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11/15/11
What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire - Ages 9+
What-the-Dickens:
The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy
What's the Story?
A terrible storm is raging, and ten-year-old Dinah is huddled by candlelight with her brother, sister, and cousin Gage, who is telling a very unusual tale. It’s the story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who finds he has an attraction to teeth, a crush on a cat named McCavity, and a penchant for getting into trouble. One day he happens upon a feisty girl skibberee who is working as an Agent of Change — trading coins for teeth — and learns that there is a dutiful tribe of skibbereen (call them tooth fairies) to which he hopes to belong. As his tale of discovery unfolds, however, both What-the- Dickens and Dinah come to see that the world is both richer and less sure than they ever imagined.
What's the Buzz?
"At first, this story-within-a-story structure seems unnecessarily complicated and dark for a tale about tooth fairies (who might be smart-alecky and tough but are still fairies, after all). But it all makes a little more sense when you know that this novel was originally serialized in newspapers to provide a diversion in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina." - Kids Reads
"I really didn't think I was going to like this book. "The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy," the cover proclaims. Tooth fairy? The idea just didn't seem all that interesting to me. Boy was I wrong. This is so much more than a book about a tooth fairy." - Wands & Worlds
"With the dire situation of Dinah and her brother and sister, this book is a bit dark. But the intriguing story gives you the feeling of a light in a dark place." - Sonder Books
"Macguire certainly has a unique style of story telling. The best way I can think of to describe his writing is to say that it is clear that he ENJOYS his storytelling. You can tell that he really loves what he does. Sometimes you can almost see a grin in the way he dashes out a few details and in the way he expresses humor through his characters. He’s just having fun! " - 5 Minutes For Books
"... it starts out very slow. I wasn't surprised to read many reviews that said it was dull and they wanted to quit reading as What-the-Dickens dithers around trying to figure out what he is and what he should do. The story really picks up once he meets Pepper..." - The Childrens Literature Book Club
"If you have a small person between the ages of 9 and… well I refuse to stick an upper age limit on it, then you should get this book for them. Read it yourself first though!" - Book & Biscuit
"I think What-the Dickens can be read two ways: as a straight-across fairy tale aimed at mainly 5th-8th graders. Or it can be read with more adult undertones of religious and political themes. ... I wouldn’t say there is enough fodder for philosophical debates or personal paradigm shifts, but there is a little meat to gnaw off the bone." - Tree, Root & Twig
11/11/11
Puddlejumpers by Mark Jean & Christopher Carlson - Ages 10+
Puddlejumpers
What's the Story?
Ernie Banks, named for the legendary Chicago Cub shortstop, is a troubled, 13-year-old juvenile delinquent. Abandoned on the doorstep of the Lakeside Home for Boys when he was three years old, he’s now considered a “lifer,” a permanent ward of the state. His only proof that he once belonged to somebody is a vintage Ernie Banks baseball card, a crystal acorn he wears on a string around his neck, and a strange spiral birthmark on the bottom of his right foot.
As a last reprieve before being sent to a juvenile detention facility, Ernie is allowed to spend three weeks on a working farm. When Ernie arrives at the home of Russ Frazier, he learns that the widower’s baby was kidnapped years before. The single piece of evidence was a red quilt found in a puddle in the nearby woods. Fascinated by the town’s famous “Quilt Baby” kidnapping, Ernie is determined to solve the case. He teams up with Joey, a local tomboy, to investigate clues that lead them on a dangerous journey into a forbidden world of dark secrets, magic puddles, and the cavernous underground kingdom of the Puddlejumpers— eleven-inch tall water creatures with whom Ernie has a mysterious connection.
When destiny summons, Ernie must find the courage to save the Puddlejumpers from the Most Dark and lead them in battle against their mortal enemies. Only then can he find his way home.
What's the Buzz?
"Puddlejumpers is a magical story woven together by Mark Jean and Christopher C. Carlson. They have ignited their imaginations full force, creating a fast-paced tale with an intriguing plot, incredible creatures and memorable characters. Their colorful descriptions bring the story to life, spiced up even more with their bizarre sense of humor"- Kids Reads
"Puddlejmpers will make a good movie someday. It makes a pretty good book now, especially for readers who love action with a dash of mystery and characters that don’t save the day by making twelve stupid decisions before bumbling into the correct one." - Fantasy Magazine
"At first the book seems like a mystery, but then it switches gears into an adventure novel. At the end I was in awe. I won't tell you why because you just have to read it. All the characters are very interesting and all the people fit into the story perfectly." - Elizabeth @ Washington Township Public Library
"Although this is a fast-paced fantasy adventure, I was surprised to discover that the novel also has great heart. A modern story with a tip o' the hat to the best family classics, this is a book you'll want to keep for the family library and pass down to future generations." - YA Books Central
"The characters are well-developed and the heartfelt story is wall to wall with pulse-pounding excitement. Fans of Spiderwick Chronicles will love this book -- as did I." - Cool Kids Read Books
Where Can I Learn More?
If you'd like to hear co-author Christopher Carlson read the first three chapters of Puddlejumpers, go here & click on the Puddlejumpers cover.
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