Tween Reads – Page 138

Daniel Stefanski Teaches Us How to Talk to An Autistic Kid

Posted on March 16, 2014March 16, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

How to Talk to an Autistic Kid, by Daniel Stefanski/illustrated by Hazel Mitchell. Free Spirit Publishing (2011), $12.99, ISBN: 978-1575423654

Recommended for 8+

Daniel Stefanski, an autistic teen, wrote this book to teach other kids (and adults!) about autism from a more personal point of view. There are many guides and books out on the market, but Daniel’s personal approach and point of view, combined with Hazel Mitchell’s friendly, two-toned digital illustrations, make a greater impact. He isn’t using clinical speech and medical language, nor is he a parent taking sides in a debate. He’s a kid who wants other kids to understand him, befriend him, like him, and understand, befriend, and like other kids with autism. He explains behaviors that other kids may not understand, like flapping or humming, for instance; he discusses issues including eye contact, personal space, and most importantly, how other kids can reach out to and connect with autistic kids in their lives.

This book is only 48 pages, and can be quickly and easily read, but the information is invaluable in teaching children and adults to see things from another person’s point of view. As Stefanski himself says, “Even though my brain is different, I’m still a kid. I like to have fun and I want to have friends.” This is a book that needs to be available not only in public libraries, but in school and classroom libraries, where it is easily accessible and kids are actively encouraged to read it.

Fantasy, Fiction, mythology, Tween Reads

Neil Gaiman’s Odd and the Frost Giants: In which Thor, Loki and Odin get into trouble AGAIN.

Posted on March 16, 2014March 16, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman/illustrated by Brett Helquist. HarperCollins (2008), $14.99, ISBN: 978-0061671739

Recommended for ages 8-12

Neil Gaiman takes on Norse mythology with his tale of a lame young Norse boy named Odd, who encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle in the frozen woods one day, only to discover that they are Thor, Loki, and Odin, on the run after Asgard is overrun by Frost Giants. They need Odd’s help to regain the kingdom and end the forever winter that the Frost Giants have spread throughout Midgard (and possibly, all of the realms). Is Odd smart enough to outwit the Frost Giants?

Gaiman adapts his storytelling voice for this story (as opposed to his dark fantasy voice that you can read in works like Coraline and Graveyard Book). The book is filled with his wry humor, especially in the interactions between Thor, Loki, and Odin – he gives Loki a particularly amusing voice, being the God of Mischief in the guise of a wily fox. Gaiman also excels at writing quiet, mild characters that achieve greatness through intelligence – Odd is yet another quiet Gaiman hero. Quiet kids will love how Odd uses his wits to save the day, rather than charging around Asgard swinging a war hammer and screaming for blood.

Brett Helquist’s art enhances Gaiman’s story with beautiful black and white sketches. The artwork lends a real authenticity to the Norse tale; the work could hail from a hoary, old tome, found in an old castle, it has such a wise old sense of timeliness about it.

I love Gaiman’s storytelling, and Odd is right there with his other work. This could enhance a unit on storytelling as easily as it could a unit on Norse mythology, and there are many activities to get kids writing that this book could inspire, including a Write Your Own Myth workshop, or asking the kids to put themselves in Odd’s place – how would they save Asgard? What would they do if they discovered three gods in the woods? Do you identify with Odd? What makes a hero heroic? There are many discussion topics that work for this book.

Fiction, Humor, Middle School, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

M.E. Castle’s The Clone Chronicles concludes with Game of Clones

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Game of Clones: The Clone Chronicles, #3, by M.E. Castle. Egmont USA (2014), $15.99, ISBN: 9781606842348

Recommended for ages 8-12

In M.E. Castle’s third installment of the Clone Chronicles, seventh grader Fisher Bas and his clone, Fisher-2, put aside their differences to team up and fight Three, the Fisher clone created by the evil Dr. X. Three’s gone rogue, with plans for world domination on his mind, and he’s on track to make it happen – will Dr. X make an appearance? Is the enemy of Fisher’s enemy a friend?

The book is a fast-moving action-adventure series that should appeal to both middle grade boys and girls. Fisher and Fisher-2 have allies in their classmates, Amanda and Veronica, both of whom serve as the boys’ crushes and as intelligent, strong females in the series. Fisher tends to be an overthinker, and Alex struggles to define his own personality despite being a Fisher clone. This struggle runs throughout the book, and mirrors many a tween’s burgeoning identity and personality clashes and crises; where Fisher-2 is a clone, a tween pushes back against being merely “the son” or “the daughter”. Three wreaks havoc in Fisher’s neighborhood and school, forcing him to think of creative solutions and seek help outside of his gadgets; he realizes the power of friendship and of reaching out to ask for help, and it makes him a better person.

Overall, it’s a fun book in a popular series that tweens will enjoy. Game of Clones is part of The Clone Chronicles series; the first two books are Popular Clone and Cloneward Bound.

Post-apocalyptic/Dystopian, Science Fiction, Teen

Ann Brashares The Here and Now gives us time travel and dystopia.

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

There Here and Now, by Ann Brashares. Random House Children’s (2014), $18.99, ISBN: 9780385736800

Recommended for ages 14+

Ann Brashares, author of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, gives us a well-constructed story with dypstopian elements, time travel, and a race through the past, present and future to stop a terrifying future.

Prenna is a 17 year-old Traveler – she, her mother, and a group of her people came to our present time to escape a future where a blood plague ravaged the population. The Travelers live under a restrictive list of rules that appear to exist more for their power-hungry leaders rather than the actual good of the people (or the Natives – people in the right timeline – that the rules are supposed to protect). When Prenna finds herself growing closer to her friend Ethan, she starts questioning not only the rules, but the entire structure their society was built on – and she and Ethan find themselves drawn into a race against time to put a stop to the dismal future from which Prenna came, all the while pursued by the leaders who want to silence Prenna, possibly for good.

The Here and Now has elements of The Giver – the post-apocalyptic society governed by rules really spoke to me – and is one of those books that I couldn’t put down. I needed to know what was going to happen next; Ms. Brashares constructed a compelling narrative with enough mystery to keep me going for that famous “one page more”. Within the overall story structure, there are mini-mysteries that the two teens have to unravel to get the next piece of the puzzle; add to that the internal conflict Prenna feels at duty to her family and the love she and Ethan feel for one another, and you have a great read for teens that can spawn interesting conversations about the implications of time travel: what would happen if you went back in time and changed things, even if they were for the better? What kind of society would develop if a blood-borne plague spiraled out of control? More than a teen romance, The Here and Now offers the opportunity to draw teens into complex conversations about the world around them.

Science Fiction, Teen, Uncategorized

Don’t Even Think About It – Talk About Your Strange Side Effects!

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Don’t Even Think About It, by Sarah Mlynowski, Random House Children’s (2014), 9780385737388, $17.99

Recommended for ages 16+

I was lucky enough to be chosen by Random House to review an advanced copy of this book, by Sarah Mlynowski, who I fondly remember from her Red Dress Ink chick lit days. I thoroughly enjoyed her book Milkrun, so I was excited to see that she was writing YA. The plot is certainly different: a group of New York teens, attending Bloomberg Public High school down in Tribeca, develop ESP after receiving a tainted batch of flu shot at school.

Ms. Mlynowski has her ensemble cast: Cooper and Mackenzie the young lovers, one of whom has a secret; Pi, the overachiver; Olivia, the shy girl; BJ, the pervert; Tess, the one with the unrequited love for her best friend – these personalities and more are all here, which gives a feeling of familiarity to those reading the book. You know these kids – we’ve been these kids, in many cases. The characters aren’t soul-searching, and don’t require that depth of character for this quick read. It’s a situational piece of fiction.

What interested me was not the superficial teens, because they mostly are – even “the brain”, Pi, who uses her powers to try and get ahead of the number one student in the school so she can get the vaunted Harvard acceptance letter – it was how they dealt, on their own levels, with their newfound abilities. They didn’t take to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to discuss it with the world. They kept it quiet. They didn’t want anyone to know, because they live in a day and age where they know they’d be poked and prodded like test animals, or even worse, have their ability – something to give them an edge, to make them special – taken away from them. At the same time, Mlynowski creates an interesting portrait of what these abilities do to their bearers. It’s not always predictable, and it was enjoyable to see things play out.

The book is suggested for 16 and over for some language and situations. For a quick, light read between tests and papers, Don’t Even Think About It will fit nicely in your backpack.

Graphic Novels, History, Tween Reads

Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust tells a powerful tale, gently for younger readers.

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust, by Loic Dauvillier (First Second, 2014), ISBN: 978-1-59643-873-6, $16.99

Pub Date: April 1, 2014

Recommended for ages 8-12

Hidden is a graphic novel, tells the story of the Holocaust as it stormed through Vichy France, from a child’s eyes.

Elsa is a little girl who discovers her grandmother deep in thought one night. She curls up on her lap, and her grandmother tells her why she’s been feeling sad. Doumia, Elsa’s grandmother, has had a nightmare, and proceeds to tell Elsa about her life as a little girl.

Doumia was a happy child, living in France, going to school, and had friends and a loving family. One day, her father tells Doumia that they are to become “a sheriff’s family”, as her mother sews yellow stars on their clothing. She later learns, when her friends and her own teacher ignore her, that the yellow star is not a sheriff’s star, but the mark of being a Jew. Nazi soldiers harass people in the streets; Doumia’s father loses his job, and, fearing for her safety, Doumia leaves school to be homeschooled by her parents.

Doumia’s parents scramble to hide her when the Nazis come for them. She is discovered by a neighbor, who, with a network of the French Resistance, change her name and send her, along with her neighbor, to a farm to wait out the danger. When the War ends, we wait, as Doumia does, to learn her parent’s fate.

This is a powerful, emotional, story of the Holocaust because it is told through a survivor’s eyes, but the eyes of a child. We hear this story, as Elsa does, in the safe, warm embrace of a grandparent, with Marc Lizano’s and Greg Salsedo’s gentle cartoon art, with subdued colors, easing younger readers into history. Where is difficult in parts, there are bright spots to keep younger readers interested and happy – Doumia living safely in the French countryside with women who care for her; the farm animals she helps care for, reunions with lost family members. It’s a safe place to talk about a horrific event.

An afterword by Hellen Kaufmann, the President of AJPN – an organization dedicated to telling the stories of rescue and solidarity during World War II – gives us an overview of Vichy France during World War II.

This is a fantastic pick for younger readers, particularly with the difficult task of finding interesting, captivating, non-fiction to fit with the Common Core Learning Standards. The book is a valuable teaching tool for parents and educators alike.

Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle School, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza: Middle-Grade Hilarity in a Graphic Novel Format

Posted on February 25, 2014January 30, 2026 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza, by James Kochalka (First Second, 2014), ISBN: 978-1-59643-917-7, $17.99
Pub Date: March 2014

Recommended for ages 8-12

I first discovered James Kochalka a few years ago, when my son read and adored his book, Peanut Butter & Jeremy’s Best Day Ever. I loved the cartoony art and fun dialogue; when I saw this title available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it, knowing I’d be in for a fun read. I was absolutely right.

Not knowing about the successful Glork Kickstarter that Mr. Kochalka and PixelJam games had back in 2010, I came to Glork as a brand new audience. The book is hilarious and surreal on a level that middle schoolers can truly appreciate and adults will just laugh out loud looking on. The Glorkian Warrior is sitting at home with his Super Backpack, when the phone rings – it is destiny? Well… kind of – it’s a pizza order. While Backpack wants the Glorkian Warrior to disregard the obviously wrong number, the Warrior will not be put off – this is his mission! He grabs a partially eaten pizza from his fridge and sets off on a journey that will introduce him to alien babies and add strange and unusual toppings to the pizza, including ash, tears, and fire damage. Will the Glorkian Warrior fulfill his delivery destiny? Don’t look at me for answers, read the book!

The book, which hits bookshelves in late March, is great fun. The cartoony art is perfect for its middle grade audience, as is the goofy humor. The Warrior is hilariously oblivious, Backpack is the brains of the operation, and together, the two are responsible for bickering and laughs on the level of Star Wars’ C3P0 and R2D2.

I enjoy graphic novels for kids, for several reasons. The first reason? Reluctant readers. They may stare at a page full of words and shut their brains off, but how can you look at a brightly colored, fun adventure and say, “No thanks”? You can’t. This will draw in reluctant readers, who – sadly – also tend to be boys. Having an alien warrior delivery a pizza with his laser-powered sentient backpack will definitely help bring the boys to the reading table. The second reason? Graphic novels teach sequence. Sequential art – art that is broken up into panels, a sequence – gives kids a sense of pacing and “what happens next” – very important concepts in the Common Core these days.

I thoroughly enjoyed riding shotgun with the Glorkian Warrior, and look forward to seeing him again. Reserve this book for any young readers you may have – they’ll get a kick out of it. The book also opens itself up to some great reading group discussions, including drawing your own alien workshop/top your own alien pizza workshop, map out the mission mapmaking sessions, and make your own comic book programs.

Mr. Kochalka has a Tumblr, Kochalkaland, where he features some webcomics (not necessarily young child-appropriate, but then again, neither is Tumblr) and a webcomic at American Elf (again, not young reader-appropriate). You can follow Glorkian Academy on Twitter for news about the books.

Animal Fiction, Media, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

In Which I Explore an An Animated Book: Hondro & Fabian

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hondo & Fabian. Written and Illustrated by Peter McCarty. 6 minutes. DVD. Weston Woods. 2006. $ 59.95 ISBN 0-439-84909-8

Suggested for ages 3-6

When I saw the animated books at my local library, I have to admit I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was I just going to be staring at a static series of pictures with a voiceover laid over the whole business? I decided to give it a shot with Peter McCarty’s Caldecott Honored-story, Hondo & Fabian. I am very happy to say I was delighted by what I watched.

Hondo & Fabian is the 2003 Caldecott Award-winning story of Hondo & Fabian, a dog and cat who live in the same household and have very different experiences one day, when one goes to the beach and one stays home with the family baby. Who has the better day?

Weston Woods produced this animated version of the book for schools and libraries, and author Peter McCarty’s soft, grey pencil on watercolor paper illustrations come to life as narrator Jeff Brooks tells the tale of the two friends who spend their day in two different ways. The illustrations are animated, allowing viewers to see Hondo’s ears blowing in the breeze as he hangs out a window, and Fabian putting his claws to work, shredding toilet paper. The story is brief, and Joel Goodman and David Bramfitt’s music adds to the beauty of the artwork, bringing with it a relaxing feeling as the story’s events unfold. Readers will enjoy viewing this story about pet friends; the option to use English subtitles will allow for new readers to read along with the narration. A study guide comes with the DVD that provides pre- and post-viewing activity ideas that can be incorporated into a storytime session, such as a discussion about pets and which animals are pets versus which are not.

This would be an interesting addition to a pet-related storytime. The DVD could break up the routine of a traditional read-aloud and attract renewed attention from attendees. The Perry Public Library’s Parade of Pets storytime theme has pet-related songs and fingerplays, and having a sing-along to an animal song-related CD, like Raffi’s Animal Songs, would make for an interactive and fun time.

The Hondo & Fabian animated book has received numerous accolades, including designation as an ALA Notable Video; Honorable Mention from the Columbus International Film & Video Festival; and was an Official Selection at the Kids First Film Festival.

The Hondo & Fabian series of books by Peter McCarty also includes Fabian Escapes.

Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Jellaby: The Lost Monster – a story of friendship, in graphic form, from Kean Soo and Capstone

Posted on February 17, 2014February 18, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Capstone is bringing Kean Soon’s Jellaby back to print, and I couldn’t be happier. I came across the book on NetGalley, and am so happy that Capstone gave me the chance to read it. Jellaby: The Lost Monster is the first volume in the Jellaby series. The all-ages story about friendship also tackles some big issues within a safe space for kids.

Read the rest of my review over at WhatchaReading!

Graphic Novels, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

Guest Post from WhatchaReading: Preview! NFL RUSH ZONE: GUARDIANS OF THE CORE SUPER BOWL™ EDITION TPB

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

From Chuck at WhatchaReading:

I haven’t read NFL Rush Zone yet, the series on Nicktoons looks great and I’ve come to expect nothing less than excellence from our pals over at Action Lab. Maybe it’s time to give this one a try?

Read more and get order details at WhatchaReading!