Thank You R.L. Stine!

R.L. Stine and I go way back. When I was in elementary school and even into middle school, I read his Fear Street series quite regularly. They were campy, at times immature, but always entertaining. Alas, I knew the meaning of the phrase guilty pleasure even as a twelve-year old.

Seeing R.L. Stine's name on the list of judges for School Library Journal's Battle of the Kids' Books brought back childhood memories. Because of this sentimental, childhood connection I feel we share, I just knew he wouldn't let me down when it came to keeping my top pick alive.

Sure enough, this morning he chose A TALE DARK AND GRIMM over THEY CALL THEMSELVES THE KKK! And why wouldn't the master of kidlit horror choose a novel as bloody as Adam Gidwitz's?

Thank you for saving my bracket Mr. Stine! You made the right call!

Departure Time

I'm a sucker for surprise endings. Not necessarily straight-forward mysteries (although I do love those too), but novels that sneak up and surprise you in the end. Novels where you assume one thing is going on and in the end, something entirely different is revealed. Stories like WALK TWO MOONS (although maybe that surprise can be seen a mile away) and WHEN YOU REACH ME (didn't see that one coming). So when I emailed famed book blogger Betsy Bird asking for recommendations and she steered me in the direction of DEPARTURE TIME, a translated novel from the Netherlands, I undoubtedly had high hopes.

DEPARTURE TIME is a novel telling two stories, alternating from chapter to chapter. In one story, a girl wakes up alone in an abandoned hotel in a desert, with no knowledge of how she has arrived. Her only company is a talking rat and a talking fox who serve as host and maintenance for the hotel. Familiar music is playing in the background and torn paper littering the landscape. Who is this girl? Who are these talking animals? Why do they recognize her? Where is the music coming from? Who is hiding out in the attic of the hotel?

The other story is about a girl who is angry with her father, a traveling musician, for missing her birthday again. She writes him a scathing letter, letting out all her frustration, and sends it to him not long before he dies in a horrific boat accident. Later she receives a rough draft story from him in the mail, a story he wanted to write together with her. A story about talking animals.

What do these two girls have in common? Are they one in the same?

This book reminded me of I AM THE CHEESE by Robert Cormier with equal parts WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead. It's an engaging, challenging read. As a reader, I spent 95% of this book utterly confused. Sometimes my confusion stemmed from the plot and not knowing how all the questions were going to be answered (if they even were). Sometimes my confusion stemmed from the fear that things could have gotten lost in translation from the Netherlands. I will say, that by the conclusion of the novel, most is revealed. However it is difficult to tell what is purposely metaphorical and what are just flat out loose ends. There are aspects of this book that I didn't truly understand (like the names in the book, Sky, Robin, Mouse) but would like to think are metaphors that could be cleared up with a second read. Then again, I'm not so sure. Maybe some readers will be able to dig deeper and find lots of meaning. Personally, I don't think I'm up for another go of it.

I guess my major feeling at this moment is disappointment. Lots of predictions flooded my brain early on. Is the girl dead? Is she in hell? Is she in a coma? Are the talking animals the talking animals in her father's story? (I mean, come on, it can't just be coincidence that her father's story included talking rats and a fox and in this alternate desert world, our girl Mouse is greeted by a talking rat and fox, can it?) The fact that one of these predictions was semi-correct, felt like a letdown. I was hoping to be blown away. I was hoping to be surprised. The ending is surprising, don't get me wrong, but the fact that the twist was something I had considered early on, meant that I wasn't taken by surprise as much as I would have liked. But, that's my fault, not Truus Matti's.

This book is definitely not for everyone. It would take a very special 5th, 6th, or 7th grade reader to carefully navigate this book in one reading. It would take an even more special reader to want to pick it up and do it all over again. I would love to read it, one story at a time. Read the odd chapters through first, taking in all of story A in the desert. Then read all the even chapters and take in story B. The problem with that is 3/4 of the way through the book, the stories begin to blend together, mid-chapter, ratcheting up the confusion!

As I said, it's an engaging read, and as Mouse moves from anger to acceptance over her father's death, the ride is thrilling enough without the mystery of the "alternate" desert universe unfolding. I think my hopes were just set a little too high for me to find any more enjoyment out of this than I did. Someone with more realistic expectations, may find it brilliant.

Final Grade: B-

Outrage!

How dare you Barry Lyga, choose a nonfiction story about Barbie over Pam Munoz-Ryan's poetic powerhouse THE DREAMER in round one of SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books!

To choose THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BARBIE over THE DREAMER would've been acceptable had good reasons been given. But instead, Mr. Lyga cops out and steps into the shoes of the two main characters to make his decision. Of course strong, confident Barbie would never concede to a wimpy little daydreaming poet in Neftali.

Who cares what the characters think? What about the writing?

Boooooooooooooo!!!

March Madness!

I don't mean to brag, but I've always been slightly-better-than-average at filling out NCAA March Madness brackets. Battle of the Kids' Books, is totally new territory for me though. Each year book blogger Eric Carpenter puts together a bracket challenge for fans to follow along and make predictions. This year I'm taking my first go at it. But since I have no idea what some of the author judges will be taking into consideration, and no clue as to what kind of novels appeal to them as readers, there's nothing to do but sit back and have fun with it. So here are my predictions:

First Round:

I'm picking AS EASY AS FALLING OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH over THE CARDTURNER. In authors Lynne Rae Perkins and Francisco X. Stork (author judge) I see similarities in teen appeal whereas Louis Sachar is widely known for writing one of the greatest juvenile fiction novels ever, in HOLES. Call it a hunch . . .

I'm also taking COUNTDOWN over A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS. I know Megan Whalen Turner has a pretty voracious following, but I think COUNTDOWN has gotten enough buzz amongst readers this year to advance at least one round in this competition. (It wouldn't surprise me if the loser of this round rises among the Undead!)

I think (hope) Barry Lyga will choose THE DREAMER over THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BARBIE. Although this is the pick I'm most unsure of, even though as you will soon see, I have THE DREAMER going quite far.

KEEPER seems like the type of book Susan Patron would dig, more so than HEREVILLE.

ONE CRAZY SUMMER is way too decorated to be knocked out by THE ODYSSEY in the first round, and I don't think Karen Hesse will look to stir things up.

Adam Rex does not strike me as a history buff, I could be totally wrong, but I just see him as an avid fantasy reader, therefore I think THE RING OF SOLOMON will be his pick.

Call me naive, but if there was a sure thing in the first round, it would be my favorite A TALE DARK AND GRIMM. R.L. Stine is its judge for crying out loud! If there was a book that was made for the Goosebumps and Fear Street creator to read and enjoy, it would be this book. Although, who knows what Mr. Stine will do. Maybe that's precisely why he'd throw people off by choosing THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE KKK . . . I don't see it though.

I flipped a coin to finish the first round and came up with Mitali Perkins choosing WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON.

Second Round:

Laura Amy Shlitz will pick AS EASY AS FALLING OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH because she is a great writer and I don't think she'll be fooled by the structure and display of COUNTDOWN. However, I don't think we'll have heard the last of Deborah Wiles' novel . . .

I also think Naomi Shihab Nye (poet) will take a whole three seconds to choose THE DREAMER over KEEPER. Sure KEEPER is written with it's own lyrical, poetic prose, but THE DREAMER seems to be a poet's book. If it can just get past that first round, I see it going very far.

I see Patricia Reilly Giff choosing ONE CRAZY SUMMER over THE RING OF SOLOMON.

And I see Pete Hautman choosing A TALE DARK AND GRIMM over WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON.

The Final Four:

Grace Lin will have a tough time choosing between THE DREAMER and AS EASY AS FALLING OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I see her liking the latter but loving the former. In the end, I see Grace Lin more as a juvenile fiction author and think THE DREAMER speaks to her type of readers more than AS EASY AS FALLING OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. That's why I think she'll pick it.

As for Karen Cushman choosing between A TALE DARK AND GRIMM and ONE CRAZY SUMMER . . . I think ONE CRAZY SUMMER is just too decorated to walk away a winner here. It's my gut feeling that something other than ONE CRAZY SUMMER will win this. So now, is as good a time as any to fall by the wayside. A TALE DARK AND GRIMM will prevail.

The Big Kahuna Round:

At this time, COUNTDOWN will be revealed as the winner of the Undead Poll (with A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS coming in a close second). Richard Peck will enjoy having COUNTDOWN added to his small reading list because he's a historical fiction kind of guy, but in the end, will not choose it as the winner. He will be mezmerized by the sing-song prose of THE DREAMER but being a master storyteller himself, will be too blown away by Adam Gidwitz's Grimm Brothers re-imaginings.

A TALE DARK AND GRIMM will be victorious!

Windblowne

The problem with many fantasy books today is that they all belong to a series. Stand-alone titles are not popular. I can't blame an author for having a lot to say about a world they've created and are passionate about or for looking for a way to cash-in on a clever idea, but it does get a little tiring. Reading a full series worth of books requires much devotion and patience. I've read books before that I've enjoyed (FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull, 100 CUPBOARDS by N.D. Wilson) but just couldn't find myself wanting to read the full series.

This is what made WINDBLOWNE so appealing to me. Here we have the promise of a soaring (excuse the pun) adventure, without the somewhat burden of future installments. A fully-realized fantasy world that can be devoured in one sitting!

Oliver loves kites. In the tree-hugging community of Windblowne, this is a good thing. Each year a midsummer kite flying festival is held and Oliver dreams of winning it. The only problem is he can't get a kite to stay in the air for more than a brief moment. When he discovers that his Great-uncle Gilbert is a former festival champion, he seeks him out for advice and help. What he uncovers instead is a Windblowne conspiracy, involving alternate universes, a timid red flying kite, bladed fighting kites, and an evil Lord Uncle trying to destroy everything Oliver loves.

WINDBLOWNE left me wanting more, and not necessarily in a good way. I know I opened with the problem of fantasy series books, but here's a case where I feel like more explanation was needed. The initial mystery is great! In fact, when Oliver was swept away to the alternate universe the first time, I liked where I thought the book was going. Were the two moons of Oliver's Windblowne going to come into play somehow? Two moons, two universes? No. Instead, we discover (SPOILERS - Gasp!) that there are many alternate universes, all being affected by evil Lord Gilbert's antics! I thought the alternate universes would've benefited from further explanation but then probably would've caused the plot to drag along worse than it already was!

I like the eco-friendly message (think Avatar meets Fringe, in a very naturalistic way) and I like how Oliver learns to adjust his hopes and dreams along the way, discovering his true potential. In the end, I feel like the concept was good, just not realized as effectively as it could have been.

Final Grade: B-

SLJ Battle of the Books

For the last few years, School Library Journal has hosted a Battle of Kids Books online. It's rather addicting . . .

Brackets are put together, famous authors are judges, books battle head-to-head until the Big Kahuna Round, when one book stands tall. Last year, that honor went to MARCHING FOR FREEDOM by Elizabeth Partidge. The year before it went to THE HUNGER GAMES.

This year, a few of my favorites are included in the bracket, namely THE DREAMER and A TALE DARK AND GRIMM.

While THE DREAMER remains my favorite book of 2010, for some reason I find myself rooting for A TALE DARK AND GRIMM here. I can't explain it. I don't have to!

So if anyone is reading this, follow this link and vote for A TALE DARK AND GRIMM. If it gets enough votes in the Undead Poll, and is knocked out of the competition too early (although I highly doubt it with R.L. Stine judging the first round), it could still be alive and reintroduced for the Big Kahuna round!

And if the Grimm Brothers and Adam Gidwitz are too violent for you, then please cast your vote for THE DREAMER.

What Happened on Fox Street

My wife teaches 4th grade, and she often complains that some of my favorite books to read aloud to my 5th graders go over the head of her 4th graders. It is only one grade level, but in our experience it would seem that the maturity difference between 4th and 5th graders in general, is surprisingly significant. Often she resorts to reading THERE'S A BOY IN THE GIRL'S BATHROOM, or SIDEWAYS STORIES FROM WAYSIDE SCHOOL. While these stories are good in their own right (and entertaining), she often wants to challenge her readers and struggles finding good books written for children in this age range.

Enter WHAT HAPPENED ON FOX STREET. Aimed squarely at the 3rd-4th grade crowd, here's a book that could have wide appeal, while showing kids of that age what great writing looks like!

Mo Wren loves her house on Fox Street. The street itself may be in need of a makeover, but it's her street. It's where the memories of her dead mother reside. She wouldn't leave her house for all the money in the world. That's not to say her father wouldn't though. Her father works for the water department and dreams of owning a family-friendly sports bar and grill. And when a shady developer comes along looking to buy up the properties on this dead-end street, Mo panics. With the help of her best-friend Mercedes, who has moved away but still spends each summer with her grandmother on Fox Street, Mo decides that she won't go down without a fight.

This book just feels so authentic. Mo is a character many kids could relate to. Her single dad works too hard. Her "Wild Child" sister is a pain in the neck. And Mo herself is incredibly selfish. It's easy to picture her, in the flesh. To fight for her. To be angry at her. The growing-up she is forced to do, especially when the reader begins noticing that her friendship with Mercedes is changing, is a powerful theme many kids will find meaning in. Author Tricia Springstubb handles it beautifully. In addition, the dialogue, the phrasing of sentences, and the figurative language used are all so unique and original, the book could prompt some great discussions on the craft of writing.

The relationship between Mo and her father was a high point for me. Mo's dad is blue collar. He drinks beer. He plays softball. He gives his daughter leeway that many parents may scoff at. But as I said before, it feels so authentic. He doesn't go to work in a suit and tie. He doesn't drive a nice car. He doesn't read the newspaper in the morning. He and Mo are very real with each other. His love for her is genuine and felt on nearly every page. With his wife's passing, Mo is his girl now. I loved how their relationship grew throughout the story and I thought the resolution to their conflict was great.

Good books, aimed at this age range, are hard to come by. Thankfully authors like Tricia Springstubb are stepping up and trying to fill the void.

Final Grade: B+