Review Thursday: Books for Children

The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline (2009)
Nancy Springer

When her mother disappears mysteriously, 14 year old Enola, runs away from home rather than be sent to a boarding school for “finishing” by her much older brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. She sets herself up in a rooming house and passes herself off as an adult, with the aid of a variety of disguises. Along the way she uses deduction, follows clues and solves ciphers as well as her brother, often beating him to the punch. The Enola Holmes Mystery series, the most recent of which is The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline, in which her deaf, elderly landlady is kidnapped, proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that Sherlock’s younger sister can take on Nancy Drew with one hand tied behind her back.

The Lion’s Share (2009)
by Matthew McElligott

Before the lion gets his share of cake, the guests at his party eat it all. (Each eats half of what is passed on to them.) So ant offers to bake him another one. Not to be outdone, the other animals propose to “up the ante” by doubling the number of cakes put forward by the previous animal. The elephant ends up having to bake 256 cakes. Not only will young readers relish the absurdity of the situation, they will also inhale simple multiplication and fraction concepts. Ink and watercolor illustrations, enhanced with digital techniques, continually reinforce the mathematical theme. Early elementary grade teachers will appreciate being able to tie this in with other math focused titles such as Spaghetti and Meatballs for All!: A Mathematical Story by Marilyn Burns. Ages 5-8

Pharaoh’s Boat (2009)
by David Weitzman

When the Pharaoh Cheops died he needed a boat to guide him into the afterlife. This fascinating narrative effectively weaves together the history, texts, mythology, and customs of ancient Egypt, drawing readers in through the step by step processes used to build the vessel. The rediscovery of the actual boat in an archeological find and its reconstruction 4000 years later is detailed with great care. The final foldout pages reveal the pharaoh's boat in full restoration. Armchair archeologist as well as teachers with ancient Egyptian curriculum will gravitate toward this standout selection. This will complement such biographies as Tutankhamun: The Mystery of the Boy King by Zahi Hawass. Ages 9-12