August 2003     Vol.4 Issue 8

This month's book reviews

Ethan Allen isn't just a maker of furniture and Ticonderoga is not just a type of pencil

Author Gail Gauthier in "The Hero of Ticonderoga" shows great insight into the thinking patterns of sixth graders. In her witty and entertaining book she narrates how learning can and does take place in spite of the ineptness of teachers and the resistance of reluctant learners. Tessy, the heroine of the book, has been conditioned to think of herself as a loser through her treatment in school by teachers and cliquish classmates.

Tessy is transformed by fulfilling an assignment that no one, except her father, thinks she is capable of doing effectively. But she does it her own way. In the process, she develops improved self-respect and a greater appreciation of her unique family. That the young reader of her story finds out about Ethan Allen and the Battle of Ticonderoga is just a by-product.

• Buy this book from

A Jewish boy from an orphanage crashes upper crust Black society in the New York of the 1920's

Today we would call David Caros a hyperactive kid. But his relatives in the New York immigrant community of the 1920's just thought he was unmanageable. Although they felt guilty about it, they saw no recourse but to place him in the Hebrew Home for Boys. But David didn't let the restrictive environment of the orphanage keep him from leading an adventurous life at night outside the walls.

The paperback "Dave at Night" by Gail Carson Levine provides a 280-page roller coaster ride through the social groups of the New York City of the speakeasy era. Young readers will identify with the eleven-year-old Dave as he tries to prove to himself and others that he can make it on his own.

• Buy this book from

A different, almost mystical
message book for children

Karen Hesse, the author of "Music for Dolphins," is a Newbery medalist for one of her earlier books. One early review of "Music for Dolphins" calls it "haunting and unforgettable.' It certainly ranks among those books where subliminal messages rate as more important than the plot itself. This is truly a little book that any helping adult will want to read before sharing it with kids. Sensitive readers will want to talk about its many nuances, whether they are adults or children. As a parent or teacher you want to be prepared for such a discussion.

• Buy this book from

A really good kids' book about making
moonshine whiskey
back in the hills in the old days

Could children's author, Carolyn Reeder, produce a good piece of historical fiction with a strong moral message for kids under the title " Moonshiner's Son"? I certainly think she did in this 2003 published Aladdin Paperback, originally published in hardback in 1993.

There are numerous themes running through "Moonshiner's Son". Of course, there is the vivid description of Prohibition-era life back in Virginia Mountain country. A number of other messages are conveyed. How people with polarized views can come to a respect for and understanding of each other's positions is conveyed. The importance of deeds over words is also clearly illustrated. Secondary themes are concerned with appreciating and respecting the elderly and acknowledging the value of literacy. And with all of that, it is entertaining without being preachy. Perhaps the happy ending is a little bit too pat, but after all it is only a 206 page kids' book.

• Buy this book from