Cat Girl’s Day Off (Tu Books, 2012) by Kimberly Pauley has a main character who can hear cats speak. Add to that fun, cat analogies, and a movie being filmed at school, and what’s not to like?
Here’s a brief description:
Natalie Ng can hear cats speak. Although in her super-talented family that’s probably only a Class D “party trick” talent. Nothing compared to her older sister Viv’s Class A talents of truth divination, levitation and X-ray vision. Nor her 12- year-old sister’s Class B chameleon blending ability. Natalie doesn’t want people besides her best friends, Oscar and Melly, to know about her ability, but when one of the movie stars filming at her high school has a cat claiming the woman is an imposter, how can Natalie not get involved? Even if it means revealing her talent.
Kimberly is the author of the Sucks to Be Me Series. Her newest book is called Ask Me and sounds fascinating: “Ask Aria Morse anything…and she’ll have to tell you.” Read more about the author and her books at www.kimberlypauley.com.
Tag: diversity
Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face
Small Town Life at Its Best
Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face (Roaring Brook Press, 2011) by Paul Acampora is an appealing story. Here’s the set up: After his mother leaves to work on a cruise ship, 9th grader Zachary and his police office dad move from a remote place in Colorado, to Falls, CT. Right away Zachary meets Rachel Spinelli and she asks him to watch out for her brother. Rachel gets mad if anyone picks on her special ed brother and accuses Zachary of becoming Teddy’s friend to get close to her. But in reality both Zachary and Rachel learn some important things by the end of the story.
I found the cover image and title a bit misleading–the book is more serious than either portray. I wonder if the purpose of both was to appeal to boy readers…
I just read a recent blog post” It’s the parenting – not the spider bite – that’s going to kill me….” on the author’s site that made me laugh. Read it and check out his other books.
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars (Hyperion, 2012) by Katherine Marsh was eye-opening for me. I had no idea that dwarfs were treated so badly.
Jepp, who has always lived with his mother at their inn, has been offered a chance to go to Coudenberg Palace. He takes it and then finds he is to be humiliated to serve as entertainment for the Spanish Infanta and her royal court. He and the other dwarfs are held prisoner and live at the whims of those around them. However, this intelligent young man doesn’t resignedly accept his fate.
The story was inspired by real characters in history and the author’s mother’s interest in astrology. Read more here.
I encourage anyone who starts reading this book and finds the formality of the writing a bit off-putting to push through–soon you’ll not notice it at all as you become engrossed in the story.
Wonder
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Wonder (Random House, 2012) by R.J. Palacio is a wonder of a book. It’s about ten-year-old Auggie Pullman who has a facial deformity, who himself says “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.” Due to all his surgeries he’s never gone to school before, but now in fifth grade is going to go. He knows kids will stare. But what he wishes they knew was how ordinary he is inside. Takes one brave kid to face being the new kid in these circumstances.
The story begins with Auggie’s viewpoint, but we also hear from his older sister Via and others in his life. The book has rightfully earned a lot of starred reviews and is so appropriate for our times. May all the kids who read it have compassion on those who are different.
I love this comment the author makes about the book in an interview: “… I love that people are responding so well. I love that they’re getting that this really isn’t just a book about a kid with a facial anomaly: it’s a celebration of kindness. The impact of kindness. I think that’s why people are so moved by parts of the book. We like to see people doing good, rising beyond our expectations to do something noble. It’s not the big heroic gestures but the small moments of kindness that shape the world.” Read more about her and the book here.
Anything But Typical
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Anything But Typical (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010) by Nora Raleigh Baskin has a main character who is “anything but typical.” 12-year-old Jason Blake is autistic kid living in a neurotypical world. “School doesn’t always go very well,” he says. Jason flaps his hands if excited, when he’s going to say something, or if thinking. Others think he is weird. He knows he’s supposed to look people in the eye, but he doesn’t like to. Besides most people look the same to him. “I know no girl will ever like me,” he says. But then PhoenixBird likes his stories on the Storyboard website. Maybe she can be his friend. But when they both get to go to the Storyboard conference, he’s afraid once she sees him she won’t like him anymore.
This story is well-told. It made me more understanding and sympathetic of those who have some strange uncontrollable habit. I think every kid should read this award winning novel. Look here at all the awards!
I love what Nora says on her site: “Most everything I write, whether it is a novel or an essay or a short story is very much a part of my life.. The world as I remember it… In other words..I rarely make anything up..mostly I pick and choose from things I’ve experienced or seen or done..and give them to my characters.” Read about her other books on her website.