The Stories Julian Tells

This book has "disappeared" twice in my four years as librarian at this school. That's unusual in itself, but when the illustration on the cover is ugly and it still "disappears" then I know I have to read it.

The Stories Julian Tells, by Ann Cameron, is 20 years old and while it has a forgettable cover, it is a gem inside with terrific writing, characterizations, and plot.

Julian and his younger brother, Huey, get in trouble with their dad when they eat most of the pudding the three have made for their mom. After, the boys, along with their dad, order plants from a catalog for their garden. When Huey asks Julian what a catalog is, Julian makes up a story about invisible cats that live in them and who are released when the catalog is opened. I love the twist in this story and how the dad reacts to the boys fighting. I won't give it away. Next, they plant the garden. In a hilarious chapter, Julian wants to grow so he eats the leaves of a fig tree in the garden. His dad can't understand why the tree won't grow. The chapter on pulling teeth brought back memories for me and the last chapter ends with Julian making a new friend.

The book reminds me of early readers with episodic chapters that all tie together as a whole. There is repetition of vocabulary that is higher than early readers and some wonderful descriptions such as pudding that tastes like a "raft of lemons." This is a great story for readers who are just starting to read longer chapter books.

The parents in the book are presented as caring and loving but some readers might not recognize in the first chapter that Julian's Dad is a loving and caring parent. He might come across as harsh. For instance, when he's ordering the boys around to make the pudding I read it as playing a game to make cooking fun, but it could also be interpreted as shouting: "Stand back!... Pick up those seeds, Huey!... Sugar, Julian!... Wipe that up Huey!... p. 3) Julian describes how the boys love Dad when he laughs but he has wild black hair and when he is angry they "shiver to the bottom of our shoes" p. 2. This characterization is why the first chapter might leave some wondering about dad; he sounds wild and unpredictable when he's angry. However, that is not the case. In the following chapters it is evident that he is a loving, sensitive father.

A wonderful book that can be read over and over again. I just have to figure out how to keep it in the library. Scribes during ancient times would put curses on or in books and chain the books to podiums. I'll have to check into it ; )

Reading Level 3.5

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) 5 out of 5 Smileys

The Harmonica

Henryk doesn't remember his parents faces, but he does remember "their love, warm and enfolding as a song." Thus begins the story of a boy remembering the joy of being with his parents and singing "so off-key we could crack crockery." The family was poor and loved to listen to Schubert. One day Henryk's father came home with a harmonica and taught him to play it. Then the Nazi's came and "like a length of kindling in one stroke, they split our family." Ironically, the commandant at the concentration camp loves Schubert and Henryk plays for him. Henryk muses, "He worked us, beat us for no reason, without mercy. Yet he recognized beauty. I could not imagine how that could be." When the other prisoners whisper "Bless you," Henryk realizes that in this inhumane place his harmonica gives everyone, good and evil, hope; and so, he chooses to play his harmonica with all his heart.

The illustrations, by Ron Mazellan, are gorgeous. In the beginning of the story when Henryk remembers his family the color is warm and glowing. On pages 5 and 6, the lace curtain is blowing in the room while his mother hugs him and his dad looks on with joy. The movement and happiness is captured quite beautifully. It is one of my favorite pages along with the next one that shows a close up of the father and son's hands as Henryk's father gives him the harmonica.

While at the camp the colors shift to cool and are grim and dark, portraying the bleak surroundings. The commandant has a hat on one page with a skull on the brim. Another page shows Henryk playing the harmonica and surrounded in light while the commandant in front of a red backdrop listens to him with his hand over is heart and a blissful expression on his face, a bullwhip in his hand, and dogs at his feet. The white blackdrop bleeds into the red suggesting the music touching the evil and reminding the commandant of what was once good in life. On the page where Henryk wonders how the commandant can love Schubert there is a skull lightly painted in the background above the commandant. The boy is in the front and his striped pajamas look like prison bars but in front of the commandant as well as on Henryk. The picture suggests that while Henryk is in prison, so is the commandant whose life is hollow and bankrupt of all beauty. It is a powerful painting.

While this book is written at a grade 3 level the content is for grade 5 and up. It is a picture book that requires discussion and is not really appropriate for young kids. It would be a great mentor text for teachers.

Reading Level 3.6

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) 5 out of 5 Smileys