Neville

It's been awhile since I last posted. My excuse, to paraphrase William T. Sherman, is: "Moving is hell." I've read that it's one of life's top stressors and since in the past decade I've moved on average every two years, you can imagine that about now I'm a basket case.

The young protagonist from Norton Juster's latest picture book is similarly stressed. He didn't want to move to a new house and a new neighborhood, leaving behind familiar places and faces, not to mention all his friends. On moving day we find him bereft until his mother nudges his mopey self and insists he take a walk in his new neighborhood. He strolls down the deserted block filled with seemingly identical suburban boxes and then suddenly, inexplicably, begins to shout the name Neville. His cries summon the neighborhood kids, all interested in the mysterious Neville. Before long, the block is filled with kids shouting for Neville. Evening arrives and, still no Neville in sight, the kids ask the boy if he'll be back the following day. He will, of course, and returns to his own home with lighter footsteps. It isn't until the final page that the Neville's identity is revealed, which, to a careful reader, will not be much of a surprise.

An excellent choice for children who have recently moved--or anyone interested in making friends, Neville is a delight. Juster's text strikes just the right tone and Karas's cartoonlike illustrations subtly reflect the boy's changing emotions. And if you spot a moving van unloading, don't be surprised if you hear shouts of "Neville" soon after. I may give it a try myself. "Neville!"  

Neville
by Norton Juster
illustrations by G. Brian Karas
Schwartz & Wade, 32 pages
Published: October 2011

Fractions = Trouble!

Boy, don't they! Fractions and I have never been friends. So I can completely identify with the hero of this appealing chapter book, a sequel to 7 x 9 = Trouble! Wilson never met a fraction he liked. He'd much rather play with his new pet hamster Pip (short for Pipsqueak). Instead, his parents inform him he'll have to start seeing a math tutor. Wilson is determined to keep his secret a secret--from his classmates and especially from his best friend, Josh, who's great at math. A subplot concerns the two boys' attempts at devising a winning science project. Josh wants to know if pickles can be made to explode. Wilson only knows that hamsters will figure in his.

Wilson is a believable third-grader with third-grade-size problems. Claudia Mills takes these problems seriously but still manages to let the fun shine through. G. Brian Karas's black-and-white cartoon-style illustrations add to the book's charm. Fans of Johanna Hurwitz's Monty series and Barbara Seuling's Robert books will enjoy reading about Wilson.

And as we learn from an author's note at the end of the book, Mills was also bad at math. And she ended up more than okay. Her books will bring hope to all of us who tremble at the sight of a numerator and denominator. Now which is which again?

Fractions = Trouble!
by Claudia Mills
illustrations by G. Brian Karas
Farrar Straus Giroux, 128 pages
Published: June, 2011

Review: Ant and Honeybee: A Pair of Friends at Halloween

Written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Ant and Honeybee: A Pair of Friends at Halloween features two engaging insect friends who are preparing for trick-or-treating. Honeybee is content for them to dress up once again as pilgrims, but Ant is ready for something different. After much discussion, the two decide to go as a washing machine and a dryer. After fashioning the costumes out of cardboard boxes, the pair are ready. The trouble is everyone they meet while trick-or-treating misjudges what they are supposed to be. Beetle thinks they are a pair of dice. Butterfly is convinced they are chunks of Swiss cheese. Mrs. Snail mistakes them for a couple of ice cubes. A stove and a dishwasher is Old Man Spider's guess until Mrs. Spider sets him straight. The duo are really dancing computers. To make matters worse the two friends get caught in a downpour. By the time they reach Cricket's house they are soaked and their costumes are soggy blobs of cardboard. When Cricket opens the door, he asks them what they are supposed to be. The two friends quickly come up with an answer. Ant is an anthill and Honeybee is a beehive. And together they make a perfect pair!

This is a charming story, well told and sprinkled with puns that are perfect for this age group. Megan McDonald, creator of the Judy Moody and Stink series, writes from experience. As the youngest of four, she wore her siblings' hand-me-down pilgrim costumes for many a Halloween. Karas's cartoon-like illustrations compliment the text, as when he shows Ant thinking up costume ideas. All in all, a delightful early reader for Halloween.

Pencil and Eraser