A Review: Miss Brooks Loves Books! (And I Don't)

This is the first book review for my class on Youth Literature. Hope you all enjoy-- I certainly enjoyed reading this. The lesson this book is tied to had to do with books about reading, and I think this book perfectly sums up what I love about books!:

Review of the Book:

Image from www.parentbooks.ca

Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t), by Barbara Bottner; Illustrated by Michael Emberley

Summary:

This book is a story about a little girl who is plagued by an overly-enthusiastic librarian who loves dressing up as different story characters to get the children in her class as interested in books as she is.  The girl is, as the title suggests, not so interested. She just doesn’t get it—none of the books are any good! Then, to the girl’s horror, Miss Brooks tells each kid that they must pick their favorite book, dress up as a character from it, and then tell the class why they liked it. So far, she doesn’t like any of the books that other kids have presented – they are too…everything that she doesn’t like—pink, fuzzy, noisy. When her mom tells her she is “as stubborn as a wart”, the girl realizes that she’d love to read a story with warts in it! So she reads Shrek by William Steig, about a warty ogre looking for an ugly bride. She dresses up and gets excited about presenting it to her class, and Miss Brooks is happy she’s found something she likes to read.

Bottner, B. (2010). Miss Brooks loves books (And I don’t). New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Impression:

I think this is a great way to introduce to kids the concept that reading can be fun, and can be about their interests. Some kids are receptive to reading, and some aren’t, so this is a good way to bring those kids around who are a little hesitant about reading, or who are downright put off by reading. There are so many kids who don’t think they like books, but I agree with Miss Brooks in that I believe that there is a book for every reader out there, no matter the age or stage of life. It’s important to let kids identify their interests and then to choose books based on those interests. 

I thought this book was lots of fun to read. The little girl has a great personality, and Emberley’s illustrations perfectly demonstrate her attitude and Miss Brooks' devotedness to the books. It’s also a lot of fun to see Emberley’s take on other picture book characters. This story is inspiring, but fun. It’s didactic, but kids can enjoy it for the story, and some will definitely identify with the young anti-reader. Win win win!

Professional Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews:

"Guaranteed to be warmly welcomed by librarians everywhere, this paean to the joys of reading will find an enthusiastic audience among kids and parents as well. The first-grade narrator is clearly an iconoclast—and a curmudgeon. She wears the same scruffy overalls and striped hat (pulled down to her eyes) throughout, turns away from reading circle to pursue her own interests and doesn’t even bother with a Halloween costume. She looks askance at Miss Brooks, the tall, lanky (and, in her opinion, overenthusiastic) librarian who dresses up for storytime and urges her listeners to share their favorites with the group. After the narrator rejects her classmates’ picks, Miss Brooks sends yet another pile home, with similar results. When her remarkably patient mother opines that she is “as stubborn as a wart,” however, a seed is planted. A book with warts (Shrek) is found, loved and shared with great success. Bottner’s deadpan delivery is hilarious, while Emberley’s exaggerated illustrations, executed in watercolor and pencil by way of computer, bring her charmingly quirky characters perfectly to life. In a word: lovable. (Picture book. 5-8)"

[Review of the book Miss Brooks loves books! (And I don’t), by B. Bottner]. (2010, February 15). Kirkus’ Reviews. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

From School Library Journal:
"All children need a librarian like Miss Brooks. Her love for reading flows from every fiber of her lanky, quirky self. When not happily immersed in one of the colorful choices from the mountains of books surrounding her, she is dressed as Babar, a Chinese dragon, or a groundhog–her puppet-clad arm popping through a hole on the page. She shares stories with a diverse group of young people, and all are captivated–except for one. This first-grade narrator believes Miss Brooks is a little too enthusiastic–to the point of being "vexing." During Book Week’s student presentations, the overall-clad girl with large, round spectacles and a woolen beanie finds the other kids’ books "too flowery. Too furry. Too clickety. Too yippity." When her mother observes that she is as "stubborn as a wart," interest is aroused, Shrek is discovered in the pile supplied by the librarian, and the transformation begins. An ogre costume and stick-on warts for the whole class complete the conversion to bibliophile. Children will delight in Emberley’s spirited watercolor and ink renderings of literary favorites from The Very Hungry Caterpillar to a Wild Thing. Bottner’s deadpan humor and delicious prose combine with Emberley’s droll caricatures to create a story sure to please those who celebrate books–and one that may give pause to those who don’t (or who work with the latter)."

 Lukehart, W. (2010, February 1). [Review of the book Miss Brooks loves books (And I don't)]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

 

Uses: I would use this book as a way to get children who are hesitant readers, or those who claim that they don’t like books at all, interested in books, and interested in identifying their own interests, and then finding books about those interests. It gets kids understanding that there is a book for everyone. I might also use this as a way to get kids interested in dressing up in costume as their favorite library character – perhaps by having a day like Miss Brooks does, and have kids present their own favorite book. This would be a great way to get children involved in the process of choosing what they love to read and making it special to them.

Deemed Appropriate

A preteen boy asked me today for the first of the Twilight books by Stephanie Meyer. He's already seen the first two movies, and his mom won't let him see the third.  His mom was pretty concerned about him reading this series, and questioned me about it's "appropriateness". Appropriate means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  I've seen moms that are ultra-protective over what their kids read, and some who let their kids pick without thinking much about it.

When a patron asks us as librarians "Is this book appropriate for my kid?", how are we supposed to answer? 

Here's the thing... parents are really the only ones who can say what is or isn't appropriate for their sons and daughters to read. Librarians can't do that for you. If you ask us our opinion, then we can give that-- but just know that it doesn't mean that you'll think it's appropriate for him/her.  

After this incident, a woman came into the library complaining about the overly-violent and sexual nature of some of the graphic novels from the teen section. She only noticed this once she had taken them home and looked through them that they were inappropriate for her son to read. She asked "Why would you let someone his age check them out? I thought it would be safe to let him take out stuff from the library." She proceeded to fill out forms asking the library to reconsider these items for our collection (read: she wants them withdrawn or moved to the adult section).


Some things to note for library users: librarians aren't there to monitor what you or your kids read. Any of you. The only materials we'll tell you you can't have are the ones that don't circulate, like reference books. But this also means that if your 5th grader decides to check out a book on how to make beer at home, we're not going to stop him. Minors need a parent's signature on their library card application, and after that, all the content checked out on their card becomes the responsibility of the parent and the minor. 


So how do you know whether or not materials are suitable for your kid (based on your own judgments)?  


First of all, monitor what your kids are selecting before letting them check out if you are concerned.


Second, there are plenty of websites out there that rate books and other materials to determine appropriateness. One example is Common Sense Media, a website that lets people (parents, kids, etc.) rate all sorts of materials -- books, video games, movies, etc. The site lists the age people have stated the material is most suited for, and rates it on key things like: 

• educational value
• positive message
• positive role models
• violence
• sex
• language
• consumerism
• and drinking, drugs, and smoking

It lets you search by title, author, etc. and you can also browse books or other content based on the age level you are looking for. It's a great way for parents to monitor what their kids are reading, and offer suggestions for appropriate materials to them. 


That said, I am a firm believer in the freedom to read -- and the freedom to choose what you want to read. If you don't like something in the library, then don't read it. But don't try to take away someone else's choice to read it.

Read What Interests You

At the library today, a high-school aged boy was dragging his feet behind his mom who was picking out books. When she asked him if he was interested in getting anything, he kinda rolled his eyes and groaned. Until! Lo and behold, his eye glanced over at High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, later made into the movie by the same name starring John Cusack.  All of the sudden, he was interested in taking a book home. Sometimes, that's all it takes.

Reading for high school, asking overly-detailed questions about books that teenagers have little to no reason to care about, kids will find a way out of reading it no matter what. The details of a book don't matter, but critical thinking as it applies to reading does, and that's rarely emphasized as much as it should be, if at all-- educators are often focused on getting kids to pass their tests, but don't spend enough time getting them to LIKE reading, which proves to be a much more useful skill in the real world. In fact, half the time it turns them off of reading at a young age... scary!

Find what they're interested in, and you'll see them become readers, and don't tell anyone I said this... but they might even like it. 

Let the Empire Strike Back Already

Shelving books in the library, I overheard the following conversation in the children's section between a mother and her two sons:

Son 1: (to Son 2, as they both fumble excitedly through the various Star Wars series collection) Number 4 is called The Empire Strikes Back! (to Mom) Mom! Mom! Can we get these? 
Mother: (looks disapprovingly at the Star Wars books, then looks animatedly down at a volume from another series-- The Boxcar Children) Umm... wow! Look at these books, I remember these... What were these series called? Oh yeah! The Boxcar Children! Have you heard of these... ooooh, The Mystery at the Fair! This looks like a good one! 
Son 1: (Blatantly ignoring mom's comments) We could get Number 3 and Number 4! 
Son 2 reaches excitedly for the book Son 1 is holding...they are almost wrestling to see what's in the book.
Mother: You can't get any of those books. That is sooo not quality literature. How about those Boxcar Children?! 
Son 1 and 2 exchange exasperated glances at one another. Son 2 tries one more attempt at showing his interest in Star Wars, again ignoring his mom's suggestion.
 Son 2: Ugh, Number 4 isn't The Empire Strikes Back, it's Return of the Jedi! Mom, please can we get this? 
Mother: No! Definitely not. Alright, look, pick either The Mystery at the Fair or The Summer Camp Mystery. You aren't getting any of those Star Wars books. (She's getting huffy now)
Son 1: When we get home can we watch The Empire Strikes Back! 
Mother: (Definitely annoyed) You have better things to do than to watch Star Wars all summer long!!! 
Son 2: (under his breath, sarcastically) Yeah... like reading the Boxcar Children...
Son 1 and 2 snicker as Mom stalks off.

I'm taken by surprise. First off, the Star Wars movies are great. Second off, the fact that these two boys around the age of 10 are wanting to read about Star Wars, not just watch the movies, is even greater.  And the last and most stressing fact from this conversation is that Mom, by denying her kids' subject of interest in reading, fails to realize that she is probably smothering any idea that reading could be fun, and sending the signal that reading is supposed to be about "good literature" (although where she gets the idea that the Boxcar Children is defined as high-quality literature is one mystery that still hasn't been solved by those ruddy little orphans).


Sorry, Gertrude Chandler Warner. Don't get me wrong about the Boxcar Children. I loved the first book when I was little, and I think it's incredible that children still check them out to this day since the first one was published in 1924.  But even if they are considered a "classic" in the world of children's literature, does that mean they are right for everyone? No. For 10 year old boys drooling over Star Wars chapter books? Definitely not.


There are plenty of books for kids that I think are garbage. [Take the Rainbow Magic series, all about fairies, with awesome names like Sky, the Blue Fairy; Sunny, the Yellow Fairy; Storm, the Lightning Fairy; and yes, even Hayley, the Rain Fairy (thanks, a lot Daisy Meadows, if that's even your real name).]     BUT, the bottom line is: if they are reading, then LET THEM READ.  Star Wars books aren't racy or crude. They aren't the greatest example of children's lit, but it's what they are interested in, so roll with it! 


Boys especially are susceptible to being turned off of books at a young age. After hearing the aforementioned conversation, I decided to do some research to find out what types of books boys at that age might enjoy. I also did a little research on boys and reading. 

Statistics (from Connecting Boys with Books: What Libraries Can Do by Michael Sullivan): 

• Boys are on average one and a half grades behind girls in reading
• 70% of students in remedial classes are boys 
• Boys aren't the majority in library programs
• Boys are the majority saying they spend zero time reading for fun

 Although I can't promise to fix these things, here are some things to help the lost boys out: 

1. Boys need male role models showing them that reading is fun. Have their fathers or other male role models take them to the library, the bookstore, or read them their bedtime story. Let the library feel accessible to them. 
2. Take them to library programs when they are younger (and if possible, try to encourage some of his male friends to enroll too so he has other male peers to share the reading experience with). Library programs run by male librarians are rare, but if you see one on the schedule, make it a point to have him attend that one!
3. Encourage him to read what interests him!!! I can't stress this enough!  If you squash his interests in reading when he's little, his reading material when he gets older will consist mainly of Playboy magazines that probably won't read "just for the articles."

  I'll end this blog with a list of books that I've gathered on boys and their reading lists, and on what I've seen boys eager to check out at the library. This isn't a fool-proof list, and it's not in any particular order-- I'm just offering another option that might suit them better than, say, the Boxcar Children. 

• Non-fiction! Okay, I know that this is incredibly vague, but boys seem to take to non-fiction pretty well. See what their interests are, and promote them: let them learn about Egyptian mummies, Roman soldiers, how cars run, the most poisonous animals in the world, how to build things, the solar system, or any other number of things boys find intriguing. 
• Books by Matt Christopher. This guy writes fiction about almost every type of sport, and boys seems to love it. 
• The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osbourne. This woman is a genius! She writes fiction stories about two children who travel in time and space to go on tons of adventures. She's got lots of different stories, and many of them come with non-fiction research companion guides to accompany them. For example, the first in the series, Dinosaurs Before Dark, comes with a research guide all about dinosaurs of the prehistoric world! Boys and girls alike love this series.
• The Time Warp Trio series by Jon Scieszka. Another time travel novel about boys who travel having kooky adventures, with fun titles such as See You Later, Gladiator; Viking It and Liking It; The Not-So-Jolly Roger; The Knights of the Kitchen Table, and Your Mother Was a Neanderthal. :)
• R.L. Stine's Goosebump series-- Boys like scaring themselves and seeing how much they can handle. Once I had a boy come up to me, and with a devilish gleam in his eye, challenged me to find him the scariest book we had. Although I can't promise these are the scariest, they do fulfill that need for a little horror.
• The Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate also still does pretty well, even though that was much more popular when I was younger. What boy doesn't love humans turning into animals? 
• The Hardy Boys series, by Franklin W. Dixon. This is old, I know, but I still get boys running up to me asking where the Hardy Boys are. They also make this in a comic book form now.
• The Harry Potter series. Enough said! 
• Eoin Colfer's The Artemis Fowl series. A fantasy series about a ruthless teenage criminal mastermind who tries to obtain money by stealing it from fairies and the like.
• The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. A story about a boy who has to survive on his own after his plane crashes in the woods. 
• As far as picture books go, reading books to a boy about boys or animals (curious monkeys for example) who get into trouble, any form of transportation, pirates, dinosaurs, and pirate-dinosaur combinations will get you far! 

 Sheesh, I've given you enough books, now get to work! I'll do more digging to have more titles available at a later date.