Category: Humor - READING STYLE GUIDE

Mysterious Doings

10/15/2019

The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City
by Tara Lazar ill by Ross MacDonald

Following up on her hit picture book 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story Tara Lazar brings readers another clever take on our alphabet system, specifically capitalized letters.

Readers are treated to a noir style whodunit. Private I is informed by Question Mark that the capital letters are missing. ALL of them. Our intrepid detective is on the case.

This was serious. If all the capital letters were gone, there’d be incomplete sentences dangling everywhere.

The super sleuth begins to search for clues, hoping to enlist the assistance of punctuation marks. They are busy. Hyphens dashes around, apostrophe gathers personal possessions, while ampersand minds her p's and q's. Lazar is a master of the well-placed pun.
Eventually Private I returns to waitress little b at Café Uno. Together they locate the missing letters and rescue them from a theater marque. "I'd always wanted to see my name in lights."
Tranquility is restored. Or is it? The final page suggests that there will be more mysteries for Private I.

MacDonald's illustrations add to the frivolity. Letters fade away. Distinctive expressions animate the punctuation and letter faces. Observant readers will find Easter Eggs scattered throughout the book. Hints: Look for the train with conjunction cars attached behind the engine and find Exclamation reading a copy of 7Ate 9. Final tip: keep an eye on the mouse.

The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City is a read aloud delight. Who knew that grammar and punctuation could be so much fun?

Upper Case Antics

The Upper Case trailer

Alphabuild magnetic blocks

Bake alphabet cookies

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: October 15, 2019 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion ISBN: 978-1368027656

To the Rescue

4/9/2019

Good Dog, McTavish by Meg Rosoff ill by Grace Easton

McTavish's decision to adopt the Peachey family was not the most sensible decision of his life.

Books that are a delight for adults and young children to read together are a rare breed. Meg Rosoff has pulled off this feat with Good Dog, McTavish, a story brimming with wit and charm.

Rosoff turns the familiar rescue dog trope on its head. McTavish is indeed a dog. But his task is to rescue a family. When he decides to adopt the Peachey family, he knows that this going to take time and a great deal of work.

Ma Peachey has announced that she is giving up on being a mother. No more cleaning. No more cooking. No more nagging. Pa Peachey and the three Peachey children are on their own. Needless to say, the entire household is in a state of chaotic disarray.

McTavish and eight-year old Betty devise a plan, actually several plans, to restore order to the home.

Humans were puzzlingly dim. McTavish sighed. There was so much work to do.

Youngsters will chortle as McTavish puts his plans into action. Beginning with the piles of discarded clothing and shoes scattered throughout the house, McTavish systematically trains the family to clean up, pick up, be punctual, and feed themselves.

The ongoing efforts of the father and his children are interspersed with descriptions of Ma Peachey, intoning "ohhhmmm" while executing near-perfect looping cobra and dancing warrior yoga poses.

When the family takes ownership of the home and contribute to its order, Ma quietly rejoins the family.

Humans make excellent pets, he thought. When you took on a rescue family, it often took some weeks for them to settle, but he was glad he'd decided to adopt the Peacheys.

Meet the Author

Meg Rosoff is the author of Guardian Children's Prize and Michael L. Printz award-winning How I Live Now and National Honor Book finalist recognition for Picture Me Gone. She also received the 2016 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. With Good Dog, McTavish, readers can enjoy another side of Rosoff. Her sparkling writing with clever asides is tailor-made for entertaining family reading. Enjoy this brief interview with the author.

Meet the Illustrator

Grace Easton's illustrations add a fine touch of whimsy. Love the details. Of special note is McTavish's eye roll. It speaks volumes.

Easton's portfolio is a visual delight. I could spend hours perusing her plush collection with inventive packaging and children's clothing tie-ins.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 9, 2019 Publisher: Candlewick ISBN: 978-1536200584

All in the Family

4/5/2019

My Cat Looks Like My Dad by Thao Lam

Family is what you make it.

Meet dad. Meet the family cat. Dad and cat are alike in many ways. Both have fluffy yellow hair, enjoy a tasty meal followed by a nap, even have similar fears. They make a great pair.
But that’s just the beginning.
The real story on these pages goes beyond a charming tale of a man and his cat. Readers wonder about the family member narrating the story. Who can it be?

The storyteller's identity is discovered by carefully examining the illustrations. Observant readers will recognize that there is more to this family than a man and his cat.
There will come an "ah ha" moment when it is obvious that the narrator i.e. additional family member is a bird! That's right. The bird refers to its sibling as "my cat." Clever. Clever indeed.

The complete family portrait with dad, mom, cat, and bird graces the final page.

Thao Lam's cut paper collages are a delight. The title page, featuring a strip of photobooth headshots of feline and human playing around with spectacles is a great introduction to the characters. Her illustrations poke fun at quintessential stereotypes such as discarded socks on the floor and milk mustaches. The cat's facial expressions are priceless!

Greeting the day with graceful tai chi.

Crooning tunes at the keyboard.

Snoozing: Nap time is lap time.

My Cat Looks Like My Dad offers the subtle message that families come in all shapes and sizes and can consist on a variety of members. Readers will also need to put aside the assumptions that only certain individuals, or species, can cohabit peacefully.

Bonus

Meet Thao Lam and learn about the inspiration for this book. View her creation process.

Share the book and video with students. An interesting extension activity would be to provide kids with a selection of patterned papers and other art materials. Then invite them to create a portrait collage of their own family.

Electronic copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 15, 2019 Publisher: Owlkids ISBN: 978-1771473514

Beautiful Alert!

3/22/2019

The Becket List by Adele Griffin ill LeUyen Pham

"Country life sure is quiet," I say "Not with you in it," murmurs Caroline.

Meet the irrepressible Becket. When her veterinarian parents decide to leave the city and relocate in the country, Rebecca is ready to go. She wants to take on a new country persona, requesting to be called Becket and creating a list of all the new experiences she plans to have on the farm. Not everyone shares her enthusiasm. Older sister Caroline is devastated, as she must leave friends. Twin brother Nicolas finds that his perceived ailments are even worse. Then there's Mr. Fancypants, the pug that has always been a member of the family but has slowed down and isn't much fun anymore.

Living with her family on grandmother's Blackberry Farm, isn't quite what Becket envisioned. Collecting eggs can be painful when Laying Godiva, Gran's prize New Hampshire Red hen, defends her eggs by viciously pecking Becket. There is a lemonade stand fiasco, when Becket discovers the importance of sweeteners. Summer day camp is not the friend-fest she thought it would be. And sometimes helping the launch of a camper’s miniature boat is not helpful.

This camp has been a bran muffin amount of fun, not a banana split with three cherries and sprinkles amount of fun.

Becket dreams of owning a different dog, whom she decides will be named Noble. She hopes for either a Labrador or German shepherd that will perform tricks, play catch, and run with her through the countryside. Instead, she finds herself pampering Mr. Fancypants, coating his heart pills in peanut butter and carrying him up and down the stairs.

Throughout the summer her list of good things about country life goes through multiple revisions. Some unexpected items Becket adds to her list include driving a tractor and catching a runaway llama.

Becket receives her share of both real and figurative lemons. Her attempts to "make lemonade" out of difficult situations don’t always pan out. But the girl who prefers grooming the old mule and donkey to shopping, who makes mistakes and then tries to make amends, and who constantly discovers the wonder of life with her Beautiful Alerts is the kind of friend I want. Thanks Adele Griffin and LeUyen Pham for this little charmer. More stories from Blackberry Farm please.

Outside, the big old moon is glowing yellow over the fields.
”Beautiful Alert,” I whisper.

Have You Met These Girls?

If you enjoyed The Becket List, here are four girls who know their own minds and aren't afraid to speak up and take action. These cover images let you know that these girls mean business. Terrific series for young readers.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 2, 2019 Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers ISBN: 978-1616207908

Questions. Questions.

3/14/2019

To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer

Full disclosure: Initially I skimmed this book's back cover and concluded that it was a remake of The Parent Trap. To be honest, I wasn't crazy about the movie. So, no. I wasn't interested. But... this middle grade novel was by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer. I reasoned that two extremely talented authors would write something more than a warmed-over Disney movie script. Once I started reading I was hooked.
Reasons why I loved this book:
Point one: The girls are interesting individuals, not plot contrivances. While they have a west coast vs. east coast point of view, they have enough unique traits to transcend the California and New York City stereotypes.

Point two: The dads. These men are neither good guys nor bad guys. They are guys. They are dads. They make some good decisions, arrive at some conclusions based inaccurate assumptions. They make mistakes. They love their families.

Point three: Supporting characters, especially Bett's grandma and Avery's birth mother are not phantom shadows or cardboard standees. Even campers are not one-dimensional. The snobby camper reveals a surprising side near the end of the book.

Point four: There are no simpering, sniveling, demanding rivals trying to destroy each girl's relationship with her father. The adults are adults. Readers will be cheering for a resolution that will help all characters build fulfilling, happy lives.

Point five: There are plenty of interesting plot twists to keep readers engaged. Some are telegraphed early on, others are hinted at as the story progresses. A few caught me by surprise. This is not a Disney remake. Prepare to be delighted and surprised in a good way.

I Have Questions

After reading To Night Owl From Dogfish I found I had several questions. After a quick internet search, I could not find answers to my questions, so am posing my questions for Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer online.

What inspired you to create this story of two girls being raised by single gay dads?
Did you have the plot in mind from the outset or did the story evolve as you wrote?
Was one of you the voice of Bett and one the voice of Avery?
How did Gaga evolve? What inspired the creation of this character?
What about camp? Were those two very different camps based on personal experience?
What brought the two of you together to write this book?
What are the advantages of writing a middle grade novel together?
What are the challenges of writing a middle grade novel together?

Music of Love

'Bonus: The 1998 version of The Parent Trap opens with Nat King Cole's “L.O.V.E.” ends with Natalie Cole's “This Will Be An Everlasting Love.” Both songs make a terrific soundtrack for To Night Owl From Dogfish.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: February 12, 2019 Publisher: Dial Books ISBN: 978-0525553236

Trivial Pursuits

12/28/2018

100 Questions About Oceans by Simon Abbott

What did one tide pool say to the other tide pool?
Show me your mussels!

Simon Abbott's subject-specific trivia books are jam-packed with fascinating factoids.

100 Questions and About Oceans covers a wide range of ocean-related data including basic underwater geography and ecology, ecosystems, marine animal records, well-known marine biologists, historical shipwrecks, and protecting aquatic life.

Information is presented as a series of questions with corresponding answers, formatted in brief easy-to-read statements.

How does the goblin shark hunt in the dark?
Its snout is lined with natural sensors called ampulae, which detect weak electrical fields from living creatures. The shark simply tracks down its prey, open its retractable jaws, and ... chomp!

Bright colors fill the pages. Animalia have expressive faces with googly eyes and winsome smiles. Some scientific terms and animal species names appear in bold face type with the pronunciation in parenthesis.

Text is replete with puns that will delight young readers and probably elicit groans from adults.

Why did the fish blush?
Because it saw the ocean's bottom!

This kid-friendly series is sure to be a hit with those who enjoy interesting and sometimes obscure informational tidbits.

More Questions & Answers

Copy provided by publisher

Pub date: December 1, 2018 Publisher: Peter Pauper Press, Inc. ISBN: 978-1441329394

Dear Santa

11/15/2018

Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad but It It Wasn't My Fault!
by Norma Lewis
ill Olivia Beckman

If you've ever gotten stuck in something, you know I'm the victim here.

It’s that time of year. Time to start making a wish list. Time to begin justifying all the reasons one is deserving of a Christmas gift. If you’re bending toward naughty rather than nice on the behavior scale, you will empathize with Scalawag. Mayhem seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

Ten days before Christmas:

The pet canary is missing,
There is cat poop in the neighbor's sandbox.
The cat's head is stuck inside an empty milk pitcher.

A week before Christmas:

Scalawag climbs up the holiday tree.
The tree topples over.
All the ornaments are shattered.
The tablecloth catches on fire.
Miss Violet is temporarily knocked unconscious.

Norma Lewis has her tongue firmly in cheek as Scalawag pens letter after letter to Santa. Attempting to justify his request for a Catman and Robin video game, his missives to St Nick are a countdown to December 25. He repeatedly explains to Santa that all these mishaps are not his fault. From this cat's point of view, these arguments based on his peculiar brand of logic are valid.

Oliva Beckman's illustrations capture this conniving feline and his waggish antics. Facial expressions and the body language of Scalawag, Violet, her friend Mitzi, and the canary amplify the humor.

Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad but It Wasn't My Fault is an excellent entertainment selection after a hectic day of holiday preparations. You don't have to be a pet owner to appreciate the sly humor. But just in case... Secure the bird cage, Watch out for candle flames. Purchase a backup set of ornaments.

Got your own holiday mischief-maker? Try these handmade gift ideas.

Porcelain Ornament

Pet Collar ID Tag

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: September 1, 2018 Publisher: Peter Pauper Press ISBN: 978-1441324214

Great Spotties!

11/1/2018

Teach Your Giraffe to Ski
by Viviane Elbee ill Danni Gowdy

Snow! Slopes! Skis! Great spotties!

When a task is daunting, you sometimes need a little incentive. Take skiing. It's a sport that requires training and a measure of courage.
Meet a boy who is hesitates to try something challenging. Can he step away from his comfy chair and soothing hot chocolate?

Giraffe wants to ski and she is not waiting another minute. She's heading out to the slopes. Now. Our young protagonist realizes that without basic instruction this rash impulse portends disaster. Grabbing his skis, he heads out in the snow.

He teaches giraffe how to: put on a pair of skis, slow down "the pizza move," speed up "the french fry stance, "and turn "S shape maneuvers."

Things seem to be going well. But Wait! Our timid little skier is astounded when giraffe leaves the bunny hill and heads towards a VERY BIG slope. Shooting spotties!

Supporting his friend means that he must journey by ski lift to the mountain's summit and then push off, traveling at an incredible speed. Scary! It is going to require a massive dose of courage. There will be thrills and spills. There will be a few mishaps. But if he succeeds, it could be a fun adventure. A. Lot. Of. Fun.

Viviane Elbee explores the anxiety associated with attempting something difficult. It’s a story of overcoming one’s fears and being willing to take risks. She injects plenty of humor and whimsy, which prevents the story from becoming a heavy-handed moralistic tale.
Grab a copy of Teach Your Giraffe to Ski. Then be brave and try something new.

Giraffe Gyrations

I've always been intrigued with a giraffe's gait. Longs legs and knobby knees moving in parallel, front legs together followed by back legs. I have never pictured them as particularly limber creatures. Danni Gowdy playfully envisions giraffes entangled in a game of Twister, gracefully executing Yoga positions, and of course, traversing the snowy slopes. I’m now thinking about giraffes in a different light, Thanks Danni.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher

Pub date: November 1, 2018 Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company ISBN: 978-0807577677

Snow Day

10/18/2018

King Alice by Matthew Cordell

"Idea!" said Alice

A girl dressed in red. A family. Snow. King Alice and The Wolf in the Snow delight with charm and wit.

How does one follow up after an award-winning wordless book? Matthew Cordell ventures in a completely different direction, introducing readers to King Alice, a precocious girl who is filled with opinions, stories of her own creation, and ideas. Lots and lots of ideas. She does not want for words.

It's a snow day, which means that everyone in the household is homebound. For one regal young lady, its a day filled with possibilities: make-over for dad, tea party, writing a story, watching the TV show "Unicorn Buddies," creating a unicorn stampede.

Inevitably, Dad reaches his breaking point. The antics are too much. Alice is sent to time out. The King apologizes.
Dinner. Bath. Bedtime stories. Peace restored.

Dad and King Alice are the main attractions in this day's escapades, but a mother, infant, and cat have cameo roles.

The final page hints of further exploits for this King and her subjects. One hopes that she will make a return appearance.

Cordell's line drawings with watercolor wash capture the vibrancy of family life. Body language and facial expressions of this slightly stressed duo are counter-balanced by the calming influence of Mom. Two styles of illustrations, the narrator's line drawings and Alice's pencil and crayon renderings offer differing points of view. Page design is an essential story element. Build-up to the climactic afternoon is depicted in full page spreads: a family lunch (calm before the storm), the unicorn stampede, and the resulting time out.

Note: This book was shared at a recent multi-generational family gathering. From the youngest independent reader, to a sophisticated teen, parents, and even grandparents were captivated by King Alice. It is recommended that you share this book with a wide range of ages. It's a sure-fire can't-miss-hit, even on a day without snow.

More Matthew Cordell

Copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: September 25, 2018 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends ISBN: 978-1250047496

Think Pink

10/12/2018

Sanity and Tallulah by Molly Brooks

"don't break any ethical research tenets or laws of nature until I get back"

Molly Brooks has done it. Pink is now the signature color for action and adventure. This brilliant comic stars eighth-graders who are smart and resourceful, devious and daring and __ girls!

Sanity Jones, along with her friend Tallulah Vega live onboard space station Wilnick. Tallulah’s mother, Science and Engineering Director, discovers the girls are deep into a clandestine scientific project. Sanity has created a three-headed kitten, affectionately named Princess Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds.

"Let me make sure I'm following your thought process here. You're feeding your carnivorous bioengineering experiment experimental bioengineered meat that you cloned yourself-"

To everyone's horror, the kitten escapes and havoc reigns on Wilnick. A pet gerbil is murdered, something is chewing up major electrical system wires, and coolant leaks are wide-spread. Naturally everyone suspects the triple-headed feline.

The girls must locate Princess Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds and possibly save her life (or is it lives?) They hope to discover the cause of the station's devastation and exonerate themselves. Under cover of night, creeping through air ducts, the girls are on the case. They discover the shocking truth and realize that the entire space station could be destroyed. It is up to the kids, with a huge assist from their parents, to save Wilnick.

Brooks doesn’t even try to get too scientific or technical, peppering the girl’s dialogue with terms such as taffimatter, dual-core turbinate, and gravity grenade. Readers will be captivated by the campy wild adventure without becoming overly concerned with how these things actually work.

The dialogue is snappy and spot on, capturing the spunky young explorers, their stressed-out parents, and the inner politics of a closed-community in outer space. Panels are drawn with a sure hand, featuring plenty of action and highly expressive faces. Use of numerous viewpoints brings added dimension. Of special note, the view from inside the air duct openings, looking out on the scene below is fantastic. And the pink. Did I mention all that vivid pink?

Sanity and Tallulah is the real deal. A dynamic duo who are willing to go where no one else dares to go. They are astute and more than a little bit reckless. The girls are constantly tinkering and experimenting, much to the chagrin of their parents, who view them with equal parts pride and exasperation. I hope Ms. Brooks is taking good care of her inking hand because demand for more Sanity and Tallalah is inevitable.

Sneak Peek: More Sanity & Tallulah

Looking for more of the duo's adventures?
View some sample pages.

Head over to Comixology to order these webcomics.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: October 16, 2018 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion ISBN: 978-1368008440