Five Not-So-Bad Boys
RSSJohn Peters -- School Library Journal, 04/04/2007
We might not want to live with them, but everyone loves to read about them! Here's a mixed bag, for early readers on up.
GOSCINNY, René. Nicholas. tr. from French by Anthea Bell. illus. by Jean-Jacques Sempé. Phaidon. 2005. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-0-7148-4529-6.
Gr 4-6–This classic book about a mischievous schoolboy and his friends, originally published in French in 1959, is now available in English. The expertly translated text is enlivened by artwork by a New Yorker cartoonist to create the unforgettable milieu of Nicholas and his rowdy friends. A collection of 19 escapades, the stories introduce the protagonist and his cohorts as they wreak havoc out of simple, everyday situations at school, on the playground, and at home. Pestering the substitute teacher, trying to adopt a "lost" dog, and quarreling over soccer positions (only to find there isn't even a ball) make for hilarious and timeless anecdotes that will have readers giggling. Adults will also appreciate Nicholas's childlike perception of each troublesome situation through his comments at the end of each adventure. These charming vignettes beg to be shared aloud in a classroom or library setting. A delightful choice for spicing up middle-grade collections and for exposing kids to stories from abroad.–Jennifer Cogan, Bucks County Free Library, Doylestown, PA
GRUBER, Michael. The Witch's Boy. HarperTempest. 2005. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-076164-6; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-076165-3; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-06-076167-7.
Gr 6-9–"Once upon a time, in a faraway country, there was a woman who lived by herself in the middle of a great forest." Thus begins this literary fairy tale of a witch who takes into her home an ugly, abandoned infant whom she calls Lump. Wise in the ways of magic, the witch is inexpert in the ways of motherhood and so she appoints, in turn, a bear as his nursemaid and a djinni as his tutor. As predicted by her cat familiar, all does not go well and the witch is forced to give up her magic to save the boy. The adolescent Lump, far from being grateful for her sacrifice, becomes increasingly troublesome. Gruber incorporates well-known tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Hansel and Gretel," and "Rumplestiltskin" into his narrative, giving readers a different, and sometimes more frightening, take on these childhood staples. The inclusion of these retellings and the elegance with which the author shapes his fable will appeal to readers who love to immerse themselves in the complex reworked fairy tales of Donna Jo Napoli. This is not a quick read, but it is an engrossing and enormously satisfying one.–Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA
HARRIS, Monica. Wake the Dead. illus. by Susan Estelle Kwas. Walker. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8027-8922-8; RTE $17.85. ISBN 978-0-8027-8923-5.
K-Gr 4–Ignoring his family's warnings that his ruckus will "wake the dead," Henry persists in making a hullabaloo. Sure enough, the numerous but decidedly unscary corpses, adorned with pink lace collars, mufflers, and psychedelic pants, struggle out of their graves. Holding their heads where their ears used to be, the skeletons set off to search for the source of the din. They pass the beauty salon ("Oh, honey, you look like death warmed over!"), the post office ("If you're looking for the dead-letter office…"), and City Hall ("…all they found were skeletons in the closet"). When they finally converge on Henry, he guesses "from their deadpan expressions that they had a bone to pick with him." The boy tries to find a way to lay them to rest before his family skins him alive, and most of his ideas are as funny-and pun-filled-as they are futile. In desperation, he reads them a bedtime story, "Goodnight Goon." This amusing story is packed with bone-dry, fiendishly witty wordplays. Done in ink and watercolor, Kwas's eye-catching illustrations are droll, intriguing, and saturated with visual jokes. Don't save this silly tale for Halloween; readers will die laughing any time of year.–Susan Weitz, Spencer-Van Etten Schools, Spencer, NY
VAN ALLSBURG, Chris. Probuditi! Houghton. 2006.
PreS-Gr 3–Van Allsburg's latest story opens with a spider and a scream coming from Trudy (offstage), caused by an older brother's prank. Although Calvin's mother is none too pleased with her son, she honors his birthday with tickets for a magician/hypnotist. When the boy and his friend witness the strutting and clucking of a pearl-clad matron who believes she's a chicken, they can't wait to build their own rotating spiral disk. With Mom at the beauty parlor, the moment is ripe with Van Allsburgian possibility, and the artist delivers with fresh and funny scenes. Under hypnosis, Trudy becomes a dog. The suspense builds as the boys struggle to remember the word that will break the spell. The highly textured pastel and pencil drawings, rendered in a range of warm browns, are offset by creamy, rich backgrounds. The sepia look is well suited to the '40s setting. The masterful compositions display the depth, varied viewpoints, and marvelous mixture of patterns and surfaces that readers have come to expect from the artist. The expressions and postures of the African-American heroine are hilarious. Probuditi! displays a clear sympathy for the thankless role of a younger sibling; however, while Calvin is howling at the memory of his sister "barking and drooling," it is she who has the very satisfying last laugh (offstage).–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
VANDE VELDE, Vivian. Three Good Deeds. Harcourt. 2005. Tr $16. ISBN 978-0-15-205382-6.
Gr 3-5–When Howard tries to steal the eggs that were just laid near Goose Pond, he is caught by the old woman who protects them. She is rumored to be a witch, but Howard has no reason to believe this is true until she turns him into a goose in order to teach him a lesson. The only way in which he can reverse the curse is to perform three good deeds, which is much harder than he first suspects. Vande Velde uses her usual subtle humor to show what it might be like to be a boy stuck in a goose's body. Kids will get a kick out of seeing how Howard goes about getting his deeds accomplished; nothing happens the way he thinks it will. This is a good naughty-boy-makes-good book for reluctant or easy-chapter-book readers. It's clear, uncomplicated, and entertaining, and Vande Velde manages to offer a message without being too pedantic.–Carly B. Wiskoff, Great Neck Library, NY
John Peters is Supervising Librarian, Donnell Library Center, New York Public Library
