Every Vote Counts

Since we just finished the vice presidential debate and are awaiting the second presidential debate of 2012 I will get back to the promised reviews of election inspired stories. I hope you're not too sick of seeing election stuff yet.

"Amelia Bedelia's First Vote"
By Herman Parish
Illustrated by Lynne Avril
For Ages 4 - 8
      Every day school is an adventure. When you add in a lesson on voting things can turn from adventuresome to exciting. And when Amelia Bedelia is in the mix, silly and unpredictable become the best way to describe the situation. Rated 3.5 (election, elementary school, humor for young and early readers)
     The excitement of voting day is a little much for Amelia. When asked to deliver a note to the principle, Amelia runs through the halls. Everyone knows you should never run in the halls. But Amelia was running and she crashed right into the principal.
     While in the nurses office she has a great idea and can help but tell her principal. He should let the students vote on the school's rules. So Amelia's class spend and entire period thinking up suggestions, including: ice cream sandwiches for lunch, a class trip to the circus, a fish tank in every room and homework-free Wednesdays. The last one was Amelia's suggestion.Thanks to a sick student everyone gets to learn about absentee ballots and the "swing vote." Since Amelia takes everything at face value, discussions of run-offs and swing votes conjure up plenty of humor and fun for young readers in this pleasant, if uninspiring, introduction to voting.

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New Computer. New Post.

I apologize for being away so long. My computer died recently. So after a quick but moving funeral and a proper mourning period I obtained a new computer. Now here I am with a backlog of reviews. I should be able to post several over the next week or so. 

Where did I leave off? Oh yes, with books about elections. Well I don't feel like talking about the election today so you'll have to wait a little longer for more picture books about the election. Today I want to talk about why dinosaurs went extinct.

Dinosaurs Love Underpants
By Claire Freedman
Illustrated by Ben Cort
For Ages 4 - 8
             Like ""Dinotrux" by Chris Gall, this picture book takes a lighthearted look at the life and times of dinosaurs and throws in some underpants humor. Rated 3.5 (humor, dinosaurs, fiction)

What really happened to the dinosaurs? You have probably heard the meteor impact theory. And you may be familiar with the global climate change idea. I don't think either of those theories are accurate. Believe it or not, underpants were the downfall of dinosaurs.

When cavemen decided they no longer wanted to be naked, one of them created underpants. Most likely something with an animal print or camouflaged with the surrounding vegetation. One or two polka dots might have slipped in as well. The cavemen were happy with their underpants, but the dinosaurs were not. They wanted all the underpants for themselves. Before long the dinosaurs stole, bit, ripped and tore until it was an all out underwear war.

Although the verse seems a little forced, the underpants scenario is quite funny and the illustrations do well to highlight the hilarity. Young readers will have giggle fits, especially young boys.

Red, White and Blue

Over the next couple weeks we will be inundated with political conventions. Then the real campaigning for the presidency begins and politics will take over all media. So over the next couple weeks I am going to highlight a few picture books about voting and running for president. We might as well have a little fun with it.

“Madam President”
By Lane Smith
For Ages 5- 10

     Text and visual comedy marry to deliver a steady dose of political satire even young elementary school children will enjoy in Lane Smith’s “Madame President.” Rated 4.5 (politics, humor, government)

     Katy explains the ins and outs of being the president with refreshing candor and behaves as if she is not going to become the president, but already is the president. At one point she attends the “state funeral” of a pet frog and turns an oral report into a press conference. Humorous attitude is plentiful in this romp such as when Katy wields her veto power over tuna casserole. One bit that stuck with me was the lyrics for “Hail to the Chief.” I love when they praise “her rad administration.

     Not unlike Smith’s “John, Paul, George and Ben,” this tale knows how to have fun with politics. So much so that it will make members of both major parties laugh… and their children too.

Dog Days of Summer

I am currently reading "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again" with my boys. Expect a review when I am finished. Also expect to see a review of "Priscilla the Great: the Kiss of Life," by Sybil Nelson, from my 12-year-old son and myself in the next couple weeks. Until then here is a review of a picture book for pet lovers.

"The True Story of Ten Dogs: Stay"

By Michaela Muntean

Photography by K.C. Bailey and Steve Kazmierski

For Ages 4 – 8

            Learn about 10 rescue pups their owner as they put on a circus act that will have you smiling from ear-to-ear. Rated 4 (non-fiction, dogs, circus)

If you could capture the magic of the circus in a picture book you’d end up with "Stay." This fascinating tale tells the story of Luciano Anastasinia, a seventh-generation circus performer, and his loveable canine crew. Anastasinia rescues his pups from the pound and decides to learn a thing or two about them before deciding how to put an act together. He discovers that Penny is a cross-eyed bichon fries and Bowser is a kleptomaniacal beagle mix. Not a trainer, Anastasinia shows remarkable patience with his animal buddies and develops a true understanding of how to work with them. If you find something you like to do, work is fun. And that is how they put together a successful circus act.

The vivid photographs that illustrate "Stay" tell a wonderful story of understanding and love. When combined with playful text a fantasy trip to the big top develops with a tale about overcoming obstacles and second chances that even young readers can understand and enjoy.

100 Days that Changed the World... Kind of

What do you think about sequels to classic books, especially when they are not written by the original authors? "Peter Pan in Scarlet," the official sequel to J. M. Barrie's "Peter and Wendy," comes to mind. It was good, but not quite on the level of Barrie. I get too intrigued when I see a new sequel to a classic novel and can't keep myself from reading it. I recently finished the sequel to Jules Verne's, "Around the World in 80 Days." The review is below. I also picked up the sequel to Ian Fleming's, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." I plan to read that with my kids then review it here.

"Around the World in 100 Days"

By Gary Blackwood

For Ages 10 - 13
If you like Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days" you'll be happy to read Blackwood's sequel, "Around the World in 100 Days." Rated 4.5 (adventure, mild peril, historical fiction)

If Phileas Fogg was able to circle the globe in 80 days, why doe sit take his son harry 100 days? That is the question I was asking when I picked this book up. It is all quickly explained when Harry, like his father, gets himself into a bet involving a steam-powered automobile he and his best friend built. Now he has to try and travel the globe using nothing but his car. Of course he can use boats over the oceans so don't over think it. 

Harry and his crew face wildfires, sabotage, trains and kidnapping, but they keep steaming along. Both my 7-and 11-year-old sons couldn't put this adventure down once they started reading it. The adventure is fast and fun. The characters are well-developed and keep to Verne's styling, which is a nice touch. History is incorporated well and the plot keeps you guessing without teaching too much or getting bogged down in mysteries. I only wish Blackwood would have developed some of the adventures a little more. 

Blackwood is probably best know for his "The Shakespeare Stealer" series. But his fans and those of "Around the World in 80 Days" will thoroughly enjoy this sequel. I wonder if he'll write another sequel? Maybe around the world in 120 days.

Extreme Weather Palooza

The recent record heat wave has people talking about the "crazy weather" again. So let's review another book that is all about weird weather.

"Eye of the Storm"

By Kate Messner

For Ages 10 - 14

Politically-tinged storm and action adventure. Rated 2.5 (extreme storms, genius teens, peril)

We’re destroying the environment with internal combustion engines. The weather is getting crazy. Corporations are evil and the military can’t be trusted. And if you work too much you’re harming your children. If you believe at least a couple of these statements you’ll love "Eye of the Storm." However, if you think that these statements are political propaganda you’ll want to keep this book out of your children’s hands.

All political views aside, there are some serious problems with this story. "Eye of the Storm" is a tornado-driven adventure that follows 13-year-old Meg and her science summer camp comrades as they try to save the planet from an evil mastermind that wants to use tornadoes to control the world. It’s full of action – one storm after another – which adds excitement but the characters and plot are woefully thin. The science, which begins as a very interesting aspect of story, is quickly over-explained until the it's simply convoluted. 

I was not a fan and suggest that if you want a storm-driven story that delivers, try the "Storm Runner" series instead.