THE ROBE OF SKULLS (FICTION)

Halloween draws nearer and nearer! (Insert cackle here!) The owl is abroad, the bat and the toad...and the howl for spooky reads from kids 9-12 grows ever louder! Here are some more picks for reading by moonlight, or flashlight.

FICTION

THE ROBE OF SKULLS by Vivian French, illustrated by Ross Collins (Candlewick) It is the scream heard round the world (or at least around the high mountain village of Fracture) when Lady Lamorna discovers she does not have the funds for the dress of her dreams. But she puts the resourceful in sorceress when she decided to earn the money by turning princes and princess into frogs and back for ransom. She is surrounded by fairy-tale prototypes that are painted with a original strokes, from a motivationally-speaking bat to a prince without a taste for royalty and to Gracie Gillypot, the brave, under-appreciated stepdaughter who sets out to find Lamorna and put her in her place. This book is a breezy, page-turning read with a surprise ending, and plenty of Halloween motifs. Black-ink spot illustrations are as delicate and devious as a skeleton's bone. I believe this catchy, scratchy little novel is number one on the Transylvania Times bestseller list...if not, it should be. (9 and up)

Also, excuse me for saying so, but I couldn't help thinking that Lady Lamorna would like to go shopping with Auntie Malice from my book DIARY OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER, "stunning in her purple satin dress with the high neck and tortoiseshell cape--tortoises sewn along the hem, clawing helplessless as she dragged them along." Together, they could hit the fashion world like the other famous witches Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie.

Also of interest:
Want some more shivers?

ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES by Mary Downing Hahn (Clarion) Grandma's Vermont Inn has a reputation for ghostly goings-on, so visiting grandchildren Travis and Corey oblige with the chain-rattling a la Brady Bunch. The legend of the haunted house brings in business, but the children's mischief manages to awaken the real evil spirits, who scare Travis and Corey, and readers, too. How will they ever right the wrongs done to these restless souls? Sorry, Neil Gaiman of CORALINE fame, Hahn holds her crown as the master of the middle-grade ghost story with a capital G. This latest mixes in both mystery and history, casting the same spell as her classic WAIT TILL HELEN COMES, which has been giving children goosebumps for generations. If your bookloving patron is voicing complaints of "not scary enough," you can offer Hahn's titles with the disclaimer, "don't come crying to me if you think you hear something go bump in the night." OOoooOOOOOOO! (10 and up)

THE MYSTERY OF THE FOOL AND THE VANISHER by David and Ruth Ellwand (Candlewick) An ethereal story-within-a-story about a man who finds the journal and a box of peculiar fragments relating to a doomed mine expedition, in which some fairy folk were disturbed and wrought their vengeance. Told mostly from the point of view of the expedition's accompanying photographer (and advocate of the fairy folk), the gorgeous volume is decorated with sepia images of tangled tree boughs and surprising treasures. Enthusiasts of THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES and older admirers of the work of Joseph Conrad will appreciate the measured, mannered, Victorian tone that takes it's time in achieving the perfect tension of a web, and closes in around the reader like the darkening of a forest. An unusual, mystifying read-aloud that questions the nature of belief. Look at the last photo for yourself, and decide: do you believe in magic? (11 and up)

Need a list of not-too-spooky stories for your younger ones? Grab your trick-or-treat bag and visit here.

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

THE TWIN GIANTS (FICTION)

FICTION
THE TWIN GIANTS by Dick King Smith, illustrated by Mini Grey (Candlewick)

Once upon a mountain, there lived two brother giants. Twin brothers, in fact, something that's rare amon giants. When the first one was born, his giant father looked at the baby and said..."Isn't he e-nor-mous!" And when the second one arrived, his giant mother looked at the huge baby and said..."There's a-lot-uv-'im!"

So begins the romantic misadventures of Lottavim and Normis, two chummy big boys who travel from mountain to mountain in search of suitable brides. Frustrations and folkloric tomfoolery abound as one vegetarian brother encounters a curvaceous carnivore and the meat-eating man meets up with a macrobiotic missus, but when the brothers try to switch dates, the ladies can't tell them apart and refuse them both on grounds of incompatibility. When the brothers finally meet the girl of both of their dreams, will there be enough of her to go around? By the author of BABE, THE GALLANT PIG, this master storyteller's sense of humor quells any questionable mush ("There were of course plenty of girls of marriageable age in the rich and fertile valley below, but neither twin was the least bit interested in such midgets, mostly less than five and a half feet tall"). Illustrations are appropriately colorful and chunky, with diverse and animated layouts, making it an attractive pick for both the picture book set as well as the child reaching for first chapter books. Children, living in a world of veritable giants, can be depended upon to enjoy a tale where bigger isn't always better; pair with Mordicai Gerstein's CAROLINDA CLATTER or the hilarious "How Big Mouth Wrestled the Giant" from DIANE GOODE'S BOOK OF GIANTS AND LITTLE PEOPLE for big belly laughs. This jolly read-aloud with an unabashedly happy ending will leave readers with a giant-sized smile and a belief that yes, there probably really is someone out there for everyone. (5 and up)

Also of interest:
More fun from a fairy-tale world!
KENNY AND THE DRAGON by Tony DiTerlizzi (Simon & Schuster) A chapter book, read-aloud retooling of Kenneth Grahame's The RELUCTANT DRAGON in which Kenneth, a bunny, has to stage a faux fight with his friend Grahame, a dragon, in order to satisfy the bloodthirsty horde. This slim volume is prettily packaged, from the gold-gilded lettering on the cover to the plethora of elegantly detailed pencil drawings stylistically reminiscent of early Wallace Tripp (for case in point, see A GREAT BIG UGLY MAN CAME UP AND TIED HIS HORSE TO ME...could somebody please explain how on earth could a children's book with such a title could ever go out of print?). The original story, with a plot that endured, unfortunately had a language that did not; the classic's erudite lingo belabors the average bear. Thanks to this more modern but still magical treatment by The Spiderwick Chronicles collaborator, bookish boys will find a kindred spirit, and a new generation will get a chance to encounter these inventive ambassadors of peaceful solutions. (7 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esme stuff at www.planetesme.com.

ELVIS & OLIVE (FICTION)

FICTION
ELVIS AND OLIVE by Stephanie Watson (Scholastic)

"Don't be fooled by people who seem boring. Even the most dull-looking people do all kinds of weird, interesting things when they think no one's watching."

Cross Pippi Longstocking with The Great Gilly Hopkins and you've got Annie, code name "Elvis," who strongarms the otherwise cautious Natalie, code name "Olive," into a summer of spying on the neighbors. From the moment we are dragged along with Natalie under the porch with the near-feral topless wild child Annie, we are drawn into her world of unlikely and outlandish stories, and readers will share Natalie's wish that they are true; but the real truth is that Annie's lies are covering a deep and secret hurt. Clever Annie knows she's not the only one with something to hide, and from an uninvited vantage point the girls witness a harmless jig of frustration danced by an unhappy businessman and the whimsical hobby of a retired army sargeant, the more dangerous admission of shoplifting methodology by a teen beauty queen, and finally, in an effort to prove to to Annie that she is capable of taking risks, Natalie bears witness to vandalism. When a few too many secrets are revealed for the community's comfort and Natalie's secret crush is on the table, Natalie has to think hard about what she can do to redeem reputations, and to recoup the unlikely friendship she has come to treasure.

This story walks the fine line between innocence and innocence lost in a way that is appropriate for the tweenagers walking that same line. With a style like a modern-day Carolyn Haywood, the swell of the story's plot builds steadily and the characters are both interesting but comfortably recognizable. Although this book sports two girls on the cover, the spy-theme and opportunity for classroom discussion crosses gender lines. When is it all right to tell secrets, or to keep them? Why do people tell lies? Why do we want to believe them? Why do parents sometimes disapprove of the friends we choose? Do opposites really attract? What are the lines we draw between friend and enemy? What are some different ways this story could have gone? In an overflow of girl-on-the-cover fiction, this stand-out is one that shouldn't be kept secret for very long, and this new author is definitely one to watch, with or without binoculars. (9 and up)

Also of interest:
AFTERNOON OF THE ELVES by Janet Taylor Lisle (Putnam)
A poignant and resonant Newbery honor book about a girl whose friendship with a poor but imaginative neighbor leads her to abandon the mores of the rest of her community. Is Sarah-Kate really an elf with an enchanted backyard, or a neglected girl with more on her plate than a child can handle? A beautifully wrought story about a girl who learns to form her own opinions, for better or worse, and a wonderful choice for reading circle and book club comparisons with ELVIS AND OLIVE. (10 and up)

And a couple other strong female protagonists join us on the fiction shelf:

JUST GRACE WALKS THE DOG by Charise Myracle Harper (Houghton Mifflin) In this stands-on-it's own latest in the "Grace" series, buddies Grace and Mimi determine that Grace has a better shot of having her folks say "yes" to a dog, so they set out to prove their pet care prowess with the help of a cardboard prototype. A chapter book nod to Dayal Kaur Khlasa's I WANT A DOG (the little girl in that story takes meticulous care of a roller skate), what sets this apart from the rest on the shelf is the empathy and carefully chosen words the friends extend toward one another. Refreshing! (7 and up)

BRONTE'S BOOK CLUB by Kristiana Gergory (Holiday House) Literary soul After moving from California to New Mexico, Bronte Bella starts a book club featuring ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS (oh, don't you want to join?), but finds that making new friends is not as easy as it seems in stories, and getting the gathered to talk about the books and not each other is a whole other challenge. Though Sheila Greenwald's MARIAH DELANEY'S LENDING LIBRARY DISASTER will always be my favorite book about book clubs, Gregory's good humor will make her a favorite author, and distinct character prototypes will make Bronte's hard-won clique a hit with young TRAVELING PANTS fans. (9 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

THE NEDDIAD (FICTION)

PICTURE BOOK
THE NEDDIAD by D. Manus Pinkwater (Houghton Mifflin)
I have read all the reviews of this book so far. Most of the reviewers liked it pretty well. Did any of them get what it's about? Not really. Do I know what it's about? Well, I'm the author. Am I going to say what it's about? Nope--that would be telling. I hope you will read it, and make up your own mind. If you hate the book, you can always make it a present to someone whose taste you don't respect, or use it for pressing flowers, or a doorstop.

So sayeth D. Manus Pinkwater in an autobiographically written Amazon review, but I'm afraid I won't be using his latest novel for a doorstop anytime soon; then we would miss all the fun of traveling alongside Neddie Wenworthstein, who is making an elegant cross-country trip from 1940's Chicago to Los Angeles, land of the LaBrea Tar Pits and hat-shaped restaurants, courtesy of the bankroll made big by his father, scoring a fortune in shoelaces. Separated from his family on route, Neddie encounters a shaman who puts him in possession of a turtle carved from a meteorite, a fun little chochkie that is all that separates humanity from the end of civilization. Hang on to it, Neddie! Pinkwater takes us cross-country in this expansive, genuinely imaginative and original novel. This is an author that knows its audience well enough to throw in a woolly mammoth that can perform a circus trick, aliens from outer space, and a ghost. And this is the author who can make you believe it could have happened...and that it could happen to you. (9 and up)

Also of interest:
I have been getting a few e-mails asking why I don't review more fiction. Well, to tell you the truth, I only like to recommend books that hit a home run, and when I read novels, it's harder to find books that get past second base in terms of consensus by their intended audience of kids 9-12. They take along time to read and to share, and even after best efforts, many are met with a youthful ambivalence, an eye-rolling distaste that only a tweenager can fully manufacture. Throw in the desire to find books worthy of read-aloud to older kids, maybe something they will even read by romantic flashlight, and you've got quite the tall order. Still, a few funny, thoughtful titles have lately made the grade, and I am happy to present some smart chapter books for smart kids:

ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE EVIL LIBRARIANS by Brandon Sanderson (Scholastic) Are you so bad at something, you're almost good at being bad at it? For Alcatraz Smedry, he is world-class at being clumsy, but his greatest fault may be a life-saver when faced with the cult of Evil Librarians, who abscond with a precious bag of sand, an inheritance given to him on his thirteenth birthday, setting off a truly epic quest that happens almost entirely in the library. This book has laugh-out-loud slapstick, zany characters, and a meticulous plotting that keeps imagination from becoming mayhem; in fact, I have yet to meet a child (or a librarian) who didn't like this book, probably because it sizzles with magic, and gives readers hope that whatever fault you may have can be turned to an advantage. The tempo of the storytelling has been widely compared to The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai in the 8th Dimension, so fasten your seat belts. (9 and up)

THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS by R.L. LaFevers (Houghton Mifflin) What to do, oh dear, what to do when your parents are archeologists and fall under Egyptian curses? Par for the course, it seems, for savvy, sharp-tongued daughter Theodosia, a turn-of-the-century butt-kicker who is on the prowl for a powerful amulet that World War I bigwigs are gunning for. It's hard to say who is an ally and who is an enemy, but luckily, Theodosia trusts none. Enthusiasts of historical fiction (especially WWI and Ancient Egypt) will find an erudite book with a vocabulary and wit that doesn't talk down to its audience for a New York (ahem, make that a Cairo) minute. Smart stuff. (11 and up)

THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY by Trenton Lee Stewart (Little, Brown) "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?" After answering this unusual ad, Reynie finds himself in the company of three equally unusual associates: small, sad Sticky, still heartbroken over the avaricious nature of his parents; adventurous Kate, who really ran away to join the circus; and cantankerous Constance, who is clearly good for something, if we can only discover what. Together, they choose to unite in a secret mission and take down the nefarious force at the Learning Institute of the Very Enlightened, the hub of messages that are being subliminally sent into the minds of the masses. Carefully paced and full of very clever puzzles and challenges that the children undertake, this book will happily confound followers of Balliet's CHASING VERMEER series, and fans of Georgia Byng's MOLLY MOON'S BOOK OF HYPNOTISM will appreciate the carefully drawn pathos of each of the characters, plenty of underdogs worth rooting for. (10 and up)

THE SEEMS: THE GLITCH IN SLEEP by John Hulme and Michael Wexler (Bloomsbury USA) How do you think things run in the world? Who makes the weather? Who designs dreams? Filling the position of "the Best Job in the World," Twelve-year-old Becker Drane becomes a fixer, a cog in the The Plan which keeps things running smoothly. Some disconcerting glitches are occurring, maybe instigated by the Bedbugs who handle Nightmares, or perhaps a secret organization bent on dismantling the structure altogether? Whatever the cause, Draner better mend the problems of the world, or have the Fabric of Reality ripped away. Fans of Juster's THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH will appreciate the humor and wordplay throughout. A truly great fantasy creates an alternate world and makes us believe in it; with page-turning speed, this book sure enough seems to deliver. (9 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

PUPPET PANDEMONIUM (FICTION)

FICTION
PUPPET PANDEMONIUM by Diane Roberts (Delacorte)

The move from Seattle to a small town of Franklin, Texas is suspect to Baker, who was well settled in and quite comfortable, thank-you-very- much, with a best friend and a baseball team and a tony job as Grandma's apprentice puppeteer. With the help of a ventriloquist's dummy given as a going-away gift, Baker works on building his confidence and talents he will have to offer his new community, hopefully in time for the big Franklin Fall Festival, in which a long-lasting rivalry between two small towns peak in the form of performance. The description of the fair, replete with Frito Pie fried Oreos and Tilt-A-Whirl, is rich with regional warmth and detail. Clearly, the Lone Star state is far from the lonely star state, as every child gets a chance to shine and a small town proves just as good as a big city for making friends.

I must say, my enthusiasm for this book may have some bias; getting me to like a book about puppetry and Texas is about as hard as shooting fish in a barrel (shout out to Buda and Kyle...would someone there please adopt me?!). In fact, there are editorial aspects of the storytelling that could use strengthening; problems are solved with a pinch of Pollyanna predictability, the pacing is a bit harried and the pat endings brimming with blue ribbons insinuate more of a 1950's television show than a puppet show. That said, the chummy, upbeat tone of this book offers a dose of "positivity" many children could afford and appreciate, and the inclusion of a highly active and influential grandparent is realistic and refreshing. Children who are about to make a major move will have their hopes bolstered by the fast friendships Baker makes in his new town. Best of all, this is the sort of book, like Megan McDonald's STINK or Suzy Kline's freaking brilliant HORRIBLE HARRY (which, incidentally, if you are a second/third grade teacher, you must have and read all of them in the series) that has a high level of confidence-building readability and depicts kids taking a ton of initiative, inspiring readers to do the same. Who could read this book and not want to get together with friends and make a puppet show of their own? (7 and up)

Also of interest:
KAMISHIBAI MAN by Allen Say (Houghton Mifflin)
Kamishibai, or "paper theater," is an art form popularized during an economic depression in Japan during the 1930's. The kamishibai storyteller would be surrounded by children, eager to hear his tales and see the hand-painted illustrations, and buy the candies from his cart. But with the advent of the television, the unique form of street performance loses its audience. What's an old kamishibai man to do? This touching story chronicles what happens when an artist once celebrated ventures out into a modern, urban world, filled with traffic and television, for a final performance. Will he find his audience once more? Sophisticated ideas of aging and cultural change make this ideal for discussion with older children, and young artists may also enjoy trying to create their own kamishibai. (6 and up)

This past year, I had the very good fortune of learning how to give a kamishibai show under the guidance of master early childhood educator Carolyn Tripp. She let me use her authentic theater for library storytimes; it took me a long time to find out where to get one just like hers, but you can write a grant and find one here! It's a lot of fun; the story is written on the back of the a series of pictures on stiff paper, and as you read the story as the children view the image inside the frame, offering the lure of television without the electricity. The last picture has the first text to be read, so as you change the picture by moving the first picture behind the others, the text changes in progression. The traditional kamishibai story cards are exciting, but they are expensive; I found it worked even better to make our own kamishibai-style stories by drawing on paper that fit the screen, and typing out the text and attaching it to the back for reading.

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears" kamishibai-style!
I drew some of the pictures, and the four-year-olds drew the rest.
Play some jaunty background music as you read, and you're off!

And at the risk of feeding consumer frenzy, on the subject of storytelling theaters, I do have to let you know about one of the most beautiful and extraordinary things I came to own in the past year, A Grand Little Theater of Puppets, in the hopes you can have one, too. When a teacher friend and I took it out of the box, we both practically had to reach for our inhalers, it so took our breath away! We couldn't stop sighing and shouting! What an heirloom! Inspired by popular European toy theaters from the 19th century and the vision of educator and puppeteer Judith O'Hare, these sizeable tabletop theaters have an elegance and attention to detail that is from another time altogether. The theater came with five gorgeous little rod marionettes from Hansel and Gretel, and a book of pop-up scenery that the puppets play on. I loved the first set of puppets, but the Three Billy Goats Gruff story set was even better (so much fun to make the little guys trip-trop!) and there is a shadow puppet accessory pack for a whole different effect. This is a well-crafted treasure for any child with gentle hands, or a great way to say an extravagant thank you to a favorite teacher or librarian.

Lastly, let's wave goodbye with puppets on our hands, with the help of YouTube and puppets by Folkmanis: check out The WitchyPoo Story Hour (which is really only about two minutes), and you can join Volfy and me as we lip-sync to Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson singing "Wunderbar" from KISS ME KATE, goofing around at the PlanetEsme Bookroom. (Clearly, I'm no Jim Henson...thanks for loading anyway, JesusMom39).

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

WHERE I LIVE (FICTION), HALF A WORLD AWAY (PICTURE BOOK) and BOOKROOM TRIBUTE

FICTION

WHERE I LIVE by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Matt Phelan (Dial)
The good news: Diana won a contest with her poem about the sun and is going to get to go to a workshop with a real, live author; her best friend Diana lets her borrow her fetching purple flopple (sometimes); and mom is coming home soon after taking care of Grandpa Joe, who broke his arm. The bad news: all the whispering Diana has overheard has been about the job Dad has lost, and now the family is going to have to move in with Grandpa Joe. How can Diana ever leave her beloved yellow house, or find a friend as fun and loyal as Rose? Will she still get to meet the author? A middle-class American child's common dilemmas get a sympathetic treatment here, and are given gravity and immediacy. With no shortage of issues, the author manages to bring it around believably and naturally, lest we forget that from a child's POV ups and downs really do seem to happen at a rapid-fire pace. First person prose is given a line-by-line poetic format and adds to its readability. I appreciated the illustrator's depiction of Diana's best friend Rose as an African-American, a refreshing inclusion in the suburban setting. This book is an excellent choice for kids who are looking for a book about "a kid like me." (7 and up)

And "moving" right along...
HALF A WORLD AWAY by Libby Gleeson, illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Scholastic) Exceptionally beautiful watercolors grace of this story of two great friends separated half a world away by a move. "If I call Amy really loudly, she'll hear me, won't she?" "Maybe," says grandma. "You can only try." The boy's call covers wordless double-page spreads across the country and into the distant city in the form of clouds, a dream that is felt and recognized by his dear friend so far away. This book so gracefully acknowledges both the real pain children experience when a friend moves away as well as affirms the power children have to continue to love. Moving and beautiful, when I read it to a group of early childhood teachers, there was a lot of damp eyes and a choke in my own throat. As far as books that deal with childhood issues, this sensitive, hopeful and powerful title deserves to be a classic about moving the way Judith Viorst's THE TENTH GOOD THING ABOUT BARNEY marks the passing of a pet. (4 and up)

Also of interest:
Putting down prose in a lineated form is also employed by the popular young adult author Sonya Sones in many of her titles, including ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES (that is the actual title, not an editorial comment). But this stylistic choice is not the sole property of the teenage set. WHERE I LIVE immediately brought to mind my yellowing copy of Vivan L. Thompson and Lilian Obligado's SAD DAY GLAD DAY, also about a girl who has to move (in 1970, I'd say Thompson was way ahead of her time). The increasingly popular form also begs mentioning a couple of other poignant picks for point-of-view:
LOVE THAT DOG by Sharon Creech (Harper Trophy) Jack's opinion of poetry changes after connecting with author Walter Dean Myers. Is poetry just for girls, or does it spill out with the depth of Jack's feelings? Love that book. (8 and up)
AMBER WAS BRAVE, ESSIE WAS SMART by Vera Williams (HarperTrophy) Two savvy sisters navigate their urban setting and find fun under trying circumstances in this honest but hopeful portrait that every city kid will recognize and every suburban kid should know about. (7 and up).
SKETCHES FROM A SPY TREE by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, illustrated by Andrew Glass (Clarion) This very rich collection allows the reader to spend a season looking out from the boughs of a tree with a reflective friend. This volume will inspire journaling as well as poetry writing! (7 and up) This author is also a name to know when looking for fresh lineated prose; she used it in her latest novel, REACHING FOR SUN, which has already received many accolades for its masterful meshing of poetry and prose to get inside the head of the likable narrator Josie, who has cerebral palsy connects her own experience to her love of plants and things that grow. (12 and up).

On a personal note:
A PLANETESME BOOKROOM TRIBUTE

We are involved in a big move and change here...will you indulge me in a little goodbye (and maybe a hello, too?)

The PlanetEsme Bookroom started in 2004 as a physical manifestation of my website. It was a private, non-circulating library and literary salon geared toward parents and elementary school teachers, dedicated to the principles found in my book,HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO LOVE READING: FOR RAVENOUS AND RELUCTANT READERS ALIKE. Among them: Reading is more than a skill; it's a lifestyle. You can be your child's best teacher using children's literature. And no child is a lost cause when it comes to books any more than someone is a lost cause when it comes to falling in love; it's all about making the right connections. I was inspired by a visit to a Christian Science Reading Room that was at a bus stop where I often waited, but I had never ventured inside because it was not my faith. One day it occured to me that reading children's books and making sure people knew about the literature were a huge part of my faith, at least in humanity and the future of my country, so I went in and asked the very obliging librarian about the model and framework of the place, which was very simple, straightforward and welcoming. My husband, son and I then moved my collection of 12,000 children's books garnered over 18 years into a vacant appliance reconditioning shop, and transformed the place into Chicago's literary living room.

My husband built shelves as fast as I could fill them, and friends came bearing gifts: a hand-painted chair, a garbage can, light bulbs, a new lock for the door, a poem, a painting of a mermaid, golden promises by authors and illustrators to star in events. My uncle christened the joint with a noisy but handsome pipe organ, our famous "glonkenshponkel" which doubled as a burglar alarm. Besides special family events open to the community (like the Johnny Appleseed Anniversary party, magical convention, spring cleaning storytime, Hans Christian Andersen unbirthday party, Anansi shadow puppet show, Curious George camp, presidential picks complete with stump speeches by kids, literary love-in celebrating the best authors/illustrators you never heard of, Hannukah hoedown, holiday cookie swap), the space was used by many groups, including homeschoolers, college professors who brought their classes and my local chapter of SCBWI. I loved our monthly public "Wish List Wednesdays" in which I threw down the best of the best to consumers hungry for quality; I was so happy to talk to teachers-in-training about how children's trade literature can free them up to be the educators they wanted to be, and veterans who were invigorated by the possibilities that the titles brought to the planbook. I was excited to see parents write down recommendations for new books, and to read aloud to children every day.

A great reader makes her audience laugh!

We had an embarassment of riches when it came to visiting authors and illustrators. The events were free, with the expectation that everyone who attended bought a book in support of our guest artists. Some guests drew crowds that filled the room from wall-to-wall, though one of my very favorites was the cozy and mesmerizing show given by W. Nikola Lisa, telling his stories and the stories of others one rainy afternoon, making an hour pass like a few minutes. Or maybe it was watching a room full of folks illustrate on their own drawing boards while Matthew Cordell and Julie Halpern led the way. Or Caroline Crimi leading a monster mash in a green witchy wig, or Tom Lichtenheld in pirate regalia teaching children to say "aaaargh." Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer sharing childhood sketchbooks, Michael Buckley fielding hard questions from the audience about the difference between wonder tales and fairy tales. Mordicai Gerstein crumpling paper and imagining what the first drawing might look like. Bobbi Katz sharing poetry over melted brie and strawberry jam. Mem Fox down on the floor reading aloud to preschoolers, Cheryl Coon at the podium, talking about bibliotherapy with a room full of rapt parents and educators. Brian Selznick cracking up a standing-room only crowd, and Laura Ruby, Carmela Martino, and Brenda Ferber on a panel representing some of the Great Women of Fiction. All of these folks did wonders to empower the people who visited the Bookroom with the sense of possibility that comes with literacy, and the amazing revelation that there are real, vibrant people behind the books that we love.

Sugar gliders welcome at the Bookroom

The Bookroom did not recieve federal funding and I did not apply for not-for-profit status. I charged no membership fees and all of our events were free. I think people often stop themselves from doing things because they are daunted by a percieved lack of resources and preponderance of paperwork...I know this sometimes feels like a roadblock to me, too. I wanted to practice what I preached, "potato pedagogy," in How to Get Your Child to Love Reading and see what could be done with what I had. I used the advance I got for that book to start the space, and I did regular keynotes and speaking engagements every month to keep it afloat. People close (and not so close) suggested I might be a little bit crazy, and that I should save the money I was making for my own family or charge a fee, but I did not want to charge a fee because when people pay money they often feel entitled, and because of my speaking and writing schedule I could not acommodate those feelings. Besides, Albert Camus said:
"Insane generosity is the generosity of rebellion, which unhesitatingly gives the strength of its love and without a moment's delay refutes injustice. Its merit lies in making no calculations, distributing everything it possesses to life and to living men. It is thus that it is prodigal in its gifts to men to come. Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present."

Thanks to Andy Laties for introducing me to this quote. I think this is a very important value and a necessary paradigm shift for our country (if I may say so).

In the freezing Chicago February of this year, a pipe burst and flooded into the Bookroom. Thanks to a conscientious neighbor who noticed through a window that the floor looked "shiny," the water was stopped before serious damage to the collection could be done. It was a miracle! But the carpet and basement was badly damaged, and there was concern about mold. With the building going up for sale and my lease about to end, coupled with difficulties I had juggling my new full-time responsibilities as a school librarian, it was clear that the time had come to think about closing that location. I looked into buying the property, but the investment would have taken half a million dollars. I really didn't know if I had the heart to start again, but then as I was packing I came across a pamphlet I had written, "How to Start a Bookroom": "if you want a Bookroom, the equation is books + room + people + enthusiasm. You don’t need a lot to begin...the more you do with what you have, the more you will make people feel like they can do it, too, and that what they have to contribute is enough." (Incidentally, if you want a copy of the pamphlet, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to PlanetEsme.com, P.O. Box 6225, Evanston, IL 60204).

I am glad about the Bookroom because it really did exist in the real world exactly, exactly as I imagined it inside my mind, and every time I walked into it, it was like walking into the best and most cheerful part of my brain. It was so wonderful to imagine building something and then working hard to have it manifest itself in the real world that I can only recommend you do the same, whatever it is that you dream. I am so happy that my son could see it happen, so he knows it can be done; that knowledge, to me, is beyond anything he could have been promised in college (though I still hope he goes someday). I guess Camus was right, even if he was a little crazy. I learned a lot about how to grow the concept in the next round, and indeed, it is a concept that can blossom into something much bigger. I am glad for the social experiment aspect of it and for beginning that way, it was incredibly valuable. I am also very proud because a wonderful person named Julia Martin came to the Bookroom and reinvented the concept for her own not-for-profit, Bread for the Head, which has set up numerous Bookrooms in projects and economically challenged areas in and around Chicago, and I am delighted to serve on her board.

I write this like an obituary, but in fact there is plenty of reason to celebrate, as The PlanetEsme Gingerbread Apartment will be the new manifestation of PlanetEsme outside of cyberspace. The first gathering there will be a breakfast for the first annual Kidlitosphere blogger's convention, and then I look forward to having more people bring the best of themselves into the space as we create fresh and happy magic. Though the new space will dictate some new purpose, I am as excited as anyone else to discover what that will be, and meanwhile I continue to plan based on what I have learned. It was, as they say, a dream come true, and the only terrible side effect was that it has lured me into dreaming bigger, and feeling impatient about it.

Here is a poorly compressed video tour of the old Bookroom!
What do you think the new one should be like?

I am so grateful to so many, but here are just a few special thanks from the Bookroom:
THANK YOU to the rockin' reading people at the Patterson Pageturner Awards for their amazing prize! What an honor!
THANK YOU to Thomas Cray for his help with logos and wepage design!
THANK YOU to Liza Tursky for our garden, our candy mosaic, and your always outstretched helping hand!
THANK YOU to Karen Tipp for her very fairy-godmother-like donation of a copy machine to the PlanetEsme Bookroom!
THANK YOU to the Evanston Homeschooling Network for their continuing support through napkins, utensils and home-baked goodies!
THANK YOU to Alice Revelski for the various garden delights that continually decorated the room!
THANK YOU to Liz Moore at The Bookstall for the invaluable business partnership!
THANK YOU to Betty Sitbon and Maureen Breen for paintings and poetry!
THANK YOU to Sandra Soss for volunteering as my assistant!
THANK YOU to Veronica DiCapria for her loyalty and dedication to publicity!
THANK YOU to Pamela Dell, Diane Wood, Jesse Semeyn and The Foos for their special help and moral support during the move!
THANK YOU to Uncle Dave Newman for always being the fix-it-go-to-guy and for the loan of the glonkenshponkel, and all-around amazingness!
THANK YOU to my husband Jim for building the shelves and my dreams!
THANK YOU to my son for not wrestling in the space!
THANK YOU to Illinois SCBWI for continual cheerleading and participation in my programming!
THANK YOU to everyone who has offered their kind and generous support in so many ways!
THANK YOU to everyone who came and read and shared and taught and laughed and ate and gave the place an energy that will be hard to recreate or outdo...but it'll be fun to try!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

KEEKER SERIES (FICTION)

FICTION
KEEKER series by Hadley Higginson, illustrated by Maja Andersen (Chronicle)

They say a horseshoe is good luck, and it certainly is a lucky day for second grade booklovers who have ever dreamed of having their own pony (this encompasses quite a few little girls, by the way). The dream is vicariously realized in this truly charming series featuring Keeker, a little girl clip-clopping in and out of adventures in the Vermont countryside with the help of her trusty four-legged sidekick, Plum. Straightforward stories use some old plot chestnuts (is the neighbor lady a witch? Is mom having a baby?) but always underscore familiar feelings, independence and the making and keeping of friendships, all fodder for future Girl Power. Every page has illustration, drawn with such clear, round lines that the artwork looks like stylized versions of drawings girls actually do make, with long-eyelashed girls and curlicue hair. Each book is short enough for emergent readers to find confidence, a picture-book amount of text in a chapter book format, so slightly older kids who still need skills won't feel stigmatized. I don't bandy the word "delightful" around lightly, but the retro flavor with contemporary appeal wins the Delightful Derby, and I am so happy to be able to recommend a romp down a reading trail that little girls will really enjoy. A few faves: KEEKER AND THE PONY CAMP CATASTROPHE, KEEKER AND THE SUGAR SHACK, KEEKER AND THE SNEAKY PONY, and KEEKER AND THE HORSE SHOW SHOW-OFF. (6 and up)

Also of interest:
My all-time favorite horse scene in a book is from Beverly Cleary's sleeper ELLEN TEBBITS , in which Ellen talks big in front of a friend about her equestrian knowledge, only to be scared out of her saddle when that friend takes her riding. Ahhh, I'm always a sucker for realistic fiction, but more seasoned fans of animal fare will find what they are looking for in HORSE STORIES edited by June Crebbin, illustrated by Inga Moore (Candlewick). I was never one of those "horsey girls," but even so, I could not resist this handsome volume of fourteen stories divided under such enticing headings as "Difficult Horses," "Dream Horses," "From the Horse's Mouth," "Horses in Danger" and "Horses to the Rescue." It includes selections from such classics as Marguerite Henry's MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE and Anna Sewell's BLACK BEAUTY, as well as tales that gallop through history and geography, like the moving Native American legend of the Mud Pony, the Horse of Milk White Jade of fourteenth century Mongolia, the legend of the steed chosen to carry Alexander the Great and the loyal gray palfrey that serves a knight of Medieval times. The equestrian backgrounds of both author and illustrator are evident in the loving care of the selections and the elegant full color plates capturing every flick of tail and toss of mane. Prepare for adventure and romance as you gallop through the pages of this gorgeous gift book. (8 and up)

Though KEEKER is a charmer, maybe you need a series with just a little more testosterone/gender balance? Find the ANDREW LOST SERIES by J.C. Greenberg and illustrated by Debbie Palen, adventures that take place in the harrowing microscopic world with the help of a shrinking machine. Excitement unfolds in a variety of settings (on pets, in the water, in the garden, in the kitchen and bathroom, caves, desert, and ...ugh!...garbage can ) and will open kids' eyes to the diminutive drama unfolding all around them. Imaginative and highly exclamatory, the author really did her homework, and as children learned a lot of history via Mary Pope Osborne's MAGIC TREE HOUSE, so will they learn a lot of science via ANDREW LOST. (7 and up)

On a personal note
When my son was very little and I groaned over Barney, my father, overhearing, gently corrected me by pointing out, "if a child likes something, there must be some good in it." Now I try to look for the good in what children like, and in doing so, I happily find more and more of what's good and likable in children. Affirming children's choices whenever possible really does seem to bring out their best. I think both KEEKER and ANDREW LOST, like Barbara Park's good old JUNIE B. JONES, are books that adults may deem imperfect, but kids enjoy. (Though I am always wary about getting my news from the newspaper, see recent New York Times article, "Is Junie B. Jones Talking Trash?" for the peek-a-boo at the generational divide. By the way, I didn't fall in love with Junie until I heard the audio version read brilliantly by Lana Quintal, making clear to me the study of voice that is Junie...have you tried it?) What books have you found kids really like that don't float your boat, and vice versa? Please feel free to share in the comments section!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

EMMA-JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE (FICTION)

FICTION
EMMA-JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE by Lauren Tarshis (Dial)

An unusual surge of energy came over Emma-Jean, very possibly a thrill, as she took a step toward Colleen. She had the feeling of walking through an invisible door, the door that had always seemed to separate her from her fellow seventh graders.
Surprisingly, the door was wide open.

Emma-Jean Lazarus approaches her 7th grade class with the distant, bemused air of a cultural anthropologist, and years of careful observation have culminated in a confidence that she can solve her cohorts' condundrums, whether they be botched invitations, false accusations by teachers, or grown-ups who fall in love when it is clearly not a good idea. Unfortunately, Emma-Jean's methodology for problem-solving generally involves forgery, and she manages to complicate things more often than not.

The true beauty of this first novel is the deep compassion for outsider Emma-Jean, who takes pride in being "strange" (dictionary definition: extraordinary, remarkable, singular), who rationalizes the world according to the theories of Jules Henri Poincaré (a mathematician held in high esteem by her deceased father), and manages to have a real affection for her classmates despite the lack of inclusion in their circles. There is also strong attention given to other characters: the grown-ups are flawed but appropriately involved and refreshingly likable; the boys are often oblivious to machinations for and against them ("Perhaps there was more to Will Keeler than mediocre grades and exceptional basketball skills. Perhaps he posessed a talent for old-fashioned gallantry that went largely unnoticed in the modern hallways of William Gladstone Middle School") and popular Colleen, cheerful and repressive, cares desperately and distractingly about what other people think ("She wished she could recapture the feeling she'd had the other day at school, when for just a few moments she really didn't care what Laura Gilroy thought of her. But that had lasted no longer than the flavor in a stick of sugarless bubble gum").

Emma-Jean's developmentally pitch-perfect delusions of her own power are poignant, but even more stirring is the the underlying message that being nice and having good intentions counts for something in this world, even when the best laid plans of mice and men and middle school girls often go awry. Also impressive was this new author's ability to write a book in third person that feels as confidential as first person...aspiring authors, take note of her formidable technique. This novel is that rare realistic fiction that works as a read-aloud for older kids, and is also a really perfect choice for those 'tweeners who are not quite ready for the pallor of some hard-core young adult fiction. It's light without feeling facile, and features strong characters that will have plenty of middle-schoolers saying, "hey, that's me!" (11 and up)

Also of interest:
An extra dose of intermediate girl-power!
It is very rare to find a book in which you cannot manage to turn a page without laughing, but Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner MILLICENT MIN: GIRL GENIUS by Lisa Yee (Scholastic) is that book. Millicent's tentative, earnest steps toward achieving every pre-teen girl's dream--making and keeping a real best friend--loom larger even than Millicent's goal to win the Field's Medal, the highest mathematical honor a person under forty can achieve. ("It would be great to do all this by age twenty but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. Therefore, if it doesn't happen until I am, say, twenty-three, that's fine with me.") As Millicent tutors a jock named Stanford (who stars in his own sequel, STANFORD WONG FLUNKS BIG TIME), survives her first sleepover, spikes a point for her volleyball team and tries valiantly to hide her genius from her ebullient friend Emily, she learns that there are book smarts and people smarts, and both are important. It's nice to have a heroine who is more concerned with learning curves than body curves, and her character's development is gradual and convincing and a pleasure to read. Millicent is the valedictorian of the intermediate reading list (no Field's Medal, I know, but it will have to do for now). (11 and up)

DIARY OF A WOULD-BE PRINCESS by Jessica Green (Charlesbridge) shows us that mean girls and typecasts are an international malaise, as an Australian girl does some clumsy social climbing. Episodic writing is hilarious in parts, and readers sympathize with feel for the heroine as her party goes exactly as unplanned, she trips over her own true talents for public speaking and struggles with the making and keeping of friends...the best one being a boy. (11 and up)

MAKEOVERS BY MARCIA by Claudia Mills (Farrar Straus Giroux) Marcia is less than thrilled when she discovers her eighth grade community service project will entail visits to the local nursing home. Distracted by pre-teen concerns like her perceived weight gain, difficulties in art class and the upcoming dance, working with a bunch of old people is last on her list. When her savvy sister suggests she combine her talent and interest in makeup with her requisite visits, it sets off a series of connections that, in the end, help Marcia get her priorities straight. Mills is a too-often overlooked talent when it comes to the delicate art of capturing the voice of the 'tweenager: "Of course, it was only the second week of school, and Marcia knew that no boy was even thinking of asking a girl to the dance yet. It would take some serious, but subtle, manipulating by the girls to plant the seed of that thought in the dry, stony soil of an eighth grade boy's brain." Marcia's magazine-inspired machinations backfire hilariously, and her relationships with the elderly blossom in a way that is both believable and uncontrived. A nice balance is achieved between who Marcia is trying to be and who she really is, and make her a character that many girls will look upon with both sympathy and empathy. Emotional depth, laugh-out-loud humor and a rhythm that matches the heartbeat of its intended audience mark this well-written intergenerational story that will inspire community service, self-esteem and an appetite for more books by the author. (11 and up)

IDA B. AND HER PLANS TO MAXIMIZE FUN, AVOID DISASTER AND (POSSIBLY) SAVE THE WORLD by Katherine Hannigan (Greenwillow) The unconventional heroine of this award-winning book is homeschooled, and likes her cozy world built around her by her loving parents, but when her mother's health takes a turn for the worse, the family must sell part of their beloved orchard, and Ida B. must go to a public school. Ida B's character is a standout as a philosophical, inventive and imaginative, but also deeply flawed, as she has many preconceptions about people who are not like her (and in need of her correction), and harbors a bit of a mean streak. Ultimately she freewheels out of the orbit in which her only-child self was once the gravitational force, but whether you like her or not, it's hard to get this precocious protagonist out of your mind. A must for free-spirits and tree-spirits. (10 and up)

On a personal note
I recently had the massive pinch-me-I'm-dreaming honor of sharing a podium with the legendary National Book Award and Newbery-winning author Katherine Paterson (of BRIDGE TO TEREBITHIA fame) at the recent conference for the International Reading Association in Toronto. We both read aloud from our work, and we agreed that her character Rosa and my character Paris would have made good friends. Everyone was wildly impressed with the charming Italian affect Katherine gave to the characters in her recent historical fiction, BREAD AND ROSES, TOO. I was greatly relieved at how absolutely kind and personable she was, especially since I don't think I could have been more nervous about meeting her than if I were meeting the Queen of England. Katherine Paterson in fact met the Queen of Sweden this year to receive the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is pretty much the Nobel Prize for children's literature.


At the conference, she paraphrased from her lecture given in Stockholm to the breathless teachers in the room:

“I’m very Biblically oriented, and so for me the most important thing is for the word to become flesh. I can write stories for children and young people, and in that sense I can offer them words, but you are the word become flesh in your classroom. Society has taught our children that they are nobodies unless their faces appear on television. But by your caring, by your showing them how important each one of them is, you become the word that I would like to share with each of them. You are that word become flesh.”

This lecture was personally inspiring to me, as I have often been questioned about why I went back to teaching when my writing career was in full swing. It was hard to explain the spiritual and pragmatic need for a balance between writing and teaching; I did not see the sense of writing books unless I was also working to support kids directly so they could and would read. Whether secular or not, teaching really does feel like the word is being made flesh, and is a natural compliment to the communication and sharing intrinsic to writing. Thank you, Katherine Paterson, for articulating that connection so meaningfully, and acknowledging the work of teachers. There was not a dry eye in the house, as they say! More of Katherine Paterson's brilliant and inspirational essays and lectures have been compiled in the hard-to-find treasure THE INVISIBLE CHILD: ON READING AND WRITING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, and Ms. Paterson has been featured in Gail McMeekin's 12 SECRETS OF HIGHLY CREATIVE WOMEN: A PORTABLE MENTOR. Writing, read-aloud and giving lectures that resonate, this is a woman with many talents and gifts; the world is a better place because she is in it.

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.