The mice next door by Anthony Knowles illustrated by Susan Edwards

Tuesday Treasure

At its heart this is a book about quiet persuasion. The Hardy family move in next door. Dad is convinced they should live in holes not houses. He calls them pests and he declares their "house is not in keeping with the neighbourhood." He uses words like smelly, greedy, stupid, noisy and rude. Dad keeps threatening to "call the council."

Meanwhile the Hardy's quietly get on with their lives. It is persuasion through deeds not words. Their house is beautiful, their garden is well tended and flourishing and mum makes friends with Mrs Hardy and her children, Frankie and Susan. Dad keeps up his criticism until one day Mr Hardy offers to help with a blocked drain.

"Dad said he doubted a rodent could do what a man couldn't, but when Mr Hardy managed the job in a way that only he could, Dad was very grateful. In fact, by the time he'd finished, Mr Hardy had us all laughing - including Dad."

Through this story we see the evolution of tolerance and friendship. The stereotype labels and prejudiced thinking gradually fade away. This story is not just about the mice who live next door.

Take a look at this review by Books for Keeps. Notice it begins with the word BRILLIANT.

Brilliant. In the most deadpan, funny manner, Anthony Knowles explores the possibility that a family of mice would build a house next door to an ordinary suburban family and be accused by Dad of 'lowering the tone of the neighborhood'. Everyone knew that mice were smelly, noisy, only interested in having a good time, wouldn't get planning permission or teach their youngsters how to behave. What's more the smell of cooking from next door is an unpleasant nuisance. Yes, it is a satire on racial intolerance, but done with such charm, wit and jollity that even the youngest child will absorb the 'moral' while having a wonderful time. The illustrations are exceptional and I can't suggest too strongly that you read it for yourself and for your children. A sane, humane and very, very funny book.

This book is a treasure. It is high on my list of favourite books. If you find this book in a library make sure you read it and keep it. Of course The Mice Next Door (1988) is long out of print but I do hope one day it might be republished for a new generation of children.

"Just before lunch Mrs Hardy came round with a cheese pie for us all. She said it was to make up for us not coming to the party."

"The day Mr Hardy painted his front door Dad said it was time to sell our house and move to a more respectable neighbourhood."

I am happy to discover a companion volume - Christmas with the Mice Next Door (1990).  Of course it is also out of print but perhaps one day I will track down a copy.

Lampie and the Children of the Sea by Annet Schaap

The happy times living in the lighthouse with her mum and dad are now just memories. It is now up to Emelia, known as Lampie, to light the lamp each evening in the lighthouse she shares with her father. He can no longer climb the sixty-one steps to the top. To light the lamp Lampie needs matches. There is only one match left in the box so tomorrow she will need to cross to the shore when the tide is low. The trouble is Lampie has problems with her memory. This means the next day she forgets about those all important matches until it is almost dark. After a difficult interaction with the shop keeper's wife Lampie rushes home to find the tide has turned. The water is high. The storm is wild and it is so dark. The matches are dropped. Ships in the ocean are in danger of crashing against the rocks.

The town authorities blame Augustus, the lighthouse keeper.  His punishment is swift. He is locked inside his lighthouse and his precious daughter is removed from his care.

Lampie is taken to live in a strange house where she is expected to work as a servant. Lampie longs to return to her father. She knows this is all her fault. The grand house has a tower room with a locked door and there are rumors of a monster.

"Now that she can't see his tail, he seems like an ordinary boy. But one with green hair and pitch black devil's eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth."

Lampie is desperate to investigate and thus she finds herself in a world of circus curiosities, pirates and danger. I kept hearing the sound track to The Greatest Show as I read this section.

Lampie and the Children of the Sea has been translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson. The extra word "querido" on the Dutch cover is a Spanish word meaning cherished or dear. Read more about the process of book translation here.

You can read about the inspiration for the story of Lampie on the author web site and you can read a story excerpt here.

Books which are set in and around lighthouses always appeal to me. The Round Island light house on Lake Michigan was the inspiration for this story.

There are aspects of this book that mirror the plot of The Secret Garden. Lampie is sent far away from home just like Mary. Lampie finds her new life confusing and harsh. She hears noises in the night and visits a forbidden room where she meets a young boy who is unwell and crippled. Lampie introduces the boy to the outside world and helps to heal his broken body. But this is all too simple. There are so many interesting twists in this plot.

It’s a beautiful book about standing up against injustice, fighting for what you deserve rather than settling for what life has handed you. Above all it is about being fiercely, proudly, determinedly you.  The Booknook

I highly recommend Lampie and the Children of the Sea. I read it in one sitting and 'lived' every moment of terror and confusion along with Lampie all the while desperately hoping the injustices inflicted on her would be reversed and that she could once again join her father in the lighthouse.

Annet Schaap is a well known illustrator in Holland with over 200 titles to her credit. I was excited to discover she provided illustrations for one of my favourite Elizabeth Honey books What do you think, Feezal?  Here is the Dutch cover:

Sloppy Kisses by Elizabeth Withrop illustrated by Anne Burgess

Tuesday Treasure

"Emmy Lou's family loved to kiss."  

When she arrives at school, Rosemary sees Papa giving Emmy Lou a great big sloppy kiss.

"EEEE-YEW!' said Rosemary.
'Your father still kisses you? That's just for babies.'
'Is it?' asked Emmy Lou.
'Kissing is yukky,' said Rosemary.
And she went off to hang up her coat.
'It is?' Emmy Lou whispered."

Everything changes in this moment for Emmy Lou. She tells her family she does not want to be kissed any more. She informs them that kissing is for babies. So that night, after Papa and Mama kiss her sister Dolly they give Emmy Lou a little pat on the shoulder. Poor Emmy Lou - she finds it so hard to get to sleep. Day after day and night after night Emmy Lou refuses to be kissed until finally one night she just cannot get to sleep.

Papa and Mama try all the things you would expect - Is Emmy Lou thirsty?; Does she need another blanket?; How about a story?  Then Papa steps in and picks up Emmy Lou and he "gave her a great big sloppy kiss. Then he handed her to her mother, who gave Emmy Lou a nice soft warm kiss. Emmy Lou smiled."

Emmy Lou has a wonderful sleep but what will happen at school when Papa drops her off and what can she do about Rosemary?

Here is a photo of the last page:

I cannot think why I have not talked about this book here on this blog. It is an absolute favourite of mine hence it is a Tuesday Treasure. If I don't convince you this is a treasure here is a little trivia to think about. I spied a copy of Sloppy Kisses for sale (paperback) for US$135. The original paperback from 1980 cost US$3.95 and strangely less here in Australia only Au$3.50.

Elizabeth Winthrop has a Ted Talk on her web site. She is the author of over sixty books. Here is a Spaghetti Book Club review of Sloppy Kisses by two readers aged 6 and 7.  Back in 2008 I was thrilled when Elizabeth Winthrop commented on my blog after I mentioned Sloppy Kisses should come back into print.

My friend at Kinderbookswithevery thing has a post about Kisses. Here are some of the books from her splendid library.

Vincent and the Grandest Hotel on Earth by Lisa Nicol

"It was as if the air around the hotel was the colour of honey. 

Some dream-like brew of sunshine and hope."

Vincent inherits a shoe shine kit from his grandfather. It seems to contain magic because on the first day, when Vincent sets up his shoe shine business at the market, he is spotted by Florence and his life changes forever. Florence invites Vincent to work at her hotel - the Grandest Hotel on Earth.

Florence is eleven, like Vincent, but she has an important and demanding job. She is in charge of the Grandest Hotel on Earth. When you read about this hotel I guarantee you will be desperate to stay there. Everything is utterly amazing and wonderful.

Here are some examples:
Rooms for guests as suggested by Rupert the concierge
The Inflatable Room
The Sparkles Room
Room of the Unexpected
Winter Wonderland Room
The African sky Room
The Anti-gravity Room
Le Pomme Frites Chambre - a small sliding door in the wall opens and you are presented with hot chips over and over again!

Transport
Tiny porter ponies "no bigger than medium-sized dogs - with spectacular feathered head-dresses and rainbow tails."
Jet Pack
Llama
Hot air balloon - the best way to arrive at the hotel

Extras
Every guest is given a pocket dog - Vincent names his Min.
There is an island with a colony of sloths. Guests can attend a "find you inner sloth class" at three pm.
Bowling alley, an ice rink and a roller ring
Enjoy a room full of pillows
Hot springs and slopes to Ski
Hang gliding and parachuting

In so many ways the Grandest Hotel feels just like the magic of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but there is also a poignancy to this story.  For Florence this is the burden of running the hotel and awaiting the return of her parents. She is lonely and longs for a friend. But it is Vincent who has the most serious problems. Life at home is terribly hard. His four year old brother cannot speak and seems to constantly scream. Vincent's mother and father spend all their time coping with Thom and it is difficult for Vincent not to feel resentful. The only way to calm Thom is to play classical music. If you read this book be prepared to find musical examples such as Bach's Cello suite No.1 in G Major and Eric Satie's Gymnopedie No1. 

Can you see some links between Florence and Vincent? Yes they both need friends. Yes they both are burdened with adult responsibilities. Then we discover Florence wears beautiful emerald boots that play classical music and there are plenty of fresh eggs at the Grandest Hotel. I am sure you can see these connections too but of course things do not run entirely smoothly for Vincent. He discovers there is a room in the hotel called Mirrors of the Future. Vincent is desperate to discover the future especially in relation to Thom and his parents. Zelda (the classical pianist who entertains people inside the hotel lift) warns Vincent "we can undo some things Vincent, but we can never unsee them. Remember that."

Vincent does look in to the future room. Not just once but several times. My heart almost broke for Vincent as I watched him struggle with the impossible task, he now sets himself, of changing the future.

I have read other books about hotels but this is one of the best. If you read the Heartwood Hotel series and are ready for more advanced story then this is the book for you!

Other stories set in hotels for older readers include:

Withering-by-sea by Judith Rossell
Floors by Patrick Carman
The Fish in Room 11 by Heather Dyer
The Big Bazoohley by Peter Carey
Moles by Andrew Strong
Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Huge thanks to Beachside bookshop for my Advanced Reader Copy of Vincent and the Grandest Hotel on Earth. This book will be available from 2nd July, 2019.

I give this book five out of five stars - yes it is THAT GOOD!

"Vast and soaring, the lobby was the most magnificently beautiful room he had ever stepped foot in. It was a seamless blend of inside and outside, a treasure chest of man and Mother Nature's finest ..."

Q Pootle 5 by Nick Butterworth

Tuesday Treasure

The start of this book is very noisy.

SSSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRREEEEEE 

KARUPMMP!

Q Pootle 5 has landed. He has crash landed. This is a disaster. Q Pootle 5 was on his way to a birthday party for his friend Z Pootle 6 and now he might be late. He needs a new rocket booster. The creatures on Earth are friendly but the green frog has no idea about this and neither do the birds. Then along comes a cat called Colin eating a tin of cat food. That tin is the perfect rocket booster.

"Q Pootle 5 climbs into his spaceship.
He presses the starter button, but nothing happens.
'Oh, beeebotherbootle!' says Q Pootle 5."

Colin sees the problem. He takes a spoon and pulls out a bit of dinner which is stuck in the bottom of the rocket booster. When you turn to the last page be prepared for a surprise.

I was so sad when I realised the Q Pootle 5 series had been culled from my former library but the good news is they are still in print. The titles are Q Pootle 5 in Space and Q Pootle 5 The great Space Race.  I have now discovered there is also a television series. The youngest children in your school library or pre-school will love meeting Q Pootle 5. Try to find a copy on your next library visit.

Watch Q Pootle Five on ABC (Australia) television: https://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/q-pootle-5/

There are 52 episodes

I have also discovered there are Q Pootle 5 toys. I need to add one of these to my collection.

Here are some other books illustrated by Nick Butterworth:

Jingle Bells

Albert Le Blanc

Trixie the witch's cat

Jasper's Beanstalk

Squidge Dibley destroys the School by Mick Elliott

This is story is a huge romp. Here is a quote from the publisher web site:

Things are going downhill fast for class 6PU at Craglands South Primary School. They've changed teachers more times than most kids change their socks, and their latest one is so strict they aren't even allowed to sneeze. But just when it seems like the school term has been turned into a prison term, a new kid arrives.

• A kid unlike any other kid at Craglands South
• A kid named Squidge Dibley
• He's small, quiet and strangely ... squidgy
• And he's about to change everything

Squidge Dibley destroys the school is the perfect book for a reluctant reader. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments. Vice Principal Hoovesly is wonderfully despicable character. Padman is an excellent narrator and Squidge, even though we don't hear from him directly, is a kid you might not want in your class unless your class is as bad and unlucky with their teacher as 6PU. The things he can do will amaze you.

I would follow this book with a couple of old titles which might be in your school Why I hate School by Michael Fatarsky (Kris Stanhope) and Problem Child by James Roy. If you enjoy books by David Walliams you should look for the Squidge Dibley series.

Take a look at Mick's web site. I was excited to see he mentions The Mysterious Benedict Society.

This book will be available on 25th June.  Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advanced reader copy.

Where the river runs gold by Sita Brahmachari

Shifa - the one who heals ...

There are scenes near the beginning of this book that I found so horrifying I just had to stop reading and take a breath. In this world of the future, society is completely stratified. Citizens are divided into Paragons, Freedoms and Outlanders. The rich, called Paragons, live almost obscenely opulent lives while the poor live in fear of the authorities in Kairos City.  There are optical eye checking points all over the city. Someone is always watching you.

Shifa has decided to sell her hair so she can leave some money for her father when she, and her brother Themba, leave to work in long hot polytunnels at the pollination farm. The siblings will have no contact with Nabil for the next five years. Shifa goes to a shop called Agora Hairtakers. She has to remove all her clothing and take a shower. Her clothes are taken away and steam cleaned. When she emerges from the shower her daisy dress is returned to her and it is now sparkling clean. Shifa sits in a seat and the hairtaker:

"opened her sharp metal shears. Shifa held her breath and was unable to stop the flow of tears as Nita made a clean sheer cut at the nape of her neck. She caught the length of hair in a pouch-like contraption attached to the chair."

Shifa is paid four hundred and sixty groits. But later she sees hair just like hers for sale for 1,000 groits. "With the groits she had in her pocket she wouldn't even be able to buy a quarter of her own hair."

So much happens in this story and working at the Freedom Farm is every bit as horrible as I anticipated. When the children arrive their palms are tattooed with a unique sunflower, their finger nails are treated (but Shifa bites her nails so this procedure is wretched) and the children are taken to have their eyes changed. The machine is called an Eyequaliser.

"Shifa felt the spherical orb inside the Eyequaliser pincer her lids open, as a jelly like substance shot into her eyes. ... Sifa glanced down at the tattoo on her hand. How she could pick out every coded seed dot in the centre of the sunflower. She peered into the distance, but the survivor tree had grown fuzzy, shimmering like a mirage on the horizon."

The children's eyes are changed because they need to be able to see very find details when they work pollinating many different flowers. This procedure is especially terrible for Themba and while Shifa wants to help, she finds she can no longer protect her precious brother from the horrors that continue to unfold.

Where the River runs gold will be published in July 2019. I highly recommend this book for senior primary and junior high school students. I do hope this book reaches a wide audience. You can read more plot details on the publisher web site. On her web site Sita talks about the inspiration for her story. She other books by Sita on the Love Reading 4 kids site.

I would follow this book with How to Bee which also explores the idea of our future world without bees.  It would be interesting to compare the idea of children as pollinators and to consider which plants are considered important. In How to Bee it is fruit trees and in Where the river runs gold the children pollinate flowers for the rich people to enjoy. The idea of exploiting children for this unnecessary luxury adds to the power of this dystopian story.