The Solitude of Self: Thinking About Elizabeth Cady Stanton Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoyed reading this short book about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her times because it told me just enough about her and fitted her thoughts and ideas into what was going on intellectually in the United States at the time. I appreciated the connections made between her type of feminist thinking and that of others before and after. It made me think, too, about my own feminist philosophy. And, once again, I was surprised by the depths of male chauvinism through the ages.

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Fatty Legs: A True Story Review

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(More customer reviews)Category: Nonfiction Desperate to learn to read, 8-year-old Olemaun badgers her father to let her leave her island home to go to the residential school for Inuit children in Aklavik, in Canada's far north. There she encounters a particularly mean nun who renames her Margaret but cannot "educate" her into submission. The determination and underlying positive nature of this Inuvialuit child shine through the first-person narration that describes her first two years in boarding school, where their regular chores include emptying "honey buckets." The torments of the nun she calls "Raven" are unrelenting, culminating in her assignment to wear a used pair of ill-fitting red stockings--giving her the mocking name found in the title. The "Margaret" of the story is co-author, along with her daughter-in-law. Opening with a map, the book closes with a photo album, images from her childhood and from archives showing Inuit life at the time. The beautiful design includes thumbnails of these pictures at the appropriate places in the text and Amini-Holmes' slightly surreal paintings, which capture the alien flavor of these schools for their students. A moving and believable account. (Memoir. 8-12)

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Presenting . . . Tallulah Review

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(More customer reviews)Tallulah is not supposed to get dirty. Or talk loudly. Or make a mess. She isn't that kind of girl. Tallulah can't wear jeans or sneakers to school or keep her hair down or do any of the other things that the other kids do every day.
According to her parents, Tallulah is special and that makes her different. But Tallulah doesn't want to be different. It's hard to have fun or make friends when everyone is busy telling you the things you can do because you're different.
When Max, the new boy in school, stands up for Tallulah (and assists with a risky pug puppy rescue) Tallulah starts to see that sometimes being different can be okay. And most of the time the best of friends like you just the way you are in Presenting . . . Tallulah (September 2010) by Tori Spelling* and Vanessa Brantley Newton.
There are a lot of books about being different learning that it's okay to be yourself even if that might mean being a little silly, or weird, or not mosterly. Some of them are quite bad using cliches and heavy handed writing to convey their message while ultimately creating major issues in the story.
Presenting Tallulah has none of those problems. This was a delightful story about a little girl many kids can relate to. Maybe not everyone goes to school in a limo, but who hasn't been told to be quiet and not get dirty? This story captures that (and Tallulah's rather . . . opulent . . . . lifestyle) without making it a big thing. Tallulah is who she is and, as she learns, that's okay. I liked that instead of beating readers over the head with this message, it's just at the core of the text.
Newton's illustrations are also fantastic. The style is reminiscent of illustrations by Lauren Child (of Charlie and Lola fame) which probably means a similar medium (that I am unequipped to identify) is being used here. It's no secret that Tallulah is based on Tori Spelling. And Newton captures that while combining broad strokes and line work to create intricate illustrations that bring Tallulah's world to life.
Presenting Tallulah is sure to be a fun addition to any story time with simple, short sentences and a well-paced plot. Hopefully this charmer won't be the last to feature Tallulah, Max and Mimi.
*With contributions by Hilary Liftin who is apparently a ghostwriter. I could get into who actually "wrote" the book or the recent number of celebrities putting pen to paper. But I'm not going to because this book deserves better and is more than able to stand on its own with or without is celebrity author.
Possible Pairings: Bark, George by Jules Feffer, Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer and Scott Magoon, For Pete's Sake by Ellen Stoll Walsh

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Diary of a Fairy Godmother Review

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(More customer reviews)DIARY OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER is told in first person by Hunky Dory, a young witch who attends Harbinger's Charm School for Young Witches. Hunky is at the head of her class in charm school. She can turn princes into dragons and make teacups and hats appear out of thin air. Her classmates are jealous of Hunky's ability to cast any spell without disaster. Her mother, a brewer of magic potions, thinks Hunky will grow up to be the most wicked witch wherever the four winds blow.
It isn't long before trouble begins. At first, her classmate, Frantic Search, notices Hunky undoing an evil charm. Then Hunky is invited to a baby christening at the castle. She watches fairy godmothers giving wonderful gifts to the newborn baby. After her Auntie casts a wicked spell on the new baby, Hunky uses her magic to undo the spell. When she does, she gets a warm, tingling sensation all over her body. She wonders if it would be possible to become a fairy godmother herself.
When Hunky's mother, Auntie, and Mrs. Harbinger learn that Hunky is considering changing careers, they try to discourage her. Despite their efforts, Hunky is more determined than ever to try granting wishes for a living. She sets up shop in the bottom of a wishing well and grants wishes to people who toss down coins. Eventually, Hunky decides that she wants to become a real fairy godmother, but it will take the help of a special girl named Cinderella to make it happen.
Esme Raji Codell, who has worked as a teacher, a children's librarian, and a bookseller, is the author of two previous books for children: SING A SONG OF TUNA FISH: Hard-to-Swallow Stories From Fifth Grade, and SAHARA SPECIAL, which was the winner of the IRA Children's Book Award.
DIARY OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER is a clever addition to her growing body of work. It is a story about empowerment and making things happen rather than just waiting and wishing for them to happen.
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