Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot - in color!

Pilkey, Dav. 2014. Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot. New York: Scholastic. Illustrations by Dan Santat.

While at ALA Midwinter, I picked up an Advance Reader Copy of Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot. I know what you're thinking - that's not a new book, that was published ages ago!  Yes, but it's back again, and this time in full color, with glossy pages and new "mini-comics" inside.

All of the Ricky Ricotta books will be reissued with new illustrations, and two brand new books are planned for January and March of 2015.  A big campaign is in the works ... stay tuned.

Read an excerpt and see the new illustrations on Scholastic's new Ricky Ricotta web page.

Coming to a bookshelf near you on April 29, 2014.

BTW, my Advance Reader Copy went home with a very happy young boy, one of my best readers. He was looking for my library's "checked-out" copy of the original Ricky Ricotta's Giant Robot. Imagine the smile on his face when I gave him a new, as yet unpublished, full-color copy! (Luckily, I had read it at lunchtime.)

The original Ricky Ricotta artist, Martin Ontiveros deserves credit for helping to create a series that captured the imagination of a nearly a generation of children.  Dan Santat will refresh the series for the next generation.  Long live Dav Pilkey!

The 39 Clues: Vespers Rising - a review

Riordan, Rick and Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson. The 39 Clues: Vespers Rising. (Book #11) 2011. Read by David Pittu. Scholastic Audio.  (6 hrs 18 min)

Can a book be both a prequel and a sequel?  Yes, if it's Vespers Rising.

In four separate books (hence the four authors), Vespers Rising offers a view to the past and the origins of the Cahill Family secret in Gideon Cahill (early 1500s) , a look at the activities of Madeleine Cahill and the formation of the family's secretive fifth branch, a glimpse of young Grace Cahill, patriarch of the modern Cahill Family, and finally, back to Dan and Amy Cahill, their cat Saladdin, and au pair, Nellie.  Dan and Amy have completed the clue hunt and are safely back in Boston, but their adventures are far from over!


David Pittu continues as the narrator for the series, and as usual, does a stellar job in portraying a wide variety of characters with varying accents.  His voice will be as connected with The 39 Clues brand as Jim Dale's is to Harry Potter.
Listen to a sample here.

This book will answer many of the questions readers may have about the origin of the clue hunt, but its main purpose is to set the stage for the new series, Cahills vs. Vespers.  The first book in the series is The Medusa Plot, and is available now. Read an excerpt here.

Fans of the series will be thrilled with the new offerings.

The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel and other Olympian news

Just how big is Rick Riordan in the publishing world?  Well, he doesn't have a mere web page, he has a world, The Online World of Rick Riordan.  And he needs an online world to contain all of his projects!

I've been meaning to share a few things about Rick Riordan since attending the American Library Association conference this summer. I am so impressed with Rick Riordan's commitment to his craft, his boundless imagination, his friendly personality, his circle of talented colleagues,  and most of all, his ever-increasing appeal to readers.  Like Midas, whatever he touches turns to gold.


Did you know that The Lightning Thief and subsequent books in the series are being released in graphic novel format?  I might have passed on this news, had I not attended a session in New Orleans that featured Rick Riordan in a panel discussion with his colleagues.  One of the panel members was Robert Venditti, who wrote the adaptation for the graphic novel.

Robert Venditti signing books @ ALA in NO

 Venditti explained both the challenges, and his method of condensing a beloved book into GN format. It was not a task that he undertook lightly, and it was clear to everyone in attendance that he put a great deal of effort into maintaining the spirit and content of the original book.  My co-worker and I spoke with him later about the process of working with Attila Futaki (artist) and Jose Villarrubia (colorist) in creating the adaptation to ensure that readers of the original book would not be disappointed. There is much more to the process than you might think.

The resulting book is a new way to experience the Percy Jackson saga (the rest of the series will follow!) and adheres to the story much better than the movie. And yes, Annabeth is blond, as she should be.  My only complaint with The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel (2010 Disney Hyperion) is  the font color for otherworldly messages.  I found it difficult to read, but perhaps I'm just getting old!

The Lost Hero, the first book in the Heroes of Olympus series, flew off the shelf all summer! Can't wait for the second installment, Son of Neptune?  Well, here's a teaser for you -

Read the first chapter here or
you can download an mp3 file of the first audiobook chapter here!

(It will be interesting to see how the issue of narration is reconciled.  So many listeners loved Jesse Bernstein, the narrator of the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.  Joshua Swanson narrated The Lost Hero, which is told in first person narration from varying points of view. Swanson portrayed all of the characters. When Percy re-enters the story in Son of Neptune, will listeners pine for the voice of Jesse Bernstein?  We'll find out next month.)

And did you know that October 4-11 is Olympian Week? Rick Riordan will be touring the country in support of his upcoming book. The first printing of The Son of Neptune will be three million copies!  Click the link to see if he'll be in a city near you!

And then, there's the Kane Chronicles - the series based on Egyptian mythology. It's no wonder that Rick Riordan needs an "online world!"  According to Rick Riordan, this popular series should wrap up after three books.  We'll see what happens next.

The 39 Clues, originally planned to end with book ten, finished up with book 11, Vespers Rising, written in part by Rick Riordan and detailing the origin of the clue hunt. I'm almost finished with this one in audiobook format (my new commute is too short for quality listening), but it sets the stage for the new Cahill vs. Vespers series. The Medusa Plot (book 1) by Gordon Korman was released last month. And the Cahill clan lived on!

And finally, in New Orleans, Riordan mentioned that he is not ruling out a foray into Norse mythology.  Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

Auxier, Jonathan. 2011. Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. New York: Amulet.

(Advance Reader Copy provided by the publisher and signed in New Orleans by the young, very friendly, and tall Jonathan Auxier. Some lucky young reader will be the recipient of this great new book!)

A sightless, orphan boy under the control of a heartless man, the Dickensian Peter Nimble uses his remarkable senses to survive, becoming as unseen as he is sightless - a master of thievery, lock picking, diversion, filching, clipping and pilfering.  It is a mean and demeaning life until the day he steals an elaborately guarded, locked and fortified box containing three sets of eyes - eyes which catapult him into a strange and fantastic journey to the spaces that have heretofore been left blank upon the maps of the world.  His destiny is a quest for the Vanished Kingdom. To accomplish his mission, he has only his new companion, the part feline/part equine/part human Sir Tode (a most miserably enchanted knight), an unfinished riddle, his burgle-sack, and of course, the Fantastic Eyes.

The language of Peter Nimble is the straightforward language of action and adventure, which is not to say that this book is simple or unsophisticated. In fact, the plot has many twists with depth equal to the cruel mines of the Vanished Kingdom. There is some obvious foreshadowing, but this may be a planned device, offering the reader a sense of accomplishment while following this exciting adventure as it changes perspective when new characters enter and expand the story.

As Peter Nimble is blind, the reader depends upon the narrator and good Sir Tode to set the visual scene. Peter's view of the world is colored, so to speak, by his other senses.  He tells the time of day by the "feel" of the sun or moon.  He can "smell the dew percolating up from the ground."  He can judge the size of a chamber or hall by the echo of voices or machinery. But he cannot do it all alone, and enlists the help of the loyal Sir Tode, a fish, thieves, a raven, and "the Princess," in a fierce battle to aid the author of the riddle,

Kings aplenty, princes few,
The ravens scattered and seas withdrew.
Only a stranger may bring relief,
But darkness will reign, unless he's --

For ages 10 and up, readers of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes can expect some violence and even death (no quest is without danger!), but Peter and his allies are up to the challenge, and when they falter, they are reminded,

There are times when Justice demands from us more than we would give.

A satisfying and captivating debut novel that certainly leaves open the possibility of future adventures. (Read more about that in this BookPage interview with author, Jonathan Auxier.) A treat for fans of action, adventure, magic and fantasy!

(I love the cover art!)
True story: I have never encountered the word sternutation before reading Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. After looking it up, I shared my discovery with my family that evening only to have my son tell me that he, too, had learned the word sternutation that day - from a Snapple cap!  A strange coincidence to be sure!

Other reviews @
Shelf-awareness
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The Lost Hero - audiobook review

Riordan, Rick. The Heroes of Olympus: Book One: The Lost Hero. Read by Joshua Swanson.  Listening Library.

A co-worker mentioned that this audiobook has "a slightly campy feel."  That sums this one up perfectly.  Not that campy is a bad thing. (How else can you portray Aeolus, God of Wind, who is insane, living in a palace offering a one-man, 24/7 Olympian version of the Weather Channel?!)

The point is, readers and listeners will likely have different experiences with The Lost Hero.  Text offers much more room for interpretation than does audio.  The sheer number of characters - gods, goddesses, demi-gods, oracles, satyrs, wind spirits, centaurs, cyclopes, kings, wolves and more (!) make it an extremely difficult book for one reader, especially with a length of sixteen and a half hours.  That being said, however, Joshua Swanson does an admirable job, though the voice of Leo Valdez (a new arrival to Camp Half-Blood and a main character) did remind me a bit of Cheech Marin.

I'll skip a summary of the book, but here's a quick run-down:  Percy Jackson is missing, Annabeth is searching for him, three new demi-god campers (Jason, Piper and Leo) arrive at Camp Half Blood under peculiar circumstances and are sent immediately on a vague and dangerous quest, there is definitely more to come in future books. Chapters alternate between the perspectives of the three demi-gods.

I was sufficiently intrigued.  I'll probably see this one through 'til the end.

Listen to an excerpt here.
Another review @ Dog Ear

The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable

Gutman, Dan. 2011. The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable. Read by Michael Goldstrom. Harper Audio.
6 hours, 8 minutes.

Mission Unstoppable is book one is a new series about twins, Coke and Pepsi McDonald, and their adventures as secret members of a highly-classified program known as The Genius Files.  Brilliant children from around the country have been chosen (based on their standardized test scores - a reason to do well!) to be part of a group charged with solving the problems of the world - or in this case, saving the world!  With trademark Dan Gutman humor and wisecracking, the story follows Coke and Pep on a cross-country summer trip with their parents, who are unaware of the Genius Files project and the dangers the kids face.  Someone is trying to kill them and they're in a race against time to reach the world's largest ball of twine and save the world!  Narration is third-person with frequent asides to the reader, "Go ahead.  Look it up.  I'll wait."

What's not to like? There are some stereotypes here - a mysterious woman with an Eastern European accent (why must they always sound Hungarian?), incompetent sanitation workers make a cameo appearance (but Mr. McDonald may be partly to blame for their error), the "bad guy" is the health teacher (it's always health or gym, isn't it?), Mom and Dad are relatively clueless (well, in fairness, perhaps we really are!), but these are minor issues in a book that will likely find a broad audience.

What's to like? Mission Unstoppable is very current employing the Internet, texting, GPS, etc. Mrs. McDonald is the primary bread-winner in the family, making a living with her funky website, "Amazing But True," which prompts the many stops at quirky Americana sites.  The story encourages map skills and geography in a fun way. The siblings may fight, but they genuinely like each other.The nonstop action, adventure, and high-tech gadgets and explosions will make this a popular choice for reluctant readers - especially boys. Reader Michael Goldstrom speaks clearly and in a very measured manner, again making this a good audio choice for reluctant readers.

The only thing I would have liked better would have been a less affluent family.  It is assumed that all families have a Rand McNally Atlas at home and the McDonald twins bemoan the prospect of a cross-country trip in an RV.  These are things that would not ring true to many (most?) of the children I see in the public library.

Still, a solid beginning for a new series. Dan Gutman is a perennial favorite, especially for summer reading assignments.  Get them hooked on this series, and perhaps they'll keep reading all year!

Reminder - check out all the great author and blogger posts for Women's History Month at Kidlit Celebrates Women's History Month 2011.  Today's post is by Chasing Ray.

The Viper's Nest

Lerangis, Peter. 2010. The Viper's Nest. Read by David Pittu. Scholastic Audiobooks.

About 5 hrs on CD or Playaway.

Still plugging along through the 39 Clues series, trying to catch up.  The Viper's Nest (Book 7) was not available from my library for digital download, so I checked out the Playaway version.

(If you’re not familiar with Playaway audio books, they are single-purpose, multi-use, mp3 players. It’s a very simple mp3 player loaded with one book and lacking recording capabilities. It has basic command buttons – on/off, play/pause, fast forward, reverse, volume. It begins each time at the farthest listening point. That’s it! Easy as pie. Larger than a typical mp3, but smaller than an iTouch, they’re durable, portable and convenient. Your public library probably offers them.)

As usual with the other audiobooks in the series, David Pittu does a fine job in narrating the story.  This time, he must add South African accents to his ever-expanding repertoire as Dan, Amy and Nellie continue their hunt for the clues - this time following the trail of Zulu warrior, Shaka Zulu and his curious connection to British PM, Winston Churchill.  In this installment, Dan and Amy discover a clue and a shocking revelation about their family. The books, in general, are fairly formulaic in nature and read seamlessly regardless of the author, however, Peter Lerangis' sense of humor is evident in The Viper's Nest.  Nellie has some great one-liners.

Once again, the audio version offers bonus materials - this time in the form of a recorded deposition from Mrs. Thembeka regarding the theft of the Churchill letter.

On to Book 8 and I've got to hurry. The tenth and final book, Into the Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix will be released on August 31, 2010.  There will be a live webcast with all of the authors.

White Crane

Fussell, Sandy. 2010. White Crane. Ill. by Rhian Nest James. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
(Advance Reader Copy)

Set in an undetermined year, after the heyday of the samurai warrior class and prior to its demise in the 19th century, White Crane is an improbable story of a ryu, or Japanese school of martial arts, inhabited by a  revered warrior teacher and his hand-picked students, each disabled in some way.  Niya Moto is White Crane, the story's one-legged narrator, so named for his spirit totem. The white crane is a kindred creature, as comfortable as Niya in standing upon only one leg. Kyoko, the White Monkey is an albino with extra fingers and toes. One-armed Mikko is the Striped Gecko, Taji is blind and guided by the Golden Bat.  Yoshi, pacifist, yet strong and sturdy, still searches for his spirit.  All are under the guidance of the wily Sensei, who is so old that the mere mention of his name usually elicits the response, "I thought he was dead." All are preparing for the yearly ceremonial competition between the Boar, Dragon, Eagle, Rabbit, Snake, Wolf and Cockroach ryus.  Niya's ryu is, of course, The Cockroach; but as Sensei reminds his pupils,

Cockroaches are small, but they are very hard to kill.

Though the characters may be improbable, White Crane is believable.  With writing reflective of the Japanese philosophical code known as Bushido, the reader is drawn into a world in which the most important concerns are Chi! Jin! Yu!, wisdom, benevolence, courage.  White Crane is not without humor, however.  When the boys travel to the village to see the master swordsmith, they bow low to honor his age, reputation and craftsmanship,

He chants as he works, I want to listen, but Onaku's singing is even worse than mine.  Covering my ears would be impolite, so I grit my teeth and hum inside my head. Om. Om. Om. "An honorable sword sings loudly with truth and purity, " Sensei teaches.  No wonder Master Onaku's swords are so prized.  They are born singing at the top of their lungs to drown out their maker's awful voice.

The chapters move swiftly, each containing an illustrated title page and a additional full page, action-packed sketch by Rhian Nest James. With five students, many competing schools, and a fascinating period in history, debut author Sandy Fussell has all the ingredients for a great new series.  Recommended for 4th grade and up.

Read a sample chapter here.
Due on shelves August 2010

Samurai warriors, circa 1880.
(Photograph from Wikimedia Commons)

Boom! (or 70,000 light years)

Haddon, Mark. 2010.Boom! (or 70,000 light years). New York: Random House.


According to the author's foreword, this book was first published in Great Britain in 1992 as Gridzbi Spudvetch! He was asked to update it for new publication and proceeded to change nearly every sentence in the book.  What resulted was Boom! (or 70,000 light years), a humorous, sci-fi, adventure story featuring James (or Jimbo), his 16-year-old sister Becky, his best friend Charlie, Mum and Dad, and a cast of jibberish spouting aliens.

Jim and Charlie are cut-ups at school, Becky is a rebellious teen with a boyfriend nicknamed Craterface.  Dad is an out of work tinkerer, fond of building model planes.  And Mum, well, after she nearly knocks out Craterface with her briefcase for threatening Jimbo, the story's narrator who is hiding in the bathroom, he emerges to shake Mum's hand and say,

"That was classy." At least there was one real man in the family.

He continues,

After all the commotion it turned into a surprisingly pleasant evening.  Dad spent so long in the shop, for fear of coming back and finding Craterface still in residence, that he'd done enough shopping for three weeks.  Toilet rolls, J-cloths, washing-up liquid, scouring powder, the works.  So Mum was happy.  And Dad was happy that Mum was happy.  And I was happy that Mum and Dad were happy with each other.  Plus, Becky was really unhappy, which always cheered me up.  And anyway, she just stayed in her room, sulking, so we had a very nice time indeed.

The reader will have to get used to the many British terms and occasional spelling differentials (licence for license). Most words can be figured out contextually, but one sent me scurrying for an Internet browser,

I dreamed of duvets and hot breakfasts, big jumpers and radiators.

Jumpers are apparently the British term for sweaters.  I wouldn't have guessed that one.

Boom! is full of non-stop action from the first alien encounter at school to the boys' eventual trip to the planet, Plonk.  Fun, fast, and full of humor, there's still a message to this story - big teenage sisters aren't as bad as you think and of course, there's no place like home!

Read an excerpt.
Here's an interview with author, Mark Haddon.  In it, he doesn't discuss Boom!, however, I was pleased to hear that he and I share The Wind in the Willows as one of our favorite children's books.

A side note - Mark Haddon is also the author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, 2010's One Book NJ choice for adult readers.

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The Unsinkable Walker Bean

Let me start by stating that I was a slow convert to graphic novels, but the captivating artwork and stories of great First Second titles like American Born Chinese and Robot Dreams, as well as Random House's, Stone Rabbit, and Atheneum's Amelia Rules have won me over. I've become a fan of graphic nonfiction as well, with Gettysburg, Zeus: King of the Gods, and the 9/11 Report topping my list of nonfiction favorites.

Advance Reader Copy


Reinier, Aaron. 2010. The Unsinkable Walker Bean. New York: First Second (:01).

Walker Bean's is a seafaring family.  His grandfather and father are members of the navy. Walker is a young inventor who has been regaled by his grandfather with legend and song of an ancient and prescient skull that resides at the bottom of the ocean, guarded by two aquatic beasts. Walker is thrust into a dangerous adventure when his grandfather finds and then succumbs to the accursed skull; and is then double-crossed by Walker's father who seeks to gain from its unusual powers and value.  Walker must unravel the mystery of the legend to save his grandfather's life.  With the help of Shiv, a young pirate deckhand and grudging assistance from the girl, Genoa, a fearless pirate, Walker embarks on a remarkable and dangerous journey to return the skull to its beastly owners.

The dark colors of The Unsinkable Walker Bean (chosen by colorist Alec Longstreth from a limited palette inspired by old, richly colored, but faded picture books) are a complement to its dark and dangerous story line. Only Walker's blond hair and the crisply inked dialogue stand out immediately from each panel.  Other details emerge slowly from the dark holds of ships, the night skies, and the depths of the ocean.  Sketches of plans, inventions, charts, and musical notation add depth to Aaron Reinier's detailed illustrations and story. Panels per page are varied from a single, double-spread rendition of a fiery confrontation at sea to an action-packed page of ten panels.

The story of The Unsinkable Walker Bean takes as many tacks as a ship sailing upwind. Enemies become friends and new dangers emerge as Walker follows the ever-changing course his grandfather began, traveling by pirate ship to remote islands and dockside shantytowns. The multiple story lines of Walker's quest, Genoa's strange behavior, the duplicity of Walker's father, and the motivation of a mysterious doctor, combine with the supernatural Merwitch sisters of the deep, to create a complex story rich in details - even including a fabled language written in runic characters.  The breakneck pace of action may have readers may scrambling back through the pages to re-examine a scene, but seaworthy or time-tested graphic novel fans will likely take it all in stride.  For everyone else, it's all part of the high seas, high stakes adventure of The Unsinkable Walker Bean.

Rumored to be part of a trilogy, Walker Bean leaves plenty of questions to be answered in future installments
Due out in August 2010. 
Ideal for 5th - 8th grade.
  

(I won this copy of The Unsinkable Walker Bean from First Second Publishing while participating in a Booklist webinar, "Let's Get Graphic: Kids' Comics in Classroom and Libraries"  Click if you're interested in viewing the archived webinar. It's about 1 hour.) 

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The 39 Clues: One False Note

Korman, Gordon. 2008. One False Note. New York: Scholastic.

Book two in the 39 Clues series, continues Dan and Amy Cahill's quest to find the mysterious 39 clues left by generations of wealthy, influential, or ground-breaking Cahills of the past. Maze of Bones left Dan, Amy and their au pair, Nellie in Paris, following a trail of clues left by Benjamin Franklin. One False Note finds them hot on the hunt for clues left by another gifted Cahill, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Chased by the brutish Holts, the cunning Kabras, wily Uncle Alistair, ruthless Irina Spasky, and the famous Jonah Wizard, Dan and Amy and their au pair track the clues from Paris to Vienna to Venice and beyond. The hunt continues...

This second book in the series is written by Gordon Korman. Korman follows effortlessly in the pattern left for him by Rick Riordan, author of the first book. There seems to be little noticeable difference in the style of the two stories, except perhaps that Korman, a humorous author in his own right, seems to go for fewer punchlines than Riordan did in the first installment. One can only imagine that each succeeding author will find it increasingly difficult to knit the threads of story and character together in seamless fashion. However, so far, so good.

I am somewhat disappointed in the companion website. The site, while interesting and very interactive, stands completely independent of the published stories, and at times, does not even appear to be connected. In the book, Dan and Amy are following the clues of Mozart in Vienna. On the website, I am trolling the bottom of the Loch Ness for a clue lost in Grace Cahill's plane crash. Additionally, the website tale appears to be at a standstill. I have followed the clues to a dead end. My inbox is empty and I have no new leads to follow. Perhaps with the release of the third book, more clues will appear. BTW, I'm a Lucian.

I have not seen the hoped-for blockbuster interest in The 39 Clues series, but as word travels, interest may snowball. It's too early to tell. The books are perfect for kids who enjoy mysteries, series, history, or adventure.

Artemis Fowl

Colfer, Eoin. 2006. Artemis Fowl: Artemis Fowl, Book 1. Read by Nathaniel Parker. Listening Library.

(Booktalk)

Begin with the premise that all the stories you’ve heard about leprechauns, goblins, trolls, fairies, and the like, are based on truth. Not the shoe-making elves of fairy tales, but rather, an ancient, highly-intelligent, subterranean species. Now add in our "hero?", the cold, calculating, 12-year-old genius (and criminal), Artemis Fowl, whose thirst for treasure rivals even that of the fairy race. If Artemis can unlock the language and secrets of the fairy race (and he will!), he can use that knowledge to strip them of untold riches. When he kidnaps Captain Holly Short, a highly-trained and armed officer of LEPrecon unit, he realizes that he may have underestimated this tiny species. Will he stop at nothing? Will the LEPrecon unit risk the fate of their entire species to rescue Captain Short? Find out in this action-packed, sci-fi, mystery adventure.

##

This is the first of six books in the Artemis Fowl Series and refers to the audiobook version read by Nathaniel Parker. Parker's Irish accent is perfect for the story, and he creates memorable voices and accents for each of the story's mostly hard-boiled characters and moves seamlessly between the voices of the large cast. This story downloads in 5 parts and is about 6 1/2 hours in length. The author confirms that a movie deal is in the works. A great choice for fantasy fans looking for something with a bit of an edge.

My library classifies this series as YA (young adult), but older J (Juvenile fiction) readers should enjoy it as well.