Module 12: The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming

"'If it is bold, it is Barnum.  If it is big, it is Barnum.  As a showman, he stands alone.'"

nypl.tumblr.com

Citation

Fleming, C.  (2009).  The great and only Barnum.  New York:  Schwartz & Wade Books.

Summary

The book tells the life story of one of America's greatest showmen - P.T. Barnum of Barnum & Bailey's famous circus.  From his scheming childhood as a young businessman to wildly popular museum and his days as a circus owner, it can all be found in this book.  The book covers his museum in great deal, talking about its popularity and shortcomings.  Barnum's family and personal life are briefly covered--both the impressive and the less inspiring.  Barnum is presented as a shrewd and impressive businessman, never afraid to "dupe" people into visiting his museum, even taking advantage of the questionable verifiability of his exhibits.  Illustrations, photographs, and poster reproductions are plentiful, allowing readers to see the oddities and curious from his museum, his family members, and his traveling circus trains.  Short stories and facts are shared in pullout boxes scattered throughout the text.  A bibliography, source notes, picture credits, and detailed index are included.

My Impressions

Fleming does an excellent job of writing an interesting, informative, and objective biography.  Barnum's story is fascinating on its own, and this biography certainly does it justice.  Her writing is clear and engaging, passing no judgment on Barnum's weaknesses or faults.  She brings Barnum to life, capturing his big personality and examining his personal and public identity.  I was especially intrigued by the numerous photographs of Barnum's museum exhibits and circus performances, as well as many promotional materials.  It was also very much appreciated that an inset box explained the difference in cultural attitudes towards the "freak shows" popular during Barnum's time.  Contextualizing information is especially helpful for students learning about people who lived in a different time period.  The Great and Only Barnum is an excellent biography, and has inspired me to give the genre another try.

Reviews

School Library Journal

"Gr 6 Up--Inheriting his grandfather's practical jokester ways, P. T. Barnum became one of the world's greatest showmen. Candace Fleming (Random House, 2009) traces Barnum's life from his youth in Bethel, Connecticut, to his final days as the part owner of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Her unbiased biography doesn't pull any punches, discussing his problems with alcoholism and his faults as well as his humane side and exuberant personality. Along with the interesting description of Barnum's life are cameos about performers who worked for him, information about his family, and brief descriptions of some of his curiosities. The bonus CD includes the wonderful period photos and illustrations from the print version that help bring the text to life. This informative, entertaining biography is an outstanding choice for school reports, reluctant readers, and just for fun."

Flood, S.  (2011).  [Review of the book The great and only Barnum by C. Fleming].  School Library Journal, 57(10), 80.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Publishers Weekly

The life of showman Phineas Taylor Barnum gets show-stopping treatment in Fleming's (The Lincolns) latest biographical work. Presented as clever, resilient and ever-consumed with making a buck, the Barnum of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is brought to life in anecdotes over 11 chapters. Nicknamed "Tale" as a boy, he "hated farm-work" ("I was always ready to concoct fun, or lay plans for money-making, but hand-work was decidedly not in my line"). His personal struggles with alcohol and a less-than-happy marriage are detailed alongside his many public successes (and hoaxes). A tour of his famed American Museum and an account of a day at the circus (complete with descriptions of the human curiosities Barnum employed) set readers in the middle of the singular late 19th-century entertainment scene. As in a real circus, the large-format pages include plenty to grab readers' attention: white-on-black sidebars that put the entrepreneur's feats in context ("African Americans were barred from entering Barnum's American Museum except on certain days"), b&w photos and advertising posters. Audiences will step right up to this illuminating and thorough portrait of an entertainment legend. Ages 8-12.

[Review of the book The great and only Barnum by C. Fleming].  (2009).  Pubishers Weekly, 256(35), 60.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com

Suggested Library Uses

• Promote this biography, along with other books about circuses when a circus is in town.  Book displays and a storytime would be simple means of doing so.
• Host a circus at the library.  Things to consider included might be a dog training competition for circus acts, a display of odd items around the community for the sideshow, and games on a midway.  Exhibits about the history of circuses could be included, as well. 

Find it @ your library - Albany County Public Library

J B Barnum, P.T.


Notes
Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth, ALA, 2010
Kirkus Best Young Adult Books, 2009
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2009
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA, 2010

Module 11: An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston

"An egg is quiet.  Then, suddenly...an egg is noisy!"

awildbirdoaisis.com

Citation

Aston, D.  (2006).  An egg is quiet.  San Francisco, Calif.:  Chronicle Books, LLC.

Summary

An Egg is Quiet serves as a simple, yet beautifully informative introduction to eggs.  The endpapers contain illustrations of almost 60 eggs, with each being identified and roughly to scale.  The book describes the diversity of eggs: their colors, shapes, sizes, and textures.  It also illustrates the development of the embryo inside the egg.  The book is sparse in text, but explanatory as it teaches about this remarkable feat of biology. 

My Impressions

What I noticed right away were the beautiful and detailed illustrations.  The text seemed simplified and too basic at first, but the message and lesson are conveyed easily, allowing the illustrations to show, rather than tell, about the little miracles of eggs.  Any time an egg is show, it is also identified, though many of the names might be unfamiliar to readers.  To help with this, the back endpapers contain illustrations of the products of each egg shown on the front endpapers and throughout the book.  Readers are able to turn back and forth to identify each egg and resulting creature.  I was somewhat disappointed that size and scale were not respected more, as eggs that were drawn larger than actual size only contained a general statement about the enlargement.  As someone who studied science, it would have been helpful for the artist to say an egg was 30000 times the actual size, for example.  I can see, though, how this might distract from the overall look and feel of the book.

Review

Kirkus Reviews

"Worthy successor to Ruth Heller's Chickens Aren't The Only Ones (1981), this engrossing album pairs images of dozens of precisely detailed eggs and their diverse wild parents to basic facts presented in neatly hand-lettered lines. Nearly all depicted actual size (and those that aren't, are consistently so labeled), Long's eggs look real enough to pick up, whether placed in natural settings or suspended on white pages. All, whether from birds, insects, reptiles, fish or amphibians, are not only identified, but Aston adds both topical phrases--"Eggs come in different sizes"--to each spread and, usually, memorably presented additional facts: "An ostrich egg can weigh as much as 8 pounds. It's so big and so round, it takes two hands to hold one egg." A delight for budding naturalists of all stripes, flecks, dots and textures. (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-9)"

[Review of the book An egg is quiet by D. Aston].  (2006).  Kirkus Reviews, 74(6), 286.  Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

Suggested Library Use

• Invite a biologist to talk about eggs and development.  Ask him or her to bring along eggs, skeletons, or other specimens to show the children and their parents, if included. It would be especially exciting if a specimen from the book could be shared. This would be a great opportunity to talk about teaching science to children as they explore the world around them during a walk at the park or a visit to the mountains, beach, or lake. 

Find it @ Your Library - Albany County Public Library

J 598.6 AS86E


Notes
Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Young Children, 2007

Module 11: What the World Eats by Faith D'Aluisio and Peter Menzel

"How would one week's worth of food in Chad or India stack up against one week's worth in Greenland, Mexico, the United States, Egypt, or France?"

murraylibrary.org

Citation
D'Alusio, F. and P. Menzel.  (2008).  What the world eats.  Berkeley, CA:  Tricycle Press.


Summary
The author and photographer, Peter Menzel, traveled to twenty-one countries and ate with twenty-five families around the globe in order to discover "what the world eats."  In each country, they visited one or two families (two in the countries with large populations, three in the United States) and asked them about their eating habits.  For each country, the family is photographed with a week's worth of food, and a detailed grocery list is provided on the facing page.  The grocery list includes either the price or market value of every item on the list, as well as the brand names and amounts of each.  A brief, two- to three-page narrative follows, explaining how the family acquires, prepares, and partakes of meals, with photos to supplement the text.  There is also a factbox for each country, outlining statistics such as the city population, prevalence of diabetes, or percent of citizens living on less than $2 a day.  Personal recipes are occasionally included.  Special sections provide photos or graphs and charts comparing all twenty-one countries to each other, addressing such things as kitchens, population density, mean consumption, literacy rate, and life expectancy.  


My Impressions
The book is visually appealing, with numerous photographs, tables, maps, and charts to illustrate key points discussed in the text, which is long enough to be thorough, but not too long as to be intimidating.  I really enjoyed looking at the each country's week's worth of groceries, going back and forth between the family photo and the grocery list.  It was fascinating to compare the amount of money spent in a week in each country, as well as the other various statistical figures.  The narratives were somewhat inconsistent, with each one covering a slightly different aspect of that family's eating habits.  This did help to break up the potential monotony of twenty-five identical entries, and made for interesting reading, but somewhat limited the academic appeal of the text.  I did notice a hint of an agenda in the book's discussions, but there was no judgement passed on any family.  Nutrition is an important issue, but it felt somewhat out of place in the book.    I would recommend the book primarily for recreational reading, but it could also be useful for a report on a featured country in the upper elementary and middle school grades.


Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
"Adapted from last year's Hungry Planet, this brilliantly executed work visits 25 families in 21 countries around the world. Each family is photographed surrounded by a week's worth of food and groceries, which Menzel and D'Aluisio use as a way of investigating not only different cultures' diets and standard of living but also the impact of globalization: why doesn't abundance bring better health, instead of increased occurrences of diabetes and similar diseases? These points are made lightly: delivered almost conversationally, the main narrative presents friendly, multigenerational portraits of each family, with meals and food preparation an avenue toward understanding their hopes and struggles. A wealth of supporting information--lush color photographs, family recipes, maps, sidebars, etc.--surrounds the text (superb design accomplishes this job harmoniously) and implies questions about global food supplies. Pictures of subsistence farmers in Ecuador cultivating potatoes from mountainous soil form sharp contrasts with those of supermarkets in a newly Westernized Poland. Fact boxes for each country tabulate revealing statistics, among them the percentage of the population living on less than $2 per day (47% in China, where the average daily caloric intake is nonetheless 2,930 per person); the percentage with diabetes; number of KFC franchises. Engrossing and certain to stimulate. All ages."


[Review of the book What the world eats by F. D'Alusio and P. Menzel].  (2008).  Publisher's Weekly, 255(35), 53.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com.


School Library Journal
"Gr 6 Up --D'Aluisio and Menzel have adapted their Hungry Planet (Ten Speed, 2005) for younger readers in this visually stunning photographic collection that portrays families from 21 countries, each surrounded by a week's worth of food. Each entry includes a detailed list of the groceries with the equivalent cost in U.S. dollars, notes on methods of food preparation and preservation, fast facts about the country, and an engaging article discussing the family members, their lifestyles and employment, health issues, and food traditions and sources, enhanced by "Photographer's Field Note" and "Family Recipe" sidebars. Bright color photographs in varying sizes depict the wide array of kitchens, markets, and homes found in the cross-section of countries. The juxtaposition of the Aboubakar family of six, living in a refugee camp in Chad on $1.22 a week, and the Revis family of four in North Carolina, spending $341.98 a week on groceries, is jaw-dropping, although the author carefully avoids drawing any judgments about the subjects' choices or circumstances. Additional chapters, scattered through the alphabetical-by-country arrangement, include statistics on population, life expectancy, literacy and fertility rates, access to safe water, and obesity. A fascinating volume for browsing, What the World Eats will be useful for students in classes ranging from world cultures to economics to math to geography to current events."


Burner, J.A.  (2008).  [Review of the book What the world eats by F. D'Alusio and P. Menzel].  School Library Journal, 54(7), 111.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Suggested Library Uses

• The book would make an excellent centerpiece to a display about countries around the world or about food in general.
• It might be interesting to have families in the state or city volunteer for a similar exhibit at the library, or for libraries around the country to work together to show "What the US Eats."  One would need to be especially careful about obtaining patrons' permission and explaining what personal information would be published.    
• The book could be used to supplement a weekly or monthly exploration of a different country or culture.  

Find it @ your library - Albany County Public Library
J 641.3 M529W


Notes
Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Books, 2008
School Library Journal Best Books, 2008
Booklist Best Books for Young Adults, ALA, 2009
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA, 2009

Module 10: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

"'There are so many things to learn, you see, and so little time is given us.'"

lookingglassreview.com

Citation
Kelly, J.  (2009).  The evolution of Calpurnia Tate.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company, LLC.


Summary
Calpurnia Virginia Tate is eleven years old, and the only girl in seven children.  One hot summer day in Texas1899, she notices that the yellow grasshoppers on her father's farm are larger than the green ones.  Determined to discover why, she consults her grandfather, who encourages her to study the dilemma as if she were a naturalist.  Thus begins her transformation into a smart and curious young scientist.  As the summer drags on, Calpurnia and her grandfather discover a potential new species of plant in her own backyard, which they send to the Smithsonian for official approval.  As she waits for news from Washington, Calpurnia's scientific activities are questioned by her family.  Will anyone take her seriously as a scientist?  As summer fades into fall and eventually winter, Calpurnia begins to learn more about the world around her and just what it means to be female at the end of the 19th century.


My Impressions
Calpurnia, or Callie Vee, is that little girl we all wanted to be friends with.  She narrates her story with confidence, candor, and humor, almost as if she were having a conversation with the reader.  I very much enjoyed Callie Vee, her family, and the setting.  Simple events such as her oldest brother's first love, her younger brothers' (that's right, more than one) crush on her best friend, the arrival of the telephone, and Calpurnia's own lessons on housewifery lend the story a very natural and authentic feel.  Her grandfather is another loveable character, as you see him morph from a cantankerous old man into a supportive, dedicated, and fascinating scientific mentor for Callie Vee.  The story does move somewhat slowly, with essentialy no action, making it reminiscent of more traditional, subtle forms of storytelling.  The read is well worth it, though, as Calpurnia's coming of age is a bittersweet, yet satisfying journey.


Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
"Life at the turn of the century is not easy for a girl who loves books and science. Kelly's first novel presents spirited heroine Calpurnia (Callie) Virginia Tate, a middle child with six brothers, growing up in the isolation of Fentress, Tex., in 1899. To her family's dismay, Callie is stubborn, independent and not interested in darning socks or perfecting her baking skills like a lady. "I would live my life in a tower of books," she thinks to herself. She spends most of her time with Harry, "the one brother who could deny me nothing," slowly befriending her Granddaddy, a mysterious naturalist who studies everything from pecan distillation to microscopic river bugs. Together they dream up experiments and seek answers to backyard phenomena, discovering something new about the invisible world each day. Callie follows her passion for knowledge, coming to realize her family "had their own lives. And now I have mine." Callie's transformation into an adult and her unexpected bravery make for an exciting and enjoyable read. Kelly's rich images and setting, believable relationships and a touch of magic take this story far. Ages 10-up."


[Review of the book The evolution of Calpurnia Tate by J. Kelly].  (2009).  Publisher's Weekly, 256(18), 51.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com. 


School Library Journal
"Gr 5-8-- A charming and inventive story of a child struggling to find her identity at the turn of the 20th century. As the only girl in an uppercrust Texas family of seven children, Calpurnia, 11, is expected to enter young womanhood with all its trappings of tight corsets, cookery, and handiwork. Unlike other girls her age, Callie is most content when observing and collecting scientific specimens with her grandfather. Bemoaning her lack of formal knowledge, he surreptitiously gives her a copy of The Origin of Species and Callie begins her exploration of the scientific method and evolution, eventually happening upon the possible discovery of a new plant species. Callie's mother, believing that a diet of Darwin, Dickens, and her grandfather's influence will make Callie dissatisfied with life, sets her on a path of cooking lessons, handiwork improvement, and an eventual debut into society. Callie's confusion and despair over her changing life will resonate with girls who feel different or are outsiders in their own society. Callie is a charming, inquisitive protagonist; a joyous, bright, and thoughtful creation. The conclusion encompasses bewilderment, excitement, and humor as the dawn of a new century approaches. Several scenes, including a younger brother's despair over his turkeys intended for the Thanksgiving table and Callie's heartache over receiving The Science of Housewifery as a Christmas gift, mix gentle humor and pathos to great effect. The book ends with uncertainty over Callie's future, but there's no uncertainty over the achievement of Kelly's debut novel."


Schultz, J.  (2009).  [Review of the book The evolution of Calpurnia Tate by J. Kelly].  School Library Journal, 55(5), 110.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Suggested Library Uses

• This book would make for an excellent addition to a book club, either with preteen girls or perhaps in a mother-daughter setting.  There is a great deal to discuss about the role of women during this time, and many of Calpurnia's everyday experiences are easily relatable for girls between the ages of eleven and fourteen.   It might be interesting to compare the text to others about young girls in the same time period.
• The book could be used in a display about curious children, or young scientists.  The many allusions to Darwin in the text make it an easy tie-in to a biography of the naturalist or a field trip to the local park to collect specimens.

Find it @ your library - Albany County Public Library
J KELLY, JACQUELINE


Notes
Booklist Editor's Choice, American Library Association, 2009
Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Books, 2009
School Library Journal Best Books, 2009
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, American Library Association, 2010
Newbery Honor Book, 2010

Module 10: Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming

"'I have a box for Katje--a box from America!'"

friendsbalt.org

Citation

Fleming, C.  (2003).  Boxes for Katje.  New York:  Melanie Kroupa Books.

Summary

In a small Dutch town shortly after World War II, little Katje is surprised one day to receive a package from the United States.  It turns out to be a care package sponsored by the Children's Aid Society.  Inside she finds soap, socks, and chocolate, all of which are in short supply following the war.  She shares her gift with her mother and postman and writes a letter of thanks to Rosie, the American girl who sent the box.  Rosie and her mother are touched by Katje's letter and send sugar to Katje, which she shares with even more friends.  The cycle continues throughout the winter, each time the gifts from Rosie becoming more plentiful as her friends in America contribute to the boxes.  By the end of the winter, Katje's entire village has benefited from Rosie's generosity and Katje decides to repay her with a thoughtful Dutch gift:  tulips, straight from her mother's garden.   The story is based on the author's mother's childhood experience of sending a relief box to Holland and continuing the correspondence throughout the winter. 

My Impressions

Boxes for Katje tells a cheerful story about the joy that can be spread by a little generosity.  The text is simple, colorful, setting the scene for the story.  The dialogue is somewhat stilted, included mostly to provide context and advance the story, but does not distract from the main points.  Each new box repeats the cycle of opening the box, sharing the contents, and writing a letter that unintentionally reveals a new need.  This pattern is not obvious and helps children to follow along and know what to expect.  The illustrations, done in pencil, oil pastel, and acrylic, are bright and emotive, helping the reader to place himself into the story.  I especially enjoyed the inclusion of each letter, written in either Rosie's or Katje's handwriting.  Children will delight to see how the overseas correspondence grows, and might perhaps be inspired to share a little themselves. 

Reviews

School Library Journal

"Gr 1-4- "After the war, there was little left in the tiny Dutch town of Olst. The townspeople lived on cabbages and seed potatoes. They patched and repatched their worn-thin clothing, and they went without soap or milk, sugar or new shoes." Set in post-World War II Holland and based on an actual incident, this story illuminates a little-known episode in history. To offset the devastation left by the war, the Children's Aid Society and other relief agencies encouraged American students to send boxes of basic necessities to victimized children. When Katje in Olst receives such a box from Rosie in Mayfield, IN, the two begin a correspondence that eventually triggers a relief effort that enables this small Dutch town to make it through an unbearably frigid winter. Fleming does an estimable job of bringing time and place into focus, and presents endearing, fleshed-out characters with whom readers can easily empathize and sympathize. Dressen-McQueen's warm-toned colored-pencil, oil-pastel, and acrylic illustrations accurately reflect dress, architecture, and other details, and the facial expressions and body postures of the characters effectively convey their joy in these much-appreciated gifts. A good choice for storyhour as well as for independent reading and an excellent discussion starter."

Oliff, G., Jones, T. E., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., & L. Toth.  (2003). [Review of the book Boxes for Katje by C. Fleming].  School Library Journal, 49(9), 177-178.

Horn Book Magazine

"Amidst the deprivations of life in post-WWII Holland, young Katje receives a care package from an American girl. Katje writes a thank-you note to Rosie, who, when she hears about Katje's generosity with the handful of gifts, begins recruiting friends and neighbors to help send bigger and bigger packages to Katje, who shares the bounty with her friends and neighbors. Fleming has carefully shaped her story so that Katje's heartfelt letters unintentionally inspire further gifts from Rosie (a clothing drive at Rosie's church results from Katje's innocent mention of how the box of food made everyone so happy they forgot about the holes in their shoes). The opening endpapers show Rosie's Indiana neighborhood in 1945; closing endpapers feature the same scene two years later, each yard overflowing with color--from the tulip bulbs Katje's community sends to express their gratitude. First-time illustrator Dressen-McQueen keeps the sentimentality of the story at bay with artwork that matter-of-factly presents Katje's poverty and Rosie's relative prosperity while, like the text, emphasizing their similarities: the secure warmth each experiences at home and their desire to help others. Reflecting the story's theme about friendship's ability to bridge long distances, the multimedia illustrations often overlay a scene from Katje's hometown with one of the girls' handwritten letters and a snapshot-like picture of Rosie's home. An author's note provides further information on the actual events that inspired Fleming's story."

Brabander, J. M. (2003). [Review of the book Boxes for Katje by C. Fleming]. Horn Book Magazine, 79(5), 596-597.

Suggested Library Uses

• A great choice for a storytime about sharing or gift-giving. 
• Use the story as inspiration to participate in a similar community effort, such as Operation Christmas Child or a Red Cross response to a natural disaster.

Find it @ your library - Albany County Public Library

E F629BO

Module 9: The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter

"Sometimes you have to start a thing for all the wrong reasons in order to discover the right ones."

blog.schoollibraryjournal.com

Citation
Potter, E.  (2010).  The kneebone boy.  New York:  Feiwel and Friends.


Summary
Otto, Lucia (that's Lu-chee-ah), and Max Hardscrabble are a little bit strange.  Their father, Casper, is an artist who travels around the world painting portraits of fallen royalty.  Their mother has gone missing, and many suspect she has died.  They spend their days in Little Tunks, England mostly with each other, wishing something interesting would happen.  When they are sent to stay with an aunt who is not home, they decide to go in search of a long-lost aunt-in-law, Haddie Piggit.  It is then their adventure begins. Great Aunt Haddie lives in a curious seaside village in a miniature version of a mysterious old castle, called a castle folly.  There they learn about the legendary creature, the Kneebone Boy, rumored to be half boy and half animal, and decide to find him.  Their quest for this oddity takes them throughout the unique folly, around the grounds, and into the castle itself, where they learn important lessons about themselves and their family.  


My Impressions
The narrator of this book, though a mystery to the reader, is deliciously candid, smart, and charming.  One cannot help but chuckle at the narrator's observations of him- or herself, the Hardscrabble children, and the world around them.  While the Hardscrabble children initially feel very much like the Baudelaire orphans of A Series of Unfortunate Events (Snicket, 1999), their identities and adventures soon become their own.  While it takes a little while for the mystery to evolve, readers are encouraged at each turn of the page as they learn more about the kids and their odd, American Great Aunt Haddie.  It's a little spooky, a little funny, a little bit sleepy, but very much heartwarming and worth the read.  


Review
Kirkus Reviews

"The Hardscrabbles of the English town of Little Tunks--silent Otto, the adventure-seeking Lucia and whip-smart Max--have become accustomed to their shy, rumpled father's absences since their mother's suspicious disappearance. ("'She's dead,' Lucia said. 'She's gone missing,' said Max.") On one such occasion, Mr. Hardscrabble's miscommunication with a London relative leaves the trio perilously alone in the big city. Barely escaping the clutches of an angry tattooed man, they manage to track down their great aunt Haddie Piggit, a youngish, eccentric American with a penchant for Pixy Stix who lives in a child-sized version of the adjacent Kneebone Castle in Snoring-by-the-Sea. Could she be their mother? Does Otto, the oldest at 13, know and not say? Does the legendary, tower-bound Kneebone Boy really have hat ears? Narrated quite personably by one of the Hardscrabbles who refuses to be identified but is obvious, the story is fresh, funny and surprising. The sibling dynamics--alternately testy and touching--are believable, as are the wonderfully odd characters from the hulking taxidermist Saint George to the ethereal Sultan of Juwi. A quirky charmer. (Fiction. 11 & up)"

[Review of the book The kneebone boy by E. Potter].  (2010).  Kirkus Reviews, 78(17) 864.

Suggested Library Uses

• This book should be on any Series of Unfortunate Events read-alike list and would make a great addition to a display of comedic mysteries.  

Find it @ your Library - Albany County Public Library
J Potter, Ellen

Module 8: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

"There's so much darkness in the City of Ember, Lina.  It's not just outside, it's inside us, too."

lookingglassreview.com

Citation
DuPrau, J.  (2003).  The city of Ember.  New York:  Random House Children's Books.


Summary
The city of Ember is lit purely by electricity, but this is all its citizens know.  Beyond the city limits it is pitch-black, and no one has dared venture out.  But the city is failing.  Power outages are becoming frequent and the food stores are running low. Children attend school until the age of twelve, at which point they receive their randomly-chosen work assignments.  Lina wanted to be a Messenger, delivering messages around the city.  Doon wanted to work in the Pipeworks, to understand how the city is powered and figure out what is causing the power outages.  It is only after the two old friends trade jobs that both are satisfied--and both begin to question the future of Ember.  Their curiosity increases when Lina uncovers a mysterious and incomplete message about their city.  As they work to decipher the meaning, Lina and Doon discover unsettling truths about Ember.  What will happen when the power does not come back on?  What will the city do when the food runs out?  What lies beyond the flickering lights of Ember?  


My Impressions
Lina and Doon are smart, hardworking, and relatable young people.  Readers immediately take a liking to both as they wait anxiously for their work assignments at the start of the book.  Feeling almost more like a mystery than science fiction, the book pulls the reader into the streets of Ember, giving out only as much information as necessary about what the city is and how it operates.  The cryptic message Lina discovers leads her and Doon through an exciting adventure around and out of Ember.  Though it takes a little while to pick up speed, the novel reads quickly, effectively combining insight, suspense, and action.  Readers who finish this book will want to jump right to the next book in the series.


Reviews

Horn Book Magazine

"Unlike the rundown dystopia of Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue, the darkness of Ember is essentially literal. Its people, by and large, are honorable and civilized; its governance is democratic if quasi-theocratic; its economy frugal but fair. But there is no natural light in Ember, and the blackouts of its antiquated electrical grid are coming more and more frequently: "running out of light bulbs, running out of power, running out of time--disaster was right around the corner." So thinks Doon, a curious twelve-year-old who, along with his spirited schoolmate Lina, determines to save the city. On a deliberately limited canvas, first-novelist DuPrau draws a picture of a closed society, all of its resources taken from vast but emptying storerooms, with no travel possible beyond the lights of the city. The writing and storytelling are agreeably spare and remarkably suspenseful, and rather than bogging down in explanations of how Ember came to be and how it functions, DuPrau allows the events of the story to convey the necessary information. There's a contrivance or two in keeping the narrative moving, but even the device of a hidden letter, complete with missing words, is used with such disarming forthrightness that readers will be eagerly deciphering it right alongside Doon and Lina. The two protagonists are good sorts, distinctively if not deeply etched, and fans (note: there will be many) will be pleased to know that while Doon and Lina's mission is triumphantly concluded, there's plenty of room for a sequel.

Sutton, R.  (2003).  [Review of the book The City of Ember by J. DuPrau].  Horn Book Magazine, 79(3), 343.

Publisher's Weekly

"In her electric debut, DuPrau imagines a post-apocalyptic underground world where resources are running out. The city of Ember, "the only light in the dark world," began as a survival experiment created by the "Builders" who wanted their children to "grow up with no knowledge of a world outside, so that they feel no sorrow for what they have lost." An opening prologue describes the Builders' intentions--that Ember's citizens leave the city after 220 years. They tuck "The Instructions" to a way out within a locked box programmed to open at the right time. But the box has gone astray. The story opens on Assignment Day in the year 241, when 12-year-olds Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow draw lots for their jobs from the mayor's bag. Lina gets "pipeworks laborer," a job that Doon wants, while Doon draws "messenger," the job that Lina covets, and they trade. Through their perspectives, DuPrau reveals the fascinating details of this subterranean community: as Doon repairs leaks deep down among the Pipeworks, he also learns just how dire the situation is with their malfunctioning generator. Meanwhile, the messages Lina carries point to other sorts of subterfuge. Together, the pair become detectives in search of the truth--part of which may be buried in some strange words that were hidden in Lina's grandmother's closet. Thanks to full-blooded characters every bit as compelling as the plot, Lina and Doon's search parallels the universal adolescent quest for answers. Readers will sit on the edge of their seats as each new truth comes to light. Ages 10-13."

Roback, D., Brown, J.M., Bean, J. & J. Zaleski.  (2003).  [Review of the book The City of Ember by J. DuPrau].  Publisher's Weekly, 250(10), 72.

Suggested Library Uses

• Show the film, The City of Ember (Sachs, 2008) and encourage patrons to read the book before attending.  Hold a discussion following the movie comparing the film and the book.
• This would also make a great book for a book club, as participants can discuss the society in which Lina and Doon live, as well as the events and mysteries of the novel.  It could stand on its own or as part of a series of novels involving dystopian societies. 

Sachs, D.C. (Producer) & Kenan, G. (Director).  (2008).  The city of Ember.  [DVD].  


Find it @ your library - Albany County Public Library
J DUPRAU, JEANNE


Notes
ALA Notable Children's Book, 2004