Heartwood Hotel: A True Home

There's something irresistible about tiny animals making their way in the cold, harsh world. We meet out heroine, Mona the mouse, as she scurries for shelter through the woods in a storm. An orphan, Mona is on her own and so when she stumbles upon the Heartwood Hotel, a place of refuge for small animals located in a tall oak tree, she is grateful to be hired as a maid. But before she is accepted into the bosom of the Heartwood Hotel staff she must prove her worth, especially to Tilly, a squirrel who goes out of her way to give Mona a hard time. But Mona is determined to win over Tilly and the others and she does so in a most courageous way.

Although the story takes its time to getting started, when the action picks up, readers are sure to be pulling for Mona as she slowly makes a home for herself at the hotel. The details of this woodland wonderland are thoughtfully imagined. In the hotel, chairs are crafted from twigs and lined with moss, pots bubble with acorn mash and sweetgrass stew, and Mona wields a tiny broom, a dried dandelion turned upside down.

A sequel, The Greatest Gift, is the second book in the series.

Heartwood Hotel: A True Home
by Kallie George
illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Hyperion  176 pages
Published: July

The Year of the Book

Fourth grade is tough. Especially when your best friend deserts you to hang out with a budding fashionista. Anna Wang also has problems on the home front--her mother's less than perfect English and her part-time job cleaning apartments cause Anna's cheeks to flame. On weekends, there's Chinese school, where Anna isn't exactly shining. Her way of coping with all the stress is to bury her head in a book, a familiar strategy for many bibliophiles.

As the school year progresses, Anna gains insight into her own and other people's problems. She makes a new friendship with a girl from Chinese school, who has a learning disability, and reconnects with Laura, her best friend. Laura's parents are separating and Anna experiences the turmoil firsthand during a sleepover when Laura's father barges into the Wang household, demanding to see his daughter.

Throughout the year Anna reads and reads and reads. Many books teach her empathy, as good books do. Twain's The Prince and the Pauper causes her to wonder what if would be like to switch places with Laura and have to deal with one's parents splitting up. Kimberly Willis Holt's My Louisiana Sky helps her understand how much she loves her mother just as she is. For Halloween, a favorite picture book, Leo Lionni's Little Blue and Little Yellow, is the inspiration for her costume.

Author Andrea Cheng is careful to show how Anna also uses reading as a shield. She reads walking home from school and in social situations, such as during recess when she takes out her book rather than play tetherball or soccer. As the months pass, Anna occasionally chooses not to read but rather to play with a friend. And even the most confirmed book lover will cheer for her.

The Year of the Book
by Andrea Cheng
illustrations by Abigail Halpin
Houghton Mifflin, 160 pages
Published: May 2012

Duck for a Day

Waddle as fast as you can to your library or bookstore and pick up a copy of Duck for a Day, an engaging early chapter book. McKinlay, an Australian writer, covers well-trod ground--a girl wants to bring home the class pet--but she does so with great finesse and with a delightful twist--the class pet is a duck.

Abby isn't allowed to have pets--they're messy and her mom is a bit of a neat freak. Last year, however, she brought home the class rabbit and this year her mom grudgingly will let her take home Max, the duck Abby's teacher surprises the class with one day. But not just anyone gets Max as a houseguest, only those who can provide the perfect aquatic environment. As Mrs. Melvino, their teacher, says more than once, "A duck is different. A duck has demands." Meeting these demands proves almost impossible for Abby and her classmates. Add to Abby's challenges, Noah, her next door neighbor and chief rival, and you have the perfect ingredients for an engrossing read.

The book is expertly plotted and the characters well-drawn and endearing. When obstacles are put in her path, Abby doesn't whinge or whine, she sets out to overcome them. Noah, in his quest to get the duck, comes into his own, changing from a shy, withdrawn boy to a self-confident one. And Mrs. Melvino is a hoot, a teacher who puts so many roadblocks in the class quest to win Max that careful readers will begin to wonder if she has ulterior motives. Leila Rudge's cartoonish illustrations enhance the text and add many comic touches. A delightful book!

Duck for a Day
by Meg McKinlay
illustrations by Leila Rudge
Candlewick Press, 96 pages
Published: February 2012

Summertime and the Reading Is Easy

School's over in my nabe and summer stretches ahead, filled with promise. Vacation, pool parties, camp, catching fireflies at night, the plans are endless. For beginning readers, though, it's important not to put reading on the back burner. Skills hard won over the school year can erode as the months go by.

Summer reading should never be a chore. Take kids to the library and let them stock up on books they enjoy. Used book stores are another place to get good deals on inexpensive paperbacks, as are yard sales that sprout as quickly as dandelions.

Here are some books for beginning readers that capture the essence of summer. Let the good times begin!

PICTURE BOOKS

Summer Days and Nights

by Wong Herbert Yee

Henry Holt, 2012

32 pages

A little girl explores summer as she catches a butterfly, goes on a picnic, and hears an owl in this quiet picture book.

Blackout

by John Rocco

Hyperion, 2011

40 pages

When the power goes off one hot summer night a family reconnects as they discover all the fun that can be had without electricity.

Tar Beach

by Faith Ringgold

Dragonfly Books, 1996

32 pages

It's 1939, long before air conditioning, and on summer nights Cassie and her family go up on the roof of their apartment building to cool off. While on the roof Cassie imagines herself flying above the city and seeing the George Washington Bridge that her father helped build. Spellbinding artwork.

EASY READERS

Frog and Friends: The Best Summer Ever
by Eve Bunting, illustrations by Josee Masse
Sleeping Bear Press, 2012
40 pages

Frog and his friends are back with a trio of stories about summer. Readers who have read all the books in Lobel's Frog and Toad series will feel right at home.

Cork and Fuzz: The Swimming Lesson
by Dori Chaconas, illustrations by Lisa Mccue
Viking, 2011
32 pages

Cork, a muskrat, tries to teach Fuzz, a possum, how to swim with humorous results.

Sam and the Firefly
by P.D. Eastman
Random House, 1958
72 pages

An oldie but still a goodie. Sam, a hoot owl, and Gus, a firefly, get in and out of trouble in this classic easy reader.

CHAPTER BOOKS

Starring Grace

by Mary Hoffman, illustrations by Caroline Binch

Puffin, 2001

96 pages

School's out and Grace's backyard turns into a circus, an emergency room, and a rocket launch pad as Grace and her friends let their imaginations take off.

Julian's Glorious Summer
by Ann Cameron
Perfection Learning, 1987

When Julian's friend, Gloria, gets a new bike, Julian fibs rather than tell her he's afraid of bikes. That fib snowballs and his summer turns out very different than what he expected.

POETRY

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play
by Marilyn Singer, illustrations by LeUyen Pham
Clarion Books, 2012
40 pages

Joyful poems and stunning artwork capture kids playing outdoors in summer.

Poem Runs: Baseball Poems
by Douglas Florian
Harcourt, 2012
32 pages

Poems featuring America's favorite sport for kids six and up.

Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems

by Kristine O'Connell George, illustrations by Kate Kiesler

Clarion Books, 2001

48 pages

Eighteen poems about the fun of camping.

Ivy + Bean: No News Is Good News

And even better news is that Annie Barrows's eighth book in her series is as fresh as her first. Ivy and Bean are back and this time the two best friends are obsessed with cheese. Well, not cheese exactly, more with the red wax that covers "lowfat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for-you serving size". The peeled off wax can be squished and molded into any number of shapes, such as a unicorn horn, a soccer ball, or a fake mustache. Every student in the lunchroom brings the cheese tidbits to school. Everyone, that is, except Ivy and Bean.

Barrows clearly hasn't lost her feel for what it's like to be a child. She understands the yearning the girls have to get their hands on that wax. When their parents refuse to buy them the treats, the girls decide to earn money and buy their own. Bean's father mentions that when he was a boy he wrote a newspaper and sold subscriptions. Ivy and Bean are off and running.

The newspaper they produce, The Flipping Pancake, has more in common with the National Enquirer than the New York Times. The two friends spy on their neighbors in order to get the real scoop on what's happening on Pancake Court. They even print a nudie photo of a neighbor (as a baby). Of course, eventually the neighbors receive their copies of the scandal sheet. As revenge comes a-knockin', Ivy and Bean put their heads together and come up with a solution that allows them to escape harm. Hint: It involves cheese rind.

No News Is Good News is another hilarious triumph for Barrows. Young readers will keep flipping the pages to find out what new plan the girls come up with next. Sophie Blackall's delightful illustrations add to the fun.

Ivy + Bean: No News Is Good News
by Annie Barrows
illustrations by Sophie Blackall
Chronicle Books, 128 pages
Published: November 2011

Bad Kitty for President

A candidate from the Right Side of the Street who:

Wants to throw those without homes into a volcano
Tries to buy votes (with a dead fish)
Goes ballistic on the opposing candidate
Uses a 527 Group to run attack ads
Refuses to debate on the issues

No, faithful readers, the candidate is not Newt Gingrich. It's Bad Kitty. Nick Bruel's feisty feline is back and this time she's running for office. After years of faithful service, Old Kitty is giving up his position as the President of the Neighborhood Cat Club. Bad Kitty is motivated to run for his position when stray cats from another area wander into her domain. Instead of erecting a giant fence to keep them out, Bad Kitty wants to toss the freeloaders into an active volcano.

The book's seven chapters are broken down into the steps of the electoral process, from the primaries to the results. Along the way, Bad Kitty does her best to upend the proceedings as she seeks endorsements, goes on the campaign trail, takes on the media, and debates her opponent, Big Kitty. When election day rolls around, the results are surprising, but satisfying. As Bruel tells Bad Kitty, "Democracy makes sure that EVERYONE has a chance to participate, that EVERYONE has a chance to win, and that EVERYONE has a chance to someday become the leader of his or her community." Let's hope he's right.

Once again, Bruel delivers a laugh-aloud chapter book that kids are sure to love. Besides telling a good story, the book provides a lot of factual information that goes down easy. For the most part, kids won't realize that they're learning a lot about the electoral process. The exceptions are the two Fun Facts spreads. Although Uncle Murray (Bad Kitty's backer) attempts to enliven things up, the presentation is a little heavy handed, especially for kids in the primary grades. Still, the story itself does an excellent job of showing how the system works. Bad Kitty for President gets my vote!

Here's GalleyCat's interview with Nick Bruel, along with a trailer for Bad Kitty for President.

Bad Kitty for President
by Nick Bruel
Roaring Brook Press, 144 pages
Published: January 2012

Clementine and the Family Meeting

Clementine is back, and #5 in the series is as fresh as the first. What keeps this series strong is the main character's appealing and oh-so-believeable voice. Unquenchable as ever, the third-grader with the fruit name has a lot to deal with in Clementine and the Family Meeting, starting with the dreaded meeting. As she puts it: "Because even though my parents say they are about things we have to talk over as a family, I have noticed that they are usually about something I am doing wrong." 


Not this time. The family meeting brings unexpected news to Clementine and her little brother--they are going to have another sibling. Clementine is less than pleased, and, like many young children, would rather things stay the same. But change is everywhere. Her best friend Margaret has become obsessed with becoming a make-up artist and talks nonstop about moving to California to live with her father. At school, Eighteen, a rat from science class, has disappeared and Clementine worries for his safety. Eighteen was also her science project, and now that he's missing, her partner is trying to convince her to use one of his many superpowers as a substitute project. Rounding things off, her favorite hat, knitted for her by her grandmother, is missing and her dad refuses to let her try on his new tool belt.

Like the very best Seinfeld episodes, all the different plot strands come together in the end, prompting Clementine to call her own family meeting. Clementine's transformation from disgruntled sister to enthusiastic one is convincingly shown, and will leave readers eagerly waiting the next book. Hopefully Mushroom Soup (Clementine's unofficial name for her newest sibling) will be making an appearance.

Clementine and the Family Meeting
by Sara Pennypacker
illustrations by Marla Frazee
Hyperion, 160 pages
Published: September 13, 2011

This title was reviewed from NetGalley.

An Interview with Stephanie Barden

I recently had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Cinderella Smith, a chapter book about Josephine-Kathryn Smith, aka Cinderella, a girl who loses shoes at the drop of a hat. Stephanie Barden, the first-time author of this engaging read, popped over to The Cath in the Hat for an interview. Here's what she had to say.

First question--How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Ha -- fun question! I own about 25 pairs, including tennis shoes (3), hiking boots (2), and flip-flops (2) -- is that a lot? I seem to have an overabundance of black though -- I think I need to add some color. I like shoes, but they have to be comfortable -- no super high heels for me!

What inspired you to start writing?
I used to think it was my son getting older that did it, but I think maybe it was a crow. I had a fun/funny relationship with one and I shared the stories with everyone who would listen. People kept telling me I should write them down--I finally did and that got me started.

Describe your writing routine.
My goal is to write for four hours four to five days a week. I've done a lousy job up 'til now, but with my son going off to college next year I plan to be much more disciplined.

What writers influenced you?
Hmmm...there are so, so many. In the interest of space I'll share the first five that come to mind: E. L. Konigsburg, Karen Cushman, Beverly Cleary, Ellen Gilchrist and Jean Craighead George.

Tell us a little about your path to publication. 
After scribbling about crows for a while, I decided to get serious. I started taking writing classes and joined SCBWI. After I had something I was willing to share with a "professional," I sent a query letter out to twenty agents. I got eighteen "no's," one "maybe" and one "yes." Luckily you just need one, and my "yes" became my agent. We polished up my manuscript, sent it out to editors and found a publisher.

Some authors start with their characters and others with plot. Where do you begin?
It varies a bit from story to story. Usually, though, I have a very sketchy plot in mind that the characters quickly take over and "flesh" out.

What do you find to be the hardest part of writing?
As a mom, wife, daughter, friend, neighbor, aunt--and all the other things we all are--I find the hardest thing is making writing my top priority.

Tell us a little bit about the next book in the series. Will Rosemary T. remain Cinderella's nemesis?
In book 2, The More the Merrier, Cinderella's aunt is taking care of the sisters while their parents are away. She encourages Cinderella to try to straighten things out with Rosemary T., but Cinderella's not so sure that's possible--especially with the All School Spelling Bee and a class party at stake.

Going forward, are you interested in writing for other age groups or other genres? If yes, what would they be?
I'm so enjoying "channeling" Cinderella Smith right now that it's hard to image. I love picture books and YA, though, so who knows?

What advice can you give aspiring writers?
Taking classes and joining a professional network, like SCBWI, is a great way to connect with like-minded, supportive people. Additionally, Karen Cushman shared the following advice and it's taped to my computer so I can read it everyday:

Show up--make a commitment to write.
Pay attention--stuff yourself with honest experiences.
Tell the truth--based on your own beliefs and passions.
Let go of the outcome--publication is only one reason to write.

Thank you for the interview!

And thank you, Stephanie, for your insightful answers. Best of luck with your series!

Cinderella Smith

Cinderella Smith didn't get her nickname because she has a wicked stepmother (hers  is "just a regular kind of mom who is usually nice but kind of strict.") or because she has mean stepsisters (Tess, her younger sister, is a sweetheart) or because she sleeps next to an ashy fireplace or because she has tons of chores to do. No, Cinderella earned her name because she's always losing shoes. In the course of the story, she misplaces half-a-dozen. Most find their way back to her, except for the one she needs most of all--her brand-new ruby red tap shoe. Without it, she won't be able to dance the coveted lead part of Pumpkin Blossom Fairy in the Autumn Recital.

Luckily, this Cinderella, unlike her fairy-tale namesake, has plenty of pluck, and doesn't require a fairy godmother to solve her problems. Instead she teams up with the new girl in school, Erin, who has her own worries. Her mother is remarrying and she's getting two stepsisters. Will they be mean or nice? Cinderella is all set to help her new friend find out.

First-time author Stephanie Barden successfully juggles both plot lines, putting her young heroine into one scrape after another. Diane Goode's wriggly line drawings capture Cinderella's bouncy, exuberant personality to a tee. A second book, Cinderella Smith and the More the Merrier, will come out next year. Yippee!

Cinderella Smith
by Stephanie Barden
illustrations by Diane Goode
HarperCollins, 160 pages
Published: 2011

Marty McGuire

Marty McGuire is my kind of gal. She'd rather be ankle deep in mud than playing dress-up with the other three-grade girls. So when she's chosen to be the princess in the class production of The Frog Prince, she flat out refuses. Not that it does her much good. Between her teacher and her mother, she's pressured into accepting the part. When an actor coach teaches the class about improvisation, Marty decides to do a little improvising on her own. Let's just say she recasts the role of the frog and leave it at that.

The school play isn't the only predicament Marty faces. Third grade hasn't started out all that well. She has a nemesis, Veronica Grace Smithers, a princessy-type of girl who's stolen Marty's best friend away. Or at least that's how Marty sees it. By the book's end, this subplot concludes in a believable and satisfying way.

Kate Messner (The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z) has created a spunky, likeable character in Marty. As Marty's teacher reminds her, she's "...somebody with a lot of talent and confidence. Somebody with a strong voice and lots of energy. Somebody brave and smart who can think on her feet." Marty follows in the rambunctious footsteps of Ramona and Clementine. Readers of early chapter books will be delighted to meet her acquaintance.

Marty McGuire
by Kate Messner
illustrations by Brian Floca
Scholastic, 144 pages
Published: May 2011