Cluck Cluck Capers

Big changes bring big challenges.  These challenges can come in the form of living conditions, environment, financial status, loss of friends or family dynamics.  Leaving what is known to venture into the unknown takes a special kind of savvy.

Fitting in as the new person in a small community, regardless of your outlook, is dependent on the personalities of those established residents.  Unusual Chickens For The Exceptional Poultry Farmer (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, May 12, 2015) written by Kelly Jones with illustrations by Katie Kath is a remarkable exploration of a twelve-year old girl's new life.  Told through a series of letters, this story will resonate with readers regardless of their age.



Blackbird Farm
                                                     June 2, 2014
Mr. or Ms. Catalog People
Redwood Farm Supply
Gravenstein, CA 95472

Dear People Who Send Catalogs to People on Farms,
My great-uncle Jim had your flyer in his barn.  I can't ask him about it, because he died a couple of months ago.  But we live on his farm now, and if I have to live on a farm, I think it ought to be an interesting one, with chickens and ducks and maybe some peacocks or something.  Right now, we don't even have tomatoes, just rows and rows of grapevines.  And they don't even have grapes yet. ...

Sophie Brown, her writer mom and out-of-work dad have moved from an apartment in Los Angeles to a big, cluttered-with-junk, rambling farm house complete with a barn and out buildings they have inherited in a small rural town.  On top of adapting to life in the country, they miss the comfort of Sundays spent with relatives, companionship of friends, job security and a steady income.  There are no close neighbors, the mooing of cows sounds like a zoo and Sophie and her mom are the only people with brown skin except for Gregory the mailman, a tall black man.

In an effort to make the best of things Sophie explores the parameter of the farm finding a small wooden house near some blackberry bushes.  She also sets up a small area in the hay loft with a desk and old typewriter she finds.  The next morning a rather cantankerous small white chicken is standing in front of the house giving it and Sophie a slow inspection.  Unknown to Sophie this chicken is quite extraordinary.

Several days have passed and Sophie has still not informed her parents about the presence of the chicken.  She is doing her best to care for the hen on her own.  She does discover the uncanny abilities this chicken has.  Do you know any chickens that can latch and unlatch their hen house door?  Do you know any chickens that can make objects float?  Do you know any chickens that lay glass eggs?

Before you can cluck, cackle or coo, a single incident, an attempted theft actually, sets off a chain reaction of events.  Henrietta, named after a character in The Hoboken Chicken Emergency, is discovered by Sophie's parents, the thief, one Sue Griegson, has been lying, the town librarian Ms. O'Malley sets the record straight, lessons are learned and quizzes are taken, a strange predator is swooping and snooping around, more of great-uncle Jim's unusual chickens return to roost and Sophie meets Chris, a poultry-loving boy her age.  A frightening episode, an otherworldly revelation and an annual exhibition supply a truly memorable conclusion.


As readers move from letter to letter written by Sophie to Redwood Farm Supply, Mariposa Garcia Gonzalez, Sophie's deceased maternal grandmother and Mr. James Brown, her father's uncle, they will become fascinated with the story and characters created by debut author Kelly Jones.  Sophie puts her heart on these pages of correspondence knowing her grandmother and great-uncle will never reply.  She does receive rather cryptic answers from an Agnes at Redwood Farm Supply, contributing to an air of mystery.

In a matter-of-fact, descriptive manner Sophie relates each day's activities.  Conversations are repeated word for word.  We get the full scoop thanks to Sophie's wit, twelve-year-old wisdom and never-ending curiosity.  Her studies of chickens are printed for us to enjoy and learn as she does.  I am confident readers will enjoy the moments of humor found often in the letters, even in the address; Sophie first sending her grandmother a message to Heaven, then A Better Place Than This Farm and Somewhere Gregory can't deliver the mail to.  The letters are an ingenious storytelling technique endearing readers to Sophie, her parents and the cast of supportive characters including the unusual chickens.  Here are several more example passages from this book.

Thank you for considering my request.  I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity.
(I think Mom must have found me some old letter format, because no one talks like this.  If I did this wrong, it isn't my fault.)

The barn isn't red, like I thought barns were; where it isn't painted, it's just really old brownish-gray wood.  It's kind of neat inside, though.  A ladder goes up to what Mom says is the hayloft.  Don't worry, it isn't falling down or anything.  It's really peaceful, like a library, with a high ceiling and dusty old wood, and it smells like a pumpkin patch.  It makes me think of horses sleeping. 

PS What were you saving all those piles of junk for?
PPS What am I supposed to do with this chicken now?
PPPS Don't come back from the dead to answer, okay?  I'll figure it out somehow. 


The black and white illustrations by Katie Kath heighten the overall charm of this title.  They are placed as a prelude to events.  Her details highlight important moments relative to each letter furthering the humor.  These images draw you even deeper into the story.


If teachers are looking for a fantastic read aloud give them Unusual Chickens For The Exceptional Poultry Farmer written by Kelly Jones with illustrations by Katie Kath.  Hand this book to readers who enjoy realistic fiction with lots of action and an air of the supernatural.  This is 213 pages of pure pleasure which will surely prompt a flurry of future letter writing.  In this age of email, texting and forms of social media, this story clearly shows the value of sharing your thoughts with others through more formal correspondence.  It's not often I stay up into the wee hours of the morning to finish a book but this one will hold you captive.

To learn more about author Kelly Jones and illustrator Katie Kath please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.

A Wish Come True

On May 16, 2015 letters were exchanged in a post about a project author illustrator Matthew Cordell and I were working on to place two hundred copies of his book, Wish, in the hands of newborn children at the Charlevoix Area Hospital.  Matthew followed with a post on his blog on May 19, 2015.  On May 28, 2015 the books were delivered to the hospital.  I had the distinct honor to give the first book to a baby boy born that day.  I hope you enjoy this short video clip of the process captured in pictures.

Seasonal Confection

Summer represents a host of memories and a time to conjure up more.  In our family it meant enjoying time in the gardens, softball games, fishing, boating, bike riding, grilling in the back yard, endless games of hide-and-seek at dusk, campfires and lots of ice cream.  Every single Sunday evening we would travel to a nearby town to get ice cream cones at the Dairy Queen across from the county fairgrounds.  On very special occasions we would make our own.

We had one of those old wooden hand crank makers.  We would put the ingredients inside the metal container, surround is with ice and salt and turn the handle until our arms felt like putty.  When it was finally set to a soft solid, we scooped it out and savored every single swallow.  To this day I've never tasted anything as scrumptious.

Even on chillier days, this season signals the time to try this tasty treat.  Ice Cream Summer (Scholastic Press, May 26, 2015) written and illustrated by Peter Sis is a boy's journey through learning and leisure.  It begins with a letter.

Dear Grandpa,
Thank you for your letter.
So far, it's been a delicious summer.

After receiving a letter from his grandpa promising a special trip, Joe begins to talk about his summer days.  He stays busy with visits to the beach with his family.  He's quick to mention it's not all fun in the sun.

He remembers to read daily.  New words are becoming part of his vocabulary.  His writing skills are growing.  In fact, he is making a book.

Addition, subtraction and story problems are practiced.  His day camp adventures include lessons in cartography and treks to new places.  The set of encyclopedias his grandpa gave him are put to use in exploring world and American history.

There is never a dull moment in this little guy's days.  He's excited about the new adventure he is sharing with his grandpa.  Where are they going you ask?  It's a surprise you'll have to discover for yourself.


With younger readers in mind, Peter Sis uses one or two conversational sentences per page.  Sometimes a sentence will work in tandem with a double-page illustration or will be spread over a page turn between two double-page illustrations.  The words are so carefully chosen you can almost hear the boy speaking to his grandpa.  What makes this title appeal to older readers is the additional explanatory text woven into the illustrations.  It's genuinely clever how the two work together to make a delightful whole.  Here is a sample.

Sometimes I trip over a simple equation.
But if I slow down, I always get it right.

Above in the illustration where the boy and his dog have tripped losing scoops of ice cream, we see

 10-7=?
3-2=?


What draws the reader to this title is the spirited uplifting color palette used throughout.  It's like Sis has captured summer and spread it over the pages.  Joe and his ever-present pooch pal on the front of the dust jacket announce their passion for ice cream.  Multiple flavors are spinning about them as a hint of the events to come.  On the back, to the left, a portion of an interior illustration is shown.  Joe is reading one of the encyclopedias while sitting in a hammock strung between two giant ice cream cones.

Darker shades of the hue used for Cream on the jacket cover the book case like a sunset.  On the front Joe and his dog are carrying ice cream cones piled high with a variety of scoops.  The opening and closing endpapers are the blue used for Ice on the dust jacket.  Rows of ice cream treats cover both in an identical pattern.

The spinning cones from the jacket become a rainbow surrounding the boy and his buddy on the page opposite the title.  Some of the text forms a large ice cream cone.  Every single illustration which follows elevates the boy's sentences using ice cream cones for everything possible.  In the first two-page illustration, Joe's bedroom, cones can be seen in every element.

With a page turn the family is at the beach.  Their umbrella is shaped like an ice cream treat.  Joe is making a sand castle extravaganza with ice cream sundaes.  The legs on a crab are cones.  The stacks on a ship are cones.  An airplane shaped like a cone is pulling a sign reading ice cream.  The narrative says one thing, the images say even more.

At times Sis will give us a panoramic view of Joe's activities.  Other times we zoom in close to see him intently at work.  Peter Sis's eyes on his characters are remarkable.  His details will have readers pausing, determined not to miss a single item.

One of my favorite illustrations is of Joe standing in front of the ice cream stand.  The flavors are listed on a board above the circles representing the tubs of ice cream.  His back is to us as he is trying to decide.  His dog is sitting next to him as the ice cream woman wearing bright yellow sneakers waits. This picture goes with the sentence

I am conquering big words like
tornado and explosion! 

These are part of the flavor names.


Ice Cream Summer written and illustrated by Peter Sis is simply delectable.  It is a delightful example of illustrations enlarging the narrative.  I can see using this for pure fun, to introduce a unit on seasons or a how-to on research.  It provides endless possibilities.  I most certainly guarantee you will be craving ice cream within a few page turns.

To learn more about Peter Sis please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  

Inking Possibilities

One of the benefits of being alive for decades is the extraordinary changes seen.  One worth noting is the burst of color on television screens, in film, in newspapers and magazines, in the switch on the Internet from text only to graphics and in children's literature.  When much of your childhood viewing has been in black and white, it's simply astonishing.

Yet there is a gift in creating images without color.  Light and shadow, lines, the positioning of white and black space and use of perspective can capture uncommon beauty.  You only have to think of the work of photographer Ansel Adams to know this is true.  Coretta Scott King Honor and Caldecott Honor award winner Christopher Myers has written and illustrated a new title, My Pen (Disney Hyperion, March 10, 2015) with striking results.

THERE ARE RICH PEOPLE WHO OWN JEWELS AND HOUSES AND PIECES OF THE SKY.

Famous people can see what they say and do almost anywhere at any time.  If we dwell on these rich and famous people we might feel less significant than we should.  A young boy searching for his place is feeling rather unimportant when he remembers something special, his pen.

This pen makes those who are aged giants.  If desired, the pen can place the giant in the hand of a young girl.  Given time, walking on the clouds is done as easily as walking down a city street.  Dinosaur rides are as common as robins in springtime.

Vast stretches of waves and water can be crossed in a newspaper boat.  There is brilliant individuality within the confines of the pen.  Futuristic sneakers and x-ray vision appear almost magically.

Emotion flows from this pen, fear and great love.  Designs can range from the very simple to the complex.  If allowed freedom, stories will emerge.  Find a pen, readers and use it with thoughtful abandon.


It reads like the pages from a daily journal, informal but filled with inventive musings.  Christopher Myers enhances those thoughts with rich descriptions; old men who have seen better days, warm, sweet hands or tap-dances on the sky.  There is a flow from sentence to sentence; one daydream connected to another, a collection of creativity.  Here is a sample selection.

MY PEN HAS X-RAY VISION.
IT IS NOT 3D, BUT IT
          WISHES THAT IT WAS.


The opened dust jacket reveals an interior image on the back, to the left, of the pen as a boy riding a Tyrannosaurus rex.  On the front a partially rendered illustration in exquisite detail entices us to open the book.  We are anxious to see what more this pen has to offer.  The book case is splashes of black ink on white with My Pen in white on a large spot.  The matching opening and closing endpapers are a series of doodles, pen scratches, lines, splotches and dots.

An intriguing dedication in the form of a monetary bill placed on a black page names the boy seen throughout the book. Opposite on a page of white, the title page, the boy is walking diagonally up a slope.  This looks to be drawn as a single continuous line.

Alternating between black and white backgrounds and single or double page illustrations each drawing maintains our undivided attention.  We wish to shadow the pen (and the boy) as an elephant peers from inside a teacup, a pair of sneakers transmits virtually, lungs are butterfly wings and love is shown to all kinds of children. The images' fine lines form breathtaking scenes full of wonder.

One of my favorite illustrations is of the boy standing in puddles.  He is holding a large opened umbrella resting on his shoulder as the opposite hand stretches to catch a raindrop.  The shading supplies luminosity to the pools of water.


My Pen written and illustrated by Christopher Myers is a stunning exploration of imagination and art.  It is guaranteed to promote discussion in readers.  You will want to have plenty of paper and pens available to hand out after you share this with a single child or a group.

Reading Rockets has a series of video interviews located here.  Several illustrations are highlighted at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast hosted by author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson.

When It Is, When It Isn't

When living in a state surrounded by four of the Great Lakes, large bodies of water can be easily reached in a few hours.  According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources there are more than 46,000 inland lakes ranging in surface size from less than a half-acre to more than 1,000 acres.  For three of the four seasons I can stand on my back deck and see Lake Charlevoix between the trees.  Being near, in or on the water has been a part of my life.

Essential to all living things, as a resource and a source of rest and relaxation, the value of water has never been more evident.  As a glorious ode to one of earth's prized elements Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, May 26, 2015) written by Miranda Paul with illustrations by Jason Chin will leave you with an even greater appreciation for the wonder of water.  You will long to step inside the pages of this book.

Drip.
     Sip.
Pour me a cup.
Water
     is
          water
unless...

As water moves from place to place heat or cold can make it alter its shape as steam or clouds.  In the right conditions clouds drop stretching out velvet cloaks to wrap around the world below.  It's hard to see clearly.

Clouds can release the moisture they hold as rain where it gathers in hollows, basins and crevasses.  Let's all jump in the puddles!  If it were winter those puddles would freeze into ice.  This surface would provide for an afternoon of figure skating, crack the whip or maybe some hockey.

Remember those clouds?  When they form in the winter no-two-alike snowflakes fall.  As much as we like the crisp air and the fun of these chilly months, the next season chases them away.  Melting snow and early rains mix with the soil to make mushy mud.

Roots dip deep into the dirt.  Water travels from blossoms to tiny fruit to sweet, crunchy apples.  How do we get the water from apples?  What is it called?  Ahhh...the tangy taste of cider.


The words penned by Miranda Paul make music.  Whether read silently or aloud, they move to a specific rhythm mirroring the different forms water takes.  Alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhyming flow from page to page.  Here is another sample passage.

Steam is steam unless... (page turn)
it cools  high. 
A dragon
     in a wagon?
A crow
     kneading dough?
Clouds are clouds unless...


Rendered in watercolor and gouache the illustrations by Jason Chin are marvelous.  The scene on the matching dust jacket and book case on the front actually begins the story.  On the back, to the left, Chin shifts seasons at the pond.  It's a full-moon-winter night.  Children are running across the frozen pond.  The feline friend is still sitting on the dock.  The darker shade of blue in the title text is used on the opening and closing endpapers.

Before the title page we see a single page picture of the sister and brother net in hand on the grass next to the pond.  A turtle is resting on a nearby rock.  Extending edge to edge on the title page the duo has captured the turtle.  Their mother is calling them from the hill on which their house sits.  Their father is working in the garden.  And the cat...is gazing at a bird in the birch tree.

The dedication pages feature another double-page illustration; the first of sixteen.  It's a cloud burst rain shower with the children running to their house as their parents wait for them on the porch.  Chin moves beautifully from outside the children's home to inside to their porch to the pond.  We follow them to school, and home again for gatherings of friends in winter and the end of summer.

Delicate details, lively, charming facial expressions, and a soft, realistic, color palette draw you into each illustration.  Chin tells small stories across several illustrations.  The turtle netted in one is cherished for a day before being released back to the pond.  The sister pays back her brother for scaring her with a garter snake as he lets it go.  There are others but you need to discover them for yourself.

I could frame any one of these images to hang on the wall in my home.  One of my favorite visuals is of the sister and her brother waiting for the school bus on a foggy morning.  They are standing beneath a striking red maple, leaves blanketing the ground.  Other autumn colors swirl across the page as their ride crests the hill.  The boy is reaching down to catch the snake.  The cat watches at the top of the hill near their house.  A tire swing dangles from a tree.  A jack-o-lantern looks out sitting next to the mailbox post.


Water Is Water:  A Book About the Water Cycle written by Miranda Paul with illustrations by Jason Chin is in a word beautiful; beautiful for the story, beautiful for the paintings and beautiful because all children will see themselves featured within these pages regardless of their race.  Like water the text and pictures begin and end during the same season bringing readers full circle. At the end of the book each of the changes in water is explained further on two pages.  The following two pages compare the percentage of water in some of the living things pictured along with other facts about water.  There are sources for Further Reading and a Selected Bibliography.  Pair this title with Raindrops Roll, Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home, Blue on Blue, All the Water in the World, Water Rolls, Water Rises, El agua rueda, El agua sube  and Water Can Be...  

To learn more about Miranda Paul and Jason Chin and their work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Miranda Paul has some activities for teachers regarding this title.  At the publisher's website you can view eight single page interior illustrations.  For a look at the process in creating some of the illustrations please head to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast hosted by author and blogger Julie Danielson.  My favorite picture is there!



To discover what other titles are featured by bloggers participating in the 2015 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge be sure to go to educator Alyson Beecher's blog, Kid Lit Frenzy.

Pals' Playful Pursuits

There are those who would do the same thing day in and day out committed to pursuing their passion or working toward perfection.  There are others who would alter their daily deeds in the belief variety is the spice of life.  Each individual looks at the big picture through their unique perspectives.

When two friends with differing beliefs try to reach a decision it can be a little bit tricky.  Ballet Cat:  The Totally Secret Secret (Disney Hyperion, May 5, 2015) written and illustrated by Bob Shea follows the best of buddies as they plan their day of play.  The art of compromise is stronger in one than the other.

What do you want to play today, Ballet Cat?
You pick, Sparkles.

Excitedly Sparkles suggests they work on crafts.  At first Ballet Cat is thrilled with this idea. She quickly decides it would be risky to leap with scissors in hand.  Never one to give up, the pony pal has another proposal.

A game of checkers would be fun for the two of them.  Now this is something Ballet Cat would enjoy but how would they be able to kick without ruining the game.  Sparkles demeanor is starting to wilt.

In a last ditch effort, the equine chum, perhaps thinking when life gives you lemons, recommends a business venture.  With her usual initial enthusiastic response, the feline friend falters wondering how they will be able to spin.  When Sparkles questions the necessity of spinning, Ballet Cat assumes it's a joke.

Before you can even think leap, kick and spin Ballet Cat has twisted the choice toward her favorite thing which the two of them play every...single...day.  After several attempts the astute cat notices the lack of eagerness on the part of the pony.  Pressing him for a reason, he confesses he has a

secret secret.

Sparkles is fearful about sharing this particular confidence.  A promise is made.  After the big reveal, decidedly shaken, Ballet Cat has a confession of her own.  This is a day for declarations of the very best kind.


More than once this reader stopped during the story, told entirely in dialogue, to burst out laughing.  Bob Shea's choice of words and pacing elevate the laughable level to supreme hilarity.  His technique of blocking the portions of the story in three-part segments is done with excellence.  When a special section of dialogue bridges these elements both characters are further defined by their conversation.  Here is a sample passage.

Ballet? There is an idea!
Leaping, yes. Kicking, yes, yes. Spinning,
yes, yes, YES!
Great idea, Sparkles.
How did you ever think of it?

We play ballet every
day, Ballet Cat.

Oh, right.


Right away readers will notice the raised blue and orange sparkles on the pony and the white finishing touches on the cat as they run their fingers over the book case. The bright yellow on the front and the pink on the back provide a vivid canvas for the pals.  Astute readers will notice Sparkles' less the sincere grin on the front.  The opening and closing endpapers are done with a spring green background and a pattern of blue and orange large dots.  Black, white, purple and pink hues are used to feature Ballet Cat on the initial title page.  Another shade of green on the more formal title page highlights portions of the cat and pony looking at each other warily.

A variety of background colors create liveliness in the flow of the narrative and the characters' actions.  The wide expressive eyes and mouths on both Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony leave no doubt as to their current moods.  Shea's lines are filled with animation.  Cadence is controlled with the size of the characters and the number of times they appear on a given page.  We are keenly aware of the intonation of the voice of each character by the size of the font within the speech bubble.

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when they first start to play ballet.  Eyes closed, mouth wide open, Ballet Cat merrily exclaims while moving about

Dance, Sparkles, dance!

Standing as still as a statue, nearly limp, eyes half-closed, Sparkles, barely utters,

Whee.


Read silently alone this title is guaranteed to provide an abundance of grins and giggles.  If Ballet Cat:  The Totally Secret Secret written and illustrated by Bob Shea is read aloud to a few or many at story time, listeners will be rolling on the floor gasping for breath due to extreme laughter.  These two friends are destined to entertain for many years.

To discover more about Bob Shea and his work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  For further insights into the process for this book, loads of sketches and art and an interview, visit Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast hosted by author and blogger, Julie Danielson.  This title is featured at teacher librarian blogs as a review at 100 Scope Notes by Travis Jonker and as a reflection at The Styling Librarian by Debbie Alvarez.

This video on drawing Ballet Cat is adorable.

To Hunt And Be Hunted

Even after the end is reached, they ask to play again.  Exchanges are made and a new search begins.  As often as possible, despite the initial time-consuming nature, a part of most units of study in my library media centers contains a puzzle, a problem to solve, to reinforce basic level skills.  Print to print, print to digital, digital to digital and digital to print students move from clue to clue, seeking a final answer employing what they have learned.

Games in all their varied forms and formats are enjoyed by nearly everyone of every age.  For those who love reading, adventure and mystery, Book Scavenger (Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Henry Holt And Company, June 2, 2015) written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman with illustrations by Sarah Watt is an all-consuming quest.  It's a race to win a game not yet started.

Garrison Griswold whistled his way down Market Street, silver hair bobbing atop his head like a pigeon wing. 

   Garrison Griswold is the owner of a flourishing publishing company, Bayside Press located in San Francisco, California.  He is also the creator of a phenomenal game, Book Scavenger, which connects players virtually and in real time.  In this first chapter, which literally starts the book with a bang, Mr. Griswold is on his way to reveal the beginning of a new game, its secrets only known by him.  Two despicable men attack and leave Mr. Griswold hovering between life and death.  One of them carelessly tosses an extremely valuable object behind a trash container in the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).

A short time later Emily Crane and her father and her older brother Matthew and her mother following behind them in a minivan, arrive in San Francisco.  They are moving from New Mexico, the ninth state in which Emily has lived in her almost thirteen years.  Her parents are on a life-long adventure to realize the name of their blog, Fifty Homes in Fifty States.

To her brother, who makes friends in a finger snap, it's no big deal.  For Emily this lifestyle is starting to wear a little thin.  She longs for more stability.  This explains her love of puzzles, ciphers, treasure hunts and Book Scavenger.  The huge positive about this move is being in the same city as her literary and gaming idol, Garrison Griswold.

It doesn't take Emily long to figure out the grandson, James, of their landlord, Mrs. Lee, is a kindred spirit.  The Lee family, Chinese-Americans, have resided in this particular building for generations.  Their extended family lives in other parts of the city.  This sense of belonging has never been a part of Emily's world.

As a result of a book scavenging afternoon, scattered flowers and a misplaced bumper sticker, Emily, James and Matthew locate the item lodged behind the trash container in the BART.  The real danger lies in the fact they were seen recovering it.  They have no idea what these people are capable of doing to gain control of this book.

The book, a brand new copy of Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Gold-Bug, is as Emily discovers, the first part of Garrison Griswold's new game, leading to a one-of-a-kind treasure.  As she and James start to unravel the coded hints, an embarrassing event during her first day at the new school demands more of James' attention.  If he doesn't win this particular wager, he will lose Steve, his cowlick.  Yes, he gave a name to his cowlick.

Chapter by chapter, alternating between the two desperadoes and Emily and company, streets and notable buildings in San Francisco are explored in earnest, sometimes while in pursuit.  Tension increases layer by layer in The Gold-Bug hunt, the cipher challenge, a particular band concert, floundering friendships and family dynamics.  There are more twists and turns than on Lombard Street, a red herring or two, and more than one ending where you will gasp and give a sigh of relief.


What readers will find enjoyable about this title is the way debut author Jennifer Chambliss Bertman invites them to solve the puzzles, ciphers and riddles right along with her characters.  We are participatory readers.  This hunt is enriched by other outstanding writing techniques.

Key elements found in stellar adventure and mystery stories, action, a quest, a hero in jeopardy, suspense, clues, smoke screens, enemies, and trusted companions and advisers, are deftly woven into the narrative and thoughts and conversations of the characters.  Vivid descriptions in which the characters are placed evoke a realistic sense of time and place especially in the city and middle school settings.  Bertman definitely sets the pace on high and we gladly ride the roller coaster she has deftly created.  Here are some sample passages from the book.

With a soft grunt, Mr. Griswold collapsed against the slick granite wall behind him.  He crumpled from a seated position to a prone one, his back sliding against the wall, leaving a streak of blood to mark his trail.  He tried to land on top of his bag in an effort to keep it from the men, but Clyde tugged it free. 

They were driving through a valley jam-packed with rows of houses wrapped around hillsides like serpentine belts.  

Matthew attracted friends like a rainbow attracts leprechauns.

James turned past a bakery and entered the mall.  Glass-fronted stores passed by in a blur, then James turned sharply and hustled upstairs.  There was nothing but the sound of their feet pounding until finally they slowed to a stop outside the public restrooms.  
"I think we lost them," Matthew said between gasps.
"Quiet!" James held a finger to his lips.


The Book Scavenger written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman with pictures by Sarah Watt is brimming with intrigue and excitement in every chapter.  Book lovers and puzzle lovers are going to read this over and over again.  I know they will share the exploits of the characters with others, gaining new fans for the book and the game.  At the close of the story Bertman offers an extensive author's note explaining Rufus Griswold, The Gold-Bug, Cipher Challenge, Masquerade, and Book Scavenger The Game

To discover more about Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, this title and her upcoming books, please visit her website by following the link embedded in her name. Follow this link to the website dedicated to Book Scavenger.  Will you play the game?  Where will you hide your book?
Here is an interview with the illustrator Sarah Watts at emu's debuts .