If your child liked Fancy Nancy or Eloise then they will love The Duchess of Whimsy by Randall de Séve. This delight fairytale is a love story, but there is a sweet moral behind it. The Duchess of Whimsy is known throughout the land as the greatest hostess there ever was! Her extravagant soirées are equally matched by the outlandish and stunning costumes that the Duchess of Whimsy adorns. The Duchess of Whimsy is loved by all, especially the Earl of Norm, who is hopelessly in love with her. He presents her with extraordinary gifts and goes to extreme lengths to impress the Duchess of Whimsy, but she was never impressed.
On the eve of one of her grand galas, the Duchess’ cook became sick. All the guests tried to make elaborate dishes for the delightful dinner, but all they made is a mess! It was the Earl of Norm’s simple grilled cheese sandwich and glass of milk that won the Duchess over. How could something so simple as grilled cheese be so delightfully delicious? Not only did the Duchess see grilled cheese sandwiches in a new light, but she also saw the Earl differently as well. De Séve reminds the reader that sometimes the most extravagant of people need a little simplicity in their life and a dash of over-the-top never hurt anyone. The Duchess of Whimsy is simple extraordinary!
The illustrations, which are done by de Séve’s husband, reminded me of King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood. The character’s costumes, especially those of the Duchess, are what initially drew me to this precocious picture book. They are elaborate, ostentatious, flamboyant, and beautifully drawn. The Duchess of Whimsy has the glitz and glamour of Fancy Nancy, but with more heart and definitely more style.
Tamara Ann Simpson is one tough kid, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have feelings too. She is devastated when her best friend Kebsie, a neighborhood foster child, suddenly moves away. Tamara becomes so wrapped up in her own loneliness that she makes life for the new foster kid a real nightmare. She ironically nicknames the scrawny newcomer Muscle Man McGinty when he comes to take Kebsie’s place at the foster home next door. His outlandish lies and incessant strutting drive Tamara to distraction as she watches him win over the affection of all the kids and adults in the neighborhood. Who would ever believe that he was actually training for the Olympics or that he was a former Broadway star!? The lie that really sends Tamara over the edge is when he says that Neil Armstrong is his uncle. No matter how hard she tries to put him in his place, Muscle Man always takes abuse with impossibly good humor. The story progresses to reveal much more going on than a classic case of bully versus wimp.
Behind all the hurt and the humor of the text lie a lot of lessons for readers. This book is a historical fiction set around the first moon landing and the Vietnam War. Readers get to see the effects of the war from the point of view of a kid alive at the time. There’s no history lesson hidden here, you can just see the sorrow of a neighborhood mourning the loss of beloved young son, drafted and killed in the war. Readers also get a lesson in compassion as they see the hidden tragedy in Muscle Man’s past and the indifference between Tamara and her parents. It’s unusual for a kid’s book to be written from the point of view of a bully that is so filled with humor, compassion, and depth. This book manages to make readers sympathize with the Tamara and Muscle Man as the story reveals their hidden pain and insecurities. This is a humorous, educational, and touching book about understanding and redemption. I would recommend this for readers who enjoyed books like The Mostly True Adventures of Home P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick, The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, or Blubber by Judy Blume. This is a really great book for understanding the motives of a young bully.
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Miss Mollie
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is one of the most popular children's book series around today. I've seen a lot of kids who have read the entire series five or six times, and they have no intention of stopping. For those of you who haven't read it, it is a series of journals chronicling the life of Greg Heffley, a seventh grade nobody trying to navigate the choppy waters of adolescence. This is a great series that identifies with kids in that awkward tween stage of life with humor and compassion without talking down to them or belittling their difficulties. The new movie is only fueling the fires of interest as more kids (and adults, too) become interested in Greg's world. But, those of you that have already exhausted the series; DO NOT FEAR! I have some great suggestions for you!
o far and more coming out all the time. This is also in diary format. Unlike Diary of a Wimpy Kid, it's following the life of a twelve year old girl named Jamie, so readers get to see middle school through the eyes of a girl for a change. In the first installation called Pretend This Never Happened, Jamie tries to deal with her troll-like baby cousin, avoid socially devastating nicknames, and ruminate over ways to overthrow Angeline, the most popular girl in school. A feature that Wimpy Kid fans are sure to love is Jamie's drawings which add a great deal of humor to already amusing situations. These books might be more appealing to girls who are more likely to understand the importance of lip gloss and cute hair, but boys are still sure to appreciate the clumsy, clever, and downright ludicrous antics of Jamie as she tries to reach 10 on the popularity scale.
eries has also been adapted for the silver screen. It reads like a Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but for Vikings. Also written in diary format from the point of view of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III the "Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans" Hiccup is the son of Stoick the Vast, the leader of the Viking tribe. Unfortunately, Hiccup is having trouble following in his father's heroic footsteps as he and his peers struggle to capture, train, and control dragons for the first time. In this world a wimpy kid like Hiccup is exiled into the wilderness forever if he fails to fit in. Apparently stakes are a little bit higher for Viking kids. The first book of the series is about Hiccup and his self-centered, disobedient, and minuscule dragon, Toothless. The pair manages to save the day by using their wits rather than muscles when a gargantuan dragon threatens to devour the tribe. This series also has really amusing illustrations that add a lot of humor to the text.
Not a dog lover? That’s okay! Check out Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner. This picture book follows Posy, a mischievous kitten with a tendency for trouble. She bounces and pounces and possesses all the endearing qualities that children and adults love about kittens. The frenzied sketches are quite different Gravett’s Dogs, but still heartwarming.
