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.

Me and My Robot

By Tracy West
Illustrated by Cindy Revell
Level 1, All Aboard Reading Series
Grosset & Dunlap, 2003
Ages 6-7
4/5

Lucy's kitten is lost, and Reese and his robot must help find it. Lucy and Reese explain to Robot what a kitten is, but Robot keeps leading them to the wrong animals. Finally, Robot discovers that the kitten is the small, fluffy animal that has been asleep inside his metal robot torso the whole time!

This is a fantastic book, with a fast-paced, interesting story and bright, cheerful pictures. Robot's misunderstanding of Reese's and Lucy's attempts to explain the word "kitten" is a simple premise, but one that creates opportunities for the kind of funny mix-ups children find hilarious. The ending is especially fantastic, with Robot's final words: "I LIKE KITTENS."

Something that sets Me and My Robot apart from many other levelled readers is that the book's text works closely with its pictures. Usually this is a characteristic of high-quality children's picture books, rather than books for beginning readers.

This is a great book for kids who are just starting to learn how to read: excellent story and pictures, appropriate vocabulary, and a distinct lack of the "Now you will learn something" vibe that accompanies many other levelled readers.

Baby, I'm Bigger!

By Harriet M. Ziefert
Illustrated by Kae Nishimura
Level 2, I'm Going to Read! Series
Sterling Publishing, 2007
Ages 5-7
3.5/5

Max's little sister can't wait in line or build with blocks or draw pictures. She can't do anything! Max can't wait for Baby to start talking and for her to be big enough to play with him.

This is a cute story with cheerful illustrations. The character of Max expresses frustrations that will be familiar for many older siblings, and the "Word Bank" at the top of each page helps new readers review all the words they have just learned. However, overall the book seems much more focussed on reassuring parents that their children will learn to read and offering suggestions for ways they can help their children learn to read faster. There are several pages of advice for parents at the beginning of the book, as well as detailed explanations of each level in the I'm Going to Read! series. These do not detract from the charm of the story, but in my opinion parents should be careful not to make reading too much like work: Learning is important, but so is introducing children to the joys of reading for pleasure.

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.

Eyewitness Books: Seashore

Written by Steve Parker
Stoddard Publishing, 1989
Ages 8-12
4/5

Parker's book contains information about the plants and animals that live on seashores around the world. Readers learn about seaweeds, tidal pools, crustaceans, mollusks, birds, marine mammals, and shoreline conservation. Facts and explanations are accompanied by colour photographs (many of which are extreme close-ups to allow for detail visibility), illustrations, and diagrams.

Parker shares interesting scientific information in simple, easily-understood language. The book is well-organized, with a table of contents, an index, and plainly labelled pictures. These features would be helpful for an elementary-school student learning how to use non-fiction resources for research. However, the book is still easily browseable, for readers who are more interested in casually reading about seashores.

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.