Babymouse, Queen of the World (v.1)

Biblio Bits Babymouse, Queen of the World, Vol.1, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Random House, 2005 (ISBN 0375832297)

Reading Level/Interest Ages 9-12

Genre Humor

Format Graphic novel

Plot Summary

Babymouse is a middle-school-aged mouse with frizzy whiskers who attends school with lots of other kinds of animals (her teacher is a hippo). Babymouse's best friend is Wilson the weasel, who has been there for her since kindergarten. The queen of the girls is Felicia Furrypaws, who is cool, has smooth whiskers and great clothes. When all the girls except Babymouse get their invitations to Felicia's exclusive sleepover, Babymouse knows she must procure an invitation at all costs. When Felicia asks Babymouse for her homework in exchange for an invitation, and it turns out that Wilson's movie night is happening at the same time, Babymouse must make some difficult choices.

Critical Evaluation

Babymouse is a lovable and fallible hero. The illustrations are perfect: black on a white page, with pink as an accent. Babymouse indulges in some alternative fantasies (in space, as a detective, Babymouse vs. The Squid, etc.) that show us inside her creative mind, similar to Calvin's fantasies (Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes fame). The story is predictably familiar: the social complexities and attractiveness of the "in-crowd." It's a theme that will never be overdone for middle-schoolers: this is perhaps the most important tween story that can be told, because it's a story that is re-told and re-enacted every day in middle school. The language is simple, the illustrations are engaging, and this would be an excellent selection for younger tweens, particularly girls.

Reader's Annotation

Babymouse wishes for more glamor and adventure in her life, but all she has is "an overdue library book and a locker that stuck." Will she ever get a coveted invitation from Felicia Furrypaws for an exclusive sleep-over party?

Author Information

Jennifer L. Holm was born in California but spent her growing-up years in Pennsylvania with her parents and four brothers. She attended Dickinson College (PA) and moved to New York City to work in television production. Holm received a Newbery Honor book for Our Only May Amelia. She currently lives in the northeastern part of the United States with her husband, son, and cat. This was her first collaboration with her brother, Matthew, who is a freelance writer and graphic designer. (Information in this author biography is from the book jacket, as well as the author's official site.)

Challenge issues

Oh come on! It's a comic about a mouse with common social issues!

Booktalking Ideas

I would definitely focus on Babymouse's character by asking my audience some questions. Have you ever wanted a little more adventure in your life? More glamour? Ice cream for lunch? No homework? Straight whiskers? I would build up their empathy with Babymouse, and then allude to some of the social challenges she faces, such as: How about wanting an invitation to a party that "all the cool kids" are going to?

Curriculum Ties

This would be a really fun study for an art class focusing on comics. The illustrations are deceptively simple and would lend themselves to a lesson on the expressiveness of Babymouse's face. Studying the ways that Matthew Holm shows Babymouse's emotions could be a great way to inspire the aspiring comics illustrators. Students could develop a simple animal character and draw their faces in several moods.

Why this book?
My local YA librarian reported that Babymouse is a hit with tween girls, so I thought I should see what all the hype is about.

Series/Sequel
Yes!

Awards
ALA Notable Children's Books, middle readers' category (2006); Gryphon Award (2006).

Rockport Public Library owns?

No.

Willoughbys

Biblio Bits The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry, Houghton Mifflin, 2008 (ISBN 9780618979745)

Reading Level/Interest Age 790 lexile/ages 10-12

Genre Parody fiction; modern classic; modern fairy tale

Plot Summary

The four Willoughby children (Timothy, Barnaby A, Barnaby B, and Jane) have decidedly loathsome parents. The mother chooses to knit a sweater for the cat, rather than a second sweater for the twins, A and B, who are forced to share one. The father is irate when the children want to hear a story, as he is involved in a newspaper article about interest rates. The children are the old-fashioned sort, who even find a baby on their doorstep; they decide that they really should be orphans like the characters in the books they read. It turns out that their parents feel the same way, and decide to book an adventure with the Reprehensible Travel Agency (the brochure was procured by Timothy). Enter the Nanny, described by Timothy as "odious," who quickly begins transforming the children, as nannies in old-fashioned stories tend to. When the children realize that their parents are selling the home they live in, they take action to try to thwart the sale. A reclusive tycoon, a train car buried for years in an avalanche, a cross-continental journey, and the invention of a new candy bar also figure into the tightly woven plot of this story.

Critical Evaluation

Lois Lowry: such a versatile author! This title seems to defy attempts to place it in a genre. Lowry delivers a story rife with delectable vocabulary and references to children's literature standards, in a cleverly–constructed story laced with dark humor. This book has the feeling of an old–fashioned story, even a fairy tale. The baby on the doorstep, the bossy older brother and meek sister, the nanny figure, the tycoon, and the nefarious parents are all stock characters that Lowry weaves together in a new, darker form. The humor is wryly hilarious and may be too dark for some, similar to the gothic style of the Lemony Snicket books. The plot is rather tightly conceived and dependent on many coincidental circumstances, which might bother some "reality" sticklers. The glossary of vocabulary words as well as the selected bibliography of children's literature titles are also hilarious and a must–read. Overall, this book was just what it promised to be on the first page: a book about an old–fashioned family, written in an old–fashioned style. Happy ending included.

Reader's Annotation

Although this story contains some nefarious and ignominious characters, the Willoughby children are certainly not odious. These plucky heroes are winsome and clever, if occasionally conniving.

Author Information

Lois Lowry was born in Hawaii into a military family, and lived in Japan and other places during her childhood. She attended Brown University for two years and took a hiatus from her studies to get married and start a family. Lowry raised her four children in Maine and finished her education at Southern Maine University. Lowry is one of the only two-time winners of the Newbery Award for Children's Fiction. She currently resides in Cambridge, MA, and is a proud grandmother.

Challenge issues

The Nanny is nude (not "naked") when she poses as a statue, in camoflage, by powdering her skin and then draping a sheet over her, toga-like. This might be a sticking point for some readers. Some readers may object to the dark humor or theme of parental abandonment.

Booktalking Ideas

A booktalk on this title should be told in the style of the writing, full of great words and deadpan humor. Perhaps even reading a few of the funny definitions in the glossary at the back would be a way to hook readers. Other titles to include: The Pocket Guide to Mischief, The Dangerous Book for Boys (Iggulden and Iggulden), and The Daring Book for Girls (Buchanan and Peskowitz). The booktalk friends might also include the titles from the selected bibliography.

Curriculum Ties

Language arts would be a natural tie-in with all of the great words in this book. It might be a fun extension activity for students to pen their own definitions of interesting words, in Lowry's style in the glossary. Another Language Arts activity might be a literature circle in which each group of students read one of the titles from Lowry's bibliography and then compared the title to The Willoughbys.

Why this book?
Because Lois Lowry is awesome. Oops--not graduate-student speak! This book is clever, short, and literary. It's also funny (the Nanny camoflages herself into a Greek-style statue and refers to Mary Poppins as "that fly-by-night woman") and would make an excellent read-aloud selection.

Awards
Parents' Choice Award, 2008; Booklist Editors' Choice, 2008; Oprah's Kids' Reading Lists, 10-12 category.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.