Mozart in the future by Tania Rodrigues-Peters [Yay Cybils!]

In the interests of full disclosure, I will first say that I don't like Mozart. In fact, I don't really like any of the Classical composers. (In case you are wondering, I like J. S. Bach, Alan Rawsthorne, Henry Purcell, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, and Poulenc, to give a few examples). I did not listen to Mozart while reading this, as suggested by the author. I was/am listening to Live! At the Concertgebouw but they're playing Bartok, which I like in small doses. Anyways.

This is a very...strange story. An ambitious mother, constantly pushing her son to improve his music, holds Mozart up as a role model. Max has a nervous breakdown and has to stay home, stop playing the piano, and rest. Um...and then a beautiful sort of fairy shows up who turns out to be the Spirit of Music. Max explains that he really wants to play, but he just can't and she asks who he'd like to help him. He calls Mozart. He...gets Mozart. Mozart doesn't get the modern world at all, but enjoys it anyways. Eventually, the spirit explains to Max that he does have talent even if he's not a genius, Mozart goes back to his own time and Max's parents and the doctor try to convince him it was all a dream but he knows it wasn't.

The illustrations are a kind of mixture of fantasy and cartoon and are rather attractive with long, flowing lines.

Asides from the plot, the major problems with this book are the length, format, and syntax. Although the book is only 100 pages long, the text is very dense, much too lengthy for a beginning chapter book. There are no quotation marks, instead, dialogue is marked with a music note at the beginning - but not at the end, so it's difficult to tell when the dialogue ends. The syntax is very odd. I couldn't figure out from the biographical information at the back what language this was translated from; the author appears to have come from Sao Paulo, although she now lives in Austria. Some examples:

"Max is a boy who loves music and who has been studying the piano for years because it has always been his favourite instrument. But the problem is his mother who demands too much of him and does not give the time to play with other boys."

"[music note] I don't know but, personally, I don't miss it at all -- Mozart says showing little interest in the so-called Internet."

I'm guessing translated from German (Austrian German is a standard variety of "regular" German. Your interesting fact of the day) but I may be wrong.

Not recommended because of the length of the text, odd syntax, difficult punctuation, and unappealing plot. If you happen to have any young fans of Classical music (I don't at my library) they're going to be more interested in actual biographies of their favorite composers or possibly general histories or historical fiction set in the time period.

Title: Mozart in the Future

Author: Tania Maria Rodrigues-Peters

Illustrator: Pedro Caraca

Translator: Paula Vaz-Carreiro

Source: Review copy supplied by publisher for Cybils

How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills [Yay Cybils!]

Okay, I cannot put this off any longer. I am really torn on this book. You see, I want to like it. I really do. I should like it. It's all about being independent, about parents letting their kids try new things without hovering, something I am majorly in favor of. It takes a strong whack at parents who do their kids' homework, something else that drives me nuts (you've seen them, o long-suffering librarians, dragging a bored child through the library "we need such and such a book and it has to have this and this because it's worth so many points"). I am no more in favor of smother mothers or helicopter parents than any other intelligent person. Everybody else likes it. Fuse #8 likes it.

But I am all about teh honesty here, and it just didn't work for me. So, first things first; the plot. Oliver has majorly over-protective parents. They never let him do anything even remotely dangerous -- or independent and even do his homework for him, right down to the last detail. Oliver hates it. He wants to be like all the other kids in his class, he wants to do his solar system diorama on his own, he doesn't want to use his mom's idea for a change-the-world suggestion for the upcoming contest, and he really, really wants to go to the school sleepover. It takes some help from an unexpected friend and some tough love for Oliver to start breaking free and growing up.

So, why didn't I like this? It just doesn't feel realistic to me. Oliver's parents' overprotectiveness is explained because "he had been sickly as a little boy". That just felt...cliched. The ending felt too pat - Oliver's friend sending in his neglected suggestion and his unexpected victory just didn't feel real to me. And I can't decide if Oliver's mother is an overly exaggerated irritating twit, or she's so well-written that she's supposed to be an irritating twit, especially in the part at the end where's she's fussing over Oliver and finally agrees to let him go. Finally, I'd really like to think kids like Oliver whose parents do every little thing for them really do want to be responsible; but I've just seen too many of them perfectly content to let their parents do all the talking, research, homework, and thinking for every moment of their lives. Or maybe they've just given up.

I'm not sure how I feel about the cover and interior illustrations. On the one hand, they really seem to fit the book. On the other hand, they just don't grab the casual browser and the cover feels a little...childish? I don't know. The boy on the cover doesn't look 9 to me, but I'm awful at judging ages.

Why should I like this, asides from the aforementioned reasons at the beginning? The characters are well-drawn and I especially enjoyed the spunky, independent Crystal. There's plenty of nonfiction nuggets woven into the story, and Oliver is a good picture of the kid who doesn't think there's anything special about him but wishes there was.

What I'm really unsure about, and what I'd really like to test, is will kids like this book? Will the cover attract them or turn them off? Will they sympathize with the character and maybe think about doing more things on their own? I'd love to hear from anyone who's managed to kid-test this - did they love it? Hate it? No strong feelings either way?

Title: How Oliver Olson Changed the World
Author: Claudia Mills
Illustrator: Heather Maione
Source: Library

Mercy Watson Something Wonky This Way Comes by Kate DiCamillo [Yay! Cybils!]

This is the first Mercy Watson book I've read. I admit it. I'm not a huge fan of Kate DiCamillo. Hey, she has lots of fans, she doesn't need little me. I do, of course, recommend her to appropriate readers. (Although I nearly wacked that one patron over the head, when she explained to me that she was reading her eleven-year-old son all of Kate DiCamillo's books. Even though he hated them. Because she liked them.)

Anyways. If you, like me, have not previously encountered Mercy Watson, here's her basic story. Mercy Watson is a pig. She lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson in a charmingly old-fashioned town. Mercy Watson is slightly anthropomorphized and her owners treat her almost like a human, but she remains completely and always a pig. And in this story....what happens when you take a butter-loving pig to the movies? The movies where they serve real butter on their popcorn? Chaos, that's what happens.

This series is on the young side of beginning chapter books with limited text that's very bold and easy to read. There's plenty of quirky turns of phrase and kooky humor for kids to enjoy, but the overall effect of these books is sweet family fun.

The main draw, to my mind, is the luciously colored illustration by Chris Van Dusen. They somehow manage to create a 50s style without looking outdated and they just...glow. Really.

Kids who like the slightly wacky with plenty of sweet and don't want to give up their favorite illustrated picturebooks will enjoy this laid-back beginning chapter book.

Title: Mercy Watson Something Wonky This Way Comes

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Illustrator: Chris Van Dusen

Source: Library

New stuff at the library - AV edition

So, do you all want to hear about what movies/audiobooks/cds we get? Yes? No? Don't care? Let me know.

• Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack O'Lanterns - This is the movie we watched for our Goosebumps party. I'd never seen them before and was a little surprised at how utterly boring they were, but the elementary kids loooove them.
• Walking with dinosaurs: Allosaurus. You can never have too many dinosaur movies
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers vol. 1. A new series I'm testing, although my theory of movie collection development is - anything will check out, so buy whatever you want.
• Go Diego Go: Rainforest Fiesta. They're popular. Whatever.
• Adventures in Odyssey. A patron asked us to purchase some of these radio programs. I was a little doubtful - I listened to them as a kid, but wasn't sure they were still popular - but I bought a couple, Time of Discovery and Truth Chronicles and they popped right away with holds, so I'll be getting more of these!

So, that's the first installment of new stuff at the library - av edition. Any thoughts?

Nana Cracks the Case by Kathleen Lane [Yay Cybils!]

Nana, not content to decay into old-lady-hood as her daughter Elaine would like, has found another job - this time as a detective. With the help of her grandchildren, Eufala and Bog, she sets out to solve the case of the candy stealer.

This rollicking and rather wandering story includes lots of candy, naughty children, stupid adults, unhappy policemen, and a tough old Nana who's intent on experiencing everything she can. But she's also elderly; she forgets things, gets lost, makes mistakes, and often acts in an extremely childlike way, which means she fits right in with....

Her grandchildren Eufala and Bog. They have some genuinely funny moments, such as when forbidden by their worrywart mother to open the front door "Never in a million years would they have so much as touched the doorknob of the front door. Anyhow, why open the front door when the kitchen window worked just as well--and, they had found, was much less likely to draw the attention of neighbors." Their mischievous naughtiness quickly degenerates into a series of unpleasant and greedy misbehavior.

The illustrations are full of maps, odd items, and caricatured characters. The best and most humorous part of the illustrations are the end-papers, designed to look like want ads. Once you've read the book, you'll realize that some of them are jobs Nana has had which haven't worked out exactly as she planned!

This book isn't really a mystery. It's a nonsense of irresponsibility. Nana, Eufala and Bog, the policeman, even the children's mother, all act in the most outrageous and insane ways, clearly showing the reader they're not meant to be taken seriously. If you like the weird and wacky with plenty of humor, you may enjoy this quick and kooky read. Hand this out to fans of Horrid Henry and incipient Series of Unfortunate Events readers.

Title: Nana Cracks the Case

Author: Kathleen Lane (Concept by Cabell Harris)

Illustrator: Sarah Horne

Read Snap

I've just finished reading my most recent lunch nonfiction selection, Mildred Armstrong's Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm during the Great Depression. It's a fascinating story of a childhood very different from anything I - or even my parents - knew. Armstrong gives the good and the bad, with tales of farming, gardening, school, family, and more. Her writing style is crisp and clear and perfectly captures a rural childhood during the Depression.
Source: Library

Wow, I am a real blogger!

Every time I get review books in the mail, I have this dazzling, "wow I am a REAL BOOK BLOGGER" moment. And today was very exciting! I got a BIG package from Raab which held:

How do dinosaurs say I love you by Jane Yolen - I am ashamed to say I've somehow never read one of these, despite loving Mark Teague. I will remedy that right away!

Come to the fairies ball by Jane Yolen - I am not normally a fairy person, but it's Jane Yolen! And the cover is GORGEOUS! I am going to share this with my fairy-lovin' library friend in the neighboring library.

Two Revolutionary War picturebooks by Selene Castrovilla, Upon Secrecy and By the Sword. This is a new author to me, but a quick glance has got me very excited. Maps on the endpapers! Timelines and tons of resources in the back! I think my homeschoolers will be especially excited to have a look at these.

More info on these coming soon, as soon as I have time to absorb them!

The Painting That Wasn't There by Steve Brezenoff [Yay Cybils!]

You can never have too many good, solid, beginning chapter book mysteries. Or dinosaur books. Or Star Wars anything. Or fairy books. Or...ok, ok, getting off the subject here. Sorry, haven't had my tea yet this morning.

Ok, where was I? Oh yes, beginning chapter book mysteries. You got your classics, Cam Jansen, A to Z, your middling populars, Third Grade Detective, Capital Kids (Am I the only person that thinks that should be Capitol?), your screwy/funny, Hank the Cowdog, Chet Gecko, your spin-offs, Nancy Drew misc. dreck, Mary-Kate and Ashley, and now...

We have a new classic on our hands! It's got all the elements - kids with strong independent voices and quirky nicknames, a real mystery and a real crook, and lots of clues and logical deductions, and, of course, clueless adults! Because why else would a kid be needed to solve the mystery?

This particular story is about a missing painting. Gumshoe (James Shoo) and his friends Sam (Samantha), Cat (Catalina), and Egg (Edward) are off on a field trip with their favorite teacher - Ms. Stanwyck from art class. They're excited to get a closer look at the paintings she's been showing them in class, and Egg is especially excited to be doing what he loves best; photography! But when a mean guard starts picking on Egg, they have second thoughts. And then Egg notices something's....different. Ms. Stanwyck won't listen, so it's up to the four to solve the crime!

The illustrations have a dark, spooky quality that fits the mysterious plot. I would have liked clearer reproductions of the pictures, so the reader can see the clues, but kids will enjoy the characters revealed in the illustrations and get a shiver out of the dark corners.

I'm excited to discover this new mystery series and look forward to adding it to my library....sometime next year. Ah, end of the year budget woes.

Title: Field Trip Mysteries: The Painting That Wasn't There

Author: Steve Brezenoff

Illustrator: C. B. Canga

Source: Library

Read Snap

Shrek by Evanier/Bachs/Fernandez. Comic continuations of Shrek's adventures. Despite several glaring typos (including "Flora" instead of "Fiona") and my personal irritation that all but one of the stories has Fiona doing housework while Shrek and Donkey take off to solve a mystery - and the one that doesn't it's only because she's been kidnapped - I'll probably get these for the library b/c Shrek is still very popular and kids are going to want to read these.
Source: Library

Read Snap

Tommysaurus Rex by Doug TenNapel. I can't make up my mind about this graphic novel. Oh, not about the quality - it's good - but where to put it. It's about a boy whose dog is tragically killed. He's going through a rough time just with growing pains anyways, and his parents send him off to his grandpa's farm for the summer. There he meets a nasty bully and makes a marvelous discovery; a tyrannosaurus rex. A live one. At first, the townspeople are terrified, but Ely manages to tame the t. rex, until the bully does something horrible and tragedy ensues. However, there's hope and forgiveness at the end. There's a lot of layers throughout this story, from the title to the various connections of the characters. There's a couple iffy moments - the grandfather tells the parents to "go have some sex! call me when summer's over!" and gives Ely a bottle of beer - which turns out to have been refilled with root beer (yeah, it sounds trivial, but believe me, people will squawk). What's more doubtful to me (and yes, I realize this is no longer a read snap) is where exactly to put this. There's a lot of painful emotions throughout this story and underneath the adventure, gore, and wacky jokes, it's all about growing up and learning to be a man. But it's got all that wackiness on top. So juvenile or ya? Who is the audience for this comic? What do you think?
Source: Library