Below Stairs by Margaret Powell

Below stairs: the classic kitchen maid's memoir that inspired "Upstairs, downstairs" and "Downton Abbey"/ Margaret Powell. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2012.  Originally published: London: Davies, 1968.

ISBN 978-1-250-00544-1

212 pages.

If you gobble up BBC and PBS period drama, you’ll enjoy this memoir. Margaret Powell became a kitchen maid in the 1920s when she was 15 years old.  Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, was inspired by her and wrote Downton Abbey.

Powell’s memoir feels like easy conversation between friends over tea.  She holds little back detailing “jolly hard work" and disparities between “us” (staff like her, downstairs) and “them” (her wealthy employer, the family upstairs).  Considering her bare-bones existence and grueling work, she continuously moves forward through life with determination.

Why it's worth your time..

1. If you're looking for a peek into history, it satisfies.  The day-to-day life of a kitchen maid like Downton Abbey's Daisy, is eye-opening. Crazy hard work. In her position, one could aspire to become a cook because with more sit-down time, days off, better pay, and bonuses {including sneaking wine} it was the best job.  And, if you married in service, there you’d be forever.  {But doesn’t Downton's pairing of Anna and Bates seem romantic?}

2.  Powell's ability to probe the reader's mind is powerful. Her time period is foreign to us, but her understanding of the human condition leaves an imprint on today’s reader.  She reveals her thoughts on everything and introspection on how her station, choices, and personality have come together to make a life.  Midway through the book, my questions moved from a history focus…

What were the duties of a kitchen maid?  What did the daily routine look like? And so on…

to Powell's questions...How much of who I am is based on societal roles? My sense of self? And so on.

This memoir serves up the delicious factual stuff that make up the nuts and bolts of the upstairs/downstairs life.  It is also a gentle reminder that history is personal and can guide us.  

Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes

Sparkes, Ali. Frozen in Time. EgmontUSA, New York, 2010. 320 pages. $15.99. ISBN 13: 978-1606840771

Book Trailer from author's website, alisparkes.com

Got a love for time travel? The 1950s? Sci fi adventure? Throw in mystery, espionage, humor, and friendship, and you’ll enjoy Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes. It won the Blue Peter Book of the Year award and the Book I Couldn't Put Down prize. These were judged by a panel of young readers, ages 8 to 9 years old. (Read an article on the Blue Peter HERE.)

Here's the story...

A brother and sister, Ben and Rachel, have no ordinary summer vacation. They stumble upon a hidden vault, a bomb shelter located under the property grounds where they are staying. In it, they find a girl, boy, and a dog who have been sleeping in a frozen state (cryonic suspension) since the 1950s. The girl and boy are actually Ben and Rachel's great aunt and great uncle, Polly and Freddy. The pair had disappeared years ago. Their scientist father disappeared too, leaving the world to believe that he must have been responsible for their death. But the newly awakened children reveal that their father was working on a top-secret project and had put them into the vault to protect them. Since he meant to join them and never did, the four children begin to solve the mystery of what happened to him and why he left them alone, frozen in time.

Thoughts...

This book holds plenty of thrills and laughs as the four struggle to go unnoticed in the town, library, and school (clothes, lingo, and meals are quite different nowadays). This element alone would have made for an entertaining book, but with its charm, warmth, and wit, I am Ali Sparkes's latest fan. She also delivers a fair share of thrills and chills, and perhaps some irony when the kids begin to race against time to save Freddy and Polly. The pair appears to be meeting the same fate as the laboratory rats that, well, let's say, didn't quite make it (I won't spoil the punch). Will it be too late?

Fabulous story!

Link to Ali Sparkes's site HERE.

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Korman, Gordon. Schooled. Hyperion Books for Children, New York, 2007. 208 pages. $5.99 ISBN 978-142310516-9

Schooled is geared to middle school readers.

Cap(ricorn) is a 13-year-old boy who lives with his grandmother, Rain, in the farm commune that she started in the 1960s. Up until now, Rain has homeschooled Cap to “avoid the low standards and cultural poison of a world that had lost its way.” They have no tv, no phone, little access to the outside world. But they share a close-knit relationship with each other, which has been enough so far. Lucky because they are all each other has -- everyone moved from the commune long ago. Cap’s world is turned upside down when Rain is hospitalized and he must (learn to) live elsewhere until she heals. He moves in with a modern family and attends public school. Tai chi on the front lawn, tie dye for every day of the week, corn husk shoes and Cap's odd way of talking not only make him stand out, but propel him into “weirdo” or “freakazoid” category. In middle school, a world where everyone is desperate to fit in, Cap becomes the target for practical jokes and bullying. How will he adjust? Can he manage to fit in as his Zen self – or will change now that he in this new world, apart from Rain and all that is comfortable and familiar? Can he ever go back to life as usual?

The first thing I said when I finished this book…“I enjoyed every page!”

Schooled is a memorable, often hilarious, story about diversity, acceptance, and friendship. It is wonderful as a readaloud (but you’ll read ahead) and provides ample opportunities to listen to and/or discuss some of today’s issues with kids. Issues like bullying, pranks, peer pressure, and fitting in make this a great book for the middle school audience. Korman’s addition of age-appropriate humor helps keep the book’s sensitive, emotional events light and open for discussion and exploration. Further, the layout of the book is brilliant. Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of one of Schooled’s diverse characters. This moves the plot along well and adds considerable depth to Cap’s story. It's one that begins with his severely limited exposure to viewpoints other than Rain's but ends differently. Schooled leaves the reader satisified with Cap’s growth and feeling secure in knowing that his character will continue to develop. After all, Cap has memorized the names and faces of 1100 students – that leaves a whole lotta’ perspective for Cap to explore.

Link to Gordon Korman's blog HERE.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Shepard, Sara. Pretty Little Liars. HarperTeen, New York, 2007. 304 pages. $8.99 ISBN 13: 9780060887322

Delicious scandal! From situations that range from underage drinking to eating disorders to sexual relationships (and identity), the author captures teen readers in this page turner. Five privileged girls share a secret, the kind that they must take to the grave. When Alison, the most popular of the group goes missing during a sleepover, the mystery is left unsolved. The remaining four girls eventually forge new friendships and move on, socially separate from one another. Three years pass and, unbeknownst to each other, the four girls are contacted individually by “A,” who threatens to expose their secrets. Could it be Alison that is texting and IMing? Her body was never found and she had been the only one to know each of their secrets -- but wait. Is there -- or, was there -- someone watching? Suspense and shock begin here and move quickly in the first of four novels in the series by Sara Shepard. You won’t want to put this one down.

Ooh, baby. This is so-o-o not your everyday young adult novel. A few times, I caught myself wondering why the author held back -- arresting certain actions at critical points – when so much else was, well, raw. I also noted my concern for the wellbeing of the characters and their emotional pain, even though I had sworn'em off some 10 or 20 pages back for some wrongdoing. It’s due to Shepard’s addition of dysfunction to these characters that adds to the book's appeal. They are each fragile, which is a stark contrast to their actions. Readers see the façade of an at-first-glance perfect life crumbling and we can sympathize and understand why each girl acts as she does.

This was an interesting read for me, with mature content way out of my comfort zone. But children's lit has been my concentration and this is a real growth experience. It has me thinking about challenged and banned books. Where will they take me, what will I uncover...

Age range of readers: I gave this a lot of thought. I'm thinking mid-to-upper teens. I don't want my 10 year old reading this yet -- not because of its content (kids know about these issues), but because the teen voice is strong, which creates the realistic characters in this book. At 10, I think glossing over these issues is enough, but wait -- that doesn't seem right either. There's a world of difference between
A) being presented with an issue that someone glossed over (usu. a parent or a teacher) and
B) experiencing that issue personally, such as through involvement with a character.

The latter (B) is the beauty of the reading process, but my momma half won't separate. 10 is so young!

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

Malone, Marianne. The Sixty-Eight Rooms. Random House, New York, 2010. 278 pages. $16.99 ISBN 978-0-375-85710-2

This title is a Junior Library Guild Selection

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone offers a magical adventure. Young readers, 9 to 12, will embark on the journey of two friends on a school field trip who discover a secret key. They use it to unlock the mysteries of the Thorne Rooms, a miniature collection of 68 period rooms on exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. With this key, they are able to shrink themselves to 5" tall and experience not only the small, delicate nature of the rooms, but also their enchanting animation -- a step onto a room’s balcony enables time travel to periods in world history, such as the Salem Witch Trials and The French Revolution. In this way, the two friends impact history by meeting other individuals whom they directly influence and save.

Historical fiction fans will enjoy the time travels of Ruthie and Jack. The two kids, like others their age, navigate the everyday world such as their homework load and different life situations. They make an adventuresome team, living an urban life and using public transportation as city kids often do. And they are adept problem-solvers. Readers will enjoy how they put their heads together to go in and out of the Thorne Rooms and to escape a few potentially dangerous situations as they work to unlock mysteries. Ruthie and Jack discover even more magic related to the history of the rooms and to the possibility that others may have traveled in and out long before they did.

Readers will learn that the Thorne Rooms are indeed real, that Mrs. Thorne collected miniatures. Her story along with the exhibit are on display where Ruthie and Jack saw them -- the Art Institute of Chicago. A photo of one of the rooms is included within the book, as is the author’s note describing the collection's effect on her as a child. She describes how she incorporated real events in history with her created characters to spin a story that appeals to fans of historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy.

Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat

Surat, Michele Maria. Angel Child, Dragon Child. Scholastic, New York, 1983. 35 pages. $4.99 ISBN 0-590-42271-5

Michele Maria Surat captures the hearts of readers through the story of Ut, a young Vietnamese girl, newly arrived in America, who endures hardship in her new surroundings. Rich, descriptive text details Ut’s emotions as she struggles to adapt to a new way of life. In school, where she seeks comfort and familiarity, she first finds loneliness and strangeness. Language poses a barrier and her American classmates tease her and her sisters about their dress: “Pajamas!” he shouted. They wore white pajamas to school!”

Readers feel Ut’s emotions as she does her best to understand, adjust, and persevere in a land that is foreign to her. It is a place where American students do not sit together to chant. It is a place of snowy weather. Ut longs for her mother, who would make things easier to bear if she were not still in Vietnam.

Ut “hides her angry dragon face” when her pain is too much but finds solace in her mother's picture kept in a small wooden box hidden in her pocket. This memento helps Ut find inner peace and patience to await her mother’s indefinite arrival to the U.S. As Ut adapts to her new life, she makes her first friend and finds that she is part of a caring, proactive community.

Vietnamese Vo-Dinh Mai bridges Surat’s text with enchanting, gentle paintings that portray Ut's range of emotions and new experiences. While this book is geared toward young readers, ages 7-11, it bridges cultural understanding for readers of all ages. Ut's story is endearing and triumphant and involves acceptance, love, and friendship.

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann

Rathmann, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1995. 30 pages. $15.95 ISBN 0-399-22616-8

This picture book by Peggy Rathmann is geared to young children, aged 4-8 years old, but will delight any reader. The story centers around two characters, Officer Buckle and a dog named Gloria. Officer Buckle is the town’s safety expert, but most citizens in his town of Napville do not find his safety tip presentations entertaining -- not until his newly appointed police dog, Gloria, begins to accompany him. Suddenly, everyone at Napville School is paying attention to and heeding Officer Buckle’s safety tips. The shift is evident through text and illustrations. Previously, students could be heard snoring or be seen whizzing paper airplanes during presentations, but now, with Gloria here, students are cheering and sending illustrated thank-you notes afterward. Phone calls are flooding in from other area schools requesting presentations, asking, “please, bring along that police dog.” Officer Buckle is tickled over his new popularity and enjoys his new canine friend, Gloria, until he is deeply hurt to discover that Gloria is actually stealing the show. Will the presentations continue without Officer Buckle -- or without Gloria – or, will the duo find a way to share the stage?

Peggy Rathmann delivers not only a funny story but a safety net for exploration of emotions. Through age-appropriate language and colorful cartoon-like depictions, readers experience what the characters feel -- unappreciated, rewarded, lonely, happy, and hurt. Above all, Officer Buckle and Gloria is a story about friendship, sure to be enjoyed by all readers, not just those within the 4-8 age range.