Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny

Anything you can do, I can do too!

Himmelman, John. Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny. New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2014.

Plot: Isabel, also known as the Bunjitsu Bunny, is easily one of the best martial arts students. However, being skilled does not excuse her from learning. Like everyone else in her class, she has to deal with lessons, trials, bullies, and friends. Her skills and willingness to be taught, though, ensures she will endure and thrive.

Genre: Animals, Adventure, Everyday

Reading Level: Grades 0-4

Similar Titles: More Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny, Karate Katie

Personal Thoughts: The title is a Zen Shorts for older readers. It combines old tales with new trials and realistic responses. 

Fortunately, the Milk

I don't have a stego toy to go with the book. 

Maybe I should amend that.

Gaiman, Neil.  Fortunately, the Milk. New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2013.

Plot: A simple quest to get milk for his children's breakfast sends a father on an insane journey through time and space...apparently. While his children remain skeptical, the father relates his adventures with space aliens bent on redecorating the world and a benevolent stegosaurus scientist. In a desperate attempt to save the world from tacky knick-knacks and himself from pirates, volcanoes, and piranhas, the father skips through time, somehow always using the milk to fix the situation.

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Pi in the Sky, Cow of the Cowibbean

Personal Thoughts: Gaiman is perhaps best known for his horror or dramatic titles, such as Coraline and Odd and the Frost Giants. However, such titles often hint at his offbeat sense of humor. This title runs wild with his brand of comedy, displaying a playful, energetic side to the writer for the readers to enjoy.

Side Note: My father would definitely tell such a story to me and my siblings when we were kids.

Mal and Chad: Volume 1 - The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever!

Now in 3-D Action*

McCranie, Stephen. Mal and Chad: Volume I - The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever!. New York : Philomel Books, 2011.

Plot: Mal, a fourth-grade super-genius, refuses to reveal his intellect to anyone except his talking dog, Chad. While the two enjoy everyday adventures of trying dog food, going to school, and testing jetpacks, Mal still needs to take care of school business. His teacher wants him to write about what he wants to be when he grows up. With Chad in tow, Mal tries to be a scuba diver and a paleontologist. However, the time machine he uses to study dinosaurs goes awry, sending Chad's crush back in time. Mal needs to rescue her before the tear in the space-time continuum closes on them forever.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 2-6

Similar Titles: Copper, Casebook: The Bermuda Triangle

Personal Thoughts: A well-written, nicely illustrated book, the title manages to offer a balance between the extraordinary and everyday. Chad makes rockets, jetpacks, and time machines, but he still deals with bullies, homework, and chores. His responses to such challenges reveal his positive qualities. Often, misunderstood genius characters rely on their social awkwardness to appeal to their audiences. Chad plays the stereotype, but then he overcomes it. He uses his genius to make Mal's dog food taste better. Despite his intellect, Mal still respects his teacher. He observes his classmates without belittling them. However, his greatest virtue is his display of what growing up means.

Like a lot of tweens, he starts the "what will I do when I grow up" assignment by focusing on a career. By the end of the title, though, he concentrates on what kind of person he intends on becoming. This change hit a nerve. Like a lot of graduates, I tend to spend a lot of time working towards a particular job. One of the hardest things I have learned is to focus on who I will be, instead of what I will do. This is a great lesson to learn early on, and the title offers it in a meaningful and entertaining manner.

*Not really in 3-D action.

Bigfoot Boy: Into the Woods

...to Grandma's house we go!

Torres, J. Bigfoot Boy: Into the Woods. Toronto : Kids Can Press, 2012.

Plot: Rufus gets to spend some time away from the city and near the woods at his grandmother's house. He quickly discovers one of his neighbors does not tolerate intruders in her forest very well, though. Still, he offers to help pick up litter in the woods. After discovering a lot of trash, he also discovers a totem that has the power to turn him into a bigfoot. Others want this power, though, and will gladly threaten what Rufus cares about in order to get it.

Genre: Comics, Fantasy, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 1-5

Similar Titles: ChicagoLand Detective Agency, Hilda and the Midnight Giant

Personal Thoughts: The title acts as simple, well-paced comic with a means of introducing concepts such as totems to young audiences. A sequel has already been published, with another scheduled for later this year.

Lego: Legends of Chima

I am a little sad tonight, so I will watch my cartoons with my toy.

Lego: Legends of Chima presented by the Cartoon Network.

Plot: For centuries, the land of Chima enjoyed set order revolving around the power of Chi. To support and maintain the peace, various tribes of animals work together. When a series of mistakes, rebellions, and lies escalates to a war between the tribes, two former friends, Larval the lion and Cragger the crocodile, find themselves on opposite sides. The war may reveal larger problems within the land, some of which may lead to a reunification of the shattered peace.

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy

Reading Level: I think most of the episodes are rated TV-Y.

Similar Titles: Ninjago, Lego: Star Wars

Personal Thoughts: Lego has begun to make a name for itself in the animation world. While most of the animation is fairly simplistic (all of the characters have the same body structure with different "skins"), the plot contains really complicated concepts. True, the series dose occasionally indulge in groan-worthy, juvenile humor. However, it also focuses on difficult topics such as forgiveness, blame, responsibility, rivalry, and fairness. The result is a deceptively and pleasantly complicated cartoon.

Ultimate Spider-Man

I want to climb, too!

Ultimate Spider-Man produced by Disney.

Plot: After some disastrous attempts to act as a solo hero, Peter Parker accepts Nick Fury's offer to join S.H.I.E.L.D. and become the Ultimate Spider-Man. To reach this point, Spider-Man will work with a team fellow superheroes. He also must conquer super-powerful villains, unexpected conflicts, questionable allies, and family issues. Still, some things can only be gained through working together. Some of the harder aspects of teamwork will forever test the budding hero, though.

Genre: Cartoon, Animation, Adventure

Reading Level: I believe most episodes are rated TV-Y7.

Similar Titles: Avengers Assemble, Batman Brave and the Bold

Personal Thoughts. I...honestly hate the first season. A lot of the team and Fury's actions toward Spider-Man just seem so hostile and mean-spirited. The second season amends this greatly. While his allies still tease Parker mercilessly, they also regularly defend and support him. They act less like a plot device and more like a united cast.

The series itself balances the drama and comedic aspects of the original comics. Spider-Man constantly riffs and quips his foes, and a few members of his team gladly join him. Additionally, Spider-Man often slips into "imagine spots" highlighted by anime-influenced animation, adding further comedy and variation to the episodes' pacing. However, injuries, arrests, and losses still have realistic effects, particularly when they are caused by the heroes' short-sighted or rebellious actions. As a result, the cartoon enjoys seriousness and silliness in a comprehensive and entertaining manner.

 

Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventues of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew

 Sail on the Snailboat!

Vernon, Ursula. Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. Orlando : Harcourt, 2008.

Plot: Nurk, a young, recently orphaned shrew, accidentally opens a letter intended for his grandmother, a powerful fighter. After reading about her adventures, though, he decides to answer the request for help. Armed with his trusty Snailboat, sandwiches, and clean socks, Nurk seeks the sender of the letter. He eventually finds her clinging to a dead log. She needs help retrieving her brother, the Prince of the Dragonflies. Nurk must overcome doubts, fears, and giant caterpillars to rescue the prince and finish his adventures.

Genre: Animals, Fantasy, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 3-6

Similar Titles: Whales on Stilts!, The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)

Personal Thoughts: In some ways, Nurk reminds me of Coraline. Both are surprisingly funny, down-to-earth, and stuck in supernatural circumstances which they acknowledge ludicrously. However, while Coraline's adventures are disturbing and ominous, Nurk approaches his dangers with a dry sense of humor and honest assessment of his predicaments. As a result, the text contains a sympathetic, funny, but not terrifying adventure.

Dragonbreath

A dragon plush reading a dragon book

Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath. New York : Dial Books, 2009.

Plot: Danny Dragonbreath, the only dragon in a school for reptiles and amphibians, often dreams of adventures. Then he fulfills them. In the first of the series, Danny needs to finish a research project about the ocean. Rather than go to the library, takes his friend, Wendell the iguana, to the Sargasso Sea to visit his cousin, Edward the sea serpent. Edward cheerfully shows them a coral reef and a shipwreck. Unfortunately, they are not as prepared for the deep ocean as they think they are, particularly when the giant squid shows up.

Genre: Science, Fantasy, Adventure, Animals

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Nate the Great, The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures

Personal Thoughts: Much like Nate the Great and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the book combines comics and text to tell a story. Dragonbreath manages to stand out through its fantastic setting, real-world logic, and quirky humor. 

43 Old Cemetery Road: Hollywood Dead Ahead

Moving forward

Klise, Kate and Klise, Sarah. 43 Old Cemetery Road: Hollywood Dead Ahead. Boston : Harcourt Children's Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.

Plot: The fifth of the 43 Old Cemetery Road series begins with an important-looking letter from a famous Hollywood director. Pleased by the collaborative writings of the 43 Old Cemetery Road residents, the director plans to make a movie based on the series. Elderly Iggy remains skeptical, while Seymour, like any kid, wants to have a role in the film. Much to the surprise of both, Olive, the mansion's resident ghost, eagerly looks forward to her part in the movie. Hollywood does not prove to be nearly as inviting as expected. Initial thrills eventually fade to frustration, stress, and betrayal. Still, the family manages to escape the worst clause in the ordeal. Ivana Oscar, a famous actress, unwittingly promises to die during the film. The family and the actress must unite to stop the savage Hollywood executives.

Genre: Adventure, Humor

Reading Level: Grades 2-6

Similar Titles: My Haunted House, The Haunting of Granite Falls

Personal Thoughts: Creative narration saves the title from becoming a typical Hollywood story. While the pretext remains common, the characters manage to show enough individuality to benefit the tale, as well. A new title in the series is expected next year.

Lego Ninjago, Masters of Spinjitsu # 4: Tomb of the Fangpyre

Beware the t-shirt ninja dragon!

Farshtey, Greg. Lego Ninjago, Masters of Spinjitsu #4: Tomb of the Fangpyre. New York : Papercutz, 2012.

Plot: At the request of their sensei, the four ninja masters of Spinjitsu seek the legendary Serpent Stones. As expected, they face multiple trials in recovering the relics. The worst danger, however, may come from the truth of the stones themselves.

Genre: Comics, Adventure, Toys

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Lego Ninjago Encyclopedia, Indiana Jones Omnibus

Personal Thoughts: While this is not the first toy-based media I reviewed, it is the first to commit a simple, avoidable fault. It tells instead of shows. Comics have the unique opportunity to show action and story aspects beyond most texts. Unfortunately, this particular item frequently describes events instead of utilizing graphics. In all fairness, though, the story itself utilizes over-the-top creativity and contains an impressive plot twist. Still, a focus on action instead of "he says" moments could result in more effective storytelling.

Kensuke's Kingdom

Sprite refuses to let anyone see him cry

Morpurgo, Michael. Kensuke's Kingdom. New York : Scholastic Press, 2003.

Plot: Following his parents' layoffs from the brick factory, Michael's life dissolves into despair. His father, however, decides to make the family's loss into an opportunity. They will travel for a year by boat to discover the world beyond their English city. The first part of the trip goes well, but, one night, in a moment of carelessness, he finds himself and his dog washed overboard. Much to his surprise, he does not drown. Instead, he finds himself on an island...and at the mercy of its sole inhabitant. The island's hermit, Mr. Kensuke, a survivor of World War II, expresses a reluctance to rejoin humanity, due to the destruction of war. Still, he learns to enjoy Michael's presence, even if he cannot stay with the boy.

Genre: Adventure, Coming of Age, Survival

Reading Level: Grades 4-6

Similar Titles: The Cay,  The Swiss Family Robinson

Personal Thoughts: Most survivor stories have a bittersweet aspect. Kensuke's Kingdom injects the sorrowful tone into every plot point. The family fights depression and arguments, even as they find themselves needing to rely on each other. Michael's desire for rescue conflicts with his loyalty to Kensuke, while Kensuke's longing to find his son and wife clashes with his conviction of their death. As a result, a sad strain seeps through the entire novel. I mentioned previously, discussing somber topics in tween novels can be tricky, since tweens often view grief differently than adults. As such, some tweens may enjoy the adventure but be turned off by the sad aspects, particularly in the ending, when Kensuke can be viewed as more selfish than sympathetic. Recommend with caution.

The Phantom Tollbooth

Fantastic title (double-points for word play)

Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. New York : Random House, 1961.

Plot: Milo, bored with school, toys, learning, and life in general finds an unexpected package waiting for him. After assembling the gift into a cardboard tollbooth  with a guidebook and some coins for toll, he drives his toy car through it. He finds himself in a nonsensical world of words, math, senses, philosophies, and peril. The land is plagued due to the banishment of the good princesses Rhyme and Reason. Determined to save the land, Milo seeks to save the princesses with the help of the noble watchdog, Tock, and the reluctant know-it-all, Humbug. However, the rescue will require the assistance of every source of benevolent power in the kingdom.

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Growing Up, Humor

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Journey to the Blue Moon, The Wayfinder, Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarian

Personal Thoughts: After viewing this book in nearly every library in existence, I finally got the nerve to read the title. I discovered why it is found everywhere. The story itself contains a pleasant mix of creative characters, clever plot devices, and smart word plays. Also, the moral of the tale remains highly relevant over fifty years after its creation. While the current generation enjoys enormous amounts of information and entertainment, like Milo, it needs to learn the value of such opportunities. However, the plot manages to display the lesson without becoming a dull morality play. I may need to purchase this title.

The text inspired several plays, musicals, operas, and films.

Side Note: I wonder if current readers will compare the Terrible Trivium to Slenderman.

Transformers: Prime

 Optimus is the best

Transformers: Prime presented by Hasbro Studios.

Plot: Following eons of war, the heroic Autobots find themselves on a strange planet inhabited by complex organic life. The planet, Earth, is one of the strangest they have encountered, but they quickly find allies among the humans. Three children form a team with the Autobots to help them adjust to the new land. However, the Autobots did not arrive alone. The evil Decepticons, lead by the former gladiator Megatron, also discover the planet. Unlike the Autobots, they do not crave peace, but domination at all costs.

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Television Shows, Science Fiction

Reading Level: I believe the show is rated TV-Y7; watchers may need to be cautioned about violence. Due to the robotic nature of most fights, however, there is not a lot of gore.

Similar Titles: Green Lantern: The Animated Series; Batman: The Animated Series

Personal Thoughts: The show represents a growing trend among animated programs. While they continue to be made for children, they also appeal to adults through character development and complex stories. It also displays realistic results. Heroism requires sacrifices with effects that do not disappear in the next episode. For example, when a character dies or gets injured, they stay dead or traumatized. While this makes good storytelling, it can also be too intense for sensitive viewers. For fans of character and action-focused programs, though, the series can be rewarding.

Side Note: I like how the kids act like actual characters. Previous series tend to fall into the trap of keeping children as props or loads.

Harry's Mad

Outdoor reading

King-Smith, Dick. Harry's Mad. New York : Crown, 1984.

Plot: Ten-year-old Harry becomes the heir to his uncle's African gray parrot, Madison. Much to the boy's shock and delight, the parrot does not merely mimic speech, but understands it. The parrot and the boy quickly bond over conversations, checkers, and chess. Eventually, Harry's parents discover the bird's talents, which also include cooking, Monopoly, and crossword puzzles. The family enjoys the new pet, until a robber takes the amazing bird. Madison must find a way to rejoin his new family, which may grow through the process.

Genre: Animals, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Ace: The Very Important Pig, The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Personal Thoughts: Like many of King-Smith's stories, the text subtly combines the ordinary and extraordinary, resulting in a simple but fantastic tale. 

Side Note: If you were outside this morning and heard a loud yell, it may or may not have been due to the absolutely enormous spider I found on the chair after taking this photo.
 

Tintin: Red Rackham's Treasure

Where is it?

Herge. Tintin: Red Rackham's Treasure. Boston : Little, Brown and Co.,1974.

Plot: After escaping a vindictive foe, Tintin, Snowy, and Captain Haddock can finally seek Red Rackham's legendary treasure unhindered... until more trouble discovers them before they set sail.. The team dodges supposed heirs, questionable equipment, and ominous warnings. Their most persistent issue comes in the form of Professor Calculus, a technical genius who refuses to accept their refusal. Nevertheless, the team eventually discovers the sunken Unicorn. Yet, the treasure seems oddly absent. Following the discovery of a set of unexpected clues, TinTin may yet discover the legendary captain's true wealth.

Genre: Comics, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Tintin: The Blue Lotus, LEGO Ninjaro, Indiana Jones Adventures

Personal Thoughts: Despite showing its age, particularly in the depiction of minorities, the Tintin series remains one of the most popular comics in the world. The appeal is difficult to pinpoint, since the simple style of the comics, the adventure-driven mysteries, the unexpected humor, and the everyman hero mesh together excellently.

Recently, the first three Tintin books (including this one) provided the inspiration for a computer-animated movie in 2011. While the plot enjoyed high reviews, some viewers found the "realistic" Tintin animation uncanny.

Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang

Fleming, Ian. Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang. New York : Random House, 2003.

Plot: After making millions with through a musical candy invention, the Potter family decides to buy a special car. After looking throughout the town, they discover a broken-down green machine with a racing history. Through several months of work, the family makes the car into something truly remarkable. The car thinks for itself and can fly like an airplane or float like a boat. At the car's urging, the Potters travel to France for a holiday, but the discovery of a mobster's armory could put a damper on the trip.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang Rides Again, Mary Poppins

Personal Thoughts: The title manages to create a fantasy story with a frank view of childhood and adulthood silliness. Parents and children accept the magical world the of the green car with little problem, allowing the adventure to continue for the adventure's sake.

Some readers, like me, probably saw the movie produced by Disney before reading the book. As such, I feel obligated to warn potential readers that no child-hating barons, castles, pompous grandfathers, or benign heiresses exist in the text. Instead, the Potter family consists of a man, a woman, and twins who use their fantastic car to fight mobsters and save a French candy maker.

Ian Fleming is actually best known for his books about a member of the British Secret Service, famously known as Agent 007. 

The Buccaneers

Lawrence, Ian. The Buccaneers. New York : Delacorte Press, 2001.

Plot: After a series of adventures, John Spencer and the Dragon find themselves in the pirate-free Indies. Much to the crew's surprise, they discover a lone shipman rowing a worn boat in the middle of the Atlantic. The rescued sailor, known as Mr. Horn, works hard, but says little. A series of questionable events forces Spencer and the captain to confront Horn. The seaman to reveals he was castaway after his captain went rogue. Instead of obeying original orders, former naval leader Captain Grace pursues piracy and brutally punishes all perceived resistance. John must protect Mr. Horn while avoiding the murderous crew's intentions.

Genre: Adventure, Historical Fiction

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Treasure Island, The Smugglers

Personal Thoughts: While the book displays beautiful writing, it falls victim to its own set-up. Nautical terms cause readers to become lost in a series of naval jargon. Also, while the villain and heroes receive excellent backstories, the characters do not accomplish much during the actual story. For example, the story's climax takes less than one and a half pages. As a result, the text seems underwhelming.

The book is apparently the last in the High Seas trilogy.

How to Survive in Antarctica

Bledsoe, Lucy Jane. How to Survive in Antarctica. New York : Holiday House, 2006.

Plot: Journalist Lucy Jane Bledsoe managed to reach Antarctica through a grant for writers and artists. She fell in love with the wilderness, and visited several other times. The book offers a record of her trips, as well as stories and advice for survival. For example, she outlines how to create a polar-worthy emergency shelter, adjust cold-weather clothing, and avoid crevasses. She also offers more personal stories, such as a trip to an abandoned airplane and a visit to an active volcano. The text offers a realistic and exciting view of Antarctic culture, wildlife, history, and travel.

Genre: Adventure, Geography, Survival

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Life Under Ice, Polar Explorers for Kids

Personal Thoughts: The title offers a brief overview to modern polar travel. Photographs complement the text-heavy title, adding context and illustrations. Impressively, Bledsoe manages to address the adventurous aspects of travel without glossing over the need for respect, rules, and order at the Pole. The book is a useful read for tweens with a desire to understand current activity in the far south.

Side Note: Bledsoe did not mention the need for a soft, fluffy blanket, but Jerome likes it anyway. 

The Winter Pony

 
Lawrence, Iain. The Winter Pony. New York : Delacorte Press, 2011.

Plot: The first eight years of James Pigg, a Russian pony, were rough. Unfortunately, his future proves to be even more difficult. The pale stallion, with nineteen other ponies, embark on Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated voyage to the South Pole. Fighting old fears and new circumstances, the pony attempts to carry the equipment needed for the expedition to reach true south. However, ponies, dogs, and men fall to questionable decisions, limited rations, unexpected dangers, and terrible weather. James Pigg wishes to please the first people to show him kindness, but none of his efforts can conquer the fury of Antarctica.

Genre: Animals, Historical Fiction, Adventure

Reading Levels: Grades 4-8; keep in mind, this is a sad book. Please do not send me nasty letters if a reader cries while reviewing it.

Similar Titles: The Pole, Emma's River

Personal Thoughts: I really wanted to like the text. To Lawrence's credit, he avoids painting Scott as an idiot or Admundsen as a cad. He also avoids describing Scott as an insufferable hero. The author's views follow an extremely neutral view, which many texts aimed at adults fail to accomplish. However, the text also carries some unfortunate implications. The pony's early life is marked by fictionalized brutality. True, James Pigg was a worn horse at the time of the purchase, but painting every Russian and Mongolian as brutal while every Englishman displays knowledge and compassion carries some racist tones. Describing the dogs as wolf-like savages and the horses as saintly victims also seems necessary, particularly given the stubborn nature and complicated background of the equines. The tragic end of the pony abruptly shocks readers as well. Lawson writes the book expertly with a solid acknowledgment of the facts, but the fictional aspects of the novel paint an unrealistic view of the world facing Scott's ponies.

Side Note: I told you to stop, Jerome.

Dragon Rider

Funke, Cornelia Caroline. Dragon Rider. New York : Scholastic, 2004.

Plot: After centuries of security, the valley no longer provides a haven from human development. Firedrake, a young male dragon, sets off with Sorrel, a young brownie, to find the legendary Rim of Heaven, a sanctuary for dragons. They soon meet a young human, named Ben, who manages to assist them in their search. His presence, however, may not be as circumstantial as originally believed. Legends speak of a dragon rider whose coming signals the end of the evil Nettlebrand, a dragon hunter. The inevitable conflict between dragons and hunters draws near, but it may take more than dragon fire and human reason to conquer the killer.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Inkheart, Dealing with Dragons, Falcon's Egg, Children of the Lamp series

Personal Thoughts: The text expertly describes legendary creatures attempting to cope in a modern world. While the beginning annoyingly paints all humans as bringers of disaster, the book later focuses on the benign aspects of humanity. The plot also focuses on lesser-known creatures, such as brownies, djinn, and rocs, adding a dash of the exotic. Far-away locations, like the Sahara and Himalayas also enhance the adventurous aspects of the title. Humor balances the plot nicely, making the strange characters more relatable. Overall, the title is a lengthy but enjoyable read.