"The Dark Frigate"

This is my first review in a series on the Newberry Award books. (See previous post for introduction to series.)

The Dark Frigate
Author: Charles Boardman Hawes
Age Level: 12+ years
Newberry Award: 1924

Young Philip Marsham has been bred to the sea. When his father dies, leaving him an orphan, and a gun accident forces him to flee for his life, Phil finds himself in the company of a fellow sailor. The two make their way on foot to the port town of Devon where they secure a berth on a frigate called the Rose of Devon. The ship is eventually seized by pirates and Phil is forced to stand by and witness their numerous villainous acts. In the midst of storms and battles, Phil struggles to save the ship, all the while searching for an opportunity to escape.

This is an exciting tale about adventure on the high seas. Although the beginning is a bit slow and the pacing is awkward at the end, the greater part of this tale is very entertaining. The characters are well-developed and complex. The pirates are thoroughly wicked yet also have their own warped sense of honor among "gentlemen of fortune". The story is set in 17th century England and the author did extensive research to make his tale as true to life as possible. The language, particularly the dialogue and nautical vocabulary, can be difficult, yet very authentic. I imagine that this would be a great book to listen to on CD, if you can find it. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone age 12 or older, keeping in mind that there are some very unsavory characters.

Newberry Medal Books

Introduction to Series:

I thought it would be an enjoyable project to read and review the Newberry Medal Books (first awarded in 1922). I have no plans to proceed in any particular order. However, I will most likely attempt to alternate between the early medal winners and the more recent award recipients. If there is a particular title about which you are curious, please feel free to request it. I will do my best to provide a prompt review.

For more information about this award and how the winning books are selected, you can visit the American Library Association (ALA) website found here.

Check back soon for my first review.

Virginia Lee Burton

Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) is one of my favorite authors. She had the wonderful ability to personify inanimate objects and endow them with very human emotions. I also appreciate the themes and values she addressed in her books. I loved these books as a child and my children enjoy them still. Her seven self-illustrated books are ideal for children ages 4 to 8 years, although even older kids may enjoy them.

Calico the Wonder Horse, or the Saga of Stewy Stinker
This book is a good old-fashioned western drama written in early comic book style. Calico and her faithful owner, Hank, have many adventures as they try to outwit Stewy Stinker and his Bad Men. This tale has humor, suspense, and is utterly unbelievable. My children love it!

Choo Choo
This is the story of a little engine named Choo Choo. One day she decides that she is tired of pulling heavy coaches all day long. She wants to be free and show off to everyone, so she runs away. Ultimately, Choo Choo learns an important lesson about independence and being responsible. This is a great read!

Katy and the Big Snow
Katy is a tractor who helps repair roads in the summer and plow snow in the winter. When there is a huge blizzard that buries the entire town, the people of Geoppolis can depend on Katy to rescue them. A good story highlighting the importance of determination and perseverance.

Life Story
As the subtitle proclaims, this is "the story of life on our Earth from its beginning up to now." It is very cleverly written as a play in five acts; the first act covers billions of years while the last act follows the passage of only one year. Please be aware that, in this book, the author wholly subscribes to the theory of evolution. Regardless of your worldview, this book would be an interesting way to introduce your children to our culture's predominant views of the origins of life.

The Little House
This is my personal favorite. It is an endearing tale about a little house who is curious to see the city, only to discover one day that the city has surrounded her. It is not what she imagined it would be. She realizes that her heart's desire is to return to "the country on a hill covered with daisies and apple trees growing around" where she can see the moon and stars at night and watch the seasons change. Reading this story always leaves me feeling nostalgic for the simplicity and beauty of the country. I highly recommend this book.

Maybelle the Cable Car
In this story, Ms. Burton celebrates the efforts of the people of San Francisco to save their cable cars. The cadence and rhyme of this story make it an enjoyable one to read aloud. After introducing this book to my children for the first time, they immediately requested that we visit San Francisco to ride the cable cars.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel 
This is probably the most well-known of Ms. Burton's works, and rightfully so. It is a wonderful story about the inseparable team of Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel Mary Anne. The timelessness of this classic tale is due to the author's ability to illicit strong emotions from the reader: suspense, elation, despair, and eventually triumph. What a great read!

Discovering Picture Books as an Adult

The following are picture books that I did not discover until I was an adult. They have become some of my favorites and I am always happy to read them when my children request them.

Something From Nothing
Author and Illustrator: Phoebe Gilman
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

"When Joseph was a baby, his grandfather made him a wonderful blanket..." As Joseph grows older and wears out his precious gift, his grandfather transforms it into ever smaller items until finally he is left with only enough material for one final alteration.

Children will enjoy the repetition and cadence of Ms. Gilman's retelling of this Jewish folktale. The illustrations are filled with interesting details including what is happening under the floorboards of Joseph's house.

Officer Buckle & Gloria
Author and Illustrator: Peggy Rathmann
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

Officer Buckle knows a lot of safety tips and is happy to share them with others. The trouble is that his presentations are quite boring. That is, until one day when Gloria, the police dog, accompanies him. Then, all of a sudden, the children sit up and pay attention.

I would encourage you to take a close look at the illustrations in this 1996 Caldecott Medal winner. It is a humorous story with a good message.

The Relatives Came
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

This is a simple story of a family whose Virginia relatives come for their annual extended visit. The book portrays the joy and the chaos of a large family gathering. It reminds readers of the importance of familial bonds.

Having a large extended family whom I saw regularly was very important to me as a child. I hope that my own children will also be able to relate to the excitement of welcoming relatives to their home.

Island Boy
Author and Illustrator: Barbara Cooney
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

Ms. Cooney's tale follows the life of Matthais Tibbetts whose family first settles an island along the coast of Maine at the turn of the century. Despite all the changes happening around him and the attractions of the outside world, Matthais remains faithful to his island and teaches others to love and appreciate it as well.

This picture book is lengthy yet poetic. The illustrations are beautiful and accurately reflect the emotions of the story. The story does touch on some weighty themes, so please be prepared to discuss these with your children.

Owl Moon
Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: John Schoenherr
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 3-8 years

This story is about a young girl and her Pa who go owling in the woods one night near their home. Although all of her older brothers have already experienced this adventure, this is her first time. She is very excited, but she knows not to make a sound. She is rewarded for her patience and gets to see the majestic Great Horned Owl.

Although this book was awarded the 1988 Caldecott Medal for its watercolor illustrations, what I appreciate most about this book is the hauntingly beautiful language. The melody of the text makes it a great read-aloud.

The Kissing Hand
Author: Audrey Penn
Illustrators: Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

Chester Raccoon doesn't want to leave his mother and go to school. His mother explains that sometimes we have to do things we don't want to and assures him that he will like school. Then she tells him the secret of the Kissing Hand. His mother's love and warmth stay with him wherever he goes and he is ready to face his first night of school, but not before giving his mother a Kissing Hand too.

As stated in the forward, "The Kissing Hand is a story for any child who confronts a difficult situation and for the child within each of us who sometimes needs reassurance." I suspect that sentimental mothers may appreciate this story more than the youngsters to whom they are reading, but it is a great story to share with your children nonetheless.

An Exhortation

A couple of weeks ago, I read Diary of a Wimpy Kid (see my other blog for a thorough review of this book) as I was curious to see why this series has been so popular in recent years. I was appalled. I would not want my child to read this book. I immediately began to wonder why so many other parents allowed their children to read it. After perusing many reviews - written by parents, teachers, and librarians - several themes began to emerge. I would like to take some time to address one of the most common arguments and exhort all of us to adopt a different approach to raising good readers.

Argument: "This book is not great, but if it gets reluctant kids to read, then that's good."

Response: In an era when the average child spends many hours per day watching television and playing video games, you frequently hear this argument. We assume that reading anything at all is better than reading nothing. I am a huge advocate of reading, yet I disagree with this sentiment.

Let us consider a food analogy. If given a choice, many children would prefer to eat junk food as opposed to healthier options. However, a responsible parent would not yield to this desire and respond with the attitude, "Well, it's not great, but at least my child is eating something." Parents know that this approach is not healthy for their children. And yet this is exactly our attitude when it comes to reading. We assume that something - even if it is degenerate - is better than nothing.

In my opinion, the ideas and images to which we expose ourselves are ultimately more affecting than even the food we consume. If we aspire to become wiser people, then we ought to pursue what is good and true. I do not mean that we should only read books that agree with our value system, but I would encourage parents to use more discernment. If we want our children to grow into men and women of character, we need to guide them toward literature that fosters admirable values and supplies honorable role models.

Given the above argument, what can parents do to inspire reluctant readers to partake of quality literature? The short answer is: expose them to it. Practically speaking, here are some specific steps parents can take to support their struggling reader.

1. Be aware of what your child is reading and interact with him about his book choices. If there is a book that is very popular, and your child really wants to read what his peers are reading, at the very least be prepared to discuss the content with him. For example, if my child were reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I would be asking him what he thinks about Greg: "Is he a good friend?" "Does he do the right thing? Why or why not?" "What motivates him to act?" It is through this type of discussion that we teach our children what is right, true, and valuable.

2. Find someone whose judgement you trust and ask for book suggestions. Then, when your child visits the library, provide him with a list of titles and authors to help guide his search. Having been an elementary school teacher, I know how little time librarians and teachers have available to help students choose quality books. Without this adult guidance, children usually turn to their peers for recommendations.

3. Read out loud to your child. This activity does not have to end when your child is able to read by himself. Not only can this be a wonderful bonding experience, but it provides a natural way for you to introduce your child to books that you believe are worthwhile.

4. Obtain books on CD so that your child can experience stories that may otherwise be above his reading level. Your local library can be a valuable resource in this regard.

5. Familiarize yourself with children's literature, both past and current. Be prepared to suggest alternatives and introduce new genres.

Some children will never be great readers, but we should continue to motivate them. Help your child to discover the joys of reading great literature - books that expand our horizons, foster creativity, and inspire us to be better people. And, in the midst of it all, always remember that being a wise person is ultimately more important than being a prolific reader.

Easter Books

Here are two book suggestions for Easter:

The Easter Egg
Author and Illustrator: Jan Brett
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: 4-8 years

The bunny who decorates the most beautiful Easter egg gets to accompany the Easter Bunny when he hides the eggs on Easter morning. This year, Hoppi is excited to participate for the first time. The problem is he needs an idea, so he goes around looking at what the other rabbits are doing, hoping to get some inspiration. Some very artistic rabbits are creating some amazing eggs, but whose egg will the Easter Bunny choose?

This is a great story with a good message about the importance of self-sacrifice and kindness. Jan Brett's illustrations are wonderful as always.


The Robe
Author: Lloyd C. Douglas
Illustrator: Dean Cornwell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 14+ years

This tale follows the life of Tribune Marcellus, the Roman soldier who was directly responsible for carrying out Jesus’ crucifixion. While casting lots, Marcellus wins Jesus’ robe. At first, due to the effects the Robe has on him, he believes it is cursed. However, at his darkest moment, he touches the Robe and it brings him peace. He decides he wants to find out more about this man named Jesus. He sets off on a tour of the Galilean region where Jesus had been most active and meets many people along the way who were touched by this special man. He gradually becomes convinced that Jesus was the Messiah as he claimed, and becomes a Christian. Unfortunately, being an early Christian in the time when Caligula was ruling the Roman Empire, was a dangerous proposition. What will Marcellus do when he is confronted about his new found belief?

This tale is an interesting take on the early days of Christianity told from the perspective of a Roman soldier. It is a great story with memorable characters drawn from historical figures. I did not always agree with the underlying theological perspectives, but enjoyed reading this book anyway.

National Library Week (April 10-16)

In honor of National Library Week, I thought I would review a few picture books that are library-themed. Here are a few that my children have discovered and enjoyed. Happy reading!

The Library
Author: Sarah Stewart
Illustrator: David Small
Age Level: 4-8 years

Elizabeth Brown loves to read – in fact, that’s all she does. She collects books until she eventually realizes that her house couldn’t possibly hold even one more. She donates her books to the town to establish a free public library so that everyone can enjoy reading them as much as she has.

Library Mouse
Author & Illustrator: Daniel Kirk
Age Level: 4-8 years

Sam is a library mouse who decides to write some books of his own. As each new book is discovered, the librarian becomes more intrigued, wondering who this new author could be. She invites Sam to appear at a Meet-the-Author event. Sam isn't convinced that would be a good idea (he is a mouse after all), but he does have another idea. Why not find a way to encourage the children to become authors themselves!

Our Library
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Maggie Smith
Age Level: 3-6 years

The story of a raccoon and his friends who set out to save their library which is in danger of being closed. They use books and ingenuity to meet each new challenge and eventually find the perfect solution.