When the Library Lights Go Out

 

When the Library Lights Go Out by Megan McDonald and Katherine Tillotson   40 pages

It’s night time at the library. All the people have gone home, and it’s very, very quite. Well, except for Lion’s snoring. 

Rabbit can’t sleep; he wants to go an adventure! Lion won’t wake up. He digs deeper in puppet box, looking for Hermit Crab. He wants Hermit Crab to tell him a “get-sleepy story.”  But he can’t find Hermit Crab.

Rabbit looks all over the Library, but he can’t find Hermit Crab. He makes enough noise to wake up Lion. By now, Rabbit knows that Hermit Crab is G-O-N-E or L-O-S-T! Lion and Rabbit begin to explore the library in search of their friend.

A cute little story, I was attracted to it because of Rabbit, who is just adorable, and I work in a library.  I think it could have been a little deeper, therefore “When the Library Lights Go Out” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Animals Speak

Animals Speak by Lila Prap         18 pages

What an interesting take.     The sounds that animals make in various parts of the world.    I thought this was too fun not to read.    Slovenian writer and illustrator Lilijana Praprotnik Zupancic who’s pen name is Lila Prap came up with the concept of what sounds animals make or at least how we humans interpret them in our various languages throughout the world.     Her premise is that animals do speak the language of the country they are born in just as humans do.    Maybe so.   Animals in other countries hear other languages so it is feasible that they interpret language/words in other countries and would not necessarily understand English terms in Scandinavia or Russian words in the Congo, but, Ms. Prap goes a step further in interpreting the sounds or the language of the animals themselves via the countries they are born in.    While a rooster makes the familiar to our ear Cock-a-Doodle-Do the rooster’s sound is interpreted om Swahili as KoKoliKooo.        Chickens in the United States language is interpreted as Cluck Cluck but in Romania chickens are said to say CotCoDac CotCoDac.   Frogs in the U.S. might sound like Ribbit Ribbit but in Italian it is Gra Gra.    Elephants in Greece are said to say Toyt Toyt  while in Poland it is Trata-Ta-Ta  while in Spain elephants say Prraaahhh!     Who knew our animals friends were as varied in their speech and sounds as humans can be?     Fun book, I highly suggest it for little ones.   A fun time for parents to bring the concept of different languages in to young minds in a joyous way!      There are loads of different languages listed here to say hello to some other species and make their day.

The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner

The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner             Audio Book:  6 hours, 41 minutes     Book:   304 p

My favorite part of this book was the language of the the Yairn (Big Foot Tribe).     I love the way Jennifer Weiner brings the reader into their world and how since they are somewhat acclimated to humans and human speech, they have their own way of turning a phrase which I could listen to all day.     The actor Vincent Price has that same affect on me.    Some voices and some dialects and languages are just so mellifluous that they are so sweet and soothing to listen to they are like ear candy.      That is how Millie’s, the Littlest BigFoot of the title, speech is.    She has such a joy to her and a deep sense of herself and her surroundings plus a curiosity that borders on a cat’s and can take her to the edge sometimes in her desire to be like the No-Furs (humans).    Don’t you love that?   No-furs.    Perfect description of how other beings might see us, especially if they had more body hair than most humans like the Yairn do.    In Jennifer Weiner’s story, the Yairn have arrived in the 21st century along with the non-Yairn, they have figured out how to use a laptop and order things online from Amazon.   Not too shabby.    And, there is one television in their encampment in Old Aunt Yetta’s abode and she and Millie have become obsessed with the t.v. show, “Friends.”     Millie is also mesmerized by a singing talent competition show ala “American Idol,” or “The Voice” and she desperately wants to be able to compete on it one day and become a famous singing star.    Millie’s love for the No-Furs way of life is barely tolerated by the rest of the Yairn in the tribe.   They think it is dangerous to their way of life and to their camp.   She is only tolerated because her parents are the leaders of the group.   On the other side of the lake from the Yairn is an alternative lifestyle school run by a couple who open their arms to all students from every background, many of whom have been ostracized or bullied because of their lifestyles or their looks or their proclivities.    Some of the kids come from two Dad homes, or two Mom homes, they like their own gender, one girl has severe allergies, one girl loves to play with swords, every student has in some way been deemed “different” for one reason or another and Alice Mayfair, the other star of the book is heavy and has naturally curly unruly red hair.    Alice has been in so many different schools and is always made to feel she doesn’t fit in.     Her parents are rich and don’t spend a lot of time with her but do try to send her to the best schools each time something goes amiss and she is asked to leave.     Finally, an alternative school in the woods comes on the radar and at first she feels like this one is just more of the same when a thin, Barbie doll pretty girl comes to the school and gets all the boys hanging after her and she starts making fun of Alice for being so big.   Alice tries, but, there is no getting any peace with this girl in the picture.   She equates different with freak and gives all the students except for her minions a hard time for whatever it is about them that makes them unique.      The girl even cajoles Alice into sneaking out and going skinny dipping with her one night.   Alice so wanting to be accepted, does go, only to find the boys took her clothes and the other girl is in on it, is totally dressed and has a camera focused on Alice.   They all taunt her to come out of the water.    Finally she has to and they take her picture and put it up on Facebook.   They even photoshop a picture of a BigFoot  and put it next to her and make copies and they go all over the school grounds to every student.    Alice is humiliated.     The couple running the school find out and bring all parties together for a NO BULLYING lecture.    It doesn’t change things however and Alice begins spending more time alone down by the lake away from the others and that is how she and Millie end up meeting.   The story is funny and dear.   It speaks of how friendships can develop in all sorts of ways and how real friends are friends of the heart and come in all shapes and sizes and how coming from diverse backgrounds just makes life that much more interesting.    There is suspense and drama, battles of good versus evil, betrayal, wrongs and rights and a cliff-hanger ending that tells me this story would make a great film and has left room for the story to continue.    I want it to.

Welcome to Wonderland: Home Sweet Motel

Welcome to Wonderland: Home Sweet Motel by Chris Grabenstein    Audio Book:  5 hours;  284 pages

I liked this story about a family that lives in a motel.   The storyteller is the owner’s grandson, P.T. Wilkie (he was named after P.T. Barnum or is that another of his stories?)   P. T. Wilkie is a born storyteller.     He has not just an excuse for everything that he does or that happens, he has detailed in depth characters and plots and can go on like a politician philabustering in any given situation.   The stories he tells are wild and fun and he somehow makes them all believable even though you know some of the stuff he goes on about honestly would not be possible (ie. riding a crocodile off the second floor of the motel).    He doesn’t let people’s doubting his stories deter him, he will go on and give you all the reasons why it is plausible and so, even though it is clearly outlandish and pretty much impossible.    He is such a likeable young man (pre-teen) that most people are taken with him and his delivery, except for one particularly snarly teacher he has.   There are loads of stories and lots of action here.    His grandfather, Walt Wilkie opened the Wonderland Motel with a pirate putt-putt golf course and lots of huge 25 ft. standing figures and statuary he salvaged from outside muffler places and restaurants back in the 1970s when he opened his motel in Orlando, Florida before that other Walt with the mouse opened his place in 1973.    There was even a miniature railroad that ran on a track back in the early days of the motel that took tourists all around the grounds.   During those early days before Grandpa met Grandma he had his heart stolen by a beautiful girl who just loved to ride the train every day while she was staying there.    It comes to light under the careful eyes of P. T. and his new friend who’s father recently rented them long-term accommodations at the Wonderland, that there may have been something shady that occurred there during those early days and is a mystery to be solved, thanks to P.T.’s avid t.v. watching and amateur sleuthing.     A shady banker working with an even shadier realtor wants to get control of the property  the Wonderland sets on to make it into condos.    P.T., his friends, his Mom and his Grandpa all team up to keep the Wonderland against ominous odds and financial extremes.   More shady characters enter and a tour de force comes into play in a surprising finish.    Well written and  I kept picturing P.T. as a young Christian Slater in my mind.    Very well done.    A good story for all ages.

Can a Princess be a Firefighter?

Can a Princess be a Firefighter? By Carole P. Roman with Illustrations by Mateya Arkova    36 pages

In this delightfully illustrated poem, two little girls, sisters I think, ask their Daddy (I think), “Can a princess be a firefighter?” The illustrations convince me that I’m right.

Daddy goes onto tell them that they can be anything they want, whenever they want. But the girls are worried they’d have to give up their fairy wings and if they would have to stop princessing. Daddy’s answer is what every little girl wants—and needs and should---hear.

Very inspirational for girls of all ages.

I give Can a Princess be a Firefighter? 5 out of 5 stars.

Being a Captain is Hard Work: A Captain No Beard Story

Being a Captain is Hard Work: A Captain No Beard Story by Carole P. Roman, Illustrated by Bonnie LeMaire   60 pages

In this 10^th episode of the series, Captain No Beard is in a hurry to get to Dew Rite Volcano. He’s in such a hurry that he doesn’t listen to his crew.

Mongo warns the captain about the dark clouds on the horizon.

Zach is trying to raise the flag, but the wind is getting stronger. He’s not sure the flag should be hoisted in such bad weather.

Polly is sent to the galley to make but squawks about the impending storm.

The rest of the crew is hard at work, too.

But Captain No Beard doesn’t care. He doesn’t listen to his crew. And before long, the storm Mongo first warned about is tossed the Flying Dragon around like autumn leaves. There is almost a fire in the galley and he almost loses Zach.

The illustrations are gorgeous. I love the Cloud Key, which identified the various clouds. Who knew there 10 types of clouds? I found only one problem: lack of diversity. Oh yes there were animals and people, but Roman missed a teachable opportunity. The lack of color made the teamwork the crew demonstrated and the lesson the captain learned weak and constricting. That’s why I gave Being a Captain is Hard Work 4 out of 5 stars.

Cave Kiddos: A Sunny Day

Cave Kiddos: A Sunny Day by Eric Jay Cash    24 pages

Author Eric Jay Cash has given readers four delightfully drawn, Paleolithic characters---Alk, Haha, Lala, and Zee.  Together they experience creating the word “water.” But I don’t get it.

I understand how the kids came up with “wa,” “wa.” It’s based on various ways they find something wet. I don’t get how the “ter” really played a part. It could as well been “ded.”

Maybe I’m asking for too much. After reading others reviews, I see that the book is aimed at those who have speaking and reading disabilities. I can understand the need for a simplistic tale.

Based on my “not getting it,” I give the Cave Kiddos: A Sunny Day  1 out of 5 stars.

If You Were Me and Lived in Egypt: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

If You Were Me and Lived in…Egypt: A Child’s Introduction to Culture Around the World by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Kelsa Wierenga  36 pages

It’s easy to be an armchair traveler in Carole Roman’s informative series, If You Were Me and Lived in….A Child’s Introduction to Culture Around the Worlds. This17^th volume focuses on Egypt, the “cradle of civilization.”

One thing that I learned that I did not know was that Egypt is “transcontinental country,” which means that it is “located in both Africa and Asia.”  There’s one for the next trivia game!

I found the text interesting and made me want to learn more about Egypt. I often of it as an exotic locale, but after reading about life there, I realize that its inhabitants and not much different American in the things we enjoy doing and the importance of family.

I give If You Were Me and Lived in...Egypt: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World 4 out of 5 stars. Why 4? The author asks the reader two questions that are not answered. Highly irritating.

If You Were Me and Lived in...Italy: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World

If You Were Me and Lived in...Italy: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World by Carole P. Roman   30 pages

Author Carole P. Roman takes her 16^th book in the “A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World” to Italy. Along with illustrator Kelsa Wierenga, Roman explores what a childr’s daily life would be like if he/she lived lo Stivale or “the boot.”

Along with the mini-geography lesson, readers also receive a mini-history lesson and experience daily life, from football (do they really call it football in Italy?) to going to Nonno and Nonna’s house for Sunday dinner.

I like that Wierenga chose to illustrate the book with both a boy and a girl. I also like the pronunciation key for the unfamiliar words.

I give If You Were Me and Lived in...Italy: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World 4 out of 5 stars. Why 4? The part about the football really bothered me.

The Only Child

The Only Child, by Guojing, 112 pages

Okay, this is allegedly for children- an E book, at that; but that's like saying that The Little Prince is "just" a kid's book.  It grossly under-represents what is contained within.  This is a text-less graphic novel that manages to convey loneliness, fear, joy, and love- without a single word.  The art, which is simply black and white pencil, is a perfect medium, and there are a few panels throughout that actually made me "Awww" out loud.  Fawning aside, here's the basic storyline: the main character is a little girl who is clearly alone and bored and has to find ways to entertain herself.  When she gets lost in the snow, she is scared, but then distracted by a friendly deer and other creatures that she meets in what amounts to a fantastic dream scape.  Worth flipping through if you like cute things, graphic novels, and have 10 minutes to spare.