book-reviews

How About An Adventure? Summer Reading to Take You Away.

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Weslandia by Paul Fleischman Illustrated by Keven Hawkes c2002 Candlewick Press

Some children spend summer vacation at soccer camp or on a family trip, but Wesley has a plan. Why not create your own civilization? Instead of hanging around with the schoolmates who torment him, Wesley tends a new crop of strange plants from which he creates special ink for writing a new language, uses the fibers to create cool and comfortable clothing, builds himself a shelter, and names his world Weslandia. New and challenging games are to be invented and creative possibilities present themselves each day. No boredom can exist for long in this fascinating and colorful neighborhood.

Wesley assesses the growth of his flourishing plants.

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson Originally published by Macmillan Children’s Books : London c2001

Orphan Maia never dreamed she would be leaving her comfortable London boarding school to live with relatives in Brazil. When her relatives who live on a rubber plantation turn out to be unpleasant and unkind and have no interest in learning about the world of the Amazon river that surrounds them, Maia is very unhappy. Sometimes those who have courage and strength during difficulties are rewarded. New friends and a boat journey on the largest river system in the world bring Maia in touch with new possibilities. Eva Ibbotson takes her readers on an unforgettable trip.

Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry c1940 Currently available from Simon & Schuster

Teenager Mafatu has always been afraid of the sea. He has been teased and made to feel an outsider by the people on his South Pacific island of Hikueru. In order to redeem himself and make his father, the chief, less ashamed, Mafatu sets out to sea on a small boat with his dog as his only companion. He hopes to conquer his fear once and for all.

This is not a long book, but the story is one of those that lives long in the heart of readers. It is perfect for ages 9 to 12 and it is an excellent choice to read aloud at home or at school.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Young readers edition c 2015 by Viking Books for Young Readers also available from Puffin Books

The true story of the team that rowed to victory for America at the 1936 Olympics. No one expected that a crew of young men from Washington State would outperform the Ivy League teams from the Eastern US, let alone win at the Olympics. The story of how they got there is inspiring and uplifting and belongs on any list of books for students. I played the footage of the actual boat crossing the finish line for my classes when I book talked this at book fairs. It is always a winner!

Endurance by Alfred Lansing c1959 by McGraw-Hill Book Company : New York

The story for which the word EPIC was invented! Most junior high readers can enjoy this true tale of survival under extreme conditions during a Polar expedition to the Antarctic in 1914. That 28 men could live through the loss of their ship without any of the modern technologies we know today is one of the most remarkable survival stories of all time, and a testament to the difference good leadership can make. Expedition leader Ernest Shackleton made the men get rid of most of their possessions when they prepared to take to the ice as their ship began to be crushed, but he kept the banjo. He knew his crew would need every possible help to take their minds off the dire situation they were in. He also knew that in the days leading up to WWI, nobody was going to be interested in coming to their rescue. They had to save themselves. This is the story of how they did it. If your teenagers do not know this story, why not get them acquainted with Shackleton and his brave companions?

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden c2006 by HarperCollins

A classic How-To book that covers building a treehouse, skimming stones, the five knots every boy should know, identifying fossils, basic fishing skills, and more ideas for enjoying life outside. There are also many useful lists and documents such as baseball’s most valuable players, a Navajo code talkers dictionary, The Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments, least we forget a few. This book will help your young lads adventure well this summer.

Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Don Fendler and Joseph Egan Original c1939. Republished in 2013 by Harper Collins

Another true survival story. When he was twelve years old, Don Fendler became lost during a hike on rugged Mount Katahdin and managed to survive alone until he was found on day nine. Mount Katahdin is famous for being the northern endpoint of the Appalachian Trail. It is a strenuous and difficult hike with extreme weather changes, not a good place to lose your way. This book is a good companion to the Dangerous Book for Boys. Be prepared, as the scouts say.

The River by Gary Paulsen c1991 Dell Publishing / Random House Children’s Books

The first sequel to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Brian returns to the wilderness with a psychologist to teach survival skills, but must navigate a raft downriver after his companion is injured in a storm. Gary Paulsen is THE young person’s wilderness adventure writer. The Hatchet series is probably the best known of his books, but there are shelves more to be enjoyed. I have given his book Winterdance : The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod to outdoor fans in my family. Mr. Paulsen ran the Iditarod twice, and his tale of that experience as a rookie is enlightening, and a bit crazy.

Mrs. McNosh and Friends—-Books to Share with Ages 3-5

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Mrs.McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks with illustrations by Nadine Bernard Westcott c1998 Harper Collins

Here are a few books that four and five-year-old children enjoyed at story time. Most of them are suitable for younger children as well. My story programs with the four-year-old group lasted for 20 minutes and usually included some attention building nursery rhymes that might be sung or had accompanying actions. Today’s titles will appear on a longer reading list as a page soon, but with just the titles and authors, which should make it easy to print the list should anyone wish to. Picture books for older children will have their own lists, so stick around!

Mrs. McNosh does a big wash every Monday morning. Here are the author’s words:

“It takes her all morning, and when the sun’s high, she hangs what she’s washed on the clothesline to dry.”

Once Mrs. McNosh gets going there is no stopping her. All sorts of things besides laundry begin to appear. The dog, with his dish takes his place on the line, then a lamp, next two bats, which get hung upside-down. This brief, rhyming story will probably need to be read again because your audience will want more.

Wow! Said the Owl written and illustrated by Tim Hopgood c2009 Farrar, Straus and Giroux : New York

When a little owl decides to stay awake during the day, she experiences awe as colorful butterflies, green leaves, blue skies, and fluffy white clouds appear. The double page spreads in this book provide luscious expanses of bright color which just might elicit a “wow!” from viewers. Follow it up with a discussion of colors your audience has noticed indoors and out, and some paper and crayons.

Minerva Louise written and illustrated by Janet Morgan Stoeke c1988 Penguin Young Readers : New York

Minerva Louise is a curious chicken. The house with the red curtains attracts her, so when a window is left open she decides to investigate. Since she is a creature of the farmyard, she is confused by some of the things found in a house. Could logs laid for a fire in the fireplace be a cozy nest? A tricycle looks like a tractor to Minerva Louise, and a flowered bedspread must be a meadow of flowers, that cat sleeping on the sofa could only be a cow…The large, simple pictures and brief text make this suitable for very young children. There are more stories featuring the adventures of Minerva Louise, and they are all just as funny and full of charm.

On the Way to Growing Up: Jim The Boy by Tony Earley

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Jim the Boy by Tony Earley c2000 Little, Brown and Company

The author’s words:

“Oh Jimmy,” she said. “How in the world did you get to be ten years old?”

“I don’t know, Mama,” Jim said, which was the truth. He was as amazed by the fact as much as she was. He had been alive for ten years; his father, who had also been named Jim Glass, had been dead for ten years and a week. It was a lot to think about before breakfast.

Mama put the biscuits she pulled from the oven into a straw basket. Jim carried the basket into the dining room. The uncles sat around the long table.

“Who’s that?” Uncle Coran said.

“I don’t know,” said Uncle Al.

“He sure is funny-looking, whoever he is,” said Uncle Zeno.

“Y’all know who I am,” said Jim.

“Can’t say that we do,” said Uncle Coran.

“I’m Jim.”

“Howdy,” said Uncle Al.

. “Y’all stop it,” Jim said.

Jim is being raised by his widowed mother with the help of Jim’s three bachelor uncles, who all live in the houses they have built nearby. The time is The Great Depression and the place is a small farming town called Aliceville, North Carolina. The story covers Jim’s tenth year, beginning with an account of Jim’s birthday, with some ups and downs. Jim attends the new consolidated school, where the first electric lights are soon to be connected. A baseball game between the “town” boys and the “mountain” boys brings an unexpected friendship. Jim begins to learn about the wider world on some excursions out of town with Uncles. There is a sobering event that brings the hard times of the Depression home, and some racial tension when Jim, a friend, and the black field hand Abraham are confronted by a gang of toughs. In each case, an adult is present to protect and guide. You will leave this book feeling that the world is inhabited by decent people, and wanting to work harder at being one yourself. Can’t ask more of any book. It is accomplished naturally, almost magically, by a very gifted writer.

There is so much to think about and appreciate in Tony Earley’s depiction of the concerns and feelings of a young boy beginning to leave childhood behind. The writing is plain and simply elegant.. The characters are authentic and will live with you long after you close the book. I would place it in the top tier of books for young adult readers, and their parents. There is some great modeling of how to help a child through those times when the consequences of their actions are painful. The tone of this book is not dour, but hopeful and full of humor. This book got great acclaim and praise from The New York Times Book Review, The Denver Post, Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times Book Review, and many others at its publication. It is too good to be lost in the avalanche of titles published each year. If you know someone who wants to write, make sure they get their hands on this book.