Monday, January 18, 2010

Author #4, and #5

Emily Jenkins is Author #4!  I just finished reading Toy Dance Party, the second book about the adventures of three toys, Plastic a red ball, Stingray, a plush dryclean-only stingray, and Lumphy, a plush buffalo.  These toys have to face that the Girl, Honey, is growing older and leaving them behind more and more in this book.  They also hold dance parties in the basement and support the Dryer in her need for extensive maintenance.  A new scary toy joins the ranks and earns two names.  Jenkins' toy characters are lovable, ingenious, and silly.  Both books, Toys Go Out and Toy Dance Party are great for independent readers in grades 2 and up and even better when read aloud to youngsters of all ages.  Jenkins has written a number of picture books as well including What happens on Wednesday and Love you when you whine.

Emily Jenkins has a website where she lists her other accomplishments, including a bio and a couple of books for adults.  Check out some of Emily's books from the Parkland Community Library today.

Author #5 is E. Lockhart, author of splendiferously funny and/or thoughtful books for teens.  Her book The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is full of pranks and philosophizing and stars a heroine who is smart, clever and resilient.  There is a heavy dose of feminism in Frankie's story but even more than that, the book shows how traditions begin and how quickly they take hold, especially in closed socieities, such as a privileged boarding school.  Read it for the fun pranks, though.  Everything else will fall into place days, weeks, even months after you put the book down. I hope another book about Frankie is in the offing.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book but I have yet to read The Treasure Map of Boys all written about Ruby and her affairs of the heart.  That book is going on hold for ME!

For more about E. Lockhart and her impressive writing history, check out her website.

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