Polo Cowboy by G. Neri - a short review

When I finished Ghetto Cowboy I wanted to know more and I quickly looked up more information on the true story behind these novels. I imagine most adult readers did the same. But for kids, they just want a sequel – and now they have one – and it’s a good one! 

The story picks up where Ghetto Cowboy left off so readers are going to want to read it first to get the full back story of how Cole became a Ghetto Cowboy. Cole is a little older and much wiser in Polo Cowboy. He doesn’t want to go back to the way he was in the past, so knowing how he was is important to understand his further growth. This is a more mature story and includes a new female character that adds to Cole’s world (and growing up).                                                          

Much like Ghetto Cowboy, the polo depictions in Polo Cowboy are based on a real Philadelphia black polo organization. I think the fact that these entities exist not only help to ground the story, and make kids curious, but are an excellent opportunity for social studies discussions. I highly recommend both titles for classroom and library purchase in upper elementary and middle schools. 

Student readers who enjoy realistic fiction, coming of age, horses, and/or historically framed settings will enjoy this series.

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Genre: Realistic Fiction

 Age: 10-14

 Pages: 288

Thank You: LibraryThing

Advisory: Some bad language, but not much and not too gratuitous 

Publisher: Candlewick

 Date: October 2021

 ISBN: 978-1536207118

 Themes: Coming of age, friendship, perseverance, 

 Character: Genuine and realistic

 Plot: Slow to start, must have read previous novel to fully appreciate.

Originality: Based on facts, but not much like it out there

Believability: 100%, very relatable

Diversity: Great representation of black organizations

Buy Polo Cowboy Here 

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Astronuts Mission One: The Plant Planet by Jon Scieszka with illustrations by Steven Weinberg

Publisher's Synopsis: “This laugh-out-loud, visually groundbreaking read launches a major new series by children's literature legend Jon Scieszka. Featuring full-color illustrations throughout, a spectacular gatefold, plus how-to-draw pages in the back, it's an outer space adventure that demonstrates a giant leap for bookmaking and a giant leap for any kid looking for their next go-to series. AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug are animals that have been hybridized to find other planets for humans to live on once we've ruined Earth. So off they rocket to the Plant Planet! Will that planet support human life? Or do Plant Planet's inhabitants have a more sinister plan? AstroNuts Mission One is a can't-put-it-down page-turner for reluctant readers and fans ready to blast past Wimpy Kid.”

My Two Cents: I'm not sure that little old me has much to add to discussions of this great new title

Sweet Home Alaska by Carole Estby Dagg - Book Review

Sweet Home Alaska

If good historical fiction is supposed to make us wonder about the people who lived during various points in history, then Sweet Home Alaska is certainly good. It had me, instantly upon closing the last page at 1:00 am, researching the Matanuska Valley Colony. I don’t have a vast knowledge of Roosevelt’s New Deal specifics, I just know that the vestiges can be seen in our public spaces and government programs.

Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles - mini book review

Publisher’s Synopsis: "It’s the first day of summer and Rachel's thirteenth birthday. She can't wait to head to the lake with her best friend, Micah. But as summer unfolds, every day seems to get more complicated. Her “fun” new job taking care of the neighbors’ farm animals quickly becomes a challenge, whether she’s being pecked by chickens or having to dodge a charging pig at feeding time. At home, her parents are more worried about money than usual, and their arguments over bills intensify. Fortunately, Rachel can count on Micah to help her cope with all the stress. But Micah seems to want their relationship to go beyond friendship, and though Rachel almost wishes for that, too, she can’t force herself to feel “that way” about him. In fact, she isn’t sure she can feel that way about any boy — or what that means. With all the heart of her award-winning novel See You At Harry's, Jo Knowles brings us the story of a girl who must discover where her heart is and what that means for her future."

My Two Cents: Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles is a solidly written realistic tale told from the viewpoint of a young girl struggling to figure out her own sexuality against the backdrop of her parent’s financial struggle. Typical middle grade feelings , worries, and even some joys fill the pages. Many tweens will find this a good read and appreciate the writer's firm grasp of middle grade concerns. Where the Heart Is is rightfully getting lots of good bibliophile buzz.

Inkling by Kenneth Oppel - a book review

Publisher's Synopsis: "From the acclaimed author of The Nest, The Boundless, and Airborn comes a brilliantly funny, breakout book about a boy who discovers an ink blot that’s come to life! Perfect for those who love Hoot and Frindle and sure to be a hit with kids everywhere!
       The Rylance family is stuck. Dad’s got writer’s block. Ethan promised to illustrate a group project at school–even though he can’t draw. Sarah’s still pining for a puppy. And they all miss Mom. So much more than they can say.
       Enter Inkling. Inkling begins life in Mr. Rylance’s sketchbook. But one night the ink of his drawings runs together–and then leaps off the page! This small burst of creativity is about to change everything.
       Ethan finds him first. Inkling has absorbed a couple chapters of his math book–not good–and the story he’s supposed to be illustrating for school–also not good. But Inkling’s also started drawing the pictures to go with the story–which is amazing! It’s just the help Ethan was looking for! Inkling helps the rest of the family too–for Sarah he’s a puppy. And for Dad he’s a spark of ideas for a new graphic novel. It’s exactly what they all want.
       It’s not until Inkling goes missing that this family has to face the larger questions of what they–and Inkling–truly need.
       Kenneth Oppel has given us a small masterpiece of middle-grade fiction. Inkling is funny and fizzy and exciting, and brimming with the kind of interesting ideas and dilemmas that kids will love to wrestle with. And Sydney Smith is creating wonderfully inky illustrations to bring the story to vivid life. Get ready. A little ink blot is about to become your new favorite character!"

My Two Cents: Inkling is a master class in personification. Taking an ink blot and not only giving it character, but DEVELOPING that character into a full-blown bildungsroman is brilliant.  Inkling devours ink as sustenance and his pal (and the protagonist) Ethan feeds him some great literature choices. Watching Inkling grow and develop on ink from the BFG, Moby Dick, Anne of Greene Gables (and others) speaks volumes about the ways in which literature has the power to shape who we are. I can not decide if I liked Inkling's BFG or Captain Ahab influenced speech better! AND... there is that double entendre name! This book is metafiction perfection for literary-inclined readers.

Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo - a great middle grade read

Publisher's Synopsis: When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes. (Which could be due to the curse on Louisiana’s and Granny’s heads. But that is a story for another time.)

My Two Cents: I typically shy away from writing about books that I know will get a lot of “buzz.” Mostly because I am a late-to-the-party girl and by the time I set out to write a review, all sorts of accolades from folks way more influential than I have already been given. But, Kate DiCamillo is one of my very favorite, like top five - count on one hand, children’s writers and I don’t think I have ever written a word about any of her books! Her fabulous collection of meaningful and powerful works of art have their very own special shelf in my home, but nary a word on this little blog. That ends today with Louisiana's Way Home! I will still reserve my favorite Kate DiCamillo spot for the fantastical The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread, but Louisiana's Way Home has all the makings of another Newbery-worthy addition to the Dicamillo canon. Just like most of her stories, it's filled with: Hope, Forgiveness, Trust, and Tenacity. Not surprisingly, since I read it as an eBook, I’ll be rushing out to my local bookstore in order to add the book to my DiCamillo shelf.

The Boy, The Boat, and the Beast by Samantha Clark - book review

Publisher's Synopsis: "The Graveyard Book meets Hatchet in this eerie novel about a boy who is stranded on a mysterious beach, from debut author Samantha M. Clark. A boy washes up on a mysterious, seemingly uninhabited beach. Who is he? How did he get there? The boy can’t remember. When he sees a light shining over the foreboding wall of trees that surrounds the shore, he decides to follow it, in the hopes that it will lead him to answers. The boy’s journey is a struggle for survival and a search for the truth—a terrifying truth that once uncovered, will force him to face his greatest fear of all if he is to go home. This gripping adventure will have readers hooked until its jaw-dropping and moving conclusion. Samantha M. Clark’s first novel heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice.”

My Two Cents: To pigeonhole  The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast as an "adventure" or even a "mystery" is way too simple.  To call it "horror" might be a bit closer; to call it a "coming-of-age" tale, still closer yet. Here's what I do know about this new book... kids are going to love the mystery and the adventure and are going to be gobsmacked at the ending not really being a mystery adventure at all.

The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr - a book review

Publisher's Synopsis: "Grisha is a dragon in a world that's forgotten how to see him. Maggie is a unusual child who thinks she's perfectly ordinary. They're an unlikely duo—but magic, like friendship, is funny. Sometimes it chooses those who might not look so likely. And magic has chosen Grisha and Maggie to solve the darkest mystery in Vienna. Decades ago, when World War II broke out, someone decided that there were too many dragons for all of them to be free. As they investigate, Grisha and Maggie ask the question everyone's forgotten: Where have the missing dragons gone? And is there a way to save them? At once richly magical and tragically historical, The Language of Spells is a novel full of adventure about remembering old stories, forging new ones, and the transformative power of friendship."

My Two Cents: This is a tough one because this book has all the elements present in my perfect kind of story: dragons, coming of age friendship, a quest, and deep themes. I expected to LOVE The Language of Spells, and I did really enjoy some of it, but it was so uneven and slow to start that it misses the mark for its intended middle grade audience. Therefore, as a reviewer focused on children's experience with a book and/or teaching implications, I have several misgivings.

The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet - book review

Publisher's Synopsis: "With the United States on the verge of World War II, eleven-year-old Gusta is sent from New York City to Maine, where she discovers small-town prejudices — and a huge family secret.
It’s 1941, and tensions are rising in the United States as the Second World War rages in Europe. Eleven-year-old Gusta’s life, like the world around her, is about to change. Her father, a foreign-born labor organizer, has had to flee the country, and Gusta has been sent to live in an orphanage run by her grandmother. Nearsighted, snaggletoothed Gusta arrives in Springdale, Maine, lugging her one precious possession: a beloved old French horn, her sole memento of her father. But in a family that’s long on troubles and short on money, how can a girl hang on to something so valuable and yet so useless when Gusta’s mill-worker uncle needs surgery to fix his mangled hand, with no union to help him pay? Inspired by her mother’s fanciful stories, Gusta secretly hopes to find the coin-like “Wish” that her sea-captain grandfather supposedly left hidden somewhere. Meanwhile, even as Gusta gets to know the rambunctious orphans at the home, she feels like an outsider at her new school — and finds herself facing patriotism turned to prejudice, alien registration drives, and a family secret likely to turn the small town upside down."

My Two Cents: There are many standout elements to The Orphan Band of Springdale that make it a great addition to middle grade shelves.

First, it's simply a good story: The protagonist, Gusta, is engaging and likable, made all the more real through the author's excellent use of narrative monologues which helps the reader to better understand not only Gusta's winning character traits, but also her emotions.

Edgar and the Treehouse of Usher by Jennifer Adams

(Thank you to @ericsmithrocks & @GibbsSmithBooks) for my first BabyLit copy!

My two cents: I had heard of the BabyLit series, but had not held one in my hands. They sure sounded great, but I am a middle school reading specialist so they were honestly kind of low on the TBR stack. When I got an email to take a look at Edgar and the Tree House of Usher, I thought that I would probably like it. I mean, any bibliophile has to at least like the idea of putting classical readings in children's hands as young as possible, right? And who doesn't love Poe? I mean, c'mon now!

So... if I said that I liked it, no one would really be surprised. 

BUT... if you look over at my "highest recommendation" tag, you will see that I am very sparing with that tag. Most of the books in that category have won big prizes or accolades. I stake my reading reputation on that tag.  

Nest by Esther Ehrlich

 (Thank you @randomhousekids)

Publisher's Synopsis: "A heartfelt and unforgettable middle-grade novel about an irresistible girl and her family, tragic change, and the healing power of love and friendship. In 1972 home is a cozy nest on Cape Cod for eleven-year-old Naomi “Chirp” Orenstein, her older sister, Rachel; her psychiatrist father; and her dancer mother. But then Chirp’s mom develops symptoms of a serious disease, and everything changes.
   Chirp finds comfort in watching her beloved wild birds. She also finds a true friend in Joey, the mysterious boy who lives across the street. Together they create their own private world and come up with the perfect plan: Escape. Adventure. Discovery.
   Nest is Esther Ehrlich’s stunning debut novel. Her lyrical writing is honest, humorous, and deeply affecting. Chirp and Joey will steal your heart. Long after you finish Nest, the spirit of Chirp and her loving family will stay with you." 

My two cents: I am not certain what else to say about Nest. Everyone loves it; there are glowing reviews all over the internet. The atmospheric prose is lovely and well-written, and means the title was probably lingering on Newbery award lips this past season. 

But, I also thought it was awfully heavy for a general read. I was especially concerned for the protagonist's friend who appears to be suffering from child abuse. The fact that his story is never developed doesn't end my concern. It is certainly a title to give to students who are having difficult family issues with death, suicide and mental illness of family members, but handing this one over to just any middle grade reader is tricky. The publisher lists 10 and up and I would certainly stay true to that designation as 10 seems awfully young to bear the worries of child abuse, suicide, and mental illness. 

Author Spotlight: Lynda Mullaly Hunt of One for the Murphys and Fish in a Tree

Today I had the great fortune of meeting Lynda Mullaly Hunt as she so kindly had breakfast with our Sunshine State Young Readers Book Club. Her upcoming book looks wonderful (and especially appropriate for my struggling readers!).  It is called Fish in a Tree. I will discuss it first and then add a small review of her first book, One for the Murphys.

Bigfoot is Missing by J. Patrick Lewis and Kenn Nesbitt with illustrations by Minalima

Bigfoot is Missing! is an interesting poetry addition all about Cryptozoology… Bet you don’t know what that means!

The poems are short and sweet, in some instances not like poetry at all (in a good way!). The illustrations are big and colorful advertisement-style graphics that seem to be looking for eighteen mythical beasts of yore. The brevity of word and gargantuan color makes for a nice balance. The end pages are short definitions of each mythical beast that will leave young readers headed to research more about them.

Writers Lewis and Nesbitt have both been Children’s Poet Laureates and illustrators Mina and Eduardo Lima are heavily involved in the Harry Potter film designs so this book comes with a stellar group of people attached. This is a good poetry book to add to both library and classroom collections. Out just in time for April's Poetry Month!

Genre: Poetry Picture Book
Age: Elementary & Middle
Pages: 40




Thank You to Publisher Chronicle Books for my advanced copy
Release Date: March 31, 2015
ISBN: 978-1452118956

You can read more about the authors on Chronicle's webpage: HERE.

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 © 2007-2015 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer Nielson concludes with The Shadow Throne

The final installment of the The Ascendance Trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion every bit as suspenseful and enthralling as the first. King Jaron begins as an orphan boy in The False Prince and matures to the great king he was destined to be in the final installment, The Shadow Throne. Although this trilogy reads like a fantasy, it is really a mixture of suspense and adventure. Nielsen is skilled at plot twists and character development providing readers with motivation to continue and investment in beloved characters. I have written about the first two books here as I'm quite the fan, but this conclusion seals my highest recommendation (not given lightly around Reading Rumpus).

This series is male/female friendly with strong characters all around. It's also a good choice for reluctant readers as the action is swift and super engaging. Filled with humor, romance and lots of adventure, MANY students will enjoy this series.

The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos - book review

Publisher’s Blurb: “Two weeks ago, thirteen-year-old Mason Stark and seventeen of his fellow cadets from the Academy for Earth Space Command boarded the SS Egypt. The trip was supposed to be a short routine voyage to log their required spacetime for summer quarter. But routine goes out the airlock when they’re attacked by the Tremist, an alien race who have been at war with humanity for the last sixty years. With the captain and crew dead, injured, or taken prisoner, Mason and the cadets are all that’s left to warn the ESC. And soon they find out exactly why the Tremist chose this ship to attack: the Egypt is carrying a weapon that could change the war forever. Now Mason will have to lead the cadets in a daring assault to take back the ship, rescue the survivors, and recover the weapon. Before there isn’t a war left to fight.”

My thoughts:  At first I thought that there was nothing new here: tired sci-fi themes, typical kidlit absent parents, a bit of Star Trek, a sprinkle of Ender's Game. But then I remembered that the target audience does not include Trekkies nor Ender's Game readers (and the movie is still months away) so I was just showing my middle age years!

To top it off, this story is highly engaging. The pacing is exceptionally good, with cliffhanger chapter endings and high adventure around each turn. The characters are well-drawn (villains too) and by the end we are fully invested, waiting on a sequel. In other words, don't judge a book by your preconceived middle-aged notions - by chapter three I was hooked!

Great middle grade title that appeals to many readers, especially boys and reluctant readers lured in by the action pacing. 

The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech - book review

Publisher's Synopsis: "When John and Marta found the boy on the porch, they were curious, naturally, as to why he was there—and they hadn't expected him to stay, not at first, but he did stay, day after day, until it seemed as if he belonged, running and smiling and laughing his silent laugh, tapping and patting on every surface as he made his music, and painting—with water, with paint, with mud—those swirly swirls and swings and trees.
One day a young couple wakes to find a boy asleep on their porch. Unable to speak, the boy cannot explain his history. What kind of people would leave their child with strangers? All John and Marta know is that they have been chosen to care for this boy. As their connection to him grows, they embrace his exuberant spirit and talents. The three of them blossom into an unlikely family, but how long can their happiness last? From Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech comes a singular story that reminds us of the surprising connections that emerge when generosity prevails."
My Thoughts: I am going to say something that I get so angry at others for saying: I don't think most kids will get this story. I HATE when adults underestimate kids! It is one of my greatest peeves... So let me explain further:
The Boy on the Porch is a well-written, lyrical, spare tale. It is the first 2013 Newbery contender I have read. It draws readers in with the mystery of a boy who doesn't speak and has no story. Once the protagonist couple find some information about the boy, the tale takes a turn more toward the couple's story and drops the boy's mystery, even though it has not been resolved. We learn how the couple become foster parents, loving role-models. Through all the children that grace their lives, they still wonder about that first boy. In the final scene we see the boy again, BUT we STILL don't get HIS story.
Now, adult readers will be fine with this. It's all artsy and deep. We can discuss it in book groups and mull over the themes and quiet beauty that is The Boy on the Porch. And I think, as a class read-aloud, teachers could guide students this way too. But the average non-guided kid will want a resolution. I also think that children lack the background experience to empathize with a childless couple, to understand the wanting in their hearts that is such a part of the quiet beauty in the story.
I cringe as a write that because I am sooooo underestimating young readers, but the readers that will embrace the abstract, minimalism of this story are definitely not the norm. Thus, in the end, this story may end up on only a few cherished shelves. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as a gold-seal award is more about quality than popular demand and silly, silly Twilight drove that home for me years ago.
Recommended for classroom discussions and young readers who enjoy minimalist stories (that rare middle grade student)

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Genre: Realistic Fiction (with a touch of magical realism & mystery thrown in)

Age: 8 and up (intermediate elementary - middle grades)

Pages: 160

Themes: Love without limitations, Dealing with loss, Acceptance, Non-traditional families

Character Development: Very strong on the part of the parents, weak on the boy

Plot Engagement: Mystery propels the story

Originality: Lots of 'mystery boy' stuff recently, especially made into movies - Benjamin Button & Timothy Green)

Believability: Some suspension of disbelief issues with sheriff not being more aggressive in wondering about boy's origin

Thank You: Harper Collins Children's for my advanced ebook

Date: September 2013

ISBN: 978-00618923

BUY The Boy on the Porch HERE

Find Sharon Creech reading guides, interviews and more on the Harper Collins website HERE

Sharon Creech is a Newbery winning author. Many of her books are based on her own childhood experiences with her sinlings. Before becoming a writer, she was a teacher. She lives in New York state with her husband.You can read more about her on her website.

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© 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

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Sunshine State Young Reader Award Middle Grades Lists for 2013-14

Ah, summertime......
The Beach. Theme Parks. Water Parks.
What do we Floridians really do in the scorching Florida heat? We avoid those places and hunker-down under a shady oak to read our Sunshine State Young Readers Award books, of course.

Most schools in Florida ask (well, really pray) that students to read a number of books from the fifteen Sunshine State Young Readers Award books each summer. This year my school will also be participating in the Scholastic Summer Challenge so reading the Sunshine State Young Readers Award books should be even more fun!

Book Review: Two solid picture books to add to the shelves = Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Mary Walker Wears the Pants

I have been reading so many ebooks this year that it was nice to wrap my hands around some actual paper-based books this past week. Albert Whitman sent me Mary Walker Wears the Pants, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and In Search of Goliathus Hercules (to be reviewed later).  I am trying to let these titles soothe my sadness at having to miss Book Expo America (someone please tell those folks that us educators would like to attend too and that the end of the school year is impossible!). 

First off.......  Mary Walker Wears the Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero is a nice title to add to the stacks. The nonfiction picture book biography uses the feminist issue of wearing pants as a jumping point to discuss suffrage, the Civil War and equality. The story's telling is somewhat narrow, but it would serve as a good beginning to investigate these topics further. A nice afterword is included for teacher read-aloud or to challenge advanced students. However, the book's simplistic style makes it a bit unchallenging for students above 5th grade so I recommend this one for elementary library purchase and for teaching units that include women's rights, suffrage and/or the Civil War.

Next..... Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is a visually stunning depiction of The Gettysburg Address. It is a title that I would recommend for middle grade students, not only because the depth of understanding needed to comprehend the message of Lincoln's speech itself, but also because of the wonderful interpretive writings by illustrator James Daugherty and Professor of Civil War Studies Gabor Borritt. Daugherty does a fantastic job explaining each of the mural-like illustrations that accompany the speech. His interpretations are perfect for art and social studies educators to incorporate interdisciplinary standards. While I can see some elementary libraries purchasing this title, I would recommend it for all middle grade libraries as well as visual arts and social studies classrooms.

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Genre: Nonfiction
Age: Mary Walker = Elementary, Lincoln = Middle Grades
Pages: Mary Walker = 32, Lincoln = 48
Thank You: Publisher: Thank you to Albert Whitman for my review copies!
Date: Mary Walker = 3/1/2013, Lincoln = 2/1/2013
ISBN Mary Walker = 978-0807549902, Lincoln =  978-0807545508

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 © 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini - Book Review

Publisher's Synopsis: "Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything: two loving parents, a beautiful house in San Francisco, and all the portable electronic devices they could want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job in the wake of a mysterious incident. Now in dire straits, the family must relocate to an old Victorian house that used to be the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff—a house that feels simultaneously creepy and too good to be true. 
By the time the Walkers realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they're banished to a primeval forest way off the grid. Their parents? Gone. Their friends? A world away. And they aren't alone. Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods around them, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land. To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible—and fight against their darkest impulses. The key may lie in their own connection to the secret Kristoff legacy. But as they unravel that legacy, they'll discover it's not just their family that's in danger . . . it's the entire world."

My Thoughts: My last three reviews have been less than glowing.  Lately, I have been disappointed by so many promising ones so I really wanted to give House of Secrets a good review. After all, Chris Columbus wrote Goonies. Who doesn't LOVE Goonies?

And that's where it all starts to make me go, "Ah, Ha!" My issues with House of Secrets are mostly that it reads like a screenplay. How Ned Vizzini's other books read are a mystery to me. I have to honestly say that I haven't read them. But this one?  It's all action and no development. The fast pace may play well into the hands of fidgety middle schoolers, but it does so by creating a fragmented and underdeveloped plot.  Things just move too swiftly.

The thing I was most annoyed with was the lack of caring on the part of the three protagonist siblings. Mom & Dad might be dead, but they are off on the big adventure without an eye blink. I get it: standard children's lit. formula = get rid of the parents. However, they JUST might have died. Even though the siblings have to go into survival mode with the advancing doom, wouldn't they even pause at some point? Yeah, yeah, we all know the parents will emerge at the end, but this sort of nonexistent character development is exactly why this book is a screenplay disguising itself as a story.

Here is a Q & A with the authors on USA Today, along with a video trailer/interview.  After I watched it, I felt even more disappointed that House of Secrets didn't have the intended effect on me. What a cool idea the author's had... sort of like a Pagemaster theme (loved that movie too!)  I know J.K. Rowling must be friends with Columbus, offering him a nice blurb for his cover, but I can't even put House of Secrets in the same sentence as (insert The-Book-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named here).

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Recommended for kids who like adventure, fast-paced writing and books that read like a movie. Library purchase worthy (especially since the certain to be a movie and sequels will entice). Not a quality classroom purchase.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Age: 8 and up
Pages: 496
Themes: Tenacity, Sibling Interactions,
Character Development:  Very little, perhaps more in sequels
Plot Engagement: Non-stop action
Originality: Idea strong
Believability: Execution as a movie might work better than children's "literature"
Thank You to Balzer & Bray a division of Harper Collins Childrens for my advanced eBook edition
Date: April 23, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062192462
BUY House of Secrets HERE

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 © 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com