Pick 6: Classical influences

Those who know me know that I'm a sucker for retellings of any sort. I was the kid who read and reread The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales ad nauseam. "Fractured Fairy Tales" has always been one of my favorite parts of "Rocky and Bullwinkle." And The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite ongoing series. So I was pretty stoked when I realized I had enough books in my list of classically influenced novels to share here. So, here are six books published in the last six months that are either direct retellings or in some way directly influenced by classical literature.

6 New Classically Influenced novels
1. The Other Way Around by Sashi Kaufman   (inspired by Into the Wild)

2. Hope is a Ferris Wheel by Robin Herrera   (inspired by and frequently references the poetry of Emily Dickenson)

3. Second Star by Alyssa Sheinmel   (a dark retelling of Peter Pan)

4. I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampa   (a call to read all classic lit and directly references To Kill a Mockingbird)

5. Conversion by Katherine Howe   (references The Crucible)

6. Fleabrain Loves Franny by Joanne Rocklin   (inspired by Charlotte's Web)

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth
Jarrett is used to his life being disrupted by the foster babies his mom takes in. This time is different, though. This time his mom has taken in a baby and her older brother. Kevon is older than Jarrett and is sharing his room. People expect them to be friends. Jarrett doesn't think they can even get along. Everything about Kevon rubs him the wrong way.
A little way into this, and I'm entranced by the writing style. It's so conversational. Jarrett is a very distinct voice. If the book continues as it has begun it is likely to be my favorite this week.

What did you recently finish reading?
The Return of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
When Zita set out to rescue her friend Mouse (at the end of The Legend of Zita the Spacegirl) she was immediately captured by the Doom Squad. This volume finds her imprisoned on Dungeon World, an inescapable fortress, and set to work mining the planet's core. True to nature, this seemingly hopeless situations isn't enough to stop Zita or her friends.
With the first volume, I was an instant Zita fan and this book just reinforces my fan-hood. I will say that this story is perhaps a little more serious than the first two, a little more exploratory into inner natures and the like. Still, a fantastic adventure with plenty of action and lots to explore in each panel. A must read for all young graphic novel fans.

What do you think you will read next?
Greenglass House by Kate Milford
The story of a twelve year old boy living in a suddenly quite busy smuggler's inn, discovering clues and unraveling a mystery. I can't help but imagine the beginning of Treasure Island and the Admiral Benbow Inn when I read the description of this book.

or 

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
Jazz gets involved in the investigation of a murder after suspicion falls on him, a result of his serial killer father. I just got the ARC of Blood of My Blood, so I'll be reading this one and the sequel Game in the very near future in preparation.

Book review - Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor

Title: Frank Einsteing and the Antimatter Motor
Author: Jon Scieszka
Genre: Sci-fi/humor
Similar books: Tesla's Attic by Neal Shusterman
                     Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Rating:

Funny, sneakily educational

Summary: Frank is a kid genius and inventor who loves tinkering with gadgets in his grandfather's fix-it shop. When an electrical storm animates a robot he designed, Frank knows he has a chance to win the town science prize and pay his grandfather's bills. Trouble comes in the form of his rival, Edison, who is determined to win the prize himself. He has much bigger plans, plans that could affect the whole world.
My opinion: Take basic science concepts, add in a rivalry, loyalty, and Scieszka's signature humor. This book combines all those elements with spectacular results. Frank and his best friend Watson are a truly likeable pair. The real gems, though, are the robots Klink and Klank. Klink is your classic comedy straight man with a heavy dose of robot logic. Klank is a loveable, not too bright, goofball reminiscent of the Abominable Snowman from Bugs Bunny cartoons. It's an entertaining story with a message about responsible science and loyalty as well as a plethora of scientific facts. A great book for the young scientist.
More information: Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor releases August 19.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley. 

A crafty trio

I had intended to make some big, grand craft project Saturday. Then we had absolutely gorgeous weather all day and I spent 20 minutes watching a seal in the river (and perhaps an hour waiting for the seal to show again so I could try to get a picture). So instead I have three smaller craft projects.

1. Duct tape sling with hidden wallet (original design found in Stick It! by T.L. Bonaddio)

If you look closely, you can see the duct tape says "I heart bacon". Ironically, I don't actually eat bacon though I do find it funny to put on a wallet.

This sling should come in handy when I'm out walking with my camera and don't want to mess with a purse or a bulky wallet stuffed into my pocket. Also, I think I can clip my water bottle onto the buckle.

2. Monster plushie

The first of what is likely to be several designs

This little monster is the prototype for a giveaway at my upcoming Monster Tea Party storytime (more details on this in a couple of weeks). He's made of t-shirt scraps with fabric paint features.

3. Zita peg doll

You can't see it in this picture but she has her green cape on her back

As I mentioned on Wednesday, I've been spending part of my weekend rereading the Zita the Spacegirl books and I was inspired to make this little peg doll. She now holds a place of honor on my desk.

Right there in front of Captain Hammer, between Dr. Horrible and Gerkin the gentleman-gnome

Zippety and Mr. Harley

The only program I helped with this week (apart from storytime) was our Wednesday night performer, Mr. Harley. The highlight for me was definitely at the beginning. We brought out Zippety wearing his blue shirt for a photo with Mr. Harley. Mr. Harley was not only willing to pose for a photo, he suggested several other poses we could try.

Book review - Fleabrain Loves Franny

Title: Fleabrain Loves Franny
Author: Joanne Rocklin
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Similar books: The Miniature World of Marvin & James by Elise Broach
                     The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone
Rating:

Cozy, like chatting with a friend, while also expanding your mind

Summary: Franny is recovery from polio and is incredibly lonely. All of her friends are avoiding her for fear of catching the dreaded disease. When she becomes enthralled by the recently published Charlotte's Web, Franny starts looking for a Charlotte of her own. She finds her inspiration in Fleabrain, a super-strong flea that lives on her dog's tail. Together they explore the wonders of the world and of the people around us.
My Opinion: What a lovely book. Rocklin captures Franny's loneliness as well as the magic of new friendship, magic that blinds us to flaws. As Franny discovers the wonders of the world around her, avoiding the difficulty of her new reality, we the readers are also pulled into reexamining our own realities. The author's note at the end was fascinating and taught me far more about polio than school ever did and the discussion questions were fantastic. I could imagine discussing such concepts even with a group of adults. I also really appreciated the lesson Fleabrain learned about books.
More information: Fleabrain Loves Franny releases August 12.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Picture books for everyone

This new feature comes from a conversation I had the other day with my sister. While her kids are now high school and junior high aged we were discussing picture books that they might still enjoy.  Apart from the simple fun factor, some of these books are visually beautiful, ask kids to interpret a great deal visually, or even address some intellectually high concepts. So, I thought I would occasionally share one of these books here. 

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

Really, most of Mo Willems's books will appeal to kids of all ages with their quirky humor. I've decided to highlight this particular book because every time I've read this to my preschool storytime, it's gotten more laughs from the parents than the kids. Between the visual elements and the subtle jokes it should go over well with older kids exploring it on their own or families reading it together who might point out these elements to younger kids. My personal favorite parts are anything to do with the dinosaur who happens to visiting from Norway.

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
Fleabrain Loves Franny by Joanne Rocklin
Franny is recovery from polio and is incredibly lonely. All of her friends are avoiding her for fear of catching the dreaded disease. When she becomes enthralled by the recently published Charlotte's Web, Franny starts looking for a Charlotte of her own. She finds her inspiration in Fleabrain, a super-strong flea that lives on her dog's tail. Together they explore the wonders of the world and of the people around us.
I have a few chapters left in this one and I can honestly say it may well be one of my favorite books this year. Franny and Fleabrain are very strong characters and Rocklin's writing style is engrossing.

also

Manga Classics: Les Miserables originally by Victor Hugo adapted by Crystal Chen, Stacy King, and TszMei Lee
Personally, I haven't read the original so I can't speak to how faithful this representation is, but I have seen the most recent movie. At the halfway point it seems to be holding fairly true to the movie version, just adding in some side plots and connections that were absent in the movie.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Frank Einstein and the Anti-Matter Motor by Jon Scieszka
Frank is a kid genius and inventor who loves tinkering with gadgets in his grandfather's fix-it shop. When an electrical storm animates a robot he designed, Frank knows he has a chance to win the town science prize and pay his grandfather's bills. Trouble comes in the form of his rival, Edison, who is determined to win the prize himself. He has much bigger plans, plans that could affect the whole world.
With a great cast of characters (the two robots, Klink and Klank, are especially awesome) and a solid plot this book is already pretty cool. Add in nicely integrated science facts (of which there are dozens) and even an introduction to sign language and this book pretty much sells itself to both kids and parents.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Zita the Spacegirl Legends of Zita the Spacegirl and The Return of Zita the Spacegirl
The first two are a reread for me but we just got book 3 in yesterday and I've been looking forward to reading it for months. I'm celebrating by reading all three in a row. 
 

Pictures that make me look like a hoarder. And maybe a little kid

Confession time: I'm working at reorganizing my blog a little bit. I was meant to post a book review today but I haven't quite gotten my act together yet. So, as a consolation prize, I'm posting some pictures of my book shelves. 

This is the shelf in its entirety

Yes, my top shelf mostly has toys. In my defense, the bear was my all-time favorite when I was little. He went with me to college. I certainly couldn't leave him behind when I moved. He's somewhat fragile which is why he now lives up high and holds that Goa'uld Death Glider.

Mostly fiction

Fiction, a little nonfiction, and Garfield books. Plus two signed books!

Graphic novels. That's it. Just Graphic novels.

More nonfiction and reference materials. Also comics and Tintin books

This secondary shelf (aka two fruit crates) holds my craft books and drawing books.

Books that I'll be using in the next few weeks live on the floor near my bed. (No night stand)

And this is the book shelf I use the most. You can tell by the beat-up cover.

That's right, my Kindle.

All told, this doesn't seem like that many books. That's because I got rid of books stacked up in crazy piles on my floor, on tops of shelves, etc. All of those extra books are now kept in plastic totes and a fabric shopping bag in my porch and two boxes in my attic.

Custom shirts

This week, randomly, the crafts I have to share with you are both shirts. The first is one I modified for myself. As part of our summer reading program we're having some special dress-up days. Last week we had "sports/college" day. After we selected it for one of our events I realized that I personally don't have any shirts from college in good enough condition to wear to work. Being kind of a nerd I certainly don't have any regular sports shirts. So I found a shirt to customize. This particular shirt had been long sleeved so I cut it off at the elbows and added a somewhat sports themed illustration with permanent marker.

The only sport I would ever consider playing.

The other shirt is for Zippety. Our Wednesday performer this week is Mr. Harley who is known for his special blue shirt. So of course Zippety needed his own version of it.

Dogs, Cats, and assorted poultry

This week's Wednesday performer was Martin Molecule from Mad Science of Maine. Martin put on an awesome show with explosions, reactions, observations, and potato slaughter.

Our other major program this week was the annual pet show. Our judges are kids and most of the participants are kids. While we do name a best in show, everyone wins some kind of prize. It keeps the whole thing relaxed and ensures that everyone has fun. 

Book review - The Girl from the Well

Title: The Girl from the Well
Author: Rin Chupeco
Genre: Horror
Similar books: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford
                     White Space by Ilsa Bick
Rating: 

Surprisingly beautiful, somewhat eerie

Summary: Okiku has been a ghost, a vengeful spirit, for so long that she barely remembers what she once was. She exists only to get vengeance for other victims and prevent them from becoming like her. It is simple. Simple until she meets Tark, the tattooed boy with an evil presence clinging to him. For some reason, Okiku can't seem to leave Tark behind. For some reason, she finds that she wants to save him.
My Opinion: There is so much to talk about with this book. Firstly, it's a bold move to make the vengeful ghost your narrator, especially since Okiku is largely detached emotionally at the beginning. this, of course, makes it a little slow to start but that resolves as Okiku gets caught up in Tark's situation. Plot-wise this has a lot of standard horror movie elements but with very good reason. As the book tells us, many of those elements originated with the Okiku ghost story. What really makes this book stand out is the atmosphere. There is an elegant beauty to Chupeco's storytelling. Even when Okiku becomes overwhelmed by her rage and starts repeating words like hate and consume it has a sort of poetry in the repetition. Personally, I wasn't frightened through most of the book but I was engrossed and could easily picture the various scenes. They are well described without becoming weighted down with physical description, leaving just enough for the reader to imagine himself. 
More information: The Girl from the Well releases August 5th.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Books on Screen

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

This is a book not a lot of people are familiar with (though admittedly the audience is perhaps somewhat limited) and the movie is even less  well known. Starring Asa Butterfield (star of Hugo and Ender's Game, two slightly more well-known movies based on books) this is a truly haunting movie. It's the sort of story you can't say much about without unintentional spoilers (and I maintain that the movie cover is a major spoiler in and of itself) so I won't say much about the plot. I will say that the movie really captures the atmosphere of the book, perhaps even better than the book actually. The movie lacks some of the subtle almost-humor and Bruno's innocent yet self-centered attitudes of the early chapters of the book but does a better job of indicating it's target audience (Bruno may be 9 but I wouldn't be inclined to give the book or movie to a child that young).

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco
Okiku has been a ghost, a vengeful spirit, for so long that she barely remembers what she once was. She exists only to get vengeance for other victims and prevent them from becoming like her. It is simple. Simple until she meets Tark, the tattooed boy with an evil presence clinging to him.
Only a few chapters in and what strikes me already is that the language is simply beautiful. Even when the description is of a half rotten ghost/corpse it is so vivid, so visceral, that I was more enthralled than creeped out. If the rest of the book is anything like the first few chapters it might well be my favorite of the week.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Jim Henson's Enchanted Sisters: Autumn's Secret Gift by Elise Allen
Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer are each responsible for a section of Mother Nature's realm. They come together for a special ceremony each quarter to change the seasons. In between they explore their magical gifts and avoid the troublesome Weed boys. When Mother Nature asks Autumn to take care of a secret gift she is honored. Until she and the others lose the gift. They must track it down before the Weed boys.
This is very different from what I normally read but I recently resolved to read more outside of my genre comfort zones so I gave this one a try. This is not to say I enjoyed it. I'm not big on fairies. I will say that this one had some decent messages about honesty and valuing each person's strengths.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Kate the Great, Except When She's Not by Suzy Becker
An illustrated novel about a girl navigating fifth grade, friends, and family.
 

What is Zippety wearing?

We frequently dress Zippety, our mascot, in costumes as a way of advertising upcoming program. In preparation for this weekend's annual pet show, Zippety is sporting his favorite cat costume.

What a crazy random happenstance

So, the craft project I'm sharing with you this week requires a little bit of explanation.  If you're anything like me you have a favorite movie to watch when you're sick or really tired or whatever. That movie that you've seen a hundred times so you know pretty much all of the dialogue but can still make you laugh or cry or -insert appropriate emotional response here-. For me that movie is "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog". If you've yet to experience the awesomeness that is Dr. Horrible, you can watch it here. As I was watching it last week again I couldn't help but think of an action figure that was waiting in a box to go to Goodwill.

This guy

Iceman was pretty beat up when I bought him in a bag of action figures (a bag I purchased for the Batman figure it held) and I had already scavenged his water pack for another project but it seemed a shame to just throw him away. As Penny sang about hope it struck me: Iceman really wanted to be a Dr. Horrible character. When I examined him more closely, I realized that his smirk and body type made him the perfect Captain Hammer. A few coats of acrylic paint later and here he is.

I'm fairly pleased with the end result

Of course, Captain Hammer is nothing without Dr. Horrible, so I found another old action figure and got to work.

Slightly less awesome

Welcome to the Story Laboratory

I'm trying out a new feature. From now on, join me on Saturdays for a look at the programs I ran or assisted with throughout the week.

We're in the middle of summer reading, so that means extra programs. Our mid-week presenter was Scot Cannon, mime and musician.

Yesterday we introduced the Story Laboratory. This was a chance for kids to come in and create their own books using pictures out of magazines and a handful of craft supplies. Here are a few pages from the books that were created.

Yes, this chicken is wearing boots.