The Chronicles of Narnia

Never having read all the books before, I have been slowly working my way through The Chronicles of Narnia on digital audio downloads. It's interesting that Harper Audio has chosen a different reader for each title I've heard.

Because they are classic tales that most kid-lit aficionados have already read, I just have a few brief comments on Books 3 and 5. (I listened to Prince Caspian , Book 4, out of order to coincide with the movie release!) I am adhering to the chronological order of the books, which does not necessarily coincide with their written order or their published order! Confusing, at best

Lewis, C.S. 1954. The Horse and His Boy. Read by Alex Jennings. Harper Audio.

The Horse and His Boy is my favorite of The Chronicles of Narnia. It's shorter than some of the other books (about 4 hours) and it has all the hallmarks of a great adventure story - believable characters, constant action, a hint of mystery, a quest, tension, and lastly, human (and equine!) frailties that add to, rather than detract from the characters. Although written in the aftermath of WWII during the Cold War, the story line is surprisingly relevant. The main human characters, the orphaned Shasta, and the warrior princess, Aravis, from the "North" and "Calormen," respectively, are surprisingly representative of stereotypes from today's ideological war between "East" and "West." Refreshingly, in The Horse and His Boy, the two sides come to understand and appreciate one another. Alex Jennings is a superb reader.

Lewis, C.S. 1952. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Read by Derek Jacobi. Harper Audio.

After The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, this is the most obviously religious book of Lewis' Chronicles, linking Aslan, the god of Narnia, to Jesus of the Christian faith. This certainly does not detract from the story, however, it may render it less appealing to those of different or no faiths. After listening to this maritime adventure, it's easy to guess that The Voyage of the Dawn Treader might have been an inspiration for Clive Barker's, epic Abarat adventures. (I wish there were more!) After Alex Jennings, the voice of Derek Jacobi is somewhat of a disappointment, particularly his grating rendition of the fearless mouse, Reepicheep. Nevertheless, all of Lewis' books are classic tales of adventure and righteousness.

In Our Mothers' House

Polacco, Patricia. 2009. In Our Mothers' House. New York: Penguin.

Coincidentally, this book crossed my desk yesterday after I heard on the news that the California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8, outlawing same-sex marriage. If you're looking for a book that presents same-sex marriage in a positive and loving light, this is the book for you.

Just Grace Goes Green

Harper. Charise Mericle. 2009. Just Grace Goes Green. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Just Grace Goes Green continues the adventures of elementary schooler, Just Grace, so named because of the multiple Graces in her class. In this 4th installment of the series, Grace’s class is learning about recycling, and her best friend, Mimi, has a cousin coming to visit.

While there are some amusing parts, such as when Grace goes shopping for a birthday present for cousin, Gwen,

“Mom said that she liked the present I picked out for Gwen so much that she thought I should have one too. Mom said it wasn’t fair for both Gwen and me to have one and not give one to Mimi. Then on the way home from the store Mom stopped at a bakery and we bought cupcakes. WHO IS THIS MOM? It was like a shopping alien had taken over her body or something,”

other humorous attempts fall flat, or appear to be targeted at adults. What elementary school reader will understand this reference to the Vapors 1980 hit, “Turning Japanese?”

“I could tell what we were going to have for dinner the minute I walked into the house. Mom has this silly way of asking Dad to order sushi for dinner. … When Mom wants sushi she plays her special sushi song on the CD player. I don’t really know what’s called but the main part of the song say, ‘I’m turning Japanese oh yes I’m turning Japanese I really think so.’ It’s kind of like their secret code.”

While a laudable attempt, much of the recycling message comes across as too academic. In several instances, the author uses Just Grace’s recycling or endangered species lessons to itemize factual information,

“6. Red pandas are endangered because their homes are disappearing. People are cutting down their trees to use the wood and then building farms and towns where the trees used to be.”

A final criticism is the author’s choice of Just Grace’s final recycling project – promoting the continuous use of disposable water bottles, decorating them to make them more attractive for re-use. I realize that there is no firm scientific backup for the claim that toxic chemicals may leach from disposable water bottles, however, there is certainly a suggestion that it may be possible. Given the fact that so many other recycling projects are possible, why did she choose this controversial one? Additionally, by having the characters decorate their bottles with glitter and glue; one can only assume that they won’t be well-washed before re-use.

Perhaps if I had read the earlier books, I would have formed a better bond with the main character and been slower to find fault. Overall, I think that the Just Grace series is popular (the many sketches and graphics interspersed throughout the story are simple and cute!) and has great potential for finding a loyal following of third and fourth grade readers; but for me, this particular title falls flat.

Keeper of the Grail

A second video booktalk for Keeper of the Grail by Michael Spradlin, Book 1 in the Youngest Templar series. These video booktalks can be a lot of fun to make!



A great historical fiction, adventure story that ponders the great questions of war and religion. Action-packed with a cliffhanger ending. There is a strong female character in this story as well. Enjoy!

Keeper of the Grail

A video "booktalk" for Book 1 of the Youngest Templar