Kidsmomo

So, as you’ve probably gathered by our photos from the last few weeks, Nancy and I visited London recently! Well, we’re still gossiping about the royals while wearing funny hats and eating fish and chips — in other words, it’s time for another London-based book review!

This time, I’m recommending Freaks by Kieran Larwood. The book takes place in Victorian London and follows the adventures of Sheba, a wolf-girl who performs with a freak show. Between her oddball roommates and the stinky but fascinating setting, you’d probably find her story interesting on its own — but things get really exciting when poor kids start disappearing into the muddy banks of the River Thames.

Sheba leads the investigation, along with Monkey Boy, a supernatural ninja girl, a strong man, a bunch of rats and their “mama,” and a cast of other freaks. What they discover is partly mechanical, absolutely evil, and definitely dangerous.

Read Freaks if you like The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch, The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby, or anything else steampunk. Don’t read Freaks if you’re not into action-packed mystery, stories with historical elements, very real danger, or strange human/creature hybrids.

Have you read Freaks? Leave a comment and let me know if you liked it as much as I did, or send in a full review of your own!

— Karen

Karen definitely would NOT want to live in Victorian England. The smell would do her in immediately!

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I hope you guys are into afternoon tea and want God to save the queen — because for the next few weeks, Kidsmomo is going to be all about jolly old England. That’s because Nancy and I visited London recently!

We checked out the usual tourist sights: the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc. But one of the things I was most excited about beforehand was the London Eye — a huge Ferris wheel that offers spectacular views of the whole city.

Did my interest have anything to do with The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd? Okay, you caught me. As soon as we bought our tix to London, I put this book at the top of my list — and it turned out to be even more exhilarating than my sky-high ride on the wheel!

Seriously. If you think that view is breathtaking, then you should read this book. When I got near the end, I stayed up WAY past my bedtime to see what would happen.

Here’s the mystery: Ted and his older sister, Kat, are standing in line to ride the London Eye with their cousin, Salim, who’s visiting London for the first time. A stranger offers them an extra ticket for free, and they decide Salim will go on the wheel alone. Ted and Kat watch Salim get on the wheel when it’s his turn — but then it’s like he disappears; they never see him get off…

Their family is frantic, the police are turning up dead ends. It’s up to Ted and Kat to solve the mystery and find Salim.

I like a good mystery, but I particularly loved this one because of Ted’s voice as the narrator. As a kid with Asperger syndrome, he sees the world differently than most everyone else and he has his own unique challenges to overcome — but it’s not something that holds him back. Instead, it’s the opposite, as Ted’s unusual way of thinking leads him to answers that no one else even guesses at.

I wish Ted had been with me during my ride on the London Eye, to point out all the sights and explain how the wheel works. Instead, I had to settle for Nancy’s company. (Ha ha, just kidding, Nancy…) At any rate, at least I had the London skyline to greet me and a crazy capsule ride to add to my London memories!

— Karen

On her last vacation, Karen also rode on a Ferris wheel — that one was in Seattle. Maybe from now on, she’ll only travel to cities with Ferris wheels!

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Look. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not a cat person. I know you may hate me for it, but it’s a fact I cannot change. As a kid, I was bitten by a cat and I just haven’t been too fond of any cat since then.

BUT I have to admit, I did come to care about the star of The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanne Rocklin.

Named after the fried zucchini he loves to eat (and called Zook for short), this particular feline managed to find his way into my anti-cat heart — mainly because of how much he matters to the family in the book. And I REALLY loved this book. Therefore, I loved this cat.

You see, Zook is sick, and it’s really worrying Oona, her little brother Fred, and their mom. So Oona starts to tell stories about how every cat has nine lives and how Zook is only on his fifth life now. Oona dreams up adventures that Zook had in his past lives (from haunting a bad guy as a ghost cat to being worshipped as a magical cat), but all the while, Zook’s current-life story seems to be getting more complicated than Oona would like.

For example: Could Zook’s previous owner be an animal abuser — and also Oona’s mom’s new boyfriend? And will Oona ever tell the truth about the time they smuggled Zook into the hospital before her dad died? And what about the truth of the day they found Zook?

Oona doesn’t know the answers to these questions herself — and she’s got plenty more throughout the book. But don’t worry; as the reader, all your questions will be answered by the end of the story.

And what a lovely story it is! If you’re like me, you’ll find it funny and sweet and sad and realistic and just plain great. Recommended if you’re a fan of Because of Winn-Dixie, When Life Gives You O.J., Three Times Lucky, and Pie.

— Karen

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Karen also loves fried zucchini. And pretty much anything else fried too.

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On Monday night, I found myself surrounded by NYC students, all buzzing with excitement. They were waiting to meet a big-deal celeb and get her autograph — and also get some answers about character, plot, and writing process.

That’s because the celeb of the night wasn’t a famous actress or singer, but instead a rock star of the literary world: R.J. Palacio, the author of Wonder. She made an appearance at a NY Barnes & Noble store to talk about her inspiration for the book, answer questions from the audience, and sign copies of her book.

I’ve read some interviews with R.J. Palacio in the past, so I thought I was already clued in to the behind-the-scenes story of how Wonder came to be. Well, I was wrong. Totally, completely wrong. Because I learned SO MUCH MORE at the event! And obviously, I will now share my newfound wisdom with you!

Some highlights:

• Wonder was inspired by a real-life experience that Palacio had at an ice cream shop. She was sitting next to a girl with a craniofacial difference (the scientific term for the kind of deformed face that Auggie has in the book). When her 3-year-old son noticed the girl and started crying, Palacio didn’t know what to do and she got up in a big hurry and tried to rush both of her sons out of there — spilling milkshakes everywhere and causing a huge scene in the process. All the rest of that day, she kept obsessing over her behavior and how she should have just talked to the girl and her family instead. That night, she was inspired to start writing Auggie’s story… on Post-its!

 

• Palacio was also inspired by her 11-year-old son’s experiences starting middle school. She was surprised to see lots of mean behavior among his classmates, so Wonder became a book about being kind just as much as about Auggie in particular.

 

• Since Palacio had a full-time job and a family while writing Wonder, she did all of her writing from midnight to 3:00 a.m. every night! Good for her! I’m pretty sure I would fall asleep in my own drool during the day if I tried that…

 

• Palacio got the name Jack Will from twin boys who were friends of her son’s. Their names were Jack and Will and whenever their mom came to pick them up, she would call out, “Jack, Will!” (Maybe someday, we’ll come across a book character named Nancy Karen!)

 

• Palacio called Via a “much hipper, cooler, prettier” version of herself at the age of 15.

 

• But the character Palacio most relates to is Charlotte, who was never mean to Auggie but also never reached out like Summer did. To Palacio, the difference between the two girls is that Charlotte stands for “being nice” and Summer stands for “choosing kind.” But Palacio does think that the next school year after the book’s end, Charlotte will probably “stop being a bystander and she’ll be an upstander.”

I also found out that Wonder has been optioned for a movie! That doesn’t necessarily mean that the movie will get made, but everyone in the audience — including yours truly — definitely gasped in delight at that news! But, as Palacio pointed out, casting Auggie will be very tricky. She posed a question to all of us in the audience, and now I’m putting the question to you guys. Vote in the poll below!

Personally, I’d love to see a movie based on this book. But I really really really hope that if it happens, it’s actually a good film — because this story is really really really good!

What do you think? Have you read Wonder yourself? Leave a comment with YOUR thoughts or send in a full review!

— Karen

While waiting for the event to start, Karen had to stop herself from jumping into conversations with everyone about their favorite books. Hello, weirdo stranger alert! But geez, it was so hard! Karen really loves talking about books!

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Supposedly, April is the season for rain showers and spring flowers. But did you know it’s also National Poetry Month?

Yes, you probably did. Your teacher has probably already talked about it a bunch, am I right? And we’ve also talked about it here on Kidsmomo in past Aprils.

But here’s something you maybe didn’t already know: April 18th is Poem in Your Pocket Day! (If you already knew that, well, you are much smarter than me and should be running this website because I just found about it!)

Poem in Your Pocket Day is exactly what it sounds like: You pick out a favorite poem, write it down or print it out, fold it up, and put it in your pocket. Then throughout the day, you and your friends can take turns sharing the poems that you’ve picked.

Or you could put lots of copies of your favorite poem in your pocket and then hand them out to people. Or if you want, you could even keep your poem to yourself and just take it out of your pocket every once in a while to read silently when you need a little pick-me-up, like when your little brother is being super annoying or you find out it’s tuna mystery surprise day at the cafeteria.

If you don’t already have a favorite poem, here are some books and sites with awesome options — from funny to beautiful to downright silly (a jump-roping rhino, anyone?). Check ‘em out now — you’ve only got a week to decide which poem gets to make a home in your pocket!

For my part, I’ve decided on this poem:

The Boa
by Douglas Florian

Just when you think you know the boa,
There’s moa and moa and moa and moa.

-From the book Beast Feast: Poems and Paintings

— Karen

When she was a kid, Karen’s favorite kind of poem to write was the haiku. Now it’s limericks!

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For years, I’ve been dying for whatever incredible magic could transport me to Hogwarts as a wizarding student. Well, now I’ve got a new destination in mind: the Lawless School, where young criminal masterminds learn the tricks of their trade.

Now, I’m not saying I’m aiming to become a thief. But I wouldn’t mind training in lock-picking, escaping from dangerous situations, and general subterfuge.

In Lawless by Jeffery Salane, this is exactly the life M Freeman falls into — or rather, she’s forced into it when her mom basically gives her no choice and she’s personally escorted out of the house by a “guardian” sent by the school.

Soon, it becomes clear that M’s been training for her life as a thief all along — all the home-schooling and the plans laid by her father before he died, they were all leading to Lawless.

So now that M’s there, what’s next? Apparently, there’s no such thing as a quiet life of crime. This book is full of heart-pounding action and mystery, popping on every page: sabotage by her classmates, almost getting kicked out of school, piecing together the mystery behind a secret society, hunting down and stealing masterpieces — and all the while, M is discovering long-buried secrets about her father’s past.

If you enjoy a good caper, this is the perfect book for you. Think Swindle + Chasing Vermeer, times 10!

Lawless comes out next week. Until then, are there any similar books we should all check out? I’m obviously a sucker for capers — leave a comment if you have any others to recommend!

— Karen

Karen’s only concern about the Lawless School is that it’s located somewhere near the equator — which means it’s hot and muggy. Danger at every turn? No problem. Warm weather? No, thanks!

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If you’re a fan of Lisa Yee’s Bobby books, then I think you should meet Suds; I think he and Bobby would be friends!

In Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli, Suds is starting the new school year with a mission: All the third graders at his school are competing to be as “angelic” as possible, and they’ll each earn a halo from the teacher as they prove themselves. And who will be the first person to win a halo? Well, Suds is determined that it will be him!

But it’s hard work being so good. Being kind to his annoying little sister, controlling his outbursts at school, showing his teacher how much he cares… It’s enough to make anyone a little bit crazy. Not to mention the other kids who are also clearly out for the first halo — no matter the cost!

Will Suds get the first halo? I certainly rooted for him. And I think you will too, because Suds isn’t perfect and he’s not a natural hero, but he tries his best — in other words, he’s just like you and me!

Have you read Third Grade Angels, or the other book about Suds and his classmates, Fourth Grade Rats? Leave a comment with your thoughts or submit a review!

— Karen

Karen’s memory is a little foggy, but she’s pretty sure her class in elementary school was not often the winner of competitions between all the grades. Sadly, not too many pizza parties were earned…

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If you read my round-up of the hottest books of 2012 (which you should have because, hello, I wrote it and I’m awesome), then you’ll recall that one of the top books was Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead.

The book is about Georges (pronounced George), who’s having a tough time: As if the bullies at school weren’t enough, now he’s moving from his house to an apartment. But one plus about the new place is hanging out with Safer, another kid in the building.

Safer recruits Georges for his Spy Club, and soon they’re investigating the mysterious Mr. X, who lives directly above Georges. And by the end of the book, Georges discovers that not everything is as it seems…

Well, I must admit that even though I’m super awesome (as we’ve already established), I was a little behind the times on this one — didn’t get around to reading Liar & Spy until now. And I’m asking myself: Why did I wait?!

This book is like a ninja sneak attack — in a good way! It’s mostly quiet and unassuming and then… BAM! A punch to the gut. And then guess what — another punch. But in a good way.

If you’re a fan of Rebecca Stead’s Newbery-winning When You Reach Me, I think you’ll like this one too. Or have you already read Liar & Spy? (In which case, okay, you’re awesomer than I am.) Leave a comment with your thoughts on the book or send in a full review! (It’s what all the awesome people do.)

— Karen

Karen has appeared as a spy agent twice on film and once in a photograph. You know, all in good fun for the Interwebs! (You can see one of those videos here on Kidsmomo!)

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Okay, I admit it — sometimes I go on YouTube and play music videos while I’m on the computer at work. My favorite: Carly Rae Jepson performing “Call Me Maybe” with Jimmy Fallon and the Roots (AMAZING). But yesterday morning, I had a different video on in the background while I “worked”: the webcast announcing the winners of the 2013 American Library Association Youth Media Awards (ALAymas)!

Not familiar with the ALAymas? Well, I bet you’ve heard of the Newbery Medal, which is one of the awards. Every January, it’s given to “the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” in the previous year. Past winners include The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli and most recently, Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos and Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool.

And yesterday, a new winner was announced into my earphones as I was “slaving away” at the office:

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

As you may recall from my round-up of the most talked-about books of 2012, The One and Only Ivan was absolutely on the list. Unfortunately, Nancy and I haven’t been talking about it much because, well, we haven’t read it! [insert ashamed downcast eyes here] But make no mistake, we will be making Ivan’s acquaintance very soon; I just ordered it from the library!

If you haven’t met Ivan either, here’s part of the official description:

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. … Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home — and his own art — through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

AND check out this review from Connor, age 11 (from New York)!

Or if you’re more visual, feast your eyes on this book trailer. I got choked up just watching it! Okay, yes, I cry very easily. But you look at these animals and tell me if your heart doesn’t melt a little! (But if it literally melts, um, maybe see a doctor?)

And this year, there were also three Newbery Honor Books:

• Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
• Bomb: The Race to Build — and Steal — the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
• Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Have you have already read any of these big winners, leave a comment and let us know! 

And stay tuned — we’ll be giving away a prize pack with all four of this year’s Newbery books! Details to come in a few days!

— Karen

Karen’s favorite way to see animals up close is by scuba diving. (You may have guessed by that picture, right over there. <— )

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Being the new kid at school can be hard. But imagine your new school’s cafeteria only served Mystery Meat Casserole Surprise for lunch. Ew… What could possibly be worse?

Well, if you can believe it, in Spaceheadz, Michael K.’s experience as a new kid is even tougher. That’s because he’s befriended by three space aliens pretending to be two regular students and one pet hamster!

From the wacky, hilarious, and bald* head of beloved author Jon Scieszka (and “made extra strength” by Francesco Sedita) comes SPHDZ, a crazy and crazy-funny series about one kid and three clueless extra terrestrials who must get 3,140,001 Earth humans to sign up as SPHDZ (whatever those are) — or else the planet will be turned off.

Besides that seemingly impossible task, they also have to outsmart and outrun Agent Umber of the Anti-Alien Agency. Luckily, Agent Umber isn’t so great at his job — with entertaining results! (Ring ring ring! Pickle phone! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’d better read this book!)

So follow along with the adventures of this intergalactic group. In addition to all of the above, there are also hilarious illustrations by Shane Prigmore on almost every page! What are you waiting for? Isn’t it time you became a SPHDZ?

OR have you read the book already? Leave a comment with your thoughts or send in a full review! Just be careful and don’t let Agent Umber see!

— Karen

If Karen were in the Anti-Alien Agency and could choose her own name, she’d be Agent Cobalt — short for Agent Cobalt Blue. It sounds cool, and blue is Karen’s favorite color! Plus did she mention it sounds cool?

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* No judgements here, just a fact.