11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lectures 5 and 6
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10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lectures 5 and 6
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9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Old School Sunday: Review: The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
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The Whipping Boy. by Sid Fleischman. 1986. HarperCollins. 96 pages. ISBN: 9780060521226
The Whipping Boy is a slim historical fiction novel that won the Newbery Medal back in 1987. It’s the story of Prince Horace, also called Prince Brat, who often misbehaves on purpose in order to see his whipping boy, Jemmy, get punished. When the prince runs away and Jemmy follows, they fall in with some criminals and must switch places in order to outsmart them and make their escape.
Of all the relationships presented in children’s books, this one, between a prince and the boy who is punished daily on his behalf, is one of the most unusual and the most interesting. Though the story is mainly an adventure, following the two boys as they try to outsmart a pair of ne’er-do-wells, it also raises a lot of important questions about wealth, status, education, and justice. The prince is rich and powerful, but he has never learned to read or write because he is always busy misbehaving. The whipping boy, however, who can afford to take nothing for granted, has learned the lessons intended for the prince and is fully literate. Inside the castle, the prince’s crown gives him authority; outside the castle walls, Jemmy becomes the powerful one because he can read and write. When the boys trade places, it’s not just a cute Parent Trap-esque plot device. Instead, the swap is used to illustrate the mostly arbitrary societal constructs that separate the haves from the have-nots. The reader learns, without explicitly being taught, that there are different types of riches, and that the last can suddenly be first when circumstances shift and change.
There are many other elements to this book that make it great. I’m sure kids are pleased to see Prince Brat get his comeuppance after Jemmy has endured so many beatings in his stead, but I bet they enjoy his journey toward redemption just as much. Each character the boys meet on their journey back to the castle is colorful and memorable, and the boys’ clever plan for finally escaping their captors makes for a very satisfying ending.
This book reminds me a lot of The Tale of Despereaux, and I think fans of one will equally enjoy the other. It’s also a nice, quick read with lots of action that a reluctant reader might be willing to try over something longer and more intimidating. I like Sid Fleischman’s straightforward writing style, and though I saw the happy ending coming from the beginning, the road he took to get there was thoroughly enjoyable.
I borrowed The Whipping Boy from my local public library.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
The Whipping Boy. by Sid Fleischman. 1986. HarperCollins. 96 pages. ISBN: 9780060521226The Whipping Boy is a slim historical fiction novel that won the Newbery Medal back in 1987. It’s the story of Prince Horace, also called Prince Brat, who often misbehaves on purpose in order to see his whipping boy, Jemmy, get punished. When the prince runs away and Jemmy follows, they fall in with some criminals and must switch places in order to outsmart them and make their escape.
Of all the relationships presented in children’s books, this one, between a prince and the boy who is punished daily on his behalf, is one of the most unusual and the most interesting. Though the story is mainly an adventure, following the two boys as they try to outsmart a pair of ne’er-do-wells, it also raises a lot of important questions about wealth, status, education, and justice. The prince is rich and powerful, but he has never learned to read or write because he is always busy misbehaving. The whipping boy, however, who can afford to take nothing for granted, has learned the lessons intended for the prince and is fully literate. Inside the castle, the prince’s crown gives him authority; outside the castle walls, Jemmy becomes the powerful one because he can read and write. When the boys trade places, it’s not just a cute Parent Trap-esque plot device. Instead, the swap is used to illustrate the mostly arbitrary societal constructs that separate the haves from the have-nots. The reader learns, without explicitly being taught, that there are different types of riches, and that the last can suddenly be first when circumstances shift and change.
There are many other elements to this book that make it great. I’m sure kids are pleased to see Prince Brat get his comeuppance after Jemmy has endured so many beatings in his stead, but I bet they enjoy his journey toward redemption just as much. Each character the boys meet on their journey back to the castle is colorful and memorable, and the boys’ clever plan for finally escaping their captors makes for a very satisfying ending.
This book reminds me a lot of The Tale of Despereaux, and I think fans of one will equally enjoy the other. It’s also a nice, quick read with lots of action that a reluctant reader might be willing to try over something longer and more intimidating. I like Sid Fleischman’s straightforward writing style, and though I saw the happy ending coming from the beginning, the road he took to get there was thoroughly enjoyable.
I borrowed The Whipping Boy from my local public library.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lectures 5 and 6
To contact us Click HERE
Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well.
Today, I'm posting about the fifth lecture, Postmodern Picture Books, which became available on March 11, 2012 and the sixth lecture, Postmodern Picture Books: Anthony Browne, which became available on March 15, 2012.
The first lecture on postmodernism focused mainly on the historical movements and events which led up to the postmodernist movement beginning in the 1960s. Beagley talked about the fact that in postmodernist works, all absolutes are challenged and many different readings can be valid. He said that postmodern books can be ironic, with layers of meaning, and that often they turn well known stories on their heads, making them into something new. Postmodernism, this lecture tells us, is marked by three things: subversion, when the stable elements of a story are cut away; deconstruction, where what makes up a story is more important than the outcome of the story itself; and meta-fiction, where a book has a self-conscious awareness that it is a book. Beagley mentioned several times that postmodernist books are playful and filled with inside jokes.
In the second postmodernist lecture, Beagley dug deeper into these concepts using the work of well-known picture book author Anthony Browne. In particular, he focused on two of Browne's picture books, a traditional, linear story from 1976 called A Walk in the Park, and a postmodernist retelling of the same story entitled Voices in the Park. Unfortunately, I think all this lecture did was explain why I tend to dislike stories that don't follow a traditional path. Beagley pointed out that postmodern picture books deliberately keep the reader aware that he or she is reading a work of fiction. The reader is never able to just lose himself/herself in the world of the book. I tend to judge books based on how well I am able to immerse myself in them, and how easy it is for me to let go of myself and live vicariously through the characters. I don't know if I've ever really known what to do with books where things don't come to one, clear, emotionally satisfying ending.
While I don't think I'll ever be a fan of postmodernism, these two lectures gave me some idea of how to approach books of this type. I am a bit puzzled as to how I might review a book that is so subjective and so dependent on each individual reader's experience reading it, but it also seems doubtful that I will begin reviewing them any time soon.I think it's safe to say I'm glad to be done with picture books and moving onto the next segment of the course, about graphic novels.
Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 5. Click here for Lecture 6. Read about David Beagley here.
Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well. Today, I'm posting about the fifth lecture, Postmodern Picture Books, which became available on March 11, 2012 and the sixth lecture, Postmodern Picture Books: Anthony Browne, which became available on March 15, 2012.
The first lecture on postmodernism focused mainly on the historical movements and events which led up to the postmodernist movement beginning in the 1960s. Beagley talked about the fact that in postmodernist works, all absolutes are challenged and many different readings can be valid. He said that postmodern books can be ironic, with layers of meaning, and that often they turn well known stories on their heads, making them into something new. Postmodernism, this lecture tells us, is marked by three things: subversion, when the stable elements of a story are cut away; deconstruction, where what makes up a story is more important than the outcome of the story itself; and meta-fiction, where a book has a self-conscious awareness that it is a book. Beagley mentioned several times that postmodernist books are playful and filled with inside jokes.
In the second postmodernist lecture, Beagley dug deeper into these concepts using the work of well-known picture book author Anthony Browne. In particular, he focused on two of Browne's picture books, a traditional, linear story from 1976 called A Walk in the Park, and a postmodernist retelling of the same story entitled Voices in the Park. Unfortunately, I think all this lecture did was explain why I tend to dislike stories that don't follow a traditional path. Beagley pointed out that postmodern picture books deliberately keep the reader aware that he or she is reading a work of fiction. The reader is never able to just lose himself/herself in the world of the book. I tend to judge books based on how well I am able to immerse myself in them, and how easy it is for me to let go of myself and live vicariously through the characters. I don't know if I've ever really known what to do with books where things don't come to one, clear, emotionally satisfying ending.
While I don't think I'll ever be a fan of postmodernism, these two lectures gave me some idea of how to approach books of this type. I am a bit puzzled as to how I might review a book that is so subjective and so dependent on each individual reader's experience reading it, but it also seems doubtful that I will begin reviewing them any time soon.I think it's safe to say I'm glad to be done with picture books and moving onto the next segment of the course, about graphic novels.
Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 5. Click here for Lecture 6. Read about David Beagley here.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?
To contact us Click HERE
Hi,
Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn
O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)
Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html
I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............
Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn
O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)
Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html
I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............
Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012
To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Review: Remembering Mrs. Rossi by Amy Hest
To contact us Click HERE
Remembering Mrs. Rossi. by Amy Hest. 2007. Candlewick Press. 192 pages. ISBN: 9780763621636
Annie lives with her father, Professor Rossi, in New York City, where the two of them are mourning the loss of Annie’s mom, Mrs. Rossi, who was a sixth grade teacher. The mourning process is very difficult, especially for Annie, who finds that her dad just doesn’t do things the way her mom would. Both Annie and her dad find solace, however, in a book created by Mrs. Rossi’s sixth graders in which they share their memories of their beloved teacher.
Thanks to Jennifer’s review at Jean Little Library, I recently learned that Letters to Leo, which I previously reviewed, is actually a sequel to this book! Remembering Mrs. Rossi provides the backstory about Annie’s mother’s death, and her fondness for her teacher, Miss Meadows. Though Letters to Leo made perfect sense without this background, I enjoyed fitting the pieces together and getting a better sense of Annie’s personality and circumstances. I also thought it was interesting that each book incorporated documents. In Letters to Leo, Annie writes letters to her dog; in Remembering Mrs. Rossi, Mrs. Rossi’s students write notes, essays, and stories for Annie and her dad.
I think the greatest strength of Remembering Mrs. Rossi is its portrayal of Annie’s emotions. We understand Annie’s grief and longing for her mother, but we also see little glimmers of hope as things begin to settle into a routine once again. We even see moments of happiness as Annie remembers her mother. The story is gentle in its presentation of each emotion, and kids who have lost a parent will no doubt appreciate those careful nudges toward healing much more than any heavy-handed preaching.
My only complaint is about the way the book is divided. The first portion of the story is straight prose from Annie’s point of view, while the second part is the entirety of the book the sixth graders write about Mrs. Rossi. Since Annie reads and rereads the tributes to her mother throughout the story, I thought it might have been a better idea to mix the two segments of the book together, so that the reader could see directly how Annie’s thoughts and actions are influenced by memories of her mother. It was still interesting to read this way, but it wasn’t especially cohesive, and I started losing interest towards the end.
This is an excellent book to recommend to kids who have lost their mom, and also a nice way to inspire kids to help friends or classmates who might be going through a similar loss. I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to read this first book in order to enjoy Letters to Leo, kids who like to know the whole story will definitely want to read both.
I borrowed Remembering Mrs. Rossi from my local public library.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Remembering Mrs. Rossi. by Amy Hest. 2007. Candlewick Press. 192 pages. ISBN: 9780763621636Annie lives with her father, Professor Rossi, in New York City, where the two of them are mourning the loss of Annie’s mom, Mrs. Rossi, who was a sixth grade teacher. The mourning process is very difficult, especially for Annie, who finds that her dad just doesn’t do things the way her mom would. Both Annie and her dad find solace, however, in a book created by Mrs. Rossi’s sixth graders in which they share their memories of their beloved teacher.
Thanks to Jennifer’s review at Jean Little Library, I recently learned that Letters to Leo, which I previously reviewed, is actually a sequel to this book! Remembering Mrs. Rossi provides the backstory about Annie’s mother’s death, and her fondness for her teacher, Miss Meadows. Though Letters to Leo made perfect sense without this background, I enjoyed fitting the pieces together and getting a better sense of Annie’s personality and circumstances. I also thought it was interesting that each book incorporated documents. In Letters to Leo, Annie writes letters to her dog; in Remembering Mrs. Rossi, Mrs. Rossi’s students write notes, essays, and stories for Annie and her dad.
I think the greatest strength of Remembering Mrs. Rossi is its portrayal of Annie’s emotions. We understand Annie’s grief and longing for her mother, but we also see little glimmers of hope as things begin to settle into a routine once again. We even see moments of happiness as Annie remembers her mother. The story is gentle in its presentation of each emotion, and kids who have lost a parent will no doubt appreciate those careful nudges toward healing much more than any heavy-handed preaching.
My only complaint is about the way the book is divided. The first portion of the story is straight prose from Annie’s point of view, while the second part is the entirety of the book the sixth graders write about Mrs. Rossi. Since Annie reads and rereads the tributes to her mother throughout the story, I thought it might have been a better idea to mix the two segments of the book together, so that the reader could see directly how Annie’s thoughts and actions are influenced by memories of her mother. It was still interesting to read this way, but it wasn’t especially cohesive, and I started losing interest towards the end.
This is an excellent book to recommend to kids who have lost their mom, and also a nice way to inspire kids to help friends or classmates who might be going through a similar loss. I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to read this first book in order to enjoy Letters to Leo, kids who like to know the whole story will definitely want to read both.
I borrowed Remembering Mrs. Rossi from my local public library.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012
To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
Top Middle Class Baby Boy Names England 2012
To contact us Click HERE
Based on my en-masse collection of names given to baby boys in England since January 1st 2012. One spelling is given for each name here but I have taken into account every possible other spelling variant when calculating each name's popularity.
For First Names:
1.) Henry
2.) Harry
3.) William
4.) Alexander
5.) Alfie
For Middle Names:
1.) Frederick
2.) John
3.) David
4.) William
5.) James
For First Names:
1.) Henry
2.) Harry
3.) William
4.) Alexander
5.) Alfie
For Middle Names:
1.) Frederick
2.) John
3.) David
4.) William
5.) James
Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?
To contact us Click HERE
Hi,
Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn
O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)
Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html
I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............
Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn
O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)
Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html
I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Review: Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor
To contact us Click HERE
Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth. by Jane O'Connor. April 3, 2012. HarperCollins. 124 pages. ISBN: 9780062082930
Fancy Nancy has a new hobby - solving mysteries! Gone are the simple sentences and fancy new vocabulary words of the Fancy Nancy easy reader series. Gone are the full-color illustrations of her picture book days. Now Nancy and her best friend Bree are gathering clues and searching for suspects in this brand-new chapter book series. This first book focuses on not one, but two mysterious cases. The first case involves a conversation Nancy overhears in which her friend Wanda tells her friend Rhonda that she has been keeping something from Nancy. The second case focuses on Nancy’s teacher’s favorite marble, which goes missing after Family Day.
I will start out by saying that this series is definitely geared toward kids who are already familiar with the Fancy Nancy universe. There is little mention of Nancy’s fanciness, or her obsession with fancy words, and neither she nor any of the friends mentioned above are introduced in any clear way. This is probably not a huge problem, since I think most kids are familiar with Fancy Nancy, either in picture book format, or easy reader format, but if they were not, it might not be easy for them to jump into this story.
I also wonder what was behind the decision to have Nancy start solving mysteries. She’s not the only one - Judy Moody has started doing it as well - but I wonder if mysteries are really that popular among this age group right now. The only ones that move at all at my library are Geronimo Stilton and A to Z Mysteries, and even then, it’s only among a small group of families. I realize that mystery fiction does tend to lend itself well to a series, but it does seem like a big jump for Nancy to go from being interested in fashion and vocabulary to solving crime in her backyard. I’m not convinced it’s going to catch on.
For me, the mysteries were predictable and easy to solve, but they might not be for kids with not much experience reading in this genre. Still, though, the writing felt generic to me, and I zipped easily through the story in about 20 minutes with very little to say about it afterwards. It was really just okay, and I would say that Fancy Nancy fans, more than mystery fans, will be the ones to call it a favorite.
I purchased Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth. by Jane O'Connor. April 3, 2012. HarperCollins. 124 pages. ISBN: 9780062082930Fancy Nancy has a new hobby - solving mysteries! Gone are the simple sentences and fancy new vocabulary words of the Fancy Nancy easy reader series. Gone are the full-color illustrations of her picture book days. Now Nancy and her best friend Bree are gathering clues and searching for suspects in this brand-new chapter book series. This first book focuses on not one, but two mysterious cases. The first case involves a conversation Nancy overhears in which her friend Wanda tells her friend Rhonda that she has been keeping something from Nancy. The second case focuses on Nancy’s teacher’s favorite marble, which goes missing after Family Day.
I will start out by saying that this series is definitely geared toward kids who are already familiar with the Fancy Nancy universe. There is little mention of Nancy’s fanciness, or her obsession with fancy words, and neither she nor any of the friends mentioned above are introduced in any clear way. This is probably not a huge problem, since I think most kids are familiar with Fancy Nancy, either in picture book format, or easy reader format, but if they were not, it might not be easy for them to jump into this story.
I also wonder what was behind the decision to have Nancy start solving mysteries. She’s not the only one - Judy Moody has started doing it as well - but I wonder if mysteries are really that popular among this age group right now. The only ones that move at all at my library are Geronimo Stilton and A to Z Mysteries, and even then, it’s only among a small group of families. I realize that mystery fiction does tend to lend itself well to a series, but it does seem like a big jump for Nancy to go from being interested in fashion and vocabulary to solving crime in her backyard. I’m not convinced it’s going to catch on.
For me, the mysteries were predictable and easy to solve, but they might not be for kids with not much experience reading in this genre. Still, though, the writing felt generic to me, and I zipped easily through the story in about 20 minutes with very little to say about it afterwards. It was really just okay, and I would say that Fancy Nancy fans, more than mystery fans, will be the ones to call it a favorite.
I purchased Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Themed Thursday: Farm Animals
To contact us Click HERE
There are a surprising number of early chapter books out there about FARM ANIMALS. Click the image to learn more about each book. Linked titles will bring you to my reviews.
For previous Themed Thursday posts click here, or check the sidebar to browse by theme.
Enjoy Themed Thursday? I'm running out of themes! You can help keep this feature alive by suggesting future themes in comments.
 | Duck for a Day by Meg McKinlay Abby and her neighbor Noah compete to make the proper preparations in order to be allowed to bring the class duck home for the weekend. |
 | The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin Against his better judgment, retired search and rescue dog helps a chicken find her missing chick. |
 | Welcome to Silver Street Farm by Nicola Davies Meera, Gemma, and Karl, who met in kindergarten, suddenly find themselves in a position to fulfill their lifelong dream of starting a farm. |
 | Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay Animal lover Lulu rescues a duck egg from the park only to have it hatch in the middle of class! |
 | The Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox Daniel is thrilled when his parents let him bring home the chicks hatched in his classroom, but things take an interesting turn when he uncovers one chick's shocking secret! |
 | Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo Mercy, a porcine wonder who loves buttered toast, saves the day when her owners' bed sinks through the floor in the middle of the night. |
For previous Themed Thursday posts click here, or check the sidebar to browse by theme.
Enjoy Themed Thursday? I'm running out of themes! You can help keep this feature alive by suggesting future themes in comments.
Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012
To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?
To contact us Click HERE
Hi,
Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn
O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)
Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html
I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............
Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn
O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)
Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html
I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Review: Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor
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Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth. by Jane O'Connor. April 3, 2012. HarperCollins. 124 pages. ISBN: 9780062082930
Fancy Nancy has a new hobby - solving mysteries! Gone are the simple sentences and fancy new vocabulary words of the Fancy Nancy easy reader series. Gone are the full-color illustrations of her picture book days. Now Nancy and her best friend Bree are gathering clues and searching for suspects in this brand-new chapter book series. This first book focuses on not one, but two mysterious cases. The first case involves a conversation Nancy overhears in which her friend Wanda tells her friend Rhonda that she has been keeping something from Nancy. The second case focuses on Nancy’s teacher’s favorite marble, which goes missing after Family Day.
I will start out by saying that this series is definitely geared toward kids who are already familiar with the Fancy Nancy universe. There is little mention of Nancy’s fanciness, or her obsession with fancy words, and neither she nor any of the friends mentioned above are introduced in any clear way. This is probably not a huge problem, since I think most kids are familiar with Fancy Nancy, either in picture book format, or easy reader format, but if they were not, it might not be easy for them to jump into this story.
I also wonder what was behind the decision to have Nancy start solving mysteries. She’s not the only one - Judy Moody has started doing it as well - but I wonder if mysteries are really that popular among this age group right now. The only ones that move at all at my library are Geronimo Stilton and A to Z Mysteries, and even then, it’s only among a small group of families. I realize that mystery fiction does tend to lend itself well to a series, but it does seem like a big jump for Nancy to go from being interested in fashion and vocabulary to solving crime in her backyard. I’m not convinced it’s going to catch on.
For me, the mysteries were predictable and easy to solve, but they might not be for kids with not much experience reading in this genre. Still, though, the writing felt generic to me, and I zipped easily through the story in about 20 minutes with very little to say about it afterwards. It was really just okay, and I would say that Fancy Nancy fans, more than mystery fans, will be the ones to call it a favorite.
I purchased Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth. by Jane O'Connor. April 3, 2012. HarperCollins. 124 pages. ISBN: 9780062082930Fancy Nancy has a new hobby - solving mysteries! Gone are the simple sentences and fancy new vocabulary words of the Fancy Nancy easy reader series. Gone are the full-color illustrations of her picture book days. Now Nancy and her best friend Bree are gathering clues and searching for suspects in this brand-new chapter book series. This first book focuses on not one, but two mysterious cases. The first case involves a conversation Nancy overhears in which her friend Wanda tells her friend Rhonda that she has been keeping something from Nancy. The second case focuses on Nancy’s teacher’s favorite marble, which goes missing after Family Day.
I will start out by saying that this series is definitely geared toward kids who are already familiar with the Fancy Nancy universe. There is little mention of Nancy’s fanciness, or her obsession with fancy words, and neither she nor any of the friends mentioned above are introduced in any clear way. This is probably not a huge problem, since I think most kids are familiar with Fancy Nancy, either in picture book format, or easy reader format, but if they were not, it might not be easy for them to jump into this story.
I also wonder what was behind the decision to have Nancy start solving mysteries. She’s not the only one - Judy Moody has started doing it as well - but I wonder if mysteries are really that popular among this age group right now. The only ones that move at all at my library are Geronimo Stilton and A to Z Mysteries, and even then, it’s only among a small group of families. I realize that mystery fiction does tend to lend itself well to a series, but it does seem like a big jump for Nancy to go from being interested in fashion and vocabulary to solving crime in her backyard. I’m not convinced it’s going to catch on.
For me, the mysteries were predictable and easy to solve, but they might not be for kids with not much experience reading in this genre. Still, though, the writing felt generic to me, and I zipped easily through the story in about 20 minutes with very little to say about it afterwards. It was really just okay, and I would say that Fancy Nancy fans, more than mystery fans, will be the ones to call it a favorite.
I purchased Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Review: Petal Pushers #1: Too Many Blooms by Catherine R. Daly
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Petal Pushers #1: Too Many Blooms. by Catherine R. Daly. 2011. Scholastic. 192 pages. ISBN: 9780545214506
In this first book in the Petal Pushers series, readers meet Delphinium Bloom, the oldest grandchild of flower shop owners. When her grandparents announce their plans to retire and leave the shop to Delphinium’s parents, she is horrified. What do her parents know about running a flower shop? Worse, as soon as Del’s grandparents leave, in walks a demanding customer wanting the perfect flowers for her upcoming wedding. Del becomes convinced that her parents can’t handle this detailed flower order, and she begins trying to control every aspect of the shop. In the meantime, her younger sisters, Rose, Aster, and Poppy, become increasingly annoyed with Del’s attitude, while a new boy in school seems to find her very interesting.
This is the third series book I have read recently that focuses on middle school girls running businesses. I don’t know if three is enough to consider it a trend, but I sort of hope it becomes one. There is something really appealing about a tween book that concerns itself with things outside of girl drama and boy-craziness. In this book, Del is plagued by the same issues most fictional middle school girls struggle with - mean popular girls and confusion over a crush - but they don’t consume her entire life. More important to Del are her sisters, her parents, her grandparents, her best friend, and arranging and selling flowers. I think real girls can relate much better to characters who have full, multifaceted lives.
I also think the writing in this book is a notch above some of the other series books I’ve read recently. Sometimes series books like this one have a flat, simplistic style with little description and a “just the facts” approach to storytelling. They often include a lot more telling than showing. This author does a nice job of writing a series book that has that lighthearted, “fluffy” feel that kids expect from paperback fiction but doesn’t water everything down to a basic formula. There is even a great unexpected twist at the end of the book that caught me totally by surprise, which was set things up really well for future titles in the series.
Too Many Blooms is probably best suited to grades 4 to 6, but readers as old as eighth grade might still be interested in it, especially if they’re looking for a short beach read, or something to read on the bus trip to Grandma’s house this summer. It compares well to tween books by Lauren Barnholdt, Tricia Rayburn, and Mimi McCoy, whose works include some romance and friendship drama, but who also keep it clean for the young tween crowd. Other books in the Petal Pushers series include Flower Feud, Best Buds, and Coming up Roses.
I purchased Too Many Blooms from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Petal Pushers #1: Too Many Blooms. by Catherine R. Daly. 2011. Scholastic. 192 pages. ISBN: 9780545214506In this first book in the Petal Pushers series, readers meet Delphinium Bloom, the oldest grandchild of flower shop owners. When her grandparents announce their plans to retire and leave the shop to Delphinium’s parents, she is horrified. What do her parents know about running a flower shop? Worse, as soon as Del’s grandparents leave, in walks a demanding customer wanting the perfect flowers for her upcoming wedding. Del becomes convinced that her parents can’t handle this detailed flower order, and she begins trying to control every aspect of the shop. In the meantime, her younger sisters, Rose, Aster, and Poppy, become increasingly annoyed with Del’s attitude, while a new boy in school seems to find her very interesting.
This is the third series book I have read recently that focuses on middle school girls running businesses. I don’t know if three is enough to consider it a trend, but I sort of hope it becomes one. There is something really appealing about a tween book that concerns itself with things outside of girl drama and boy-craziness. In this book, Del is plagued by the same issues most fictional middle school girls struggle with - mean popular girls and confusion over a crush - but they don’t consume her entire life. More important to Del are her sisters, her parents, her grandparents, her best friend, and arranging and selling flowers. I think real girls can relate much better to characters who have full, multifaceted lives.
I also think the writing in this book is a notch above some of the other series books I’ve read recently. Sometimes series books like this one have a flat, simplistic style with little description and a “just the facts” approach to storytelling. They often include a lot more telling than showing. This author does a nice job of writing a series book that has that lighthearted, “fluffy” feel that kids expect from paperback fiction but doesn’t water everything down to a basic formula. There is even a great unexpected twist at the end of the book that caught me totally by surprise, which was set things up really well for future titles in the series.
Too Many Blooms is probably best suited to grades 4 to 6, but readers as old as eighth grade might still be interested in it, especially if they’re looking for a short beach read, or something to read on the bus trip to Grandma’s house this summer. It compares well to tween books by Lauren Barnholdt, Tricia Rayburn, and Mimi McCoy, whose works include some romance and friendship drama, but who also keep it clean for the young tween crowd. Other books in the Petal Pushers series include Flower Feud, Best Buds, and Coming up Roses.
I purchased Too Many Blooms from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012
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Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila
Top 25 Middle Names For Girls USA 2012
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I have collected the name details of over 3,500 baby girls born in the USA since the first day of January 2012. Based on that here is my top 25 middle names. As always to give you the most accurate list I have taken into account all possible spelling variants when calculating any name's popularity. There will be an update to this post later in the year. Happy reading.
1.) Marie (number one by a long way. In some areas nearly 50% of girls have this as a middle name!)
2.) Anne
3.) Grace
4.) Lynn
5.) Rose
6.) Nicole
7.) Mae (on a big up)
8.) Lee
9.) Elizabeth
10.) Rae
11.) Jane
12.) Jean (on the up)
13.) Elise
14.) Kay (on a big up)
15.) Faith
16.) Michelle
17.) Renee
18.) Joy (on the up)
19.) Belle
20.) Claire
21.) Leanne
22.) Christine (on a huge up)
23.) Jade
24.) Jo
25.) Sky (on the up)
1.) Marie (number one by a long way. In some areas nearly 50% of girls have this as a middle name!)
2.) Anne
3.) Grace
4.) Lynn
5.) Rose
6.) Nicole
7.) Mae (on a big up)
8.) Lee
9.) Elizabeth
10.) Rae
11.) Jane
12.) Jean (on the up)
13.) Elise
14.) Kay (on a big up)
15.) Faith
16.) Michelle
17.) Renee
18.) Joy (on the up)
19.) Belle
20.) Claire
21.) Leanne
22.) Christine (on a huge up)
23.) Jade
24.) Jo
25.) Sky (on the up)
Top Middle Class Baby Girl Names England 2012.
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Based on my data collection of children born since January 1st 2012. All possible varaiant spellings have been taken into account when calculating each name's popularity. For ease of reading one spelling has been given for each name here though.
For First Names:
1.) Matilda
2.) Florence
3.) Emilia
4.) Jessica
5.) Elizabeth
For Middle Names:
1.) Grace
2.) Rose
3.) Isabel
4.) Elizabeth
5.) Annabelle
For First Names:
1.) Matilda
2.) Florence
3.) Emilia
4.) Jessica
5.) Elizabeth
For Middle Names:
1.) Grace
2.) Rose
3.) Isabel
4.) Elizabeth
5.) Annabelle
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