynamic art.”  I have found it to be a popular read aloud in my own kindergarten classroom.   The art is very appealing and the information is so interesting it sticks with the kids.  It supplements our unit on the five senses as well as our animal unit.  What do you do with a book like this?  Enjoy it!

YOUR OWN, SYLVIA by Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, Stephanie. YOUR OWN, SYLVIA a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath. 2007. New York:  Alfred A Knopf. ISBN 9780375837999

Audio book:

Hemphill, Stephanie. YOUR OWN, SYLVIA a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath. 2009. Read by Paul Beohmer, Cassandra Campbell, Mark Deakins, Robertson Dean, Susan Duerden, Justine Eyre, Kimberly Farr, Stephanie Hemphill, Rosalyn Landor, Ann Marie Lee, John Lee, Carrington MacDuffie, Arthur Morey, Kirsten Potter, Kate Reading, and Simon Vance. New York: Listening Library. ISBN 9780739380871

Before writing Your Own, Sylvia, Stephanie Hemphill immersed herself in the life and works of Sylvia Plath, and then resurrected her.  In roughly 200 poems of varying length, meter, and mood, Hemphill reveals to us our “own Sylvia.” Her poetry mimics Plath’s own style of free verse.  Under the titles of her poems, Hemphill tells us whose perspective the poem reflects and the date or year when the event or events take place.  She writes poems through the eyes of Plath’s parents, brother, best friends, boyfriends, college roommates, doctors, teachers, and husband, Ted Hughes, also a poet.  In the audio version, numerous voice talents read the poems to convey the varied personalities.  Additionally, Hemphill herself reads the footnotes that are helpful in fleshing out the real situations that inspired the poetry.

Though Hemphill makes clear that this is a work of fiction, I was awestruck by its feel of authenticity.   As I was listening to the book, a memory of a movie I had watched several years ago came to mind.  When I looked up the movie, sure enough, it was about Sylvia Plath.  Kudos to Ms. Hemphill for achieving her goal of painting a recognizable portrait of her subject.  She begins with a poem about Plath’s birth through the eyes of her mother, Aurelia Plath, and  then proceeds to reincarnate the major events of Plath’s life including her father’s death, her education, writing, depression and attempted suicide, her college years, her move to England, marriage to Ted Hughes, birth of their children, divorce, and suicide at age 30.  

Hemphill won the 2008 Printz Award and the 2008 Myra Cohn Livingston Award for this verse novel.   Clearly influenced by Plath’s talent, each poem contains the range of emotion that you would expect from such a passionate poet.  Each line is exquisitely chosen to reflect people with broad differences in culture, perspective, and depth.  Horn Book Magazine lauds it, “Completely compelling; every word, every line, worth reading.”

The audio version should not be missed.  Such masterful poetry deserves to be appreciated with the talents only professional voice actors can offer.  Unabridged on 4 discs, American and British performers grace this recording to give it the appropriate credibility.  Each voice is clear, and deliberate, but never forced or canned.  The volume level is consistent throughout.  Though the subject matter is heavy and sobering most of the time, the superb cadence of the poetry is engaging and not burdensome.

This novel in verse and its audio version are destined to be studied and appreciated by teens and adults for many years to come.  It has already ignited my interest in reading more about Sylvia Plath and her individual contributions in the literary hall of fame.  As Hemphill writes in “The Arrival of Poetry,” imagining Sylvia she writes, “She radiates language.  She will not be shut up, will not be eclipsed.”

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Ill. by Patricia Castelao. 2012. New York: Harper ISBN 9780061992254.

Audio book:

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Narrated by Adam Grupper. 2013. New York: HarperFestival. ISBN 9780062285300

Here’s a great go-to for your reluctant readers.  The main character is a gorilla, and there is a new chapter (verse) on nearly every page!  What more could a kid want!  But trust me, there’s more.  Lots more.  In this 2013 Newbery and Bluebonnet winner based on a true story, Katherine Applegate has forged a tale as big as the jungle.  Don’t let the 300 pages scare your easily intimidated readers.  The story is told in verse with scant ink on each page.  But the diamond mined words are sated with story as dense as the rainforest.

Our protagonist, Ivan, a silverback gorilla, is the star attraction in a small, declining mall circus.  He narrates the story and relates his daily existence matter-of-factly.  He seems content (resigned) to his domain, his TV, his art, and his few friends who include a homeless dog named Bob, an ailing elephant named Stella, and a human child advocate (and fellow artist) named Julia. 

Ivan has long buried his memories of life before the cage until the arrival of a new baby elephant named Ruby.  Although Stella, the current performing elephant, is incensed at first that this usurper has been acquired, she grows to love Ruby as her own.  The conflict of the story grows out of a rash vow that Ivan makes to Stella in a time of desperation and friendship.  Even as he willingly makes the promise, he knows “It would be easier to promise to stop eating, to stop breathing, to stop being a gorilla.” But without flinching he says. “I promise, Stella.  I promise on my word as a silverback.”

In his quest to fulfill his promise, Ivan struggles to get out of the quicksand of his bromidic existence, to regain his silverback character as the ultimate protector.  Fraught with rich discussion themes of friendship, integrity, keeping promises, animal protection, courage, and sacrifice (just to name a few), The One and Only Ivan earns its place with the literary treasures.  Martha Parravano, in her July 16, 2013 review for Horn Book, calls it the “Charlotte’s Web of our time.”  Both children and adults can connect with its relevance, drama, and emotion.

The illustrations by Patricia Castaleo, though charming, neither add to nor detract from the book, in my opinion.  They are black and white drawings and seen sparingly.  The audio book, however, was for me an experience that I’m glad I didn’t miss.

 Adam Grupper reads each voice in the unabridged recording on 3 discs.  He captures each personality subtly but distinctly.  It is never hard to keep up with who is talking.  His voice as Ivan is so endearing that even a non-animal-lover cannot resist loving him.  The volume of the recording is very consistent, so I did not have to keep adjusting it to hear or tone down the dialogue.  The poetic imagery and cadence of the words complimented the personalities of the animals, so that they seemed human at times, but not too human.  Grupper’s performance of the material is definitely a plus for this book, especially due to the fact that a piece of poetry deserves to be read aloud.  Grupper’s reading enhances and enchants.  I recommend you not miss it either.

WHEN DADDY PRAYS by Nikki Grimes

Grimes, Nikki. 2002. When Daddy Prays. Ill. by Tim Ladwig. Grand Rapids:  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0802851525

I was attracted to this title at first glance because I have a daddy who prays.  Hearing him pray, and the security it afforded me growing up, is possibly the most cherished gift of my childhood.  This book was chosen as “Best Children’s Book of 2002” by the Association of Theological Booksellers.  “With a decidedly Christian slant” (SLJ) Nikki Grimes captures the emotions of adult and child alike by her experienced word craftsmanship.

The first poem, “A Father’s Prayer,” is a prayer from the dad’s perspective, asking God to let his kids see their Heavenly Father through the actions of the earthly father.  The other thirteen poems are told through the eyes of the son, watching his father in everyday activities.  In the poem that shares the name of the book, the child recalls the sound of his dad’s voice when he hears him praying in the dark “through the door and wall.” I identified with this poem, recalling my own dad’s sonorous voice “that floats me off to sleep” when, in memory, I hear him praying in the next room with Mom.

I had to own the book for myself when I read the fourth poem, “Like Him.”  Tim Ladwig beautifully captures wide-eyed paternal idolization as the small boy stands before a full length mirror completely devoured in his dad’s extra large clothes.  He assures himself, “They’ll fit me one day.”  In the fourth verse, the boy kneels with his dad to pray.  The boy, eager to imitate, forges ahead with the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer.   But instead of saying, “Our Father who art in Heaven,” my heart strings pulled tight as he innocently rephrases, “Our Father, whose heart is heaven…” 

Nikki Grimes’ word paintings are perfectly echoed by Tim Ladwig’s bold, warm oils.   His colorful, realistic renderings of everyday life in an African American family are in a style reminiscent of Kadir Nelson’s work.  The rhythm and rhyme of Grimes’ poems are simple, yet varied, and perfect for sharing with audiences of all ages.  Her imagery is eloquent, but easy to understand.  Children would identify with the emotions of jealousy over a new sibling as well as the swell of making Dad proud.  Adults would identify with the worry over a sick child, and the dependence on God for countering evils that threaten family values.  Set a child on your lap and enjoy this gem of a book.  Kirkus suggests, “A unique offering for a family read-aloud.”  Or, just read it by yourself and feel yourself melting into its comfort.  There is plenty to entertain the eyes and ears, heart and mind.

THE FIRST STRAWBERRIES by Joseph Bruchac & Illustrated by Anna Vojtech

Bruchac, Joseph.  1993.  The First Strawberries:  a Cherokee story.  Ill. by Anna Vojtech.   New York:  Dial Books for Young Readers.  ISBN 0-803-1331-2

In this pour quoi tale of the creation of the first strawberries, Joseph Bruchac sets the stage “long ago when the world was new, the Creator made a man and a woman.”  Anna Vojtech beautifully illustrates the man and woman with traditional Native American clothing and happy contented faces.  We see them at authentic daily tasks such as the man making an arrowhead and the woman shucking corn.  The conflict begins on the very next page as the man is unhappy when he comes home from hunting and finds that his meal is not ready because his wife is out picking flowers.  His cold, harsh words hurt his wife, and she tells him she will not live with him anymore.  She walks toward the sun and he follows her, but cannot keep up her brisk pace. 

The Sun sees that the man regrets his angry words, and tries to distract the woman so the man can catch up to apologize.  The sun puts in her path the first raspberries, then the first blueberries, then the first blackberries, but all are ineffective in slowing the hurt, angry steps of the woman.  Finally “the Sun tried its hardest,” and creates strawberries in the path of the woman.  The woman stopped when she saw them “glow like fire in the grass.”  When she bit into one, its sweetness reminded her of “how happy she and her husband had been together before they quarreled.”  The husband was able to catch up to his wife and ask her forgiveness for his harsh words.  The woman’s response was sharing the sweet strawberries with her husband.

Anna Vojtech captures the beauty of a brand new world with her lovely watercolor paintings in cool soothing tones and glowing sunshine.  She illustrates the Native American pair with warm earth tones that communicate not only strength, but soft feelings as well.

This simple, traditional tale with its themes of kindness, respect, forgiveness and sharing, is perfect for a very young audience.  How delicious it would be to initiate a school tradition to honor the Cherokee culture with a Strawberry Day to remember the importance of these virtues in all societies.  The talents of Joseph Bruchac and Anna Vojtech create a culture rich story so sweet, it just might make your mouth water for some strawberries!

THE LION AND THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney

Pinkney, Jerry. The Lion and the Mouse. New York:  Little Brown. 2009. ISBN 978-0-316-07360-8

In THE LION AND THE MOUSE, Jerry Pinkney, no stranger to accolades in the world of children’s literature, garnered his first Caldecott gold.  This traditional fable by the ubiquitous Aesop is retold in wordless, lush, panoramic watercolor that is Pinkney’s trademark.   How does one convey the fable with no words?  Although you do not hear the mama mouse plead with the king of beasts to spare her life in exchange for the incredulous possibility of returning the favor someday, we see plenty of emotion in the poignant faces of the animals.  We also see the strong sense of family as herds of wildlife decorate the Serengeti landscape as you open the cover  of the book, and the mouse family shares an outing with the lion family on the final end sheets.

From the very beginning we observe the vulnerability of the mouse.   On the title page she sits in the depression of the lion’s paw print.  Next we see her narrowly escape the talons of the owl.  We see terror in the eyes of the proud lion when he is rendered helpless in the net of the poachers, and we see joy in the determination of the little mouse when setting the lion free from the net trap.   Children identify easily with the smallness of the mouse and are inspired by the enormity of her courage and kindness.  The timeless relevance of this story begs a "Random Acts of Kindness" day, or week, or month, or year.

One should take their time with this book and try to take in every detail that Pinkney’s skill affords us.  From the insects and spider webs, to the full faced expressions of the lion, there is no famine of visual delight.   I would have to agree with School Library Journal review that "Everybody loves this book.  A must have and a must purchase."  Considering that this book is dedicated to Pinkney’s first great granddaughter, I would say it’s a roaring labor of love.

THE THREE PIGS by David Wiesner

Wiesner, David.  The Three Pigs.   New York:  Houghton Mifflin. 2001. ISBN 0-439-44517-5

In the best three little pigs version, ever, David Wiesner thinks out of the box, and draws the pigs out of storybook land in his 2002 Caldecott winner, The Three Pigs.  In keeping with an idea he introduces in Tuesday, his 1992 Caldecott that ended with a tease of the pigs taking to the sky, he lets us join the pigs in their own adventure in this fractured retelling of the traditional three pigs story. 

With the cleverest of artistic savvy, Wiesner communicates to his readers when the pigs are in the story and when they escape into real time.  They explore the real world and even gawk at us for a moment!  They explore the surroundings of the world on hoof and by air (page airplane), and roam into a mother goose rhyme.  There they attract the attention of the cat with the fiddle who joins their excursions.  They also roam into a fairy tale and rescue a dragon.   By showing him the way out of his book, the dragon escapes the prince sent to slay him.   The pigs eventually decide to return to their story, but take their new friends with them which alters the story in a most satisfying and entertaining way.

Wiesner draws the storybook worlds with detailed watercolor, pencil and colored pencil drawings.  The illustrations of the three stories that the pigs explore are drawn so individually that they look like they have been drawn by different artists.  The Mother Goose pages are whimsically drawn in pastel colors, and the fairy tale pages are drawn in detailed black and white.  When the pigs are out of the stories and exploring the real world, Wiesner allows lots of white space to communicate freedom from the confines of a book.  He also draws the pigs much more realistically, right down to the bristles on their "chinny chin chin."   

Children's imaginations will soar in discussing what if the pigs had explored this rhyme, or that fairy tale.  What if they met this favorite character or that mean villain?  The possibilities of engagement are limitless.  No huffing and puffing are required to enjoy this favorite tale, but the fun it conjures just might blow you away.