tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75381912016246506322024-03-13T04:42:43.800-07:00Stories for You(th)...a media guide for picky familiesElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15600306536303727937noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-84741649513229620112015-08-15T20:27:00.001-07:002015-08-15T20:32:00.983-07:00The Roman Mysteries<br>
Titles: <i>Thieves of Ostia; Secrets of Vesuvius; Pirates of Pompeii; Assassins of Rome; Dophins of Laurentum; Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemina; Enemies of Jupiter; Gladiators from Capua; Colossus of Rhodes; Fugitive from Corinth; Sirens of Surrentum; Charioteer of Delphi; Slave-Girl from Jerusalem; Beggar of Volubilis; Scribes from Alexandria; Prophet from Ephesus; Man from Pomegranate Street; Legionary from Londinium; Trimalchio's Feast;</i> as well as a travel guide, two quiz books, and a live-action BBC series production<br>
<br>
Author: Caroline Lawrence<br>
<br>
Rating: *** (3 stars out of 3 possible, "A")<br>
Highly Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: 5th grade and up<br>
<br>
The Roman Mystery series offers an untapped historical setting for young mystery lovers: The Mediterranean in A.D. 79. Meet Flavia Gemina, 12-year old daughter of a ship's captain in Ostia, Italy. Teaming up with her new neighbor Jonathan, a rescued slave girl named Nubia and Lupus, a mute orphan boy, the four friends eventually travel far and wide through the Roman Empire solving mysteries, including those concerning their own families.<br>
<br>
These books are amazingly accurate to historical settings and details. You can practically hear the slave market, smell the fishmongers, and feel the steamy baths as you follow Flavia around town. Author Caroline Lawrence has extensive classical background, from archeology and language study to religion, teaching and traveling. She also spares few details from an era where twelve year olds were on the cusp of adulthood. There are a few brutal scenes and a few mature themes, but these are historically accurate, not gratuitous as we witness in much media today.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-roman-mysteries.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-32142592437463920852015-08-15T17:54:00.000-07:002015-08-15T18:01:34.099-07:00Chasing Vermeer<br>
Titles: <i>Chasing Vermeer;</i> <i>The Wright 3</i>; <i>The Calder Game</i>; <i>The Danger Box</i>; <i>Hold Fast</i>; <i>Pieces and</i><br>
<i> Players</i><br>
<br>
Author: Blue Balliet<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: 4th grade and up<br>
<br>
When my 10 year old discovered these books by Blue Balliet, it was as if a new world was opened up to her. All of a sudden she was talking about pentominoes, architects, puzzles, artists and Calder sculptures. (Did you know there's a "Calder" at the public art walk in Seattle?) This was one of the series she begged me over and over to read for myself. I finally got around to it when I heard Balliet had published a fourth: <i>Pieces and Players</i>.<br>
<br>
In the first book, <i>Chasing Vermeer</i>, Balliet introduces her nerdy, cross-cultural trio of friends: Calder Pillay, Petra Andalee and Tommy Segovia from the Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago. Actually, they're so busy being suspicious of each other, they aren't quite friends when the book starts. As they overcome their prejudices they find they have plenty in common when it comes to solving puzzles and helping their favorite 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Hussey.<br>
<br>
Calder particularly likes to trust his pentominoes for clues when solving mysteries. For the uninitiated, pentominoes are 12 puzzle pieces in varying shapes, each made up of 5 squares. The 12 different shapes represent 12 letters in the alphabet and can even be fitted together in one large rectangle. When Calder pulls a "U" pentomino out of his pocket, he wonders if it stands for "understand," or "under," or maybe "University School." He tells Petra, "They help me figure things out.... ...it seems like the pentominoes kind of talk to me. I'll get the feeling that they want to tell me something, and so I'll grab one, and a word will just pop into my head."<br>
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Tommy and Calder have also created a pentomino code for their correspondence, which is fun for readers to decipher. Illustrator Brett Helquist has added a picture mystery for readers as well, so this book engages bright readers on multiple levels. Kids who wish to make their own cardboard pentominoes will even find instructions in the afterword!<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/08/chasing-vermeer.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-88482721498485465152015-08-15T16:17:00.000-07:002015-08-15T20:33:16.519-07:00Under the Egg<br />
Author: Laura Marx Fitzgerald<br />
<br />
Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3 possible, "B")<br />
Recommended<br />
<br />
Audience: Middle School<br />
<br />
My second WWII book in a row, <i>Under the Egg</i> plays out like a <i>Monuments' Men</i> for youth, although it is highly fictionalized.<br />
<br />
13-year old Theodora (Theo) Tenpenny doesn't inherit much when her Grandpa Jack dies: a few hundred dollars, a failing townhouse in Greenwich Village, and full-time care of her distracted, unstable mother. There's also the unusual egg picture above the fireplace mantle and a few family chickens out back.<br />
<br />
Grandpa Jack's final message to "look under the egg" finally begins to make sense when rubbing alcohol is spilled on a portion of the egg painting and a new image begins to appear. Considering Jack's service in WWII, as well as his job as a security guard at the Metropolitan Art Museum, Theo is now faced with perplexing mysteries: What is the painting? And who was Uncle Jack?<br />
<br />
With help from her friends (quirky, bold, new-agey Bodhi, Librarian Eddie and Episcopalian Reverend Cecily), Theo just might be able to solve these mysteries while preserving her family's way of life.<br />
<br />
The book gives a nod to both Buddhist (Bodhi=Buddha's enlightenment) and Christian spirituality, but is primarily neutral in terms of moral instruction. Fans of <i>The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</i> and <i>Chasing Vermeer</i> will definitely enjoy this eclectic take on art mysteries. <br />
<br />Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-81446056817418264432015-05-19T11:21:00.000-07:002015-05-19T11:21:18.755-07:00The War that Saved My Life<br />
Author: Kimberley Brubaker Bradley<br />
<br />
Rating: *** (3 stars out of 3 possible, "A")<br />
Highly Recommended<br />
<br />
Audience: Middle School<br />
<br />
This is excellent historical/WWII fiction. It's summer, 1939 and London is preparing for German bombardment by sending children off to country families. Ada and her brother Jamie live in a shabby flat with "Mam," their impoverished and abusive mother.<br />
<br />
Ada is 11 or 12 years old, crippled by a club foot and Mam's frequent reminders of her shameful condition. Ada walks so poorly, she can barely drag herself to look out a window to the street scenes below. She has never been outside. Jamie, 6 or 7, has the run of the neighborhood although Ada has informed him he'll be forced into school soon. Jamie is her eyes and ears, her link to the outside world.<br />
<br />
When Ada realizes Mam plans to send only Jamie for country evacuation, she becomes determined to learn to walk so she can escape with her brother. Upon reaching the Kent countryside, they are fostered by Miss Smith, the unlikely protagonist who provides the siblings with just the right blend of compassion and accountability.<br />
<br />
Without revealing more of the unique plot structure, I assure you your family will not miss lessons of empathy, self-esteem, gratitude and forgiveness. Ada and Jamie suffer many of the same stressors and emotions that foster and/or adoption families experience today, but these events are explored in a safe, positive environment, making this book an outstanding choice for middle schoolers adjusting to contemporary challenges.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-68563183673588206212015-05-04T14:42:00.000-07:002015-05-04T14:47:20.600-07:00The Family Romanov<br />
<i>The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion and the Fall of Imperial Russia</i><br />
<br />
Author: Candace Fleming<br />
<br />
Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3 possible, "B")<br />
Recommended<br />
<br />
Audience: High School<br />
<br />
While thoroughly enjoying a Russian fantasy/folklore (<i><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/04/egg-and-spoon.html">Egg and Spoon</a></i>), I stumbled upon this new nonfiction book for teens covering the same turn-of-the-century time period: <i>The Family Romanov</i>.<br />
<br />
Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award (outstanding nonfiction for children) and the Sibert Honor Award (distinguished informational book), Candace Fleming's book satisfies all of one's curiosity about the tragic Romanov family, while providing plenty of 1905-1917 Russian history.<br />
<br />
The reader feels both compassion and frustration with the oblivious Romanov family, Russian politics, class struggle, and the destiny of a continent. The book is an enjoyable way for high school students to collect background knowledge in the perils of imperialism and the risks of revolution.<br />
<br />
The book is sometimes advertised for middle school ages, but while the story is fascinating and compelling, it is equally dark and graphic for younger ages. Few details are spared when the Romanov family is brutally gunned down in an Ekatarinaberg basement. Their remains are carelessly disposed of by a regime based on secrecy and terror. Final details are not brought to light until the Iron Curtain falls in the 1990s. Now, even current events cause today's reader to wonder how Russia can mend the past and prepare a better future for all her peoples.<br />
<br />
<br />Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-73331070319819449622015-04-24T12:55:00.002-07:002015-04-24T12:56:19.435-07:00Egg and Spoon<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Author: Gregory Maguire</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3, "B")</div>
<div>
Recommended</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Audience: 5th Grade and Up</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
This whimsical youth novel by <i>Wicked</i> Author Gregory Maguire defies categorizing: Part folk/fairytale, part fantasy, part allegory, but full-on creative entertainment. I had never read anything quite as charming or challenging before.</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
The overall story is one of mistaken identity, Prince and Pauper-style. It is turn-of-the-century (1900) Tsarist Russia, and impoverished villager Elena Rudina finds herself exchanging places with Princess Ekaterina ("Cat") on a train bound for St. Petersburg. Along the way, the reader encounters the harsh realities of peasant life, along with the delightful Russian folklore of Baba Yaga (the wise-cracking, time-traveling witch whose house walks about on chicken legs), the Fire Bird (a Russian Phoenix), Faberge eggs, nesting dolls, soldiers, and an Ice Dragon.</div><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/04/egg-and-spoon.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-37297180932520723942015-04-24T12:15:00.002-07:002015-04-24T12:21:35.351-07:00Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Movie<br>
Production Team: Disney/Jim Henson; Miguel Arteta, Director; Ron Lieber, Screenplay<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, C-)<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: 4th Grade and up, PG<br>
<br>
I couldn't pass up the chance to help families avoid this weak effort by Disney to adopt a beloved children's book. My family sat through 80 painful minutes with barely a chuckle, waiting for the storyline to improve, for the actors to improve, for the writing to improve, for the movie to improve. Really, I feel it is more of a "D" effort, but I gave it a "C" as the family at least comes together in the end to support each other.<br>
<br>
It seems like Disney spent all their money on Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner to play the parents, and there was no money left to hire talented young actors to play the kids. Steve and Jennifer did not have much of a script to work with, but if there are any laughs in the movie, they all belong to Pirate Steve. ("Look! Me arms are okay! ARGGHH!")<br>
<br>
Perhaps it is cruel to draw attention to a child's speech impediment, but if you want a future acting career, Ed Oxenbould (Alexander), you'd better get that annoying lisp fixed. Your older brother Anthony (Dylan Minnette), and older sister Emily (Kerris Dorsey) spent most of the film over-acting. No complaints about cute-as-a-bug baby brother Trevor (played by twin girls).<br>
<br>
The storyline was tedious and fakey. Alexander is the family scapegoat, who wishes everyone else could understand how a horrible day feels. His wish comes true, and the audience uncomfortably watches as the parents' jobs are jeopardized. Meanwhile, we can find no empathy in our hearts for the teenage brother and sister who only seem to get what they deserve, after watching their selfish tantrums and immature choices for half the movie.<br>
<br>
Crude language and teen attitudes make this a film to skip for most families. Trust me, you won't be missing a thing.<br>
<br>
If, however, your family would like a quality substitution, I recommend a film from 2012: <u>Parental Guidance,</u> starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler as grandparents trying to fit in with grandkids they barely know.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/04/alexander-and-terrible-horrible-no-good.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-50875888754925112222015-02-19T14:06:00.001-08:002015-02-19T14:33:13.401-08:00An Abundance of Katherines<br>
Author: John Green<br>
<br>
Rating: 0 stars out of 3 possible ("D/F")<br>
Not Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: High School<br>
<br>
John Green, author of <i>The Fault In Our Stars</i>, is the latest, greatest writer to reach our teens and relate to them in all their self-indulgent angst.<br>
<br>
Now, my thirteen year old has plenty of unsupervised lunch time at the public middle school and she's plenty old enough to check out her own books and basically read whatever she wants. But that doesn't mean she always should. And, she's bright enough to make quality choices. But that doesn't mean she always will.<br>
<br>
So when she brought <i>An Abundance of Katherines</i> home from the county library, a quick perusal of the jacket flaps told me instantly this was probably not a book I could endorse in my home. First of all, it was all about 18 year old boys on a "find ourselves" road trip.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/02/an-abundance-of-katherines.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-69897608580851140482015-02-19T12:58:00.002-08:002015-02-19T13:06:21.364-08:00Wayside School Series<br>
Titles: <i>Sideways Stories from Wayside School</i>; <i>Wayside School is Falling Down</i>; <i>Wayside School </i><i>Gets a Little Stranger</i><br>
<br>
Author: Louis Sachar<br>
<br>
Rating: 0 stars out of 3 possible, "D/F"<br>
Not Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: Second grade and up<br>
<br>
I was really hoping to find another fun and funny childhood series along the lines of <i>Frindle</i> (Andrew Clements), <i>Soup</i> (Robert Newton Peck), <i>Henry Huggins</i> (Beverly Cleary), or at least <i>Junie B. Jones</i> (Barbara Parker) or <i>George Brown, Class Clown</i> (Nancy Krulik). Unfortunately, the two titles I read in this series were more ridiculous than funny, and not very clever. I can handle silly and ridiculous, if there is a measure of clever thrown in. But without the cleverness, you just have post-modern random-ness.<br>
<br>
Of course, this can appeal to a lot of second graders, but parents who are trying to engage their families with more compelling, thoughtful materials might be disappointed. This is especially true because we know the Louis Sachar who wrote <i>Holes</i>, which was both hilarious and clever/thought-provoking. So, for your information, Wayside School is not <i>Holes</i>.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2015/02/wayside-school-series.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-37064706038811433342014-12-08T12:14:00.001-08:002015-02-19T12:32:56.425-08:00Big Hero 6<br>
Production Team: Disney; Directed by Don Hall, Chris Williams<br>
Screenplay: Jordan Roberts, Daniel Gerson, Robert Baird<br>
<br>
Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3 possible, "B")<br>
Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: Second grade and up (PG)<br>
<br>
If you're like me, this movie will take you by surprise. Your kids will come home from school begging to see <i>Big Hero 6</i> and Baymax because all their friends said how great it was. You will not know what they are talking about. You will be suspicious, first of all, because everyone likes it; second of all, because it's Disney; thirdly, because it is about foreign concepts like robots, high-tech science nerds and unbelievable super heroes. Finally, who or what is Baymax, and what does "Big Hero 6" even mean? What kind of title is that? Just stay tuned....<br>
<br>
For the most part, this movie is a home run hit. The concepts are fresh and new; the characters are unique and appealing; the plot is creative and energetic; the futuristic setting, San Fransokyo, is clever and attractive; the robot sidekick, Baymax, is entertaining and poignant at the same time.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/12/big-hero-6.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-71030480150202586542014-11-03T14:39:00.000-08:002015-08-15T17:57:45.490-07:00Coming-Of-Age Classics (Girls, Part Two)<br />
Titles: <u>Up a Road Slowly</u> by Irene Hunt<br />
<u>The Endless Steppe</u> by Esther Hautzig<br />
<br />
Ratings: 0 stars out of 3 possible, "D/F"<br />
Not Recommended<br />
<br />
Audience: Teenage Girls ages 13 and up<br />
<br />
Here are two more "classic coming-of-age-books" that also have limited utility. (Incidently, <u>Up a Road Slowly</u> received the Newbery Medal and <u>The Endless Steppe</u> was nominated for a National Book Award.)<br />
<br />
My own mother purchased these books for me when I was about 13 years old. Mom rarely purchased any surprises for us kids, and being an eager reader, I dove right in. I discovered two of the most boring, depressing books I had ever encountered! (Just read the titles again!) If you have an introverted, moody, melancholy teen or pre-teen, you will not encourage communication or cheerfulness with books of this ilk.<br />
<br />
On the bookshelf for my own two girls right now (ages 13 and 10), you will find books like <u>The Westing Game</u>,<u> From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</u>, <u>Katie John and Heathcliffe</u>, <u>Harriet the Spy</u>, <u>The Cat Ate My Gymsuit</u>, <u>Winter Wheat</u>, <u>Wuthering Heights</u>, <u>Jane Eyre,</u> even <u>A Farewell to Arms.</u> But you will not find<u> Up a Road Slowly</u> or <u>The Endless Steppe</u>. I do not remember what happened to them.<br />
<br />
If you have a daughter particularly drawn to books about girls and their relationships, also consider L. M. Montgomery's <u>Anne of Green Gables</u> and <u>Emily of New Moon</u> series.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-75687907501132526712014-11-03T14:38:00.002-08:002014-11-03T14:45:26.093-08:00Coming-of-Age Classics (Girls, Part One)<br>
Titles: <u>Jacob Have I Loved</u> (Katherine Paterson)<br>
<u>Summer of My German Soldier</u> (Bette Greene)<br>
<br>
Ratings: 0 stars out of 3 possible, "D/F"<br>
Not Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: Teenage Girls ages 15 and up<br>
<br>
Both books have a number of things in common: award winners (Newbery for Paterson, National Book Award finalist for Greene); state-side WWII setting; female protagonists dealing with adolescent emotions and dysfunctional families. For me, both also fall into the category of Classics You Don't Have to Read.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/11/coming-of-age-classics-girls-part-one.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-63875158466119574582014-09-30T13:56:00.001-07:002014-09-30T14:03:51.948-07:00Ranger's Apprentice<br>
Titles: <u>Ruins of Gorlan</u>; <u>Burning Bridge</u>; <u>Icebound Land</u>; <u>Battle for Skandia</u>; <u>Sorcerer of the North</u>; <u>Siege of Macindaw</u>; <u>Erak's Ransom</u>;<u> Kings of Clonmel</u>; <u>Halt's Peril</u>; <u>Emperor of Nihon-Ja</u>; <u>Lost Stories</u>; <u>Royal Ranger</u><br>
<br>
Author: John Flanagan<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 stars out of 3 possible, "C")<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: Middleschoolers<br>
<br>
If you've tired of darker fantasy steeped in sorcery and violence, John Flanagan's series will seem like a breath of fresh air. I recommend it as "safe" fantasy, the downside being fairly simplistic plots and some tedious writing.<br>
<br>
The first book, <u>Ruins of Gorlan</u>, basically offers the medieval time period of knights, craftsmen, apprentices, kings and lords with minimal focus on magic. Think of LOTR-lite: an evil character named Morgarath accompanied by wargals and Kalkara in the Kingdom of Araluen and the Mountains of Rain and Night. If those don't seem familiar enough, take a mysterious, sullen protagonist and name him "Ranger." (Viggo Mortensen, anyone?)<br>
<br>
Originality aside, young fantasy adventure fans will love the story of 4 orphans receiving their apprenticeships on "choosing day": Alyss to become a diplomat; Jenny, a chef; Horace, a knight; and Will to study under the curt tutelage of the legendary Ranger Halt.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/09/rangers-apprentice.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-7009756891347779172014-09-30T12:38:00.000-07:002014-09-30T12:38:01.613-07:00Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate<br>
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Titles Reviewed:</div>
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<br></div>
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<u>Chocolate Fever</u> by Robert Kimmel Smith</div>
<div>
* (1 star out of 3 possible, "C") Recommended with Reservations</div>
<div>
1st-3rd Grades</div>
<div>
<br></div>
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<u>The Chocolate Touch</u> by Patrick Skene Catling</div>
<div>
* (1 star out of 3 possible, "C") Recommended with Reservations</div>
<div>
1st-3rd Grades</div>
<div>
<br></div>
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<u>The Chocolate War and Beyond the Chocolate War</u> by Robert Cormier</div>
<div>
* (1 star out of 3 possible, "C") Recommended with Reservations</div>
<div>
Junior and Senior Boys</div>
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<br></div>
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<u>The Candy Shop War</u> by Brandon Mull</div>
<div>
* (1 star out of 3 possible, "C") Recommended with Reservations</div>
<div>
4th Grade and up</div>
<div>
<br></div>
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As you can see, i spent a lot of my summer sampling chocolate! It was important to me to straighten these titles out, because one doesn't want to confuse harmless first grade morality tales (<u>Chocolate Fever</u> and <u>Chocolate Touch</u>) with warnings of bullies and psychological abuse along the lines of <u>Lord of the Flies</u> (<u>Chocolate War</u> and <u>Beyond the Chocolate War</u>).</div>
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<br></div>
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<u>Chocolate Fever</u> (1972) and <u>The Chocolate Touch</u> (1952) both deal with boys who love chocolate and candy and the consequences of their greedy habits. The plots are humorous and the lessons clear:</div>
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<br></div>
<div>
"Although life is grand, and pleasure is everywhere, we can't have everything we want every time we want it!"</div>
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<br></div>
<div>
"You've been eating so much sweet stuff that there isn't room for eggs and meat and milk and bread and spinach and apple and fish and bananas and all the other things you're supposed to have to make you grow big and strong."</div>
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<br></div>
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"Don't you think there's such a thing as enough?"</div>
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<br></div>
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These books are doubly useful if you have a picky eater or a sugar hound in your family! My own children have benefitted from this type of outsourced nagging. There's absolutely nothing wrong and everything right with families using literature to instruct!</div>
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<br></div>
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Far different messages for a far different audience come from Robert Cormier's <u>The Chocolate War</u> (1974) and it's sequel <u>Beyond the Chocolate War</u> (1984).</div><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/09/chocolate-chocolate-and-more-chocolate.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-40727856681276596362014-09-19T14:08:00.000-07:002014-09-30T14:08:04.644-07:00Counting by 7s<br>
Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: Middle School Girls<br>
<br>
<u>Counting by 7s </u>is a paradoxical book. Sometimes written in first person, sometimes third, it feels both quirky and edgy while it explores both despair and hopefulness.<br>
<br>
I suppose that's how adolescence often feels, and this book would especially appeal to youngsters who don't fit into typical teen scenes and/or have been identified (for better or for worse) as "gifted."<br>
<br>
Willow Chance is one such girl. She thinks in patterns of sevens, researches science and medicine, studies words and pi, analyzes behaviors and gardens. Wearing her gardening clothes to middle school, and toting wheeled luggage instead of a backpack, Willow doesn't stand much chance of peer acceptance. But she really doesn't mind, if she can just find one person that interests her.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/09/counting-by-7s.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-88639464598710462912014-09-17T13:57:00.000-07:002014-09-17T15:21:30.111-07:00The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm<br>
Author: Nancy Farmer<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: Middleschoolers<br>
<br>
Assigned for my 7th grader's Language Arts class, this 1995 Newbery Honor book is set in Zimbabwe in 2194. Essentially science fiction, it offers a unique view of the future along with a backward glance to Zimbabwe's tribal culture.<br>
<br>
Military General Amadeus Matsika and his wife have 3 children: Tendai, a 13 year old boy; Rita, his capable 11 year old sister; and little brother Kuda, 4 years old. When the three children are kidnapped by the evil Mask gang they must employ all their wits to escape several fantastic scenarios. Meanwhile, Father and Mother hire 3 unusual detectives (the title characters) to search for the children.<br>
<br>
With the book's background in Zimbabwean culture, the reader must become familiar with a number of animistic terms:<br>
<br>
<i>Mwari</i>-the supreme god of Zimbabwe, valuing the traits of loyalty, bravery and courteousness.<br>
<i>Shona</i>-the dominant tribe, to which the Matsika family belongs<br>
<i>mhondoro</i>-the spirit of Mwari, and the spirit of the Zimbabwe land<br>
<i>vlei</i> people-a ghost-like people that wander the outskirts of Harare, the capital city<br>
<i>Gondwanna</i>-terrorist gang from northern Africa<br>
<i>shave</i>-a wandering spirit who enters a person to teach a special skill<br>
<i>ndoro</i>-talisman with a connection to the spirit world<br>
<br>
Considering all this talk of the spirit world and spirit possession, one might ask if the book is even appropriate for young Christians. That's why my review basically warns families to proceed with caution. With a view towards animist tribes still in existence today, I believe the story provides an enlightening contrast to Christianity.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-ear-eye-and-arm.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-86905286414232637182014-04-18T12:02:00.002-07:002014-04-18T12:06:54.130-07:00The True Meaning of Smekday<br>
Author: Adam Rex<br>
<br>
Rating: *** (3 stars out of 3 possible, "A")<br>
Paige (age 12) Highly Recommends this book!<br>
<br>
0 stars out of 3 possible, "D+"<br>
Her mom (age 45) does not recommend this book!<br>
<br>
Audience: 5th grade and up<br>
<br>
Sometimes the best part of reading together as a family is coming to completely opposite conclusions about a book!<br>
<br>
For instance, Paige has read this book at least five times! She views it as "hilarious, the best book ever!" She truly loves it.<br>
<br>
I slogged through 425 pages, hating almost every minute of it! But then again, I can't really stand <u>Star Trek</u> or <u>Mork & Mindy</u>, either.<br>
<br>
It really depends on your personal tastes when it comes to a book like <i>Smekday</i>. Are you an old, stuck-in-the-mud traditionalist who's lost her sense of humor? Or a young, creative genius who loves fantasy worlds?<br>
<br>
<i>Smekday</i> takes place in a future America, where 12 year-old Gratuity Tucci (nicknamed "Tip") encounters the aliens who have invaded Earth. Following a quest format (like <i>Huckleberry Finn</i>, or, more likely, <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe</i>), she befriends an alien Boov who's chosen to go by the American pseudonym, "J. Lo."<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-true-meaning-of-smekday.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-73553700826803061772014-04-18T11:19:00.002-07:002014-04-18T11:21:11.612-07:00Disney Fairies/Tales from Pixie Hollow<br>
Titles: 16 (4 collections of 4 books each)<br>
<br>
Authors: various, published by Disney<br>
<br>
Rating: 0 stars out of 3 possible, "D" / "F"<br>
Not Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: 1st-3rd grades<br>
<br>
It sometimes seems the only reading choices offered our young girls range from magical fantasy to supernatural occult! The <u>Disney Fairies</u> series is obviously less controversial than the Poison Apple books, but it presented a mixed-bag, at best, and really offered little in terms of character, creativity or challenge.<br>
<br>
For this review, I read two selections.<br>
<br>
In <i>The Trouble with Tink</i> (by Kiki Thorpe) we learn the bizarre backstory of the series:<br>
<br>
"Not far from the Home Tree, nestled in the branches of a hawthorn, is Mother Dove, the most magical creature of all. She sits on her egg, watching over the fairies, who in turn watch over her. For as long as Mother Dove's egg stays well and whole, no one in NeverLand will ever grow old. Once, Mother Dove's egg was broken. But we are not telling the story of the egg here. Now it is time for Tinker Bell's tale...."<br>
<br>
Mother Dove?? I picture James Barrie rolling over in his grave.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/04/disney-fairiestales-from-pixie-hollow.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-73393651066277963682014-04-16T12:43:00.001-07:002014-04-16T12:43:02.145-07:00Poison Apple Books<br>
10 Titles: <i>The Dead End</i>; <i>Curiosity Killed the Cat</i>; <i>The Ghost of Christmas Past</i>; <i>Green-Eyed Monster;</i> <i>This Totally Bites...</i>; <i>Miss Fortune</i>; <i>Now You See Me</i>; <i>Midnight Howl</i>; <i>Her Evil Twin; The Ghoul Next Door</i><br>
<br>
Authors: Various, published by Scholastic<br>
<br>
Rating: 0 stars out of 3 possible, "D" / "F"<br>
Not Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: Middle School<br>
<br>
Well, there's no chance of misinterpreting the tone and plot of this tween series. It's clearly capitalizing on our culture's current obsession with monster myths and horror stories. (My question is: What's it doing in my 3rd grader's classroom?!)<br>
<br>
<i>Her Evil Twin</i> begins with a common 7th grade theme: Anna and Dory have been friends, like, for forever. But now that they're in middle school, Anna wonders if Dory is too boring and immature for her. Could Anna fit in with the cooler girls in class: Jessamyn, Kima and Lauren?<br>
<br>
Dory's an honest, sensible friend and she's pretty sure JK & L (The Jackals) aren't to be trusted. They really plan to tease and bully Anna.<br>
<br>
JK & L trick Anna into calling up a mirror spirit in the darkened school bathroom. Everyone gets scared and deserts Anna, except for Dory.<br>
<br>
Following this disturbing incident, Anna meets a mysterious stranger named Emma. Emma seems like a good friend at first, but increasingly odd things happen when Emma is around. Also troubling, Emma seems to get more and more controlling, angry and...creepy. Anna's getting blamed for things she didn't do; Emma's stunts are risky and dangerous; Anna's friendship with Dory is completely fractured; someone's going to get hurt!<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/04/poison-apple-books.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-41502419995080262482014-04-16T11:58:00.004-07:002014-04-16T12:55:29.817-07:00Ivy and Bean<br>
Titles: 10 in the Series<br>
<br>
Author: Annie Barrows<br>
<br>
Rating: 0 stars out of 3 possible, "D/F"<br>
Not Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: 2nd-4th Graders<br>
<br>
I've been putting this review off for awhile, as I find it somewhat agonizing to have to "not recommend" this series. I've been curious about this series for 2-3 years as it was clearly popular at the elementary library where I volunteered.<br>
<br>
The harmless dust jacket picture of two 7-year-old playmates belies the fact that one of the girls, Ivy, longs to become a witch and is actively, although playfully, "training" for it. (A closer inspection of the cover will reveal silhouettes with Ivy holding a wand and Bean holding a crystal ball.)<br>
<br>
This is a shame, as these books have come the closest in terms of clever humor, character development and engaging childhood plot lines of anything I've read since <a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2011/06/beverly-cleary.html">Beverly Cleary</a>. For this review I read 5 selections: #1 (<i>Ivy and Bean</i>), #2 (<i>The Ghost that Had to Go</i>), #4 (<i>Take Care of the Babysitter</i>), #5 (<i>Bound to Be Bad</i>) and #8 (<i>No News Is Good News</i>).<br>
<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/04/ivy-and-bean.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-15775761258845057352014-03-30T22:03:00.002-07:002014-03-30T22:26:13.886-07:00History Year By Year<br>
Title: <u>History Year By Year: The History of the World, From the Stone Age to the Digital Age</u><br>
<br>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0QHoabNhFMA/Uzj7swoEfKI/AAAAAAAAABY/SpUjCfdcGhs/s1600/P1010289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0QHoabNhFMA/Uzj7swoEfKI/AAAAAAAAABY/SpUjCfdcGhs/s1600/P1010289.JPG" height="150" width="200"></a>Publishers: Dorling-Kindersley and Smithsonian Enterprises<br>
<br>
Rating: ** (2 out of 3 stars)<br>
Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: Elementary and Middle School Ages<br>
<br>
If you're a history buff, or if your middle schooler needs to bone up for the National History Bee (<a href="http://www.nationalhistorybee.com/">www.nationalhistorybee.com</a>), this is a must-have volume.<br>
<br>
Both DK and Smithsonian know how to put out a quality product, and those of us familiar with <u>The Eyewitness</u> series know what to expect: full-color spreads, bulleted details, informative inserts. This publication delivers on all counts and doesn't disappoint.<br>
<br>
I recently viewed a few different history volumes to supplement our home library and found this to be the most accessible and best format. Only two initial pages are spent on the least significant (and least evidenced) topic of history: the evolution of man (weakly evidenced by the inclusion of only three skull visuals, of which just one appears to be human). With a secular publisher, this is about the best you can do. In fact, it's rather extraordinary, compared to the other books I skimmed.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/03/history-year-by-year.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-51091849038387224472014-03-22T22:05:00.000-07:002014-03-22T22:10:58.447-07:00Frozen<br>
Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee<br>
<br>
Writers: Jennifer Lee<br>
<br>
Disney, PG<br>
<br>
Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3 possible, "B")<br>
Recommended<br>
<br>
Audience: 7-12 year old girls<br>
<br>
First of all, let me say I am not a huge Disney princess fan. Also, I am not a huge fan of animated musicals. In fact, I have several complaints about this movie. But they tend to be "old-age" complaints. So, overall, I have to say the animation, characters and message make this movie a pretty good choice. It doesn't "fire on all cylinders," but it does fire on most.<br>
<br>
For instance, are we in Denmark? Finland? Germany? Norway? Sweden? Is it the 1700s? 1800s? 2014? 2214? Do they have to sing so darn many songs? It must have the longest soundtrack on record. Also, how much magic can one take before the plot becomes totally irrelevant? Finally, be forewarned: it's a chilly movie. Can we get another blanket in here?<br>
<br>
But those are really adult complaints. My girls (who essentially reflect the two sisters/main characters: Elsa and Anna) ate it all up readily: from annoyingly goofy live snowman Olaf to annoyingly modern abominable snow monster.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/03/frozen.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-89222090658254534342014-03-22T21:39:00.001-07:002014-12-08T12:21:14.465-08:00The Lego Movie<br>
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller<br>
<br>
Writers: Dan & Kevin Hageman<br>
<br>
PG, Warner Brothers<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: 8 year old boys and their fathers<br>
<br>
I've never thought of myself as a sexist stereotypist. However, this movie basically only appeals to boys who love Legos and their dads who wish they still had time to play with Legos.<br>
<br>
Seriously, if you're a mom, stay home. Or take your girls to <i><a href="http://www.another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/03/frozen.html">Frozen</a></i>. (Never thought I'd say that.)<br>
<br>
This movie had an obnoxious level of noise, violence and explosions. The loosely strung plot was so full of <i>non sequiturs</i> and random cameos that it felt like it was constructed by 8 year olds. Also, you will leave the theater with the song "Everything Is Awesome" pounding in your head.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-lego-movie.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-20434875148996187492014-03-21T16:46:00.000-07:002014-03-21T16:52:04.395-07:00Andrew Clements<br>
Titles: <i>The Report Card</i>; <i>Frindle</i>; <i>Extra Credit</i>; <i>No Talking</i>; <i>Lunch Money</i>;<br>
<i>Troublemaker</i>; <i>The Janitor's Boy</i>; <i>Lost and Found</i>; <i>Landry News</i>;<br>
<i>The Last Holiday Concert</i>; <i>About Average</i><br>
<br>
Author: Andrew Clements<br>
<br>
Rating: *** (3 stars out of 3 possible, "A")<br>
Highly Recommended<br>
<br>
It's not often I come across a series and writer who seem to fire on all cylinders: smart, funny, important, creative, and unique are the adjectives I would use to describe Andrew Clements writing style and topics. For this review I read <i>Frindle</i>, and the <i>The Report Card</i>.<br>
<br>
Writers must write about what they know, and for Andrew Clements that includes teachers, schools and students. He taught at elementary, junior and high school levels before writing full-time. (For more information, see his website at <a href="http://www.andrewclements.com/">www.andrewclements.com</a>)<br>
<br>
I read <i>Frindle</i> straight through in about 2 hours one Tuesday afternoon. I wanted to immediately recommend it to my friends and their kids. That's how good it was. It mostly made me laugh and think, although I admit it made me a little teary-eyed as well. If you never really cared for school, or even if you only had one really memorable teacher, you will find a lot to which you can relate in this book.<br>
<a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/03/andrew-clements.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538191201624650632.post-51075947736967625502014-03-13T14:36:00.001-07:002014-03-13T14:38:57.058-07:00George Brown Class Clown<br>
Titles: 12 including <i>Super Burp</i> (#1) and <i>Trouble Magnet</i> (#2)<br>
<br>
Author: Nancy Krulik<br>
<br>
Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")<br>
Recommended with Reservations<br>
<br>
Audience: 1st-2nd Graders<br>
<br>
This series is an option for families who are looking for easier chapter books that are funny and engaging, without being too tasteless or thoughtless. I realize the word "burp" appears in the first title, but George Brown's Super Burp problem presents mostly harmless fun. Hilarious plots develop while the main character tries desperately to control his new power.<br><a href="http://another-story4u.blogspot.com/2014/03/george-brown-class-clown.html#more">Read more »</a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05509096282111351674noreply@blogger.com0