My Life as a Stuntboy

My Life as a Stuntboy, by Janet Tashjian (lexile: 810; AR book level: 5.0; 256 pp)

One afternoon, twelve-year-old Derek Fallon and his best friend Matt head off to their favorite new playground — the nearby UCLA campus, where they like to skateboard and climb around walls and stair rails.  This particular day, however, Derek is noticed by a Hollywood stuntman, who offers him a job doing stunts for an upcoming movie!

This sounds like a dream come true, but there are complications.  First Derek has to get permission from his parents, and they require some things in return — like reading (which he hates, unless it’s Calvin & Hobbes) and taking better care of his pet monkey, Frank.  And his sudden fame creates friction in his friendship with Matt.  Plus doing stunts for fun is one thing, but doing them them with the camera rolling and a famous teen actress watching is quite another.

Derek’s narration is light and funny, from a perspective that will resonate with many 6th grade boys:

My parents have obviously forgotten what it’s like to be a kid with no money, no car, and no power.  Of course we say anything to get what we want — what else are we supposed to do?

This is actually the second in a series, but can be read on its own.  Based on reviews I’ve seen from kids and parents, the books have hooked a lot of reluctant readers who are attracted to a character a lot like themselves.  The look and tone are a bit Wimpy Kid, but with more plot and substance.  The wide margins are filled with Derek’s stick figure drawings, his trick for illustrating vocabulary words (actually drawn by the author’s son).  And parents will appreciate that Derek’s folks are savvy and supportive, and help him learn from his experiences.

The other books in the series so far:

• My Life as a Book (lexile: 880; AR book level: 5.2; 211 pp)
• My Life as a Cartoonist (publication date, April 30, 2013)

A Wild Ride Through Time: The Dead Gentleman

The Dead Gentleman, by Matthew Cody (lexile: NA; AR book level: 5.7; 280 pp)

If you know where to look, the world is full of Portals — hidden doorways between worlds.  Eleven-year-old Tommy Learner is an unlikely member of the band of Explorers who are committed to finding and traveling through these portals.  As the story opens in New York City, 1901, Tommy and fellow explorer Bernard are preparing to check one buried in a basement.  But something goes very wrong …

Fast-forward to the present.  Twelve-year-old Jezebel Lemon decides to check out the creepy old basement of her apartment building.  And there she encounters a boy with a message:

“I don’t have much time. But you’ve got to be warned. Keep safe and trust your instincts. Be careful. Be smart. Be afraid. The Dead Gentleman’s coming.”

Suddenly he’s gone.  Maybe she was hallucinating — so she thinks, until that night when the monsters creep out of her closet.

Tommy and Jez are soon thrown together, and learn that the mysterious Dead Gentleman has set his sights on conquering Earth, the only world left where the dead stay dead.  And Tommy and Jez are the only ones left with any chance of stopping him.  The fast-paced tale includes all sorts of cool stuff, including a time-traveling airship, a clockwork bird, zombies, dinosaurs, an almost-toothless vampire, and a submarine called The Nautilus (with a nod to Jules Verne of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame).  The story builds to a dramatic, final battle outside New York City that kept me turning pages quickly.

Some time travel novels go to great lengths to explain the background story, how all the imaginary elements fit together in a consistent worldview (for example, The Book of Time series I’ve reviewed).  The Dead Gentleman doesn’t, which is OK.  It’s meant to move quickly.  Tommy and Jez are both bold characters, sometimes clashing, but a good team.  The ending is conclusive, but with hints of sequels yet to come.

Not your storybook fairies: Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer (lexile: 600; AR book level: 5.0; 277 pp)

The fairy world is real, but these are not your storybook fairies of Tinkerbell and pixie dust.  They’re high-tech, sophisticated, and powerful, and centuries ago moved their entire civilization underground to avoid discovery by the “Mudmen” — that’s us.

One human, however, has discovered their existence: Artemis Fowl, 12-year-old criminal mastermind, genius, millionaire, and scion of a wealthy Irish family.  And Artemis has determined to restore his family’s failing fortunes by taking advantage of fairy rules.  If he can capture one, the fairies will be obliged to pay one ton of gold in ransom.

Artemis takes on more than he realizes, though, when he and his bodyguard, Butler (who “can kill you a hundred different ways without the use of weapons”), kidnap Holly Short, captain of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Recon Unit).  She’s tough and smart, and together with friends Underground she may just be a match for Artemis.

The story is a fast-paced, fun mixture of magic and high-tech gadgetry, with memorable and likeable characters like Foaly the computer-geek centaur and Mulch Duggums, a kleptomaniac dwarf with a powerful digestive system.

Some reviewers dislike Artemis because he’s not much of a hero — he’s self-centered, cocky, and cold.  But he is still appealing, and so blatantly narcissistic that no reader who is not already a young millionaire genius is going to look to him as a role model.  And Artemis’ story doesn’t end with this first book.  One of the things I love about the series is the obvious transformation of Artemis Fowl into a much different young man, until the moving and powerful climax of the last book.  If you like Artemis, stick with him for a few books, and discover that it’s how you finish that really matters.  The other books, in order:

• The Arctic Incident  (lexile: 610; AR book level: 5.0; 277 pp)
• The Eternity Code (lexile: NA; AR book level: 5.0; 309 pp)
• The Opal Deception (lexile: 770; AR book level: 5.7; 342 pp)
• The Lost Colony (lexile: 740; AR book level: 5.3; 385 pp)
• The Time Paradox (lexile: 780; AR book level: 5.6; 391 pp)
• The Atlantis Complex (lexile: 900; AR book level: 6.2; 357 pp)
• The Last Guardian (lexile: NA; AR book level: 6.6; 328 pp)

Swindle

Last night I heard author Gordon Korman speak at the Chatham Area Public Library, and he was great.  (Based on all the raised hands and eager questions, I’d say the 100+ kids there thought so, too.)  His books are hugely popular with a lot of guys (and girls), but I realized I’d never featured one in the blog.  So here’s one of my favorites, and, according to Gordon, his #1 selling title:

Swindle, by Gordon Korman (lexile: 710; AR book level: 4.9; 252 pp)

Sixth-grader Griffin Bing (“The Man With The Plan”) and his best friend Ben Slovak are spending the night in an abandoned (maybe haunted?) house that’s due to be demolished the next day.  While exploring the house, Griffin discovers an old Babe Ruth baseball card.  Could it be genuine?  Could it be VALUABLE?

To find out, they take it the next day to S. Wendell Palomino’s “Emporium of Collectibles and Memorabilia.”  Palomino tells them it’s just a copy, not worth much, and gives them $120.

Imagine their surprise to see S. Wendell (“Swindle”) interviewed later on TV about HIS prize Babe Ruth card that he expects to auction for ONE MILLION DOLLARS!  Griffin’s been SWINDLED — and he intends to get that card back!

So Griffin puts together an intricate plan worthy of a Mission Impossible movie.  Swindle’s store is a fortress, guarded by fence, fierce dog, and high-tech security, not to mention a nosy neighbor who’s always around.  Griffin will need the diverse skills of a team of friends to pull it off, and you can bet not everything will go as planned.

Swindle is fast-paced, and funny, and appeals to every kid’s sense of justice.  You want Griffin and his pals to succeed, and show Swindle he can’t get away with taking advantage of a kid.  And for parents who might worry that the story sets a bad example — stealing the card back wasn’t perhaps the best way to right the wrong — those lessons emerge eventually.  But the ride there is quite a roller coaster.  As one reviewer has said, this is Oceans Eleven with 11-year-olds.

Griffin and his team return in four equally fun books:

• Zoobreak (lexile: 700; AR book level: 4.9; 230 pp)
• Framed (lexile: 730; AR book level: 5.2; 234 pp)
• Showoff (lexile: 740; AR book level: 5.1; 248 pp)
• Hideout (lexile: 750; AR book level: 5.2; 275 pp)

Dragons Lite: Shorter Dragon Stories

In a recent post, I reviewed a classic dragon quest tale, Cornelia Funke’s Dragon Rider.  A great adventure, but at 500+ pages, a little hefty for some.  What if you’re just starting chapter books, or need a read-aloud for younger ones?

For those who would like a simpler, shorter dragon story,  here’s one old and one new which are good choices.

My Father’s Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett (lexile: 910; AR book level: 5.6; 80 pp)

Though his mother doesn’t like it, Elmer Elevator befriends a stray alley cat, brings him home, and sneaks him saucers of milk.  In appreciation, the cat tells him of a far-off place he visited in younger days called Wild Island.  It’s populated by wild animals, and they have enslaved a poor baby dragon, tying him up and forcing him to ferry them back and forth across the river that divides the island.

Elmer decides to set out and rescue the dragon, and with the cat’s help carefully prepares for the journey.  The funniest part of the story is the strange array of supplies Elmer packs in his knapsack, including: chewing gum, two dozen pink lollipops, a toothbrush and toothpaste, six magnifying glasses, and seven hair ribbons.  It turns out, of course, that each is just the right thing to trick one of the animals on Wild Island so Elmer can get to the dragon and free him.  They become good friends, and the dragon is happy to fly Elmer back home.

This funny little dragon story was a Newbery Honor book in 1949, and is still popular over 60 years later.   There are two later sequels.  Elmer and the Dragon (80 pp), tells of their adventures on the way home from Wild Island, complete with an island full of canaries and a buried treasure.  In The Dragons of Blueland (80 pp), Elmer helps the dragon rescue his family from those who have discovered their secret home.  You can find all three in one volume, Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.

Thomas and the Dragon Queen, by Shutta Crum (lexile: 770; AR book level: 5.3; 267 pp)

A kingdom at war, a fierce dragon who kidnaps a princess, and a very unlikely knight who sets out to rescue her and in the process discovers his own strengths — all make up this simple fantasy quest with good characters and an unexpected plot twist.

Twelve-year-old Thomas is the oldest of nine children, and is always busy taking care of his younger siblings.  He dreams of being a knight, but he is small for his age, and only the son of a leathersmith, not a noble.  He gets his chance one day, though, when Sir Gerald happens by, and makes Thomas his squire.

Thomas learns his duties at the castle, but one day when all the knights are away, the princess is carried off by a dragon.  Thomas bravely sets out to rescue her — but he’s so small, he can only take a short sword, and has to ride a donkey instead of a horse.  In the end, however, it will not be his stature, but rather his courage, perseverance, quick wits, and good heart that lead to success.

This is a perfect read-aloud for younger children.  The storyline is not complicated, all of the main characters (including the dragon, it turns out) are good, and Thomas has loving, wise parents.  There are enough scary moments to make it adventurous, and a happy ending for all.

What Came From the Stars

What Came From the Stars, by Gary D. Schmidt (lexile: 930; AR book level: 5.5; 294 pp)

On a far away planet, the peaceful Valorim face their final moments as the evil Lord Mondus and his minions besiege their city.  As the fight comes to the  innermost tower, the last of their people forges all the combined Art of the Valorim into a single jeweled chain and casts it into space to keep it from Lord Mondus.  Across unknown galaxies it travels, until it lands — in the lunchbox of 12-year old Tommy Pepper, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Tommy doesn’t realize what he’s received, but he has a lot of other things to distract him lately.  His mother died 257 days ago, his father and younger sister are each grieving in their own ways, and an unscrupulous real estate investor is trying to get their beachfront cottage.

Soon, however, Tommy’s friends and family notice that he is able to do some pretty remarkable things, like painting a picture that actually moves.  It all seems natural to him, like the memories he has of a planet with two suns.  But they know something strange is going on when someone starts breaking into homes and even the school, ransacking but never stealing.  Something sent from far away is trying to regain a lost treasure, and Tommy and his friends will need to fight to defend his family — and perhaps, though he doesn’t realize it, save a distant planet.

What Came from the Stars shifts back and forth between Earth and the Valorim world, as the two stories gradually come together.  It may be labeled science-fiction,  but it’s much more a story about grief, forgiveness, and friendship.  You will certainly like Tommy Pepper, his family and friends.  (And you may wish that — even for just a moment — you could wear the Art of the Valorim and do the unbelievable.)

Some reviewers really like the story of Tommy Pepper, but found the interspersed narratives from the Valorim’s planet difficult to follow.  Schmidt introduces a number of made-up terms in the Valorim language, and the picture of what’s going on there is painted in spare detail.  The reader does have to work, and the complete background story is not clear until the very end.  To me, that mystery was part of the appeal of the book, and fit the storyline.  Tommy and his friends had to gradually piece together what was going on, and so does the reader.  One of Schmidt’s many strengths as a writer is that he doesn’t tell you too much — just enough to hint, and leave you the “aha!” moment of discovery.

Brilliant and Moving: The One And Only Ivan

Two of my recent posts have invoked the Newbery Medal, awarded annually to the best new children’s book by an American author — one featured older Newbery winners, and the other the book that should have won last year.

And here’s the book that I predicted would win this year and DID!

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate (lexile: NA; AR book level: 3.6; 305 pp)

I am Ivan.  I am a gorilla.
It’s not as easy as it looks.

Ivan is a gorilla of few words.  Humans, he says, waste words, tossing them “like banana peels,” left to rot.  And so Ivan tells his story in spare, almost poetic, prose, wasting nothing.

For 27 years Ivan has lived at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  Once a wild gorilla, Ivan barely remembers being taken as an infant from the jungle.  Now he lives in his “domain,” surrounded on three sides by glass walls.  His friends are Stella, an aging former circus elephant caged next to him; Bob, a stray dog who comes at night to sleep on Ivan’s belly because it’s warm; and Julia, the daughter of the mall janitor, who sits in front of Ivan’s domain each evening while her father cleans, drawing pictures.

It’s Julia who discovers that Ivan, like her, is an artist, and she keeps him supplied with crayons and paper.  Ivan’s pictures sell for $20 in the mall gift shop, but he doesn’t care; he draws for himself.

From his domain, Ivan can see the billboard along the highway advertising the mall.  There’s a picture of Stella, Mack, the owner, and an

“angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.  That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake.  I am never angry.

Anger is precious.  A silverback uses anger to maintain order … When my father beat his chest, it was to say, Beware, listen, I am in charge.  I am angry to protect you, because that is what I was born to do.

Here in my domain, there is no one to protect.”

That is, until Ruby comes along.  Ruby is a baby elephant, brought in to revive attendance at the failing mall.  Frightened and lonely, Ruby is mothered by Stella, who asks Ivan for a promise: that he will somehow find a different future for Ruby.  To keep that promise, Ivan will need to remember the mighty silverback he was born to be, and use his artistic ability to communicate as never before.

The One and Only Ivan is a beautiful, warm, superbly-written tale, simple and yet profound, that will appeal (like so many great books) to both kids and adults. There is some sadness, but the ending makes it worth the journey.  And it was inspired by a real Ivan, a gorilla who lived for 27 years in a shopping mall in Washington.  You can read about the real Ivan at Katherine Applegate’s site here — but read the book first.

Adventure Underground: Caving Books

In Shiloh Cave, Indiana

I may be “That Library Guy” when hanging out at the Decatur Public Library, but away from there I do have other identities.  I am sometimes Camping Guy (and have even written a book  about that) and Hiking Guy.  And for quite a few years I’ve been a Caving Guy.  I love exploring caves, crawling, climbing, hiking underground, getting wet and muddy, wondering if each new passage will lead to beautiful formations, a cool waterfall, or just a place few people have ever been.

Caving is great fun, and even a bit adventurous — so how about some books that include caving?  You don’t have to be a caver to enjoy these.

One of the great cave explorers of history was Stephen Bishop, a slave who was among the first tour guides at Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, in the early years when it was commercialized.  With just a hand-held lantern (and none of the fancy gear cavers use today), he discovered and mapped miles of passages by himself.  Two recent historical fiction books about him:

Journey to the Bottomless Pit: The Story of Stephen Bishop & Mammoth Cave, by Elizabeth Mitchell (lexile: NA; AR book level: 5.3; 99 pp)

The year is 1838, and 17-year-old Stephen Bishop, an African-American slave, has been assigned a unique job by his master, Franklin Gorin: to learn the tour routes and lore of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, so he can guide tourists through the cave.  Gorin has just purchased the cave, and hopes to make money from it.  Bishop soon learns the limited area of the cave that was then known, but his relentless curiosity leads him to discover miles of new passages, exploring by himself areas no one had dared to go before.   I’ve been to most of the places in Mammoth Cave described in the book, but it was still exciting to walk, crawl, and climb with Stephen as he became the first human being to ever set foot in many of them.  Lots of caving action in this historically accurate portrayal of a true adventurer.

Underground, by Jean Ferris (lexile: 770; AR book level: 4.6; 167 pp)

Ferris tells the story of Charlotte Brown, a slave assigned to work at the Mammoth Cave hotel.  She eventually meets and falls in love with the guide Stephen Bishop, and they are married, all of which is historically accurate.  At the same time, the Underground Railroad was helping escaped slaves flee to the north, and Ferris adds the story of Mammoth Cave serving as a stop on the way.  Though there is no evidence for that, it’s an intriguing idea, since the cave would have been an ideal place to hide slaves — no one knew it better than Bishop and the other African-American guides.  At the end of the story Stephen and Charlotte make a daring trip through Mammoth Cave and out neighboring Flint Ridge to help a slave escape.  Though the connection between those two cave systems wasn’t discovered until 1972, the author notes that conditions would have made it possible for Bishop to discover that route himself.

If you like the books, you should see the real thing:  Mammoth Cave National Park.  There are excellent cave tours of varying lengths, including “wild” caving tours for kids and adults.  You can even see Stephen Bishop’s grave in the old guide’s cemetery.

Want to know more about caves and caving?  Here are some great non-fiction titles in our library system:

Mammoth Cave: The World’s Longest Cave System, by Brad Burnham (24 pp)
The Creation of Caves, by J Elizabeth Mills (64 pp)
Caves, by Isaac Nadeau (24 pp)
Radical Sports: Caving, by Chris Howes (32 pp)
Caving, by Maeve Sisk (24 pp)

Still Winners: Older Newbery Books

As of January 2013, I’ve achieved a goal set several years ago:  to read ALL 91 winners of the Newbery Medal, awarded annually since 1922 to the best children’s book of the previous year by an American author.  Along the way I’ve discovered a lot of older gems that are still just as good as when first published, some decades ago.

Here are several that are “coming of age” historical fiction: a boy (or young man) faces a challenge and comes through stronger, wiser, more mature.  Each provides a picture of another time and place.  Sometimes the language is a bit older, and the story moves at a slower pace than modern children’s novels.  Some kids love them; some (particularly those assigned to read one for school) find them boring.  You decide for yourself.    (The year indicates when it was awarded the Newbery.)

Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes (lexile: 840; AR book level: 5.9; 256 pp)  1944

Mrs Bessie: “How old are you, Johnny?”
“Sixteen”
“And what’s that — a boy or a man?”
“A boy in time of peace, and a man in time of war.”
“Well, men have got the right to risk their lives for things they think worth it.”

The year is 1773; the scene is Boston.  America is on the verge of the Revolutionary War.  Johnny Tremain is a 14-year-old apprentice to a silversmith.  He’s talented and proud of it — until the day a crucible of molten silver breaks and so badly burns his right hand that it’s useless.  The story follows his climb from humiliation and despair to serving as a messenger and even spy for the patriots.  He will rub shoulders with folk like Paul Revere and John Hancock, and ultimately be involved in the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington.  The story is great for those who will enjoy the historical detail.  (My 12-year-old nephew loved it, and he has excellent taste in books and uncles.)

The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare (lexile: 760; AR book level: 5.0; 254 pp)  1962

Witness to his father’s execution by the oppressive Romans, young Daniel bar Jamin would like nothing more than to exact his revenge and drive the Romans from their land — by violence, if necessary.  His hatred leads him to join a raiding band living in the hills of Galilee.  But the needs of his invalid sister force him to move back home, where he tries to continue the fight.  Then he encounters a traveling teacher who is attracting great crowds, Jesus of Nazareth.  Will he be the Messiah so many expect to lead the revolt against Rome?  Or will he teach and model a different way, both harder and more powerful?  A wonderful, historical portrayal of the turmoil of first-century Palestine, and Jesus in that context.

Call it Courage, by Armstrong Sperry (lexile: 830; AR book level: 6.2; 95 pp)  1941

This retelling of a traditional Polynesian legend is set in the islands of the South Pacific near Tahiti, “before the traders and missionaries first came.”  Fifteen-year-old Mafatu is the son of the chief of the island of Hikueru, whose people bravely travel the seas and honor above all courage.  Mafatu, however, is afraid of the sea because it took the life of his mother years before.  One day he determines to face his fears and sets out in a canoe with just his dog as a companion.  On the journey he will face the challenges of survival, as well as a fierce storm, wild animals, and cannibals from another island.  A simply-told, engaging tale of a boy who finds courage.

The Matchlock Gun, by Walter D. Edmonds (lexile: 860; AR book level: 5.1; 50 pp)  1942

This short story, based on a true account handed down by one character’s family, is set in 1756 during the French and Indian War.  Ten-year-old Edward Van Alstyne’s father, Teunis, is away, defending their settlement against a raid from the north.  In case of attack while he is gone, Teunis has taught Edward how to fire the antique, single-shot matchlock gun kept as a family heirloom.  When the Indians do come to burn their house, Edward has to summon all his courage to save his mother and little sister.

Note that some are uncomfortable with the story either because the boy is expected to kill, or because of the negative portrayal of Native Americans.  Others note that it’s an accurate portrayal of the times and a historical incident.

Alien Imagination: Escape from Planet Yastol

Pamela Service has written several short, fun science fiction series that are sure to appeal to those looking for easier chapter books.  In earlier posts I’ve reviewed her Stinker from Space and Alien Agent series.  Here’s the beginning of her latest, full of weird aliens and fast-paced adventure.

Escape from Planet Yastol (Way-Too-Real Aliens #1), by Pamela Service (lexile: 620; AR book level: 4.2; 102 pp)

Imagine you’ve written a pretty cool story about another planet and the aliens living there — cool enough to win your school’s annual writing contest and get published!  THEN imagine discovering that everything you’ve imagined (in the book) is REAL!

That’s what happens to 11-year-old Josh Higgins.  One day when he and his sister Maggie are walking home from school, they’re kidnapped by these weird blue guys, and then whisked away to the planet Yastol — the very place Josh wrote about!  Turns out humans are the only creatures in the galaxy that can “channel” other places: they think they’re writing fiction, but it’s really true.  And the blue villains want a precious resource Josh described in the book — but he and Maggie aren’t about to help them.

Of course Josh wrote the book — he knows Yastol.  Can he use that knowledge to outwit the bad guys, find some help, and, most importantly, get back to Earth?

In the end, he and Maggie escape with the transportation device that brought them to Yastol, which sets the stage for more extra-terrestrial adventures in the sequels.  The next two books so far:

The Not-So-Perfect Planet (lexile: 630; AR book level 4.1; 115 pp)

The Wizards of Wyrd World 3 (lexile: 700; AR book level 4.6; 112 pp)