Hale, Shannon and Dean. 2008. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. Illustrated by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 1599902885.

What’s a gal to do when she’s been taken from her family, raised by an evil witch, imprisoned in a tree, and cursed with incredibly fast-growing hair? Rapunzel demonstrates the empowered gal response in this fast-paced, full-color graphic novel for ages 10 – 13.

When 12-year-old Rapunzel finally manages to scale the high wall surrounding the villa where she has grown up as nature witch Mother Gothel’s daughter, she discovers a bleak, dry western land and the long-lost mother she never knew, existing as a slave in the mines. Captured and imprisoned in a tree for four years as punishment for her disobedience, Rapunzel escapes and learns Mother Gothel has the entire countryside in thrall to her magic, permitting food to grow only in those communities who accept her authority and who pay her tribute. Meeting up with a wily boy named Jack, who is on the run with his pet goose, Rapunzel journeys across the land to return to the mines and free her mother. Along the way the intrepid pair perfect such skills as jail breaking and braid lasso whip-cracking while rescuing kidnapped girls and battling hungry jackalopes, ferocious coyotes, unsavory bandits, and slippery sea serpents. When a traveling thespian troupe scheduled to perform at Mother Gothel’s annual shindig offers Jack and Rapunzel a way to infiltrate the villa, they hatch a daring plan to free Rapunzel’s mother, destroy Mother Gothel’s magic totem, and free the land from her tyrannical power.

Shannon Hale fleshes out the backstory of the Rapunzel fairy tale, gives the tale a new twist with an Wild West setting, and offers readers a satisfying answer to the question, “what happened next?” The story’s main characters are well defined, easy to empathize with, and show personal growth as they overcome difficulties and learn to trust each other. The plot of the story flows quickly from scene to scene without chapter breaks, showing the time-compression aspect of fairy tales, as the vigilante heroes dash from one scrape to the next in their quest. The generic western setting is conveyed by idiomatic phrases “guess we’ll mosey along”, as well as traditional motifs in the artwork panels: red rock mesas and pueblo-style buildings, prickly pear cactus and Joshua trees, horses and covered wagons, in addition to characters wearing Mexican cultural dress or standard Western cowpoke attire. The severe desert environment is integral to the story, reflecting the harsh conditions Mother Gothel imposes on her suffering subjects and emphasizing how dependant they are on her goodwill for survival.

The theme of a young woman exploring hidden talents within her nature, and seeing what she can accomplish using them, is a recurring one in Ms. Hale’s books for young people. She says she appreciates the universality of fairy tales, existing as they do in every culture, and explains retelling fairy tales is her way of returning to the mystery of books she felt as a young reader. She enjoys taking a traditional fairy tale and “finding a way to understand and explore and expand it until it becomes a full-fledged story where I want to live” (Amazon, 2009).

Ms. Hale encourages readers to believe in Rapunzel’s fantastic world by giving details of how she spent her time, locked away in her tree tower for years. “So. There I was. Nothing to do. Besides a little housekeeping. And thinking. Again and again, I’d daydream about sneaking into the mines, saving my momma, and running away to a place where we could be happy and safe. But I was stuck in the tower like an ant in a drop of honey.”

The graphic art of Nathan Hale (no relation to the authors) creates for readers an impressive landscape, brimming with forests, deserts, fantastic beasts, interesting characters, and non-stop action. Essential to the story are the hundreds of multihued panels that convey the plot even without text. “Illustrator Hale's detailed, candy-colored artwork demands close viewing, as it carries the action -Rapunzel's many scrapes are nearly wordless.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Nathan Hale's art, stylistically reminiscent of a picture book, provides a snazzy counterpoint to the folksy text.”(Kirkus Reviews)

Reviews and Awards

Publishers Weekly starred review: “With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody."

VOYA review: “The Hale team creates an engaging heroine. Rapunzel gallivants across the unexpected setting, [and] meets a cast of characters both humorous and threatening…This novel presents entertaining girl power at its quirkiest. ”

School Library Journal starred review: “The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.”

Kirkus Reviews: “A beloved fairy tale gets a glossy graphic-novel makeover, reworked in a fanciful Old West setting. A dash of typical fairy-tale romance, a strong sense of social justice and a spunky heroine make this a standout choice for younger teens.

ALA Notable Children's Book, 2009
YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens, 2009
Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominee
Junior Library Guild Premiere Selection
Best Book of the Year from kidsread.com and teenreads.com
Cybil Award Winner, Graphic Novels Elementary/Middle Grade, 2008

Connections

Readers can visit Shannon Hale’s website for ideas on using Rapunzel in the classroom, download a reader’s theater script, and even print out Rapunzel paper dolls. Also available on the web is a video of the author discussing her writing, her books, and her love of fairy tales at Amazon’s Shannon Hale author page.

Books
Other novels by Shannon Hale:
Calamity Jack!, 2010 (Rapunzel’s sequel)
Book of a Thousand Days, 2009
River Secrets, 2008
Enna Burning, 2006
Princess Academy, 2005
The Goose Girl, 2005

Websites
Author’s website: www.squeetus.com

Author interview:
Amazon.com. 2009. “Shannon Hale on writing children’s books”. Shannon Hale author page. http://www.amazon.com/Shannon-Hale/e/B001JP9U7E/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
(accessed November 12, 2009)

Rosoff, Meg. 2004. HOW I LIVE NOW. New York: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House. ISBN 0385746776.

Fifteen-year-old Daisy has problems: her mother died when she was born, her father has remarried “Davina the Diabolical” and is starting a new family, she has anorexia, and now she has been sent away from her home in New York City to stay with her Aunt Penn’s family in an old drafty house in the English countryside. To her surprise, Daisy seems to fit into her cousins’ lives as easily as the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle fits into the remaining empty space. Her apparently psychic cousins Edmond, Osbert, Isaac, and Piper accept her without question, and they begin to fill the empty space marked “family” in her heart. But Daisy’s new life falls apart when, while her aunt is away on a trip to Oslo, England is invaded and the borders are closed. Bombings and acts of terrorism worldwide signal the breakdown of conventional society and the children are left to fend for themselves. The young people form their own small commune, insulated from the craziness of the outside adult world, eating food from the garden, looking after the farm animals, and taking care of each other. Love of a deeper nature begins to grow between Daisy and Edmond but war intervenes when their cozy home is commandeered as an Army command post. Daisy and Piper are transported to a foster home while the boys are sent to work at another farm many miles away. The children struggle to return home and rebuild their shattered family against the backdrop of an occupied, war torn Britain.

This debut novel by Meg Rosen features a stream of consciousness approach that includes paragraph-long sentences and little spoken dialog. The writing style takes a bit of getting used to, but places the reader firmly inside the main character’s shoes, learning and experiencing the story bit by bit as Daisy does, mimicking reality as we all experience it.
The story is told from Daisy’s point of view in a believable, acerbic teen voice capable of cutting to the heart of a situation yet revealing a vulnerability that is engaging and true. Many humorous passages reflect Daisy’s wry worldview:

“The first thing I did was to check my phone for messages, but all it said was NO NETWORK and I thought Oh boy so much for civilization and felt a little freaked out and thought of that movie where they say No One Can Hear You Scream…

…I put some clothes on and managed to find the kitchen after discovering some pretty amazing rooms by mistake, and Issac and Edmond were there eating marmalade on toast and Piper was making my tea and seeming worried that I’d had to get out of bed to get it. In New York, nine-year-olds usually don’t do this kind of thing, but wait for some grown-up to do it for them, so I was impressed by her intrepid attitude but also kind of wondering if good old Aunt Penn had died and no one could figure out a good way to tell me.”

How I Live Now is an original and unusual chronicle of war set in a contemporary western country complete with cell phones, internet, and CNN. Ms. Rosen shows readers how easily a technological society can be disrupted through the loss of such essential services as electric power and communications. It is when the underpinnings upon which their culture depends crumble and the thin covering of civilization is removed that people’s lives boil down to essentials. Such a transformation is not dependent upon a specific time period or country of origin. As Daisy notes, “If you haven’t been in a war and are wondering how long it takes to get used to losing everything you think you need or love, I can tell you the answer is No time at all.” Meg Rosoff’s dystopian novel reminds us that growing up is never easy, but those who persevere in the face of adversity can overcome such obstacles and emerge the stronger for them.

The author uses descriptive passages to give readers a view of the story’s rural setting and at the same time offer insights into the characters’ personalities through their responses to the world around them.

“The feeling of the cold water and the hot sun and having the river just flow over your skin like a dolphin wasn’t something I had enough words to describe but was the kind of feeling you never forget…I got out and flopped down on a blanket in the warm sun and waited patiently while the heat stopped the shivering in my skin and gradually warmed my blood all the way through and then I just closed my eyes and watched the petals fall and listened to the heavy low buzz of fat pollen-drunk bees and tried to imagine melting into the earth so I could spend eternity under this tree.”

The story characters are divided equally between male and female, while the problems they face are gender-specific (anorexia), equivalent (loss of a parent), and universal (making/finding their place in the world). Bossy Osbert feels the responsibility of being the oldest, telepathic Edmond compensates by keeping shuttering his personal feelings, empathic Isaac is more comfortable with animals than people, and innocent Piper inspires protectiveness from everyone. Cultural details, like cobblestone streets, village pubs, and rural footpaths are woven into the story as both Daisy and the reader learn about this new country in which they find themselves.

Reviews and Awards

Kirkus Reviews: “This is a very relatable contemporary story, told in honest, raw first-person and filled with humor, love, pathos, and carnage. War, as it will, changes these young people irrevocably, not necessarily for the worse."

The Bulletin starred review: “Readers will remain absorbed to the very end by this unforgettable and original story.”

Horn Book starred review: “A winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision . . . Hilarious, lyrical, and compassionate.”

Publisher’s Weekly review: “This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century…Teens may feel that they have experienced a war themselves as they vicariously witness Daisy's worst nightmares. Like the heroine, readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity.”

YALSA Michael L. Printz Award 2005
Julia Ward Howe Prize (Boston Authors Club) 2005
Branford Boase Award 2005 (Britian)
Guardian (British newspaper) Children's Fiction Prize 2004
Der Luchs des Jahres Book Prize (Die Zeit and Radio Bremen) 2005 (Germany)

Connections

Teens could discuss how Daisy felt and reacted to the events in the story: her father’s new family, travelling overseas, the outbreak of the war, her eating disorder, the steps she and her cousins took to survive, etc. Students could compare how they might deal with similar occurrences. Young adults could also take a scene from the book and create a readers theater script and then perform it. Students could also write a story extension about what they feel might happen next in Daisy’s life, after the book ends.

Other novels by Meg Rosoff:
Meet Wild Boars (2005)
Just in Case (2006)
What I Was (2007)
Jumpy Jack and Googily (2008)
Wild Boars Cook (2008)

Gantos, Jack. 2000. JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL. Read by the author. New York: Listening Library/Random House.

ISBN 1400086167.

Unabridged production; four compact discs; playing time 3 hours, 51 minutes; packaged in a clamshell case featuring cover art by Beata Szpura.

Joey Pigza is so excited about seeing his dad for the first time in years and spending the summer with Carter and Grandma Pigza that he just can’t sit still. Trying hard to connect with his dad, Joey is dismayed to find Carter is just as wired as Joey used to be, before he got his meds and learned how to control himself in special ed. Carter’s grandiose express plans to make up for past wrongs, win the baseball championship, and create a future together with Joey do more harm than good. But it is his father’s decision to force Joey to take control of his life by flushing his med patches down the toilet that ultimately results in calamity.

Continuing characters Joey Pigza, his mom Fran, dad Carter, and Grandma Pigza return in this sequel to What Would Joey Do? and Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Joey has come a long way toward knowing himself and is surprisingly insightful into the motives of the adults around him. But he is still growing as a person, trying to make good choices and create positive, supportive connections with the people in his life. The plot focuses on the relationship between Joey and his father, as Joey tries to form a bond with the man he desperately wants to admire and learn from. As an adult model, unfortunately Carter falls far short; Joey discovers he must find his own way and give up the “happily ever after” family ideal he has been holding in his heart. The theme of “It is what it is” but one can deal with problem situations and learn from them is gently demonstrated as Joey copes with his family’s dysfunctionality.

Setting the story in an all but unnamed city (one has to dig to discover it’s actually Pittsburgh), the author suggests these events could happen anywhere, to characters one might know. Mr. Gantos writes completely from Joey’s point of view and uses natural dialog, a mainly straightforward time order, and addresses universal aspects of growing up to create a realistic story with a tone that is ultimately hopeful.

Though the book’s protagonist is male, all readers can empathize readily with the complicated family dynamics and feelings of the characters. I feel this novel will appeal to its intended audience, ages 9 and up, due to the story’s humorous dialog, true to life situations, and genuinely likable main character. While cultural markers such as beauty parlors, mall sporting goods stores, video arcades, mass transit buses, golf, and baseball place the story squarely in contemporary mid-America, the current all-pervasive technology of cell phones and wireless Internet is not mentioned, making it difficult to pin down the story’s exact time period.

The listening experience of the audiobook was an enjoyable one, as Jack Gantos turned out to be an excellent reader, giving Joey a voice that was completely believable. I actually preferred listening to the story more than reading it in the print version, as hearing Joey speak his narrative aloud gave him such a vividly real personality he became someone I felt I’d seen recently. The final disc in the set included an afterword encouraging listeners to browse http://www.listeninglibrary.com/ for additional audiobook titles.

Reviews and Awards

Publishers Weekly starred review: “Like its predecessor, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease."

Booklist starred review: “Gantos has given Joey a remarkably vivid personality, and, blending irrepressible humor with a powerful depiction of a child's longing for normalcy, he has written a dead-on portrayal of a young person assessing the often self-serving behavior of the adults who control his life.”

School Library Journal starred review: “Readers will be drawn in immediately to the boy's gripping first-person narrative and be pulled pell-mell through episodes that are at once hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening as Joey grows to understand himself and the people around him.”

The Five Owls review: “Jack Gantos has created a wonderful character in Joey Pigza, contemporary in malaise and treatment, yet at the same time sympathetic and lovable.”

Audio edition honors:
AUDIOFILE Earphones Award, 2001
ALSC Notable Recording, 2000

Print edition honors:
Newbery Honor Book, 2001
Parents Choice Gold Award, 2000
ALA Notable Children's Books, 2000
Booklist Editors' Choice List, 2000
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon
Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List
New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Books of the Year, 2000
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year, 2000
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2000

Connections

Extension activities for this book might include writing a booktalk about this book, creating a list of readalikes that also deal with children coping with disabilities, or discussing personal reactions to the characters or situations in the book. One could also provide art materials so children could create a graphic novel panel of their favorite scene, a poster to promote the book, or produce a portrait of one of the story characters. Readers who are interested in learning more could research the author or ADD or even Chihuahuas to share with the group.

Other Joey Pigza books by Jack Gantos:
I Am Not Joey Pigza, 2007
What Would Joey Do?, 2002
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, 1998

Park, Linda Sue. 2002. WHEN MY NAME WAS KEOKO. Wilmington, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618133356.

Told in the alternating voices of ten-year-old Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul, this novel is the story of one proud Korean family during WWII and the occupation of Korea by the Japanese. All Sun-hee’s life the Japanese have been in charge – taking ownership of the rice fields, running businesses and schools, and issuing imperial decrees to suppress Korean language, culture, and customs. The Korean flag is banned, teaching the Korean Hangul alphabet is illegal, Rose of Sharon trees (a Korean national symbol) are destroyed, and all Koreans must take new Japanese names. Outwardly at least the family complies and Sun-yee chooses the new name of Keoko while her brother becomes Nobuo.

As the war goes on, conditions for the family worsen as their possessions are taken away one by one to support the Japanese war effort, food and clothing become scarce, and many of their fellow townspeople are conscripted to work in Japanese factories or serve in the Japanese army. Keoko’s world is shaken when her uncle is forced to flee after his work printing a resistance newspaper is discovered. The remaining family is stunned when Nobuo, who has always been fascinated with airplanes, volunteers to become a kamikaze pilot in order provide for the family. Can the family survive another loss? When Japan surrenders after the American atomic bombs are dropped, Korea is free but the war’s end may have come too late to save Tae-yul.

This novel accurately presents historic details of the Korean people’s experience as they struggle with wartime hardships under Japanese rule. Details of Korean culture are revealed naturally as the story unfolds, quietly pulling the reader into Keoko and Tae-yul’s lives. The book’s characters are completely believable, as they react to events in the story with outspoken hostility, quiet resignation, sadness, or confused uncertainty. Readers will identify with Keoko and Taeyul as they try to understand where they fit in a vanishing culture and what actions are truly right or wrong. In one instance, Keoko questions her own motives when she is taunted as chin-il-pa or “lover of Japanese” after winning a prize for her Japanese kanji writing skills at school. “I was good at Japanese. They thought that made me chin-il-pa. I wasn’t a traitor, was I? Could you be a traitor without knowing it?”

The book’s themes celebrate the strength of family and the importance of being true to oneself despite adversity and oppression. “Like the Rose of Sharon tree, symbol of Korea, which the family pots and hides in their shed until their country is free, Sun-hee and Tae-yul endure and grow.” (SLJ, 2002)

The back matter of the book features an author’s note detailing Ms. Park’s research for the book, including stories from her own parents, together with a brief history of Korea up to the present. Also included is a bibliography with selected titles of interest to readers twelve and up. Ms. Park notes that this was a difficult story for her to tell, and for her parents to revisit, but as she explained in an interview, "Your past is a huge part of what makes you you, and exploring the past can help you better understand the present and future." (Thompson Gale, 2006).

Reviews and Awards

Publishers Weekly starred review: “Through the use of the shifting narrators, Park subtly points up the differences between male and female roles in Korean society and telling details provide a clear picture of the siblings and their world.”

School Library Journal starred review: “This beautifully crafted and moving novel…expands readers' understanding of this period.”

Kirkus Reviews starred review: “This powerful and riveting tale of one close-knit, proud Korean family movingly addresses life-and-death issues of courage and collaboration, injustice, and death-defying determination in the face of totalitarian oppression.”

2002 Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year

2002 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year

2002 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

2003 ALA Notable Book for Children

2003 Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

2004 Skipping Stones (an international multicultural magazine) Honor Award

2003 Jane Addams Peace Association Book Award Honor Book

2003 ALA Best Book for Young Adults

2003 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year

2003 NYPL Books for the Teen Age List

2003 Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices

Numerous state book nominee lists and awards

Connections

Books and websites can extend the story and help children learn more about Korean history and culture:

Books

A Kid’s Guide to Asian-American History by Valerie Petrillo (Chicago Review Press, 2007)

Land of Morning Calm: Korean Culture Then and Now by John Stickler and Soma Han (Shens Books, 20030

The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: Robin Hood of Korea (graphic novel) by Anne Sibley O’Brien (Charlesbridge, 2006)

My Name is Yoon (picture book) by Helen Recorvits (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003)

Websites

Video interview with Linda Sue Park:

AdLit.org, 2008. http://www.adlit.org/authors/Park/4641

Author’s website: http://www.lspark.com or www.lindasuepark.com

Author biography:

Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2006. “Park, Linda Sue.” Thompson Gale. http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ow-Sh/Park-Linda-Sue.html#ixzz0WbYrWF5E (accessed November 1, 2009)

Klages, Ellen. 2007. THE GREEN GLASS SEA. Narrated by: Julie Dretzin. Prince Frederick, MD: Recorded Books. ISBN 1428146393.

This review is of the unabridged audiobook production, playing time 7 hours and 30 minutes, comprising seven compact discs, packaged in a clamshell case from Recorded Books. The sole reader is Julie Dretzin, a female actress with experience on Broadway shows and in television, who has served as narrator for nearly thirty audiobook titles. The sound quality of the recording was excellent, without static or distracting background noise; no sound effects or musical soundtrack accompanied the reader. Ms. Dretzin employed variations in her voice to represent the speaking voices of the book’s different characters. She was quite effective, even on the male characters. She portrayed the persona of the main character, a bright eccentric preteen girl, in a very believable manner.

This first novel by Klages opens as a young girl, who prefers building inventions to playing with dolls, travels to meet her father at an undisclosed destination, known only as “The Hill”, where he is doing “war stuff.” We gradually learn that 11-year-old Dewey Kerrigan has been raised mostly by others while her father pursued his career and for the first time in years she will be living with him. When Dewey arrives in Santa Fe, Army personnel meet her and it becomes clear she is headed for a highly secret place that few know about and that doesn’t exist on any map.

The story follows Dewey through the spring and summer of 1945, as her predilection for gathering junkyard castoffs for her inventions earns her the nickname “Screwy Dewey” among the Hill’s scientists’ children, and as her relationship with her father deepens. Dewey’s feeling of having a real home is snatched away when, on a trip to Washington, D.C., Dr. Kerrigan is killed by a drunk driver, and Dewey’s temporary living arrangement with the Gordon family must become long term. Now her initially antagonistic relationship with Suze Gordon, another outcast, changes in nature as they confront the possibility of becoming sisters and all the while, the development of “the Gadget” comes inevitably closer to completion. Only after the successful test of the “Fat Boy” bomb at the White Sands Proving Ground in the desolate Tularosa Basin south of Socorro, do the Los Alamos scientists begin to understand and consider the implications of what they have created.

Dr. Gordon smiled. “This is Trinity,” he said. “I thought you’d want to see it. Let’s walk.” They started across the dirt. There were no plants, none at all, not even grass or yucca. Just reddish beige, sandy dirt. Every few yards there was a charred greasewood bush. Each bush was twisted at the same odd angle, like a little black skeleton that had been pushed aside by a big wind. They kept walking. The skeletons disappeared, and then there was nothing at all. It was the emptiest place Dewey had ever seen. After about five minutes, Dewey looked down and saw burned spots that looked like little animals, like a bird or a desert mouse had been stenciled black against the hard, flat ground. She looked over at Mrs. Gordon. Mrs. Gordon had stopped walking. She stood a few yards back from the others, her lips pressed tight together, staring down at one of the black animal shapes. “Christ,” she said. “What have we done?” [Ellen Klages, The Green Glass Sea]

Klages exhibits a talent for depicting realistic relationships, for example when Suze draws a chalk line down the center of the room she is forced to share with Dewey. Klages also includes details from the era, such as popular music and store products, which the give the story authenticity. The addition of authentic details such as physicist J. Robert “Oppie” Oppenheimer, the euphemism “twisting the dragon’s tail”, and the death of one scientist due to radiation exposure also contribute to the book’s realism.

This novel would probably appeal to middle or high-school-age teens living in New Mexico, dealing as the story does with local history, and also to teens interested in the WWII time period or in the development of the atomic bomb. The audio format is likely to appeal to reluctant readers more than the print edition, it is also available in a digital ebook version.

The listening experience of the audiobook format brought an extra dimension to the story, allowing the audience to hear Dewey’s voice and bringing her personality to life for the listener, a process that can take longer to occur when reading a printed book. I found the novel interesting, as the story of the Manhattan Project was told in a different way, from the point of view of a young person on the inside of the top secret base. This book by Ellen Klages reminded me of another juvenile novel with the same setting, The Secret Project Notebook by Carolyn Reeder (2005, Los Alamos Historical Society).

I was critical of this audiobook on two points. One was that the reader’s ‘S’s occasionally “whistled,” which I found irritating at times. Also, the front cover art of the audiobook was quite different from the cover art of the hardback print edition shown above. It unfortunately contained erroneous elements, depicting the main character on a bicycle, overlooking the Trinity site, with a saguaro cactus in the foreground. I found this misleading, as in the story the character did not possess a bike, and saguaro cacti do not grow in New Mexico.

Reviews and Awards

Horn Book Magazine starred review: “intense but accessible page-turner; history and story are drawn together with confidence.”

Publishers Weekly starred review: “Klages makes an impressive debut with an ambitious, meticulously researched novel set during WWII. Writing from the points of view of two displaced children, she successfully recreates life at Los Alamos Camp, where scientists and mathematicians converge with their families to construct and test the first nuclear bomb. The author provides much insight into the controversies surrounding the making of the bomb and brings to life the tensions of war experienced by adults and children alike."

Booklist review: “the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”

School Library Journal review: “Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos's historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way.”

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2007
Notable Social Studies Trade Books, 2007
Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of the Year, 2006

Connections

Children could mark the places mentioned in the novel on a map of New Mexico, examine pieces of Trinitite (available through Internet purchase), or perhaps create a wall collage as story characters Dewey and Suze do in their house in Los Alamos.

The story continues in this second historical novel by Ellen Klages:

White Sands, Red Menace, 2008

Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395071143.

Katherine “Kit” Tyler is a free-spirited young woman of sixteen who has been brought up by her unconventional grandfather in the beauty of the Barbados islands. After her grandfather’s death, Kit is forced to relocate to the cold, bleak Connecticut Colony of 1687 to join a family she has never met. But she is unprepared for the religious intolerance and rigidity of the Puritan community. Kit tries hard to fit in with the restrictive ways, but she frequently shocks her aunt, uncle, and cousins with her unconventional dress, behavior, and ideas. The townspeople of the stern Puritan village view her with suspicion and disapproval.

Only the Meadow with its windswept openness is a sanctuary for Kit and she finds a sympathetic friend in Hannah Tupper, the elderly Quaker widow who lives in a tiny cabin there. Kit’s friendship with Hannah, who is shunned by the superstitious townsfolk, and Kit’s championship of Prudence, a poor child who Kit teaches to read, proves more dangerous than she could have imagined.

When a deathly sickness strikes the village, first Hannah and then Kit are accused of being witches. This threat ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty in order to rescue Hannah and to defend her own life against the accusations of the angry and vengeful townspeople. Through these conflicts and experiences, Kit comes to know and accept herself, to understand others, and to value the steadfastness of the New England colonists. This knowledge ultimately leads her to romance and happiness.

The story’s characters are fully developed and realistic. Readers will find themselves caring about the characters and sharing Kit’s emotional reactions to her circumstances. Kit is a dynamic character, discovering insights and growing in understanding throughout the story. “Going through the shed door one morning,…Kit halted, wary as always, at the sight of her uncle. He was standing not far from the house, looking out toward the river, his face half turned from her. He did not notice her. He simply stood, idle for one rare moment, staring at the golden fields…As Kit watched, her uncle bent slowly and scooped up a handful of brown dirt from the garden patch at his feet, and stood holding it with a curious reverence, as though it were some priceless substance. As it crumbled through his fingers his hand convulsed in a sudden passionate gesture. Kit backed through the door and closed it softly. She felt as though she had eavesdropped. When she had hated and feared her uncle for so long, why did it suddenly hurt to think of that lonely defiant figure in the garden?”

Speare has created a believable, entrancing novel about being true to one’s own feelings while still valuing and respecting the ways of others. Her narrative style and vivid period details combine to authentically depict early colonial life. The language, clothing, daily activities, and attitudes of the Puritan community are recreated faithfully, helping to bring this time and place to life for the reader and create a moving vicarious experience. Expressive descriptions of the Connecticut colony, countryside, and climate enable the reader to easily visualize the story’s setting, making it an integral part of Kit’s story.

Though many editions with multiple cover illustrations are in print, the original 1958 hardcover edition features an evocative jacket painting by watercolor artist Nicholas Angelo, which also helps the reader to picture the time period.

Reviews and Awards

Newbery Medal Winner, 1959
ALA Notable Children's Book, 1958
Children's Book Committee: Children's Book of the Year, 1958

Booklist: "Strong plot, fully realized characters, and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative."

The New York Times: “The book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality.”

The New York Herald-Tribune: “Rarely has a book taken us back into seventeenth-century life as this does.”

Connections

One literature-based activity to enrich the social studies curriculum would be to compare and contrast the early colonial life Kit experienced with the attitudes and experiences of young adults today, finding the similarities and differences between Kit’s world and contemporary life. Additionally, students could research and give a brief presentation on some aspect of New England life in the late 1600s. A unit on this subject, especially around November when early American history is in the forefront of the curriculum, might be a welcome change from the usual Pilgrim lessons. An afternoon of presentations, complete with costumes, could culminate with foods and activities representative of the period.

Other historical fiction novels by Elizabeth George Speare:

Calico Captive, notable Children’s Books, 1957
Bronze Bow, Newbery Medal winner, 1962
Sign of the Beaver, Newbery Honor Book, 1984

Krull, Kathleen. 2005. HOUDINI: WORLD’S GREATEST MYSTERY MAN AND ESCAPE KING. New York: Walker & Company.
ISBN 0802789536.

In this brief picture book biography, Kathleen Krull introduces young readers to Harry Houdini, born Erik Weiss of Budapest, who became the world’s foremost escape artist at the beginning of the 19^th century. The timeline traces Erik’s drive for fame from his self-taught trapeze act at age eight through his teenage athletic achievements (some self-bestowed) to his fascination with the life of the French founder of modern magic, Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin and his subsequent change of identity to focus on magic and “the art of the escape.” The book recounts how Houdini became famous with his daring escapes from chains, handcuffs, and even locked water-filled cabinets, then ends with a Behind the Scenes note giving further particulars of Houdini’s life, philosophy, and details of his death in 1926.

Interspersed with the story of Houdini’s life are double-page snapshot spreads showcasing his stage performances: The Milk Can Escape, The Metamorphosis (with his wife Bess), and The Underwater Handcuff Release, The Water Torture Cell, and The Suspended Straitjacket Escape. “Velasquez's impressive framed, posed oil paintings portray the magician's intensity and sense of showmanship. Most of the illustrations feature Houdini and his performances, and the design and varied layout are very effective.” (School Library Journal, 2005)

The text is interesting, giving young readers an overview of Houdini’s accomplishments and emphasizing his dedication to his craft, appreciation of learning, and devotion to family. Personal quotes bring out the man behind the stage actor. A bibliography is included for interested readers to find out more about this real-life superhero who, 80 years after his death, remains “the most famous name in magic.”

Reviews and Awards

Booklist review: “In this biography of one of history's most successful showmen, Krull's expository narrative periodically pauses to revisit the old-fashioned theater depicted in the splashy title-page sequence. These clever interludes feature vivid, free-verse poems that cast children as audience members at Houdini's most fabled performances.”

School Library Journal review: “An attractive, oversize picture-book biography. Framed descriptions of some of Houdini's most famous stunts are interspersed within the overview of his life. The author's crisp narrative style and careful choice of detail are evident here. Readers get a sense of Houdini's commitment, determination, and dedication to his family.

Connections

One third grade class I know made lifesize paper cutouts of themselves, then “dressed” their paper doll as their chosen biographee and displayed them next to their written biography reports outside the classroom in the hallway for everyone passing by to admire. And of course it would be great fun to invite a local magician to the library to present a demonstration of magical illusions.

Other picture book biographies by Kathleen Krull:

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chaves, 2003

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman, 2000

The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss, 2004

Albert Einstein (Giants of Science series), 2009