Alex Rider: The Gadgets

Horowitz, Anthony. Alex Rider: The Gadgets. Philomel Books, 2005. ISBN 0-399-24486-7

Description

This book is written as a top secret communication between Derek Smithers, a covert weapons specialist, and Alan Blunt, CE MI6 Special Operations officer. Mr. Smithers is the scientist responsible for creating the special equipment used by the 14-year-old spy named Alex Rider. Items a teen-age boy would typically carry, such as a CD player, yo-yo, or key ring, are disguises for covert weapons that Alex uses in his first five missions. Each of the items is presented with a schematic, a list of features and functions, and a description of the mission in which Alex used it. For example, the Stun-dart book conceals a canister of compressed carbon dioxide which propels a stun dart when the author’s name is pressed. The Cannondale Bad Boy Bike [1] has a built in smokescreen, oil dispenser, and two heat-seeking missiles designed to deter pursuers. The seat is an emergency ejection system. In total 21 weapons are detailed. Several lab reports from Smithers as well as a glossary of scientific and technical terms make the book even more intriguing.

Critical Evaluation

This book promises to reveal the “blueprints and complete technical data” for the spy gadgets Alex Rider uses in his first five adventures. The book lives up to this promise quite well. The blueprints are fun to look at. The description of each weapon is thorough. The commentary from Derek Smithers is funny and subtly sarcastic. This makes the book and the weapons interesting for Alex Rider fans.

Annotations

Derek Smithers, covert weapons specialist for MI6, details the weapons used by teen spy Alex Rider in his first five missions.

Author

Anthony Horowitz writes about murder, revenge, and the people who set things right. The Alex Rider series of books is very popular with young readers. Horowitz also writes for television. His work includes the Foyle’s War television series.

Genre

Fiction -- adventure

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Booktalk Ideas

This book would be a great way to introduce readers to the Alex Rider series through the weapons he uses.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 to 8 (age 9 to 14).

Challenge Issues and Defense

Some of the imagined weapons are deadly. They are imaginary, though.

Why is it here?

My son and his fifth grade friends read Alex Rider books. They think the weapons are very cool.

Amelia's Notebook

Moss, Marissa. Amelia’s Notebook. Pleasant Company Publications, 1999. ISBN 1-56247-785-4

Plot

Nine-year-old Amelia writes in the notebook her mom gave her when her family moves. She is not happy about the move. Her big sister, Cleo, is happy about the move since the girls will no longer share a bedroom. Amelia misses her best friend, Nadia. She writes to Nadia to tell her about her new school. She has positive things to say about the teachers and says the kids are alright. A letter from Nadia arrives telling Amelia about the Young Author’s Faire. Emilia tries to write a story, too, but she thinks her work is not good enough, and she is distracted as she thinks about other things. She talks to Nadia on the phone regularly. They enjoy talking about Nadia’s birthday party. Amelia sent Nadia a Do-It-Yourself Experiment kit as a birthday present. Amelia meets a new friend. Her name is Leah. She likes to create art just like Amelia. Amelia recognizes that she is a good artist, too. She draws a picture of herself with Leah and Nadia. Then she is ready to write her story for the Young Author’s Faire. She writes a story about a girl who pretends the clouds are her pets, and they give her a birthday party. She is very happy. Amelia invites Leah to go to Space World with her on her birthday. She makes plans to visit Nadia over the summer.

Critical Evaluation

The journal style of this book captures the creativity and spirit of a nine-year-old girl. The doodles and mementos collected in the book show the reader what it is like to experience life as a child. Forget-me-not stamps, a drawing of a friendship necklace, and images of postcards sum up Amelia’s feelings for her friend. Gross details about Cleo, like which finger she uses to pick her nose, give insight into Amelia’s life with her sister. As Amelia fills her notebook with drawings and stories, she gives herself comfort. The reader may feel a similar sense of peace as they experience the changes in Amelia’s inner and outer worlds through the pages of this book.

Annotations

Amelia is unhappy that her family is moving and that her mother expects her to write about it in a notebook. The notebook becomes, however, the creative outlet for writing and drawing that Amelia needs at this transitional time in her life.

Author

Marissa Moss has been drawing, writing, and keeping a journal/notebook since she was a kid. She also writes a series of historical stories for children.

Genre

Fiction – journal writing

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Health – emotional health during transitional experiences

Booktalk Ideas

Briefly discuss how keeping a journal can be a fun way to express feelings. Then display Amelia’s Notebook and read the first few pages.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 to 5 (age 8 to 11).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

I was intrigued by the cover which looks like a typical black and white composition notebook.

Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries, Book One

Finney, Patricia. Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries, Book One. Delacorte Press, 2004. ISBN 0-385-73151-5

Plot

The story is written in the form of a “daybooke,” or diary, of Lady Grace Cavendish, maid of honor to Queen Elizabeth I. Grace is 13 years old. She enjoys the favor of the queen and gets away with things that other young ladies would not dare. At the beginning of the story, Grace attends the feast of St. Valentine. There she is courted by three suitors the queen has approved for her. Each man presents her with a gift, but she does not know which gift came from which suitor. She must decide which gift comes from the man she would like to marry. She chooses Sir Gerald, who she believes will be kind to her. Before the night is over, Sir Gerald is murdered. He is found in his chamber with the knife he presented to Grace sticking out of his back. Grace, along with her two friends, begins an investigation. Ellie, a laundry maid, and Masou, an acrobat, steal out in the night to view Sir Gerald’s corpse. Grace notices that his mouth is stained yellow. He was sick in his chamber earlier in the night. Grace is convinced Sir Gerald was poisoned in the same manner that her own mother was murdered. Since there is no blood coming from the knife wound in his back, Grace realizes that he was stabbed after he was already dead. The trio of young detectives decides nobody other than the Queen is above suspicion.

Critical Evaluation

The heart of this story is the friendship between Grace, Ellie, and Masou. The three friends work together to solve the mystery of Sir Gerald’s murder. Because of their different stations within the court, they are each able to contribute to the investigation in particular ways. They each have access to different people and places within the Queen’s court. The story also gives the reader an interesting introduction to the manners and conventions of Elizabethan England. The book includes a helpful glossary of terms used in Elizabethan England and endnotes about poisons, apparel, and the history of the time.

Annotations

Lady Grace Cavendish, favored maid of honor to Queen Elizabeth I, has chosen her betrothed from three suitors. But when Sir Gerald is murdered the same night, Grace and her friends, Ellie and Masou, set out to find the killer.

Author

Patricia Finney is the author of other titles in the Lady Grace Mysteries series. She began writing early in life and published her first novel at age 18.

Genre

Fiction - mysteries

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts – mysteries

Social Sciences – English history

Booktalk Ideas

Introduce Lady Grace as a character. Describe her friends, Ellie, and Masou, and the different lives they lead in the court of Queen Elizabeth.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 (age 8) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Murder is part of the story, but it takes place off stage.

Why is it here?

Lady Grace and her stories appeal to older tweens and young teens.

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies

Sobol, Donald. Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies. Delacorte Press, 1994. ISBN 0-553-48297-1

Plot

Encyclopedia Brown, also known as Leroy, lives in Idaville with his parents. His father, the chief of police, often asks Leroy to help him solve police cases. Encyclopedia is so smart that he solves every case he encounters. He also sets up his own detective agency in the garage during the summer. Kids in the neighborhood come to him for help when their things go missing. In this collection he helps retrieve missing fireflies and a stolen wallet.

Critical Evaluation

There are ten mysteries in this book. Each is only about five pages long. The solution to each mystery is printed at the back of the book. This is a nice format for kids. They have a chance to stop and think about the mystery and the clues then solve it themselves before turning to the solution at the back of the book. The short length of each story makes this title great for reluctant readers.

Annotations

Encyclopedia Brown keeps Idaville safe by cracking every case that comes his way. He even helps his father, the chief of police, stop criminals.

Author

Donald J. Sobol began writing Encyclopedia Brown stories in 1963 and has been publishing them regularly ever since.

Genre

Fiction - mystery

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Booktalk Ideas

Read an entire mystery aloud then pair up listeners and see who can solve the mystery.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 to 6 (age 8 to 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

Encyclopedia Brown is a classic detective character kids enjoy.

Freddy the Detective

Brooks, Walter R. & Weise, Kurt (Illustrator). Freddy the Detective. The Overlook Press, 1998. ISBN 0-87951-809-X

Plot

Freddy the pig begins another in his series of adventures, but this time he stays close to home on Mr. Bean's very unusual farm. Freddy keeps a library of books, magazines, and newspapers in a corner of the pig pen which he refers to as his study. All the animals on this farm can talk. They do their best to take care of Everett and Ella, the Bean's adopted children. In this story, Everett's toy trains have disappeared. Mrs. Bean has searched the house and found no trace of them. Jinx the cat is first to notice this mystery. He alerts Alice and Emma, the white ducks, and the three begin searching the farm for Freddy to see what he thinks they should do. They look all around the property but do not find Freddy. After much searching, Alice is frightened when she notices someone hiding in the bushes. Jinx dives into the bushes to see who it could be. Freddy emerges and tells his friends that he has been shadowing them because he has decided to be a detective. He got the idea from a book he found in the barn called The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Jinx and Freddy begin a search for clues of the missing trains, starting with the children's bedroom in the farmhouse. They find green paint on the white windowsills which matches the green paint on the missing trains. Jinx finds a new rat-hole under the bed. The rats, who were banished from the house and the barn in an earlier story, have returned. Freddy and Jinx confront Simon, the leader of the rats. Simon informs the investigators that the rats are tired of living out in the cold. They have returned to the barn. The rats use the train as an armored vehicle for stealing grain from the feed-box in the barn. The thieving rats seem unstoppable, but Freddy and Jinx come up with a plan and take the train from the rats. The next day Freddy helps Mrs. Winnick, the rabbit, find her lost son, Egbert. Freddy is energized by this new mystery. He sets off in the direction Egbert was last seen. He walks down by the river and encounters a young rabbit. He sends the rabbit home without realizing it is Egbert. He continues his walk and comes upon an abandoned cabin which has been taken over the robbers known as Red and Looey. Freddy solves a series of barnyard crimes and mysteries. Each time the perpetrator is sent to jail in the barn. Jail turns out to be such a fun place that the animals begin to break rules just so they can be sent off to jail. The nearby town has been through a recent crime wave, and the sheriff enlists Freddy's help. The local detective, Mr. Boner, is amazed. Freddy has a plan. He dresses up as a detective and tricks Red and Looey into attempting a robbery at the farm. The sheriff arrests the robbers. Freddy has one final mystery to solve. Jinx has been accused of killing a crow. A court is convened in the barn. Freddy gathers evidence to prove that Jinx was framed by the rats. They framed Jinx in retaliation for his help in taking the train from them. Freddy is victorious in the courtroom and successful as a detective. But Freddy decides he is tired of detective work, so he and Jinx set off down the road in search of another adventure.

Critical Evaluation

This story is a fun farmyard adventure. Freddy is a comic hero who seems unaware of how amazing his exploits are. The talking animals are endearing and entertaining. They have misunderstandings, annoy each other, help one another, encounter problems, get into trouble, and find answers just like people do. The Freddy series of novels was written from 1927 to 1958. They have been popular ever since that time. Freddy has appeared in print as a magician, pilot, banker, cowboy, explorer, and many other roles. Some of the language in these books is old-fashioned. For example, the rats sing, "Oh, we are the gay young rats who laugh at the barnyard prigs." Even so, the story is an enchanting look into the simpler time and place that Freddy inhabits.

Annotations

The amusing and amazing Freddy the pig sets off to work as a detective. He solves all the mysteries he encounters, and he even wins a barnyard court case. He never falters in his optimistic view that he can succeed at whatever he tries to do.

Author

Walter R. Brook's work as an author of children's books has inspired adoration for generations. The 26 books in the Freddy series are his most popular. His short story about a talking horse, "Ed Takes the Pledge," was the inspiration for the television series Mr. Ed in the 1950s.

Genre

Fiction – talking animals

Curriculum Ties

Characterization and anthropomorphism – describe the physical appearance, actions, and personalities of the barnyard animals.

Solve a mystery – critical thinking, making predictions, and problem solving.

Booktalk Ideas

Describe Freddy and the things he likes to do such as exploring, reading books and magazines, solving mysteries, and helping his friends. Then ask listeners if they would like to meet someone like Freddy. Then show the book and reveal that he is a pig.

Reading Level/Interest Age

9-12

Challenge Issues and Defense

None

Why is it here?

The Freddy Series was recommended to me as a classic of children's literature. I read Freddy the Detective with my children (ages 8 and 10 years). They loved it.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Konigsburg, E. L. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Scholastic, 2007. ISBN 978-0-545-04173-7

Plot

Claudia lives in Greenwhich, Connecticut with her parents and her three brothers. They live in comfort, but Claudia is not happy. She feels ignored and unappreciated, even unloved, at home. She decides to run away, but does not want to live on the run. She wants to live someplace beautiful and comfortable. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. She needs money, and her second-youngest brother, Jamie, saves his. She convinces him to go with her, and they are off on a train to New York. At the museum, they learn to follow along at the edges of school groups and hid in the bathroom at closing time. They are intrigued by a beautiful statue of an angel which is thought to have been created by Michelangelo. Claudia decides to find out if this is true. The ensuing search uncovers the truth of the statue's origin and teaches Claudia about herself as well.

Critical Evaluation

The strength of this story lies in the strength of the children's devotion to one another. They manage to survive on their own in a place not intended to house children. They are resourceful and quick to find adventure as they learn about the Museum. They squabble about where to sleep and what to spend their money on, but throughout it is clear that Claudia and Jaime are in this together.

Annotations

Claudia decides to run away from home. She takes her brother, Jaime, along so he can pay for things as they begin an extended stay in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Author

E. L. Konigsburg is the author and illustrator of this title. She won a Newbery Medal in 1968 for this book and a Newbery Honor award for Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth in the same year.

Genre

Fiction -- adventure

Curriculum Ties

Language arts – adventure stories

Visual arts – museums and sculpture

Booktalk Ideas

Visit the Met's website to show the group images of the museum's exterior, halls, and galleries.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 to 6 (age 9 to 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

Children run away from home. Newbery medal winner.

Why is it here?

The next time I visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art I will definitely look for Claudia and Jaime.

Luna: a novel

Peters, Julie Ann. Luna: a novel. Little, Brown and Company, 2004. ISBN 0-316-73369-5

Plot

Regan and Liam are sister and brother. This story is about both of them. In the past, Regan has helped Liam keep his feminine identity secret. She allows him to spend time in her bedroom at night so he can secretly try on dresses, wear a long wig, and apply makeup. Regan loves her brother. She realizes that she has always known he is different. Their mother is largely absent from her children's lives. She is caught up in her business as a wedding planner. Their father sees that his son is different but ignores this knowledge and encourages him to play sports. Regan struggles to keep up in school and have a social life despite being exhausted as Liam awakens her again and again during the night. Later, Regan is Liam's support as he practices appearing in public as a woman. He decides to tell his family and friends, notably a childhood friend, Aly, that he is a girl. He wants to become Luna full-time. Luna presents herself to Aly, and is pained by her rejection, and so is Regan, but Luna continues on the path toward coming out. On her eighteenth birthday Luna appears at the family breakfast table and tells her family that she is planning to have sex reassignment surgery. Her mother checks out. She ignores this change in her child's appearance as if she always knew it would happen, which she did. Her father is angry. He tells Luna that she is sick. Regan helps Luna in the final scenes of the story.

Critical Evaluation

The most affecting part of this story is the way in which the author communicates the tension between brother Liam and sister Regan as well as the tension between Liam and Luna. The difficulties of high school life are highlighted as Regan struggles to fit in and feel accepted at school. She worries about grades and friends in a heartbreaking way. On top of this she is concerned for her Liam/Luna and for herself as she struggles to be supportive to her sibling. Luna's struggle to come out and present herself in public is realistically portrayed in terms that older tween and teen readers can understand.

Annotations

Regan struggles to find her way through high school, homework, friends, and family troubles. All the while she is the de facto supporter and confidante of her brother, Liam, a transsexual who is coming out during his senior year of high school.

Author

Julie Ann Peters is the author of numerous titles for young adults and children. Her writing treats gender and queer issues with frankness and respect. Other books written by this author are Keeping You a Secret and Define "Normal" which is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Her work is notable for its candid and relatable views into young people's inner struggles, family situations, and school lives.

Genre (see link under LIBR264 Group favorites)

Fiction -- Transgender

Curriculum Ties

English language arts – character study

Social Sciences – discrimination and acceptance of minorities

Booktalk Ideas

Discuss life in high school and the things that make it fun, challenging, and unforgettable. Relate the participants' responses to specifics from Regan's experience.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 6 (age 12) and up. Although the book is classified as Young Adult at my library, younger patrons are reading it.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Frank depiction of transgender experience. Children defy parents. Occasional foul language.

National Book Award finalist and American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults.

Why is it here?

I talked with a sixth-grade student about the book after seeing her read it at school and wanted to know more.

Magic Tree House 3: Mummies in the Morning

Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House 3: Mummies in the Morning. Random House, Inc., 1993. ISBN 0-679-82424-3

Plot

Jack and Annie climb into the mysterious magic tree house for another adventure. The tree house is filled with books. Each time they visit the tree house, they choose a book which magically transports them to another place and time. In this adventure the children choose a book about ancient Egypt. They remember to bring the book about their home town of Frog Creek, Pennsylvania so they can return home when it is time. A black cat appears in the tree house window just as the children are magically whisked off to Egypt. The cat is still with them when they arrive at a pyramid, then leads them inside. The ghost Hutepi, Queen of the Nile, appears and asks the children to help her find her Book of the Dead so that she can go on to the Next Life. Hieroglyphs lead them to the Book of the Dead, but the ghost queen disappears. The children find her mummy and place her book and scepter next to her. But now the children are lost in the pyramid. The black cat leads them out just in time to see Hutepi's ghostly funeral entourage leaving the pyramid. The children return to Frog Creek and find an "M" on the floor of the tree house.

Critical Evaluation

This story is a fast read, and the action is fun to follow. Kids learn about ancient Egypt as Jack reads his book about it and writes notes in his notebook. Hieroglyphs are included and explained within the text so the reader can follow the clues along with Jack and Annie. This makes the reading experience immersive and engaging.

Annotations

Jack and Annie are off to Egypt when they enter the magic tree house and open a book to an illustration of a pyramid and a funeral procession. They help a mummy queen find her lost Book of the Dead.

Author

Mary Pope Osborne has written dozens of well-loved magic tree house stories starring Jack and Annie. Companion non-fiction research guides have been published by the author as well.

Genre

Fiction - history

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Social Studies – ancient Egypt

Science – desiccation (mummification)

Booktalk Ideas

Open with, "If you could open a book and magically transport to another time and place, where would you like to go? In Mummies in the Morning, Jack and Annie read a book about Egypt then go there." Then read aloud from the first chapter.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 2 (age 7) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

Here is something for the youngest tweens to love and for slightly older tweens to look back on to remember their first chapter books.

Magic Tree House 4: Pirates Past Noon

Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House 4: Pirates Past Noon. Random House, Inc., 1993. ISBN 0-679-82425-1

Plot

On a rainy day, Jack and Annie climb into the mysterious magic tree house for another adventure. The tree house belongs to the mysterious "M" and is filled with books. Each time they visit the tree house, they choose a book which magically transports them to another place and time. Once they arrive at their adventure's destination, they must search for something that they have been sent there to bring back. In this adventure the children choose a book with a picture of a sunny beach, a palm tree, and a green parrot. Just then a green parrot appears outside the tree house window, and they are magically transported to the Caribbean. Cap'n Bones and his pirate crew force Jack and Annie to lead the way to Captain Kidd's treasure. Jack finds a gold medallion and the children manage to escape back to the tree house and Frog Creek. There the parrot who accompanied them on their adventure reveals herself to be the mysterious "M," or Morgan Le Fay. She is a librarian, and she travels through time to collect books.

Critical Evaluation

This story is a fast read, and the action is fun to follow. Kids learn about pirates times and the history of the Caribbean. The treasure map is included in the story. The reader can interpret the map along with Jack and Annie. This makes the reading experience immersive and engaging.

Annotations

Jack and Annie are off to the Caribbean when they enter the magic tree house and open a book to an illustration of a beautiful beach. They are forced to help pirates find treasure, but they find a gold medallion which belongs to "M."

Author

Mary Pope Osborne has written dozens of well-loved magic tree house stories starring Jack and Annie. Companion non-fiction research guides have been published by the author as well.

Genre

Fiction - history

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Booktalk Ideas

Open with, "If you could open a book and magically transport to another time and place, where would you like to go? In Pirates Past Noon, Jack and Annie open a book about pirates then meet some." Then read aloud from the first chapter.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 2 (age 7) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

Here is something for the youngest tweens to love and for slightly older tweens to look back on to remember their first chapter books.

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society

Buckley, Michael. NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society. Amulet Books, 2009. ISBN 978-0-8109-4324-7

Plot

In the first NERDS book, Michael Buckley moves away from fairy tale magic but keeps the appeal to tween readers high with James Bond-style science, gadgetry, and super sleuthing. The nerdy heroes of his new book turn their quirks to their advantage. Jackson, the sometime coolest kid at Nathan Hale Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia is shocked to learn that he has 64 teeth instead of the usual 28. He also needs braces and headgear which turn out to be so magnetic that Jackson ends up with metal objects stuck to his face all the time. His headgear keeps him from wearing a helmet, so he is kicked off the peewee football team. Jackson goes from king of the school to nerd status almost overnight. Fortunately, Jackson discovers the NERDS secret laboratory under his school There he learns that his orthodontic appliances can transform into whatever tool he needs, such as a boat, a rocket, a motorcycle, to aid his work as the super-spy code-named Braceface. These objects humorously remain attached to Jackson's face while he uses them. Jackson becomes a true NERD when he joins up with the rest of the six-member spy team. Agent Brand is the adult head of the NERDS. His assistant is Miss Holiday. She is the school librarian and the NERDS information specialist. Team NERDS travels the globe and works together to save the world. .

Critical Evaluation

This is a super-sleuth meets elementary school mix-up that kids will enjoy. The main character in the story is a boy. This is a departure for the author of The Sisters Grimm series of novels. There is lots of gadgetry and cool stuff. There is also a lot of tension in the story. Jackson must keep his spy work secret from his family. His brother and his dad give him a hard time for hanging out with nerds. In the end, Jackson is happy being true to himself and true to his friends. The book is packaged like a spy case file with security measures and global coordinates throughout. This makes increases the coolness factor of NERDS.

Annotations

A cool kid is transformed into a NERD super-spy when his new braces make him an outcast at school. He realizes he has important work to do and good friends to support him in his new life.

Author

Michael Buckley was a NERD as a kid. His code-name was Beanpole. Today he is happy to serve as the scribe for the Sisters Grimm and the documentation specialist for NERDS.

Genre

Fiction - adventure

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Social Sciences – geography, using longitude and latitude coordinates

Booktalk Ideas

Ask kids if they ever feel like they are a nerd, then read the first few pages of chapter 1.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 to 6 (ages 9 to 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

This book will appeal to boy (and girls). The message of finding strength in weakness is clear but understated.

Past Perfect, Present Tense

Peck, Richard. Past Perfect, Present Tense. Dial Books, 2004. ISBN 0-8037-2998-7

Plot

This is a collection of short stories. There is not a plot to the whole book, but there is a plan. In the Introduction, the author begins by explaining that the short story is about change just like any other work of fiction. The character or characters in the story have an epiphany, or a breakthrough of understanding. In the short story, this often comes at the end, sometimes even in the very last sentence. This leaves the reader to play out the meaning of the epiphany in their own mind. The author describes how his work as a middle school teacher prepared him to write for a young audience. He describes the phone call from an editor of a magazine for teenagers who challenged him to write his first short story in under one thousand words and in under 36 hours. The result was "Priscilla and the Wimps." In this story a gang rules a middle school until the very tall Priscilla dispatches their leader within minutes. The ending is chilling, both literally and figuratively. The rest of the book is divided into sections called The Past, The Supernatural, and The Present. Each section has a brief introduction followed by four short stories. A story set in the past, "Shotgun Cheatham's Last Night Above Ground," is comic and memorable. It introduces the reader to the character Grandma Dowdel. This short story was the beginning of the novel A Long Way from Home for which the author won the John Newbery Silver medal in 1999. The book ends with an essay titled "How to Write a Short Story" and a list of "Five Helpful Hints."

Critical Evaluation

The author gives his reader a very thorough understanding of his work. He points out the questions which inform his work as a writer: What if I were the character in this story? What would I do? His short stories show how strong character development makes the characters and stories memorable. He explains how he targets his stories for young people. He asks and answers this question: When will I start taking charge of my life? And he reminds the young reader/author that all stories begin with asking the question, "What if?"

Annotations

Short stories are easy to read but very difficult to write. Richard Peck describes his own journey as a short story writer and explains the motivations for the stories he writes. The book contains thirteen short stories.

Author

Richard Peck is the author of more than thirty books. He is the first children's writer to receive a National Humanities Medal.

Genre

Fiction – short stories

Curriculum Ties

Language arts – narrative writing

Booktalk Ideas

Read Pecks's challenge (in the final essay) to think about what you saw today that would make a good short story.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 6 (age 12) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

There are scenes of implied violence and supernatural themes in some of the stories. The short story format leaves much of the challenge issues to the imagination of the reader.

Why is it here?

I wanted to read and review a collection of short stories for young readers.

Seesaw Girl

Park, Linda Sue & Tseng, Jean and Tseng, Mou-sien (Illustrators). Seesaw Girl. Clarion Books, 1999. ISBN 0-395-91514-7

Plot

Jade Blossom is 12 years old. She lives in seventeenth-century Korea. Her 15-year-old aunt, Graceful Willow, is her best friend. Together they play tricks on the boys in their household and learn to do the women's work they must master before they are married. For Jade and Willow, their family's home is their entire world. After reaching the age of eight, girls are not allowed to leave their family's Inner Court except to attend weddings. The day comes for Willow to be married. Jade watches with interest as a goose is ceremonially presented and set free. Then Jade feels sad as she sees Willow sitting isolated amidst the wedding festivities. She realizes this is the last time she will ever see her friend. After Willow leaves, Jade has more household responsibilities. She feels overwhelmed by the endless laundry and sewing. She longs for the freedom her brother, Tiger Heart, enjoys as he leaves their home and visits the market. One morning Jade stows away in a large basket as the cart leaves her home for the market. At the market Jade sees many women and girls at work. Her fine clothes attract attention. She quickly enlists the aid of a child named Change who directs her to Willow's new home in the house of Lee. Before she leaves the market, a group of prisoners (strangers from Europe) is marched through the market. Jade finds the house of Lee, but the gatekeeper sends her away, telling her that she could not be Willow's niece because no noble girl would leave her own home to come to their gate unattended. Jade returns to the market and finds her family's servant who takes her home. Her mother is angry that Jade has dishonored her family by leaving their Inner Court. She tried to help Jade see that their limited life has its benefits. Her family is well cared for and well fed, and that should be enough for Jade to be happy. The next day the household is upset by news of the European strangers' arrival. Jade's father believes that the men should be allowed to visit and leave Korea as they wish. The King says they must be imprisoned or put to death. Jade still thinks of the men and remembers her adventure in the market. She thinks of the people and the mountains she saw. Living behind the walls of her family's home she begins to forget what the mountains look like. She teaches her younger cousins the jumping seesaw game so that she can see over the walls that surround her to the mountains in the distance.

Critical Evaluation

Jade is a very modern-thinking girl living centuries ago in Korea. She is brave in her efforts to see the world outside her home. Her trip to the market highlights the isolation she feels and the isolationist tendencies of her country. Her longing to see the mountains again is vividly portrayed as she tried to embroider a mountain scene on silk. Then she must hide as she paints a mountain scene. Painting is a pastime for boys and men. Finally, her determination to see the mountains pays off when she teaches her cousins to play the jumping seesaw game. The children bounce high enough to see over the walls of their home. Jade's endurance makes her a hero even though she must continue to live within the walls of the Inner Court.

Annotations

Jade Blossom longs to see the world outside her family home. When her friend and aunt, Graceful Willow, is married and leaves their home, Jade decides she will visit her. Her failed attempt to see Willow impresses Jade with a wider view of her world.

Author

Linda Sue Park says that she was horrified and fascinated to learn that noble class Korean girls of the Choson period were not allowed to leave their homes. Her mother taught Linda to play on a jumping seesaw when she was a girl. She is the author of A Single Shard which won a Newbery medal.

Genre

Fiction – Korean history

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Social Sciences – discuss the different roles boys and girls had in the past.

Booktalk Ideas

Introduce the characters Jade and Willow and describe their secluded life in the Inner Court.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 - 6 (age 9 - 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

I loved the contrast between Jade's outer, constrained world and the soaring, wide world she carried in her heart8.

Sienna’s Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip

Parker, Toni Trent & Genovese, Janell (Illustrator). Sienna's Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip. Chronicle Books, 2005. ISBN 0-8118-4300-9

Plot

Sienna's parents decide to stop at significant sites in African American history on the family's trip from Hartford, Connecticut to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Sienna, her brother, and her parents first stop in New Haven to see the replica of the ship Amistad. This sailing ship was typically used for transporting cargo. On one journey in 1839, a group of fifty-three slaves were put aboard. They revolted when one of them, named Cinque, thought all the Africans on the ship were going to be killed. The ship was captured by the U. S. Navy and the Africans were put on trial for the murder of the ship's captain and cook. The case went to the Supreme Court which ruled that the Africans were free people who had been kidnapped, and that they were free to go back to Africa. Next the family visits Harlem in New York City. They learn about the Harlem Renaissance and people like Langston Hughes who were a part of it. In Queens they visit Louis Armstrong's home. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the family visits a doll museum with more than 300 black dolls. Then they see the Johnson House which belonged to Quakers who used their home as a stop on the Underground Railroad. They visit Baltimore, Maryland and see the Great Blacks in Wax Museum. In Washington, D.C. the family stands on the same step where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial. In Virginia they visit Mount Vernon and see the slave quarters there. They drive a long way to Greensboro, North Carolina to see the Woolworth's store where the student sit-ins began in 1960. Finally, they arrive at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Winston-Salem. Sienna hopes that maybe next summer the family can take another "heritage trip."

Critical Evaluation

The author presents significant sites of African American history in a fun and relaxed manner. Seen through the eyes of a young girl, some of these sites do not look interesting. But when her parents share the stories behind each place, history comes alive for Sienna and her brother, Davey. The scrapbook format combines drawings, photographs, and memorabilia in a visually interesting way. The book makes reading about history into a summer time adventure.

Annotations

Sienna and her family travel from their home in Hartford, Connecticut to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to attend a family reunion. On the way they stop at many important sites from African American history.

Author

Toni Trent Parker is the author of Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children's Books. She is an NAACP Image Award finalist for her work in enriching reading experiences for children of any age and across many cultures.

Genre

Fiction - travel and history

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Social Sciences – African American history

Booktalk Ideas

Begin with: "Let's take a trip with Sienna and her family. We'll start in Hartford, Connecticut and end in Winston-Salem, North Carolina." Show listeners a map of the northeast United States. Point out Hartford, Winston-Salem, and New Haven. Read about the family's first stop in New Haven to see the Amistad.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 to 6 (age 8 to 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

The book's scrapbook format is enticing. The history is told accurately in a friendly, storytelling voice.

The 39 Clues Book One: The Maze of Bones

Riordan, Rick. The 39 Clues Book One: The Maze of Bones. Scholastic, 2008. ISBN 978-0-545-06039-4

Plot

Dan Cahill loves collecting things. He collects coins, baseball cards, civil war weapons, and rubbings from tombstones. Amy, his sister, is an avid reader. She is shy around people but comes to life when she is surrounded by books. Libraries are her place. Dan is 11 and Amy is 14 when their grandmother, Grace Cahill, dies. The children were close to her and are devastated. Their parents are also dead. They are cared for by an au pair, Nellie, and their Aunt Beatrice. After Grace's funeral, her lawyer and executor, William McIntyre, reveals to selected members of her family that they may or may not inherit $1,000,000 from her estate. If they wish to participate in a hunt for clues and race to solve a mystery, they may gain something more valuable. If they do not want to participate in the game, they can walk away with the money. Each potential beneficiary is given 5 minutes to choose. Dan and Amy choose the hunt. Their Aunt Beatrice disowns them, so they enlist the aid of Nellie, and they are off on a race against time and their treacherous relatives to solve the mystery their grandmother set out for them. They are given one clue to follow, which leads them to believe that their quest involves Benjamin Franklin, who they find out is their ancestor. The trio finds that they must go to Paris to the places Franklin frequented to find more clues. The book comes with six trading cards. Readers are invited to visit http://www.the39clues.com/ to register their collection of trading cards, collect clues, and play the game online.

Critical Evaluation

A fast-paced story, brother-sister squabbles, a mystery, and the lure of a reward pulled me through this book in a few hours. I enjoyed the ensemble cast of characters. Dan and Amy's family has every kind of villain. There are a few who are obviously evil, like the Kabras, and some who you want to trust, like Alistair Oh. But the children were told to trust nobody, so they are constantly weighing their options. The story is an exciting blend of mystery and adventure. The ending is a cliff-hanger, and obvious tip-off that there is another book in the series to read. But this makes it fun for kids who really get into the series.

Annotations

Dan and Amy Cahill are in a race against time and often a fight for their lives as they follow the clues to save themselves and maybe the world in a game orchestrated by their dead grandmother.

Author

Rick Riordan is also the author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series for children. He was a middle school teacher for fifteen years.

Genre

Fiction -- adventure

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Social Sciences – American history, world geography

Booktalk Ideas

Talk about Benjamin Franklin's life in the United States and in Paris, France.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 to 6 (age 9 to 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

The tie in between the book, the trading cards, and the website is intriguing.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009. ISBN 978-03-16013-69-7

Plot

Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, is small, bullied, and had hydrocephalus as an infant. He and his friend/protector Rowdy love to play basketball. They are both pretty good players. They rely on one another for support that their families have difficulty providing as they face death, alcoholism, poor educational opportunity, and poverty. Arnold draws pictures that reflect what is happening in his life and in his mind. A difficult encounter with a teacher at school gives Arnold the motivation he needs to transfer to a high school off the reservation in the neighboring white town of Reardon. There he becomes friends with a few and a curiosity for most of his classmates. He excels in basketball. His coach even suggests he will make a great college player. A major confrontation between Arnold and Rowdy, angry over his friend's desertion, and between Arnold and his own identity ensue.

Critical Evaluation

Junior's story is told candidly. It is painfully honest and true. The language sounds like the things a young teen would say, and the thoughts Junior expresses through his writing and drawing are heartbreakingly sad and funny at the same time. The exchanges between Junior and Rowdy are especially moving. They are real friends who are growing up together, and the changes they experience are emotionally charged resulting in confrontations that are hard to forget.

Annotations

Junior leaves the reservation for a better education in a nearby town, only to find that he faces as many challenges there as he does at home. He ultimately finds a way to live in his own world and in his own skin.

Author

Sherman Alexie's life was the inspiration for this novel. Like Junior, he suffered from seizures as a child and faced great challenges as he grew up on a reservation in Washington.

Genre

Fiction

Curriculum Ties

Social Science – Geography, Native American history

Booktalk Ideas

Read the first few pages of the book aloud. They are gripping. Then review a few of the illustrations in the book and describe why Junior drew them.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 6 (age 12) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Harsh language and explicit depiction of bullying, fighting, alcoholism, racism, poverty, and death.

National Book Award winner.

Why is it here?

I read it in one day. I could not put it down.

The Courage of Sarah Noble

Dalgliesh, Alice & Weisgard, Leonard (Illustrator). The Courage of Sarah Noble. Aladdin Books, 1991. ISBN 0-689-71540-4

Plot

Eight year old Sarah Noble is on an important journey with her father, John. In 1707 they travel from the Massachusetts colony into the wilderness of Connecticut to build a new home for their family. Her mother told her, "Keep up your courage." Sarah remembers this as night falls and animal sounds fill the air. She is comforted by the cloak her mother fastened around her as she left home. Her father reassures her that she is safe with him. Their horse, Thomas, is tied up nearby. Along the way they meet the Robinson family and spend the night with them. The next day Sarah and her father arrive in the valley where they will build their new home. Sarah is worried about the Indians. Young Lemuel Robinson told her to be afraid of them. Her father assures her that the Indians there are friendly. They set up camp near a cave, and Sarah cooks for her father. The next day Sarah sits reading her Bible when a group of Indian children approach. She is afraid, but she knows that if she keeps reading she will be safe. The children run off when she stops reading, but they return and become her friends. She teaches them words in English, and the Indian children show her where to find wild strawberries. Their father, Tall John welcomes Sarah to their home. When Sarah's house is finished, her father leaves Sarah with Tall John and his family while he retrieves the rest of the Noble family. Sarah is welcomed into Tall John's family. She even wears Indian clothes and moccasins. When her father and family arrive, she is reluctant to put on her old clothes. She forgoes her heavy boots and continues to wear her moccasins.

Critical Evaluation

This story was written in 1954. The language used sounds very proper and formal, yet it is accessible to young children. The illustrations by popular children's illustrator Leonard Weisgard make the story vivid. This story would be a captivating read aloud for younger children and a great read for younger tweens. The seriousness of Sarah's situation in the wilderness is accurately portrayed, but there is never an overwhelming sense of danger. The friendship that develops between Sarah and Tall John's family is a good example of the enduring value of tolerance and acceptance across cultures.

Annotations

Sarah Noble travels with her father to Connecticut to help him as he builds a new home for their family. When the house is complete, Sarah is left with a neighboring Indian family. Her family arrives and finds her well cared for.

Author

Alice Dalgliesh also wrote Newbery Honor books The Silver Pencil and The Bears on Hemlock Mountain.

Genre

Fiction – Historical, based on a true story

Curriculum Ties

Language arts

Social Sciences – American colonial history

Booktalk Ideas

Ask listeners to imagine that they are traveling by foot and by horse to a wilderness where they will help their father build a new house for their family. Ask them to comment on what they think that would be like. Then read the first chapter of the story.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 (age 8) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

The stereotypical portrayal of Indian culture is overshadowed in a positive way by the story's enduring message of acceptance and tolerance. Newbery Honor book.

Why is it here?

This story is a great resource for exploring the reality of life in early America in a thoughtful way that is appropriate for young readers.

The Education of Robert Nifkin

Pinkwater, Daniel. The Education of Robert Nifkin. Farrar, Strous, & Girous, 1998. ISBN 0374319694

Plot

This high school tale is written in the form of a college application essay. Robert Nifkin lives in 1950s New York City. His parents are Eastern European immigrants who seem to already assume Robert is an independent adult as he begins high school. His high school seems only to expect students to copy things from the blackboard. Robert joins the ROTC to avoid Physical Education classes. School seems a waste of time. One day he simply decides not to get off the bus at his stop near the high school. He wanders the city during each school day until his truancy is noticed. He is threatened with expulsion. He has made friends with students at the Wheaton School, a clearly non-traditional high school, and he convinces his parents to send him there. He manages to complete enough work there, despite the lack of organized instruction, to graduate and make plans to go to college.

Critical Evaluation

The characters in this story are eccentric and believable at the same time. It is fun to read about the high school teachers and students Robert encounters. Robert is easy to sympathize with, and it is a relief to see him find a place at the Wheaton School. His growing up experiences take place there while his family and home life recede. Robert Nifkin is a survivor, and a funny one at that.

Annotations

Robert Nifkin flees both his home life and his high school for adventures in New York City. He enrolls in the alternative Wheaton School. There he grows up and prepares for college.

Author

Daniel Pinkwater writes funny books for children and young adults. He has a weird sense of humor which is thoroughly engaging. He is also a popular radio personality.

Genre

Fiction – high school experiences, 1950s New York

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Booktalk Ideas

Read a few pages of the story from Robert's first day at his new high school. Ask listeners to share their first day of school experiences. Ask listeners to guess what might happen next.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 7 (age 13) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

This book is from an author who writes for children, but this title is for older tweens, for teens, and young adults. They will be better able to appreciate the colorful language and high school setting of the story.

Why is it here?

Since this author also writes for children, I wanted to read a Daniel Pinkwater book from the Young Adult collection at my library to see if it would be appropriate for tweens.

The Graveyard Book

Gaiman, Neil & McKean, David (Illustrator). The Graveyard Book. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2008. ISBN 978-0-06-053093-8

Plot

A strange man named Jack slips into a family's home. He kills mother, father, and sister. The baby brother of the family manages to slip away and out the door. He toddles confidently to a cemetery at the top of a hill where he is met by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, resident ghosts. Mr. and Mrs. Owens hear the ghost of the baby's mother beg them to protect the baby from the murderer. The ghost couple becomes the child's parents and other residents of the cemetery are his friends. He is named Nobody Owens, Bod for short, and is given the Freedom of the Graveyard. Bod can see and talk with the dead, he can Fade from and bring Fear to the living. His protectors are Silas, possibly a vampire, and Miss Lupescu, a werewolf. Few people visit the cemetery, but one day Bod briefly plays with a little girl named Scarlett. He is abducted by and rescued from ghouls. He tries to attend and fit in at school with disastrous results. Scarlett returns many years later to find a man named Mr. Frost making rubbings of headstones in the graveyard. He befriends her and the mystery of the murdered family and Bod's presence in the cemetery begins to unfold.

Critical Evaluation

The story is chilling, but it is told in a way that is accessible to young readers. The murder of Bod's family happens before the story begins. The cemetery is inhabited by ghosts and the supernatural, but for Bod it is home. His friends and protectors are there. The cemetery is his playground, and he is content. The contrast between the living and the dead, light and dark, and horror and humor make the story readable to the very end.

Annotations

Nobody Owens grows up in the graveyard on the hill next to the house in which his family was murdered. He is sheltered and protected by ghosts and others, but ultimately he must use his own powers to destroy the Jacks of All Trades.

Author

Neil Gaiman writes for adults and children. He was inspired to write The Graveyard Book after watching his son ride his tricycle in a cemetery.

Genre

Fiction – supernatural

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts – mystery and supernatural genres

Booktalk Ideas

Invite listeners to consider the amazing illustrations which open the book. Read the first few pages then ask listeners to write, draw, or say what they think will happen next.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 (age 9) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Murder, supernatural elements, and frightening storylines appear throughout the story.

This book won the 2009 Newbery Medal and the 2009 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Why is it here?

Reading was assigned for class. Too memorable a story to leave out!

The Mystery of the Fool and the Vanisher

Ellwand, David and Ruth. The Mystery of the Fool and the Vanisher. Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7636-2096-7

Plot

This book is a photographic notebook and written journal of the author's fictional discoveries related to the disappearance of Isaac Wilde, artist and fairy seeker. The author walked through the South Downs in southern England. This place is thought to be where Neolithic man once lived. Some people believe it is a magical place inhabited by fae, or fairy people. Using a holed flint stone, the author sees a light mysterious flashing through some trees. The light leads him to an abandoned house where he finds an old chest. He takes it to his studio and pries it open. Inside he finds the journal and a collection of strange objects belonging to Mr. Isaac Wilde. One of the objects is a wax cylinder recording. He sends the recording to a specialist who transfers it to an audio CD. The middle section of the book contains a transcript of that recording, an audio journal by Mr. Wilde, and photographs of the objects in the trunk that Mr. Wilde describes. He began his journal as a record of an archaeological dig near a flint mine in the South Downs. The local people told him that children reported seeing pixies leaving the abandoned mine. They are concerned that the archaeological work will upset the pixies. Soon the scientists discover a shaft that leads 21 feet down to a large chamber. There Mr. Wilde has his first encounter with pixies. They are indeed angry over the damage the dig has done to their home in the mine. The leader of the dig, Dr. Gibson Gayle, does not believe that the pixies exist because he cannot see them. Mr. Wilde creates a special camera which allows him to photograph a pixie. He takes the photograph to a meeting of the Photographic Society where it is declared a fake. Later while working in the mine a strange object clatters to the ground. When Dr. Gayle picks it up, he vanishes. Mr. Wilde takes the vanisher apart then hides the pieces. Did pixies somehow get rid of Dr. Gayle to stop the dig? Police inquire about Dr. Gayle, but his disappearance remains a mystery. That is the end of Mr. Wilde's journal. Nobody knows what happened to him after that. The author then reports how he found the pieces of the vanisher and reassembled it.

Critical Evaluation

The sepia photographs and fairy artifacts detailed in the book are visually stunning. The story of Mr. Wilde is mysterious and spooky. The idea that some people can see magical beings like pixies while other people cannot or will not see them is intriguing. The story told by the present day author of his own magical experiences in the South Downs, especially at Barrow Hill, add to the realism of the account.

Annotations

A man wandering in the forest is led to an abandoned house where he finds an old trunk. He takes it home and opens it to find a journal and other objects belonging to Isaac Wilde. Mr. Wilde appears to have collected evidence and photographs that prove that fairy beings inhabit Barrow Hill and the flint mine near it.

Author

This book is the first collaboration of David and Ruth Ellwand as authors. David Ellwand is a professional photographer as well.

Genre

Fiction - journals

Curriculum Ties

Literature arts

Booktalk Ideas

Using a large video display, click through the images found at http://www.foolandthevanisher.com/ and then invite comments. Introduce the book and read through the beginning of the book (pages 6 – 11) to introduce listeners to the magical area known as the South Downs.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 6 (age 11) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

The book is beautiful. It will appeal to young people interested in fairies, photography, archaeology, or old journals.

The Sisters Grimm Book One: The Fairy Tale Detectives

Buckley, Michael. The Sisters Grimm Book One: The Fairy Tale Detectives. Amulet Books, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8109-9322-8

Plot

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are orphaned when their parents disappear. They are eventually taken to their Grandmother, Relda Grimm. She reveals that their family is descended from Wilhelm Grimm, one of the Brothers Grimm who collected fairy tales. According to Relda, fairy tales are not stories. They are historical records of real events. The characters in fairy tales, called Everafters, now reside in Ferryport Landing. The girls were told by their parents that their grandmother was dead. Sabrina does not believe Relda is her grandmother or that fairy tales are real. She wants to run away. Daphne is happy to stay and find out more about her new grandmother. The girls try to escape Granny Relda's house but are attacked by pixies. They are rescued by Granny Relda and her Great Dane named Elvis. Sabrina and Daphne set out with their Grandmother and her friend named Mr. Canis to solve the mystery of a giant's appearance in Ferryport Landing. Granny Relda and Mr. Canis are kidnapped by the giant, so the girls are on their own until Puck, the Trickster King, shows up. He torments them but then realizes he must help the girls find Granny and Mr. Canis. Granny takes care of him, and he doesn't want to lose his meal ticket. The fairy tale detectives believe that Jack the Giant Killer may be able to help them, so they help him escape the city jail. The girls find that a secret society, the Scarlet Hand, is responsible for their parents' disappearance and is plotting to destroy the Grimm family. If the Grimm family is killed then the fairy tale citizens of Ferryport Landing will be released from a spell that keeps them from leaving the town.

Critical Evaluation

The story is charming and fast-paced. It is fun to seek clues and try to solve the mystery along with Sabrina and Daphne. The reader is repeatedly introduced to new yet familiar fairy tale characters like the three little pigs and the man in the magic mirror. The characters of Sabrina and Daphne are fun to read about. Sabrina is a typical tween. She is bossy to her little sister and very suspicious of the people around her. Daphne is an adorable little sister. She is trusting and sweet, but she can give her sister a hard time when she wants to. Puck, an Everafter, acts like a teasing older brother to the girls. The resulting sibling dynamic is funny and appealing to read about. There is a great deal of humor in the story which makes reading even more fun.

Annotations

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm become fairy tale detectives when their parents disappear and their Granny Relda takes them in. The girls must find out why a giant has been set loose in their new home town, rescue their Granny and her friend, and find clues to the disappearance of their parents.

Author

Michael Buckley has written eight novels in this series. He recently published the first book in a new series, NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society.

Genre

Fiction – fairy tales and mystery.

Curriculum Ties

Language arts – fairy tale stories and characters, elements of a mystery story.

Booktalk Ideas

Review favorite fairy tale characters with listeners. Ask listeners to describe their favorite fairy tales. Introduce Sabrina and Daphne and their situation as orphans newly arrived in Ferryport Landing. Read the first few pages with the group.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 (age 9) and up.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Children in peril and magic.

The fairy tale characters are easily recognizable which sets this story clearly in the realm of fiction.

Why is it here?

I used this book as an on-going read aloud with a fourth grade class. They loved it.