Blogcritics

Book Review - Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giovanni

Gina Ruiz — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:59:29 EDT

A marvelous book and CD set.
Stories in Rhythm. Operatic vernacular. Poetry with a beat. Call and Response. One part story and one part rhythm. These are some of the terms the poet Nikki Giovanni uses to describe Hip Hop in her marvelous introduction to this astounding and beautiful book, Hip Hop Speaks to Children. Really? Opera? Read on, because Giovanni enlightens,...

Book Reviews: Little Scholastic Books by Various Authors

Gina Ruiz — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:38:35 EDT

Board books for the very young child provide entertainment, learning and help to promote a love of reading. Start them young!
My granddaughter Jasmine is starting to get more and more involved in my reviewing process. She loves books almost as much, if not more, than I do and her first words to me any time she comes over are, “Hi Grammy – any new books?” We usually spend a huge amount of our time together reading and finding new books.Like every...

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Book Review: My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Gina Ruiz — Sun, 8 Jul 2007 23:24:59 EDT

My Colors, My World is a celebration of color, the colors found in nature. Maya Christina Gonzalez modeled the girl in this story after herself and after a doll she had as a child. The result is a beautiful book with a big-eyed Latina girl filled with wonder for all the colors in her world. The story teaches children that no matter where they find themselves in the world, they can find beauty. Little girls will love this book - the shiny pink dust jacket just screams girl. Each page celebrates something – a hot pink desert sunset, a garden where purple and orange flowers grows, her red swing set, the black of her father’s hair and the beautiful green of the prickly and ubiquitous desert cactus. Maya Christina Gonzalez’ almost mural-like paintings of the desert and little Maya are rich, deep, uniquely Latino and colorful, bringing to mind Mexican masters like Rivera, Kahlo, Orozco and Siquieros but only just a bit. Gonzalez adds a whimsy they never had and brings life and fun to each page. There’s something so appealing and happy about her art. It makes you smile and keep smiling. The colors she uses bring sunshine and light and nature all to glorious life. Little Maya is a happy child and a dreamy one, which makes the book even more engaging. Her suns and moons remind me of those colorful ceramic happy face suns that my grandmother would hang about the house. The book is bilingual and sure to be a hit with ages 4-8, especially girls who love pink like my granddaughter does.

Gina MarySol Ruiz is a freelance writer, poet and book reviewer. Gina has maintained several blogs over the years. Gina is also a columnist with Blogcritics.org. She has also been a panelist for the Cybils awards two years running in the Graphic Novel category. She is a member in good standing of SCBWI - Los Angeles Chapter, Linkedin Journalists and Las Comadres Para Las Americas. You can find her on Foodbuzz, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Book Review: Raleigh's Page by Alan Armstrong

Gina Ruiz — Sun, 8 Jul 2007 23:15:42 EDT

Raleigh’s Page is the riveting story of Andrew, a young boy sent to be a page to his father’s old friend Walter Raleigh. Yeah, that Walter Raleigh - the one given to throwing his pearl studded cloaks on puddles for Queen Elizabeth of England to walk on. Pretty cool, no? I was always fascinated by that story but didn't really know much about him other than the usual middle school page in a history book. Andrew goes to live in Raleigh's estate along with two other boys who are already serving as pages to him. He is fascinated by all the newness but misses his family. One of the boys is cruel but the other is a good friend to him. Andrew, the farmer's son, makes a great friend in the French gardener and becomes his apprentice. Together they learn of strange plants from other lands and prepare for the New World. Raleigh himself is an interesting character in this book. I was fascinated by his excitement and verve. Walter Raleigh is a high energy, intelligent and purposeful man in this book. His way of teaching the children in his care is also fascinating. He plans secret trials that not only test the boys' writing, business acumen, and other abilities, but he tests the strength of their character, too. Interesting. Andrew, being a solid farm boy with good values and a strong character, shines in this story. He's a normal boy with hopes and dreams and fears, yet he consistently rises to any occasion, whether it be spying, carrying secret documents or venturing out to the New World. He meets the mysterious Dr. Dee, the Queen's own astrologer, among other characters that populate this book. Ah yes, Raleigh is planning a big trip to the colony of Virginia - the first expedition to Roanoke, and Andrew is determined to go along. The story gets even more interesting once Raleigh's ship actually gets to Virginia. Alan Armstrong writes a great tale full of intrigue, adventure, compassion and understanding. Raleigh's Page is one heck of a great read. The marvelous illustrations by Tim Jessell give depth to the story and a flavor for the time period in which it is set. One of my favorite illustrations is one of Walter Raleigh almost bursting with excitement.

Graphic Novel Review: Manga Shakespeare - Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare, Richard Appignanesi, Sonia Leong

Gina Ruiz — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 09:56:00 EDT

Manga Shakespeare. You hear the words and you think, Manga Shakespeare? Really? You’re not quite sure what to think. Then if you’re like me, you start thinking, well if it gets kids to read, why not?What a great surprise! The first Manga Shakespeare I opened up was Romeo and Juliet and the first pages were beautiful.“Present day Tokyo. Two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, fall in love. But their rival Yakuza families are at war.”The author’s introduce the characters of Shakespeare’s wonderful play in full color. Each character has one of their famous quotes introducing them like this one: Tybalt – nephew of Lady Capulet “As I hate hell, all Montague and thee.” Tybault is pictured looking over his tattooed back and hefting a large sword. The manga style artwork is beautiful and it conveys the story so well.I loved that the language of Shakespeare is intact. Sure the characters are speaking in bubbles but the language is still poetic and gorgeous. The authors have done a great job in blending pop culture and classic literature. It works! Manga Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet is sure to be a big hit.The idea of incorporating Shakespeare’s plays into the extremely popular manga genre was a smart one and to my mind, perfect for teenaged kids that may not be big readers. What a great way to get them reading the classics! I always struggle with getting non-readers to read but always seem to get a foot in the door if it’s something visual like a graphic novel. Once I hook them, they become readers for life.These Manga Shakespeare books will hook a whole new audience to Shakespeare. Wouldn’t they make great text books? Buy the books, bring them into the classroom. I’d lay odds that the reading level of that class would go up. The non-readers will stop and take notice because the art is so beautiful and modern. They’ll love the setting and the fact that the Capulets and Montagues are Yakuza. These books will grab their attention and sooner or later, they’re going to want to read the actual play.

Book Review Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything by Lenore Look

Gina Ruiz — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 09:35:25 EDT

In this utterly charming sequel to Ruby Lu, Brave and True, Ruby’s life gets really exciting. Ruby’s cousin Flying Duck has just arrived from China with her parents and not only is Ruby’s family speaking Chinese in the home for the benefit of the new immigrants, but Flying Duck is deaf and Ruby is learning Chinese Sign Language. Ruby achieves her dream of becoming a Smile Buddy in her second grade class room and she gets to take Flying Duck around and help her with her homework.There are challenges too. Ruby’s not learning Chinese Sign Language as fast as she’d like. The language in the house has switched from English to Chinese and everyone uses chopsticks all the time now. Ruby’s sometimes best friend Emma is angry with her and then there’s the challenge of the summer swimming pool and swimming lessons.The book is peppy, fast-paced, upbeat and fun. No special allowances are made for Flying Duck because she’s deaf. It’s just dealt with in a matter of fact and casual way. One of Ruby’s duties in school is to inform people that being deaf isn’t a handicap, Flying Duck is completely normal – she just can’t hear. Ruby Lu also gets to join Flying Duck in summer school where she can now learn ASL or American Sign Language right along with her cousin. The story deals with big time issues of immigration, families living together, unemployment, language barriers and acclimation to a new culture and country with a happy and normal tone. I loved it.The fun little illustrations scattered throughout the book’s pages are equally fun and wonderful. They give a great sense of Ruby and her friend’s life. Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything is highly recommended for children just beginning chapter books.

Book Review: A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

Gina Ruiz — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:15:06 EDT

The author and illustrator of the gorgeous An Egg is Quiet join together once again to create an astounding illustrated introduction to the life of a seed. Award-winning artist Sylvia Long’s amazingly detailed watercolors showcase many different types of seeds. The pages are slightly reminiscent of Victorian botanical drawings but these are so much richer in color, depth and scope. Each painting is something special, a treasure to be enjoyed for many years. The succinct and poetic text is just enough information for a very small child and enough of a nip to send an older one (or adult) running to the library to find out more. I love books like that, ones that get you fired up about something you’d otherwise not have an interest in. Now I’m excited about seeds!The text is poetic too.“A Seed is InventiveTo find a spot to grow,A seed might leap from its pod,[violet]or cling to achild's shoestring,[cocklebur]or tumble througha bear's belly.[Red huckleberry]A seed hopes to land wherethere is plenty ofsunlight, soil, and water.”How about this wonderful phrase?“Some have lain dormant, or slept undisturbed, for more than a thousand years...”Makes me just say "oooooh."I can’t say enough about this wonderful book except to say that I dearly hope this fantastic duo does another book. A Seed is Sleepy is a perfect gift for anyone of any age. Even non-book lovers will love this book for its glorious color and appreciation of nature.If you visit Chronicle Books website, there are posters to print out as well as writer's and artist's notes about their work.

Book Review: An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston

Gina Ruiz — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:22:23 EDT

An Egg is Quiet is a glorious feast for the eyes. The book is an illustrated introduction to eggs of amazing diversity. The simple and poetic text just adds a quiet drama to the whole book: “An egg is quiet It sits there, under its mother's feathers... On top of its father's feet ...Warm. Cozy."The book displays eggs in all their glory, with different textures, colors and themes. There are lacewing eggs, salmon roe, ostrich eggs, etc. Each is gorgeously painted in rich, layered watercolors of such depth and color that they seem to be real. You can almost feel the depth of texture. The endpapers of the book are pale blue and speckled, giving the feel of an eggshell. The attention to detail is simply amazing. What a labor of love this must have been!The book talks about the shapes of eggs – the tubular eggs of the Dogfish Shark or round like a sea turtle’s. It talks about size – the mammoth eggs of the ostrich. It goes on to discuss egg embryos, egg habitats, etc.The colors! Oh, the colors used are wonderful! Pale blues, mottled greens, light browns, oranges that ache with their beauty, butter yellows, stunningly simple brown ink text that adds to the lushness of the colors used in the gallery of jewels called eggs. What a lovely way to teach children (and adults) about nature and its diversity. An Egg is Quiet is instructional, arty and simply beautiful. An absolute must for any library and a book that is sure to be pored over lovingly for years to come. A masterpiece!Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Gina Ruiz — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:27:30 EDT

When orphaned and lonely Reynie Muldoon answers a recruitment ad for "gifted children looking for special opportunities," he finds himself smack dab in the midst of a highly secretive and dangerous adventure. He is given a series of challenging tests and puzzles to complete until he finally passes them all and meets Mr. Benedict. Reynie and three other children are chosen by the mysterious Mr. Benedict -- a kind old man who wears a bright green suit and given to fits of narcolepsy -- to penetrate The Institute, an isolated school for orphans run by the evil Mr. Curtain.The other children, tiny Constance Contraire, George “Sticky” Washington, and Kate Weatherhill, quickly form a friendship and bravely choose to help Mr. Benedict, who believes that Mr. Curtain is planning something very dangerous and evil which is tied to something called The Emergency. He lets the children know that subliminal messages are being sent through the televisions and that only they can help stop it.The four children journey to the school and learn that each of them has his or her own strength. Constance has her stubbornness; Kate, her athleticism and seemingly magical bucket full of stuff; Sticky, his incredible photographic memory and knowledge; and Reynie his leadership ability and heart. Working together they discover not only the nefarious plot to take over the world but also learn about themselves and what really is important.The Mysterious Benedict Society tackles issues of loneliness, abandonment, family, loyalty and truth. It has underlying messages about the dubious power of media and the value of education, honesty, courage, and strength of character. It’s the story of orphans facing up to strong issues, a criminal mastermind and their own self doubt. The book brings to mind those wonderful Blue Bailliet books or Roald Dahl. Author Trenton Lee Stewart supplies plenty of intricate plot twists and intelligent dialogue. While it is a long story (485 pages), it doesn’t feel long as the writing and storytelling keep the reader engaged until the very end. Both boys and girls will love this story. I hope there’s a sequel. This one is a keeper.

Book Review: A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd

Gina Ruiz — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:33:14 EDT

A Swift Pure Cry is the poignant and heart-wrenching tale of Shell, a 15-year old girl growing up in Ireland. Her mother has died and Shell bears the responsibility of raising her siblings and trying to handle her drunken and obsessively religious father. They live on money he skims off of donations for the Church. Shell attempts to go to the church for support and is seen with a new, young priest. Shell is so out of touch with no mother, that it takes a girlfriend to tell her she needs a bra and then they set off to steal one. That scene broke my heart.Her best friend is angry with her for no apparent reason and her only joy seems to come from her moments with her boyfriend, Declan, in a barley field. Shell becomes pregnant and, armed only with a stolen library book, she struggles to understand what to expect from her pregnancy while hiding it from her father and the village. Meanwhile, Declan (not the nicest guy in the world) has taken off for America and Shell’s friend has left town.Shell’s courage and strength shine throughout A Swift Pure Cry as she struggles to live with her mother’s death, take care of her siblings, and get through her pregnancy. She loves her baby and it seems to be a bright spot in the usual drudgery and hopelessness of her days. Eventually, her siblings catch on and become equally involved in her pregnancy, all the while hiding it from the alcoholic father.In an emotional and graphic scene, Shell gives birth to a stillborn baby girl. Another dead baby is found in a cave and the authorities take Shell in, thinking it was her baby. Gossip starts in the small village and the new priest is thought to be the father.Author Siobhan Dowd’s lyrical prose and sensitivity to her subject makes this gut-wrenching book a fine read. She gives the reader a sense of Ireland, the life in Shell’s village and most of all, the inner turmoil and hopes and dreams of this girl. A Swift Pure Cry is one of my favorite books so far in 2007 and is highly recommended.