The Cheshire Cheese Cat (audio)

The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright. Narrated by Katherine Kellgren.

Audience: Grades 5 and up
My Rating: 5* of 5

Summary: Tired of dodging fishwives' brooms and carriage wheels, alley cat Skilley yearns for the comfort of Ye olde Cheshire Cheese, a popular London inn. Once installed at the Cheese, Skilley looks forward to a life of ease. But a resident mouse named Pip uncovers Skilley's scandalous secret, and the desperate cat is forced to make a pact with him. The ensuing mayhem threatens the peace of Ye olde Cheshire Cheese-and the entire British empire!
Comments: The language, the characters, the cheese! Rich is the best word I can find to describe this wonderful new tale (tail?) that reads like a classic.
Awards: Texas Bluebonnet list 2012-2013
Read-alikes: Charles Dickens
Quote: "You want the truth, Master Skilley? Then find out just what manner of cat you really are...and brazenly, unabashedly, boldly, be that cat." (Maldwyn, p120)

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. Harper Children's Audio, 2009.
Audience: 3rd-6th grade
My Rating: 4* of 5
Summary: In a village in ancient Norway lives a boy named Odd, and he's had some very bad luck: His father perished in a Viking expedition; a tree fell on and shattered his leg; the endless freezing winter is making villagers dangerously grumpy. Out in the forest Odd encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle--three creatures with a strange story to tell.
Comments: A brief, pleasant tale from master storyteller Gaiman. Humor is subtle, fantasy elements are seamless, and Thor as a hulking bear is irresistible.
Read-Alikes: Coraline by Gaiman, How to Train your Dragon series by Cowell

Franny Parker by McKinnon

Franny Parker by Hannah McKinnon. 2009.

Audience: Grades 4-8th; ages 10 and up

My Rating: 3*s of 5

Summary: Franny Parker's life revolves around her family, their farm, and their dusty Oklahoma town. Then the Dunns move in next door, harboring painful secrets. From the moment Franny meets Lucas, the two begin a friendship that introduces Franny to a larger world.

Comments: A nicely written coming of age story (and debut novel). Readers will especially enjoy the animal rescue elements and the dangerous mystery of Lucas and his family. Franny's mother is a particularly appealing character.

Awards:

Read-alikes: Dairy Queen

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. 2008.

Audience: 4-8 Grade; Ages 8-12 (seriously, SLJ and Booklist?! hard to believe.)

My Rating: 4*s of 5

Summary: An old hound that has been chained up at his hateful owner's run-down shack, and two kittens born underneath the house, endure separation, danger, and many other tribulations in their quest to be reunited and free.

Comments: Well, now that it got a Newbery Honor maybe kids will read this one, but otherwise I can't imagine many 4th-8th graders would have picked it up. Beautifully written in a mystical, folkloric tone, the story constantly doubles back on itself as if being told out loud over a period of time. This was hard for me to adjust to for the first 1/3 of the book. Once I caught the rhythm (and the rhythm itself picked up) I enjoyed the experience much more. Ranger, Puck, and Sabine are absolutely as lovable as Gar Face is deplorable. I skipped the main abuse passage which was thankfully quick and soon atoned for. I wish the big decision twist at the end had been more foreshadowed or written into the character because I felt it was a bit convenient as is (but hey, this is a "children's" book, right?). Overall, a wonderful reading experience that I will be curious to see how many kids choose to enjoy.

Awards: Newbery Honor Book 2009

Read-alikes: