211. Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey. Erin Entrada Kelly. 2021. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: There is a magnolia tree in Marisol Rainey's backyard. The tree is named Peppina. It is perfect for climbing. The branches are practically made for human feet. It's as if Peppina wanted to say: Step here, and here, and here. 

Premise/plot: Marisol Rainey stars in a new early chapter book series. In this one, Marisol slowly but surely--with plenty of struggles along the way--works to overcome her fear of climbing trees. Marisol struggles with [little] fears and [little] anxieties that add up day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. 

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, love, love Marisol. I think she's a GREAT heroine. I'm so glad to have met her. This book has all the feels. I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm sure I'd have read this a million times as a child. It was so awesome.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, etc.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, Funerals, and Other Fatal Circumstances. Lenore Look. 2011. Random House. 198 pages.

Call me Alvin Ho. I was born scared and I am still scared. And this is my book of scary stories.

This is the fourth book in the Alvin Ho series for young readers. (These are illustrated chapter books for those just getting comfortable with reading novels.) The first three books in the series are: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things,  Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters, and Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-Made Catastrophes.

In this Alvin Ho book, Alvin gets in a horrible, terrible predicament. The truth of the matter is that his grandfather's best friend, Charlie, has died. In a rare moment of bravery he volunteers to go with his grandfather to the funeral. Almost from that very second he regrets it. But his grandfather seems so genuinely touched, so very pleased at Alvin's response, that he is too scared to say he's scared. The next day, in another rare moment--on the bus, I believe--he blurts out that he's going to a funeral and going to see a dead body. He never once says who. At least not that I can recall. But everyone assumes that his grandfather has died. And they tell the teacher who tells the principal who tells just about every other person at the school. So in a matter of hours, everyone has come together for Alvin and wants to honor his grandfather. So much so that they want to have a memorial service at the school the next day. Poor, poor couldn't-speak-up-at-school-to-save-his-life Alvin, he finds himself unable to say hey wait, he's not dead!

So the novel is about that big misunderstanding...and about his fears of losing someone he loves--like his grandfather, like his father--to death.

I didn't really like this one. Not when comparing it with earlier books in the series. The third and fourth books in the series just haven't excited me. It's not even that this book is 'bad' or inappropriate. It's just that I'm not sure Alvin Ho is as charming as he used to be. To me.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers 

Scaredy Squirrel At The Beach

Scaredy Squirrel At The Beach. Melanie Watt. 2008. Kids Can Press. 32 pages.

Scaredy Squirrel never goes to the beach. He'd rather vacation at home alone where it's safe than risk being surrounded by the wrong crowd.

To avoid encountering the wrong kinds of crowds, Scaredy Squirrel plans on making his own private beach, right at the bottom of his nice happy nut tree. True, kitty litter doesn't have quite the same feel as sand. But still, a few sacrifices must be made for safety, right? But there is one thing his beach needs--really needs to be complete. Seashells. What's a squirrel to do? This one heads off to the real beach to get a few. To bring home. What will he learn along the way?

This one is funny and cute. I definitely liked it!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Scaredy Squirrel

Scaredy Squirrel. Melanie Watt. 2008. Kids Can Press. 42 pages.

Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. He'd rather stay in his safe and familiar tree than risk venturing out into the unknown. The unknown can be a scary place for a squirrel.

I really liked this picture book. I liked Scaredy Squirrel a lot. I could relate to him in some ways. Because the unknown can be a bit scary. Readers may not share Scaredy Squirrels exact fears--green Martians, killer bees, tarantulas, poison ivy, germs, and sharks--but chances are they can relate to fearing something. Scaredy Squirrel is thrust into an adventure and forced into facing the unknown. And he learns that sometimes fears are just silly, and that life is meant to be enjoyed, to be lived. Out of the nut tree.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters

Look, Lenore. 2009. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters. With illustrations by LeUyen Pham. Random House. 170 pages.

You will know some things about me if you have read a book called Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. But you won't know all about me, so that is why there is now this second book.

As I mentioned in my review of Alvin Ho, Allergic to Girls, Schools and Other Scary Things, I just love, love, love Alvin Ho. (So much so that I'm urging my mom to read them!) Did I love this second book as much as the first book? Yes! I loved it just as much if not more. I don't know that I could *really* choose between the two books. I just love Alvin so much--can relate to Alvin so much--can feel what he feels, see the world as he sees it, that the books just feel oh-so-right to me. What's this one about? Well, it's about a father-and-son camping trip. A trip that gets interrupted by little Anibelly. A trip that doesn't go exactly as planned. But a funny, unforgettable trip all the same!

As you might have guessed, Alvin doesn't exactly want to go camping. Not even with his dad who is his best friend on account of him saving Alvin's life "seven hundred and fourteen times eight" and "mostly in the nick of time." One particular moment stands out to me in this one--that just me all warm and cozy inside--this is when Alvin makes his will the night before going camping. (He's not sure he'll return.)

My Last Will and Testament

I, Alvin, being of scaredy mind and scaredier body, hereby leave to my brother, Calvin, the following:

my old toothbrush (I'm taking my new one with me)
my silver dollar
my Houdini kit
all my socks under my bed.

And to my sister, Anibelly, I leave:
my carved sticks collection
one piece of sea glass
my Firecracker Man outfit, maybe

To My dog, Lucy, I leave my tennis balls

To my dad I leave my baseball glove, maybe.

And to my mom, I leave all my love. (89, 91)

The book is charming and funny and cute and sweet. It's never too cute or too sweet. I don't want to give the impression that it is oh-so-darling or anything. It's a funny book, a book that I think boys and girls would enjoy reading. (I think it would make a GREAT read aloud.)

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

Look, Lenore. 2008. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. With illustrations by LeUyen Pham. Random House. 172 pages.

The first thing you should know about me is that my name is Alvin Ho.
I am afraid of many things.
Elevators.
Tunnels.
Bridges.
Airplanes.
Thunder.
Substitute teachers.
Kimchi.
Wasabi.
The dark.
Heights.
Scary movies.
Scary dreams.
Shots.
School.
If there were no school, my troubles would blast away, just like that. I would dig holes all day. I would play catch with my gunggung. I would watch cooking shows. I would keep an eye on things. It would be fantastic.
The second thing you should know about me is that even though I am afraid of many things, I am not afraid of anything that explodes. I love explosions.

If that doesn't make you want to read Alvin Ho, I don't know what will. How much did I love Alvin? I didn't just love him. I love, love, loved him! I think we're kindred spirits and everything. But there's one little problem. Alvin doesn't like girls. At all. And he wouldn't want a girl like me for a friend. Even if we do have oh-so-much in common. I loved everything about Alvin as I said. He is the middle child. He has an older brother, Calvin, and a little sister, Anibelly. (I also love them.) He has two great parents as well. I especially loved the Dad and his Shakespearean insults. (A trait that Alvin definitely picks up!)

What makes this book so wonderful besides the characters themselves? The narration, the style! I think Look has captured how children think and talk and act. It felt right to me. Just right. There is much to smile over in this one. It's a satisfying read with plenty of humor and heart.

I also love the illustrations by LeUyen Pham. I must admit I'm a big fan of her work. So they were just right for this one. And they added just that much more to the book. (Much like the original illustrations for Ramona made me love her all that much more!)

So I would definitely recommend this one! Alvin Ho is getting ready for second grade, so I'd imagine this would be a perfect read aloud for first graders and second graders.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Scaredy Squirrel at Night

Watt, Melanie. 2009. Scaredy Squirrel at Night. Kids Can Press.

Would you let your fears keep you up at night? That's just what Scaredy Squirrel does. He's afraid to go to sleep. Afraid to dream. But it's not easy not sleeping. He has to think of ways to stay awake. And the lack of sleep is effecting his life. (In fact, if this goes on, he might have had to change his name to Cranky.) One day Scaredy Squirrel reads his horoscope. It reads that all his dreams will come true at midnight. What's a squirrel to do? Come up with a game plan and fast! What's his plan? Wouldn't you like to know?! Read and see for yourself if this Scaredy Squirrel can conquer his fears once and for all and have a peaceful night's sleep!

I loved this one. Definitely recommended. Makes for a fun read aloud.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears

Gravett, Emily. 2008. Emily Gravett's Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears.

Everyone's scared of something, right? Well, Little Mouse has a special journal where she records her fears. This "journal" says, "it has been put together by an expert in worrying, who draws on a lifetime's experience of managing her fears through the medium of doodle." This book is an illustration masterpiece. Very clever. Very fun. It just works really well in evoking mood. From the cover to the end papers, to everything in between. You really MUST hold this one in your hands and read it yourself to see how wonderful it is.

Little Mouse's fears range from fear of accidents, sharp knives, birds, cats, dogs, shadows, loud noises, heights, etc. The art is just amazing. Amazingly fun and clever. This book is artistically as good as it gets...in my very humble opinion. There's just much too adore here. The amount of detail and design.

Here is one of the interior spreads:

The text reads, "I'm frightened I may get sucked down the drain or flushed down the toilet."

Here's another of my favorites,

The text reads, "Birds make me feel twitchy." I like how even the feathers are vicious with menacing eyes and pointy teeth.

This is a very smart book. And while Mouse uses simple words and phrases to express her fears, The top corners of each page use the correct terminology for those fears...

Ornithophobia (fear of birds); phagophobia (fear of being eaten).

I loved this one so much. Definitely recommended.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers