Help Me, Mr. Mutt!

Stevens, Janet and Susan Stevens Crummel. 2008. Help Me, Mr. Mutt! Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems. Orlando: Harcourt.

In the same vein as Dr. Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School, Help Mr, Mr. Mutt! is hilarious and deserving of an older audience. Mr. Mutt has a humorous advice column for dogs with "people problems." The dog whose owner dresses him up complains,

"Dear Mr. Mutt,
It's ridiculous!Outrageous!Preposterous!Holidays are unbearable. First I'm a baby, next I'm a bunny, then I'm a bride, now I'm an angel....Where is my dignity?.....
--Overdressed in Oklahoma
P.S. My people never dress up the cantankerous cat!"

Mr. Mutt offers humorous advice to each writer and adds a "dig" at cats in each reply. The cat, known as The Queen, responds indignantly to each letter.

The illustrations alternate between depictions of letters from distressed pooches, answers on the official letterhead of Mr. Mutt, Canine Counselor, and irate responses from The Queen on her regal pink stationary, The Queen Speaks. Graphs, charts, "photos," and scenes from Mr. Mutt's studio will keep readers in stitches. The story ends with newspaper accounts, "DOGS INVADE DOGWOOD!" and "CATastrophe!"

This book is funny on many levels and deserves a second, third and even a fourth look. The dust jacket offers a list of things to look for in the book, including numeric palindromes, actual dog hair, and paper clips. Now I'm going to have to read it again!

You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum!

Stanton, Andy. 2008. You're a bad man, Mr. Gum! New York: Harper Collins.

Originally, published in the UK, this is a book that caught my eye because of its silly back cover.

The back cover includes a cast of characters including "Crafty Tom: A Tyrannosaurus rex with a heart of gold.*" The footnote reads, "* Actual book may not include Crafty Tom."
This is the sort of silliness that pervades this book.

As it turns out, Crafty Tom does not appear in this J novel for younger readers. Instead, the reader will meet the mean Mr. Gum, the frying pan wielding fairy, Jake the dog, and Polly, whose real name is - well, never mind - you'll have to read the book to find out.

You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum is full of the type of absurdity that young boys will find captivating, as is evidenced in this passage,

"Three weeks later Mr. Gum was covered in frying pan-shaped bruises and he had missed ten episodes of Bag of Sticks. It was time for action. nasty action.

'It's time for action,' said Mr. Gum to nobody in particular. 'Nasty action.'

Nobody in particular shrugged his shoulders and wandered off to eat his dinner. Mr. Gum went to the shed and got out his thinking cap. He put it on his knee (it was a kneecap) and started thinking about how to get rid of that dog."

It's interesting to read a book intended for a British audience. The premise of the book itself, a man trying to kill a dog with poison, (don't' worry - he doesn't!) is one that you probably wouldn't see here in the States. And I certainly can't remember that I've read any US books for young J readers that include the bad men going to the pub and falling down! Just in case the reader is unfamiliar with the word "pub," there is a humorous glossary of British terms including pub.

"Pub: Bar. This is where naughty people go to drink beer, and their faces turn red and then they are sick all over the place. But you are not allowed into pubs until you're all grown up, so don't even try it, kids, forget it!" Some of the items in the glossary are useful, duvet, dustbin, and Prime Minister, for example. Most are silly.

This book is certainly not quality literature, however, it was recommended to me by a young boy who actually gave me a written review, "The book was really funny! I also Got a A+ on my report. My Grandma helped me with it."

Probably best for boys ages 8-11.

The Littlest Leaguer

Hoff, Syd. 1976, 2008. The Littlest Leaguer. New York: Harper Collins.

A reprint of an older book, The Littlest Leaguer, shows how constant the sport of baseball has remained over the years. The book is still relevant today, which is a blessing and a curse.

I am usually a fan of all things baseball and I love baseball titles to share with children. This book recounts the all-too-familiar story of Harold, the little little leaguer who spends his days "sitting the bench." Many children will likely identify with poor Harold.

I had great hopes for the ending. Harold realizes that if he crouches down, the pitcher has trouble finding the strike zone. In his one and only at bat for the season, with 2 strikes, Harold manages to get 3 balls called. In my mind, the greatest ending would be for Harold to get a base on balls - showing that his small size is a strong point, rather than a handicap. But alas, Harold closes his eyes and accidentally connects with the ball and scores a home run. An ending that emphasizes sports prowess over sports acumen. I would have liked the walk.

The Secret Olivia Told Me

Joy, N. 2007. The Secret Olivia Told Me. Ill. by Nancy Devard. East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books.

Although some of the rhymes flow awkwardly,

"Tony leaked the secret to Jalen. Jalen's sister, Anita, overheard.
It didn't take long for Anita to start spreading the word,"

this book has more positives than negatives. The storyline is an age-old dilemma. Olivia tells a secret to her best friend on the playground. The story is told as a first person account by Olivia's friend. As much as she wants to keep the secret, it just slips out. The story follows the secret as it grows and spreads.

This is artist Nancy Devard's first picture book with Just Us Books, and her illustrations are compelling. Her previous career as an engineer is exhibited in the perfection of these dramatic illustrations, done primarily in white, black and red. To ensure the reader's focus , Devard chooses a red balloon to represent the secret while the children are all presented in exquisitely detailed silhouettes in black and white. The balloon grows ever larger and its string lengthens and twists as it passes from child to child.

In addition to the illustrations, the plot and its resolution are perfect for introducing the hazards of gossip and the concept of personal responsibility.

Library Mouse and more

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a presentation by author and illustrator, Daniel Kirk.

He read his book Library Mouse and walked us through the process of writing and illustrating and of course, publishing, a children's book. Library Mouse was written in response to his publishers request for a library-related picture book. It's a delightful book that tells the adventures of Sam, a mouse that lives behind the shelves of the children's reference department. Sam writes books at night and leaves them on the librarian's desk. When the stories become popular with the children at storytime, everyone wonders who the mysterious Sam might be. They don't find out in this book, but Daniel Kirk has a Library Mouse sequel in the works. He read the galley for our group. I like it even better than Library Mouse. Look for it soon!

Kirk also entertained us by performing poems from his poetry collections, Dogs Rule! and Cats Rule! He sang several poems and accompanied himself on the guitar. He could easily be a children's entertainer. After hearing the poems, it was difficult to believe that he's actually not a dog or a cat person and is allergic to both!

Finally, I received an advance copy of his new YA novel, Elf Realm: The Low Road. It will be the first in a trilogy, and I believe it's due out in September. More on that later.