Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

2010/40pgs.

About the Book: Little chicken won't go to bed without her bedtime story, but she keeps inerrupting.

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: This is a cute little story, but I had a couple of problems with it. Interrupting Chicken was a Caldecott Honor Book this year so I think I was expecting some amazing artwork. And while the illustrations are good, they didn't really stand out to me and say "yes, this is a Caldecott Honor!" I did like the varying illustrations to alternate between little chicken and her father and the storybooks they're reading. And the author/illusrator does a good job of expressing emotions in Papa chicken's eyes showing how tiring little red chicken is. I think anyone who has had exprience with precocious preschoolers will appreciate that minor detail. I liked the artwork, I just think I was expecting a bit more.

My other problem with the book is probably me just getting on my librarian soapbox. I'm not even sure if the average reader would notice. But when Papa chicken tells a story, little red chicken likes to interupt (hence the name of the book) and tell her own ending to the story. It's pretty funny and cute, yet Papa chicken seems to be very bothered by this. At one point he tells little chicken "don't get so involved." NO! Isn't that what we want kids to do? Get involved with the story and get them excited about books and stories? I mean, one of the goals of ECRR is narrative skills which is all about kids re-tell stories as well as tell their own stories. So maybe I read too much into it, but that part really bugged me. And OK, maybe it can bring on a discussion with kids about how they can write their own stories. But really, Papa chicken needs to head to a library storytime or something!

It's a cute, funny, quirky book and I think parents will have fun reading it with their kids and I know the kids will laugh and think it's hilarious and love it. Maybe I just need to let go of the librarian mindset sometimes when it comes to reading.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen Illustrated by Dan Hanna

2008/32pgs.

About the Book: A pouty fish won't share a smile, but another fish helps him see that pouting isn't his destiny.

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: The Pout-Pout Fish won the Building Block Award this year which is why I picked it up. Overall the book was pretty meh for me. It's an OK story and I see the kid appeal and it can work great as a read aloud. But it's not one that I enjoyed as an adult. The sparkly fish that helps Mr. Fish change his mind comes out of nowhere. Maybe I would have liked it better if Mr. Fish had learned a lesson and that's what made him happy-like it feels good to laugh and he doesn't need to be so pouty or something like that, instead of a sparkly random girly fish making him change his mind.

Gin Tama: Volume 1: No One With Wavy Hair Can Be That Bad

by Hideaki Sorachi

200 p.

Aliens have invaded Japan and have taken over. Samurais have been outlawed and theirs swords banned. So what's an unemployed, former samurai to do? Whatever he can to make money. That's exactly what Gintoki "Odd Jobs Gin" Sakata intends to do. In this volume, Gin meets a new sidekick in Shinpachi Shimura, a poor lad struggling to help his sister pay off a massive debt inherited from their father. Later Shinpachi and Gin meet an alien girl who is super strong, super hungry, and doesn't speak Japanese very well. I've got to say that this is one hilarious manga as the jokes and prat-falls keep coming.

Beastly

by Alex Flinn, 304 pages

Sophomore Kyle Kingsbury is popular, rich, and more handsome than any boy has a right to be, with an influential father and a hot girlfriend, to boot. He's also a great big jerk. When he goes too far tormenting an unpopular, and strangely unfamiliar, classmate at his prestigious private school, he finds out the hard way that things (and people) are not always what they appear to be--including himself. With his outside now magically matching his less-than-beautiful inside, Kyle finds himself abandoned by his "friends", girlfriend, and even his own appearances-obsessed father. After years of not caring about what's beneath the surface, can he learn to appreciate true beauty and earn his way back into humanity before it's too late and he's stuck in a beastly body forever?

This modern retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" tale was enthusiastically recommended by a teen patron and I can see why she liked it. I enjoyed seeing things from Kyle's point of view (especially as fairy tales are so often told from the female perspective) and watching his attitude and perceptions of others and himself change over time. The author also uses the device of inserting brief chat room logs from an online support group Kyle joins in his search for a.) peer advice and b.) a girlfriend. While not really necessary to the story, these snippets provide humor, further evidence of just how much Kyle doesn't "get it" yet, and proof that he's not the only one out there to have had an unfortunate run-in with a witch. The wrap-up at the end is a little too pretty and cheesy, but not enough to spoil the success of the whole.

Recommended for slightly older teens who like their romance not too angsty and with a side of magic.

Beastly was also a 2009-2010 Gateway nominee.

Superman: Earth One

by J. Michael Straczynski, writer; Shane Davis, pencils; Sandra Hope, inks; Barbara Ciardo, colors; Rob Leigh, letters. unpaged.

This is yet another retelling of Superman's origin. But this is a good retelling. In this version of Superman's origin, Clark Kent is a 21 year-old who is unsure of himself and his future. He leaves Smallville to begin his new life in Metropolis. He finds that he can do just about anything, but he doesn't really find himself until the world is threatened by an alien fleet led by an alien named Tyrell. This story of a younger, hipper, edgier Superman is definitely one for the next generation.

CLAMP School Detectives: Volume 2

by CLAMP, 202 pages

Nokoru has a photographic memory when it comes to females and has a better chance of remembering the fragrance of a fan letter than he does remembering where he put an important document he's supposed to sign (the likes of which often end up in the trashcan unread). Suoh is the responsible one, perpetually frustrated with and picking up after his senior. And Akira's the kind, diplomatic innocent with cooking skills that make professional chefs eat their hats. Together, they administer all the academic and social functions of the elementary division at their private school. But when a "ghost" has the girls in the art club running away screaming, board work is forgotten and the CLAMP School Detectives are on the job.

The snarky, tweeny fluff continues.

CLAMP School Detectives: Volume 1

by CLAMP, 203 pages

Nokoru Imonoyama, Suoh Takamura, and Akira Ijyuin are the Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer of the CLAMP School Elementary Division Board. They're the elite of the elite at their private school, a planned community in the Tokyo area which covers education from kindergarten to graduate school. They're so smart, and Nokoru's so adverse to work, that they spend most of their time outside the classroom.

When Nokoru spots an elderly woman crying in Tokyo Tower (the boys were flying by in a rented blimp, scouting out locations for a school party), he decides to ignore his chairman responsibilities and help her instead. The success of this endeavor gives him the idea to form the CLAMP School Detectives, whose mission is to help damsels in distress everywhere (and give him an excuse to avoid paperwork while still challenging his intellect).

This is silly and completely fluffy. It's also a little wordy for younger kids, but tweens might enjoy the detail and cultural notes included in each volume (the lead trio are in 6th, 5th, and 4th grade, respectively). Visually, it's a little dated (early nineties, which means shoulder pads, big hair, and big eyes--hee hee!), but still well-done. If you're a CLAMP fan, it's fun to see some of their earlier artwork. Since I've gotten completely sucked into Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, I've decided I want to read as much of their work as I can so I'll have a better appreciation for the "CLAMP universe" and get more out of all the crossovers they're so fond of.