The Bookshop Girl - a review

The Bookshop Girl

by Syliva Bishop

Illustrated by Poly Bernatene

Peachtree, 2018

The Bookshop Girl is a little English mystery that features books, bookshops and a young girl named Property Jones with a very unlikely secret—despite growing up in the family’s book store, Property can't read, although she does manage to keep herself busy,

Property served tea and cake to anyone who wanted to sit in an armchair and read awhile, and she kept the shop smart and tidy.  Or she tried to. It didn’t help that everything in the shop was falling apart.

Netty was at the counter, Michael was hovering by the dictionaries, and Property had put the kettle on.  The White Hart opened at nine o’clock sharp.  (If you are thinking, But the White Hart is the wrong sort of name for a bookshop, then you are quite right, but also quite impatient.  I was going to explain.  The bookshop used to be the White Hart pub, and it had a very beautiful picture of a white stag hanging outside.  When Netty bought the pub and filled it with books, she couldn’t see any good reason to change the name when there such a nice sign already there.)

When the Jones family enters a contest and wins the magnificent Montgomery Book Emporium in London, mystery begins when a silent man arrives at the bookshop,

He was mostly made of a long, gray coat, with a long, gray face perched on top and shabby shoes underneath.

The bookshop crowd

poured around him live a river around a stone.

Who was this strange man and what did he want with their new bookshop?  It will take Property’s unique powers of observation to figure it out!

The Bookshop Girl is an illustrated novel for ages 8-12, and features just the sort of humor and asides that I recall appreciating at an early age. The premise of the mystery is unique and instructive, and the peculiar workings of the fanciful Montgomery Book Emporium will read like a dream-come-true.

Extras for The Bookshop Girl:

• Read an excerpt from The Bookshop Girl here.
• A Discussion Guide for The Bookshop Girl.

Look for The Bookshop Girl on a shelf near you in October.

My copy was provided by the publisher at my request.

Picture Book Roundup - October 2015 edition

This edition of the Picture Book Roundup features three funny books, a hilarious cautionary tale, and a sweet bookish story to melt your heart. Enjoy!

Review copies of Night Animals by Gianna Marino (Viking, 2015) and In! Over! and On! by Ethan Long (Penguin, 2015) were provided by the publishers at my request. The Good Little Book by Kyo Maclear (Tundra, 2015), Everyone Loves Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2015), and Ragweed's Farm Dog Handbook by Anne Vittur Kennedy (Candlewick, 2015)

If you can't access the slide show with reviews below, you can see it on RiffleBooks at this link. [https://read.rifflebooks.com/list/185319]

#YA audiobook reviews

Here are two #YAlit audiobooks that I recently reviewed for AudioFile Magazine. I am not permitted to reprint the reviews here, but have provided the links (which include audio excerpts).  Both books offer a unique viewpoint of the adolescent male experience - Me and Earl and the Dying Girl through the medium of film making, and 100 Sideways Miles through the medium of abstract concepts.  But now I've had my fill of angsty boys for a bit.  Time for a change of pace.  Up next:  Sci-fi and a new picture book roundup.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. by Jesse Andrews, 2013

Read by Thomas Mann, R.J. Cyler, Keith Szarabajka, Hillary Huber, Kirby Heyborne, Abigail Revasch, Adenrele Ojo

6.25 hrs.

I didn't see the movie, but the audio book was fantastic! Here's the link to my review:

http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/101740/  

100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith, 2015

Read by Kirby Heyborne

7 hrs.

 If you're looking for a change of pace, this may be the one for you.  It's quirky in a good way.

 http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/104201/

Picture book roundup - more funny ones!

Here are two new funny additions to add to my earlier post, Picture Book Roundup - new or coming soon!

We were reading these at work the other night.  All you could hear were laughs, chuckles, and "awww"s.

• Dyckman, Ame. 2015. Wolfie the Bunny. New York: Little Brown.  Illustrated by Zacharia OHora.

This one had all the library staff laughing! Wolfie is the cutest little wolf in a bunny suit, but the star of this story is his sister, Dot. Doesn't anyone else realize that a wolf does not make a good brother for a bunny? Every time I read it, I find something else amusing in the illustrations.  See you at the Carrot Patch Co-op! (Bring your own shopping bag.)

• Slater, David Michael. 2015. The Boy & the Book. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. Illustrated by Bob Kolar.

This wordless book about a book and a "rough-and-tumble" little boy will crack you up and then make you say "Awww!" It's sure to become a librarian favorite. You'll love the blue book (but "read" them all!)

Musing for the day: How does one become a wordless picture book author? ;)

Picture book roundup - Library books

September, National Library Card Sign-Up Month, is almost over, but if you're still looking for a good book to share, here are two new ones:

• Kohara, Kazuno. 2014. The Midnight Library. New York: Roaring Brook. 

By the time this month is over, I will have visited thirteen kindergarten and four preschool classrooms to promote Library Card Sign-Up Month.

It doesn't matter what other books I have in my bag.  When kids see The Midnight Library, it's the one they want to hear!  Apart from Kazuno Kohara's eye-catching linocut illustrations in three colors, here's why I like it:

• It features a library that's open all night long.  I wouldn't want to work there, but it makes for a really good story!
• It highlights the fact that libraries are adaptable.  The squirrel band needs to practice some new songs for an upcoming concert?  No problem!  The library has an activity room they can use.
• It features one of a librarian's favorite activities - reading stories.  Wolf is crying because her book is sad?  No worries! The librarian reads it with her.  It has a happy ending!
• It's absolutely perfect for Library Card Sign-Up Month!  Tortoise can't finish that 500-page book before the library closes at sunrise? A library card is what he needs!

See this and more interior artwork at the publisher's website.

• Becker, Bonny. 2014. A Library Book for Bear. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton.

I've loved the Bear and Mouse series ever since it came out, and while this one is not my favorite (I still love A Visitor for Bear best!), it's a good addition to your collection of library-themed books.  You really can't go wrong with Bear and Mouse.

Picture Book Roundup: Historical fiction edition

Here are two fiction picture books that feature days gone by.  Both books should tickle your fancy and make fun read-alouds for school-aged children, K-2.

• Kulling, Monica. 2014. The Tweedles Go Electric. Ontario, Canada: Groundwood. Ill. by Marie Lafrance.

The year is 1903, and the Tweedles are "a bunch of fuddy-duddies," according to their neighbors.  Even when they finally decide to purchase a car, neighbors still tease them,

"People don't want that.  They want noise.  They want smoke." ... "They want a car to sound and smell like a car." 

But rather than the latest in gas-powered autos, the Tweedles purchase a smart, green, electric car.

With a wink and a nod to the future of "green" transportation and women's empowerment, it is the youngest of the Tweedles, Frances, and the "green" car that save the day when an emergency arises.  Marie Lafrance's illustrations accurately evoke the era and are reminiscent of the style of Hergés Tin Tin.

• Beebe, Katy. 2014. Brother Hugo and the Bear. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.  Ill. by S. D. Schindler.

With an illuminated capital I and leafy, gold flourishes, Brother Hugo and the Bear begins firmly planted in the monastical world of the Middle Ages,

It befell that on the first day of Lent, Brother Hugo could not return his library book.

As the reader soon discovers, a bear has eaten the monastery's beautifully illuminated copy of St. Augustine's letters.  It becomes Brother Hugo's job to painstakingly recreate the massive, illustrated tome —a job that "would have been full easy to endure if it had not been for the snuffling."  The source of the snuffling, we soon discover, is the bear, who has not yet had his fill of letters.  Written and illustrated with great reverence for the early art of book-making, Brother Hugo is humorous as well.  Both the monk and the bear are earnest and joyful.

Based loosely upon a true story, Brother Hugo, in combination with its included Historical Note, Glossary, Author's Note, and Illustrator's Note is illuminating for both children and adults.

  A Discussion Guide for Brother Hugo and the Bear.

The Snatchabook blog tour

Thanks to the interns at Sourcebooks, I'm excited to be a part of The Snatchabook blog tour. The Snatchabook is a skillfully rhymed bedtime story featuring the cutest little villain, a Snatchabook. The illustrations are cheerful but nuanced, and will offer many details to discover as the book is shared again and again.  It's sure to be a bedtime favorite.

The Snatchabook's author, Helen Docherty, has graciously accepted an offer to answer a few questions.

Lisa: The Snatchabook has put me in a lighthearted mood, so here are a few lighthearted questions!
 Snatchabook is such a cute name.  Was it the seed that started the story, or did it grow from the story?

Helen: The idea of a book thief came to me first, and it was while I was trying to find the right name for him that the character and the story started to form in my mind. At first I wasn’t sure what he would be like, or what to call him, so I played around with names; the book cruncher? The book snatcher? These seemed to suggest quite a menacing character, which wasn’t at all what I wanted, so I tried inverting the words - and that’s when the Snatchabook was born. As soon as I had named him, an image started to form in my mind of a pitiful, lonely little creature who just needs someone to read to him – hence his desire to steal books, which symbolize to him the joy and warmth of sharing a story at bedtime. So I guess you could say that the name and the story came together.

Lisa: Helen, did you leave Thomas (Docherty) alone to illustrate the story as he imagined it, or could you not resist giving suggestions? (I know that I would have a hard time resisting!)

Helen: To be honest, it would have been impossible to resist, given that we see each other all the time (or at least that’s my excuse)!  Actually Tom was more than happy to discuss the development of the characters and the setting with me – it was a very collaborative process, and we had lots of fun discussing how the Snatchabook and Eliza would look. Of course, he added many visual details that I could never have dreamed up, all of which greatly enhance the story. He always asks me for feedback at every stage of the illustration process, just as I read him my stories and seek his advice. It’s great to have a critical eye / ear available around the clock!

Lisa: What were your favorite bedtime stories when you were young?

Helen: There are too many to choose from! Some of my best early memories are of being read the Winnie the Pooh stories and being convulsed with laughter. I also loved a series about a panda pajama case called Ponder, the My Naughty Little Sister stories and a Norwegian series by Anne-Cath Vestly about a little girl called Aurora and her family. Favorite picture books included The Bear’s Winter House (by John Yeoman and Quentin Blake), The Giant Jam Sandwich (by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway) and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I was a huge fan of Russell Hoban’s Frances books, too. Luckily, I managed to hang on to most of my favorite books from childhood, and it now gives me enormous pleasure to read them to my own kids. I hope I can keep doing that for as long as possible.

(The Snatchabook has apparently snatched all of Helen's favorites!)

Lisa: How wonderful will it be when your children can read The Snatchabook to their children?  You don't have to answer that one.  I think I can imagine!

Helen: Our five year old daughter Lucia read it to us the other day – or rather, to the gorgeous Snatchabook puppet that Pippa Curnick at Alison Green Books (our UK publishers) made for us. Lucia is just learning to read, but she knows the words almost off by heart. So that was a very special experience indeed!

Lisa: Such a fun story.  I can't wait to try it out in story time at the library! Thanks so much for the opportunity to chat with you,


Visit The Snatchabook's website to snatch up an Educator's Guide and Activity Kit.


My copies of the Snatchabook were provided at my request by NetGalley and Sourcebooks.

Picture Book Roundup: Books about books edition

Emily Gravett and Suzy Lee - You can't go wrong with these two illustrators' books about books! Both are "novelty books." One features a "burned" hole in the back cover. (Is that the smell of dragon breath?). The other features books within books.

• Gravett, Emily. 2013. Again! New York: Simon and Schuster.

Cedric, a baby dragon, pesters his mother to read his favorite bedtime story again, and again, and again! Cedric's favorite book (about Cedric the Dragon) is included in the fun, and the words change every time his mother reads it.  When mom finally falls asleep, exhausted, baby dragon gets a little too hot-tempered!   Emily Gravett has a unique sense of humor. Expect funny with a surprise ending!

• Klausmeier, Jesse. 2013. Open this Little Book. San Francisco: Chronicle. (Illustrated by Suzy Lee)

Here's a book about a little red book about a little green book about a little orange book, well ... you get the idea. Kids will love this one!

Words, words, wonderful words!

Here are two books that are beautiful celebrations of words and books.  Enjoy!

At a recent "family reading night" event, I was looking for a short book to read to begin the evening.  Lucky for me, this one had just arrived on my desk a few days earlier:

• Joyce, William. 2012. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Ill. by Joe Bluhm. New York: Atheneum.

The book is wonderful, but to truly appreciate it, you must see it all. The website, the film (only 15 minutes long and readily available on the web), the app!  The film won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. 

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore Trailer from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Here's the app ad:


And although it's hard to follow all that, another book celebrating the power of words and worth mentioning is

• Wimmer, Sonja. 2011. The Word Collector. English translation by John Brokenbrow. Madrid: Cuento de Luz.

Beautiful!

Read the Kirkus review of The Word Collector.

Between Two Ends

Ward, David. 2011. Between Two Ends. New York: Amulet.

Yeats' father has always suffered from depression, triggered by a traumatic event from his childhood.  It has been a constant source of friction in the family, pushing his parents' marriage to the brink of disaster.  Now, in a final attempt to rid his father's mind of its troubles, Yeats and his parents travel to the ancestral home of  Dr. William Trafford, Yeats' father. They hope that a visit with Yeats' peculiar grandmother in her mysterious home on Poet's Lane, will shed some light on, and perhaps relieve William's miserable condition.

But Yeats and his mother are in for quite a surprise.  Mr. Trafford's condition is not a case of mental illness as they had thought; it is a real and palpable fear and despondency over events that occurred at Gran's house, the house of dead poets, many years ago.  Gran's house contains more than an abundance of rooms and books, and a wishing well - it contains magic - a magic that once took Dr. Trafford and a young companion into the written world of The Arabian Nights.  But Dr. Trafford was the only one to return.

Now, with the help (hindrance?) of two magical pirate bookends, Yeats must travel to the Arabia of legend to rescue William's childhood friend, Shari, Shaharazad, the vizier's daughter, who has been trapped in the tales of The Arabian Nights for twenty years!

Between Two Ends is a mysterious story of adventure.  The reader begins the story with the prologue - a scene from the past?  a memory? a story? He doesn't yet know,

The girl tugged at her long black curls, she made to kneel, to reach out to the boy, but strong hands kept her on her feet.  The boy's fair hair and pale complexion contrasted sharply with  the people in the market, but she couldn't remember why that was important.  Hardly distinguishable from the overwhelming odor of cattle dung and fruit, a spicy, pungent smell hung in the air. The girl's heart raced with excitement now at the wonders around her.  Her feet wanted to dance. Wherever the black-robed men wanted to take her she felt no danger going with them. After all, they knew her name.

From here, the reader vaults into the silent, foreboding trip to Gran's house.

Once Yeats disappears into The Tales of the Arabian Nights, the story moves rapidly - full of danger, palace intrigue and adventure.  The location shifts between Arabia and Gran's stately English home, with most chapters following the adventures of Yeats and his quest to break the magic spell and rescue Shari. Third-person omniscient narration offers an easy transition between the two locations and many characters. Also separating the "real" world from the world of legend is an actual "river of words," one that must be navigated by boat. (the pirates are useful here!)

It's hard to read Between Two Ends without recalling Cornelia Funke's Inkheart Series - there are many parallels to the two, but Between Two Ends is a less complex story for a younger reader and comes in under 300 pages with a satisfying conclusion.  Although, the door (or book, as it were) is left open for a sequel.  Treasure Island anyone?

Between Two Ends is a satisfying adventure story with a strong characters in both Yeats and Shaharazad that may well spur an interest in the legendary 9th century tales of One Thousand and One Nights. Fans of many genres will enjoy this story.  Best for middle grades.

Advance copy supplied by publisher.  Due on shelves in May.

And the winners are ...

Today the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards winners (including the Caldecott and Newbery medals) will be announced from San Diego, beginning at 7:45am EST PST.  Check back throughout the day for updates to this post or view the official ALA webcast.  I can't wait to find out the winners!

(Follow Twitter hashtag #ALAYMA if you can't wait.)

Odyssey Award for best audiobook for children or teens
The True Meaning of Smekday



Pura Belpre Award
The Dreamer

John Newbery Award
Moon over Manifest
(Oh no!  I read all the honor books but not the winner! It will be next on my reading list for sure!)

Randolph Caldecott Award
A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Coretta Scott King Award
One Crazy Summer

Theodore Suess Geisel Award
Bink and Gollie

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot

Schneider Family Book Award
Pirate of Kindergarten,  After Ever After, Five Flavors of Dumb

and more!

These are some of the major award winners.  Watch the webcast for all the winners and the honor award recipients.

It's also Nonfiction Monday.  Today's roundup can be found at Tales from the Rushmore Kid.

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Biblioburro

Winter, Jeanette. 2010. Biblioburro: A true story from Columbia. New York: Beach Lane.

Biblioburro is a true story, simply told, about Luis and his two burros, Alfa and Beto.  Together they carry books to children in remote Columbian villages, undeterred by burning sun, long distances, or even a bandit seeking silver! (Luis gives him a book.)

Every week, Luis and Alfa and Beto set off across the countryside to faraway villages in the lonely hills.  This week they travel to El Tormento. ... The Biblioburro continues on its way over the hills, until at last, Luis sees houses below.  The children of El Tormento run to meet him.

The illustrations are reminiscent of the colorful traditional clothing or the small, hand-sewn trinkets that are sold as souvenirs in many South American Countries.   The book states that the "illustrations are rendered in acrylic paint with pen and ink," however, it appears that Winter has used fabric or felt and markers as well, to evoke a vibrant, rural feel.

Biblioburro is a joyful celebration of books and one man's determination to make a difference in the lives of children, and thus "a small corner of the world is enriched."  Highly recommended for ages 4 and up.

Please take the time to watch this video of Luis Soriano.  It's truly inspirational.



It's Nonfiction Monday again! Check out all of today's contributions at In Need of Chocolate. I'll be hosting next week!

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BookExpo America and more

Yesterday I attended  BookExpo America at the Jacob Javits Center in NY - a steamy, hot day in the city - just how I like it. In addition to carrying home more than 15 pounds of new books to review, I was extremely fortunate to meet (if only briefly) and receive books from author Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrator, Floyd Cooper, and one of my personal favorites, author Jon Scieszka.  (I told him that I never go on a school visit without him, and truly, I don't!)

Despite the seemingly endless lines of people waiting to meet them, all were extremely gracious and polite.  And yes, Jon Scieszka is funny even if you only have time to shake hands and exchange a few words.  Of course, it helps that he was handing out fake noses and mustaches!

Mr. Scieszka was at BEA to promote his latest project, Guys Read: Funny Business, a collection of funny stories edited by Scieszka. It wasn't until I reached home that I realized that in addition to Jon Scieszka, my book is autographed by Mac Barnett (Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem), David Lubar, and Adam Rex. I think they were standing right there and I didn't recognize them - silly me! Adam Rex is the author of one of the funniest children's novels that I've ever read, The True Meaning of Smekday! David Lubar is also consistently funny, as is Barnett.

Carmen Agra Deedy was signing copies of last year's stellar contribution to children's literature, the child-accessible 9/11 themed book, 14 Cows for America. I can't say enough about it.  I'm also a big fan of Martina the Beautiful Cockroach.

Floyd Cooper is the illustrator of countless children's books, including 2009's The Blacker the Berry, for which he won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator award. He was there to promote his latest collaboration, Ruth and the Green Book, written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey.

Look for reviews of these and other great new titles soon - as soon as I unpack all this stuff I brought home!

In the meantime, enjoy this trailer for Guys Read: Funny Business.



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Picture Book Roundup

In no particular order, these were some of the wonderful picture books

 that I found in my book bag this week! I loved them all.

Spinelli, Jerry. 2010.I Can be Anything! Illustrated by Jimmy Liao. New York: Little, Brown.

A rhyming romp through all of the possibilities of the future - "cross-legged sitter, make-believe critter, deep-hole digger, lemonade swigger." Who knows? Bright and joyful illustrations!

Fuge, Charles. 2010. Yip! Snap! Yap! New York: Sterling.

Another lively, rhyming romp! This one featuring delightfully goofy dogs!

Thomson, Bill. 2010. Chalk. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish.

The illustrator of the exquisitely illustrated, Baseball Hour, Bill Thompson outdoes himself with Chalk - a wordless book that tells the story of a magical, rainy day at the playground for three children and a mysterious bag of chalk.  Let your imagination run wild and enjoy Bill Thomson's hand-crafted brilliance!

Geringer, Laura. 2010. Boom Boom Go Away! Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. New York: Atheneum.

Music lovers, noise makers, and children who don't want to go to bed will love Boom Boom Go Away! Its cumulative rhyme is full of playfulness and imagination.  The warm illustrations evoke picture books of an earlier era.

Jeffers, Oliver. 2010. The Heart and the Bottle. New York: Philomel.

This is not a book for storytime.  It's a serious book for a special child - perhaps a grieving child, a child with a profound loss, a child who may have placed her heart in a bottle, a child who needs to know that there is a way to retrieve her own heart.  Gently and tastefully done.

Bottner, Barbara. 2010. Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't). Illustrated by Michael Emberly. New York: Knopf.

The tagline for the book is "a librarian and a contrarian face off in this tale of a very reluctant reader." I predict that this will become a librarian favorite! When Miss Brooks assigns a book report (in costume!) for Children's Book Week, it prompts the best line in the book -

When I get home, I ask my mother if we can move to a new town. My mother says there's a librarian in every town.

 Too funny!

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The Book That Eats People

Perry, John. 2009. The Book That Eats People. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Who can resist a book that eats people? If the yellow caution tape on the cover does not scare the reader, the book that eats people surely will! Just think of the fate of poor Victoria Glassford. After disguising itself in a cheery "Dolphins" book jacket, the "book that eats people" attracted Victoria's attention; she checked it out of the library and took it home one evening.

She put the book on her nightstand, but before she could finish brushing her teeth, it jumped up, thumped her on the head, and gobbled her down, beginning with her polished pink toenails.
Have you ever heard a book burp?

Beware - this book is ALWAYS hungry.

Great fun with hilariously gruesome illustrations.
(Not for the youngest listener - this book DOES eat people.)

I'm taking this one on school visits!