Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest

 Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl, 96 colorful pages

As my kids are all adults, I am far away from the children's book world. I checked this out because of the author/illustrator Phoebe Wahl. I have been a fan of her art for a long time, but haven't actually read any of her books. This was an enjoyable read. Will the story appeal to the under 6 set? I am not sure, but I loved the drawings. The more you study them, the more you realize how intentionally inclusive and detailed they are. That is Wahl's strength. Her images capture a world that is comforting, gentle, and welcoming. We could all use a little more of that. 

Daddy-Long-Legs

 

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster (1912) 194 pages

I recently read a book* that reminded me of Daddy-Long-Legs, which I'd read as a preteen. I wanted to read it again to see just how similar the plots are. In Daddy-Long-Legs, Judy is an orphan who has lived in an orphan home her whole life. She's 17 and finished with high school. As the oldest of the orphans, she basically works for her board, helping with the younger children and with cleaning, especially prior to visits by the members of the Board of Trustees. After one of their visits, Judy is told that one trustee, upon learning that Judy has excelled in writing, wants to finance her college room and board. The only requirement is that she write to him every month to let him know how things are going. He stays anonymous ‒ to her, he is "John Smith." Not sure who he is exactly, and not liking the generic name John Smith, she refers to him as Daddy-Long-Legs.

Judy is a perky and enthusiastic young woman who often illustrates her letters with drawings that add to the charm. Her writing shows that she is sometimes impulsive but quite thoughtful, and oh-so-happy to be at college with hopes of becoming a writer, and with a budget for proper clothing so that she no longer looks like an orphan. Judy's letters continue all through college, until she finally meets Daddy-Long-Legs some months after graduation.

For a bit, I wondered if Judy was "being groomed" by the trustee or by society at large, but decided no, based on her spunky personality and her sometimes stubborn streak that seem to be a good compass for her choices, especially notable since the book was written over a hundred years ago and has Judy writing in favor of more rights for women. Fast read.

* Dear Mr. Knightley, by Katherine Reay

The Neverending Story

The Neverending Story, Michael Ende, 448 pg.

Like many people that grew up through the 80's and 90's, I have strong, positive childhood memories of seeing Jim Henson's movie adaptation of Michael Ende's The Neverending Story. I listened to Gerard Doyle's reading of this novel, and enjoyed comparing the differences between novel and movie. Doyle's work in giving unique character voices, in particular Morla the Aged One, were quite good, though the narrative portions were a bit too relaxing for extended listening if I was not up and moving about.

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague, Brandon Mull, 487 pages

Brandon Mull's third entry into the Fablehaven series is an interesting addition. It starts with dividing the two child protagonists, Kendra and Seth, to put them both on differing quests within the world. Their stories come back together about halfway through the book, to combat a plague that is destroying the Fablehaven sanctuary. Unfortunately, the story at feels a bit too predictable at times, though the pacing is well executed. While there is time travel within the book, it does not create any plot holes or paradox inducing moments, which is nice and well thought out. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, 210 pages

Edward Tulane is a china rabbit that is much loved by a little girl. But as so often happens with toys, Edward gets lost and then taken in by someone else. This book is the story of Edward's life, starting in the lap of luxury and wending its way through garbage dumps and shacks and an antique toy store. But it's also the story of Edward's emotional journey, as he learns to open his heart to others. My family listened to this audiobook on the recommendation of my 9-year-old son. I think he picked a good one. Highly recommended.

Stuart Little

Stuart Little by E.B. White, 131 pages

In this kid lit classic, mouselike Stuart Little is born to a regular human family, and tries to make his way in a world that is much, much too large for him. I recently listened to this audiobook on a family trip, and was struck by how episodic it is, as well as how abruptly it ends. I remember really enjoying this as a kid, though today I couldn't even hazard as guess as to why.

Ozma of Oz

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum, 246 pages

This is the third book in the Wizard of Oz series, and is the one upon which the oh-so-creepy Return to Oz movie was based. Simple Kansas girl Dorothy Gale is traveling to Australia when she becomes shipwrecked in the Land of Ev, home to the spooky Wheelers, copper man Tik Tok, and the vain princess with a closet full of heads (so she can pick one each day like Cher picks outfits in Clueless). Anywho, Dorothy and her friends from Oz (who happen to swing by for some reason) embark upon a quest to the Nome King to rescue the royal family of Ev, who are being held captive in his underground lair.

As much as I enjoyed The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the subsequent books have really loopy plots that make them tough to follow (at least to my adult brain; my six-year-old son had no problems whatsoever). But the characters are pretty cool, particularly the Hungry Tiger, who sets himself on a vegan diet to keep from eating babies. (Yes, really.) But my biggest issue with this book? The title. Yes, Ozma does appear, but she's more of a supporting character. I'd much rather name it after Dorothy's talking chicken, Billina. But then, I'm not Baum, and I don't have a time machine to go back and convince him of my plan.

The Phantom Tollbooth

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, illustrations by Jules Feiffer, 256 pages

Milo is bored boy, who often doesn't know what to do. A middling student, he runs everyday from school to home and then sits around, staring at his toys and doing nothing. Until one day, when a mysterious package appears in his room. Inside is a set of instructions on how to build the tollbooth and a map to the Lands Beyond. After putting the tollbooth together, he hops into his electric toy car, puts a coin in the toll box, and suddenly finds himself on the road to Expectations. Picking up Tock the Watchdog along the way, he winds up in Dictionopolis, where he learns that nothing in the land of Wisdom has been the same since the princesses Rhyme and Reason were banished by their brothers, King Azaz the Unabridged and the Mathemagician, over their decision that letters and numbers were equally important. Milo agrees to bring the princesses back, so with Tock and the Humbug in tow, they set off across Wisdom in search of the princesses, meeting interesting characters and having great adventures.

This book is a classic, and I can see why. Chock full of inventive word play and fun characters, Milo's quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason twists and turns delightfully through the different cities and areas of Wisdom. While I appreciated all of the puns, I suspect that a lot of them can go over children's heads. But for those that get them, this is a book that's sure to please. In a lot of ways, it reminds of The Little Prince, but not as serious. It would a good book to read with a special child in your life.

Andrew Zimmern's Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild, & Wonderful Foods

Andrew Zimmern's Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild, & Wonderful Foods: An Intrepid Eater's Digest by Andrew Zimmern   197 pp.

This book is full of weird food, hilarious commentary, sidebars of interesting and often funny information, and lots of photos. It's intended for kids but adults, especially fans of Zimmern's show Bizarre Foods, will enjoy it. The intention was to show children that foods are a cultural thing and what we consider strange are everyday items for others. However, it didn't make me the slightest bit inclined to eat some of the featured items. Some of the ones I have tried, like haggis and alligator, while not awful, didn't impress me. The book did impress me and is lots of fun.

B is for Beer

B is for Beer/Tom Robbins 125 pg.

The note on the cover says, "A children's book for grown-ups/A grown-up book for children". There is a bit of a story here about a little girl named Grace who is curious about beer but mostly beer is the star of this book. I heard the author on NPR talking about this book and figured it was a must read. Cute book.

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead197 pages.

This year's Newbery winner is a keeper. In sixth grade, Miranda's comfortable life in New York City changes. Her best friend, Sal sudenly stops speaking to her. She reaches out to make new friends and to solve a puzzle. She finds scraps of notes that suggests the writer knows her future. The notes seem threatening, but warn her not to show them to anybody. Miranda's favorite book in the world is Madeleine L'engle's Newbery winning A Wrinkle in Time....hmm. This novel shares some of the time warp theories mentioned in A Wrinkle in Time. It also can stand proudly by other vintage award winners that have a mystery/puzzle theme: The Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by Konigsberg and The Westing Game by Raskin.