Candlewick – Page 7 – Mom Read It

Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

Folklore, myth, and memory: Merrow

Posted on December 5, 2016December 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Merrow, by Ananda Braxton-Smith, (NOv. 2016, Candlewick), $16.99, ISBN: 9780763679248

Recommended for ages 12+

Twelve year-old Neen Marrey lives with her Aunt Oshag on Carrick Island. Her father drowned and her mother disappeared when she was a baby; now, she and her aunt endure the town gossip – that her mother was a merrow, a mermaid, that returned to the ocean and her father drowned himself trying to reach her. Oshag dismisses the gossip as nonsense, but the myth keeps Neen going; she wants desperately to believe that her mother didn’t just desert her; that maybe even Neen herself has merrow in her, and can reconcile with her mother one day.

Merrow is beautiful and heartbreaking. Braxton-Smith spins a tale that weaves together historical fiction, Celtic folklore, and a coming of age story. Neen and Oshag are both incredibly constructed characters that come alive; characters that you come to ache for. The supporting cast are equally likable and believable, and having such a small group of characters adds to the intimacy of the novel.

This is a gorgeous novel that literary fiction readers, readers of magical realism, realistic fiction, and historical fiction alike will love. Merrow has received four starred reviews: Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal. Maybe the Printz committee will agree?

Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Middle School, Puberty, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Realistic Fiction that works: Still a Work in Progress

Posted on September 17, 2016September 17, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Still a Work in Progress, by Jo Knowles, (Aug. 2016, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9780763672171

Recommended for ages 9-13

Noah’s trying to make it through seventh grade: his friends are weirding out, girls are weird, and his home life… don’t ask. His older sister, Emma, has been acting strange again. Her increasingly difficult food demands are driving Noah crazy – he really doesn’t like seitan; he just wants a burger – and she’s doing things like wearing lots of bulky clothing layers, moving her food around the plate without actually taking a bite, and arguing with everyone. Just like she did when The Thing They Don’t Talk About began last time. Noah’s only solace these days seems to be in the art room, where he can express himself without stress.

Still a Work in Progress is one of those great middle grade books that tackles tough issues within the framework of every day life: meaning, there’s a lot of laughter, a lot of confusion, and some pain. Overall, the book, narrated by Noah, is hilarious. The dialogue between him and his friends sounds like things I’d overhear my kids talking and arguing about, and Jo Knowles really captures Noah’s inner dialogue beautifully: the mixture of anger and concern for his sister, in particular. Ms. Knowles gives readers a realistic novel that brings together school life, home life, friend life (any kid will tell you friends are a separate sphere), and the frustration of moving through these areas while in the pull of something much, much bigger than you. I also loved the real star of the book: a hairless cat named Curly, who lives at the school and hangs out with the kids (Curly’s on the cover of the book, so you know this is an important cat.)

Great middle grade novel for realistic fiction readers. There’s always a call for good, realistic fiction in my library, so this one will get a good booktalk. Check out Jo Knowles’ author website for a link to the book’s Pinterest page and downloadable discussion guide.

Want more? Here’s Jo Knowles talking about the inspiration behind Still a Work in Progress.

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction

Shaun the Sheep: Flock Factor – Not just any talent show!

Posted on September 26, 2014September 26, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Shaun the Sheep: The Flock Factor, by Martin Howard (Nov. 2014, Candlewick Press), $4.99, ISBN: 9780763675356

Recommended for ages 4-6

There’s a talent show coming to Mossy Bottom Farm, and it’s sheep versus chickens to see who’s got the real talent!

Shaun and his friends are thrilled when they see a sign advertising a talent show – The Flock Factor! – at Mossy Bottom Farm. The only problem is, none of the sheep have much in the way of talent. Except for Shirley, who can belt out a soulful tune that would make Adele weep. The chickens, who have an enviable lineup, are the mean kids here, teasing Shirley, whose stage fright renders her unable to perform in front of anyone. Can Shaun the Sheep bolster Shirley’s confidence enough to get her on stage? Will the chickens win the talent show, or will the sheep pull it together?

Shaun the Sheep is an adorable Claymation show, spun off from the hugely successful Wallace and Gromit children’s show, coming to us from the UK. The series is getting its own, original illustrated fiction series, perfect for new readers who are ready to tackle the next level in reading. Parents who enjoy a good storytime cuddle will enjoy reading this to their preschoolers, who may have a longer attention span than their little siblings.

It’s not always easy to translate something so visual to the written word, but the illustrations help fill out the story. Familiarity with Shaun the Sheep isn’t necessary, but Shaun is likely to win some new friends and viewers if this book series takes off.

The Shaun the Sheep website offers games, videos, and a social media network that allows subscribers to post their game scores, sign up for newsletters, and enter contests.