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Have you heard of a not-so-little feature on our site called the Mystery Book Theater? Hopefully, yes. Because we make a couple of them a month.
Well, Karen recently showed me to some book trailers made by kids — and whoa, they’re really good! I’m totes jealous*… especially since I’ve been slaving away, drawing all of these Mystery Book Theaters for every Kidsmomo theme!
Check out these book trailers:
Amazing, huh? Inspired by these book trailers, I think Kidsmomo will be taking a stab at this video style! First up: our upcoming Mystery Book Theater for mythology-inspired books. So make sure to check back next Tuesday for our super-duper-fancy-schmancy awesome book trailer.
— Nancy
Nancy seems to be complaining about illustrating MBTs in this post, but where else does she get the glorious opportunity to draw someone drowning in puke?
More about Nancy »
*I don’t usually say the phrase “totes jealous.” Forgive me. It just exited my brain, spilled out onto the keyboard, entered this blog post, and now there’s no turning back.
My sister, Cindy, has had two cats since they were kittens — one named Duck and the other Goose. They are brother and sister so obviously, they have very different personalities. Despite that, they love each other! Here they are giving each other a hug:
Goose is on the left, Duck is on the right.
I like to imagine that when we’re off to human work doing human things, they don’t just lie about sleeping. They are like Chester Cat from Bunnicula — they have intelligent conversations and read excellent literature.
Goose is the older brother, and although he’s very much a cat, I’ve always thought he acts like a dog — he’ll even beg for table scraps! Here he is, ready to pounce on some hamburgers we’ve cooked up:
His love for food is so great that it has overcome his modesty and belly. Long ago when Goose was a kitten, he was quite the active “sports kitten.” He would relentlessly chase laser lights and play with balls of twine. Now… well, check out this recent photo of him:
As he’s become accustomed to the cushy lifestyle Cindy has provided for him, he’s less of a “sports cat” and more of a sports fan — a sports fan who particularly enjoys snacking while watching the game. Which is why I know he’d love these two books from our food books theme and sports books theme, respectively: The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling and Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica:
But Goose isn’t just a meathead cat with sleep and food on his mind. He’s also a proud and sensitive soul — here he is, defending his home from the neighborhood bully:
Which is why I know he’d also enjoy Crash by Jerry Spinelli, all about Crash Coogan, a smug jock and bully who changes for the better.
When that mean neighborhood cat sneaked into our home, it upset Duck, Goose’s little sister, to no end. She’s always been a little skittish, and whenever someone new enters a room, she’ll run and hide:
When the humans aren’t home, I think Duck is spending all her time looking into conspiracy theories. I think she believes she’s a human, her brother thinks he’s a dog, and she’s spent her lifetime trying to figure it all out. So a book she would have read over and over would be The Doom Machine by Mark Teague:
But despite her… erm, unique theories, she’s still just a nerdy, shy, nervous kitten at heart — so someday she should pick up Ann M. Martin’s Mary Anne Saves the Day (BSC #4) and Libby on Wednesday by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
These two books are all about two shy, smart, sensitive girls who eventually come out of their shells.
Perhaps one day I’ll go visit Duck and Goose and catch them with their reading glasses near the fireplace, curled up next to a good book, right before bed:
A rare moment where Duck doesn't run away. But she doesn't like having her photo taken, either!
Based on what I’ve told you about Duck and Goose, my eccentric feline nephew and niece, what books would you recommend to them?
Nancy spends quite a lot of time giving personalities to animate animals and inanimate objects. She loves to eat, sleep, and is a little bit skittish herself, too.
Which children’s book author grew up with a pet raccoon? Which one enjoyed reading cereal boxes as a kid? And which one participated in a mass vomit incident with his family? (Ick.) The answers are in our latest podcast, all about author memoirs and autobiographies:
Part 1: Blueberry pie with Sterling North, chicken pot pie with Roald Dahl, and candy with R.L. Stine — plus an author dream date from one of you!
(6:43) Download the MP3 (3.1 MB)
Part 2: Recommended author memoirs, including a kid pick! (Knots in My Yo-yo String by Jerry Spinelli, Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka, and Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher)
(6:05) Download the MP3 (2.8 MB)
Also, don’t forget: our new theme is books about royalty, as suggested by one of our kid followers! So send us a review of your favorite book about royalty and check out these books about royalty, fit for a king.
And for this special kid-requested topic, we’re extending the theme to three weeks and offering up:
So stay tuned!
— Nancy and Karen
Submitted by Madison, Age 11 from Rhode Island
Rating:
i thought this book was really cool and funny and it was cute and its a good book for little kids.
First romance, lifelong romance, even anti-romance — we’ve got it all in our latest podcast, all about (you guessed it!) books involving romance. PLUS, how Nancy informed boys she liked them as a kid, and why Karen is single (according to her, at least).
So whether or not you caught the love bug yourself this Valentine’s Day, you can always cuddle up with our podcast:
Part 1: Stargirl hearts Leo, and we reveal our literary crushes (8:03) Download the MP3 (3.7 MB)
Part 2: Flipped, Allie Finkle #3, and The Tale of Despereaux — our romance book picks, plus one from you (7:07) Download the MP3 (3.3 MB)
And in case you missed it, we’ve also got a very BIG announcement: Up until now, we’ve focused on one theme per week. But we’ve heard from the masses (that’s you!) that one week is just not enough to really get into a theme. So from now on, all our themes will be two weeks long. Starting… NOW!
And don’t forget: our next theme is food! (Nom nom nom…) So check out these delicious books involving food and watch this Mystery Book Theater that will definitely get your stomach rumbling!
Imagine you’re just a regular high school guy, going about your normal life. And then one day, a new girl shows up at school. She dresses strange, she plays the ukulele, she serenades people in the cafeteria — and she’s crushing on you. Welcome to Leo’s experience in this week’s mystery book.
Watch the video, and then send in your guess of what book it’s from. We’ll name the first person to get it right in our next podcast!
UPDATE 2/16/10: Wanna know the book? Listen for the answer in our “All You Need Is Love” Podcast, all about books involving romance.
Over the weekend, Nancy and I saw the movie Whip It, and we both loved it. Awesome cast? Check. Killer soundtrack? Check. Touching/hilarious/empowering story of a rocking girl who struggles but eventually finds her strength, both inner and physical? Check! AND the film is based on a book: Derby Girl by Shauna Cross.
Sounds like a perfect match for Kidsmomo, right? Well, I have to warn you: the movie is rated PG-13 and the book is YA. So keeping in mind that you, our loyal Kidsmomo audience, might not be allowed to see the film or read the book, I started wondering if there’s an alternative reading choice with all the same elements. And since I’m totally awesome, I did indeed come up with one… There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli.
There's a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli
The book is about 13-year-old Maisie, who decides to try out for her school’s all-boy wrestling team in order to get the attention of a guy she likes. But once on the team, she discovers that she’s actually good at wrestling, and that she loves the sport! Unfortunately, she also discovers how cruel her classmates can be, and that she can’t count on all her supposed friends for support.
In the end — well, I don’t want to give it away. But you guys are smart; I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that this book isn’t exactly a downer. BUT don’t think you’ve got it all figured out, because this book doesn’t have the traditional underdog sports book happy ending. It does, however, live up to the tagline for the movie Whip It, which is: “Be Your Own Hero.”
Makes me wonder why there’s no movie version of There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock. Hollywood, if you’re reading Kidsmomo.com, please make a film based on this book!
Want to know more? Check out an amazingly long excerpt from the book, or listen to a clip from the audio book (including an intro from the author about where he got the idea for the story).
And if you’ve already read There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock, leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!
— Karen
Wow, that's quite a subtitle.
As expressed so well by Jamie Kelly, nicknames can make or break your school years. Example: for reasons unknown to this day, my sisters gave me the nickname “Nut.” Why, sisters, why? But it also got me thinking about a great book chock full of interesting nicknames — Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli.
The residents of the fictional town of Two Mills, Pennsylvania, give Jeffrey Lionel Magee the nickname “Maniac” Magee — at first because he runs really, really fast. But then he also becomes the center of some pretty amazing changes in the divided town of Two Mills, so the nickname carries much more meaning than just a quick pair of feet.
As for other nicknames around town, Maniac gets to know local football star James “Hands” Down and bully “Mars Bar” Thompson. He also becomes friends with Amanda Beale, who carries a personal library of books in a suitcase at all times. (Amanda doesn’t have a nickname, but I always thought she should. How easy would it have been for Jerry Spinelli to just call her Amanda “Books” Beale? Oh, well.)
Pick up this book, and you’ll discover why Maniac runs everywhere, that he’s really good at untying knots, that he plays football as well as a high schooler, and lots more. He even somehow wins a lifetime supply of pizza (but he doesn’t like pizza. I know. Karen is shouting, “WHAT?!” right now).
Do you have a nickname, and do you love it or hate it? Can you think of other book characters with interesting nicknames?
