The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck

Rowan Samuel Ward. My grandson was born today! I'd swing this computer around my head like a lasso I'm so excited, but instead I'll rein in and control myself (particularly since it is not even my computer.) Rowan Samuel Ward. A strong name. "Blimey, 'e is a 'andsome baby, dat 'e is." Names are chain-linked to the theme of self-identity with deep roots in children's literature and common to coming-of-age stories. Richard Peck's tale involves a mouse narrator in search of his identity that goes on an adventure where he learns to embrace his individuality.

The mouse narrator has no name in this book. His tail is a question mark symbolizing his bucketful of constant questions he peppers his Aunt Marigold and other adults with on a daily basis. Marigold's typical response to him is some saying, "Ask no questions and you'll be told no lies" or her mantra, "Nameless is Blameless." Blameless this mouse is, but he still needs a name when he goes to the Royal Mews Mouse Academy for the first time. His school community names him, Mouse Minor, a condescending name that is a reminder of his insignificance, small size, and uncertain heritage. As a bully target, he spends more time fighting than learning it seems. When he accidentally breaks the cardinal rule of being seen in his school uniform by a human, Queen Victoria's granddaughter, he runs away in disgrace.

His adventure leads him from a cat's tail to a horse's ear to the Yeomice Guard. Convinced that Queen Victoria has magical abilities, he seeks her out to help him figure out who he is inspite of everyone telling him it is impossible to see the Queen. Set during the 1897 Diamond Jubilee in London, the Victorian flavor is found in the unique tone of voice in the characters. Mouse Minor's speech sounds a bit formal, while the servants dropped their "h"s in most sentences, and the hysterical bat bards sing in rhymes using speech that turns "w"s into "v"s such as, "Vat are dem black bits?" and has fun slang such as "blimey 'oo." Part one had a nice adventure. Part two I nodded to sleep. Part three I laughed out loud and loved how the author pulled the story together with some surprise twists.

Richard Peck's writing craft shows his command of the language. While the text has quite a few high vocabulary words the beautiful illustrations and repetition are helpful in determining some definitions. Some will need to be looked up. A favorite word, "susurrate" is used many times; others such as "convivial," "bilious," "accession," should give you an idea of what lies in store or what lies in story. The high vocabulary and cockney accents are hilarious, but might trip some readers up. This 200 page book would be a good read aloud. The author's play on words add humor along with the jabs at odd royalty traditions.

Mouse Minor asks "Who am I?" throughout the story which set me off like a hyperlink onto the concept of self-identity in stories. I've wasted quite a bit of time looking at scholarly articles on it. And when I did start hyperlinking from "looking glass self" to "self-categorization theory" to "Michelangelo phenomenon" I was completely confused. However, it did make me think about how novels can show an individual's pursuit of self-identity as well as societial influence on that identity. While on the one hand Mouse Minor is learning to embrace his individuality, he is also learning to conform to the structure of the mouse society that mirrors English society and culture exactly. At the end of the story he has found his place within his society and grown in confidence. I can't help but think of my new grandson, Rowan. "Who will he be?"

3.5 Smileys

The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy #3) by Jennifer A. Nielsen

This book tries to create an epic conclusion to the Ascendance trilogy with Jaron, the reluctant King of Carthya, going to war with neighboring countries. The coming-of-age story concludes in this book with Jaron having embraced his leadership role and trying to bring out the potential in others. In some ways the book reminded me of the last book in the Pyrain chronicles in that it tries to create an epic feel through battles and romance, but doesn't quite succeed. While entertaining, fast-paced and filled with a few fun twists, this story was more predictable and less funny than the previous two.

King Vargen of Avenia has captured Imogen knowing that Jaron will launch a rescue that Vargen plans to use as a way to take over Carthya. His goal is to kill Jaron and take over his lands. Vargen has talked two other countries into joining him to attack Carthya with promises of riches and more land. When Jaron's rescue goes horribly awry, war breaks out, and the people he loves either die or get hurt; he isn't even sure he wants to live, much less be king.

The plot felt circular at times and perhaps too much like the first book where Connor tortures Jaron. He's tortured again in this plot and Vargen takes him prisoner one too many times. Or maybe the plot was too thin. The battle with the women at the river held my interest but then the following battle didn't. I also didn't buy the whole speech to the men about being the weakest and having a chance to prove their strength in the second battle. It wasn't exactly a pep talk. But then quite a few of the speeches came off as corny or untrue, as well as, the romantic subplot.

The romance was boring. I'm sure many readers will like it, but it slowed the pacing for me. Jaron's story arc over the three books has involved him learning to trust and love others. The romance was a way to continue that arc. I just found it predictable and dragged out too long. The incident with Imogen happened too early and tipped me off so I was able to predict a major plot twist. Same with Fathenwood and the dam. In the author's other books, she'd point me in one direction and I was delighted when what seemed obvious was not. This book leaned more toward the obvious.

One part has Roden struggling with leadership and doubts about himself as captain of Jaron's Guard. He and Jaron have a conversation about earning respect and leading with a vision. Later, Roden has accomplished getting the loyalty of the army, but Jaron just explains how it happened. It was abrupt and I thought short-changed a message that could have had more depth. Because the two never fight side-by-side in later battles, Roden is not seen in action. The first person point of view seemed to work against this character development. However, Roden and Tobias do grow in this novel to become independent, confident people that have a career path to follow.

Jaron is an unreliable narrator and a trickster so maybe I was too onto him, but I guessed most of the major twists. That takes quite a bit of fun out of the novel. The humor is still there but there are more serious moments. While the author is quite good at writing tension and action scenes, the battles didn't have enough strategy and there were too many convenient coincidences. The cannon and gunpowder incident is the most obvious plot contrivance, but also the last escape scene, starvation, and the capture of different characters didn't seem plausible. However, this is tempered by some nice twists with Roden discovering his family and women being resourceful. While it is a fun read, it doesn't stand out like its predecessors.

3 Smileys

The Legend of Diamond Lil (J.J. Tully Mystery #2) by Doreen Cronin, Kevin Cornell

J.J. is a retired search and rescue dog who guards chickens. When a possum shows up, he fears for their lives but trusts his instincts. When the beautiful Samoyed dog, Diamond Lil, offers to partner with him to help protect the chicks, it isn't clear if J.J. needs help or just likes the good-looking dog. When things reach a climax, there's a twist to the mystery of the possum and Diamond Lil that the reader won't see coming. Don't peek! You read-the-last-page readers will spoil the surprise!

This story mimics the hard-boiled detective genre but with a bit of ye ole kid humor of pee, burps, and chick antics. I thought some of the transitions in the beginning were choppy. I didn't quite get it that the chicks were being silly with J.J and using a blindfold with rabbit pee. I had to reread that part. The plot picks up after a third of the way and it's smooth waters from there on out. Or swirling waters. Young readers will like the action once the story gets into the threat of a predator. The story reminded me of the Chet Gecko series by Bruce Hale but easier to read. This 123-page mystery is good for grade 3 with a feel-good ending.

The characters don't have much depth. I didn't really understand Vince's role with the others. He seems to be the villain or busybody and I think it would have helped to read book 1 to understand the relationship with J.J.'s crew. Readers can try and put together the clues to solve the mystery and while some are obvious others are not; unless readers are familiar with possum behavior. This book could be tied in with nonfiction books on rescue dogs, show dogs, and possums. While it was entertaining, it doesn't stand out in the ocean of juvenile mystery books.

3 Smileys

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage

Sometimes I just want to read a book and not take notes. Just enjoy the story in a passive way. That romantic notion doesn't work for my noggin. When it comes to writing a review I can't remember all the thoughts I had along the way. Nor can I remember the great lines in this story. Nor do I want to go back and reread it. I just want to be lazy. So here's a lazy review. If you are wondering why I'm even bothering to write a review it's so that I can book talk with students. This was a fun book and I don't want to forget it even if I feel guilty for not giving this review my best.

This picks up with the same characters from "Three Times Lucky." You'll want to read that book first to understand all the minor characters and background information. The author weaves in the back-story of Mo LeBeau, but details such as the "upstream mom," Lana's penchant for wigs, Dale's no-good father, to name a few are going to be more appreciated if you read book one; plus, it's a great book. I read the book over a year ago and there were some people I couldn't quite place at first.

Miss Lana buys an old rundown inn that is for auction at Tupelo Landing discovering that it is haunted by a ghost. Mo and her best friend, Dale, who started the "Desperado Detective Agency" in the previous book, decide to open a paranormal division in order to solve the identity of the ghost. When Harm Crenshaw comes to town their first impression is that he's a jerk, but the three become friends when the clues lead them to Harm's grandfather. 

Mo struggles a bit with Harm and Dale becoming friends and being left out of some activities. She's got such a unique personality that she deals with issues in ways that can be offensive because she is so blunt but it is balanced by her good heart. I like how she doesn't get too sentimental or emotional about things. Ghosts don't frighten her much. Angry adults don't frighten her much. She can stand her ground and be the sense of reason even when it isn't appropriate such as reminding Dale's mom that her husband is better in jail than out. She sounds too adultlike at times, but she's usually so funny I didn't care. Jack Gantos in his Norvelt sequel does the same thing. I'm not sure if young readers even notice that but I like the unique character voices.

The author captures small-town gossipy life with a community where people know everyone's business. The theme of the past haunting people is explored in this story through the lives of several characters from Dale's mom, Red, Lacy, and Nellie. Mo is still writing to her non-existent mom and there is a hint at the end as to who her family might be. I'm thinking there might be a book 3? Hope so. I do like Turner's entertaining stories.

4 Smileys

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

My sandblasted eyes are protesting last night's late finish of this book. I should have shelved it with my weekend, I-can-read-this-late-and-sleep-in, pile of books. With all the plot twists and non-stop action I had a wee bit of trouble shutting off my brain when it came to snooze-time. Much like it's predecessors, "Cinder" (book 1, based on Cinderella) and "Scarlet" (book 2, based on Little Red Riding Hood), "Cress" is a fairy tale twist on Rapunzel that includes strong female protagonists along with political struggles in an alternate world. This story builds on the previous two books and while some background information is given on the war and plague, I wouldn't recommend reading it as a stand alone. Many of the characters and their situations will make better sense if the series is read in sequence. While "Cress" serves more as a bridge to the next book with many plot elements unresolved, I was satisfied by the ending and enjoyed the characters, humor, and fast pacing.

Cress, like Rapunzel, has been imprisoned in an orbiting satellite for more than seven years. Lunar Queen Levana is trying to capture and kill Cinder, the true heir to the Lunar throne. Cress, a whip at technology, is supposed to be tracking Cinder who escaped in Carswell Thorne's ship, Rampion - which happens to be another name for the rapunzel plant. Cloaking ships, spying on nations, or hacking into any piece of software is Cress's specialty. Her handler, Mistress Sybil Mira, brings her food and water by podship every 3 weeks or so. When Cinder escaped New Beijing with Carswell Thorne in the previous book, it was Cress who betrayed Queen Levana by masking their ship from detection by jamming satellite signals. This story starts with Cinder and her crew rescuing Cress. Cinder's plan explodes when complications arise scattering the team throughout the solar system.

Queen Levana rules a colony on the moon that has a military more advanced than Earth and citizens who can control the minds of human beings and change their appearances to look like anything they want. Not everyone has this Lunar gift of mind control and some are better at it than others. Those who don't have the gift, like Cress, are supposedly killed by the government. Lunar is at war with Earth and Emperor Kai has agreed to marry Queen Levana to stop the bloodshed, as well as, get an antidote for the Plague that is killing thousands of humans. Cinder is trying to stop Kai's marriage because she loves him and knows Queen Levana will kill him after the marriage. Queen Levana's goal is to rule Lunar and Earth. As Cinder and her team try to stop the Lunar queen, they discover some unsettling items regarding the history of the Plague, its use in politics, and the link between it and ungifted Lunars.

*spoilers*
In the fairy tale, Rapunzel betrays the sorceress that put her in the tower just like Cress betrays Mistress Sybil Mira by helping Cinder. Meyer chooses to make the character of Mira more monstrous than human. Some portrayals of Rapunzel in the fairy tale show the sorceress as a mother figure who has tried to keep Rapunzel safe from the world and is disappointed when she learns of her betrayal. Other versions show a rivalry between the prince and the sorceress for Rapunzel's affections. "Cress" has Mira as a one-dimensional villain. I would have liked to have seen some internal struggle when she decides to kill Cress, but she's the evil witch through and through. The theme of entrapment runs throughout the characters and plot. Cress and Kai are trapped by the Queen. Cinder is trapped as a cyborg that is not considered human. Wolf is trapped as a soldier with predatory instincts that affect his reasoning, Dr. Erland is trapped from his daughter, people from Earth are trapped by an epidemic and impending Lunar war. Winter is trapped by not using her Lunar gift and on and on the list goes.

Cinder and Scarlet along with their male friends are included in this story with the introduction of Cress and Carswell Thorne as her "prince." After living in a satellite through most of her childhood and teen years, Cress is completely overwhelmed when she crash lands into civilization again. The timid girl who slips into her imaginary world of fairy tales when frightened has problems assimilating with people. She finds the strength to face her fears and grows and matures as an individual overcoming each challenge and threat that is thrown her way. Her childlike love and adulation for Thorne adds humor at first, only to mature and change into a reliable friendship that suggests by the end it might develop into a romance. Cinder's story arc drives the series and I was happy to see her character often in the plot as she fights Queen Levana and learns to deal with her newfound powers of mind control. She is torn between the ethical and social use, or abuse, of those powers and how to deal with them as a good person that wants to do the right thing.
  
Marissa Meyer uses the conventional fairy tale as a framework for her plot, but has rearranged familiar motifs to provoke readers into rethinking views of fairy tales that empower females and depart from male-dominant roles. While fairy tales focus on physical beauty, Meyer - for the most part - avoids the pitfalls of stereotypes. Cinder is my favorite character because she departs the most from being "the beautiful princess" and is not physically weak. Cress is similar. Unlike the gorgeous-haired Rapunzel, Cress has tresses that are a rope-like tangled mess that is so heavy it gives her a headache. She has it wrapped around her arms to lighten the load and when things get dicey for her, it gets in the way of escape.  When Thorne chops it off it is a relief and freedom, not a symbol of losing something beautiful physically. Some might find her fantasizing about Thorne rescuing her or wearing beautiful clothes to a ball too princessy, but it fits with the character of a person trapped for seven years in ratty clothes and hair experiencing the world like a newborn.

Much of the plot has the main symbols found in Rapunzel such as the tower, long hair, singing, blindness, sorceress, and prince that rescues the princess. When Cress meets Carswell Thorne, she idolizes him as a hero. While Thorne knows his motivations have been less than noble, he likes her hero-worship. When he tells her the truth, she makes him look more honestly at himself. She grows from dependence on Mira to working on an adult relationship with Thorne. They become friends that can count on each other. This story is not strictly the prince rescuing the princess; Thorne rescues Cress, but she also saves his life and must be his "eyes" when he is struck blind. Meyer struck the right balance for me with her character, Cress, because others must rely on her intelligence or superior computer skills and physically for her eyesight. She's a pipsqueak of a person and not like cyberborg Cinder, yet she shows that she is strong in other ways adapting to stressful situations and taking in the world for the first time. It would have been easy to make her a ding-a-ling, but her sincerity, tenacity, and naivety work as a person who has been abused by adults and sheltered from the world.

In one widely known version of the Rapunzel fairy tale the mother is pregnant and craves a neighbor's rapunzel plant to the point of death. The husband steals it and is caught by the neighbor who is a witch. She says he can take the plant but must give her his child when she is born. He agrees. The witch raises the child and locks her away in a tower because she is the most beautiful creature in the world. This can be interpreted as safeguarding the young or obsessive behavior or not letting a child grow up. The reader can apply it to his or her own circumstances. In this regard, fairy tales offer moral and social critiques regarding life in a way that readers can approach reality. For instance, Rapunzel can be interpreted as a story about growing up. The tower can be seen as a family unit with a child dependent on adults before leaving home to form his or her own independent relationships. Cress's story echoes Rapunzel's, but is unique in itself. For instance, Cress's story has her family giving her up as a Lunar child because she doesn't haven't magical abilities. Readers can apply this to their own situations. Perhaps they have parents disappointed in the fact they are not brilliant at academics or sports or music. In real life, people have to deal with others who are in positions of authority and power who can be abusive or wise or mediocre. Children are under the authority of adults and like Rapunzel or Cress they might feel trapped by their lack of power in many situations making them long to be free. The beauty of fantasy and fairy tales is they can serve as a psychological and social medium for readers to look at real-life issues and deal with them. When the characters live happily-ever-after, it gives hope to readers that they too can transform themselves or their world for the better.

4 Smileys

Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment by David A. Adler

Fourth grader, Danny is a good sport who agrees to be the subject of new kid Calvin Waffle's experiment, even though Calvin doesn't explain anything except that Danny has to carry a bunch of jellybeans around that he can't eat. Danny spills them and sends them through the wash at home but spends the week more or less carrying out the experiment unknowingly to humor Calvin. Calvin is quite odd compared to other kids dressing with pants that have one leg shorter than the other or wearing mismatched socks that represent how he feels about things. When Calvin shows Danny that he has a great eye for detail, he helps Danny's team win an important baseball game. This short 100 page book is going to appeal to readers that want humor balanced with some character depth.

The jellybean experiment is about making friends. Calvin is new in school and while he isn't trying to "fit in" per se, he is trying to make friends. His creative and wacky use of jellybeans is funny and inventive. When he tells Danny about his dad being a spy, Danny learns inadvertently from Calvin's mom that their dad abandoned the family and works as a truck driver. It seems that Calvin is in denial over his dad's actions. Calvin does not appear to be covering for his dad when he tells Danny he is a spy, he truly believes his dad is a spy that purposefully tells others he is a truck driver to cover up his covert activities. This isn't resolved in this book. Perhaps in book two the parents will divorce forcing Calvin to face the situation.

Danny's character is not sure about Calvin, but he is interested in him because he's different. Danny seems to be deciding throughout the story whether or not he wants to be Calvin's friend. Calvin likes to poke fun at their crabby teacher and get away with breaking rules that appeals to Danny at times and scares him at other times. Calvin tries a bit too hard to be the class clown using shenanigans as a way to make friends. At first I wasn't sure if Calvin was rebellious, but he pulls back when it matters to peers such as during the report presentation. There is a subtle message about tolerance and accepting others for who they are inside and not going by appearances.

The title of the book is a bit misleading and the illustrations don't add to the text. Danny doodles because he wants to be a cartoonist. I kept waiting for more to happen with this. In Marissa Moss's Max series the two boys come up with a comic strip that has erasers that are aliens that come to earth. Nothing like that happens with the doodles and they are not worked into the plot. While I enjoyed this story and the writing is good with fun wordplays, what stands out the most for me is that it is nice and short for the student who does not love to read.

3 Smilesy

Chasing The Falconers (On The Run #1) by Gordon Korman

A fast-paced, straightforward adventure story with engaging characters, but lacks a logical premise and has a predictable plot. At 160 pages this is written for readers who are not ready for advanced sentence structure and vocabulary with a complex plot. Readers who are intimidated by thick books and are working toward fluency will enjoy this adventure.

Aiden, age 15, and Meg, age 11, are at a juvenile detention center because they have no where to go after their parents are sentenced to life in prison after being falsely accused in a high-profile terrorist case. Relatives don't want the parentless children. Foster parents don't want them either. In short, the state doesn't know what to do with them and they put them in a detention center. Aiden believes that if he can find the now missing CIA operative his parents were working for then his parents would be exonerated of treason. When Aiden accidentally burns down the detention center, the two have a chance to escape. On the run, they manage to avoid the authorities with the help of a escapee, Miguel, a nasty piece of work accused of manslaughter. Once the fugitives come up with a plan, they discover that Miguel has been wronged like them and they begin to have empathy for the bully. As the three trek across the country to Vermont in search of a clue that will free their parents, they have to avoid capture and trust Miguel.

Gordon Korman is good with developing tension between characters and in dialogue. It is easy to get into his stories and he infuses emotions and details that create a vivid imaginary world. I have more issues with his plot that is not always logical and has convenient coincidences. That said it is still a fun caper. I just had to overlook a few strange premises such as the government putting kids in a juvenile detention center, especially an eleven-year-old, and pulling them from school. It also would have helped if the author had made it look like some foul play had happened to the CIA agent. As written, the facts show that the CIA agent is duplicitous and the kids are foolish to think he'll help them. Perhaps the sequel will add more interesting elements.

The story arc of Miguel was interesting and his rejection by his family made me want to find out what happened to him in book two. Korman is good at bringing some depth and internal conflict to the plight of his characters. The cliff hanger was a "cliff hacker" job that irritated me. Good stories have a strong beginning, middle, and end. The ending of this book doesn't wrap up much of anything. Andrew Clements does this in the "Keeper's of the School" series. While Korman undermines some of the plot's credibility with too much luck on the part of the characters, he has great suspense and strong characters that have made this popular with students.

3 Smileys