Literary
Lagniappe
August 2004 Issue # 31
The word “lagniappe” (pronounced ‘lan
yap’) is a common term used in
Louisiana. It means “a little something
extra.” The literary community of the
University of New Orleans offers our
readers a literary lagniappe–reviews of
recently published children’s books.
Within categories, books are arranged
alphabetically by the author's last name.
FICTION
Walking Naked by Alyssa Brugman.
Delacorte Press. $15.95 Ages 12 & up.
Megan Tuw wouldn’t know a
thing about not fitting in. She’s popular.
No, she’s more than popular. She’s a
leader. She is part of the most cliquish
group at her high school. Perdita
Wiguiggan would know a thing or two
about not fitting in. She doesn’t.
Nicknamed “the Freak,”not one single
part of her would fit into the group’s
mold of being socially acceptable.
When Megan gets thrown in detention,
she comes face to face with the Freak.
The more time Megan spends with
Perdita, the more she sees who she truly
is. Knowing that it would be social
suicide to been seen anywhere near
Perdita, their friendship has to be kept a
secret. When Megan’s clique discovers
the truth, she is forced to decide what
means more to her…being someone or
being a no one. Her decision ultimately
leads to Perdita’s death and her
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emotional breakdown, changing her life
forever.
This book met all criteria for
good fiction. A story is supposed to
permit some cause for optimism, and
this one does. When Megan and Perdita
started hanging out together, a wall in
the social world came down. I believe
the moral of the story is not to judge a
book by its cover. This book also taught
a lesson on how words can be deadly.
The moral was recognizable but did not
overwhelm the story. Overall, this book
was believable. Megan’s whole world
of relationships with herself and others
was thoroughly explored. Alyssa
Brugman touched on many emotions,
including the joys, sorrows, challenges,
adjustments, anxieties, and satisfactions
of human life. I think teenagers,
especially teenage girls, parents,
teachers, or anyone dealing with
teenagers should read this book. It
depicts the grueling scenes of how high
school really is. Every school has
cliques, and every person gets picked on.
Not everyone realizes just how serious a
problem teasing can be.–Nicole Dufrene
Born Too Short: The Confessions of
an Eighth-Grade Basket Case by Dan
Elish. Atheneum. $16.00. Ages 12 and
up.
Matt has a problem. His best
friend, Keith, an all-star basketball
player, is a stud with the girls and a lead
singer/musician in his own rock band.
In Matt's mind, Keith has everything a
guy could want. Matt has none of that.
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He considers himself a five foot, one
inch loser. His jealousy of Keith reigns
supreme day after day, until one night he
lets all his emotions burst. He yells
violently that he wishes Keith would
become a failure. A homeless man (a
possible prophet) warns Matt to be
careful of what he wishes for. Soon
after the wish, Keith's luck changes. He
misses two foul shots in the school
basketball game, causing his school to
lose the championship. Matt discovers
that Keith's girlfriend has a girlfriend of
her own, which would leave Keith
devastated if he knew. Is it coincidence
or fulfillment of Matt's wish that these
things begin to happen? Dan Elish takes
a short, long-haired teenager and gives
him a witty personality with attitude and
compassion. Matt goes from only
kissing a girl during spin-the-bottle to
making out for a full fifty-one minutes.
He gets a girlfriend and gets a new male
friend that's more of a loser than him.
But is it at the expense of Keith's
failings? Set in an eighth grade junior
high school, Matt's story would be of
interest to any teenager. Dan Elish deals
with typical teenage issues in a
humorous, contemporary fashion. He
allows Matt (through his new girlfriend
and new male friend) to ask questions
important to most teenagers. With
serious thought and reasoning, Matt
determines his answers in a mature,
timely way.–Kevin Chiasson
Snowed In With Grandmother Silk by
Carol Fenner. Penguin. $14.99 Ages 8 10.
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Young, energetic Ruddy has
been told that he will have to spend ten
days at Grandmother Silk's house, but he
was dreading it. Grandmother Silk did
not approve of loud noises, funny smells
from the zoo visitations, nor learning
about new and exciting things. Rather,
Grandmother Silk was sophisticated lady
with a special hairstyle who always
dressed in her best outfits. During his
stay with his grandmother, Ruddy
learned that Grandmother Silk enjoyed
playing games such as chess, and she
loved the ideas of sharing stories about
her younger years. She told Ruddy
about his grandfather and how they use
to share special conversations together.
Ruddy also noticed that his grandmother
can smile, and she had the most beautiful
green eyes. Grandmother Silk learned
that laughter is the best cure for
loneliness.
I enjoyed reading this book
because it teaches a lesson about
prejudging people. This is not a good
idea because it can limit a person from
finding the good qualities of another
person. Although Ruddy and his
grandmother prejudged one another,
they were able to rediscover each other.
They learned that they can be happy
within each other's presence. The
dynamic characters presented similar
problems that many families face today the problem of prejudging. Children and
adults can relate to this story, and the
book could serve as a wonderful
teaching tool to use in the classroom
with younger children as well as the
older ones. Cynthia Miller
Boolar’s Big Day Out by Sally
Gardner. Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
$14.95 Ages 7-9.
Boolar’s Big Day Out is a simple
tale that delves into a child’s
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imagination. It is about Boolar and four
other dolls that are found in a box in a
park by Mr. and Mrs. Mouse. Boolar
and one of the other dolls help the mice
collect food in the “betwixt and between
time." One day Boolar is needed at the
theatre to fill in an important starring
role. He falls in love with the princess
puppet and doesn’t want to leave the
theatre. He completely turns his back on
his family in the park as they beg him
for assistance before the "howler"
arrives. As it rips through the park
destroying most of their homes and
winter supply of food, Boolar is told at
the theatre that he is not needed anymore
and is reduced to a minor role. In the
end, Boolar realizes that he has been
selfish, ungrateful and disloyal, so he
invites his family to the theatre for a
feast to ask for their forgiveness.
Everyone at the theatre gives them ten
hampers full of food to take home. All
are happy, and Boolar returns to the box
forgiven.
This fantasy tale is about not
taking others (or mice) for granted and
helping those is need. Boolar's character
learns from his mistakes and explores in
depth how his behavior affects those
around him. –Diana Aime
Dreaming In Black and White by
Reinhardt Jung. Phyllis Fogelman
Books. $15.99. Ages 9-12.
Dreaming In Black and White is
about a physically handicapped boy who
dreams that he is a student during the
Third Reich in Germany, where he is
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persecuted for being crippled. In his
dream state, Hannes is still a disabled
boy and witnesses one of his teachers
being seized because he is Jewish. As his
dream continues, his best and only
friend, Hilde Rosenbaum, is removed
from the German school because she is
Jewish. Although these two events are
overwhelming, the most traumatic thing
that happens to Hannes in his dream
occurs when his father signs papers that
allow the Nazis to place him in an
institution for the disabled where he will
eventually be killed. This event alters his
feelings for his father in a negative way.
This is a very compelling story that
focuses on a part of the Nazi
extermination campaign that has not
been taught in any history class I have
had. The author’s style is unique; she
tells the story through a child’s eyes and
feelings and does so in a dream like
trance that the character can’t get away
from. At the end of the book the author
offers background information about the
Third Reich and its "elimination of lives
not worth living.” This book will inspire
many discussions on a variety of topics:
1930 Germany, how people who are
disabled are often treated, physical
defects, and of course the value of
human life.–Jessica Adam
Calliope Day Falls…in Love? By
Charles Haddad. Delacorte Press.
$14.95. Ages 9-11.
In her third adventure in the
series, Calliope Day is on a mission to
find the mysterious love poet who left
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her best friend, Noreen, a love poem.
Calliope has many suspicions on her
journey to find the mysterious love poet
and is always surprised at what she
discovers. During her search, Calliope
discovers two poets and now new friends
whom she has more in common with
than she thought. This is a story of
“puppy love,” interpersonal
relationships, and a little mystery.
Charles Haddad uses many
allusions that children are familiar with,
such as his references to the Wizard of
Oz, Sword in the Stone, and Alice in
Wonderland. The text is written from
the point of view of Calliope, which
allows readers to connect with the
characters. The entertaining book
explores the negative aspects of prejudging others and suggests that one will
find friendship in the most unlikely of
places. The reader is humored as he
journeys with Calliope on her hunt to
find the mysterious love poet of her
fourth grade class. -Julie E. Cook
Say What? By Margaret Peterson
Haddix. Simon & Schuster Books for
Young Readers. $12.95 Ages 6-10.
Sukie the youngest of three
children can tell that something is wrong
with her parents, but she is unsure why
or how to fix the problem. She enlists
the help of her oldest brother Brian, to
find out what is going on with their
parents. Her parents are saying the
wrong things when the children are
misbehaving. Brian calls an “all kids
meeting” and the children come up with
a plan. The parents have read a
magazine article about teaching the
children to listen by using the wrong
commands therefore throw the children
off. The children decide that the best
way to handle their parents is to reply
with the wrong response. The outcome
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is that this makes everyone very
confused about just what is going on. In
the end, the parents and the children
come to an understanding that they will
work their problems out and once a
month they will still use the wrong
commands, which makes the children
very happy.
In Haddix’s latest book, Say
What? the reading is easy-going and
fast, and the illustrations are very
expressive, which help keep the reader
interested in the book. I found that the
first few chapters were not explained
well and I was just a little lost, but after
learning where Haddix was going, I was
on board with the book.–Amy Pease
Betsy and the Boys by Carolyn
Haywood. Harcourt Inc. $16.00 Ages 610.
This book is the fourth book in
the Betsy Series by Carolyn Haywood.
Betsy has just started the fourth grade,
and she has some new things that she has
to get used too–one of them being that
her best friend Billy does not have much
time to spend with her since all he wants
to do is play football all day. Betsy too
would like to play football all day with
the football team. However, the boys
will not allow a girl to join the team.
Now Betsy has to figure out a way to get
on that team. With the help of Mr.
Kilpatrick, Betsy just might get that spot
on the team, but not without having a
little mischievous fun on the way. Betsy
and the Boys was first published in 1945
and was re-released in 2004. When
reading the book, you can obviously see
the time difference by the language of
the book. I felt as if I were watching an
episode of “Leave it to Beaver” because
of the catchphrases used in the text, like
“golly,” “gee,” and “betcha.” I do not
think many kids would relate to these
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sayings, and I find that this might make
them lose interest in the story. However,
the characters and the plot are easy to
follow and fun for children, which is
ideal for beginning readers ready for a
challenge. Haywood did a great job in
portraying childhood, even if the
storyline is a little dated.
-- Kristina Dragobratovich
The First Part Last by Angela Johnson.
Simon and Schuster. $15.95 ages 12 and
up
This is a novel that teens and
preteens that may be considering having
premarital unprotected sex or
considering making a baby need to read.
This book can assist in making a healthy
choice. As a reader, you enter the world
of a boy who is forced to become a man;
he has no clue of the responsibilities of a
father. It is Bobby’s 16th birthday. Nia
tells him she is pregnant; afterwards she
hands him a single balloon and gives
him a gentle kiss on the cheek. This
book contains both drama and suspense
that keeps you hanging on every word.
The language is refreshing and
penetrating to the core. It is innovative to
have the expecting teen dad’s
perspective on pregnancy and
fatherhood. Bobby takes a nine-month
journey with a flash back approach–a
thrilling ride that leaves you breathless
with roads that twists and turns. Just
when you think you have had enough,
Nia’s pregnancy takes a turn for the
worse. Bobby has a stern mother, a
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sensitive father two buddies (whom he
can no longer relate too), and an
understanding older brother This book
gives insight on how hard it is to raise a
baby when you are just a baby yourself.
It also deals with the joys and pains of
parenthood. –Rahsaana Ison
Snakes Don't Miss Their Mother. By
M. E. Kerr. HarperCollins $16.89 Ages
8-12.
Taking up not-so-permanent
residence at "Critters," a shelter for
abandoned or lost pets are a snake, a
golden retriever, a greyhound named
Catherine, and a sarcastic, one-eyed
Siamese cat. The animals go through
difficulties of shelter living and dashed
hopes of adoptions gone awry. Jimmie
Twilight, an eleven-year-old girl who
recently lost her mother and her father,
adopts one of the hardest-to-love pets at
Critter–Placido, the one-eyed cat. The
human characters weave in and out of
the lives of the different animals, and at
times, it was confusing. Sometimes it
was hard to know who was narrating a
chapter. At one point, towards the very
end of the book, Placido nicknames
himself "Sailor" because he is on a
houseboat. The author then refers to him
as Sailor.
I enjoyed reading the animals'
dialogues, but there wasn't enough in the
story to make the book very exciting.
The plot doesn't really have a climax,
although there are some things that
happen which are satisfying. Also, I kept
waiting to garner an understanding of the
title. (Finally, Marshall, the snake,
comments that snake mothers abandon
their babies as eggs, so they don't ever
miss her). Criticism notwithstanding, I
still think children will enjoy reading the
book for the animals and the way they
are characterized.–Paige Montgomery
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Uncommon Faith by Trudy Krisher.
Holiday House, Inc. $17.95 Ages 14-16.
Why is it that society has always
held this notion that men are superior
and women are docile? I often
wondered where this rumor began, and
now I have found the answer.
According to Trudy Krisher it was the
Bible, the most ancient book of history,
which left this erroneous impression on
those who read it. Guess who read the
Book first…men. Uncommon Faith is a
fictional story about a girl, Faith
Common, who questions the traditions
and values of her small town of
Millbrook, Massachusetts. It is the mid
nineteenth century, and Faith does not
understand nor agree with the domestic
duties which have been bestowed upon
her. She is a strong-willed young
woman who is not afraid to speak her
mind, even against her minister father’s
disapproving eye. Krisher provides the
reader with personal insight into the
town’s mind through the personal
accounts of Millbrook’s citizens. Be
prepared to experience controversies,
tears, and laughter as this antiquated
society shares their personal thoughts
and feelings.
The development of characters
begins with a diagram of family trees
and social groups. The reader may refer
to this in the beginning of the narrative
as each citizen is methodically
introduced through short commentaries
about the life in Millbrook. The entire
book is written from the town citizens'
perspective. In this way the reader is
aware of how the characters think and
what they feel. Through each season,
the reader is thrown into new plots, but
the theme of the story is always strong
and unquestionable. Krisher has
inspired me to reflect upon and write
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about the role of women in today’s
society. It is my belief that she will
inspire many more through Uncommon
Faith. – Kristen Lasseigne
Messenger by Lois Lowry. Houghton
Mifflin. $16.00 Ages 10-12.
Messenger tells the story of a
boy, Matty, who is working hard to
receive the name he wants, Messenger.
Matty does not know it, but his Village
needs him for so much more than a
Messenger. Only Matty along with his
gift can help Village to overcome its
problems.
Lowry uses characters from her
other books, The Giver and Gathering
Blue, which gave a sense of conclusion
to these books. Lowry’s style of writing
fascinates me! She captures you in her
book and does not let you go, and then at
the end there is always some sort of
twist. Lowry’s imagery and symbolism
is the perfect way to send her message
especially since she depicts a world out
of the ordinary. In this book I believe
Lowry is trying to show children how
one person can change many things. She
also shows children not to set their
expectations too low because of
familiarity, instead work a little bit
harder and use your gift. --Ivette Reyes
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Perfectly Chelsea by Claudia Mills.
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. $16.00 Ages
7 and up.
Chelsea Garring is a fourth
grader who constantly strives to be
perceived as the ideal child, as well as
being the focal point of everyone’s
thoughts. She tries to outshine and
outwit other children by constantly
calling attention to herself. Chelsea is
completely content with her life until she
is confronted with some tribulations–
fighting with her best friend Naomi,
fighting with God, coping with the death
of a family friend Mrs. Cruz, and
accepting her fellow classmate Danny as
he is. In the end Chelsea realizes that
God placed her in challenging situations,
so that she can grow emotionally and
spiritually. Claudia Mills provides the
readers with the details of Chelsea’s
feelings and an understanding of how
Chelsea deals with the changes in her
life in a way that can keep the audience
attention throughout the book.
–Emily Guertin
Eleven by Lauren Myracle. Douglas
Children’s Books. $16.99. Ages 8-10.
Eleven is about the experience of
a young girl named Winnie celebrating
her eleventh birthday. As Winnie’s year
progressed, Winnie noticed that she and
her best friend Amanda grew apart. At
the end of Eleven, Winnie was planning
her twelfth birthday. The celebration
was to include her family and one friend.
The friend Winnie chose was not
Amanda.
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The characters in Eleven seem
very real. The flow of the text and
dialogue was natural which made the
story easy to read. From school to family
to the beach, the characters were
developed such that I grew to know what
to expect from each of the characters..
At the end of the story, it was clear to
see that Winnie had matured and grown.
The theme of the book is that
change occurs. Eleven is an ideal book
to read to children experiencing change.
Eleven helps the reader understand that
things as well as people change. Lauren
Myracle, did an excellent job making the
book engaging to young readers by
discussing issues eleven-year-olds will
likely experience. Telling the story from
an eleven year olds’ point of view made
the story more real and entertaining.
The illustration on the cover
captured the experiences told in the
book. Young children should find the
book interesting and entertaining. –
Charmaine Williams
The House You Pass on the Way by
Jacqueline Woodson. Putnam. Ages 12
up.
In The House You Pass on the Way,
fourteen –year-old Staggerlee feels like
the outcast in her town. She is dealing
with several life issues: her parents’
interracial marriage, her celebrity
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grandparents’ tragic deaths, uncertainty
of her sexual orientation, and her desire
to have a loyal friend. Her acceptance of
a trustworthy friend is revealed one
summer when Trout, her adopted cousin,
comes to visit. Both cousins share their
childhood experiences of kissing other
girls. Staggerlee believes that Trout will
become her new best friend.
Staggerlee’s personality changes
throughout the year. In the summer,
Staggerlee is friendly, warm-hearted,
and expresses her feelings and thoughts
with her cousin Trout. Her attitude
towards life is positive because she has
someone to share her secrets with. In the
winter, Staggerlee restrains her feelings
toward Trout when she finds out that
Trout has a boyfriend. Having been hurt
before, Staggerlee does not want to be
betrayed. She does not want to think that
time is repeating itself with her
childhood relationship with the girl she
kissed.
This book connects with young
adults of today because many people
have experienced or would like to
experiment with their sexual preference.
Woodson created realistic characters that
face their identities with uncertainty. The
text brings together complex issues that
young individuals must deal with.
-Ashanti Howard
NONFICTION
Witch-hunt: Mysteries of the Salem
Witch Trials by Marc Aronson. New
York: Atheneum.
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The Puritans, with their drab
clothes and dour outlook, may seem the
antithesis of our twenty-first century
lives, but the Salem witch trials had
many elements of modern
sensationalism—the occult, teenage
girls, courtroom drama. Marc Aronson’s
book is his attempt to unravel the ways
in which the story of Salem in fiction
and in history has been sensationalized
and distorted. The reasonable voice and
the meticulous research can’t fail to
impress, but one flaw of the book is that
it can be plodding and overly detailedoriented. A section entitled "A Note
about the Images in This Books," in
which the author explains his choice to
include few images, contributes early to
the lofty tone. His aim of historical
accuracy throughout is noble, but better
design elements would have enlivened
the book.
Aronson does not, however,
merely write a book of cold historical
fact. The introduction invokes trial
transcripts, fairy tales, and even
psychology to invite readers in and help
them imagine themselves into the
historical setting. The author’s
unwillingness to give into cheap thrills
actually balances well the feuding
families, unfairly treated slaves, outcast
old women, hallucinating teenagers, and
mighty personages accused of terrible
crimes that are at the center of the Salem
witch trials. Witch-hunt is an excellent
book to demonstrate to young adults that
the strictest attention to historical detail
need not diminish the exhilaration of
reading history. It is also a fascinating
lesson in how history changes over time
as historical discoveries and perspectives
change. For the reader who is already
familiar with The Crucible, one of the
real joys in Aronson’s book is finding
out "what really happened." It was also
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gratifying to read the appendix on The
Crucible. Because so much of Witchhunt is about setting the historical record
straight, it is heartening to read
Aronson’s vindication of The Crucible
as a work of art. He validates Miller’s
use of The Crucible to criticize the
House Un-American Activities
Committee, and he adds interesting
details of the cross-connections in the
play to Miller’s era and his personal life.
The Epilogue is also full of absorbing
information regarding different
perspectives on events in Salem. One
wishes that this information had been
presented in a more visually appealing
way, and that it was easier in general to
dig facts and figures out of the text and
the index. These are small problems,
and, overall, the use of factual
information and historical synthesis
makes for an impressive book of nonfiction on a topic that is both
quintessentially American and
continuously compelling.
–Ann Marie Coviello
Who Has A Belly Button? by Mary
Batten. Illus. by Higgins Bond.
Peachtree Publishers. $15.95. Ages 5-8.
Mary Batten, award-winning
science writer, takes a simple child’s
question, “Who has a belly button?” and
extends it with another question, “Do
you know why?” Ms. Batten answers
the question right away. Of course the
answer is, because we are mammals. She
then proceeds to explain in language
appropriate to young children what
makes an animal a mammal. The book
is not just surface coverage, but instead
it goes into a detailed description, for
young children, on how an embryo
develops inside the uterus and the
functions of the umbilical cord. On one
page the author compares an umbilical
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cord to the lifeline cable attached to an
astronaut’s space suit. The astronaut
receives air through this lifeline as a
baby in its mother’s uterus received air
through the umbilical cord. The life like
full-page acrylic pictures painted by
Higgins Bond complements the wellwritten text. Mothers and their young
were pictured throughout the book. So if
you’re ever confronted with the
question, “Who has a belly button? I
highly recommend this book to be
shared with you and your young child.
–Elaine Chauvin
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Leonardo, Beautiful Dreamer. Robert
Byrd. Dutton. 2003.
Robert Byrd’s years of studying
and teaching art along with his deep
respect for Leonardo da Vinci shine
through with this rich, colorful, account
of “one of the most compelling figures
in all of history.” The book is detailed
enough for adults to learn but clear
enough for younger readers to follow.
What almost looks like a
beautifully illustrated fairy tale with its
colorful and whimsical illustrations and
storybook feel is actually a rich, true
account of a man ahead of his time. The
life of Leonardo da Vinci develops
through the story, from his childhood in
Italy, his time spent at the workshop of
Maestro Verrocchio, on into adulthood
where he was renowned as a brilliant
artist and lover of the unexplained.
Robert Byrd also takes the reader in
closer to see the history and atmosphere
of the Renaissance in Florence with its
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money, powerful families, and love of
art.
Da Vinci's own personal
notebooks inspire the format and
organization of the story. Each twopage spread reveals colorful sketches
that illustrate the history behind the
words. Around the edges of the pages
are bordered boxes filled with quotes
and illustrations of ideas and inventions
that allow readers to reach deeper into
the world of this incredible man.
Whether it is The Last Supper, his sketch
The Vitruvian Man, the homemade alarm
clock made of water, or the bicycle he
created 300 years ahead of its own time,
this introduction to his life’s works will
show readers how Da Vinci used
everyday materials to create
masterpieces, how he was inspired by
his lust of inquiry, and at the end of his
days still wondered if he had
accomplished anything worthwhile.
Misty Summer
Ida B. Wells: Mother of the Civil
Rights Movement by Dennis and Judith
Fradin. Houghton Mifflin, 2000. Ages
12 up.
Engaging and disconcerting are
two adjectives that only begin to
describe Dennis and Judith Fradin's Ida
B. Wells: Mother of the civil Rights
Movement. The authors succeed in
bringing to light the numerous
accomplishments of acclaimed civil
rights leader Ida B. Wells. Her story of
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determination and courage in the face of
injustice begins on page one and never
lets up.
Born a slave in 1862, Wells grew
up during the reconstruction era that
immediately followed the end of the
Civil War. She appears to have gained
her strong will from her father. At the
age of five, Ida witnessed James Wells
stand up to his former slave owner when
he was told he would not vote for a
republican. They were kicked off the
land, but she learned never to back down
from what she knew was right no matter
what the cost. Wells made many
enemies because of her activism, both
black and white. A strong believer in
practicing what she preached, Wells was
often critical of other less radical civil
rights activists. As a result, Wells was
labeled a radical and shunned by many
of her friends.
The chronology of events in the
book, while understandable to an
experienced– reader, may be confusing to
young readers. What the book lacks in
organization, the authors more than
made up for with the provocative
pictures contained in this 168-page
testimonial to an often overlooked civil
rights pioneer.–Aaron R. Buck
Horses! by Gail Gibbons. Holiday
House, 2003 $16.95. Ages 4-8.
Gibbons presents a very
educational and informative look at
horses, beginning with how horses came
to exist and how they were derived from
their early ancestors called the eohippus.
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Gibbons also touches on the evolution of
this great animal throughout time, how
they were used for transportation, how
they pulled carts and plowed the fields.
This gives readers information on things
they may have never even thought about.
Gibbons also tells about different sizes
and breeds as well as providing a labeled
diagram of a horse's body The author's
examination of a horse’s behavior and
appearance, coupled with vivid diagrams
make the book interesting and easy to
read. This is a great selection for anyone
wanting more insight on the history,
biology, and everyday life of a horse. –
Leslie Jones
and comical anecdotes are given in
sidebars, bubbles, and charts. Trivia on
the biggest, tallest, smallest, longest, and
kookiest bikes should capture the
interest of most readers. The easy style
and format should appeal to young
readers, as well as the use of clever
quotes dispersed throughout the book.
Young readers will also benefit from the
fact that unfamiliar and hard-topronounce words are explained,
promoting better understanding. Bill
Haduch has written eight books for
young readers and is an award winning
science and technology writer.
–Susan Villa
Go Fly a Bike. By Bill Haduch. Illus. by
Chris Murphy. Dutton. $16.99. Ages 1015.
Bill Haduch’s humorous, wellresearched book provides an interesting
look into the world of bicycles. The
pages are filled with engaging facts,
suggestions, and trivia on the subject of
bikes. Haduch compares biking to flying
by describing the feeling one gets when
coasting down the hill on a bike. He
also gives an amusing account of how
the Wright Brothers used bicycles and
bike parts when they began testing their
ideas about flight. The book is divided
into twenty chapters, which give
information on topics such as the history
of bikes, types of bikes, bike safety, fun
activities, and the Olympics. The author
uses a lighthearted and humorous tone
when presenting this information. Most
pages have amusing cartoon illustrations
that add a sense of fun to the text. In
addition to the text, many unusual facts
Powerful Words by Wade Hudson,
Illustrated by Sean Qualls. Scholastic.
There are many accounts of
African-American history. Many will
tell about the struggles, the songs, the
movements, but rarely can you hear the
voices so loudly. Rarely do the cries, the
letters, and sermons sound out with such
piercing heartache and determination. In
Powerful Words, it is not Wade Hudson
you hear, but the voices of the men and
women, who lived, fought, bled, and
emerged through the struggle of a nation
and a people.
Wade Hudson has been
publishing books since the late '80s
about the struggle of African Americans.
In Powerful Words, he has compiled a
chronological accounts of their journey
in the United States, from the beginning
of the slave trade, to the writing of the
Declaration of Independence, women’s
suffrage and civil rights. He has selected
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those who had a voice in changing
history–including not only well known
figures, like Martin Luther King or Rosa
Parks, but others like Benjamin
Banneker, Sojourner Truth, Mary
Church Terrell whose stories may never
have been heard before now can be
celebrated.
Each section of the book is
devoted to a specific time period or
event in history. What is so great about
the way Wade Hudson compiled the
collection is that he does not forget to
include the history of the country at the
time and the context of each piece. Also
included is a dusty blue portrait of each
character that is honored. Turn the page
and be grabbed by the large lettering,
following along with the events of years
ago. Hudson also follows each piece
with a brief history of the author and a
“response” section, set aside on tan
patches at the bottom of the page.
The organization of Powerful
Words includes art and pattern. The
structure of the words on the page and
the simple colors of blue and gold are
expressive and powerful but not
overpowering. It is truly the words and
the voices that stand out, that carry the
book and the reader through time. What
a great tool to use with students ranging
anywhere from 4th grade to high school.
Used as a reference or a teaching tool,
there is much to be gained from the
writings included in this history lesson
of an emerging people.–Misty Summer
Heading Out: The Start of Some
Splendid Careers edited by Gloria
Kamen. Bloomsbury. $16.95. Young
Adult.
Heading Out, a collection of
autobiographical sketches and excerpts
edited by Gloria Kamen, provides young
readers with twenty-three examples of
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what psychologist/philosopher James
Hillman calls the daimon. Daimon meant
"soul" to the Ancient Greeks, but
Hillman extends it to encompass fate,
calling, vocation, a veritable code that he
believes is imprinted in each of us at
birth and lays out our life’s destiny.
Kamen is less philosophical in her desire
to assemble these life stories. In her
introduction she states simply that she
has always been fascinated with "how
career decisions are made." While this
book may be her attempt to answer that
prosaic question, careful young readers
will recognize a much deeper meaning in
these brief—but almost always clear and
brilliant—life flashes. They all tell the
story of how a young person discovers
his or her destiny. The excerpts are
divided into five section, "Writers," "The
Arts," "Science, Medicine & Invention,"
"Business and Politics," and "Sports."
All the autobiographers are giants in
their respective fields. Some names will
be easily recognized—Sammy Sosa and
Nelson Mendela—while other will
probably be unfamiliar, like Ben Carson,
an African-American pediatric
neurosurgeon who has separated cojoined twins. His autobiographical
sketch begins with the admission that his
nickname in elementary school was
Dummy. Indeed, it was the very stigma
of his perceived laziness and ignorance
that propelled him forward. That and a
determined mother who turned off the
television and made her sons visit the
library every week.
Many of the excerpts feature
influential parents, but what emerges
most clearly is the sense that each of
these high achievers were driven by an
inner calling. The inventor Richard
Feynman remembers his early, obsessive
need to take apart radios. During the
divorce of his parents, the naturalist
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Edward O. Wilson loses himself in
dream-like contemplation of sea-life
when he is boarded with virtual strangers
who live on the Florida coast. Lance
Armstrong’s long-distance endurance is
fueled by a need to get away—by
running, biking, swimming—from an
abusive stepfather.
As a potential first introduction to
autobiography, this book will hook many
young readers. The introduction to each
person, written by Kamen, will allow
less avid readers to skip around and find
the people and careers that capture their
interest. The excellent bibliography will
give teachers and students a chance to
follow up and read the full-length
versions of the life stories that intrigued
them most.– Ann Marie Coviello
The Kid Who Named Pluto and the
Stories of Other Extraordinary Young
People in Science by Marc
McCutcheon. Illustrated by Jon Cannell.
Chronicle Books. 2004. $15.95. Ages
11 – 14.
This book fits in with the theme
“try, try, and try again.” Each of these
young inventors persisted in their
endeavors and did not give up. A few
went on to become famous but for the
majority discussed in this book they are
still relatively unknown. Marc
McCutcheon touches the lives of each
inventor as he tells their story. One such
inventor, Isaac Asimov, began writing
stories at age 11. When he submitted his
first dozen efforts to various publishers
they were rejected. Asimov did not give
up. He eventually was published at age
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18 and continued writing. At the end of
the selection McCutcheon offers
suggestions for students that may be
interested in writing science fiction like
Asimov. In another selection, Sarah
Flannery a teenager in Ireland entered
and won the national science fair at age
16 with her project on cryptography.
She went on and developed a program
that could encode a page of text 20 times
faster. Her system was later found not
be secure. Sarah has not given up.
Today she attends Cambridge University
and as McCutcheon says, “Who knows
what she’ll dream up next.” The book
jacket is done in a range of colors that is
appealing to the eye. In contrast, the
inner pages are black and white photos
or simple pen and ink illustrations done
by Jon Cannell that will appeal to
today’s youth. The text for the chapter
headings are large and written as if a
student had typed the book. This book
filled with interesting stories of young
peoples’ lives will be a winner in your
library. - Elaine Chauvin
The Coast Mappers by Taylor
Morrison. Houghton Mifflin. $16.00
Ages 10-16.
Taylor Morrison traces the
adventures and difficulties experienced
by scientist George Davidson and his
team who were hired in 1850 by the U.S.
Coast Survey to measure and chart the
entire Pacific coast of America.
Morrison begins the book by describing
the dangers many ship captains and
crews faced in the 1800s because of
inaccurate maps and charts. The book is
written in chronological order and flows
easily from one event to the next. The
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book has a serious tone and detailed
scientific information about the methods
and instruments used. Morrison,
however, adds to the interest level by
describing personal facts, such as
Davidson's attacks of rheumatism and
when the team thought Indian warriors
from the Nootka Tribe might kill them.
Morrison also uses quotes from letters
written by Davidson and the other men
on his team, giving some insight into
what they were felling. A glossary at the
end of the book helps readers to
understand unfamiliar words and
phrases. The appeal of this book lies
with the combination of the well-written
text and the outstanding illustrations.
Full-page colorful and detailed
illustrations add to the reader's interest
and understanding. In addition to the
basic illustrations, maps and smaller
pictures with captions further enhance
the text. The painstaking approach used
by the author to research accurate
information also adds to the book's
appeal. Morrison states in the
acknowledgements that the illustrations
and text were pieced together from
historical documents, letters,
photographs, artwork, books, and
interviews from around the country. He
acknowledges numerous individuals and
explains how each one helped him to
gather accurate information. The
exceptionally strong bibliography is
another indicator of the time and effort
Morrison put into writing an accurate
and informative book. History and
geography enthusiasts alike should enjoy
this book.–Susan Villa
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The Mexican War by Susan E. Haberle.
Capstone Press, 2003. $22.60. Ages 812.
This simplified, condensed
account of the Mexican War, is a
historical account of the three-year war
that would ultimately yield America five
new states including the expansion of
Texas. The book is written in a clear,
easy to-read, narrative format. Focus
and language level remains consistent to
the grade levels of three to five. In
"Before the War" the United States
government was eyeing land west of the
Mississippi, and Mexico was not
interested in giving any land to
American expansion. This inflexibility
on both sides set the stage for a future
clash. "Problems in Texas" introduces
the reader to the Mexican power
structure and three battles. War was
declared after the battles were fought
and no American ground was gained.
The military leaders on both sides were
impatient to claim victory, thus fought
more intensely. "Fighting in Mexico"
chronicles the American army's push
through Mexico until Mexico City was
captured. At the last battle of
Chapultepec, Mexico's National Military
Academy, called the Halls of
Montezuma, fell to the invading
Americans. "The End of the War"
concluded the book documenting the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and the
exchange of $15 million for the land.
This gave America control of all the land
from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific
Ocean. Every other page provides an
illustration that supports its
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documentation. Each illustration is
captioned with an explanation. A map
showing western America with colorcoding for American, Mexican, and
British holdings is easy to understand
and the legend enhances the reader's
understanding of the map. The eight
entry timeline couples Mexican and
American points of interest before,
during, and after the war. The physical
size meets the needs of small hands, and
the type size will invite an early reader
into the book. The glossary provides the
reader with eight vocabulary words,
definitions, and pronunciations. Most
pages are edge-colored in reds, blue, and
tan which evokes a spirit of American
patriotism. –Madeline Wainright
Words West: Voices of Young
Pioneers.. By Ginger Wadsworth.
Clarion. $18. Ages 10-14.
Beginning in the 1830s, tens of
thousands of families sold their farm and
headed west in search of a better life for
their families. Many pioneers followed
one of the thirteen available trails. The
trails of choice were Oregon-California,
Oregon, California, Mormon, or the
Lewis and Clark. Most wagons jumped
on the trail in either Iowa or Missouri.
Written in narrative form, the book
infuses children's letters to family
members back home, personal diaries,
and memoirs into the text, authenticating
the first-hand experience. Strong bonds
were formed with other families. The
children kept diaries, read, played, cared
for younger siblings, cooked, and tended
to livestock during their journey. The
tone conveys the daily struggle for
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survival. Water, food, and medicine
were in short supply. Many thousands of
people did not survive the approximately
six-month trip. Encounters with deadly
diseases, Indian attacks, and harsh
weather killed many wagon travelers.
The 14 chapters are well developed,
giving readers a thorough understanding
of the era. Pictures with captions or
diagrams on almost every page allow
readers to pause and reflect on the
children's experience. The rustic tancolored jacket cover, which portrays
covered wagons on a trail and an 1800s
child's portrait, invites readers into the
book. Even the verso page of tan with a
textured-look adds to the old-west feel.
The opening two pages provide an
extended picture of families on a trail.
Included in the book are a chronology
chart of U. S. historical events from
1801-1912 and a substantial index.–
Madeline Wainright
We the People: The Pony Express by
Jean Kinney Williams. Compass Point
Books, 2003 $22.60. Ages 9-12.
Detailing how people received
their mail during the time of the old
west, this book is a brief launch into the
lives and journeys of the Pony Express
workers. With many people heading to
the west during the gold rush, settlers in
California were concerned with their
mail service. In the beginning the
service was handled by boats but a
member of a freight company introduced
a new idea. A relay system using men
and horses would carry mail,
newspapers, and telegrams. The book
takes readers through the process of
getting the mail ready to be delivered to
settlers in the west. Descriptions of
specific individuals who rode for the
Pony Express are given. Included are
stories of their dangerous journeys
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through Indian settled land and even the
struggles that were faced with
sometimes harsh weather conditions.
Williams provides a brief but insightful
look at the Pony Express and their
workers. This concise history book
provides a glossary, an index, a section
on important dates and people, and even
a “want to know more” section where
Williams provides additional resources
for the Pony Express. –Leslie Jones
Editor: Patricia Austin
Reviews by graduate students and
undergraduate students.
Our thanks to the publishers who send
review copies to the UNO Children's
Literature Examination Center.
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