The Hidden Star by K. Sello Duiker

The Hidden Star by K. Sello Duiker is about a girl, Nolitye, who lives in a shack with her mother in a township on the edge of Johannesburg. Nolitye and her friends must deal with bullies called the Spoilers, who are making their lives miserable. Nolitye's favorite hobby is collecting stones. One day she finds a stone that has the power to make people happy. With this stone she discovers a world of age-old magic and the power of the spirit world. Nolitye, armed with the stone, and her friends decide it is time to stand up to the Spoilers. This empowers the girls and they start to question things that are happening around them; Where are the children that seem to disappear daily? How does the bucket fill up with fat cakes? Does The Evil One really exist? Searching for the truth leads the girls through strange and scary confrontations that help them develop their own personal convictions.

I enjoyed reading this book. Sometimes I felt lost not knowing customs and beliefs, but the story and Google helped me with those stumbling blocks. I enjoyed learning about the customs and traditions of African folklore and fables.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is the story of Max. Max dresses up in his wolf costume and runs around the house causing havoc. His mother gets angry and calls him a "Wild Thing" and sends him to his room with no supper. Through Max's imagination his room becomes an ocean where he sails his boat to a far off land where wild things live. Even though they seem fierce they accept Max and make him their king because he is the wildest thing of all.

The movie stinks! I hated it! Max was nothing but a BRAT that needed some strong discipline.

They should have made it a short not a full length movie and kept it true to the book. The only thing I liked about the movie was the scenery, which was gorgeous, and the "Wild Things" puppets, they were pretty cool. I felt so down when I left the theater. The movie is a total downer! Max was horrible and then got a huge piece of chocolate cake, what is with that?

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis is the story of four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy who discover the world of Narnia through a game of hide-n-seek. Lucy is the first to visit Narnia, a world of fauns, witches, and magic, when she hides in the wardrobe. Lucy meets a faun, Mr. Tumnus, whom she soon discovers is working for the White Witch. None of the other children believe her when she tries to tell them about the magical land. Edmond finds his way to Narnia as well, and meets the White Witch. She gives him Turkish Delight and tells him to bring back his brother and sisters. She tells him if he does she will give him more of the enchanted candy and make him king of Narnia. Edmond first lies about being in Narnia, but is found out after all the children enter together. Once in Narnia they go to Mr. Tumnus cave to find it ransacked and him being held captive by the White Witch because he did not arrest Lucy. The children decide to try and help the faun because he had been kind to Lucy and not turned her over to the Witch. They meet a family of beavers that are too, against the Witch, and wind up fighting on the side of the forces of Aslan, a lion, the true King of Narnia.

The movie stays pretty true to the book. There were little things. Like who gave Aslan the potion, and if

Aslan is alive or still dead when the war begins, the magic was interpr

eted different in the movie then the book, a dwarf shaved Aslan instead of the Queen, Edmond sat in the Queens chair, Mrs. Beaver not sewing, how they escaped with the beavers...nothing that affects the content of the story, just things I noticed.

Both the movie and the book are excellent. The characters in the movie were just as they were described in the book. They were amazing. I found it hard to believe that they were computer generated, they were so realistic. Aslan was awesome!!

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting the book is about a girl, Winnie Foster , who wants more freedom from her parents. She is drawn into the woods by her house when she hears Mae Tuck's music box. She meets Jesse Tuck who is drinking from the spring. Jesse will not allow Winnie to drink from the spring because this is the secret to their everlasting lives. Jesse kidnaps Winnie and takes her to meet the other Tucks. They explain to Winnie about the powers of the spring and keep her until they can make her understand how this could be dangerous if people found out about the spring. There is someone who does know about the spring though, the man in the jaunty yellow suit. He wants the woods and to reveal the Tuck's secret.

Winnie grows to love the Tucks and wants to stay with them, but the man in the yellow suit shows up and tries to take Winnie and threatens the Tucks with exposure. Mae hits him in the head with the stock of a shotgun and goes to jail. Winnie helps Mae escape jail where she is about to be hanged for killing the man in the yellow suit. The Tucks leave town, but Jesse promises to return for Winnie and tells her to drink from the stream. Winnie decides not to drink from the spring and goes on to live a full, rich life.

The movie version is true to the book. The biggest difference I believe is the development of the relationship between Winnie and Jesse. In the book you begin to get the hint of an

innocent, sweet, puppy love. In the movie it is more charged. You have their eye contact, their body language, and the swimming scene isn't how I pictured in my head. I guess that comes from reading as opposed to seeing. I also did not feel that the man in the jaunty yellow suit was as menacing looking in the movie as the picture in my head. I hated the man in the book. But, it was Ghandhi (Ben Kingsley)in the movie, and I found it difficult to hate him even though he played a great bad guy. Sissy Spacek plays Mae Tuck and I thought she should have looked more like Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith Show then the Coal Miner's daughter. I thought Winnie should have been more innocent looking, as well. All knit picky things, I know. These are not really things that take away from the story of the movie, they just weren't how I envisioned them!

The book is great! The movie is really good! I never like the movies as well as the books no matter how much the movie is like the book!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas book tells about the people of Whoville celebrating Christmas year after year with presents, a big feast, and caroling. But the Grinch doesn't like Christmas and makes a plan to ruin Christmas for everyone by stealing all the presents. This does not stop Whoville from celebrating the Birth of Jesus! When he realizes that that doesn't stop the people of Whoville from celebrating Christmas, his heart begins to grow with the love he feels and he returns all the presents to the people.

The movie version shows why he is a Grinch, which is something that the book does not tell and it also shows the treatment to him that has made his heart so small. In the movie there is

character development that is not in the book. The Grinch interacts with the people of Whoville especially Cindy Lu Who. The Grinch is seen as a regular citizen in the movie to hide what diabolical plan he is constructing.

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash offers the same tension that is found in Dr. Seuss The Cat in the Hat. The story begins with a mother asking her daughter how her trip was to the farm. The girl says it was kind of dull until the cow started crying which leads the mother to another question and the daughter tells that the haystack fell on the cow...it continues with questions and answers that lay out what was suppose to be a nice, normal visit to a farm by a classroom. But turns into total chaos when Jimmy begins to introduce his boa to the farm animals and the chickens didn't like it.

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash is written by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Steven Kellogg. The illustrations show the total anarchy that happens when Jimmy's boa is introduced to the animals. The story shows no punishment for Jimmy for causing the domino effect of so many bad things happening at the farm. He even comes home with a new pet, a pig!

The Lorax

The Lorax is a cautionary tale of greed and environmental destruction. That is how it is described in one internet blurb. I feel this is the perfect description of the book! Greed causes the Once-ler to destroy the homes and environments of other living things. The book is didactic because it is teaching the lesson of what greed can do to our world and environment. The book has caused controversy for its anti forestry industry stance. Many libraries, where forestry industry is prominent in their communities, has banned it from their shelves.

Didactic children's books are still being written today. They may not hit industry like The Lorax, but they are still teaching lessons. Many older didactic books are being republished; The Story of Ferdinand which was first published in the 1930 has been republished with the original text and illustrations. Parents remember these stories and want them for their children to read. The books published today are not as moralistic as Dr. Seuss. They are kinder and more subtle in their teachings and they are not usually controversial like Dr. Seuss. Many of today's books muddy right and wrong or water it down.

I believe children's books will always be some what didactic. Books give us the perfect openings for children to question and those questions will lead to life's lessons.

Caldecott Award and Newbery Medal

The Caldecott Award was named in honor of the nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. The award is given annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The Newbery Medal is a yearly award that honors an outstanding contribution to American children's literature. The medal is named after the 1700's English bookseller, John Newbery. The first Newbery Award was given in 1922 to author Hendrik Willem Von Loon, for the book The Story of Mankind.

The Caldecott Award and the Newbery Medal are considered to be two of the highest, if not highest awards for children's literature. The Newbery has been given out for more years than the Caldecott. The Newbery began in 1922 and the Caldecott's first winner wasn't until 1938 when it was awarded to illustrator Dorothy P. Lathrop for Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book.

Is one award better than the other, no not really. If you are a five year old in kindergarten the Caldecott means more to you because you love the illustrations you get to look at while the book is being read to you.

If you are eight, nine, ten...the Newbery is more important because you enjoy reading amazing stories with fully developed characters.

The Caldecott is given for illustrations and the Newbery for fiction chapter books.

International Children's Book Awards

Carnegie Medal

The Carnegie Medal in Literature was established in the UK in 1936. The Medal is in honor of the Scottish philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. This award is given to an outstanding book for children and young adult readers. Nominated books must be written in English and be published the year before the nomination in the UK. It is voted on by librarians and feed back from school students.

Dromkeen Medal

The Dromkeen Medal is a literary prize awarded annually by the Courtney Oldmeadow Children's Literature Foundation for those who have advanced children's literature in Australia.

The KOALA Awards

The KOALA Awards (Kids Own Australian Literature Awards, Inc) are annual awards made by young readers to the Australian books that they have most enjoyed reading or having read to them during the year. Children in Australia are able to nominate their favorite Australian book. Children then vote for their favorite title from the shortened list of 30 titles. There are four categories: Picture Book, Younger Readers, Older Readers, and the Years 7-9 category. KOALA is a nonprofit organization that is ran by teacher/librarian, public librarians, teachers, publishers, and other supporters of children's literature volunteers.

International Digital Children's Library

I found this web site, http://en.childrenslibrary.org/, that offers books from other countries that can be read digitally. Some of the books are offered in different languages and others are offered only in one language.

I read Otto the Spider in English and it was also offered in Croatian. Otto is a very neat spider that lives in a really messy place. He loves his web and hates when the wind blows through the window and loosens all his threads. One day Otto finds a chest and discovers all these different threads and sewing items. He gets caught in some multi colored threads and thinks he is going to die, then the wind that Otto disliked before now saves his life. Otto uses the threads that he finds and weaves a stronger more colorful web.

Down the Back of the Chair

New Zealand's children's author Magarret Mahy has been compared to the award winning poet Shel Silverstein. The poem begins with the narrator's father loosing the car keys and by doing so this causes the family to get even more poorer because dad can't go to work without the keys. But then little Mary tells her Dad that when she loses something she searches down the back of the chair. Each time they go down the back of the chair they find a wild assortment of objects that resolve their financial problems.

Illustrations by Polly Dunbar are water color and cut paper that add a breeziness that suits the rhythmic flow of the poem.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, is the story a girl who goes to live with a foster family just outside of Munich during World War II. Her brother has died and she is trying to cope with losing him. The story is told through the eyes of death and chronicles, not a concentration camp survivor, but a german citizen trying to survive in a cold unforgiving world. The girl, Liesel Meminger, the book thief, begins to steal books as a way to get back at the world for her mother leaving and her brother dying. When bombing raids threatens her home, she shares her stolen books with her neighbors and the Jewish man that is hiding in her basement.

I feel this book should be in every media center because of the point of view in which the story is told. Not just because it is Death telling the girl's story, but because it is her story and how the war and death effect those that were trying to survive outside of the camps. A different perspective about something that affected so many then and now.

Street Rhymes Around the World

Street Rhymes Around the World, edited by Jane Yolen, is a collection of counting game, circle game, and jump rope rhymes from seventeen different countries that include the United States, Greece, Brazil, China, Zambia, and India. Each rhyme is written in the language of the country as well as english. The rhymes have native illustrations to help enhance the rhymes.

I believe this would be a a great addition to any library collection because I think children are interested in how children from other countries play. They like to connect to children from other ethnic backgrounds. So much of childhood are the songs and games that children play. I know when we have had children from other countries attend out school while their parents attend CU I have watched our students learn the games and songs from the visiting school. I also see the students from other countries mimicking US games.

Al Capone Dose My Shirts 2005 Newbery Honor

Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko, is about a family who moves to Alcatraz Prison in the 1930's where Moose's father has a new job as an electrician and prison guard. All Moose wants to do is stay after school to play baseball and feel normal again. But, that isn't possible now that mom has gotten a job in San Francisco and Moose has to "babysit" his older autistic sister, Natalie. But, Moose comes up with a plan that might help Natalie get into the Esther P. Marinoff School with the help of Al Capone.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Moose and the other characters are well developed. Moose's mother, for example, tries so hard to convince herself that Natalie can be helped at the Esther P. Marinoff School they are trying to get her into, your heart aches for her, but you also want to scream at her wake up to the reality of Natalie's autism and move on to what is best for the family.

What I didn't like about the book was I wanted more details sometimes. The incident with Natalie and the inmate was too vague. I did not get a satisfying conclusion to what happened between her and the mysterious man.

The Underneath 2009 Newbery Honor

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt is a heart wrenching/heart warming story about a hound, a calico cat, and her two kittens. The hound offers shelter to the family in the Underneath. He knows they will be safe as long as they stay in the Underneath. But, the kittens are curious and this small act of curiosity starts a chain of events that takes the reader on an astonishing, emotional roller coaster-love and loss and betrayal and redemption.

I loved the writing, it is lyrical. I found myself rereading paragraphs just to absorb the language.

What I did not like about the book was the brutality. When Gar Face takes the calico cat and her kitten, my heart pounded with fear and anger! How he treats the animals is pure evil. I hated him and that was what made the writing so genuine and clear. Her words caused me to feel so many different emotions for the characters, the setting, the story.