Tag: adventure

Posted in Espionage, Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads

The League of Unexceptional Children – Be Ordinary and Save the World!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

leagueThe League of Unexceptional Children, by Gitty Daneshvari (Oct. 2015, Little, Brown), $17.99, ISBN: 9780316405706

Recommended for ages 9-12

Jonathan and Shelly are average. Forgettable, even. They don’t stand out, they’re not super-genius smart, and hardly anyone remembers their names five minutes after meeting them. And that’s what makes them the perfect spies. When the Vice President of the United States is kidnapped, Jonathan and Shelly find themselves recruited into the League of Unexceptional Children to find out who’s behind the kidnapping and to save the world: it seems that the VP isn’t the strongest-willed guy around, and happens to have access to some very important codes that could bring some big problems if they were to get out. Can Jonathan and Shelly save the day?

This is a hilarious beginning to a new series by Gitty Daneshvari, who’s authored the Monster High and School of Fear middle grade series. The kids in my library are ALWAYS asking me where these books are, so I know this book is a no-brainer for my shelves. Most of the adults are as hapless as the kids, and Jonathan and Shelly have a great rapport and go at one another like a regular Nick and Nora (look it up, kids). Shelly makes grandiose boasts about her abilities, while Jonathan is a little more down-to-earth, and their back and forth will leave you chuckling and inwardly wincing with awkwardness. Boys and girls alike will love this one. Heck, build a program around it and show a season of Code Name: Kids Next Door to kick off a Secret Agent Day!

Gitty Daneshvari’s author page is loaded with great little things to do. Kids (and adults!) can contact her, check out her blog, request a Skype session for your class or library, and meet Harriet, the Literary Bulldog.

 

 

Posted in Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

Hi-Lo Historical Fiction from Lorimer: Mystery in the Frozen Lands

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

cover62877-medium Mystery in the Frozen Lands, by Martyn Godfrey (2015, Lorimer) $12.95, ISBN: 9781459408425

Recommended for ages 12-16

It’s 1857, and teenager Peter Griffin joins a sea mission to solve a world-famous mystery: what happened to his uncle, Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin. Franklin and his crew of 128 men had sailed from England twelve years earlier in search of the Northwest Passage, a sea route through the Arctic between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Mysteriously, the entire Franklin expedition disappeared without a trace. Subsequent expeditions have yet to recover any of the ship’s crew or discover what happened; Peter signs on to be ship’s boy for the latest expedition, hoping to solve the mystery. Mystery in the Frozen Lands is Peter’s fictional journal.

Based on true events and real people, Peter’s fictional first-person account brings this Arctic adventure to new life. His journal details the long, dark days cooped up on the ship, the ever-present dangers lurking in the forbidding, icy landscape, and the sadness that he and his shipmates experience as they come closer to realizing the Franklin and his crew’s ultimate end. The book includes an introductory background on the 2014 discovery of the wreck of Franklin’s HMS Erebus, a timeline of events, and additional resources for readers.

Lorimer’s Hi-Lo Readers are excellent for readers who are ready for deeper material. The books are over 100 pages, but the storytelling is accomplished with direct sentences that maintain a vivid level of description and information. Give this one to your historical fiction fans and watch them tear through it, then show them this Daily Mail article, which identifies through facial reconstruction, a member of the Erebus crew.

Canadian author Martyn Godfrey died in 2000, but lives on through the annual Martyn Godfrey Young Writer’s Award presented by the Young Alberta Book Society, through the Albert Weekly Newspapers Association.

Posted in Adventure, Fiction, Middle Grade

Introduce middle graders to a young Harry Houdini with Magician’s Fire

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

magiciansfireThe Magician’s Fire, by Simon Nicholson, (October 2014, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky). $15.99, ISBN: 9781492603320

Recommended for ages 8-12

Young Harry Houdini was a shoeshine kid on the streets of New York long before he captivated audiences with his illusions – but he was always interested in magic. The Magician’s Fire introduces readers to Harry and his friends – fellow street urchin Billie, and Arthur, a wealthy boy from an unhappy home.

We also meet Herbie, a magician who serves as Harry’s mentor – he’s a tired older man who performs in a local theatre. One night, Herbie disappears, the only evidence being a puff of purple smoke. Harry and his friends turn investigators, using their skills and their wits to get to the bottom of Herbie’s disappearance. But are they also attracting some unwanted attention?

I love the idea of introducing kids to Harry Houdini. It worries me that icons of previous generations may fade away to the general public, so seeing Harry brought back to life in a mystery-type series – think Alfred Hitchcock’s investigators, but with magic! – that also gives him a chance to show off his developing illusionist skills, really makes me happy.

Harry is obnoxious in this first book. He wants the attention, he wants to do everything by himself, and his idea of teamwork really relates to how his friends can get him noticed or pave his way to save the day. He realizes this, thankfully, when Billie and Arthur call him on it, and while I think this will be a struggle we see in future plotlines, it presents a great growth opportunity for the characters and gives middle graders an entry point to the character. Readers will recognize themselves in Harry, sympathize with Arthur, and cheer for Billie. There’s some good character development at work here, and interesting insights into the world of illusion that will appeal to everyone.

The book leaves off with an obvious cliffhanger, so I hope this new series has a long, successful life. I read the first chapter to a storytime group of middle graders, and they were captivated by the opening scene. One boy asked me to make sure I included that book in my next library order – duly noted!

The Sourcebooks website offers a free, downloadable Educator’s Guide to The Magicians’ Fire, along with an excerpt.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Uncategorized

Open The Zoo Box and great ready for an adventure!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

zoo boxThe Zoo Box, by Ariel Cohn/illus. by Aron Nels Steinke. :01 First Second (2014), $17.99, ISBN: 9781626720527

Recommended for ages 6-10

When Patrick and Erika’s parents go out and leave them home alone, they discover a hidden box marked “DO NOT OPEN”. When they (naturally) open it, they unleash a magical zoo’s worth of animals, and follow them into a very different kind of zoo – but what happens when the animals figure out that the siblings are human? Get ready for an adventure!

In short, :01 First Second does it again – if I see their imprint on a book, I know I am in for a good read.

This book is adorable. Ariel Cohn constructs a sweet story with siblings who actually enjoy one another’s company and play together; they have an exciting adventure together, and they stick together through thick and thin. There’s no conflict! As a mother of 3 boys, I appreciate this so very much. Aron Nils Steinke provides wonderful, cartoon art with splashes of color and movement. I’ve enjoyed Mr. Steinke’s work in the past, including his webcomic, Mr. Wolf, that follows the misadventures of a wolf schoolteacher. It’s good for the same age group as The Zoo Box.

The Zoo Box is a 52-page book, making it a nice-sized read for younger audiences. The art is sequential in its pacing, allowing the youngest readers to learn about sequence. Talking about what could happen next would be great to marry the concept of sequence here; children can brainstorm, and then see right in front of them, how the scenarios play out. There’s humor, there are animals, and most importantly, there’s excitement and interest. The Zoo Box doesn’t hit shelves until September 2, but I can’t wait to see this on the shelves both in my home and my library. I may even have to build a program using this book for my elementary school-age patrons.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

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

Posted on 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?

NFL rush zone

 

Read more and get order details at WhatchaReading!

Posted in Graphic Novels

Guest Post from Chuck at WhatchaReading: Delilah Dirk and The Turkish Lieutenant – A Formidable Heroine in a Swashbuckling Adventure!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I am a big fan of graphic novels and comic books, and firmly believe they have a place in literacy and the classroom. My friend Chuck has a great comics and comic culture blog over at WhatchaReading, where you can also find my comic book reviews.  I realized the other day that we write up a lot of “all-ages” books – books that appeal to younger audiences, rather than teens and adults, as most titles tend to these days, and I’d like to bring some of those reviews to my readers here at MomReadIt. So you’ll be seeing more guest posts, and I’d love some feedback – so speak up!

And now, Chuck’s review for Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant:

We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a few books from :01 (First Second) and I’ve got to admit that this book has sat on my to review pile for a while. I started reading it months ago, finished it quickly and thought it was wonderful. Somehow the review never got started. How about we rectify that oversight immediately.

When I started the book this was literally all I had to go on; From author Tony Cliff: “Delilah Dirk is the heroine of a series of adventure comics set during the early 19th century. Each story is completely self-contained, and they’re suitable for readers of all ages!”

Read the rest over at WhatchaReading.com!

 

Posted in Media, TV Shows

Media Review: Jake and the Neverland Pirates (Episodes: The Golden Egg/Huddle Up) (Walt Disney Studios, 2011)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Directed by Kelly Ward. Disney Junior, 22 minutes. Walt Disney Studios. 2011

Recommended for ages 2-5

Jake_and_the_Neverland_Pirates_3489

Jake and the Neverland Pirates is Disney Junior’s answer to Dora the Explorer. Jake (voiced by Colin Ford) and his friends, Izzy (voiced by Madison Pettis) and Cubby (voiced by Jonathan Morgan Heit), are a multicultural group of children playing pirate games along with their parrot friend, Skully (voiced by David Arquette). Disney favorites Captain Hook and his mate, Smee, always seem to find a way to show up and meddle in their fun. Each 11-minute episode involves a quest of some sort, and Jake and his friends interact with the viewer by asking them to help out and solve problems and cheer them on. Each episode’s close rewards the team – and the viewer – for their teamwork by providing them with “pirate doubloons” that goes in the group treasure chest, which the viewers help Jake count. In The Golden Egg, Jake and his friends find a gold-colored egg, and set off to find who it belongs to. Captain Hook (voiced by longtime Captain Hook voice actor Corey Burton) and Smee (voiced by Jeff Bennett) are hot on the team’s trail, thinking the egg is an actual gold egg. Huddle Up finds Jake, Izzy and Cubby playing a game of “pirate football” until Captain Hook steals the ball, believing it has special powers. Jake and his friends set off on a quest to get the ball back from Hook.

 

The series is highly interactive, and children familiar with Dora will enjoy the familiarity. Like Dora, each episode resembles a video game, with tasks to complete; the team collects gold doubloons that float in the air to put in their treasure chest at the end of each episode. Members of the pirate rock band, Captain Bogg and Salty, end each episode with a pirate song.

 

Captain Hook and Smee are similar to Dora’s Swiper, the wily fox who tries to swipe Dora’s objects. Jake and his friends go on quests and provide the viewers with prompts to help them along; there are musical interludes throughout each episode, and a celebration at the end. It’s a good introduction to mainstay Disney characters – Peter Pan has appeared in at least one episode – for younger viewers, and Captain Hook and Smee are goofy here, less threatening than they are in the movie Peter Pan. Each episode emphasizes the importance of teamwork. With the Disney name on the cartoon, caregivers know the production values will be high. The animation is computer-generated, with bright colors and fluent action to keep viewers’ attention. The main characters have expressive, happy faces while the antagonists have exaggerated features that make them less menacing, more caricature-like.

 

Each episode runs roughly 11 minutes, which makes this a good addition to a pirate story time or a teamwork story time. The show is a pleasant way to keep children entertained while reinforcing lessons on preschool basics and teamwork, and the musical ending provides an opportunity to get the kids up and dancing. Learning a pirate jig would be a fun way to conclude a library program showing a Jake and the Neverland Pirates episode. The Jake and the Neverland Pirates section of the Disney website offers free printables that attendees can color and take home, and the Oriental Trading catalog and website has a wealth of pirate supplies that can be bought in bulk for relatively low cost, including fun pirate eye patches to hand out.

 

Posted in Media

Media Review: The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie (DVD, Universal Studios, 2008)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Directed by Mike Nawrocki. 85 minutes. DVD. Universal Studios. 2008. $ 9.99 ISBN 000013830397

Recommended for ages 2-8

veggie tales pirates

VeggieTales is an American series of computer animated family movies featuring anthropomorphic vegetables. The stories convey moral themes; many retell Bible  stories. The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything was the first VeggieTales movie released theatrically through Universal Studios. Taking place between the late 17th century and the present, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything follows Veggie characters Elliot, George, and Sedgewick (“played” by popular Veggie characters Larry the Cucumber, Pa Grape, and Mr. Lunt, the Gourd). Working as servers in a pirate-themed restaurant, they wish they could be heroes rather than cabin boys; after they discover a “Helpseeker” sent back in time by Princess Eloise, they are transported back in time, where they become actual heroes and learn that being heroic has nothing to do with how someone looks, but in his or her actions.

 

The computer animation is well done. The VeggieTales franchise has been around since the 1990s; creators Mike Nawrocki, who voices main characters George, Sedgewick and Bob the Tomato , and Phil Vischer, who voices main character  Elliot – have built a successful book, movie and merchandising business, and reinvest money into it to keep it fresh and well-produced. The animation is rife with bright primary colors, and the Veggies themselves have expressive face with large eyes. The movie stumbles with its dialogue, which, while delivering an honorable message, does so with lackluster dialogue. The pacing is also a problem; the movie tends to drag as characters get caught up in dialogue over action, which may lose young viewers’ attention.   It can also be confusing to those viewers new to VeggieTales that the characters are “acting”, and therefore playing other characters.

 

The movie’s positive message and popular characters make it a good choice for a movie day or evening at the library.  The tone of the film is relentlessly positive; when the characters are feeling down, they lift one another up and always look for the bright side.  The villains are never truly scary or horrible; they appear goofy more than anything else. A viewing, with a discussion about what makes people heroes, and how actions speak louder than words or appearances, would be a good way to communicate the values demonstrated in the movie. The VeggieTales webpage provides free downloadable printables that viewers can color and take home.

 

Posted in Fantasy, Humor, Tween Reads

Book Review: Tuesdays at the Castle, by Jessica Day George (Bloomsbury, 2011)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 9-12

Princess Celie lives with her brother, sister and parents at Castle Glower, a castle that’s alive much in the way Hogwarts is – rooms crop up when they’re needed, and new staircases and passages appear seemingly at will. When her parents, King Glower and Queen Celina leave to attend their eldest son’s graduation from wizard school and are reported missing after their carriage is attacked, Councilors and foreign dignitaries show up and start ordering Celie’s brother Rolf – the heir to the throne – around. The Glower children, the castle staff, and Castle Glower itself all sense that something’s wrong, and work together to get rid of the evil prince that’s trying to take over Castle Glower – and bring their parents home safely.

Jessica Day George is great at writing princess books without all the saccharine included- her heroines are smart, funny, and can keep their heads about them when things are going crazy. Celie is no different, nor is her older sister, Lilah, which is a pleasant change from the “one beautiful and dumb, one smart and resourceful” sister that tends to pop up in YA and ‘tween literature. Their brother, Bran, is an intelligent boy who can defend himself verbally and allies with his siblings and staff to brainstorm solutions and make things happen. Ms. George provides good character development and the action is well-paced. While mostly girls will likely gravitate to this book, there are strong male and female characters for young readers to be inspired by.

Jessica Day George’s website has a section dedicated to Tuesdays at the Castle, in addition to her other books, appearances and news.

Posted in Adventure, Fantasy, Humor, Tween Reads

Book Review: The Magnificent 12: The Call, by Michael Grant (Katherine Tegen Books, 2010)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 9-12

Mack MacAvoy is a medium kid – medium in height and build, medium in looks, medium in grades – he’s so ordinary that his own parents don’t really notice him most of the time. That all changes when Grimluk, an ancient man dressed in an old black robe, appears in his school hallway and announces that he is one of the Magnifica, a group of 12 children who will have to save the world from the ancient evil of the Pale Queen. In no time at all, Mack and his bully protector Stefan are swept off to locate the other 11 Magnifica, but it won’t be easy – the Pale Queen’s daughter, Eriskigal, and the monsters at her command, will stop at nothing to destroy them before they even begin.

The Magnificent 12 is a fun adventure series with good character development and interaction; the story moves at a pace that will keep readers’ interest. The chapters alternate between Grimluk’s story, providing an establishing backstory, and Mack’s story, laying the groundwork for the future books in the series. There are villains, monsters, and prophecies galore and with both male and female characters, boys and girls alike should find this a good read. International locales lend a James Bond-type feel to the adventure.

The series website offers the chance for visitors to create their own avatars, play games, and enter a sweepstakes to win a copy of the latest book in the series, The Trap. An online map also acts as Mack’s travel journal where readers can learn facts about the different countries where Mack’s adventures take place. Educators can find essay questions, discussion questions, and lesson starters on the “Educators” section of the site. The author’s website offers a biography, FAQ, information about his books, and contact information.