The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs! - By A. Wolf -

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Puffin (March 1, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0140544518
ISBN-13: 978-0140544510

If you or your child have ever been bored buy the Three Little Pigs story, “The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! By A. Wolf” is a must read. However, I think the satirical humor is lost on kids under the age of six. The publisher says reading level is for 4 – 8. The reading level is fine but it is the content I am speaking about.

The story by A. Wolf proves there are two sides to every story but that doesn’t make either side good or bad. Everybody has a story. However, realistically, somebody’s gotta be the “bad guy”. The author indicates A. Wolf is just an ordinary wolf who wants to borrow a cup of sugar. Never mind that two pigs die in the process. According to Alexander Wolf the dumb little pigs shouldn’t have built shabby houses. How dare they!

This is a very funny book but I would not read it to a pre-school or kindergarten age child since Alexander T. Wolf blames his penchant for cute little animals, like bunnies and pigs, on the fact that it’s not his fault because “That’s just the way we are.” He is just a poor misunderstood wolf who only wants to make a cake for his granny. Victimized by three dumb pigs and the media.



About the author: Jon Scieszka: He is the author of some of the best known and funniest books written for children, including The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, the Time Warp Trio chapter book series, the Caldecott Honor Book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Fairy Tales and the newest Trucktown series (Simon & Schuster, 2008).


About the Illustrator Lane Smith: After illustrating his first children's book, Smith met aspiring author Jon Scieszka and agreed to illustrate his parody of The Three Little Pigs. Once Smith found a publisher who didn't think the story was too sophisticated, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! became a bestseller.Lane Smith’s tabloid type illustrations are what set True Story apart from all others.


Write it down,
Carma

The Blue Stone: A Journey Through Life - Book Review

The Blue Stone A Journey Through Life
Author and Illustrator Jimmy Liao
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; 1 edition (April 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316113832
ISBN-13: 978-0316113830


The Blue Stone: A Journey Through Life is an unusual story for ages 4 – 8. I find it more appropriate for ages 7 – 10. The Blue Stone’s illustrations are vibrant and clear. Many illustrations are full page spreads while some are displayed to show a sequence of scenes. Jimmy Liao’s artistic interpretations of his words meld together in a soothing voice.

A life long journey of change and renewal begin when the sapphire colored rock is taken from its natural habitat and separated from its other half. Don’t overlook the significance that this blue stone also represents a strong sense of family values. The blue stone’s objective is always to get back home.

Every transformation the blue stone experiences is special. It shows young children that no matter what size or color you are, you can become beautiful, helpful and important. The Blue Stone delivers a message that we all have something new inside us waiting to be created.

Additionally, The Blue Stone is enchanting and has a sense of spirituality and mysticism demonstrating in a simple way how circumstances in our lives are subject to change and can become positive experiences. In the beginning the stone is carved into an elephant statue delighting a town with happiness but eventually people leave and the stone elephant is all alone. The stone remembers home and its heart breaks a little. Next it becomes a garden bird for a lady but the lady abandons her garden. A new owner comes to create a stone fish for a seaside town. Each time something new is created from the blue stone, pieces break away and the stone becomes smaller and smaller.

Small pieces keep falling from the stone at each step of its life journey. At last it becomes a gift of first love between a boy and a girl. Since first love rarely lasts the stone’s heart breaks until it is nothing but grains of sand. Now it is light enough to float over the towns and oceans back to its home in the forest where it completes the circle of life resting in peace where it always belonged.

About the Author
Jimmy Liao was born in Taipei, Taiwan and received a degree in design from the Chinese Culture University. He is the author and illustrator of 18 hugely popular books that have been translated into English, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Korean, and Thai. His first book for Little, Brown, The Sound of Colors, was published March 2006.

Write it down,
Carma

Criss Cross - Book Review

Title: Criss Cross
Author: Lynne Rae Perkins
2006 Newbery Medal award winner
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Pages: 337
Publisher: Greenwillow (August 30, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0060092734
ISBN-13: 978-0060092733

Characters in Criss Cross represent the feelings of many teenagers of all generations. Whether it be in the 1970’s or 1960’s. I dare say there is not a person among us who hasn’t wished they were someone else one time or another. Young teens will relate to the self-consciousnesses and uncertainty that all the characters exhibit, each of whom is struggling toward awareness.

Debbie and Hector, both 14, are the focus and most of the novel is through their narration. In addition to that, Perkins sets up a secondary story involving Debbie’s missing locket and the journey it takes as it is passed around by a number of different characters.

Criss Cross reads like a series of vignettes which is focused on Debbie and her friends. Debbie’s friend Linney teaches her to drive a pick up without leaving the drive way because Lenny’s parents are not home. This experience comes in handy much later when Debbie is placed in a precarious position being the only one who has driving experience and she has to take an elderly lady to the hospital.

Hector has a crush on Meadow and wants to take her someplace special. A place she has never been. The only place he can find in town is the garbage strewn ravine. He pictures it as a beautiful place if all the garbage was gone. His sister Rowanne reminds him it is only a ditch. Hector’s dad gives him a guitar but can’t afford music lessons, except for the free ones given down at the church by the priest.

There is a great deal of humor in this tender story about a group of childhood friends facing the crossroads of life and how they wish to live it. The book is illustrated with Perkins's amusing drawings and some photographs. Also Perkins experiments with writing an entire section of dialogue in haiku. “Jeff White is handsome, / but his hair is so greasy. / If he would wash it.”

What teen has not had the desire to just be somewhere else? A group of friends decided to conduct an experiment with travel. They decided to go to the bus station and get on the first bus that came through and get off at the first stop no matter where it was. They would spend a few hours and then come back.

Perkins has created a group of likable characters searching for who they are and who they will become. It is not hard to find a character to identify with.

About the author: Lynne Rae Perkins is the author of three picture books, The Broken Cat, Clouds for Dinner, and Home Lovely, a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book. Her novel All Alone in the Universe was named an ALA Notable Book, an ALA Book list Editor's Choice, a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book, and a Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children. She lives with her family in northern Michigan, where it snows all the time.

Write it down,
Carma

While Mama had a Quick Little Chat - Book Review

While Mama had a Quick Little Chat
Author: Amy Reichert
Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books (May 17, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0689851707
ISBN-13: 978-0689851704

“While Mama has a quick chat with Uncle Fred, Rose is supposed to be getting ready for bed.” Yeah right. All children know how quick these “quick little chats” can be when they try to get Mama’s attention. Rose’s Mama gave her detailed instructions what to do while she was on the phone.

“Brush your teeth. Wash your face. It’s getting late! I want you in bed by half past eight.”

Rose thought “No problem,” but then the door bell rings and four muscley men appear with a load of party supplies. To no avail Rose calls and calls out to her Mama but she keeps saying she will be through soon, so Rose lets them in.

More people begin to arrive and Rose tries to slam the door but people keep coming with waiters and trays of hors d’oeuvres. Rose can not stop this big party no matter how hard she tries so she decides to join in the fun. Something odd happens when a magician appears.

“Mama!!!” shrieked Rose “Come right now and see!”
“Rose, dear,” said Mama. “Stop Pestering Me!!!”

Finally the band arrives and they need a drummer so Rose steps in and begins to play a boogie beat. When Mama warns she is ready to get off the phone Rose makes sure everyone leaves and take their mess with them. Everyone left and thanked Rose for a fun time. Mama finds Rose fast asleep in her bed and none the wiser as to the big bash that had just happened in her living room.

The story is told in rhyme with an upbeat and steady rhythm and characterizes the impatience children often exhibit while waiting for attention from the parents. I think children will appreciate the humor because they will be able to relate to Rose. On the flip side parents will relate to Mama when she becomes irritable as Rose shrieks and begs for attention.

Mama and Rose both have skinny legs and pointy toes with red hair going everywhere. The cartoon type illustrations add a lot sparkle and life to the story. The addition of Rose’s cat in the illustrations adds a bit of amusement as a spectator to the party. This is a splendid book to share with everyone.

About the author: Amy Reichert has a home phone, a cell phone, a speakerphone, a headset phone, and call waiting. She can cook, clean, work in the garden, check e-mail, help with homework, brush her cats, eat, read, exercise, drive, watch TV, feed her fish, and write a book -- all while having a quick little chat! She lives with her husband and two children in Bethesda, Maryland.

About the Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger is the illustrator of While Mama Had A Quick Little Chat by Amy Reichert and Roxie and the Hooligans by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, as well as Doris Orgel's Doctor All-Knowing, coming in 2008. She lives in San Anselmo, California.

Write it down,
Carma

Crispin, The Cross of Lead: Book Review

Title: Crispin The Cross of Lead

Author: Avi
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 261 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (May 3, 2004)
ISBN-10: 0786816589
ISBN-13: 978-0786816583

Newbery Medal winner of 2003, Crispin The Cross of Lead is an action packed historical novel set in the 1380’s of England’s peasant revolt. The protagonist is a thirteen year old peasant boy known only as “Asta’s Son” (Asta being the boys mother) because he has never been called by his own name. In fact he doesn’t know he has a name until his mother dies. The village priest discloses he baptized him and gave him the Christian name of Crispin.

Also, after Crispin’s mother dies the only home he has ever known is burned to the ground. Crispin is forced to begin his life as a fugitive for thievery and murder. He is declared a “wolf’s head” by the corrupt steward John Aycliffe, for crimes he didn’t commit. This means that anyone can kill him like a common animal and collect a sizable reward.

Feudalism is the way of life for many in 14th century England. There are countless taxes that lowly peasants must pay and constant violence. People were either very poor or very rich. Common people had no say over their destiny. The church is unable to protect parishioners and subject to many cruelties.

"Time was the great millstone, which ground us to dust like kernelled wheat. The Holy Church told us where we were in the alterations of the day, the year, and in our daily toil. Birth and death alone gave distinction to our lives, as we made the journey between the darkness from whence we had come to the darkness where we were fated to await Judgment Day."

There are plenty of chase scenes as well as undisclosed plans shrouded in mystery. Avi develops a couple of compelling characters but Bear, a traveling juggler, will become Crispin’s deliverance from the bounty hunters that follow them everywhere. The relationship between the juggler and the peasant become the heart of the story. Avi weaves an expert tale of trickery and betrayal and brings history to life.

About the Author: Teachers told young Avi that his writing didn't make any sense. Little did they know he had dysgraphia, a learning disability that makes writing difficult. Yet, with boundless talent and the encouragement of an understanding tutor, Avi kept writing. Today, he is the prize-winning author of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing But the Truth, and dozens of other popular books for young readers.

Write it down,

Carma