A story told from both the perspective of a squirrel and a boy named Jonathan (who I would guess is 12 or so). It's a small, square book with a cutesyA story told from both the perspective of a squirrel and a boy named Jonathan (who I would guess is 12 or so). It's a small, square book with a cutesy cover, but it's actually pretty sophisticated in terms of both the writing and the subject matter (Jonathan finds the baby squirrel after it falls out of its tree, tries to take care of it, and eventually releases it back into the wild). Not too different from The Cats of Roxville Station.
I didn't finish it because I thought it was a little boring and I have such a big pile of books to get through. ...more
What an amazing audio book. The reader, Cherry Jones, really gave the book this life it wouldn't have had if I'd just read it. She did great, musical What an amazing audio book. The reader, Cherry Jones, really gave the book this life it wouldn't have had if I'd just read it. She did great, musical southern accents. ...more
A children's classic in Spain, finally translated in English. The illustrations look kind of Quentin Blake-ish! A children's classic in Spain, finally translated in English. The illustrations look kind of Quentin Blake-ish! ...more
Very good audio book. I love Mamie Gummer (the reader) because she does an excellent job, and also because she's Meryl's daughter.
I have to say, thouVery good audio book. I love Mamie Gummer (the reader) because she does an excellent job, and also because she's Meryl's daughter.
I have to say, though, that Emma-Jean is pretty much a Vulcan, right? This is like Spock Goes to Seventh Grade. But Colleen isn't a Captain Kirk character to Emma-Jean's Spock. She's just a completely normal, very kind girl who really balances the story nicely. ...more
This is the diary of 12-year-old Sarah Simpson, whose parents have just divorced. She's upset about it, but she learns to accept it. Sounds cliche, buThis is the diary of 12-year-old Sarah Simpson, whose parents have just divorced. She's upset about it, but she learns to accept it. Sounds cliche, but it's actually a pretty cute book, and very short (only 84 pages). Sarah's voice rings true. ...more
I remember this book so well from my childhood because it really cracked me up. There's this part where Peter has to pee so badly, and it was so funnyI remember this book so well from my childhood because it really cracked me up. There's this part where Peter has to pee so badly, and it was so funny it almost made ME pee my pants. ...more
A decent, but not great, audiobook. The story itself is already precious enough and the narrator somehow made it even more precious.
So I find myself A decent, but not great, audiobook. The story itself is already precious enough and the narrator somehow made it even more precious.
So I find myself at odds again with the National Book Award judges. I was recently underwhelmed by Flesh and Blood So Cheap and I was similarly underwhelmed by the Penderwick sisters and Jeffrey. It's a nice well-written book, and they're nice, well-written characters, but none of it thrilled me.
Also, in what year is it supposed to take place? Jane asks Mr. Penderwick if she can type up her story on his computer, but that's the only clue that this tale is happening in the modern world. The language and tone of the book certainly suggest an earlier time.
Maybe my job at a fairly rowdy public library, where it's not uncommon to hear and see young children saying and doing very un-Penderwick-like things, has jaded me--but I did not wistfully sigh at the sweetness and simplicity of this book. I rolled my eyes. Still, I appreciate why some people love it, and I didn't dislike it so much as I was disappointed by it.
2024 Update: I just read The Penderwicks with my 9yo and I found it way more charming than I did 12 years ago. Maybe because this was the book that dislodged The Princess Diaries series' grip on my daughter... I will take the Penderwicks over Mia Thermopolis any day. ...more
I keep telling my friends to read this book when they complain about their jobs. It made me laugh and I got a kick out the first person plural narratiI keep telling my friends to read this book when they complain about their jobs. It made me laugh and I got a kick out the first person plural narration (which, NERD ALERT, made me think of the Borg).
But this is not a LOLs book, it's a first novel by an ambitious guy with an MFA. It tries to get deep, which I thought made it more interesting than it would've been if it'd just been jokey.
Still the first part, "You don't know what's in my heart," was hilarious. ...more
My 5yo loves listening to the Ramona books on audio (read by Stockard Channing). I loved these books when I was a kid, too. But imagine my horror whenMy 5yo loves listening to the Ramona books on audio (read by Stockard Channing). I loved these books when I was a kid, too. But imagine my horror when she started calling one of her toys Yard Ape because Ramona says it. In the books, Ramona calls one of her classmates Yard Ape because he teases her. His real name is Danny, but she continues to call him Yard Ape even after they become friends -- like it's an affectionate nickname. In the real world, Yard Ape is a racist slur (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/yard_ape).
So I had a Serious Talk with her about never calling anyone that. Ramona does a lot of things we should never do (e.g. destroying her classmate's art project, sticking burrs in her hair, ruining Beezus's birthday cake), so it was not difficult to convince my daughter that she shouldn't always follow Ramona's example.
Now I'm concerned as a children's librarian that this very popular classic uses a racial slur as a nickname, even though Beverly Cleary intended it in the "unruly child" sense. As I've learned, the impact is more important than the intent.
As far as I know, "yard ape" will not be a familiar insult to most kids today. It wasn't familiar to me, but when I heard the word "ape" I instantly knew I didn't want my kid (or any kid) saying that. I've learned a lot about the problems with monkeys in children's literature from the librarian and blogger Edith Campbell (https://crazyquiltedi.blog/2018/07/20...). The racist associations between primates and Black people are well documented.
So reader beware. All your faves are problematic. ...more
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