The Trouble begins a 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild Wild West

The Trouble begins a 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild Wild West
by Sid Fleischman
Greenwillow Books, 2008. Youth Biography, 224 p
This is a lively biography of Samuel Clemens by one of my favorite children's nonfiction writers.  Fleishman draws a lot from Clemens' own writings and the accounts of other contemporaries, but, of course, the difficulty when writing about "Mark Twain" is separating fact from fiction.  Clemens lived a life as adventurous and exciting as many fictional characters.  He wrote about his adventures but often embellished them to make the writing more entertaining. In this biography Fleischman includes the fun parts but is careful to mention when scholars have debates about the historicity of certain events.   Fleischman adds an extensive appendix that contains one of Clemens short stories, and a good time line with historical notes.  Kids (or grownups) could certainly read this for fun or as a report biography. 

The Problim Children

 

The Problim Children
by Natalie Lloyd
Harper Collins, 2018. Intermediate Fiction. 285 p.
Seven children with the last name of Problim, live in a swamp on their own while their parents are on an archaeological expedition.  When the kids' bungalow gets destroyed, they go into town hoping to live in their deceased grandfather's house until their parents arrive.  Their next-door neighbors in town are the O'Pinion family, and evil Desdemona O'Pinion is convinced there is a treasure hidden in the Problim mansion.  Even though Desdemona tries to turn the city against them, the other neighbors are intrigued by the strange children, who are totally unconventional in an mysterious and exciting way.

Although adults will recognize that this is a satire exploring the forces of convention (the O'Pinions) on those that are different (the Problims), kids will just see it as a fun and high spirited romp. Each of the children has an odd super power and unique quirky personality. Flatulence jokes and potty type humor abound.  This story will appeal to either boy or girl. The story doesn't completely resolve, so if you start this one do so knowing you will have to commit to waiting for the sequel.

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist

 

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
by Jess Keating
Sourcebooks Jabborwocky, 2017, Youth Nonfiction, unpaginated
This is a appealing picture book biography of an impressive female scientist. Eugenie Clark was fascinated with sharks from the time she was a small child.  When she got older she earned a bachelor's, master's and PhD in Zoology in a time when there were not many women in the sciences.  She studied sharks in the Mediterranean Sea, wrote many articles and two books about her adventures, and worked as a professor. The book is written in simple prose that is accessible to even early grade students.  The illustrations are clean watercolor cartoons done in light-filled summer colors. The author includes a time-line and extra facts about sharks and oceanography as end notes.  This is a great STEM choice for both younger and older grade school age children. It is available in print, as an ebook, e-audiobook and as a read-along through Overdrive.

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact

 

The Power of Moments
by Chip & Dan Heath
Simon and Schuster, 2017, 307 p. Nonfiction
Two brothers, one a professor at Stanford, the other a professor at Duke, explain how stand-out moments can change the course of a business transaction, a company, or a life. Many of these moments happen surreptitiously, but the authors argue that by understanding the elements of these kinds of experiences business owners and other individuals can engineer them to produce dramatic positive outcomes. After the introduction, the book has four main sections, each one talking about one of the aspects of a impactful moment: Elevation, Insight, Pride and Connection.  Each of these sections starts with an extended story of a life changing moment, and then goes on to elaborate the idea it demonstrates with other research and case studies. 

There are a lot of "self help" business books out there, but this one is better than most.  The case studies are interesting and the writing style is informal and engaging.  Heath's main ideas are simple to understand, and easy to apply to a variety of situations. This is a great choice for a business leader who is looking for a way to jump-start a new project, or for anyone who needs to find new sparkle in their life. 

Samurai Rising : the epic life of Minamoto Yoshitsune

Samurai Rising : the Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune
by Pamela S. Turner
Charlesbridge, 2016. Biography, 236 p.
Yoshitsune was one of Japan's most famous Samurai.  He was a bold, reckless, fierce and cunning warrior.  This engaging biography recounts his life during the complicated warlord culture of 12th century Japan.  Turner does a good job of making the arcane time period accessible. One way she does this is by using analogies to modern life, like when she compares Yoshitsune to a star quarterback, but his older half brother was like the owner of the team.  Her biography is carefully researched, and she mentions her sources in the text and in an author's note at the end.  Medieval Japan was a cruel and violent place, and Turner doesn't shellac any of the graphic details of her heroes' exploits.  This is not a good choice for the squeamish at heart, but history buffs, or even teens who like high action computer games, will probably love it.