NYPL Blogs: Posts by Ricca Gaus

New Juvenile Non Fiction

Ricca Gaus, Inwood Library — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:03:57 -0400

It can be tricky to find good non fiction for kids. The good offerings strike a delicate balance between factual accuracy, realistic portrayal and general appeal. I recently found two great new books that seem to strike all three, but in very different ways for two different age groups.

The first is a picture book memoir by Dan Yaccarino called All the Way to America, and it chronicles the history of the author's own family through several generations from their origins in Italy, their migration to New York City and their growth into American entrepreneurs. The narrative reads like a fiction picture book which will hold the attention of a wide group of children, but he focuses on a little shovel that is with the family throughout and symbolizes their collective journey to becoming Italian American citizens, making it very personal and relatable. The illustrations are bright and engaging, which make this a great read aloud for a preschool or kindergarten group.

The next non fiction offering is for middle grade readers by Marissa Moss. Nurse, Soldier, Spy is the story of Emma Edmonds, a girl who dresses as a boy in order to gain freedom and enlist in the Union army during the Civil War. Emma's story is compelling because she not only serves in the army, but they also use her as a spy and she is able to relay important tactical information about the confederate army's weapons holdings. She was even given a medal posthumously for her bravery during the war. The story is an exciting read and John Hendrix provides dynamic illustrations that fasten the pace. The most remarkable part might be the author's note at the end that details the life of Emma Edmonds and provides resources for further reading. It is so good to know that women were playing such a vital role during that time in history.

Book Review: Warp Speed

Ricca Gaus, Inwood Library — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:59:46 -0400

Warp Speed by Lisa Yee tells the story of Marley Sandelski, a seventh grade Star Trek geek at Rancho Rosetta Middle School. Marley has some great friends and loves being in AV club with the other geeks. They could spend all day debating the merits of Star Trek vs. Star Wars, but sadly, that is only one period of the day. The rest of the time he is avoiding bullies like the Gorn, who shove him into lockers and chase him after school.

He has named them the Gorn after the evil beasts that appeared in an original Star Trek episode (or TOS for fans) and they live up to their namesakes, chasing him every day after school and even beating him up. On top of that there is Digger, who forces Marley to do his homework for him and threatens to put his dad's old movie theatre out of business.

All the running away makes Marley realize that he's actually really fast! He always gets picked last in gym but he never realized he could run at warp speed! The track coach notices his talent and asks him to go out for the team. Could this be his ticket to popularity? Could it help him win over his crush, Emily Ebers and stand up to all the bullies?

This is a great story for any kid getting through their tween years, but especially for those in social fringe groups. Everyone can relate to at least one of the large cast of characters, but Marley is an endearing hero for everyone. Fans of sci-fi, especially Star Trek are encouraged to grab a copy at their local branch.

Book Review: Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie

Ricca Gaus, Inwood Library — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:39:20 -0400

Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg and illustrated by Matthew Cordell takes place during the summer between second and third grade, but starts out not as sunny as a summer day.

I had a bad August. A very bad August. As bad as pickle juice on a cookie. As bad as a spider web on your leg.
As bad as the black parts on a banana.
I hope your August was better. I really do. That is the voice of Eleanor, who is about to start third grade and going through some big changes. Most importantly, her babysitter, Bibi, has moved away and her new babysitter does things very differently, though that is good for Eleanor since EVERYTHING is a reminder of her beloved Bibi and things that remind her of Bibi make Eleanor very sad. She writes Bibi letters about her summer, her new babysitter Natalie, and her run ins with Agnes her troublemaking upstairs neighbor. She doesn't hear back, which makes her worry, but Natalie is keeping her busy and turning out to be kind of fun. This is a simple but lovely story about getting older, making transitions and adapting to new people and situations. Perfect for second or third grade readers with playful illustrations by Matthew Cordell that will keep their interest strong.