Alice Cary

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Finally, teen readers can dig into Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill. What better way to learn about the tragic, prize-winning poet than through verse? This series of short poems discusses incidents in the poet’s life, from her birth in Boston in 1932 to her suicide in London in 1963, and includes short biographical notes that offer the reader additional details. The poems are written from the imagined perspectives of family members, friends and other acquaintances. Hemphill’s depiction of Plath is lively and unique. In a note to readers, Hemphill calls her book a work of fiction, explaining that she has taken liberties imagining conversations and descriptions and interpreting the feelings of the real people speaking in these poems. Here’s a poem written from the viewpoint of Plath’s best friend in fifth grade: She wizards her way / through woods and fences, / makes things happen. / Sylvia sees a door / where other people see a wall, / but where will it lead? Your Own, Sylvia (the title is taken from the closing Plath used on letters to her mother) will mesmerize teenagers interested in poetry and one acclaimed poet’s mercurial path through life.

Finally, teen readers can dig into Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill. What better way to learn about the tragic, prize-winning poet than through verse? This series of short poems discusses incidents in the poet's life, from her…
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A note at the beginning of Twisted warns: This is not a book for children. Indeed it isn’t, but it is a riveting book for high school students. In fact, Twisted is so compelling that I read well past midnight as some of the pivotal scenes unfolded.

The heart of this novel is its narrator, high school senior Tyler Miller, who at first glance might seem to be a typical high school loser. Tyler is doing six months of mandatory community service after spray-painting the walls of his high school with crude remarks about the principal. Take a closer look, though. Tyler is a wonderfully funny, moving narrator and, it turns out, an all-around good guy. He has one smart, true friend nicknamed Yoda. Almost everyone else is against him, however, especially his hard-nosed, workaholic father. His mother drowns all of her sorrows in gin and tonics. Things go from bad to worse when Tyler accidentally creates complete chaos during a dinner party hosted by his father’s boss. Tyler leaves the disastrous party with an enemy who wants revenge the boss’ son, Chip. He also leaves with the hots for the boss’ daughter, Bethany. As Tyler’s senior year begins, he is astounded to find that Bethany returns his interest. She invites him to a party, which gets out of hand. Someone takes unflattering pictures of Bethany and puts them on the Internet. The police get involved, and everyone is convinced that Tyler is to blame. Twisted tackles head-on many of the tough issues facing older teens: alcohol, sex, grades, popularity, honesty, parents, college and more. Despite all of this, it is ultimately an uplifting book, mainly because of the freshness of Tyler’s voice and Anderson’s crisp writing and storytelling. Anderson’s acclaimed young adult books include Fever 1793, Prom and Speak, which was a Best Book of the Year selection by School Library Journal and a finalist for the National Book Award. Give her latest novel to a teenager ready to read about the complexities of high school, and that teen probably won’t be able to put the book down. Alice Cary writes from Groton, Massachusetts.

A note at the beginning of Twisted warns: This is not a book for children. Indeed it isn't, but it is a riveting book for high school students. In fact, Twisted is so compelling that I read well past midnight as some of the pivotal…
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<b>A boy’s quest springs eternal</b> Could Endymion Spring be a <i>Da Vinci Code</i> for kids? With a touch of Harry Potter thrown in? The young adult/middle school thriller certainly fits the bill. Like the adult bestseller, this novel is built on threads of historical fact and has a mystery at its heart. Young Blake is a boy ready to be bored. He and his little sister, Duck, are stuck hanging around hallowed halls while his mom is a visiting scholar at Oxford University. One day Blake is browsing through the stacks of old, boring books when one book somehow seems to bite him. When he examines the brown leather volume, he sees the name Endymion Spring on the cover, but inside, the pages appear to be blank. Soon a poem appears, and Blake eventually realizes he is on a quest, and the poem is his first clue.

Blake soon encounters a homeless man who provides more clues, and one of his mother’s old professors starts to help out, too. However, Blake is also warned that others with evil intentions are on this mission and it is difficult for him to know whom he can trust. First-time author Matthew Skelton has a doctorate in English Literature from Oxford, and his novel is full of authentic details. He bases his mystery on the fact that a man named Johann Fust was Johann Guttenberg’s financial backer when he invented movable type. A rumor arose that Fust was actually the original Faust, a German magician who made a deal with the devil to obtain knowledge. Skelton brings the past to life by weaving in short chapters set in Germany in 1452, as narrated by Guttenberg’s apprentice, Endymion Spring. The mystery and mood in these chapters sets the tone for the book’s core drama, and provides a rich historical backdrop for Blake and his modern-day experiences. This may all sound rather complicated and esoteric for kids, but Skelton weaves together a fast-paced, easy-to-read tale. The book is heavy on action and mystery, and the history is blended in lightly, as needed. (Warner Brothers has already bought movie rights.) Much is resolved during Blake’s many seat-of the-pants adventures, BUT, of course, I won’t reveal the details. The ending is a definite setup for a sequel, so you’re likely to hear more of this magical tale. <i>Alice Cary writes from Groton, Massachusetts.</i>

<b>A boy's quest springs eternal</b> Could Endymion Spring be a <i>Da Vinci Code</i> for kids? With a touch of Harry Potter thrown in? The young adult/middle school thriller certainly fits the bill. Like the adult bestseller, this novel is built on threads of historical fact…

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Wolves starts out tamely, as a floppy-eared rabbit goes to the library to check out a red book titled Wolves. Look closely, however, and you'll notice that Rabbit's red book looks exactly like the book you're reading. Pay careful attention, because this is one of the most clever picture books that has come along in a long time. This book-within-a-book is one that kids will enjoy returning to, and pondering. As Rabbit starts to read his book, he also learns a few facts about wolves. For instance, he reads that Gray wolves live in packs of between two and ten animals. We see a pack of seven wolves jumping out of a box with their teeth bared.

As the wolves in the book try to stalk Rabbit, he reads on obliviously. Consider, for example, the clump of trees shown as Rabbit reads about wolves living in forests. British author-illustrator Emily Gravett has drawn the tree trunks and leaves in the shape of a wolf and a rather fierce one, at that. Rabbit is so engrossed in his book that he doesn't notice that he is getting closer and closer to the wolf. He climbs up a tail of bushy hair, wades through thick fur on his back, and finally ends up on the tip of the wolf's nose, as the wolf waits, licks his lips and holds a knife and fork ready for a rabbit feast. Finally, Rabbit reads that wolves also enjoy [eating] smaller mammals, like beavers, voles and . . . This stunning sentence suddenly jolts Rabbit into awareness, and he realizes he is about to be eaten. The close-up of the wolf's gleaming eyes and Rabbit's wide-eyed look of realization is hilarious.

The next telltale spread simply features the red cover of the book, which has obviously been ripped to shreds during the wolf's feeding frenzy.

Gravett's animals are stately, yet very funny, a combination not often seen in children's literature. A concluding page points out that no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book, adding: It is a work of fiction. As for the ending, I won't spoil the author's final stroke of comedy.

Alice Cary keeps the wolf from the door in Groton, Massachusetts.

Wolves starts out tamely, as a floppy-eared rabbit goes to the library to check out a red book titled Wolves. Look closely, however, and you'll notice that Rabbit's red book looks exactly like the book you're reading. Pay careful attention, because this is one of…

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Strange things indeed happen in Avi's Strange Happenings, a collection of five short stories, all about odd events and magical changes. Curious is my favorite story of the bunch, reminding me of some of the Ray Bradbury stories I loved as a teenager. Twelve-year-old Jeff Marley, of Rolerton, Wisconsin, is so curious about everything that he often annoys his teachers and friends. One summer he becomes intrigued by the mascot at his town's minor league ballpark, a character known as the Alien. Jeff hangs out at the field, trying to figure out who wears the Alien costume. Soon, he discovers that no one seems to know. He manages to get beside the creature who specializes in being rude and has his picture snapped. Before long Jeff finds out exactly who the Alien is I won't spoil the ending (but it isn't happy).

Most of the other tales here are more fairy tale-like than creepy, and most have messages, too. For example, in Bored Tom, the main character is always bored and wants to sleep all day. One day a talking cat offers to change places with him so he can doze all day. Tom eagerly accepts the offer, only to find out that once he's a cat, it's not easy to become human again.

Many parents may want to plunk the story Simon down in front of their grumbling teenage children. Simon is a spoiled boy whose poor parents give him everything, sacrificing their own needs. Meanwhile, Simon only takes and has no desire to help his parents. When his parents can help no more, he leaves in disgust, determined to get whatever he wants and be noticed by everyone. He gets his wish but ends up miserable and finally returns to his parents begging for shelter.

Avi is the award-winning author of numerous books, including Nothing but the Truth and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Here's yet another that is compelling and readable a great choice for any youngster in need of a good summer read.

Strange things indeed happen in Avi's Strange Happenings, a collection of five short stories, all about odd events and magical changes. Curious is my favorite story of the bunch, reminding me of some of the Ray Bradbury stories I loved as a teenager. Twelve-year-old Jeff…

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Waiting for a baby to be born is more agonizing than waiting for Christmas, as any sibling-to-be knows. When young Iris asks about the impending arrival of her cousin, grownups give her a variety of frustrating answers.

Her father tells her soon, but not too soon, and not too long. Her grandfather advises her to be on the lookout for a giant stork. Grandma tells Iris that she must wait for the right moment in the cabbage patch. Iris' friend tells her that her aunt's belly will first grow as big as a pumpkin, and that her aunt needs to eat 1,000 ice cream sundaes with pickles on top.

Despite these typical but confusing words of wisdom, Iris waits patiently, looking forward to teaching her cousin to make snow angels, to wish on dandelions and to learn how to swim. Finally, of course, Cousin Gregory does arrive.

National Book Award Winner Kimberly Willis Holt has written a sweet text filled with humor, anticipation and love, perfect for any child waiting for a baby. Greatly adding to the pleasure of the story are the exceptional illustrations by Gabi Swiatkowska. In an era when minimalist, almost childlike drawings seem to be the standard, here is a book filled with exquisite paintings and detail reminiscent of the great masters. Swiatkowska has drawings on every page that could have come from Da Vinci's invention sketchbooks. In her intricate illustrations we see a helmeted stork arriving on an elaborate pulley and a ladder reaching to the heavens.

Iris finally decides that Waiting for a baby is like waiting for a show to begin. The characters here all wear old-fashioned, costume-like clothes, as though they might be getting ready for a play or circus. Indeed, Waiting for Gregory is a lovely show guaranteed to enthrall young readers.

 

Alice Cary is a writer in Groton, Massachusetts.

Waiting for a baby to be born is more agonizing than waiting for Christmas, as any sibling-to-be knows. When young Iris asks about the impending arrival of her cousin, grownups give her a variety of frustrating answers.

Her father tells her soon, but not too…

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A young boy in the Depression notices something rising out of the rubble of an old Manhattan hotel, a building that will be the tallest building in the world, a symbol of hope in the darkest of times. Deborah Hopkinson, a frequent contributor to BookPage, lyrically tells the story of how this building came to be in the luminous new picture book Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building.

The book's young narrator and his father watch as the months pass, adding human-size wonder to the construction of a world-renowned building. Hopkinson further personalizes the story by telling it in the second person: You drag your pop along to see, and tell him what you've heard on the street. The author incorporates plenty of facts into the story, and art and text work beautifully together. James Ransome's oil illustrations are lush, showing how the building grows, framed with steel girders, bit by bit, piece by piece, like a giant, real-life puzzle. He details various stages of construction, such as one spread showing progress from June through November. We see workers eating lunch as they perch on the girders, and learn that beef stew and coffee could be had on the 47th floor. One wonderful spread shows how four men work together in quick succession to rivet the frame these nitty-gritty details make the book fascinating and real.

When the building opens on May 1, 1931, it is the world's tallest structure, built in record time, with 60,000 tons of steel and 10 million bricks. Amid all of these details, the sheer wonder of the Empire State Building is not lost, with glowing pictures at sunset and at night.

The narrator gets a huge surprise when his father takes him to the top for a tour. At the top, his father proclaims, If we can do this, we can do anything. Hopkinson and Ransome, who previously joined forces on the award-winning Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, have created a delightful resource about one of the most famous buildings in the world. Let's just say this duo has definitely risen to the occasion!

A young boy in the Depression notices something rising out of the rubble of an old Manhattan hotel, a building that will be the tallest building in the world, a symbol of hope in the darkest of times. Deborah Hopkinson, a frequent contributor to…

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Charlie is a boy after my own heart, a budding survivalist, ready for anything Just in Case, which is the title of this delightful book. To say that Charlie likes to be prepared is an understatement. If it rains hard, he gets out his raincoat, boots, goggles, umbrella and inflatable boat, just in case it rains so hard that the furniture starts to float. He once has a sudden worry that food stores might suddenly close for a long time, so he gets busy making 117 peanut butter sandwiches. What Charlie probably needs is a psychiatrist, but instead he gets a bossy, mean baby-sitter, when his favorite sitter isn't available. So he makes sure the new one doesn't want to come back by washing his feet in the toilet, wearing his shoes on his ears and painting his face a horrid green.

After describing each of Charlie's amusing antics, author Judith Viorst offers this refrain: Charlie likes to be ready, just in case. When you see Viorst's name on a book, you know you're in for a treat. She's the author of the classic series about a boy named Alexander, the first being Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Her characters are based on real emotions, but their angst is always presented with immense humor. She's accomplished this balance yet again with Just in Case.

Viorst has paired up with illustrator Diana Cain Bluthenthal, and the partnership is definitely a winning combination. Bluthenthal works in brightly colored mixed media and her humor adds to the fun. We see Charlie lying exhausted on the floor, for instance, after making all those sandwiches. One day Charlie wakes up early on his birthday, and, not surprisingly, he's worried that everyone has forgotten. In fact, he's sure of it, when suddenly the doorbell rings. Boys and girls stream into his house, there for a surprise party. For once, Charlie isn't ready. Viorst reassuringly concludes: But maybe not being ready is sometimes okay. Whether readers are worriers or not, this book will have everyone laughing. Just be sure you find a copy soon. It might sell out. Go quickly, just in case!

Alice Cary writes from Groton, Massachusetts.

Charlie is a boy after my own heart, a budding survivalist, ready for anything Just in Case, which is the title of this delightful book. To say that Charlie likes to be prepared is an understatement. If it rains hard, he gets out his raincoat,…

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Christmas isn't about what we want, it's about what we have. That is the simple but inspiring message at the heart of Kathleen Long Bostrom's Josie's Gift. Josie's mom reminds her of this wisdom, but Josie thinks only about what her family is missing this Christmas. Her father died in the spring, leaving her, her mother, and her younger brother alone during the hard times of the Depression. Josie spots a beautiful blue sweater with pearl buttons in a storefront window and decides this is the gift she wants. On Christmas Eve, Josie sneaks downstairs and finds the sweater waiting for her under the tree. She puts it on and enjoys how perfect it is, but notices she still has an empty, lonely feeling. She goes outside, asking God whether he can hear her and wondering whether her father can see her from heaven. Inside her barn she finds a father, mother and new baby who need shelter because they've lost their home. Josie gives her sweater to the baby for warmth, finally feeling the happiness of Christmas giving.

Josie belongs to a churchgoing family for whom religion is a mainstay, but this touching story about generosity can be enjoyed by religious and non-religious families alike. Period details adorn every page and Frank Ordaz's detailed illustrations are luminous with the golden glow of Christmas warmth.

Alice Cary has been spotted in several New England malls humming her own versions of Christmas carols.

Christmas isn't about what we want, it's about what we have. That is the simple but inspiring message at the heart of Kathleen Long Bostrom's Josie's Gift. Josie's mom reminds her of this wisdom, but Josie thinks only about what her family is missing this…

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Rain May’s life seems to have fallen apart, as revealed in the opening line of Stranded in Boringsville: “When Dad moved out of our home and into Julia’s apartment, Mum changed her name to Maggie, put our house up for sale and had a huge clean-out.”

Rain May and her mom leave Melbourne, Australia, and move into her deceased grandmother’s old house in a small town. She’s a city girl suddenly adrift in the country, but luckily there’s a boy next door to keep her company. Daniel is a bit younger, and the unlikely pair forge a friendship. Both are sensitive and isolated (Rain May, by the way, gets her name from a line of poetry by e.e. cummings). Daniel is a brain who is shunned by his peers, but he takes refuge in chess and Star Trek. Rain May tries to figure out how to enjoy new friends at school without being disloyal to Daniel.

Author Catherine Bateson is a poet and children’s writer in Australia, where this novel was first published as Rain May and Captain Daniel, capturing a Book of the Year Award from the Children’s Book Council of Australia. The plot moves quietly but quickly along, as Rain May goes back and forth between her mother and father and tries to comprehend her father’s new life and significant other, Julia.

The Australian setting adds interest and universality to the everyday joys and sorrows. Rain May slowly starts to appreciate her new surroundings, especially when she and Daniel spot a platypus after days of failed watching attempts. Daniel’s father, a busy physician, tells them: “You’ve joined an exclusive club, kids. Not many people these days have seen a platypus in the wild.”

Stranded in Boringsville is a lovely account of trying to comprehend the many changes of adolescence. Rain May and Daniel are believable characters who tackle their problems with grace and humor. How lovely, too, to see a book about a deep friendship between a lonely boy and a lonely girl that has no sexual overtones, and is simply a story of giving and caring.

Alice Cary writes from Groton, Massachusetts.



Rain May's life seems to have fallen apart, as revealed in the opening line of Stranded in Boringsville: "When Dad moved out of our home and into Julia's apartment, Mum changed her name to Maggie, put our house up for sale and had a…
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Author and illustrator Mo Willems is superb at plotting small stories with big hearts, creating simple drawings that come to life in laugh-out-loud funny, yet soulful, picture books. He's done it before with Caldecott Honor-winning Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, among others. Now he does it again with Leonardo the Terrible Monster. Willems has designed an oversized book, all the better to emphasize how small Leonardo is he takes up just a bit of each page. This monster looks rather cuddly with tiny horns, baby blue eyes and a pink nose, hands and feet. It comes as no surprise that little Leonardo is indeed a terrible monster. The poor thing can't scare anyone. After trying everything he can think of, he's utterly dejected. He's nothing like Tony, for instance, a beast who takes up a whole page and has many mouthfuls of teeth (with a footnote adding, "Not all teeth shown.").

One day, however, Leonardo has an idea of how to redeem himself: to find the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world . . . and scare the tuna salad out of him! Leonardo eventually uncovers a bespectacled boy in suspenders named Sam, a child who looks even more nervous than Leonardo, and who appears to have little, if any, tuna salad-courage. Surprisingly, Leonardo's plan actually works! He sneaks up on poor Sam and growls, roars and shows his teeth, and Sam immediately starts bawling.

In the end, Leonardo feels awful. So awful, in fact, that he decides to befriend Sam. The two share a sweet ending, although Leonardo can't stop himself from occasionally shouting Boo! at his new best friend, scaredy-cat Sam. Not only is this story uncomplicated, there are few words in the text Willems knows how to keep the plot moving with action-packed drawings and not much verbiage, a true gift for any storyteller. Winner of six Emmy Awards as a writer for Sesame Street, Willems can deftly convey liveliness and movement on the page as well as the screen. Yet again, he has created the very essence of a new children's classic.

 

Alice Cary writes from Groton, Massachusetts.

Author and illustrator Mo Willems is superb at plotting small stories with big hearts, creating simple drawings that come to life in laugh-out-loud funny, yet soulful, picture books. He's done it before with Caldecott Honor-winning Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny:…

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Since its publication in 1991, Mama, Do You Love Me? has become a modern children's classic. It is a cherished bedtime read-aloud and the winner of numerous awards. Set in Alaska, it transcends time and place, voicing the universal love between a mother and daughter, in this case an Inuit family.

How could author Barbara Joosse and illustrator Barbara Lavallee follow their huge hit? The title is obvious—Papa, Do You Love Me?—but the setting is not. This time, the author-illustrator team focuses on the Maasai culture of Kenya, where fathers consider their sons their greatest treasure. Author Joosse lives in Wisconsin, but a 1997 trip to Africa left a permanent mark on her heart. The result is splendid in both text and illustrations.

The words follow a pattern similar to the first book: The boy asks his father how much he loves him and how he would handle various challenges. The father's responses include references to the African bush, such as, I love you more than the warrior loves to leap, more than the bush baby loves the moon, more than the elder loves his stories. A detailed two-page spread at the end of the book explains all the Maasai terms and customs.

While the details of these two books are very culture-specific, their magic lies in the simple rendering of unconditional love. When the boy asks, What if I fell asleep anyway and hyenas crept in and killed a cow . . . and it was my birthright cow? The father says, Then, Tender Heart, I would be angry. But still, I would love you. The closing message is perfect for tucking in any young child: I'll care for you, love you, and teach you. Always. Because I am your papa, and you are my Tender Heart.

Lavallee's watercolor illustrations are magnificent, with soft oranges conveying the African heat, the sun and the rich robes and jewels of the father and son. Her images are simple, yet evocative, conveying the familial love and the distinctive Serengeti setting.

Since its publication in 1991, Mama, Do You Love Me? has become a modern children's classic. It is a cherished bedtime read-aloud and the winner of numerous awards. Set in Alaska, it transcends time and place, voicing the universal love between a mother and daughter,…

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At first you might think the subjects of this novel are off-putting: it features youth gangs running scams and a baby-snatching plot in a maternity ward. Never fear. Between the witty word-smithing of Irish novelist Colin Bateman and the engaging voice of his protagonist, Eddie, readers are in good hands. Poor Eddie. He and his parents were planning a vacation in Spain when his mother announces that his father has run off with a colleague, they are divorcing, and she and Eddie are moving to the city, where she will work in a hospital. Eddie’s mother tries to present this overload of changes in a good light, but Eddie doesn’t buy her spiel. He replies: “I have lost my father, my school, my friends, and my home, and I also have to move to the city, a city you have always said was dark and dangerous and never allowed me to go to.” Eddie is bored in his new home without any friends, so he starts nosing around the hospital. He realizes something is afoot when a celebrity named Alison Beech is about to visit the hospital and make a sizable donation.

Eddie’s situation goes from bad to worse when his mother starts dating Bernard Scuttles, head of security at the hospital, a man whom Eddie instantly hates. He believes Scuttles is behind a plot to kidnap Alison Beech, but it turns out that the problem is instead the kidnapping of babies. Eddie is the only witness, and apparently the only one who can save the babies.

If all of this sounds highly implausible, Eddie’s narration makes it riveting and funny, and the story always rings true. One does need a touch of black humor: for instance, Eddie meets a boy begging in a wheelchair who turns out not to have leg problems, and then another who indeed can’t walk and turns out to be a gang leader.

This is Bateman’s first book for young adults he has written several for adults and the first installment of a trilogy featuring Eddie. His writing is so engaging that you may find yourself seeking out his adult books.

At first you might think the subjects of this novel are off-putting: it features youth gangs running scams and a baby-snatching plot in a maternity ward. Never fear. Between the witty word-smithing of Irish novelist Colin Bateman and the engaging voice of his protagonist,…

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