Lynn's Review of The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

In Jeanne Birdsall's introduction to the Penderwick family, the reader is introduced to four sisters, their father, and a dog as they embark on a summer family vacation. Rosalind is the oldest and most responsible, taking the role of caregiver since their mother passed away. Skye is the fiery tomboy, Jane is the dreamy wannabe author, and Batty is the youngest and most shy. After their normal vacation spot is sold, the family finds themselves in a cottage that belongs to part of an estate, complete with a snooty landowner, Mrs. Tifton, and her son, Jeffrey, the perfect playmate for the children's adventures.

I absolutely loved this carefree and happy-go-lucky story. It is complete with an idyllic and nostalgic setting on the estate of Arundel. Jeanne Birdsall definitely has a talent for developing characters that readers can relate to. Girls will identify with one or all of the girls and their very different personalities. My favorite character was Jane with her Sabrina Starr character stories. I love how Jane dreams and narrates out loud, and feverishly writes every chance she can. I couldn't help but smile at the obvious annoyances that come from her sisters as a result. I can see myself as a little bit of Jane, (though I don't like to write as Jane does) and a little bit of Batty, since I am the youngest in my family, a shy observer, and get caught up in my thoughts. I can see my sister in the characters of Skye with a little bit of Rosalind too. When Skye encouraged Jeffrey to stand up to Mrs. Tipton about sending him to military school, it reminded me of my sister. My sister is the one who will protect and support others and won't hesitate to tell you exactly what is on her mind. Readers will also relate to the funny antics of Hound, the Penderwick dog, as he seems to eat and regurgitate everything in sight at the most inconvenient times.

Elementary and tween readers will be ready for more adventures with the Penderwicks, as long as Hound doesn't eat them first... :)

Lynn's Review of Flora's Very Windy Day

Jeanne Birdsall's first picture book is a pleasant tale of the windy adventure of Flora and her little brother, Crispin. After Crispin gets into trouble inside the house, they are both sent outside to play. Because it is a very windy day, Flora puts on her "super-special heavy-duty red boots" to keep her from blowing away, and she pretends to not be worried about Crispin and his regular old purple boots. As the wind begins to carry him away, Flora must kick off her special boots and sail off after him. Riding on the wind, Flora is tempted to give in to the requests of the dragonfly, sparrow, rainbow, cloud, eagle, man in the moon, and the wind himself to take her little brother away. Does she really want to get rid of him? Though he does make a mess of her paints and gets into everything at home, Flora realizes that she loves her brother, and only wants to make sure they both get home safely. At Flora's insistence, the wind brings them back home, and the story happily ends as they enjoy some chocolate chip cookies together.

I thought that this was a lovely story that children would find enjoyable. The repetitive text is appropriate for younger audiences. Birdsall repeats, "If the wind lets you," in response to Flora wanting to take her little brother back home. A lot of children can also relate to an annoying younger sibling, and the nuisance that they can cause. Likewise, most children will appreciate the fantastic imaginative journey soaring on the wind and back to the safety of home again, just in time for some chocolate chip cookies. Parents will most likely appreciate how the story models the resolution of a sibling relationship.

Lynn's Review of 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East

Naomi Shihab Nye goes back to her cultural roots with this collection of poems in 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East. As an Arab American, her struggles with the political and emotional effects of war are prevalent throughout the collection. She gives her perspective from the Middle East through her experiences growing up and visiting with family there.

Honestly, a lot of the poetry in this collection was difficult for me to understand, but I appreciated what I learned about Middle Eastern beliefs and traditions. Still, there were references that were incomprehensible to me due to my lack of experience and knowledge of the Middle East.

After reading Nye's poetry, I do feel as if I've literally had a taste of the Middle East. As our pecans or peaches influence our life here in Texas, the presence of fig trees, olives, and almonds provide a taste of Nye's homeland to readers. In Olive Jar, we are invited to an Arab kitchen on the West Bank, in the village of almonds and olives. As a guest, we are at the family meal where olives are the center of every table. As with many families, it seems as though the time spent around the table is a peaceful time that is cherished. Nye also uses olive as irony in the poem, Passing the Refugee Camp. Olives are a symbol of peace and are native to the Middle East; however, olive is also used to describe the color of American soldiers' uniforms, suggesting war and unrest.

Something I admire about Naomi Shihab Nye's writing is that it is so accessible and honest. She writes simply about things that she knows and loves, and makes you think that it is possible for you to put your own thoughts and feelings into your own poetry as well. She writes about what she is passionate about. Her vision of peace is very clear, as well as admirable, and reminds us all that it is the true meaning of what we all seek. In How Long Peace Takes, Nye gives analogies as to how much time we must wait for peace. So how long does peace take? Nye answers, "As long as the question - what if I were you? - has two heads." Hmm, it really makes you think about considering others' perspectives.

Lynn's Review of The Inner City Mother Goose

I was wondering why this book, based on Mother Goose nursery rhymes, was in a high school library and not in libraries for younger patrons. I quickly realized that it was because it is a modern interpretation that shows the effects of inner city life. It includes current society issues such as drugs, stealing, crime, and temptation. It became a banned book due to its honesty in portraying inner-city situations of the low-socioeconomic. David Diaz's dark illustrations depict the hardness and reality of those that struggle daily in these types of situations.

The paintings are harsh, with thick black outlines and shadows detailing facial expressions as the characters smoke, sell their bodies, pollute, worry, kill, and turn a blind eye. The demise of society is characterized with dark blues and grays and spotlights the resulting ugliness.

I was very surprised by this book. Even though the title hinted at its contents, I wasn't prepared for the honesty and straightforwardness of the subject matter, especially presented in the Mother Goose format. I also found it interesting that in Eve Merriam's 1982 introduction, she writes of suspecting that a particular verse having "a line that contained an extremely vulgar, if commonly used, thirteen-letter word" was to blame for the book being banned. When I came to that particular verse, I found it odd that the entire page was missing from the book, and I could see the torn edges from the binding. I found this book in a high school library, but it seems that someone at some point had done some censoring...

Lynn's Review of Diego: Bigger Than Life

In Diego: Bigger Than Life by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, the real-life story of Diego Rivera is told through poetry and accented with David Diaz's paintings. This Pura Belpre Honor Book details the honesty, talent, and passion of this controversial Mexican artist. He was also a social revolutionary for the Mexican Communist Party.

I wasn't aware that Diego Rivera was so controversial and was not only passionate about his murals but also about the women in his life. I was also surprised that the love of his life was Frida Kahlo, who was very much younger than he was. David Diaz's paintings are soft and glowing with brightness. Absent is the dark black outline present in the previous two books that I had read. The illustrations bring light and depth to the highs and lows in Diego's life. From the happiest times in his life such as when he met Frida to the saddest when his son Dieguito died, the graduation of intensity of color matches the mood. This is my favorite book that Diaz has illustrated because of the brightness of color and the softness of line as color melts into the next. I also appreciate how he paints with the profile view, giving a nod to the Mexican culture.

Lynn's Review of December

David Diaz and Eve Bunting pair up again as illustrator and author in the picture book, December. This is the story of a boy and his mother who are homeless and living in a cardboard box. It is Christmas Eve, and they once again go to sleep under the old calendar picture of a Christmas angel hanging on their "wall." Little do they know that they have much more than the old woman with a faded rose who comes knocking on their box that night to find a warm place to sleep. After inviting her in to spend the night, their luck begins to change and the family is left wondering. Was the old woman their very own Christmas angel?

Diaz's rich illustrations once again pull in the reader with color and definition. The bold acrylic colors provide a feast for the eyes. His use of black defines each feather of December's wings on the cover of the book. Inside pages reflect text on colorful collage backgrounds in geometric patterns with Diaz's signature paintings on the facing pages. His paintings are almost completely full page with close ups of the characters highlighting the angles of their faces and strengthening the overall storyline for beginning readers. Young and old will appreciate the message of hope and the beauty found on every page.

Lynn's Review of Smoky Night

The illustrations could stand alone to tell the story of the L.A. riots in Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. In this story, a boy with his mom and cat, watch the devastation of the riots on their neighborhood and learn first-hand the importance of getting along with others. David Diaz's collage style highlights the acrylic paintings focused on each page. Diaz layers multiple elements that create a 3-dimensional effect, bringing the story to life for readers. The bold colors of the paintings capture young children's attention. A variety of materials are used to invite the reader in. The authentic items and collage texture support the storyline and conveys a sense of reality to the reader. Cardboard and bubblewrap are used to support the beginning of the story as looters steal boxed electronics.

The title reflects the presence of the fire with a progression of color in the background and the big black bold lettering that represents the intensity of the smoke. Diaz paints on top of his collage. I noticed the use of the color red when people are stealing. Diaz uses real elements such as caution labels, shoe soles, cereal, plastic bags, and wire coathangers. Red and yellow collage paper is cut like fire flames with matches interspersed on the page giving a sense of emergency to the story. The climax of the story is illustrated with contrasting colors: dark red, yellow, white, and black showing the power of the fire. I thought it very telling that Diaz chose the use of gray as the fire diminishes to ashes in the collage on the following page. Colors get lighter toward the end as the story resolves and the characters find peace.

I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of this story and the thoughtful process as the illustrations pull in the reader and in the end, convey a real message of peace.

Lynn's Review of A Maze Me

This is a collection of poems by Naomi Shihab Nye that is especially relatable to middle school girls. As the title suggests, Nye's voice seems to challenge others to see what it's like to be a girl transitioning from childhood into adulthood. The journey is complex and confusing, much like a maze. It is also rewarding and simply, well....amazing. Nye recalls her own transitional years in Texas as she writes about "Visiting My Old Kindergarten Teacher" on the last day of school and recalling her own "self-portraits with hats" that these students are now taking home. Likewise, she writes about day to day concerns for a teenage girl like what it is like "In the School Cafeteria." As you search for your friends to sit and eat lunch with, "your face makes me feel like a lighthouse beaming across waves." Nye's advice to young girls permeates in poems such as "Feeling Wise." She says, "It is not so hard to feel wise. Just think of something dumb you could say, then don't say it." Nye's poetry is simple and accessible to readers. Middle school girls will gravitate to her perspective, as it is true and honest.

Nye's poetry is relatable even to a thirty-something like me. One thing I've found as I grow older is that I have more and more to reflect upon in my life. One of my favorite poems in this book was "Baby-sitting Should Not be Called...sitting." I could relate to her thoughts of irony of the word as she chases, bends, amuses, and everything else except for sitting. Having babysitting jobs growing up, I can attest to the fact that it is not as easy as perceived. I got quite the workout babysitting younger children, and it taught me to appreciate those who teach and care for young children. This challenge led me to the profession that I have today working with early childhood students and educators.

In "Abandoned Post Office, Big Bend," I am reminded of the changes that technology has brought and the effects that follow. Nye writes, "Forty years ago this postal window far far far from any city closed for good," just like the post office in my community did just last year. As a teenage girl, I remember writing letters to soldiers oversees in the Gulf War. For this generation of teenage girls, skype, email, and texting, are all available. The need for communication is still the same, but the method has definitely changed.

Lynn's Review of Honeybee

This collection of poetry is authored by Naomi Shihab Nye. It illustrates the relation of everyday life to that of a honeybee throughout the book. She introduces the book by explaining her extensive studying of honeybees and continues the analogy as her words parallel how the honeybee and human survive, work, dance, communicate, and cooperate in their own worlds. Her voice is very powerful throughout, as is evident in "The Cost." She illustrates our sad state of education as she speaks candidly of school librarians and counselors being fired (in San Antonio) for lack of funding.

Her opinion of war is also ever present in her poetry. She gives the perspective as an American and of Middle Eastern descent as well as the influences and consequences that there are for both. She criticizes our society as peacemakers preparing our students with "everything you need to know...then place a gun in your hands." As strong as her opinion is, I still believe that there are things that are worth fighting for. It seems so simple when she voices her opinion in her writing, and I wish it could be as simple as talking it over. However, it reminds me that it takes two sides to compromise.

I love that Naomi Shihab Nye writes about Texas. One of my favorite references was her description of subdivisions as "big mistakes slapped up outside towns" (from Driving to Abilene in the Pouring Rain). As a Texan, I feel lucky to live in the wide open spaces and enjoy nature and animals out in the country.

A favorite quote of mine this week comes directly from this poetry collection. Naomi says, "If someone gives you trouble, remember your best self" (from Our Best Selves). What great advice to pass on to others!