MAY 30, 2007
Mosque by David Macaulay
After having just been to see the David Macaulay exhibit in Louisville this past month, I wanted to write about one of the many books this architect turned author has written describing the various processes of constructing things. This particular book describes the building of a Mosque in Istanbul at the end of the 16th century. Perhaps the most fascinating part for me was to learn why these mosques were built in the first place. The Muslims have five principles they must adhere to as part of their Islamic beliefs including faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. A law was established that prevented the entire inheritance of a person to go to his children, thus promoting charity. In response, the richest people tended to establish charitable foundations where they could spend and leave their money, and these included the building of mosques, colleges for religious education, soup kitchens, buildings for public bathing, and public fountains, among other civic and social establishments. These impressive and enormous structures were funded by individuals! This is an interesting look into construction techniques for children interested in architecture and building. As with his other books like
Cathedral,
Pyramid, and
Castle, this book is not text-heavy and the illustrations are a key part to understanding the construction techniques used, so that even though the text is full of difficult vocabulary and middle eastern words, readers can still pore over the illustrations and get a sense of the construction process. In addition, a glossary is provided at the back of the book for unfamiliar words, making this suitable for children and grades 3 and up.
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MAY 30, 2007
Super Emma by Sally Warner
Emma McGraw is usually a quiet girl who minds her own business. However, she can't stand by and watch a bully torment a friend. Emma becomes a "hero," when she stands up to a big bully at her school. That does not stop the bully. He targets Emma to torment. Will she be able to continue to stand up to him for herself? Read and find out how Emma deals with the situation. If you liked Amber Brown or Judy Moody in their adventures, you will appreciate Emma. This book is most appropriate for children in grades 2-3.
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MAY 30, 2007
Fairy Realm: The Charm Bracelet by Emily Rodda
The Charm Bracelet, is the first in the Fairy Realm series of books that tell the story of Jessie, a little girl who discovers a parallel world of fairies. In the first book, The Charm Bracelet, Jessie and her mom have gone to visit her grandmother, Jessica, who is very ill. Jessica is about to turn 70 years old and is concerned that her charm bracelet is lost. As Jessie helps to find Jessica's bracelet, she stumbles upon a fairy world that is inhabited by elves, little people, miniature horses, fairies and griffins. Jessie discovers that her grandmother is actually a fairy and should have been queen of the fairies. Jessica fell in love with a human (Jessie's grandfather) and gave up her royalty and passed on the duties of being queen to her sister. When Jessie discovers the realm, the fairy kingdome is in an uproar, as the cousin of Jessie's grandmother wants to become queen. Jessie has to help her grandmother get to the realm before it is too late and the fairies and little folk are overruled by trolls and other cruel creatures. There is a touch of Harry Potter here, as Jessie uses an invisibility cloak to help the fairy realm. Jessie helps to save the fairy world, and as a thank you, she too, receives a charm bracelet.
In the second book of the series, The Flower Fairies,Jessie is nervous about performing in her school play as a butterfly, To calm her nerves, Jessie retreats to the secret garden, which is close to the entrance of the fairy world. She enters the fairy world and is very happy surronded by her fairy friends She enjoys dancing with the fairies and even happens upon a pair of beautiful fairy wings that were her grandmother's. They help Jessie to be light and carefree. But, alas, things are not happy for long. The griffins have taken over the realm and no one can get in or out of the castle without running into the griffins. The queen, who is on vacation, loves the griffins, but has no idea that they have taken over. It is up to Jessie to help save the day. Will she help to control griffins? Read this book to find out.
This is a delightful series that introduces young readers to the fantasy world of fairies. Very easy to read, and beautifully illustrated. There are at least 10 books in the series, sure to be enjoyed by little girls. This series is appropriate for children in grades 2-4.
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MAY 29, 2007
The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood
The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood is part of a series which now includes Shakespeare's Spy and Shakespeare's Scribe. His novels, set in Elizabethan England, are exciting adventures which take place during the richly creative period of the 1500's. The Shakespeare Stealer recounts the coming-of-age tale of the orphan, Widge, who is first purchased from an orphanage by a village doctor who teaches him a rudimentary shorthand so that he can pirate sermons from other clergymen in nearby towns. Then he is sold to an unscrupulous playwright who sends Widge to the Globe Theatre in London to copy Shakespeare's newest play, Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. Thus his owner intended to have his theatre company produce it without having to pay a royalty for doing so. Once at the Globe, Widge inadvertently becomes an apprentice actor and more importantly, for the first time in his life, he experiences the warmth of friendship. His growing loyalty to the other members of the company causes him to question for the first time, the morality of his actions. Great food for thought for late elementary readers!
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MAY 18, 2007
Canto Familiar by Gary Soto
”Canto Familiar” is the unique and familiar song we dance to in our lives. Soto effortlessly turns daily activity into a special event, whether it be making misshapen tortillas or watching the cat “lose” one of its nine lives. This poetry collection contains Spanish words that intermingle with the English creating a special Latino feel. This familiar song allows readers to dance through the collection, gathering many tastes of the Mexican American Community. “Canto Familiar” will be enjoyed by grades three through six, who will like the intermittent Spanish, especially if the child is learning it at school or speaks it at home.
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MAY 10, 2007
The Lily Cupboard by Shulamith Oppenheim
Written as a historical fiction book in a picture book format, this sensitive book beautifully depicts what it was like for Jewish children and families during World War II in Holland. Miriam, a young child, is separated from her family and taken to the country to live in hiding with a family that is not Jewish but is willing to keep her in their home. The hardships families experienced is gently described to give young children an awareness of this time in history. This book could be a great family read and most appropriate for children ages six to eight.
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MAY 4, 2007
The Wand in the Word
Thirteen well-known fantasy authors of both teen and children's books are interviewed for this compilation. Asked about their childhoods, their school experiences, the storytellers in thier own lives and the influence of other fantasy writers, primarily J.R.R. Tolkien and
The Lord of the Rings, on their work, readers can begin to appreciate the authors of some of their favorites fantasies. Authors include Lloyd Alexander, Franny Billingsley, Susan Cooper, Nancy Farmer, Brian Jacques, Diana Wynne Jones, Ursela K. LeGuin, Madeleine L'Engle, Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce, Terry Pratchett, Phillip Pullman, and Jane Yolen. A bibliography is included for the writings by each author. One of the most interesting aspects for me was seeing a page of each author's manuscript after being edited for corrections! This would appeal to readers interested in reading about authors or are would-be authors themselves! Suitable for grades 4 and up.
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