Starred review from August 31, 1998
Terse prose and a lovable hero in the form of Ernest Morlaisse, a deprived young man whose life turns topsy-turvy with a new neighbor's arrival, give this French novel universal appeal. There is no magic involved here, just the irrepressible spirit of Victoria de Montardent. This human "bulldozer" charges into his classroom and pulls 10-year-old Ernest into the colorful, modern world lying outside the door of his 80-year-old ("the kind of eighty that is really old") grandmother's house, a place where daily routines are as bland and predictable as the soup he has for dinner each night. Led by Victoria (and occasionally some of her 13 lively brothers), Ernest experiences a wide range of firsts: "I have tasted a delicious fondue, I have held an adorable baby in my arms, I have discovered the supermarket experience," he later reflects in a letter. He also learns the whereabouts of his long-lost father and is finally able to unveil the meaning of a puzzling missive written by his grandfather half a century ago. Not only will readers relish the serendipitous twists this novel has to offer, but their appreciation of ordinary pleasures (such as eating chocolate and scanning a book in the grocery store) may be heightened as they share Ernest's delight in discovering each new taste, texture, smell, sound and sight. Wrought with energy and wit, this chronicle of Ernest's metamorphosis from sheltered na f into vibrant young man is not to be missed. Ages 9-12.
July 31, 2000
The ill-starred pioneer family of Mary Jane Auch's Journey to Nowhere and Frozen Summer returns in The Road to Home. This installment, set in 1817, finds 13-year-old Remembrance Nye leading her younger siblings back from upstate New York to their grandmother's house in Connecticut. (Holt, $16.95 ages 9-12 ISBN 0-8050-4921-5; July) A companion to Steal Away Home, Lois Ruby's Soon Be Free alternates between a present-day mystery set in a bed-and-breakfast and a historical adventure about a 13-year-old boy who aids four runaway slaves in 1857. (S&S, $17 ages 8-12 ISBN 0-689-83266-4; Aug.) THE TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC Jimmy Kennedy, illus. by Alexandra Day. S&S/Aladdin, $5.99 ISBN 0-689-83530-2. ~ The illustrator of Good Dog, Carl creates a cozy woodland gathering of cuddly bears, inspired by a favorite song. Ages 3-6. (June) BLAZE FINDS THE TRAIL C.W. Anderson. S&S/Aladdin, $4.99 ISBN 0-689-83520-5. ~ Originally published in 1950, this story of Billy and his adventures exploring the forest with his pony is available in paperback for the first time, complete with colorized cover art. Three more Blaze books previously available only in hardcover will follow. Ages 5-8. (July) ~ SECRET LETTERS FROM 0 TO 10 Susie Morgenstern, trans. by Gill Rosner. Puffin, $4.99 ISBN 0-14-130819-2. ~ "Set in France and wrought with energy and wit, this chronicle of a deprived young man whose life is turned topsy-turvy with a new neighbor's arrival is not to be missed," wrote PW in a starred review. Ages 8-12. (Aug.) THE BOXES William Sleator. Puffin, $4.99 ISBN 0-14-130810-9. ~ This tale of a girl who, like Pandora, is given not one but two boxes she is forbidden to open, is filled with the author's "signature high-style ick and suspense," said PW. Ages 8-12. (Aug.) THE MARVELOUS MISADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN Lloyd Alexander. Puffin, $4.99 ISBN 0-14-130816-8. ~ Spiced with the author's unique brand of wit, this winner of the 1971 National Book Award follows a young adventurer with good intentions through disaster after disaster. Ages 10-14. (July) REACHING DUSTIN Vicki Grove. Puffin, $5.99 ISBN 0-698-11839-1. ~ PW called this "a heartfelt story that unmasks the vulnerabilities of two preadolescents from very different walks of life." Ages 10-up. (Aug.) SOMEONE LIKE YOU Sarah Dessen. Puffin, $4.99 ISBN 0-14-130269-0. ~ PW said this "realistic portrayal of contemporary teens and their moral challenges breathes fresh life into well-worn themes of rebellion and first love." Ages 12-up.