Regarding the Fountain: A tale, in letters, of liars and leaks

Klise, Kate. 1999. Regarding the fountain: A tale in letters, of liars and leaks.

I read this first in the Regarding the... series, because my book club has chosen it. I was already a fan, having read Regarding the Bathrooms: A Privy to the Past (see earlier post) a few months back. I'm still a fan, but I did prefer the later book in the series. Regarding the Fountain is a great place to start, though. This first book follows the students from Dry Creek Middle School through their fifth grade year. That being said, it's a great choice for 5th grade students, particularly reluctant readers or children who are comfortable sticking with a series. In the later books, the children grow older, the plot grows thicker, and the mystery becomes less obvious. The Regarding the... series is meant to grow along with the reader.

This book, like later ones, is full of puns, interesting facts, drawings, and of course - letters. An interesting and engaging format. I love it.

Puberty books

Two new books just recently arrived - The Girls Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for Growing up You by Kelly Dunham and On Your Mark, Get Set, Grow! A What's Happening to my Body Book for Younger Boys by Lynn Madaras.

Both of these titles are upbeat, humorously illustrated books for kids on the younger side of puberty. Full of useful information, but devoid of discussion about sexual topics more appropriate for older or sexually active kids, these books are great for younger kids starting their journey into puberty. The boys' book is a particularly welcome addition because books for boys on this topic are not as plentiful as those for girls. Both books contain information on bodily functions and anatomy, hints and encouragement from other kids, nutrition and exercise requirements for a healthy body, and social advice for negotiating difficulties at school and home.

39 Clues

The buzz continues for Scholastic's new adventure, 39 Clues. The first book, Maze of Bones, written by Rick Riordan (of Percy Jackson and the Olympians fame) is already out in advance reader copies, although even the advance readers are missing the ending! Here's a link to an excerpt released by Scholastic http://the39clues.scholastic.com/ Let the countdown begin!

The Seer of Shadows

Avi. 2008. The seer of shadows. New York: Harper Collins.

The prolific Avi has a winner in Seer of Shadows, historical fiction with a decidedly eerie and menacing twist. Horace Carpetine, raised to believe in science and rationalism, has been apprenticed to a photographer in post-Civil War, New York City. When his unscrupulous employer decides to perpetrate a hoax on a grieving mother, a tangled tale of death, deception, abuse and the supernatural "develops," literally, on the glass plates of the photographer's camera.

Horace befriends Pegg, a black servant girl from the deceased's household, and together they confront the inconceivable. The Seer of Shadows is a gripping tale with a strong historical base and the supernatural eeriness of Gaiman's Coraline.

Peter Spit a Seed at Sue

Koller, Jackie French. 2008. Peter spit a seed at Sue. New York: Viking.

This is a funny, rhyming, riotous story of the fun that ensues when four bored children begin a watermelon fight. The colors are bright, the story is fast-paced and funny,

Off we ran across the yard,
Spitting fast and spitting hard.
The laundry fluttered in the breeze
As seeds buzzed through the air like bees.
Soon our sheets had polka dots
And Dad's shorts sported leopard spots.

...but the story leaves me nostalgic for watermelon seeds. I wonder if children even see watermelon seeds anymore. As for myself, I special-order watermelons with seeds. Somehow, I just like things the way they were meant to be - imperfections and all. Are we the last generation of seed spitters? I hope not.