The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin

This is my third Steve Sheinkin book and while I thought it was interesting I didn't get swept up in the story as much as his most recent books, "Bomb" and "Lincoln's Grave Robbers." Sheinkin does such a marvelous job describing places and characters by pulling in the senses and revealing internal changes in characters. Benedict Arnold's actions on the battlefield brought out the best in him; he was courageous, inspiring, and brave. Off the battlefield he had a ferocious temper, was materialistic, and had an inferiority complex that led to him betraying his country. Even the unwavering support of George Washington who worked diligently to give him credit for his actions in the war was not enough for him. Benedict Arnold believed that switching from the American to the British side during war would end the American Revolution and he would be seen as a hero by both sides. It is mind boggling that he did not think of himself as a traitor. His wife who had sympathies with the British seemed to have had a great influence on him and he also seemed to need money to live a wealthy lifestyle.He was not an idiot, so why he embraced this idiotic notion is one Sheinkin tackles quite well in his 300 page book.

I found the sections covering different battles interesting because they highlighted the contrast of Arnold's on and off-field behavior. He was obviously difficult to get along with but he was brave in battle. He craved attention and was a daredevil taking on assignments that no one else would because they were dangerous. When his troops were dealing with particular hardships he inspired and rallied them. Off the field he spent too much money, craved attention from the government, and felt mistreated by many he believed were jealous of his successes. While some were jealous, others had been mistreated by Arnold's wicked temper.

Sheinken reveals Arnold's earlier years growing up in a wealthy family with a father who was a successful ship Captain. When his dad lost his business, he became a drunk and disgrace to the family. This scarred Arnold in a way that makes the reader see why he never seemed to get enough attention and why he was angry and insecure even when he should not have been. Sheinken also follows the story of John Andre, the British soldier hanged by the Americans for spying on the British. His is a tragic tale that reminded me of Nathan Hale, the American soldier hanged by the British for spying on the Americans. The subplot of Andre is so strange and full of what-if's that it makes for a fascinating read.

I did lose interest a bit during the section when Arnold was governor. Of course, he was making bad choices left and right. What was fascinating was George Washington's belief in Arnold and his attempt to show gratitude for what Arnold had done for the country, but Arnold could not get enough attention. Washington went out of his way to support Arnold and even showed his trust by letting him command West Point. Why Arnold turned on him shows how twisted his mind was and how angry he was at the government's court-Marshall.

Obviously historical writers can't cover everything in history. I enjoy coming across other people and places that I want to research more on my own. I was intrigued by the Native Americans helping the Americans and the British. One was the female Jacataqua, an Abenaki Indian, who guided the Americans on a treacherous journey into Canada. Most of the men died on that trip because of the harsh conditions. Another mention of the Mohawk Indians helping the British piqued my interest. Last, but not least, was the larger-than-life Daniel Morgan. His exploits in war bordered the fantastical. The end has plenty of "Source Notes" for me to research on my own. Enjoy this read!

4 Smileys
Young Adult

The Sasquatch Escape (The Imaginary Veterinary #1) by Suzanne Selfors

What kid doesn't like stories about Bigfoot or dragons or snake-haired witches? Ten-year-old Ben thinks his summer is ruined because he has to spend it with his grandpa in a small town where nothing happens. When the cat literally drags in a baby dragon, things change in a hurry. Ben discovers a fantastical world with mythological creatures who are cared for by a Veterinary Doctor. When Ben and his friend, Pearl, deliver the dragon they accidentally set a sasquatch free who is being treated for foot fungus. Tabby, the assistant to the Doctor, gives them a kit to catch it and off they go as it wreaks (or reeks - its smells awful) havoc on the town. Funny how people see what they want and describe the sasquatch as a sloth or big dog. An enjoyable read for younger kids, but one that doesn't rise above the pack of middle grade books. I can see myself forgetting what it is about as I trek through my usual mountain of books this year.

The plot is solid and the book sets up for a series. The characters don't change much internally. Ben's parents are struggling with marital problems and Ben deals with it by "telling stories" that are basically lies. When he is with his grandpa he decides to not tell stories which shows it is probably good he is separate from his arguing parents. Pearl is always in trouble because she's usually bored and trying to make her life exciting. She doesn't change and influences Ben to take risks like she does. The two form a friendship from their unique experience. Victoria and her mom are the villains. They are the busybodies who feel important if they know everything. None of the characters have great depth and the divorce issue isn't really delved into except that Ben feels bad his parents fight. The simple plot makes it an easy read and straightforward adventure.

Many questions I had were not answered such as how the creatures get to the doctor, who Tabby really is, how come the veterinary clinic came to a small town, and why Victoria and Pearl are enemies over some revealed secret. Quite a bit is unbelievable and should be funny to the young reader such as the deaf seniors who feed the sasquatch pudding and can't smell his horrendous odor. I'm not sure a senior would like the stereotypical portrayal. My daughter's grandparents played sports with her so I have a completely different image of seniors in my head. Actually I find it hard keeping up with my husband's parents. They are a bottomless well of energy. Perhaps I'm noticing stereotypes in literature more because there was an interesting discussion about it on Rutgers listserv. Whatever the case, Ben's grandpa takes naps and goes to the senior center that allows Ben to do what he wants with Pearl. The plot can move forward with a grandpa like him.

The sasquatch is not scary but friendly. This is contrasted with the dragon that breathes fire and almost burns Ben or the Doctor who is missing fingers and has scars on her face and neck from presumably battling dangerous creatures. For the most part, the tone is light and there is humor sprinkled throughout the story. When the Doctor takes the two on as apprentices the plot starts to become more interesting and I felt that I would get more answers to my questions, but this happens at the end of the book setting up for the following books in the series. The author has some questions and connections to subjects in an afterward. If teachers want to use it as a read aloud, there are activities that can be used in the classroom. I liked the information on Wyverns and the differences between Asian and Western dragons in literature. If you are the type of reader who likes more of a realistic setting with a touch of fantasy, then give this one a go. Personally, I felt the unanswered questions made it seem incomplete.

3 Smileys

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

I decided to read this after reading a Goodreads reviewer said they liked it as well as "Code Name Verity." Not that the two books have similar plots. They don't. They are charged with emotion and strong protagonists, but "The Weight of Water" is written in verse about a Polish girl who struggles as a newly arrived immigrant in England. This well-deserved Carnegie nominee is for older students with layered messages regarding friendships, boyfriends, bullies, divorce, English language learners, infidelity, abandonment, and more. Pretty amazing that the author pulls it off in just over 200 pages using precise word choice that conveys so much depth in a short amount of space. When Kasienka describes her parents fighting, "Together they are tuneless; /The sounds they make are ugly,/ Like knives being sharpened/ Against stone./ Together they are waxwork statues;/Recognizable/But lifeless," she knows that her mom unfairly blames her for their problems.

Kasienka loves both her parents but knows that her mom needs her more than her dad. When she is given the choice to live with one or the other she feels guilty even thinking of deserting her mom. Even though her mom is depressed, does not listen to Kasienka, does not help her with issues at school, she is loyal to her and loves her. The book shows how Kasienka deals with her problems by swimming and making choices that are opposite of how others have treated her. She represents goodness and is easy to sympathize with and root for in situations. Many chapters could be read as a stand alone if a teacher wants to discuss themes such as prejudices, bullies, or sports as a positive outlet. 

The verse on water is particularly beautiful as a symbol of silence for Kasienka and being free from her troubles. Even though she has the weight of water on her shoulders, she can lose herself in a sport that she excels at above all others. She gains confidence through the course of the novel from her boyfriend, William, her friend, Dalilah, and swimming that allows her to stand up to a class bully and gives her some measure of control in a life buffeted by uncontrollable adults.

I work overseas and think students will be able to relate to some of the issues Kasienka is dealing with - I know that I can relate to being an illiterate foreigner. I, too, have my stories of prejudices whether it is someone refusing me service because I am Caucasian to a teacher kicking me out of language class because she was embarrassed by my horridly slow progress. While Kasienka was dropped only one grade I would have been dropped many more if the roles had been switched. Learning languages for me is like mixing oil and water. I had great sympathy for Kasienka who was bored being in a grade level that was too low. 

The chapter called, "July 7" confused me. I should know that it is England's "September 11" but I am not the best with dates. I assumed it was some bombing and the fact that Dalilah was Muslim, but the chapter confused me as to who was speaking to whom. I had to reread it. The gist is that Dalilah is now being bullied instead of Kasienka. There's always a new victim by intolerant people. There are also the silent ones who don't say anything. Kasienka thinks on how she ignored that new kid in school when she lived in Poland and had her own friend. I found the Chapter, "Group Work," spoke to my conscience as a teacher and how I group students or separate them in a way that can be insensitive to their needs. 

The author has many messages but I particularly liked how she captures the complex nature of bullying from the main person picking on someone to the victim and bystanders. Kasienka observes, "Claire stands in the center/ surrounded by thick circle of girls/ I can feel the desperation/ The thirst for admission /It is a dance for popularity/ Swapping places every day/ Knowing that tomorrow any one of them could be out./ Maybe it's lonely for Claire there in the center/ Directing the dance./ She ignores me again,/ Which is better than being bullied./ Dalilah and I stand together side-by-side./There is no one in the center,/ We're just looking out/ In the same direction/ Not desperately at one another/ Fearing betrayal." Learning to stand independently and with confidence is hard enough when growing up, but take away the language, culture, and familiar surroundings, and courage is exposed at its best.

4 Smileys

Mr. Tucket (The Tucket Adventures #1) by Gary Paulsen

Here's a humdinger of a present. Fourteen-year-old Francis gets a rifle for his birthday as his family heads west on a wagon train to Oregon. Can you imagine good ole dad giving you a rifle? Things were a bit different as the western frontier grew in the United States. Wherever I work as a librarian ...in Taiwan or Spain or the plains of North Dakota, students of all ages are fascinated by weapons. Shucks, I am too. I remember wanting to see what it would be like to shoot a rifle so I signed my husband and me up for a summer biathlon. He thought it odd until I explained I wanted to write a murder mystery and thought firing a gun would be inspirational. "Let's give it a shot," I deadpanned. He laughed and said, "Why not?" True love. That was about 25 years ago. I still haven't written a mystery but the experience was a blast. We ran a 10K and shot with rifles at 5 targets in a prone and a standing position. Each station had an expert who walked me through the shooting process. I laid on my stomach, lined up the target, and pulled the trigger watching the empty cartridge shell fly out of the chamber. "Cool!" I said to the expert next to me. "Look at the smoke trail!" He smiled at my giddiness. Francis gets his gun, has the same giddiness as me, heads out to practice, and winds up captured by Pawnee Indians. Yikes!

The action adventure never lets up as Francis escapes the Pawnees with the help of a mountain man, Mr. Grimes. The two travel together and Francis learns to trap and shoot a rifle. Mr. Grimes won't use his first name, but always calls Francis, "Mr. Tucket." This signifies Francis becoming a man and growing up into a man. He not only learns to use the rifle to take an animal's life, survives blizzards, Indian attacks, and more, he learns that he is more comfortable with the farming life he grew up in with his family versus the trapper life Mr. Grime's exposes him too and its different set of rules.

This story is less than 200 pages and loaded with action. There isn't much depth to the Native American issue, but the author does make it clear that Native Americans' such as the Pawnee warrior, Braid, didn't attack white settlers in wagon trains until they started to take their lands. Mr. Grimes says that he doesn't side with the whites or the Indians, but his actions at the end show he has adopted more of the Indian culture than he first let on to when talking with Francis. He's an interesting character and I wished the ending hadn't been quite so abrupt. This is the first of a series so perhaps Mr. Grimes makes an appearance in later books and maybe Francis elaborates more on his actions.

I find it hard to recommend Western books to young readers that are not too hard. Carolyn Lawrence has "The Case of the Deadly Desperados" but it is 100 pages longer than "Mr. Tucket." "The Gentleman Outlaw and Me" is probably the closest I can come to "Mr. Tucket" but it's a murder mystery versus an adventure. "Little House on the Prairie" is on frontier life but it has over 300 pages. There are not many books I can round-up in the same vein as this one and I'm glad Gary Paulsen is such a prolific writer. Readers can giddy-up into this terific series.

Reading Level 5.0
Fountas and Pinnell: U

4 Smileys

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading (Charlie Joe Jackson #1) by Tommy Greenwald

I have great empathy for parents who are baffled by their bloodlines being sabotaged with the appearance of a non-lovin-reader in the family. "Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading" not only addresses the child who hates reading, but it has the adult humor for the parent of a nonreader. Charlie Joe is clear at the get-go that his book will show you how to get out of reading and it will be a nice easy book. His first tip is to make sure you choose a book with short chapters; that way when your parents say to read three chapters and each is only one page versus ten pages then you can blow through three pages instead of plodding through 30. Next he explains how he has always hated reading and that it got him into some big whomping trouble in middle school. Directly afterwards he writes apologetically: "I just looked at the previous chapter and realized it was way too long. I just ignored Charlie Joe's Tip #1! Sorry about that. Won't happen again." It's darn funny and the author seems to be having a hey-ho time writing it. The reason I grabbed this book was because some grade 5 boys said, "If you liked 'The Strange Case of Origami Yoda,' YOU GOTTA read, 'Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading!' It's super funny." Bingo. 

Charlie Joe has been paying his friend Timmy to read books for him the past two years. He doesn't pay him cash but buys snacks for him after school. Ice cream sandwiches seem to do be the favorite. When Timmy blows the whistle on their arrangement, Charlie Joe is determined to find someone else to take his place because he doesn't want to read for the huge end-of-the-year project. His elaborate plan involves the school nerd going out with a popular girl and its effect on cliches at school. When things backfire he comes up with a new plan for not reading. Let's face it. Charlie Joe ain't ever gonna love reading. No way. No how. Not ever.

Ya gotta hand it to him, Charlie Joe is creative. I've never seen a character come up with such unique ways to avoid reading. He hates it so much he is willing to give up a collector's Beattle's album cover. Charlie Joe will read the beginning and the end of a book. He'll memorize notes of friends who summarize the book for him. It's obvious he's smart and his tips poke fun at reading in a way that will have all readers laughing such as "if you want girls to like you, don't read" or "never read a book by someone whose name you can't pronounce. Let's face it: chances are you wouldn't be reading this book if it were called 'Venedkyt Styokierwski's Guide to Not Reading'" or "The Library Can be Your Friend." He explains how you can pick up a girl at the library by pretending to read which goes against his other tip but hey, he's a middle schooler - they are meant to vacillate. He then launches into the library as your enemy sarcastically but honestly saying how he knows he should get sucked into the story but can't. He looks at the people reading newspapers and wonders what he is doing with these reading martians.

Tommy Greenwald's choice of the unreliable narrator is what makes this book more funny than if it would be if it was just a straightforward narration. Literature is full of unreliable narrators. According to Wayne C. Booth in his book, The Rhetoric of Fiction (1961), a reliable author works within the norms of the author; whereas, the unreliable author is misleading or presents the opposite of the author's views. In this case, the unreliable author makes for great irony, but also gives empathy toward those who truly do not like reading. Charlie Joe is a smart kid. He just doesn't like to read and will go to great lengths to not do so. Of course the one part where he has only read 18 pages in two hours would make me hate reading too. The author even says he wrote the book for his sons, Charlie, Joe, and Jack who do not like to read, (even the title is full of irony). I wondered if Charlie Joe had a reading problem, but the author doesn't introduce or hint at that. Instead the boy hates to read and will go to great lengths scheming to get out of it. The nonreaders at my school are the hard ones to hook. This might do the trick.

Fountas & Pinnell: S
Reading Level 5.4
4 Smileys

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (Origami Yoda #1) by Tom Angleberger

Dwight is an extremely weird 6th grader who makes an origami puppet of Yoda from "Star Wars" and uses it to dole out wise advice to his friends. The students are convinced Yoda is magical because they know Dwight is a fool and idiot. Or is he? Tommy desperately wants to know if Origami Yoda is real or a hoax. He puts together "case files" that document Origami Yoda giving advice that has kept other students from making fools out of themselves. Can't say I've ever come across a premise like that in a book! Not only does the author pull off the goofy kid with a puppet, he gives the characters depth along with plenty of belly-laughs. Diary of a Wimpy kid lovers need to give this one a go.

 *spoiler*
Several different points of view are presented from boys and girls as incidents are revealed where Origami Yoda helps students with different problems. Mike is frustrated with baseball. He strikes out every time and cries. He asks Origami Yoda to help him hit the ball and Yoda says, "Let go of your feelings, Mike. Hate and revenge to the dark side only lead." Next time Mike is up to bat he tries not to get mad and strikes out. Afterwards he charges up to Dwight and asks, "Well?" Yoda said, "Cry you did not." Mike doesn't learn to hit the ball, but he does learn to stay positive with himself at the plate and as a result get walks. Dwight gets Mike to focus on effort versus outcome that leads to him not being so frustrated in P.E. class when they play ball.

Angleberger captures the unique voice of middle schoolers and summarizes chapters with funny comments from Harvey and Mike. This cleverly reinforces chapter points helping the reader who is working toward fluency. The doodles and sketches throughout are great visualizations and also add to the humor of the story. The Principal, Mr. Howell, does look like Jabba the Hutt. I liked the voice of the character, Kellen, as he tries to tell his story. He begins, "All right, uh, this is Kellen here...Uh, Tommy asked me to, uh, write down what happened with Origami Yoda, but I, like, hate to write things down. That's too much like homework, having to write a bunch of stuff down. And make complete sentences and all that. I'm like no thanks, dude. So I'm just going to record it on this ...uh...recording thingy and let Tommy write it down. So...uh...I guess you can edit out where I say ...uhhh... and stuff like that." Oompah-pah. I'm glad Angleberger didn't do the whole chapter like that. It would have been hard to read. He puts in the right mix of slang and lets the different personalities of the kids emerge through the dialogue that is well-done.

Dwight is a doofus, which is why his friends can't figure out if Origami Yoda is real or not. He does things like accidentally knocks a girl's drink on the dance floor only to lay on top of the puddle scootching across it on his stomach. He jumps up and continues his herky-jerky dancing with a wet stain across his shirt. Not cool, Tommy thinks. But that's Dwight. He wears shorts with his socks pulled up over his knees, picks his nose, and does other odd things that label him a loser. When he invents his alter ego in Origami Yoda, he teaches others to accept him for his eccentricities and stop calling him names. Throughout the chapters, Dwight or Origami Yoda, point out when the others are being mean and because they are so desperate for Yoda's advice they apologize and slowly start to change their behavior toward Dwight. By the end when Dwight is dancing with a girl who might become a girlfriend, Tommy, Kellen, and Harvey realize not only did Origami Yoda give him attention from others who used to ignore him, but he played matchmaker to many other students, and did many good things for others.

Dwight represents the light side of the Force from the movie, "Star Wars" that has ideals of acting wisely, being positive, and living in harmony with the world rather than being angry, negative, and judgmental. Dwight helps students deal with problems whether that is finding a solution after accidentally breaking a teacher's Shakespeare head to covering up a spot on your pants that looks like pee to dealing with girls, dances, and friendships. Harvey, on the other hand, represents the dark side of the Force focusing on negative emotions such as aggression, fear, and anger. He spews negativity preying on self-doubts that keep Tommy from taking a risk and asking a girl to dance, complaining about Dwight's Yoda as being fake and him being uncool, and calling people names and being mean to others. The slow change in Tommy and other students accepting Dwight for his unique ways is a lesson in tolerance. Harvey can't tolerate Dwight because he can only focus on how he is scamming everyone versus how he is causing good and helping others. This message makes the book stand out from other funny books giving it depth and making it memorable.

Fountas and Pinnell Service: T
Reading Level 4.1

5 Smileys

The Son of Sobek (Kane Chronicles) by Rick Riordan

This captures the successful formula and best aspects of Rick Riordan's writing. He starts his stories with some outrageous life-or-death statement from a wise-cracking hero before moving into nonstop action that immediately sucks the reader into the story. The humor, fast pacing, and strong characters are what have made me read every single one of his books. I don't love 'em all the same but I am always entertained and get my mythology fix. And I'd like to know when Riordan is gonna do a series on Norsk mythology? Uff da! He'd have a ball with all those monsters. This less than 30 minute read brings together Carter and Percy as they fight an Egyptian monster, Petsuchos, or Son of Sobek. Percy calls him, "pet suck-o," in the familiar Riordan mnemonic for remembering god names. The two must learn to trust each other in order to defeat the giant crocodile terrorizing New York suburbia. 

It helps to have read both series in order to understand the two characters superpowers and the mythological backdrop of who they represent. Egyptian mythology seems to be more complex for my students than Greek mythology and I find readers working toward fluency have an easier time with "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series than the Kane Chronicles. I'm not sure if that is unique to the school I'm a librarian at or if it is a unique demographic feature. One aspect missing with the giant croc is it doesn't talk. Riordan creates some hysterical gods that take on the characteristics of real myth. I liked the weather god who was slightly insane from trying to predict the unpredictable weather. The croc god is just big and scary with relief from the tension coming from the banter going on in Kane's head and with Percy. If you like Riordan's books, you'll like this short story. 

5 Smileys