"The Last Newspaper Boy in America" by Sue Corbett

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

The Last Newspaper Boy in America
Author: Sue Corbett
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10-13 years

SUMMARY
Wil David can't wait to turn 12 years old because it means that he will inherit the role of newspaper boy from his older brother, Sonny. Wil has been looking forward to this for a long time and has all but spent his first paycheck. Unfortunately, the day before Wil's birthday, the newspaper informs him that it plans to end its deliveries to the town of Steele, Pennsylvania. Now Wil is on a mission to save his job. Wil is encouraged by the support he receives from the local residents and soon learns that more than just his job is threatened by the newspaper's financially-driven decision. Along the way, Wil also manages to expose a scam at the carnival and, in the process, an enemy becomes an ally.

CRITIQUE
I applaud the author's portrayal of a small town struggling during an economic downturn and the fact that the residents learned a lesson about fighting for their own survival. The characters were interesting and believable with the exception of the older brother, Sonny. He provided much comic relief in an otherwise fairly depressing set of circumstances. While at times he was very funny, the humor felt a little forced. He was sometimes too outrageous in his simple-mindedness.

Overall, I enjoyed the storytelling. However, I was left puzzled by the carnival scam subplot. It was as if the author realized that a story about a boy trying to save his paper route wasn't very interesting and decided to throw in a story line about a carnival scam to add some excitement. I think her evaluation was correct. However, despite being entertaining, the carnival subplot felt like a distraction. In my opinion, the author failed to weave the story lines together effectively. Young readers may not notice, but more sophisticated readers will be left feeling dissatisfied at the end.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: None
Profanity: Mild
Sex: Mild
Substance Use: Mild
Mature Themes: None
Violence: Mild

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-In a rough draft of a letter, Wil calls the editor of a newspaper a 'nitwit' and a 'dweeb.'

Profanity:
-Words used include 'heck', 'booger', 'darn', 'knothead', 'jerk', and 'dang'.

Sex:
-Girls at fair described as wearing "itty-bitty shorts and bathing suit tops...one polka-dot top with only enough fabric for about six dots."

Substance Abuse:
-Wil smells cigarette smoke on a man's breath.

Violence:
-Scene described in newspaper as "an angry mob of fairgoers seized both men, first covering them in powdered sugar...then forcing them to act as targets in the water pistol 'balloon bust' booth."

"How Oliver Olson Changed the World" by Claudia Mills

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

How Oliver Olson Changed the World
Author: Claudia Mills
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 8-10 years

SUMMARY

Oliver Olson was very sick as a young child. Ever since then his parents have been extremely protective. They won't let him ride his bike out of the cul-de-sac. They won't let him go to sleep-overs. They won't even let him do his own homework. Now that Oliver is in third grade, he is ready to exert a little more independence. His teacher tells her students to design a diorama of the solar system. They can work alone or with a partner. When Oliver shows the assignment to his parents, they immediately begin to take over. However, Oliver has some creative ideas of his own. He decides to risk his parents' disapproval and informs them that he is going to partner with Crystal to create a diorama. To his astonishment, they agree. The next step is to convince his parents to let him go to the third-grade space sleepover at school. In the meantime, his teacher has given them another assignment for which his mother, of course, has provided the "perfect" answer. In the end, Oliver may not have discovered a way to change THE world, but he certainly comes up with an idea that will change HIS world.

CRITIQUE

This is an enjoyable and humorous book for the early reader. It would also be a good read aloud for primary students. While the story is not particularly profound, it does touch on several themes that could lead to some interesting discussion. I appreciated the absence of the puerile talk that permeates so many books written for young readers. I also liked that the author portrayed Oliver exerting some independence without becoming disrespectful toward his parents. I would recommend this book.

RATINGS

Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: None

Frightening/Suspenseful: None

Profanity: Mild

Sex: None

Substance Use: None

Mature Themes: None

Violence: None

SPECIFIC CONTENT

Profanity:

-Uses the word 'stupid' on one occasion.

"The Magical Ms. Plum" by Bonny Becker

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

The Magical Ms. Plum
Author: Bonny Becker
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 8-12 years

SUMMARY
Every child at Springtime Elementary hopes to be in Ms. Plum's third grade class, because there is no denying that there is something extraordinary about Ms. Plum. It's not just that she loves her students, nor even that she teaches interesting things like fencing and turban-wrapping; Ms. Plum is magical. In each chapter of this book, one of Ms. Plum's students is invited to go into her supply closet to retrieve something for her. When he emerges from the closet, an animal accompanies him. Over the course of the day, the animal helps teach the student a lesson about his character and personality. For example, Eric is taught not to interrupt by a parrot. A raven teaches Jeremy not to take such a gloomy outlook on life. Even though Jovi is shy about not knowing English very well, he learns to speak up in defense of his falcon. Each child is given a chance to improve himself. By the end of the story, Ms. Plum can sincerely say that this has been her best class ever.

CRITIQUE
This is a simple and entertaining story. The chapters are quite brief which makes it a good read aloud. I appreciated that the author addressed some character flaws that are a bit more unusual, like the girl who sees life through rose-colored glasses. As I read, I couldn't help comparing this story to Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and came to the conclusion that I prefer the latter. The brevity of this story leaves little room for character development. Similarly, the solutions are unconvincing and the morals/lessons are sometimes vague. The bottom line is that while it is an entertaining read for the elementary-aged child, this book is certainly not very thought-provoking. 

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: Mild
Profanity: Mild
Sex: None
Substance Use: None
Mature Themes: None
Violence: Mild

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-A student tells another to "shut yer trap."
-A girl refers to another as "Mindy Miss Priss" and is unkind to her because she likes pink.
-Student throws eraser bits at another child to try to get in trouble.
-Children taunt and tease one another on several occasions.
-A boy begins prying and peeking at other students' possessions.

Frightening/Suspenseful:
-Falcon dive-bombs students who begin to "fear the bird would bury its pointed beak in the back of their necks."
-Alligator threatens to attack students and eventually does grab one boy by the pant leg and attempts to pull him out of his chair.

Profanity:
-Words/phrases used include 'poop', 'dag nab it', 'shut up', and 'butt'.

Violence:
-Fifth grader gets hit repeatedly in the face by snowballs.

"Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

Earthquake Terror
Author: Peg Kehret
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9-12 years

SUMMARY
Jonathan Palmer is camping on Magpie Island with his parents and younger sister, Abby. When Jonathan's mom unexpectedly breaks her ankle, his parents leave to rush her to the hospital on the mainland. While Jonathan and Abby are on the island alone, a devastating earthquake hits. Their camper is smashed. The bridge connecting the island to the mainland is destroyed. They are all alone. Then, to make matters worse, Jonathan discovers that the island is quickly flooding. The children begin a struggle for survival that will use up every last ounce of courage and strength that they have.

CRITIQUE
This book would certainly be suspenseful for a young reader, as one disaster after another occurs to the Palmer children. However, as an adult, it was difficult to look past the unrealistic circumstances of the novel. In my opinion, books such as Island of the Blue Dolphins, My Side of the Mountain, or Julie of the Wolves are much more compelling tales of survival.

Another aspect of this book that made it very difficult to enjoy is the character of Jonathan's sister, Abby. She is incredibly annoying as she whines her way through the entire novel. If the author hadn't told us she was six years old, one would have to assume she is a three-year-old whose favorite song is "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and favorite book is "Go Dog Go".

The bottom line is that if you are looking for an adventure/survival story, there are much better books out there.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: None
Frightening/Suspenseful: Heavy
Profanity: None
Sex: None
Substance Use: None
Mature Themes: None
Violence: None

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Frightening/Suspenseful:
-Children are left behind at a campground when Mrs. Palmer breaks her ankle and goes to the doctor.
-Jonathan thinks they are being shot at, then bombed, then finally realizes it is an earthquake.
-A giant redwood tree nearly falls on Jonathan.
-Jonathan finds the bridge snapped in two and realizes that a fast rescue will be impossible.
-The island quickly begins to flood and the children have to hang on to tree trunks.
-Jonathan and Abby get separated in the river.
-While swimming in the river, Jonathan gets hit in the head by a floating tree stump and is knocked unconscious. Moose, his dog, fights to save him by repeatedly pushing him up out of the water for air.
-Abby has to crawl through the water toward shore. Then she barely misses being seen by the rescue helicopter.

"Becoming Naomi León" by Pam Muñoz Ryan

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

Becoming Naomi Leon
Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10-12 years

SUMMARY
Naomi and her younger brother, Owen, live with their great-grandmother in a trailer park in Lemon Tree, California. They have their own set of issues, but are generally quite happy due primarily to Gram's emphasis on positive thinking. Then one evening they get a surprise visit from their mother who had abandoned them seven years previously. At first, the children, particularly Owen, are excited about becoming reacquainted with their mother. Unfortunately, their mother is not the nurturing type and has plans for Naomi that leave her feeling scared and insecure. Gram comes to the rescue with a desperate flight to Mexico in an attempt to find the children's missing father.

CRITIQUE
This was a very well-written, moving story. The characters were extreme, yet believable. I also enjoyed the introduction to Mexican culture. However, I was surprised that this was assigned to 3rd-5th grade students. In my opinion, the subject matter was too mature, and frankly a bit frightening, for younger children. Therefore, while I would recommend this book for its great storytelling, parents need to be aware that there are difficult themes they may want to discuss with their children.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: Mild
Profanity: None
Sex: None
Substance Use: Mild
Mature Themes: Moderate
Violence: Mild

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-Naomi rolls hers eyes at something her grandmother has said.
-Other students at school call Naomi "trailer trash" and Owen a "retard."
-Owen's mother calls him a "blem" (with flaws).

Frightening/Suspenseful:
-Naomi is so scared of being kidnapped by her own mother that when someone knocks on their door, she runs to the kitchen and begins to cry.
-Naomi wakes up and thinks that they are experiencing an earthquake.

Substance Use:
-Mother is an alcoholic. She is seen with beer in the back of her car and taking sips of rum from a bottle she keeps in her purse.

Mature Themes:
-Child neglect and abandonment.
-Custody battle.

Violence:
-Naomi's mother yanks her hair, slaps her hard across the face, grabs her arm digging her nails into her skin.
-Skyla makes vague threats about harming Gram.

"Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB). At first I thought that most people would already be familiar with this title, but then I decided that perhaps I assumed too much, so here is my review.

Charlotte's Web
Author: E.B. White
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 8-12 years

SUMMARY
Wilbur was raised by Fern who refused to allow her father to kill the runt pig. Now Wilbur lives on the farm of her uncle, Mr. Zuckerman, and at first he is quite lonely without his playmate. But then Wilbur becomes friends with Charlotte, the spider who lives in a corner of the barnyard door. When Wilbur discovers the terrible fate that awaits him in the fall, Charlotte vows to save his life. She concocts a clever plan to convince the Zuckermans that Wilbur is no ordinary pig and should be spared.

CRITIQUE
I loved this story as a child and appreciate it still as an adult. In this classic tale, E.B. White addressed serious themes of friendship, loyalty, and death in a manner that is accessible to children. His descriptions of the countryside and barnyard bring these places to life for the young reader who may not otherwise be familiar with these settings. He filled the story with memorable characters whom we love despite their various faults. As always, the illustrations by Garth Williams are wonderful.

Although this book is probably written to an elementary-aged audience, I think it is an enjoyable read aloud for younger children as well. Also, don't forget to check out Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan, found in this E. B. White Box Set.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Mild
Frightening/Suspenseful: None
Profanity: None
Sex: None
Substance Use: Mild
Mature Themes: Mild
Violence: Moderate

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-A lamb tells Wilbur, "Pigs mean less than nothing to me."
-Templeton says, "Let him die" when he hears that the others are trying to come up with a plan to save Wilbur.

Substance Use:
-One mention of Lurvy smoking a pipe.

Mature Themes:
-Death.
-Killing of animals for food.

Violence:
-Mr. Arable heads to the barn with an ax to kill a runt pig. He doesn't go through with it when Fern begs him not to.
-Charlotte describes to Wilbur how she kills the fly and drinks its blood.
-Goose threatens to give Templeton "the worst pounding a rat ever took" if he goes near the goslings.
-Wilbur learns that Mr. Zuckerman plans to kill him and eat him.
-Avery tries to knock Charlotte out of her web with a stick.
-Charlotte tells a story of a struggle to the death between her cousin and a fish.
-Wilbur has a dream that "men were coming to get him with knives and guns."
-Templeton tells Wilbur that Mr. Zuckerman "will take the knife to you, my boy."
-Templeton bites Wilbur's tail to revive him from his faint.

"Calvin Coconut" by Graham Salisbury

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 3rd-5th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet
Author: Graham Salisbury
Illustrator: Jacqueline Rogers
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9-11 years

Calvin Coconut, who lives in Hawaii with his mother and sister, is about to start fourth grade. He is really looking forward to being in Mr. Purdy's class, but he just can't seem to stay out of trouble. For one, he has managed to catch the attention of the middle school bullies. Then he gets off to a bad start with Stella, the teenage girl who has come to live with his family for a while. To top it all off, after letting loose a giant centipede in the classroom and disrupting the class in a variety of ways, Calvin is in trouble with Mr. Purdy.

This book is certainly not great literature. There is not much character development, and the story is more episodic than plot-driven. However, Calvin is likeable and, although he frequently gets into trouble, seems to be a well-intentioned boy. Also, there is plenty of local color which is an enjoyable variation. I do think it is unfortunate that so many authors of children's books today feel it necessary to make disrespect the basis of their humor. Whatever happened to comedy based on irony or even slapstick?

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: Moderate
Frightening/Suspenseful: Mild
Profanity: Mild
Sex: None
Substance Use: None
Mature Themes: Mild
Violence: Moderate

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude:
-Characters use the following words to refer to each other: dork, knuckleheads, doof, fool, buster, dumb, loser, punk, and twerp.
-On the first day of school, Julio tells his younger brothers to "scat" and find their own classrooms.
-Mr. Purdy, the fourth grade teacher, tells one of his students: "Looks like you got a little smarter since I saw you last."

Frightening/Suspenseful:
-Calvin is chased by bullies and is forced to hide in a dumpster until they go away.
-Mildly suspenseful scene when Calvin searches for his younger sister whom he forgot to walk home from school.

Profanity:
-Words and phrases used include idiot, dang, stupid, butt, and "shut your yaps."

Mature Themes:
-Calvin's father has abandoned his family to pursue his music career.
-Stella, a teenage girl, is sent to live with Calvin's family because she and her mom need a break from each other.
-Bullying.

Violence:
-Calvin is dragged along the sand by a kiteboard until he is cut and bleeding.
-Tito threatens Calvin by saying he would "mess you up."
-Students push and shove each other in the lunch line.
-Students start a food fight.
-Tito shoves Calvin a couple of times then, when he realizes a teacher is watching, he bangs past him, bumping Calvin with his shoulder.
-Stella says to Calvin, "You're going to pay for this." and When I get out of here, you're dead."
-Tito tells Calvin, "I owe you a broken face."
-Tito slams Calvin in the chest with the palms of his hands.