Book Crush: For Kids and Teens - Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Interest

by Nancy Pearl

  Third, I believe that reading should never be referred to or used as a punishment—none of that “no more television until you read your book.” I hate the thought that otherwise well-meaning adults are doling out books as things that are good for kids and teens rather than as sources of pure pleasure, excitement, and interesting ideas and information. Reading a book is not something to be gotten through before you go on to the really great parts of your day; it should (and can) be something that makes the day a great one.

  Fourth, encourage children not to feel compelled to finish every book they start. It’s silly for readers, no matter what their age, to slog through a book that they’re not enjoying simply because they’ve been taught to finish what they start. Nine times out of ten, what determines whether or not you’ll like a book is your mood at the time you’re reading it. And reading moods change often.This is no less true for children and teens as it is for adult readers. The world of books is large (and growing larger even as I write this) and gorgeously diverse; there’s something for everyone.There are books to enrich the senses and enlighten the mind, family stories, biographies and memoirs, science and science fiction, love stories, and gripping adventure tales. If someone finds Esther Forbes’s Johnny Tremain slow-going today, that doesn’t preclude him or her picking it up in a month or a year and trying it again, only to discover that at that later moment it’s absolutely the right book at the right time.

  So how much of a book should children or teens read before giving up on it? If it’s a school assignment or for a book club, they ought to finish it, of course. But otherwise, have children or teens give a book three chapters. If they’re enjoying it, terrific. Read on. But if not, encourage them to put the book down, return it to the library or lend it to a friend, and pick up another and try that one. There are books galore in Book Crush that will match any mood, interest, moment, or reason to read. My hope is that you’ll find here hours and hours, days and days, of wonderful reading for the children and teens in your life.

  And I’d love to hear from you and the young readers in your world. Let me know what worked, what flopped, what discoveries you’ve made as you interact with children, teens, and good books. My e-mail is nancy@nancypearl.com.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  While I was working on Book Crush, I had the pleasure of working with a large number of people—librarians, parents, teachers, and readers of all ages, shapes, and sizes. I took every opportunity to talk to kids about the books they loved while I was waiting at airports, at restaurants and coffee shops, and in classrooms and libraries. I talked to parents and librarians not only about the books their children read, but also about the books that they remembered reading and enjoying when they themselves were children.

  During this period I had the opportunity to be part of the 2006 English Festival held by the English Department of Youngstown State University, in Ohio. For three days I met with seventh- to twelfth-grade kids and talked to them about what they were reading, how they defined a “good book,” and what they would especially recommend to their peers.These kids were reading it all—Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, M. T. Anderson, Elie Wiesel, Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, J. K. Rowling, Dan Brown, and everything in between. I was especially pleased to learn that many of the books they loved were books I had already read, enjoyed, and have included in Book Crush. Not only did my visit to the English Festival provide me with lots of suggestions of many new titles to read, but it also renewed my faith in the future of books and reading. For information about the Festival, contact the English Department at YSU,Youngstown, Ohio.

  I want to especially thank the following people who helped in one way or another with this book: Michelle Alleman; Jennifer Amerson; Karen Andring; Elinor Appel; Shelley Armstrong; Ginger Armstrong; Anne Marie Austin; Elijah Bailey-Caffee; Jennifer Baker; Roxane Bartelt; Mary Bend; Brenda Bober; Stesha Brandon; Robyn Bryant; Peg Burington; Terry Burki; Catherine Cifelli; Jennifer Correa; Sasha Craine; Diane Darby; Kendra Doepken; Carol Edfelsen; Mary Erbe; Judy Fischetti; Linda Gau; Patty Gibbons; Gary Gisselman; Amy Gornikiewicz; Cynthia Grady; Robin Groue; Erin Hall; Lisa Hardey; Alice Hauschka and her class at The Little School; Iris Heerhold; Leigh Ann Johnson; Sue Johnson; Pat Kelly; Rebecca Kilgore; Kay Kirkpatrick; Dianna LaBate; Sandy Livingstone; Lisa Maslowe; Cheryl McKeon; Janet Miller; Anna Minard; Susan Moore; Kira Moyer-Sims; Sue Vater Olsen; Judy Ostrow; Hannah Parker; Lily Parker; Eily Pearl; Hélène Pohl; Stephanie Ponder; Carmine Rau; Julie Richards; Gayle Richardson; Hannah Ruggiero; Rebecca Schosha; Anne Schuessler; Cathy Schultis; Ruby Schultz; Molly Senechal; Venta Silins; Misha Stone; Carol Strope; Elizabeth Timmins; Loriann Tschirhart; Virginia Trujillo; Karen Vollmar; Holly Vonderohe; Betsy Voelker; Duane Wilkins; Melissa Wong; Beci Wright; Neal Wyatt; and Marin Younker.

  And thanks once again to the wonderful and supportive folks at Sasquatch Books, especially Gary Luke, Sarah Hanson, Courtney Payne, and Austin Walters.

  This book is for my husband, Joe, who makes everything possible, and for the most wonderful Emily Chandini Raman, the newest book lover in my life.

  PART I

  YOUNGEST READERS

  AHH, THOSE ADORABLE ANTHROPOMORPHIC ANIMALS

  I use adorable here with no bit of irony attached: this group of picture books and readers are charming, funny, and entrancing. For ease in locating particular titles, I’ve divided them into categories of animals:

  Aardvarks

  In the many books by Marc Brown about Arthur, readers can share Arthur’s experiences at home, at school, and with his friends and family.

  Amphibians

  Froggy Gets Dressed and other amphibious tales by Jonathan London are terrific choices for reading aloud.

  Dogs

  Bungee, the seagoing heroine of Sally Ford’s Bungee’s Voyage and Bungee Down Under, undertakes a trip on her sailboat Gypsy Rover from her home in New Hampshire to far-flung lands on the other side of the world, down the coast of South America to the Sydney harbor, enduring a terrible storm on the Pacific along the way.

  Donkeys

  You have to feel sorry for Sylvester, who unknowingly—and in a moment of panic—made a wish holding what turned out to be a magic pebble and was transformed into a great big rock. But you have to feel even sorrier for his parents, who miss their son dreadfully. How they finally get him back is described in one of my favorite books ever, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig.

  Earthworms

  Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, with pictures by Harry Bliss, gives an up-close view of the daily activities of a young worm, including his observations about kids playing hopscotch (“very dangerous”), what happens when fishing season begins (dig deeper into the earth), how to do the hokey pokey, what to do with a macaroni necklace, and more. The same author and illustrator teamed up to do the equally fun Diary of a Spider. (“Today was my birthday. Grampa decided I was old enough to know the secret to a long, happy life: Never fall asleep in a shoe.”)

  Elephants

  I’ve always felt that the very first of Jean de Brunhoff’s Babar books, The Story of Babar, is far and away the best, but children love them all, and never fail to be interested in Babar, his wife Céleste, their children, and Babar’s rise from being orphaned in the jungles of Africa to becoming crowned king of the elephants. The only problem with reading the book aloud is how to pronounce the main character’s name. I’ve always said Buh-bar (first syllable stressed), but others say Bay-bar (second syllable stressed), so it always sounds as if we’re discussing (or reading aloud) different books.

  Foxes

  Families with two little girls might especially delight in Laura McGee Kvasnosky’s books featuring fox sisters, but they’re fun for everyone else as well. The pair is introduced in Zelda and Ivy, and continues with Zelda and Ivy and the Boy Next Door and Zelda and Ivy One Christmas. Kvasnosky’s technique of gouache resist lends itself to the brightly colored illustrations outlined in a bold black ink.

  Gorillas
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br />   In Anthony Browne’s Willy the Wizard, the young gorilla believes that he’s a star player only because he wears his special soccer shoes—but on the day of the big match, he forgets them at home and has to wear a borrowed pair of shoes.Will Willy still play well?

  Hamsters

  What’s irresistible about I Love You So Much by Carl Norac is not just the text, but also the tender pictures of Lola, a hamster who just loves her mother and father an awful lot.

  Pigs

  When Ian Falconer’s Olivia was published, I suspect that the number of people who named their daughters Olivia increased dramatically—all in honor of this irresistible porker who’s a bundle of delightful energy. Her adventures continue in Olivia Saves the Circus, Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy, and Olivia Forms a Band.

  The eponymous Piggins is not only an impeccable butler, but—as Jane Yolen and Jane Dyer’s Piggins shows—he’s a great detective as well.

  Rabbits

  When Willa can’t fall asleep because she’s afraid of having bad dreams, her big brother Willoughby tells her about the joyful things that will happen in the morning, in Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep by Joyce Dunbar, with illustrations by Debi Gliori.

  Rodents

  Two of my favorite and lovable picture book heroines just happen to be mice. The first is Angelina, the star of Katharine Holabird’s series of books beginning with Angelina Ballerina, all illustrated in glorious detail by Helen Craig, and all capturing aspects of young Angelina’s life.

  The second is Lilly, a mousette created by Kevin Henkes. She first appeared in Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse and her everyday but never humdrum adventures continue in Lilly’s Big Day. Henkes clearly has a thing for mice, at least in his picture books, as can be seen in Sheila Rae, the Brave; Chester’s Way (a lovely look at how friendships can change and develop); and A Weekend with Wendell. (There are more Henkes mice to be found in the next section, “B Is for Babies.”)

  Dr. DeSoto, a mouse with a dental degree, welcomes all animals to his office, except, of course, the dangerous ones, like cats. But what should he do about a fox with an aching tooth and mischief on his mind? The answer’s in Doctor De Soto by William Steig.

  Wombats

  I must say I’ve never actively wondered what wombats do all day, but after reading Jackie French’s Diary of a Wombat, I now know that they live a life of ease—they sleep a lot! Or, at least, this particular wombat does.

  B IS FOR BABIES

  Younger brothers and sisters—their appearance in the family is often a bit traumatic for the older child. Most adults have their own stories about how they felt as children when they learned about the arrival of a new member of the family. I remember—at age three—listening unhappily on the phone when my father called from the hospital to tell me that I had a little sister and my instant negative response (not spoken, but certainly felt): nobody asked me whether I wanted a little sister! Here are some of my favorite books about babies and older siblings, all showing different ways in which children greet the newcomer (the interloper). Sometimes it’s good to be honest in your reactions . . .

  When her parents’ attention seems to be focused entirely on baby Gloria, Frances decides to pack up a few of her possessions and run away, settling in under the dining-room table. How her parents handle Frances’s unhappiness at the changes in her life can be a lesson for us all, which is why Russell Hoban’s A Baby Sister for Frances (along with all the other Frances books), belongs on every child’s must-read list.

  In Anne Gutman’s Lisa’s Baby Sister, with its bright acrylic, uncluttered illustrations by Georg Hallensleben, Lisa is not so happy that her mom’s pregnant, but on the upside she does have some good names for the baby (Doofus or Goofus), and she’s made her best friend Gaspard promise he won’t ever talk to the baby when it finally arrives. But when Lila is born, Lisa discovers that things aren’t all that bad with a baby sister in the house.

  Four other books to check out are Ed Young’s My Mei Mei, the only book I know of about the reaction of an older child to the adoption of a younger sibling; I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy (how different animals greet a new duckling, illustrated in black and white until the arrival of the vibrantly yellow-colored newcomer); Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes (with the always entrancing Lilly in a more or less central role); and The Perfect Friend by Yelena Romanova, in which Archie the Dog (who wears human clothing and walks on two legs) is not overjoyed when a new baby enters his household. Boris Kulikov’s humorously eerie paintings add to the pleasure of the tale.

  BEDTIME STORIES

  Although I have to admit that bedtime was not my favorite time to be a mother (I’ve always been a morning person and just wanted to go to sleep myself), it did give my daughters and me the chance to sit quietly and, depending on their ages, I would read aloud to them or we would read silently and companionably together. During those read-aloud years, I always tried to end the pre-bedtime ritual with a book that is clearly about going to bed—finally!

  The classic “bedtime” book is, of course, Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s Goodnight Moon, but when you’re tired of reading and rereading that to a baby or toddler who doesn’t want to go to sleep, try Mem Fox’s Time for Bed, with its gentle rhymes about all different animals getting ready for bed and its full-page soft watercolor pictures by Jane Dyer.

  But I’m afraid that bedtime for most parents and children is far less peaceful—closer to the hilarious experiences of Mama and Papa Bear, in Stan and Jan Berenstain’s The Berenstain Bears’ Bedtime Battle, who wear out long before their children do! Mine frequently was.

  Using both text and amusing detailed pictures (mostly in a palette of calming blues, greens, and grays) in Russell the Sheep, Rob Scotton humorously depicts a sheep who just can’t fall asleep—until he tries counting guess what?

  Another author/illustrator who makes good use of color is Uri Shulevitz. Right from your first glance at the cover of So Sleepy Story—with its yawning house and peacefully slumbering moon against a background of shades of blue—you’ll know you’re in for a treat in this tale about a house full of sleeping people and objects who all get awakened by music drifting in through the windows. I’m very taken with the dancing dishes.

  I guess there are challenges associated with bedtime even in the animal—that is, nonhuman—world: the eponymous Baby Beebee Bird is just not ready for bed at the zoo when all the rest of the animals are. It takes some sharp thinking on the part of the other animals to get him back on the correct sleeping track, in Diane Redfield Massie’s The Baby Beebee Bird, originally published in 1963 (now in a new edition with illustrations by Steven Kellogg).

  Other bedtime stories not to be missed are Clara and Asha by Eric Rohmann, with stunning oil paintings of a little girl who has so many friends that it’s hard to go to sleep; What! Cried Granny: An Almost Bedtime Story by Kate Lum; Baby Can’t Sleep by Lisa Schroeder (a good gift, incidentally, for expectant parents); Down in the Woods at Sleepytime by Carole Lexa Schaefer, with pencil and watercolor illustrations by Vanessa Cabban; Barbara Helen Berger’s Grandfather Twilight; and Audrey Woods’s The Napping House, a tried, true, and much-loved read-aloud. (My favorite character in Woods’s book has always been the very pesky—and wide-awake—flea who wreaks havoc with the nappers.)

  And parents at the end of their patience at bedtime will greatly appreciate Geoffrey Kloske and Barry Blitt’s Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds), although I have my doubts if kids much under five will get the humor.

  BOO! HALLOWEEN BOOKS TO TREASURE (AND READ ALOUD)

  When my daughters were young, Halloween was always my least favorite holiday. This was entirely due to the fact that I couldn’t sew, so I was always trying to think up unusually inventive costumes that were simple to make and didn’t require a sewing machine. My bible at that time of year was Easy Costumes You Don’t Have to Sew by Goldie Taub Chernoff. While the following books won’t necessarily provide
costumes for your children, they’ll certainly entertain them.

  Two books I especially enjoy sharing with kids are Elizabeth Hatch’s Halloween Night, which uses the old Mother Goose rhyme “This is the House that Jack Built” as the basis for a rollicking story of the experiences of a timid mouse; and The Perfect Pumpkin Pie, comically related by Denys Cazet. It’s the story of Mr.Wilkerson, who, though not a very nice man when he was alive, did love his pumpkin pie. When he dies suddenly on Halloween night before he has a chance to eat some of his favorite dessert, he decides to make sure he gets what he wants—by haunting Jack and his grandma. How Grandma deals with the entrée of a ghost in her house is a hoot.