Can you beat me?

Week number 3. Are you ready? This is the first week I am being really obtuse.

Here are the basics from the first post: Librarians tend to get these strange requests from patrons . . . as in, “I am looking for this book with an orange cover that as written by a teenager and I read it a few years ago like 2007. Do you know what that book is?” Invariably we do not, so we go to the professional Listserv for answers. My game is sort of like that. My clues lead to one specific book. But they may be obscure. They may not make any sense. But can you put them all together and name this book?

Clue #1:

Clue #2:

Clue #3:

Can you beat me?

I am actually doing this post a week before it is posted. I hope the first one went over well. This is actually kind of cool because this week’s book deals with time travel.

Here are the basics from the first post: Librarians tend to get these strange requests from patrons . . . as in, “I am looking for this book with an orange cover that as written by a teenager and I read it a few years ago like 2007. Do you know what that book is?” Invariably we do not, so we go to the professional Listserv for answers. My game is sort of like that. My clues lead to one specific book. But they may be obscure. They may not make any sense. But can you put them all together and name this book?

Some other bits of boring clarifying information:

1. All the beat the dictator books are Young Adult books (they were published YA or were selected by YALSA as great books for teens.)
2. Please leave comments on my blog, although Twitter is fine too.
3. Pictures and elements are not neccisarily static clues. Try clicking them to see if they have more info.

One more clue about the “Orange Book”:  The book is fantasy.

On to the clues. This one is a little tougher.

Clue #1:

Clue #2:

Clue #3:

Learn how to use Excel as a writing tool.

That’s It. Good Luck! And if you want . . . Try your hand at the first challenge.

Stone, P.  (2011). The romeo and juliet code. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. 304 p. 978-0545215114. $16.99. Gr. 4-6.

At the height of The Blitz Felicity Bathburn Budwig’s parents send her to live with her family in Bottlebay, ME. In Maine her uncle begins to receive strange letters. She teams up with the reclusive “Captain Derek,” a boy recovering from polio, to start putting the clues together. Stone steers clear of history, mostly. She uses the circumstances to tell a gentle story of a girl growing up without her parents. Hopefully readers will use this book as an opportunity to explore a very interesting time in history. The mystery is passable, although many curious readers will love solving the code near the end of the book. Stone also makes a strange leap that should stretch reader’s credulity. It is surprising enough that most readers won’t see it coming, but that doesn’t make it necessary or interesting. Recommended for classroom use to give a different perspective of WWII.

The following Powerpoint was made to help students relate to the time and place of The Romeo and Juliet Code. Please download and use you please. Also, as I am not a history major or scholar of the time please let me know of any inaccuracies that need to be fixed.

Romeo and Juliet Code Historical Fiction Powerpoint

Lin, G.  (2009). The year of the rat. New York: Little Brown. 208 p. 978-0316033619. $5.99. Gr. 3-5.

Pacy Lin is back for another year of adventures. The Year of the Rat takes place two years after The Year of the Dog, well . . . we have missed a year in her life. Now her best friend Melody is moving. Pacy (or Grace) is also dealing with her choice to become an author/illustrator, because her cousin has informed her that it is a “cold door.” Lin, telling stories from her own childhood, deals quite well with a variety of mature topics. Her drawings are again a pleasure, helping to illustrate key parts of the story or her culture. This story adds more suspense than the first, although keeping it extremely realistic. This isn’t a mystery, it’s just a nice mature story about life that young readers should be able to connect with on many levels. Also, the paperback has a nice appendix of the story behind the story.

Additional Thoughts:

I’m not saying that I am the biggest Grace Lin fan, but I am definitely digging her writing. It is crisp and has nice pacing for stories that aren’t filled with heroes, mysteries, apocalypes, vampires, etc. I bet she’s a great storyteller and I can’t wait to read Dumpling Days, which I have an ARC of thanks to the awesome Abby the Librarian. So the Library Dictator PacyLin-A-Thon will keep rolling.

• Arnold, T.  (2009).  I spy fly guy!. New York, NY: Cartwheel Books.  32 p.  978-0545110280.  $5.99.  Gr. PreK-2.
• Hayes, G.  (2009).  Benny and penny in the big no-no!: a toon book.  New York, NY: Toon Books.  32 p.  978-0979923890.  $12.95.  Gr. Pre-K-2.
• McMullan, K.  (2009).  Pearl and wagner: one funny day.  New York, NY: Dial.  40 p.  978-0803730854.  $14.99.  Gr. 1-3.
• Smith, J.  (2009).  Little mouse gets ready.  New York, NY: Toon Books.  32 p.  978-1935179016.  $12.95.  Gr. Pre-K-1.
• Yee, W.H.  (2009).  Mouse and mole: fine feathered friends.  New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  48 p.  978-0547152226.  $15.00.  Gr. 1-3.

Riggs, R. (2011). Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. 352 p. $17.99. 978-1594744761. Gr. 8+

As a child Jacob Portman heard the most unbelievable stories from his grandfather. His grandfather has escaped Poland, and the Nazis, to live on an island with strange/powerful children and eventually left to fight monsters. As he grows up Jacob becomes begins to believe in his grandfather’s stories less and less. Until the day he finds out they all may be true. Ransom Riggs uses his love of strange found photography to craft a dark and magical story of time travel, invisible boys, flame throwers, monsters, shapeshifters, and more. It’s edgy, intelligent and chalk full of those strange vintage pictures. While the concept and pictures are badass, and well-executed, Riggs’s one flaw is that he tends to overexplain the photos. Still, there are great characters and a great action sequence near the end. There are loose ends at the end, but it’s tied up enough to satisfy most readers.

Additional Thoughts: 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I love Ransom Riggs. I have been reading his stuff in Mental_Floss for years. And I was stoked for this book. It wasn’t a letdown. The one flaw wasn’t really that much of a flaw for me I was just looking for something so I wasn’t fawning over him.

Similar Titles (From NoveList): Double Life by Justin Richards, Ghost Soldiers by Justin Richards, Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams, Ghost Letters by Stephen Alter, Walk of the Spirits by Richie Tankersley Cusick, Black Taxi by James Moloney, Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements

(From Me): The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey, Gone by Michael Grant, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (Ransom and John are friends and there are a lot of similarities – Check out Ransom’s YouTube page to see some videos he made with John. Although I recommend his other videos).

Can you beat me?

Last night I decided to make a game here on my blog. A book quiz-y type challenge. Librarians tend to get these strange requests from patrons . . . as in, “I am looking for this book with an orange cover that as written by a teenager and I read it a few years ago like 2007. Do you know what that book is?” Invariably we do not, so we go to the professional Listserv for answers. My game is sort of like that. My clues lead to one specific book. But they may be obscure. They may not make any sense. But can you put them all together and name this book?

And what do you win? Your name on my Wall of Fame. Perhaps I will have better prizes in the future, but for now it is just pride and infamy. This one should be pretty easy. Good luck.

Clue #1:

Clue #2: 

Beatosu and Goblu, Ohio

Clue #3:

That’s it. Now . . . Name this book. BTW, get bonus points for naming the book the patron was looking for in my intro.

Stumped? Click for the answer.

• Lewis, J.P., & Thompson, J., Illus. (2000). Freedom like sunlight: Praisesongs for black americans. Mankato, MN: Creative Editions.  40 p.  978-1568461380.  $17.95.  Gr. 4+.
• Lewis, J.P., & Kelley, G. Illus.  (2006).  Black cat bone.  Mankato, MN: Creative Editions.  48 p. 978-1568461946.  $19.95.  Gr. 6+
• Lewis, J.P., & Stone, K.M., Illus. (2005). Please bury me in the library. Orlando, FL: Gulliver Books.  32 p.  978-0152163877.  $16.00.  Gr. 2-5.
• Lewis, J.P., & Chess, V. (1990). A hippopotamusn’t and other animal verses. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.  39 p.  978-0803705180.  $12.95.  Gr. K-5.
• Lewis, J.P., & Munsinger, L., Illus. (2009). Spot the plot: a riddle book of book riddles. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.  36 p.  978-0811846684.  $15.99.  Gr. K-5.