Heat by Mike Lupica

I love baseball. It's probably the only sport I follow, so Heat appeared to be a good choice for my Caudill Nominee. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book, I did, its just, I was expecting more baseball. I guess I shouldn't judge a book by its cover huh? The story centers around a boy named Micheal Arroyo, whose father has died only a few months after bringing him, and his older brother Carlos from Cuba. Carlos is only a few months away from turning 18, and it is up to Micheal, Carlos, Manny (Micheal's best friend), and their neighbor Mrs. Cora to keep the secret of Micheal's father's death from child services and a coach of a rival little league team so that Micheal can go on to win the the little league series. As I said before, I read the book for the baseball, but stayed for the suspense. Although at times the story seemed far fetched, it was a pretty heart warming story. I would suggest it to any who likes a good story not just the 9-12 reading level it is suggested for.

STINK! and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers by Megan McDonald and Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Continuing on with my series Study with book three in the STINK! series. Now, I was certain that this book would answer my question as to why James Moody is lovingly called Stink, but alas I was wrong. I did find out that Stink does have an unusually good sense of smell. In this story, Stink finds out about an annual contest for the stinkiest sneakers and decides that he wants to not only participate but win. Most of the book is about how he can smell many different things with great accuracy, but it is also about how things don't always turn out the way you expect them too. This book unlike the other two, had a pretty linear story line that it followed throughout the book. I find that this made it a lot more interesting and easier to follow than the others. As always, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a quick fun read.

STINK! and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker! by Megan Mcdonald and Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

As you may recall, my Monarch Nominee book STINK! the Incredible Shrinking Kid! was a surprisingly good read. Well needless to say, I fell in love with the character, and decided that I would read the rest of the series for my series study. I was not disappointed. In this story after Stink is disappointed that his Super-Galactic Jawbreaker was not so Super-Galactic, he writes the Jawbreaker Company and they send him a whole box filled with Jawbreakers. This gives Stink and idea, he writes a toy company about their robot toys, and a candy company, and both respond in a similar fashion. In all the excitement Stink forgets about his best friend Webster's birthday, but makes up for it by throwing Webster a party at school putting all of the toys, candy, and jawbreakers into a pinata. I know, I basically gave away the ending, but there is a lot I didn't cover and you should really go pick it up for yourself. Once again I think this is fun read for anyone, not just the third grade reading level it is intended for.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Yes, I know. I have made it very clear that I am not a big fan of the Harry Potter series, and I still stand by that. I am not a big fan. I chose this book for my modern fantasy book because I thought since so many people love it, and so many children can't get enough of the series, I might give it one more shot. I will admit, it is well written, and the plot of a boy, who lives with his evil Aunt and Uncle, and tortured day in and day out by his cousin, finds out that his parents where in fact a witch and a wizard and he must now become one himself, was interesting, I just can't get into it's Cinderella like quality. I am not sure what it is exactly about the series I don't like, I mean there are plenty of reasons to enjoy it, I just find it, "okay". I guess it's just not my cup of tea. In any case the book does teach kids that anyone can do great things, as long as they believe in themselves and their friends. It also must be very engaging (for reasons not entirely understood by yours truly), because kids all over the world can't get enough of the books. As much as I may not understand it, and as much as I may be put off by it, kids are reading these books, and that is the most important thing. I just feel that if you want to read a story with magic and a child that overcomes impossible odds with the help of friends, read anything by Roald Dahl instead.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

I know. I know. I thought I was done with the Dr. Seuss book reviews too, but I just could not think of a better example of a predictable pattern book than this great read. With each page something new gets added on to a list of places or circumstances where someone might eat Green Eggs and Ham. This book is so wonderful, and so much fun, (albeit, very redundant) that I couldn't stop laughing at all the wonderful rhymes and illustrations! Seuss (yes I know that is not his real name) must have had an amazing imagination, and I truly wish that I could have met the man. This book teaches children the importance of trying new things, and not to judge something before you try it yourself. I know that my sister has read it to my nephew and now anytime that he doesn't want something he's never had before, she tells him that it is green eggs and ham, and he devours whatever it is on his plate right away. If there is one thing to be said about Seuss, he knows how to get pretty complicated concepts across to even the smallest of children. Anyway, I've said it before, and I just might say it again, this book is not just fun for kids, but adults alike.

Where's Waldo by Martin Handford

I chose this book for my wordless picture book, mostly because it's the only picture book that I could think of without words. I will admit I did "read" this book as a child and I did enjoy it, but I am not sure how much of an educational factor there is to a book like this. I understand that it teaches kids to pay attention to little detail, but other than that, I am not sure what it brings to the table. The artwork is fantastic, but I am sure that it must have been a headache at time to create it. Honestly I am not too sure what else to say about this book. If you want to keep a kid quiet, kill some time, or give yourself a headache, go ahead and pick it up. I just feel like time can be spent on something a little more worth while.

The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein

I chose this book for one of my picture books mostly because I remember reading it as a child, but also because I affectionately call my girlfriend, "My missing piece." In this story a circle with a missing piece is on a journey to find his missing piece, which is more of a triangle shape. The circle sings and rolls along and comes upon many different pieces, but none of them are his missing piece. Finally he comes across a triangle shape that fits just right, and they join together. Unfortunately, when joined together the circle rolls far too fast, and is unable to sing. The circle decides to let go of the missing piece and continue rolling at his own pace and keep singing. This book show children the importance of being ones self and not to worry if they are "missing a piece." This is an important lesson for both kids, and adults, but I may have to find something else to call my girlfriend though (just kidding). Anyway, as I mentioned before Silverstein is an amazing artist and it is shown even here where there is nothing but simple shapes throughout the entire book. I would suggest this to anyone who feels that they are "missing a piece."

In Daddy's Arms I am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe

Although this was written by and for African Americans to reflect their culture, you don't have to be African American to enjoy this book. You don't even necessarily have to have a father. I personally was reminded of my Grandfather when I read the poem "Promises" because my grandfather used to tell me that he would always love me, even when he was gone. Now that he is gone, this poem especially hit home for me. There are eleven other poems all focused around a child's feelings and love for their father. I'll admit it, I did cry after reading this book, and to this day only a few other books have ever evoked that kind of emotion out of me. This book is very heart warming, and I would suggest it to not only children six and up, but I would also suggest it for Father's Day gifts for experienced fathers and new fathers alike. The only thing that I might want to stay away from is getting this book for someone that may have just recently lost their father. I also would like to mention that the collage and mixed media artwork is breath taking. Javaka Steptoe really put his heart and sole into these masterpieces. It is no surprise to me that the book won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award in 1998.

Who Killed Mr. Chippendale written by Mel Glenn

I actually stumbled upon this book while searching some websites for a book of realistic fiction and this was placed under the category of "Mystery" on one of the sites. Turns out the book is many different poems about the murder of a high school English Teacher Mr. Robert Chippendale. The poems all differ from the student to student and as book goes on you are supposed to deduce who the killer is. I found that this a very creative way to write a mystery. Although on the other hand it was hard to follow considering there were so many different points of views. I am not even sure if this book can be considered a one story poem book or not, but I don't know how else to categorize it, because all though it is many different poems, they are all written by one guy and they all center around the mystery of who shot Mr. Chippendale. Like I said before, although this style of telling a mystery through poems is a very creative and interesting, it was hard to follow and sometimes confusing. With that in mind I would suggest it for a reader who wants a challenge but not for someone just wanting to read poems.

A Light in the Attic By Shel Silverstein

There is only one form of children's literature that I recall ever reading as a child, and that is Shel Silverstein poetry and short stories. I decided to revisit my child hood stomping grounds for one of my poetry books and re-read A Light in the Attic. I was just as excited and thrilled to read this book today as I was as a child. I have admit, I had forgotten just how silly, sly, witty, and inspiring, Silverstein is. Poems ranging from a Rhino that wants to fly, to a man with a wavy head, Silverstein finds a way to provoke funny bones and hearts alike. Not to mention his amazing pen and ink style. I would even go as far as to argue that the only artist that can surpass Silverstein's illustrations is Dr. Seuss, and that's saying something, especially coming from me. I actually almost chose Silverstein for my illustrator study, if you can believe it. I know I read this book at a very small age, but even if a child reading level isn't up to the 9-12 age range I would read at least some of these poems to younger children. I mean they are just good clean fun.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

From there to here, from here to there, Dr. Seuss is everywhere. Or at least he is on my blog. If you haven't been able to tell by now that I love Dr. Seuss, well then you haven't been reading any of my posts so far. I chose this book for one of my picture books, not because it was next to all the other Seuss books in the library, but because after finishing my illustrator study, I realized just how amazing Seuss is. So of course I had to get more. This book is another fine example of Seuss' genius (As if that's really any surprise.) Every page is filled with a different rhyme and illustration designed to spark the imagination of a child, while at the same time educated them on many different subjects. The book is also designed for the child to one day read on their own, which I find absolutely wonderful. This book not only teaches concepts and queries for children to ponder, but also it teaches confidence and the importance of reading. How many other books can you think of that can do all of that besides another Seuss book? As with all the other Seuss books that I have written about, even though it is directed for children, anyone can learn a thing or two from the great Doctor.

Dr. Seuss's ABC by Dr. Seuss

This is a book that I actually read to my nephew when ever I am in California, and the inspiration for choosing Dr. Seuss for my illustration study. Of course, he gets mad because I don't "read it like daddy." This just shows how important it is for parents to read to their children, but that is a topic for another type of blog. Anyway, this is a classic example of both Seuss' ability to write and illustrate. Every picture in the book goes with the letter, but that is to be expected. What makes this book so entertaining is that EVERYTHING starts with the letter in focus, for example, on page 34 the letter O, it says, "Osar's only ostrich oiled an orange owl today" and it depicts an ostrich with an oil can, pouring a single drip onto an orange colored owl. Every letter gets the same wonderfully creative treatment. One can really see why Dr. Seuss is one the greatest, if not the greatest, children book authors of all time. Of course this is targeted to children learning their ABC's, but anyone should be able to read this and still find enjoyment in its pages.

Matilda By Roald Dahl

At first I didn’t think I would enjoy this book at all. No offense is meant to the great Mr. Dahl, but a story about a small girl with nasty parents didn’t seem all that appealing. I am glad and pretty thrilled to report that I not only enjoyed Matilda, but loved it. It was probably the best book that I read by Dahl. I really connected with Matilda, not because she had nasty evil parents but because she was a very smart and witty child. She also read many different books including Great Expectations by Charles Dickons, which is a book I read as a child as well. I think that Dauhl has a certain flair for writing stories about child that over come impossible odds, because I enjoyed Matilda and James and the Giant Peach far more than I did The Twits or The Enormous Crocodile. I also think that this makes the story more relatable and better received by children rather than a story about animals or strange grown-ups. Anyway, Matilda was heart warming story that had complexity and excitement through every page.

The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl

This book was chosen by my Lit Circle group for our Author Study Project. I am reviewing this book first because it was the shortest of the three books that we read. This is a fairly amusing tale about an enormous crocodile that tries to trick children into falling for his traps so he can eat them, but he brags about his plan to eat children the entire time he travels through the jungle, which comes back to "bite" him in the end. Although this was definitely pact with Dahl's sense of humor and writing style, I feel as though it was just too short. I felt like as soon as I started the story it was over. Don't get me wrong, I know that it was not intended to be a long story, or even an epic tale, but it lack the sense of depth and wonder in most Dahl tales. I think that this is a good read for kids, but this is one of the first that I would only suggest to kids.

Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair by Patricia Polacco

Although this book is a little bit preachy about the "dangers' of television, it does bring focus to the importance of reading. Fifty years after the town of Triple Creek put up the great tv tower; no one knows how to read, save Aunt Chip, the former town librarian who has been in bed since the construction of the tower. When Aunt Chip finds out that no one reads anymore she finally gets out of bed and does something about it. She first teaches her Nephew, Eli, to read, then the rest of the children of the town. The children were so eager to read that they would read any book they could get their hands on, but the problem is that books have found other uses in the past fifty years, including part of the town dam. When Moby Dick is taken from the dam, it bust causing a flood that knocks over the tv tower. Without tv, all the adults become angry, but eventually start reading themselves and the town is forever changed. In all honesty, I don't see reading ever becoming exstinct, but I do understand that tv and other forms of entertainment are more appealing to most kids, so it is important to keep them interesed. I liked the pencil and water color illustrations, but for a book like this I almost feel that they were...too detailed. I don't know that makes any sense, but in anycase that is my opinion. I would probably recomend this book for an in-class read, or something to illustrate the importance of reading.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

I chose this book for my Book-to-Movie comparison, mostly because I love the animation style that the movie is done in. As for the book itself, I had to get it on a book on tape because that was the only available copy I could find at the public library. This did not take away from the story at all. I rather loved the book and could only wonder why it was a banned book. Turns out it was originally banned because the mystical element of the use of magic crocodile tongues. I feel this is a completely silly reason to ban a book, I mean you might as well ban Cinderella as well because of the fairy godmother. Anyway, this not my banned book...book so I will move on. I actually felt that the movie did an excellent job and only enhanced the story. This is a very rare thing for me, because usually, if the movie doesn't stay absolutely true to the book, I don't like it. This is the exception though. The movie stayed very true the heart and soul of the book, which is at its heart a story of a boy overcoming impossible odds with the help of friends. I say forget all the reasons why this book was banned and give read it anyway. Let your kids read it, there is nothing wrong with a little magic. Lord knows we could use some in the real world.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr, Seuss

This is a classic tale that if you haven't read the book, then surely, like me, you were exposed to the story through the classic cartoon, or perhaps through the Ron Howard film. If you have not read or seen any of these, then get yourself to a bookstore right away! The classic story is basically just what the title suggests, it's all about how the Grinch steals Christmas! Of course he does so by imitating the great Santa Claus (or Santy Claus as he is referred to in the book) and breaking into every house in the Who Village and stealing all of their Christmas items. To the Grinch's dismay, he did not succeed in stealing Christmas at all because every Who was still merry and in the Christmas spirit despite having all their stuff taken away. This, of course, moves the Grinch and he returns all of their stuff and everyone lives happily ever after. Once again Seuss displays his mastering of pen and ink with ease and skill. One thing that I found especially amusing was the expressions on the Grinch's dog Max, whom served as the Grinch's only reindeer. This is arguably Seuss' greatest work, and for good reason. The man was not just a master storyteller but a fantastic, and in my opinion underappreciated, artist. Every illustration has life and vigor, and is worthy of recognition. I can only hope that one day I, as an artist, can achieve even a fraction of the excitement and life, in my own work, that Seuss does in his.

Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss

This is the second book I chose for my illustrator series. This book actually contains three stories. Each story deals with some kind of moral issue, such as greed, vanity, and pride. As I stated before in my previous blog, Dr. Seuss has style all his own, and I think that it shows more so in this book than in Horton Hears a Who! only because in story Gertrude McFuzz Seuss really has fun with the illustrations and lets his pen fly! I really wish I could have seen him draw in person, and found out how he got such marvelous detail in every drawing. He almost has a zen like quality to his pen strokes. Anyway, I thought that the Yertle the Turtle story was probably his most political of the three, mostly because its about a greedy king that has everything, but will sacrifice his own people to get more. Where in politics can that not be applied? Sad but true. Lastly, my favorite story was The Big Brag, where a bear and a rabbit are arguing about who is better, when they are both out smarted by an old worm. Once again, a story where someone out smarts an advisary much larger or powerful then themselves. I would certianly read this to my kids...if I had any...

Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Suess

Honestly, who doesn't love Dr. Suess. It's almost UN-American not too. I chose Dr. Suess for my illustrator series because I feel that not enough people recognize his fantastic pen and ink stile of artwork. I mean talk about having your own style, this guy is almost instantly recognizable by his images alone! Most people don't know that Dr. Suess actually did work as a political artist, and it defenitely shows through his writing and artwork. Horton Hears a Who! on the other hand seems to be based in asian philosophy rather than trying to make a particular statement. For those who have yet to read this instant classic, it tells the tale of an Elephant named Horton that finds a speck that contains a whole city of whos. No one in the rest of the jungle believes Horton and thinks he's crazy. I think this is a pretty advanced concept to teach children, but somehow Dr. Suess pulls threw. Finally Dr. Seuss' pen and ink illustrations are full of life and excitement. His use of hatching and cross-hatching gives the drawings a sense of depth. I also liked this book because it shows that Dr. Seuss can draw real animals as well as completely fictional ones.

Rumpelstiltskin Retold and Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Rumpelstiltskin is quite possibly my favorite classic tale. I was pleased to see that Mr. Zelinsky did his research before retelling this tale. He actually found that the Grimm Brothers had published about five different versions of this tale, and all were based from a story called "Rumpenstunzchen," where there is nothing about a king forcing a miller's daughter to spin gold, rather a young girl is given flax to spin into linen, but only gold thread comes from her spinning wheel. A little man tells her that he can make the prince marry her if she promises her first born child. From this point on the story is pretty much the same. Zelinsky pulled the best parts from each story to make a fantastic tale. The oil paintings were amazingly detailed, and Zelinsky portrayal of Rumpelstiltskin was almost chilling. Think that this is probably the best version of the classic tale that I have ever had the pleasure of reading, and that's saying something because when I was younger I recieved a video of the Muppet version of many Grimm fairy tales, and I cherished that VHS tape. Anyway, I think that this would be a good read for anyone over the age of six or seven.

The Princess and the Frog by the Grimm Brothers Retold by Will Eisner

I have to admit, The Princess and the Frog (also known as the Frog Prince) is not one of my favorite classic tales. In fact the only reason I even picked this book was because I was absolutely stunned to find that Will Eisner, the legendary comic book writer/artist, retold the story in his own way. For those that don't know the great Will Eisner, he is mostly known for his creation of the Golden Age pulp comic hero, The Spirit (soon to be a major motion film, where it will be butchered and turned into something it's not by the supposedly great Frank Miller). Will Eisner also was the creator of the graphic novel, a book composed of a collection of comic books. One of his most famous books, A Contract with God is arguably the best graphic novel of all time. In the comic book world, the Eisner Award is the equivalent to the Oscar in the movie biz. Anyway, despite not liking the original tale of the Princess and the Frog, I devoured this book. It may be due to my biased love of Will Eisner, but regardless, the man is an excellent storyteller. His watercolor illustrations are actually some of his best works, and I believe that it nothing short of destiny that I happened upon this book. I plan on trying to find a copy to own of this book to add to my vast collection of Will Eisner works. Eisner is known for making the fantastic more human, and easier to relate to, while at the same time keeping it in the realm of fantasy. This book is no exception, and I think it is good read for both children and adults alike!

Puss in Boots Illustrated by Fred Marcellino and Translated by Malcolm Arthur

This was chosen to be one of my classic literature books. I mainly chose it because I had never heard the tale of Puss in Boots before, and I didn't know where the character in the movie Shrek came from. I have to say, as cool as Antonio Banderas is, He does not do justice to the original Puss in Boots. I loved this story, and really wished that someone had told it to me when I was a child. I absolutely love stories were the main character outsmarts someone much larger or powerful than themselves. The oil paintings (or what I am assuming to be oil paintings due to the fact that you can see the canvas underneath in some cases) are fantastic. They capture so much expression on all the characters faces. I really think that kids would enjoy this book as much as I did.