In the Shadows.

White, Kiersten, and Jim Di Bartolo.  In the Shadows.  Scholastic Press  2014 376p  $21.99  ISBN 978-0-545-56144-0      jr/sr   Graphic novel   VG-BN

A story of love, mystery, conspiracy, and revenge told in an alternating narrative of words and pictures and spanning centuries, In the Shadows is a collaborative effort by author Kiersten White and artist Jim Di Bartolo. White's prose follows two pairs of siblings around the turn of the twentieth century as they meet and grow close at a summer boarding house by the sea.  Di Bartolo's section follows a young man who is imprisoned and has been forcibly turned into some sort of creature who then goes on a hunt for the people who did this to him.  At first the connection between the two stories is not apparent, and switching back and forth can be tiring for the reader, particularly since there is so little dialogue in Di Bartolo's scenes (although the artwork is lovely).  Once the connection becomes apparent and the timelines converge, however, readers will find themselves speeding up, eager to learn how everything turns out.

Summary: A story of love, mystery, conspiracy, and revenge told in an alternating narrative of words and pictures and spanning centuries.                

Romance-Fiction, Mystery-Fiction                      --Bethany Geleskie

White, Ruth. The Treasure of Way Down Deep.

White, Ruth.  The Treasure of Way Down Deep.    Macmillan/Farrar Strauss  2013  165p      $16.99  ISBN 978-0-374-38067-0  elem/ms       Historical fiction  VG-BN  

Ruby is turning thirteen, and her wish when blowing out the candles on her cake is to find the treasure said to be buried in the town of Way Down Deep.  This town is just an ordinary place with ordinary people.  What makes this book very good is the characterization of the town and its people.  The story is sweet and well thought out.  But it is the portrayal of the people in this small, West Virginia town in the early 1950s that is quite good.  Where and when else would a woman just up and keep a lonely toddler under her wing?  Or, where else in space and time would an entire town elect to have the children of the nearby Black community come to their school when theirs was damaged by fire.  The hostelry called the Roost and its owner seem to be the center of much of this kindness, but it rolls across the community like a blanket.  The treasure?  Well, it’s part of this story too, but the real treasure of this tale is the community and its people.

Summary: Ruby is turning thirteen, and her wish when blowing out the candles on her cake is to find the treasure said to be buried in the town of Way Down Deep.  This town is just an ordinary place with ordinary people.  However, the “magic” of this ordinariness is what makes this tale of life in the early fifties in an impoverished part of West Virginia good historical fiction, with a touch of the fantastical.             

Treasure-Fiction, West Virginia-Fiction                           --Lynn Fisher

Frisky Brisky Hippity Hop

White, Alexina B.       Frisky Brisky Hippity Hop     

 Holiday House     2012  unp

$16.95      978-0-8234-2410-8       elem    VG    Animal stories   

Beautifully illustrated with glossy full-page photographs, this poetry book will find an audience with elementary students who enjoy squirrels.  Even though the poem was originally published as "Whisky Frisky" in 1871 by Alexina B. White, a few new versus and other minor changes have been made to create this newer version by Susan Lurie.  Along with these changes, the poem is also brought back to life with present-day photographs by Murray Head.  Students will love the pictures and rhyming verse.  While it may appear that most squirrels just play, students will be able to see firsthand that they also work to create nests, find homes and food, and escape from danger.

Teachers can use this title to show students how to write simple words to create poetry.  Students can use the book for casual reading, as well as consult its format for writing poetry.      

VG    Charleen Forba-Mayer    Squirrels, Poetry, Picture books

 

White, Ruth. A Month of Sundays.

White, Ruth.  A Month of Sundays.   Farrar Strauss see Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, 2011.  168p  $16.99 ISBN 978-0-374-39912-2     elm/ms (Grades 4-7)     VG-BN Realistic Fiction

     When her mom decides to look for work in Florida, April Garnet Rose is left with the family of her father’s sister.  Her father left before she was born, and she has never met these relatives, but she finds real love and acceptance with them.  Her aunt is searching for Jesus and tries a different church each Sunday.  At one church April meets Silver Shepherd.  They are attracted to each other.  As their friendship grows, we learn that Aunt June has cancer and is really looking for a faith cure.  As the story ends, April’s father returns from his current wanderings and meets his daughter for the first time.  When mom comes from Florida to pick up April, her parents find they have a great deal of misunderstanding to straighten out.  The story ends with hopeful hints.  This is a gentle story.
     It is well written and the story flows smoothly.  The characters ring true.  The turmoil of different feelings experienced by April are well written.  It is tender and sweet.  Early teen girls will love it.                  

Joan Theal

 

White, Linda. Too Many Turkeys.

White, Linda Too Many Turkeys
Holiday House 2010 unp 16.95 978-0-8234-2084-1
elem Turkeys VG-BNe


The farmer and his wife take in a turkey who helps to keep bugs away and creates fertilizer for their garden. But when he becomes attracted to a female turkey, suddenly hundreds of turkeys show up in the farmer╒s yard.
When Farmer Fred and his wife Belle adopt a turkey, they find that the bird becomes an asset that keeps away bugs and provides fertilizer. The garden flourishes, but Belle wants to keep her ╥secret ingredient╙ to herself. When she leaves for a visit, the turkey finds a mate and many hundreds of friends. When his garden is overrun with turkeys, Fred finally comes up with a solution, that spills the secret, but makes everyone╒s garden better and helps him get rid of the turkeys.

Not only is the story funny, but it imparts interesting information about turkeys and organic gardening.

Megan Lloyd's illustrations are enchanting, colorful and humorous. The detail of the hundreds of turkeys will give the reader hours of delight. Almost like an I Spy or Where╒s Waldo book, there is so much to see and discover in the illustrations. Interestingly, the author and illustrator notes indicate that Lloyd actually lives on a turkey farm.

A funny and enjoyable read. Wonderful for younger (K-1) story time and family sharing. This was a delightful, informative and funny book Misc. Naismith, Pat

White, Tracy. How I Made It to Eighteen

White, Tracy How I Made It to Eighteen
Roaring Brook Press see macmillan children's pub 2010 151p 16.99
978-1-59643-454-7 ms/hs Graphic novel E-BN
In graphic novel format, the author recounts her admission and stay at a mental health facility. Excellent graphics extend the narrative showing viewpoints from friends, family, fellow residents, and doctors. Unsettling yet hopeful. Outstanding! For grades 7-12.
Tracy White recounts her admission and stay at a mental health hospital. Stacy became a party girl using pills to self-medicate while at boarding school and knows she will surely die if she continues her current path. Told in a timeline format, readers meet “Stacy” as a 17 year old boarding school student through the voices of four friends: two longtime friends, a boarding school roommate and a fellow resident of the treatment center. Each friend has her own problems. The pages are divided into distinct “comic frames” however the dialogue bubbles and even the graphics in the frames often extend into another pane. Memories are related in frames that have a gray background and thoughts float at the top of a frame. Excellent graphics, uncluttered in black and white, add intensity to the narrative. The reader slowly comes to realize the trauma Stacy experienced as White reveals the death of her father, her distant mother, an inappropriate encounter with an apartment employee and her own choice of friends. Never quiet truthful, Stacy finally reveals her bulimia. The reader experiences Stacy’s turmoil firsthand as well as receiving information from patient charts, therapy session discussions, and interviews with her four friends. The reader will long remember Stacy and her struggle to become a “happy” person. Strongly recommended for grades 7+ Strongly recommended for grades 7-12. Students struggling with depression and self-abusive actions will recognize themselves in Stacy. Students who know someone who is depressed will gain insight into their friend’s behaviors and state of mind. McNicol,Lois