Children's Books Too Cool for School

You may have noticed I have not posted any reviews for like, a month. One reason is that I am lazy. Another is that I have been trying to launch a companion blog, B.A.B.A.E.L.

I say trying because I still can't find a template I like, and, although I have several reviews of adult books that I've been meaning to put on there (they are, at least, already written), I haven't yet. That brings us back to the lazy part....

However, I've decided to give it its official launch anyway.

I also forced myself to review several children's books before I was allowed to write this post, so sit back and prepare for the onslaught. I was going to try and actually clear my backlog, but then I realized I had a really huge backlog. I may never clear it.

Anyway, enjoy.

So, I really can’t resist the urge to start this particular review with something really snarky like, “the name of the book may be secret, but the style of this book is derivative.” Or, “the name of this book may be secret, but the techniques used in this book are tired and rather well-known.” Or, “the name of this book isn’t secret – it was called Chasing Vermeer last time.” But I don’t do that sort of thing.

This book, the name of which is secret, presents to us children that we’ll call Cass and Max-Ernest, who, due to their interest in an antique box labeled “the Symphony of Smells” are led to try and uncover the mystery behind the death of an old magician, the disappearance of a classmate, and a strange spa that may or may not hold the secret to eternal life.

I tried describing more of the plot but 1)I hate giving too much away. I’m such a plot-miser, and 2) it kinda bores me.

I can classify this one, for me, as just barely “not a total waste of time,” but that is probably because I read really fast. The snarky narrator’s oh-so-clever name seems to be drawing on Snicket fandom, while his style certainly does. Only Snicket’s humor was more refined, edgy, and funny. The plot mimics that of several kid’s puzzle mysteries from The Mysterious Benedict Society to Blue Balliet’s books, to some of Ellen Raskin’s. The tone (and the “Don’t Read This” sort of thing on every other page) is pure Snicket. Granted, if author’s didn’t take (ahem) inspiration from one another, then we’d run out of books rather quickly. I realize Shakespeare copied his plots… but at least he did something interesting and new with them.

One thing I did like: Cass is staying with her two "grandfathers" (they are not blood-related) in their antique shop while her mother is away. They are probably gay, but this is never at any point mentioned. I’ve been saying for years that I’d like to see some gay couples normalized in children’s fiction instead of having books built around the subject of being gay. Alternately, for anyone who is uncomfortable with the idea , since it isn’t mentioned (or ever important) I suppose you could pretend they are just two really good old men friends who run an antique shop.

I must say, after all this ranting, I suppose the target audience will like this book. Kids never seem to grasp the concept of “enough of a good thing” anyway. If they like it, they will read a million like it, you know. And it is funny, and exciting, and fast-paced, and kinda cool. With it’s tag-team main characters, this book will have broad appeal, and is best for readers 10-12.

I was fully expecting The Princess and the Peabodys to full-out be the dumbest book I had ever read. I’m not even really sure why I checked it out! It is very pink and has a cheerleader/princess on the (admittedly, well-designed) cover! Was I feeling extra-girly? Brain-dead? Like making fun of something?

This surely has to top the time I bought Princess Academy, because I had reason to trust Shannon Hale and the Newbery committee. I know absolutely nothing about Birney. I think she wrote a series about a hamster.

Whatever my insanity, I must say, The Princess and the Peabodys exceeded my expectations. Now, don’t get too excited. Remember, my expectations weren’t very high. But you know what? It was a cute book, darnit!

The story deals with one princess Eglantine (quickly re-christened Egg by most of the Peabody family) who was the victim of a spell gone awry. A young court magician accidentally traps the medieval princess in a box, which becomes a portal the the 21^st century. Casey Peabody and her grandmother are antiquing, and purchase the box that unleashes Egg into the unsuspecting community of Pine Glen.

Casey is particularly rankled by the Princess’s presence, since Casey has to share her room, look out for her at school, and put up with her constant demands. Didn’t Casey have enough wannabe cheerleader-princesses to deal with?

However, as much as Casey tries to teach the Princess about 21^st century life, it seems that Eglantine may have some lessons for Casey and Pine Glen up her (puffy, pink, beribboned) sleeve.

Nothing overly-complicated here, and a moral that could have probably been wielded a little more lightly, but all in all a fun read. Good maybe for princess readers who could expand their horizons a little. Ages 9-12, and (should I even have to say it?) definitely a girl book.

ETA: Minor complaint. Princess does very well in French class. Of course, medeval Princess would not speak modern French. I know... I'm a nerdy dork.

Emma-Jean Lazarus (what a delicious name!) is not quite like her seventh grade peers. While a keen observer of their behaviors and social interactions, she nonetheless remains a little aloof from them all. Highly literal, and almost painfully logical, Emma-Jean doesn't really attract the friendship of her peers either -- they think her just a tad weird and mostly remain indifferent to her. However, one day, Emma-Jean finds a fellow classmate crying in the bathroom, and Emma-Jean perceives (in the classmate’s various wailings about a best friend's betrayal) a plea for help. Ever the logical problem-solver, Emma jean applies her analytical mind to the issue and soon comes up with a, frankly, morally dubious solution. However, to Emma-Jean, it seems she's done just the right thing -- solved her new friend's problem.

Emma-Jean soon finds other problems to solve for her classmates, but doesn't realize the ripple-effects her various unusual-if-logical solutions are creating. It seems that there is one problem Emma-Jean hasn't been able to puzzle out quite yet -- the mysteries of the human heart and mind.

This book is charming and chuckle-worthy (with the occasional laugh-out-loud moment), but without stooping to humor at the expense of others -- especially the rather obvious target of Emma-Jean. Emma-Jean, while not formerly diagnosed, would be familiar to most reader's who know someone diagnosed with some of the milder forms of Autism or Asperger's syndrome. While the humor often derives from the disconnect between how Emma-Jean perceives her world and how the world is really structured (a sort of dramatic irony), the subtle jabs are more often aimed at the rather silly ins and outs of "normal" human behavior, rather that Emma-Jeans clearly logical analysis.

Emma-Jean is a very short read, but manages to pack lots of action, humor, and even several very touching moments into a small little package. The pacing is great (and I don't often concern myself with pacing), but Emma-Jean's larger-than-average vocabulary will rule out reluctant readers, and some portion of its target audience who doesn't want to read with a dictionary handy. Frankly, it may be one of those children’s books that has more appeal for its adult readers... but then again, that’s what I am! Best for girls, of course, and I'm going to go against the ideas of most reviewers and recommend it for 11-13. Think of it as a younger kid’s Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.