IF: Opulent

I thought I'd share Inktober Day 12  because it's also my contribution to Illustration Friday this week.

If: "Opulent" by Joanne Roberts
Pentel pocket brush and ink on AquaBee 93 lb paper

Remember to check my Instagram feed for all my Inktober 2017 drawings. Thanks!

Perpetual Wealth

"No possession can surpass, or even equal a good library, to the lover of books. Here are treasured up for his daily use and delectation, riches which increase by being consumed, and pleasures that never cloy."
~John Alfred Landford*

Letterpress bookplate of Australia
Created by Mac and Ninny

*Via Quote Garden

MMGM: So B. It

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick:

So B. It, by Sarah Weeks

So B. It

Written by Sarah Weeks
Cover by Anna Palma
HarperCollins, 2004
Ages 8-12, Lexile 860L
245 pp, 42000 words


Themes:
Belonging, Search for a past, Coming-of-Age


Opening:
If truth was a crayon and it was up to me to put a wrapper around it and name its color, I know just what I would call it— dinosaur skin. I used to think, without really thinking about it, that I knew what color that was. But that was a long time ago, before I knew what I know now about both dinosaur skin and the truth.
       The fact is, you can't tell squat about the color of an animal just from looking at its bones, so nobody knows for sure what color dinosaurs really were. For years I looked at pictures of them, trusting that whoever was in charge of coloring them in was doing it based on scientific fact, but the truth is they were only guessing. I realized that one afternoon, sitting in the front seat of Sheriff Roy Franklin's squad car, the fall before I turned thirteen.

Thoughts:

Heidi lives with her mom, So B. It and almost with her next-door neighbor, Bernadette. Their quirky, tight-knit family is just right, until the questions about her mom's past pile up too high for Heidi to sit still any longer. She embarks on a journey to find answers, "to know" like other kids do. 

The powerful storytelling and spot-on voice leap off every page. These characters will live in your heart and linger in your mind long after the last page is turned. The author weaves clever dialogue, interesting plot twists and just a tiny bit of magical luck into the story in the perfect blend. She creates a coming-of-age journey which gets to life's basic questions of what's important, what is family, who am I with wit, charm, and gut-wrenching drama.

Grab a box of tissues and a rainy afternoon. When you're finished, find a friend and read it together. It's truly a book to be shared and pondered.

Bonus: 
1. I could recommend Sarah's books again and again. Here are links to my pages for Save Me A Seat and Pie. And for slightly younger readers, try the Oggie Cooder series.

2. The movie version premiered in select theaters October 6. I haven't seen it yet, but you can find more info on So B. It The Movie. It'll never be as good as the book, but the original is so amazing, I'm eager to see them try. Besides, I hope it will prompt new readers to pull a copy off the library shelves.

3.  Have you reviewed a book with a similar vibe? Leave your MG recommendations in the comments. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday for October 9, 2017 available on Shannon Messenger's Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe.

PPBF: Animals Christopher Columbus Saw

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Christopher Columbus, Part of the Explorers Series

Animals Christopher Columbus Saw
An Adventure in the New World

Written Sandra Markle
Illustrated by Jamel Akib

Chronicle Books, 2008
Ages 7-10, 48 pp, 970L


Themes:
Exploration, History, Animals


Opening:
Would you believe that, once, worms inspired people to explore the world? In fifteenth-century Europe, silk made from the thread of silkworms was more valuable than gold. Silk and silkworms could only be found in the areas now known as China and Japan, and finding the fastest sea route between these areas and Europe could make an explorer very rich. Christopher Columbus was determined to find that route. In 1492, he set off with three ships, and while he did find land, it wasn't what he expected. Neither were the animals he found along the way.

Synopsis:
The author weaves both history and zoology into the story of Christoper Columbus's voyage. She uses journals and primary sources to uncover the probable route of the three ships and straighten out the facts in our minds. She details the various species of animals on land, sea, and air which Columbus's crew encountered. Her book is full of historical place names and vocabulary and doesn't shy away from the introduction of slavery and disease. However, the focus is not on the value of the journey, but rather on the wildlife. Each spread has narrative paragraph which tells about the sailors and a paragraph which highlights an animal the crew encountered. The text is a bit complicated for younger readers to read themselves, but would be a great introduction to the subject for both lower and middle grades. The focus on the animals is a kid-friendly way to teach history. The book includes a glossary and age-appropriate resources plus an author's note.


What I Love:
I love this series of animal books by Sandra Markle. I appreciate the way she tries to be historically accurate and put the details into perspective. I am sure there are many people who think she does not hit the issues like slavery harshly enough and that this book glorifies Columbus in a Eurocentric way without regard to the chaos of colonialism. Personally, I like how the author found an important theme running through Columbus's voyage and also that she has an opportunity to show what the voyage meant to his people at the time. It opens conversation about pre-conceived notions about what makes a civilized society and still leaves room to explore the history without the modern politics.
The illustrations are beautiful, though I was disappointed by the book's design. I would have liked the narrative sections and the animal sections to be set apart differently. Though a period map was included in the illustrations, I think a more detailed map would be more useful.


Bonus: 

1. There are other books in the Explorers series including one about Marco Polo and one about Robert Shaw.

2. Kids can create their own journal of animal species with the tips from Reading Rockets and biome-specific helps from Earth'sKids.

3. Geocaching is another way to get kids out and exploring. Go to their official website, or check the overview on LifeWire.

4. To dig deeper into the truth about Columbus's journey, try Biography and IndianCountryToday. While KidsPlayAndCreate offers a list of historical facts and dates.

5. Both Calliope and Dig magazines featured issues on Queen Isabella, and Cobblestone's issue on explorers would pair well with this book.

6. National Geographic's website encourages kids to follow in modern explorers' footsteps. Even city kids can do some adventuring on CityKidExplorers.

7. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Didn't one of the PPBF participants review Monsoon, illustrated by Jamel Akib? I couldn't find it, but I'm sure I read it. If so, please leave the link in the comments or drop me an email. Thanks!

Reviewed by Sue

Reviewed by Sue

Reviewed by Joanna

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Diane

Reviewed by Beth

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, October 6, 2017 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

IF: Time Travel

Today's illustration doubles for both InkTober Day 5 and Illustration Friday.

IF, "Time Travel"
PaperMate 1.0m ink on paper
By Joanne Roberts

Follow me on Instagram to see the rest of my InkTober drawings.
Don't forget to leave the link to your InkTober Challenge in the comments.
Thanks for looking!

Reaction to Rejection

"The great question is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure."
— Chinese proverb*

Frog bookplate by Zhang Fen Quan
Via Washington Printmakers

*Via The Routledge Book of World Proverbs, by Jon R. Stone

MMGM: The Wizard's Test

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick:

The Wizard's Test, by Hilari Bell

The Wizard's Test

Written by Hilari Bell
Cover illustrated by Cliff Nielsen
HarperCollins, 2005
Ages 10+, Lexile 720L
176 pp, 32000 words


Themes:
Fantasy, Destiny, Colonialism


Opening:
"Wizard born!"
Dayven reached for his sword hilt as he spun in search of the speaker. Early in the morning the courtyard was crowded—not only with Watcherlads like Dayven, who'd come for a little extra sword practice, but also with adult Guardians, who were there to increase their skills with sword and lance. Someone had put a lot of effort into that hissing whisper, to make it audible over the clang of metal on metal...but who?

Thoughts:
The Wizard's Test is a stand-alone fantasy novel about an apprentice in a feudal system who must embrace his sordid wizard heritage to spy on his lord's enemies in order to attain his goal of Guardian in the army. Bell's books are self-described as "morally ambiguous." In each that I've read, she poses ethical questions to both the characters and the reader, usually dealing with consequences, violence, or cultural enmity. This book fits that mold. It rather reminds me of Lloyd Alexander's books rather than Avi's. Avi consistently makes you care about the rogue, the thief, the liar, and then ridicules the opposition so the reader is compelled to agree with the main character's decisions. Both Bell and Alexander make you care about characters from both sides of an issue, and challenge you to decide what you might do in a similar situation. They want you to think before you act. This book is one of Bell's earlier works, and doesn't show the mature writing style of her later books. It does however include interesting world-building, deft plotting, subtle humor, and charming characters. Thought-provoking and age-appropriate with some battle scenes.


Bonus: 
1. If you are interested in learning more about Hilari Bell, you can find an early interview on Writers Write, her publishing ventures on Publisher's Weekly, and a personal perspective from the author at the start of her career on the Enchanted Inkpot.

2. I love Hilari's Shield, Sword, and Crown trilogy about a young man's quest for the enchanted objects which will save his world. She has written loads of other books which you can find on her Goodreads page.

3. Looking for books with a similar vibe?
The Ascendance trilogy or Mark of the Thief series by Jennifer Nielsen and covers by Ken Choi and Larry Rostant, respectively.
The InkHeart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke with covers by Carol Lawson.
The Westmark books or The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kasha by Lloyd Alexander.
Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger, covers by Jason Chan.

Reviewed by Literary Rambles

Mark of the Thief #1
reviewed by Karen Yingling

Queen's Thief #5 reviewed by
GeoLibrarian and Ms. Yingling

Reviewed by Middle Grade Mafia

The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kasha,
by Lloyd Alexander,
Illustrated by Laszlo Kubinyi

Keeper of the Lost Cities series
reviewed by Cindy and Michelle

Check out all the recommended titles for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday for October 2, 2017 available on Shannon Messenger's Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe.

Feel free to leave your MG recommendations in the comments. Thanks!