Igraine the Brave

Written and illustrated by Cornelia Funke
Translated from German by Anthea Bell
Originally published in 1998
Chicken House, 2007
Ages 8-12
4/5


Twelve-year old Igraine would like nothing more than to be a noble knight. However, not only is she small for her age, Igraine's wizarding family is uninterested in mighty steeds and shining armour. But when her parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs and can't stop the dastardly Greedy Osmund from laying seige to their castle in oder to steal the family's singing magic books, Igraine is determined that her size won't hold her back from protecting her home.

The strength of this quirky novel is its interesting characters, which are introduced in an illustrated "Who's Who" at the beginning of the book. Surprisingly it wasn't Igraine who grabbed my attention, but the secondary characters of the singing books, the Sorrowful Knight, and even Pimpernel Castle itself. That being said, Igraine, despite being both stubborn and impatient, is a great role model for young girls: although she is afraid of Greedy Osmund and the Iron Hedgehog, she takes action to ensure her family remains safe.

Like most fairy tales, in this book it is very obvious who is good and who is bad. Bad characters are justly punished, and good characters are justly rewarded. However, this does not take away from the charm of Funke's cheerful, whimsical story.

Piper

By Natale Ghent
Orca Book Publishers, 2000
Ages 9-12
2.5/5

After Wesley's father dies in an accident, she and her mother move to her Aunt Cindy's farm in southern Ontario. In addition to raising sheep, Aunt Cindy breeds and trains Australian shepherd dogs. Grieving the sudden loss of her father, Wesley hates living in the middle of nowhere until she witnesses the birth of Piper, an undersized red merle. Wesley names the puppy Piper, and, with the help of a neighbour, begins to train her as a competitive sheep dog. Piper and Wesley are a huge success on the competitive circuit, but everything falls apart when Piper is mauled while saving Wesley's life from a coyote attack. Of course, even though this is realistic fiction, both Wesley and Piper are saved.

This is really only an okay book. Ghent's dialogue is stiff, and it took me quite a while to warm up to the character of Wesley. When Wesley and Piper are attacked, I realized I was more upset at something happening to the dog than I was at the danger to Wesley! The author's notes about Australian shepherds was useful for learning about a dog breed of which I was previously unaware.

Readers who love animals, especially dogs, will enjoy this book. I found it a little boring.

Love from Your Friend, Hannah

By Mindy Warshaw Skolsky
Harper Trophy, 1998
Ages 8-11
5/5

When Hannah's best friend moves away during the summer of 1937, Hannah is sad, but excited: she and Aggie have promised to be pen pals, and Hannah has always wanted a pen pal. After sending Aggie six letters and not getting any answer, Hannah picks a name out of the "Pen Pal Box" on her teacher's desk, but she thinks Edward Winchley's reply to her letter is so stupid she does not want to write him back again. Determined to have a pen pal, Hannah begins sending letters to her grandparents in New York, her aunt, and even President Roosevelt. Then Edward Winchley writes again: if Hannah doesn't send him another letter, he's going to get a zero in being a pen pal! Hannah and Edward begin exchanging letters, and although they start out antagonizing each other, they quickly realize they have become friends from across the country.

Written entirely in epistolary style, this is one of the best novels I have read in months. The story of Hannah's letter writing adventures, as well as her developing friendship with Edward, is sweet, but with a funny, honest edge. Hannah's voice is earnest and her observations of life around her are hilarious. Just as enjoyable are the letters she receives as replies, especially those from President Roosevelt and his wife. One of the things that impressed me most about this novel is that Warshaw Skolskycan write convincingly from so many points of view, including the President, Hannah's grandparents, Hannah's aunt, and dopey Edward Winchley from Kansas.

In addition to the funny story, this book contains a great deal of interesting information about the Great Depression and Roosevelt's response to it. Readers learn about popular culture in 1937: Hannah is fascinated by The Wizard of Oz, the Dionne Quintuplets, and the radio show The Witch's Tale. However, this information is completely secondary to the story and is so subtle children probably won't even realize they are learning.

A great novel about an interesting little girl - I highly recommend it.

The Mud Flat Mystery

Written and illustrated by James Stevenson
Level 3, Halifax Public Library
The Mud Flat Friends Series
Harper Trophy, 2003
Ages 6-8
3/5

A large, mysterious package is delivered to Duncan's house, but because Duncan is away on vacation. The Mud Flat animals speculate about what might be inside the box, and their curiosity starts to drive them crazy. Eventually the box is opened "accidentally-on-purpose" and the animals discover a bicycle inside. Now how will they get the bike back in the box?

Stevenson's story is a little bland, although there is lots of dialogue and a few interesting sound effects. Chapters are short and keep the book divided into small sections. Most of the anthropomorphized animals are not very interesting, except Ferdie and Norris, a pig and a beaver: unfortunately, the book makes it impossible to tell which is which. However, because this is part of the Mud Flat Friends series, perhaps most readers will already be familiar with the characters. The black and white illustrations are entertaining, especially the ones of Norris and Ferdie guarding the box, but they are not overly spectacular.

Although this 55-page chapter book does not have a publisher-assigned reading level, Halifax Public Libraries has classified it as a Level 3 reader. According to the back cover, this book is recommended for children ages 7 to 10, but I think this may be a bit of an overestimation. My guess is that the story's humour and reading level will be more appropriate to slightly younger readers.

It's True! This Book is Bugged

By Sue Bursztynski
Pictures by Mitch Vane
Annick Press, 2007
Ages 8-12
3.5/5

Spies and spying are perennially popular topics among younger readers, especially boys. This book describes the history of espionage, from ancient Rome to today's hackers. Written in a funny, conversational style, it includes information on famous spies, spy gadgets, and spying disasters.

Although it is divided into chapters and sprinkled with black and white cartoons, Bursztynski's book has enough dense text and difficult vocabulary that it would probably be most appealing to kids in the later grades of elementary school. The sense of humour expressed in the writing is appropriate to this age group as well.

Children will enjoy this book for its silly, irreverent tone and the fascinating stories it contains.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

By Judy Blume
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1970.
Revised 2001.
Ages 9-13
4/5

Almost twelve-year old Margaret Simon's family may not have a religion, but Margaret herself has her own private conversations with God. This book is made up of her thoughts about moving to New Jersey from New York, getting along with her new friends, as well as the usual concerns of young adolescent girls: bras, boys, and first periods.

Margaret is a strong, funny character, and her observations of early teenage life perfectly capture the awkwardness and excitement of growing up. This book is a classic that continues to resonate with many readers. That being said, I have to admit that I did not enjoy Are You There God? when I was a teenager myself, and I still did not really like the novel after re-reading it as an adult.

In this 2001 version, Blume has updated the parts of the book that describe sanitary belts to reflect more modern products, such as adhesive sanitary napkins and tampons.

The Day My Butt Went Psycho!

By Andy Griffiths
Scholastic, 2003
8-12
2/5

Zack's butt has run away and appears to be leading a butt rebellion. Determined to stop it, Zack embarks on a butt-blasting adventure with the B-Team (the Kicker, the Smacker, and the Kisser) and Eleanor, the Butt Hunter's daughter. In the end, Zack and his friends must stop the explosion of a buttcano and defeat the Great White Butt.

This book comes with a warning for parents, teachers, and other adults that they will not like this story because they "won't understand it" and "will be totally grossed out by it": this is certainly very accurate! While Griffith's The Day My Butt Went Psycho! is creative, it is very disgusting. Unwiped butts, the smell of methane, and pimple-popping figure largely in the plot.

The quality is poor at best, but I can see this book having a strong appeal to boys in elementary school.

The Glass Castle

Our Canadian Girl Series
By Sharon E. McKay
Penguin Books, 2002
Ages 8-12
2.5/5

After the Halifax Explosion, Penny Reid's father sends her to live with her rich grandmother in Montreal. Unfortunately, Grandmother dislikes Penny's father and forbids the mention of his name. Homesick and lonely, Penny must learn to adapt to her new life and find a way to become friends with her grandmother.

Although The Glass Castle is filled with information about Halifax and Montreal during World War I, including discrimination against the Irish and the conflict between French and English Canadians over participation in a British war, the story's plot is weak and uninteresting. There is minimal character development: Penny is headstrong, Aunt Colleen is kind, and Grandmother is stern. In addition, the writing is poor; several chapters end with cliff-hangers that are not resolved, or even mentioned, in the next chapter.

While I like the idea of the Our Canadian Girl series, The Glass Castle is not a great book.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The Field Guide
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
4/5










The Seeing Stone
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
4/5










Lucinda's Secret
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
3.5/5










The Ironwood Tree
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
3.5/5









The Wrath of Mulgrath
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
3.5/5









The Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of five books about the Grace children, who discover Arthur Spiderwick's Guide to the Fantastical World Around You in the attic of their new home. This Guide contains information about all kinds of magical creatures, both friendly and not-so-friendly. Twins Jared (often in trouble for fighting at school) and Simon (an animal-lover), along with their big sister, Mallory (an expert fencer), discover that the ogre, Mulgarath, wants the Guide and will do anything to get it. Together with the help of Thimbletack, a house brownie, and Hogsqueal, a hobgoblin, the Graces must find out what happened to Arthur Spiderwick, rescue their mother from the clutches of Mulgarath, and save the book from being used for evil.

It's easy to see why the Spiderwick Chronicles are so popular. They are extremely attractive books, with beautifully detailed and labelled black and white drawings and richly coloured covers. The chapter titles in the table of contents, the map of the Spiderwick Estate, and list of pictures in each book feel delightfully old-fashioned, making it seem as though the books are a special secret for readers. This is helped along by the "letters" from the author and illustrator, as well as the Grace children, included at the beginning of every story.

The writing itself is mediocre. Much of the dialogue feels stilted and many of the chapters end with unnecessary cliffhangers. However, the short chapters are well-suited to a less experienced reader and the vocabulary is not too complicated either. Jared's anger at the absence of his father and his slow realization that he must accept the way things have changed is the strongest depiction of character in the novels, although Hogsqueal is also entertaining. Some parents may be unhappy with the use of the word "crappy" at several points during the books.

While these books are not of the highest calibre, they are still entertaining and will be thoroughly enjoyed by those with an interest in fantasy. Perhaps a good suggestion for kids who are not yet confident enough to tackle the longer Harry Potter books?

The Borrowers

Written by Mary Norton
Illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush
Harcourt Brace & Company, 1952
Ages 8-12
3.5/5

Pod, Homily, and Arrietty Clock are Borrowers, little people who "borrow" things from larger "human beans" to feed themselves and furnish their tiny home under the kitchen floor. When the Borrowers are "seen" they must escape, and the only person who can help them is a human boy.

I tried reading this book several times when I was younger and was never able to finish it. For some reason, I found the Borrowers far less interesting than the Littles. Although I finished the novel, it still took a while to become absorbed in the predicament of the Clock family. The writing is high-quality, particularly the descriptions of Arrietty's feelings of confinement and her longing to go outside. I think perhaps part of my problem with the book is my confusion over the time period in which events occur: the first narrator is Kate, and I assume she must be an adult when she is telling the story. Next Mrs. May begins to tell her story about the Borrowers, and her story took place when she was a child. This means that the Clock family lived a long time ago and makes it harder for me to imagine all the little things that would have been used to make their home comfortable.

A great novel, but perhaps ultimately more appreciated by older readers than young ones.

The Quigleys

Written by Simon Mason
Illustrated by Helen Stephens
Dell Yearling, 2002
Ages 6 to 10
3/5

Each of the four chapters in Mason's book tell a story about a member of the Quigleys, an ordinary British family: Dad loses the neighbour's children while he's supposed to be babysitting them; Mum almost has a horrible birthday; Lucy is supposed to be a bridesmaid, but she wants to dress as a bee; and Will wants a harpy eagle for Christmas.

The characters are quirky, albeit in a very British way, and the novel paints a picture of a happy, loving family whose members get into the occasional scrape. The plots in each chapter are extremely simple, but this in no way detracts from the book's charm. The vocabulary Mason uses is relatively uncomplicated, although some parents may object to the way Dad says "Christ Almighty!" every time something goes wrong. This book would be most suitable for a child who has progressed beyond reading the most simple chapter books and is ready for something a little longer.

The Quigleys is the first in a series about the Quigley family.