The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine, reviewed by Freaky

What a great book...and what a terrible cover! The latter, unfortunately, is the first thing I noticed about the book, and if it weren't for the fact that I ordered this one myself based on the description, I probably would never have picked it up. The story itself should appeal to most upper elementary and middle school students, but the cover design screams Ernest Hemingway - not something that would appeal to most 6th graders (or young turtles, for that matter). I am afraid we are going to have to hard-sell this one.

And sell it we will, because it's a wonderful story. Set in 1917 Alabama, the subjects of racism, true friendship, growing up, being yourself, right and wrong, and parent/child relationships are all dealt with in the simple context of two kids meeting and becoming friends.

"Dit", one of ten kids, feels himself overlooked by his father at times (hard not to when he can't seem to remember your name most times). He is looking forward to the arrival of a new postmaster, who is rumored to have a son his age. He isn't as thrown as some townspeople when the new family turns out to be black, but he is crushed when the son turns out to be a girl - and a timid, prissy one at that.

Despite a rocky start, Dit and Emma become "very best friends," each learning quite a bit from the other - and not just how to throw a ball or enjoy a good book. It doesn't happen quickly, and there are plenty of age-appropriate moments where Dit puts his foot in his mouth without ever realizing he has done it, as well as moments when their racial differences and the attitudes of those around them cause the friendship to stall.

Interesting characters, a quick-moving plot, and chapters that could stand alone as stories keep the reader's attention throughout. We just may see this one on some awards lists atthe end of the year - which we hope will prompt Penguin to rerelease it with a new cover!

The Listeners, by Gloris Whelan, illustrated by Mike Benny, reviewed by Squirt

Slavery is a difficult subject to broach with very young children. You don't want to make any of it sound acceptable, but you don't want to give your six-year-old nightmares. Whelan and Benny together do a commendable job with a tricky subject.

Ella May and her fellow slave children have an extra job after their day's work is done. They listen underneath the windows of the master's house hoping to gain any sort of information they can share back at the slave quarters - news of a new overseer, the sale of a slave, or a new President whose coming may mean big changes for all of them.

Whelan's storytelling hints at the sadness of being separated from a parent without going too deep, and gives the general impression of the overseer and owners as being mean grown-ups, a concept most small children can grasp, without spelling out the cruelty that existed. Benny's darkly shaded drawings, contrasted by the brightness inside the house and towards the end of the book, do an excellent job of conveying the mood as well.

I would recommend this book for young children (5 or so) who have begun asking questions, on up to middle schoolers, possibly read as a lesson introduction. Copy received from Sleeping Bear for review consideration.

Back with a Giveaway!

Thank-you for excusing our week-or-so-hiatus while we catered to our newest reader. She already has quite the collection of books going, which we may blog about later. In the meantime, thanks to our friends at Sleeping Bear Press, we have a simple contest to celebrate Black History Month and help you add to your own shelves.



In our experience, elementary-age kids love hearing that a story they have read is true. They are also usually good for a bit of righteous indignation. This book offers both, combined with the quality we expect from Sleeping Bear. Chris Ellison's illustrations are warmth and expression, and Margot Theis Raven is great at telling a story simply, while at the same time making it exciting and packing it full of history. One of my favorite lines:

"Boys wanted to be Jackie Robinson playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and mothers like Flossie Bailey on Strawberry Lane wanted to find their missing mop handles."

To win a copy of this book, generously donated by Sleeping Bear Press, simply leave a comment under today's post telling about a book for any age level that you would recommend for celebrating/learning about Black History Month. See how broad we left that, to make it as simple as possible? Unfortunately, as turtles make very little money, we have to limit this to people with US addresses. At the end of the month, we will randomly pick one post and mail the book off to the happy winner! Good luck!

Picture Book Catch-Up, reviewed by "the new guy"

I really do need a name, folks! We've had some good suggestions so far, but I'd love to have more to choose from. Go to this post to leave your idea by November 24 - and remember, if we choose yours, you get three free books and bragging rights!

Today I'm reviewing three cool picture books that got lost in the shuffle when everyone moved and changed jobs.



We love Vaunda Nelson, and not just because she is a New Mexico librarian:) She is quite the versatile author, with picture, chapter, and nonfiction books under her belt. This latest offering is a nonfiction picture book about Bass Reeves, a widely respected lawmen in the days following the Civil War, when many people would prefer blacks didn't even have guns.

It is always good to hear about men of integrity, and this book offers a great role model for kids of any race, while offering at the same time plenty of action and excitement. Quite a remarkable man I knew nothing about - kudos to Nelson for making sure he isn't forgotten.



Kitamura is one of my favorite illustrators. His drawings look so simple and so complex at the same time. With sparse lines and simple shapes, he still manages to convey a lot of expression on his characters' faces.

In this story, Millie very much wants a fancy, feathery hat, but doesn't quite have the $500 and change it costs. Fortunately, the salesman has just the thing - a magical hat that can look like whatever you imagine it to be. This has some obvious art connections, as kids draw, or even just describe what their hats would look like - then ask them to tell you what YOUR hat looks like!



New printing of an old favorite. The cover is different from the 1979 version, but the other illustrations aren't the same - and who could not love Quentin Blake? Would Roald Dahl's books be half as much fun with a different illustrator? (And yes, we know there are some, but we choose to ignore their existence.)

Who could not love the wild washerwomen, for that matter? We have all had days, whatever our age, when the work seems to just keep piling up, and we wonder what it would be like to just chuck it all and go have fun. Unfortunately, the wild washerwomen get a little too wild, dunking people in water barrels and making a terrible ruckus with the church bells, until everyone for miles around is quite terrified of them.

Enter seven brave woodcutters, who decide to scare them back, beginning by making themselves as dirty as possible. Well, what do you suppose a wild washerwoman will do when confronted by something matted and grubby? By the time the woodcutters have been soaked and squeezed and pounded against stones, everyone has become quite attached to each other, and the final spread shows a happily ever after in true Quentin Blake style. The scruffy-looking woodsman with the kids piled in his lap reading rather reminds me of someone I know, and would make a super mural for the wall of a children's area.

Any of these books can be purchased through Amazon by clicking on the cover picture. We receive a small portion towards books for our library (which, for all you IRS auditors out there, totals a whopping $1.52 so far this year).