The San Diego Zoo's Panda Cam

The San Diego Zoo's Panda Cam. http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam/index.html

Plot: The San Diego Zoo's live feed from the panda enclosure. In addition to the online camera, the site offers information about the pandas at the zoo and in the wild.

Genre: Websites, Animals

Reading Level: Some of the descriptions about panda breeding in the zoo's blog may be unsuitable for sensitive readers, but the rest of the page should cause no problems.

Similar Titles: Giant Pandas at the National Zoo, Panda Cam - Memphis Zoo

Personal Thoughts: The San Diego Zoo produced a welcoming website. The camera works much more quickly than other zoo's and the surrounding images, borders, and buttons offer very appealing visuals. Unfortunately, the overall presentation of information lacks somewhat, since the page presents facts with simple text on a simple background. Also, the information does not go into the depths other zoos, most notably the National Zoo, achieve. Still, for quick information and cute panda images, the site remains highly useful.

Smithsonian National Zoological Park: Giant Pandas

Smithsonian National Zoological Park: Giant Pandas.http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/default.cfm?cam=LP1

Plot: The National Zoo's dedicated several webpages to the giant panda. Links lead to pages offering the life histories, pictures, and news about the zoo's breeding pair of pandas. Additional pages include information about panda conservation, facts, and frequently asked questions.

Genre: Websites, Animals

Reading Level: Not Rated, but some of the terms and concepts may be confusing to some readers.

Similar Titles: San Diego Zoo.org, Zoo Atlanta Panda Cam

Personal Thoughts: The site is one of the best I found about pandas. The pages offers effective navigation, solid information, and pleasing visuals. The Kid's Page appears unsuitable for tweens, but it will appeal to younger viewers. My only complaint comes from the panda cam. The site advertises a live feed from the pandas' exhibit, but I have not been able to find it. Otherwise, the site remains highly recommended.

Horror and Pandas

After the heavier topics of last week, this week will focus on pandas. Pandas are awesome.

Picture from Animal Capshunz

The Wolves in the Walls

Gaiman, Niel. The Wolves in the Walls. New York : HarperCollins, 2003.

Plot: Quite noises creep into Lucy's home. Her family does not seem to hear them, but Lucy states the walls hide a pack of wolves. Each member of the family claims a small animal of some sort must be moving in the wall, because if there are wolves, and if the wolves decide to come out, it is all over. However, despite her family's insistence to the contrary, there are wolves in the walls and, one day, they come out.

Genre: Picture Books, Horror

Reading Level: Grades 3-12

Similar Titles: Peter and the Wolf, The Dangerous Alphabet, Gonna Roll the Bones

Personal Thoughts: A thoroughly creepy picture book. Neil Gaiman takes full advantage of world-building language and uncanny narrative to create a familiar yet unnerving story. The pictures combine actual photographs, ink drawings, and abstract shapes to create a disjointed world completely complementing the language of the story. Gaiman once again proves authors can create scary stories without being gory.

Anya's Ghost

Brosgol, Vera. Anya's Ghost. New York : First Second, 2011.

Plot: Life could not be more frustrating for Anya if it tried. Her family does not understand her, her friends use her, her body mocks her, and her crush ignores her. A walk in the park, however, ends when she falls down a well. The well is not unoccupied. A ninety-year-old ghost greets her. Then follows her home. Initially, the ghost, named Emily, seems helpful. She gives Anya answers in class and gets  to a party with her crush. After the party, Emily begins to act strangely controlling. Anya, claims the ghost, needs her, and Emily will do anything to make sure Anya knows it.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror

Reading Level: Grades 7-12

Similar Titles: Zombies Calling!, Habibi,

Personal Thoughts: In some ways, the novel reminds me of Baron: The Cat Returns. A very believable, far from perfect girl is suddenly confronted with the extraordinary. Unlike Haru's klutzy-sweet nature, Anya appears to serve as the stereotypical "bad girl." She smokes, cuts class, and fights with her mother. Yet, she also has very understandable characteristics. Her weight worries her. Her family, infuriating as it is, remains important to her. She wonders about how her peers view her immigrant status. As such, she is a character the reader sympathizes while disagreeing with, much like the reader would if she were an actual person.

Anya also responds like a real teen, most notably at the end of the story. Too many stories imply a revolution in character for their bad boy/girl protagonist into the epitome of virtue through supernatural adventures. Anya, however, still dislikes school, worries about her figure, and tries to avoid too much attention from her teachers. However, she does change as well. She decides to stop smoking and does not appear as troubled by her long, Russian name. Anya grows without destroying her initial personality, which, while tricky to show, is actually realistic, making the story a enjoyable read.

Side Note: Jerome likes Anya.

A Monster Calls

Ness, Patrick. A Monster Calls. Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2011.

Plot: Conor fearlessly meets the monster in his room. After all, it is not the one that haunted his dreams since his mother's diagnosis. Yet, the monster warns of greater danger. It will share three stories with Conor, then Conor must share his own story or be eaten. None of the stories make sense to the boy, but they inspire (or force) him to act strangely, violently, and monstrously. He abandons his best friend, destroys his grandmother's house, and injures his school's most popular student. As a result, he finds himself alone with a monster. The monster looms ever nearer, but so does the one thing the boy actually fears. Both meet when his mother's cancer treatments no longer work.

Genre: Horror, Coming of Age, Loss

Reading Level: Grades 5-12

Similar Titles: Pretty Monsters, Tiger Eyes

Personal Thoughts: Ness's novel offers a remarkably intense story of fear, loss, and horror. However, I am not sure if I would recommend it. The core aspect of the story focuses on the valid fear of losing a parent, and, as I mentioned in the review of Tiger Eyes, grief can be difficult to convey effectively to anyone, particularly when the target audience is as emotionally intense as tweens. The blend of two themes, monsters and grief, can also easily disappoint the target audience. Horror story enthusiasts will not find the monster "scary enough," while those attempting to cope with grief may view the story as callously mocking their loss. A Monster Calls offers an unusual and emotional view of grief's stages, but the intended goal may not actually reach the intended readers.

Retro Comics and Next Week

So, this week, we discovered comics do not manage against time quite as well as novels, primarily due to their reliance on current events and publishing trends.

Next week, the focus will be a bit darker. The blog will review modern horror stories.

I should go...

The Far Side: Last Chapter and Worst

Larson, Gary. The Far Side: Last Chapter and Worst. Kansas City, MO : Andrews and McMeel, 1996.

Plot: The book features comics from the last six month's of Gary Larson's The Far Side. Like most of the series, the non-sequential comics focus on single-panel gags. The collection also includes a forward and additional notes from the artist.

Genre: Comics

Reading Level: Some crass language, so mind more sensitive readers.

Similar Titles: Lio, Bloom Country, Argyle Sweater

Personal Thoughts: Since the comics do not rely on current events or fads, they seem to maintain their original "funniness" pretty well. As a side note, they were considered somewhat controversial at the time for their macabre nature, although modern comics, particularly Lio and Pearls before Swine, seem much, much darker. 

Batman in the Eighties

Kane, Bob. Batman in the Eighties. New York : DC Comics, 2004.

Plot: A collection of key Batman comics from the 1980's. The time represented a season of change for the Caped Crusader. Many of the characters and themes introduced in the 1970's, such as aliens and Bat-Mite, were removed and darker, more dramatic characters and storylines took over. The 1980's witnessed the death of Robin, Nightwing joining the New Teen Titans, and Batgirl became a solo operative. Batman subsequently became more solitary, less compromising, and more aggressive. He also gained the grey, black, and yellow costume he currently sports in movies and animated renditions.

Genre: Comics

Reading Level: Batman, like many comics in the 1980's, took more interest in adult readers than children viewers. As such, the stories focus more on "adult" focuses such as murder, swearing, and violence. Approach with caution.

Similar Titles: Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman

Personal Thoughts: Batman, like nearly every comic book series, took a dramatic turn for the weird in the eighties. Books such as The Watchman and movies like Batman Returns allowed adults to unashamedly enjoy their comics based hobbies without mockery. However, the sudden rise in mature popularity required comic publishers to present comics with adult themes. The transition did not go over smoothly. Heroes became jerks, stories became dark, and villains gained angst in the name of becoming more adult-oriented. However, how mature should viewers want a grown man with bat ears to behave? Much of the high-spirited adventure initially offered by the originals was lost for contrived emotional highs, and comics as a whole have yet to  find a pleasing balance between youthful adventure and genuine emotion.

The Complete Peanuts: Volume 2 - 1953 to 1954

Schultz, Charles M. The Complete Peanuts: Volume 2 - 1953-1954. New York : Fantagraphics Books, 2004.

Plot: A collection of early Peanuts comic strips. The time period was especially notable for the series. Core characters such as Charlie Brown and Lucy enjoyed established roles. Steadily, Linus and Snoopy became more influential to the overall comic. Also, new additions, most notably "Pig-Pen" were introduced. However, other characters, such as Violet and Charlotte Baun eventually faded. Common themes, such as candy-sharing, golf, and play gunfights also became lost with time. The collection allows long-time fans to observe the growth of the comic from a newspaper strip to a major cultural phenomenon.

Genre: Comics, Growing Up

Reading Level: Grades 3 and up

Similar Titles: Krazy Cat, Calvin and Hobbes

Personal Thoughts: Like many U.S. newspaper readers, I grew up with the Peanuts. The older strips seem more character-driven than the ones I read as a child, though. By the time I could read, the characters and themes were established and seemed to quickly devolve into established memes (for example, Linus and his blanket or Charlie Brown versus the football) and lacked the developmental aspect of the first comics. However, I doubt the earlier comics would be popular among modern readers. True, the characters are more intriguing, but the references of the comics themselves no longer mean anything to tweens. Unfortunately, many aspects of the comics, such as mud pies, records, toy gunfights, games, and drawing on fences have gone the way of the aluminum Christmas tree. Modern readers will no longer have a reference to such themes, so the "jokes" of the comics become lost on the viewers. So while the characters lasted, time transformed their early world into a history lesson.

Marvel Masterworks Presents the X-Men Vol. 1

Lee, Stan. Marvel Masterworks Presents the X-Men Vol. 1. New York, N.Y. : Marvel Comics, 2003.

Plot: The first ten issues of the X-Men with a prefix by Stan Lee. The original X-Men comics were not especially popular in their 1961 form. Beast had monkey feet, but looked  human otherwise. Jean Grey was called Marvel Girl (subtlety is for wimps). Now-secondary characters Angel and Ice Man formed the core team. Mystique, Rogue, and Wolverine did not exist. Nevertheless, some aspects remained consistent. Cyclops already served as the oddly broody, worried leader. Professor X and Magneto worked as perfect foils. Jean and Beast's personalities began to form. The collection provides insight to the introductions and eventual development of one of the world's most popular comic book franchises.

Genre: Comics

Reading Level: While the comics are based on action, they are not as bloody, politically, or emotionally-driven as modern incantations, so they may be gentler for sensitive readers.

Similar Titles: X-Men, Iron Man, The Avengers

Personal Thoughts: Critics generally mock the first volumes of the franchise for being too "childish," apparently forgetting that children were the target audience. Around the 1970's, the series changed dramatically, adding new characters, lengthening continuity, and focusing on the civil rights aspect of the comic. While the changes made the series more intriguing for older readers, they also caused the comic to become less accessible for newer readers.

The Babysitter's Club: Dawn and the Impossible Three

Martin, Ann M. The Babysitter's Club: Dawn and the Impossible Three. 1987.

Plot: Dawn, the newest member of the Babysitter's Club, attempts to make a good impression by offering to watch the Barrett children. The family is hopelessly disorganized as Mrs. Barrett attempts to gain control of her life following a messy divorce. Dawn rises to the occasion, cleaning the house and helping the kids. As the Barretts begin relying on her more and more, Dawn realizes she may not be enough for the family. Discord with the club's leader, Kristy, complicate things further. After an afternoon with Kristy, Dawn seems to regain control of her social situations...until one of the Barretts disappear while she watches them. Dawn must confront a babysitter's worst fears while facing a situation she cannot maintain.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Baby-Sitting is a Dangerous Job, Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix

Personal Thoughts: I had to take off the nostalgia lenses for this one. The series was one of my favorites when I was younger, but now I wonder why. The friendships, locations, customs, and interactions are not especially realistic. Much of the dialog and descriptions rely on the ever-changing whim of fads. The story is not especially intriguing. Yet, I adored the novels.

Perhaps the reason relied on the relevance of the time. Divorce rates began to rise, so I actually encountered kids, like Kristy and Dawn, with separated families for the first time. The clothes described by the novels also related to what I wanted to buy during my tweens. Even the snacks were based on popular brands. Yet, I think the main reason for my interest relied on another, simpler fact. The girls and the people they interacted with were, for all practical reasons, normal. Supernatural fantasy and mystery novels were really popular when I was a tween, so finding a book where magic and deduction did not whisk the protagonists away seemed few and far between. Since realistic fiction enjoys considerably more popularity than previous decades, the books can be judged more on their merit, rather than novelty.

The Borrowers

Norton, Mary. The Borrowers. 1952.

Plot: Fearful of the family's growing needs and limited resources, Arriety's parents finally allow her to join her father on one of his borrowing expeditions. The big house is dangerous for the little people, but it also contains riches such as soap, blotting paper, and food. Her first trip ends in disaster when a boy, one of the "human beans," sees the young Borrower. The boy is friendly, though, and offers the small folk gifts from the doll house in exchange for Arriety's company. Unfortunately, the head housekeeper does not have the understanding of the boy, and immediately tries to stop the theft at any cost. Arriety's family must venture into the unknown, where others Borrowers have gone and none returned, or risk the poisons, cats, dogs, and traps of the housekeeper.

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: The Littles, Small Persons with Wings, Jane on Her Own

Personal Thoughts: The first of a five-book series. Unusually for its time, the book presents a narration through an unreliable narrator - a grandmother who did not actually witness the events. The story is actually about her brother's meeting with the little people. Without giving away too much of the plot, the title includes some fairly modern concepts, such as the desire to break from tradition, independence, and a M. Night Shaymalan-esque ending.

At least four movies and a television series are based on the book, with varying degrees of success.

A Bear Called Paddington

Bond, Michael. A Bear Called Paddington. 1958.

Plot: At Paddington Station, Mr. and Mrs. Brown discover a small bear. While the bear describes his travels, Mrs. Brown finds a note requesting for assistance tied to his back. The Browns decide to adopt the brown bear cub, much to the delight of their children. The bear, named for the station where he was discovered, quickly creates new adventures when he fails to understand basic household items. The incidents continue through the subway stations, stores, shopping windows, beaches, and birthday parties. Paddington manages to earn some friends through his polite demeanor, kindly attitude, and bearish charm.

Genre: Animals, Everyday, Fiction

Reading Level: Winnie the Pooh, Roverandom, My Father's Dragon

Personal Thoughts: The book launched a fandom. Paddington's adventures eventually lead to a cultural phenomenon, creating toys, shows, books, commercials, and upcoming movies. The charm is understandable and relatable since the bear's adventures play on common everyday events, such as shopping or visiting the beach, with the not-so-everyday inclusion of a floppy-hatted, marmalade-loving bear.

Pippi Longstocking

Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking. 1945.

Plot: Pippi Longstocking, a nine-year-old living without parents but with a monkey, decides to use the gold she gained through her travels to buy a horse and a house in a small Swedish village. She quickly becomes close friends with her two clean, well-mannered neighbors. Her exploits continue to gain the favor of her two friends, even if they alienate her from some other members of the village. Street-wise, tough, and determined, the raggedy girl conquers the police, school, orphanage, and thieves by overwhelming them with her common sense, deliberate justice, abnormal strength, and striking personality. Yet, she also helps the town through her fearlessness, and saves two boys from a fire and providing an even greater show than the circus. Pippi Longstocking arrives, and nothing will ever be the same.

Genre: Fiction, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Ramona the Pest, Harriet the Spy

Personal Thoughts: The book offers the story of the ultimate vicarous character. Pippi enjoys riches, animals, strength, understanding, and freedom without work, school, or obligations, but she remains friendly, kindly, and just. While she runs in danger of becoming a "Mary Sue" (an unrealistic character with no faults), her flaws in social events and the stunned responses balance the character nicely. She remains cheerful, indomitable, and appealing.

At least five additional books and a number of films feature the protagonist.

As a side note, some of the more modern translations avoid potentially stereotypical terms, such as substituting "cannibal" for "native." Also, most modern covers do not picture the heroine with a gun in her hand, as my copy did.

Ramona the Pest

Clearly, Beverly. Ramona the Pest. 1968.

Plot: Six-year-old Ramona is finally old enough to go to Kindergarten. Despite her eagerness to go, she finds herself in more situations than she expects. Her teacher, Miss Binny, seems nice and smart. David, a classmate, also seems intriguing. However, a curly-haired nemesis and sulky male friend also stalk the classroom. Ramona struggles against strange substitutes, old boots, rainy days, and writing her name. She also navigates the general chaos usually instigated by her own choices. Her desire for attention eventually leads to her dismissal from class. Ramona must learn to face her own frustrations to return to the teacher she adores.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Growing Up, School

Reading Level: Grades 2-6

Similar Titles: Junie B. Jones, Clementine, Emma Dilemma series

Personal Thoughts: Despite the book's age, it still contains the same appeal as current titles, particularly the Emma Dilemma and Judy Moody series. The story generally avoids transitional subjects, such as fashion, politics, and entertainment. Instead, it focuses on unchanging topics, such as student-teacher relations and family interactions. Ramona is a slightly larger-than-life character in a fairly normal society, so her adventures seem completely feasible and even understandable. Most students balance between wanting approval from their teacher and wishing to misbehave when confronted by a bully. Many younger siblings are repelled and enchanted by their elders. Everyone wishes they could have something slightly better than they can afford. Ramona's struggles are the same as everyone's, even if her reactions break convention. She uses her audience's sympathy to relate to and encourage readers, gaining establishment in even modern libraries.

Old Books - Same Song, Different Chorus

We will continue our search for the classics verses the old next week.

Cheezburger time?

Ozma of Oz

Baum, L. Frank. Ozma of Oz. 1904.

Plot: Unexpectedly blown overboard with a yellow hen named Billina, Dorothy finds herself in a fairy country. She describes her past experiences in Oz to the hen, but the chicken only believes her story after the arrival of Ozma, Princess and Ruler of Oz. The princess, accompanied her army, tin man, scarecrow, sawhorse, cowardly lion, and hungry tiger, left Oz to free the rightful ruler of Ev, the land Dorothy landed on. The royal family, sold to the King of Nomes by a act of treachery, are long allies of Oz. Dorothy and Billina, as well as their new companion, Tik-Tok the mechanical man, join the princess in her travels through dangerous lands. The Nome King seems willing to return the family of Ev, but only if the people of Oz willingly play his game. He cheats. Yet, his pride may yet lead to his fall, if the yellow hen has any say in the matter.

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Harry Potter series, Unicorn Chronicles, The Marvelous Land of Oz

Personal Thoughts: The series served as the Harry Potter of its time and it seems to have aged well. The characters remain lively, understandable, and appealing. Some "modern" aspects actually gained a quaint feel since their 1904 description, so the story seeps into the ambiguous time of "long ago" without distracting from the tale.  Additionally, the plot plays on common fairy-tale themes without becoming overly predictable. However, later titles, particularly the last two in the 14-book series, tend to lean toward the dark and macabre, so warn sensitive readers.

Mary Poppins

Travers, P.L. Mary Poppins. 1936.

Plot: Jane, Michael, Barbara, and John Banks need a new nanny after Katie Nana abruptly leaves without explanation. Equally unexpectedly, a new nanny quite literally blows into the household. Her presence creates a stir with the children, and, despite her odd appearance and demeanor, she quickly receives their favor. Her free day is spent within the chalk drawing of her friend, Bert, but her days with the children begin to fill with unexpected adventure. They travel across the world in a matter of minutes with a magical compass, meet a star, enjoy a birthday at the zoo, and have a tea party on the ceiling. However, over all their adventures looms a threat. Their new nanny will only stay until the wind changes.

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Grades 4-7

Similar Titles: Secret of Platform 13, Enchanted Glass, Nurse Matilda

Personal Thoughts: The book is surprisingly popular. While the adventures are exciting, many of the more famous ones, such as the ceiling tea party, seem less intriguing than the zoo story. However, none of the adventures really cover the novel's major flaw.

None of the characters are likable. The parents serve a virtually non-existent roll. The children act as blank caricatures, with no real personality, growth, or development. Mary Poppins herself enjoys unexplained popularity with her charges and employers. She is shown as vain, aloof, and mean. Yet, the children are shattered when she leaves for reasons they never bother to explain. At the time of the novel, adventure could compensate for poor characters. However, in a world with Harry Potter, Coraline Jones, Baudelaire children, and Katniss Everdee, novels need to provide larger-than-life protagonists to match the tales.

Some side notes:

- The original novel had racist aspects during the compass adventure. Fortunately, Travers was able and willing to change the novel and eliminate the racism.
- Seven additional titles followed the first novel.
- Most people experience Mary Poppins through the Disney musical. The movie portrays the nanny as a much nicer, prettier, and appealing person, apparently to Travers' chagrin.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle

Lofting, Hugh. The Story of Doctor Dolittle. 1920.

Plot: Dr. Dolittle, despite his considerable skill as a physician, drives his human clients away with his eccentrics. Eventually driven to poverty, Polynesia, his pet parrot, recommends he study animal languages and become an animal doctor. Under the parrot's tutelage, he becomes a renowned veterinarian. However, the animals of Puddleby are not the only one who needs him. Monkeys in Africa are ill, and they (with the help of some migrating birds) ask the doctor to heal them. To help the monkeys and return home, Dr. Dolittle must voyage to Africa, avoid a vengeful king, escape pirates, and return a young boy to his uncle. Yet, the doctor's skills in linguistics provide a powerful tool throughout his adventures.

Genre: Fantasy, Animals

Reading Level: Grades 4-7

Similar Titles: Good Morning Gorillas, Lionboy

Personal Thoughts: While the book offers a whimsical story with solid details and fun subplots, it will never be accepted as an ideal book in the present age. The novel was written during the European colonization of Africa, and, unfortunately, the results of the setting show unpleasantly. Severe racist elements, particularly in regards to the African prince, seep into the novel. Even the revised version I read failed to erase the blatantly wrong point of view offered by the novel. Realistically, the title will not appeal to a modern audience. 

By contrast, some revisions of the novel's eleven sequels manage to eliminate the derogatory elements in the original much more effectively. Additionally, the titles inspired multiple films and musicals, with varying degrees of success.