Review: The 6th Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman

"The 6th Grade Nickname Game" was checked out by a student in one of my "struggling reader" classes and that piqued my interest. The book starts at a running pace and carries you through with the momentum of plot build-up, character development, and suspense. 

Two friends, like brothers, have a knack for giving their fellow students (and teachers) nicknames. 

(spoiler alert): 

I thought that the moral of the story would be that nicknaming is unjust stereotyping, but Korman cleverly twists the theme into a more positive light. I have never seen an author more compassionately regard his main characters. Jeff and Wiley are a lot of trouble, but are portrayed as playful, well-intentioned, and still in the process of growing up.

The only strong moral consequence to their nicknaming is that it backfires on them in a funny, endearing way. One boy, who dislikes his own nickname "Snoopy," argues that you can make any name stick if you say it often enough. He then dares the nicknaming duo to prove their ability by making an unfitting nickname for someone. Snoopy chooses a boy who is so uninteresting that Jeff and Wiley feel stuck, but finally they agree on the "Iceman."

As the story progresses, both boys are forced to test their friendship for the first time when they both fall in love with a girl named Cassandra. In the end, Cassandra doesn't choose either of them for the Sadie Hawkin's Dance, but chooses... the Iceman--who has gone from being an uninteresting, unpopular boy to the "coolest" boy in the school, thanks to his new nickname.

Snoopy wins his bet, but decides in the end to keep his name. I was surprised at this, but on the positive side it is meant to show that Snoopy begins to accept himself as he is--and I felt a little strange about that choice. He could have gotten a new name that still meant something similar, but more positive, like "Sleuth." 

This book does a great job portraying how quickly you can change the perception of someone by stereotyping and prejudicing, but what a great way to show this through humour. 

Great story, quick read, funny, life lessons, and great plot development. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Great for: boys and girls 10-12

Best Books for Girls 9-12

My original post prepared for this blog "Best Books for Girls 9-12" has been published by Mercatornet and can be accessed here.

Review: The Spyglass

This children's book attracted me first because of its beautiful illustrations, but the story itself is very moving.

There are two neighbouring kingdoms, one rich and one poor. One day an old man goes to visit the poor kingdom and stays at the king's castle, which is in shambles. In exchange for the visit, the old man gives the king a spyglass. With it he can look out on his ruined fields and weeds and see "what could be"--prosperity and beauty.

The king wonders what use such a thing would be to him, but quickly he discovers once you envision a change, you can make it happen.

As he passes the spyglass from villager to villager, amazing things happen to the kingdom.

The moral of the story is that the poor kingdom was not lacking in anything that the rich kingdom had, except for faith.

Beautiful images, a touching story, my 7-8 year old students loved it!

Review: Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy Graphic Novels

This is a 21-st century version, Manga-style, of the Nancy Drew series. All the stories are new, and so are the gadgets. It's a great idea on the cover, but the content of these books is wanting. 

My first contention with the books (I want to say as usual) is the scandalously clad main character in #5, #18, #17. The style is certainly manga-Japanese, but with numerous shots of cleavage, innapropriate dress, Nancy Drew is a bit mature looking for the 9-12 year old students in my libraries. 

Passable:

- #8 - Global Warning: I like the theme of this book, a mystery that relates to the environment and teaches about the effects of global warming. 

-#7 - The Charmed Bracelet: Nancy's boyfriend Ned is put into suspicion for stealing a camera, but really to blame is a friendly kleptomaniac, who's trying to help solve bigger problems. 

-#16 - What Goes Up... Nancy shows bravery and courage as she leads a group of bandits out of danger through a mountain pass.

Papercutz is an American publisher for graphic novels and issued this series beginning in 2005. Papercutz is an imprint of NBM (Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing Inc.) which also publishes erotic materials. Papercutz seeks to publish only family-friendly material, but I do not agree that Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys graphic novels are always family friendly. I do, however, enjoy some of their publications, for example, the Geronimo Stilton graphic novel series.

The Hardy Boys graphic novel by Papercutz does a poorer job of portraying women than the Nancy Drew graphic novel series. I have found all of the books in the Hardy Boys series contain inappropriate images.

Review: Bone #3 Eyes of the Storm

In Brief:

Bone #3 picks up the story and the excitement again that was left in Bone # 1. We have some exciting plot twists and strong subplots that develop the characters of Thorn and Gran'ma Ben. There are also a few laugh out loud moments.

Areas of Contention:

-Showy pictures of Thorn: Her dress is sometimes has trouble covering her completely, at the beginning too low at the top, later, so short that it is more of a shirt. Fone Bone tries to write her a love poem and wants to find something to rhyme with "smooth brown thighs."

-Scenes in the bar: depictions of drinking, no characters get drunk.

-Inappropriate Language: Lucius says "You two better not crap around like this th' whole way to Barrelhaven"

Review of "Because of Winn-Dixie"

This is a heart-warming read with short, quick chapters. Each of the  mini-chapters holds a small episode so that the story moves along quickly and enjoyably with every sitting.

Opal, the main character, is an endearing protagonist who asks honest questions about life's difficult situations. Her mother is an alcoholic who has abandoned her and her father, who is a preacher. Though this story is about loss and "letting go"--it is exactly this "letting go" that leads the characters to acceptance and to rediscovering hope.

The other characters are sketched as tongue-in-cheek caricatures: for example her father "the preacher" is often referred to as a "turtle" who "likes to hide in his shell." These characterizations reflect young Opal's impressions of people: "pinched-face Amanda" soon becomes "less pinch-faced" as Opal comes to sympathize with her.

With the help of the dog Winn-Dixie, Opal makes friends with secluded people and draws other characters, who once appeared snobbish or bullied her, into her circle of friends. It's a lesson about people's first impressions as much as it is about finding compassion for them once we get to know them.

There are so many things that I liked about this story, but the main reason why it touched me was that it shows that happiness and sadness can live together. They can be all mixed together and tasting sweet, just like a Littmus Lozenge.

Children will enjoy the caricature-characters, the silly Winn-Dixie, the quick pace of the plot, and of course, the ending.

This book would appeal to readers aged 9-13 for girls, and 9-11 for boys, especially if it is read out loud.

Kate DiCamillo is also the author of The Tale of Desperaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

Review of Bone # 2 : "The Great Cow Race"

The first book of this series, Out From Boneville, which I reviewed recently, was a fast-paced, exciting read with lots of action and intriguing plot lines. In comparison, "The Great Cow Race" runs at a turtle's pace and allows little plot surprise.

The story is good enough for mild entertainment, and keeps readers interested in continuing the series, which I certainly was. I think my students approach it like another episode in a TV series, it just moves the whole plot forward, slightly.

As for plot content:

- Phoney Bone tricks all the villagers into placing a false bet on a "mystery cow" so that he can make great wins at the town cow race. He gets his due reward by losing heavily and being kicked out of the town.

-Fone Bone continues to be in love with Thorn, and begins writing her love poetry.

Mature aspects:

-Thorn flirts with a young man who is more interested in showing off his muscles than wearing a shirt. He eventually brushes Thorn aside for another girl. The scenes are very mild, and meant to be slightly humorous. (Fone Bone is compared to the young, muscular man).

-Other parents have complained that some characters are smoking in the story (the dragon smokes a cigar), that some scenes occur in a bar, and that characters engage in gambling. My response is that the main characters, Fone and Thorn, do not engage in these activities. In some ways, the dragon "smoking" is meant to be an off-hand joke. The scenes that occur in the bar are contextual; there are no restaurants in Boneville, and the main characters--Fone and Thorn--are shown eating and drinking tea. Phoney Bone's gambling always proves itself disastrous, so its presence is more moral than than condoning.

My only true complaint with the series so far are the subtle sexual innuendos, the suggestion of Thorn being attractive because of her sexual appeal. I think the flashes of too much skin takes away from her strength of character and demeans her. It would be better if (boys) reading the story could admire her for her.