Sharon Reads: Dean Koontz’s Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages

August 4, 2013August 1, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages

Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages by Dean Koontz is a book that readers from elementary school ages through adults can understand and enjoy, with beautiful illustrations and a story that feels very real. Isaac Bodkins was a magical toy-maker who creates toys that can come to life in order to help children trough difficult times. He calls his creations Oddkins. However, Isaac has passed away sooner than expected, and before he could train the next toy-maker. The race is now on to see whether a good or evil magic toy-maker will wield the power. A team of Isaac’s Oddkins are on the move to find the toy shop of Isaac’s chosen heir, while evil toys from the hidden sub-basement try to stop them from reaching their goal before the evil toy-maker can purchased Isaac’s toy shop.

Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages might be Koontz’s first book intended for more than just adult readers, but you would never know it from the read. Living toys are a new idea, but Koontz instilled a new life to the idea, with strong personalities for each of the living toys. I loved the idea that the toys are intended to help children facing special difficulties, although I wished all children could have one rather than just the ones with the ‘potential for greatness’, since I think everyone has that potential. However, that would make for one busy magic toy-maker! The Oddkins that face the action, both good and bad, have quirks and personalities that often made me smile or shudder, depending. The good Oddkin’s quest for Colleen Shannon’s shop, Isaac’s nephew’s search for the truth, and an ex-con in search for more ways to inflict pain intersect with the evil Oddkins intent on securing their future and the success of the dark toy-maker. There are epic battles, internal debates, and characters that will take hold of your heart. What else do you need?

I recommend Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages for adults that are fans of Koontz works as well as adults, teens, and the middle grade set. On a scale of one to five, I would give Oddkins a full five stars. There is a combination of fast passed action with enough introspection and personal discovery to keep readers of all ages and all genre preferences entertained and turning the pages.

(This review was originally published on Sharon the Librarian.)

Powerful Fiction Focused on Bullying for Children and Young Adults

July 25, 2013June 6, 2014 / Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

Bullying is a topic that is the focus of many fiction and non-fiction books. Partially because of the tragic stories in recent years about both the bullied and the bullies. Part of the interest is also because just about everyone has felt like they have been bullied or on the outside looking in for at least some point in their lives. Some of the young adult and children’s fiction that focuses on bullying as part of the plot line or the everyday lives of the characters is extremely powerful. Here are five of the children’s and young adult books about bullying that I have found to be the easiest to relate to, or most moving.

1. How to Beat the Bully Without Really Trying by Scott Starkey is a children’s chapter book about Rodney, an admitted coward, who moves to Ohio where the middle school bully immediately singles him out, but through accident gains an undeserved reputation as a tough guy.

2. Dear Life, You Suck by Scott Blagden is a young adult novel about seventeen-year-old Cricket Cherpin who lives under the watchful eye of Mother Mary at a Catholic boys’ home in Maine. He has such bleak prospects he is considering suicide when Wynona Bidaban steps into his world.

3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a young adult book in which a traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda’s freshman year in high school.

4. Everybody Sees the Ants by Amy Sarig King is a young adult book, and 2014 Nutmeg Award Nominee, about overburdened fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman who begins dreaming of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War.

5. Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti is a young adult book about high school junior Noelle who is bullied at school and neglected by her mother at home. She reaches her breaking point after a classmate commits suicide.

Other fiction about bullying that I recommend are; Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan(YA), Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli(J), The Other Felix by Keir Graff(J), How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill by James Patterson (J),and The Odd Squad: Bully Bait by Michael Fry (J).

Picturebooks on the Small Screen

July 9, 2013July 9, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

If there is a child in your house that has a favorite book that you refuse to keep reading umpteen times a day, or are trying to pry small eyes away from the television and towards an actual book, I just might have a solution! I have discovered a series of DVD’s that my two children and I can enjoy without feeling guilty about watching.

Scholastic has a series of DVD’s that take favorite picturebooks, and some chapter books, released in a form everyone can enjoy. The picturebook DVD’s typically include the words at the bottom of the screen with a read along feature and the original artwork. This just might get a young television fan interested in picking up a book that they have seen, or checking out more by an author on the library shelves. Many of the stories are read by the authors and some contain interviews with those authors that the adults will appreciate even more than the kids do. Here are some of my favorite examples of great children’s books that use the actual text of the book in order to excite children about reading.

1. Chrysanthemum is a DVD with Chrysanthemum, Owen, and Weekend with Wendell by Kevin Henkes. It also has Picnic by Emily Arnold McCully, Monty by James Stevenson, and Wizard by Jack Kent. The DVD is recommended for ages 2 through 7 and has a read along option available. Narrators on this DVD include Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mary Beth Hurt, and Marlene Danielle.

2. Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin and narrated by Randy Travis is the title story for my second pick in this section. Other stories on the DVD include The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash written by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Steven Kellogg with the voices of Brianna Kittrell and Heidi Stalling; The Pigs’ Wedding written and illustrated by Helme Heine; The Cow Who Fell in the Canal written by Phyllis Krasilovsky, illustrated by Peter Spier, and narrated by Rex Robbins; and Charlie Needs a Cloak written and illustrated by Tomie de Paola. This disc is recommended for ages 2 through 8 and includes English and Spanish language track (for title story only) with optional “read along” track.

3. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen is the title track on two different DVD’s. One also has In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming, Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd MoMoss, All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka, The Napping House, Joey Runs Away, and Picnic. The stories are narrated by Jane Yolen, and Laura Dern; the illustrators are Mark Teague and Marjorie Priceman. The other DVD with How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? as the title track is a selection of several of Yolen’s How Does a Dinosaur series and other dinosaur related books.

4. Swimmy is the title story in this collection of stories from Leo Lionni. The other stories included are Frederick, Fish is Fish, It’s Mine!, Cornelius, Each Peach, Pear, Plum, Hush Little Baby, and Let’s Give Kitty a Bath. These eight classic Leo Lionni animated stories are recommended for ages 3 through 9.

5. There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly is a classic tale. On this DVD is the version adapted by Simms Taback which is narrated and sung by Cyndi Lauper. The disc also includes Antarctic Antics, written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey; Musical Max, written by Robert Kraus and illustrated by Jose Aurego & Ariane Dewey (narrated by Mary Beth Hurt); Keeping House written by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Wendy Smith; and Waiting for Wings, written by Lois Ehlert. This disc is recommended for ages 3 through 8 and has a Spanish version of Musical Max.

6. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems starts off a DVD that also has Shrinking Violet written by Cari Best and illustrated by Giselle Potter; Possum Magic written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas; Planting a Rainbow written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert; Brave Irene by William Steig; and Will I have a Friend? written by Miriam Cohen and illustrated by Lillian Hoban. There is a read along option on the disc as well as an interview with Mo Willems. The disc is recommended for ages 2 through 8.

For more great picturebooks and short chapter books turned into DVDs, you can search for the Scholastic Storybook Treasures series. But do not forget to take a look at the original versions of these great stories as well!

Crazy Weather? There’s a Book for That!

July 6, 2013June 5, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

Derecho

It seems the weather has just been so crazy this year! Recently, a new weather term (to non-weather experts, anyway) was being tossed around – derecho. This refers to a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms. The damage a derecho causes is similar to a tornado. The swath of wind damage has to be 240 miles long and have wind speeds of 58 miles per hour or higher to qualify as a derecho. Conditions were very favorable in the middle of June for a derecho to occur in the Midwest. The potential existed for 70 million people being affected. In June of 2012, a derecho caused 13 deaths and caused $1 billion in damages.

Windsor, CT

On July 1, 2013, Connecticut experienced a rare occurance – three tornadoes. An EF0 (wind speeds from 65-85 mph) began in Greenwich and
ended in Stamford. Another EF0 touched down in Enfield and an EF1 tornado (wind speeds from 86-110 mph) touched down in East Windsor, Windsor and Windsor Locks causing considerable damage. On July 19th, an EF1 tornado started in Andover, then Coventry and ended in Mansfield.

The Cheshire Library has many books about weather. They can be found in the Adult non-fiction section under the Dewey number 551.6 and in the Childrens’ section in the same Dewey section.

A few titles that might be of interest are:

Weather by Simon Seymour
Weather by Brian Cosgrove
Wild, Wet and Windy by Claire Llewellyn
The Weather Book by Jack Williams
Complete Idiot’s Guide to Weather by Mel Goldstein
Eric Sloane’s Weather Book by Eric Sloane
The Winds of Change by Eugene Linden
The Weather of the Future by Heidi Cullen
Freaks of the Storm by Randall Cerveny

From the Children’s Room: Dig Into Reading This Summer!

July 3, 2013July 3, 2013 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

The Cheshire Library presents its 2013 Summer Reading program “Dig Into Reading”.

Dig into your best summer yet with our annual Summer Reading Program! Register online for our Summer Reading Club. Read books, log what you’ve read, write reviews & get prizes! Program begins June 24th & continues through August 19th. Children and parents can come to the library after registering and receive the Summer Reading packet, which includes a bookmark, a packet of sunflower seeds, and promotional items from Quassy Park, Applebees, TD North Bank, Connecticut Higher Education Trust, the Sound Tigers, Connecticut Sun, and Pottery Piazza.

2013 Summer Reading T-Shirt design by Laurie Lee

Children in preschool through grade two will read 6 books to receive a t-shirt and 12 books to finish the Reading Club. Children in grades three and up need to read 3 books to receive a t-shirt and 6 books to finish. T- shirts will be available while supplies last.

Children who finish the club will receive a ticket voucher for the New Britain Rock Cats and the Pawtucket Red Sox. Instructions for receiving the tickets and information about game dates will be forthcoming. Children will also receive a reading certificate and a ticket for a gift certificates drawing to be held at the end of the reading program.
The Summer Reading Program features wonderful programs all summer long, sponsored through the generous support of the Friends of the Library.
Register for programs on our website.

How many books will YOU read this summer?