CLOUD TEA MONKEYS by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham. Illustrated by Juan Wijngaard. (Somerville, MA: Candlewick, c2010).
"Tashi took her bowl of sweet tea outside and stood beside the rough road in the blue morning." I love that line, from the second paragraph of this beautiful, pay-it-forward story about a little girl named Tashi whose mother is ill. Because she is ill, Tashi's mother is unable to work and thus cannot pay for a doctor's care. Tashi is too young to pick tea leaves on the nearby plantation. And she is sad because she cannot help earn money for a doctor. But Tashi has always treated the monkeys in the village with kindness and respect. And when the monkeys discover the reason for Tashi's sadness, they bring her a basket full of rare and valuable tea leaves. This is a lovely story, gently told, and embellished with jewel-toned illustrations that perfectly capture the tenor of the tale.
Showing posts with label juvenile fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label juvenile fiction. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Recommended Read
This is a quirky one that resonates like a cicada on a lazy summer night. It's a quick read with a slow feel, like main character Popeye's endless, simple summer. It's about seemingly long stretches of time punctuated by unexpected events that can turn ordinary days into extraordinary experiences. Here's the bibliographic particulars + publisher's summary --
THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O'Connor.
(New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, c2009), 150 pages. Summary: In Fayette, South Carollina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother until a motorhome gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of strange boats floating down the creek.
THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O'Connor.
(New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, c2009), 150 pages. Summary: In Fayette, South Carollina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother until a motorhome gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of strange boats floating down the creek.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Recommended Read
Ms. Plum IS magical! And so is this book. Ms. Plum is the 3rd grade teacher that every kid wants. Why? Because she's interesting (allows animals and candy in her classroom), she cares about her students' hearts as well as their grades, and she guides them in important and unexpected ways that have nothing to do with math or reading. How? With her mysterious supply closet, which contains just what each of them needs. This one is 104 pages of positively, yes, magical prose. Here's the pertinent details + publisher's summary --
THE MAGICAL MS. PLUM by Bonny Becker (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, c2009). Summary: The students in Ms. Plum's third-grade class soon learn that there is something very special about their teacher and her classroom's mysterious supply closet.
THE MAGICAL MS. PLUM by Bonny Becker (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, c2009). Summary: The students in Ms. Plum's third-grade class soon learn that there is something very special about their teacher and her classroom's mysterious supply closet.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Recommended Read
I finished this one just in time for Halloween! It's a sort of modern day Hansel and Gretel tale with just enough spunk and spookiness to "grab" young readers. Here's the pertinent details + publisher's summary --
THE WITCH'S GUIDE TO COOKING WITH CHILDREN by Keith McGowan
(New York: Henry Holt, c2009), 176 pgs. Summary: Eleven-year-old inventor Sol must recover his self-confidence if he and his eight-year-old sister, Connie, are to escape the clutches of Hansel and Gretel's witch, to whom they have been led by their new stepmother and the man they believe is their father.
THE WITCH'S GUIDE TO COOKING WITH CHILDREN by Keith McGowan
(New York: Henry Holt, c2009), 176 pgs. Summary: Eleven-year-old inventor Sol must recover his self-confidence if he and his eight-year-old sister, Connie, are to escape the clutches of Hansel and Gretel's witch, to whom they have been led by their new stepmother and the man they believe is their father.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Book Review
WE CAN'T ALL BE RATTLESNAKES (J Fic) by Patrick Jennings
Meet "Crusher," a snake who is caught and kept by an unsavory human boy named Gunnar. Crusher is the rare cold-blooded reptile with a surprisingly warmish heart. Misidentified as a "he," Crusher is actually a perceptive and s-s-s-s-assy female gopher snake with no intention of remaining in captivity. With the ability to communicate telepathically with Gunnar's other pet reptiles -- "Rex," a sarcastic alligator lizard, and "Speedy," a submissive desert tortoise -- Crusher learns to survive Gunnar's antics and begins to plan her escape. When a botched attempt lowers her status to that of Gunnar's other neglected prisoners, Crusher has time to ponder predators and prey, and to develp a bit of compassion for both -- for her slimy and also-neglected captor, Gunnar, and for her intended meal, "Breakfast," a nervous and ditzy mouse. How Crusher's compassion and perseverance enable her to cleverly return to the great and warm outdoors is a rattling tale of reptile heroics and human amusement. Even for those who despise snakes of any kind.
Meet "Crusher," a snake who is caught and kept by an unsavory human boy named Gunnar. Crusher is the rare cold-blooded reptile with a surprisingly warmish heart. Misidentified as a "he," Crusher is actually a perceptive and s-s-s-s-assy female gopher snake with no intention of remaining in captivity. With the ability to communicate telepathically with Gunnar's other pet reptiles -- "Rex," a sarcastic alligator lizard, and "Speedy," a submissive desert tortoise -- Crusher learns to survive Gunnar's antics and begins to plan her escape. When a botched attempt lowers her status to that of Gunnar's other neglected prisoners, Crusher has time to ponder predators and prey, and to develp a bit of compassion for both -- for her slimy and also-neglected captor, Gunnar, and for her intended meal, "Breakfast," a nervous and ditzy mouse. How Crusher's compassion and perseverance enable her to cleverly return to the great and warm outdoors is a rattling tale of reptile heroics and human amusement. Even for those who despise snakes of any kind.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Book Review
THE LEANIN' DOG (J Fic) by K.A. Nuzum
This is a moving story about 11 yr. old Dessa Dean's struggle to recover from the shock of her mother's recent death, and the friendship she slowly forges with a stray dog. Both Dessa Dean and the dog are injured, needy, and afraid. Dessa Dean hides her fears from her well-meaning father and tries to remain self-reliant each day when he leaves their isolated cabin to find food. When a skittish dog limps through the snow toward the cabin one day, Dessa Dean's heart softens and she yearns to nurture the creature. But it takes perseverance and her father's support to earn the frightened dog's trust. As that trust gradually develops, so does Dessa Dean's confidence and hope for the future. Like Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods, this tender tale unfolds in a simple, rustic setting where humble lives toil, love, and, ultimately, heal. Nuzum's LEANIN' DOG has all of the earmarks of a contemporary classic that is destined to touch the hearts of those who read it.
This is a moving story about 11 yr. old Dessa Dean's struggle to recover from the shock of her mother's recent death, and the friendship she slowly forges with a stray dog. Both Dessa Dean and the dog are injured, needy, and afraid. Dessa Dean hides her fears from her well-meaning father and tries to remain self-reliant each day when he leaves their isolated cabin to find food. When a skittish dog limps through the snow toward the cabin one day, Dessa Dean's heart softens and she yearns to nurture the creature. But it takes perseverance and her father's support to earn the frightened dog's trust. As that trust gradually develops, so does Dessa Dean's confidence and hope for the future. Like Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods, this tender tale unfolds in a simple, rustic setting where humble lives toil, love, and, ultimately, heal. Nuzum's LEANIN' DOG has all of the earmarks of a contemporary classic that is destined to touch the hearts of those who read it.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Book Review
BECCA AT SEA (J Fic) by Deirdre Baker
This delightful book is the perfect diversion for anyone taking a “staycation.” Becca, the 10-yr. old heroine, visits her grandmother on a small island off the northwest coast, while Becca’s parents prepare for the birth of her first sibling. Each chapter takes plucky Becca, and the reader, on simple adventures full of surprises. The seashore provides a rich and rustic setting for Becca’s many discoveries, while quirky neighbors and relatives provide challenges and support, as Becca develops a subtle self-reliance. The plot is episodic but pieced together with a feel of genuine community among the vivid characters who inhabit the story. And Becca proves to be a capable and curious kid who remains undeterred by unexpected events that take place on the island, and by changes that occur within her family. BECCA AT SEA ends with a satisfying sense of place and purpose for Becca, and the reader, which lingers beyond the last page of the book.
This delightful book is the perfect diversion for anyone taking a “staycation.” Becca, the 10-yr. old heroine, visits her grandmother on a small island off the northwest coast, while Becca’s parents prepare for the birth of her first sibling. Each chapter takes plucky Becca, and the reader, on simple adventures full of surprises. The seashore provides a rich and rustic setting for Becca’s many discoveries, while quirky neighbors and relatives provide challenges and support, as Becca develops a subtle self-reliance. The plot is episodic but pieced together with a feel of genuine community among the vivid characters who inhabit the story. And Becca proves to be a capable and curious kid who remains undeterred by unexpected events that take place on the island, and by changes that occur within her family. BECCA AT SEA ends with a satisfying sense of place and purpose for Becca, and the reader, which lingers beyond the last page of the book.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Book Review
CHICKEN FEATHERS (J Fic) by Joy Cowley
Similar to E.B. White’s classic, Charlotte’s Web, Joy Cowley’s latest effort is a rural tale full of old-fashioned fun. The main character in Chicken Feathers is a talking chicken named Semolina, while the main "biggie," or human character is her best friend and caretaker, Josh Miller. Josh is part of a loving family who runs an egg farm in Australia. Things soon get serious in the story when a red fox begins to lurk around the hen houses. Semolina, of course, helps save the day by solving the mystery of missing eggs, but she nearly loses her life in the process. All, alas, is resolved in a heart-warming conclusion. First name only references to the parents in the story may cause a bit of confusion for some readers. David Eliot’s pen and ink illustrations, sprinkled throughout the narrative, add a folksy charm to this satisfying read.
Similar to E.B. White’s classic, Charlotte’s Web, Joy Cowley’s latest effort is a rural tale full of old-fashioned fun. The main character in Chicken Feathers is a talking chicken named Semolina, while the main "biggie," or human character is her best friend and caretaker, Josh Miller. Josh is part of a loving family who runs an egg farm in Australia. Things soon get serious in the story when a red fox begins to lurk around the hen houses. Semolina, of course, helps save the day by solving the mystery of missing eggs, but she nearly loses her life in the process. All, alas, is resolved in a heart-warming conclusion. First name only references to the parents in the story may cause a bit of confusion for some readers. David Eliot’s pen and ink illustrations, sprinkled throughout the narrative, add a folksy charm to this satisfying read.
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