Wonder by RJ Palacio

When I sat down to review this book I opened at a random page and read “sometimes you don’t have to mean to hurt someone to hurt someone.” This is the kind of hurt that August has lived with for his whole life of ten years.

I first heard about Wonder at the end of last year when a panel of reviewers were discussing Christmas books on a radio program. Kate Colley of Bloomin books said to look out for Wonder in 2012 so I wrote down the name and waited. Now it seems this book is everywhere. It was even reviewed in my local newspaper. So a couple of weeks ago I bought a copy of Wonder and that same day I sat down and read it. I read the whole book in just one sitting. Yes it is that ‘good’. Good is not the right word. This is such an important and moving book. It deals with a difficult subject using humor and just the right amount of emotion. It also a book that uses a story device I really enjoy where each chapter or section tells us about the same events from different viewpoints. Oddly though, it has taken me quite a few weeks to include this book in my blog. I think this might be because I am unsure about the audience. Certainly adults will be moved but I am not entirely sure how upper primary students will react. The cover, it must be said, is eye catching.

August himself does not tell you about his face as he makes the enormous move from homeschooling to Middle School so I am not going to reveal these details nor am I going to try to retell the plot. I can only say if you want to know more you should read this very thoughtful and detailed review which also includes a video of the author reading one chapter. You might also read an interview with the author. One thing that should happen as a result of reading this book is that we all might try to make the world a kinder place.

Mature readers in Upper Primary classes who have enjoyed the books of Andrew Clements or EL Kongisburg (The View from Saturday) should look for Wonder by RJ Palacio. This book also reminded me of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli and Sally Marshall is not an alien by Amanda McKay. If you read Wonder and are moved by it then read Secret Friends by Elizabeth Laird but be warned for this one you will need a box of tissues.

The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson

How wonderful to read a school story where the school (a boarding school no less) is celebrated. Delderton Hall, the imaginative creation of Eva Ibbotson, embodies everything a good school should be. The philosophy is to encourage the gifts and talents of each child through kindness, creativity and excellent teachers in a wonderful environment.

“Twenty years earlier a very rich couple from America came and build a school on the ruins of Delderton Hall … they believed that only the best was good enough for children and they were as idealistic as they were wealthy. …Each child had its own room… The common rooms had well-sprung sofas, the pianos in the music rooms were Steinways and the library housed over ten thousand books… Delderton was to be a progressive school - a school where children would be free to follow their instincts and develop in a natural way. There would be no bullyings or beating, no competitive sports … no exams – just harmony and self development in the glorious Devon countryside. A school where teachers would be chosen for their loving kindness and not their degrees.”

As World War Two is about to begin Tally, short for Talitha, is sent by her loving father Doctor Hamilton to Delderton Hall. Dr Hamilton is a wonderful practitioner who is loved by his patients and one has arranged a scholarship to Delderton for Tally.

At its heart this is a book about friendship. Tally makes wonderful friends among the teachers and students at Delderton Hall but her most precious friend, Karil, comes from the tiny European country of Bergania. Tally finds she has a connection with this country after seeing a short documentary film at the cinema. Quite by chance just after she sees the film her school receives an invitation to a folk dance festival in Bergania. Tally is a girl with determination and charm and so it is arranged that four girls and four boys will travel from England to Bergainia to perform at the festival. Sadly this beautiful country is in the sights of Hitler. He has sent his henchman Reichsgruppen Fuchrer Anton Steifelbreich to carry out the take over which will involve an assassination.

As with all books by Eva Ibboston I loved The Dragonfly pool and am happy to say a new copy will arrive in our school library very soon. At nearly 400 pages this looks like quite a long book but the plot moves along at a frantic pace with some surprising and delightful twists and turns. You might find the opening chapter a little odd and fragmented but just keep reading and you will find things will quickly fall into place.

If you enjoy books by Odo Hirsch especially Dairus Bell, or the Taspestry series Henry Neff by then you must grab The Dragonfly Pool soon. Children interested in the events of World War Two might also look for The Little Riders by Margaretha Shemin which also features a determined heroine just like Tally.

My dog Sunday by Leila Berg

This is a little old book (1968) which I have kept on my shelf for many years and even after several house moves when I needed to cull out my book collection I have held onto this one. Now I know why. If you have read my review of One dog and his Boy by Eva Ibbotson you will know I am a big fan of dog books. In this slim junior novel by Leila Berg we have three children, Kathy, Ben and Jimmy who live in small flat with a policy of no dogs.

As the story opens we see Kathy kicking a ball in a rather strange way. This is because she is pretending the ball is in fact a dog. These three children long for a dog of their own. As they walk past the Battersea dogs home Ben decides to take a risk and try to claim a dog as their own. Unfortunately the plan fails miserably. The children arrive at the park to meet their older sister and all are feeling sad and dejected. Then along comes a lovely huge Old English Sheepdog and he is ready to play and be their friend and for a few glorious hours these children have a dog. In the late afternoon the dogs owners arrive. They are happy ‘Sunday’ has found some children to play with and they promise to return to the park again next Sunday.

Here is an interview with the author. My copy of this book has quite a different cover but this was the only one I could find. After reading this little book, if you can find a copy, you might look for other old books about dogs such as Desperate for a Dog by Rose Impey and A dog so small by Philippa Pearce. Also take a look at the two Nibbles I reviewed last year.

Rose meets Mr Wintergarten by Bob Graham

Rose meets Mr Wintergarten is quite simply a perfect picture book. Rose is a compassionate and brave little girl who takes a small step into the unknown which leads to miraculous changes in her neighborhood.

The open scene for this book comes on the end papers. Bob Graham is a master of this. He does not waste one page in his picture books. On this spread we see two houses side by side. One is large, grey and imposing with huge barbed wire fences, a cactus garden and dark foreboding windows. The other is a little friendly yellowish house with green window shutters, freshly mown lawns and large trees in the back yard. A new family are moving into the little house. The moving van has a rainbow on the side (we all know there are good things at the end of a rainbow!) and among the furniture and family members you can see a sheep and a chook!

On the title page the For Sale sign now says Sold and the whole family are posing for a photo outside their new front gate. Once they have settled in, the family begin to plant out their garden with a wondrous array of colorful flowers. Every morning our new family climb on to the roof of their lovely house to celebrate the sunrise. Even the sheep and the chook participate in this lovely ritual.

But what of the neighbor? Rose discovers from the local children that he is a monster with a dog like a wolf and a saltwater crocodile. While playing football in the garden Rose accidentally kicks her ball over the fence and thus her quest for the ball and the truth begins.

The final scenes of this story are again played out on the last end paper. The fences and gone, the rainbow van is back to collect the barbed wire and Mr Wintergarten himself can be seen playing a friendly game of football with the neighborhood children. Rose has accomplished so much. How did she do this? Read Rose Meets Mr Wintergarten to find out. Then you should look at The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde and A bus called Heaven also by Bob Graham.

Here are some teaching notes .

The Firework Maker's daughter by Philip Pullman

Fireworks are fascinating. Lila has been raised as the Firework Maker's daughter and she has developed wonderful skills. Now she feels ready to become a firework maker in her own right but her father will not reveal the final steps in this process. Lila enlists the help of the young elephant keeper Chulak. He talks with Lalchand, Lila’s father, and discovers firework makers have to “travel to the grotto of Razvani, the Fire-Fiend, in the heart of Mount Merapi, and bring back some of the Royal Sulphur." When Chulak tells Lila about this she sets of immediately but there is one important thing Lalchand has neglected to reveal. Lila will need a flask of magic water from the Goddess of the Emerald Lake. Without this she will perish.

This information means Chulak must now rush to assist his friend. Chulak takes with him the white talking elephant called Hamish. Along the way our heroes will meet some wonderful and oddball characters, Hamish will be painted with slogans and everything will conclude with a spectacular fireworks display – a display that could mean life or death for its creators.

You might know Philip Pullman for his wonderful Dark Materials trilogy. The Firework Maker's daughter is also a fabulous story intended for a younger audience and containing unpredictable twists and turns and perfect illustrations.

If you enjoy The Firework Maker's Daughter you should look for Where the Mountain meets the moon by Grace Lin, The Magnificent Nose by Anna Fienberg and the Sarindi series by Janine Fraser.

Here are some notes for The Firework Maker's daughter.

With my knife by Andrew Lansdown

This is a slim book that packs a punch. There are books where dragons are the good guys and books where dragons are the face of pure evil. With my Knife falls into this latter category.

Colyn lives on a potato farm with his dad. His mum has died many years earlier. One day Colyn finds an old knife buried in a paddock. He uses the knife to whittle a potato and discovers the knife has an amazing power. The potato turns to stone and when discs of this stone are thrown up into the air a light as bright as the moon is emitted. This stone is also incredibly sharp.

In the shed there is a discarded box, a large box that once contained a refrigerator. Colyn decides to turn the box into a cubby. It needs a door and so Colyn cuts a large triangle into the front of the box. This is his first very significant mistake. The shape of a triangle is mysterious and ancient. Colyn also carves his own name into the bark of a tree. Luckily a dream warns him about the power of names and he is able to obliterate this before more troubles can be unleashed.

The triangle in the box has opened a doorway to Klarin. The dragons can now come through to our world. Colyn carves himself a dog companion called Kinzar and with the help of his dog, his knife and the army of Kinroan led by Wayth the dragons are defeated but not with out enormous casualties.

“Colyn leap to his feet and thrust the knife up with both hands. The blade sank into the dragon’s throat. There was a gurgling sound and hot blood gushed down onto him.”

Meanwhile Colyn and his dad have been working on an old jigsaw puzzle. As the picture is finally revealed they see a scene involving his mother in Klarin with the dragons. This certainly opens the way for the two sequels.

If you love battles and dragons and you long to demonstrate your courage and compassion as Colyn our hero does then you must read With my Knife. You might also like the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan, A wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin and the Dragon Keeper series by Carole Wilkinson. You should also look at books by Linda McNab.

With my knife is a book I have been recommending to my students for many years so I was happy to discover, when I re-read it this week, that it is such a powerful story. This book might be out of print but I am sure you will find a copy in most Australian school libraries. You can read the first chapter and some reviews on the author site.

Little Big Feet by Ingrid and Deiter Schubert

When I see the word pandemonium on the first page of a picture book I know it will be a winner. Here is an author who does not talk down to young readers. Even more wonderful is the fact that this book is a translation. It was originally written in Dutch.

Little Big Feet is a small witch. She has been teased once too often by the witches who live between the earth and sky and so she has left her home. Just like Pinocchio’s nose, every time a spell goes wrong for Little Big Feet her feet grow larger. Luckily for our little witch friend she has landed in the home of Maggie an eminently sensible girl who has perhaps also endured some teasing but Maggie has found a strategy to cope. “Everyone has something wrong with them,’ she said. ‘Look at my sticking out ears.” Maggie has a lovely idea. She paints the witch’s shoes and they look fabulous.

Little Big Feet has broken her broomstick. Maggie has a toothbrush that is just the right size but before flying home Little Big Feet gives her teeth a thorough brushing and her magical powers are restored. As a parting gift Little Big Feet gives Maggie the gift of flying.

My favorite part of Little Big Feet comes right at the end. The little witch sends a special letter to Maggie with no words just pictures. It is a delight to decipher. This book is almost certainly out of print but again you might be lucky and find a copy in your library.