"I am poetry, surrounding the dreamer"

If you like to dream and wonder and ponder, I imagine you would enjoy The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan.  This is a fictionalized account of the childhood of Neftali, the boy who became Pablo Neruda, a popular poet who lived in Chile.  As a child, Neftali loves words and books,  and he treasures his collections of objects from nature, such as twigs and shells. Unfortunately, his domineering father makes his life miserable, but Uncle Orlando, a newspaper writer who recognizes the boy's sensitivity and writing talents, sympathizes and takes Neftali under his wing.  The lyrical expression of Neftali's emotions - the utter joy at finding the perfect place to read, the haunting sadness of his father's disrespect - are accompanied by the beautiful illustrations of Peter Sís.  A book to read slowly and savor.

Take the plunge

I kept thinking of the word "enchanting" while I devoured The Mermaid's Mirror by L. K. Madigan.  Lena is fifteen and lives on the California coast.  Even though she's a great swimmer, her father won't let her take surfing lessons because of an accident he had years ago.  However, after she thinks she sees a mermaid, she takes lessons on the sly and eventually learns an incredible secret about her past.  The author does such a great job with realistic thoughts, actions, and dialogue, that it's easy for the reader to go along with the idea that Lena learns she's half-mermaid and gets to take an amazing journey to their undersea world.  Will she stay, or will she return to her family and friends on land?  A wonderfully believable and mesmerizing story.

Telling the truth or stretching it?

Reviews of Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon use words like "gentle," "brilliance," and "intriguing."  I have to agree.  This is a fictionalized account of one autumn in the childhood of author Zora Neale Hurston, and it's told in the first person by her best friend, Carrie.  Set in Eatonville, Florida, at the turn of the century, Zora is known for her fantastic storytelling talents.  When a murder occurs, she's convinced the suspect is Mr. Pendir, a reclusive neighbor who shape-shifted into a "gator man."  As Zora and Carrie slowly discover they truth, they also learn about secrets, family, and racial relations.  A terrific book for discussion, it's the only project endorsed by the Zora Neale Hurston Trust that wasn't written by Hurston herself.  

Brain cramp

Okay, I kept thinking, "Um....what?" as I read Brain Camp, a graphic novel by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan.  Definitely different.  Underachievers Lucas and Jenna are sent to Camp Fielding, which claims to "prepare any child for the SATs and beyond."  It doesn't take long for them to discover a lot of weird stuff is going on, such as campers disappearing, counselors coming into the cabins at night with hypodermic needles, and kids acting like zombies.  Lucas and Jenna, besides starting to fall for each other, find out the truth (it involves a giant alien bird!), but can they get help before they get transformed themselves?  While the illustrations are appropriate for older middle schoolers, some are not for the squeamish. The pace of the story felt jumpy and rushed to me, but I know an eighth-grader who read this and really liked it.  If you're into graphic novels, check it out.

2011 Newbery winner

And the winner is...Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. It's 1936, and Abilene is twelve years old.  For reasons she doesn't understand, her father has sent her to Manifest, Kansas, to live with his friend Shady - once a bootlegger and now a pastor. Through stories told by Miss Sadie (a diviner) and old newspaper clippings, Abilene starts to put together the pieces of Manifest's past, but she can't figure out why it's so hard to learn about her father's life there.  The imagery, characters, and dialogue seem very authentic for the time period, and they pull the reader along while Abilene uncovers many of the community's secrets.  I was a bit disappointed, though. I figured a Newbery winner would really impress me, and I was just left with an "okay" impression.  But if you like historical fiction and/or strong female characters, give the book a try!