Two Middle Grade Classics

 A little late with this this morning!

Today I'm reviewing two of Madeleine L'Engle's books, the first two about Vickie Austin. First published in 1960 and 1963, they introduce a character and a family who continued to appear in books up to L'Engle's death. I'm reviewing both, not because they don't stand alone, but because most of what I have to say applies to both.

 

Title: Meet the Austins and The Moon By Night
Author: Madeleine L'Engle 
Publisher: originally published by Vanguard, 1960 (Meet the Austins) and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 1963 (The Moon by Night). About 240 pages each. My paperbacks were published by Bantam and Dell, respectively.
Source: My bookshelf.

The Story:
In Meet the Austins, we do just that. We meet narrator Vickie Austin, age 12, and her family: her home-maker mom, doctor Dad, and siblings. John at 15 is the oldest and steadiest. Suzy is 9, and a pretty, bouncy blonde with the ambition and brains to become a doctor. Rob is 4. In spite of the catastrophe with which the book opens--a friend of the family has been killed, and his daughter Maggie will be coming to live with them for a time--the book really does just feel like an introduction. Nothing much really happens. Vickie establishes herself as a kid on the cusp of adolescence and in position to have a hard time with it.

The Moon By Night is a great deal more eventful, but again, most of the story feels like it is there to allow Vickie to struggle with growing up. Two years have passed, and everything is changing again. Not only is Maggie leaving the family to live with her legal guardian, but the whole family is going to uproot from their little New England Village and move to New York for a year. John is going off to college. And to help the family make the transition, they do a cross-country camping trip.

My Review:
Okay, looking at my summaries, you'd think I don't like these books, but I do. However, I also think they aren't as good as some of L'Engle's other work, in part just because they don't have that extra sense of importance. In A Wrinkle in Time, Meg and the others have to save her father from a fate worse than death, and save the world along the way. These are very much just stories about coming of age, without any more drama than the teen years provide all on their own.

I think that Meet the Austins is one of the author's weakest books. It feels very episodic, and lacks a central cohesion. It's still a fun read, but doesn't compel. The Moon By Night feels a little more purposeful. Less happens to Vickie, and more happens because she acts. It is still a story without big issues and significance, but under the very simple story line a lot of major life issues come up. We meet Zachary Gray, a character L'Engle brought into a number of books, crossing over between the Austin Family books and the Murray family from Wrinkle. Zach is a great means of getting at some issues about life, death, and choices, and maybe even a few the author didn't realize.

I've been sensitized by recent articles about abusive relationships and controlling boyfriends, and boy, does Zach set off the alarm bells! He is definitely trying to control Vickie, as well as manipulating her emotionally, hurting her (emotionally) and then apologizing so that she feels sorry for him and always forgives...I wonder if L'Engle realized what an abuser she was creating? Understanding him this way also helps me understand why this super gorgeous guy picks on younger girls who are not generally recognized as pretty, a plot point that is otherwise unbelievable. I'm happy to say that, in the end, Vickie stands up to him, which also makes me think that L'Engle knew exactly what kind of person she had created.

For books that were written about the time I was born, these don't feel all that dated. A few attitudes about gender roles and dress (surprisingly few!), and a lack of seatbelts were the most obvious relics of another age. The tour of campgrounds across America amused me (though it also was a bit dated, as things have changed in the Parks, and not all for the better), as did L'Engle's reaction to the Southwest. Obviously, that denizen of the east coast forests wasn't as taken by the desert as I am! I can't hold that against her, though I would love to have the opportunity to show her just how not-dead those lands are.

Recommendation:
These are not the author's best work, but for those who like to have "the whole story" they fill it in with fast, easy reads that are well-written and definitely not a waste of time. I think that Vickie's issues might make for some possible openings for conversations with daughters on the cusp of puberty.

Full Disclosure: I have owned copies of both books for years, and received nothing from the writer or publisher in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Middle Grade Review: Wonder, by R.J. Palacio

 

Title: Wonder
Author: R. J. Palacio
Publishing info: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.  313 pages.

Summary:

August Pullman was born with extreme facial deformities.  At age 10, after being homeschooled all his life (due to his medical issues), he enters school for the first time.  It's supposed to be easier because everyone is starting middle school together.   But things are never easy when you look different, especially when you look that different.  He and his family and classmates have a ways to travel before anyone can see Auggie as just another 5th-grader.

Review:

This is a moving and important book, less about disability (August doesn't have any lack of abilities, he just looks very, very unusual) than about difference.  Different is frankly the worst thing a kid can be after about age 6.  Using the start of Middle School (in his case, 5th grade) and the entrance into school for the first time makes for a convenient frame, as it's a time when kids struggle with all kinds of differences and realities.  But people of any age can go through a similar process of registering difference, dealing with it consciously and carefully (or reactively and hurtfully, as the case may be), until it ends up as the least important aspect of the person.

One of the things that makes this book so strong is that not only do we get Auggie's viewpoint, which says so much about how he copes with his looks and people's reactions, but sections of the book are written from other points of view as well.  In many ways, the best section is that told by Via, Auggie's older sister, who is just starting high school.  She is 4 years older than he is, so she doesn't really remember life without him, and she loves him dearly.  But she's human, and sometimes she wishes things were different.  Different so that she could be more important in the family, and (to her intense shame) so that she didn't have to let anyone at her new school know she has a little brother who is "disfigured," a word she hates.  The way Via and other characters talk about their divided feelings a mixed reactions to Auggie allows them to be real people, even while they are people who rise above themselves.  And, ultimately, the author lets almost all the kids rise above their initial rejection of anything different, which may not be completely realistic but is the model we all want.

Recommendation: For everyone.  Seriously.  We all need help in seeing the world through the eyes of others, and in dealing with differences.

Full Disclosure: I checked  Wonder out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Middle Grade/YA Review: Traveler in Black and White

 

Title: The Traveler in Black and White (Princelings of the East Book 4)

Author: Jemima Pett

Publisher: Princeling's Publications, 2012.  190 pages.

Sourece: ebook won in giveaway

Summary:

Publisher's summary: "In the fourth book in the Princelings of the East series, Lord Mariusz of Hattan narrates, in his own Chandler-esque style, how he came to explore the world on the end of the time tunnel, and why he adopted the pseudonym Hugo in the first place."

Review:

The comment about "Chandler-esque" is spot on.  This book is for older kids, more of a PG-13 sort of thing, though references to sex are pretty oblique and will go over the heads of younger kids.  The level of violence is a bit higher than in the first three Princelings books, too.  That warning out of the way, this is a very engaging story, told by a rather American Hugo, a.k.a. Mariusz of Hattan (Manhattan, anyone?  Just guessing. . . .), who is trying to learn his way around a strange world and make a buck.

The story takes us back ten years in the world of the Princelings, so that the characters from the other books are much younger (a very young Victor is a total charmer), and some we have grown to love don't show up at all (like Fred and George).  The story is fast-paced, adventurous, and has just a touch of the supernatural.  I wasn't sure at first I liked that (just a taste thing), but Ms. Pett handles it with her usual skill, and there is nothing in the story that isn't necessary.

In a departure from the earlier books, Hugo tells his own story in the the first person, and his hard-boiled attitude lends to the fun.  This is definitely not a series that is giving us cookie-cutter books, but each addition has been my new favorite, and this one was no exception.

Recommendation: 

For any readers old enough to cope with some violence and not to be put off by the implication that Hugo philanders a bit.  Tweens up, with, as usual, as much or more appeal to adults as to the children.

Full Disclosure: I won The Traveler in Black and White in a giveaway, with no expectation from the writer or publisher for anything.  I offer here my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

KidLit Blog Hop: Shirley Link and the Hot Comic

Title: Shirley Link and the Hot Comic

Author:  Ben Zackheim

Publisher: self, 2013.  107 pages

Middle-grade detective fiction

Summary:

Shirley's back, and this time the principal has retained her as an extra precaution to safeguard the first edition of The Avengers comic #1 which has been loaned to the school library for display. Since it's worth a million dollars, he's understandably nervous about it.  It takes Shirley no time at all to discover someone is determined to steal the comic, and even who it is.  Foiling the plot is the harder part.

Review:

This was a quick, fun read, but I just wasn't taken with it the same way I was with the first of Shirley Link's cases (The Safe Case).  Several things contributed to that.  First, I was put off by the device that has Shirley narrating most of the story while dangling from a chain thirty feet above the street.  That seemed a bit hard to swallow.  It also created the difficulty that while most of the story is told in past tense, the last two chapters are present tense.  

None of that really matters, especially not to a kid reading the fun and gently exciting story.  More of a problem, I think, is that Shirley's friends, Marie and Wiley, get pretty short shrift in this one.  I was hoping for more development of an interesting three-way friendship, but felt a little let down.  Without more input from them, Shirley's ego can get a bit much.  And she keeps a few too many surprises back, not sharing her plans or insights, so that the reader can't reach the same conclusions she does.

Lest it sound as though I didn't like this, I hasten to add that I had a good time reading it, and can definitely recommend the series.  Any kid who likes the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, or Encyclopedia Brown (okay, or whatever the modern equivalents are, though kids are still reading those, too!) will enjoy Shirley Link, with her hot computer skills, extra-sharp observations, and at times self-deprecating sense of humor.  Actually, thinking about the way she uses her ability to really see stuff, Shirley Link might be Cam Jansen's spiritual heir, and is just about right for kids moving up from those easy readers.

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Full Disclosure: I purchased  Shirley Link and the Hot Comic  myself, and received nothing from the writer or publisher in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Kid Lit Blog Hop: North of Nowhere, by Liz Kessler

Title: North of Nowhere, by Liz Kessler, 264 pages.
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2013
Source: Library

Summary:
Mia and her mother rush to the tiny fishing village of Porthaven when word comes that her Grandad has disappeared.  Mia has double reason to be unhappy: not only is she worried about Grandad, but she's missing spring break with her friends back home.  And when she "meets" a girl her own age who seems so much like her, they can't seem to actually meet up.  But Mia's self-pity starts to fall away when things get really weird, and she has to risk everything to save everything.

Review:

It is a tiny bit of a spoiler to say what I'm about to say, so I'm putting the cover image here to keep you from looking if you don't want to.  But I can't review this without talking about it.

 

Okay, what I want to say is that this is one of the more interesting and twisted time-travel books I've read, and the author makes great use of the paradoxes of the genre.  The nature of the mystery is only slowly revealed, though this reader had no trouble seeing that time travel is involved, even from the blurb (which is why I'm not too concerned about this being a spoiler).  That's okay, because it's what is done with the time travel that is so gripping.  [Though I believe that the author makes one small anachronistic error, introducing a plastic bag in an era when they were not in common use (I know.  I was alive then.  I remember when plastic shopping bags became common, and I was old enough to make fun of the ridiculous things), the time differences are otherwise handled well and convincingly, and that was the only editorial lapse I noticed.]

The characters are well-drawn, and believable, with 13-year-old Mia displaying a convincing tendency to shift between her own selfish interests and disappointments and a mature desire to help her mother and grandmother however she can.  She mopes over the movies she misses, checks every few minutes to see if a miracle has occurred and she has cell reception after all--but manages to put all that aside when she really has to.  Other characters are less complete, but this is Mia's story, and they feel real enough to be her world.  The story is compelling, moves swiftly, and kept me reading right through to the end.

I was dubious at first (because weird time travel isn't wholly my thing), but Kessler won me over, and I give this one a strong recommendation to anyone who likes slightly off-beat novels with a touch of the fantastic.  Oh, and I love the cover.  Those blues and greens really are my favorites!

Full Disclosure: I checked North of Nowhere out of my library, and received nothing from the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed herein are my own and no one else's.

Kid Lit Blog Hop--Parched, by Melanie Crowder

Title: Parched by Melanie Crowder, 154 pages

Publisher: Harcourt Children's, 2013

Source: Library

Summary:

In an unnamed (but African-feeling) land, violence has taken over as sea levels rise and drought leaves almost no fresh water anywhere.  Told from the perspectives of Sarel, a girl whose parents have been killed for their water; Nandi, the leader of the pack of dogs who surround Sarel; and Musa, a boy with the water song inside him, the story tells how all must work together to survive in a parched land.

Review: 

Parched reads almost, but not quite, like a realistic novel.  The author's choice to keep the place unnamed has allowed for a slight exaggeration (I hope) of conditions compared to anywhere real, and leaves room for a hint of magic in the ability of the boy Musa to "hear" the water underground.  I usually prefer more realism and less magic (except in books that are clearly fantasy), but this is good.   The blend works, and the result is a powerfully moving book told in a lyric style that is beautiful even when the story is ugly.

And the story does have its ugly parts.  It opens with violence: the murder of Sarel's parents, and the burning of their home, and there are upsurges of violence throughout.  At times the beauty of the prose makes a striking contrast with the ugliness of human nature, though the stylistic writing keeps that ugliness at just enough distance not to be jarring.  I would, however, recommend this only for older middle-grade students, because of the violence.  Ultimately, however, it is less about how the world could look in a time of extreme shortages, and more about the beauty of the earth.

Probably my biggest criticism of the book is an ending that seems to imply that everything is fine, though the underlying causes of the children's troubles are unchanged, and I see nothing about their situation to protect them from the evil leaking out from the city.  This is not uncommon for children's books, of course--some kind of happy resolution is a good idea.  But sometimes to our adult eyes, it's too clearly contrived--or doomed to be short-lived.


 Full disclosure: I borrowed a copy of Parched  from the library.  I received nothing from the author or publisher for my review, which is my honest opinion.  The opinions expressed therein are my own and those of no one else.

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Kid Lit Blog Hop and Blog Blasty Tour! The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets

 

Celebrating 

Stanley and Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge are celebrating their one year blogiversary (click here to read their inaugural post) by hosting their very own "Book Blasty Tour". Thank you for taking the time to visit this special stop along their tour.  Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to enter the giveaway!

 

About the Book

Title: The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets
Authors: Stanley & Katrina, Pet Authors
Illustrator: Miro Chun
Year published:  2012
Updates: This book was updated in September of 2013 with a new cover, interior illustrations, and a sneak peek of book #2 in the series.
Publisher: CreateSpace
Number of pages: 106
Recommended ages: 5+ 
Summary (Amazon): After three years of living under the same roof as the dog in the house, Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge decides to write a letter to her canine housemate, Stanley. Katrina loves treats, naps and bossing the dog around. Stanley loves snow, attention and turkey. The diva kitty, Katrina, will have none of Stanley's antics and most certainly will not stand for him eating her food. The only reasonable solution is to take him to Kitty Court.

 

Amazon U.S. * Amazon U.K. * Amazon Canada 

 Barnes & Noble *  Leanpub(digital formats) 

 

 

My Review:

This charming book is a quick read for younger middle-grade readers.  The author has used a mix of letters, narration by the pets, and even a newspaper clipping, to tell a story that developed in ways that surprised me.  It was good to see the animals learning to get along and work together when things get truly bad (pet shows!  the horror!), but they never lose their personalities or their strong attitudes (especially Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge, whose consistent use of her full name tells us a great deal about her).

Although there are moments when the youth of the author shows in curious story developments, these only add to the charm, and the book is well edited, so that it is a polished and professional work.  If the diction is occasionally slightly odd, it seems completely in character with the narrators. Characters (of the animal sort; people are of little interest to Katrina except as sources of treats) are developed with clear and consistent personalities throughout, and are in keeping with their cat and dog natures (I'm less sure about how guinea pigs normally behave, but Zorg the guinea pig from next door is a joy in any case).  There are some rapid changes of narrator in parts that could be confusing, but aren't because they are clearly marked (though it's not always clear just why they are needed).

I can recommend this for independent readers from about grades one or two up, and as a read-aloud for even much younger children, who will certainly get some giggles from the Pack of Pets! 

The cover art is delightful, and the interior illustrations add to the charm. 

 

The Buzz

"The book is really humorous. It is unique in a manner where you see the cat and dog communicating with each other about themselves, their likes, and dislikes in a letter form. The narrator's tidbits add to the charm of the book. The contrasting characters and their individual personalities have been etched well. The author has put the perspective of the pets in the forefront and written a unique and excellent book for children." ~ Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite


"We enjoyed this book tremendously! It charmed us, made us laugh, and kept us wanting to read more. A tip of the hat to the pair of pets whose rivalry leads the story along its delightful course." ~ Amazon Reviewer

 

About the Authors: Stanley & Katrina

Stanley is a three-year-old black Labrador/Rottweiler mix who does his best to ignore Katrina.
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge is an eight-year-old grey tabby cat who loves her toy mouse.They would love to tell you where they live but all they know is that they live in a tan house. For more information about Stanley & Katrina, please visit their website, www.StanleyAndKatrina.com.

 

Twitter * Facebook * Google+ 

 Pinterest * Goodreads

Stanley & Katrina are currently offering a free 15 Minute Skype Session as a Thank You to their readers!

 

* Free Printables For This Book! *

Kid Lit Printables has created fun and FREE printables for The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. Click here to view all available printables, now. 

 

Stanley & Katrina's 

Book Blasty Tour Stops(2013)

November 8

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

November 9

Mommynificent
Desperate Homeschoolers

November 10

Bookworm for Kids

November 11

When I Grow Up I Wanna Write a Kids Book

November 12

Jemima Pett - Princelings of the East

November 13

DinoMama

November 14

Amanda's Books and More
Gizmo's Terrier Torrent

November 15

My Devotional Thoughts
Kid Lit Reviews

November 16

Lyndsay

November 17

This Kid Reviews Books

November 18

Imogen Daley Writes

November 19

Baby Bookworms in Black Words - White Pages

November 20

BeachBoundBooks
The Ninja Librarian
Stanley & Katrina Co-Host the Kid Lit Blog Hop

November 21

Bruce the Bookshelf Gargoyle

November 22

The Squishy Lady

Book Blast Participants

Charlotte Raynor Writes 

Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia

Tales of a Bookworm

Sher A. Hart: Written Art

 

* $25 Book Blasty Tour Giveaway *

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)

Contest runs:November 8  to November 30, 11:59 pm, 2013 

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget above or by clicking here.

Terms and Conditions: A randomly drawn winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest or any other entity unless otherwise specified. If you have any additional questions, feel free to send us an email at stanleyandkatrina (at) gmail (dot) com.

* This giveaway is sponsored by the authors, Stanley & Katrina. *

 Full disclosure: I received a copy of The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets from the author in exchange for my honest review, which is posted above.  The opinions expressed therein are my own and those of no one else.