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January 2003 Vol.4 Issue 1
This
month's book reviews
Another
kids' novel about life
in the Middle Ages by a prize-winning author
Karen Cushman's,
"Matilda Bone," is a fascinating study of medical
practice in England during the Middle Ages. Of course, that
study is wrapped up in the story of how a young girl, brought
up in a sheltered upper class atmosphere, asserts herself
and makes a life among the working poor in that era.
Karen Cushman
is an unusual writer in that her first book, "Catherine,
Called Birdy," was a Newbery Honor book, and her second,
"The Midwife's Apprentice," was awarded the Newbery
Medal for Best Children's Book of the Year.
"Matilda
Bone", just like Cushman's other books, provides historical
background while telling a compelling story about a young
woman asserting herself in an era where females are given
few opportunities to achieve. Can you find better reading
than this for your daughter?
The publisher
reports a readability level of sixth grade and an interest
level of ages 10 and up.
An
involving, soap-opera type
book written for preteen girls
Willo Davis Roberts
is the author of "Buddy is a Stupid Name for a Girl".
The paperback's title might seem like a stupid name for a
book, except that Roberts, a prize-winning children's author,
has written more than ninety books and seems to know just
what she is doing. Any adults naive enough to think it's easy
to write for children or that kids' books are easier to write
than adult novels, needs to read this book. They should come
to realize that they are very much mistaken.
"Buddy is
a Stupid Name for a Girl" is as well written as any adult
novel. It's just easier to read because it is somewhat shorter
than a regular novel and is written in unpretentious language.
It's a kid's book because it deals with kids' issues and has
a child who, as the central character, is telling the story
from her point of view. If you think that is easy, try it
sometime.
A
paperback about roller hockey in the
"Number One Sports Series for Kids"
It's pretty hard
to find a kid's book that is written about roller hockey.
Author, Paul Mantell, writing under Matt Christopher's name,
has done it with "Roller Hockey Radicals".
It's just one
of more than sixty titles that have been published under the
Matt Christopher name through the years. These books are written
with one major purpose - to appeal to kids interested in sports,
often a very specialized sport. Their publisher understands
that many kids would rather play sports than read a book.
The Matt Christopher books have often served as the lure to
get kids to read recreationally by serving up topics they
can't resist. "Roller Hockey Radical" clearly fits
in this category. The fact that it is a colorful, inexpensive
paperback is icing on the cake for a parent trying to get
a son or daughter to read a book.
A
short fictional adventure story that
provides a little historical background
"The Whipping
Boy" by Sid Fleishman is a short, easy-to-read paperback.
The title and the gist of the story rest on the fact that,
at one time, heirs to a throne could not be punished directly.
They had stand-ins - other children - who took their punishment
for them.
"The Whipping
Boy" is lightly and humorously told. It was first published
in 1986, but was been recently reissued as a Troll paperback
in 2001. The book was a Newbery Medal recipient when it was
first published. Although the two main characters are boys,
there is one young female character who has a role in helping
the boys escape their enemies, so it is entertaining reading
for kids, whatever their gender.
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