Patricia Hruby Powell

MIDDLE GRADERS: At times when you’re sad or grieving, rather than needing to laugh, it could be better to delve deep into your grief to find what you need. Perhaps you’ll read the perfect book at the precise moment you need it. “Midnight Zoo,” by Sonya Hartnett (Candlewick 2010) was that book for me. This haunting story broke my heart, then lifted me up.

Andrej, twelve, is a “Rom” or Gypsy boy traveling through war-torn WWII Europe with his brother Tomas, nine. They guard a mysterious bundle, traveling under cover of night.

Andrej’s father had told him, it’s not our war, it’s the “gadje” war, don’t worry. Yet for some reason the Nazis hated Gypsies. So, the story is told from a point of innocence—not just the innocence of a child, but from a culture outside of the warring culture. Andrej remembers his uncle saying, We gypsies are wildcat people. The earth and sky belong to us.

The brothers, escaping the Nazis, find a small zoo in a bombed out town. The caged animals are in need of hope, as are the boys. The animals communicate, but rather than being sentimentalized, they are cantankerous and seem true to their wild behavior.

The animals are dangerous, but don’t they deserve to be freed? Young Tomas’s major concern is the unfairness of life and his proposed solutions are childish. Andrej who is leaving childhood behind, thinks, “Sometimes…being courageous was the least safe thing in the world.” But to overcome your fear is what living is.

The embittered lioness accuses Andrej of being responsible for the war. Andrej tells the lioness, “Every war is everyone’s war.” “Every life is everyone’s battle.”

The boar accuses Andrej that he, as a human, would kill a lioness to take her cub back to civilization to make it a pet. But it will grow up to become a lion. Then what? The lion gets caged, then abandoned in wartime. “You persecute the creatures you fear.”

Both the human and animal characters explore profound ideas. Life is a battle fought alone. Why does war happen? Because humans WANT something. And nothing is more important than that wanting.

Andrea Offerman’s cover art has the animals looking at you imploringly, as if asking, can you be the one? And you, the reader, want to be the one–who will help.

 

Patricia Hruby Powell (www.talesforallages.com) is a nationally touring speaker, dancer, storyteller, librarian and children’s book author.

 

In 1872, Jules Verne wrote “Around the World in Eighty Days,” the rollicking good novel of Phileas Fogg circling the earth. As the 19^th century waned, adventurers were inspired to do likewise.

In the graphic novel, “Around the World” (Candlewick 2010), Matt Phelan tells the story of three such adventurers who take up the quest. If you’ve resisted graphic novels, resist no longer. Phelan’s art is captivating and dramatic without being bombastic.

Thomas Stevens, the first of the three adventurers, is a former miner who sets out in 1884 on a high wheeler—an early bicycle with an immense front wheel. The bicycle was evolving as Stevens took his ride just as a four-wheeler driven by a gasoline engine was being born. Yep, the automobile. So you get some interesting history along with Stevens’ ride, which ended in 1886. This was no eighty day trek. Stevens didn’t use hot air balloons or camels as did Phileas Fogg. How did Stevens cross the oceans? Well, he took a steamship for those bits.

Next comes Nellie Bly, girl reporter, who sets out in 1889, backed by her newspaper, the “New York World”. By steamship, train, horse and carriage, Nellie races against time, gaining publicity along the way. She meets Jules Verne in France, has scheduling set backs, is threatened to be outdone by a surprise competitor, gains more supporters and fame, and circumvents the globe in seventy two days. Nellie becomes a celebrity—the first in the media-driven modern world.

In 1895 retired sea captain, Joshua Slocum, rebuilds a trashed vessel and sets out from Fairhaven, Massachusetts. His wife declines to accompany him, so he sails solo. In his thirty-six foot craft, Slocum navigates by the stars, weathers horrendous storms, a tsunami, hallucinations brought on by tainted food, the horrific conditions around Cape Horn, and finally he anchors back home at Fairhaven after three years on the high seas.

Phelan delves into the depth of his characters with such deft strokes of his pen that you feel his characters’ emotions.

“Reading” these three remarkable journeys is a grand adventure. If you love it the way I do, you might also try Matt Phelan’s “The Storm in the Barn” (Candlewick 2009). If you’re a teacher or the parent of a reluctant reader, consider graphic novels or “sequential art” as a bridge toward reading. To read graphic novels requires concentration and can teach the skill of inference.

 

At Matt’s website you can see the trailers for the books which shows much more of the art. Check it out.

http://www.mattphelan.com/ATW.html

 

In 1975 Saigon, ten-year-old Hà, wakes before dawn on Têt, the Vietnamese New Year, and taps the floor with her toe. A boy is supposed to wake first to touch and bless the house. Never a girl. Hà says, “…only male feet can bring luck. An old angry knot expanded in my throat.” What if her act of defiance has spoiled the family’s luck. Because what happens next is devastating. War-torn Saigon falls to the enemy—to North Vietnam.

So begins “Inside Out and Back Again” by Thanhha Lai (Harper 2011), winner of the National Book Award for Young People. Written in prose poems, it is succinct and fast-paced. 

Years ago, Hà’s father disappeared, undoubtedly taken by the North Vietnamese. But on this day, when the capitol is in chaos, her mother manages to escape with Hà and her three brothers to an overcrowded refugee boat at the river. They drift to the sea without being apprehended by the enemy, but no one arrives to rescue them. Finally, after days of hunger and dehydration on the open seas, an American ship rescues them.

In spite of speaking no English, the family starts over again in Alabama with the help of their sponsor who Hà calls “our cowboy”. He wears a cowboy hat, boots, but has no horse–a sore disappointment to Hà. But he’s kind, although his wife isn’t. Neither are the neighbors. They throw eggs, then a brick through the window.

The cowboy encourages the family to join the Baptist church in order to be accepted by the community. Mother says one religion is like another, so they all get baptized, attend church, but continue to chant before their Buddhist altar at home. Why not.

Unable to speak English at school, Hà is considered stupid. When her tormentor, Pink Boy, cannot multiply 18 x 42, Hà marches to the board and makes the calculation in five easy strokes. This of course makes life even worse for Hà. Not only do they taunt her with ha-ha-ha, but Pink Boy and gang corner her, ready to attack.

Having anticipated this, Hà’s big brother approaches on a motorcycle as planned. Saved. By this time, Hà has befriended a red-haired girl and a boy the “color of coconut shell”. Wise Mrs. Washington, a neighbor and retired teacher tutors Hà in more than just English.

Sparely written, this autobiographical story of assimilation is a must-read.

 

Patricia Hruby Powell (www.talesforallages.com) is a nationally touring speaker, dancer, storyteller, librarian and children’s book author. Joséphine, a picture book biography of the African American dancer, Josephine Baker, will be published by Chronicle Books and available fall 2013.

 

“Extra! Extra! Read all ’bout it! ‘Murder at the Waldorf. Terrible Struggle with a Crazy Man! Two Men Killed!’ Read it in “The World”! The world’s greatest newspaper. Just two cents!” This is how Maks hawks his newspapers on the fifth and final day of this fast-paced novel, “City of Orphans” by Avi (Atheneum – Richard Jackson 2011).

In the tenements of New York City, 1893, 13 year-old Danish immigrant Maks desperately needs his eight cent profit to help cover his family’s rent and food. Bruno, leader of the cruel Plug Ugly gang, attacks Maks and attempts to rob him. A homeless girl, Willa, defends Maks with her club. Now the gang threatens to get them both.

Maks and Willa manage to get to Maks’ home where he discovers his oldest sister, Emma, has been accused of stealing a gold watch at the glamorous new Waldorf Hotel where she works as a maid. She’s imprisoned in what they call the Tombs, awaiting trial. His parents are distraught. His mother barely comprehends what is going on in this new country.

Another sister, Agnes is coughing, due to the “wasting disease” or tuberculosis. Still, she goes to work at the shoe factory daily with her father and takes night classes so she might one day become a secretary. But now the shoe factory is threatening to close down. Maks’ three little brothers still go to school.

At this point, most readers are saying, Next to this, I have no problems. Maybe we read such books so we can put our own problems in perspective. This is the immigrant experience in late nineteenth century and Avi sets you smack dab in the center of the sounds and sights of historic New York.

Eccentric lawyer Bartleby Donck directs Maks to search for clues to his sister’s innocence. But will Bartleby, who also has the wasting disease, survive to help Maks? You start to feel you’re reading a Charles Dickens novel, which is cool.

Because this is a middle grade novel, you’re pretty sure it’s going to turn out okay, for which I am extremely grateful. You care so much for this warm tight-knit family who are trying to find freedom in America, but as Maks’ mother says, Here, more tears are shed.

Everything is going wrong for David Greenberg. Entering Harman Middle School is hideous. His best friend Elliott befriends the guy who has always bullied them both. His mother left the family two years ago. But David finds comfort in his own talk show, “TalkTime” modeled after his idol Jon Stewart and “The Daily Show.” Thus begins “How to Survive Middle School” by Donna Gephart (Delacorte 2010).

David has much in common with Jon Stewart. They’re both Jewish and both vertically challenged, not to mention, they both have talk shows. David films in his bedroom, sharing camera time with his hamster, Hammy. Because his former best friend, Elliott, doesn’t show up, David must be writer, cameraman, editor, interviewer, and interviewee of his film production.

David interviews Magazine Cover Jon (Stewart). David reports, “This is tough because though I’m a guy, my voice hasn’t quite caught on yet.” His voice could crack at any moment. Still David asks Jon, did you really play French horn in school? Magazine Cover Jon responds, “That’s right, David. For viewers who don’t know what the French horn is, it’s a large shiny girl repellent.” Alas, David’s voice squeaks mid-joke.

Camera rolling, David barges into big sister Lindsey’s room to find her face covered in zit-cream. Lindsey rants in a fury. David retaliates by using the footage in “TalkTime,” saying “Today’s acne forecast is cloudy with a chance of blackheads.” Okay, cruel, but funny.

David and Lindsey, united in grief over their absent mother, eventually work things out between themselves.

Thank heavens for classmate Sophie, who was formerly home-schooled. When she and David are paired to do a science project together, she discovers David’s “TalkTime” posted on YouTube. She gets the word out to her home-school network, and overnight David becomes a YouTube sensation. This brings more perks to David’s life.

However, his classmates haven’t quite caught on yet, how cool this kid is, but the reader surely will. I wish I’d gone to school with him.

David Greenberg is  funny. That is to say the author Donna Gephart is a riot. Her previous book, “As If Being 12 ¾ Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President” (Delacorte 2008) won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award in 2009. She has another book forthcoming from Delacorte, so keep your eyes peeled for that one, too.

“All the World’s a Stage: A Novel in Five Acts” by Gretchen Woelfle (Holiday House 2011) centers around twelve year old Kit, a street urchin in 1590 London.

Kit’s first apprenticeship to a gang of thieves involves stealing purses from audience members at the Theater playhouse. That “career” ends with shouts of “cutpurse” and clever Molly tackling and pinning him the ground. The theater managers offer Kit the opportunity to work off his debt cleaning the grounds and eventually running errands. The resident playwright, one William Shakespeare, takes great interest in every detail he sees, including the capture of a young and spirited orphan thief–Kit.

It’s a little hard for me to believe that Kit is so reluctant to be fed in exchange for working for the Chamberlain’s Players, considering how hard life was on the street, but okay, he is. Eventually he’s bitten by the theatre bug, but what will he do? Work to become an actor? Women’s roles in Elizabethan theater are played by young men before their voices mature and deepen. Kit is still young enough that he’s eligible and he’s fascinated by acting, but there is the issue of his stage fright.

Kip, a fictional character, lives through a historic episode, when Shakespeare’s players had to dismantle their theatre, beam by beam, in secret and rebuild it across the river to escape its being demolished by the landlord. It’s a grand adventure and a perfect opportunity to learn stagecraft or woodworking. There are opportunities for a young man and Kit needs an opportunity. This device shows much about filthy stinking exciting Elizabethan London in the more specific setting of the rowdy and ribald Shakespearean theater.

Instead of chapters, the story is built in five acts, which are broken into scenes, like a Shakespearean play. In Kit’s eyes, the people behave like characters in a play, all of which furthers the meaning of the book’s title.

Way-too-fun vocabulary includes: bung – a little purse; cutpurse – the person who steals the bung; thribble – the actors’ comeback to hecklers in the audience. I invite you to throw those gems into conversation. And there are others to be found by anyone who reads the book.

What a fine book to introduce Shakespeare’s life and times.