My Favorite Unknowns

If you read enough books, eventually you'll come across reads that have never, ever graced the New York Times bestseller list. In fact, as you struggle to find a copy, you realize that this book you read may not have ever graced any recognizable list anywhere. This doesn't mean that the book has no value. Rather, dear reader, it means that you have found a diamond in the rough. A story that has spoken to you where it has not spoken to many people before. In short, you've found a choosy book - and it's up to you whether to share it or not. I have found very few books that have not been recognized by someone in my acquaintance, but the following reads have stumped even some of my librarian friends.

Instructions by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess
 Rarely do I read a book and then rush home and buy it the first chance I get. However, as soon as I had finished this wonderfully charming picture book, I sprinted home and did exactly that. This poem by Gaiman was first published in A Wolf at the Door but has since been reborn in this short book. The illustrations are also gorgeous - Vess has made them as charming and whimsical as the prose. "Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never saw before" begins the poem. The reader and the quester (or are they the same thing?) are guided through a familiar landscape filled with the scraps of famous fairy-tales, folklore and old stories. I loved the 'advice' that is offered to the reader, on everything from being polite to overcoming obstacles to never, ever losing hope.

The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristin D. Randle
I always have the greatest difficulty describing books that I wholeheartedly adore. This book was the 'Twilight' of my early teenagerdom - I still have my worn copy that I re-read every one and a while. In this book, the main character and narrator (Ginny) has had to face some tough changes. Her beloved older brother has left for college and she and her entire family have moved across the country. As Ginny adjusts to a new school, she finds herself becoming fascinated with a strange boy named Smitty Tibbs. Smitty is beautiful and intelligent but has never interacted with another living soul. In fact, his classmates call him the Alien because he acts so strangely. As Ginny gets drawn into Smitty's life, she has to decide whether she can live with the secrets in Smitty's past. I have always loved Ginny because I identified with her so strongly. Here was a girl who wasn't stunningly beautiful, who didn't have magical help or stumble onto the perfect answer. Instead, Ginny felt more like someone you could actually encounter. She felt normal and very real. The title, by the way, refers to something Ginny says in the first chapter in the book. She says that we all have to remember we're never 'the only alien on the planet'. Even though we may feel like it, we're never alone in our struggles and issues.

The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
I have always been a romantic soul. Of course, between present day and my early teens my tastes have matured (er...immensely) but I often find myself coming back to this old favorite whenever I require a very gentle romance. Valancy lives a miserable existence as the odd one out in her very unpleasant family. At 29, she's never fallen in love, rebelled or even had many moments of undiluted happiness. All of her enjoyment comes from reading her favorite books and daydreaming about life in a mystical Blue Castle. One day, Valancy is informed via a letter from her doctor that she hasn't long to live. She has a heart condition that will make her heart give out within a year at most. After Valancy reads the letter, she vows that she will live life to the fullest. She begins at once, much to the horror of her snobbish family, and ends up doing all kinds of 'shocking' things like becoming friends with the town scapegraces and cutting her hair (oh horrors). She revels in all the adventure, love and wonder that life has to offer. By the end of the book, Valancy has finally discovered all the joy that she only had in her imaginary Blue Castle. This book is full of gratification, from a very sweet romance, to devilish relish when Valancy finally stands up to her awful family and comes into her own. L.M. Montgomery, by the way, is also the author of the Anne of Green Gables series.

Guys Read

I was going to write a post on my favorite fairy tales. There were a few Princesses, quite a bit of magic and more than a few sparkles. However, right before I finished the post, I read the library newsletter. Staff gets a weekly newsletter that lets us know what is going on across the system. There were not one but two extensive articles that involved reading dudes of all ages. One was an extensive program to get young (middle school) guys reading and the other was a visit from author Christopher Paolini (the guy who wrote Eragon) who chatted with a crowd of hundreds.

Then, at work today, I had an interaction with a young man who was looking for a good science-fiction book. Although I did manage to find one or two, suggestions don't come as quickly (for me anyway) for boys as they do for girls. I don't get nearly enough practice making recommendations for the guys so in this post I'll toss out a few of my favorites. If you're interested in further reading for all cool dudes, check out the Guys Read website for suggestions and news on all things male and reading.

Fiction

Chicken Butt! by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by Henry Cole
I don't know about you, but I've certainly noticed that most boys go through a gross out stage. They enjoy dancing on the line between being a little outrageous and all out disgusting. This particular picture book feeds that type of humor. In addition to the classic question-and-answer that we've all experienced on the playground ("Do you know what?" "Chicken butt!") the author expands into a series of silly rhymes that kids and their parents will find hilarious. The dynamic illustrations only add to the fun. The only word of warning I will add is that this book is compulsively readable...and you may find yourself the "butt" of a certain joke many times over.

Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe
As the author is sitting by his fireside one dark and stormy night, he hears a scratch on his door. When he opens the door, he sees a very damp and shaggy dog bearing a manuscript. After the animal disappears into the night, the author opens the manuscript to reveal that the dog has written his memoirs and brought them to the author in the hopes of being published. The resulting book is "Bunnicula" and if you like animals and haven't picked it up, you are seriously missing out. Our hero, Harold the dog, lives with his family and fellow animal, Chester the cat. It is a peaceful and quiet life until one evening when his family brings home a strange rabbit. Soon after the rabbit joins the family vegetables start showing up completely drained of their juices. Harold and Chester must work together to solve the mystery of the strange occurrences before any more food meets a grisly end. Readers will especially enjoy the personalities of Harold and Chester, which are pitch perfect for their species (Chester especially captures the catlike "I'm surrounded by morons, utter morons" philosophy). This chapter book is a fantastic read-aloud option.

Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson
Lily Gefelty's father works for a real, honest to goodness Mad Scientist. When Lily overhears that the scientist intends to take over the world through particularly nefarious means (Mind controlled whales. On stilts. With laser beam eyes. Oh yeah), Lily and her two best friends decide to foil the villain through any means necessary. Although the tongue in cheek humor may be a bit mature for younger readers, older kids who have loved "Captain Underpants" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" will adore this humorous take on the common crazy-scientist-taking-over-the-world convention.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Were any of you aware that Suzanne Collins wrote another series before her insanely popular "Hunger Games"? Me either. It wasn't until I was casting about for an alternative to Harry Potter that I stumbled upon this gem of a book. Eleven-year-old New Yorker Gregor and his baby sister never dreamed that anything extraordinary existed beneath the floors of their apartment building. It isn't until one day when the siblings fall into an open grate in their laundry room that they discover the underland. The underland is a fantastical world where enormous talking rats, bats and cockroaches live in uneasy peace with humans. When Gregor and his sister enter the picture, the underlanders are on the brink of war. Only an overlander referred to in an ancient prophecy can save underlanders from complete destruction. With a prophesied hero, action packed battles and a satisfying amount of books in the series, "Gregor the Overlander" is a fantastic book to add to your reading lineup


H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute for Villainous Education) by Mark Walden
I have always loved series that buck the mundane and try something entirely new. Author Mark Walden takes the anti-hero to a whole new level when he writes "H.I.V.E.". Thirteen-year-old Otto Malpense has always known that he is far more intelligent than the average boy. After all, at thirteen he not only runs the orphanage where he grew up, but has also embarrassed the Prime Minister of Great Britain on national television - and gotten away with it. Otto can't imagine his life ever changing until he wakes up suddenly on a plane flying over a vast ocean. Otto and the other people on the plane have been kidnapped and forcibly enrolled in the Higher Institute for Villainous Education, where they will all learn to use their skills to become super villains. No one has ever been able to escape the volcanic island where H.I.V.E. is located, but Otto and his new group of friends are determined to try. A note of caution, this series is occasionally difficult to find as it was originally published in Britain. Fortunately, it is being re-issued here in the United States with new covers (and thank goodness - the first book ends on a cliff-hanger).

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
It is far in the future and life outside of great cities has become almost unsustainable. All cities are fully mechanized, rolling on wheels or walking on legs across the surface of the globe. In order to survive, the largest cities do something called "municipal Darwinsim". Huge cities will chase down smaller cities and towns and consume them like food, stripping the towns of everything that is needed to sustain life. Once upon a time, "prey" was plentiful, but small cities have gradually almost completely disappeared from the landscape. It is in this world that we meet Tom, a lowly apprentice who works for the Guild of Historians in London, which has become the magnificent Traction City. Tom has played hooky from his apprenticeship in order to meet his hero, adventurer Thaddeus Valentine. When Valentine is confronted by known assassin Hester Shaw, Tom steps in front of his hero in a valiant effort to save him. In the process, Tom falls out of the city and becomes stranded in the Out Lands with Hester. In his quest to return to London with Hester, Tom will discover some grim truths that London's leaders have been keeping from the people of the city. This series is a fantastic read-alike for fans of Scott Westerfeld's "Leviathan".

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hern
In a fantastical version of feudal-era Japan, youth Takeo witnesses the death of his entire village at the hands of a cruel warlord. After his escape, Takeo is adopted by a different warlord – the noble Lord Otori. It is within the household of Lord Otori that Takeo discovers he was born to a special tribe of assassins, all of whom inherit supernatural abilities. Among these gifts is the ability to move in complete silence and to become invisible. As he learns to control his gifts, Takeo must seize his destiny as the man who will overthrow the warlord who slaughtered his family and step into a position of power in his world. This is the first book in a trilogy and is appropriate for older teen readers and adults.

Nonfiction

Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
 This basic picture book has long been one of my favorites. Remember when I talked about the "gross" factor that so enchants young lads? Well, as you can see from the title alone, this is another book that they may enjoy. However, this book it great as it explains - without excessive humor or disgust - the whys and hows of #2. Gomi's illustrations are beautifully simple - one knows exactly what they are without excruciating detail. If you are looking for a perfect way to explain this particular bodily function without having to resort to uncomfortable humor or difficult vocabulary, give this book a try.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg
History has, unfortunately, a bad habit of being presented in a way that is guaranteed to bore most people to tears. People and places seem very far away indeed. Bragg has written a book that changes all of the above. This book will appeal to the people who live for those gross moments when things squelch, smoosh and squish. "How They Croaked" gives all the nasty details of the deaths of nineteen famous figures from history. From Marie Curie to George Washington, readers can see some of the downright messy ways these people left this world. In spite of some gorily gruesome passages, the author is able to share some fascinating bits of history and humor in a way that is anything but boring.

Footnotes: Frustrating or Fascinating?

In the public library world, it never rains - it completely inundates and then floods your basement. The last few fictional books I have read have all used the same literary device. Footnotes. After the second book that included footnotes, I went to the internet to reacquaint myself with the fine art of footnoting. I discovered some interesting things [1], including the fact that 'modern literary style guides' recommend limiting use of them, since they are widely thought to be distracting. I myself have mixed feelings about footnotes. In some cases I have enjoyed them, laughing over references the authors have invented or quips the authors make in the margins. Other times I find footnotes to be an annoying distraction from the normal flow of reading. There are authors who do not do footnotes well and then authors who really make them into a unique and fun reading experience. Here are three examples of the latter for your reading enjoyment.

 The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Nathaniel is a magician’s apprentice that is just beginning his magical education. Before Nathaniel can get too far, an older, more experienced and very nasty magician named Simon Lovelace humiliates him in front of his teachers. Determined to get revenge, Nathaniel summons a djinni named Bartimaeus and sends him to steal a powerful artifact from Lovelace. Chaos ensues as Nathaniel attempts to control the powerful djinni and win back his honor. The real gift in this book is Bartimaeus himself, both to the reader and to Nathaniel. The djinni’s wisecracks and hilarious side comments make him the star of the show. Stroud uses footnotes to record Bartimaeus' asides, making the reader feel as though they are involved in a private conversation with a particularly funny main character. One of my colleagues also highly recommends this book in audio format [2], which she says is amazing for family road trips.

 Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

A plane full of Miss Teen Dream beauty contestants crash lands on a seemingly deserted island. The handful of girls who survive the crash anxiously await rescue. However, away from the cameras, pressures and watchful eyes of society, the girls who have always been defined by how well they perform in pageants finally get to explore who they are. Along the way, the teen beauties find out that the island is not in fact deserted and some of their fellow contestants are not...exactly...who they claim to be. There are explosions, feats of derring-do and (of course) scads of glitter. With the care of a master, Bray has built the world that created a Miss Team Dream contest, including references and explanations in footnotes throughout the story. I cannot even begin to describe how much I adored this book. Perhaps one of my favorite aspects was the 'applications' to the Miss Team Dream contest from the different characters. The reader not only gets to know the main characters better for it, but also realizes the forces (in the form of judges for the contest and the conflicting standards they press onto the characters) the girls are up against. Part comedy, part satire, this book can be enjoyed on a multitude of different levels. Also, if you want to get a look at the wonderful brand of crazy that is Libba Bray, take a look at her interview with herself (yup, a self-administered Q&A) on the Amazon page for this book.

 The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Inconceivable! There's an actual book that inspired the cult classic movie about 'twoo wuv' [3]? There is - and if you enjoyed (or loved) the movie I bet you'll enjoy the book as well. The humor that caused people to love the movie is present in the book in the form of footnotes the author makes as he "abridges" an earlier version by S. Morgenstern [4]. One of my favorite footnotes is the author relating a conversation between himself and his wife as to how much romance to include in a particular part of the book. The wife wants Golding to include details thank you very much and Golding objects and says not only do the readers not need to know how a romantic reunion plays out, the characters deserve a little privacy. You get the picture. Golding uses this literary device throughout the rest of the book to great success. The book provides the readers with the details that were not needed in the movie (how did Buttercup become the most beautiful woman in the world? Read and discover the answer). All of the adventure, romance and great characters are present in this work to be enjoyed at your own speed. Happy reading!


[1] I didn't know that one could use anything other than numbers for footnotes. Turns out you can - and there is even a specific order for them. Typographical devices such as the asterisk (*) or dagger (†) may also be used to point to footnotes; the traditional order of these symbols is *, †, ‡, §, ‖, ¶.
[2] I'm never sure what vocabulary to use here. When I say 'audio format', I am talking about books on CD (or tape), audio books, talking books, etc. Apparently the reader for this book is particularly hilarious.
[3] Twoo wuv = true love. You'll have to forgive me, this is a reference to the movie. The bishop that marries Buttercup and Prince Humperdinck has the most hilarious and unique way of speaking ever.
[4] No such earlier version of the work exists. S. Morgenstern is used as a pseudonym for William Golding.