Review of THE WHIPPING BOY

Fleischman, Sid. 1986. THE WHIPPING BOY. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0-688-06216-4

Jemmy is supposed to “yowl like a stuck pig.” But during the whackings he resolutely holds back his tears. As the whipping boy of Prince Horace (more commonly referred to as Prince Brat), Jemmy has daily opportunities to practice this resolution. Though he no longer has to live in the sewers nor wonder when he will eat next, Jemmy longs to run away from the castle and be free. When the prince decides to run away and drags Jemmy along with him, the two are forced to cooperate with one another in order to survive. Using plot elements from The Prince and the Pauper as well as Aladdin, this story has a familiar feel. However, THE WHIPPING BOY has a higher level of verisimilitude than these traditional stories because of the attention to historical details such as whipping boys, notorious highwaymen, and ballad sellers. Giving further indication of the time period, each plot twist is announced with a lengthy title chapter reminiscent of literature of the middle ages; for example, “Chapter 19 Being a full account of the happenings in the dark sewers.” Other stories set in medieval times such as THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE (K. Cushman) and THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (K. DiCamillo) employ this use of detailed titles as well. Periodic, monochromatic illustrations by Peter Sis accentuate humorous situations as well as provide the reader with examples of the style of clothing. Fleischman’s spin on a familiar plot and multidimensional characters offer humor (Jemmy’s frequent interjection of incredulity, “gaw!”) and sincerity (“I wish I were like you….You’re not afraid of anything.”) and entice the reader through to a satisfying ending.

This piece of historical fiction earned the Newbery Medal in 1987 and is recommended for readers grades 4-8.

Review of STINK: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING KID

McDonald, Megan. Peter H. Reynolds. (Ill.) 2005. STINK: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING KID. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0-7636-2025-4

James “Stink” Moody is a typical second grader. He is responsible, follows rules, loves our country’s 4th president, and likes doing homework. Ok. Maybe he’s not so typical. However, his relationship with his sister is—mostly. Though Stink and his sister Judy fight about things such as how best to care for the class newt, their arguments are more civil than some I’ve seen in real life. This comical story of a bossy big sister and powerless little brother is more easily enjoyed than would be a tale of a more realistic and querulous relationship. Stink and Judy’s sibling rivalry is dictated more by age than gender. McDonald and Reynolds work together to make a book which is appealing to newly independent readers. Through the use of large print, large margins and frequent illustrations this book is appealing to children who are unsure of their ability to tackle novels. In addition, each chapter concludes with a Stink-authored comic strip which is humorously connected to the chapter’s conflict. Though the plot begins slowly, humor fills the gaps until the story’s turning point. While the author’s commitment to the light-heartedness of the story lessens its verisimilitude, the target audience will enjoy Stink’s journey to discovering we all grow in our own time.

This contemporary realistic fiction novel, with its frequent comic-book style illustrations, is recommended for both read-alouds and independent readers in grades K-4.

Review of CLEMENTINE

Pennypacker, Sara. Marla Frazee. (Ill.) 2006. CLEMENTINE. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0-7868-3882-5

In this first person account of a second grader’s life, the reader is taken on a stream-of-consciousness roller coaster ride. Sara Pennypacker strings together seemingly disconnected thoughts and, thus, creates a window into the mind of the title character, Clementine. This rambunctious, distractible, and impulsive girl is so believable, I got tired just reading about her. Clementine pays attention to the wrong things and helps by cutting her friend’s hair and drawing curls on her head with her mother’s special markers. This makes her, as her friend puts it, “the hard one.” Though believable, Clementine’s gender makes her an atypical protagonist. Most stories about difficult children are about boys rather than girls. Marla Frazee’s frequent monochromatic drawings shed additional light on Clementine’s personality. The reader sees her spiky hair after she has cut it off and her sad expression when her mother sees her. The frequency of the pictures, about every other page, also serves to aid readers in their transition to longer novels. Though the book is more than 100 pages, the regularity of the illustrations helps to break up the text and make it less intimidating for recent ‘early reader’ graduates. Though many different things happen, Pennypacker pulls them all together into a cohesive and engaging plot. Why is Clementine at the principal’s office? How will they get rid of the pigeons? What will Clementine do next? This story’s themes of childhood insecurity and unconditional parental love are universal and timeless.

This fast paced contemporary realistic fiction novel, with its comical and telling illustrations, is highly recommended for readers grades 2-5.