Audiobook of the Week: Charlotte's Web

I've neglected audiobooks for several weeks, but that's all changed. I'm currently listening to Charlotte's Web, read by none other than the author himself, E.B. White. I have to admit that it took me a little bit to get used to listening to E.B. White; he had a classic New York accent that you don't really hear much anymore, which is a little at odds with this barnyard story (White was a sophisticated man who wrote short stories for The New Yorker before writing children's books)! Rather quickly, his "WIL-buh" and "SHAWL-it" became endearing rather than a distraction (I mean, it's E.B. White reading his most beloved children's book!), and I soon settled in.

I also noticed that he was much less enthusiastic when reading scenes that involved humans. His reading was rather understated in the first chapter, which is set at Fern's house and doesn't involve any animals talking. It wasn't until the story moved to Zuckerman's barnyard that he really came to life.

If you're familiar with modern audiobooks, you know that they are slick productions, complete with professional actors and sound effects. The narrators (this is the preferred term over "reader") often incorporate voices for different characters, change voice modulation for dramatic scenes....anything that a professional actor would find natural to do.

E.B. White did none of this. Sure, his voice does change (somewhat) among the characters, but not anything like you would hear on a modern recording. He certainly makes no effort to make the female characters (human or animal) distinctly feminine. He's *reading* the story, not performing it-and there is a difference. There's no trappings that deflect from the story being read, which makes for a nice change (as much as I love certain modern audiobooks with all its bells and whistles).

Finally, I'm finding that I'm picking up on certain details that I never really caught before I began this CD. Namely that 10 year old Avery Arable brings his air rifle on the school bus. Along with a doughnut. I've read this book many, many times, and that little detail slipped right by me until I heard it read out loud. Huh.

This is a treasure; I highly recommend it!

Picture Book Roundup and Audiobook of the Week

This lunchtime picture book reading is working out really well. Since we're usually slow on the children's floor during lunch time, I don't feel very guilty about grabbing an armful of books from the new picture book collection. It's the easiest way to keep up with the new picture books so that I don't have to lug a bunch of picture books home.




Ant and Grasshopper

Aesop's fables don't easily lend themselves to the picture book format. They're too short and to the point for 32 pages or so, but every now and then, you find one that's completely satisfying. Ant and Grasshopper is one of them. Sure, it's jazzed up a bit from the original premise, but it doesn't distract from the original moral of the story. Ant learns to relax a bit about planning and preparing, and Grasshopper learns the consequences of not getting on the ball with winter preparations. This would also work well for a winter-themed or New Year-themed story time. Be ready for giggles when you sing Grasshopper's song at the end; it's quite funny.




The Best Birthday Ever By Me, Lana Kittie

Sure, it's pink and features a girly character, but this book about birthday manners would amuse boys who are coaxed to listen to it. Hamming up the right/wrong responses to birthday party situations (guests arriving, opening presents, what to serve at a birthday party) is definitely required. It's a charming and fun way to model birthday manners.




The Boy in the Garden

Allen Say returns to a familiar theme-Japanese culture-in this beautiful and sophisticated picture book. After hearing the folktale of the crane who turned into a human, only to return to her animal form after her husband discovered her true identity, a young boy dreams that he is visited by the crane wife. If you're not familiar with Say's work, I highly recommend reading his books. His divine Grandfather's Journey is a Caldecott Medal winning book.




Miss Lina's Ballerinas

Miss Lina's Ballerinas is a charming book ideal for ballet-obsessed preschoolers. Miss Lina's eight ballerinas spend their days dancing in four rows of two until a new student, Regina, is enrolled (every girl's name ends in 'ina).. The girls are befuddled until Miss Lina suggests that dancing in three rows of three is "divine." Sweet without being saccharine, this is also a clever study in multiplication as well as "change is good" lesson. The entire package is reminiscent (in a good way) of the Madeline stories.




Nini Lost and Found

A story of a pet yearning to explore the world beyond its home, yet finding that home is the best place after all, is not anything new, but Anita Lobel tells the tale of Nini so exquisitely that it doesn't really matter. This is a short picture book with a lot of heart and gorgeous illustrations. Don't miss this one.

I just finished Fallen Grace by the remarkable Mary Hooper, and started Chime last night. Chime has a lot of buzz about it (including a fistful of starred reviews), so I'm anxious to see what all the fuss is about. Liking it so far, but I've barely started it. Fallen Grace was awesome. More about that later.

Awesome April Reads, Part II

More great books this way.....


Illegal

Nora's father has promised that he will return to their Mexican village in time for her quinceañera (a girl's 15th birthday is an important milestone in several Latino cultures); that was three years ago. Nora is now fourteen, the village school has closed, families have moved away, and her father's money back from the States has stopped arriving. Nora and her mother decide to spend their savings in order to be smuggled across the border so that they can search for her father; they end up in a Houston barrio, where they must learn how to survive and fit in. I'm really looking forward to reading this. Kirkus Reviews calls this a "memorable coming of age story," and VOYA recommends this "thoroughly engaging and thought-provoking" novel.



Little Chicken's Big Day

Oh, this sounds so sweet: Little Chicken's Big Day chronicles a day in the life of Little Chicken. Like all big chickens, Big Chicken has to continually remind Little Chicken to wash his face, brush his teeth, follow close behind, etc; like all little chickens, Little Chicken sometimes feels that Big Chicken is always nagging him! Momentarily distracted by a pretty butterfly, Little Chicken loses sight of Big Chicken, but they are happily and quickly reunited. Awww. What a great cover, too.



The Loud Book

Deborah Underwood's companion to The Quiet Book is an homage to all things loud, from alarm clocks in the morning to chirping crickets at night.



The Mask Wearer

Here's a rare sight: a fantasy novel with fewer than 200 pages. Amos Dragon and his animal friends must find four masks that harness nature's powers and the sixteen stones that bestow magic upon the mask.



Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm

We are a community of dog lovers, so I just know that this book will fly off the shelves. Jon Katz has written about his farm dogs for many years; this is his first book, I believe, for children. Katz introduces us to his dogs, who all have important jobs: Border collie Rose herds the sheep, Border collie Izzy visits hospital patients, and Frieda (mixed breed) guards the farm. What does Lenore, the black lab, do? Well, her job isn't as sharply defined, but it's just as important as the other jobs, reminding us that everyone has talents that he/she can contribute.

Monday Is One Day


A boy and his father count down the work week days until it's time to enjoy the weekend together. Although it stars a boy and his father, the illustrations feature a wide variety of modern family life. Reviews have been excellent.





My Side of the Car


Sadie and her father have been planning a big day at the zoo, but something always gets in the way. When they finally get on the road, what do they run into? Raindrops...but Sadie insists that there aren't any raindrops on her side of the car! Nice to see another parent-child partnership in children's literature. We have Kate Feiffer and her father, Jules Feiffer, Heidi Yolen Stemple and her mother, Jane Yolen, Christopher Myers and his father, Walter Dean Myers, Emily MacLachlan Charest and her mother, Patricia MacLachlan, the Emberley family...who am I missing? Kate Feiffer based this book on a childhood memory. Lovely.

Mythbusters Science Fair Book

Oh, how cool is this? Science experiments from the popular Discovery Channel show, Mythbusters. I need new science experiment ideas, so I will definitely check this one out.

Okay For Now

I love, love, love The Wednesday Wars, so I'm super thrilled about this companion novel. I've read rave reviews (except for Publishers Weekly, which seemed rather mixed) about it (however, I've been left cold by quite a few books that received stellar reviews). Okay For Now tells the tale of Doug, Holling's best friend from The Wednesday Wars. Doug's brother is still in Vietnam; not only that, the family has to move after his father loses his job. From all accounts, this is a rather dark novel for Schmidt.

Queen of the Falls

Chris van Allsburg's latest picture book retells the story of daredevil (and retired charm school teacher!) Annie Edson Taylor's barrel feat over Niagara Falls. I am anxiously awaiting it; it seems a bit deeper than just a wild story about an unusual woman.

The Queen of Water

I'm not sure how widely this will be read, but it offers such a unique perspective for YA literature that I wanted to add it to the collection. Maria Virginia is a Quechua Indian girl working as an indentured servant for an upperclass Ecuadorean family. Maria Virginia is able to receive an education, and as she matures, she must decide whether or not to pass as a mestizo or to stay true to her native Ecuadorean heritage. This is based on the true story of Maria Virginia Farinango, who collaborated with Laura Resau to tell her story.

Raymond and Graham Rule the School

I'm not quite sure where I read about this book; the premise and reviews sounded so appealing that I had to get it for our young readers. Raymond and Graham are stoked to be fourth graders, but things just seem to go haywire. This is the first in a series that began in 2008. Children flock to series (comfort reading), so I hope this will be a success.

The Trouble With May Amelia

*happy dance*

*continues to do happy dance*

About a year ago, I exchanged tweets (oh, I hate that word) with Jennifer Holm about something....I think it was Babymouse. Anyway, I happened to mention my love for Our Only May Amelia, to which she replied that she was finishing a sequel to the book. Get. Out. And, here it is. Three time Newbery Honor recipient (wonderful honors, but can she get the actual medal one day?) Jennifer Holm's latest novel updates us on the going-ons of May Amelia, the only girl in a Finnish-American family of seven brothers living in 19th century Washington state. Now thirteen years old and the best English speaker in her family, May Amelia acts as the translator between her father and a man interested in buying their land. Unfortunately, the family becomes the victim of a land swindle; although they face several tragedies along the way, reviews have pointed out that there is much warmth and joy in the story. Surprise, surprise; this is getting terrific reviews.

Hope you find something that piques your interest!

Awesome April Reads...Part I

We just sent off another order filled with terrific children's and young adult books. As always, I'm excited about all of them, but here are the ones that have caught my eye. I'm not commenting on the ones I know will be super hits (new book by Meg Cabot, latest entry in Ranger's Apprentice, etc); no need for that! There's a lot to talk about, so I'm once again dividing this into two posts.

The Accidental Genius of Weasel High

The success of Diary of a Wimpy Kid with preteen boys shows that boy readers are looking for stories other than overstuffed high adrenaline stories, which is why Random House is advertising this as "A book for the Wimpy Kid who has grown into a Wimpy Teen." Larkin Pace, an aspiring filmmaker, documents his life for an English class assignment.

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

This wasn't on my radar until I read this month's School Library Journal reviews; happily, I've discovered that the other review publications have strongly praised it as well. Set in 17th century Scotland (oooh), The Betrayal of Maggie Blair tells the story of 17 year old Maggie, who escapes the Isle of Bute after being imprisoned with her grandmother, who was falsely accused of witchcraft.

Bird in a Box

I've been looking forward to reading this novel set at a 1930s African-American orphanage for months. This era is very underrepresented in African-American historical fiction, and for it to be told by such a gifted author makes it extra special.

Can We Save the Tiger?

Can We Save the Tiger? is not just about endangered tigers; readers learn about the thousands of species that are threatened and success stories of species that have been kept alive. Yay for success stories; I think they're important in conservation education. Sounds like a winner; its collection of four starred reviews (The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly) confirm it.

Carmen

Another YA retelling of a classic story? As long as it's good, I'm all for it. And with Walter Dean Myers at the helm, I'm confident that it will be awesome. As you can guess, this is a retelling of Bizet's classic opera, set in present-day Spanish Harlem. I haven't read The Fortune of Carmen Navarro yet (a YA retelling of Carmen published last year), but it's on my list.

Cars Galore

This tribute to cars will undoubtedly be beloved by young autoaficionados.

Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius or Anything

Cheesie is an 11 year old boy with a knack for adventure. The summer after fifth grade is full of high jiinks for Cheesie and his best friend after they discover a coin that may belong to a mysterious and reclusive neighbor.

Cinnamon Baby

I am really excited about this book; it's rare to see a picture book featuring a biracial family. Cinnamon Baby is the story of Miriam and Sebastian, who meet at Miriam's bakery, fall in love, marry, and have a baby. After several futile attempts to calm the crying baby, Miriam takes the baby to the bakery and begins to make cinnamon bread, the smell of which soothes the baby. The illustrations sound lovely as well. Cannot wait.

Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things

Dinkin Dings is afraid of most things--except for the ghost, monster, and skeleton living under his bed. He's cool with them. He's also convinced that the new neighbors next door are zombies. He and his creepy posse are determined to prove it. Sounds like fun. Thank goodness for a new short chapter book; they don't all have to be 500-600 pages, people!

A Dog's Way Home

Oh, no! A cute doggy on the cover! Doesn't that mean that the dog usually gets it in the end? Fear not, dog fans. I received an advance reader copy, and I can tell you that it is a lovely, though at times nail-biting, girl-and-her-dog story. It's also set in and around the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is cool. A car accident separates Abby and her beloved dog, Tam; A Dog's Way Home chronicles their search for each other.

The Emerald Atlas

Within the span of several days, I saw this featured in Amazon's new and future releases section and received a promotional email advertisement; I have a feeling we'll hear a lot about The Emerald Atlas. Three orphaned siblings seek to fulfill an ancient prophecy that will change the course of history; sounds like a ripping good read.

Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World

The true story of a Danish island powered by renewable energy (including its successes and mishaps) has received terrific reviews, including several starred reviews.

More awesome books in the next post!

Please Pass the Poetry

I blogged about National Poetry Month on the ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children) blog. I will blog at least once a month there; very happy to be back blogging for ALSC!

Super Quick Roundup

Don't have time for lengthy reviews today, but wanted to touch on my recent reads before I got too far behind in my posts.




Small Persons With Wings

I'm not big on fairy stories, but this is not your typical fairy story. Mellie is teased for her insistence that fairies (or, as they prefer, small persons with wings) are real. After her family inherits her grandfather's rundown inn, she learns that her family has a very important connection with the fairy world. This is a clever and witty, at times, novel (although some may not like the sly references to swear words, but it's a very minor aspect to the story). I thought it might supersede Young Fredle as my frontrunner for the Newbery (keeping in mind that it's barely April and we have until September-October for books to be considered), but not quite. It came awfully close.



Inside Out and Back Again

In the span of one year, a young Vietnamese girl's sudden departure from Vietnam and her resettlement in Alabama is effectively and movingly told in this verse novel. I have it on my Newbery shortlist. I didn't think it was as gripping as All the Broken Pieces, but it's definitely something to keep in mind for upcoming Mock Newbery discussions.




Four Seasons

The super competitive world of music prodigies is something that's completely foreign to me; auditioning and playing for my local district's honors band for two years was the extent of my competitive music career. I knew children who were musically talented (and currently know some teens who are quite serious about their instruments), but teens like Allegra Kent, who endure the rigors of The Juilliard School's pre-college division and worry about not playing Carnegie Hall before they turn 15, are a rare breed. Four Seasons is an engrossing look at the sacrificies that Allegra takes in order to pursue her music career (and the consequences of those sacrificies). This may not have a very wide appeal, because I think you have to be into "backstage looks at the world music/ballet/theater" books and movies. I love that kind of stuff. If you couldn't care less, on the other hand, this may not be for you.

Currently reading: The Latte Rebellion. So far, so good. Asha's a cool character.