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CHILDREN'S BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY KATHLEEN ODEAN
picture books | novels
| poetry and non-fiction
Indigo's Star by Hilary McKay. Ages
10-14.
If you don't know Hilary McKay's books, and you like books that
are funny and warm-hearted, it's time to start reading her. Since
Indigo's Star is a sequel to Saffy's Angel, you might want to read
that first, although it's not absolutely necessary. Both are about
an eccentric British family in which all the children are named
after paint colors, since both parents are painters. The father's
usually gone and the mother's out in the shed painting, so it's
a household run by teenagers and children, and their friends --
people you wish you knew in person. In this book, Indigo is being
bullied by kids at school but when he joins forces with a boy visiting
from the U.S., life gets much better for both of them. I laughed
out loud more than once reading this. Also try The Exiles and Dog
Friday by McKay, both laugh-outloud funny, too.
Runaway Radish by Jessie Haas. Illustrated by Margot Apple.
Ages 6-9
“When Radish was a round, red, bouncy young pony, his little
girl’s name was Judy,” begins this novel for readers new
to chapter books. Radish teaches Judy how to ride and to treat a
horse well. The strong-minded pony and equally strong-minded girl
don’t always agree, but they come to appreciate each other.
Then Judy grows too tall for Radish, and he starts over with a girl
named Nina. When Nina outgrows him, Radish ends up at a riding camp
where he enjoys breaking in more new riders. The old-fashioned pencil
drawings on nearly every page extend the human and equine personalities.
Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath. Ages
9-13
In the spirit of Pippi Longstocking, eleven-year-old Primrose Squarp
relates the events in her life after her parents are lost at sea.
Certain that they will return, Primrose endures her new living situations
with dry wit as she moves from the care of one eccentric adult to
another. She finds refuge at The Girl on the Red Swing, a restaurant
in her small Canadian town where everything is served on a waffle,
and collects recipes, given at the end of each chapter. Children
will enjoy the breezy recipes, abundant humor, and the fact that
Primrose seems wiser than the adults around her.
Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli. Ages
11-14
Sixteenth-century Venice springs vividly to life in this entrancing
historical novel. Filled with fascinating details, the story follows
the fate of fourteen-year-old Donata, who expects to be sent to
a convent, since traditionally only one daughter in a noble family
marries. Rebelling at the restrictions that surround her, Donata
seeks adventure and education, and finds them, along with romance
and greater understanding of her world. Napoli takes on a lot, writing
about commerce, Judaism, and a host of other issues, but the strength
of the plot and characters ties it all together into an outstanding
novel.
When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park. Ages
12-15
As she did so effectively in her Newbery Award winner, A Single Shard,
Linda Sue Park makes Korean history emotionally compelling in this excellent
novel. Chapters alternate between Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul,
as Korea suffers under harsh Japanese rule during World War II. They are
forced to give up their Korean names and many of their possessions, spend
their school days bombarded by propaganda, and lose contact with their
beloved uncle, a resistance fighter. In a startling climax, Tae-yul makes
a patriotic decision that could change the family forever. An informative,
gripping read.
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© 2008, Kathleen Odean, all rights reserved.
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