Ivy + Bean

So, I almost named my youngest daughter Ivy, after one of my grandma's friends. Back then I thought ... "Hmmm. It may be a bit too old fashioned." Now as Ivy's pop up all over children's books, I am kicking myself.

Here is a read that pairs up nicely with the Grace books!

Bean's mom is always bugging her to go across the street and play with that nice new girl, Ivy. But Bean knows what nice means. Nice = Boring. Why would she want to play with a girl who seems to like to simply sit on her porch alone, when Bean could be tormenting her older sister Nancy? That is a much more interesting pursuit!

One day, however, fate throws Bean and Ivy in the same vicinity and friendship quickly blooms. Getting into mischief is so much sweeter when you have a partner in crime!

Number 1 in the series by annie barrow and sophie blackhall fits nicely into the early independent reader arena. With just enough black and white illustrations and a couple sassy protagonists, Ivy + Bean is sure to find a place in the hearts of fans of Judy Moody, Just Grace, and those on the way to Hannah West.

A Taxonomy of Barnacles

So, every now and again I get a hankering to read an adult book. I was at a bit of a loss as my Bookmarks subscription expired and I try to avoid the papers (bad news and all!). But this lovely cover caught my eye, and as you well know, I am a sucker for the NYC story!

The Barnacle sisters are summoned to their father's apartment for the Passover seder and for a big announcement. Benita, Beryl, Belinda, Beth, Bridgit and Bell (ages ranging from 10-29) are in attendance when dad, Barry, announces that whichever girl can find a way to immortalize the Barnacle name will inherit his fortune. (Barry is the pantyhose king from Brooklyn)

What ensues is a hilarious and depressing look into family life. The Barnacles are a very eccentric family. While they are rich enough to have an enormous apartment, the girls are forced to double up because the "extra" three room house Barry's collections. There is a hole in the ceiling and a spiral staircase that connect the apartment to that of his first wife, Bella. This is not the typical pristine apartment on the Upper East Side.

Each of the girl is a character unto herself and interprets this question very differently. Youngest Benita is a competition fiend, and hopes that notice in the papers will catch her father's eye. Rebellious Belinda finds herself a dirty punk boy to "marry". Oldest sisters Bell and Brigit vie for the attentions of the Finch twins from upstairs, while super smart Beth decides that academic recognition is the way to go.

The reader can picture each scene perfectly. Perhaps this is due to author Galt Niederhoffer's background in film. It read a bit like the Tannenbaums to me. It is zany and dark all at the same time.

I truly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to adults and older teens who like the "slice of life" story.

Think of England, by Alice Elliott Dark

This is a grown up book that has been on my shelves for about a year now. The title makes me smile, and I do love the family story, you know!

Jane is the peacemaker in her rather large family. Via, her mom, is a bit dismayed by how her life has turned out. Emlin, her dad, is always at the hospital busy with his patients. Uncle Francis comes to stay with them from NYC, since Jane's grandparents do not approve of his "lifestyle".

It's 1964 and the family is supposed to have a fun filled night of watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Via slyly slips the phone off the hook so that Emlin won't get called in, but prim Jane places it back again. The night seems to go well until Jane hears her mother's shouts, and her father is off to the hospital, worried they have been calling while the phone was dead. Jane shows her father that it was off the hook, and tells him to call into the hospital instead. Emlin decides to go in anyway. That's the last time anyone ever sees him.

Jane grows up, and goes to England to escape her family. There she meets Nigel and Colette...quite the duo. Jane quickly makes them her family, then manages to fall in love with a man who doesn't believe in love.

The reader follows Jane through her guilt ridden days, and we watch as she slowly peels back the onion skins of her life.

A quiet read. No new ground is broken, but it was an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning.

Academy X

Since I work in a private school, and a NYC private school at that, when I read a description of this title in the Times, I knew I had to pick it up. A Nanny Diaries, if you will, for the private school set.

John is an English teacher at the tony Academy X. He explains to the reader the difference between new and old money, between religious groups and their money, and the insane NYC experience of getting your child into the right nursery school, so the child can go to the right elementary school, then the right highschool, and into the Ivy League. We hear of baby yoga and testing as well as ridiculous amounts of extra curriculars.

We are introduced to John's Austen class, and two girls who make his teaching worthwhile. Caitlyn Brie has everything. She is the girl that buys all the designer clothes, has the most popular boyfriends, the penthouse on the park...everything. Laura Sturding is middle class and gets her fashions from the outlet malls in Jersey. She works hard for everything that she has.

Then there are the parents. The parents for whom money is no object and when tution is $27000 they expect a return on their investment. And generally speaking, their kids are not putting in the hard work for the return.

We follow John through the last couple months of the school year, when acceptances have already been given out, new chairs are being appointed in departments, and scandal is sure to hit the senior class.

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I found the beginning of this book very entertaining as it was structured somewhat as an expose of the Manhattan private school scene. I was reading the unspoken thoughts of many folks who work in NYC schools. Then Trees turned the story into John's story of unrequited love, a teacher's worst fear, and the politics behind the scenes at his school.

The degree to which the parents interfere and throw money around to "fix" problems is totally unbelievable and is nothing like I have ever encountered or heard about. It adds to the fun factor of the story, however. Just think, what would you do if a parent offered you six figures to make a problem disappear?

It was entertaining, but not as tightly written as I would have hoped. A first novel. A good summer read...especially if you work in an environment like Academy X!

The Stupidest Angel

This is not the type of book that I usually would read, (endorsed by Playboy on the back) but a friend of mine recommended it so I thought I would give it a go. Then I put it down, and he told me I had to try again.

I now know that I am a book snob. High brow friends of mine are probably snorting Cabernet out of their noses, so let me explain. Not high brow in the capital "L" Literature kind of way. Rather, I like what I like, and cliches drive me CRAZY!

Stupidest Angel is full of a crazy set of characters including Lena and ex Dale, who at the beginning of the book get into a very public argument over Christmas donations while Lena is acting as a Salvation Army Santa. Dale is an s-o-b developer who is not loved by the rest of the townsfolk. There is Theo, the ex-pothead constable. His wife, Molly Michon, the former b-movie star, who has recently gone off her meds. Tucker Case...Lena's new love interest and DEA pilot. Crazy Mavis - the bar owner. An angel, who is absolutely clueless. And my favourite...Josh - the kid who witnesses Santa's murder.

Confused?

You shouldn't be.

This is a fast read, that feels more like a series of vignettes. The reader knows exactly where the story is going (right down to the Dawn of the Dead brains-crazed zombies). It is what it is, and for fans I am sure it is great. It just didn't work for me. (Except for Josh continually wanting to decapitate Tucker...that was fun!)