When Savvy Strikes...

Savvy by Ingrid Law is a delightful story about the Beaumont family and their unique gift ("Savvy") that sometimes makes becoming a teenager even harder. With a brother who can create electricity and another brother who can cause a hurricane, Mibs is expecting her savvy to be something really good. Her much anticipated 13th birthday is dampened by her Poppa's serious car accident and by not being able to see him in the hospital.

When her savvy reveals itself on the morning of her 13th birthday, she knows exactly what she needs to do - use her savvy to help save her Poppa. Mibs decides she must get to the hospital in Selina, and opportunity arrives in the form of a timid bible salesman with a bus load of pink bibles. Mibs is followed by two of her brothers and the preacher's son and daughter. Along their adventure Mibs is trying to understand her savvy and also keep it from driving her crazy.

Savvy is the kind of story that will keep you turning pages until the very end. The story's quirky and unusual nature is refreshing, and I wasn't surprised to read that Ingrid Law's 13-year-old daughter played a part in the brainstorming and creating of Savvy. This book is part coming of age, part fantasy, part adventure and equally funky, groovy, surprising, and spectacular. Savvy is a good choice for young people entering into their teen years, but will be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Savvy is a Newbery honor book.

A Nightime Adventure

The House in the Night, winner of the 2009 Caldecott medal, is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book. The illustrations are scratch board and watercolor with contrasting colors of black, white, and yellow, which offer comforting images of night and bedtime and should help dispel nighttime fears of the the dark.

Within the illustrations are numerous things for children to look for - a dog, a cat, a doll, a violin, a ball, etc. Things continue to move about from page to page as the child comes home, goes into her bedroom, thumbs through her book and through that book has a magical nighttime adventure that leads her back to her bedroom being tucked into bed.

Recommended for ages 4-8, I think it would be enjoyed by toddlers as well. Author Susan Swanson and illustrator Beth Krommes have created a wonderful bedtime story sure to delight for ages to come.

The boys named Jamon

Now this is what summers are about - sleepovers, video games, T.V., ice cream, waffles, and being creative and inventive when inspiration strikes. James and Eamon are visiting Eamon's grandparents (Bill and Pam) for a week at the beach. Bill is a nature buff and decides to enroll the boys in nature camp. Bill enthusiastically tells the boys about Antarctica, penguins, and shows them maps and globes. When asked if the boys (Jamon) want to play outside or go the museum, the answer is always no.

It's funny because I remember my mom saying "Go outside and play!" or "Get out of my hair and go entertain yourself!" Most of the time kids don't do what we want them to do when we want them to do it. The boys finally decide to go outside for the first time. At first they don't know what to do, and then "whamo!" they do something really cool for Bill by creating Antarctica out of rocks, shells, and sticks.

I enjoyed reading "A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever." I think a 5-9 year old boy would really like this book. The illustrations are whimsical and amusing. This book is a 2009 Caldecott honor book.

A Hungry Imagination

Uri Shulevitz remembers when his family is forced to leave their home in Poland during the Warsaw blitz and seek safety in the unfamiliar country of Kazakhstan. The living conditions are bad. They share a hut with another family and sleep on the floor. Food is sparse, and the small boy finds he is often hungry. So when his father comes home with a map instead of the much needed bread, the boy finds himself mad with his father. However, the next day, the father puts the map up in their home, and it brightens up the bleak room.

--The boy looks at the map constantly. He memorizes the places. His curiosity and imagination take him all over the world. He dreams he is walking down city streets, standing on beautiful beaches, climbing mountains, and visiting many other wonderful places. Being able to dream and escape to these far off places allows the little boy a much needed diversion from his otherwise discouraging situation.

--Uri Shulevitz's portrays his personal experience and memories of WWII. He shows how a bad situation can be turned around with the right inspiration and creativity. I think this is a great book for a geography teacher. The story is well told, and the pictures are eye-catching. A truly remarkable book!

--How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz is a 2009 Caldecott Honor book