ANNE FRANK'S CHESTNUT TREE

ANNE FRANK'S CHESTNUT TREE by Jane Korhuth: Wow. A Step Into Reading book (billed for grades 1-3) that tackles, in 48 pages, the Anne Frank story. I read this aloud to my six-year-old, and I was impressed. We've talked in a limited way about World War II and the Holocaust, but it's hard to know how to approach these horrors with a child. This story isn't sugar-coated, but it also isn't overly brutal for younger readers. It's overall feeling (though it acknowledges that Anne Frank did not survive the war) is one of hope, focused on the chestnut tree Anne could see from the attic window of the Secret Annex. World War II is simplified to a sentence or two, and the Nazis and the Holocaust are briefly explained. I think for this age group, that makes it manageable for sensitive children. The message is hope, and the story brings Anne to life as a real child. This is a beautifully told story.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Pure Magic

WEDNESDAYS IN THE TOWER by Jessica Day George: I read this to my six-year-old daughter and we were both enchanted. My daughter immediately asked for the first book in the series, TUESDAYS IN THE CASTLE, and I agreed we couldn't miss it. Celie is a princess in Castle Glower, a strange place that adds and subtracts rooms, mostly in accordance with the family's needs. Celie has been working hard on an atlas to keep the castle geography straight, and one day, she finds herself in an odd tower she's never seen before. And in the tower is an egg, which Celie hatches, finding herself caring for a baby griffin. The castle doesn't seem to want her parents to know about it (the door disappears when she so much as thinks about telling them), so she manages with the help of her brother, Bran, and his friend Pogue. The three embark on a research project to find out about the history of Castle Glower and griffins (which are thought to be purely mythical), but their project is compromised by the appearance of the shifty Wizard Harkower.

This was a delight to read aloud, a gentle fantasy that feels like an enduring classic. Celie is a thoughtful child, and (unlike many heroines of children's fantasy) her first instinct is to go to her parents for help with the griffin. It is only when the castle makes it clear that they must not know that she settles into raising the griffin in secret. Her siblings, Lilah, Rolf, and Bran, are fully realized secondary characters, and Pogue and Lulath charming nonfamily characters. What a magical read. Descriptions of Celie flying with her griffin are riveting, and her affection and care for the beast are charming. The castle is fascinating, its whimsical changes taking on a menacing air as more and more rooms appear for no reason. Celie's disappointment at being replaced as the castle's cartographer by an adult mapmaker rings true, and her panic at the difficulty of keeping a roaring, shoe-chewing griffin a secret is both funny and authentic.

Available May 7.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley from the publisher.

THE BOARDWALK MYSTERY

THE BOARDWALK MYSTERY by Tim Jessel (THE BOXCAR CHILDREN created by Gertrude Chandler Warner): I read this chapter book aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we both enjoyed it. Tim Jessel continues the adventures of the Alden children as they visit the seaside with their grandfather. Their host, Mr. Hanson, new owner of an amusement pier, finds himself grateful for the Aldens' help as his pier is subject to nasty rumors and acts of sabotage. Suspects include Mr. Hanson's own children, Will and Wendy, who ostensibly help their father but resented the move from Colorado to New Jersey for their father to fulfill his dream, Mrs. Reddy, the older woman who sold the pier to Mr. Hanson but seems to regret her decision, and Mr. Cooke, owner of a rival amusement pier. Naturally, the Aldens figure out the culprit, helping out and enjoying seaside fun along the way.

Tim Jessel keeps the old-fashioned charm of the original series while adding such modern touches as cell phones. One of the things I've always liked about the Alden children is their resourcefulness, and that's in full view here as they collect clues and discover leads. They are also polite and helpful, but not in an annoying way. A fun entry to a classic mystery series for younger children.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Science AND Mystery in Graphic Novel Form?!

THE MISSING CUCKOO CLOCK: A MYSTERY ABOUT GRAVITY by Lynda Beauregard and Der-shing Helmer is number five in the Summer Camp Science Mysteries. I helped my six-year-old daughter read the dialogue in this graphic novel. We both agreed that the illustrations of the idyllic camp are beautiful, and we were entertained while we learned something. It's Megan's first time at science camp, and a cuckoo clock goes missing. How can the campers crack the case? I'll tell you how: by making it fun to learn science. Not only is this book in kid-friendly graphic novel form, the explanations for the forces involved (gravity, friction, center of mass) are so simple and engaging that my six-year-old had no trouble understanding why a feather falls more slowly than a rock. Camp counselors help the children design experiments to examine various questions, the children also do more traditional "camp" activities like horseback riding, incorporating what they've learned about gravity, and of course, they search for clues in the mystery of the missing clock. As if that weren't enough, there are experiments and a glossary at the end of the book. My daughter was immediately ready to conduct the experiments.

This is an absolutely brilliant series for introducing science concepts to children in a high-interest, well-explained way. We'll be checking out the other books in the series!

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

THE MYSTERIOUS TALENT SHOW MYSTERY by Tony Abbott

This is GOOFBALLS #4, and after reading it to my six-year-old daughter, we'll be looking for the first three in the series. The mystery is fun and engaging, the children are cute, and the jokes are terrible (in that way a six-year-old loves!). Jeff, Mara, Kelly, and Brian (Brain) are a tight-knit group of friends with a penchant for solving mysteries. When the talent show begins to fall apart (a missing pink tuba, wrong-sized costumes, a disappearing director), the Goofballs (as they call themselves) investigate, uncovering the culprits.

This was a fun, high-interest readaloud, but I expect it would also be a great series for reluctant readers. The constant banter, puns, and bad jokes told by the Goofballs is nonstop. Although jokes are not my favorite, I was chuckling along with my daughter Available February 26. The first three in the series, now available are: THE CRAZY CASE OF MISSING THUNDER, THE STARTLING STORY OF THE STOLEN STATUE, and SUPERHERO SILLINESS.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley from the publisher.