78. Oh, Sal

Oh, Sal. Kevin Henkes. 2022. [September] 144 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Sal was upset--more than upset--and, surprisingly, it didn't just have to do with the new baby.

Premise/plot: Oh, Sal is a companion novel to The Year of Billy Miller and Billy Miller Makes a Wish. Billy Miller has a four year old sister named Sal. Her story is set during the last week of December. (Christmas is over, but, but the novelty of the presents is not.) On this fateful not-so-great day, Sal is troubled by a couple of things a) the new baby (still nameless) is getting ALL the attention, b) her FAVORITE, FAVORITE, FAVORITE pair of underwear is completely missing c) her Uncle Jake keeps teasing/annoying her. 

So one of Sal's Christmas present was a package of days of the week underwear. Her favorite pair is WEDNESDAY. Wednesday has a POPPY flower on it. She must find POPPY and so the search is on...but it isn't easy for everyone to drop everything and start looking for missing underwear. Especially if one is hoping not to be teased by the visiting Uncle Jake. 

My thoughts: This one may sound a little odd or absurd. I mean why should readers care about Sal's terrible, horrible day, especially when with a little perspective--which most readers will have--that her bad day isn't all that bad in the great scheme of things. But the narrative works. Or at least it worked for me. Sal was a character that was easy to relate to. And sometimes it's the little things that can seem so BIG. The whole book felt like it would be a story passed down and repeated again, again. Sal most likely won't remember this--not really. But the stories her family tells about this day, well, she'll definitely be hearing about it for years--decades. And there's something super realistic and authentic about that. 

This is the third book to star the Miller family. I love, love, love, love this family. It was just delightful to spend time with them again. SAL was a character that I just loved so much. I have been Sal.

Quotes:

Sal cried so hard her throat felt scraped. She was exhausted. The minutes seemed like hours. How long had she been miserable in her room? Shouldn't someone have come to check on her? Did no one in the whole entire world care about her anymore? 

She felt so grown-up, she pretended she was a teacher and then the president.

That would be her wish--to make it through the entire day without crying.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

77. Leave It to Plum

Leave It to Plum! Matt Phelan. 2022. 128 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was a fine, crisp morning at the Athensville Zoo. A peacock and an alligator were in the middle of a staring contest.

“You blinked,” said the small peacock named Plum.

“I haven’t blinked since Tuesday,” said the large alligator named Mike.

They stared.

And stared.

Premise/plot: Plum, our protagonist, is one (of many) of the peacock ambassadors for Athensville Zoo. Peacocks, as ambassadors, roam free in the zoo. But someone is mighty jealous, a small marsupial, a ningbing, named ITCH. He'll stop at nothing [insert evil laugh] to bring down the peacocks. If the zoo needs an animal ambassador it should be HIM. He comes up with a multi-faceted plan that is sure to succeed...or will it? Can Plum figure out what is going on and put an end to it???? Can he redeem the reputation of the peacocks and restore them to their rightful place?

My thoughts: This was a delightful animal fantasy. Plum is our main character, but, there is plenty of animal characters readers meet throughout the book...including a cat named JEREMY. 

I enjoyed this illustrated chapter book very much. I found it charming and sweet but not too sweet! I would definitely recommend this one.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

76. Recipe for Disaster

Recipe for Disaster (Didi Dodo, Future Spy #1) Tom Angleberger. Illustrated by Jared Chapman. 2019. 128 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:  Inspector Flytrap's phone rang. And rang. And rang. Finally a really loud taped voice said: "Hello, you've reached the office of Inspector Flytrap and Inspector Nina the Goat. They are not in the office today, because Inspector Flytrap's grandmother has come to visit. Please leave a message at the sound of the bleat."

Premise/plot: Koko Dodo, the cookie chef, has a BIG DEAL problem. However, Inspector Flytrap being unavailable on this particular day, Koko Dodo reluctantly turns to DIDI DODO, FUTURE SPY. The 'big deal' problem, SOMEONE has stolen his top-top-secret fudge sauce (or perhaps the recipe???) The BIG cookie contest is today. There is great urgency....to solving this case and remedying the situation. Koko Dodo may be reluctant to jump in with Didi Dodo's plans. Because, to be fair, they are crazy, wacky, over-the-top....and physically dangerous. Speed, speed, speed--more speed. They must work fast and their plans must be super flexible...and adaptable...because you never know what might happen.

My thoughts: What a hilarious book!!! I loved every moment of this one. 

"Where are we going now?" I yelled as Didi Dodo skated us out of town.
"To Cousin Yuk Yuk's Pickled Rhubarb Relish Farm!" she shouted back. "It's down in Dangerously Steep Valley."
"How far down?"
"All the way down!"
And we kept picking up speed as we went!
"This is TOO daring!" I yelled.
And then the pavement ended and the road became a dirt road.
Now we were picking up speed and going whumpita-whumpita-whumpita!

So many scenes that just had me laughing. I do recommend all three series.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

75. Inspector Flytrap

Inspector Flytrap (Inspector Flytrap #1) Tom Angleberger. Illustrated by Cece Bell. 2016. 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: My phone rang. "Hello," I said. "Flytrap Detective Agency." A slow voice started asking me questions. "Is this Mr. Flytrap?" "My name, I answered, "is Inspector Flytrap. I am a detective." 

Premise/plot: Inspector Flytrap and his handy-not-so-handy assistant Nina (who's a goat) solve a handful of 'big deal' mysteries in Tom Angleberger's Inspector Flytrap. It is the first in a series. As these two are solving one mystery after another after another, hilarity ensues. 

My thoughts: I loved this one. I am late to the party, I admit. Only just now discovering a series that started in 2016. But late or not, I am here for it. I first discovered Angleberger's WACKY, WACKY, whimsical world with his DJ Funkyfoot series. Three series are interconnected--Inspector Flytrap, Didi Dodo, and DJ Funkyfoot--and take place in this world. 

All of the series are illustrated chapter books or early chapter books. 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

74. Who Was Johnny Cash?

Who Was Johnny Cash? Jim Gigliotti. Illustrated by Gregory Copeland. 2022. [June] 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: J.R. Cash burst through the back door of the family's house in Dyess, Arkansas, one day in 1947. As usual, he was singing.

Premise/plot: One of the newest titles in this biography series by Penguin is of Johnny Cash. (I've always called them "big head" biographies. But apparently they are Who HQ biographies). What you see is what you get--no big surprises. This is a biography of singer Johnny Cash written for an mid-elementary school audience. This one--like all the others that ever were or ever shall be--are heavily illustrated. 

My thoughts: I never knew I liked Johnny Cash--no, loved Johnny Cash--until I read G. Neri's picture book biography Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. After reading the picture book, I began listening to Johnny Cash's music and discovering his work album by album. I love so many songs. I liked this biography. Definitely more text than the picture book. Still illustrated. I think one of my favorite, favorite things about this one was the illustrations.

I'm not super familiar with all the titles in this series. I've just read a handful. But I do like this one. 

 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers