Peddles

Peddles
by Elizabeth Rose Stanton

In June 2014, while in Las Vegas for the American Library Association's Annual Conference, Elizabeth Rose Stanton and I played text tag. We attempted to meet each other at various times during the conference and it wasn't until the very last day that we were finally able to connect. She and Toni Yuly were waiting outside the exhibit floor doors and started waving to me before I even made it across the room. You can see our picture together from this previous post.

A few weeks ago when I received a review copy of her latest book, Peddles, from Simon and Schuster, I was thrilled to see the final product of which I had seen snippets on Facebook. I truly did not think Peddles could get any cuter, but I was wrong.

Peddles is an adventurous little pig who does not want to be a conformist. He has his own ideas and dreams to pursue and does not let anything or anyone get in his way. When Peddles hears "whooping and hollering" out in the barn, he begins to ponder the possibility of dancing. Behind the barn Peddles discovers the perfect accessory for his big idea, however it does not work out exactly the way he had envisioned. He soon learns the other pigs who had believed his ideas to be "spacey" were actually willing to provide a helping hand and join in the fun in the end.

I know readers, young and old, will enjoy not only reading this wonder story, but also delight in the beautiful pencil and watercolor illustrations. There might be a few people who will be upset with two of the small images of Peddles as he defecates (or three if you get technical - two times like a pig and once on a toilet), but like Taro Gomi wrote, Everybody Poops!

I highly recommend Peddles by Elizabeth Rose Stanton for all libraries with a picture book collection and as a gift for anyone you know with small children. I believe it will quickly become a favorite story to read over and over again, especially if you love pigs.

**To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, Simon & Schuster has provided a complimentary copy of Peddles for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publishing company and is solely my opinion.

Most Wanted

Most Wantedby Lisa Scottoline
release date: April 12, 2016

Most Wanted, is the perfect title for Lisa Scottoline's latest stand-alone thriller. It captures the very essence of this complex story. There are so many possibilities for the reason behind the title, but I think the most important one, the one that is the reason for the entire story line is pictured on the cover - a baby.

Christine and Marcus are happy, young professionals wanting to start a family. When they discover Marcus is infertile they decide to use a donor in order to conceive. As Christine prepares to leave her job as a reading specialist, she sees a breaking news story about the capture of a serial killer. She is devastated to see the image of her donor's face being pushed into a squad car in handcuffs.

Is your heart racing? Are you wondering, what would I do? That is exactly how I felt when reading this book! When you think the storyline is going in one direction, Scottoline turns it around and goes another way. The action and excitement keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the book.

As an educator, I have to say I was impressed with the way Christine was depicted in the story. A lot of times educators are characterized as stuck in their profession. They are not given credit for the background and degrees held in order to be in their positions. Educators are often taken for granted and not respected by students or parents because public education is free to all. I respect Christine's decision to quit her job to raise her child, but I also liked reading about how much she cared for and would miss her students. A common characteristic of educators is their feeling of a lack of skills for a career after teaching. I have to admit I have felt this way many times. As I near retirement I wonder what I will do when I no longer have to be at school before 7:00 in the morning. I know I can create engaging lessons for children, keep the attention of large numbers of students with my read-alouds, teach adults how to integrate technology into their lessons, manage a classroom full of four- and five-year olds full of sugar and excitement during a classroom holiday party, and calm a hysterical parent when their child is hurt, missing, or in trouble. But how do those skills relate to the world outside of a school building? Scottoline has placed Christine in just that position and she comes out a true heroine! I'm so happy to see a strong woman educator pull herself up and be the confident leader she was born to be, even if the point of this story was not the fact the main character was a teacher. Thank you for showing everyone, especially teachers, they can do and be anything at any time.

I would highly recommend this book for fans of thrillers, books about educators, and law. 

* To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, St. Martin's Press has provided a complimentary electronic version of Most Wanted for review purposes. 

 

Fun with Nursery Rhymes: Little Bo Peep and More

Little Bo Peep and Her Bad, Bad Sheep: A Mother Goose Hullabaloo
written by A. L. Wegwerth; illustrated by Luke Flowers

One might think this book is simply about Little Bo Peep and her bad, bad sheep, but they would be wrong. Readers will find not only Little Bo Peep, but 38 other nursery rhymes in this fun book. The narrator in the story has a very difficult time reciting Little Bo Peep's nursery rhyme, but who can blame her when there is SO much going on in the illustrations

Nursery rhyme characters are running wild all on the pages of this book. The illustrations will capture even the youngest reader, or listener immediately and a number of conversations can be had while reading this book based on the jam packed illustrations. Before you get to the end of the book, try to make a list of all of the different nursery rhymes referenced in the illustrations.  It will be a fun challenge for older children who are more familiar with the various nursery rhymes. Young children may not know all of the characters, but they will quickly be able to recognize Humpty Dumpty and the three little kittens. All of the nursery rhymes depicted in the illustrations are included in the final eight pages of the book along with a small character to help the reader locate the reference in the book. I highly recommend this book for early childhood and elementary school libraries.

*To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, Capstone Young Readers provided a complimentary electronic version of Little Bo Peep and Her Bad, Bad Sheep: A Mother Goose Hullabaloo for review purposes.

George by Alex Gino

I was fortunate enough to be in San Francisco on June 26, 2015. I understand if you are not familiar with this date and the historic significance. I will not judge, and I hope you will not judge me for being excited about that day.

June 26, 2015 was the day of the Supreme Court ruling making same-sex marriage a right nationwide.

I am a happily married woman. I have been married to my husband for over 22 years. Why should I not be excited for my friends who are gay or lesbian to have the same opportunity?

George
Alex Gino

I am remembering this time because of a book I just finished reading, George written by Alex Gino. It was during this trip to San Francisco for the American Library Association's Annual Conference I first saw George. In fact, I received an ARC (advanced reader's copy) of the book. I remember when I picked it up and read the insert that said, "This book will change your life" and a message from David Levithan, the editor of the book. I even got a button that says, "Be Who You Are". Sadly, my copy of George was hidden away in one of the many tote bags I picked up during conference. I re-discovered George when I was perusing our district's review shelves. I was so excited to see this title and immediately grabbed it to read and review. Ironically after pulling the book to review my ARC appeared along with the button which I now have proudly hanging with my button collection in my office.

The title character, George, is not gay or lesbian, but a young girl trapped in the body of a boy. Gino creates realistic characters who show true emotion and inner turmoil when confronted with George's reality. I am especially grateful Gino created a character with a safe place for George, even if it is only briefly mentioned. The reader can draw their own conclusions as to the purpose for this insight, but I believe it provides a glimpse into the life of the principal.

The story is woven around the school's study of E.B. White's Charlotte's Web. George desperately wants to play the role of Charlotte when her fourth grade class performs for the lower grades. However, since she is a boy, she is not considered for the role. The book seems to come to an abrupt end, but I like where Gino leaves the story. It is hopeful and uplifting.

The terms transgender and transitioning are used in this wonderful book for readers in third through seventh grade. The topic of being gay is briefly mentioned, but George explains she is not gay, but a girl in a boys body.

I highly recommend George by Alex Gino for anyone willing to stand up for children who need to read about characters in books who are like themselves. Just like books such as And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager or Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman, there is a need for book on topics a lot of people feel are controversial. If this is our society's reality, then we need to have books available to reflect all people, and not simply the ones that make us feel the most comfortable reading about and discussing.

Variations on a Theme of Little Red Riding Hood

Happy New Year!

I thought I would start the new year sharing some great versions of Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red
written and illustrated by Bethan Woollvin
(April 2016 release)

Starting with the end papers, the simple color palette (black, charcoal gray, white, and red) used for this book proves dramatic. With a repeated pattern of evergreen (charcoal gray), followed by two bare tree trunks the reader's eye is immediately drawn to Little Red in her bright red cloak and shoes. The wolf, hiding behind an evergreen can been seen, but not as quickly.

Woollvin's story remains true to the original until she looks into the window to see the wolf in her grandmother's bed. The observant reader can spot an ax stuck in a tree stump in through the window, also reminiscent of the original fairy tale, but this time, Little Red makes a plan before going inside grandmother's house. The surprising twist, Little Red returns home with a new fur coat!

This might seem a little dark for a children's book, but you have to remember the original story has a much more disturbing end. In Charles Perrault's, author of the earliest known printed version of the story, entitled Le Petit Chaperon Rouge,  "Little Red Riding Hood ends up being asked to climb into the bed before being eaten by the wolf, where they story ends." The moral this story told children was not to listen to the words of strangers.

Little Red's Riding 'Hood
written by Peter Stein, illustrated by Chris Gall
(February 2015 release)

The end papers for this book remind me of the ones from the above book, except for the fact the wolf is now a monster truck named Tank and Little Red is a scooter. Both characters appear on the front end papers, but only Little Red is on the back end papers. The absence of Tank on the back papers sends the message to the read of the happy ending since Little Red is headed back home from Granny Putt Putt's house.

I am not a car fanatic, but I believe young children, especially boys will find this new version of Little Red Riding Hood fun to read and listen to during story time. The author was very creative in building the text around the scooter, cars, and monster truck. At times it feels like a stretch when reading, but this is to be expected in a fairy tale. I was delightfully surprised to see how "the wolf" was recycled in the end. Definitely an unusual twist to the classic Red tale.

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood
written by Liesl Shurtliff

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtliff is unlike either of the first two. This book is a chapter book, recommended for readers in middle elementary and up. The story does not just focus on Red's travels to grandmother's house and her encounter with the Big Bad Wolf. In the first chapter, we learn of Red's magical grandmother, as well as Red's attempts at magic herself. The humor in the first chapter is wonderful for capturing the reader's attention.  The magical spells included are very clever and create a great picture in the reader's mind.

Red does travel to her Granny's house in the story and finds Granny very ill. So ill in fact Red has to wonder through the woods in order to gather the ingredients for a Cure-All potion. As Red gathers the ingredients, we are introduced to a number of magical creatures, including pixies, dwarfs, and tree nymphs. I don't want to ruin the ending of this fairy tale for you because it is not what you will expect. The villain in Shurtliff's version, or "the true story" is not who you would suspect. You will have to read  Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood to find out the rest of the story.

*To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission,  the following publishers have provided a complimentary hard copy or electronic version of the book for review purposes. 

Little Red. Myrick Marketing & Media, LLC - Peachtree Publishers.

Little Red's Riding 'Hood. Orchard Books.

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood. Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers.

My review is in no way influenced by the publishing company and is strictly my opinion.

Queen of Mystery Returns

I have written a number of reviews for books written by the Queen of Mystery, Mary Higgins Clark (5/5/2011 - I'll Walk Alone, 6/3/2014 - I've Got You Under My Skin, 11/5/2014 - The Cradle Will Fall) because she remains one of my favorite authors. I always know when I find one of her books I will fall into a great read. I was excited to find All Dressed in White, the latest addition to the "Under Suspicion" series featuring television producer Lauren Moran, when perusing the NetGalley website recently.

All Dressed in White
by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke

In the third episode of the television series Under Suspicion, Laurie Moran focuses her attention and cameras on the "Runaway Bride", Amanda Pierce, who disappeared five years ago the day before her wedding to her college sweetheart. Bringing the wedding party together at a lavish Long Beach resort, Laurie and Alex are quickly launched into production. Will they be able to uncover the circumstances of the bride's disappearance? Will there be white in Laurie's future? You'll have to read Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke's All Dressed in White to find out. 

Like I've said before, Mary Higgins Clark does not disappoint. she always provides a wonderful story line and an intriguing twist in her mysteries. I love this series and the possibilities that are available for additional "episodes" of Under Suspicion. I am reminded of J. A. Jance's Ali Reynolds series, which is another of my favorites, and I hope to see more in the future. All Dressed in White is now available in stores and online.

*To comply with new guidelines introduce by the Federal Trade Commission, Simon & Schuster has provided a complimentary electronic edition of All Dressed in White for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the publishing company and is strictly my opinion.

Will's Words

During the summer my son took me to New York City specifically to see as many Broadway shows as possible. I had been to NYC one other time, but my trip (planned for over a year) coincided with the first Stagehands Strike in the union's 121-year history! To say I was devastated is an understatement, but I have always been told things work out the way they are supposed to. I guess this trip proves the point because I had the most fantastic time I could have ever dreamed of having with my son.

While planning the trip he asked me what I wanted to see when we got to New York. I told him the only show I really wanted to see was Something Rotten! and he could choose the rest of the shows. I had only seen a short preview of the show while watching The 69th Annual Tony Awards earlier in the summer, but I was completely taken with the story line, music, and actors from the moment the curtains were raised.

If you don't know about Something Rotten!, and you love musical theater you should check it out. As soon as we left the theater (after staying around long enough to take pictures and get autographs from all of the leads, of course) I downloaded the soundtrack and listened to it all night.

Will's Words: How William Shakespeare
Changed the Way You Talk
by Jane Sutcliffe
illustrated by John Shelley

I bring up this musical because while reading Jane Sutcliffe's Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk my mind kept going back to the theater and the staging of the show. John Shelley's beautiful illustrations provide a wonderful example of the layout of London and remind me fondly of the stage set for Something Rotten! Painstaking detail can be found on each two-page spread.  Jane Sutcliffe's creative text tells the story of London and the popularity of the theater while carefully including the phrases Shakespeare originally penned and we now all use routinely. Words and phrases are bold within the text of the story (printed within a colorfully framed box) and then "Will's Words" are defined and cited showing the work in which the words originally appeared. A time line of events from 1564 (the year Shakespeare was christened) to 1997 (the year the modern Globe opened in London) appears at the end of the book along with a Bibliography.

Here are a few of the phrases used within the text:

• "for goodness' sake"
• "what's done is done"
• "wild-goose chase"
• "fashionable"
• "money's worth"
• "heart's content"
• "well behaved"
• "laughed themselves into stitches"

Not only is this a fascinating look at the influence William Shakespeare has had on the spoken word, it is also a very interesting history of his works and the legacy this master left for us all. I would highly recommend this book for all levels of school libraries, but I think it would have the most impact on high school students as far as understanding the works they are generally required to read during their final years of public school. I believe this could start an interest in Shakespeare's work for younger students if they were to read this book and see how the words and phrases we say and hear have been around for hundreds of years. Wills Words would also be a great gift to any fan of The Bard.

This book will be released on March 22, 2016.

* To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Charlesbridge has provided a complimentary electronic copy of Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the publishing company and is strictly my opinion.