Old Science: Doctor Dolittle's Garden

Another book finally made its jump from the TBR section of my house to the read-it shelves! Doctor Dolittle's Garden is the old-fashioned Hugh Lofting kind of Doctor Dolittle, dating from 1928 or so, with the Doctor busying himself with kindness and science with young Stubbins writing down notes and superstitious old Bumpo alternating college wisdom and barbarian foolishness (that last bit is rather cringe-worthy, actually).

I'm rather delighted by the book's careless refusal to acknowledge plot -- the first few chapters look at the stray dog club organized in the garden, moving in to an extended history of one of the dogs, with rather obvious satirical jabs at various adult topics that I would have cheerfully ignored as a kid. Then the doctor moves onto a study of insect languages, feeling the pages with some techno-babble that has the same attention to accuracy that I expect from Star Trek episodes (little to none, in other words). Cracking that gives us some tales recounted by maggots and water beetles, and some fine philosophy as to whether cockroaches are ever worthy dinner companions (I'm coming down with Dab-dab on the negative there), and then the subtle foreshadowings of all the side characters wanting to go on a trip while the doctor speaks wishfully of lunar traveling come crashing through with the arrival of the Giant Moth! Right in the garden!

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And here you thought this book was going to a a quiet anthropological, well, zoological study. No, suddenly it's space travel!  And Stubbin's moral dilemma -- obediently stay behind, or sneak along.

I think modern versions of this book do something with the rotten racial stereotyping, although I guess there's nothing to do about the lack of female characters -- only Dab-dab, the housekeeper appears, I think.

Holding the Line at the Library

Required reading is really kicking my tail this summer! I'm forcing myself to finish one of my unread kidlit books before reading anything else, and even when they are quite short, these tough rules have me spinning like a fifth grader asked to write a paragraph before going to the pool. Not that I've ever met such a procrastinator; all my fifth graders graduated. So I had nothing to turn in except two books called home prematurely by the library (dang other people wanting books I planned to renew!).

I had three things on hold -- one book, one movie, one CD. Only one was for me; the others N had forced me to put on my card for the spurious reason that I had forgotten to bring his in to the library last week.

Let's see if anyone can guess which my own pick, and which were not:

• Transformers Vault: The Complete Transformers Universe. Pablo Hidalgo. An illustrated look at the history of the Transformers brand, complete with many illustrations of games, movies, and toys. It's actually a very beautiful looking book.
• Transformers Armada: Battle for the Mini-Cons (DVD).
• Violent Femmes (CD). Inspiration for my first mixed CD -- counting songs!

This left me with 43 items out on my card, still under my age, so I celebrated by buying Sarah Rees Brennan's new book, Team Human. Well, OK, I had bought that in Austin at Book People, because good stores should be supported, just like good authors. If I ever get ahead on this summer reading challenge thing, I'll tell you how much I liked it.

I'll go share my Library Loot at the event co-hosted by Claire from the Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader, where all the library addicts compare their treasures.

Powerful Stuff: The Weirdstone of Brisingamen

I could have sworn I had read Alan Garner's major works; I thought I had bought my hardback of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen to own, not as a first read. But I'm glad I didn't just pass it onto my shelves; I don't remember any of this story, and I'm positive that the powerful images and tense situations will stay with me for a long time, and bring back echos even if it takes me twenty years to read this again.

It's a bit funny, because there isn't much character development here, while there is a lot of action and suspense. But the characters aren't lonely heroes; they are a rather nondescript brother and sister team who don't spend much time speaking to their deep familiar love but do such things as look after each other, take each other for granted, and avoid sitcom bickering during life and death situations. There's also a pair of dwarven heroes, and an adult friend who doesn't waste time disbelieving the things in front of his face. Much of the book is spent on a tense flight from danger, trying to reach safety before the dark finds them. Did Tolkien imprint this on the English, or is it something they've always done well? In this case it worked with me.

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I'll be adding this book to my "recommended for my kids" shelf before moving it to my general library.

Action Packed Action: Airman

I've enjoyed Eoin Colfer's fairy books, although I do think he has a few too many vowels in his name, so I'm sure I picked up Airman on that recommendation. But the cover is dark and scary looking, so I never got around to reading it. I'm fairly sure my older son has read it, but I don't remember if he thought I'd like it or not.

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It turns out that I didn't like it that much, but not because of what it does. It's a book that concentrates on action and intrigue, with action driving most of the intrigue. What emotion there is consists mainly of manly angst, burning within the soul of the solitary airman, not something shared with friends or family or really any one else. And I think it's time to admit that I want a bit more connection in my reading.

It's very good at what it does, though -- the young protagonist is heroically but not comically talented and tough, and suffers believably before rising above (heh heh, you see what I did there? Look at the title) and triumphing over the bad guys. Oh yes, and reconciling with his lost loved ones. And he does it all with Wright-style aeronautics, which the scientific reader could probably replicate from the text. So for people looking for a kidlit book long on danger and action but short on philosophy, grab this one from the shelves

He Finds One!: Chester Cricket's New Home

Most people aren't aware there are sequels to George Seldon's The Cricket In Times Square, which follow Chester Cricket back to his Connecticut meadow and observe his gentle adventures there. I know I read Tucker's Countryside but I didn't notice the others.

Chester Cricket's New Home is a pleasant young elementary school book about a cricket who loses his home and tries out various creatures as room mates.  Of course, no one else sets his home up the way Chester likes it, and he has amusing adventures until his true friends help him find a home that meets his needs, not theirs. Nothing to object, although no signs of forgotten greatness.

It looks like the Seattle Times gave this book to one of my kids, so thanks to them for this book. I'll probably donate it to a third or fourth grade classroom.

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Chuckles: School of Fear

Book two of Gitty Daneshvari's School of Fear series, Class Is Not Dismissed, continues with the lighthearted lampooning of the previous books. The four camp returnies are mostly cured but still need a bit of a refresher and the chance to drop some one-liners on each other.

One new camper is added, but her misery is kept comic and cartoonish so that we never wince with anyone's pains.  The cover reflects the truth that not all kids get equal time -- Theo, Madeline, and newcomer Hyhy get the bulk of the pages. The third book may balance things out for Lulu and Garrison, and it seems it starts immediately after this one.  There are no unexpected turns but a gentle continuous laugh track that kept me amused as I dipped in and out.

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Since I spent most of the day having a great time and eating delicious food, I was pleased to have a witty but uncomplicated book to read in my off moments. Now I shall go to sleep and dream of beautiful dinners.

Grim War: Woods Runner

I bought Gary Paulsen's Woods Runner from a Scholastic book form sometime this year; I vaguely recall that it was one of their loss leaders. I like Paulsen's wilderness books, so I figured with a title like this I'd probably like this one, but somehow it got shelved in the bookcase instead of read.

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As it turns out, I was right. Paulsen's book is set during the American Revolution, although his protagonist can't really be described as either Whig or Tory. He and his family first hear about the revolution on a few weeks before British soldiers appear to burn down their cabin and change their lives forever. Paulsen keeps to his trademark style of showing emotions through actions and employing lucid prose that disappears into the story.

My then-fifth grader's class read a different novel about the war, in which a foolish boy makes mistakes  and learns to his horror that war is grim and terrible. I suspect my son would much prefer this book, where a wiser boy displays competence while dealing with war's horrors.