Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

Why does skipping to the end of a book just to see what happens always feel like cheating? I was so worried for Sam this book called Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff that after only two chapters I just had to skip straight to the end. In one way this was a comfort but in another way I think it might have slightly spoilt the suspense as Sam struggles to make sense of his own identity through fragmented memories of the past.

Sam is about to turn eleven and he is taking every opportunity to find is hidden birthday presents. Sam lives with his grandfather Mack who owns a woodworking shop, Onji who runs a deli and Anima the owner of an Indian Restaurant. Home for Sam is above these shops and at the top of his home is an attic. The story opens with Sam stealthily climbing up to the attic using pipes outside the building that he has reached from his bedroom window. He is looking for his Birthday present.

Up in the attic Sam finds an old, locked, metal box with a “newspaper clipping sticking out of the edge … He crouched down: large black letters on top, a picture of a boy underneath. The bubbly sweater with the zipper down the front looked familiar. He caught his breath. He was the boy, but so much younger.”

This clipping puts Sam into a spin. Perhaps Mack is not really his grandfather, has be been kidnapped? There are answers but to find them Sam needs to be able to read. Knowing this he enlists the help of a new girl in his class called Caroline. Caroline is reluctant to make friends because she keeps changing schools and right from the start she tells Sam she is not here to stay but somehow these two muddle through and the strongest bonds are friendship are formed.

Eleven is a slim novel with a very powerful and emotional story. If you enjoyed 35 Kilos of Hope look for Eleven in your library. The cover makes this book look like a thriller but really it is more about friendship and family mysteries. You might also like to look for other books by this talented writer.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

“But a lot can change in a day. A lot.” This profound statement is at the heart of Savvy by Ingrid Law. Mississippi Beaumont or Mibs as she is better known has almost reached her thirteenth birthday. This should be an occasion for celebration but in the Beaumont family thirteen is the age your savvy kicks in and a savvy is a very unpredictable thing.

Savvy for her older brother Rocket means electrical power, for Fish the next oldest it means power using weather and storms, her mum has the savvy of perfection, Grandma collects radio waves in jars and in two days Mibs will know her savvy. Her birthday celebration is interrupted by a terrible accident –“Poppa’s car was badly crushed, like a drink can under a cowboy boot” - which leaves her beloved father lying in a coma in the far away town of Salina.

Mibs is left home with Fish, Gypsy the baby and Samson her younger brother while their mother and Rocket and drive off to poppa. Then Miss Rosemary, the preacher's wife, moves in takes over. On discovering Mibs is turning thirteen she organizes a party at the church hall but it is a party that is doomed to end in chaos.

When Mibs wakes up on her special day some mysterious things happen. Samson’s pet turtle that had seemed dead for months suddenly comes to life and her little sister “who was as difficult to wake as a slumbering sloth” wakes as Mibs quietly steps out of bed. Mibs is convinced this is her savvy and that she needs to use it to wake her Poppa. What she does not yet know is exactly how the journey to Salina will unfold involving a pink bible bus, Lester the bus driver, Bobbi and Will Junior the pastor's children, Samson, Fish and a waitress called Lill.

If you loved Because of Winn Dixie and books by Betsy Byars then you will adore this book. The pace is fast, the adventure is wild and unpredictable, and the language of this book is like a potpourri of treasures. When I finished reading Savvy I went back and hunted out some of the wonderful words like persnickety, rickrack, tipsy-topsy, quarrelsome, ratty tatty, itty-bitty, a deep fried pickle of a situation, razzamatazz, harum- scarum, chagrin, moseyed, boisterous confetti, bugaboo, flimflamming, a jig shy of jaybird-naked (this is how Mibs feels in a new swimsuit), with a zest and a zing, and finally this one - full on, snot-dripping, chest-wheezing, jibber jabber wailing – this is Mibs crying when they are still sixty miles from Salina Hope Hospital and all hope seems to be lost.

Sending her young cast on a zigzag odyssey through the “Kansaska-Nebransas” heartland, Law displays both a fertile imagination (Mibs’s savvy is telepathy, but it comes with a truly oddball caveat) and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters. There are no serious villains here, only challenges to be met, friendships to be made and some growing up to do on the road to a two-hanky climax. Kirkus Star review

At first, I thought the cover of this book was a little uninspiring but now I can see it is very clever. There are thirteen birthday candles, and you can see a small pink bus moving across the cover on a journey filled with twists and turns and on the back cover the candles are all in a muddle. Now that I see the US cover, I really like this one from Puffin UK.

Finally, perhaps you are wondering about Mibs and her savvy. I am not going to give this away. As you get to know Mibs her savvy will be revealed, and it might surprise you. 

I put a spell on you by Adam Selzer

I love to read books that challenge me and this one certainly keeps the reader right on his or her toes all the way to the end. Using each chapter to present the point of view of each spelling bee participant we read about one class as they prepare for the annual spelling bee. This is an event which impacts on the whole town and which can make or break friendships and even lead to high levels of corruption.

Our main narrator is Chrissy, the town detective. Observing her classmates she has uncovered a huge scandal. The School Principal seems to be planning to rig the spelling bee.

Each chapter heading is a word definition which then ties into the chapter and each chapter is told by one of the major players including the students, the Principal and the ever smiling school secretary Mrs Rosemary!

My favourite character is Mutual a boy who up until now has been home schooled. He convinces his parents that to enter the Spelling Bee you need to be enrolled in a regular school. His mum and dad are fearful of corruption and germs and bad examples but they are also desperate to have their only son crowned as a champion in the Bee so they allow him to attend Gordon Liddy Community School.

If you like the writing of EL Konigsburg. Blue Baylett, Betsy Byars, Carl Hiessan, or Louis Sacher then you will love I put a Spell on you. Check out the author site. You can even read whole chapters. Mr K also has a terrific review of this book which should convince you this is a great book.

The fabled fourth graders of Aesop elementary School by Candace Fleming

A big thank you must go to Mr K (see my sidebar) because when I read his review of this book I knew I would love it and I did!!!! I read this book in one quick gulp and then I re-read it straight away because it is so clever and funny and wise all at the same time.

Mr Jupiter is the new teacher at Aesop Elementary School and this Grade Four class are notorious for their dreadful behavior. In fact it is so bad that all the teachers have refused to take this class, that is until Mr Jupiter arrives. As he explains to Mrs Struggles, the Principal, he has worked as a dog groomer, he led an expedition in search of the Dodo bird, collected mummified cats in Egypt, discovered the lost city of Atlantis and conducted the Timbuktu Philharmonic Orchestra to name just a few of his achievements!

In just 23 chapters you will come to know and love the kids in this fourth grade class and their wonderful teachers – Paige Turner the librarian, Nurse Betadine, Mrs Playwright the drama teacher who works in 64 schools, Mrs Bunz the lunch lady and of course Mr Jupiter himself. The class members include Victoria Sovaine – naturally she is in love with herself, Missy Place – she looses everything especially all her mittens, Ham Samitch the eating machine, and my favourite Stanford Binet the class brain.

Each chapter has a little moral or homily but these are delivered with such humor I found myself looking ahead reading all the morals before reading the whole book.

My favourite character is of course Paige Turner. Early in the story she meets Mr Jupiter. “She found herself looking into the most beautiful pair of brown eyes in the whole world! Instinctively, Miss Turner straightened her cardigan, the one with the apples appliquéd onto its pockets. She tucked back a strand of mouse-brown hair and pushed up her wire-rimmed glasses.”

Paige is in love and so she spends all her time trying to get Mr Jupiter to notice her. She changes her hair colour, her shoes, her clothes and she presents Mr Jupiter with a box of Valentines day chocolates but nothing seems to work until we reach the second last chapter and the end of the school year. Miss Turner has found true love at last!

All the details in this quirky little book are wonderful. Even the class textbooks are intriguing. I can’t wait to put this book into the hands of a keen reader I just loved it! Here is a video interview with the author.

I also found two sets of terrific teaching notes one by the author herself and the other has some good discussion questions.

The Hodgeheg by Dick King Smith

Picking up a book by Dick King Smith always conjures special feelings. It is like sitting in a warm living room in front of a cosy fire, snow gently falling outside you settle into your arm chair with a cup of hot cocoa and jam toast and begin to read.

This is exactly how I felt on a hot summer night when I started to read The Hodgeheg and once again Dick King Smith did not disappoint.

Victor Maximilian St George or Max to his family and friends is a very d e t e r m i n e d young hedgehog. The park is located on the other side of the road and the park is the place all hedgehogs want to go for food and fun but the journey across the road is a life threatening one. In fact this story begins with the untimely death of Auntie Betty run over while crossing the road.

Max is a bright boy and he is determined (this is a theme in this book!) to find a safe way across to the park. He makes three attempts and there are disastrous consequences. In the first Max is hit by a cyclist and bumping his head badly on the curb leads to his new mixed up way of speaking – words in the wrong order, first letters muddled and so on. There are three possible ways to cross – the zebra crossing, at the traffic lights or with the little humans who walk safely when a great big human in a long white coat with a pole that works like a magic wand as she walks out onto the road and the traffic stops immediately. Max needs to work out how happens because this might prove to be the safest way of all for tiny little hedgehogs to cross to the park.

The illustrations are perfect, the cover is cute and the writing is charming and funny. This is a perfect little beginning novel for a younger Primary reader and once you start reading Dick King Smith you will certainly come back for more. Personal favourites by this author include Smasher, Happy Mouseday, The Sheep pig and Blessu.

I am very sad that this wonderful author died earlier this year but since he produced so many fabulous books just take a look in any library and you will see we can all keep reading wonderful stories like this one for many years to come. By the way this is another book I found in the NSW School Magazine Bookshelf list.

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst illustrated by Lane Smith

This book is absolutely perfect in every possible way. I love the unconventional size, the bold cover design, the fabulous illustrations by the super talented Lane Smith, the cheeky narration by master story teller Judith Viorst and all the white space.

For all readers but especially those in Junior Primary classes this book is an absolute must read!! I find I am again puzzled that others did not shout about this little gem from the tops of the highest mountains. Thank goodness for the NSW School Magazine bookshelf list – this is how I discovered this wonderful book.

Lulu is a spoilt, bad tempered bully who wants a Brontosaurus for her Birthday. Yes I know they are now called Apatosaurus and I know dinosaurs and people did not coexist but suspension of disbelief is an essential part of all human imagination.

Lulu throws diabolical tantrums when she does not get her own way including shrieking until the light bulbs burst. After twelve spectacular days of these tantrums, Lulu finally declares she is leaving to find a Brontosaurus for herself. She packs a little suitcase and takes off. Her mum and dad, now totally worn out, sit down in their now quiet kitchen and drink a silent cup of tea.

While Lulu and later the Brontosaurus are the stars of this story, special mention must be made of the little suitcase. It seems to hold the most amazing things all ready for any predicament that befalls Lulu.

I am not going to spoil the plot by telling you how Lulu finds her Brontosaurus and what exactly happens when they meet but telling you there are three versions of chapter thirteen, the final chapter, you might realize Judith Viorst has created a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up.

I don’t usually rate the books I read but I must give Lulu and the Brontosaurus 11/10. Grab this book with both hands and don’t let go! My little paper back copy has the best cover much brighter than the hardcover edition. If you need a preview take a look at the last minute or so of this Scholastic promotion - Lulu is the last book they review but it is worth the wait.

Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger by Barbara Bolton illustrated by Alan White

"He is getting ready to prowl up and down the hallway of our house. Just as he does every night."

"I am Jandy Malone, the oldest of the family, and I am frightened."

I have been looking for some wonderful books to read to one special class in our school this term. The class will be filled with very keen readers so I want to share some truly special books and the first to come into my mind was this very old, long picture book called Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger.

The language of this book is so poetic. It makes a wonderful read aloud title and the story is so intriguing that it opens the way for great discussion. Woven through this book are amazing art works and references to one beautiful piece of music "Sheep may safely graze". This is a book for slightly older readers because there is no real ending and the allegory of the nine o'clock tiger may not be easily identified by all students. 

The Wolf by Margaret Barbalet illustrated by Jane Tanner has a similar feel. Before you rush out and try to get your hands on Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger, it has long been out of print as it was first published in 1980. It was commended by the CBCA in 1981 in the Book of the Year category. This alone could be a good reason for it to be reprinted. 

 Jandy has told a bed time story to her younger siblings about the prowling Nine O'Clock Tiger. He prowls their hallway every night between nine and nine thirty. "It is ten minutes to nine at night. About now the Tasmanian tiger who lives in a lair somewhere in the shadows of our hallway is starting to stir. He is stretching his long muscles. He is baring his sharp teeth." Now Jandy and her brother and sister lie in bed each evening listening for the soft pad of the tiger's paws. All three are petrified but it is up to Jandy, the eldest, to face up to this fear and banish it once and for all but can she be brave enough? 

Here are some review comments from the back cover:

"Immediately striking and utimately haunting. The resolution is both emotionally satisfying and beautifully crafted" Canberra Times

"Splendidly atmospheric pictures ... a scary book with a happy ending which is as unusual as it is realistic." Melbourne Herald

I do need to mention that the tiger is not the wild tiger you may have assumed. This is an Australian children's picture book. It is set in Melbourne, Victoria. We do not have tigers in Australia (except in zoos). The tiger that Jandy has conjured into her night time story does not live in Melbourne and it is in fact extinct. Her tiger is the famous Tasmanian tiger.

You can read more about Tasmanian tigers in these two picture books:

I was excited to discover Handspan Theatre performed Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger as theatre production in 1991. It is a dream of mine that one day a major Australian city such as Sydney will host a festival of children's theatre. In 1994 I attended a festival like this and it was just wonderful. I saw a production of Bill's New Frock by Anne Fine. 

I hope you can find Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger in a school library along with another great title by the same author Edward Wilkins and his friend Gwendoline which is a must read for cat lovers.