The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

A number of people receive invitations to move into a new apartment building with low rent and wonderful amenities—even a doorman. There is commercial space for those who would like to open a business, and some do.  Some of the apartments have a view of the old Westing house, a largely deserted mansion where wealthy businessman Samuel Westing used to live before he moved away.

One day, some of the tenants see smoke from the chimney.

The next thing they know, sixteen of the tenants are called to a lawyer’s office for the reading of Samuel Westing’s will.  They have been named his heirs, but only one will get the bulk of the fortune—the one who solves the puzzle.  They are divided up into seemingly very mis-matched pairs and each pair gets an envelope with some words.  Each team is given $10,000.

Now it’s up to them to figure out the mystery.

The Westing Game is a children’s book written in 1978.  I’d heard good things about it for years, but had never gotten around to reading it until the Book Bingo prompt: read a book for children or young adults.  I wasn’t sure what to expect; in the very first chapters when I figured out a clue very early, I was disappointed and lowered my expectations.

I needn't have. What followed turned out to be one of the most engaging books I’d read in a while.  It brims with interesting characters, and while I’ll admit I was a little confused at times but I ended up absolutely loving this book.  Characters I didn’t think I liked at all turned out to be people I admired; some weren’t who I thought they were; and some characters who seemed to have little to offer were ones who touched me most.

I really liked the diversity of the characters; I expected children in a children’s book, but the characters were mostly adults and teens. People were also from different socio-economic statuses and backgrounds:  students, professional people, business owners, and retired people. One of the main characters is Turtle Wexler, a young girl who lives in the shadow of her beautiful older sister Angela. Turtle has a habit of kicking people in the shins when annoyed, and Turtle is annoyed a lot.  Theo, son of a coffee shop owner, is a frequent target, but track star Douglas Hoo comes in for his share. Turtle is paired with Flora, a sweet older woman who is a dressmaker. Dignified Judge J.J. Ford’s partner is the cheerful and somewhat excitable doorman, Sandy McSouthers. Social climber and aspiring interior decorator Grace, Turtle’s mother, is paired with James Shin Hoo, Douglas’ father, who is a frustrated restaurant owner and inventor.  And so on.

In between playing the game, various other mysteries arise and I fully admit I was taken by surprise.  The biggest surprise of all was how much I loved this book.

Jane on Her Own: A Catwings Tale by Ursula K. Le Guin, illustrations by S.D. Schindler

 

Reviewed by Kristin 

Book Bingo can make all of us here at the library read outside of our usual fare. I have a square for “…with an animal on the cover” and I was charmed by the juvenile fiction book featuring Jane, a flying cat. 

Jane lives on Overhill Farm with her siblings, all of whom have wings. Big sister Thelma doesn’t know why they have wings. Their mother didn’t have wings, but she still lives back in the city. One day, Jane flies up, up, up, and goes out on her own for some adventures. 

This small chapter book has delightful illustrations. Jane is solid black with yellow eyes, and of course, wings. After a brief brush with fame (and captivity) Jane’s “Homing Instinct” takes her back to reunite with family. 

Of course, there is a happy ending. If there wasn’t, it would have scared this cat lover off before the end of the book. 

Catwings Tales include: 

   Catwings (1988) 

   Catwings Return (1989) 

   Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings (1994) 

   Jane On Her Own (1992) 

   Tales of the Catwings (1996) 

   More Tales of the Catwings (2000) 

   Cat Dreams (2009) 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

With the release of the new movie, I decided it was time to re-read this children’s classic tale of “the worst kids in the world”—aka the Herdmans. 

Although it’s only 80 pages, Robinson packs a lot into those pages.  Told from the wide-eyed perspective of schoolgirl Beth, we are introduced to the six Herdman children who Beth says are the worst kids in the world.  She then proceeds to list some of things the Herdmans do:  they cuss teachers, steal other kids’ lunches, set fires, and smoke cigars, even the girls.

Yep, those Herdmans are a handful. The one place they haven’t been trouble is in Sunday School, but that’s just because they don’t attend.  In fact, Beth’s brother Charlie lists “No Herdmans” as his favorite thing about Sunday School, which was not really the answer the teacher was looking for, even though it is true.

That’s about to change, and ironically it’s Charlie who causes it by bragging that he doesn’t need his dessert because he gets all the dessert he wants at church: pie, cake, cookies….

The Herdmans are intrigued.  So much so that they turn up for Sunday School just as Beth’s mother is trying to put together the annual Christmas pageant—and the Herdmans take all the roles, even though they have never heard the story of the Nativity.

Will the Wise Men and Joseph get in a fight? Will Mary hit someone with Baby Jesus?  Will the Angel of the Lord whack the Shepherds with her halo?  It seems as if everyone in town can hardly wait to find out.

I had fond memories of this book and I’m happy to say that I found this book just as charming the second time around.  Even better, I discovered there are two sequels:  The Best Halloween Ever (only the Herdmans could get Halloween cancelled) and The Best School Year Ever.

Note:  This is actually the second time this book has been filmed.  It was also done as a TV movie with Loretta Swit and the library does own a DVD of that version.  Both films are very good, but there's nothing like a book.  

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez by Adrianna Cuevas

Reviewed by Abby

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez follows titular character Nestor as he tries to adjust to a new school and new surroundings. He and his mother have just moved to the home of his abuela (grandmother) in Texas while his father is on military deployment.  Nestor is upset about the move in part because he believes he won’t be in Texas long before his family is uprooted and forced to move again. If this wasn’t enough of a problem, Nestor has a secret: he can talk to animals.

Nestor still tries to enjoy himself at his new school and makes friends with classmates Talib and Maria Carmen. They tell him how there have been several cases of missing animals throughout town. With his ability to talk to animals, Nestor hears rumors from the woodland creatures about a witch who can shapeshift. Nestor feels obligated to take action and find the witch before more animals are taken or harmed. Even worse, Nestor’s abuela has been accused of stealing the animals by witnesses who claim to have seen her running around the forest at night. 

The witch, known as the tule vieja to Nestor and his abuela, is a mighty, mystical force to be reckoned with. Nestor is unsure if he can stop her on his own. With his friends as backup, Nestor attempts to learn as much as he can about the tule vieja before pursuing her. He learns that she can obtain the power of an animal by biting it during a solar eclipse. Unfortunately for him, the date of the next eclipse is quickly approaching. Nestor has to muster up as much courage as he can to battle the tule vieja to clear his abuela and to save the animals. But will it be enough?

 (Fun fact: the tule vieja, also spelled as tulivieja, in this novel is loosely based on a Central American folktale about a woman who was punished and transformed into a monster after she killed her baby.)

I typically do not read children’s or middle grade books as pleasure reads. I was introduced to this novel as a reading assignment for one of my college classes, so I decided to check it out from the library. I am grateful for the introduction. This book was quite entertaining! I had no clue what to expect at first. All I knew was that The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez was about a boy who could talk to animals. I assumed the story was aimed more towards juvenile audiences, so I did not have high expectations of relating to the plot, but I ended up really enjoying it!

I am a big fan of multicultural literature and will always advocate for others to read it when the opportunity arises. This novel is a prime example of how diverse authors are able to effortlessly include their culture into their writing. Cuevas does this in several ways: when Nestor and his abuela occasionally speak in Spanish, when his abuela makes Cuban inspired recipes for her family, and the inclusion of the Panamanian folklore of the tule vieja. This book appears lighthearted from the cover alone, but does touch on more mature topics that can easily attract the attention of older audiences. It is certainly a unique story with its combination of realistic and magical elements. I would highly recommend it!  

 

It’s Bristol Baby! by Shirley Vernick, Art by Paige Garrison

Reviewed by Kristin

The bookblog usually focuses on adult books, but we think many will enjoy this lovely new children’s book!

The phrase “It’s Bristol Baby” has a whole new meaning these days. It’s more than racing; it’s a project meant to inspire parents to read with and be engaged with their children. Twin City Reads is an organization focusing on improving literacy and student success in our community. Partnering with several community agencies, Twin City Reads aims to provide tools to parents and children to create a brighter future. As a simple first step, a new board book called It’s Bristol Baby will be provided to every child born at the Bristol Regional Medical Center.

Bristol is a twin city community right on the border of Virginia and Tennessee, and this vibrant board book shows babies and toddlers zooming all over town. With a refrain of “From Virginia back to Tennessee…” babies are playing, reading, picnicking, dancing, sledding, and showing that Bristol is truly a good place to live. The colorful pictures show children and parents having fun together at well-known locations around town such as The Bristol Motor Speedway, The Paramount Theatre, Cumberland Park, The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and of course The Bristol Public Library.

At the end of the book are some reading tips for parents to engage their children. Looking at the details of the book adds much depth, as children can identify colors, count people, and discuss their favorite seasons and activities with adults. The level of detail included makes the reader feel as if they were walking the streets of Bristol. Even the background city views on the front and back covers have identifiable landmarks, lending an air of authenticity to this simple book.

The Caterpillar Crawl makes an appearance here too, with a tiny caterpillar gracing each page until the end, when, you guessed it, a butterfly emerges. Check out a video preview of It’s Bristol Baby at www.bristolbaby.org with the original song “Bristol Baby Bounce” written by Kris Truelsen and performed by local favorites Bill and the Belles. We’re still tapping our toes, and are willing to bet that you will be too.

It’s Bristol Baby is available for purchase at the Bristol Public Library Gift Shop and these other locations:

·         Bristol Chamber of Commerce

·         Birthplace of Country Music Museum Store

·         Believe in Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway Gift Shop

United Way of Bristol