Module 9: Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty?

Summary: Binky works the robbery detail out of the Pinecone Division where he ends up investigating the untimely death of Humpty Dumpty. When Pig suddenly sees an upswing in his omelet inventory, Binky suspects that he may have something to do with the crime. Binky also investigates the death of witch by Hansel and Gretel, Snow White's poisoning, and other famous fairy tale cases.

Citation: Levinthal, David, and John Nickle. Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty?: And Other Notorious Nursery Tale Mysteries. New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2012. Print.

Impressions: I love fractured fairy tales and this one deftly combines those with crime noir. Each story is a different case. The illustrations are fun and colorful.

Reviews: 

Gr 1-4 -- These open-and-shut cases of nursery-rhyme mysteries are narrated by Officer Binky, a toad with a manner reminiscent of Joe Friday's on the old Dragnet TV show, with his typical "Just the facts, Ma'am" style. In the first of five short stories, the officer gets a call from Mrs. Bear, who is upset because someone broke into the family home, ate their porridge, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds. Based upon the evidence-a blond hair and an empty bowl, a piece of blue material caught in a chair that has seen better days, and a disheveled quilt on a bed -- Officer Binky deduces that it "could only be one dame: Goldilocks!" When questioned, she admits to being the intruder. The intrepid cop assures readers that "they'll feed her three meals a day where she's going, and she'll have plenty of time to rest." Hansel and Gretel, Humpty Dumpty, Snow White, and Jack and the Beanstalk are all similarly treated in eight pages or less with the police officer quickly solving the mysteries behind the well-known tales. Illustrations are presented in a variety of sizes and set off by frames in different colors. At the end of each segment, a red stamp reading 'CASE CLOSED' is superimposed over Nickle's richly colored acrylic artwork. The tongue-in-cheek telling of tales will tickle the fancies of children familiar with the originals. -- Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI.

Owen, Maryann H.1. "Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty?: And Other Notorious Nursery Tale Mysteries." School Library Journal 58.9 (2012): 118. Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson). Web.  2016. 

Library Use: I think this book lends itself to a Readers Theater production. You could do it as a live action show or a puppet show depending on your resources.

Module 8: Artemis Fowl

Summary: Artemis Fowl may be a millionaire, genius, criminal mastermind but when he steals an ancient fairy book and kidnaps a fairy, he unknowingly declares war on the entire underworld. While he is planning on stealing fairy gold, the agents of LEPrecon are closing in on him with an agenda which does not include leaving any human involved alive. As the kidnapped fairy, Captain Holly Short, regains her powers, they find a way for everyone to walk away from the situation unscathed.

Citation:

Colfer, E. (2001). Artemis Fowl. New York: Hyperion Books For Children.

Impressions: Judging from the reviews I read, I think this book suffered from post-Harry Potter syndrome where every book with a young male protagonist involving magic was compared to J.K. Rowling's masterwork. I personally thought the book was inventive, fun, and had a new take on old legends such as leprechauns and fairies. I loved the idea that leprechauns were actually magical police agents who tried to keep the underworld from seeping into the human realm. I love Artemis and really didn't see many parallels between him and Harry Potter. Colfer's writing always reminds me of the late Douglas Adams. It's very tongue-in-cheek and balances humor with action.

Reviews:
Meet Artemis Fowl, Harry Potter's Irish evil twin. A twelve-year-old criminal mastermind, Fowl brings the fairy folk to their knees when he steals their sacred book (translating it on his computer), and kidnaps one of their own, demanding gold for a ransom. Yet while the Harry Potter series exposes the magic tucked within the mundane, Artemis Fowl goes the opposite route. These fairies opt for technological gadgets over pixie dust and, if their dialogue is any indication, seem au courant with our cheesy action movies ("Freeze, Mud Boy"). In fact, Colfer informs us, leprechauns aren't the knicker-wearing, shamrock-waving creatures humans think they are. They are actually "an elite branch of the Lower Elements Police," a.k.a. LEPrecon unit. The self-conscious revisioning of the fairy world as a sort of wisecracking police force with friction among the ranks occurs throughout the novel, stealing focus from the one truly intriguing character, Artemis himself. It is a relief to see fleeting chinks in Artemis's James Bond--style cool, as when he thinks about his mother, who has become severely depressed and delusional since the disappearance of Artemis's father. Still, the long stretches devoted to the fairy world's maneuverings, which only readers fond of technical detail will find appealing, overwhelm these moments. There's a lot of invention here, but it's not used enough in service to the story, and may well be deployed to better effect in the feature film slated for next year.

Heppermann, C. M. (2001, July). Artemis Fowl (Book Review). Horn Book Magazine, 77(4), 449-449. Retrieved March 9, 2016, from Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson). 

Library Use: I personally used this for me STEM program LEPrecon science so I can see this being used in a science class or as part of a book club. I think it would be useful to talk about the Harry Potter comparison and discuss how the two books differ.

Module 7: Eleanor and Park

Summary: When Eleanor first boards the bus looking for a seat, Park views as nothing more than a nuisance. He is not one to call attention to himself and Eleanor can't help but call attention to herself. Through their mutual love of music and comics, they move from friends to actual boyfriend and girlfriend. Along the way, Park discovers the courage to be himself and stand up for himself and Eleanor and Eleanor finds a safe space away from her neglectful mother and cruel stepfather. When her stepfather discovers her relationship with Park, Eleanor realizes that she is in danger and asks Park to help her escape to her uncle's house in Minnesota.

Citation:

Rowell, R. (2013). Eleanor & Park. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin.

Impressions: As a teen in the 1980's, I found the time and the setting for this story very realistic. I was a lot like Park so I could definitely relate to his character. Like many other readers, I was rooting for a happy ending but I think Rowell gave us the ending the story deserved because anything less than that would be unrealistic. I liked the alternating points of view and think she did a good job conveying each character's feelings.

Reviews:
Half-Korean sophomore Park Sheridan is getting through high school by lying low, listening to the Smiths (it's 1986), reading Alan Moore's Watchmen comics, never raising his hand in class, and avoiding the kids he grew up with. Then new girl Eleanor gets on the bus. Tall, with bright red hair and a dress code all her own, she's an instant target. Too nice not to let her sit next to him, Park is alternately resentful and guilty for not being kinder to her. When he realizes she's reading his comics over his shoulder, a silent friendship is born. And slowly, tantalizingly, something more. Adult author Rowell (Attachments), making her YA debut, has a gift for showing what Eleanor and Park, who tell the story in alternating segments, like and admire about each other. Their love is believable and thrilling, but it isn't simple: Eleanor's family is broke, and her stepfather abuses her mother. When the situation turns dangerous, Rowell keeps things surprising, and the solution--imperfect but believable--maintains the novel's delicate balance of light and dark. Ages 13-up. Agent: Christopher Schelling, Selectric Artists. (Mar.)


Eleanor & Park. (2012, December 10). Publishers Weekly, 259(50), 62-63. Retrieved March 5, 2016, from Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson).

Library Use: I think this would definitely open up dialog about abuse and neglect and how to see the warning signs in other people. I think it's also an excellent example about how music plays such an important part in people's lives.