Someone New

Someone New by Anne Sibley O’Brien  32 pages

I like the concept of this picture book. It’s the story of three students who are new to their classroom. There are three new students in the school who are from Guatemala, Korea and Somalia. Each teacher assigns the new child a “buddy” to help them navigate their new environment.

I didn’t like that all the children assimilate easily; there is little conflict or an episode of the day not going well. I believe that “Someone New,” is about trying to find common ground. However the message completely overlooked that it’s hard, very hard, to do so.

I was also dismayed when the age range from this book is 5-8 years old and aimed at Kindergarten to Grade 3. It seemed to talk down to that age range

 “Someone New” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl   178 pages

I have a first edition of this book (sadly, without the dust jacket) from 1964, having inherited it from my siblings when I was a child. The book has definitely seen a lot of readings -- there are some smudgy prints on some of the pages.  Chocolate? Perhaps.

I had forgotten how delightful this book is, and how subversive some of the story is. Dahl doesn't hide his disdain for the awful children here, and the song lyrics to the Oompa Loompa songs are merciless . . . and quite funny.  I found I was snickering out loud to myself and thoroughly enjoying the book.

One of the interesting things about the original edition (U.S. and British) is the description of the Oompa Loompas as small pygmy people from Africa (and the accompanying illustrations bear this out). This was changed in a later edition of the book.

Per a recent NYT article: "But racial and ethnic controversy has followed Mr. Dahl’s work for years. The author has long been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism, and critics denounced his original portrayal of the Oompa Loompa workers in Mr. Wonka’s chocolate factory.They were originally depicted as hard working but mischievous African pygmies who were brought to the factory to make candy. Mr. Dahl revised their portrayal in later editions of the work, turning the Oompa Loompas into fanciful dwarflike creatures from a made-up country, Loompaland. In the 1971 film they were depicted as squat, green-haired, orange factory workers."

This same article cited a recent interview with Dahl's widow, who said “His first Charlie that he wrote about was a little black boy,” the widow, Felicity Dahl, said in the interview. "  "Mrs. Dahl made the remark during a conversation with Donald Sturrock, her husband’s biographer, on BBC Radio 4’s “Today” program. Mr. Sturrock said Mr. Dahl had understood “the American sensibility.” In response, Mrs. Dahl revealed the original idea for Charlie’s race and said she believed it had been “influenced by America.”"

Molly’s Story

Molly’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron       Audio Book:  5 hours    Hardback Book:  208 pages               

If you have read the book or seen the film, “A Dog’s Purpose,”  you will be pleased with this story which is a sequel or maybe a continuation of the original.    While the previous story was about a male dog named Bailey (or Bailey, Bailey, Bailey, Bailey as he thought his name was because that is how his boy always said it J) this story is about a female puppy named, Molly.    I loved the first story and this one is adorable, too.     W. Bruce Cameron has a great way of interpreting life from a dog’s point of view.    So pure, so innocent, so sweet, motivated by love and food.     Hmmmm, sounds like a great way to be.       C. J. is a young girl who’s mother is so self-centered that C.J. barely rates attention at all and when she gets it the attention C.J. receives is either full of sarcasm, contempt, dismissal or belittling.   To say their relationship is strained is an understatement.   Then C.J. meets Molly and her life becomes so happy because now she has someone to love and be loved by.    A heartwrenching story that every animal lover should surely take the time to read or listen to.   Beautiful and dear that is the story of Molly and her girl.       

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgess          247 pages

Aventurine, a young dragon, sneaks out of her family’s cave in search of adventure. A deceptive mage curses her with a human form, but the human world also holds a great wonder: chocolate.
This is a fun, adventurous romp, spiced with delicious descriptions of chocolate and just a hint of actual information about the chocolatier’s trade.

How to Speak Horse

How to Speak Horse by Andrea and Markus Eschbach          Hardback:  28 pages            

Ever since I first heard about “horse whispering,”  I have thought I would like to give  it a try.     When I saw this book I had to check it out.   I noticed immediately that this book seemed to present the process of learning to communicate with horses a little differently than I would have expected.   Having caught a bit of the process on shows on Animal Planet and PBS in the past I noticed immediately that this book showed the kids learning the process using ropes as extentions of their arms and this was unfamiliar to me as the bit I had picked up from t.v. had not done that.   From what I had seen all was done through body language with the horse reading the human and the human taking cues from the horse’s behavior.     After I finished the book I noticed that the photos were taken at a farm in Switzerland and when I checked the isbn page it mentioned that the book was originally published in Germany and in the German language so this book gives the European take on horse whispering which is still good just different.   It does give some good tips, I just find the rope thing something I would tend to think the horse would be taken aback by.   But that is just me.   It does go over some of the horse behaviors to be aware of and what they mean, it also stresses being confident in dealing with the horse and making the horse know you are the boss.    It talks about herd mentality and how the human doing the horse whispering  takes on the role of the lead horse.     I thought some of the instructions were not as clear as they might be and the photos showing the work in the corral or “office” and arena as the book terms it, were not quite as informative as they could have been however, it was an admirable attempt though I don’t think it delivered as much as it professed to.   Still a worthy book for a youngster and I would recommend it before taking kids around horses especially for the first time as it does give some very  good information to know when dealing with horses  ie. don’t approach them from the back as you might scare them and possibly receive an injury from a well placed kick, always approach a horse from the front or side so they see you.,horses natural reaction is to run when scared so don’t get too close right away till the horse is sure you don’t plan to hurt it, etc.   It was a good book as far as it went.      

KuKu and Mwewe

KuKu and Mwewe: A Swahili Folktale by Marta Munte’ Vidal    34 pages                  

Foreign folktales are always interesting and this one teaches the reader a lesson.   Like Aesop’s tales this story has a moral.   It introduces you to two dear friends, KuKu the hen and Mwemwe the eagle who grew up together and were always the best of friends since the day they were born.   Alas even friends can come to a point where differences can separate them and break the special bond they share.   This happens to these two friends.     KuKu finds this wonderful unique fabrique in the market place.   No one had ever seen such beautiful work so she buys it, goes home and makes herself a fine outfit from the cloth.    Everyone compliments her when they see her in her fine outfit.   But one day as KuKu is walking happily across the savannah she catches her outfit on a mgunga tree and rips the beautiful cloth.    Her outfit is ruined.   She burst into tears and ran for her best friend Mwemwe.   Mwemwe feels so sorry for KuKu that she tries her best to cheer her up but Kuku is inconsolable.    Mwemwe takes KuKu inside her house to make her a cup of tea so she will feel better.    While KuKu is sitting on cushions and resting her head on the wall she spies a sewing needle on a shelf.    The needle is obviously very dear to her friend because she has it sticking out of a special velvet cushion that is sitting next to some of Mwemew’s most prized trophies.   Kuku begs her friend to let her have it to use to sew her outfit back together.    Now this is a very special sewing needle that has been passed down from generation to generation as long as there have been eagles.    It is priceless!   It is a family heirloom and it is quite impossible for Mwemwe to lend it to anyone regardless of the purpose they need it for.   KuKu begs and begs her friend.   Promising everything under the sun that she will take good care of it and not let it out of her sight and will only use it that day and return it to Mwemwe the next day.   Kuku wheedles and begs more when her friend doesn’t budge saying but we are best friends and you can’t put a price on friendship!   Mwemwe doesn’t want to do it but she finally gives in and reluctantly allows KuKu to borrow it reiterating that it is a most precious family heirloom and as soon as KuKu Is finished with it to bring it back to Mwemwe straight away!   Kuku says alright and takes off home.    Days go by with no word from KuKu and she has not come back to return the precious family heirloom needle.   So, Mwemwe decides to fly over to the village where her friend lives to retrieve it herself.   When she gets there KuKu is not home.    One of her neighbors tells Mwemwe she saw KuKu in the market earlier that day.   Mwemwe thanks her then goes to the market looking for her friend.   Kuku is very happy to see her and says , “HI!  Look at my dress!   It’s as good as new! “   Mwemwe is a bit perturbed and says a little miffed that she can see that it looks great.   Now she would like her needle back, please.   KuKu says, Oh sure, I thought I had it right here.  Playing for time.    Why would she have had it at the market?   Then Kuku says Well, wait I will get it for you.    She comes back with empty wings telling Mwemwe, “Well it’s here, I just don’t know where here.   I don’t know where it is but I will find it for you, don’t worry!”    Mwemwe is dumbfounded.    She can’t believe her friend is so unconcerned when she told her how important it was to her.    She can’t believe her old friend would treat her so disrespectfully when she went out of her way to allow her to borrow something so dear.    Why would her friend have not kept up with it?    She used it.   How could she be so uncaring as to not return it and not even to keep up with where she put it after she used it?   When Mwemwe told her to bring it back to her straight away as soon as she was finished with it?     Why would her friend treat her so cruelly?    That was her special present handed down for generations and KuKu treats it like is meaningless.    She asks KuKu if she leant it to anyone?  Try to remember!    Kuku is just playing dumb, “I don’t know.   I don’t know what I did with it after I used it.”     Yeah, well, if you had returned it like you supposed to and laid it on something where you could see it or put it in a jar or something so it could be seen easily and not roll off wherever you laid it and rolled who knows where?    Love and respect for your friend who was there for you when you needed her might have led you to treat it like the valuable artifact that your friend felt it to be.   Mwemwe is hot and rightly so.    She yells, “That needle is irreplaceable!   You had better find it or the fury of my ancestors will befall you!”    Days, weeks and months pass.   Kuku looked everywhere she could think of but did not find the needle.    She bought a whole bunch of presents and took them to her friend to try to make amends for losing her needle but Mwemwe wasn’t having it.   Nothing could make up for KuKu’s careless behavior and the loss of her beloved family heirloom.    She told Kuku to go away and don’t come back without it!   The needle was lost and so was their friendship.   The folktale says that is why to this day chickens peck at and scratch the ground still to this day looking for the special needle that they still hope to return to the eagles one day.   Moral of the story:  Nobody loves your things like you do, so, if you really love something do not let someone talk you into letting them borrow it because it may not come back or if it does it may not be in the same shape it was when you loaned it.