What's it all about?

I originally created this blog in partial fulfillment of class requirements for my Children's and Young Adult Literature class. However, it was a lot of fun, and I think you'll enjoy reading some of my comments. The choices of books were class-related (one from Column A, another from Column B), and some weren't my cup of tea. But that's literature for you!

There's a formulaic approach to the posts which becomes apparent after reading about 2 of them. Future posts won't necessarily follow this style, and will mostly be books I choose because ... I like them. What a concept.

Module 10: Captain Underpants

Summary. In this "third epic novel" of the series, the title says it all: Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds). This tale of action, adventure, and potty humor has an unlikely superhero (the principal, who yanks off his clothes and saves the world in his underwear and a polka-dot cape), aliens trying to take over the world by emulating the lunch ladies, kids turned into zombie nerds, the school cafeteria -- I shall say no more on this one, and innocent school children just trying to make it through the day without getting zapped. Add in the cartoon-style illustrations which George and Harold create to explain the zany transitions from one story element to another, and you have a recipe for Second Grade Boy Ecstasy.

Citation. Pilkey, Dav. Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds). New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print.

My Impressions. Replete with "Tons-O-Fun" and "Flip-O-Rama," the dynamic duo of George and Harold are at it again. I was thankful for the brief recap of previous adventures provided in the "informative pamphlet" called Wedgie Wars that precedes the main story. How else would I know that the kids had hypnotized the principal and caused him to become the superhero of the story? In any case, this series has been the topic of controversy since its introduction in 1997. Criticism ranges from "anti-family content,” "sexually explicit," “insensitivity,” and “encouraging children to disobey authority,” to "Why do they have to talk about poop, wedgies and farts so much?" The popularity of the Captain Underpants franchise speaks for itself: Wikipedia estimates 27 million copies sold as of this year. Adults beware: potty humor sells. Underpants are funny. And kids would like to make adults in authority look silly. Let's not fight it, let's just get on with life.

Library Uses. This concept -- using CU in a library program -- gives the straight-laced library lady a sudden desire to run the other way. I have a vision of farting, burping, silly young boy pandemonium. So as a compromise, we could invite author Dav Pilkey to speak at the library and let HIM deal with the chaos. Or we could show the Flip-O-Rama guide and then quickly change directions and do a program on flip animation... I'm just not cut out for this one.

Reviews. (Booklist) Gr. 4-6. In their third "epic" adventure, George and Harold show just what you get when you expect fourth-graders "to sit still and pay attention for seven hours a day." An introductory cartoon strip, "Wedgie Wars," takes parody and bad spelling to new depths. Mr. Krupp, the principal, still turns into Captain Underpants at the snap of a finger--and gains new superpowers before the end of the book. And there are fart jokes, dead jokes, the "Toilet Paper of Justice," sly references to everything from Batman to the Wizard of Oz, and a "Flip-O-Rama" featuring "incredibly graphic violence" (not really). What can you say about a book in which space aliens are named Zorx, Klax, and Jennifer? Or about the incredibly tasteless cafeteria lady jokes? And what can you say about the next in the series, which will feature a character named Professor Poopypants? You know how many copies you'll need to buy. --GraceAnne A. DeCandid. Sep 15, 1999. 96:2, 261.

(Library Journal) Gr 3-6. Captain Underpants is back (and stronger than ever thanks to some "extra-strength super power juice"). Jerome Horwitz Elementary School is invaded by three "incredibly naughty cafeteria ladies" who are really hideously evil aliens in disguise. Their dastardly plan is to take over Earth by turning its inhabitants into giant zombie nerds starting with the children of Piqua, OH. Harold, George, and Captain Underpants once again save the day with quick thinking and Wedgie Power. Pilkey's hilarious black-and-white pencil cartoons complement the comic humor of the text. Added to the fun are the ever-present Flip-O-Rama pages and a zany Captain Underpants comic. Whether first-time readers of this series or avid fans, children will enjoy this outrageously funny adventure.-Krista Grosick, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH. Nov. 1999. 45:11, 163. Cahners Business Information.

Module 10: Amulet: the Stonekeeper

Summary. After their dad dies in a tragic car accident, Emily and her brother, Navin, move with their mom to their great-grandfather's ancient house. Neighbors claim the place is haunted, but Mom is determined that this will be their new home. As they struggle to clean up the mess, Emily wanders off and finds Grandpa Silas' library ... and then discovers a small and beautiful amulet. Soon afterward, strange creatures (which the reader has seen inhabiting the house) kidnap Mom. Emily and Navin, determined to save her, take instruction from the strange and powerful amulet as to what they must do. Thus begins their daring adventure into the unknown.

Citation. Kibuishi, Kazu. Amulet, Book One: The Stonekeeper. New York: Graphix/Scholastic, 2008. Print.

My Impressions. It looks like the kids are going to have to save the world, with the help of a talking stone, a rabbit-like creature named Miskit, and a lot of luck and daring. I'm not a fan of the graphic novel genre, but to me this one has all the classic comic book style hallmarks: lots of action (complete with "Zap!" and "Skree!"), monsters and other strange creatures, heroic protagonists with a life-or-death mission, and of course Good Versus Evil. There's a lot of unexplained background in this story that I suppose will be covered in upcoming installments of the series. Personally, I won't be going back to the series to find out what happens. Grades 4 and up.

Library Uses. I'd have the kids read the book ahead of our program, then choose from many puppets the library owns to create a puppet show for upper elementary age kids. They'd have to figure out how to stage the action, and how to fit everything on the (small) puppet stage, plus how to adapt the language and condense the story to accommodate a half-hour show format. I think they'd have fun!

Reviews. (Publisher Weekly) Almost too clever and poignant, Amulet is, on the surface, about navigating the murky waters of adolescence and, beneath that, an exploration of abandonment and survival. Emily and Navin are lost children, literally lost in a dark, new world and struggling to save their mother, who has been kidnapped by a drooling, tentacled beast. With stellar artwork, imaginative character design, moody color and consistent pacing, this first volume's weakness lies in its largely disjointed storytelling. There is the strong, young, heroine; cute, furry, sidekicks; scary monsters-all extraordinary components, but pieced together in a patchwork manner. There is little hope in his dark world as Kibuishi removes Emily and Navin's frame of safety. Their hopes rest in a magic amulet that seems to be working in the interest of the children-until it suddenly isn't. The most frightening element of Amulet is the sense of insecurity we feel for Emily, fighting her way through uncharted terrain with no guide and no support system. This first volume of Amulet isn't a disappointment, but it does feel like a warmup to the main event. If anything, it's a clear indication that Kibuishi has just begun skimming the surface of his own talent. (Jan.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

(School Library Journal) Gr 4 Up. Hurrying to pick up her brother, Emily and her parents have a tragic accident, and her father dies. After this dark beginning, the story skips forward two years to when the remaining family members are forced to move to an ancestral house in a small town. Rumored to be haunted, it is unkempt and forbidding. The first night there, Emily's mother goes down to the basement to investigate a noise and doesn't return. The kids search for her and discover a doorway into another world, where their mother has been swallowed by a monster and is being taken away. An amulet that Emily found in the house tells her that together they can save her, but her brother isn't so sure that this voice can be trusted. Still, what other choice do they have in this strange place? Gorgeous illustrations with great color bring light to this gloomy tale. Filled with excitement, monsters, robots, and mysteries, this fantasy adventure will appeal to many readers, but it does have some truly nightmarish elements. Dawn Rutherford, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA. Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Module 9: Cool Salsa

Summary. This poetry anthology is subtitled: "Bilingual Poems on Growing up Latino in the United States." Poets cited have family connections to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Taken as a whole, the collection tries to paint a broad picture of life in the Latino community. There are poems depicting school, home, hard times, party times, memories and the future. Many of the poems depict the difficulties of life with brown skin, of language barriers, of gangs that seek only violence, and of families that have various success with staying united in an unwelcoming society. Some are purely happy, excited, loving, and free, but the majority show angst and fear about what life is going to bring. The focus is on issues of importance to teens, such as romantic love, identity, and family.

Citation. Carlson, Lori M., ed. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. New York: Henry Holt, 1994. Print.

My Impressions. As a gringa, I feel Cool Salsa did a good job of helping me to see life through the eyes of someone whose ancestors', parents', or personal journey originated in a Spanish-speaking country. There is a heavy accent on what Oscar Hijuelos (author of the book's Introduction) calls "second classness" associated with being Latino, but perhaps this is warranted. Editor Lori Carlson has provided translations so each poem can be enjoyed in either Spanish or English; she did some of the translation work herself and used translations by the poem's author or other Latinos where available. There are poems here by the big names in Latino YA writing: Gary Soto, Pat Mora, and Sandra Cisneros, for example. Carlson also amply represents lesser-known and unknown poets. For the five poems that were originally written in both languages, the readers' aids in the back of the book include a glossary of Spanish words. I was unable to verify the reviews this collection has gotten from the Latino community, although it was on a list of recommended books by REFORMA, an ALA group.

Library Uses. I would love to see Latino teens in our city read two or three of these poems aloud and comment on the content of the poem and its relation to their lives. This could either be included in a multicultural "poetry slam" at the library, or just an opportunity for many teens to share their poetry regardless of ethnicity. Boise is a very white city, and we easily overlook the difficulties of minority groups, so I would favor the multicultural approach. If we were to focus particularly on Latino culture, we could have not only poetry, but music, food and traditional dancing: a real fiesta!

Awards. American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; American Library Association Quick Picks for Young Adults; Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Commended, Poetry; NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Award; Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year.

Reviews. (School Library Journal) Gr 8-12-Whether discussing the immigrant's frustration at not being able to speak English, the violence suffered both within and outside of the ethnic community, the familiar adolescent desire to belong, or celebrating the simple joys of life, these fine poems are incisive and photographic in their depiction of a moment. Some of the poets are well-known, others are not, but all contribute to the whole. The Spanish translations capture the sense of the English so well that without the translator's byline one would be hard pressed to discern the original language. The same is true for those few poems translated from Spanish to English. This is a must for multicultural collections, and excellent enrichment material for literature courses.-Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA

(Publisher Weekly) As hot as jalapenos and as cool as jazz, this collection serves up "ingles con chile'' and Spanish that "you feel in the blood of your soul.'' Lyrical, traditional poems share space with street-smart free verse, and works by the likes of Sandra Cisneros and Gary Soto are juxtaposed with entries from lesser-knowns. Illustrating the "beat and pulse'' of generations of U.S. writers of Latin American heritage, the poems are presented both in the original and in translation; poems making use of both languages are easily accessible to English-only readers by virtue of an appended glossary of Spanish terms. In his introduction, Hijuelos ( The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love ) focuses on the "unrelenting, unending sense of second classness'' that his parents experienced as Cuban emigrants and explains how this "sense'' affected his uses of English and Spanish. The political agenda is not hidden, but the potency of the volume lies in Carlson's eclectic selection of voices--her volume approximates what one poet here calls "a Mixtec chant that touches la tierra and the heavens.'' Ages 12-up. (July)

Module 9: Being Dead

Summary. Seven short stories, each featuring a ghost or a haunting of some sort, about what "being dead" means to those who are dead and those left behind. The stories vary in length from 5 to 65 pages. In one, a teen is haunted by a young girl no one else can see. The surprising reason for the visitations is revealed at the end. Another tale is about a cruel husband whose dead wife invites him to dance ... forever. Some are told in first person, others are simply observed in third-person form. In the final story, the interaction is between a cancer-stricken teen who knows she is going to die and a boy who died in the historic home where she is a docent. The dark stories are more suspenseful than horror-driven, and keep the reader riveted to the page.

Citation. Vande Velde, Vivian. Being Dead. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.

My Impressions. I don't often read horror or ghost stories, so I have very little with which to compare Being Dead, but to me it was a fascinating collection of studies into the lives of those affected by death. Vande Velde includes a variety of perspectives, topics, story lengths, and tone (how dark or angry the characters seem). One is told from the perspective of a ghost, the others from the living. One of my favorite stories told of a teen's confusion when she is chosen as the victim of a haunting, why her waterbed houses a ghost, why her clothes and room are being ruined. She finally realizes why SHE was chosen and what she has to do. I would readily recommend this short story collection to students in grades 6 and up.

Library Uses. With a teen group, we could read one of the shortest stories aloud, and compare it to other ghost stories with which the students are familiar. I could also select a very short ghost video and use it for comparison. This program for teens might be particularly apropos at Halloween. Or, with permission, the longer stories could be translated into a Reader's Theater production with the students taking various roles.

Reviews. (School Library Journal) Gr 7 Up-Horror fans will love these seven deliciously creepy tales featuring ghosts, cemeteries, suicides, murders, and other death-related themes. Most of the selections deal with everyday teens in seemingly ordinary situations; readers will settle in, confident that they know what to expect, only to receive a spine-tingling jolt as they hit one of the collection's many gruesome twists and turns. The first story, "Drop by Drop," shows the author's macabre imagination at its best. Sixteen-year-old Brenda is understandably disgruntled when her parents whisk her away from her friends and her life in the city. Worse, their new house in a small town appears to be haunted. In one shivery scene, a disembodied hand touches her through her waterbed mattress, and Brenda spends the night on the couch. Clues turn up: a missing little girl, a foul smell from the woods, a dripping ghost. But just when it seems that Brenda will solve the mystery, the truth comes out-and most readers will be reeling with shock. In another story, a boy killed in Vietnam returns to haunt the father who forced him to enlist-or does he? In "October Chill," a terminally ill girl falls for the ghost of a teen from Colonial times. None of the stories are gory, but they are all quite dark. Recommend this title to teens who don't want happy-ever-after endings.-Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

(Booklist) Gr. 7-10. Seven stories, ranging in length from just a few pages to more than 60, comprise this collection, with a ghost in every one. In "Drop by Drop," sullen teen Brenda loathes the rural house her parents have moved to from Buffalo, but her sulking turns to fear when a wet and bloody child that no one else can see keeps turning up in the new house at the sound of a bicycle bell. Emily has a brain tumor that she knows will kill her, but she finds a queasy tenderness in eighteenth-century ghosts at the historical site where she works in "October Chill." Vietnam casts a ghost in "Shadow Brother" and a young newsie in October 1930 doesn't lose his insouciance even when he's dead. Vande Velde has a sure hand, and these spirits are destined to find their audience. --GraceAnne A. DeCandido, Sept. 2001

Module 8: The London Eye Mystery

Summary. Ted, Kat, and their mom are touring London for just one day before cousin Salim and Aunt Glo leave for New York. Why not do something fun and ride the famous tourist attraction, "The London Eye?" And then it happens. Salim rides the Eye alone: "He went up on his own at 11.32, 24 May, and was due to come down at 12.02 the same day." But he never comes down. Somehow, in half an hour, within the sealed capsule of the Eye, he vanishes. Ted, whose brain "has a different operating system than other people's," tries to make sense of it all. Ted is a budding meteorologist, has Aperger Syndrome, and becomes an amateur detective as he searches for cluse to his cousin's disappearance. Grades 5 and up.

Citation. Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. Oxford: David Fickling Books, 2007. Print.

My Impressions. London Eye has it all: great characters, missing persons desperately sought by loved ones, a fabulous setting, and best of all, the point of view we never expected: a teen dismissed by everyone tells the story. I learned a lot about what it might be like to have a disorder like Asperger Syndrome (AS) as I tried to outthink our amateur detective, Ted. How would I react when everyone tells me to just go away and let the grown ups figure it out? But the grownups, the 'normal people' can't figure it out at all. Ted uses his amazing powers of reasoning as well as his knowledge of meteorology to figure out what happened. The story has a resemblance to The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time, but that won't take anything away from this enjoyable tale.

Library Uses. This book could start a discussion with teens on varying abiities among people, especially people we live and work and go to school with. It could also lead to an activity where the teens are called on to solve a mystery in a short period of time.

Awards. Rotherham Children’s Book Award 2009, Bisto Irish Book of the Year Award 2008, Redhouse Children’s Book Award 2008, Southwark Schools Book Awards 2008, Doncaster Book Award 2008, TES Special Educational Needs Children’s Book Award 2007, Coventry Inspiration Book Award 2009, 2008 Cybils Young Adult Bloggers Award, 2008 Essex Book Awards, Salford Children’s Book Award 2009, Stockport Short Novel Award 2009, and many other notable mentions and starred reviews!

Reviews. (Publisher Weekly) A 12-year-old Londoner with something like Asperger's syndrome narrates this page-turner, which grabs readers from the beginning and doesn't let go. As Ted and his older sister Katrina watch, their visiting cousin Salim boards a "pod" for a ride on the London Eye, a towering tourist attraction with a 360-degree view of the city-but unlike his fellow passengers, Salim never comes down. He has vanished. At the outset Ted explains that he has cracked the case: "Having a funny brain that runs on a different operating system from other people's helped me to figure out what happened." The tension lies in the implicit challenge to solve the mystery ahead of Ted, who turns his intense observational powers on the known facts, transforming his unnamed disability into an investigative tool while the adults' emotions engulf them. Dowd ratchets up the stakes repeatedly: is a boy in the morgue Salim? Has he drowned? Been kidnapped? Katrina and Ted work together to solve the puzzle, developing new respect for each other. The author wryly locates the humor as Ted wrangles with his symptoms (learning to lie represents progress) but also allows Ted an ample measure of grace. Comparisons to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time are inevitable-this release was delayed when Mark Haddon's book (from the same publisher) became a bestseller-but Dowd makes clearer overtures to younger readers. Just as impressive as Dowd's recent debut, A Swift Pure Cry, and fresh cause to mourn her premature death this year. Ages 8-12. (Feb.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

(School Library Journal) Gr 5-8-Ted and Kat lose their cousin Salim at the London Eye sightseeing attraction, "the largest observation wheel ever built." Given a free ticket by a stranger, Salim enters the ride, but he never emerges. Guilty about their part in the bungled outing, the siblings trace scraps of information that illuminate the boy's disappearance. Ted, who is something of an enigma himself, narrates the story. He has a neurological cross wiring that results in an encyclopedic brain and a literal view of the world. He finds it hard to read motivations and emotions, but excels at clue tracing and deduction. Kat, his older sister, deplores his odd behaviors but relies on his analytic brain while she does the legwork. The result is a dense mystery tied together with fully fleshed out characters and a unique narrator. Good mysteries for kids are rare, and this offering does the genre proud. London Eye is the best sort, throwing out scads of clues for discerning readers to solve the mystery themselves. Add to that Ted's literal translation of our world, his distanced view of an alien landscape of human interactions, and the ways he gains a better understanding of that world through the course of the novel, and the story is even more noteworthy. Suggest this as a read-alike to fans of Blue Balliett's Chasing Vermeer (Scholastic, 2004) or Lauren Tarshis's Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree (Dial, 2007).- Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information

Module 8: The Not-So-Jolly Roger

Summary. "I looked over at Sam and Fred, swaying in the tops of the two coconut trees next to mine." As this tale opens, three boys are wondering where in the world they are this time. The combination of magic,The Book, and an unknown element are the key to unexpected adventures for Sam, Fred, and Joe. When the infamous pirate, Blackbeard, appears below them and buries treasure on the island of the coconut trees, the boys have no intention of calling attention to themselves, much less ending up on a pirate ship during a deadly battle. When these well-intended plans fail, the Time Warp Trio are off on a rollicking adventure on the high seas.

Citation. Scieszka, Jon. The Not-So-Jolly Roger. Illus. Lane Smith. Time Warp Trio series 2. New York: Puffin Books, 1991. Print.

My Impressions. A fast-paced story with historical overtones, Book 2 of the 'Time Warp Trio' series is a silly, entertaining adventure that kids will love. Author Jon Scieszka (pronounced SHES-ka and rhymes with "Fresca" according to www.teachingbooks.net/pronunciations.cgi) has created a tale that will have readers wanting more. And they won't be disappointed: not only are there over a dozen books to choose from in the original series, but there is a spinoff TV series (Discovery Kids Channel) and a second series based on the TV show.

Library Uses. After reading two to three chapters of this zany book aloud, we could think aloud about unusual times and places The Book might send the trio of elementary school heroes. This could lead into a lesson on history or storytelling. Another possible use would be to have the group participants read the book before the program, and create a cartoon-style synopsis with drawings of the boys and comic-book talk bubbles.

Reviews (Kirkus Reviews) A second "Time Warp Trio'' story, only slightly less clever than the first. The boys now find themselves on a desert island. Blackbeard comes to bury treasure--and his two helpers; he catches the boys and takes them to the pirate ship (Israel Hands is among those aboard). There's some suspense, more slapstick, and the singing of some fine chanteys before the boys are again saved by The Book. Smith's funny/wicked pirates make an excellent contribution. "Historical afterword'' on Blackbeard; another (tongue firmly in cheek) on the boys. Ages 8-12. May 01, 1991

(Amazon review) Much fun for little boys. My two sons (ages 6 and 8) and I had much fun reading this--they were already fans of pirate lore with pirate Legos and who love to dress up and play pirates in the braken. You'll love it too, and besides, boys need more literature with fun, fantasy, silliness, and adventure! Reviewed by "A Customer," 10/1999