Books in Brief: Lemony Snicket returns!

Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First things first. This is not A Series of Unfortunate Events.

That being said, it is the first in a series, and there are some events that could be called unfortunate. (The near-drowning comes instantly to mind...) In this noir-flavored detective story, a young Lemony Snicket is trying to get to the bottom of a mystery of an odd wooden statue in a nearly deserted ink industry town.

I'm a huge Snicket fan from way back, and I was pleased to see elements of the previous series - defining potentially tricky vocabulary words, a love of reading and libraries, etc. - appear in this volume. Other highlights for me included the bickering police couple and the clever system Lemony devises to communicate with his partner in the city.

The plot didn't really grab me until about halfway through, but when it did, I was ready for the next book in the series.

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Books in Brief: The Lonely Beast

The Lonely Beast by Chris Judge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A rare creature sets out on a journey to find others of his kind.

Five reasons this books is awesome:

1. A very endearing main character (who manages to be expressive even with an almost complete lack of features...)

2. A long and interesting journey.

3. A gentle thread of humor.

4. Really wonderful illustrations. (The underwater scenes are my particular favorites.)

5. A happy ending.

A great read-aloud choice for 4's and 5's.

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Books in Brief: In a Glass Grimmly

In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adam Gidwitz has done it again! As with his debut novel A Tale Dark and Grimm , the author stitches together classic folk and fairy tales into a journey of self-discovery for two very brave children.

(And when I say fairy tales, I'm not talking about magic wands and fluffy ballgowns. I'm talking about old-school, blood-and-guts, rolling people down hills in nail-spiked barrels. Just so we're clear.)

Though published after A Tale Dark and Grimm and told in a similar style, In a Glass Grimmly is not meant to be a sequel. We follow two entirely different characters - cousins Jack and Jill - on an entirely different set of adventures. (And yes, there is a hill and a head injury.) However, fans of the first novel will find a few threads to connect the two. The ravens are back, as is the narrator, who tries to warn us of the particularly scary bits before they happen. (And apologizing when he forgets.)

Suspenseful, dark, peppered with humor, and ultimately wise, this is a great choice for middle school students who don't mind a little gore in their happily ever after.

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Books in Brief: Meet Caroline

Meet Caroline by Kathleen Ernst
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had never read any of the American Girl books, but when I discovered that the latest adventures were set in my old stomping grounds - Sackets Harbor, New York - I had to check it out.

In addition to being a charming place to have Sunday brunch, this small lakeside town played an important role during the War of 1812, which is the conflict that is just beginning as we meet Caroline Abbott, a young girl who dreams of being the captain of her own ship someday.

Unfortunately, her dreams are put on hold when the British capture her father and attack her community. Will the town be able to defend themselves against the invasion? Will Caroline be reunited with her father? Luckily, we have five more books to find out...

Recommended for ages 7-10, fans of well-written historical adventure, or anyone who's ever walked the Sackets Harbor battlefield. (Admittedly, we might be a small crew.)

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Books in Brief: Revenge of the Whale

Revenge Of The Whale: The True Story Of The Whaleship Essex, Adapted For Young People From In The Heart Of The Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I could not put this down, even though I had to, because I needed to eat meals and work. (Though I felt bad about the eating, since the sailors of the Essex spent much of the book starving.)

Adapted from the author's own award-winning tale for adults, this is the riveting story of a 19th century whaling crew attacked and shipwrecked by a large sperm whale in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - and how at least some of them lived to tell the tale.

Recommended for ages 10 and older. Not for the faint of heart.

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Books in Brief: The Year of the Book

The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First things first: Hooray for books about introverts!

Sometimes it seems as though there are so many sassy and outspoken heroines out there that we forget about the ones who are quietly sewing a drawstring bag as a gift for their school crossing guard.

Anna Wang is not sassy. She is not outspoken. If given the choice, she'd rather be reading a book in the corner. However, her life is just as full of growing pains and potential drama as the next fourth grader's. She feels left out by the other girls in her class. Her mother sometimes embarrasses her. She doesn't always want to do what she's supposed to be doing. But Anna takes it in her stride, relying on her books to help her both to escape from and to connect to her world.

I'd recommend this story to upper elementary students - or any bookworm, ever.

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Books in Brief: The Great Cake Mystery

The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When desserts start going missing in Precious Ramotswe's school, she decides to solve the mystery of who is taking them.

For those of you who've read Alexander McCall Smith's grown-up series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency , you'll know that Precious does grow up to be a detective, but it's in this book that we see how she gets her start.

I've never read any of the grown-up Precious Ramotswe books, but I can tell you that this one is a delight! With evocative illustrations and a narrative voice that is educational without being didactic, it's a lovely mystery with a fun twist. Definitely looking forward to more books in this series!

Recommended for children aged 7-10. 

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Books in Brief: Breaking Stalin's Nose

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A quick read about a young boy's reversal of fortune over the course of only two days in Stalinist Russia.

When the book begins, Sasha is a happy 10-year-old, devoted to his father and to the Communist regime. When his father is arrested, everything changes, and slowly Sasha begins to question the system he used to believe in so completely.

Author Eugene Yelchin paints a deceptively simple and very effective picture of a police state whose citizens - even its children - are encouraged to inform on each other or lie to implicate the innocent. And even though the book doesn't have what I'd call a happy ending, we leave Sasha with at least one person who is kind.

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With great facial hair comes great responsibility.

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Could a seventh grade kid seize the United States presidency just by wearing a fake mustache? Well, he might be able to, if his mustache was good enough. And the Heidelberg Handlebar #7 is definitely good enough.

Can his best friend stop him before he goes too far? Maybe, with the help of teen cowgirl queen Jodie O'Rodeo and her wonder horse, Soymilk.

(And yes, Soymilk might have been my favorite name in the whole book.)

Brought to you by the man who gave us the Origami Yoda series, Fake Mustache is a hilarious cautionary tale about the power of facial hair.



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Books in Brief: Oddfellow's Orphanage

Oddfellow's Orphanage by Emily Winfield Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A lovely story with a very vintage feel to it. Told as a series of vignettes about a home for orphans, it's a lyrical patchwork of gentle humor, simple pleasures, and fairy-tale fantasy.

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Books in Brief: Robot Zombie Frankenstein!

Robot Zombie Frankenstein! by Annette Simon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

And the award for my favorite picture book of the year (yes, I know it's still only June) goes to... Robot Zombie Frankenstein! I just brought it into my library and made at least four of my co-workers stop what they were doing to read it.

The plot, in haiku format:

Two robots are friends
Costume contest escalates
Pie for everyone!

Seriously, treat yourself. Given its simplicity, the story is surprisingly complete, and the art is just delightful. (Added educational bonus: the robots and their costumes are comprised mainly of basic shapes in bright colors, so it could also be used as a teaching tool.)

I'm really looking forward to using this one in storytime!

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Books in Brief: Twice Upon A Time

Rapunzel, The One with all the Hair by Wendy Mass

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was prepared to not like this book. I don't know why - I love fairy tales and I really enjoy Wendy Mass. Perhaps I am too suspicious of pink. I can't know.

But I thought the story was well told, with chapters alternating from Rapunzel's point of view to the prince's. The language is a nice mix of fairytale and realistic teen-speak. (For example: "Father does not like being disobeyed. It's a king thing.")

I didn't quite understand why Rapunzel's hair was enchanted to grow in the first place, but I was willing to overlook that for a clever and non-thorny blinding of the prince.

Bottom line: A nice take on an old favorite. I've already got the next book in the series lined up!

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James Kennedy and the 90-Second Newbery

It hardly seems possible that this time last year we were filming our 90-second adaptation of Louis Sachar's Newbery Award-winning novel Holes for the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival.

And yet, I remember it clearly: getting sunburned in April, having our camera battery run out every 12 minutes, and giving the direction, "Faster! Everything is funnier when it's faster!"

Come to think of it, that'd be a great tagline for the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. I'll have to remember to tell James Kennedy when he's here next week.

You: WHA-HA-HA-HA?!! Angela! You never told me that the guy who INVENTED the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival was coming to Tredyffrin Library!

Me: Oh, yes I did. Page three!

You: What's he going to be doing at the library?

Me: Showing us 90-second Newbery films made by students around the country, reading to us from his book, and making us laugh.

You: Is there still room for me?

Me: You bet! Tuesday, April 10, at 7pm. I'll save you a seat!

For more information about James Kennedy and the 90-Second Newbery, visit the Tredyffrin Library website or call 610-688-7092, ext. 210.

Books in Brief: The Humming Room

The Secret Garden is one of my favorite books of all time. So, when I heard about The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, a retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic story about growth and renewal, I had to check it out.

Similarities:

1. A young orphan girl is sent to live with her reclusive uncle at his large and creepy estate

2. The girl brings a secret and nearly dead garden back to life

3. Everyone grows a little by the end

Differences:

1. The changes that Potter makes bring the story squarely into a present day setting, and I think some of those changes cause The Humming Room to seem darker than The Secret Garden.

2. Pace. The Humming Room moves a lot faster than The Secret Garden.

3. Salt potatoes! Since the story is set in upstate New York, some details made reading the story especially fun for me, since I'm from there.

Overall, I liked The Humming Room. It's close enough to The Secret Garden for fans of that story to enjoy it, but it's far enough away to be able to stand on its own. I'd recommend this to readers 9 and older who aren't afraid of a little eeriness.

Books in Brief: Zombie Tag

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the most amazing book I've read all year. Granted, it is only the beginning of February, but still. Uh-Mazing.

The plot, in super-brief: 12-year-old zombie-obsessed Wil finds a way to bring his older brother Graham back from the dead. But will Graham be the same awesome big brother Wil remembers, or will he instead eat Wil's brains? Perhaps more importantly, has Wil just triggered the zombie apocalypse?

This book has everything (suspense, fun, heartbreak) and it goes way beyond its action-packed premise to tackle issues of loss, identity, friendship and responsibility head-on.

(And if that weren't enough, the author includes instructions at the end of the book on how to actually play zombie tag, spatulas and all! Bonus!)

Bottom line: I'm not here to tell you how to live your life. But if I were, I would tell you to wrangle yourself up a copy of Zombie Tag.

And maybe also to hug your brother.

(Assuming he's not looking to eat your brains.)


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Books in Brief: Breadcrumbs

Reviewer: Angela

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I cannot recommend this book highly enough. A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen, this book incorporates both fairy tales and modern fantasy (I mean, it even works in Han Solo in carbon freeze!) into a unique and emotionally true story of friendship, identity, and growing up.



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Books in Brief: The Composer is Dead

Reviewer: Angela

The name of the book being recommended: The Composer is Dead, by Lemony Snicket

Please give us five reasons why this book is awesome:

1. It's by Lemony Snicket = Awesome. Who else could get away with words like "xylophoniness" and "cymbalism?"

2. It's illustrated by Carson Ellis, who may be best known for her album covers for The Decembrists. I confess that I was a little hesitant to accept anyone other than Brett Helquist as an illustrator for Lemony Snicket, but Ms. Ellis does great work that is a lovely fit with the story.

3. It's a murder mystery.

4. It's a murder mystery where the primary suspects are musical instruments. Not only does this provide a chance for readers to get acquainted with the different sections of the orchestra, it also gives us a glimpse of what those same instruments might be like if they had personalities. For example: "Everyone forgets about us," said the Violas bitterly. "We play the notes in the chords that nobody cares about. We play crucial countermelodies nobody hears."

5. It comes with its own symphonic score, composed by Nathaniel Stookey and narrated by Mr. Snicket himself. You don't need to listen to the CD to enjoy the book, but I highly, highly recommend that you do, especially if you know and like symphonic music even a tiny little bit.

How can I find this book in the library? It can be found in the children's department, in fiction, under the call number j SNI.

Meet Books In Brief Reviewer Angela Newman!

Angela joined Tredyffrin as a part-time employee and, following the completion of her Masters Degree in Information and Library Sciences, was appointed the head of the Children's Department in June 2010. She works at the children's checkout and reference desks, purchases novels and nonfiction for older school-age readers, as well as children's DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks. She also runs our Road Trip Thursdays program, supervises the Children's staff, does outreach to local schools, and attends entirely too many meetings.

Hi, Angela! What are your favorite genres and subjects to read about?
Siblings, American History, memoirs, fairy tales, small towns, and long journeys.

Besides reading, what are your other hobbies and interests?
I love to cook and travel (but not at the same time), and I am an afficianado of various types of music. I also relish any time spent with my younger sister (aka The Geech) and my genius niece (aka The Cakes).

What are you good at?
Referencing obscure lines and lyrics from movies, music, and books. Wearing hats. Writing. Typing very, very quickly. Dismantling library shelves with my bare hands (and the occasional rubber mallet).

What would you like to be better at?
Anything athletic, especially baseball.

To find reviews and recommendations by Angela, simply click on her name in our "Contributors" list on the right, or search for the label "Angela."

Welcome, Tredyffrin Kids!

Hello, friends! You've found the blog of the Tredyffrin Public Library Children's Department. This is super-good news for you if you:

a) use our library
b) happen to be - or belong to - someone under 13 years old
c) were looking for a blog with stars in the background
d) just selected any or all of the above

What can you expect from this blog? Well, a lot of lists. I can't help it. I make lists. But I know you're probably more interested in what kind of stuff will be on these lists. Fair enough. In list form, here's what you'll find on this blog:

1. Book reviews and virtual displays, created by your very own Tredyffrin Public Librarians

2. Program details - including dates, times, and registration information. Sometimes, we'll even link to a handy flyer - like this one!

3. Links to free electronic resources, including websites to help with school projects, book recommendations, and more!

4. Bright colors. (I like them.)

And there'll be more, no doubt, but I figure that's a good start for now. We'll talk again soon.

Signing off - Angela

Photo by Michele Bolay