Monkey vs. Robot Reading Challenge update! If you’re just catching up, read the original post here. Monkey is in the lead this week. He had a great start with 609 pages read. Robot is behind with only 447 pages. There’s still a long way to go…and this robot knows for a fact the monkey will be busy next week! Here’s the standing so far.
ROBOT
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (152 pages)
This Newberry Medal winner is actually a middle reader book but I wanted to read it because Linda Sue Park (and Brian Selznick) is one of the guest speakers at this years Children’s Literature Hawaii Biennial Conference. The conference will be held this weekend, all day Friday and Saturday with Master workshops and sessions on creating, using and understanding children’s literature. The book is great story about an orphan boy in Korea who wants to be a master potter. It’s a nice lesson in hard work and persistence.
Princess Ka’iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People by Sharon Linnéa (220 pages)
I started reading this for a bit of research on a potential new project and was just so enthralled by Ka’iulani’s life that I kept reading and have even checked out other books that depict her life. This book by Sharon Linnea is a good introduction with an even focus on her early and later years.
Don’t Bet on the Prince: Contemporary Feminist Fairy Tales in North America and England edited by Jack Zipes (75 pages so far)
I love everything about fairytales and Jack Zipes never disappoints when it comes to story compilations and academic essays on the meanings and uses of fairy tales in society. This is a collection of modern feminist “fairy tales” by authors like Tanith Lee and Jane Yolen. Some of the stories still have a handsome Prince so it’s not all tough man-hating Princesses.
MONKEY
How To Steal A Dog by Barbara O’Connor (176 pages)
I have to admit that the reason this book caught my eye was the cute cover and catchy title. Who wouldn’t want to learn about a fun, whimsical story about dog-nappery? This book, however, brought to light an interesting situation for children—that of sudden homelessness. O’Connor does a good job with descriptive details, capturing the frustrating nuances one can imagine a child seeing experiencing such a situation. A tale of morality that challenges a child’s thought on whether there is any situation where doing something wrong can be justified.
Calvin Coconut: Dog Heaven by Graham Salisbury (160 pages)
Continuing with my canine theme, I picked up this children’s book by notable author Graham Salisbury who grew up in Hawai’i. As you can guess, Calvin’s story takes place in Hawai’i, with the characters attending the same elementary school that Salisbury did growing up. I believe this is the third book in the series, but my first read. It’s a fun little book, and I enjoyed the way Salisbury balanced the book so that it is accessible to a universal audience yet captures a lot of insider details about Hawaii. A fun and heart-warming story.
Ghostwritten by David Mitchell (257 pages so far)
I figured I’d read enough kid lit for this contest and wanted to tackle a book I had in my collection that I never got around to reading. It’s been sitting on the shelf next to Manhunt by James L. Swanson, one of my favorite books and both purchased from the same Amazon buying spree. I’m a little more than halfway through this book, which is split up into multiple narratives from around the world—each being linked together by (in some cases) the slightest of details. So far, it’s kept my interest and I hope to finish it in the next few days.
