In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson was an enjoyable read about a year in the life of Shirley Temple Wong (her "American name"), a Chinese girl who moves to the United States with her family. The ups and downs of her adjustment to the culture are both sad and humorous at times, and I found her growing baseball enthusiasm to be relatable, as a former big-time fan myself.

The writing covers twelve months in a short book, so some scenes and actions seem like they could have been fleshed out more. I also didn't care for the bullying scene that seemed to imply that accepting violence from a bully is a great way to become their friend. But overall it was a nice look at the time period (1947), the immigrant experience (as well as a few aspects of her Chinese culture), and the inspiration that Jackie Robinson brought to people from so many walks of life.

Format: Paperback
Author: Bette Bao Lord
Pages: 176
Content Advisory: A scene of bullying.

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Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess is an informative and whimsical look at what it might have been like to live in a castle in the Middle Ages, according to the fictional diary of Tobias Burgess, an eleven-year-old boy who becomes a page at his uncle's castle. 

Toby writes his entries over the course of a year (in a Medieval-sounding voice, even!), detailing the different things he is learning and experiencing -- from school to church, hunts to jousts, and basic day-to-day events such as meals, comradeship, and punishments, this is a fun way to learn about Medieval times, especially as they played out within the walls of a castle.

Scrounged From: AbeBooks.com

Format: Paperback
Author: Richard Platt
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Pages: 128
Content Advisory: References to the dungeon/prisoners, cleaning "garderobes," and similar unsavory aspects of Medieval life.

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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane was a very sad but touching story -- simply told, and an easy read, but with clearly drawn characters and a theme that reappears in many ways. For those of us who remember The Velveteen Rabbit, it's not the first time a story about a toy rabbit has tugged at our heartstrings.

Edward Tulane is a proud rabbit who doesn't love anyone, not even his owner who takes good care of him. Over the course of the story, he is taught difficult lessons as he is lost, thrown out, and abandoned to other owners -- many people love him, though some characters do not. He learns how much love can hurt, but also how necessary it is. Can he open his heart one last time? While the ending is satisfying, the story includes enough sadness that it doesn't feel schmaltzy. 

Scrounged From: PaperbackSwap.com

Format: Paperback
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Pages: 200
Content Advisory: A child dies of illness, and there are other sad abandonments throughout the story.

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The Twenty-One Balloons is one of those books that I'm glad to have read, but wish I had read when I was younger -- sometimes the magic and mystery is a bit stronger at younger ages.

I did enjoy this story that features a fair amount of absurdity, but it balanced that out by anchoring itself in an actual historical event -- the violent explosion of the volcano Krakatoa in 1883. After a ballooning accident maroons him on a seemingly deserted island, Professor Sherman is introduced to a secret society built around the volcano -- made possible due to the abundance of diamond mines about the place (also secret).

This brought back memories of Gulliver's Travels though easier to read and not nearly so strange or complicated, and also reminded me a lot of the science fiction and mystery of some Jules Verne stories. In modern times, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the movie Up was inspired by this book.

Scrounged From: A homeschool book sale

Format: Paperback
Author: William Pene du Bois
Pages: 180
Content Advisory: There is a violent explosion and a bit of peril, but nothing too scary.

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the first Roald Dahl book that I've ever read. I'm ashamed to say I made it to adulthood before I even realized that his first name wasn't actually "Ronald." But it's better late than never, isn't it?

I'll also admit that, having seen Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory as a child, it is difficult to mentally separate this story from Gene Wilder's magical portrayal of Wonka (I've heard some say that Depp was closer to the book, personality-wise, but I didn't see that version).

All the same, the song "Pure Imagination" captures this story quite aptly. What child has not fantasized about everlasting candy? This made "the chocolate room" all the more magical to me, as I absolutely used to fantasize about a natural world in which everything was made of different kinds of sweets. That as well as the boat on the chocolate river, and the great glass elevator, were the most memorable parts for me.

One aspect that I found interesting was the different treatment of Charlie in the movie vs. the book. In this book, Charlie is completely good and his fellow golden-ticket-holders are completely bad. There is no question of who the hero is because it's spelled out clearly from the beginning. Whereas, the movie apparently attempted to humanize Charlie by having him do a bad thing too.

I think that's why one thing that struck me about the book was how moralizing it came across, even underneath all the absurdity (at times reminding me of Hilaire Belloc's "cautionary" tales, minus the death of course). I have no problem with "good vs. evil" narratives; I suppose this just stands out more because I've become used to narratives that are more likely to portray complex heroes and villains. But I think the fantasy elements of the story made the fairly one-dimensional characters less problematic. 

On another note, I am certain that J.K. Rowling must have been influenced by this story. Not only is there a "Slugworth" (minor character) here, but some of the goofier candy inventions remind me quite a bit of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Scrounged From: PaperbackSwap.com

Format: Paperback
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Pages: 155
Content Advisory: Some perilous and sad situations.

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