105 Ways to Give a Book

Clementine Is Back!

My kids did go to school today, and I think we can all be thankful for that. Me, most obviously, for my free time. You, less obviously, for the sanity of this blogger. There was a two-hour delay, which was most appreciated after a late night watching the Academy Awards.

I can’t say why I was watching the Oscars, since the only1 film I’d seen that received any big nominations was Little Miss Sunshine (which totally rocks). Man, I remember the glory days of my moviegoing, when I would have seen up to three of the mentioned movies. In any case, I thought Ellen DeGeneres did a great job hosting, and now I know what movies I should watch, so that’s helpful.

The Talented ClementineAfter mentioning my organizing ideas for daily posts yesterday, I’m in the mood to give it a try, making today Middle Grade Monday. Timing is on my side, having recently received and read the new book from Sara Pennypacker, The Talented Clementine.

I put last year’s offering of Clementine among my best books of the year, if not among my best books ever. Sharp and funny, but always respectful of the age of of the character and the audience, the new book keeps up the Clementine we all grew to love. This time, Clementine’s class is going to have a talent show, but Clementine can’t think of a talent to share. Her family tries to be helpful, but they can’t solve her problem. Ultimately, it’s Clementine and her caring principal who realize her true talent and use it to its full advantage.

The funny girl we fell in love with in the first book is definitely back right from the very first line:
I have noticed that teachers get exciting confused with boring a lot. But when my teacher said, “Class, we have an exciting project to talk about,” I listened anyway.
She also gives us an insight into the importance of dictionaries with this question to her principal:
“I’ve been wondering what the difference is between smashed and crashed.”

Mrs. Rice handed me her dictionary.

And then suddenly I didn’t want to know anymore! That is the miracle about dictionaries!
Or this:
In school, my teacher started in with the “Talent-Palooza” business so fast I thought it was the new last part of the Pledge of Allegiance.

“with liberty and justice for all and I know we’re all very exited to get to our big project,” he said. So it was too late for my secret plan of hypnotizing him into forgetting.
Marla Frazee is also back as the illustrator, lending her incredible talents to capturing Clementine and her world. Unfortunately for me, in the ARC the pictures stop about halfway through, but it will let me look forward to the release of the book on April 1 — and that’s no April Fools Joke! (Hahaha. I crack myself up.)

  1. I should mention that I went to the Oscar site, and I’d actually seen three other movies on the whole nominee list — Borat, Cars, and The Devil Wears Prada — so maybe I’m a notch more in tune than I thought. Oh, and while I’ve got you, what should Thursday be in the plan? Middle Grade Monday, Teen Tuesday, Wee Ones Wednesday, “    ” Thursday, Poetry Friday, Shout-Out Sunday. I know, Poetry Friday doesn’t work either, but that’s not my fault. 

8 comments:

Dawn said...

Thursday ideas:
Thoughtful Thursday - books that make you go "Hmmm..."
Theraputic Thursday - books that make you feel good
Thermo Thursday - books and topics that are hot hot hot
Thematic Thursday - books with a theme of your choosing
Thingamajig Thursday - books that are hard to classify
Theme Song Thursday - where we get a podcast of you singing your reviews to the tunes of various annoying theme songs

MotherReader said...

You rock, Dawn. Lots of great choices. I can mix it up on Thursdays.

Robin Brande said...

I agree that Little Miss Sunshine was absolutely the best, but The Devil Wears Prada may have been my favorite guilty pleasure movie of the year. All those clothes, and the idea that you could ever be successful enough to need not only one personal assistant, but two, and that you could send someone out to Starbucks for you . . .

Sigh.

Anonymous said...

oh, oh. THROW IT OUT THURSDAY or . . . another book to be crossed off your to-be-read list. how about that?

Melissa said...

Thespian Thursday -- Reviews of plays?

ElsKushner said...

I'm trying to figure out a way to make "nonfiction" start with "T".

Hmm. Maybe not so much.

ElsKushner said...

I'm trying to figure out a way to make "nonfiction" start with "T".

ElsKushner said...

Also trying to figure out a way to not double-post. Unsuccessfully, apparently. sorry!