Spinning by Tillie Walden

Spinning is a graphic memoir that is the coming of age and coming out story of author and illustrator Tillie Walden. For twelve years Tillie would wake up before dawn to get to the ice rink, first on the Jersey shore, and then in Texas.  After her figure skating lessons, Tillie would go to school and then to synchronized skating practice. In Walden’s visual narrative we see the effort, struggle and stress that accompany her athletic and social experiences.

Spinning is one of those books you may devour in one sitting if given the time (it is, after all, close to 400 pages long). While ostensibly about one girl’s experiences as a young competitive figure and synchronized skater, the story covers a much larger terrain, and will therefore appeal to many readers of both graphic novels (such as Mariko Tamaki’s ThisOne Summer), and traditional realistic fiction (works by Laurie HalseAnderson). The work also very much captures the zeitgeist of this period of stressed out teens and of increased awareness of sexual assault and harassment. Recommended. 2017.

Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package by Kate DiCamillo

What will Eugenia Lincoln do with the package that unexpectedly arrives at her doorstep? It is certainly not in her character to learn to play the joyous instrument that is inside, much to the chagrin of Baby Lincoln, her more upbeat sister. Find out what happens in this new installment of Kate DiCamillo’s series, Tales from Deckawoo Drive. 

In Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package we re-encounter not only the Lincoln sisters, but the beloved pig Mercy Watson as well. Children who enjoyed the colorful, square-shaped Mercy Watson books will likely also embrace this beginner chapter book, which transitions young readers to a more typical children’s chapter book format with frequent black and white illustrations. While the story is fun and appealing, some of the vocabulary (borne, obtuse, auditory hallucinations) seems too advanced for its intended readership. All in all, however, Kate DiCamillo fans and others in the K-3 set will likely enjoy reading to find out how Eugenia Lincoln solves the “problem” of her unexpected package. Recommended with reservations. 2017

The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall

Shelley Pearsall’s The Seventh Most Important Thing sneaks up on you. What starts out as a story about a 7^th grade boy who is assigned by a judge to help the local junk man turns out to be a story with themes as profound as redemption. It also approaches the topic of outsider art, which is unusual for children’s fiction, and subtly suggests the existence of fine lines between mental illness, creativity and spiritual inspiration. Then, just as the reader has settled into this quasi-philosophical realm, he is shifted back into the world of realistic fiction, with a protagonist who has matured, and whose family situation has improved.

Arthur Owens’ father has recently died in a motorcycle accident. Spotting the elderly neighborhood junk man wearing his father’s hat, Arthur takes out his anger with the world on the man by throwing a brick at him. Hearing about the boy’s motivation, the junk man, whose name is James Hampton, convinces the juvenile court judge to assign Arthur the task of helping him in his junk collection, instead of a more traditional disciplinary choice. It turns out that James Hampton is collecting very specific types of junk, the seven most important things referred to in the title, some of which go on to hold symbolic meaning for Arthur. Arthur eventually discovers that the junk man is using these seven things to assemble a work of art entitled The Throne of the Third Heaven, in a rented garage. This part of the story is based on a real artist of the same name, whose masterpiece is now housed in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Arthur’s nerdy sidekick, Reginald, and probation Officer Billie are likeable seconday characters.

This book will appeal to a wide audience of children and younger teens who enjoy realistic fiction and stories of friendship, including those featuring male characters such as Rebecca Stead’s Liar and Spy.  It will also appeal to readers of books with a mild fantasy element such as Wendy Mass’ series that began with Eleven Birthdays. The plotline and theme of redemption bears strong similarity to Neal Shusterman’s young adult novel, The Schwa Was Here. Recommended. 2015

D. Rosen-Perez

One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart

There are many reasons to like Beth Kephart’s One Thing Stolen. The story unfolds in present-day Florence and includes interesting historical references. Nadia has been reluctantly displaced from her Philadelphia home and her best friend Maggie in order to live temporarily in Florence with her mother, brother and father, a professor who is writing a book about the 1966 flooding of the Arno river and the so called “mud angels” –an onslaught of volunteers who converged on the city to save its artwork. Much of the book is an interior monologue conveying Nadia’s growing fascination with a mysterious and beautiful boy on a Vespa who may or may not really exist and her memories of time spent with Maggie back in West Philadelphia. At the same time, the reader becomes increasingly attuned to the fact that something is wrong with Nadia. Her speaking abilities are deteriorating, and she is increasingly obsessed with stealing objects that she then incorporates into intricate nests she constructs and hides in her temporary bedroom. Over time, the reader gains more of the family’s perspective, and a neurologist is brought in to untangle what is happening to Nadia. The suspense mounts as the reader eagerly waits to find out whether Benedetto, the boy on the Vespa, is real, and what affliction Nadia has been stricken with.

Many readers will enjoy this book’s suspense, its characters and the lovely and historical setting. However, those who find flashbacks and changes in narrator difficult to follow will find the story confusing, and become frustrated towards the end of the book when Nadia’s friend Maggie suddenly becomes the narrator just at the point where we wish a clear resolution to all of the mystery. In addition, it is not particularly believable that a well-respected neurologist who is an old friend of Nadia’s father and a former “mud angel” happens to coincidentally be on-hand to help the family.  Recommended with reservations.  2015

D. Rosen-Perez

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

Rain Reign joins the new and growing genre of literature told from the point of view of a young person with autism.  Ann Martin’s newest work also joins the ranks of other realistic fiction books featuring young protagonists who, despite absent or sub-optimal parenting, manage to thrive due to the support and intervention of another relative, educator, or community member. Rain Reign is also a story of a girl and her dog.  Many middle grade readers will find this to be a winning combination, particularly given Martin’s expert writing and character development.

The reader quickly enters the mind and life of Rose, a young girl who is fascinated by homonyms and prime numbers. These fascinations make for some interesting wordplay. Identifying homonyms is a source of joy for Rose that the reader gets to experience vicariously. Conversely, when Rose becomes anxious and agitated, the mention of prime numbers grows in frequency. Rose also occasionally addresses the reader directly to charming effect, with instructions to skip to another chapter, lest we not share the protagonist’s enthusiasm for homonyms, for example.

In many ways the strongest part of this book is the beginning, which is the more character-driven portion of the novel. Things become less interesting when Rose’s dog, Rain, runs away during a storm, she and her uncle set about finding her, and complications ensue. Perhaps this is because this plot-driven portion of the book seems less original, and reminiscent of a section of Kate DiCamillo’s excellent Because of Winn-Dixie. It could also be said that Rose’s obsession with prime numbers is not a new literary idea, given that in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, also a book about a young person with high functioning autism, the topic of prime numbers is also explored, even providing the pattern with which to number the chapters. To be fair, the question of whether people with Asperger Syndrome (which is how Rose identifies herself) have an affinity for prime numbers is a topic of discussion readily found on the Internet, so perhaps both of these authors are simply displaying their research acumen in giving both of their characters this trait. Similarly, reading about the super-storm (named Susan in this work of fiction, but inspired by Hurricane Irene of 2011 according to an author’s note) through Rose’s eyes recalls the protagonist of Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, a post 9-11 work of fiction that also features a young protagonist who is presumed to have autism. This reader was left wondering whether employing the astute musings of a child with autism as a lens through which to view catastrophic events (climate change, terrorism) might be a new literary device.

On a sunnier note, the character and voice of Rose are among many positive and creative aspects of this novel. The description of the interaction between Rose and her classroom aide, Mrs. Leibler, and Rose’s employment of “conversation starters,” in contrast with the more organic drawing together of Rose and her peers through her dog’s appearance at school and sparks of connection with her classmate Parvani all offer a window into Rose’s world. Having the opportunity to experience this world is a very satisfying experience for the reader. 2014

D. Rosen-Perez

Odd, Weird, and Little by Patrick Jennings

5  Reasons Why Your 4^th through 6^th Grader Should Read Odd, Weird and Little by Patrick Jennings

1.      One of the two main characters of this charming book is (spoiler alert!) an owl disguised as a merely eccentric, accordion playing, briefcase toting, hat wearing “new kid” from Quebec.

2.      The above set-up leads to hilarious classroom scenes and wink-worthy word-play.

3.      This book requires suspension of disbelief in the way that fantasy and children’s books featuring animal characters (Cleary’s Runaway Ralph, Birney’s Humphrey series) do, while still reading like realistic fiction--making it appealing to a variety of readers.

4.      Your 9 year old will walk around the house saying “wait a second… I think this kid may be an owl", while your 11 year old will be seen slapping her palm against her forehead saying “I can’t believe they don’t realize he’s an owl!”

5.      Since “the other” in this book is an animal, and not simply an unpopular kid, or one of the typical victims of marginalization in our society, the themes of bullying and “being yourself” can be explored in a non-pedantic, non-moralizing way.  

2014 D. Rosen-Perez

The Man with the Violin, by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Dušan Petričić

The Man with the Violin

“Stop and smell the roses”, the old adage says, but how about “stop and hear the music?” This new picture book by Kathy Stinson, with illustrations by Dušan Petričić provides an account of an event that took place during rush hour in a Washington D.C. metro station six years ago. One January morning, renowned violinist Joshua Bell, incognito in jeans, long sleeved T-shirt, and baseball cap,  set himself up in the station and commenced playing six classical pieces on a Stradivarius. All in all, only seven people stopped to listen. According to Bell there were many children who attempted to stop, but were rushed along by their parents. After forty-three minutes of playing, the violinist, who typically plays to sold-out concert halls, had collected a meager $32.17 in his open violin case. 

Petričić’s fanciful drawings are mainly in black and white but contain splashes of color that highlight the young protagonist’s experience with the music and convey the sensation of being hurried through the station. These illustrations are more successful than the text in retelling the anecdote from a child’s perspective. Adults might receive the book as an admonishment or as a criticism of harried lives that don’t allow for a moment’s pause to perceive beauty. They might suffer second-hand embarrassment on behalf of the masses of commuters who did not recognize greatness as they rushed to catch their trains. Children, however, will likely enjoy the illustrations, and share the initial curiosity and eventual joy of young Dylan in realizing that he was right in wanting to stop and listen. 2013.

Here is Joshua Bell and a chamber group performing Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in C Major:

Enjoy!

D. Rosen-Perez

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdős, by Deborah Heiligman

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdős

By Deborah Heiligman

Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Meet Paul Erdős, a boy growing up in Budapest in the early 1900s who loves numbers so much that he considers numbers his best friends. Paul’s mother, who is a math teacher, lets Paul stay home from school so he can spend all day puzzling over prime numbers and other mathematical topics.  Paul does go to high school and eventually travels throughout the world, becoming a renowned mathematician who shares his knowledge with colleagues in such areas as number theory and the probabilistic method. A lousy houseguest who is lacking in daily-living skills such as buttering bread and doing the laundry, Paul is nonetheless a generous individual and a beloved connector of people—a “mathematical matchmaker”. To this day, mathematicians talk about their  “Erdős number”—if you worked with Erdős you have an Erdős number of 1. If you worked with someone who worked with Erdős, you have an Erdős number of 2, etc.

It is a joy to accompany Erdős on his mathematical life journey, and for this we have to thank an author whose enthusiasm and affection for the subject truly shine through. The illustrations are also an important part of this book—allowing it to be read on varying levels. Younger children will appreciate the vivid pictures of Budapest and comical depictions of Paul’s social missteps, while older children will learn mathematical concepts by attending to details that are cleverly camouflaged in the drawings and explained in a note from the illustrator at the back of the volume. This book makes a good read-aloud, and parents who find themselves wanting to learn more about Erdős may wish to consult The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, by Paul Hoffman, also in our collection. 2013


D. Rosen-Perez

Ten Good and Bad Things About My Life (So Far), by Ann M. Martin

Ten Good and Bad Things About My Life (So Far)

Realistic fiction fans who enjoyed Junie B. Jones, Ramona, and Fudge, will be quickly drawn in by the humor and insight of Pearl Littlefield, the protagonist of this new book by Ann M. Martin, author of favorite series that include Main Street and the Baby-Sitters Club. Pearl’s first writing assignment of fifth grade provides the vehicle for a sensitive and often funny tale of a summer vacation that begins with her father losing his job as an economics professor, and ends with her going into business with her best friend.  Readers will surely see themselves and their own travails in Pearl’s complaints about her older sister, Lexie, and uncertainty about how to patch things up with her best friend, JBIII, following a fight at a waterpark. 

Martin writes about the serious theme of a parent’s unemployment in a way that is thoughtful and age-appropriate, without dragging down the overall light-hearted tone of this book. Intermittent illustrations, letters, and tween-style lists add appeal to the narrative, and a section at the end of the book provides information on the New York City sites Pearl and her family visit during a staycation. The novel’s title, presumably selected to provide continuity with Martin’s first book featuring Pearl Littlefield, Ten Rules for Living with My Sister, does not accurately describe the story. This, however, is a minor weakness in an otherwise first-rate book that will be most appreciated by fourth through sixth graders. 2012

D. Rosen-Perez