Fractured Fairy Tales

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

I felt the need to start off the New Year with something funny to put us all in the mood for overcoming all the sadness and violence going on around the globe. So here are three stories with slightly different takes on specific myths or fairy tales. May this year bring “peace, love and understanding” not just to us personally but to the whole world.
Hmm, didn’t mean to sound so dark. Did you ever hear what happened when Earl bought Maude a 50 wedding anniversary present? Now, Earl married the woman of his dreams in 1965. She was just the right height to nestle into his shoulder while they danced and he could almost circle her waist with his hands when they married. But age and five children had altered both their figures.

Still, 50 years later, Earl still thinks Maude is one hot number, so he schleps over to Victoria’s Secret and buys the sheerest, sexiest neglige he can find. $500 worth of nothing, but worth every penny. He gives her the box all wrapped with gold and silver paper and tied with a fluffy gold bow.

She slips the bow off the box and edges lose the tape sealing the paper. Maude figured the wrapping beautiful enough to be her present. But when she takes out the neglige and smooths the ivory-white, pure silk fabric, she agrees the wrapping is only second best.

“Go upstairs and try it on, honey,” Earl says. “I want to see if it does you justice.”

In their bedroom, Maude holds the gown up to her naked body, looks in the mirror and realizes how gossamer thin the fabric really is. “Well,” she mutters to herself, “I could use $500, so I’m going to show Earl my body and return this and keep the money.”
Maude walks out to balcony overlooking their great room, where Earl waits for her. “Oh Earl,” she simpers, “here I am.”

Earl looks up with a smile, but when he sees his lovely wife, the smile curves downward. He slaps his thigh and says, “You think for $500 they could at least IRON it!”
Now how’s that for a good laugh?

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This first book gave me a lot of giggles.

Extraordinary: The True Story of My Fairy Godparent, Who Almost Killed Me, and Certainly Never Made Me a Princess
Adam Selzer
Turns out it’s not cool to have a book written about you, if the author makes people believe things that didn’t happen. Instead of turning her into a princess, Jennifer Van Den Berg’s fairy godparent—a disheveled, grumpy elf named Gregory Grue—grants her wishes, but they come with a price or she’ll die. Along the journey, Jennifer learns there are other ways to control one’s anger than smashing dollar-store ceramic figurines. Her favorite guy friend suddenly reappears in her suburb of Des Moines, but is being chased by his parents who want him to become a vampire like them. So she has to save him. Her fairy godmofo, Gregory, is a mess and tangles Jennifer’s life webs into ever more intricate knots. All kinds of supernatural creatures surface in the story; the school counselor is a vampire. Scenes from the fictitious book of her life preface each chapter of the book Jennifer is writing. This is an amusing book, lightheartedly written to prove life is indeed no fairy tale.
BIBLIO: 2011, Delacorte/Random House Children’s Books/Random House, Inc., Ages 14 to 18, $15.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-385-73649-7
ISBN: 978-0-385-90612-8
ISBN: 978-0-375-98358-0
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Though not entirely a fairy tale, the events in King Arthur’s court have spawned many a mythical story.

The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True
Gerald Morris
Illustrated by Aaron Renier
Sir Gawain is one of King Arthur’s bravest knights and has never been defeated in battle, but can be a bit full of himself. He rescues a damsel from the clutches of a fiery dragon, he will take no thanks from her—not a gentle kiss on the cheek, nor a scarf from round her neck. He leaves her alone in the midst of the forest; not even asking her name. Upon hearing of his not-so-courteous manner, King Arthur chides him and Sir Gawain realizes his mistake. Soon after, at a Christmas feast, an enormous green knight thunders into the hall and challenges Sir Gawain to a fight—a blow for blow contest. Sir Green Knight allows Sir Gawain the first blow, ordering him to whack his green neck with a very sharp axe, which leaves Sir Green with his head rolling around on the floor. Turns out Sir Green is a sorcerer quite accustomed to picking up his head and reuniting it with his body. So Sir Gawain is now bound to meet the giant knight in a year hence to receive the return blow. In a series of adventures, the King and his knights meet several unusual people who seem oddly similar to one another through speech or mannerisms and each teaches them something about courtesy. In the end Sir Gawain realizes this has all been a plot devised to make amends for his rude behavior towards the damsel he rescued. The story is well told, with gentle humor and a nice message. And the cartoonish illustrations add to the humor.
BIBLIO: 2011, Houghton Mifflin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, Ages 8 to 12, $14.99
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Middle Reader
ISBN: 978-0-547-41855-1
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The cautionary tale woven into this story is be careful what you meddle in.

Whatever After: Fairest of All
Sarah Mlynowski
Eleven-year-old Abby and her seven-year-old brother, Jonah, are living in a new neighborhood and going to a new school which is fine with Jonah. Abby, on the other hand, is not happy about the changes. For starters, the kids in her class don’t play tag the way she does. They play “Freeze Tag” instead. Shortly after their move, Jonah wakes Abby up to tell her about the strange mirror in their basement. In the hopes of getting Jonah to quit talking about the mirror, Abby follows him into the basement only to discover he’s right. The mirror sucks them, some furniture and lots of law books into a different world. Snow White’s world; where they stop her from eating the poisoned apple. Ooops, realizes Abby, now Snow won’t be rescued by Prince Charming and won’t live “happily ever after.” So Abby and Jonah set about to correct their blunder, but Snow, of course, is confused and not of much help to begin with. The tension ratchets up when Abby catches on that time in Fairy Book Land is faster than real time. They have only so much time to fix Snow’s story and get home before their parents discover they’re missing. Naturally, every plan they try goes awry, but eventually the siblings straighten out the story and connect Snow White and Prince Charming. Best yet, they get back to their house before Mom and Dad notice they’ve been missing. Abby also learns that life does have a way of changing, whether you want it to or not. She decides that Freeze Tag might not be that bad. Fun read, full of lots of humor.
BIBLIO: 2012, Scholastic Press/Scholastic Inc., Ages 8 to 12, $14.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Middle Reader
ISBN: 978-0-545-40330-6

To Grandmother’s House We Go.

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

Do you have memories of Christmas at Granny’s house? Did you look forward to your visit with her? Did you see her other times of the year?

Our maternal grandmother lived with us, so I learned a lot from her, particularly about cooking and reading. She was a good cook and prodigious reader. She was head librarian at our tiny library where she read every single book from picture book on up. Generally she read two to three books a day. The parents trusted her to guide their children’s reading selections whether the book was for younger or older people. But she also was the cook in our family. My sister and I had a miniature electric stove that our uncle sent to us from Germany. Granny would sit me on the counter in our kitchen and show me how to cook whatever she was cooking for dinner. Though she did make the worst fruitcake imaginable. Fond memories.

My other grandmother was a quiet, sad woman, at least after the death of her son, my father, during WWII. But pictures of her when she was a teen, in addition to stories about her riding whatever polo pony she was training back and forth to the rural Arkansas school where she was the teacher, show a different side. An impish, raven-haired beauty, with a gleam in her eye that hinted at her mischievous nature. She was a writer and an interesting person, but preferred visiting with her four boisterous, red-headed grandchildren one or two at a time. My sister named her “Grandmaury,” because we already called our other grandmother “Granny.” Grandmaury was not very much of a cook.

I loved them both and cherish what they taught me. I’m sure you feel the same about yours. Were your grandmothers gentle souls who let you have your way? Or did they rule the roost with a hard demeanor? Do you have a special memory of something you did together or of something they taught you?

The two books I’m presenting in this blog are, as you may have guessed, about grandmothers and their place in children’s lives. Hope you enjoy them. Have a Merry Christmas or Happy Chanukah, or joyous holiday, whatever your religion.
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What Will You Be, Grandma?
Nanette Newman
Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Lily asks what her grandmother will be when she grows up. Grandma says most people think she’s already grown up, but Lily feels Grandma has much growing up to do. Maybe she could go to schools and tell everybody to play instead of doing lessons. Or perhaps she could fly around the world on her newly grown wings and teach people to be kind to their pets. Grandma likes that idea. Maybe she could an artist and paint rainbows or butterflies or possibly tigers on children’s faces. Grandma could heal injured children with a magic kiss as she did when Lily fell. How about being a gardener who grows Brussels sprouts that taste like strawberry ice cream or chocolate cake cabbage? She could give out lollipops so kids can save their allowances. Lily thinks Grandma would be good as a birthday-party entertainer or an old fairy with a magic room-cleaning wand or do children’s homework so they always get a star. But it turns out what Grandma is best at is being Grandma to her darling grandchild, Lily. What a sweet story this is and with charming illustrations. Bound to be a comfort to any little girl and her Grandma.
BIBLIO: 2011 (orig. 2011,) Templar Books/Candlewick Press, Ages 4 to 8, $15.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6099-4
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This second book delightfully focuses on all grandmothers.

All about Grandmas
Ronnie Schotter
Illustrated by Janice Nadeau
Grandmothers are special no matter whether they’re called Granny or Ouma (Afrikaans) or Jaddah (Arabic) or Babushka (Russian) or Abuela (Spanish) or Seanmhathair (Gaelic.) They can play games. They can read. They can cuddle or tickle or serve homemade preserves. Grandmas are sometimes so busy working they hardly have time for anything, except maybe hugs. Some of them dress up fancy and some like to fix or mend things. Though their faces may be wrinkly, their laps are comfy and their eyes show their love. Some people only have pretend grandmamas, but that’s alright too. Love is love. Grandmothers come in different shapes and sizes; each one is special. This sweet story is a nice homage to grandmothers and the illustrations are cute. A picky point is that the rhythm and rhyme are off occasionally. It’s nice to read the names of what grandmothers are called in different cultures and languages. Children will enjoy cuddling on Granny’s soft lap and listening to her read this book.
BIBLIO: 2012, Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group/Penguin Group, Ages 4 to 6, $16.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3714-3

Are You Ready? The Holidays Are upon Us!

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

(One of these days, I’ll figure out all the tricks to this program, but in the meantime, here’s my blog.)
I’ve bought a few presents, but haven’t a clue what to buy for the rest. Dale bought presents for two of the women (our daughter and her partner) in our lives, but our daughter-in-law is “a puzzlement”; dear as she is. Dale and I usually buy something for the two of us, like another piece of art. This year we just finished having the master bath re-papered, which of course meant raising cabinet height and having a new counter top installed. So I figure that does it for us.
Apologies to my non-Christian readers, but I’m concentrating on Christmas for this blog. Though having written that, I do have to tell you about good friends of ours who used to trim our tree on Christmas Eve when we lived in Maryland. They did that because they are ethnic Jews who, though not observant, they never put up a tree. Helene, being a whimsical, artistic woman, made a tree ornament for us out of “baking”clay. The ornament is the head of an Hassidic Jew complete with the braided sideburns, an enormous schnoz and a hat. She named him Rabbi Rabinowitz. Another friend was so jealous, she had to have one for her tree.
Whatever your beliefs, I hope you have a lovely holiday season, with lots of good cheer and love amongst family and friends.
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Lousy as my voice is, even my children let me sing Christmas Carols. They just sing louder than I do.

A Joyful Christmas: A Treasury of New and Classic Songs, Poems, and Stories for the Holiday
Collected by James Ransome
Illustrated by James Ransome
This is a lovely collection of Christmas celebration pieces with beautiful illustrations. Mr. Ransome divided the anthology into two sections: Soul—which he understands to be the spiritual essence of life—and Heart—which he considers to be the core of our being. In the soul section he includes “A Time of Angels,” “Silent Night,” “The Friendly Beasts,” “Maybe in Bethlehem,” A Carol for the Shepherds,” “The Blind Ox,” “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” “What You Gonna Name that Pretty Little Baby?,” “What Can I Give Him?,” “Long, Long Ago,” “There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve,” “On a Christmas Night,” “Joy to the World,” and “The History of Christmas.” The Heart section has “December,” “How I Know,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” “Dear Santa,” “Jingle Bells,” “Christmas Eve at Indian Lake,” “Once There Was a Snowman,” “Day Before Christmas,” Christmas Gift,” A Christmas Gift,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Ms. MacAdoo’s Christmas Guests,” “Deck the Halls,” “Christmas-in-a-Shoebox,” and “Miracle at Midnight.”
BIBLIO: 2010, Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt and Company, All Ages, $19.99
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-8050-6621-0

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Christmas is a time for people to remember Jesus’ message of love, compassion and giving. The next story is about just that.

The Christmas Eve Ghost
Shirley Hughes
Illustrated by Shirley Hughes
In the 1930s, Bronwen and Dylan move to Liverpool, England, from their native village in Wales because their da died in a mining accident and their mam must be a washer woman and seamstress to support the family. Being of a different denomination, Mam will have nothing to do with her neighbors, the O’Rileys. She rushes about before Bronwen and Dylan wake up in the morning to deliver the clean clothes to each house and take away the dirty ones. She worries about her children while she’s gone, but can’t afford a babysitter. Bronwen and Dylan help as much as they can, but they still have time to play. The children know they won’t get much in the way of presents for Christmas, but they don’t mind. Mam works extra hard to afford at least a little present and on Christmas Eve day she takes them with her to deliver the clothes. They are very tired after all that walking, so Mam takes them home to rest while she goes out to finish her shopping. While they wait for Mam to return, the children hear a plonk sound coming from the washer room at the back of their house. Dylan is sure it’s a “horrid ghostie” out to get them and runs screaming into the street. Bronwen is hot on his heels and they both run into Mrs. O’Riley, who shows them it’s naught but her sons and husband playing a game of darts. Mam comes to fetch them home and discovers Mrs. O’Riley to be a nice person willing to look after Bronwen and Dylan when need be. The illustrations are delightful and the story is a sweet message of trust and tolerance.
BIBLIO: 2010, Candlewick Press, Ages 4 to 8, $15.99
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4472-7

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And the third book, repeats the message of love.

The Perfect Christmas
Eileen Spinelli
Illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi
Christmas is joyful no matter how you celebrate it. You can have an artificial tree with wispy branches or go with your parents to pick out and cut a live tree. You can decorate your house with fancy wreaths or stuff you buy in bargain bins. Your homemade baked goods can be yummy or hard as stones. Fancy gifts or simple gifts, either is fine. And playing the kazoo instead of the cello can be just as much fun. What matters is what’s in your heart. Christmas is especially wonderful if it snows, because then everybody shares the feeling whether rich or poor. Ms. Spinelli’s rhymes are wonderful and Ms. Adinolfi’s drawings are charming. This book will give the reader the “warm and fuzzies” every time it is read, which is sure to be often.
BIBLIO: 2011, Christy Ottaviano Books/ Henry Holt and Company, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8702-4

Is it snowing around you? Windy? Unseasonably warm?

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

I had a hard time thinking of an appropriate theme for this week, but finally settled on weather again. One of my brothers-in-law lives on the lucky side of Buffalo, NY—lucky this time, at least. He only got 4 inches of snow. We’ve gotten so much rain in the last few days that we had another “Swan Lake” flood in our back yard. Plus, there seem to be more volcanic eruptions than usual around the world, not to mention earthquakes. So I thought I’d review books on weather and natural phenomena this week.

Happy Thanksgiving

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Anatomy of a Tornado
Terri Dougherty
The natural world of our planet is capable of many awe-inspiring, fearful events and a tornado is among the most amazing occurrences. This book is part of a series discussing disasters and starts with photos and a description of a tornado’s destructive force. (It really does sound like a fast-moving train roaring overhead.) Tornadoes need certain storm conditions to form, which are clearly and graphically described through the use of illustrations and highlighted explanations. There is also a clever experiment using a role of paper towels to let the reader comprehend how a tornado develops. Concise photos of tornadic activity from start to finish give good visual understanding of the storm’s shape. The book also explains away myths about twisters and shows ways of staying safe during a tornado. These destructive forces can occur anywhere and at any time, although they tend to be more prevalent at certain times of the day and year. Photos of the devastation caused by a tornado are breath taking. The book is a good jumping off point for a science teacher’s discussion of weather and its affects on humans and the planet.
BIBLIO: 2011, Velocity/Capstone Press, Ages 8 +, $30.65.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Middle Reader
ISBN: 978-1-4296-5494-4
ISBN: 978-1-4296-6281-9

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Volcano Alert!
Paul Challen
Some people spend their whole lives keeping an eye on the “sleeping giant” hovering over their land. Some volcanoes erupt with regularity, flinging molten rock high in the air or oozing a steady stream down the mountain side. Others, like Mount St. Helen in Oregon, slumber for more than a century before erupting. There are a lot of interesting tidbits of information tucked into this brief overview of volcanic activity and many of the photos are spectacular. Plus, who wouldn’t want to make a volcano? The reader will learn about the four types of volcanoes, the type of rock they make and myths related to why volcanoes erupt. The word volcano comes from the Roman myth that their god Vulcan sent up molten rock and metal as he worked at his forge making weapons. Volcanoes coat everything in their paths with ash or lava, destroying villages and trees, but they also are responsible for building new islands in some parts of the world. Although the reader might be inspired to learn more after reading this Guided Reading Level Q book, there is no bibliography except for a couple of websites.
BIBLIO: 2011, Crabtree Publishing Company, Ages 8 to 10, $8.95.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Chapter Book
ISBN: 978-0-7787-1595-5
ISBN: 978-0-7787-1628-0
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Water Wise
Alison Hawes
One in a series of books put out by Crabtree Connections teaching about history, medicine and environment among other things, this brief paperback discusses water and the ways we can use it more wisely. For instance, only 3% of all water on our planet is drinkable, yet people routinely waste gallons while brushing their teeth or watering the lawn—especially people in wealthy countries. People in poor countries frequently have improper sanitation and can get deadly diseases such as cholera or dysentery because their water supplies are polluted. Much useful information is contained in the book, but nothing really entices middle-grade children to care. Perhaps relating water shortages to lack of a swimming pool or only being able to wash one’s hair or taking a full bath once a week with water the whole family has to share, would give children more of an appreciation for the water problems the world is facing. Simple experiments would also drive the point home. However, teachers will certainly find value in using the information as a starting point in discussing the Earth’s water resources.
BIBLIO: 2011, Crabtree Publishing Company, Age 8 to 12, $8.95.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Middle Reader
ISBN: 978-0-7787-9925-2
ISBN: 978-0-7787-9904-7

Team Work Pays Off

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

Writers spend a lot of time by themselves thinking of how to write what they want to say, what their characters are like and who are the secondary characters. But writers also need help from critique partners and understanding families. This post is about sharing and working together. I chose books that have non-human main characters, just to make it more fun.
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This first story is sweet and might still be in stores or on-line.

Duck and Goose: It’s Time for Christmas
Tad Hills
Duck is walking in the snow with his friend Goose. Duck has a purpose, but Goose wants to play. So Duck tells Goose that it is not time for catching snowflakes. Then Goose must be told it is not time for sledding, nor is it time for making snow angels. Goose also learns it is not time for throwing snowballs and it is not time for making a snowgoose. Duck tells Goose it is not time to skate, which is a good thing, because Goose doesn’t do that very well. He does make quite a handsome snow fort, even though it is not time for doing that either. The next to last scene is Duck calling to Goose to come on as he holds a star behind his back and stands near two other birds decorating a fir tree. When Goose comes, Duck tells him it is time for Christmas and Goose stands on Duck’s head to put the star on top of the tree. A cute story with nice repetition of the phrase “It is not time for…,” makes this a child pleaser. The expressions on Duck and Goose’s faces add to the story’s charm. This is part of the “Duck and Goose” series.
BIBLIO: 2010, Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House Children’s Books/Random House, Inc., Ages 1 to 4, $6.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Board Book
ISBN: 978-0-375-86484-1

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I really enjoyed to drawings in this book.

Elmer and the Hippos
David McKee
Illustrated by David McKee
Elmer, the patchwork Elephant, comes to rescue in another book as he has in books since 1989. This time he must help the hippos get their dried up river back so they don’t use up all the water in the elephants’ river. Things are testy at the elephants’ river as the two groups of animals vie for rights to use the water. Elmer explains the problem to the elephants who agree to share, but not with good grace. He follows the dried up river to a mountain where a bird tells him about big rocks falling and blocking the water. So he and his cousin Wilbur and all the other elephants help the hippos clear the rocks away. When they’re almost done, the water pushes the rest of the rocks away and everybody gets a bath. Because they had such fun working together and then swimming together, the hippos and elephants remain friends. The illustrations are cute and enticing and the story line is a good lesson in working together.
BIBLIO: 2010 (orig. 2003,) Andersen Press USA/Andersen Press Ltd., Ages 4 to 8, $16.95
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-7613-6442-9

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Since this is an animated movie spin-off, I cannot find an author to credit. I’m not a big fan of books designed to feed off movies, but this one is cute, even if it is about snails.

Turbo Racing Team
??
Can a garden snail—and a small one at that—really win the Indy 500? He can if he has big dreams and lots of determination. This book is the print version of the recently released movie and video game by the same name. A product of DreamWorks animated cuteness, the story does have some worthwhile messages to relay—believe in yourself, follow your dreams and be careful whom you admire. Turbo, a.k.a. Theo, is supposed to follow his brother Chet’s lead and work in the garden, but he’d rather be a race car driver like his hero, Guy Gagné. Turbo accidentally ends up in the engine of a drag-racing car which has special additives in its gasoline. The chemical mix gives our intrepid snail super speed and the ability to pick up radio waves. After rescuing Chet from snail-eating crows, our fearless hero happens to meet a human big dreamer who is willing to sponsor Turbo’s dream, if the snail will promote Dos Bros taco restaurant and mobile kitchen on his shell. With the help of other racing snails, the other owners of stores in the taco place’s dilapidated strip mall and finally his brother, Turbo fulfills his dream of winning the Indy 500. Along the way, when he discovers that his idol has clay feet, Turbo takes especial joy in beating him.
BIBLIO: 2013, Simon Spotlight/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, Ages 6 to 9, $5.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Chapter Book
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8420-7
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8421-4

Sports Anyone?

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

Tonight marks the end of the 2014 Major League Baseball season as the San Francisco Giants play the Kansas City Royals in the seventh game of the World Series. Although I started out as a Washington Senators fan back in the 1950s, from the 1980s on I’ve been a Baltimore Orioles fan, so I have mixed feelings about who wins the series. I know, I know, a lot of you don’t care about baseball, but let me tell ya you’re missing out on a wonderful sport. My family has spent many a pleasant afternoon or evening listening to the sounds and sensations of being at a game. “Cold beeah! Cold beeah! Get your ice cold beeah!” Or “Hot Dogs! Buy your hot dogs heah!” Or “Crack! It’s a home run! Adam Jones smacks another one out!” And the warm, moist breeze coming from left field that lulls you into a happy easing of life’s tensions is an indescribable pleasantry. Of course, now a days, in an effort to entice younger fans to come to a game, ball park owners insist on making noise all the time. Little do they know that kids would probably come just for the game if they were given a chance.
But professional football is already in mid-season and pro basketball is just starting up, so sports junkies can still get revved up by their favorite team’s chances. I root for the Baltimore Ravens now, but also have a soft spot for the Washington Redskins and I root for the Washington Wizards, though they used to be the Baltimore Bullets.
There are other sports that have little coverage, but take a lot of strength and agility to perform. Have you ever tried surfing? I’m way to chicken to try it, but it does look like fun—scary, yes, but still exhilarating. Plus, to surf this time a year you’d have to be south of the equator where it’s spring and growing warmer. Makes it even more enticing.
As you’ve probably guessed my reviews this week are about sports. Hope you enjoy them.
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I am the youngest of four redheaded children and my brother Bill was the true sports fanatic in our family. He taught me a lot about sports, including how to throw and hit “like a boy.” That’s a whole ‘nother topic we won’t go into this time. Anyway, during our youth back in the 1950s he had gone to a Senators’ game at the old Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. with some friends. All of a sudden he feels someone rubbing his head and then he hears a slurred voice saying “Bring me luck! Bring me luck.” Bill turned around to the fellow behind him and said, “What are you doing?” The very inebriated guy replied, “Don’t ya know? Redheads brings ya luck!” Bill moved.

Dino-Baseball
Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Barry Gott
What more could a little kid want than a book that includes sports-playing dinosaurs? This time the dinos are playing baseball. And it’s a close game, with fine pitching, good hitting and an angry team manager who gets thrown out of the game. The story is told in rhyme and the illustrations, though cartoonish, give a feel for what the different dinosaurs look like. The vegetarian animals are on the Green Sox team and the meat eaters are on the Rib-Eye Reds team. Fortunately, they don’t try to eat the Green Sox. The game starts out as a pitchers duel, but after the Green Sox’ manager is thrown out of the game; his team begins to hit the ball. They’re up 3 to zip, but Reds come steaming back and take the lead 3 to 4. By the bottom of the ninth, the Sox have tied the game up. It’s up to Apatosaur to win the game for them. Strike one, then two, before old Apty smacks the ball over the wall. I think the readers will enjoy the game. When they are not playing baseball, the dinos play other sports: soccer, hockey and basketball.
BIBLIO: 2010, CarolRhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., Ages 3 to 8, $16.95
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-7613-4429-2
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Now that the powers-that-be have rediscovered that exercise is good for children, we have a resurgence of stories about sports. This second book is about basketball. In my humble opinion, basketball players have the most beautiful bodies. They’re lean and muscular and agile and quick on their feet.

Dino-Basketball
Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Barry Gott
The plant-eating dinos—Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaur, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Jobaria and Lesothosaurus—are on the Grassclippers team and the meat-eaters—Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Raptor, Pterodactyls, Gallimimus, Allosaurus, Baryonyx and Compsognathus—are on the Meat team. The description of the game is in lively rhyme and the action is intense, with blocked shots, fouls, plenty of scores and even the half time show is full of excitement. The underdog Meats win just as the buzzer sounds. The illustrations are appropriately cartoonish, but factual enough to give the viewer an idea of what each creature looks like. Ms. Wheeler’s rhymes are very clever with a fast paced rhythm. Grown-ups will have an easy time and enjoy reading this to their young dinos. The basketball terminology also rings true.
BIBLIO: 2011, Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group, Ages 3 to 8
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-7613-63-93-4
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I don’t know about now, but back in the 1930s surfers wishing to surf the mile from Diamond Head into the beach had to be licensed. My Uncle Paul, who was always a daredevil, earned his license. And my father, at the age of 5, learned to swim near there. Of course, he almost drowned, as did the family dog, because they were swimming out to join my grandfather. Paco was extremely tired when he finally got back to shore ferrying his son and dog. Daddy never stopped swimming.
I can just imagine the feeling a surfer must have while riding a big wave. Probably the same feeling I had taking a horse over a big fence or when I was taking flying lessons. Like you own the world and you’re free of gravity.

Xtreme Sports: Surfing
S. L. Hamilton
Illustrated by Adam Weathered, Bishop Museum, Corbis, Getty Images, iStockphoto, National Geographic, Photo Researchers
The photos are outstanding and the quotes sprinkled throughout the book are a cautionary tale. What there is in the way of information is useful, including the brief history of Polynesians and Hawaiians inventing the sport, which they called the “Sport of Kings.” But the sport became popular in the States during the 1960s. Turns out the term “Hang Five” means walking to the front end of the board and hanging the toes of one foot over the edge. Surf boards are broken down into categories according to length. Long boards are longer than 9 feet (3 m) and are also heavier, which makes them easier to paddle and catch a wave, allowing the surfer to surf a small wave. Made popular in the 1960s, shortboards are less than 7 feet (2 m) long and weigh approximately 10 pounds (5 kg). They are great for tight turns or cutbacks, but are hard to paddle and control. Killer waves—16 to 50 foot (5-15 m) waves—require longer, heavier, streamlined boards called guns and should be attempted by advanced riders only. Sometimes big wave surfers get “tow-ins” to get out far enough and fast enough to catch the wave. Sort of like water skiing until you catch the wave. Other board sports briefly mentioned are kiteboarding, sailboarding or windsurfing, and skimboarding on “sleds.” Although the length of the book doesn’t give room for a whole tutorial, I would have liked a little information on how to surf.
BIBLIO: 2010, ABDO Publishing Company, Ages 12 +, $25.65
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-61613-005-3

Fantasize all you want

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

How about some fantasy for this week’s blog? There are 80 zillion books on the subject, or so it seems, and most of them are mediocre at best. On the other hand there are some worth noting.

I can’t decide whether I like fantasy or not, though I do like Sci-Fi. Actually, I like most anything that is well written. And that’s the problem I have with a lot of fantasy; it’s not well written. If you want to sample some good fantasy, read John Claude Bemis’ trilogy based on tall tales such as the nine-pound hammer. Along the way, you’re given a good dose of American history.

And we all fantasize about how we’d like our lives to be or how nice it would be to live in a peaceful world, where everyone is treated as an equal. Hope you enjoy my selections.

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The first story is quite intriguing with all kinds of plot twists.

Nerve
Jeanne Ryan
A cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for while discovering who your true friends are, this book does let the reader suspend disbelief for the most part. I’m not fond of prologues, though some of Shakespeare’s are spectacular, but this one isn’t and gives away that game players are never free of the “Watchers.” Plus the girl in the prologue never is mentioned in the story which follows. Seventeen-year-old Vee has watched other people compete for prizes given by an online game producer called Nerve and has laughed along with all her friends as the contestants do silly and embarrassing things. Successful competitors move up the levels to harder and more dangerous dares, but it’s all a fake, right? Vee is suckered in to win a prize that’s seems picked just for her. Since the outcome of her dare is a bit more revealing than she has anticipated, she agrees with her best friend that she will do no more. In the meantime, Vee is serving her six-month’s punishment for falling asleep in her car with the motor running, parked in the garage and everybody thinks she is suicidal. She isn’t and she works hard to prove that to her parents. The prizes entice her to try another dare, which makes her friend super angry with her. The good things about the dares are the hot guy she’s been paired with and the ever more enticing prizes—like a full ride at a top-notch fashion-design school. But is it worth it to be stuck in a locked room with several other contestants all armed with guns? In desperation, Vee smashes a two-way mirror and escapes with her friends, declaring the game to be over, but is it?
BIBLIO: 2012, Dial Books/Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Ages 14 +, $17.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3832-4

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The second book could probably be written about real life events, but in my mind it still is fantasy. I don’t think anybody has worked out a program that will tell you whether your current heartthrob feels the same about you or whether you can manipulate him/her into falling for you. This is a fun read.

The Boyfriend App
Katie Sise
Audrey loves working with computers and spending time with like-minded friends, including super-hot Aidan. Even though Blake, ex-bff, and her minions call Audrey’s group troglodytes, Audrey is comfortable with Aidan, Nijit and Mindy. But Blake can’t stop tormenting Audrey. And to make matters worse, when Audrey’s dad was killed in an equipment failure at Blake’s father’s company, the official word was driver error. So Audrey and her mom got no monetary compensation from the company and Blake’s father publicly blamed Audrey’s father. Things get more and more toxic until the two girls have a physical fight because Blake throws away Audrey’s rabbit foot charm given to her by her father. Blake’s uncle, Principal Dawkins, announces a contest for who can build the best app and says the prize is $200,000 of college scholarship money. But her mother has banned Audrey from using her computer for a week. Not to be stopped, Audrey—trained by her father to be a super hacker—starts brainstorming app ideas. After a texting exchange with Aidan about the homecoming dance, she hits on the winning app—how to find the perfect boyfriend. And with the help of her cousin Lindsay, Audrey’s app is a smashing success, even though it does produce some unlikely matches. But when she accidentally discovers the buyPhone, so popular with all teens, has been programmed to make the user want to buy unnecessary things, she decides to show the company and Blake’s dad up. She succeeds; in the end clearing her dad’s reputation, getting her perfect boyfriend—Aidan—and making Blake’s dad own up to all his lies. Although Blake is a bit over the top in her bullying, the story is well told and could be used for classroom discussions of bullying, believing in oneself and building computer applications.
BIBLIO: 2013, Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 13 +, $17.99.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-06-219526-5
ISBN: 978-0-06-219528-9
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The last book is fantasy in the more classical sense, I suppose, with a Daphne du Maurier darkness to it.

Consumed
Kate Cann
Rayne has been caught up in the evil power of Morton’s Keep since she came to work at the tea shop two and half months ago. She had left home to get away from family drama and fell into much more evil drama. When the story opens she thinks the evil has been contained and that she’s safe, with even a new boyfriend in the making. The boyfriend part has its ups and downs, but the evil part just keeps getting bigger. Plus many of the townspeople think Rayne has special powers to save the town from the evil. Morton’s Keep is an ancient manor house originally owned by man who could conjure of nasty spirits and other terrifying entities and his true believers have tried to restore his evil through themselves. The Watchers work to protect the Keep and town from such evil by lighting bonfires at the points surrounding the area which would depict a six-sided star. Rayne’s new boyfriend is a watcher and fire dancer, which makes her wonder whether he really is interested in her or is just using her special powers. The Keep’s present owner hires a new, female, manager, who convinces him to embrace the building’s storied dark mysteries. He is smitten by her as things turn darker and scarier. Soon Rayne realizes she’s the key to saving everyone and uses her powers to find the missing link which will let the Watchers capture the evil presence for good. Other than feeling the story took place 14th century England, when people didn’t have cell phones, and is a sequel to an earlier book, the book is enjoyable. I never did figure out how old Rayne is, since sometimes she seems like a teenager, but people give her alcoholic beverages to drink on several occasions.
BIBLIO: 2009, Point/Scholastic, Inc., Ages 14 +, $16.99
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-545-26388-7

When a little adds up to a lot

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

I’ve always loved anthologies because they present snippets of various writers’ styles, especially if the stories have a common theme. There are a number of good anthologies out there, but these three I thought were especially interesting. Hope you enjoy them.

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First up is a compelling group of stories that will wrench at your heart. It’s definitely worth a read.

Diverse Energies: The Future is Here. Are You Ready?

Edited by Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti

This anthology speaks to inevitable jumbling of the world’s cultures, frequently using dark dystopian stories. The horror exploded in Nagasaki and Hiroshima during WWII haunts “The Last Day,” Ellen Oh’s not particularly well written story tells of human survival and loyalty to friends. In “Freshee’s Frogurt,” which will appeal to boys, Daniel H. Wilson tells of a police officer questioning a teen who survived an attack by an-out-of-control robot. One of the better stories, “The Uncertainty Principle,” by K. Tempest Bradford, is about a girl caught up in a time warp, where the world constantly changes around her. In “Pattern Recognition,” Ken Liu tells of a boy who discovers the compound he lives in is full of lies. Greg van Eekhout’s “Gods of the Dimming Night,” is a compelling mix of improbability and mythic intrigue about an Indonesian-American boy who ends up fighting and killing a warrior from Odin’s army. “Next Door,” by Rahul Kanakia, pits “squatters” against property owners. Malinda Lo’s “Good Girl,” looking for her brother in the tunnels where non-purebloods live, falls in love with a mutt girl and finally realizes her brother is dead. “A Pocket Full of Dharma” is all the protagonist of Paolo Bacigalupi’s story wants but instead ends up with a data cube containing the conscience of the nineteenth Dali Lama in his pocket. Kidnapping a privileged Taiwanese girl not only nets Cindy Pon’s protagonist lots of money, but also creates a longing in the girl to see “Blue Sky.” “What Arms to Hold Us,” by Rajan Khanna, has the main character driving his robot to freedom. Finding one’s place in the universe is the well-written theme of Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Solitude.” The stories do offer love, hope and family obligation, but enough with the dystopia.

BIBLIO: 2012, Tu Books/Lee & Low Books, Inc., Ages 12 +, $17.95.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Young Adult

ISBN: 978-1-60060-887-2

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Though not strictly an anthology, all of the stories could be told separately and still hold their integrity. The characters all have sympathetic qualities to keep the reader engaged and rooting for them.

Tales from My Closet

Jennifer Anne Moses

Five girls are entering 10th grade at the West Falls High School, each with her own emotional baggage and an interest in the clothes she wears. Short Justine, the new girl at the school, wears a paper dress she bought just before her family moved from San Francisco—super cool there, not so much in New Jersey. Tall and drop-dead gorgeous, raven-haired Becka is missing Paris and twenty-six-year-old Arnaud, the stereotypically debonair French heartthrob she met there. She wears the scarf he gave her and the raincoat he’d lent her as part of her first-day-of-10th-grade ensemble. Becka’s best friend, Robin, a “shopaholic,” lands a summer internship in Manhattan with Becka’s aunt, super famous fashion designer Libby Pine. Banned from spending money, Robin gets creative with pajama tops or bottoms paired with classy looking belts and tank tops—all bought on sale with babysitting money. She loves her internship and is complemented on her style. Becka and Robin’s friend Polly is a swimmer, who obsesses over the size of her butt and any money her mother spends on her, since her father split from them many years ago. She and Mommy visit her paternal grandfather in his nursing home at least once a week. Ann’s parents want her to focus on academics so she gets into Princeton as her sister has, but Ann wants to be a fashion blogger and do all the drawing. She is super petite and feels she looks like a ten-year-old. Plus she has a tendency to be a blabbermouth. When her maternal grandmother gives her some vintage clothes, Ann feels transformed. The girls of course change during the school year and come to terms with themselves and their problems. This is a nicely told story, with real characters and real dreams.

BIBLIO: 2014, Scholastic Press/Scholastic, Inc., Ages 12 +, $17.99.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Young Adult

ISBN: 978-0-545-51608-2

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I really enjoyed this one. It’s full of life and intrigue. All the stories have common elements to them.

Welcome to Bordertown: New Stories and Poems of the Borderlands

Edited by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner

It is amazing the number of subcultures existing within our overarching culture. The culture of this anthology is probably well loved by “goth” kids. It’s the magical region between the human World and the Realm of the faeries (Elves) who prefer to be called the Truebloods. When the Way to Bordertown is open, runaways and kids looking for affirmation of hope flock there. But be careful, the elfin magic is quirky in this region and the Truebloods can be arrogant or cruel. Also know that time slows down here—two weeks in Bordertown equate to thirteen years in the World. A number of the stories are very matter of fact about sexual encounters amongst the teen protagonists or their use of drugs. No consequences discussed for these choices. But, for the most part, the characters are well drawn and the stories are compelling, though Cory Doctorow’s “Shannon’s Law” was confusing and “Fair Trade” (written by Sara Ryan and drawn by Dylan Meconis) took a second reading. And perhaps the best was saved to last: “A Tangle of Green Men,” by Charles de Lint, about a young Native American who goes to Bordertown to find the way across the Realm to the land where his dead wife waits for him. Instead, he finds a reason to live. Fantasy always opens a way to discuss life forces with kids and this collection of stories reaches out nicely to those looking for hope. The other authors are Terri Windling, considered the font of fantasy stories; Patricia A. McKillip; Catherynne M. Valente; Amal El-Mohtar; Emma Bull; Steven Brust; Alaya Dawn Johnson; Will Shetterly; Jane Yolen; Janni Lee Simner; Tim Pratt; Annette Curtis Klause; Nalo Hopkinson; Delia Sherman; Christopher Barzak, Cassandra Clare and Neil Gaiman.

BIBLIO: 2011, Random House Children’s Books/Random House, Inc., Ages 14 +, $19.99.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Young Adult

ISBN: 978-0-375-86705-7

ISBN: 978-0-375-96705-4

ISBN: 978-0-375-89745-0

Siblings. Do You Love Them? Or Not?

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

I was looking at a photo of my brother Bill and me on his tricycle which made me smile. He died last year and I miss him, though he frequently did big-brother mean things to me, he always took care me when I needed it. When the picture was taken, I was three or four and he was a year and half older, with flame red hair and freckles. My hair hadn’t turned that red yet—more strawberry blonde at that point. I was standing behind Bill on the back step of his trike as he pedaled us around our backyard in Hollywood, California, when Mother snapped the picture.

Bill and I were forever getting into mischief, like the time we coated our entire bodies—except for our hair–in charcoal dust awaiting mixing into white paint so our house would be light grey. This was back in the early 1940s. We looked very funny until Mother had to scrub our skin with a brush and harsh soap.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to tell you about books that deal with sibling relationships. Hope you enjoy them.

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Even sci-fi stories can have sibling rivalry in them and this book is a fun read.

Boom

Mark Haddon

Jim has a typical younger brother relationship with his 16 year old sister, Becky; he drops a cheese and jelly sandwich on her boyfriend, Craterface, and she smacks Jim upside the head. Then she tells him she overheard teachers at their school talking about what a poor student he is and whether they should transfer him to a school for kids with problems where there are bars on the windows and people howling. Something else for him to worry about along with watching his father play with model planes and sink into depression because he can’t find a job. Jim’s mother has a good job and expects her husband to do the household stuff, but he keeps forgetting and he’s an awful cook. Jim gets his best friend, Charlie, to help him figure out if he really is going to be expelled. Charlie’s way eager to help and sneaks a walkie-talkie into the teacher’s lounge just before the weekly staff meeting. Although they don’t hear any mention of Jim’s name, they do overhear two of the teachers speaking a strange language after the meeting. Things go downhill from there, leading Jim and Becky to run for their lives on Craterface’s motorcycle. Turns out the teachers are only two of many aliens bent on kidnapping humans to repopulate their planet. Jim and friends not only save the day, he becomes friends with his sister, gives his dad an attitude-changing cookbook which lands him a job and our hero is not expelled from school. Very funny book with lots of tension and a great alien language.

BIBLIO: 2009 (orig. 1992), David Fickling Book/Random House Children’s Books/Random House, Ages 12 +, $15.99

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Young Adult

ISBN: 978-0-385-75187-2

ISBN: 978-0-385-75188-9

ISBN: 978-0-375-89364-3

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I was happy to get this second book to review since I love reading about horses, but this one left a lot to be desired, plus the girl’s relationship with her sisters in mostly unbelievable.

Chosen

Jessica Burkhart

Lauren has it all, or so it seems, in this introduction of her starring role within the “Canterwood Crest” series. But she does have to get over her fear of jumping caused by a nasty spill on a cross-country course and she does worry about being accepted into the elite Canterwood Crest boarding school where she hopes to further her riding skills. And then the older of her two sisters, Charlotte, is coming home from college for the summer, making Lauren anxious about their on-going sibling rivalry fight. But she does have her faithful boyfriend, Taylor, and her two BFFs who give her encouragement. It is amazing that her parents seem to have no problem with their twelve-year-old daughter going on real dates and wearing make-up, or that the younger of her two older sisters, Becca, has no resentment in being yanked away from school and neighborhood so Lauren can go to a prep school that will be a stepping-stone to her admittance to Canterwood Crest. The all too brief description of riding will disappoint horse-lovers and the obsession with make-up and clothes should make parents roll their eyes and sigh in disgust.

BIBLIO: 2011, Aladdin Mix/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division/Simon & Schuster Publishing, Ages 8 to 12, $6.99.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Middle Reader

ISBN: 978-1-4424-1946-9

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Have you ever lived through a tornado? If not, the description is this book will make you feel as if you had. The main character loses a lot, but in the end she gains much. You might even be able to find a copy in a book store.

Torn Away

Jennifer Brown

Just as she ‘s about to finish her junior year in high school, Jersey Cameron’s whole life is blown away when a massive tornado wipes out a large swath of her Missouri town. Her mother and younger sister, Marin, die and then her stepfather, Ronnie, ships her off to her biological father and her paternal grandparents whom she has never met. Her remarried birth father has twin daughters who are cruel to Jersey. She sleeps on the screen porch of her grandparents’ seriously overcrowded house. With the exception of her aunt, who lives in the house with her two out-of-control sons, everyone is mean to her and very un-accepting. Then she learns her parents didn’t separate in the way she had always been told; that her mother wasn’t as truthful as she could have been. Eventually she is foisted off on to her also unknown maternal grandparents, but by now is so hurt and angry and guilt-ridden for ignoring Marin, she is rude. Since her mother told her lies about them, she is surprised to discover they are good people who just want to help her heal. The description of Jersey’s surviving the storm all alone in the basement of her house is electrifying and her struggle to survive the pain and suffering she endures is emotionally powerful. The book is a good read and the characters are well defined.

BIBLIO: 2014, Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group, Ages 13 +, $18.00.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Young Adult

ISBN: 978-0-316-24553-1

ISBN: 978-0-316-24551-7

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Next week I’m going to tell you about some anthologies I’ve reviewed. Sarah

What’s Your Favorite Pet?

by sarahsbookreflections, posted in Uncategorized

When we had a horse farm, one of the neighborhood kids to whom I was giving riding lessons, asked if I could only have one animal what would it be. I’m pretty sure she thought I’d say a horse, but I told her a dog. Horses are wonderful creatures and very near to my heart, but you can’t cuddle with them on the sofa or the bed. Cats are also good pets, but they don’t relate to humans the way dogs do. Plus, I’ve had dogs most of my life.

First my family had cocker spaniels, a beagle and a basset hound, and a standard poodle who was a wonderful retriever.

When my handsome devil and I got married we got the children a Llewellyn setter puppy from the pound. The kids named him Ashley, because he was English, and we all adored him, as did the kitten we adopted at the same time. He lived for fourteen years, accompanying us from Alabama to two different houses in Maryland and finally to the horse farm.

Our next dog, Jazz’s Double Dutch, was a beautiful chocolate-brown Labrador retriever. He was very smart and lived his eleven years to the fullest. He adored children, but was not fond of most other dogs.

Our last dog was a German Shorthair Pointer, named Dawn’s Border Patrol, but we called him Jake. He loved everybody and welcomed our new kitten with a tongue bath. But most importantly, he was a spectacular hunting dog.

So I thought I’d treat you to reviews of dog books.

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First up is a picture book about a basset hound that lives on a ranch. Bassets have very mournful eyes and droopy ears. When they are puppies their ears are too long for their legs, so they frequently step on their ears. Or the ear tips end up dipping into the puppy’s feed bowl and then leave a trail when the dog is finished.

Charlie the Ranch Dog

Ree Drummond

Illustrated by Diane deGroat

Charlie-the-Bassett-Hound lives on a ranch with his friend and helper, Suzie-the-Jack-Russell-Terrier. Where Charlie’s ears almost drag the ground as he ambles about on his stubby legs, Suzie’s ears sit high on her head as she bounces around on her short legs. And paws; why Charlie’s are big to support his weight and long body, but Suzie’s are trim and give her more spring to her stride. Charlie forgives Suzie her flaws and tries to keep her out of trouble. Suzie can jump much better than Charlie, not to mention dig and run better. Charlie doesn’t hold that against her either. Charlie means to get up early to help with the chores, but Suzie beats him to the punch. The story continues telling of Charlie being a bit late for all of his chores, which Suzie does for him. The thing Charlie does best is eat his breakfast, especially if there is bacon involved. But in the end, Charlie does save the day—or at least the garden—by chasing the cows out. Children may not understand the tongue-in-cheek tone to this story, but they will like the pictures and the grown-ups will get a chuckle while reading it.

BIBLIO: 2011, Harper/HarperCollins Children’s Books/HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Picture Book

ISBN: 978-0-06-199655-9

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Have you ever seen a Saint Bernard in person? They’re so big a small child could probably ride on one. Their coats are luxuriously thick, like a cushiony rug to cuddle with for a nap.

Dogs in the Dead of Night

Mary Pope Osborne

Number 46 in the “Magic Tree House: A Merlin Mission” series is about St. Bernards who rescue stranded travelers in Switzerland. Annie and Jack are tasked with finding a rare flower to help friends reverse a spell. So they go to their magic tree house and read the message their friends have left them: find a special yellow and white flower and live its meaning for an hour. The book they’re to use is about the Swiss Alps, in particular the Saint Bernard Pass. But when they get there, all they find is snow and mountains. Jack is sure they’ll never find the flower and to make matters worse they are caught in an avalanche. They are rescued by a Saint Bernard trained by a group of monks who breed the dogs. To repay the monks, Annie helps train an exuberant pup, Barry, and in the end the two children become Saint Bernard dogs for an hour by drinking the magic elixir they’d been given. This way they can find Barry who ran off after being scolded for destroying a book. They have a grand time as the dogs, find Barry and rescue a soldier from Napoléon Bonaparte’s army. While they’re dogs, they explain to Barry how he must behave, winning the gratitude of the monks. One of them gives Jack and Annie a dried yellow and white flower. They get home in time to be ready for school. A nice way to teach a little history to kids, this story is fast paced and entertaining.

BIBLIO: 2011, Random House Children’s Books/Random House, Inc., Ages 7 to 9, $12.99.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Chapter Book

ISBN: 978-0-375-86824-5

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And finally we have a story about Great Pyrenees—another large breed good at rescuing people in the snow. In a neighboring town when I was growing, a family had such a dog. I remember one summer day riding with my older brother in the family car. We stopped at a stop sign and the next thing we knew a shaggy white head poked through Richard’s rolled down window to say hello. He still had all four feet planted on the ground. Another gentle giant.

White Fur Flying

Patricia MacLachlan

This is a charmer of a story about the power of dogs to help heal an emotionally wounded boy who moves in across a small field. But it’s also the story of the need to rescue and nurture abandoned animals—in this case Great Pyrenees, who come with mounds of fluffy white hair. At first the boy, Phillip, won’t speak to anyone, but soon he starts talking to the dogs and bonds with a newly rescued pup named Jack. When Jack runs away in the middle of a rainy night, Phillip goes off to find him. Zoë, the story’s narrator, knows where to look for both of them. Phyllis, the woman taking care of Phillip, panics and feels it’s all her fault that Phillip ran off.   Zoë does find Phillip and Jack asleep in a barn full of hay and falls asleep herself. When she awakes, Phillip is talking up a storm. Then Zoë’s mom comes in with the family’s dog and they all walk home together. Turns out Phyllis isn’t the prickly pear everyone thought her to be and even lets the dogs sleep on her beautiful velvet-covered sofa. The only quibble with the book is the setting. It is hard to tell how much property Zoë’s family owns, because they can see Phillip’s house across the field and stream quite clearly, but somewhere abutting Zoë’s property are cow and horse pastures. Still, this is such a lovely story, don’t let the setting keep you from reading it.

BIBLIO: 2014 (orig. 2013,) Margaret K, McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division/ Simon & Schuster, Ages 7 to 9, $5.99.

REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan

FORMAT: Chapter Book

ISBN: 978-1-4424-2171-4

ISBN: 978-1-4424-2172-1

ISBN: 978-1-4424-2173-8

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I’d love to hear what your favorite animal is. Is it a snake, or a lizard, or a frog, or a llama, or a cat or a dog? Thanks for reading my blog, Sarah.