Recent Read: Better Nate Than Ever

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

The ultimate dream-come-true for Nate Foster would be to star in a Broadway musical, which is why he’s leaving sports-obsessed podunk Jankberg, Pennsylvania to try out for E. T.: The Musical in New York City. He’s got his mother’s credit card, his lucky rabbit’s foot, a New York-savvy catch phrase (“The A train is running local today, what a hassle”), a greyhound bus ticket, and a best friend at home cheering him on. But New York is full of all sorts of surprises, and the experience isn’t quite what Nate had imagined.

I laughed throughout this heartwarming novel. Seeing New York, Broadway auditions, even Applebee's through Nate’s eyes was so much fun. He’s innocent, earnest, funny, and oh so loveable. As an example, he and his best friend, Libby, shout the names of Broadway flops instead of swearing (“Holy Dance of the Vampires!”).

Not too surprisingly, short, chubby, always singing Nate has a history of being bullied, called names and accused of being gay—something which he himself says he’s not even old enough to really know about yet. When he reaches New York City, it doesn’t live up to every expectation, but he still feels as though he’s found a place where he might belong. He faces obstacles and disasters, but almost nothing can get this indefatigable thirteen-year-old down. His warmth and excitement win over our hearts (and maybe some others, too).

It would seem that Federle was inspired and influenced by his own life. He himself moved to NYC as a teenager to pursue a career on Broadway. He performed in The Little Mermaid and Gypsy, among others. At thirty, he was working as an associate choreographer on Billy Elliott, constantly auditioning boys whose voices hadn’t changed yet, when he saw a pudgy, freckled boy, clutching a rabbit’s foot on stage. That sparked an idea for a story, and many of his experiences working on Billy Elliott provided material for Better Nate Than Ever.

One more note: I listened to the audiobook of Better Nate Than Ever which was read by the author Tim Federle. He was a delight as a reader. This is a must for theatre kids in particular.



Also, if you want to get a sense of his humor, don't miss his twitter.

Picture This: Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover

Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover by Josh Schneider

Amelia and her dog love to play...until Amelia gets Princess Sparkle-Heart. Amelia and Princess Sparkle-Heart do everything together...until disaster (should I say jealousy) strikes...

It's true. The dog rips the doll to shreds. Amelia's devastated. But mom says she can fix her. As the reader watches blissful scenes of Amelia and Princess Sparkle-Heart, the dog is always there in background, giving them the evil eye, a "grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" often spanning the two page spread. But perhaps the funniest (and most shocking part of all is the renewed Princess Sparkle-Heart. You'll have to read it yourself to see what I mean.

Isn't this fantastic?

Recent Read: Salt & Storm

Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Avery Roe is one in a long line of witches on Prince Island. She wants nothing more than to take her place as the next witch, but her mother has trapped her with a curse, preventing her from learning her grandmother’s magic. When Avery has a dream foretelling her own murder, she becomes desperate to break the curse so she can unlock her magic and prevent her death--so desperate that she reaches out to a tattooed islander boy with strange magic of his own.

This is a story that feels rich with history and atmosphere. Prince Island is home to a whaling community that regularly seeks charms and spells from the Roe witch to protect them at sea, keep their lovers faithful, and protect their wares and goods. I loved the world and magic that Kulper has invented here. She not only composed beautiful, rich descriptions of the place, she effectively created a sense of history, tradition and folklore.

As readers, we feel and see with Avery--including her biases. But I didn't realize this until later when it becomes clear that Avery's world is more complicated than she thought. I was surprised by some of the developments in this book.

The love story was a bit lacking--told more than shown, underdeveloped. And the pace started to lag a bit in the middle. But overall it was very good. I loved the atmosphere, the feeling of history, the interesting twists, and the magic itself.


Salt & Storm comes out September 23

Picture This: Three bears in a Boat

Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman

When three bear siblings accidentally break their mother’s beautiful blue seashell, they decide to find a replacement seashell in the hopes that their mother will never know what happened. They set out in a little boat, encountering new people and traveling to new places in search of the elusive blue seashell, but with no luck. Soon a storm hits--both literally and figuratively. The bears turn on each other and the waves start to form. Will they make it home safely?

A lovely story told with lovely words and even lovelier pictures. The bears do make it home, shaken up but safe and humbled. As they arrive, they find a pristine blue seashell. When they get back, Mama bear is waiting. They apologize, offering her the shell, and she sweeps them into a hug. This book is excellent on all fronts. I could tell how much thought Soman put into the telling of the story. Not only did it have a nice flow, but a nice sound (“the little boat sailed out of the storm and into the sun”). He used rich imagery and diction (“their sail flew open like a wing”). He also incorporated humor for children and adults into the story and illustrations (they encounter an Ishmael-like whale-hunting bear). The story itself was quite nice—themes of honesty, contention, family, and love. I liked how although the bears are welcomed home in a big hug and forgiven, they still have to go without dessert. It's a bit long for a picture book—there’s quite a bit of text to read aloud.

And then there are the illustrations! Beautiful!! The fluid watercolor illustrations are at their most impressive in the full-color 2-page spreads. The seascapes are some of the best I've ever seen--whimsical, vivid, and sensory.

Beautiful illustrations by David Soman

Picture This: Big Bug

Big Bug by Henry Cole

That bug looks awfully big until you see it on a leaf, in a field, next to a dog. Henry Cole explores perspective and scale in this wonderful concept book.

I think this book mostly speaks for itself. It's a great concept carried out with lush, lovely paintings, and spare, repetitive (in a good way) text.

Picture This: Elizabeth Queen of the Seas

Elizabeth Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox, illustrated by Brian Floca

"There was once a lovely elephant seal who lived in the city."

What I loved most about this book was the story itself—an elephant seal chooses to live in the big city. Though it may sound like some sort of invented children’s story, it’s nonfiction. Indeed, an elephant seal did take up residence in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. The locals named her Elizabeth after the Queen of England, but her presence became problematic when she took to sunbathing in the middle of the road. Multiple times they tried moving her out to sea, farther and farther away each time, but each time, she eventually came back. Told very nicely through Lynne Cox’s words and Brian Floca’s illustrations, this is a good one. And I love the photograph of the real Elizabeth of the Seas lounging by the side of the road.

 

Recent Read: The Fourteenth Goldfish

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Ellie is struggling to adjust to the changes of a new school and getting older, when her mother brings home her grandfather in thirteen-year-old-form! After figuring out how to channel the regenerative properties of a jellyfish into a cure for aging, he tries out his fountain of youth on himself. Still the same crotchety old man he was, but in a thirteen-year-old’s body, he now seeks to publish his research so he can win a Nobel prize.

Even though the premise is an outlandish one (but also very fun), Holm tells a simple, uncomplicated story, one of family and identity, age and even ethical responsibility. Holm’s tone is light-hearted, and she sprinkles humor throughout. I loved Ellie. She’s sweet and introspective. Through her adventures with her grandfather, Ellie discovers an interest in science. She finds friends and a new found confidence in the face of the changes of middle school. The chapters are very short, and I was surprised to find that it was 100 pages because it went so quickly. Very good.

The Fourteenth Goldfish will be released on August 26.