Search results matching tags 'fiction' and 'animals'

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:19:00 GMT

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart might have the most endearing characters I've encountered in awhile. I had no idea where the story was going for most of the book but I didn't care because Balthazar Jones and all the rest of the characters were keeping me perfectly entertained.

Balthazar Jones is a Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Member of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary... or a Beefeater. He and his wife, Hebe Jones, live in the Salt Tower in the Tower of London because all the Beefeaters live in the Tower of London. While Balthazar and Hebe are dealing with personal tragedy, Balthazar is contacted to be in charge of the reinstatement of the Royal Menagerie at the Tower. He's been chosen because of Mrs. Cook, his family's 181 year old tortoise. Meanwhile, Hebe Jones, her co-worker and friend Valerie Jennings, Tower residents like the Reverend Septimus Drew and the Yeoman Gaoler and others work through their own daily trials and triumphs.

The animals that make up the menagerie include Jesus Christ lizards, Geoffroy's marmosets, a zorilla, ringtail possums, toucans, a lonely wandering albatross and many others. The animals and the Tower setting are as important to the story as the human characters. That said, some of the best scenes are in the London Underground's Lost Property Office, where Hebe Jones and Valerie Jennings work. Their office is filled with items left in train cars or at stops. It is a lost-and-found so big it takes two people to keep track of all the false teeth, shoes, inflatable dolls, canoes, plants and whatever else turns up until rightful owners can be located.

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise is a book that can be dark at times. It takes place mostly at the Tower of London, which is primarily a tourist attraction now but once held many prisoners, some of which were tortured and some of which died in the Tower. It's filled with reminders of those times. Some of the characters have personal problems they're trying to overcome. Rev. Septimus Drew builds contraptions to try and kill the rats that have long resided in the chapel. However, humor and the charm of the quirky characters won me over again and again. It is not a depressing book; in fact it is ultimately uplifting. Julia Stuart has written us a very charming novel.

Jack and Miss Stretchberry are back.

kiya@evpl — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:54:00 GMT

Miss Stretchberry loves poetry, and makes it part of her classroom every day. In Love That Dog, we meet Jack, who thinks poetry isn't for boys, and that he can't understand it. The story is told through Jack's poetry assignments. As the year unfolds, he finds that poems do have something to say to him. Meanwhile, the reader learns a lot about Jack.

Now, we have Hate That Cat, and find out that both Jack and Miss Stretchberry have been promoted to the next grade. Once again, a story develops as we read Jack's assignments, and learn about his family.

Sharon Creech includes the text of some of the poems Jack and his classmates study in school. Both books are touching, funny stories, even as they arouse the reader's interest in poets and poetry.

Love That Sharon Creech.

woodrat

bookmarkbeck@evpl — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:41:00 GMT

Woodrat Jill by Nicky Laak

Keep an eye open for this one. The author, (a Keys resident of 16 years originally from Sussex England) feels it's very important to protect endangered species - especially the Key Largo woodrat which has been maligned in the past.

She wants to share this with children in her position as teacher-librarian. Her book is a story of Jill the woodrat(born in a zoo) being released into a North Key Largo hardwood hammock(raised island of trees). This book is largely accurate

about local wildlife details. Readers meet a croc named Chrissy and a woodrat named Pedro. Appeals to 3rd grade and up. Has focus on nature and scientific terms. Has beautifully illustrated cover with kid appeal. Ask me for website where

you can view video of mother woodrat protecting her pups. Would also recommend Parrotfish and Sunken Ships by Jim Arnosky