Biographies Can Be Cool

I am always looking for biographies that my children will enjoy reading. Other than the "Little House on the Prairie" series and "The Diary of Anne Frank," biographies too often have no style or pizzaz and children can't sink their teeth into them. So few children ever hear the amazing stories and get inspired by real people. Recently I found a book that I am recommending to everyone. If I had a vote on the Newberry Medal this year it would be for "The Dreamer."

“The Dreamer”
By Pam Munoz Ryan
Illustrated by Peter Sis
For ages 8 - 12
This is a tale of the power of the human spirit and how it thrives in words and senses and raises one young boy out of an abusive family and into one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. It is engaging, intriguing and beautifully written. Ryan's fictionalized childhood biography of Pablo Neruda may be the best book I have read this year.
Rated: 5
The Good: Thought provoking and well-structured story married with eloquent sensory details and vivid prose.
The Bad: The first few chapters are quite depressing and slowly paced.

"The Dreamer" is the fictionalized biography of Pablo Neruda's childhood. For those unfamiliar with this name, Neruda is the Nobel Prize-winning, and one of the most widely read, of the 20th century. Born in Chile as Neftali Reyes, Ryan meshes factual information with with an engaging story.

Neftali is a shy boy, often sickly, who from a very young ages sees poetry in the world around. Words and sounds seem to dance in his thoughts and carry him to other worlds. Neftali's spirit grows and thrives despite his fathers abusive negativity and totalitarian rule on the family. His only respite comes when his father is out in the jungle on business. The injustice Neftali feels at home opens his eyes to the injustice he sees happening to the indigenous Mapuche people who are being forced form their homeland, often beaten and even murdered. As Neftali grows he savors every word he reads and finds his talent for telling a story.

Ryan is eloquent in the telling of Neruda's childhood and savors the sensations and experiences of the world around him. Whether telling the tale of a swan shot by a hunter, or standing in the crashing surf as waves batter Neftali under the watchful eyes of his father the story is always poetic and rhythmic in the telling. Ryan intersperses poetry between the chapters that mimic Neruda's style as well.

This is an intriguing and elegant tale that begs to be read. The plot lines of social injustice, the power of words and abusive family situations never take over the story, but server admirably to keep the focus on the strength of the human spirit. This is a beautiful book and a must read.

Be Awesome!

Last week I wrote about playing superhero as a child and pretending to have powers that could save the day. It wasn't always superheros that I pretended to be. Sometimes I just pretended to be me, but "awesome." Generally that just meant being extra cool, like James Bond without the spy mission. That is why I could totally relate to the main character when I read a the first book in a new series by Lara Bergen.

“Sophie the Awesome”

By Lara Bergen
For ages 7 - 10
Think "Judy Moody" or "Junie B. Jones" with proper grammar. This tale of an adolescent girl with an abundance of personality who discovers her real strength will be most enjoyed by elementary girls.
Rated: 3.25
The Good: Authentic dialogue with situations and characters that are easy to relate to.
The Bad: Somewhat cliche storyline and character development.

Sophie is a lively third-grader that feels that her life is boring. She is in the middle of the pack when it comes to everything. She is neither tall nor small, she is the middle child, and she is only average at academics and sports. Don't feel too sorry for Sophie, she knows she is special. However, Sophie wants everyone else to know she's special too.

First things first, Sophie decides a name change is in order. Maybe she could be like the heroes in her books: “Nate the Great,” “Marvin the Magnificent,” “Ramona the Brave,” or “Harriet the Spy.” Thus Sophie the Awesome is born. Now she just has to prove to everyone that she is awesome. Living up to a name like that is not easy. As Sophie tries to earn her new name she finds that “awesome” may not be the perfect name for her, but she does find a good one that fits.

Bergen taps into the elementary schoolgirl's psyche with storytelling ease. The dialogue is authentic without being grammatically incorrect, as in the "Junie B. Jones" series. Fans of “Judy Moody” will also enjoy this series. Be sure to also read the second book in the series, “Sophie the Hero.”

Super Heroes to the Rescue

How many kids want to have super powers or be super heroes? I can remember wearing a towel-cape and running around the house. Of course that was just this last Saturday. Hey, I've got two kids and a Dad has to do what a Dad has to do. Besides, what dad doesn't want to be a super hero to their kids?

“The Amazing Adventures of Nate Banks: Secret Identity Crisis”

By Jake Bell
For Ages 7 - 10
This series is fun and fast. Think “Captain Underpants” without the potty humor. “The Amazing Adventures of Nate Banks" is a chapter book that will appeal to young boys like a comic book.
Rated: 3.5
The Good: Super heroes and a good message.
The Bad: Light on quality content.
Nate Banks is Kanigher Falls' biggest comic book expert, which also means he is an expert on super heroes. Usually it is only the big cities who get their own heroes but, when Ultra Violet appears in Kanigher Falls Nate becomes a little obsessed with the mysterious purple-clad hero. Nate is struggling a little in school, but Professor Content gives Nate a chance to earn a little extra credit. All he has to do is put a report together on Ultra Violet. That is when things really get interesting. Nate discovers Ultra Violet's secret identity, unwittingly aids the big, bad guy and helps save the day.

"Secret Identity Crisis, “Freezer Burned,” and the other installments in the series are fun and fast reads. Think “Captain Underpants” without the potty humor. Each issue also contains an 8-page comic book that helps tell the story.

Land of the Lost or Summer of Fun

Every young boy loves an adventure. Okay, maybe not every one, but a great many do. They love to pretend, play sword fights, search for treasure and discover uncharted lands. Summer happens to be a great time for this kind of play too. Children have all day to play outside and often take real adventures with their families. You and I know them as vacations. This book happens to offer an exciting adventure for those rainy summer days that are sure to put a damper on the outdoor adventures.

“Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow”

By James Rollins
For Ages 9 - 14
Best for boys, but girls will enjoy it as well. Think Young Indiana Jones with a little Doctor Who mixed in and you’ll end up with “Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow.”
Rated: 4
The Good: A fun fantasy-adventure with a mystery thrown in.
The Bad: Perilous situations and some unbelievability (even for a fantasy.)

Three years after the apparent deaths of their parents on an archaeological dig in the Yucatan, Jake Ransom and his sister are invited to London for the opening of a museum exhibit featuring their parent’s work. Aside from a couple journals and a broken Mayan coin, the siblings have very little to remind them of their parents. So they go to London for the opening. Just as a solar eclipse occurs Jake and his sister are transported to another world, with dinosaurs, Mayans, Romans, Egyptians, Vikings, and Neanderthals all living together in a mystical valley.

The pace of the action quickens as Jake tries to uncover a way back to “reality” while simultaneously preparing for a battle with the evil Skull King. Along the way Jake discovers clues that suggest his parents may still be alive. I guess we’ll have to purchase “Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx” to find out more.

Rollins deftly mixes historical facts in with fiction and fantasy for a fun and interesting adventure. This mysterious adventure includes battles, alchemy, peril, and interesting relationship dynamics. It will certainly make for good summer adventure reading.

Princess or Bust?

Every little girl seems to be enamored with princesses. It seems only natural the whole "princess thing" will would continue as they grow older. Of course, if you begin referring to cliques as princesses the term may not be held in such high regard for long.

“Diary of a Would-be Princess”

By Jessica Green
For ages 9 - 12
This "school" story follows Jillian, a fifth grade girl in a small Australian town. “Diary of a Would-be Princess” has potential, but the pacing and coloquial Australian dialogue drag it down. It has some highlights worth reading, but the rest falls flat. Rated 2.5 (cliques, adolescent relationships, procrastination)

What appears to be a great new book for young girls about how to deal with life, relationships, and school turns out to be only mildly interesting. The story follows Jillian James, a fifth grader in a rural Australian town. Written as a journal, everything is told from Jillian’s perspective, aside from a few notes from her teacher. The journal offers an interesting look at a girl who begins the year wanting to be in the popular “princess” clique, but throughout the year develops group of friends, mostly male outcasts, that are uniquely her own.

The pacing is slow and the Australian slang can be difficult to decipher at times. Jillian has a nice flare for humor and her character is well developed, but the supporting cast remains a little flat. Unfortunately, by the time Jillian makes her climactic and thoroughly entertaining speech on the virtues of procrastination, most readers will have put off reading this book until later in the summer.

Spirited Summer Reading

Okay with supernatural story lines, but don't want your daughter reading "Twilight?" What are you to do? Sift through the book shelves at your local bookstore and keep your eyes peeled. There are plenty of books that fit that description without the violence and sexuality that comes with most of the vampire genre. I happened upon this fun summer read and enjoyed it enough to share.

“I So Don’t Do Spooky”

By Barrie Summy
For Ages 10 - 15
Best suited for 10 - 13 year old girls, "I So Don't Do Spooky" follows a spirited young girl and her ghostly accomplices as she solves paranormal mysteries. It is entertaining and fun with just enough drama to keep it honest, but it probably won't leave a lasting impression. Great for vacations. Rated 3.5 (mystery, ghosts, humor.)

Think 13-year-old Nancy Drew with ghosts thrown in. This is the second book in the series by Summy that follows Sherry Holmes Baldwin. It’s a teen mystery with a twist. Sherry’s mother is a police officer who passed away and is now a ghost at The Academy of Spirits. With the help of her ghostly mother and grandfather Sherry sets out to discover who is stalking her step mother. Summy keeps the pace quick and the content light-hearted even when discussing death and family loss.

At the heart of this mystery is a story about friends, family and relationships. The dialogue is believable and the situations are somewhat universal to 13-year-old teens without being overly dramatic. It is not shifty enough to really draw you into the mystery, nor does it really qualify as a super natural thriller. I see these books as fun, light vacation fare that are best read in paperback. They are charming and enjoyable, but probably won’t leave a lasting impression.

Sorry for the Delay

I have been delayed in posting new reviews, discussions, interviews and such and I apologize. With my recent move to North Carolina came a new job, house hunting, and generally finding a new work flow for my book reviews. The good news is I have not stopped reading. So I now have a stock of books to review. I will begin by posting a review for a fun summer read later this evening.

Thank you for your patience and support.