Wizard's Hall

In the late 1990s I read the first Harry Potter book before it became a best seller and enjoyed it. However it didn't seem better than lots of other books for kids. I assumed one of the main reasons it sold so well was because, unlike most fantasies, it took place in a school instead of a setting like the Middle Ages. That allowed kids to identify with it.

But this week I read Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen. This book was originally published in 1991, years before Rowling's book and it's also a fantasy that takes place in a school setting. It's well written, the plot was original, the characters are believable, and it has all the features that make a book good.

So why didn't this book become a best seller? It has gone into a second edition, but never became as famous as the Harry Potter ones. Yolen is an excellent writer who has had lots of other books published so obviously hers must sell well, but she hasn't become an icon like J. K. Rowling.

I wonder what made the difference. Any ideas?

Sand Art Secret

Last Summer at http://whisperingwally.blogspot.com/ I reviewed a book for kids about Whispering Wally, the whale who only speaks in a tiny, soft voice. Now Kevin Collier, who is both the author and illustrator, has released a new book, The Sand Art Secret.

Like the first one in the series, this book is charming. I loved the colorful ocean and cute depictions of the creatures that live in it.

The simple story is appropriate for little kids and the lesson it teaches is something that may influence their lives. Since, like his character, Torrie the tiny sea turtle, Collier is an illustrator himself, perhaps he had to learn that same lesson at some time.

Besides being available in hard copy, this book is also available on Kindle for those who have newer models that can show colors at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFLFFHM

The Search For WondLa

The Search For WondLa is a combination of fantasy and science fiction. This book is huge -- over 450 pages -- so it might seem inappropriate for middle grade kids. However many of the pages are illustrations by the author and, like the Harry Potter books, it carries the readers into a fantastic world they won't want to leave. The characters and situations are extremely creative and different from the standard sci-fi or fantasy ones.

The story is about a girl, Eva Nine, who has grown up under the care of a robot and has never seen another living being. (It's interesting that her name is similar to the first woman in the Bible.) She's flung into an exciting adventure in a world filled with fantastic creatures, both good and evil. More than anything she wants to know where she came from and to meet other human beings - assuming she can survive long enough to do that. I cared about Eva and was eager to find out what happened to her.

Many series books leave the reader hanging at the end and they must read the next book, and the next, etc. to find out what happens. Personally, I consider that dishonest and never read a second book by an author who writes like that. However Diterlizzi is honest. The plot of this book is resolved in a satisfactory way, but the reader is left wanting to know more. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Chances Are

Okay, I can't resist books for kids, so here's another book review.

Chances Are by Susan Bangert-Wood is an alphabet picture book, but different from the usual kind because each letter tells of an animal doing crazy things they could never do in real life. Little kids who hear this book read to them and see the illustrations by Jack Foster will laugh out loud. Even toddlers will want to hear it over and over again.

When the kids are a little older they can learn the alphabet letters for each creature.

Bigger kids will enjoy the pages of activities in the back of the book,  which are suitable for kids in elementary school.  It bothered me a bit that some of the pages have slightly different meter, but that may be deliberate since one activity is counting the number of syllables.

Because of the variety of age groups who can benefit from Chances Are, chances are children who get this book when they're little will continue to enjoy it for years.

Magical Matthew

Penelope Anne Cole has written a book based on a creative concept. Magical Matthew is about a boy who has a magic power, but it's unlike any magical power I've ever heard of before. He can fix broken things by simply wishing them whole.

One thing Matthew can't fix is his friend, Lily, who uses a wheelchair because she can't walk. But that doesn't keep them from being friends, and Lily eventually learns about Matthew's secret power.

Unfortunately something happens to destroy Matthew's magic. His friendship with Lily lasts and he realizes he may be able to fix things without using magic, but that's not the happy ending of the book. I don't want to spoil it, so you'll have to read the book to find out what that is.

The colorful illustrations by Kevin Collier capture the cheerful mood of the story perfectly and lots of kids will enjoy reading Magical Matthew or having it read to them. Maybe some of them will even be inspired to find ways to help others.

Meghan Rose Takes the Cake

The early reader, Meghan Rose Takes the Cake, is one in a series by author Lori Z. Scott. It's about a girl whose school is having a contest to see which class can collect the most pennies to help feed the hungry.

I enjoyed the amusing plays on words used by the main character and the whole book is cute. It also teaches kids an important lesson about the importance of giving to others.

The one thing I disliked about the book is that Meghan Rose tattles on another student. I think it would have worked better for the misdeed to be discovered by the authorities in another way. But except for that factor, I liked this book, which has a strong, Christian message.

The reading level is comfortable for kids in early grades and young readers will certainly identify with the school setting and characters. Girls should especially enjoy it.

Mr. Topper, the Potbellied Pig

Many people have potbellied pigs as pets, but Mr. Topper, the main character in Liam Maher's book, is homeless. He wants someone to take care of him, but can't find anyone willing to do that. Then he gets an idea; he'll pretend he can bring magical good luck to whoever takes him in.

After several failed attempts, a kind-hearted person finally welcomes Mr. Topper into his home. But when his benefactor falls on hard times the pig really wants to bring him good luck. Is there any way he can help the kind human?

No spoilers intended here, but a child who has recently lost a tooth will probably especially enjoy this book.

Perhaps it's because the author grew up in Ireland that the story reads like a classical folk tale, the sort that never goes out of style. Even the illustrations by Vanda Lavar remind me of pictures in books I enjoyed way back when I was a kid and I think children today will enjoy this book a lot.

Stella, The Fire Farting Dragon

Kids will love this picture book! It's a funny story about a dragon who wants to win a contest, but is nervous and can't stop farting fire. She could be publicly humiliated!

What will happen if she follows the advice of her human friend Allen? "No matter what happens, keep flying," he tells her.

I love the illustrations by Jack Foster (who also illustrated one of my books) because they're just as amusing as the story.

The author, J Aday Kennedy, is "differently-abled" and has plenty of experience with persevering in spite of difficulties, but the book isn't at all preachy-teachy. Stella, The Fire Farting Dragon is just plain fun!

The Giant-Slayer

Iain Lawrence's book, The Giant-Slayer is excellent! It's part historical fiction, part fantasy, and ... oh, oh! If it's part historical fiction that means I'm really old because I actually remember things that happened at that time. My father died of polio when I was six years old. Polio truly was like a terrible giant threatening everyone.

The book takes place in the early 1950s during the polio epidemic and is about a girl, Laurie, who uses her amazing storytelling ability to inspire kids in a contraption called the iron lung. (That machine was used to help polio victims breathe by contracting their chests when muscles in that area had become paralyzed.)

As someone who lived during the era I can testify that the details are realistic.

But the important part of the book is the fantasy. Laurie's stories, involving mythological creatures from many cultures, carry the other kids and the reader away from the medical unit and into an exciting other world. As the children participate in the story, they become part of it.

But what will happen when Laurie, herself, gets polio? Can she survive?

Anyone who appreciates the value of Story or who simply wants to be carried away to other worlds will enjoy reading this book.

The Weaver

Kai Strand sent me a copy of her newly published book, The Weaver, and I enjoyed reading it.

It's a fantasy about Mary, who lives where storytelling is extremely important to the culture but can't tell stories well. She meets a magic creature who gives her a wish but, as in many fairy tales, the wish turns out to be more of a curse - or is it?

The plot is good and original, the characters are believable, and the language is often poetic without calling unnecessary attention to itself. The Weaver has a message kids need to hear but it doesn't hit them over the head with it.

The book is shorter than most for the nine to twelve age group, but many kids want books they can read quickly so they'll probably like this one.

Marta's Gargantuan Wings

While most kids won't know that Gargantua was a gigantic monster, that won't keep them from enjoying Marta's Gargantuan Wings. A PDF of that picture book was recently sent to me by my friend, author Jessica Kennedy.

The story is about Marta, a winged horse who is teased by a bird because her wings are huge and seem awkward. But, with encouragement from friends, she uses her wings to rescue other creatures. How does the bird react to that? Read the book to find out.

Since most kids get teased at times,Marta's Gargantuan Wings should appeal to lots of kids. And when those kids get older and encounter ancient stories, Pegasus and Gargantua will already be familiar to them.

The colorful illustrations by artist Eugene Ruble (I've mentioned him before) capture the feeling of the story.

Frederico, the Mouse Violinist

My internet friend, Mayra Calvani, sent me a pdf of her newest book, Frederico, the Mouse Violinist, and I love it!

Frederico is a mouse who watches the famous Stradivari make the finest violins in the world and longs to play one himself. Although a mouse is far too small to play a violin, Frederico keeps trying and one day.... well, I won't give away the ending.

The illustrator, K.C. Snyder, combines cute mouse and realistic violin pictures to convey both the fictional story and factual information perfectly.

This book contains just enough about violins and how they work to be both informative and entertaining for kids. It would make a great gift for children from four to eight years old, especially if they're interested in music.

The book is available at http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/frederico.htm

How Can I Tell Kids The Truth About Santa?

When I was three years old my mother took me Christmas shopping in New York City and at each of the big department stores I waited in line and told Santa Claus what I wanted him to bring me for Christmas.

As we hurried up the busy sidewalk between stores I asked my mother how Santa could get from one store to another so quickly. She explained, "Those are just Santa's representatives. Santa Claus is really the Spirit of Christmas."

I wasn't sure what that meant but was satisfied with the answer.

As an adult of course I understand that Christmas is about far more than gifts and carols. While there are many books for children about the Nativity story, there aren't many that can help children understand what the religious aspect of Christmas has to do with Santa Claus.

My picture book, Secret Service Saint, helps kids understand the truth about Santa Claus and discover the joy of secret giving. In this time of economic problems I hope it will help children realize that there is more to Christmas than getting presents.

Sofia's Dream

An internet friend sent me a PDF copy of a delightful picture book called Sofia's Dream. It's about a little girl who makes friends with the moon and gets carried away to visit him in a dream. There she learns about Mother Earth's suffering because of pollution and other environmental damage and wakes up determined to do something about that important problem.

In spite of the important message, the book isn't teachy-preachy. It is told in rhyme, which works well without being forced, and the beautiful illustrations by Sue Cornelison capture the dreamlike mood of the book perfectly.

Sofia's Dream would make a wonderful bedtime story that children will probably want to hear over and over again. Perhaps some of them, like Sofia, will visit the moon in their dreams.

I assume the author, Land Wilson, chose the main character's name because Sofia means 'wise one' or 'wisdom' and hearing her story will inspire children to care about our planet.