Review: Temple Grandin by Sy Montgomery

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Brianna

Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Middle Grade Nonfiction

Face Value: I have major font love for this book. It’s a biography, so the cheerful picture of Temple among her beloved cattle is fitting. It’s the typography, however, that sets it apart. A lot of biographies in the juvenile non-fiction section look old and outdated, even if they were published recently. This book has a contemporary design that will attract young readers.

Does it break the slate? Yes, definitely. The subject of this biography is Temple Grandin, a woman with autism who is famous for her innovative industrial designs for livestock facilities. Temple is all sorts of Slatebreaking, not only for being an advocate for those on the autism spectrum, but also for being notable and respected in a male dominated field. Temple had to endure a lot of ridicule in her life and every time she has come through it to show how successful someone can be even if their brain works in a different way than most others.

Who would we give it to? The language of the book would also make it a great selection for any young reader who has a sibling, friend, or fellow student on the spectrum and would like to learn more about what that means. It’s also written with readers on the autism spectrum in mind (Temple Grandin has a section of advice for kids on the spectrum at the end of the book.) This is also a book that you should give to every animal-loving child you know. Seriously. Continue reading →

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Review: The Wild Book by Margarita Engle

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Sarah

The Wild Book by Margarita Engle. Harcourt Children’s Books, 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Poetry

Face Value: The colors are beautiful, evocative of the setting and the wildness of Fefa’s imagination. The girl on the cover is visibly Latina, and the other images hint at details in the story without giving anything away. This is a beautifully done middle grade cover.

Does it Break the Slate? Fefa is absolutely a Slatebreaker. Unwilling to be deterred by her mocking brothers and sisters, disparaging doctors or dyslexia itself, Fefa determinedly figures out who she is and tackles reading, despite the odds. Bonus points for her mother, who refuses to indulge the idea that reading might never be something that Fefa can achieve.

Who would we give it to? This would be an absolutely terrific book for older elementary students struggling with reading. All of Engle’s books are, actually, because the sparse poetic style gives an impression of maturity while still leaving plenty of comforting white space. Plus, Fefa’s struggles with reading are given sincere weight, while still showing progress and success in the long run. Continue reading →

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Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Brianna

The Diviners by Libba Bray. Little, Brown, and Co., 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Historical Paranormal Fiction

Face Value: This is a well-designed cover. Rather than showcasing one of the many characters and giving the impression that the book has a primary protagonist (which it doesn’t, really), the wisely-designed cover works to build the mood before you even open the book. The font and styling of graphics set the scene for the 1920s. A blurry old photograph of the New York skyline sets the eerie backdrop. And then there’s that unblinking eye. I actually love the eye. It is definitely creepy, but it is a bold cover choice. I felt like the book was watching me.

Does it break the slate? And how! Libba Bray has delivered not one, not two, but three (!!!) Slatebreaking ladies in this story. Actually, I may have missed a few there. There are several bold and decisive women who play smaller parts in the story that I didn’t include in my original count. I’m referring specifically to Margaret Walker – a character who plays a small but significant role in this story and who I’m sure we will see more if in future books. And that dreamwalking girl. We didn’t get to know her very well, but something tells me she’s a Slatebreaker. And let’s not forget the gentlemen. The guys in The Diviners do their fair share of Slatebreaking. Especially Henry. Henry has earned a very special place in my heart. I am dying with anticipation to know more about his past. Basically, Libba Bray went all out and packed the 578 pages of this book with characters that defy gender norms and are amazingly progressive given the era in which they live.

Who would we give it to? Anyone who likes a good things-that-bump-in-the-night story. This book will give you the heebie-jeebies. Any adolescent who feels out-of-place in their small town and dreams of big city life would also probably enjoy this story and find Evie to be a kindred spirit. Continue reading →

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Review: Son by Lois Lowry

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Sarah

Son by Lois Lowry. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Dystopian, Speculative Fiction

Face Value: Oh, I love this new set of covers for the quartet that’s being released with Son. Simple and evocative, these covers capture the tone of the series perfectly. I could see myself going out and purchasing new covers of the first three, just to have the matching set.

Does it Break the Slate? Resoundingly, yes! Son, and the entire Giver quartet, are build around a series of Slatebreaking concepts. The way that knowledge changes you. The responsibility to act on that knowledge. One individual’s responsibility to him or herself, and to a society at large. What makes us the people we are? Lowry’s epic and empathetic conclusion to this series addresses all of these themes and brings us a new Slatebreaking heroine in Claire.

Who would we give it to? Well it’s not going to be a tough sell. Kids and adults love The Giver, and will be lining up to read how the four-part story comes to a close. And while Son could stand on it’s own, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who hadn’t read the first three books – it’s a much richer experience with the whole breadth of the story coming together. But I would hand this series to any young person who is ready to start engaging with complicated themes related to individuality and society, and what one young person can be responsible for. It will transform their whole world. Continue reading →

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Election Week Review: Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Brianna

Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. Random House, 2012. Currently available.

Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel

Face Value: Babymouse is doing The Nixon. Babymouse is rocking that podium. There are just no words that can adequately describe how hilarious this is. Among Babymouse covers, this lives up to the standard of excellence.

Does it break the slate? Yeah! Babymouse starts a campaign for student council president – and although she may have misguided intentions when she starts, she figures out the real purpose of public service and takes a stand against lunchroom injustice. Yes, this book is lighthearted and approaches the topic humorously, but it’s still great to see Babymouse (among other female characters) running for office and inspiring young readers to do the same.

Who would we give it to? Do you know any kids in the elementary grades who complain about school lunch or too short recesses? Babymouse for President can show them ways to work for change in a proactive, productive way.

Continue reading →

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Election Week Review: The President’s Daughter by Ellen Emerson White

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Sarah

The President’s Daughter by Ellen Emerson White. Feiwel and Friends, 2008 (originally 1984). Currently Available.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Face Value: When this book was originally published, in 1984, it had this cover.** It looks like the 80s, that’s for sure. It’s patriotic, and a little childlike. It’s painfully of its time. But the sweatshirt/jeans/sneakers look Meg is sporting is totally accurate to her clothing choices as described in the book.

And then, in 1994, the same book was reissued with this cover. I read this one in 5th grade. I remember liking this cover, which is just as much of it’s time as the previous decade’s. Looking at it now, it’s ok. Meg is a little more glammed up, but still in jeans, and the angsty lean outside the White House look is definitely a little more adult.

The copy I read for this review was from the 2008 reissue of White’s whole series. And I think these new covers are stunning. Taking their inspiration from famous paintings gives the book an iconic feel, capturing the magnitude of the presidency without the gimmicky red-white-and-blue patina of the 80s and 90s covers. We still see Meg’s sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, but the sweatshirt is a zip-up hoodie now, and those jeans are definitely low rise. I love that we don’t see her face, but we still see her whole body, and that the White House looms in the distance, but doesn’t overtake the whole image. It’s a definite upgrade.

Does it Break the Slate? OMG YES. As has been mentioned maybe a couple of times on the blog this week, we have never had a female president. As pathetic as that is, it’s incredibly exciting to read about one, even if she’s fictional. President Katherine Vaughn Powers is everything we want in a candidate – smart, informed, funny, capable. She has the qualities we look for in the leader of the country. And yet, she isn’t perfect. She pushes herself to the limits, she snaps at her family, she struggles to be everything to all people. And yet Meg, and the readers, find ourselves with an overwhelming sense of respect for her. It is depressing to think, however, that White first wrote this character in the early 80s, and when the books were reissued more than 20 years later we still haven’t had a female president.

So President Powers is enough to make the book a Slatebreaking title. But then there is our fabulous heroine Meg. Brilliant, funny and flawed (much like her mother), Meg is one of my favorite kind of narrators. Her emotional journey through the book is terrific.

Who would we give it to? As we gear up to the 2012 presidential election, I find myself simultaneously compelled and fatigued by the onslaught of election coverage. This book offered the perfect antidote, giving a personal lens to a family as they experience an election cycle and the early months of a presidential term. There’s the perfect balance of research, and real political insight, and personal, fictional narrative. Continue reading →

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Election Week Review: The Daughters Join the Party by Joanna Philbin

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Brianna

The Daughters Join the Party by Joanna Philbin. Little, Brown and Co., 2011. Currently available.

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Face Value: This book is part of a series, and the covers all have the same concept for the design: you see the back half of some girls as they partake in an activity related to the story. I am not a fan of book covers that de-personalize characters by concealing their faces, especially female characters. Also, one of those girls is supposed to be Emma, who totally wouldn’t wear any of the dresses in that cover image. One of Emma’s key qualities is her unconventional style – so they should at least acknowledge that by putting one of the cover models in Doc Martens or something.

Does it break the slate? Yes! Given the cover packaging and the fact that this is the fourth book in a series about celebrity daughters, I started reading with a healthy dose of skepticism. But Emma Conway is absolutely a Slatebreaker, and she remains one despite the limitations imposed upon her family during her father’s presidential campaign.

Who would we give it to? A young reader who struggles with a parent’s career in the spotlight would enjoy this book. Emma’s experience of being simultaneously excited about and frustrated with her father’s campaign could resonate with a lot of kids who have to live their lives in public scrutiny, thanks to their parents’ careers. Continue reading →

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Election Week Review: Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Sarah

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Hyperion Books for Children, 2008. Currently Available.

Genre: Picture Book

Face Value: LeUyen Pham is one of my favorite illustrators ever. I love the joyful, expressive way she draws kids. And this cover perfectly captures the book inside: Grace is at the forefront, looking terrifically presidential, with a diverse mix of supporters behind her. It’s a beautiful reminder that someday we’re going to have a black female president.

Does it Break the Slate? Well look at the cover. This book shatters the slate before you even crack the spine. The slate is destroyed by page 3, and I dare you not to tear up a little bit at the last panel. This is a book that makes a black girl president. It makes her a great candidate, smart and capable, who has to fight hard to be respected. It uses historical and political facts and it acknowledges systematic oppression with an absolutely inspiring ending.

Who would we give it to? I would give this to every early elementary school teacher I could find. Read this during election season for a book that empowers all kids to be active in their communities while giving solid facts about how our political system works. Continue reading →

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Election Week: Looking for the Ladies

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Brianna

November 6th is quickly approaching, and it seems that elections are the only topic on everyone’s mind. We hope that you will graciously allow the Slatebreakers blog to get in on the action. Although many of us may be tiring of election coverage, this is an excellent time for conversations about the political process. Youth and women are two populations who are traditionally pushed aside and/or marginalized throughout election season. So, during times when politics takes up much of the public consciousness, how do we keep young females engaged? How do we show them that there is a place for them in government?

There are, of course, many inspiring women currently in office  (like Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe) who serve as excellent role models for girls. We also have women like Hilary Clinton serving in important roles that are critical to the future of our nation. There are fictional women on television and in film who can get young people fired up about civic engagement. (I’m thinking of Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation as a great example.) Yet still, these ladies – both real and fictional – are vastly outnumbered by the men who dominate elected offices.

This week, Sarah and I will be reviewing books about girls who are involved in politics including those who decide to run for office themselves, and those who must cope with the attention that comes when a loved one runs for office.  If you need to take refuge from the final barrage of election news, stick with us. And if you are a registered voter, please make time to cast your vote!

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Review: Breathing Room by Marsha Hayles

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Brianna

Breathing Room by Marsha Hayles. Henry Holt and Co., 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction.

Face Value: This cover is understated, but quite beautiful. I love the pastel rendering of a sick ward. It captures the loneliness of the setting, which is significant in the character’s personal discoveries. The cloudy background seeps throughout the image, and makes it feel not quite real. When I started reading, it was difficult for me to believe that sanatoriums like the one described in the story actually existed. The setting had a dreamlike quality – so distant from my own experience, but something that many people had experienced years ago. I love how effectively this cover image captures the mood of the book.

Does it break the slate? It is slow to do so, but yes! Eventually Evvy emerges as a Slatebreaking character. On the cover there is a blurb from Linda Sue Park that says, “…Evvy is the best kind of hero: a quiet one.” I was at first concerned that Evvy would never emerge as the hero. She was simply an observer in this unique setting. It took a long time for her to grow into a confident young woman, but it happened, and it was very satisfying to read.

Who would we give it to? I’ll tell you right away who I won’t give it to: anyone with a bad cough. I distinctly remember having a chest cold in middle school and reading about a character with tuberculosis. I convinced myself that I had consumption and would probably waste away within a year. (I do tend toward hypochondria though, so…maybe that’s just me.) This would be a lovely book to give to healthy readers who enjoy historical fiction.

Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments