Lynn Beckwith

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Dodging the middle school minefields

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Middle school can be a minefield, and Rachel Renée Russell does a super job of capturing the daily dilemmas of one particular middle schooler in Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star.

Nikki Maxwell has only been at her new private school for a few months, but she has made some great friends and one very powerful enemy, Mackenzie Hollister. In her diary, Nikki shares her deepest thoughts and works out her day-to-day challenges. Filled with a roller coaster of emotions and plenty of drawings to keep the story moving, the diary provides a clear picture of talented but unconfident Nikki, who worries that others will find out her deep secrets: She is on full scholarship at the tony school; her father is an exterminator; and she was caught on Mackenzie’s cell phone singing and dancing with her little sister at a pizza joint. When Mackenzie schemes to steal Nikki’s BFFs and ruin her chances to win the school talent show, Nikki pulls herself together. 

Dork Diaries has become something of a Wimpy Kid for girls, offering new ways to deal with the challenges of middle school life. Girls who are struggling with their social lives will empathize and laugh along with Nikki, who may not be a pop star just yet but is winning the hearts of young readers everywhere.

Middle school can be a minefield, and Rachel Renée Russell does a super job of capturing the daily dilemmas of one particular middle schooler in Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star.

Nikki Maxwell has only been at her new private school for…

Children's & YA

Out and about with three stuffed pals

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Stuffed animals come to life in these charming and old-fashioned tales with a memorable cast of characters: Lumphy, a buffalo, StingRay, a sea creature, and Plastic . . . whose classification is something of a mystery. The three friends are beloved toys of the Little Girl who sleeps in the high bed. Living both in the Little Girl's world and in their own, they spend their time reading books in the library, watching television and trying to make sense of their world.

Emily Jenkins' six linked stories explore the experiences of these stuffed friends. First, they are tossed around in a dark, scary backpack, where readers get a peek at their personalities. As the three worry about their destination, StingRay suggests they might be going to the veterinarian. The vet is a big human dressed in a white coat who puts animals in a contraption made of rubber bands, in order to see what is wrong with them, he tells his friends. StingRay speaks of all manner of things, often erroneously. (The adult reader might be reminded of Cliff Claven, the information-spouting letter carrier in Cheers. ) Plastic and Lumphy believe what they hear and so are pleasantly surprised to find out they are not at the vet's office but at school as the stars of show-and-tell. Ahh.

The adventures these three get into are by turns scary and endearing. Here is Lumphy hiding from the terrors he is sure will befall him in the washing machine and there is Plastic at the beach in the jaws of a possible shark. It all comes together in the final story when the inanimate objects help celebrate the Little Girl's birthday, trying as hard as they can to think of the perfect gift. Toys Go Out has the nostalgic feel of a children's book from an earlier time part Winnie the Pooh, part Hitty and part bedtime book. Jenkins' words and Paul Zelinsky's sumptuous, detailed illustrations make this a perfect selection for family read-alouds.

Stuffed animals come to life in these charming and old-fashioned tales with a memorable cast of characters: Lumphy, a buffalo, StingRay, a sea creature, and Plastic . . . whose classification is something of a mystery. The three friends are beloved toys of the Little…

YA FictionYA

An unforgettable family road trip

Review by Lynn Beckwith

"The first time I met my grandfather, he was laid up on a porcelain prep table at the Hamilton-Johnston Funeral Home. His eyes were wide open and he had a grin on his face, but he was as dead as doornail." So begins newcomer Helen Hemphill's engaging novel, a story of love and redemption, judgment and forgiveness, life and death . . . and Las Vegas.

Harlan Q. Stank, the 14-year-old protagonist, is working at the funeral home because he has left his own home after giving up on religion. This did not sit well with his father, Harlan P. Stank, the pastor of Sunnyside Savior Church. Harlan Q took up residence with the owners of the funeral home where the body of one Harlan O. Stank now rests. Got that genealogy? The middle initials are important: O is oldest, P is next and Q is the youngest. Harlan O and Harlan P have not been in touch with each other for 20 years, so it is quite a surprise when Harlan O shows up in Beans Creek, checks into the Wayfarer Motel, and ups and dies, before even so much as a phone call to his estranged son.

All the younger Stanks know is that Grandfather was worth quite a bit of cash, owned a Cadillac and lived in Las Vegas, far from boring Beans Creek. Mr. Stiletto, Grandfather's accountant, has everything in order and Harlan Q convinces the reverend that he can use the inheritance to start a radio mission, if only they could get to Las Vegas. So, they pack up the casket and start on the road trip of a lifetime.

Hemphill brings a fresh, humorous voice to her tale of travel, the big city, deception and forgiveness. Young Harlan Q, trying to leave Beans Creek behind, nearly loses himself. But in the end, he not only finds his own way, but gains insight into the mind and heart of his father. For readers who bemoan the violence and sordid storylines in many novels for teens, Hemphill's lively tale and memorable characters will be a breath of fresh air.

"The first time I met my grandfather, he was laid up on a porcelain prep table at the Hamilton-Johnston Funeral Home. His eyes were wide open and he had a grin on his face, but he was as dead as doornail." So begins newcomer Helen…

YA FictionYA

Daughter in a deaf world

Review by Lynn Beckwith

I have always been fascinated with American Sign Language. There is something beautiful and graceful about the emotion shown through the hands and the expressive faces of the signers. But what would it be like to have deaf parents? What would it be like to live as a hearing person in a deaf world? Delia Ray, who brought us the moving Ghost Girl last year, now turns her narrative gifts to the story of Gussie Davis, the hearing daughter of deaf parents. Ray, whose mother was raised by deaf parents, has obviously given a lot of thought to this special kind of life.

Gussie is the middle daughter, a preacher's kid growing up in Birmingham in 1948. She wants to be a godly girl, as her father and mother think she is, but Gussie just can't pull it off. Whether she secretly hums during the church service, jealously notices every unfair advantage her perfect older sister Margaret holds over her, or is angry when her father leaves to work as a missionary to deaf communities all over the South, Gussie has a hard time doing the right thing.

It is a rare story in which all the characters are so richly drawn. The three sisters have real emotions, including deep sibling rivalry for the love of their beloved, but often absent, father. Mrs. Davis works nonstop to keep the church running smoothly, the family's boarding house clean and her daughters in line. Even the boarders have complicated lives. There is also much rich back matter: Birmingham in the 1940s is a city of Jim Crow and sharply divided social classes; deaf people are objects of fascination and not considered full citizens; and to be black and deaf is more than most people can overcome. This is also a time of debate in deaf education: Can deaf people ever fully integrate into the hearing world if they communicate mainly with sign language? On so many levels, Delia Ray's story is an honest yet humorous look at a complicated time. Gussie and her sisters are characters who will stay with the reader for a long time.

I have always been fascinated with American Sign Language. There is something beautiful and graceful about the emotion shown through the hands and the expressive faces of the signers. But what would it be like to have deaf parents? What would it be like to…

Children's & YA

Unlikely buddies share lessons learned

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Buddy books are a staple on the shelves of any first- and second-grade classroom: George and Martha, Henry and Mudge, Frog and Toad. Now James Howe, author of the hilarious Bunnicula books, brings us a memorable new tandem: a sweet dog and cat pair known as Houndsley and Catina. Three linked short stories make up this delightful new offering.

Catina wanted to be a writer. Yes, she did. Armed with a cup of ginger tea, a pencil and lots of paper, each evening she writes another chapter of her book. She is up to Chapter 73 in Life Through the Eyes of a Cat, and she just knows she is going to be a famous writer and win lots of awards. But when best friend Houndsley the dog asks to read the book, he hardly knows what to say. So he says simply, I am speechless. And what about Houndsley? He likes to cook, even for a vegetarian like Catina. And when competitive Catina convinces him to enter a cooking contest, he decides he might just need the new pots and pans that are the prize. But, when he gets there and discovers an audience and, gasp, TV cameras, he has second thoughts and his nervousness gets the best of him. Gently, so gently, while watching fireflies, Houndsley and Catina reflect on their talents together and come to the same conclusion: they do not have to be the best or win prizes to enjoy their hobbies. They can just be friends. A gentle message, delivered at just the right pitch.

To create the book, Howe teamed up with artist Marie- Louise Gay, whose sunny watercolor, collage and pencil illustrations bring more energy to the light, humorous text. Gay's depiction of the spiky-haired Catina and the mellow, oval-faced Houndsley add to the book's charm.

Howe clearly has another winner with Houndsley and Catina, the first entry in a new series.

Buddy books are a staple on the shelves of any first- and second-grade classroom: George and Martha, Henry and Mudge, Frog and Toad. Now James Howe, author of the hilarious Bunnicula books, brings us a memorable new tandem: a sweet dog and cat pair known…

YA FictionYA

The ugly duckling, down under

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Donna Jo Napoli, an author long admired for her fairy tale retellings (Zel, Beast, Bound and The Prince of the Pond), explores the famous Hans Christian Andersen story of The Ugly Duckling in a new version set in Tasmania.

Mother, a Pacific black duck, desperately encourages the enormous green egg in her nest to hatch. But when it does finally hatch, Mother is the only one who is happy. It seems that every critter on Dove Lake has it out for poor Ugly. The freckled ducks gang up on him, the grebes are simply terrified, and the teal ducklings bite him. Soon Mother has no choice. For the safety of the rest of her family, she sorrowfully lets him know his fate: You're my little genius. If you use your head, you have a chance. But if you stay here, you have none. The other ducks of Dove Lake will surely kill you. She advises him to make a friend. A friend helps. All anyone really needs is one good friend. So, sadly, that is what Ugly sets out to do, make a friend.

Napoli warmly embraces the wildlife of Tasmania through the eyes and beak of Ugly. First he attempts to befriend a plainspoken wallaby. But the wallaby seems only interested in boxing and protecting itself from the odious Tasmanian Devil, his most feared predator. Then, our unlikely hero meets up with a wombat, who promises to be a better friend, even though he stays in a hole and lives in fear of quolls. And on through the wonderful world of Tasmanian wildlife Ugly goes from wombat to swamphens to geese to human beings to possums and, finally, to swans. He learns the truth about himself and finds out that his mother was right after all: all anyone really needs is a good friend.

Napoli's hilarious ducky voice rings through this entertaining tale. She chooses not to talk down to her young readers, filling her prose with such scientific words as crepuscular, undulate, nocturnal and monotreme. A professor of linguistics at Swarthmore College, Napoli conveys a contagious delight in language and a charming animal's-eye view of the world.

Donna Jo Napoli, an author long admired for her fairy tale retellings (Zel, Beast, Bound and The Prince of the Pond), explores the famous Hans Christian Andersen story of The Ugly Duckling in a new version set in Tasmania.

Mother, a Pacific black duck, desperately…

YA FictionYA

The aftermath of a fateful night

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Rose and Ivy Latham are sisters, friends and companions, until one winter night when a new driver in a blue truck slides off a mountain road into their car. Eighteen-year-old Ivy was driving, but now she is in a coma in a convalescent home. Though she is not technically brain dead, doctors find virtually no brain function. When she is experimentally taken off the ventilator, Ivy tries to breathe and convinces her bereft mother that she wants to live. So her life continues. She is fed by a stomach tube, her hair grows, her eyes stay closed, even when her sister sits with her for hours and hours, reading and talking to her.

Anyone who has lived through the horror of a traumatic brain injury will recognize the survivors. First we have 17-year-old Rose, who relives the terror of the accident every day. She wakes up, hoping that this memory is nothing more that a terrible nightmare. But it isn't. Every quiet moment is filled with the blue truck, the brakes, the rainy road, the blood, the terror and the emptiness. It can not be filled by the hours and hours spent visiting Ivy and reading to her. It cannot be filled with gratuitous sex. Nothing can make her feel anything. The weight of the accident is too much for Rose as she is consumed with memories and the thoughts of what she would give up to have Ivy back. Would she sacrifice even her life?

Then, we have their mother. She fills her day at the brewery, righting bottles, straightening labels and blindly working. At night, her hands are busy, too. She is obsessively folding 1,000 paper cranes, folding and folding as if that will save her girl. She does not fill her days visiting her comatose daughter, however. In the words of her compassionate neighbor, William T., she is doing the best she can.

Though Rose's mother is living in denial and in her own pain, William T. and a childhood friend, Tom Miller, recognize her pain and help her move toward healing. Little by little, Rose comes to realize that Ivy was someone who lived her life like a rushing river, while Rose has to rely on her inner lake of calm to restore herself.

All Rivers Flow to the Sea presents a sad, touching and altogether realistic story. The first-person narrative can, at times, be almost too painful, too close. But McGhee's voice is always clear and honest.

Rose and Ivy Latham are sisters, friends and companions, until one winter night when a new driver in a blue truck slides off a mountain road into their car. Eighteen-year-old Ivy was driving, but now she is in a coma in a convalescent home. Though…

Children's & YA

Here she comes to save the day

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Somewhere deep in the American Southwest lives a big lady a really big lady. Big enough to be Swamp Angel's sister or Paul Bunyan's cousin, Do–a Flor lives in the mountains where she was born. Nurtured by the sweet songs of her mother, Flor grew and grew and grew, until she was big enough to build her own house, "as big as a mountain and as open as a canyon."

Flor might be big, but she is a gentle giant, blessed with the ability to talk to animals of all sizes, from the teeniest bug to the village schoolchildren to the most ferocious puma. And, when one of these pumas terrorizes her neighbors and friends, Dona Flor steps in and tames the giant cat and saves her village.

Pat Mora and Raul Colon, who created the award-winning picture book Tomas and the Library Lady, team up again to bring children a traditional-sounding tale with a Spanish accent. With Spanish words easily sprinkled among the English, Dona Flor reads like a story told by an abuela to her English-speaking grandchildren. And this abuela loves telling her story and adding delicious details each time she tells it giant tortillas that can be used as rafts or roofs, Flor reading an entire encyclopedia in five minutes, and tiny pumas sleeping in the wrinkles of her dress.

Colon's signature art, a combination of watercolor, etching and litho pencils, carefully reflects the plot, helping the non-Spanish reader understand the occasional unfamiliar words. Often, Colon draws Flor so large that her head is cut off by the frame of the illustration. Stomping off to find the troublesome puma, Flor's angry fists pump the air as she completely fills the frame. Later, with tiny villagers at her feet, our heroine plucks una estrella from the night sky and hangs the star over her door so her friends can find their way to her.

Creating the feeling of an old-fashioned tall tale, Mora and Colon have crafted an original story, filled with gentle rhythms of a bedtime lullaby certain to satisfy young readers.

Somewhere deep in the American Southwest lives a big lady a really big lady. Big enough to be Swamp Angel's sister or Paul Bunyan's cousin, Do–a Flor lives in the mountains where she was born. Nurtured by the sweet songs of her mother, Flor grew…

Children's & YA

Alone on the streets of New York

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Little Beniamino, born poor and fatherless in Napoli, is about to have an unwelcome adventure. Early one morning, wearing his best clothes and sporting his first pair of shoes, he ends up abandoned in the hold of a ship, headed to America. It's all so confusing for him: Where is his mother? Why is he alone? Where is he going?

When he arrives in New York City, life gets even more challenging. It is 1892 and a nine-year-old boy alone is in real danger. First, there are the immigration officials who chalk a large "O" on his clothes, marking him as an orphan. Next, and even more terrifying, are the padrones, men who pay the passages of homeless boys and then force them to work off the debt by begging.

Beniamino, now renamed Dom, is a smart little boy, trained by his mother to survive. His habit of listening and observing pays off when he strikes out on his own, following the sound of the Napolitano accents in a city of many Italian accents. Always a boy with a plan, Dom hatches a scheme to raise money and return to his beloved Mamma.

The strength of this period novel is the author's sense of place. The hierarchy of the street acts like an extra character. The street thieves, beggars and homeless boys all protect their turf. Jews are despised by all but united by their Eastern European past. In church, Italians have to worship in the basement, but the Irish get to sit in the pews. The English-speaking white-collar workers on Wall Street are secure at the top of the social order, and their casual relationship with money is just the thing for a young man with a business plan. Dom, an Italian Jew (who wisely keeps his religion a secret), must find his way in this maze.

Young readers ready for a gripping tale in the tradition of Oliver Twist will be drawn into Dom's life, his heartbreaking friendship with a beggar boy and his reconciliation with the truth. It is cliche to say that books can make history come alive, but Napoli's newest is anything but cliche.

Little Beniamino, born poor and fatherless in Napoli, is about to have an unwelcome adventure. Early one morning, wearing his best clothes and sporting his first pair of shoes, he ends up abandoned in the hold of a ship, headed to America. It's all so…

Children's & YA

A picky eater with attitude

Review by Lynn Beckwith

From the cover to the final page, there can be no doubt that what we have here is one very bad cat. Evidence abounds, from the torn up furniture to the paw prints up the wall to the moustache and beard drawn on the author's photo. But the jet-black feline at the heart of this entertaining picture book wasn't always a bad cat. She was a sweet kitty until the fateful day when her family ran out of cat food and offered her people food instead. Does this kitty appreciate the food? Well, in a word, no.

Author/illustrator Nick Bruel presents a riotous alphabetical roster of healthy foods presented to the cat, from asparagus to zucchini. Kitty reacts with disdain, like a teenager receiving fashion advice from a parent: grabbing her neck, rolling her eyes, screaming in horror. And when the facial gestures fail to get her message across, the kitty resorts to more forceful actions calculated to get RESPECT! Once again, readers are launched on a trip through the alphabet. First, we learn, the bad kitty "Ate my homework" and then "Bit Grandma." Other highlights of kitty's revenge (in alphabetical order, of course) are "Hurled hair balls at our heads" and "Overturned her cat box" and finally, "Zeroed the zinnias." Her displeasure with the culinary choices chez kitty builds to its hilarious climax and is brought to a screeching halt when the adults arrive with a bevy of tasty treats for kitty, everything from anchovies to zebra ziti. To pay back her generous owner, bad kitty decides she wants to be a good kitty. "But not just any good kitty a very, very good, good, good kitty." The contrite cat performs fine feline tasks and even takes on duties usually reserved for human beings, like repairing curtains and filling out tax forms.

Bruel has created a joyfully silly portrait of a picky eater with attitude. His bold, humorous illustrations are sure to keep young readers amused as they follow kitty's escapades again and again.

From the cover to the final page, there can be no doubt that what we have here is one very bad cat. Evidence abounds, from the torn up furniture to the paw prints up the wall to the moustache and beard drawn on the author's…

Children's & YA

Kate DiCamillo’s porcine wonder

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Funny thing about Kate DiCamillo — she does not write the same book twice. From Because of Winn-Dixie to Tiger Rising and on to her Newbery-winning The Tale of Despereaux, DiCamillo has always followed her own heart and voice. Her latest departure is the first of a promised series about an overfed, overindulged pig named Mercy Watson. Artist Chris Van Dusen joins in the fun with full-color gouache illustrations. With its straightforward story line, repeated text and hilarious illustrations, this new series should delight young readers.

You might not know any house pigs, but my friend Helen lives with her pig Forkie, and Mercy's life seems rather close to Forkie's life of pampered pig bliss. She gets to eat the food she likes, in Mercy's case buttered toast, and she gets to sleep where she likes, right between the equally well-fed Mr. and Mrs. Watson. The Watsons might be smart enough to have the perfect pet, but they are not too bright when it comes to solving life's little problems. For this, they need their pig friend. One night, while the three of them are enjoying a night of repose and dreams of toast, they are awakened by the sound of the floor creaking and breaking. Unable to move or reach the phone, the Watsons are sure that Mercy, who has jumped out of bed, is off to find rescuers. Mercy has more than rescue on her mind; toast with a great deal of butter is her motivation. In a hilarious turn of events, Mercy does indeed manage to find help for her hapless parents but not before an all-out search for sustenance disrupts her elderly neighbors, Baby and Eugenia, and requires the services of Ned and Lorenzo, the local firefighters. In the end, Mercy is no longer just a pig, but a full-fledged porcine wonder. She has saved the day and her reward is a big stack of toast with a great deal of butter. Enthusiastic young fans will eagerly await the further adventures of their new favorite pig.

Funny thing about Kate DiCamillo -- she does not write the same book twice. From Because of Winn-Dixie to Tiger Rising and on to her Newbery-winning The Tale of Despereaux, DiCamillo has always followed her own heart and voice. Her latest departure is the first…

Children's & YA

The wonders of an ordinary place

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Slow down the pace of modern life and turn to the world of Sassafras Springs, Missouri, right after the turn of the 20th century. Young Eben McAllister lives there with his widowed Pa and Aunt Pretty, and he has a severe case of wanderlust brought on by reading all about the world, especially the Seven Wonders of the World. The more he reads, the more he realizes how danged ordinary his life and town are.

But things are about to get interesting for Eben. After his father sadly admits his regret that his late wife never got to visit her cousins in Silver Peak, Colorado, he comes up with an intriguing idea for Eben. You find yourself Seven Wonders right here in Sassafras Springs and I'll buy you a ticket to go see Molly and Eli and that mountain! Aunt Pretty can barely believe her ears imagine a 12-year-old boy traveling all by himself, let alone leaving his father right before harvest! Seven Wonders in seven days? In this little old speck-on-the-map town? The race is on and we all cheer for Eben on as he begins his search for . . . well, what exactly is he searching for? Surely not pyramids or hanging gardens. Eben has lived in his town for his whole life. He knows all the residents and, to his young mind, there is nothing special about a one of them. But, a challenge is a challenge and a train ticket is nothing to scoff at.

At first, his neighbors are suspicious and figure Eben is up to no good. Even Mrs. Pritchard, his Sunday school teacher, seems to disapprove of his quest, until she comes up with an idea of her own. In one stunning story from her youth, Eben hears a tale that qualifies as a Wonder with a capital W. As he digs deeper into the lives of his neighbors, he discovers amazing things about them and their world. Each wonder brings him closer to reaching Colorado.

Gentle illustrations and down-home dialect help make this a book to treasure and reread. Here is a story that will inspire you to look for the wonders in your own town and make you want to pass this special book along to the next reader.

Slow down the pace of modern life and turn to the world of Sassafras Springs, Missouri, right after the turn of the 20th century. Young Eben McAllister lives there with his widowed Pa and Aunt Pretty, and he has a severe case of wanderlust brought…

Children's & YA

Be careful what you wish for

Review by Lynn Beckwith

Once there was a troll. He was not especially good-looking, nor was he especially ugly. He was just an ordinary troll. His name was Gus. So begins The Happy Troll, a charming picture book that depicts the troll's quest for happiness.

Gus might be an ordinary troll, but he has an extraordinary voice. His singing charms his little friends, and soon trolls from far and wide come to hear Gus' songs. With the joy reflected in Peter Sís' oil pastel on gesso illustrations, we see Gus bathed in light while his audience watches in rapt attention. Gus especially enjoys the little gifts his friends bring fresh water, nuts, roots and berries. Gus was happy.

But, one day, a grateful raven with a gold ring on his claw begs Gus to sing for him. Gus is transfixed by the gold ring and will only sing if the raven gives up the ring. The raven gives up the ring and Gus sings. In the tradition of such stories as The Fisherman's Wife, The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle and, of course, The Midas Touch, Gus learns that wishes granted can bring woe. He is beguiled by a snake with a gold crown and a frog with a gold carriage. He is so busy showing off his crown and ring that he has no time to sing his songs.

Soon, he is all alone. And, boy, is he alone. Sís paints the sad, lonely troll with dark teal strokes under a weed-infested tree, with the lonely carriage decaying on the side. Nothing gives the reader hope but a tiny, golden fairy carrying a lantern in the lower left corner of the page. It takes Gus, all alone, to figure out what he needs to do to get his music back. And, along the way, he finds joy and forgiveness. The timeless story, originally published in Switzerland and now released for the first time in an American edition, is perfectly complemented by Sís' tiny details. In the end, a joyous circle of hand-holding trolls tells it all.

Once there was a troll. He was not especially good-looking, nor was he especially ugly. He was just an ordinary troll. His name was Gus. So begins The Happy Troll, a charming picture book that depicts the troll's quest for happiness.

Gus might be…

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