Drawing From Memory

by Allen Say
741.69 SAY


This is an interesting autobiography of Japanese cartoonist and illustrator Allen Say.  He is written and illustrated several well-known picture books in English.  This book is an autobiographical collage, with photographs, drawings and sketches from both the author-artist as well as the work of his teacher are combined with a straightforward and haunting narrative. Say tells readers about his memories of his early life in Japan. This is not a boring biography. Say gives us just glimpses into his life, but they are powerful images of important moments of a boy's memory--important moments that shape his life as a person and an artist. Sometimes it is not immediately obvious why a particular memory is important, but this only adds to the feeling that this is the story of a real person with a unique history. 

The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate
F APP

This quick-read Newberry book is both sad and wonderful. Ivan is a silverback gorilla captured from the wild almost 30 years ago living in a small cage at a mall. He and a few other animals, including an elephant, perform little tricks for customers. Ivan is an artist and like a Kate DiCamillo book, the various animals talk to each other and make art. Ivan is based on a real gorilla that lived at a highway exit before being moved to a zoo. The story really begins when the old elephant, Stella, dies, and she asks Ivan to make sure her baby elephant, Ruby, leads a better life.
 
Ivan is frustrated at his inability to help Ruby. A girl and her father try to convince Mack, the owner of the mini circus at the mall, to do the right thing regarding the animals, even putting his job in danger.  Mack isn't entirely cruel, although his treatment of the animals is not really good either.  Mack cares for Ivan in his own way, although it is not the right way. When changes do occur, Ivan shows powerful emotions--happy and sad all at the same time. He is excited by his new experiences, but also worried and apprehensive.

The author does a marvelous job of showing the sadness of captured and caged animals, but also the strong spirit of humans willing to help animals.  The relationships between the characters are the best part of the book.    

Dark Lord

Jamie Thomson
 F THO

So, I read this book at our spring book fair, even before the fair was over!  It has an interesting cover and it just sounded so unusual. Who wouldn't want to find out more about a powerful, evil dark lord trapped in a human boy's body and forced to attend school?

The story begins with Dark Lord crashing out of the sky into a parking lot and being mistaken for a regular kid who is given the name "Dirk Lloyd" because that is what the police and doctors think he is saying when he is mumbling "Dark Lord."  "Dirk" is sent to live with a foster family and forced to attend school.   The adults think he has suffered some kind of trauma because he keeps insisting he is an evil power in another dimension.  

Dirk tells all of his classmates about his powers, which no one believes, mostly because none of his powers seem to work in this world.  Mostly his classmates find him to be entertaining while he is attempting to find his way home.  Dirk is funny and maybe a little bit disturbing.  Dirk is also getting a little stressed because he cannot figure out why is super powerful ring didn't take him back through the portal he made to go home, AND his new friend Sooz got into some serious trouble for something he started!

Dark Lord is a funny book with some weird fantasy in it.  I recommend it to kids who like fantasy, but want something a little lighter, or kids who like humorous books featuring evil villains.

Calli Be Gold

Michele Weber Hurwitz
F HUR

I love this book.

Calli Gold is the third child in a family where everyone is really good at something.  Her parents are constantly pressuring her to find an activity that she will be really good at.  Her sister is a synchronized skater and her brother is great at basketball.  But Calli doesn't want to keep trying out new talents.  She wants to play in the fall leaves, go sledding, or watch a movie with her friends.

When her class begins a new program called in which older kids buddy up with younger kids, she volunteers to work with a 2nd grader, Noah, who doesn't want to or know who to participate in class at all.  Calli works hard to find a way to connect with Noah, and their budding friendship is the first he has made in their school.  However, Calli has to find a way to convince her parents that their group's "Friendship Fair" is just as important as her brother's basketball game and her sister's skating performance.

I really liked how this book puts a strong emphasis on the importance of friendship and making connections with people.  I like how Calli also has to figure out some of these things herself.

This is a good book for both boys and girls about friendship and family.  It is also on the 2014 Illinois Bluestem list.  The Southeast School copies are signed, as the author visited us at our Spring book fair!

Peak

Roland Smith
F SMI

This is a fantastic book!

Peak is an athletic kid who doesn't quite fit in with his family and school in New York City. He likes to scale the sides of skyscrapers (climb right up the glass and concrete!) all the way to the top, which is illegal of course!  When Peak gets caught, he has to chose between jail or spending some time with a mountain climbing celebrity who happens to be his father. 

Peak wants to get to know his dad, and his visit is made even more exciting by the fact that his dad is leading a group of climbers to the top of the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest.  The trip is further complicated when Peak discovers that his dad wants to make Peak the youngest person to summit, or reach the top of Mt. Everest.  This is a dangerous climb where people die trying to reach their goal.  

Peak introduced me to the fascinating world of high-altitude climbing.  I also learned something about the culture of the people who live around Mt. Everest and the people who chose to risk their lives to climb these super-high mountains. However, it is mostly a story about a boy seeking a relationship with his father and figuring out what is really important in life.

I would recommend this book to anyone at any age above ten who likes a good adventure book.

The Familiars

Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson 
F EPS


This book is a great fantasy for kids!  I am normally not a fan of stories from animals' point-of-view, but this book is an exception. 

This is the story of Aldwyn, a regular ol' stray cat who winds up a young wizard boy's "familiar" when he takes shelter in a rather special pet shop while being chased down by a bounty hunter for stealing fish.  Aldwyn meets two other animals familiars, a bird and a frog.  At first, Aldwyn's greatest concern is that he doesn't actually have any magic--he was only hiding out in the magical pet shop!  But literally overnight his priorities shift as the young wizards are kidnapped by an evil, magical queen and the three animals are told they are the only ones able to rescue their companions and save their kingdom from disaster!

It is a typical quest fantasy, but it is wonderfully told in a straight-forward story with fun and magic!  It has a high lexile level (940), but the number and motivations of the characters keep it a relatively easy-to-understand fantasy. 

I think it is great introduction to the fantasy genre for advanced third graders all the way into middle school.