Mrs. Cropper’s Books is moving to www.mrscroppersbooks.blogspot.com (click on that!)

Though it is still under construction, I invite you to join me there.  Bookclubbers, if you have read the post below, please add your comments on the new site, not this one.   Also, if you have a link to me on your blog, please change the address.  Thanks!  

See you there! 

OK Bookclubbers, it is time to discuss The Higher Power of Lucky.  My hope for this forum is that it can be more dynamic-like a chat room, and less static-like everyone makes one comment and is done.  Please continue to check back and respond to other readers’ comments, so it can be an ongoing conversation. 

A while ago I made some suggestions about what to take note of–plot, character development, good literary bits, etc.  Tell us what you think about all that.  Also, tell us what you thought generally of the book.  Do you think it deserved the Newberry Medal this year (declaring it the best book in American children’s lit for 2007)?  What do you think about the controversy??  (Let me tell you, there was quite a conversation about it in the class I attended last month, so I’m super curious about what all of you think.)  I’ll let y’all begin the commenting and I’ll add my two cents here and there. 

Let the fun begin!

Why didn’t you recommend this before Father’s Day, silly Mrs. Cropper?!  My apologies.  Truth be told, I was procrastinating.  In fact, Blaine and I snuck out the Saturday afternoon before Father’s Day only to discover that it was sold out at our local Borders.  So Taylor got his gift 2 weeks late, courtesy of Amazon.  (By the way, I believe Amazon was inspired by God.)  So although this suggestion is too late for Dad’s Day 2007, I highly recommend it as a birthday, Christmas, or anytime gift for the men and boys in your life.

After all that babble, let’s talk about what this book is all about!  The authors, Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden sum it up beautifully on the back cover: “Recapture Sunday afternoons and long summer days.  The perfect book for every boy from eight to eighty.”  Essentially, it’s a reference book for boyhood.  Page 35–Making a Bow and Arrow.  Page 136–Map of the United States.  Page 79–Making a Go-Cart.  Page 146–The Golden Age of Piracy.  Page 171–Skipping Stones.  Page 18–How to Play Stickball.  Page 39–Understanding Grammar-Part One.  Page 250–Role-Playing Games.  Page 139–Extraordinary Stories-Part Two: The Wright Brothers.  Page 89–Juggling.  Page 163–The Declaration of Independence.  Page 238–Hunting and Cooking a Rabbit.  Page 73–Making Crystals.  Are you getting the idea?  And it’s chalk full of pictures, diagrams, intructions, charts, etc.  Taylor’s favorite section?  Page 21–Building a Treehouse.

My boys love it–and so will yours! 

A few months ago I received an email from my friend, Mindy, asking for suggestions of books that her 14-year-old daughter, Kate, would like.  I easily came up with a few titles, but being more of a children’s literature connoisseur than a young adult literature connoisseur, I went to the good ol’ internet to do a bit more research.  I found a great top-10-for-teens-list.  One of the titles on the list was Twilight.  After reading a synopsis of the book–something or other about a vampire–I decided not to recommend it to Mindy.  I mean, let’s get serious, who wants to read a book about a vampire? 

About a month later, I was visiting my friend, Julie.  Her 16-year-old daughter, Caitlyn, was there.  There was a knock on the door.  It was Caitlyn’s friend, Lindsay, returing a book she had borrowed.  It was Twilight.  Not yet remembering my internet research about this book, I began questioning the girls about it.  The conversation went something like this: Me: “What’s that book?”  Girls: “Twilight.”  Me: “I haven’t seen that book before.  What’s it about?”  Girls (in a state of utter shock and disbelief): “You haven’t heard of Twilight?!!!”  They then proceded to tell me all about it–how it’s soooo good, and how the sequel is soooo great too, and how I HAD to read it, and how it’s sooo romantic.  Julie had read it as well, and told me it was really quite good.  I was now officially curious, but not yet compelled to rush out and buy it.  After all, it was a book about a vampire. 

A couple more months passed, but suddenly, Twilight was all around me.  It was brought up in the children’s lit class I attended 2 weeks ago.  The teacher talked about how hot it is right now (he ought to know, as the library director), and how the author, Stephenie Meyer, a fellow alumna of my alma mater, has already been approached about a movie.  A few days later, my friend, Lori, somewhat abashedly revealed to her blog-audience that she–having received a tip from her librarian mother-in-law–was now reading Twilight.  A few days later I was in Borders, and I overheard a girl talking to the store manager, as they stood next to a large display with dozens of copies of Twilight.  “Oh yeah,” he said.  “It’s very popular.  We’re selling about 70 copies a week.”  Whoa.  I was starting to feel more compelled.  

That week was my birthday.  Do you know what is great about birthdays and other special occasions when you’re a self-declared book enthusiast?  People give you books!!  That same lovely friend, Lori, gifted me with my very own copy of Twilight.  And if you’ll pardon the cheesy pun, I sunk my teeth right into it!  Twilight is definitely a page-turner.  It’s mysterious and intriguing, and the kind of book you absolutely don’t want to put down.  Here’s the basic premise:  Bella, 17, transfers to a new school, and falls in love with Edward, a vampire.  I know what you’re thinking–come on, a teenage love story about a vampire?  But even I, who swears off all fantasy except Harry Potter, LOVED IT.  Here’s why–it’s something we can all relate to.  Well, not the blood-thirsty vampire part, but the part about being an awkward teenager, just trying to fit in.  And the part about having challenges in your family.  And the part about being completely smitten with that dreamy boy (or girl) in Biology class.  Here’s what Meyer says about it: “I’ve always admired the ability of some authors to create situations of impossible fantasy, and then add characters that are so deeply human that their perspective makes the situation believable.  I hope Twilight offers readers the same experience.”  And, Mrs. Cropper says, IT DOES.  I wouldn’t say it’s amazing writing, but it’s really good writing.  Meyer uses foreshadowing well, introduces a fair amount of new vocabulary (remember, this is intended for a teen audience), and serves up a great big helping of character development.  That is what I love most about it.       

Here’s why I am recommending this book:  It’s a great, entertaining, fast read.  A great escape–for adults and teens alike.  It is especially perfect for teens–partly because it’s fairly good literature, partly because they love the romance (OK, I guess we’re looking at a mainly female audience here–and by the way, the romance is clean and appropriate), and mostly because it gets them reading!  So, yeah, let’s get serious–I am whole-heartedly recommending that you read Twilight, a teenage love story about a vampire.

P.S.  The sequel, New Moon, is also out.  The third book, Eclipse, will be available August 6th.     

Give Me Grace is also the only thing that seemed to interest Blaine today.  It’s a great little book and Blaine brought it to me multiple times today to read it to him.  This sweet little board book is by Cynthia Rylant–a prolific and talented author–and is subtitled “A Child’s Daybook of Prayers.”  It’s a non-denominational prayer book with a little prayer for each day of the week.  Since it’s Tuesday, I’ll tell you what Tuesday’s prayer is:

“Tuesday teach me faith and caring, teach me wisdom, teach me sharing.  Raise me up and make me strong.  Be with me the whole day long.” 

Here’s why I love this book: It is simple and sweet and teaches good things.  And its pictures are fabulous.  They are bold in color, very childlike, whimsical, and imaginative (did you notice that the tree on the cover has pink foliage and green fruit?  I love that!).  Plus the pages have gold edges, which means it’s basically scripture.  So there you go!

We were blessed to receive Give Me Grace from our friend, Lorraine.  But if you don’t have a friend named Lorraine to give it to you, you can find it at most book stores, and I’ve even seen it at T.J. Maxx for a discounted price.  Wherever you find it, I hope you’ll love it!

Well friends, the problem with having “Eric Carle” week is that he has published just a few more titles than 5.  So, it’s your turn.  Please add a comment and let us know of another Eric Carle book that has not been mentioned.  Tell us what you or your children like about it.  Thanks for sharing!

Each page goes something like this: “‘Oink! Oink!’ grunted the pig.  ‘Want to roll in the mud?’  The spider didn’t answer.  She was very busy spinning her web.”  Simple as that.  But think of everything we’ve learned from that simple exchange.  We’ve been introduced to a picture of a new animal and know what the animal is called.  We know what kind of sounds the animal makes and a characteristic or behavior of the animal.  Pretty great, huh?

In the end the spider finishes her web and we learn a characteristic of spiders– “And the spider caught the fly in her web…just like that!”  And now we know what spiders look like and what spiders do.  Just like that! 

  “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” Said the Sloth

First of all, I love how Eric Carle’s illustrations are so him.  You could recognize his stuff from a mile away.  And while it is beautiful, and NOT easy artwork, it is something that children can imitate, which is one thing that makes him so popular with the little ones.  This particular story is about a sloth who hangs out in his tree day and night.  The other animals passing by mock him and ask him why he is so lazy.  He doesn’t answer for a while.  And then, he announces that while he may be slow and even lackadaisical (and a whole slough of other perfect adjectives that Carle uses), he is not lazy. 

There are several “teaching moments” in this story.  There’s the alliteration moment.  The “what on earth is a sloth?” moment.  The many new vocabulary words moment.  The “how should we treat those who are different than us?” moment.  The “let’s make some watercolor pictures of our own” moment.  Read it with your child and take those moments.  You will both love it!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Everyone knows it.  Everyone loves it.  All I have to say is that if you don’t have this book in your personal children’s library, you should.  It’s a must!  And it’s as low as $1.29 on Amazon.  So there you go!

ERIC CARLE WEEK

Today’s Eric Carle book is quite timely.  In fact, you have exactly one week to rush out and buy it because I think it makes a most tender gift for the father figures in your life.  The book is entitled Mister Seahorse.

Yes, it is all about seahorses, fishies, and other under water creatures.  And, of course, it is rich with Carle’s watercolor and collage illustrations.  He also uses super neat plastic overlays to show the way these creatures camouflage themselves down there in the depths.  All of that aside, however, this book is about daddies.  And it is sweet and delightful.  Here is what Mr. Carle says about Mister Seahorse:

“Dear Friends, In most fish families, after the mother has laid the eggs and the father has fertilized them, the eggs are left on their own.  But there are exceptions such as the seahorse, stickleback, tilapia, Kurtus nurseryfish, pipefish, bullhead catfish, and some others.  Not only are the eggs cared for by a parent but–surprise–that parent is the father.  And this is my story about them.  I  hope you enjoy my story.”

Mrs. Cropper hopes you enjoy it, too!  Come back tomorrow for more Eric Carle…