Griffin's Castle by Jenny Nimmo

Desperate and neglected, Dinah is a girl who has been bounced around from place to place her whole life. When her young, irresponsible mother lands a job that allows them to temporarily live in a very old and decaying mansion, the fiercely independent Dinah is determined to transform it into the home she has always dreamed of. Unfortunately the house is owned by her mother’s current boyfriend, a cold man who doesn’t like Dinah. In her isolated loneliness, the girl finds herself forming a very real bond with several stone animals carved into a wall she passes each day on her way to school. One day she speaks to one of the statues inviting it to come with her. To her surprise—it gets down off the wall and accompanies her home. Over time, more statues soon follow. But are these magical creatures really her friends?

Griffin’s Castle has the same chilling atmosphere as a good ghost story. Readers who are easily creeped out might want to steer clear of this slightly darker tale. Those who love a good thrill (like myself) will enjoy reading this thoroughly engrossing book. My only complaint was the ending. There were many things that are left unexplained and the ending was a bit too nice and neat to be realistic, especially after everything that had happened. Despite these flaws, I still liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes to be deliciously scared.

Ox, House, Stick: the History of our Alphabet

OX, HOUSE, STICK: THE HISTORY OF OUR ALPHABET; Don Robb and Anne Smith; Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2007; 47pp. Juvenile non-fiction.
Colorful pictures and a surprisingly comprehensive text make this history of the alphabet one of the best ever for young people. Beginning with why written language was invented--to be able to keep a record, and to be able to speak to people far away in time or place--Robb traces the development of the alphabet from pictograms through hieroglyphics to Sumerian, Phoenician, and Roman incarnations to our current alphabet. The text is remarkably detailed, given the brightly colored picture book format of the book, and deserves careful and probably repeated readings. A terrific introduction to language.

The Many Rides of Paul Revere - by James Cross Giblin

This book was fantastic. I picked it up thinking, sure, why not, but I couldn't put it down. I didn't have any clue about all of the things Paul Revere had done besides being a silversmith and riding to warn the people. Apparently Paul met any challenge head on. Be a dentist? Okay. Fix a 600 pound bell with a crack in it even though he didn't know how? Sure. Invest $35,000 in a factory to roll copper plating without even trying it first? Of course! James Cross Giblin also clears up the misconception that Paul was the only one to make the ride to warn Lexington and Concord. Actually, he was accompanied by William Dawes and then joined by a Dr. Prescott. When Paul was captured by British militia after warning the people in Lexington, only Dr. Prescott made it on to Concord. (The book includes the poem by Longfellow and explains how and why the story might have been changed.) I learned so much from this book. And besides the many things to learn from, it also had many great photos and illustrations. Overall, an excellent book that I would give many stars to!

The Alchemyst: the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

THE ALCHEMYST: THE SECRETS OF THE IMMORTAL NICHOLAS FLAMEL; New York: Delacorte, 2007; 373 pp. Children's/Young Adult fiction
The Alchemyst starts off with a bang--a lot of bangs, actually, when Dr. John Dee, a sulfurous necromancer, invades a bookshop with a gang of glassy-eyed Golems and steals the Book of Abraham the Mage from Nicholas Flamel, the 700-year old proprietor and alchemist. Accidentally caught up in the fracas are Josh and Sophie Newman, twins who work at the bookshop and a nearby coffee shop, respectively, and Nicholas' wife Perenelle, who is kidnapped along with the book. As Flamel frantically searches for the book and his missing wife, ancient forces come into play--the Morrigan, gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt, cats, crows, and the sword, Excalibur. The twins, caught up in the chase, find that they may not be accidentally involved as the narrative races to a cliffhanger conclusion, and an anxious wait for the next volume in this exciting new series . . . . Suitable for good readers from fifth grade on up.

There is a Bird on Your Head (Elephant and Piggie Series) by Mo Willems

I’ve often felt there was much left to be desired as far as easy reader books are concerned. There is only so much that can be said about the “cat that sat on the mat”. That was before Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie books came to town. There are currently four books in the series (hopefully with many more on the way). There is a Bird on Your Head is my favorite title in the series.

Elephant has a problem. Two birds have decided to build their nest on his head. His friend Piggie thinks this is wonderful. Elephant isn’t so sure—and with good reason. Out of all the books I’ve read aloud to groups of children this is the one that always gets the most giggles.

Other titles in this series are: My Friend is Sad, I’m Invited to a Party, and Today I Will Fly (My second favorite in this series). The next book in the series, I will Surprise My Friend, is coming to a library near you in June of 2008.

Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share

GIMME CRACKED CORN & I WILL SHARE; Kevin O'Malley; Picture Book; New York: Walker & Company, 2007; unpaged.

Corn and chickens are a near-fatal combination in this groaner of a picture book where O'Malley shamelessly struts out nearly every elementary school joke about our feathered friends known to man and long-suffering Mom. O'Malley's illustrations are cheerily Gothic, if there is such a thing, and kids in the know should find this volume a laugh and a half.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy

THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED FLY GUY; Tedd Arnold; Picture Book; New York: Scholastic, 2007; 30 pgs.

Anyone familiar with Tedd Arnold's Hi! Fly Guy! series should delight in his latest offering, There was an Old Lady who Swallowed Fly Guy. The old lady is Buzz's grandmother who accidentally inhales Fly Guy when Buzz and his pet come to visit. Fly Guy doesn't much like the contents of Grandma's stomach so he tries to fly back out her mouth, only to be overwhelmed by the spider, dog, cat, cow, etc., that Grandma is frantically swallowing to take care of Fly Guy. Arnold's unique perspective on this age-old and much-parodied favorite is a pure delight.

The Chaos Code

THE CHAOS CODE; Justin Richards; London: Bloomsbury, 2007; juvenile fiction 9781599901244; $17.95
This is one of those books you keep reading in the hope that it will get better, because Mr. Richards other books have been good, but alas, it plugs along 'til the end. It is hard to imagine that a book about the Lost Continent of Atlantis and a power-mad genius who hopes to use computer animated golems and avatars to take control of the earth could be boring, but there it is. However, this may be just the sort of book that kids will like because they won't notice the stolid prose. Have them give it a try at the public library before you decide to buy it. A secondary purchase at best.

Little Red Riding Hood

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, retold and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; New York: Little, Brown, and Co., 2007; 16.95; ISBN 0316013552 or 9780316031550; Picture Book

With Jerry Pinkney at the drawing board, one might imagine how beautiful this new version of Little Red Riding Hood is. In addition, it has several standout features: Pinkney retells the original story, in which the wolf eats Grandma and Little Red Riding Hood, and a passing woodsman kills the wolf with an ax and lets them out; Little Red Riding Hood is black; and the story takes place in the winter. The brilliant red of the cloak is striking against a backdrop of snow, evergreens, and pale birches. Recommended purchase for all libraries. It is a crime against art and society that Jerry Pinkney has never won a Caldecott award (editorial remark).