Alice Cary

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A painting’s secret history

Review by Alice Cary

Under the Egg starts out with a horrific bang: 13-year-old Theodora Tenpenny sees that her beloved grandfather Jack has just been struck by a cab. She’s just in time to hear his dying words, “Look under the egg,” with instructions to also look for a letter and a treasure.

A treasure is urgently needed, because Theo lives in a 200-year-old Manhattan townhouse with her unstable (but pleasant) mother, who spends her hours sipping expensive tea and working on a math dissertation that’s been unfinished for years. The family funds in Jack’s money jar are rapidly dwindling, with only $384 left, leaving Theo to subsist on their chickens’ eggs and beets from the garden.

One day, as Theo mulls her fate in her grandfather’s art studio, a mouse runs up her leg, causing her to spill a bottle of rubbing alcohol on one of Jack’s paintings. It turns out that another painting lies underneath, which upon further inspection might be a Raphael. Theo is bewildered and a bit alarmed, because Jack was a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Could this treasure be stolen?

Laura Marx Fitzgerald’s fiction debut reminds me of a middle-grade version of Donna Tartt’s award-winning The Goldfinch, which also involves a teen whose guardian suddenly dies and who becomes the unexpected caretaker of a valuable work of art. Both novels share a certain Dickensian quality, along with an abundance of action and plot twists and turns.

Just as Tartt’s hero gains a sidekick, Theo soon meets Bodhi, the daughter of famous actors, who quickly becomes her friend and fellow detective. The pair roams New York City, tracking down clues about the origin of this mysterious artwork. Their search is a riveting exploration of art history and world events, especially once Theo and Bodhi unearth the fact that Jack was held captive in a German POW camp during World War II and was involved in a secret mission.

Readers will sail through this novel, thanks to Fitzgerald’s skilled writing, which includes just the right amount of historical details to make this caper riveting from start to finish.

Under the Egg starts out with a horrific bang: 13-year-old Theodora Tenpenny sees that her beloved grandfather Jack has just been struck by a cab. She’s just in time to hear his dying words, “Look under the egg,” with instructions to also look for a letter and a treasure.

Children's & YAPicture Book

How much is that bicycle in the window?

Review by Alice Cary

In our information-rich world, Mark Pett’s wordless picture book, The Girl and the Bicycle, is a refreshing change. This is Pett’s second such book, following The Boy and the Airplane. Somehow, by omitting words, the story seems more powerful; perhaps because instead of reading about events, we see and feel what’s happening.

Like The Boy and the Airplane, The Girl and the Bicycle is a straightforward tale, with fairly spare pencil and watercolor illustrations. Its sepia tones are muted throughout, with the only real splashes of color being the green bicycle of the title, and a little red toy airplane that appears on one page, a nod to Pett’s previous book and a clever tie-in between these two stories.

In this new drama, the young heroine walks past a toy store and spots a beautiful green bicycle in the window, which she desperately wants. The girl is accompanied by her younger brother, who appears to be about 2 or 3. She runs home to count her money, but quickly realizes she doesn’t have enough. After knocking on neighbor’s doors, she finds an older woman who needs her help and is willing to pay her. Seasons pass, with these two new friends raking, vacuuming, snow shoveling, planting and doing summer yard work.

Finally, the girl’s piggy bank is full, so she grabs her brother’s arm and races to the toy store, only to discover that the coveted bicycle is gone. What happens next is a poignant and satisfying resolution to this tale.

This is a lovely book to put into a young child’s hands. It is full of character, determination and emotion, and, like Pett’s earlier book, quietly touches on important themes of time passing and the lessons of growing up.

In our information-rich world, Mark Pett’s wordless picture book, The Girl and the Bicycle, is a refreshing change. This is Pett’s second such book, following The Boy and the Airplane. Somehow, by omitting words, the story seems more powerful; perhaps because instead of reading about events, we see and feel what’s happening.

Children's & YAPicture Book

A woman of action

Review by Alice Cary

Whether you’re an adult or a child, this new picture book biography gives an informed overview of intriguing nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale. It’s not a surprising subject choice for gifted author-illustrator Demi (born Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt, nicknamed by her father because she was half the size of her older sister). Demi is well known for her biographies of historical and spiritual figures, as well as her fairy tales, folk tales and stately art.

Florence was born into a wealthy British family in 1820, but from the start “would imagine running a hospital and made detailed lists and charts of all the medicine, equipment, and expenses.” As Florence grew older, she felt that God wanted her to help people through nursing, even though the idea “horrified” her parents. She learned all she could and used her observations and extraordinary experiences to revolutionize medical care in army hospitals. While in the Crimea, she contracted a fever that left her weak for the rest of her life, but she doggedly continued her work from her bed.

As always, Demi’s illustrations are outstanding. They’re simple and spare, yet bursting with strategically placed bursts of color and pattern that enrich each and every page. Demi gives us glimpses of Florence’s elegant family life, filled with estates, carriages, fancy parties, stylish clothes and furnishings. She also conveys the immense suffering of rows of soldiers lying in a dilapidated hall filled with scurrying rodents. Her artwork deftly manages to contrast these two very different worlds in a unified fashion, rounded out with a nicely detailed timeline and suggestions for further reading.

Whether you’re an adult or a child, this new picture book biography gives an informed overview of intriguing nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale. It’s not a surprising subject choice for gifted author-illustrator Demi (born Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt, nicknamed by her father because she was half the size of her older sister). Demi is well known for her biographies of historical and spiritual figures, as well as her fairy tales, folk tales and stately art.

NonfictionEducation

Multiple-choice master

Review by Alice Cary

Debbie Stier faced a crisis. The oldest of her two children was approaching college age, and she hadn’t saved for tuition. What’s more, Ethan was, in her words: “a boy who was ‘happy getting B’s’ and had gotten an awful lot of them.” He was neither an honors student nor an extracurricular overachiever.

When Stier read that high SAT scores can translate to merit scholarships, she hoped this might be Ethan’s ticket. The former publishing executive decided to explore test prep options to see which might prove best for her son, but her idea soon took on a life of its own. This 48-year-old mother ended up taking the SAT seven times, hoping to achieve a perfect score that would motivate Ethan.

Never fear, Stier doesn’t come off as a pushy Tiger Mom in The Perfect Score Project: Uncovering the Secrets of the SAT. However, it’s fair to say that things didn’t always go smoothly. At one point her children got so fed up that they briefly moved in with their father.

In the end, Ethan became a motivated SAT student who got into college, besting his mom in math, and even scoring better than she did on the essay. Stier improved her own scores, and while math remained a thorn in her side, on one test she scored an 800 in writing, and on another scored a 760 in reading.

Stier discovered that long hard work is the only ticket to SAT success, starting with a solid foundation in math, grammar, reading and writing. Her top piece of advice: “Taking full, timed practice SATs using College Board material (only) is an essential ingredient for success on the SAT.” And by taking these practice tests, she means taking them many times.

Along the way, she found some well-known, free online resources to be a waste of time, and was ultimately impressed by a high-priced tutoring company that she had earlier resisted. Good news: She also found some worthwhile free resources, including some you’ve probably never heard of.

Stier’s chronicle of her obsession is full of self-deprecating humor and meaty sidebars analyzing everything from test prep books to SAT grammar and math tips. This is an invaluable resource to read and re-read during the college testing journey.

Debbie Stier faced a crisis. The oldest of her two children was approaching college age, and she hadn’t saved for tuition. What’s more, Ethan was, in her words: “a boy who was ‘happy getting B’s’ and had gotten an awful lot of them.” He was neither an honors student nor an extracurricular overachiever.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Searching high and low—and everywhere in between

Review by Alice Cary

There’s something enchanting and timeless about the art of Barbara McClintock. Where’s Mommy? is a lovely follow-up to Mary and the Mouse, the Mouse and Mary, her previous collaboration with writer Beverly Donofrio. In the first book, Mary formed a friendship with a mouse; now, Mary’s daughter Maria has a secret bond with Mouse Mouse, unbeknownst to their moms. This happy coexistence comes alive in McClintock’s illustrations, brimming with exquisite details and creative parallels between the two worlds. The mouse dwelling brings to mind The Borrowers: A colorful sock becomes a rug; clothespins form a bed frame; and a thimble serves as a teacup.

There’s a crisis at hand, however. Maria’s mother seems to have disappeared, just as Mouse Mouse’s mom is nowhere to be found. Donofrio’s spot-on text moves the story along with increasing urgency, and preschoolers will delight in the frenzied search for these two moms and the reassuring twist at the end. Where’s Mommy? manages to straddle the best of two worlds, serving up a bounty of old-fashioned treats infused with just the right touch of modernity. Here’s hoping this won’t be the last of Mouse Mouse and Maria’s lively adventures.

There’s something enchanting and timeless about the art of Barbara McClintock. Where’s Mommy? is a lovely follow-up to Mary and the Mouse, the Mouse and Mary, her previous collaboration with writer Beverly Donofrio. In the first book, Mary formed a friendship with a mouse; now, Mary’s daughter Maria has a secret bond with Mouse Mouse, unbeknownst to their moms.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Madeline and the Bunnys return

Review by Alice Cary

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are back, and so are Madeline and her ex-hippie parents, Flo and Mildred, in this sequel to Mr. and Mrs. Bunny―Detectives Extraordinare! Imagine if Tina Fey wrote a middle grade novel, and you’ll have a sense of the nonstop quips packed into these pages. (For example: “Mrs. Vandermeer’s soccer-mom friends . . . knew that if they didn’t drive their children to some form of entertainment or find some way to keep them occupied every second from school closing until bedtime, the children . . . would resort to staring at the walls until their heads exploded. Suburban homes were very neat, and no one wanted to be picking brain bits off the walls.”)

You don’t need to have read the first book to roll with this one’s many punches. Young Madeline is starting to think about a college fund, but her parents have saved exactly $6.27 when they learn that they’ve inherited a candy shop in England. Meanwhile. Mrs. Bunny wants to be the queen of England. All of this makes sense in Polly Horvath’s rollicking world, and everyone ends up aboard a cruise ship.

Wild adventures ensue, including a stop in the British Museum. Near the end, before Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles appear, there’s a pivotal scene in a bookshop in which a certain popular author named Oldwhatshername shows up, signing her book about “a bunch of wizards” and a “British boarding school.”

The bookstore owner observes: “She looks so very elegant and svelte. Most writers look like they spend their days eating potato chips and sticking their fingers in light sockets.”

National Book Award-winning novelist Polly Horvath puts laughs and excitement on every page. Her latest is a page-turner, but be sure to take time to savor every bit of her wacky, yet sophisticated humor.

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are back, and so are Madeline and her ex-hippie parents, Flo and Mildred, in this sequel to Mr. and Mrs. Bunny―Detectives Extraordinare! Imagine if Tina Fey wrote a middle grade novel, and you’ll have a sense of the nonstop quips packed into these pages.

Children's & YAPicture Book

An artist’s gallery from Eric Carle

Review by Alice Cary

Eric Carle asked a handful of children’s illustrators a question: What’s Your Favorite Animal? The answers are creative jewels by 14 beloved artists, including Mo Willems, Rosemary Wells, Lane Smith and Jon Klassen. Children and adults alike will enjoy the varied responses, each on a two-page spread, including anecdotes, childhood memories and more—all with illustrations, of course.

For example, Nick Bruel, creator of the wonderful Bad Kitty books, begins seriously, with an intriguing pictorial essay titled, “Behold the Octopus,” about the marvels of these eight-legged creatures. Bad Kitty quickly intervenes, outraged at being left out, and the resulting interchange between the wide-eyed feline and his creator is hilarious.

Peter Sís recalls growing up in the Czech Republic, where residents traditionally eat carp on Christmas Eve. Sís describes people buying live carp from barrels in the street, then putting them in their bathtubs to keep them fresh. Often, he says, children become attached to these new “pets.” Sís explains: “You would see many families coming with their carps to the river and blue fish swimming toward the ocean. This gave us all hope! So my favorite creature of hope is the blue carp.”

Carle writes about his cat Fiffi’s treasured string bean (of all things). Susan Jeffers recalls her childhood dreams of white horses, while Steven Kellogg tells of wallpapering his room with drawings of cows.

What’s Your Favorite Animal? is a great way to explore a variety of children’s illustrators (short bios are included). Extend the enjoyment by grabbing several books by each of these artists, and you’ll be ready for a lengthy session of excellent children’s literature.

Eric Carle asked a handful of children’s illustrators a question: What’s Your Favorite Animal? The answers are creative jewels by 14 beloved artists, including Mo Willems, Rosemary Wells, Lane Smith and Jon Klassen. Children and adults alike will enjoy the varied responses, each on a two-page spread, including anecdotes, childhood memories and more—all with illustrations, of course.

NonfictionMemoir

Missing mom

Review by Alice Cary

Cheryl Strayed wrote about how the death of her mother changed her life in the best-selling Wild. In a similar and yet very different vein, Kelly Corrigan writes about the effects of her mom’s presence in a wonderful new memoir, Glitter and Glue.

In an earlier book, The Middle Place, Corrigan paid tribute to her larger-than-life father, “Greenie.” In contrast to her optimistic cheerleader of a father, Corrigan’s mother has always been a practical, worrying realist. As this steadfast woman once explained to her daughter, “Your father’s the glitter but I’m the glue.”

Corrigan remembers as a child longing for a more lively, upbeat mom, but over the years, she’s come to realize what an essential and anchoring influence this glue has been, especially now that she’s a mother herself.

Corrigan first began truly appreciating her mother in 1992, when she ran out of money during an after-college backpacking trip around the world. She ended up as a nanny for John Tanner, an Australian widower with two children: 7-year-old Milly and 5-year-old Martin. There was also a handsome stepson in his early 20s named Evan, who adds a romantic interest to Corrigan’s Down Under adventure.

As Corrigan takes on a motherly role for the Tanner children, she constantly thinks about their late mother, a cancer victim, as she gains new insight into the challenges her own mother faced raising Corrigan and her two brothers. As she eloquently explains: “God knows, every day I spend with the Tanners, I feel like I’m opening a tiny flap on one of those advent calendars we used to hang in the kitchen every December 1, except instead of revealing Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus, it’s my mother. I can’t see all of her yet, but window by window, she is emerging.”

Young Corrigan set out on her journey in search of adventure, but along the way learned that many of life’s greatest rewards occur during everyday moments at home. And while this is indeed a “quiet” book in contrast to Strayed’s wild exploits, Glitter and Glue is both riveting and highly readable. Framed by a tight structure and compelling writing, this memoir is refreshingly non-dysfunctional.

Cheryl Strayed wrote about how the death of her mother changed her life in the best-selling Wild. In a similar and yet very different vein, Kelly Corrigan writes about the effects of her mom’s presence in a wonderful new memoir, Glitter and Glue.

Children's & YAPicture Book

A chicken’s right to bear arms

Review by Alice Cary

Imagine a fluffy yellow chick who, instead of wings, has very long, skinny and dangling arms. Elizabeth Rose Stanton’s debut picture book, Henny, is a gentle tale about just such a chicken. Preschoolers will relish this saga about the pluses and minuses of being different.

On some days Henny feels triumphant as the other barnyard animals gaze at her in awe; but at other times, they simply laugh, sending Henny to the corner to cry. As Henny grows up, she frets about a multitude of un-chicken-like issues, such as being right-handed or left-handed, or the intricacies of using gloves, mittens and buttons.

Stanton’s watercolor and pencil illustrations wonderfully convey Henny’s changing emotions in lively, understated drawings. Stanton also injects wonderful humor along the way: Henny worries “about things she didn’t quite understand?like tennis elbow, and hangnails, and whether she might need deodorant.” There is wordplay as well, as when Henny realizes she can “comb her comb.”

Readers will cheer as Henny learns to turn her difference into an asset. She starts helping Mr. Farmer with chores and enjoys having the ability to point, twiddle her thumbs and cross her arms. She begins imagining the many things she may be able to do, such as hailing a taxi, joining a circus and even flying.

Stanton turns Henny’s accomplishments into a visual feast as this unusual chicken does things like balance on figure skates and swing through the air on a trapeze. Henny’s journey of adjustment and empowerment is a useful lesson for young children, told in a fun, imaginative way.

Imagine a fluffy yellow chick who, instead of wings, has very long, skinny and dangling arms. Elizabeth Rose Stanton’s debut picture book, Henny, is a gentle tale about just such a chicken. Preschoolers will relish this saga about the pluses and minuses of being different. On some days Henny feels triumphant as the other barnyard […]
Children's & YAPicture Book

The joy of snow

Review by Alice Cary

There’s nothing like a snow day, especially if it’s the first snow day of the season. This magical day is delightfully celebrated in You Make Me Smile. The young narrator begins by saying, ”Of all the days in the seasons of the year, today is a very special day. You might not think so yet, but it really is!” She’s addressing her friend, the snowman that she’s about to build.

At the book’s start, the snow hasn’t started yet, which allows author Layn Marlow to use rich, earthy tones to set the stage with the winter landscape. Her heroine looks up with calm anticipation as she wanders among the birch trees near her home. On another spread, the girl gazes out the window of her house at the gray sky, and soon lights up with excitement as snowflakes begin to fill the air. The book unfolds like a soft, snowy day, as this child and her father happily embrace winter’s gift.

Once the snow begins to accumulate, our narrator pulls on her coat and rushes out, addressing her snowman in the making: “Soon you’ll be standing outside in the bright, white world. You’ll be cold, cold, cold, with a radish-red nose.” We watch step-by-step as the girl builds her new friend, who, of course, makes her smile.

Marlow's quiet tale, first published in England, celebrates anticipation, joy, friendship and the passing of seasons. As the snow melts, this young snow lover muses, "A year may pass, but if you wait, we can share a snowy smile again."

There’s nothing like a snow day, especially if it’s the first snow day of the season. This magical day is delightfully celebrated in You Make Me Smile. The young narrator begins by saying, ”Of all the days in the seasons of the year, today is a very special day. You might not think so yet, […]
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A feline approach to mortality

Review by Alice Cary

If you enjoy black humor, then you will adore the opening lines of The Nine Lives of Alexander Baddenfield:

"A grave should be a sad thing, and the grave of a child the saddest thing of all.
The tombstone reads:
Here Lies Alexander Baddenfield,
Who Departed This Mortal Coil after a Dozen Years.
He was the Last of the Baddenfields?Thank God!"

Imagine, if you will, an Edward Gorey-like tale written for middle schoolers. This darkly hilarious novel is about a nasty boy from an unimaginably horrible family. Alexander is the last of his line, and because his family members tend to die young, he visits a mad scientist who implants him with the "novavium" of a cat, an organ that is said to give cats nine lives. Alexander's first life ends on the operating table, because successful implantation of the organ requires the death of the patient?but his second life immediately kicks in.

At this point, the book warns readers to stop, because "You are about to embark on a tale that recounts the sometimes gruesome deaths of a young boy, and his not always pleasant rebirths."

A story like this, of course, will not strike everyone's funnybone, but for many young readers, it offers an exciting, refreshing take on mortality. Imagine what risks a boy with nine lives might take: Alexander tries to fly like Icarus off the observation deck of the Empire State Building; he travels to Spain to fight bulls; he kayaks down a river, forgetting that he can't swim.

Alexander's daredevil antics come to an abrupt end, however, when he reaches his eighth life and suddenly begins to face mortality. At one point, a happy ending seems to be looming. Never fear: As readers are reminded early on, this is by no means "a Hollywood movie, or a fairy tale, or a run-of-the-mill chapter book."

Author John Bemelmans Marciano Bemelmans, the grandson of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans, teams with illustrator Sophie Blackall for this delightfully dark romp—a wickedly good choice for Halloween reading.

If you enjoy black humor, then you will adore the opening lines of The Nine Lives of Alexander Baddenfield: "A grave should be a sad thing, and the grave of a child the saddest thing of all.The tombstone reads:Here Lies Alexander Baddenfield,Who Departed This Mortal Coil after a Dozen Years.He was the Last of the […]
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

If God was one of us

Review by Alice Cary

Many people believe God is everywhere, and He/She certainly is in this captivating book of verse. In a series of 16 poems, Cynthia Rylant imagines God wondering what it’s like to be human. To find out, God pursues a variety of very human endeavors, such as becoming a beautician, making spaghetti on a lonely night, going to the doctor and watching cable TV.

Of course, an irreverent book like this won’t be for everyone, and may offend some. That said, I found it a lovely and thought-provoking look at what it means to be human, and what it means to be godlike. There are many wonderful moments of humor, such as when God goes to the doctor: “And the doctor said, ‘You don’t need me, you’re God.’ And God said, ‘Well, you’re pretty good at playing me, I figured you’d know what the problem was.’”

Such interplay between reverence and comedy forms the heart and soul of this unique little volume. When God gets a desk job, She resorts to eating Snickers bars (37!) to get through the day: “She thought that if She had to pick up that phone one more time, She’d just start the whole Armageddon thing people keep talking about.”

Only a supremely talented team could pull off a book like this (which includes 26 poems from a collection first published in 2003). Rylant is the Newbery Award-winning author of more than 100 children’s books, including the Henry and Mudge series. Marla Frazee’s illustrations capture the humanity of each poem, along with just the right amount of godlike wonder. This gem of a book is sure to spark spirited discussions.

Many people believe God is everywhere, and He/She certainly is in this captivating book of verse. In a series of 16 poems, Cynthia Rylant imagines God wondering what it’s like to be human. To find out, God pursues a variety of very human endeavors, such as becoming a beautician, making spaghetti on a lonely night, […]
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A furry superhero takes wing

Review by Alice Cary

Writing is best accomplished by paying attention, says Kate DiCamillo, author of such gems as Because of Winn-Dixie. Her new book, Flora & Ulysses, features 10-year-old Flora Belle Buckman, a self-proclaimed cynic who goes by the mantra, “Do not hope; instead, observe.”

Flora’s parents have divorced, and her chain-smoking mother is too busy writing romance novels to have time for her daughter. Her mother has also decided that Flora spends too much time reading comic books, which she considers lowly. Flora doesn’t care, because her favorite book in the world is The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto, a comic she and her father have always enjoyed together.

Flora is not feeling particularly hopeful, however, until one day, she observes several incredible things. Outside her window, a neighbor is running around the yard with an out-of-control vacuum, and she vacuums up a squirrel. After Flora races outside and administers CPR, the squirrel springs to life with odd new superpowers—it can fly and even write poetry. Flora names him Ulysses, after the vacuum that nearly mowed him down (a Ulysses 2000X).

Lots of things happen quickly in this fast-paced, funny tale. Flora makes a new friend, an 11-year-old brainiac named William Spivey, who joins her in protecting Ulysses. And protect him they must, because Flora’s mother wants the little squirrel dead and buried.

Flora’s guidebooks in the ensuing adventures are her beloved comics, especially one called Terrible Things Can Happen to You! Many of the illustrations in this comical romp are action-packed comic-book sequences superbly drawn by K.G. Campbell.

Like all of DiCamillo’s books, Flora & Ulysses is filled with adventure, but also plenty of humor and soul. By the end, even cynical Flora has softened up. DiCamillo has seamlessly blended comic-book elements and a zany cast of characters into a thoroughly original, heartwarming tale.

Writing is best accomplished by paying attention, says Kate DiCamillo, author of such gems as Because of Winn-Dixie. Her new book, Flora & Ulysses, features 10-year-old Flora Belle Buckman, a self-proclaimed cynic who goes by the mantra, “Do not hope; instead, observe.” Flora’s parents have divorced, and her chain-smoking mother is too busy writing romance […]

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