Ivan the Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla

Ivan The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Published by Clarion Books

2014
Shelf:  Picture Book
Ages:  4-8

Opening Line:  "In leafy calm, in gentle arms, a gorilla's life began."

Favorite Quotes:  "In leafy calm, in gentle arms, a gorilla's life began again."

Blurb:  "In spare, moving words and evocative illustrations, Newberry medalist Katherine Applegate and artist G. Brain Karas present the extraordinary real account of a special gorilla."  This is the true story of Ivan, the shopping mall gorilla who captured our hearts, and captivated our minds.

Within its pages: 
The illustrations are simply astounding and breathtaking, and clearly depict the trials and tribulations of this beloved gorilla.  In fact, Karas spent plenty of time observing gorillas and their behaviors at our very own Bronx Zoo.  Karas does a stellar job of capturing Ivan's emotions in this picture book geared towards younger readers, but surely to be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages. 

 


 

Shelf  it!

To all Bookies who fell in love with the brave and heroic gorilla in the Newberry-winning, The One and Only Ivan by Applegate, this is a must-read, simply put!  This picture book adaptation is a great companion piece to the middle-grade novel, The One and Only Ivan. It could also stand alone and will work as a great way to build background, and spark curisioty that might entice younger readers to give a longer novel a try. We love everything about this book, from the dedication, to the true story in picture book form, and the background information on Ivan.  It is understandable why he has become such a fixture in so many people's hearts.  A must-shelf for all fans of Ivan!

More Bookie Fun:

Book Trailer
Katherine Applegate tells the true story of Ivan in her new picture

            

Isabella: Star of the Story

Isabella:   Star of the Story, Just How Much can a Little Girl Dream? by Jennifer Fosberry

Pictures by Mike Litwin

Published by Sourcebooks

2013
Shelf:  Picture Book
Ages 4 and up

Opening Line:  "Slow down Isabella," the father said, "those books aren't going anywhere."
"Oh yes they are - some lucky books are going home with me!" the little girl said.

Favorite Quotes:  "I know that you will never OUTGROW a good story."

Blurb:  Each day is an epic adventure with the little Isabella.  Join Isabella on her latest journey through the library where she's on a quest to find that "just right" book.  Virtually impossible to choose just one, Isabella likens herself to a variety of timeless storybook characters, such as Peter Pan, Goldilocks, Black Beauty, and many others.  At the end of the day, she's just Isabella, someone who loves a good book....a true Bookie! 

Within its pages: 

Litwin's illustrations are colorful and vivid, with a touch of magic!  Bookies will enjoy trying to figure out who the character will be on the upcoming page, by looking at the clue on each page before a new character arrives.  For example. a bowl of porridge for Goldilocks can be found on the page that precedes this character or a horse shoe for Black Beauty. 

The final pages provide some background, and trivia for each of the characters and stories mentioned along Isabella's literary journey. 

                                   

Shelf  it!

The very spunky and charming Isabella returns in the third installment of this picture book series. True to form, Isabella's spark and zest for life are both delightful and infectious.  A great book to include in a library study, help foster a love of reading, and/or cuddle up with.  After all, Isabella is an extraordinary girl who loves a good book....certainly something all bookies can relate to. 

Be sure to visit the author's page for an interactive read aloud of this story.

"All you need is a library card and a big imagination."

 

 

 

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Published by Random House Children's Books
2013
Ages 8-12
Shelf: Middle Grade


Opening Line: "This is how Kyle Keeley got grounded for a week." 

Favorite Quotes: "A library should be a know-place for know-bodies."

"Knowledge not shared remains unknown"

Blurb: It's been 12 years since Alexandriaville has had a functioning library.  Luigi Lemoncello, the world's most famous game maker, has just designed the most interactive, state-of-the art library new library for his hometown.  And to celebrate the grand opening, he has invited 12 lucky seventh graders to spend the night exploring its incredible rooms. Kyle Keeley, a lifelong gamer, becomes one of the lucky winners after his essay is selected by Mr. Lemoncello. But what was supposed to be a simple sleep over at the library, turns into an exciting scavenger hunt game where Keeley and a cast of characters have 24 hours to find a secret exit out of the building and win a superb prize.

Within its pages: 
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library takes its readers through a series of puzzles in a 24 hour scavenger hunt.  Prolific readers will love finding all the obvious, and not so obvious references to other books (classics and recently published), while puzzle solvers will salivate trying to get ahead of the characters and solve the mystery first.  Mr. Lemoncello continually makes literary puns and there's a puzzle at the end of the book that will make readers go back and analyze everything he ever said to connect it to specific books, like: "The Dewey decimal doors are now open, and, unlock Tuck, this game will not be everlasting."
And then there are the puzzles...all kinds of puzzles:

Shelf it!:
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library will appeal to all mystery-loving bookies out there.  It will remind you of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Mysterious Benedict Society.  The author's website includes games and a study guide with chapter questions.  For teachers and librarians, there are many ways to bring the book to life, like creating a scavenger hunt around the school. Now that we think of it, there is no reason why parents can't do the same at home...Who doesn't love a good scavenger hunt? And if it has to do with books, then...that just sounds like something a Bookie will definitely want to do.   

The One and Only Ivan

  

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Published by Harper

2012

Ages 8-12

Shelf: Middle Grade 

Opening Line:  "I am Ivan.  I am a gorilla.  It's not as easy as it looks."

Favorite Quotes: "
"Her pictures are like pieces of a dream."

"Old age is a powerful disguise."

"Memories are precious."

"I always tell the truth.  Although I sometimes confuse the facts."

"I don't know why.  I never know the why of humans."

"But many days I forget what I am supposed to be.  Am I a human? Am I a gorilla?"

"It's an odd story to remember, I have to admit.  My story has a strange shape:  a stunted beginning, an endless middle."

"That's called artistic license."

Blurb:  Based on a true story of a real gorilla named Ivan, Ivan is a gorilla who lives in a shopping mall.  His circle of friends consists of:  Bob, the dog, Stella and Ruby, the elephants, and Julia, the human.  Ivan didn't always live in a shopping mall.  He was captured by the bad humans, and lost his family.  Ivan counts his days in captivity, and there are many.  He lives in a stupor spending his days behind a glass. But when Ruby comes into his life something awakens inside Ivan.  Will Ivan ever be free and live among his kin again?

Within its pages:

There are many teaching themes to tap into with this wondrous novel:  Friendship, courage, determination,  animals in captivity, perseverance, personification, and finding your inner strength.  The author highlights the importance of keeping a promise, and how we can reach deeper than we sometimes think possible.  For younger students, The One and Only Ivan would be an excellent read aloud.  One that will surely evoke some deep, rich discussions around the various themes that emerge within the text.

The way the book is organized, with short paragraphs and chapters (sometimes just a couple of lines per page) is a great example that sometimes less is definitely more.  Applegate is able to show how powerful just a couple of words can be.  It's a great example to share with those kids intimidated by the empty page when they need to write.

Shelf  it!

Ivan is a fighter, and his friendships give him a sense of pride and purpose.  In Ivan's mind, humans don't make sense....humans and their words, they just talk too much.  This is a wonderfully remarkable and powerful story.  An absolute must shelf! Applegate has a found a way to reach deep into your heart and soul with this deeply poignant and captivating story.  It will tug at your heart strings, and you might even cry, we're just saying!
Just stop reading this blog already, and GO SHELF IT!!! :-)

The book's website has a wonderful book trailer that will surely have kids begging to read the book and will also provide more info. on the real Ivan.

FYI - A picture book about the true story of Ivan, the gorilla, is due to be released in early October by Katherine Applegate.  Yay!

 

The Midnight Library

                                                              
The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara

Published by Roaring Book Press

2014
Shelf:  Picture Book

Opening Line:  "Once there was a library that opened only at night."

Favorite Quotes: 

"I must stay until I finish  reading this book," said the tortoise.  "I only have 500 pages left!"

Blurb:  Meet the Little Librarian who happily works in the Midnight library, only opened at night.  The Midnight library caters to all those nocturnal animals, active and lively at night, searching for just the right book, and the Little Librarian and her assistants, the owls,  know just how to help them.
 

Within its pages:  This picture book is so precious and charming.  The illustrations are simply adorable.  Readers will be able to relate and identify with the feeling of finding that perfect book. 

Shelf  it!

Midnight library is a beautiful book, bursting with cozy charm.  A perfect picture book to cuddle up with at bedtime, kick off the school year, launch a library study, and to help cultivate a love of reading.  Simply idyllic for turning them into bookies!

 

 

 

eleanor & park

                                                          
eleanor & park by rainbow rowell
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
2013
Ages: 14+
Shelf:  Young Adult (YA)

Opening Line:  "He'd stopped trying to bring her back."

Favorite Quotes: 
"Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly.  Or a heartbeat.  Like holding something complete, and completely alive."

"He made her feel like more than the sum of her parts."

"It was like their lives were overlapping lines, like they had their own gravity.  Usually, that serendipity thing felt like the nicest thing the universe had ever done for her."

"She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

"I might not use capital letters.  But I would definitely use an apostrophe...and probably a period.  I'm a huge fan of punctuation."

"I want everyone to meet you.  You're my favorite person of all time."

"I love your name.  I don't want to cheat myself out of a single syllable."

Blurb:
It is 1986, and two sixteen year old misunderstood, geeky teenagers, Eleanor and Park are about to fall in love - of the extraordinary variety!  Eleanor and Park's story begins on the school bus (yes, extremely romantic), and they embark on the journey of their lives (well, their lives up until this point anyway).  "Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds - smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try."

Within its pages:

This is not your typical teenage romance novel.  It is raw, real, and deep.  The main characters are not glorified.  Eleanor and Park are both outcasts - both subject to bullying and scrutiny. 

Park is half-Korean in a mostly-white part of town, hopeful, and adores alternative music, superhero comics, and Eleanor. 
Eleanor is cynical, funny, awkward, and adores music, superhero comics, and Park.  She's not your classic love story protagonist, unknowingly beautiful or nerdy cute, she's on the heavy side and her clothes stand out for all the wrong reasons. But within the confines of the school bus they discover that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and while reading comic books and listening to music, they find a love that binds them.  

Park is intrigued by Eleanor.  She stands out like a sore thumb.  Eleanor remains a mystery for Park to figure out...he is trying to put the pieces together.  Eleanor has much to be mysterious and secretive about.  Her story is a complicated one, and not something to be shared with anyone....at least not yet. 

Shelf It!  

Remember how it felt to be 16 and be desperately in love? This novel will take you back there.  The love between Eleanor and Park is all-consuming and intense.  At times, it appears to be on the verge of obsessive, but then you are reminded that the characters are only 16, after all.  Rowell delivers a timeless teenage love story filled with agony and heartache, but tons of hope and inspiration, and a plethora of 80's nostalgia!

Summer of the Gypsy Moths

                                                                           
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker (Author of the Clementine Series)

Published by Balzer + Bray

2012

Ages 8-12

Shelf: Middle Grade 

Opening Line:  "The earth spins at a thousand miles an hour."

Favorite Quotes: 

"I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk:  practically invisible, maybe, but strong as steel."

"I stayed cool.  Those icebergs, floating silent and steady, ignoring the fierce storms raging around them."

"Being an iceberg takes a lot of effort."

"Your heart is like every other muscle Stella, you have to stretch it out when it cramps up."

Blurb:  It is the start of another summer season on Cape Cod.   At a glance, Stella appears to be your typical eleven-year old, who enjoys reading on the beach.  No one would ever suspect the secret Stella is hiding.  Stella has been living here with her great-aunt Louise, ever since her mom decided to go out and "find herself."   Although Stella fantasizes her mom will soon return to the Cape, she enjoys living with Louise, and really appreciates the routines that Louise has put into place.  The only potential glitch in her plan:  Angel.  Angel is the foster child Louise has taken in.  Stella and Louise are like oil and water, and hardly ever speak to one another.  But when tragedy strikes, Stella and Angel must rely on each other.   Will Stella and Angel discover a common thread between them?

Within its pages:
Connections. Throughout the story, Stella likens herself to an iceberg - standing still and firm in the fierce storms around her.  A fairly accurate metaphor for her life.  Although Stella's situation is obviously extreme, she teaches us about courage, as well as  how to cope with loss, changing expectations, and the tricky and rewarding process of making and keeping connections.

The heart of this novel lies in the friendship that grows between Stella, the planner, and Angel, the free spirit.  There is an unspoken bond that develops between these two young girls that's heart-warming and endearing.  Pennypacker teaches us that sometimes hope lies in the most unexpected places, and that the deep connections we form with others can be life-changing. 

Shelf  it!

Summer of the Gypsy Moths surprised us in the most delicious way! The simplicity and heart in this story was very captivating.  At first, we found the premise a bit disturbing and seemingly unrealistic.  We definitely had mixed feelings in the beginning (You will too).  Despite this, the resilience of the characters, as well as the blossoming friendship, was strong enough that we just couldn't abandon the book.  We were pleasantly surprised by its poignancy, humor, beauty and, most of all, with the way its story gripped our hearts and still hasn’t let go.  The element of suspense kept us on the edge of our seats as well.  Just go "Shelf It" and read it while listening to some Fado music (Angel sings it throughout the book) and find out just what we're talking about!