Max's Chocolate Chicken

Author: Rosemary Wells

First line: One morning somebody put a chocolate chicken in the birdbath.

Why you should read this book: Perenially immature bunny Max does not grasp the concept of the Easter egg hunt, and even when it is explained to him, his short attention span keeps him from being successful at it. Max's strength lies in thinking outside the box, and not even know-it-all big sisters can keep him from the object of his desires.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're a stickler for rules.

Animalia

Author: Graeme Base

First line: An Armoured Armadillo Avoiding An Angry Alligator

Why you should read this book: Base's alliterations are clever and well-thought-out, while his illustrations are luscious, intense, and intricate. Children will enjoy learning initial consonant fluency as they search the detailed pictures for familiar words; adults can't help but play along, since the pictures are complicated enough to confound the most extensive vocabularies. Quite possibly the best alphabet book ever published.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You give up easily.

Journey to an 800 Number

Author: E. L. Konigsburg

First line: When my mother married Mr. F. Hugo Malatesta the First, she sent me to stay with my father while she went on a honeymoon.

Why you should read this book: R. Maximilian Stubbs is ready to get used to all the good things in life, and now that his mother is marrying the wealthy old man she's always dreamed of, he's going to get the chance, but first, he has to wait out their honeymoon with his own father, a man whose life and livelihood is tied to a camel and a trailer. Max travels through the American west as his father sells camel rides for $1.50 and gradually finds that he must confront his own identity issues, from acknowledging the history of his real first name to understanding the meaning of the blue private school blazer he feels compelled to wear despite the astounding heat. A brilliant cast of characters illuminates Max's journey from elitism to open-mindedness in another spectacular story from Newbury-winner Konigsburg.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're trying to encourage your child's snobbery.

Mea Culpa

A brief apology to the eight people who follow this blog; I have been traveling since the beginning of the month. Sometimes life gets in the way of reading. Since schools out here start in mid-August, there is a vast backlog of children's books to be reviewed. I will be working through them this week, and hopefully get caught up and ready to write about big people books next week.

Cheers,

Dragon

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas

Author: Frederick Douglass

First line: I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland.

Why you should read this book: In his own words, the self-educated Douglass describes the brutal horrors of American slavery, along with his own burgeoning understanding of freedom and equality as he grows from a young boy in bondage to a young man who has taken possession of his own life. His prose is clear and deep as he relates the blunt injustice of forced servitude: inhumane treatment, stubborn hypocrisy, cruel indifference, and deliberate brutality. An important record of the past written with precision and pathos by a talented and determined man.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You can't stomach detailed descriptions of violence against men, women, and children.

The Monkey Wrench Gang

Author: Edward Abbey

First line: When a new bridge between two sovereign states of the United States has been completed, it is time for speech.

Why you should read this book: Joyfully provocative, controversial, and contradictory, this dynamic novel begat the Earth First! movement and remains the bible for eco-warriors more than thirty years after its original publication. United by a love of the land and disgust with the havoc wreaked by industry on the pristine desert, the four members of the Monkey Wrench Gang unite to make war against the machines that systematically destroy the environment in the name of progress. Rich in details, both of the landscape as well as the methods used to take down construction equipment, billboards, and bridges, this story is a fast-paced tour with an irreverent guide intent on preserving paradise at almost any cost.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You think the desert is a lot of wasted space and you don't see why it shouldn't be strip mined, clear cut, and paved over.

The Very Small

Author: Joyce Dunbar

First line: One day, when Giant Baby Bear was playing in the woods, he found a very small...something!

Why you should read this book: The unlikely friendship between Giant Baby Bear and the Very Small (it's sort of a cross between Tom Thumb and a hobbit-footed puppy wearing a cheetah suit with antennae) helps children feel safe and protected even when they perceive themselves as helpless. Despite the Very Small's anxiety, Giant Baby Bear remains unfailingly kind and makes a good effort to understand and assuage his friend's fears. A great book for bedtime or for kids about to embark on an adventure into the unknown (like the first day of school).

Why you shouldn't read this book: You were hoping for something a bit more gruesome (see below)

Shrek

Author: William Steig

First line: His mother was ugly and his father was ugly, but Shrek was uglier than the two of them put together.

Why you should read this book: Yes, this is the inspiration for the Dreamworks movies, and it features an ogre, a donkey, and a princess, but the similarities end there. Forget ugly-adorable or ugliness hiding a kind personality: Steig's Shrek is gruesome and deplorable and mean and rude and he never demonstrates any positive quality (except, perhaps, determination), while the princess starts out hideous and stays that way. Shrek bests a witch, a dragon, thunder and lightning, a knight in shining armor, and his own vile reflection in pursuit of his happy ending in a crowd-pleasing tale that raises awful to an art form and doesn't sugar-coat anything.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You were hoping for something a little cuter (see above). In addition, if you're going to be uncomfortable explaining the appropriateness of the term "jackass" to your little ones, you're going to want to skip this. If that's the case, you're not hip enough for this book anyway.

Borreguita and the Coyote

Author: Verna Aardema

Quote: "Your mouth is so big, you could swallow a cougar. Open it wide, and I will run and dive right in."

Why you should read this book: A pleasant turn on some old trickster stories, in which Borreguita, the ewe lamb, pulls the wool over the hungry Coyote over and over again. The themes are timeless, but character expressions in the cunning illustrations give the story a modern sensibility, as does the small, female protagonist. A few words of Spanish and the prominence of rock cliffs whose color changes with the sun produce a warm, Southwestern flair.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You want to see Coyote eat the lamb.

The Eyes of the Dragon

Author: Stephen King

First line: Once, in a kingdom called Delain, there was a King with two sons.

Why you should read this book: Unlike the majority of King's oeuvre, this book is almost devoid of gore, monsters, and details that keep the squeamish up at night; rather, it is a vast and sweeping fairy tale, laying out a battle between good and evil complete with magic, castles, and romance. Flagg, who appears in many other King stories, is here revealed as an agent of chaos and destruction, masquerading as advisor to the old king. Good Prince Peter will surely oppose his dastardly plans for the kingdom, and must be put out of the way at any cost, but Flagg underestimates the power of courage and love.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're rooting for the bad guy.