The Alvin Ho Collection, Books 1 & 2
-- School Library Journal, 11/6/2009
From the November issue
The Alvin Ho Collection, Books 1 & 2 (unabr). 4 CDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (library.booksontape.com). 2009. ISBN 978-0-7393-7997-4. $38.
Gr 2-4–Alvin Ho, a quirky Asian-American second grader, is articulate at home but so afraid of school that he is unable to speak while he is there. His friend Flea, who wears an eye patch and has one leg longer than the other, speaks for him at school. The boy narrates his own story in Lenore Look’s Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things (2008). Whether visiting a sick classmate to catch the chicken pox, taking his dad’s favorite toy to show-and-tell, or braving piano lessons with a possible witch, Alvin struggles valiantly with his fears and anxieties. In Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters (2009, both Schwartz & Wade), a problem with his Houdini escape kit leads Alvin to a dream visit with young Henry David Thoreau. Wanting to share Thoreau’s love of nature, Alvin’s dad plans a camping trip. Depending on his Batman ring and survival gear, Alvin braves the woods near his home in Concord, MA, Alvin’s language is rich with similes and so filled with interesting words that a glossary follows each story. Everette Plen’s young voice conveys the boy’s emotional ups and downs, and his narration is believable and compelling. Children with differences and their classmates will find examples of tolerance and support. An excellent choice for elementary collections.–Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN
