“Clark the Shark”

Books can often help us understand some of the nuances life can toss our way.

They can help us muster courage, clear thinking, help us understand what it feels like to be hurt, the power of forgiveness, what it is to love and be loved in return. Books can help us become a more compassionate, empathetic person. The list goes on and on.

The key to a successful book in this regard is that it is not overtly direct in the message it wishes to convey. Rather, the story is so well crafted that we are barely aware of the deep effect it is having on us; how that book has provided us with important life lessons we can draw upon now and later.

Today's reviewed books address some of these attributes.

From facing hardships and digging deep to find the courage to survive despite nearly impossible odds, the folly of keeping grudges, and the seemingly simple (yet complicated) concept of what true sharing really is, these life lessons are what you'll find in the three excellent books reviewed here.

Don't forget to ask your local librarian and bookseller to point you in the direction of others. The more exposure children have to such reading material will help them grow, understand, and enable them to make better choices, and that is a very good thing.

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

“Nory Ryan's Song” by Patricia Reilly Giff, Random House, 148 pages; read aloud: age 8 and older; read yourself: age 9 and older.

Nory Ryan's family has lived on the west coast of Ireland for generations. Life there had never been easy, but in 1845, it becomes much more difficult.

The English Lord whose land they live on keeps raising their rent in an attempt to force all the Irish off of his property. To make matters worse, their main food source is potatoes, but a terrible blight has attacked the crop and people are starving.

Those able to scrape together enough money have left on ships bound for America, but Nory and her little brother wait for their father to return from the sea with the fish that will pay their rent. Will he return before they are thrown out of their house or starve to death? Will Nory continue to find the strength to help her family survive?This beautifully written novel of courage, ingenuity, love, and the determination to survive will capture readers and remain with them long after the last page is read.Librarian's ChoiceLibrary: Zelienople Public Library, 227 S. High St., ZelienopleLibrary Director: Jan LawrenceChildren's Services: Staci BurrChoices this week: “Three Names of Me” by Mary Cummings; “Small Steps” by Louis Sachar; “Ellis Island: New Hope in a New Land” by William Jay JacobsBooks to BuyThe following books are available at favorite bookstores.“The Grudge Keeper” by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, Peachtree, 2014, 32 pages, $16.95 hardcover; read aloud: age 5 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 9.The citizens of Bonnyripple never kept a grudge (or so they thought). When there were grievances, the people would write them down on a piece of paper and deliver them to the town Grudge Keeper, old Cornelius.The Grudge Keeper kept all of the grudges carefully filed in his ramshackle cottage. Over time, the grudges piled so high that there was barely any room to walk in the cottage.Then one day a terrible windstorm began. It grew in intensity and continued throughout the night. By the next day, the people were able to file out of their houses, but when they got to The Grudge Keeper's cottage, the grudges were a helter-skelter mess everywhere.Mayhem ensued until it was discovered that Cornelius was missing. And what happened after that? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out the miraculous, wise, happy ending.“Clark the Shark Dares to Share” by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Guy Francis, HarperCollins, 2014, 32 pages, $18 hardcover; read aloud: age 4 to 8; read yourself: age 7 and 8.Clark the Shark loves school and learning, and he approaches both with great gusto.Sometimes, though, the lesson he is to learn isn't easy, especially the one on sharing.Clark misunderstands the concept of sharing, especially when his teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, has to remind Clark several times that “Sharing is caring.”After many mistakes, Clark is completely confused until at last he makes up his mind to master the art of sharing, and he does.A clever book that is at once funny and serious, this is one that all children will be able to identify with.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at kendal@sunlink.net.

“The Grudge Keeper”