Story Revolution

The Little Princess series

2011-09-16T05:16:00.001-07:00

We love these!! Hilarious stories that resonate with every child and parent, unpredictable endings, and of course, Tony Ross's illustrations! While the little princess is three or four years old, we've seen seven and eight-year-olds read these books over and over again in delight.

We have copies of several of these stories in great condition!

I Want My Potty
I Don't Want to Wash My Hands
I Want to Be
I Don't Want to Go to Bed
I Want My Dummy
I Want My Dinner
I Want My Mum
I Want a Sister
I Want My Tooth

Exhibition/Sale at Sutradhar

2011-03-02T04:10:00.000-08:00

Join us at our first public exhibition-cum-sale of books on 4th and 5th March 2011 (Friday and Saturday) at Sutradhar in Indiranagar, Bangalore. [Scroll down for details]

Sutradhar has been kind enough to host us at their Annual Sale which is being held from 2nd to 5th March (Wed-Sat) at their premises, and we are extremely excited to have the opportunity to share this very special set of books with you all!

Some months ago, our friends Manish and Kamini warmly offered to transport a few cartons of used books from the US and we had the chance to select a whole lot of wonderful books for various ages, but with an especially large number of vibrant picture books. The books being as wonderful as they are, we did not just want them to quickly disappear into people's bookshelves! So, although we've had them for half a year now, we haven't put them up on our online catalogue, waiting for such an opportunity to exhibit them.

You are warmly invited to come and see these extraordinary books :).

Dates: 4, 5 March 2011 (Fri and Sat)

Exhibition/Sale timings: 10.30 am to 5.30 pm

At Sutradhar:

59/1, 10th 'A' Main, 3rd Cross,
Indiranagar Stage 2

{Locate us: Off 100 Feet Rd, Opp Wills Lifestyle, Near CMH Rd Junction.}

You can call Angela (99002 71565) in case of anything.

Do also spread the word.

Ps. We've a new website layout! Some work is still happening, but do look: www.storyrevolutionbooks.com

More Books!

2010-10-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

This time we've got a whole lot of new picture books - colourful, witty, sensitive, sometimes silly! We also found some very special middle grade/young adult books:

Karen Hesse's 'Out of the Dust' won the 1998 Newbery Medal, competing with Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff, Wringer by Jerry Spinelli, and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

This is a book written in verse, best for mature readers.

Publishers Weekly said in a starred review, "Readers may find their own feelings swaying in beat with the heroine’s shifting moods as she approaches her coming-of-age and a state of self-acceptance."

Kirkus said, "The poem/novel ends with only a trace of hope; there are no pat endings, but a glimpse of beauty wrought from brutal reality."

About Jerry Spinelli's 'Crash', School Library Journal says,

"A winning story about seventh-grade Crash Coogan's transformation from smug jock to empathetic, mature young man. In a clever, breezy first-person style, Spinelli tackles gender roles, family relationships, and friendship with humor and feeling.

As the novel opens, Crash feels passionately about many things: the violence of football; being in charge; the way he looks in shoulder pads; never being second in anything; and the most expensive sneakers at the mall. Although a stereotypical bully, the boy becomes more than one-dimensional in the context of his overworked, unavailable parents and the love he has for his grandfather, who comes to live with the Coogans and then suffers a stroke. It is because of his affection for Scooter that Crash comes to appreciate Penn Webb, a neighbor and classmate whom for years Crash has tormented and teased about his pacifism, vegetarianism, second-hand clothes, and social activism...

Readers will devour this humorous glimpse at what jocks are made of while learning that life does not require crashing helmet-headed through it."

Stephanie Tolan's 'Surviving the Applewhites': When Jake Stemple arrives at Wit's End, the Applewhite family's home school, little does he know that the experience will foster a deeply hidden passion in him. Each Applewhite family member--from patriarch Grandpa to E.D., Jake's counterpart, to 4-year-old Destiny--sparkles with individuality and offers Jake a new lens through which to look at the world. (from Audiofile)

Back with New Books!

2010-10-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

After months of a sort of hibernation, we're back with a new updated catalogue! Find our catalogue(excel file) on the Story Revolution website.

The Caldecott Honor, 'Click, Clack, Moo. Cows That Type', is a delightful picture book. Striking watercolour illustrations accompany a clever story about cows who learn to type on an old typewriter. Soon Farmer Brown has to everything he can to deal with the cows demands and strikes (Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows)

Brother Eagle, Sister Sky : In this picture book adapted from a speech purportedly delivered by Chief Seattle at treaty negotiations in the 1850s, "Seattle's words and Jeffers's images create a powerful message," said Publisher's Weekly.

Rhymed verse, catchy and rhythmic, makes 'One Hundred Hungry Ants' a picture book that young children at Shibumi adore. This book explores a bit of Mathematics too: the group of hundred ants form, in turn, 2 lines of 50, 4 lines of 25, 5 lines of 20 and 10 lines of 10 to get to the picnic faster!

'All the ants raced here and there,
up, down, and to and fro.
"We hope there's yummies
for our rumbling tummies,
A hey and a hi dee ho!"'

Jip (by Katherine Paterson): When an aged lunatic named Putnam arrives at a poorhouse farm in rural Vermont in 1855, he is treated as little more than a beast by everyone except the orphan Jip, who himself arrived at the charity orphanage/asylum after being found abandoned by the roadside. Jip and Putnam become friends, then allies of a sort, as Jip struggles to improve his own lot and that of his friend Lucy, the unfortunate daughter of the late town drunk. This historical tale by Katherine Paterson involves its young protagonist in the great 19th century struggle between slave owners and abolitionists while sending him into a test of his own loyalty and courage. Paterson handles weighty issues with grace and verve, and does not shrink from terrible truths in this challenging novel for young readers. (from Amazon)

The Indian in the Cupboard

2010-06-03T02:43:00.000-07:00

by Lynne Reid Banks

A review by Cammie V, a Bangalore mom who is reading the Top 100 Children's Books with her daughter Anusha (9)

Anusha and I both agree about this book - a very enjoyable read! It was published in 1980 and made into a movie in 1995 so it is one of the more contemporary books we have read the summer but it is truly a timeless story. The publisher's recommended reading level is age 9 and above. In the story a young boy, Omri, receives a plastic Native American toy figure for a birthday present. He also receives an old medicine cupboard. He soon discovers that the cupboard has the power to bring plastic toys to life. He brings Little Bear (the Native American) to life and is soon transfixed with helping the small man navigate the perils of living in a new time and place. This is a story about friendship, about responsibility and about valuing life in all its forms. It is exciting and touching to see Omri and his best friend handle this magical cupboard. Anusha and I both recommend this book highly (we now can't wait to see the movie!)

The Great Gilly Hopkins

2010-05-31T01:37:00.000-07:00

Anusha (9) is a Bangalore student. She is attempting to read all the books on the ALA Top100 Children's Book List. She is very thankful to the kind people at Story Revolution who bring award winning books to Bangalore - even very old ones! (Her mom is thankful too!)

The Great Gilly Hopkins

by Katherine Paterson

A review by Anusha V

The Great Gilly Hopkins is about a foster child named Galadriel Hopkins who wants to find her mother. But, in the process of searching for her, she unconsiously comes to love her current foster family. I liked this book because I think the way Gilly deals with life is kind of funny. I believe people who like a story with unexpected twists and turns will enjoy this book! I think Katherine Paterson is a really talented writer, because this story is both sad and funny! She is also the author of Bridge To Terabithia and Jacob, Have I Loved - two more books my mom ordered recently. I can't wait to read them!

New Books!

2010-05-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

We've had new books for some time now but haven't told you yet because we've been having some trouble keeping our catalogue up to date. Probably because this is the summer vacation, we've been getting more orders than our little technologically backward system can handle! A major change in our website is sorely needed, but until then, I'm afraid you'll have to deal occasionally with books you order having been sold just before you got to them :)

Here are some of the wonderful books we have right now...

Daily Dump's '5 Disgustingly Cool Books for Kids' are now part of our collection. Look at our earlier blogpost (cross-posted) about them here. These are five very thin booklets that encourage children (8 up) to enquire into some of the assumptions and choices that are part of daily life. The pages are scattered with questions with options that a child can tick off, as well as images and little snippets of information, not in strict linear sequence. The booklets are meant to be gone through with a sensitive and open adult -- parent or teacher -- because what they do best is to open up topics for discussion and questioning by adult and child together. What we liked best is that these are not questions that have a "right" answer that the adult must provide. Instead, the very act of pondering over these questions makes you look a little closer at your conditioning, assumptions, choices, and at everything that goes on around you. The set costs Rs. 100.

'Holes' is one of those books that shows up on every 'Best Books' list (like this one). It is wonderful in all ways. Perfectly structured and written, with humour, adventure without sensationalism, a lovely intelligent plot, and a strong, compassionate story to back it up. Like The Independent on Sunday said, "There is not one false sentence." You don't have to be a child to love it. Everyone seems to love it, there is a movie based on the book, and to top it off, it won the Newbery medal! We would recommend it for roughly ten and older -- it has a few slightly frightening scenes and an intricate story. Click here to know more.

'Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle' is the main character in a series of delightful, old-fashioned short stories for the younger ones . Amazon describes her perfectly:

"Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has been wildly popular with children and adults for over 50 years. Children adore her because she understands them--and because her upside-down house is always filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies, and her backyard with buried treasure. Grownups love her because her magical common sense solutions to children's problems succeed when their own cajoling and yelling don't. For the child who refuses to bathe, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle recommends letting her be. Wait until the dirt on her body has accumulated to half an inch, then scatter radish seeds on her arms and head. When the plants start sprouting, the nonbather is guaranteed to change her mind about that bath."

'Green Eggs and Ham', by the wildly popular Dr. Suess, is one of his best books, in our opinion. Little ones (and everyone else!) love the clever delightful rhymes, they are encouraged to try new things that they may think they do not like, and as a bonus, they may even learn to read!

Have a look at our catalogue(excel file) on the Story Revolution website.

From our earlier posts, we do right now have copies of Corduroy, Pictures of Hollis Woods, and Beverly Cleary's books.

We are also excited to have many of the books from the SLJ top 100 books list (click for descriptions: #1 Charlotte's Web, #2 A Wrinkle in Time, #5 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, #6 Holes, #7 The Giver, #8 The Secret Garden, #9 Anne of Green Gables, #11 The Westing Game, 13 Bridge to Terabithia, #15 Because of Winn-Dixie, #17 Maniac Magee, 19 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, #23 Little House in the Big Woods, #26 Hatchet, #28 Winnie-the Pooh, #29 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland /Alice Through the Looking Glass, #30 The Dark is Rising , #33 James and the Giant Peach, #37 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, #41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond, #42 Little House on the Prairie, #43 Ramona the Pest, #47 Bud, Not Buddy #50 Island of the Blue Dolphins, #53 Wind in the Willows, #55 The Great Gilly Hopkins, #56 Number the Stars , #57 Ramona Quimby, Age 8, #58 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, 60 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, #63 Gone-Away Lake#64 A Long Way from Chicago, #68 Walk Two Moons, #73 My Side of the Mountain, #74 The Borrowers, #78 Johnny Tremain, 82 The Book of Three, #85 On the Banks of Plum Creek, #89 Ramona and her Father, #92 Ella Enchanted, #93 Caddie Woodlawn, and #99 The Indian in the Cupboard)

Review: Toilet Tales

2010-05-05T22:15:00.001-07:00

Via Saffron Tree

"I bumped into a Canadian classic titled Toilet Tales, written and illustrated by Andrea Wayne Von Konigslow. With a lively parade of animals, one on each page, paired with simple text focusing on the reason why the animal in focus wouldn’t be able to use the toilet, this book was an instant hit with the toddler in the household.

A goat would eat the toilet paper; A giraffe is too tall to fit in through the bathroom door; An elephant, too heavy he would smash the toilet into pieces….

Can you imagine the fun and amusing illustrations supporting the ideas? After a dozen or so list of animals, and the reasons why they couldn't use the toilet, the book concludes by saying, that is why toilets are meant for "big kids like you" accompanied by a drawing of a child on a potty. I thought that was indeed very clever to offer a toddler the concept in a fun way as opposed to hit-over-the-head. The book did bring many giggles and chuckles during the weeks of training. "

Read the entire review on Saffron Tree. The kids at Shibumi love this book too. We do have it in stock occasionally, but not right now.

Review: Pictures of Hollis Woods

2010-05-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

A review by Grishma Jain who loves this book. Thanks, Grishma!

Hollis Woods, a 12-year old, has a unique way of looking at the world around her. Shuffled from one foster home to another she continues to run away from them because nobody sees things quite the way she does.

Her love for drawing leads her to live her ‘ideal life’ through her pictures, which express her deepest wishes. A ‘W’ picture she drew for a school assignment depicts her deepest ‘wish’ or ‘want’ -- a family.

Then she is placed with Josie Cahill, a loving, retired art teacher. Hollis begins to love living with Josie and all her eccentricities, and wants to stay, but she senses Josie’s memory failing her. In an attempt to take care of Josie and hold onto what they’ve built together, she must escape the Social Services.

Even as she fights for a future with Josie, her pictures tell a different story... they reveal glimpses of her stay with the Regan family, her previous foster home. A family very like the one in her ‘W’ picture, one that truly seemed to care about her, but one she ran away from!

Will Hollis’ loving and caring nature lead her into the perfect picture?

I loved the book because as Hollis's story unfolds it seems to capture more than just the innocence of a young child. It shows how perceptive kids are to their environment, the people around them and the tiny details that make a difference in their lives. And how their naivety allows them to reciprocate and relate to being loved unselfishly.

Something that can be so apparent when I interact with Putta, Paapu and others but also easy to miss...

We have two copies of this book in our collection right now. Grishma also found there is a TV movie based on this book, which we are looking forward to seeing!

Review: Corduroy

2010-05-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

By Seema Damani, mother of 3-year-old Mihika. Thanks, Seema!

Corduroy is a beautifully illustrated, simple and warm book by Don Freeman. It has been one of the best stories that I have read to my daughter. The artwork is wonderful and the story is very touching. My daughter has a buttoned "Corduroy" bear in her bed too and she compares her bear with the "book Corduroy".

Corduroy is a stuffed teddy bear in a department store. No one wants him because he has a button missing from his overalls. One day, Lisa and her mother come into the shop. Lisa adores Corduroy on first sight and asks her mother to buy him. But the mother finds flaws with Corduroy, saying 'he has a button missing...' . Corduroy's face turns sad and discouraged.

That night he ventures out into the store to find his button but has no success. The next day, the little girl Lisa returns to buy him. She takes him home, sews on a button, and provides him with his own little bed right beside hers. Corduroy realizes that now he has a home and a friend -- the two things he has always wanted most.

The story demonstrates to children that imperfect objects are also worthy of love.

We usually have a couple of copies of this book in our collection.

Review: Miss Rumphius

2010-04-25T01:24:00.000-07:00

Via Saffron Tree

Miss Rumphius
by Barbara Cooney

Ages 4-8

Publisher: Puffin

Once upon a time, little Miss Alice Rumphius lived in a city by the sea, with her grandfather who came to America many years ago. She shares a special bond with her grandfather, listening to his stories of faraway places and assisting him with his paintings. On her grandfather's knee, she declares that when she grows up she too will travel the world, and she too will live by the sea, very much like her grandfather.

But, the grandfather says, "That is all very well, Alice. But, there is a third thing you must do."

And what is that? "You must do something to make the world more beautiful".

And that is exactly what Miss Alice Rumphius sets out to do. She travels the world, meets many people and makes many friends. And finally, after injuring herself while climbing down from a camel's back, she finds a place by the sea for a quiet life.

But there is still one more thing I have to do, she tells herself. The world is nice as it is. What can I do to make it more beautiful? she wonders...

Little Alice then tells us the story of what her great-aunt Miss Alice Rumphius did to make the world more beautiful, and earn the nickname The Lupine Lady: she scattered lupine seeds everywhere, and let the blue, purple and rose-colored lupines make the place more beautiful.

Read the entire review here.

The book is available on Flipkart for Rs. 330. We did not find anything cheaper through our quick search. Do you know a better source?

Children's Film Festival, Mumbai

2010-04-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

Via Pratham Books: Children's Film Festival, Mumbai

Venue: American Center Auditorium

Entry: Free of Charge, first-come, first-served
Children under age 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian

Saturday, April 24 -- 11 a.m. -- FernGully –The Last Rainforest – 76 mins
Age: 6+
Director: Bill Kroyer © 2001
Genre: Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

FernGully - The Last Rainforest
The fairy people of FernGully have never seen humans before, but when Christa sees one, Zak, she accidentally shrinks him down to her size. But there is trouble in FernGully, for Zak is part of a logging team who is there to cut down the forest.
-----xxxxx-----

Friday, April 30 -- 2 p.m. -- Born Free – 95 mins
Age: 6+
Director: James Hill © 2003
Genre: Family | Drama | Adventure

Born Free
Joy Adamson and her husband, Kenya game warden George Adamson, raise Elsa, a lion cub. When Elsa approaches maturity, Joy determines she must re-educate Elsa to living in the wild so that the lioness can return to a free life.
-----xxxxx-----

Saturday, May 8 -- 11 a.m. -- Dumbo – 64 mins
Age: 6+
Director: Ben Sharpsteen
Genre: Animation | Family | Music

Dumbo
The stork delivers a baby elephant to Mrs Jumbo, veteran of the circus, but the newborn is ridiculed because of his truly enormous ears and dubbed "Dumbo". Dumbo is relegated to the circus' clown acts; it is up to his only friend, a mouse, to assist Dumbo to achieve his full potential.
-----xxxxx-----

Saturday, May 15 -- 11 a.m. -- The Aristocats – 78 min
Age: 6+
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman © 2008
Genre: Animation | Adventure | Family | Music

The Aristocats
The beloved, pampered housecat of a retired opera star in 1910 Paris finds herself stranded in the countryside with her three children, the victims of a plot by their owner's butler to cheat them out of a huge inheritance. They must find their way back to their home and owner, with the help of an independent-minded tomcat and other animal accomplices, while evading the butler and foiling his plan.
-----xxxxx-----

Saturday, May 22 -- 11 a.m. -- The Wizard of Oz – 101 mins
Age: 6+
Director: Victor Fleming (Motion picture: 1925) © 2001
Genre: Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Wizard of Oz
In this charming film based on the popular L. Frank Baum stories, Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and somehow end up in the land of Oz. Here she meets some memorable friends and foes in her journey to meet the Wizard of Oz who everyone says can help her return home and possibly grant her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage.
-----xxxxx-----

Saturday, May 29 -- 11 a.m. -- ET -The Extra-Terrestrial – 115 mins
Age: 6+
Director: Steven Spielberg © 1982
Genre: Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial
Elliot is your normal boy, until one day, when he meets a little lost alien. Elliot decides to keep the alien, in which he gives the name E.T. Elliot works with E.T. in trying to find him a way to get back home. Elliot must make the difficult sacrifice. Whether to help his new friend or to lose him? Whatever the decision is, Elliot must keep him hidden, as someone else is out to look for him.

Once Upon a Time in India

2010-04-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Dhani longs to join Gandhiji on the Dandi march, but his father says he is too young to walk the distance. Can the adamant young boy convince Gandhiji to let him go along?

This is 'Marching to Freedom', one of the books in the series published by Pratham Books, written by Subhadra Sen Gupta and illustrated by Tapas Gupta.

There are four books, and each tells a story that stands alone -- interesting, exciting, original, always with a little twist at the end. They are set in different periods of Indian history, and bring detail alive -- clothing, architecture, culture are all woven effortlessly into the story.

'Raza Meets the King' is set in the Mughal period -- during King Akbar's time.

'A Royal Procession' is set in Pataliputra in the time of Emperor Ashoka.

'Sailing Home' is a story about the children of a sailor during the Pallava period in Tamil Nadu.

All four books deserve a place in any collection of books for children!

Each book costs Rs. 25. Visit Pratham Books for more details.

Beverly Clearly Turns 94

2010-04-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

From the School Library Journal

An excerpt from the interview...

What are some of the highlights of your career?

Oh, my goodness! (laughs) The lovely letters that I’ve received from children, parents, and teachers. My original readers have grown up. In the last few years, to my surprise, I have received letters from men saying they were grateful to me for writing books that they wanted to read when they were boys—and that’s why I started writing in the first place! I wrote Henry Huggins (HarperCollins, 1950) because when I was a children’s librarian, there was almost nothing contemporary for boys. A little boy changed my life when he said, “Where are the books about kids like us?” All my books are still in print. The awards I’ve won are the frosting on the cake. I’ve had an exceptionally happy career. It’s been happy all the way and it has lasted a long, long time.

Read the entire article

The Top 100 Children's Novels Poll

2010-04-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

From the School Library Journal Blog

This is a wonderful project -- a poll that culminated in a list of the top 100 children's novels of all time. Each book links to insightful and useful comments by readers. The entire project and hence the list of books is, of course, US-based.

Have a look at the list! It is exciting to know that Story Revolution does come across most of the books! The others, marked in grey, are either books we have not yet come across but hope to soon, or which we do not plan to keep in our collection.

Read the entire article here.

#1 Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

#2 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

#3 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter is so popular that we feel no need to keep the books :) )

#4 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

#5 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

#6 Holes by Louis Sachar

#7 The Giver by Lois Lowry

#8 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

#9 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

#10 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

#11 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

#12 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

#13 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

#14 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

#15 Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

#16 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

#17 Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

#18 Matilda by Roald Dahl

#19 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

#20 Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

#21 Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan

#22 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo (we have been dying to find this book!)

#23 Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

#24 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

#25 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

#26 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

#27 A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett

#28 Winnie-the Pooh by A.A. Milne

#29 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland /Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

#30 The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

#31 Half Magic by Edward Eager

#32 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

#33 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

#34 Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

#35 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire JK Rowling

#36 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (We have reservations about many of Blume's books, because they seem to feed on as well as solidify 'teenage emotion'. We feel there are other writers who bring these emotions up in far more sensitive ways)

#37 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor

#38 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

#39 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

#40 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

#41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

#42 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

#43 Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

#44 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

#45 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

#46 Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

#47 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

#48 The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

#49 Frindle by Andrew Clements

#50 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

#51 The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright

#52 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

#53 Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

#54 The BFG by Roald Dahl

#55 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

#56 Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

#57 Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

#58 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

#59 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

#60 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

#61 Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

#62 The Secret of the Old Clock (The Nancy Drew mysteries) by Caroline Keene

#63 Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright

#64 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

#65 Ballet Shoes by Noah Streatfeild

#66 Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary

#67 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville

#68 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

#69 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

#70 Betsy Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace

#71 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

#72 My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

#73 My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

#74 The Borrowers by Mary Norton

#75 Love That Dog by Sharon Creech (another book we are dying to find!)

#76 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

#77 City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

#78 Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

#79 All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

#80 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

#81 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

#82 The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

#83 The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

#84 Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

#85 On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder

#86 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

#87 The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg

#88 The High King by Lloyd Alexander

#89 Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary

#90 Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (surprised to find this book so low on the list!)

#91 Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar (we have felt some of these stories can be insensitive)

#92 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

#93 Caddie Woodlawn by C. R. Brink

#94 Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

#95 Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

#96 The Witches by Roald Dahl

#97: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (another long-desired book!)

#98 Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

#99 The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

#100 The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Books from Daily Dump

2010-04-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Chintan, for sharing this article by Vinita on Citizen Matters

Disgustingly Cool Books for Kids. Hearing the title, I was certainly curious to know more. I decided to meet Poonam Bir Kasturi (founder of Daily Dump, which offers home composting solutions in Bengaluru through a range of services and products), the person responsible for these publications.

The sleek set of five booklets, published by Daily Dump, introduces concepts of environment-friendliness, waste, sustainability, consumerism et cetera to children in an interesting and engaging manner.

.....

This set of five books (together priced at Rs.100) encourages young children to question some of the choices in their daily lives, discover the connections between these choices and issues of ecology and sustainability. For instance,

Where do you think the cleanest water comes from?
What is yucky?
Why do pizzas seem cooler than rotis?
What if I don’t say enough?
What are the not-so-cool stories behind every product we buy?

Read the whole article

We are trying to include these books in the Story Revolution collection. Meanwhile, you can buy the books straight from Daily Dump - the article gives contact information.

New Books!

2010-04-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

The Story Revolution bookshelf is overflowing with new books! Here are some glimpses of our riches...

For the first time, we found the 1966 Newbery winner 'I, Juan de Pareja', a novel in autobiographical form, telling the story of Juan de Pareja who was born a slave of the artist Diego Velazquez. Being a slave, he was legally prohibited from painting, but was inspired to secretly study Velzquez as he worked and paint his own pieces . The story is based in 17th Century Spain and will be enjoyed by middle and older readers.

"In all respects, I, Juan de Pareja is sharply chiseled and exquisitely proportioned." -Los Angeles Times

We were excited to find two copies of one of our old favourites, 'Pippi Longstocking', in beautiful condition! Written by Swedish author, Astrid Lindgren, this is a book about a fascinatingly independent and resourceful little girl who lives in a house with just her pet monkey and her horse. Pippi has a unique perspective on most things and a life full of excitement!

Our Beverly Cleary collection has been restocked. We have a few copies of a book of hers we especially like, 'Ramona and her Father', which is also a Newbery Honor book. Ramona's father has lost his job, and the Quimby household is impatient and irritable. All Ramona wants is for everyone to be happy again. We see her trying to make a million dollars, trying to help her father quit smoking, and finally trying to be happy herself in these difficult times.

We found a lovely hardbound edition of Karen Hesse's 'Witness'. Karen Hesse is a brilliant writer, winner of many awards, including the Newbery Medal for 'Out of the Dust'. 'Witness' takes place in 1924, as the Ku Klux Klan begins to move into a quiet town. The subject of this book is racism, its permeation into small town life, and the quiet way different people choose to stand up to it. Written in free verse poetry and told from the point of view of many different characters, this book may be confusing for some readers, especially those not very comfortable reading. Other readers will love it, though, for its fascinating subject and diverse characters.

We have picture books this time too -- Dr. Suess, Eric Carle, several copies of another of our favourites, 'Guess How Much I Love You', and many other books with delightful stories and illustrations.

Have a look at our catalogue (excel file) on the Story Revolution website.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2010-04-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

This is a touching story, by Jean Giono, about a solitary shepherd who plants a hundred seeds every day for decades, oblivious to the two World Wars that come and go, creating a marvelous forest on once barren land!

In all our book hunts, we have only ever found one copy of this book, which, of course, went to Shibumi. I do hope we will chance upon more copies to be able to distribute. In the meanwhile, here are some wonderful resources I have come across on the internet:

A pdf of the original book with woodcuts from Arvind Gupta

Just the original text

And videos on Youtube of the beautifully animated film based on the book:

Part 1 of 3

Part 2 of 3

Part 3 of 3

100 Cool Teachers in Children's Literature

2010-04-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

From A Year of Reading:

On July 23, 2006, the idea to try to list 100 Cool Teachers in Children's Literature was born. Franki wrote,

"We're looking for thoughtful teachers who understand kids and learning and are active, intelligent people who love their work."

Some of the teachers on their list were,

Jo March in Little Men, Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
Professor Bhaer in Little Men, by Louisa May Alcott
John Brooke in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Ida Bidson in The Secret School by Avi
Ms. Isabel Hussey in Chasing Vermeer and The Wright Threeby Blue Balliett

Miss Parker in Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

Miss Temple in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Mr. Ratburn in the Arthur books by Marc Brown

Miss Binney in Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

Mrs. Granger in Frindle by Andrew Clements

Miss Stretchberry in Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
Mr. Birkway in Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Miss Honey in Matilda by Roald Dahl

Madge Bettany in the Chalet School series (UK) by Elinor Brent Dyer
Miss Annersley in the Chalet School series (UK) by Elinor Brent Dyer

Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle in Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Miss Agnes in The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill

Mrs. Olinski in The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

Ms. Minifred in Baby by Patricia MacLachlan

Miss Stacey in the Anne books by L.M. Montgomery

Anne Shirley in Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Mr. Carpenter in the Emily books by L.M. Montgomery

Miss Edmunds in Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Miss Barbara Harris in The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

Dumbledore in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
Professor Lupin in The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling

Kit Tyler and Mercy Wood in The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Stuart Little in Stuart Little by E.B. White

Laura Ingalls in the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Eliza Jane Wilder in the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Find the entire list on 'A Year of Reading'

Find some of these books on our catalogue

I was excited to see the Chalet School series on the list. I haven't thought of these books in a long time, but I loved them as a child, and used to invent all kinds of make-believe games based on the characters and stories. I wonder if I would still think them as wonderful now. I didn't realise they were so old and that there were so many books in the series - I just looked them up, and Wikipedia says there were 58 books published between 1925 and 1970!

The View From Saturday

2010-04-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

Read an interesting critical review of E.L. Konigsburg's Newbery medal-winning 'The View From Saturday' at Simple Kids.

Find The View From Saturday on our catalogue!

"The View From Saturday tells the story of four sixth-grade students and their teacher, Mrs. Olinski, as they compete in their state Academic Bowl. The students are Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian, and they call themselves “The Souls.” None of them are what you would call “popular”; they are smart kids, and each has their own set of challenges. As the reader, we watch the friendship between these students as it unfolds from its inception, when they first regard each other with the initial wariness and hesitation that is typical of many sixth-graders. As circumstances continue to draw the students together, they eventually form a very unique and tightly bonded friendship. Their relationship with Mrs. Olinski, and the challenging circumstances of her own life as a paraplegic, also plays a significant role in the lives of each student.

One of the most interesting things about this book is the shifting point of view...."

An Introduction to Story Revolution in FAQs

2010-04-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Q: What is Story Revolution trying to do?

We want to bring joyful, compassionate and excellent books to children. We realise how difficult it can be to identify these books amongst the thousands that crowd children’s sections of well-stocked bookstores. Many books that are loved and well-recognised elsewhere in the world are difficult to source in India. Parents and teachers also often find they are aware only of the most popular books. We aim to have a small but special selection of books to help parents and teachers keep their children’s minds curious and sensitive.

Q: Why is this so important?

Children have such vulnerable, open minds that it is of the greatest importance to choose the right things to expose them to. Books can be very influential. We find that some very popular books can be quite insensitive– solidifying stereotypes, cultivating divisive emotion, putting self-centeredness over compassion.

Q: What are ‘sensitive’ and ‘excellent’ books?

Books that have not been written to sell, and are not simply sensational, either physically or emotionally. Books written well, with a sense of joy and passion, and with an understanding of the mind of the child. Books that children will love. Books that will open children’s minds, deepening curiosity, empathy, compassion and understanding, both of themselves and the world around them.

Q: Why do you sell American books? Aren’t there any excellent books published in India?

There are certainly a great many wonderful books published in India! Story Revolution began with the discovery of used book stores and go-downs scattered around Bangalore, which had some very special books that were otherwise unavailable or expensive in India. Cartons and cartons of books have to be sifted through to find these gems. Giant containers are shipped from the US, recycling books that would otherwise go into landfills.

Since then Story Revolution has expanded in scope, and the next important step we are trying to take is to incorporate books from Indian publishers. We do source a few now and then, but do not have a regular supply. If it does not prove to be too difficult, we hope to have more Indian published books on our catalogue soon!

Meanwhile, we are careful to stock books with stories from diverse cultures, and we try to post links and articles about Indian publishers and books so people may buy these books directly from them.

Q: Who are you and what makes you a good judge of these books?

We are Shalini and Angela, both teachers at a small J Krishnamurti-inspired school in Bangalore, Shibumi. The idea of Story Revolution was born when we were buying books for the Shibumi library. We found multiple copies of many rare books and wanted to find ways to bring them to children. To run the sch0ol library and identify new books to buy, we do a lot of research and reading. We also get a sense of which books appeal to different children through the Shibumi library.

Angela was lucky enough to have read and enjoyed many of these books during her schooling at Centre for Learning, in Usha aunty's wonderful library!

Perhaps most importantly, we are passionate about these books, and are visibly excited each time we find a special book on our book-buying expeditions!