Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
One stormy night, the little town of Misty Close received a surprise visitor: Niklas Goodfellow, a Santa by trade. Although Niklas didn't anticipate this crash landing , even though its not the first time, his reindeer, Twinklestar, has gone missing and his caravan has two broken wheels. Even though the three dozen elves, who sleep in the dresser, have done what they could to try and mend the damaged carriage, Niklas is stranded and has to figure out a way to get back in the air. The following day, Ben and Will come across the strange caravan and don't know what to think. Rather than leaving things alone, Ben is dared by the local smart aleck, Dean, to knock on the buggy door to see who lives in it. Despite the fact that Ben and company "ding-dong-ditched" Niklas, Ben couldn't get the vision of this man in a red suit with a small man in his jacket pocket After staking out the caravan, Ben got the surprise of his life: Nikalas invited the boy into the caravan for hot chocolate and gingerbread. After meeting the angels, Matilda and Emmanuel, and the elves, Ben learns about Niklas' troubles and the fact that a horrendous man named Gerold Geronimous Goblynch, the leader of the Christmas Council, has turned Christmas into a commercial catastrophe. According to Goblynch, all of the Santas are to abide by the following rules: ignore children's wishes (only listen to the adults and demand advance payment), no more sleds  (snowmobiles and reindeer salami), and no more elves. In other words, Christmas has changed from a season of joy, giving, and good will is to a greedy money making scheme. Luckily, when Ben meets Charlotte, and her dog, Mutt, not only has he found another ally to help Niklas save Christmas, but a new friend who will do whatever it takes to save Christmas.

Critical Evaluation:
I honestly could not put this book down because not only was it funny (I love the elves that scream "steaming reindeer poo"), the dynamic between the characters is absolutely charming. For example, the angels and the elves are two completely different creatures that have specific roles who need one another; the angels listen to the dreams and wishes of children and give them to Santa as well as providing the elves with gingerbread and hot chocolate; the Elves make all of the toys with their tiny hammers and give the angels are rather hard time with their tempers and lack of sophisticated language. The relationship between Nicklas and Ben is also very special because Niklas has lost his connection with children after the Santa takeover.Although Ben has one friend, Will, he feels lonely because he isn't quick witted, or much of a small talker, so he prefers to keep to himself. When he meets Charlotte, Ben is riddled with jealousy when Nikals takes an interest in her, but, just like him, she is also lonely as well. However, Charlotte has something that Ben has always wanted ( a dog) and because of Mutt, Charlotte and Ben were able to recover the lost reindeer while dodging mall security. The main message of this book is the fact that if we focus on receiving rather then giving, then true meaning of Christmas will be lost, which will bring an end to Santa himself. Ben and Charlotte gave Niklas the greatest gift they could give: believing in him and helping him bring an end to to Goblynch. In return, Niklas gave both of them a Christmas with snow and wonderful memories. This is a great story for any family to read and it definitely has the potential of becoming a tradition.

Information about the Author:
 Cornelia Funke was born in 1958 in Westphalia, German. According to Scholastic Publishers:

Following a post-graduate course in book illustration at the Hamburg State College of Design, Cornelia Funke worked as a designer and illustrator of children’s books. But disappointment in the way some of the stories were told, combined with her desire to draw fantastic creatures and magical worlds rather than the familiar situations of school and home, inspired her to write her own stories.

Cornelia Funke is a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkies, J.M. Barrie, and C.S. Lewis; she loves a good fantasy and she clearly has good taste. Before becoming an author, Funke worked as a social worker where her experience, during that time, provided her with ideas for future works:
When I finished the school I wanted to change the world and I though the best way would be to become a social worker. I worked for three years on an adventure playground in Hamburg and I’ll never forget the children I met there. Many of them came from very difficult backgrounds and dysfunctional families, but I respected them so much for their courage and their compassion for one another. I saw them care for their siblings, where their parents didn’t care at all. I saw them laugh although life didn’t give them much to laugh about. They taught me so much that I still owe them.

Genre:
Tween Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 4-7


Books Similar to When Santa Fell to Earth:

• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
• Kringle by Tony Abott

Awards & Recognition:

Positive Reviews from:

• Booklist
• Hornbook
• Kirkus Review
• Publishers Weekly
• School Library Journal
  

Plot Summary:
241 years ago, the Builders created Ember for its inhabitants to live and thrive underground. Before the people of Ember came to live in this dwelling, the Builders projected that the people will live in Ember for at least 220 years. Despite their assurance that the City of Ember will survive, they have left instructions for future leaders that will provide guidelines in case Ember is unable to sustain life. Decade after decade, these instructions (encased in a time locked box) where passed to the newest incumbent. However, when the seventh mayor came into office, he took the box hoping it would contain the cure to his health problems; however, before he could return the box, he died and the box was lost. It is now year 241 and Ember is experiencing significant problems. Ember is dependent on the generator and river that produces the electricity for every light in the City; when the lights flicker, or go out, the people are covered in darkness. For Lina Mayfleet, this darkness scares her. After graduating from school, Lina is now working as a messenger. After losing her parents to a great sickness, Lina is in charge, and is the sole supporter, of her little sister, Poppy, and her absent-minded grandmother. After a few days on the job, Lina is noticing that Ember is not functioning properly. In fact, her classmate, Doon, knows this to be a fact because, unlike his classmates, he wants to work in the Pipeworks factory, which is located deep into the Earth. As the black outs become more frequent, the people start to panic and they have lost total faith in the Mayor and the government. For Lina, she has been able to keep her feelings hidden deep inside until her grandmother starts tearing apart the house for an item that was lost long ago.One night, Lina finds that Poppy is chewing on a piece of paper that contains a partial message with unique handwriting. As Lina grabs the mutilated paper, she notices that they are instructions and she sees the box that it came in.  After enlisting the help of several acquaintances to decipher the message, the only one who can help her is Doon and, unfortunately, they are not on speaking terms because of an incident long ago. Could these instructions, and Doon, be the way out of Ember?

Critical Evaluation:
Jeanne DuPrau has created a world that is unlike any other world we know. Long ago, people were sent underground to build a civilization that has no history of its past. Although readers don't know why the people have gone underground, they can clearly tell that something awful must have occurred on the surface. However, what is strange about this world is that the authorities, or The Builders, have decided to keep silent about the fact that Ember has an expiration date. Like most governments, Ember has a lot of secrets, which is not only unsettling, but makes readers wonder why they haven't gone the extra lengths to ensure Ember's success; moreover, the Builders left the instructions to Ember's survival on a fragile piece of paper, stashed away into a time locked box. This introduction exists only on three pages so readers are well aware that something awful is going to happen, which is going to keep them reading, hoping for an answer. Through the eyes of Lina and Doon, we not only see the disparity between the government and the people, we see how run down and ragged the world is. Without the lights, Ember is encased in darkness that not only strikes fear into the populace, but it reminds them that time maybe running out. However, Lina and Doon's courage is what gives us, the readers, hope that things could change because of their determination to find the answers to the unsolved riddle, which could lead to their survival. City of Ember is the first installment of an amazing adventure and readers will be clamoring for the next chapters of Lina and Doon's journey.

Information about the Author:
According to her website, Jeanne DuPrau was born in San Francisco in 1944. She is a native Californian and attended Scripps College in Claremont, California where she earned her BA in English Literature. She then lived in New York foe some time, but returned to California. She has had several occupation including: teaching, technical writing, editing, etc. According to DuPrau:

I didn't really set out to “be a writer.” I just wrote. Reading and writing have always been my favorite things, though for a while I wanted to be a writer and an illustrator. I still have my very first book, which I wrote when I was about five years old. It's called Frosty the Snowman, has six pages, and is illustrated with red and green crayon. Outside my work life, I've been an ice skater, a bird watcher, a mediator, a house builder, a gardener, a piano player, and a gourmet vegetarian cook.

Jeanne currently has five books in print: The City of Ember, The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, The Diamond of Darkhold, and Car Trouble.

Genre:
Tween Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 4-6


Books Similar to City of Ember:

• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
• Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
  

Awards & Recognition:

• Kirkus Review Starred Review (5/13/2003)
• Publisher's Weekly Starred Review (3/10/2003)

Plot Summary:
Meggie loves books. In fact, not only does she love books, she cannot sleep, eat, or breathe without them. Thanks to her father, Mo, and his profession (he is a bookbinder), Meggie passes her time with books. However, she isn't like most twelve-year-old girls. Meggie lost her mother when she was three-years-old and it's been her and Mo ever since. What's even more unusual is that she and Mo are constantly moving so her idea of home is the van parked outside of their temporary homestead. What was supposed to be another lazy evening, Meggie spots a man lurking outside their "home" in the rain. When she tells her father, he goes to meet this man, who turns out to be an old acquaintance of Mo's. Although Meggie does not like the idea of a stranger visiting them so late, she overhears that this man is not just a stranger, but someone from past who carries many secrets and a warning that Capricorn is after a specific book that Mo has. Unlike most collectors, Capricorn is evil and dangerous who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. What Meggie doesn't know is that her mother's disappearance, the stranger's warning, and Capricorn's threats are all related to a single book that her father refuses to hand over, which leads to an adventure that can only be found in the books that Meggie loves.

Critical Evaluation:
Inkheart is one of the most detailed, thorough, and and epic tween novel I have ever read. In many respects, readers have to have the patience to digest the background story before the adventure really begins. I will admit that my interest was waning because there would be moments of story-->action-->story. Although I wasn't sure what to expect, I kept on reading and I am so glad I did! The characters in this story are utterly amazing, in the fact, they all have stories and personalities of their own. My favorite character in this story is Elinor because not only did she grow, as a person, she changed immensely, which gives readers hope that she will be more loving, courageous, and determined. Moreover, her transformation proves that even the most stubborn character can change, including the villains. Lastly, another aspect of this story, is the ending of this book prepares the readers for an adventure that leaves them craving the next installment. This feeling is important to motivate the reader to keep reading, which is essential for any series.

Information about the Author:
Cornelia Funke was born in 1958 in Westphalia, German. According to Scholastic Publishers:

Following a post-graduate course in book illustration at the Hamburg State College of Design, Cornelia Funke worked as a designer and illustrator of children’s books. But disappointment in the way some of the stories were told, combined with her desire to draw fantastic creatures and magical worlds rather than the familiar situations of school and home, inspired her to write her own stories.

 Cornelia Funke is a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkies, J.M. Barrie, and C.S. Lewis; she loves a good fantasy and she clearly has good taste. Before becoming an author, Funke worked as a social worker where her experience, during that time, provided her with ideas for future works:

When I finished the school I wanted to change the world and I though the best way would be to become a social worker. I worked for three years on an adventure playground in Hamburg and I’ll never forget the children I met there. Many of them came from very difficult backgrounds and dysfunctional families, but I respected them so much for their courage and their compassion for one another. I saw them care for their siblings, where their parents didn’t care at all. I saw them laugh although life didn’t give them much to laugh about. They taught me so much that I still owe them.

Genre:
Tween Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 5-7
 

Books Similar to Inkheart:

• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
• Fablehaven by Brandon Mull and Brandon Dorman

Awards & Recognition:

• Starred Review Kirkus (9/15/2003)
• Starred Review Publisher's Weekly (7/21/2003)