Book reviews, commentary, and other literary stuff
Following are brief reviews of books Page Turners presently has available for book discussion groups. If you would like to share your comments about any book, any time, please sign onto the listserv and let us have them! If your comments tend to be lengthy, we may post them to this site.
1. Holes, by Louis Sachar. The 1998 Newbery Award-winning novel. Stanley Yelnats is sent to a correctional camp in Texas whose residents include kids named Zero and Barfbag. Suddenly he finds himself separating the strands of multiple mysteries--not only of shady goings-on at the camp, but also of previous generations, as well as the mystery of growing up. (Grades 6-8)
2. The Watsons Go To Birmingham--1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis. Kenny Watson thinks growing up in Detroit is weird. His brother Byron is always in hot water, the Watsons have trouble making ends meet, and "Ozzie and Harriet" is the culture he sees on TV. But the America of 1963 is even weirder than Kenny knows..until the Watsons go to Birmingham. (Grades 6-8)
3. The Time Warp Trio, by Jon Scieszka. Joe and his friends have a ticket to travel through time, but in all three of these comedy-adventures the ticket threatens to become one-way. Take your pick from an encounter with King Arthur's Knights, Blackbeard the Pirate, or a West wilder than Clint Eastwood ever saw. (Grades 4-6)
4. Mean Margaret, by Tor Seidler. You've got to feel sorry for Fred. He marries Phoebe, the woodchuck of his dreams, only to have his cozy home invaded by a cyclone of an abandoned human baby named Margaret. With the help of gentle Phoebe and some concerned friends, Fred discovers that sometimes good deeds do get rewarded. (Grades 3-4)
5. Nothing But the Truth, by Avi. All Phil wants to do is get out of Miss Narwin's English class. His scheme to accomplish this sounds innocent enough, but it quickly goes haywire and has consequences Phil never dreamed of. A great book about school, communication, and taking responsibility. (Grades 5-8)
6. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, by Bette Bao Lord. When 10-year old Shirley Temple Wong leaves China with her mother to join her father in America, she believes she is heading for the "Beautiful Country." What she is headed for is the 5th grade in Brooklyn's P.S. 8 and a whole lot of culture shock. But she also finds that America's great pastime in Brookyln spans more than the East River. (Grades 4-6)
7. Frindle, by Andrew Clements. Nick's a fifth-grader who doesn't mind a battle of wits with his teachers, but his showdown with Mrs. Granger assumes legendary proportions. It seems Nick's hit on the revolutionary idea that objects are whatever you call them, and he calls a pen a "frindle." This is a neat package of fun and philosophy. (Grades 4-6)
8. My Life In Dog Years, by Gary Paulsen. We measure our lives in all sorts of ways, and this author measures his by the dogs he's had over the years. These are not "pets", mind you: they're treasured friends with memorable gifts and personalities. It's difficult to imagine a young reader immune to the charms of Cookie, Caesar, and Josh. (Grades 5-8)
9. The View From Saturday, by E.L. Konigsberg. When a team working together equals more than the sum of its parts, we say it has synergy. Well, this story about a team of sixth-grader academics called "The Souls" has synergy to spare--as well as wisdom, humor, and style. What's more important: learning to answer questions, or ask them? (Grades 6-8)
10. Virtually Perfect, by Dan Gutman. It was only a matter of time before the computer age spawned its own "Frankenstein" story. When you meet Victor the Vactor you'll find yourself wondering how far off in the future he might really be! (Grades 5-8)
11. Regarding the Fountain, by M. Sarah Klise. We have a number of tales about ordinary beginnings mushrooming way out of control, but this has got to be the funniest. Dry Creek Middle School wants a plain and simple fountain, but plain and simple aren't in designer Flo Waters' vocabulary. Making friends and solving a mystery round out the plot. (Grades 5-7)
12. The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara. This is a rare book: a modern classic accessible to adults and young readers alike. This depiction of the Battle of Gettysburg puts your feet on Little Round Top and your emotions in the hearts of the men who fought there--from generals to humble recruits. The best Civil War novel ever written. (Grades 7-8)
13. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. The first four books in this wildly popular series are hits with youngsters on both sides of the Atlantic. As even Muggles (non-wizards) know by now, Harry is attending the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry where he is a star Seeker on the Quidditch team. But it's not all fun and games. Harry is uncertain about his wizard heritage, a summer captive of the muggle Dursleys, and frequently called upon to battle the most dire wizards in the realm of black magic. (Grades 5-8)
The Americanization of Harry Potter. A recent issue of The New Yorker reports that "One reason that American kids relate so well to Harry, the adolescent wizard, may be that he speaks their language--literally." Arthur Levine, the series' United States editor, substituted American usage for British when not doing so might leave the text "incomprehensible." So "barking mad" becomes "complete lunatic" and "going on holiday" becomes "vacation." But some authentic Anglicisms are left in to keep the British flavor of the dialogue, for example, "She got a bit shirty with me"--meaning she got overbearing and formal--remains as is in the text. Author J.K. Rowling and her editors hope the results sounds British without being so British it can't be understood.
14. Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco. This is Ms. Polacco's fictionalized autobiography about growing up learning disabled. Trisha doesn't know why she is unable to read like the other children in her grade and suffers ostracism and shame. Only when a gifted and compassionate teacher intervenes is she able to unlock the treasure of reading...and come to terms with her fears and longings. (Grades 3-4)
15. The Beaded Moccasins, by Lynda Durrant. Based on the true story of the capture of Mary Campbell by Indians as a 12-year old. Mary must learn to adapt to a new culture...and eventually she comes to value many of its insights about the world and society. Her most difficult trial, however, may come when her two worlds once again meet face to face. (Grades 5-7)
16. Echohawk, by Lynda Durrant. Jonathan is captured by Indians, but is fortunate to be taken under the wing of his captor, Glickihigan. Still, he seems destined to be part of both worlds, never completely whole. When he is sent with his Indian friends to be "educated" at a white mission school, he must decide where his real loyalties lie. (Grades 5-8)
17. The Skin I'm In, by Sharon Flake. Maleeka has a difficult time being accepted by her African-American friends because of her ebony dark skin. Hurt and resentful, she finds it easy to strike out at her new teacher, a white woman with a disfiguring facial birthmark...and to side with the friends whose acceptance she craves when some basic matters of right and wrong emerge. Some very complex issues are at work here. (Grades 7-8)
18. Wrestling Sturbridge, by Rich Wallace. Ben is the second-best wrestler of his weight class in the state--and second string to the best, his friend and a member of his team. As a "jock" Ben has many social advantages in a small school, yet he is driven by the dedicated athlete's need to be the best, as well as the very real need to win a scholarship and escape his hometown. A great father-son read. (Grades 7-8)
19. The Sign of the Beaver, by Elizabeth George Speare. Thirteen-year old Matt is left to guard his family's cabin in the Maine wilderness, and quickly finds himself unable to survive the harsh winter ahead. An Indian boy named Attean arrives to begin teaching Matt the "signs" that will help to become self-sufficient...and Matt, in turn, agrees to teach Attean the white man's signs: reading. Whose lesson will be the more valuable? (Grades 4-7)
20. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi. As the lone "young lady" on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious. (Grades 6-8)
21. Juan Bobo: Four Folktales from Puerto Rico, by Carmen Bernier-Grand. Stories in Spanish in back of book: The Best Way to Carry Water -- A Pig in Sunday Clothes -- Do Not Sneeze, Do Not Scratch, Do Not Eat -- A Dime a Jug. (Grades 2 and 3)
22. Ordinary Magic,, by Malcolm Bosse.
Uprooted from his home in India by a tragedy, Ganesh
begins a new life in the Midwest where his experiences with Hinduism,
Yoga, and mantras are considered alien.
23. Arthur Writes a Story, by Marc Brown. Arthur has to write a story as a homework assignment and keeps changing his idea of what to write as he talks to his friends. (Grades 2 - 4)
24. Ramona’s World, by Beverly Cleary. Follows the adventures of nine-year-old Ramona at home with big sister Beezus and baby sister Roberta and at school in Mrs. Meacham's class. (Grades 2-5)
25. Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech. Newbery Medal Winner. After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left. (Grades 4-8)
26. Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon, by Paula Danziger. The year she is in the third grade is a sad time for Amber because her best friend Justin is getting ready to move to a distant state. (Grades 2 - 4)
27. The Great Brain, by John D. Fitzgerald. The exploits of the Great Brain of Adenville, Utah are described by his younger brother, frequently the victim of the Great Brain's schemes for gaining prestige or money. (Grades 4 - 6)
28. Jackie and Me, by Dan Gutman. Sequel to: Honus and Me. With his ability to travel through time by using baseball cards, Joe goes back to 1947 to meet Jackie Robinson, turning into a black boy in the process. (Grades 4 - 7)
29. Betsy, Tacy, and Tib, by Maude Hart Lovelace. Betsy and Tacy’s friendship expands when Tib moves into the neighborhood. Instead of quarreling with each other, like the adults thought they would, they quarrel with their big sisters. In spite of some trouble, they always have a good time. (Grades 4 - 6)
30. Libby Bloom, by Susan Rowan Masters. When Libby, a fourth-grader who envies the accomplishments of her older sister, begins tuba lessons with a perceptive band teacher, she discovers that she has hidden talents of her own. (Grades 3 - 5)
31. Chocolate Fever, by Robert Kimmel Smith. From eating too much chocolate, Henry breaks out in brown bumps that help him foil some hijackers and teach him a valuable lesson about self-indulgence. (Grades 4 - 6)
32. The War With Grandpa, by Robert Kimmel Smith. Peter;s grabpa is moving into his house. He thinks it will be a lot of fun but then Grandpa moves into Peter’s room, forcing him upstairs. Peter, with the help of his friends, creates some crazy plans to make Grandpa surrender. Will he? (Grades 5 - 8)
33. A Beautiful Pearl, by Nancy Whitelaw. Although her mind is deteriorating from the effects of Alzheimer's disease, Grandma presents Lisa with a special gift on her birthday.
34. The Castle In the Attic, by Elizabeth Winthrop. A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a personal quest. (Grades 5 - 8)
35. The Battle for the Castle, by Elizabeth Winthrop. Sequel to: The Castle in the Attic. Twelve year-old William uses the magic token to return, through the toy castle in his attic, to the medieval land of Sir Simon, which is now menaced by a skeleton ship bearing a plague of ravenous rats.(Grades 4 - 7)
36. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary. A reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.
37. Marven of the Great North Woods, by Kathryn Lasky. When his Jewish parents send him to a Minnesota logging camp to escape the influenza epidemic of 1918, ten-year-old Marven finds a special friend.
38. She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head, by Kathryn Lasky. A fictionalized account of the activities of Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall, founders of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, a late nineteenth-century Audubon Society that would endure and have impact on the bird-protection movement.
39. Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin, Jr. A grandfather and his blind grandson, Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses, reminisce about the young boy's birth, his first horse, and an exciting horse race.
40. Dad and Me in the Morning by Patricia Lakin. A deaf boy and his father share a special time as they watch the sun rise at the beach.
41. The Day of Ahmed's Secret by Florence Parry Heide. As young Ahmed delivers butane gas to customers all over Cairo, he thinks, I have a secret. All day long, as he maneuvers his donkey cart through streets crowded with cars and camels, down alleys filled with merchants' stalls, and past buildings a thousand years old, Ahmed keeps his secret safe inside. It is so special, that he can reveal it only to his family when he returns home at the end of the day.
42. Manuela's Gift by Kristyn Rehling Estes. All Manuela wants for her birthday is a new party dress. This is something her family just can't afford. After being disappointed about not receiving a new dress, Manuela learns to appreciate the things she does have and celebrates what she has.
43. Mei-Mei Loves the Morning by Margaret Holloway Tsubakiyama. A young Chinese girl and her grandfather enjoy a typical morning riding on grandpa's bicycle to do errands and meet friends in the park.
44. Raising Yoder's Barn by Jane Yolen. Eight-year-old Matthew tells what happens when fire destroys the barn on his family's farm and all the Amish neighbors come to rebuild it in one day.
45. Floating Home by David Getz. To look at her home in a new way for an art project, eight-year-old Maxine rides on a space shuttle, where she experiences the many thrills of takeoff and has the opportunity to indeed view her home, Earth, in an entirely new way.
46. Mailing May by Michael Tunnell. In 1914, because her family cannot afford a train ticket to her grandmother's town, May gets mailed and rides the mail car on the train to see her grandmother.
47. Going for Oysters by Jeanie Adams. An Australian aborigine family spends the weekend fishing and looking for oysters, and they almost forget their grandfather's warning about the dangers of the eastern swamp.
48. Babe and Me by Dan Gutman. With
their ability to travel through time using vintage baseball
cards, Joe and his father have the opportunity to find out whether
Babe Ruth really did call his shot when he hit that home run in the third
game of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.
49. On Being Sarah by Elizabeth Helfman.
Even though life with cerebral palsy isn't easy for twelve-year-old Sarah,
she manages with the help of her loving family and
several new friends.
50. Letters From Camp by Kate Klise. Sent to Camp Happy Harmony to learn how to get along with each other, pairs of brothers and sisters chronicle in letters home how they come to suspect the intentions of the singing family running the camp.
51. And Still the Turtle Watched by Shelia MacGill-Callahan. A turtle carved in rock on a bluff over the Hudson River by Indians long ago watches with sadness the changes man brings over the years.
52. Dawn by Uri Shulevitz. Camped for
the night by a lake, a boy and his grandfather experience
dawn from their row boat.
53. Morning on the Lake by Jan Bordeau Waboose. A young Ojibway Indian boy and his grandfather venture out into their vast woodlands. They spend the morning in a canoe on the lake, trek high onto a cliff at noon, and hike deep into the woods on a starry night. It is the young boy's desire to see the animals and react with nature that initiate this journey with his grandfather.
54. Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen. Relates
Sally Jane's experience of changing times in rural America, as she lives
through the drowning of the Swift River towns
in western Massachusetts to form the Quabbin Reservoir.
55. The New Land: A First Year on the Prairie by Marilynn Reynolds.
56. The Floating House by Scott Sanders. In 1815, the McClures sail their flatboat from Pittsburgh down the Ohio River and settle in what would later become Indiana.
57. Warm as Wool by Scott Sanders. When Betsy Ward's family moves to Ohio from Connecticut in 1803, she brings along a sockful of coins to buy sheep so that she can gather wool, spin cloth, and make clothes to keep her children warm.
58. Nothing Here But Trees by Jean Van Leeuwen.
A close-knit pioneer family carves out a new home amidst the densely forested
land of Ohio in the early nineteenth
century.
59. Buffalo Thunder by Patricia Wittmann. When young Karl Isaac heads west with his family in a prairie schooner, he experiences many things but longs to see buffalo.
60. Nim and the War Effort by Milly Lee. In
her determination to prove that an American can win the contest for the
war effort, Nim does something which leaves her Chinese grandfather both
bewildered and proud.
61. Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki.
A Japanese American boy learns to play baseball when he and his family
are forced to live in an internment camp during World War II, and his
ability to play helps him after the war is over.
62. Just Like New by Ainslie Manson. A
young Canadian girl named Sally is asked at Sunday school to bring a gift
from home - something special, "just like new" - to send
to children in the Blitz. After agonizing over her choice, Sally
decides to send her favorite doll Ann Marie. What kind of home will Ann
Marie have? Read the book and find out for yourself.
63. Don't You Know There's a War On? By James
Stevenson The author recalls his efforts to win the Second World War, including
planting a victory garden, collecting tin foil, and
looking for spies.
64. The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo. In this version of Cinderella set in Egypt in the sixth century B.C., Rhodopes, a slave girl, eventually comes to be chosen by the Pharaoh to be his queen.
65. The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella
Story by Rebecca Hicox. Based on a Cinderella story from Iraq
called "The little red fish and the clog of gold" in Inea Bushnaq's Arab
folktales. An Iraqi version of the Cinderella story in which a kind
and beautiful girl who is
mistreated by her stepmother and stepsister finds a husband with the
help of a magic fish.
66. Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie. A young Chinese girl overcomes the wickedness of her stepsister and stepmother to become the bride of a prince.
67. Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin. In
this Algonquin Indian version of the Cinderella story, the
Rough-Face Girl and her two beautiful but heartless sisters compete
for the affections of the Invisible Being.
68. Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert
San Souci. A Creole variant of the familiar Cinderella tale set in
the Caribbean and narrated by the godmother who helps Cendrillon find
true love.
69. Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone. Peppe's father is upset when he learns that Peppe has taken a job lighting the gas street lamps in his New York City neighborhood.
70. The Feather-Bed Journey by Paula Feder. As she tries to repair a torn feather pillow, Grandma tells about her childhood in Poland, about the Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II, and about the origin of this special pillow.
71. A Very Important Day by Maggie Herold.
Two-hundred nineteen people from thirty-two different countries make their
way to downtown New York in a snowstorm to be
sworn in as citizens of the United States.
72. I Was Dreaming to Come to America In their own words, coupled with hand-painted collage illustrations, immigrants recall their arrival in the United States. Includes brief biographies and facts about the Ellis Island Oral History Project.
73. Long Way to a New Land by Joan Sandin. Carl Erik journeys with his family from Sweden to America during the famine of 1868.
74. Long Way Westward by Joan Sandin.
Relates the experiences of two young brothers and their family, immigrants
from Sweden, from their arrival in New York through
the journey to their new home in Minnesota.
75. Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming.
Although Christy considered him a pest, when Eddie Lee, a boy with Down's
Syndrome, follows her into the woods, he
shares several special discoveries with her.
76. Dad and Me in the Morning by Patricia Lakin. A deaf boy and his father share a special time as they watch the sunrise at the beach.
Author's Corner:
Author Louis Sachar on Holes. The July/August '99 issue of
The Horn Book Magazine quotes Newbery-Award winning author Louis Sachar:
"Finally I want to thank the first two people who read Holes: my
daughter Sherre, and my wife, Carla....Sherre was in the fourth grade when
I finished the manuscript. I found your comments to be very helpful,
Sherre, especially hearing what parts you liked, and what parts didn't
make sense to you. Sherre is a very smart person, and I knew if there
were things that didn't make sense to her, I needed to clarify them."
