Book Review: Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

13 year-old Ali finds herself in the middle of a mystery when she finds an old photo of her mother and Aunt Dulcie at their family’s lake house when they were children. The photo is ripped where another little girl was. Just her arm and hair are visible and she is identified as T on the back of the photo. When she asks her mother and Dulcie about it they deny any knowledge although they are clearly hiding something.

Soon she goes away with her aunt to babysit her 5 year old cousin Emma at the same lake house in Maine where the photo was taken. Soon they meet a little girl who befriends Emma but torments her at the same time. She creates conflict with everyone in the family and no one seems to know where she’s from or ever heard of her. Sissy hints to the girls about a tragedy that happened long ago involving Ali’s mother and aunt that was never solved. This is when things start to get dangerous.

This is a great mystery and ghost story because Ali learns the truth and solves the mystery bit by bit. This story is suspenseful and creepy but nothing gross or horrific happens aside from the tragedy of the past. Everyone manages to come to terms with the past and resolve what has happened.

The only criticism I have is that it is very similar to “Wait ‘Til Helen Comes” which is a previous book by Mary Downing Hahn, although I think Deep and Dark and Dangerous is less scary. If your kids are interested is scary stories this is a great one although I made my son read it during the day or else he wouldn’t have been able to fall asleep!

Book Review: The Masterpiece by Elise Broach

The book starts out by introducing a family of beetles who live in the house of a human family named the Pomadays.  The plot begins when James Pompaday receives a pen and ink set from his artist father for his eleventh birthday.  Marvin, a young beetle, wants to give him a present so he uses the pen and ink to draw him a picture.  The picture is so fantastic that it makes everyone think James is a gifted artist and leads to him being commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum to draw a forgery of a masterpiece in order to prevent an art heist.  This leads Marvin on an adventure to catch an art thief.

This was a great book and one of my favorite reviews so far.  The book is a great mix of art history, understanding family relationships, friendship, plus a little mystery and adventure.  The best part for me was the discussion about lying.  I think many kids this age experiment with dishonesty and this book doesn’t judge lying but explains that once you start being deceitful it becomes an endless snowball of insincerity.  More and more lies will always be needed to cover up the original lie.  It comments on how, even if the liar doesn’t get caught, he is punished for his untruths by being forced to live with his guilt and deceit.

This is great book for grades 4-8.  It’s an easy read and moves along very quickly.  I like that kids are exposed to some names of famous artist and their works.  The subject of family and friends is always great subject matter because this is the center of this age groups life and many are trying to figure it all out.  Finally, I always love a discreet lesson in a book, one that’s tucked so neatly away that a child probably won’t even notice they’re being taught a moral.

Book Review: The Key to Rondo

Leo is a ten year old boy who is entrusted with his great aunts music box.  He gets this important responsibility because he is quiet, cautious and always follows the rules.  This particular music box comes with three important ones: Wind the box three times only. Never shut the box when the music is playing. Never move the box before the music stops.  Although Leo would never break these rules his unconventional cousin Mimi will.  The two reluctantly embark on a magical adventure and become unlikely heroes in a storybook world.

This book joins two children as they learn about loyalty, courage, friendship, and the importance of family.  Each child finds their inner strength and figures out how to cure their loneliness.  I liked this book because it shows the usefulness of following rules and the consequences when you don’t.  However it also shows the value of thinking for yourself and not always listening to what others tell you.  These are two opposite but worthwhile views that are really hard to balance in life.  I also liked that the main characters didn’t fit the typical gender stereotypes that are thrust on children.  Leo is a more timid, careful, and practical child while Mimi is headstrong, wild, and takes charge.  I think it’s good for kids to see that these characteristics can fit a boy or a girl.

I would recommend this book for kids aged 7 to 1o.  Some parts seem as if they’ll be scary, nothing scary ever happens.  It is a fantasy book with talking animals and various familiar nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters.  Many times it has the feeling of “Alice in Wonderland” where things are not of this world and a little out of control.  I enjoyed it but kids who like certainty and order may not.  Otherwise it was a wonderful book!

Encouraging Positive Behavior

 One of the things that I try to teach my son is how our actions affect other people.  When we’re nice to someone it can make their whole day and then they’re nicer to others too.  The same happens when we’re mean to someone.  I tell him just a big, bright smile can put someone in a good mood.   This can often work as a ripple effect and affect the people that person meets and all they people they meet until your happiness is spread through many, many people.

One book that talks about happiness is “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud.  This award winning book tells kids that everyone has an invisible bucket that is meant to be filled with happiness.  When that bucket is filled the person feels wonderful.  When the bucket is empty the person feels sad.  The book then goes on to show what a person can do to fill not only their own bucket but also the buckets of those around them. 

This book can be used for very young children but I also just read it to my eleven year old son who was inspired.  We decided we were going to keep our own buckets.  I bought some small tin buckets and some vase gems and put them on our counter.  Every time we do something nice for someone else or if someone does something nice for us we put a gem in our bucket.  If we do something mean or rude we have to take a gem out.  This way we can see how our actions affect others as well as ourselves.

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Book Review: Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Amy, a 14 year old girl, is asked to be a nanny for a day to a wealthy family with a sweet 3 year old daughter.   What starts off as a dream job turns into a nightmare as she and her babysitting charge are kidnapped.  The kidnappers videotape the girls and send the DVD’s to the girls’ parents to torment them before they ask for ransom.

Amy remembers the lessons from her father that she can always make any situation better and that she should never give up.  She decides to leave clues in the videos to help her family and the police find her.  She manages to outsmart her kidnappers and get away in spite of the odds being stacked against her. 

One important parallel in this book is the difference in the choices people make.  Amy and her kidnapper both lost their father at 10 years old.  The kidnapper uses this as an excuse to be a criminal while Amy chooses to honor his memory by living the lessons he taught her.  She strives every day to make him proud.  Amy ends up a hero and the kidnapper ends up in prison.

The message in this book is that your choices are what influence the outcome of your life, circumstances do not control you.  I think this is an important concept for everyone, children and adults alike.  Once you realize you have control of your own life nothing can stop you from realizing your dreams.  It’s so important for every child to be empowered to determine their life’s direction.

I would highly recommend this book although it may be scary for some children and there is mention of a gun.  It is recommended for children in grades 5 to 8 but I thought it was a fairly easy read.  I think the content is what makes it more appropriate for older children, not how challenging the writing is.

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Children's Book Review: The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff

“The Thing about Georgie” By Lisa Graff is a book about a fourth grade boy who struggles with being different.  He is a dwarf and at 42 inches is about as tall as he will ever get.  He deals with fights with his best friend, jealousy, a class bully, a crush on a pretty girl, and his parents having a new baby. 

The book evolves along with Georgie's understanding of the world and the people in it.  It starts out telling us the things Georgie can’t do because he is a dwarf.  Each person is labeled based on their surface looks or personality.  Then we begin to learn the things Georgie can do that others can do.  This is when Georgie begins to realize that we are all the same in many ways which joins us as human beings.  In the end we find out what Georgie can do that most people can't.  This is the final stage when Georgie realizes that although we are the same in many ways our differences are what make us special and unique.  Each and every one of us is exceptional. 

I would highly recommend this book.  It was an easy read and I found myself tearing up at the end.  Kid-friendly information about dwarfism is provided.  Information and understanding on a particular subject promotes acceptance and understanding.  Since my son has a child in his class with dwarfism I felt this was a book that could educate kids without preaching to them.  It contains important lessons for children about acceptance and not judging other by their cover.  This is a great message for children.



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