middle names for girls: Şubat 2013

25 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

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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_Drinkéˆ¥?/a>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Boéˆ¥?/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...............

Review: The Candy Smash by Jacqueline Davies

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The Candy Smash. by Jacqueline Davies. 2013. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 240 pages. ISBN: 9780544022089
The Candy Smash is the fourth book in the Lemonade War series about Jessie and Evan Treski, siblings who are in the same fourth grade class. It is February and Valentine’s Day approaches. Inspired by his teacher’s presentation of a poem of the day, Evan starts writing love poems, first about his grandmother and later about Megan Moriarty, on whom he has a crush. In the meantime, Jessie works on her extra credit project, a class newspaper. She hopes to find out not only who is delivering secret forbidden candy to the whole class, but also who in her class has a crush on someone else and how her classmates think crushes should be revealed. As in the other books of the series, Jessie fails to understand basic social cues, while Evan loses patience with his sister when she violates his privacy.

So far, in this series, Jacqueline Davies has taught readers about economics, law, and maps. In The Candy Smash, she focuses on journalism and poetry. Each chapter opens with the definition of a term associated with either newspapers or creative writing, and through Jessie and Evan’s experiences, the reader learns the proper use of these terms. The educational aspect of the story is certainly subtle and does not overpower the plot, but there are lots of great opportunities for classroom teachers to connect this book to their curricula.

This is a largely character driven story, which provides a lot of insight into the personalities of both Jessie and Evan. Only Evan’s character truly seems to develop, though; I keep wondering with each new book when Jessie is going to begin to mature a little bit as well. True, she is a year younger than her classmates, but even so, there should be some changes happening in her worldview and relationships that I haven’t really seen yet. Davies does a great job of depicting Jessie’s innocence and lack of experience, but it’s becoming less believable as she gets older. I was also surprised by how little their grandmother appears in this story. After the events of The Bell Bandit, she has moved in with the Treskis, but we don’t see much of her, even though her presence looms large in Evan’s poetic mind. Also notable is Jessie and Evan’s teacher, who is invested in her students and dedicated to helping them improve as students and as possible. I love the way she uses her cat, Langston, as her class mascot and displays pictures of him around her classroom. I’d put her in the same category as Clementine’s wonderful teacher, Mr. D’Matz.

My favorite thing about this book, overall, is how well it handles the romance theme. Many books for younger middle grade readers introduce dating into their fourth grade characters’ lives as though it is a perfectly natural thing for nine-year-olds to pair off into couples. In my experiences with kids, they are not into dating at that young an age, and this book reflects reality much more closely than a lot of others of this same reading level and genre. Sure, the characters have crushes, but they are still figuring out what that means and how it will impact their friendships. I especially like the way Evan’s crush on Megan is resolved - sweetly, but without tons of adult commitments and middle school-esque drama.

The Candy Smash doesn’t really stand on its own, so I’d recommend starting with The Lemonade War and reading the books in order. Parents should feel comfortable giving this series to their second- and third-graders who are strong readers, and I think even fifth graders can still enjoy the stories. Budding journalists and poets will love the back matter showing the class newspaper and some of the poems the students have written. Though Valentine’s Day has passed for this year, there is lots in this book that’s worth reading any time!

I borrowed The Candy Smash from my local public library.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Top 25 Baby Boy Names USA 2013

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Basedn my sister and I's collection of the name details of 6000 + baby boys born in the USA since the first day of January 2013. All possible variant spellings have been taken into account when calculating any names popularity. Official stats and most others fail to do this so they are not a very accurate way of telling how common any name will actually sound. Come back May 2013 for a revised and expanded top 30.

1.) Jaxon
2.) Aiden
3.) Jacob
4.) Mason
5.) Michael
6.) Noah
7.) Ethan
8.) Liam
9.) Caiden
10.) Brayden
11.) Jayden
12.) Elijah
13.) Joseph
14.) Anthony
15.) Jace
16.) Daniel
17.) Carter
18.) Bentley
19.) James
20.) Logan
21.) Mathew
22.) Samuel
23.) Landon
24.) John
25.) Isaac

24 Şubat 2013 Pazar

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

Old School Sunday: Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson (1956)

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Miracles on Maple Hill. by Virginia Sorenson. 1956. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 180 pages. ISBN: 9780152545581

Miracles on Maple Hill was published in 1956, and it was the winner of the 1957 Newbery Medal. As the book opens, Marly and her family are headed to Maple Hill, a rural area of Pennsylvania where Marly’s mother spent her childhood summers. Though at first it appears to be a happy family vacation, the truth is that Marly’s father is suffering the psychological effects of the time he spent as a prisoner of war. At home in the city, he is angry and irritable, jumping at every little thing and sometimes even mistreating his children. The family is coming to Maple Hill in the hopes that the country lifestyle will help Marly’s dad start to heal. Over the next year, Marly gets to know wonderful people - Mr. and Mrs. Chris, Harry the Hermit, and Margie - and she experiences all the miracles Maple Hill can offer, from maple syrup and wildflowers to the slow recovery of her father’s mental strength.

In contemporary children’s books, there is a tendency to dwell more heavily on the darker side of life. Nowadays, for better or for worse, we trust kids to deal with the harsh truths of life - abuse, poverty, divorce, death - and many books describe these situations in detail, evoking empathy from readers and encouraging them to feel all the associated emotions, good and bad. This book handles the pain of Marly’s dad’s experiences in a more detached way, which I think is an interesting and effective approach.

Marly is about ten years old, and what we know of her dad’s condition is filtered through her point of view. It seems likely, given the personality of her mother, that Marly would be protected as much as possible from the darkness of her father’s experiences. Because of this, the reader is really only shown those few frightening moments of anger that Marly has actually witnessed. Throughout the book, both Marly and her brother react to their father nervously, with lots of concern over how he will respond to them, but the reader isn’t subjected to the experiences that made them feel that way. I can only assume this was a conscious decision on the part of the author, and my guess is that it was a decision made to protect young readers. Though some kids do certainly like to read the gory details, or maybe even need to read them to feel validated, other kids are more sheltered, like I was, and this book strikes a great compromise between perfect happiness and interesting storytelling.

The other remarkable thing about this book is its descriptions of country living. I borrowed this book from my urban library system, where kids don’t often run into wildflowers, wild mushrooms, or sap from maple trees. If they read this book, though, they will feel as though they have spent a year on Maple Hill right alongside Marly. The descriptions of everything Marly sees, feels, and tastes during her year of visits to Maple Hill are beautiful, and the author uses just the right details to transport the reader through the beauty of the different seasons. She ties all of this wonderful information about the natural world in with Marly’s relationship with her brother, Joe, and both kids’ relationships to their Maple Hill neighbors, and it is the combination of character and setting that drives the story forward.

This is very much of a book of the 1950s. There are lots of references to very rigidly defined gender roles, where Joe is permitted many freedoms, but Marly must stick close to home, and where it is surprising when Marly’s father learns to cook, or when her mother drives the family car. At one point, Marly’s mother actually apologizes to Marly’s teacher because Marly is more of a tomboy than the other girls at her one-room schoolhouse. These references are among the few moments in the story that make it seem more historical than contemporary. There are also a lot of references to Marly’s father’s time in World War II, which could date the book, but given that our country is also at war today, it is possible that contemporary kids could have a parent in a similar situation to Marly’s father and find some hope and meaning in his recovery.

I really enjoyed this book, though it’s probably best enjoyed when we think of it as “old” realistic fiction rather than historical fiction. The story reflects the values of the time, but they have not been filtered through contemporary thinking. Two very recent novels about similar subjects that might draw interesting comparisons are The Second Life of Abigail Walker by Frances O’Roark Dowell and The Bell Bandit by Jacqueline Davies.

I borrowed Miracles on Maple Hill from my local public library.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

23 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

22 Şubat 2013 Cuma

Review: Lulu and the Dog from the Sea by Hilary McKay (ARC)

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Lulu and the Dog from the Sea. by Hilary McKay. March 1, 2013. Albert Whitman & Company. 112 pages. ISBN: 9780807548202

Lulu and the Dog from the Sea is Hilary McKay’s second adventure about a young animal lover whose compassion for animals in need often leads her into trouble. Set during the summer, this story takes place at the beach, where Lulu and her family take a vacation with Lulu’s best friend Mellie. On their first day in their vacation home, Lulu is warned not to befriend a stray dog who wreaks havoc on the neighborhood by digging through everyone’s garbage cans, but she just can’t help herself. The dog from the sea is obviously lonely - and hungry. Lulu is overwhelmed by the desire to save him, but to do so, she’ll have to protect him from the local dog catcher as well as from angry neighbors who would do him harm. A subplot involves Mellie’s difficulties with building a kite, the end result of which figures heavily into the fate of Lulu’s new canine friend.

For more than two thirds of the story, I liked this book better than last year's Lulu and the Duck in the Park. Whereas the first story focuses mostly on Lulu and her class at school, this second one delves deeper into her family dynamics, and into the personalities of Lulu’s parents. Occasionally, it shifts points of view so we get to understand the thoughts of Lulu’s own dog as well as the so-called dog from the sea. Lulu’s empathy for animals gets transferred to the reader so that, dog lover or not, the reader becomes invested in the well being of this particular stray dog. The writing is strong and evocative, and at times, even funny. In particular, I enjoyed the moment in chapter three when Lulu’s dog Sam reflects on the ill behavior of other dogs, and the narrator tells us that Sam would be surprised to learn that he himself is a dog. I also loved McKay’s descriptions of the beach atmosphere. I felt as though I could practically breathe the sea air.

There is just one problem with this book, and for me, it was sort of a deal breaker. In the final moments of the story, when the tension mounts between the dog from the sea and his neighbors, the dog suddenly becomes Lassie. In episode after episode of Lassie, the famous collie has a sixth sense about his master, Timmy, and she is always running off to wells and mines and various dangerous places to rescue him. Essentially the same thing happens near the end of this book. I saw it coming, hoped desperately that it wouldn’t happen, and then found myself rolling my eyes as the book jumped the shark in a way I could not really forgive. Will kids who love dogs find the ending believable? Perhaps. This series is very sweet and gentle, and readers who don’t mind a mushy ending might buy into the easy way things wrap up for Lulu and the dog from the sea. For me, though, having read many chapter books, I thought this was too simple an ending to an otherwise beautifully written book. I felt that the author owed the reader a more realistic and less cliched finale, and it dropped my Goodreads rating from five stars down to three.

Lulu and the Dog from the Sea is likely to appeal to fans of the first Lulu book, as well as to readers who like the Puppy Place, Vet Volunteers, and Critter Club series. It’s also a nice family-oriented alternative to some of the other girl-centric chapter book series where crushes and girl drama have taken center stage.

I received a digital ARC of Lulu and the Dog from the Sea from Albert Whitman & Company via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

21 Şubat 2013 Perşembe

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

20 Şubat 2013 Çarşamba

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

Review: The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding (ARC)

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The Reece Malcolm List. by Amy Spalding. February 5, 2013. Entangled Publishing. 352 pages. ISBN: 9781620612408

For sixteen years, Devan has been raised by her distant dad and disinterested stepmother. When her father dies, she is sent to Los Angeles to live with her mom, best-selling author Reece Malcolm. Though Devan is nervous because she knows so little about her mother, she is also intrigued by the woman who gave birth to her and then slipped off the radar. Living with her mom is scary for Devan, and complicated, but it’s also the source of lots of excitement. In L.A., Devan attends a performing arts school, makes a group of instant friends and catches the eye of two cute California boys. She also bonds with her mom’s best friend, who is a Broadway star, and her mom’s boyfriend, who keeps both Reece and Devan from losing their minds.

This contemporary young adult novel by debut author Amy Spalding portrays one of the most interesting and well-developed mother-daughter relationships I have ever read. Though the story is obviously about Devan, Reece is also a fully realized main character, and despite Devan’s reservations, the reader can’t help but love her. Spalding does a lovely job of peeling back Reece’s layers one at a time, revealing her personality, history, and feelings for Devan at a very realistic pace that helps the reader stay invested without becoming too overwhelmed with exposition. Spalding also strikes the perfect balance between Devan’s social life at school and her complicated home life. Neither storyline is ever neglected, and often, what happens at school will inform Devan’s actions at home, or vice versa. Also wonderful are all the musical theater references. Anyone who has ever wished to sing and dance on stage can live vicariously through Devan’s experiences at her performing arts high school.

The Reece Malcolm List reads like an updated and more realistic version of The Gilmore Girls. Fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Melissa Kantor will love Spalding’s fresh, contemporary writing style, and the memorable cast of characters. Reece’s experiences especially reminded me of Kantor’s Darlings series, where one of the girls is into drama, Take a Bow, Elizabeth Eulberg’s novel about seniors at a performing arts high school, and of course, Raina Telgemier’s Drama. The family dynamics also remind me of Courtney Sheinmel's All the Things You Are, and Sonya Sones's novel in verse, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. This is a fantastic first novel. I look forward to seeing what else Amy Spalding will publish in the future!

I received a digital ARC of The Reece Malcolm List from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

19 Şubat 2013 Salı

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

18 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

Review: The Odd Squad: Bully Bait by Michael Fry (ARC)

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The Odd Squad: Bully Bait by Michael Fry. February 12, 2013. Disney-Hyperion. 224 pages. ISBN: 9781423169246

Cartoonist Michael Fry, who is best known for his comic strips, Committed and Over the Hedge, enters the world of middle grade fiction with the first book in his new Odd Squad series, entitled Bully Bait. Nick, the shortest kid in his seventh grade class, has gotten pretty used to being thrown into lockers, but he doesn’t like it, and he is definitely not interested in making himself a bigger target by joining a school club. Unfortunately, Nick’s guidance counselor thinks he needs a place to belong, so she signs him up to work with two other misfits, Molly and Karl, on safety patrol. Though they all agree that membership in this club is lame, they do become friends in spite of themselves. Suddenly, when it’s not one, but three against the world, it becomes much easier to face the bullies and attempt to bring them down.

Bully Bait is a fast-paced, funny novel with short chapters and lots of illustrations. Though the subject matter isn’t especially cheerful, the sarcasm and deadpan humor provide a lot of laughs. The characters are quirky in interesting ways. The janitor, Mr. Dupree, who looks out for Nick and provides him with cryptic advice about taking on bullies, is among my favorite adults in the book. Even the villain of the story, a boy named Roy, is a well-rounded character with his own softer side. The illustrations break up the text and also provide diagrams and other visual information that connect with what is happening in the story. Nick provides doodles showing such important skills as how to shrug, and various lists, including the 5 reasons he doesn’t like other kids. The cartoons are just as much a part of the story as the text, and they provide further insight into Nick’s character in a very accessible way.

Bully Bait is a much-needed funnier alternative to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Unlike Greg Heffley, Nick is a true “wimpy kid” - a middle school underdog who can’t seem to find his place - and though he makes mistakes in the story and sometimes underestimates his new friends, he always has good intentions at heart. Nick and the rest of the Odd Squad also remind me a lot of the girls in the Nerd Girls and Snob Squad books. While girls are probably the most likely readers of those series, Odd Squad looks like it will appeal to either gender. It’s also worth noting that this series is similar in style and substance to the middle grade novels of another well-known cartoonist, Jim Benton. If only Fry’s Nick went to school with Benton’s Jamie - that would be a match made in middle school heaven!

The plot of Bully Bait isn’t a new story, but it’s still a good one. Promote it to Wimpy Kid fans and I have no doubt that copies will fly off the shelves of your library or bookstore!

I received a digital ARC of Bully Bait from Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

17 Şubat 2013 Pazar

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

Old School Sunday: Words of Stone by Kevin Henkes (1992)

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Words of Stone. by Kevin Henkes. 1992. Greenwillow Books. 160 pages. ISBN: 9780688113568

Every summer since his mother died of cancer, Blaze Werla has created an imaginary friend and subsequently buried him in the backyard. This summer, after the yearly burial, someone begins leaving messages made of stones on the hill behind Blaze's house. First, he sees his mother's name. Later, the messages become more personal. He suspects his father's new girlfriend, in whom he has confided, might be the one leaving the words of stone, but while he decides what to do about it, he surprises himself by making friends with Joselle Stark. Joselle herself is troubled by her own absent mother, and as she and Blaze grow closer, she realizes she must tell Blaze an important truth if they are to be true friends.

Like Henkes's more recent novels such as Olive's Ocean and Junonia, Words of Stone is a quiet, introspective story. Blaze and Joselle are both sensitive kids who have endured their share of pain and confusion, and because of this, much of the story takes place inside their heads. (Though the narration is all in the third person, the chapters alternate between the two characters so we know both of their thoughts.) Outside events do influence their internal struggles and triumphs, but there is very little physical action. This is definitely a literary novel, where the language and word choice are the most prominent features. It reads like a lot of the serious fiction (The Cay, The Lottery Rose) I was assigned in late elementary school. The writing is lyrical and at times, almost eerie, as Blaze reflects on his mother's death and on the accident he had on a ferris wheel. His toy Noah's Ark and the graves of his imaginary friends are powerful images that represent his pain and his loss, and it is Henkes's use of these symbolic objects that makes the book stand out.

I would be surprised if this book had ever become super popular, because it dwells so much on the emotions of its main characters. There are readers, though, who are not satisfied by fast-paced action novels, like the Percy Jackson series, or by cruelty thinly veiled in humor, like the Wimpy Kid books, and I think it is those more serious readers who appreciate Henkes's style. Kids who mourned the loss of a parent, or who have trouble making and trusting new friends will empathize strongly with Blaze's loneliness. Those who have grown up reading Henkes's picture books will be pleased to see that his writing for older children continues to provide validation and support for the myriad challenges of growing up.

Words of Stone was published in 1992, and it is still in print. The cover of the most recent edition is much better suited to the story than the cover of the edition I read (shown at the top of this post), and I think kids would be interested in picking it up. It is a great read-alike for As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks, Remembering Mrs. Rossi by Amy Hest, and The Last Best Days of Summer by Valerie Hobbs.

I borrowed Words of Stone from my local public library.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Top Baby Girl Names England 2013 (so far!)

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Based on my sister and I's collection of the names of 500+ baby girls born in England since January 1st 2013. All possible variant spellings are taken into account when calculating any name's popularity. Official stats fail to do this so aren't very useful if you want to know how common a nasme will actually sound. Plus they are a year behind! For an alphabetical list of all names being used in England 2013 at a rate of one in every 250 births or more often please see my other blog at Unusual Names .

1.) Evie
2.) Isabelle
3.) Lily
4.) Isla
5.) Daisy
6.) Maisie
7.) Poppy
8.) Sophie
9.) Eliza
10.) Sophia

Come back late March for a revised and expanded top 20 , plus other themed statistics for England such as middle class names later in the year. Middle name info coming soon.

16 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

15 Şubat 2013 Cuma

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

Review: Starring Jules As Herself by Beth Ain (ARC)

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Starring Jules As Herself. by Beth Ain. March 1, 2013. Scholastic. 160 pages. ISBN: 9780545443524
In the tradition of Cinderella Smith, Dessert Schneider, Allie Finkle, and Stella Batts comes Jules Bloom, a spirited new chapter book heroine with a big personality. Most of the time, she is the big sister of four-year-old Big Henry, the sometimes best friend of Charlotte, a writer of lists (during freewriting) and a digger of worms (during recess.) One day, while she is out at a restaurant with her family Jules is discovered by a talent scout who wants her to audition for a commercial. She is very excited, until she learns the commercial is for an orange mouthwash. Jules can't eat or drink anything orange without gagging! It's a good thing Jules can always call on Grandma Gilda, who teaches her that sometimes the only thing you can do in a difficult situation is improvise.

This is an extremely well-written chapter book with a fresh style that sets it apart from others of its genre. Author Beth Ain has a wonderful ear for dialogue, and her characters come alive from the moment they begin to speak. From the first chapter where Jules sings her own made-up jingle for fizzy ice cream, she sounds just like a real seven-year-old girl, with all the energy and imagination kids have at that age. Her interactions with her classmates are perfectly child-like, as are her difficulties with Charlotte, who has recently started acting bossy and mean toward Jules and anyone Jules spends time with. I think it is easy to write a chapter book about what you think a second grader is like, but it is much more difficult to write one that so completely represents the second grade experience. Beth Ain has nailed it in her very first book.

Jules Bloom is the perfect combination of the sweetness of Stella Batts and Cinderella Smith, the stubbornness of Dessert and Clementine, and the high literary quality of The Stories Julian Tells and the Ramona series. The lively writing absolutely sparkles and Jules all but dances off the page. I read a review on another site that called the story "generically unmemorable" and I truly think nothing could be further from the truth. This book kept me entertained from beginning to end, and I think it would be even more likely to do so for a child in the target age group.

Starring Jules As Herself will hit shelves on March 1. The second book of the Starring Jules series, Starring Jules in Drama-Rama comes out in September. Learn more about Beth Ain (whose reading interests strongly mirror my own) on her website.

I received a digital ARC of Starring Jules as Herself from Scholastic via NetGalley. This ARC did not include the final artwork.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

14 Şubat 2013 Perşembe

Old School Sunday: A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle (1980)

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A Ring of Endless Light. by Madeleine L'Engle. 1980. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. 324 pages. ISBN: 9780374362997

My feelings about the last three Madeleine L'Engle books that I have read have ranged from lukewarm disinterest to all-out hatred, so I was almost nervous to pick up another one. Thankfully, though, A Ring of Endless Light, published in 1980, made me fall in love with L'Engle's writing all over again. Vicky Austin is almost sixteen, and she is struggling to make sense of death. A family friend, Commander Rodney, has died trying to save a drowing teen, and Vicky's own grandfather is dying of leukemia. Vicky also spends time with Zachary Grey, the troubled young man she first met in The Moon By Night, Adam Eddington, who works with her brother John at a marine biology research station, and Leo Rodney, whose feelings for Vicky are far more romantic than hers for him. As her grandfather's condition deteriorates, Vicky comes to terms with the idea of death and works to sort out her feelings for each of the young men who desire her affections.

Because I have such an affinity for realistic fiction, it comes as no surprise that my favorites among the L'Engle books I've read have been the ones about Vicky Austin and her family. My love for this particular book, though, extends beyond just a genre preference. There is plenty of science fiction in A Ring of Endless Light, including references to farandola, discussions of Adam's role in Dr. O'Keefe's regeneration research, and the discovery that people can communicate with dolphins telepathically. The difference between this book and A Swiftly Tilting Planet or A Wind in the Door is that I connect better with Vicky's emotions than with Meg's or Charles Wallace's. Meg and Charles Wallace always feel like characters, whereas Vicky sometimes feels like a real person who has the experiences of a real teen.

There were moments in this book where I felt it was necessary to suspend my disbelief a little bit. It seemed unlikely to me that several people connected to one family would die or come so near to death in such a short time. I also thought the way Zachary Grey was brought into the story was maybe a bit too coincidental, and I wondered if it was necessary to create a connection between him and Commander Rodney's death. Even so, the way these events are described, and the way they work together to further the plot, is exceptional. Whereas in A Swiftly Tilting Planet, I felt that L'Engle made all the connections between the characters too obvious, A Ring of Endless Light is written with more subtlety, and even if the events of the story are unlikely, the overall narrative is more believable.

I am nearly finished reading L'Engle's Murry/O'Keefe and Austin books. Next up is A House Like a Lotus, and after that, only Many Waters, An Acceptable Time, and Troubling A Star are left. I'm hoping these last few books will be as enjoyable as A Ring of Endless Light, or at least not as dismal as A Swiftly Tilting Planet.

I borrowed A Ring of Endless Light from my local public library.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

13 Şubat 2013 Çarşamba

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

Old School Sunday: A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle (1980)

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Short Story Spotlight: Beverly Billingsley Takes a Bow by Alexandra Stadler

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"Beverly Billingsley Takes a Bow" by Alexander Stadler. Click, July/August 2012, pages 28-34.

"Beverly Billingsley Takes a Bow" is a short story featuring the same main character as the 2002 picture book Beverly Billingsley Borrows a Book. It appears in the July/August 2012 issue of Click Magazine. (It was also published as a picture book back in 2007, and it's still in print.)

Beverly wants to be an actress in the school play, but when she goes for her audition, stage fright gets the best of her and she winds up with two very small roles. Her parents encourage her to be the best Wall and Shrub she can be, but Beverly can’t help but learn all the other characters’ lines anyway. On the night of the play, Beverly can feel herself becoming less and less afraid, and ultimately, it is she who is able to help one of the stars remember her lines when she gets nervous.

This is a story line that has been used over and over again, and there isn’t very much new about this version, but kids in the target age group will be unlikely to realize that. Beverly is a relatable character, similar to a Henkes mouse, and her experiences are very believable and likely to reflect the lives of real kids. The writing is strong, and there are some nice moments where the language really impressed me. I especially liked Beverly’s feeling on opening night: “heavy and indestructible, as though she were actually made of stone.” I also got a chuckle out of her studying the stone wall and shrubs at her house to help her get into character.

Beverly Billingsley Borrows a Book is a picture book I like, and I’m glad to see Beverly is still around starring in stories like this one. Though this story is probably intended as a read-aloud, I think beginning readers approaching the chapter book level could read it on their own, too.

I read this short story at my local public library.

Visit Click Magazine online here.

12 Şubat 2013 Salı

Old School Sunday: A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle (1980)

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Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

11 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi

Easy Reader Radar: Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske

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Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske. December 27, 2012. Penguin Young Readers. 32 pages. ISBN: 9780448461601

Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske is a new (December 2012) Level 2 easy reader published by Penguin Young Readers. It is designated for the “progressing reader” and its Guided Reading Level is H. After a party, Balloon is left all alone, tied to a table. Just as he starts to droop, along comes Kite, a new friend who invites Balloon to fly with her. Balloon manages to break free, but then he flies higher than Kite. Once they are side by side, they have lots of fun... until the wind dies down and Balloon runs into a bird with a sharp beak. Is this friendship doomed to deflate?

In this, his very first book, Fenske has done everything exactly right. He creates lovable characters out of everyday objects, and gives them personality and significance in just a few simple words and images. Each word of the text is important, and none is extraneous; his writing is aptly economical and perfectly suited to the reading abilities of his audience. There are also some great artistic moments that set the writing apart. Repeated letter sounds in poetic phrases like “rose on the breeze,” “cool clouds” and “down drifted Kite” give the text a pleasing sound. Onomatopoeia enhances but does not take over the text, appearing only in speech bubbles to express sounds such as “Doink!” and “Plop!” This approach works so well, because readers get both the rich vocabulary of the story and the fun of those silly sound words.

The use of panels and speech bubbles give the book great visual appeal, and they work well with the cartoonish facial expressions of the two main characters. Fenske also makes great use of white space, giving the characters lots of room to move around. The result is that the illustrations feel almost animated. Visual hints that the story is set in the sky are minimal, but that sense of movement makes it impossible to forget that we’re meant to be floating on the breeze.

The relationship between the two characters is also perfect for the easy reader audience. Romances aren’t great for early elementary school kids, but gentle friendship stories still appeal to them. Kids will be intrigued by the idea of a balloon and a kite becoming friends, and they will be excited by the problems they have in being together, and ultimately comforted by the story’s sweet and happy ending. This sweetness also makes it a perfect easy reader for preschoolers who start reading early.

Love is in the Air is definitely one of my new favorite books, and I can’t wait to see more of Fenske’s fresh style. Watch for his second book, Guppy Up, out this month!

I received a review copy of Love is in the Air from the author.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Old School Sunday: A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle (1980)

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Review: A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar (ARC)

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A Song for Bijou. by Josh Farrar. February 12, 2013. Bloomsbury. 304 pages. ISBN: 9780802733948
Bijou Doucet, a survivor of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, has just moved in with her aunt and uncle in Brooklyn, where she attends an all-girls school. Though Bijou is not permitted to date or even to socialize out of school, she manages to attract the attention of Alex Schrader, one of the students at the nearby all-boys school. Alex is pretty clueless about girls, but he is sweet, and before long, Bijou, too, wants to spend time with him, even if it is forbidden. Through their sweet and innocent first romance, Alex and Bijou overcome the pain of Bijou's past, the restrictive rules of her aunt and uncle, and the intolerance of their classmates.

I was drawn to this book on NetGalley for two superficial reasons: the poetic sounding title, and the cover illustration by Erin McGuire. I guessed instantly based on those two things that this would be a cute middle grade romance. What I didn't guess - and what truly makes this book special - is how many other story lines figure into that romance. This isn't just a love story, but a story about cultural differences, empathy, acceptance, and forgiveness. Because the narrative alternates between Bijou's voice and Alex's voice, the story is well-balanced and presents the challenges of both characters. Even when the characters misunderstand each other and fail to communicate, the reader remains sympathetic to both sides of the story and continues to root for the success of their relationship.

In addition to the well-realized main characters, this book is also populated by many wonderful supporting characters. Alex has two best friends, the actions of whom figure heavily into some of the mistakes he makes in trying to get to know Bijou. Bijou has an older brother who has moved out of his aunt and uncle's house and who teaches Alex to play Haitian rada music and conspires with Bijou to find ways for her to spend time with Alex. Alex and Bijou each also have a set of class bullies who tease them about their relationship and use cyber-bullying to intimidate them. The entire world of this story feels very contemporary, and I could imagine these same situations playing out in the schools in my neighborhood.

This is a great book for readers who enjoyed Same Sun Here. Both books alternate between a boy's point of view and a girl's, and both deal with characters who expand their horizons by learning about each other's cultures. It is also a very boy-friendly romance. Though Bijou is a significant part of the story, most of the romance comes through in Alex's narration. I'm not 100% sure the cover will attract male readers, but Alex's voice is so authentic, middle school boys - especially those who are already fond of reading - would easily get hooked once they started reading.

A Song for Bijou is a beautifully written story of first love, and so much more. Issues of racism, bullying, and cultural differences make it a great read-aloud or book club choice for middle school students who love to discuss and debate serious issues. I look forward to reading more from Josh Farrar, and I plan to read his other middle grade novel, Rules to Rock By, which was published in 2010. A Song for Bijou will be on shelves tomorrow, February 12, 2013.

I received a digital ARC of A Song for Bijou from Bloomsbury via NetGalley.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Top Baby Boy Names England 2013 (so far!)

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Based on my sister and I's collection of the name details of 500+ baby boys born in England since the first day of January 2013. All possible variant spellings have been taken into account when calculating any name's popularity. I'll bring you an updated and expanded top 20 list towards the end of March.

1.) Harry
2.) Jack
3.) Isaac
4.) William
5.) Max
6.) Leo
7.) Daniel
8.) Thomas
9.) Henry
10.) Alfie

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

7 Şubat 2013 Perşembe

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Review: Sidney and Sydney: Third Grade Mix-Up by Michele Jakubowski (ARC)

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Sidney and Sydney: Third Grade Mix-Up. by Michele Jakubowski. February 1, 2013. Capstone. 128 pages. ISBN: 9781404881044

When you’re a kid, there is nothing stranger than the first time you meet another kid with your same name. For third-grader Sidney Fletcher, it’s really weird because Sydney Greene, his classmate, is a girl who shares his name. After a mix-up with the seating arrangement on the first day of school, though, the two become friends, bonding over their mutual love of a game called Galaxy Conquest and working together to solve a problem preventing their friends from enjoying Halloween.

The premise for this book is perfect. Many kids - especially those with common and popular names - go to school with other kids with their same name, and they have to find unique ways to identify themselves on paper and in discussion to keep their classmates and teacher from getting confused. This is something kids can relate to, whether they share their name with someone they know or not. For third graders, the notion that someone could share her name with a boy would be mind-blowing, and this book uses that sense of surprise as a good starting point for the story.

Unfortunately, for a story entitled Third Grade Mix-Up, it doesn’t deal very much with the mix-up at all. Yes, there is a brief moment early in the book on the first day of school, when there is some confusion about their names, but it’s all cleared up rather quickly, and the focus shifts instead to Halloween. The problem with Halloween is that Sydney’s best friend Harley can’t have candy because her family isn’t eating junk food and Sidney’s new friend Gomez can’t have candy because he’s diabetic. Sydney and Sidney don’t want their friends to be sad on Halloween, so they look for ways to celebrate that don’t involve sweets.

This storyline is interesting and probably should have been the central focus of the entire book, but instead, it doesn’t even start to unfold until the story is half over. I don’t feel like I ever had a true sense of what this book is about. Is it to show that a boy and a girl can be friends? There is no real, lasting conflict between Sidney and Sydney to begin with, so it’s not a big shock that they can get along as friends. The story just seems like a bunch of random events strung together to show how cute it is when two friends with the same name come together. And while the writing is good, and the reading level appropriate for new chapter book readers, there just isn’t enough substance to the story to keep a reader engaged.

For a story about similar subject matter with a more discernible plot, try the Just Grace series by Charise Mericle Harper.

I received a digital ARC of Sidney and Sydney: Third Grade Mix-Up from Capstone via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Top African-American Girl Names 2013 (so far!)

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Based on my sister and I's collection of the name details of several hundred African -American baby girls born in the USA since the first day of January 2013. All posssible variant spellings have been taken into account when calculating any name's popularity. A top twenty will appear late February 2013. Also check out my other blog at Unusual Names in February for a full list of names being used by African-Americans at a frequency of one in every 250 births or more often.

1.) Laila (has a big lead over other names)
2.) Chloe
3.) Victoria
4.) Sariah
5.) Amina
6.) Jasmine
7.) Alyssa
8.) Aaliyah
9.) Izabella
10.) Makayla