Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type

Cronin, Doreen, Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006, 32 pgs.

Summary: It all started when the cows found a typewriter and started typing. Then they started demanding. First the cows left a note that they wanted electric blankets. When the farmer refused, the cows refused to give milk. Then the cows demanded more electric blankets for the chickens too, and the chickens refused to give eggs. Seeing as Duck was a neutral party, the farmer and the cows came to an agreement, Farmer would provide electric blankets IF the cows provided milk and the chickens provided eggs. ALSO the typewriter went to the ducks. What happens when the ducks learn to type?

Evaluation: This is a very cute and fun book to read. The rhythm can’t be beat and it is just plain fun to read aloud. The book illustrations are very fun and lively as well. Personifying animals can be tricky and the illustrator, Betsy Lewin, does a very good job of giving the animals human like qualities and keeping the animals authentic.

Annotation: Just imagine what happens when the farm animals boycott and leave ransom notes for the farmer.

Significance of Book: I feel that the rhythm in this book makes this book pretty special. Many other books of similar rhythm have stemmed from this book. This book is also in numerous other languages.

Genre/subject: fiction, farm animals

Awards:

National:

• ALA Notable Children's Books: 2001
• Caldecott Honor: 2001

State:

• Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees: 2002
• Arkansas: Diamond Primary Book Award Nominees: 2003
• California: Young Reader Medal Nominees: 2003
• Colorado: Children's Book Award Nominees: 2002
• Georgia: Picture Storybook Nominees: 2003
• Illinois: Monarch Award Nominees: 2005
• Indiana: Young Hoosier Award Nominees: 2003
• Kentucky: Bluegrass Award Nominees: 2003
• Maryland: Black-eyed Susan Award Nominees: 2002
• Maryland: Children's Book Award Honors: 2002
• Michigan: Great Lakes Great Books Award Nominees: 2002
• Missouri: Building Block Picture Book Award Nominees: 2001
• Missouri: Show Me Award Nominees: 2003
• Nebraska: Golden Sower Award Nominees: 2003
• New York: Charlotte Award Nominees: 2002
• North Carolina: Children's Book Award Nominees: 2002
• Ohio: Buckeye Award Nominees: 2003
• Pennsylvania: Young Reader's Choice Award Nominees: 2002
• South Dakota: Prairie Bud Award Nominees: 2003
• Texas: 2x2 Reading List: 2001
• Utah: Children's Book Award Nominees: 2002
• Vermont: Red Clover Picture Book Award Nominees: 2002
• Washington: Children's Choice Picture Book Award Nominees: 2002

Why I selected the book: I love books that personify animals. The rhythm in this book made me smile, so I thought I would read it.

Price: $15.95

The Graveyard Book

Gaiman, Neil, The Graveyard Book, HarperCollins, 2008, 309 pgs.

Summary: Nobody Owens lives in the graveyard. The Graveyard protected him from the man Jack who killed his whole family when he was a baby. Nobody escaped death as a baby only because he unknowing crawls into the graveyard. Mr. and Mrs. Owens take him in as their son and raise him with the help of his guardian, Silas, who is a vampire. The ghosts of the graveyard teach him all they know, which is not the typical things that a child would learn such as how to “fade”, how to call for help when you are among ghouls, and dreamwalking. As Bod gets older he begins to become more and more curious about the world outside of the graveyard. When he finally convinces Silas to let him go to school, he puts himself in grave danger by drawing attention to himself when he stands up against the school bullies. The man Jack is still out there and he knows that Bod is still alive. Jack is still on a mission to kill Bod. Will Bod ever be safe? Will he ever live a normal life or will he always have to stay in the graveyard?

Evaluation: I found this book to be written very uniquely. It almost seemed that each chapter was a separate story with common parts throughout the whole book to tie it all together. I loved the illustrations by Dave McKean and liked that they helped the reader to picture what some of these things looked like that Bod was seeing. I also enjoyed that there were paranormal elements, but they weren’t exaggerated, rather they were seen as something very normal.

Annotation: A killer in the night, a killer with a knife. Will it ever be safe to leave the graveyard?

Significance of Book: I feel the main significance of this book is the concept that a boy is raised without parents and he turns out ok. The oddity of the living arrangement and the use of mythical elements in a way that does not seem unbelievable is what makes this book a real jewel.

Genre/subject: fiction, supernatural, paranormal

Awards:

National:

• · ALA Notable Children's Books: 2009
• · Carnegie Medal: 2010
• · Newbery Medal: 2009
• · Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2009
• · Booklist Editor's Choice: 2008
• · Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors: 2009
• · Capitol Choices: 2009
• · Horn Book Fanfare: 2008
• · Kirkus Best Children's Books: 2008
• · USSBY-CBC Outstanding International Books: 2009

State:

• · Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees: 2011
• · Kentucky: Bluegrass Award Nominees: 2010
• · Michigan: Thumbs Up Award Nominees: 2009
• · New Hampshire: Great Stone Face Award Nominees: 2010
• · New Hampshire: Isinglass Award Nominees: 2010
• · New Jersey: Garden State Teen Book Award Nominees: 2011
• · Oklahoma: Sequoyah Award Nominees: 2011
• · Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Award Nominees: 2011
• · Tennessee: Volunteer State Book Award Nominees: 2011
• · Vermont: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominees: 2010
• · Wisconsin: Golden Archer Award Nominees: 2010

Why I selected the book: I decided to read this book because I have heard great things about Neil Gaiman and every youth librarian I have ever had a conversation with asks if I have read it so I felt it was time.

Price: $18.89

Going Bovine

Bray, Libba, Going Bovine, Random House, 2009, 480 pgs.

Summary: Cameron lives his life under the radar just trying to get through high school. After smoking some marijuana, Cameron begins to hallucinate about fire gods and lose control of his muscles. Chalking it up to some bad weed Cameron tries to move on, but the hallucinations become more intense and his muscle control becomes worse. Cameron’s parents take him to the doctor and discovered that Cameron has Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human equivalent of Mad Cow disease. From this point forward the novel comes alive while Cameron partakes in a road trip from Texas to New Orleans and finally ending in Florida all in an effort to find Dr. X and get his cure and all along the way looking for “signs”. This award-winning novel by Libba Bray introduces a new take on living life rather than just existing. The journey of teaching Cameron to live rather than just exist is frustrating at times for the reader, as it is unclear whether it is real or a hallucination, but overall this novel is an outstanding jolt to YA lit and encourages teens to seize the day rather than wallow in apathy.

Evaluation: I really enjoyed this novel. I am not sure if it was because when I finally reached the end, I found out what was really happening or if because all that happens on Cameron’s journey is so completely bizarre. Either way this is at times part science fiction, part fantasy, and always funny. I would recommend this to just about any teen that is not living each day to the fullest. This book is sure to inspire.

Annotation: I have mad cow disease and this death obsessed dwarf at the hospital thinks the cure can be found. Well if I am going to die, might as well go on a road trip to find the cure.

Significance of Book: This book really embodies seizing the day. The oddities that are introduced really bring perspective to a persons life.

Genre/subject: mad cow disease, fiction, self discovery

Awards:

National:

• · Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2010
• · Booklist Editor's Choice: 2009
• · Michael L. Printz Award: 2010
• · PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS: 2009

State:

• · Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees: 2012
• · New Hampshire: Flume Award Nominees: 2011

Why I selected the book: I honestly selected this novel because of the cover. The book I have has a cow carrying a garden gnome.

Price: $26.80

Me, The Missing, and The Dead

Valentine, Jenny, Me, the Missing, and the Dead, HarperTeen, 2008, 201 pgs.

Summary: This novel set in London, follows Lucas Swain as he searches for why his father left him and his mother so many years ago. The novel begins with Lucas discovering Violet, an old lady in an urn. Lucas believes that Violet is the key to explaining where his father is and why he left them. Lucas talks to Violet, and takes Violet with him as he searches for his father who left him and his mother when he was younger. By researching the life of Violet, an artist, Lucas begins to discover the story of his father and discover himself as well. Full of great British humor and a good dose of sadness, this novel is funny, mysteries, weird, and just plain fun.

Evaluation: I found this novel to be a quick read with a good heart. I enjoyed the unique twist in the storyline of finding the father that left. Although a bit off beat, this novel is just hard to put down. I also found the British storytelling style to be refreshing after reading so many standard American stories.

Annotation: Me: Lucas Swain, The Missing: my father whom everybody thinks left me, The Dead: Violet, yes she is trying to tell me something, and I know she will lead me to my father.

Significance of Book: The first novel my Jenny Valentine, this book grabs you and drags you along. It is an interesting twist on paranormal without going down the road of zombies.

Genre/subject: fiction, mystery

Awards:

National:

• · Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2009
• · Capitol Choices: 2009
• · William C. Morris YA Debut Nominees: 2009
• · William C. Morris YA Debut Winner: 2009

State:

• · Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees: 2011
• · Texas: Tayshas Reading List: 2010

Why I selected the book: I honestly found the cover and title to be interesting and I wanted to see what it all was about!

Price: $16.99