Great choice for Newberry: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Moon Over Manifest

By

Clare Vanderpool

Product Description

Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn about the boy her father once was.

Having heard stories about Manifest, Abilene is disappointed to find that it’s just a dried-up, worn-out old town. But her disappointment quickly turns to excitement when she discovers a hidden cigar box full of mementos, including some old letters that mention a spy known as the Rattler.

These mysterious letters send Abilene and her new friends, Lettie and Ruthanne, on an honest-to-goodness spy hunt, even though they are warned to “Leave Well Enough Alone.”

Abilene throws all caution aside when she heads down the mysterious Path to Perdition to pay a debt to the reclusive Miss Sadie, a diviner who only tells stories from the past. It seems that Manifest’s history is full of colorful and shadowy characters—and long-held secrets. The more Abilene hears, the more determined she is to learn just what role her father played in that history.

And as Manifest’s secrets are laid bare one by one, Abilene begins to weave her own story into the fabric of the town.

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Review

As Abilene Tucker jumps from a train heading toward Manifest, Kansas in 1936 I felt as if I was heading back in time with her as the book intertwines between 1936 and 1917-1918.

The book is based on historical fiction and reveals stories that take place during World War I and the Depression. Abilene is a 12 year old girl who has been sent to Manifest for the summer to live with a Pastor Shady, who is an old friend of her father.

Abilene finds a cigar box of letters and mementos under a board in her new room. This discovery leads to more questions about the town, the people who live there now and those who pasted through years earlier, and the big question which is "How does my father fit into this town".

As the hot, dry summer days drag on Abilene and two new friends start on a quest to unravel the mysteries of the past as they read the letters found in a cigar box between Ned and Jinx. Their "spy hunt" for the "RATTLER" eventually leads Abilene to Mrs. Sadie's house the "diviner" who begins to recall the past.

While Abilene works her debt off the Mrs. Sadie she listens intently to the stories as she realizes that her tales are related to the cigar box full of letters and mementos. What Abilene uncovers helps to bring the town's bright future back as well as the answers to her questions that she spent her entire summer searching for. Abilene's first person narrative is intertwined with Mrs. Sadie's stories, the letters from Ted to Jinx, and a newspaper column.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction from fifth grade on because it recounts actual historical events through a fictional aspect. Everything about this book is realistic from the plot to the characters. A very intriguing book, which I would read again and again.

This is why I give Moon Over Manifest five stars.

Reviewed by: Cilla

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About the author

Clare Vanderpool - Wichita author, lives in College Hill with her husband and four children, won the award for her first book, "Moon Over Manifest.

The Newbery, given by the American Library Association, is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

"There are a lot of good books out there, so for mine to be selected in this way is a great honor," said Vanderpool.


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A Warm, Whimsical Story Of Friendship's Transitions: City Dog, Country Frog

City Dog, Country Frog

By Mo Willems (Author), Jon J Muth (Illustrator)

List Price: $17.99
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Product Description
City Dog ran like the wind across the field in front of the old farmhouse until he saw something very unusual sitting on a rock. Very soon he had met the acquaintance of Country Frog perched on a rock. He sat right down next to him on a rock peering into his big googly eyes. His tail was wagging when he asked what Country Frog was up to. "Waiting for a friend." There wasn't anyone in sight, but the smiling frog replied, "But you'll do." Spring had begun and they played games and cavorted around. Of course Country Frog's games were things like "jumping and splashing and croaking." City Dog even let Country Frog sit on his head as he dog paddled through the water. 

Summer arrived and they played new games, games that City Dog knew how to play like fetch. He taught Country Frog how to sniff and bark too. They played and played and played until fall arrived. The leaves had changed color and began to drift to the ground with their splash of color. Frog was getting tired and wanted to play "remember-ing games." Frog sat on his snout as they began to remember. Later City Dog and Country Frog sat on the rock and remembered how much fun they had. Winter arrived, but when City Dog raced through the snow to see his friend at their rock he was nowhere to be found. Where had he gone? Perhaps he would see him when spring rolled around again. 

This beautiful, heartwarming story about friendship will charm both children and adults alike. Every child eventually creates a friendship with someone special in their life and this unlikely, but joyful friendship, will bring a smile to those who have created them. The gorgeous watercolors create that special aura of the excitement and special moments that only close friends share. There also, unfortunately, is sadness of the loss of a friend, but the possibility of a new one. This is a very special book that city folk, country folk, and all kind of friends will be able to embrace and relate to! -- D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont)

Review
I first read this book to my three-year-old daughter at the library. We brought it home and read it no less than twenty times. I teared up almost every time.

Our family has dealt with the loss of both pets and friends in the past year. My daughter is a bit wise for her age. She asked me what happened to frog. I asked her what she thought happened. She answered "He died, right Mom?" We were able to have such great conversations about friendship, death and new beginnings thanks to this book.

There is more than one lesson to be learned from Dog and Frog, for every reader, at any age.

By the way, I bought two copies.-- carbotee

Biography

Jon J Muth (Illustrator)
Jon J. Muth's watercolor art has been called 'quietly life-changing' by the New York Times. He is the author and artist of The Three Questions and the bestselling picture book Zen Shorts, as well as A Family of Poems by Caroline Kennedy, which was a national bestseller. Other works include the graphic novel Moonshadow, and A Family Christmas. He lives in New York.

Mo Willems (Author)
A three-time Caldecott Honor winner for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems has also won two Geisel Medals for There is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside? And his books are perennial New York Times bestsellers. Before he turned to children's books, Mo was a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards. Mo lives with his family in Massachusetts.


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