Browning, L. (2006). Babysitting Rules: A Guide for When You're in Charge (p. 32). Capstone Press.
ISBN: 0736864644
Price : $25.26library edition
Reader's Annotation: Tips and guidelines for babysitting -- read this book and you'll be sure to get asked back again.
Summary: A basic guide for babysitters, this book is packed with tips and ideas. Browning worked with certified babysitting training instructor Beth Lapp in putting this book together. Topics include following the rules, staying safe, being respectful (how to behave in someone else's home) and speaking up when you're being treated unfairly. There is an appendix with more babysitters resources listed.
Genre: book, nonfiction, babysitting
Series : This book is not part of a series.
Evaluation: A short book good for young tweens just getting started in the babysitting business.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Tweens and babysitting go together like peanut butter and jelly. This is the sort of book a parent or kid will probably never buy in a store, but it's a great find in a library, and will probably circulate well.
Readalikes :
The Babysitter's Handbook by Caroline Greene
Everything You Need to Know about Being a Babysitter by Aileen Weintraub
Babysitting Rules is a book about rules and advice to keep when you are babysitting. It talked about staying safe, keeping your eyes open and following the rules and many more. There is some information in the book that I never knew about, like checking on sleeping babies and young children every 20-30 minutes to see if they are crying or breathing. This book was very easy to understand and read. My favorite part in this book would be the part about staying safe and don’t answer the door even if it’s the child’s relatives. I would recommend other titles like Babysitting Activities and Babysitting Safety because safety comes first when babysitting.
Miyazaki, H. (2005). Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. DVD, Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
ASIN:B0001XAPZ6 $29.99
Viewer's Annotation: Princess Nausicaa must protect her people from both the toxic poisons of the jungle covering the earth and her many warring neighbors.
Summary: Nausicaa's people live peacefully in a valley safe from the toxic jungle and the insects that live there. They are a self-sufficient peaceful people who do no harm to the jungle or the insects. When a ship carrying prisoners, toxic spores and an ancient weapon crash lands at the end of her valley, Nausicaa has to leave her people to search for answers. She learns that the forest they all dread is actually healing the planet that was polluted by humans. But she must convince her people to leave the forest and insects in peace, and stop a war between her neighbors if any of them are to survive.
Genre: movie, family, fairy tale, love story
Series : This movie is not part of a series, though there is a series of graphic novels about the same characters.
Evaluation: This is a fantastic movie with complex characters, a moving message, and spectacular artwork.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This is another film for fans of Hayao Miyazaki particularly and anime films generally. The content is suitable for most families, though there is some violence so parents of very young tweens might have concerns. Tweens, girls particularly, will identify and appreciate Nausicaa as an able and fearless heroine.
Reviews: from allwatchers.com The adventurous princess Nausicaa, who spends a large amount of her time exploring the Toxic Jungle, is the heiress to Jhil, ruler of the kingdom of the Valley of the Wind. One day that an aircraft from the city of Pejite crashes in the Valley of the Wind, leaving among its ruins a large stone. Shortly after, King Jhil is murdered by the invading Tolmekain army, which is led by Kushana, who intends to resurrect the monster contained within the stone for the purpose of burning down the Toxic Jungle which has been encroaching upon human land. Nausicaa believes that the jungle exists for the purpose of cleansing the earth of its ancient pollutants, an thus attempts to convince Kushana to both leave the Valley of the Wind and spare the Toxic Jungle.
--Adam , Resident Scholar
Nausicaä, the princess of a small nordic type nation in the Valley of the Wind, lives in a world devastated by the "Seven Days of Fire". Huge ecosystems have evolved to rid the world of pollutants, but the flora and fauna in them are extremely toxic to humans. Humans perceive these ecosystems as dangerous and a plague (they expand rapidly, and humans are unaware of their function as poison filters). Groups of humans flee the expanding ecosystems and end up in the Valley of the Wind. They try to take over the land from the previous occupants. Nausicaä comes to realize the real function of the ecosystems and tries to save them from being destroyed by other humans.
The most lyrical and beautiful of Hayao Miyazaki's films, was adapted from his manga. It is undeniably his best film. Deals in an early manner with some of the issues that would show up later in "Princess Mononoke". 1984 / 116 minutes. (Avoid at all costs something called "Warriors of the Wind" it is an edited version of this excellent film). Highly Recommended.
Coolidge, M. (2004). The Prince and Me. DVD, Paramount.
ASIN:B00029NLGO $9.98 widescreen dvd edition
Viewer's Annotation: Paige Morgan, farm girl from Wisconsin who wants to be a doctor, unknowingly falls for the Prince of Denmark.
Summary: A Cinderella remake, of sorts, this story features Paige Morgan, a junior in college, who has her life and career planned down to the last detail. She wants to be a doctor and see the world traveling with Doctors without Borders. Edvard, the Prince of Denmark, is not ready or capable of settling down to take up his kingly duties. After seeing a commercial for "Girls Gone Wild: America's Heartland" he decides to enroll at a college in Wisconsin. He falls for Paige, and learns a bit more about being a grown up. She falls for him, and learns to accept a little bit of the unexpected in her life. Then she finds out that he's the Prince of Denmark.
Genre: movie, family, fairy tale, love story
Series : This movie has two sequels, "The Prince and Me 2" and "The Prince and Me 3."
Evaluation: This isn't a fantastic film, and the plot is certainly predictable, but that's okay. Julia Stiles is great, and the story is heartwarming enough. There is a "Girls Gone Wild" commercial and a bit of drinking, and one college junior talks briefly about having sex with an older man, so this is probably not a good film for the younger tweens.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: While all the characters are in college, this movie will resonate more with tween viewers than with teens, I'd expect. The sweetness, and the familiarity of the plot will probably bore older teens. But the dresses and the romance will appeal to tween viewers. Though I was fairly worried as the movie drew to it's close, at the end, Paige does make some mature decisions about her future.
THE PRINCE AND ME stars Julia Stiles as Paige Morgan, a serious and hard-working pre-med college student who has her whole life literally mapped out. She has a map of the world with pins showing all of the places she wants to visit after she completes her medical training and joins Doctors Without Borders. Luke Mably plays Edvard, the heir to the Danish crown. His life is also planned for him, but he is not the one who made the plans. He wants to postpone the inevitable by having as much fun as possible before he has to take on the responsibilities of the life he was born to. He secretly enrolls in college in Wisconsin, incognito as "Eddie," a foreign exchange student. Once he meets Paige, Edvard learns what it is like to have to earn respect and affection -- and money -- and Paige learns what it is like to listen to her heart and use her imagination. They each get to explore the other's family and culture. He races a souped-up riding lawnmower in Wisconsin farm country and she stays in a castle and goes to a ball. But falling in love is easy; finding a way to make their dreams and responsibilities fit together is not.
Is it any good?
3 stars
The title says it all. This is a classic Cinderella story about a hardworking girl from the Wisconsin dairy farm who wants to go to medical school but falls for a handsome and charming foreign exchange student who happens to be a prince in disguise. Does the course of true love run smooth? Not at first. Do they live happily ever after? What do you think?
Director Martha Coolidge has a sensitive touch in dealing with young female characters. She and Stiles do their best to make Paige more than the typical romantic comedy heroine. Mably shows some ease and charm as Eddie, who describes that other Danish prince, Hamlet, as though he is talking about himself: "The prince was young and scared and didn't feel ready for the choices he had to make." All of that helps to make up for a weak script that is too often too silly and too seldom original. By the time we have to sit through a scene of Paige trying on all the Crown jewels, they have long since run out of ideas.
Miyazaki, H., Dempsey, R., & Docter, P. (2006). Howl's Moving Castle. DVD, Walt Disney Home Entertainment. ASIN: B000CDGVOE $29.99
Viewer's Annotation: To break a spell that makes her appear old, Sophie leaves her life at the hat shop and seeks help from the dreaded Wizard Howl.
Summary: Based on the book by Diana Wynne Jones, this adaptation was created by Hayao Miyazaki, who is well known for movies such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. While the movie takes some surprising detours from the book, the heart of the story is the same. Sophie feels nothing excitng will ever happen to her, because she is the eldest of three sisters, and she thinks she is quite plain. She falls under a spell cast by the Witch of the Waste, that makes her appear to be old, though she is still in her teen years. Unable to tell anyone what has happened, she sets off to find help. She ends up in the mobile castle of the evil Wizard Howl. Here she finds friends, in the wizards young apprentice and the resident fire demon. After working as Howl's cleaning lady for awhile, she also begins to learn some things about the wizard. To break her own curse, she must find a way to help her new friends.
Genre: movie, adventure, coming of age, fairy tale, fantasy, friends, identity, love story, magic,
Series : This movie is not part of a series.
Evaluation: Even people who haven't read the book will enjoy the action and heart in this charming story. There's really something for everyone in this film.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This film has several "built in" audiences. Tweens who've read the book will want to see it. Fans of Miyazaki will want to see it. Families looking for something for all ages will want it. More than likely, you'll want to have two copies in your collection.
Lisa Schwarzbaum is a film critic for Entertainment Weekly
There's no confusing the wizards and goblins who populate the dazzling animated adventure Howl's Moving Castle with their relatives from Harry Potter's branch of the wiz biz. The conjurer named Howl — part romantic human dreamboat who fancies emerald earrings and tight pants, part massive bird — may be voiced with whispery gravity, in the English-language version, by Christian Bale (soon to be whispering gravely as Batman). But the worldview, the sense of childlike fun shaded with adult melancholy, and the joyful, serene attention to visual oddity and wordless beauty could only be made in Japan. And, specifically, made by Hayao Miyazaki.
When the peerless master of hand-drawn animation last cavorted with the supernatural, in Spirited Away, the director unfurled his marvelous tale from the perspective of a child, true to the real fears and equally real thrills experienced by a little girl learning how to separate from her parents. With Howl's, Miyazaki brings the wisdom of his 64 years to a story, dense with complications, about a workaholic teenage hatmaker named Sophie who comes into a true appreciation of love, passion, playfulness, and even politics, as well as of her own beauty, only after she is transformed by an evil spell into a stooped and wrinkled 90-year-old woman. (Long story short, Sophie's meet-cute encounter with Howl on a city street irks the jealous Witch of the Waste, a mountainous matron of a competitor for Howl's affections. This sorceress boasts the look of Marx Brothers regular Margaret Dumont and the imperious, Fancy Feast voice of Lauren Bacall.)
In other words, maturity is achieved working backward from experienced seniority rather than forward from wide-eyed youth. And in moments of developmental breakthrough, the young Sophie reemerges out of the contours of the old one. (Emily Mortimer voices young Sophie with a combination of Cinderella pluck and Notting Hill class; Jean Simmons gives old Sophie a lovable layering of tolerance and self-confidence.)
But enough about developmental psychology — how about that humongous castle?! Howl's mobile home heaves and clanks around the countryside (a landscape of indeterminate Euro provenance, over which a war of indeterminate provocation is about to be fought against an indeterminate enemy) on intrepid mechanized feet that appear to be part steel, part chicken. The fixer-upper is cobbled together from a million wheezing parts, the whole thing running on flames from a combustible blob named Calcifer (voiced by Billy Crystal). And naturally the ambulatory domicile is accepted by the populace as part of the regular way of doing things. Because, unlike the Muggles-vs.-Hogwarts crowd, the inhabitants of Miyazaki's enchanted universe understand that spirits are as much a part of everyday life as the fishmongers and soldiers and airplanes crowding the confines of the movie frame in set-piece scenes of spectacular detail.
And curses happen, many of them cast by Madame Suliman (Blythe Danner), resident magician and foreign-policy meddler in service to the king. A surfeit of mishaps and catastrophes accrue, requiring bravery along with a very Asian sense of acceptance. Unlikely alliances are made, primarily among squatters in the moving castle itself, as old Sophie's competence and unflappability work their own kind of domestic magic; even a barkless dog has his day, providing sweet diversionary canine silliness during times of darkest heroic crisis. As Howl's Moving Castle makes ravishingly clear, coming into one's own is the most heroic — and magical — experience of all.
Reader's Annotation:Creative Kids is the nations largest magazine with content written entirely by kids.
Summary: Creative Kidsmagazine is written by students from all over the world. Young writers submit stories, opinion pieces, poems, artwork, puzzels, and more. Kids can find penpals and ideas for their own writing at home. The content is as varied as the author, but usually covers issues important to tweens, such as friends and family and school. Some issues have themes, such as The Election. Authors wrote opinion pieces about why kids should be allowed to vote at 16, and why the electoral college doesn't make any sense.
Genre: magazine, friends, family
Series : This magazine is not part of a series.
Evaluation: It's amazing to see what tweens create when they have a venue.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This magazine doesn't fly off the shelves at our library, but it does have a devoted set of readers. I would recommend it for a collection because it's inspiring for kids to read what other kids have written, and to realize they can be published authors as well.
Reader's Annotation: Though he's had plenty of success in basketball, Danny Walker is nervous that summer basketball camp will prove he doesn't have talent to compete.
Summary: Danny Walker should be on top of his game. Just back from the national championship with his travel team, and with his parents back together (finally!) he should be ready for anything. But thinking of spending the summer at basketball camp is making Danny nervous. For one thing, he's fighting with his best friend, Tess. For another, he hasn't had the growth spurt he's longing for. Though being short didn't stop him from being a star on travel team, he's secretly afraid that when he competes with bigger players from around the country he won't have the talent to keep up. When he gets to camp, things only get worse. He's in a bunk with kids a year younger than him. He gets the meanest coach at camp. And some familiar faces have come back to haunt him.
Genre: book, coming of age, family, friends, identity, sports, fiction
Series : The sequel to this book is "Travel Team."
Evaluation: Not as good as the first book, but still a compelling read, especially great for basketball fans.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This book is a great balance between the insecurities and emotions of tweendom and the fast paced action of sports. Danny has great friends and supportive parents. He's insecure about his talent, and he's meeting players who really want to beat him at basketball. He's got a tough coach, and trouble with his best female friend. All classic tween drama. But mostly, this is a book about basketball, and so a perfect read for any sports fan.
Reviews: From School Library Journal Grade 5–8—This novel continues the story of Danny Walker, the basketball-obsessed hero of Travel Team (Philomel, 2004). In the interval between the two books, the 13-year-old and his friends went on to win the travel-team championship. Now that they are heading off to summer basketball camp, Danny is feeling the pressure of being number one. He plays as well as ever, but he's still the smallest boy on the court and anxiously hoping for a growth spurt. As the story begins, things quickly go wrong for him. He fights with his girlfriend before he leaves; at camp, he's separated from his friends and assigned a berth in the younger boys' cabin. There are many familiar elements and few surprises here, yet Lupica breathes life into both characters and story. Danny is a classic sports-story underdog, but he's also sympathetic and engaging. He is surrounded by a cast of supporting characters who add humor and whose interactions ring true. When Danny befriends Zach, who is a younger version of himself, readers see the protagonist grow in empathy and self-awareness. Sports fans will relish the on-court action, expertly rendered in Lupica's taut prose. This worthy sequel to Travel Team should earn a wide audience.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Damian, M. (2008). Moondance Alexander. DVD, 20th Century Fox.
ASIN:B0012KSUT0 $19.98
Viewer's Annotation: Moondance Alexander isn't well liked by her classmates, but she decides to make an impression by entering a jumping contest with her horse, Checkers.
Summary: Moondance Alexander has an unusual name, an out of date fashion sense, and no luck making friends at school. When summer rolls around, she is determined to find her place in the world. She stumbles upon a pinto pony, whom she names Checkers. When Checkers is reunited with his owners, Moondance offers to work in his stables in exchange for riding lessons. Though Dante the stable owner says Checkers won't get a fair shake at the Bow Valley jumping competition, Moondance enters him anyway and competes against her snooty classmates and their thoroughbred horses.
Genre: movie, horses, family, friends, identity
Series : This movie is not part of a series.
Evaluation: This was a warm, feel-good movie, though the plot was predictable.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Tweens and horses often go together like peanut butter and jelly. Plus, Moondance's struggle to fit in at school will be a familiar tale to the tween audience. Lastly, the whole family can enjoy this movie together, which will make it a hit with parents of tweens.
Summer's arrival can't come soon enough for Moondance Alexander (Kay Panabaker). The high-spirited freshman just wants to fit in with her classmates. But with an unusual first name, distinct fashion choices and an over exuberance that often results in clumsy behavior, she is more of a target for teasing than anything else.
On the other hand, spending a summer at home with her eccentric, art-teaching mother (Lori Loughlin) has its drawbacks, too. Luckily, Moondance holds down a part time job as a delivery person for Mr. McClancy (James Best), the owner of a horse supply shop who keeps her busy dropping off supplements and other small items to the local ranchers.
It's during one of her runs that she discovers a lost pinto pony on a country road and decides to take him home. Unfortunately her mom is firm about returning Checkers to its rightful owner, the moody and gruff Dante Longpre (Don Johnson). Not to be deterred by the loss, Moondance offers to help Dante care for his animals at the riding stable in exchange for a chance to ride the black and white horse.
Arriving early in the morning, the eager, young stable hand carefully completes all of her responsibilities and slowly begins to earn the respect of the hermit-like Dante. Finally relenting to the girl, he helps Moondance saddle up Checkers and begins teaching her the finer points of riding. Only then does Moondance discover Dante used to be a world-class horse trainer.
Begging him to help her and her new mount prepare for an upcoming jumping event, she wheedles her way into his good graces just far enough to convince him to give it a try. But entering the arena brings back a deluge of bad memories for the man who turns to the bottle to help him forget the past.
However, it soon becomes evident that Moondance and Dante both have something to offer the other. She gives him a reason to engage in life again while the quiet horse owner becomes a calming presence for the girl, teaching her the value of individuality and discipline. Working side by side in anticipation of the Bow River competition, they bring out the best in each other.
While the story line might be as common as horseflies in the barnyard, this film manages to combine stunning cinematography, strong characters and some simple twists to create a fresh, warm-hearted tale for the whole family.
Scieszka, J. (2008). Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka (p. 106). Viking Juvenile.
ISBN:067001138X
$12.99 paperback
Reader's Annotation: Author Jon Sciezka describes growing up one of six brothers, and answers the question "Where do the ideas for your books come from?"
Summary: Jon Scieszka has written many outstanding children's books, including The Stinky Cheese Man and Guys Write for Guys Read (well, he was the editor and contributed to this one.) In Knucklehead, he tells the story of growing up as the second oldest of six boys, in Flint, Michigan. Each chapter is its own story, and they are all between one and three pages long. One story describes the time his older brother tried to sell him his own shirt. Another is about what happens when you pee on an electric heater. They are all hysterical, and full of boyish adventures.
Genre:book, adventure, coming of age, family, nonfiction, siblings
Series : This book is not part of a series.
Evaluation: This book made me laugh out loud, even though I was trying to read it on the sly while I was at my desk working. A great, great, great nonfiction choice for reluctant readers.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Tweens will likely know Jon Scieszka from his pictures books or Guys Write webpage. The idea of growing up with five brothers will be appealing. Most of all, the humor and short, easy chapters will make this a great book to recommend for reluctant readers, and for "biography" or "nonfiction" assignments.
Reviews: From School Library Journal ages 9-12 To adults that don’t normally wander through the shelves of children’s literature the notion of the autobiography for kids is a pretty odd beast. You write a book about yourself, sure. But why would you make the primary audience for that book people who think that boogers and farts are the height of wit and sophistication? Fact of the matter is an autobiography written with a child audience in mind needs a hook. Your life, particularly your life as a kid, has to have had something interesting about it. Many of us probably look back on those years only to sigh and determine that absolutely nuthin’ interesting went on back then that would sufficiently engage a ten-year-old. Not Jon Scieszka. You want a hook? Try five brothers. Five brothers and Catholic school. Five brothers and Catholic school and a mess of stories involving bodily functions and super cool (and not so cool) toys. Mr. Scieszka proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that when it comes to recounting your youth, there’s nothing like a plethora of XX chromosomes to keep the readers reading. (read the rest here)
Jones, D. W. (2001). Howl's Moving Castle (p. 336). Eos.
ISBN: 006441034X
$6.99 paperback
Reader's Annotation: Sophie upsets a witch, who turns her into an old lady, and she seeks help from a wizard to get back to her true form.
Summary: Sophie doesn't expect much excitement in her life, because she is the oldest of her siblings, and interesting things don't happen to oldest siblings. She settles into a life of hat making, while her sisters are apprenticed to more exciting careers. But it is in the hatmaker's shop that Sophie runs into a witch, who, displeased with the service, turns Sophie into an old woman. Sophie cannot tell anyone who she really is, or explain the curse. She leaves the hat shop and ends up at Howl's Moving Castle, the home of the local wizard with an unpleasant reputation. Once there, Sophie makes a deal with the fire demon, that if she will help him, he will change her back. Life at Howl's Castle is unusual, but not unpleasant, and Sophie manages to have several adventures, even though she is the oldest of her sisters.
Genre: book, adventure, coming of age, fairy tale, family, fantasy, fiction, identity, love story, magic, siblings
Series : The sequel to this book is "The Castle in the Air."
Evaluation: A classic sort of fantasy story with an unexpected ending. The middle sections of the book may prove challenging for slower readers, but the payoff at the end is worthwhile.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Robin McKinley has written many fine books with strong girl characters and this is right up there with her classics. Her stories often advocate determined study to solve problems, and trial and error processes. Nobody has told Mirasol how to solve her problems, she has to try different things until she gets it right, and she has to trust her instinct. A good selection for fantasy readers. Also, like other McKinley classics, Chalice is full of animals helping the heroine. Bees and horses in this case.
Reviews: From School Library Journal Grade 6 Up Sophie Hatter reads a great deal and soon realizes that as the eldest of three daughters she is doomed to an uninteresting future. She resigns herself to making a living as a hatter and helping her younger sisters prepare to make their fortunes. But adventure seeks her out in the shop where she sits alone, dreaming over her hats. The wicked Witch of the Waste, angered by "competition" in the area, turns her into a old woman, so she seeks refuge inside the strange moving castle of the wizard Howl. Howl, advertised by his apprentice as an eater of souls, lives a mad, frantic life trying to escape the curse the witch has placed on him, find the perfect girl of his dreams and end the contract he and his fire demon have entered. Sophie, against her best instincts and at first unaware of her own powers, falls in love. So goes this intricate, humorous and puzzling tale of fantasy and adventure which should both challenge and involve readers. Jones has created an engaging set of characters and found a new use for many of the appurtenances of fairy talesseven league boots and invisible cloaks, among others. At times, the action becomes so complex that readers may have to go back to see what actually happened, and at the end so many loose ends have to be tied up at once that it's dizzying. Yet Jones' inventiveness never fails, and her conclusion is infinitely satisfying.
Reader's Annotation: Everything Nintendo! Game tips, insider information, game previews and reviews.
Summary: Not many surprises in Nintendo Power...it's video games, video games, video games. Reviews and previews, tips and tricks, ads and commentary, and plenty of screen shots grace it's pages. There are some interviews with video game creators, and a small section at the end called "Community" that talks about folks who like to play video games. There isn't much content designed to make you think about things other than video games, but if you like video games, then you'll probably enjoy this magazine.
Genre: magazine, video games
Series : --
Evaluation: This is certainly not a magazine I'd ever pick up and read (no hairstyle tips) but then I'm not a video game fan. However, the writing is solid, if not challenging, and for kids who like video games, this would provide incentive to read. There are plenty of ads in this magazine, but then that is to be expected. Adults should be aware that the magazine doesn't limit itself to covering games of a particular rating, but it does seem like Nintendo is shooting for a tween audience.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Tweens like magazines, and many like video games. What could be a better fit than a magazine about video games?
McKinley, R. (2008). Chalice (p. 272). Putnam Juvenile.
ISBN: 0399246762
$18.99 hardback
Reader's Annotation: An untrained Chalice and a barely human Master must work together to save their land from a determined Overlord who would rule in their place.
Summary: Mirasol has been made the Chalice of Willowlands, though her previous life has only prepared her for beekeeping and woodscraft. She is deeply connected her land, though, and determined to succeed, though she has no one to tell her how a Chalice's magic should work. To add to her troubles, Willowlands has been badly managed by the previous Master, who died when the previous Chalice died. The new master is an elemental priest, called back to humanity and Willowlands from the burning fires of his order. Though both the Master and Marisol are untrained and lack the confidence of their people, they strive to save Willowlands from being taken over by the Overlord, who would add to his own power by setting up a puppet Master in place of the rightful heir.
Genre: book, fairy tale, fantasy, identity, love story, magic,
Series : This book is not part of a series.
Evaluation: Another great story by Robin McKinley, Chalice is a slow-starter, and heavy on the history and politics of the world of Mirasol the beekeeper. This is a good choice for someone who can stick with a book with plenty of backstory.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Robin McKinley has written many fine books with strong girl characters and this is right up there with her classics. Her stories often advocate determined study to solve problems, and trial and error processes. Nobody has told Mirasol how to solve her problems, she has to try different things until she gets it right, and she has to trust her instinct. A good selection for fantasy readers. Also, like other McKinley classics, Chalice is full of animals helping the heroine. Bees and horses in this case.
This may not be Innisfree, but Yeats would recognize the "bee-loud glade" within its pages. McKinley's latest depicts vividly a rural world rooted in the earth and its powers-forces that are regulated by the concerted efforts of an estate Master, his Chalice and their Circle of advisors. In this world, the role of the estate Chalice is to provide balance to the earthlines and to bind Master and Circle to serve the land. Mirasol, a beekeeper, has assumed this role on an estate that's been driven to the verge of destruction by its former Master and his weak Chalice-with a new Master who is no longer fully human. McKinley is a master of fantasy writing: Elegant prose and lyrical descriptions capture reader interest while an increasingly tense plot maintains it. Primary characters, especially Mirasol and the new Master, are limned with care. The narrative's climax and resolution are satisfying and not at all pat. This tale will go down with fans like a spoonful of honey while attracting new readers to McKinley's previous works. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
Ikezawa, S. (2005). Guru Guru Pon-Chan 1 (p. 192). Del Rey.
ISBN: 0345480953
$10.95 paperback
Reader's Annotation: After licking a magic bone, Ponta changes from a golden retriever to a human girl. She tries to fit in at school, and catch the eye of the boy she likes.
Summary: Ponta's owner is an inventor who hopes to give his dog the power of human speech. His magic bone works differently than he expected, however, and changes the golden retriever into a human girl. Ponta runs into Mirai Ikawaki, the most popular boy at school when she is changing from a dog to a human. He knows her secret, and is supposed to keep her out of trouble at school. Though Ponta wants to make Mirai and her family happy, she is better equipped to be a dog than to be a human. She must learn human ways if she wants to win Mirai's affections.
Genre: graphic novel, manga, magic, love story, series, dogs
Series : There are currently nine volumes in this series, each with the title Guru Gure Pon-chan.
Evaluation: In 2000, it won this series won the Kodansha Manga award for shojo. This is a classic example of shojo manga.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This is a shojo manga series about a dog that turns into human girl with a crush on a cute boy. What's not to love? This will be loved by all readers of shojo manga, a large percentage of which are tween girls.
Fleming, A. (2008). Nancy Drew. DVD, Warner Home Video. ASIN: B00005JPO4 $28.98
Viewer's Annotation: Classy teenage super-sleuth solves the mystery of the famous movie star who used to own her house.
Summary: Based on the well loved books by Carolyn Keene, the movie features Emma Roberts, the niece of Julia Roberts. Nancy and her father move from their idyllic hometown to Los Angeles. Though she has promised to give up her detective work, Nancy has found them a house all set with a mystery. A famous movie actress died there under mysterious circumstances. Nancy tries to get interested in "normal" teenage things, as her father requested, she can't resist the lure of the mystery. Nancy has a hard time making friends at first, but she does catch the idea of Corky, a young boy at her high school, who helps her solve the mystery. Nancy ultimately saves the day by staying true to her own identity and following the motto her father has suggested, "others first."
Genre: movie, friends, mystery, identity, family
Series : This movie is not part of a series.
Evaluation: A fun film that the whole family will enjoy, with plenty of action, and a good book tie in.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: The movie will appeal to all those who've read the Nancy Drew books. The story is updated and modern, which will keep tweens interested, but still timeless. A strong, smart and bold heroine will also be a crowd-pleaser.
(CNN) -- In the new Nancy Drew feature film -- her first since 1939 -- the youthful detective celebrates her birthday, but she's careful not to reveal her age.
There's a good reason for that. Though the amateur sleuth has been foiling ne'er-do-wells in more than 170 adventures published over the past 78 years, officially she's just 18. (Emma Roberts, who plays her in Andrew Fleming's film, turned 17 in February.)
According to her publishers, Nancy has sold more than 200 million books. Regular makeovers every 15 years or so -- which can extend to rewriting the old books -- have sustained her popularity with generations of young readers.
But the formula remains very much as it was conceived by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, which has manufactured the series for all these years (author Carolyn Keene is as fictional as her heroine): Nancy searches for treasure or a missing heir and is warned off the case by a note or a phone call, but this only convinces her she must be on the right track.
Then, an inspired ability to decipher random clues and her eagerness to leave no secret passageway unexplored invariably point her toward the solution.
The film "Nancy Drew" -- which seems to have been pitched as an unlikely combination of "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Clueless" -- is more faithful to this model than it first appears. Fleming and co-writer Tiffany Paulsen has set the story firmly in 2007, but their Nancy Drew is an anachronism who dresses in tweedy skirts, preppy knits and penny-loafers, and whose prim sense of right and wrong (she drinks milk and knows CPR) quickly marks her as a social outcast when she moves from provincial Riverside Heights to a new school, Hollywood High.
This is the Nancy Drew fondly remembered from the good old days. She even drives her original sporty blue roadster (upgraded to a Mustang in the books many years ago). The in crowd is understandably incredulous ("OMG, I'm sitting next to Martha Stewart" texts one) but Nancy is much too independent to worry about what they think.
In any case, she has a mystery to solve.
The house she and dad (Tate Donovan) are renting in Los Angeles once belonged to the old-time movie star Julia Draycock ("old-time" being relative: she was discovered dead in her swimming pool 25 years ago, shortly after re-emerging from an unexplained absence). The manse comes with the requisite creepy caretaker and it's not long before Nancy is uncovering false walls and tunnels that demand further investigation.
Crisply put together but just passably amusing, the movie is innocuous, light, and -- obviously -- very, very slight. It's hard to pinpoint just who the audience might be. Tween girls? Middle-aged fans? Neither group will be completely satisfied.
However, fans worried that their heroine isn't getting the respect she deserves need not fret. It's true that Fleming pokes fun at her rather prissy probity -- refusing to exceed the speed limit during a car chase, for instance -- but Nancy emerges with her virtue intact, as she always has.
Emma Roberts, who has something of her aunt Julia's guilelessness, plays her as a good-hearted innocent. Even her dress sense gets a thumbs-up as Nancy unconsciously kicks off the next big thing: the "New Sincerity." (As if!)
It's hard to remember that in the early 1930s libraries banned these books as tawdry and sensationalist distractions from real literature. Intrepid, capable and practically perfect in every way, Ms. Drew is a role model you would be happy for your teenage daughter to emulate. Of course it's hard to imagine her feeling the same way, but maybe her kid sister might.
(VI), M. M. (2007). Flicka. DVD, 20th Century Fox. ASIN: B000LV63MW $14.98
Viewer's Annotation: Rebellious Katy attempts to tame Flicka, a wild mustang, though her father has forbidden her from trying.
Summary:Based on Mary O'Hara's classic "My Friend Flicka," this movie version has an updated feel and a female lead character. Set on a modern working ranch in Wyoming, Katy has come home from her boarding school for the summer far more interested in horses and ranching than in studying. She catches Flicka, one of the few wild mustangs left in the mountains of Wyoming, and wants to train her, but her father forbids it. Mustangs could ruin their quarterhores business, and he's afraid for her safety. The ranch is losing money and can't afford another expense. This is the story of a family that learns to communicate with one another, to take risks, and to value the sometimes unexpected dreams they all have.
Genre: movie, family, siblings, adventure, coming of age, horses
Series : This movie is not part of a series.
Evaluation: Though you know how the story will end from the moment you insert the disc into the drive, it's still a good film. Beautiful scenery, lovely music, and plenty of heartwarming action will make this a great family film.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This movie has a familiar plot, but it's beautifully done. The heroine is spunky enough to appeal to tween viewers, and who doesn't love a good horse story. Parents will feel good about their tweens watching this film as there is little violence or sex. A crowd pleaser all around.
Harper, C. M. (2005). Fashion Kitty (p. 96). Hyperion.
ISBN: 9780786851348
$8.99 paperback
Reader's Annotation: Kiki Kittie transforms from a regular fashionable kitty into a fashion superhero, who saves others from fashion disasters.
Summary: While blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, Kiki Kittie was hit by a shelf full of fashion magazines, just as she made her birthday wish. She was transformed into Fashion Kitty! Now, in disguise, she saves others from fashion disasters, and helps mean kids see the error of their ways.
Genre: graphic novel, fantasy, siblings
Series :
Fashion Kitty
Fashion Kitty versus the Fashion Queen
Fashion Kitty and the Unlikely Hero
Evaluation: A sweet and charming story with illustrations done mainly in pink and black and white, this book will be a hit with young tween girls.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This graphic novel isn't going to change anyone's world view, but it may draw in a 9 year old girl who has been reluctant to read. Fashion Kitty is fun, and fun books are good.
Reviews: "Harper brings her comedic sense and flat, droll cartoons together in a graphic novel for young girls...A marvelous girly-girl response to the Captain Underpants books—with none of the embarrassing potty humor" -Kirkus Reviews 8/1/05 STARRED REVIEW
Gourly, C. (2007). War, Women and the News: How Female Journalists Won the Battle to Cover World War I. (p. 198). Athenum Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 0689877528
$21.99 hardcover
Reader's Annotation: This book describes how women journalists became war reporters and photojournalists on the front lines of World War II.
Summary: This book ends with a discussion of Christiane Amanpour, who has covered news in war zones for CNN for more than 20 years. She is following in the footsteps of women like Margaret Bourke White and Therese Bonney who struggled to be allowed to cover the news during World War II. Before the war began, women who wrote for newspapers were called "newshens" and their work was confined to the women's pages of newspapers. They wrote mostly society gossip and housekeeping tips. As the war began, however, a handful of brave women became the first female journalists to write and photograph from the front lines of battle. This book tells their stories.
Genre: nonfiction, war, career, women's history
Series : This book is not part of a series.
Evaluation: This book did a good job of describing how several women broke into the field of journalism during World War II, though it was occasionally difficult to keep track of who was who, or where in the War the story was. I still think it would be a great addition to any history lesson on WWII.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: The combination of photos, story, and clips from newspapers helped to keep what sometimes felt like a rather long book flowing. As an adult, I found it interesting to understand some of the backstory on photos I'd seen hundreds of times, but I'm not sure that same thrill would exist for tweens, but maybe it would. Also a good illustration for tweens about a time in history when women really had to struggle to break into a field dominated by men.
Readalikes :
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman
Miyazaki, H. (2006). Kiki's Delivery Service Picture Book, Volume 1
(1st ed., p. 111). VIZ Media LLC.
ISBN: 1421505967
$9.99 paperback
Reader's Annotation: As she approaches her 13th birthday, Kiki begins life as a witch on her own, running a delivery service from a small town.
Summary: When witches turn 13, they have to spend a year on their own, away from their families, to hone their craft. Kiki, and her cat Jiji, set off on a perfect night, to find their new lives. They find a lovely town to settle in, and a kind baker takes them in. Kiki is determined to earn her keep, and at the suggestion of the baker, begins her own delivery service.
Genre: graphic novel, adventure, coming of age, fantasy, series
Series : There are four books in this series, titled "Kiki's Delivery Service Picture Book, Volume 1-4."
Evaluation: This series is adapted from the movie that was made in conjunction with Disney, which was itself adapted from the Japanese version of this comic. An extremely sweet series, that would be a good even for younger tweens.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Kiki is sweet and clumsy and in search of adventure, and should be recognizable to most tween girls. Because these are a retelling of the movie version with the same name, they would be a good choice for reluctant readers. Additionally, as she grows into her powers, Kiki must develop a healthy self-esteem to be the best witch she can be.
Reviews: from animeworld.com/reviews/ In a place like a Europe of the 50s, untouched by the ravages of war, where witches aren't bad (as a matter of fact, they're just like the rest of us, and everybody knows about them), Kiki is a young witch just coming into her own. Having reached the age of 13, she follows tradition and sets out into the world to make her way, accompanied only by her knowledge of magic, her trusty flying broom, and her familiar, a cat named Jiji. Kiki finds her way to a good sized town, and is taken in by a kindly baker. Soon, she sets up shop as a one-girl flying delivery service (think the pizza guy only cuter and with a flying broom). While making her rounds and living on her own in the big city, Kiki meets interesting folks of all types, and runs into a number of adventures and misadventures.
Lutes, J. (2008). Houdini: The Handcuff King (Reprint., p. 96). Hyperion Book CH.
ISBN: 0786839031
$16.99 hardcover
Viewer's Annotation: A glimpse into the life and stunts of Houdini, whom the authors suggest is the first guy to be famous for having a cool job.
Summary: The entire graphic novel tells the story of one stunt performed by Houdini. Along the way, the reader learns not only how Houdini performed the stunt, but also about how much work went into his fame. Over the course of his day, he has to generate his own hype, he relies on his wife for support (both emotional and in his stunt), he faces prejudice for his religion, and he has to perform a death-defying stunt. While this isn't a biography, it is a glimpse into the life of a well known showman.
Genre: graphic novel, nonfictin, adventure
Series : none
Evaluation: I expected more information from this graphic novel, overall, but I do think it would be a good starting point, to get readers interested in the life of Houdini. The illustrations and storytelling were very straightforward and approachable.
Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: This very short story would be extremely approachable for tween readers, and I think they would be interested to learn how Houdini pulled this stunt off. It would be a good starting point for a middle school homework assignment. I think too that tweens will be interested in someone like Houdini, as a celebrity figure from a different age.
Readalikes :
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
Reviews: From Booklist *Starred Review* Following Houdini on the morning of his leap (while handcuffed) into the frigid Boston River, readers gain a remarkably complete picture of his world. They will meet his wife, Bess; his strong-arm man, Beatty; reporters desperate to get a quote; and crowds hungry for a glimpse of him. Most of all, they get to know Houdini himself, who, as an extensive introduction notes, was probably the most famous man in the world at the time. Proud and obsessed--with his skill, his fame, and his wife--Houdini was a showman of the highest order who knew he represented hope to his adoring American public. He also knew that he had an unprecedented talent for self-hype. Avoiding overt, showy tricks themselves, Lutes and Bertozzi^B use clean, simple storytelling and crisp, clear black-and-white art to create not only a portrait of the man but also that sense of suspense and anticipation Houdini generated in his performances. Endnotes linked to specific pictures offer background on everything from anti-Semitism (Houdini was Jewish) to handcuffs. A bibliography of mostly older adult titles is appended. Jesse Karp
"Harper brings her comedic sense and flat, droll cartoons together in a graphic novel for young girls...A marvelous girly-girl response to the Captain Underpants books—with none of the embarrassing potty humor" -Kirkus Reviews 8/1/05 STARRED REVIEW
