9. Ramona and Beezus (Film)

RAMONA AND BEEZUS (Twentieth Century Fox, 2010)

Directed by Elizabeth Allen

GENRE: Comedy

HONORS: Joey King – Winner of Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actress Age Ten or Under

REVIEW:

Creative third grader Ramona Quimby gets herself into some trouble at school when her imagination runs away with her, including some not-so-stellar comments on her report card.  To make things worse, Ramona’s older sister Beezus is popular and good at nearly everything she does.  Nevertheless, she always can count on Aunt Bea to understand her uniqueness, especially when Beezus gets frustrated with her.  However, Ramona’s world turns upside down when her father loses his job and they are in danger of losing the house.  Wanting to help out, Ramona sets up a lemonade stand and starts a car washing business with both leading to disastrous outcomes.  When her father gets a new job in Oregon and Aunt Bea plans to move to Alaska to be with her high school sweetheart, Ramona cannot handle all of the change going on around her and, feeling unwanted, she plans to run away.  Naturally everything works out in the end with Ramona happily attending Aunt Bea’s wedding and her father is offered a position as the art teacher at Ramona’s school, allowing the family to stay in their house.

OPINION:

This film was a joy to watch all the way through, filled with likeable characters and a mixture of funny and touching moments.  Joey King does a remarkable job at bringing the iconic character of Ramona to life with her ability to appear innocent even while doing something mischievous.  Selena Gomez is also wonderful as teenage sister Beezus, appealing particularly to those viewers that have a younger sister like Ramona and share the blend of frustration and love that Beezus feels for her.  Even though the movie appeals more toward the nine to ten year old tweens, fans of Selena’s Disney Channel show, Wizards of Waverly Place, may check out the movie to see Selena in another acting role.  Overall, this is a great family film that will satisfy fans of Beverly Cleary’s book series and it may even help bring more children to her books to read about more of the adventures Ramona get herself into.

IDEAS:

This film would be perfect for a library display dedicated to Beverly Cleary’s novels and it would be a good movie to screen during a tween movie night at the library, hopefully leading to interest in reading the novels.

8. Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz

POINT BLANK by Anthony Horowitz (Philomel Books, 2002)

Book Two of the Alex Rider series

GENRE: Adventure / Thriller / Mystery

HONORS: Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, Cuffies Winner for Best Series

REVIEW:

In the second installment of the Alex Rider series, fourteen-year-old Alex is sent on another adventure full of mysterious happenings and villainous characters.  Following his success of foiling Herod Sayle’s evil plan in Stormbreaker, MI6 needs Alex’s help investigating a series of deaths of rich men with sons attending an elite school for rebellious boys in the French Alps.  Under cover as the son of supermarket magnate David Friend, Alex is accepted into the school.  Arriving by helicopter, Alex discovers that the school is quite isolated on the side of a mountain and there are certain floors of the compound that are restricted for students.  After seeing only docile and obedient students, Alex meets a boy named James Sprintz who tells him about his theory of brainwashing and his plan to escape.  However, Alex’s suspicions are raised when James begins acting just like the rest of the boys.  As the only student not going to classes, Alex must figure out exactly what is going on before it’s too late because, if he fails, he’s next.

OPINION:

This book is full of action and suspense as Alex Rider escapes the clutches of Dr. Grief and Mrs. Stellenbosch—along with their henchmen—multiple times.  Readers will be on the edge of their seat in hopes that Alex will be able to get away.  However, although Alex is very skilled at sneaking around unnoticed, there are many times when his luck is the only reason that he is not discovered.  I like that he maintains a bit of his teenage impulsiveness, making him a more realistic character.  For instance, when he spots his friend locked down in the basement, he immediately tells him that he is a spy, not expecting that the cells are bugged and Dr. Grief is listening and ready to capture him.  If not for his exploding earring stud, Alex would be locked in the basement with the rest of the boys, awaiting the torture that Dr. Grief was sure to employ.  It is an exciting, quick read that I really enjoyed and I think it will interest tweens that love James Bond movies, as well as those that like to see a teen hero outsmarting some evil adults.  The fast pace and constant thrills will particularly interest reluctant readers.

IDEAS:

This would be a good book to put in library displays of tween spy and adventure novels. 

7. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

THE MAGICIAN’S NEPHEW by C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins, 1955)

Illustrated by Pauline Baynes

Prequel for The Chronicles of Narnia

GENRE: Fantasy

HONORS: ALA Notable Children’s Book

REVIEW:

In this prequel to The Chronicles of Narnia, two young children living in London in the early 1900s, Polly and Digory, sneak through a hidden passage connecting the attics of the houses on their street, only to find that what the door they think leads to the abandoned house next door actually leads into Digory’s uncle’s secret room.  Fancying himself a magician, Digory’s uncle tricks Polly into touching a yellow ring, sending her into another world.  With no choice but to follow Polly while keeping the green rings needed to return safe, Digory grabs the other yellow ring and finds Polly in a forest surrounded by a number of pools.  Realizing that the pools lead to other worlds, Polly and Digory select one to jump into, coming out in the world of Charn.  From this point, readers will learn about the beginnings of the White Witch and the Lion in the world of talking animals known as Narnia, as well as how the magic wardrobe came to be created.

OPINION:

Having never read a book from The Chronicles of Narnia, I selected the one labeled “Book 1” at my local library, later discovering that it was actually the sixth book that C.S. Lewis produced for the series.  I can imagine that fans of the series would find more connections and explanations than I did as a newbie.  Nevertheless, with the awareness of the title The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I was able to recognize the key moments in the novel when each was introduced.  Speaking from the novice point-of-view, the novel was an easy read with a story that grabbed me from the beginning.  Also, the illustrations lend perfectly to the text, elaborating by demonstrating the vastness of Charn compared to the children and showing the ridiculousness of the White Witch standing on top of a buggy, for example.  For readers that have already learned about Narnia, I think they would also enjoy the novel because it gives a look into Digory’s childhood and the ways that he met the characters that rule the famous novels.

IDEAS:

This book would be perfect for a library display dedicated to the books from The Chronicles of Narnia and the film counterparts, as well as a display introducing younger tweens to quality fantasy literature.

6. Kung Fu Panda 2 (Film)

KUNG FU PANDA 2 (DreamWorks Animation, 2011)

Directed by Jennifer Yuh

GENRE: Animated / Action / Adventure / Comedy

HONORS: N/A

REVIEW:

In this sequel to Kung Fu Panda, Po has become a Dragon Warrior alongside the Furious Five, protecting the Valley of Peace.  After having a flashback of his mother, Po goes to his goose father, Mr. Ping, and asks him about his history, learning only that he found Po as an infant and adopted him.  When Master Shifu gets word that Lord Shen has returned to take over Gongmen City with a weapon that overpowers kung fu, Po and the Furious Five set out to stop him.  After being captured, Po discovers that Lord Shen exterminated all of the pandas because of a prophecy that a black and white warrior would defeat him.  Once all of the Dragon Warriors escape, Shen’s soothsayer helps Po remember that his mother saved him by putting him in a crate near Mr. Ping’s restaurant before fleeing Shen’s forces.  Finding inner peace from the memory, Po must find it within himself to destroy the weapon and capture Shen before it is too late.

OPINION:

As a fan of the first film, I went into the theater hoping that the sequel would live up to its quality and humor.  The film does a fantastic job at elaborating on the story of the first film rather than rehashing Po’s journey toward kung fu.  In addition to sending the group on a new, exciting adventure, the film uses the improbability of Po having a goose for a father to its advantage, adding a sentimental storyline as Po realizes the sacrifices his birth parents made for him.  Even more touching is the scene where Po returns to Mr. Ping and reassures him that he is and always has been his dad.  Even with the emotional and exciting moments, the film’s greatest strength is its humor.  At my theater, the audience was filled with viewers of all ages and the jokes and gags in the film filled the whole theater with laughter.   While there will certainly be tweens that voice their dislike of animated films (particularly animated films about animals), Kung Fu Panda 2 practically has something in it for everyone.  

IDEAS:

This film would be a good addition to a library’s list for movie nights and it could be a part of a program for tweens to learn about kung fu, specifically interesting younger tweens.  Also, the film could be used in a library display of recommended animated movies.

5. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine (HarperCollins, 1997)

GENRE: Fantasy / Fairy Tale

HONORS: ABC Children’s Booksellers Choices Award, Arizona Young Readers’ Award, Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, California Young Reader Medal, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award, Emphasis on Reading, Golden Sower Award Honor, Iowa Teen Award, John Newbery Medal Honor, Maine Student Book Award, Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature Finalist, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award, Voice of Youth Award Second Place, Young Hoosier Book Award, ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice, Publishers Weekly Best Book

REVIEW:

Just after Ella’s birth, a fairy named Lucinda blessed her with the gift of obedience, making her obedient to any command.  In this retelling of Cinderella, Ella is able to keep her curse a secret with the help of her mother and family cook/fairy godmother, but when her mother passes away and her father remarries, one of her stepsisters figures out the secret, using it to her advantage.  When Ella sets out to find Lucinda and convince her to remove the curse, she runs into Prince Charmont and a romance begins between the two.  Although she finds Lucinda, the fairy’s resistance to her gift being anything but just that leaves Ella with no other option but to return home where she is commanded to live and work among the servants.  When Ella learns that Charmont loves her, she fears that her curse will bring him harm and denies her love for him.  If only she could find a way to remove the curse…

OPINION:

Having watched the film version when it was released seven years ago, I was interested in reading the novel.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I was hooked from the beginning.  Contrary to other Cinderella stories, Ella struggles to rebel against expectations—and succeeds in some cases—but it is the curse that puts her in danger.  Whereas some other Cinderellas are weak and subservient, Ella is a strong character that stands up for herself and even helps save the prince rather than waiting on him to save her.  Tweens will enjoy seeing the connections within the novel to traditional Cinderella tales of glass slippers, fairy godmothers, and taking a pumpkin coach to the ball, as well as the humorous encounters, new takes on the courtship between Ella and Prince Charmont, and Ella’s spunky attitude.

IDEAS:

This novel would go well in a library display of Newbery Honor Books, as well as a display for updated fairy tales.

4. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2003)

Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering

GENRE: Fantasy / Fairy Tale

HONORS: Blue Hen Book Award, Book Sense Book of the Year Award Finalist, Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award, Cochecho Readers’ Award, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award, Garden State Children’s Book Award, Golden Archer Award, Great Lakes Great Books Award, Indian Paintbrush Book Award, John Newbery Medal, Kentucky Bluegrass Award, Land of Enchantment Book Award, Maine Student Book Award, Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, Minnesota Books Awards Finalist, Mitten Award Honor, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature Finalist, Parents’ Choice Award Silver, PEN Center USA Literary Awards Finalist, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Second Place, Rhode Island Children’s Book Award, Sequoyah Book Award, Volunteer State Book Award, White Ravens Award, Young Reader’s Choice Award

REVIEW:

When a mouse falls in love with a princess, he will do anything to save her, including risking his own life in the rat-infested dungeon.  The Tale of Despereaux is divided into four books, shifting between the stories of the large-eared runt mouse Despereaux, the light-loving rat Roscuro, and the abused and nearly deaf servant Mig.  The novel begins by telling about Despereaux’s birth and his inability to follow the rules the head mice have created.  While exploring the castle, Despereaux meets Princess Pea and, instantly falling in love with her, he talks to her.  His brother reports the transgression to the mouse council, causing Despereaux to be sent to his death in the dungeon.  Luckily, Despereaux meets the jailer, Gregory, and he helps get him to safety.  Meanwhile, with a grudge against Princess Pea, Roscuro hatches a plan to trick Mig into luring Pea down into the dungeon, assuring Mig that she will be able to trade places with her and become the princess.  When Despereaux overhears the plan, he realizes that it is up to him to save the princess, but he must venture back into the dangers of the dungeon to do it.

OPINION:

This fairy tale of an unconventional “knight in shining armor” and his love is an enjoyable book all the way through.  The explanation of the characters’ stories helps make the motivation for kidnapping the princess clear and readers will be able to sympathize with Mig because of the hard life she has experienced.  Even the villain of the story, Roscuro, is not completely evil, but rather forced into his situation based on a traumatizing event that happened to him.  The book reads very well, making it ideal for children in younger grades, as well as older readers.  I particularly liked the way the author directly addressed the reader, making it easy to read the book aloud and discuss the statements with the listeners.  Also, the repeated use of the word “Reader” emphasizes the importance of reader involvement in the relationship between author and reader.  Although directed toward younger tweens, older tweens with a love of fairy tales and the fantasy genre will appreciate the heroic antics of Despereaux.

IDEAS:

This book would be great in a library display of Newbery Award Winners, as well as a display of different types of fairy tales.  Also, it would be a welcome addition to a display on books with animal main characters.

3. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

ANGUS, THONGS, AND FULL-FRONTAL SNOGGING by Louise Rennison (HarperCollins, 1999)

GENRE: Contemporary / Humor / Romance

HONORS: American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year Finalist, Garden State Teen Book Award, Michael L. Printz Award Honor, Smarties Book Prize Bronze Award, Soaring Eagle Book Award 2^nd Runner-up, Virginia Young Readers Program

REVIEW:

At fourteen years old, Georgia Nicholson shares the same problems as many teenagers—her parents don’t understand her, she lacks confidence in her looks, and the guy she has a crush on is dating her archenemy.  Written in diary entries, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging details a year in Georgia’s life in England, beginning at the end of summer.  When Georgia and her best friend, Jas, meet two brothers at the local grocer, Georgia cannot stop thinking about Robbie, the one she deems the “Sex God.”  Although her flirting seems to go nowhere, Jas starts to date Robbie’s brother, Tom, causing a temporary rift in their friendship when Jas begins to hang out with Robbie and his new girlfriend, Lindsay.  On top of that, Georgia’s father moves to New Zealand for a better job and her giant cat, Angus, goes missing.  What is a girl to do?

OPINION:

This book is an extremely quick-read.  The diary entries flow effortlessly from one to another, filled with humor and teenage drama.  I especially like the entries that are within minutes of each other, showing Georgia’s constant rethinking of her plans and actions.  Rennison writes Georgia as a likeable character, making her outbursts and changes in mood all the more hilarious.  Her self-doubt is something that many teens deal with and Georgia talks about it quite honestly, serving to show female readers that they are not alone.  Although there is a dictionary of British-isms in the back, the book is filled with British slang that may frustrate tween readers that do not want to have to flip back and forth to figure out some of the more abstract ones.  However, Georgia is a character so full of humor and personality that female tweens will enjoy reading her story and feeling as if she is telling her daily problems right to them.

IDEAS:

This book could be used for a library display of British tween books or young Chick Lit books.  Also, because there is a film adaptation of the novel, a tween reading club could read the book and then watch the film to see how the humor translates.

2. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

INKHEART by Cornelia Funke (The Chicken House, 2003)

GENRE: Fantasy

HONORS: Askews Torchlight Children’s Book Award, Book Sense Book of the Year Finalist, Colorado Children’s Book Award, Flicker Tale Children’s Book Award, Locus Award Finalist, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature Finalist, Nene Award, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award

REVIEW:

Ever since her mother left when she was very young, twelve-year-old Meggie has bonded with her bookbinder father, Mo, over their love of books.  When a mysterious scarred man named Dustfinger visits their house, Mo tells Meggie that they have to go to his aunt Elinor’s house and Dustfinger tags along.  Nervous about why they needed to learn home so quickly, Meggie learns that her father has the ability to read characters out of books and, when she was only a few years old, he read a villainous character, Capricorn, and some of his henchmen from a book.  However, when Capricorn came out, Meggie’s mother went into the story.  Believing in Mo’s power, Capricorn is searching for him in order to force him to read a monster out of his story and destroy his enemies.  After being captured by Capricorn’s henchmen and escaping, Meggie, Mo, Dustfinger, and Elinor realize that they must find the book’s author and convince him to change the ending of the story if they have any chance of defeating Capricorn.

OPINION:

Although it took me a little while to get into the book, once Meggie reached Capricorn’s village, I could not put the book down.  The mystery surrounding Mo’s ability and the suspense of Meggie, Mo, Dustfinger, and Elinor trying and failing to evade Capricorn’s henchmen helped keep me interested and I wanted to find out what happened next.  Funke creates a unique world in which reality and fantasy coexist.  Also, the character of Meggie is the perfect blend of courage and vulnerability, making her capable of handling the dangers she faces while still having the fear and worries that any child would have in the same situation.  Book lovers will connect with the story of reading characters out of books as I’m sure most would love to meet some of their favorite characters.  The book cover is perfect for representing the story with the hand reaching out and it would also interest tweens browsing for a new book.  The length of the novel may be a deterrent to some tweens, so I would recommend this to tweens that are fans of longer novels, such as the Harry Potter series.

IDEAS:

This book would be great for a library display recommending different types of children’s fantasy novels with sequels, as well as a display featuring books about books.

1. Tangled (Film)

TANGLED (Walt Disney Pictures, 2010)

Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard

GENRE: Animated / Fantasy / Musical

HONORS: Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Film

REVIEW:

With her long magical golden hair, Rapunzel stays locked away in a tower, forced to observe the world from a distance.  Believing her mother’s assertion that she is being kept safe from the people that would want to hurt her, she never complains about her life.  However, just before her eighteenth birthday, Rapunzel asks her mother for permission to step outside the tower to get a closer look at the floating lights that rise above the town every year on her birthday.  After refusing, her mother leaves the tower to go on a trip for Rapunzel’s birthday gift, giving Rapunzel the idea that she can slip out and be back before her mother notices.  Her plan is derailed for a little while when Flynn Ryder climbs her tower to hide from the two men chasing him, but, after knocking him out a couple of times with a pan, she agrees to trust him enough to help her reach the celebration.  Rapunzel and Flynn set out through the forest, encountering a number of obstacles along the way.  While they make the physical journey to the city, Rapunzel undergoes a journey of her own as she discovers the truth about where she comes from and develops into a fearless young woman.

OPINION:

Building off of the story of Rapunzel, Tangled is a fun movie filled with musical numbers that both kids and adults will enjoy.  It’s also just a beautiful film to watch from the clarity of the characters’ faces to the beautiful colors throughout.  In contrast to some of the other Disney princess movies, Tangled focuses on a female character that undergoes a transformation from a scared, eager-to-please young girl to an independent and self-confident young woman.  Although Flynn rescues Rapunzel from danger, she turns right back around and saves him from certain death, resisting the label of the damsel in distress.   With all of the helpless princesses that young girls grow up watching and reading about, Tangled is a refreshing fairy tale that gives girls a princess to admire.

IDEAS:

This film would be great in a library display about stories that feature strong female characters or a display about Disney animated features and their literature counterparts.