Anya Geist, 13Worcester, MA Review of The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling Anya Geist, 13 All over the world, children are stuck in quarantine. And, I’d imagine, a lot of them (myself included) have been staring at their bookshelves, trying to find books they’ve never read and suffering through rereading books that they never really liked in the first place. Libraries are closed, and ordering new books can often take a long time. So, how are kids supposed to find and read new books? J.K. Rowling, internationally famous author of Harry Potter, has come up with a solution. Her new book, The Ickabog, a medieval adventure, is being released chapter-by-chapter on her website (listed at bottom). The Ickabog’s target age range is probably from ages 7-11. However, I am positive that anyone will enjoy this new, creative story by one of the world’s favorite authors! The Ickabog is not a Harry Potter story. It doesn’t even take place in the same world. Instead, it describes the made-up, medieval land of Cornucopia. There is no magic in Cornucopia–at least, not yet–but Rowling’s descriptive language and thoughtful, memorable characters give it a magical feeling of its own. King Fred the Fearless is the main character of the book, a somewhat blundering, ignorant ruler, who has a good heart. His entourage includes the slightly despicable lords Spittleworth and Flapoon, as well as the more honorable Major Beamish. Rowling’s characters are as solid as they are in Harry Potter, and their names hold the same charm; Daisie Dovetail and Bert Beamish, two children who play a role in the story, both with well-crafted personalities, would fit in well with the witches and wizards of Harry Potter, what with their alliterated names. The Ickabog takes place in a very fun world. Cornucopia is a land renowned for its foods. The King lives in the capital city of Chouxville (pronounced Shoe-ville), where they are famous for their pastries (a choux is a type of pastry). There is Baronstown, the city of sausages and hams, and Kurdsburg, which produces the finest cheeses. The last city of note is Jeroboam, which makes wines–Rowling comments, “They said of the Jeroboam air that you could get tipsy simply walking its streets.” As you can see, all of Cornucopia is a lively, luscious land. Well, most of it. Beyond Jeroboam is the Marshlands, which are a source of intrigue in the book. The people of the Marshlands are haggard, and their farm animals thin; altogether, this region of the country is rather ignored by the rest of the kingdom. However, the Marshlands is the site of the mysterious, mythical Ickabog, a monster that is said to roam its distasteful lands, snatching both animals and people away. But no one has ever seen the Ickabog. Most people regard it as lore, something to tell children about so that they behave. What if it is real, though? Could it be? And, if it is, what is it’s story? What dangers could it pose for the kingdom? For now, these questions are unanswered, spinning a web of mystery and intrigue, as currently, as only chapters 1 through 11 have been released online, though more are being added everyday and will be until July 10. Each chapter is around 1000 words–equivalent to 3 pages in a book–which means that the story is not too much of a commitment to read, perfect for times when you just need a short break from this quarantine world and want to disappear into a new land, a place filled with life and adventure. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading The Ickabog as it comes out, and I am 13. I strongly urge all of you to read it, either by yourself or with your family. It is really a fabulous tale. Furthermore, J.K. Rowling is offering a really exciting opportunity for all artists ages 7-12! On her website (which, again, is listed below), you will find all of the details for an illustration contest! Draw your own illustrations for The Ickabog, and follow the link to the Scholastic website, where you can submit them. When The Ickabog is published in print, later this year, Scholastic will choose a number of submitted drawings to illustrate the book! Once again, The Ickabog is a really fun story, and I would highly recommend reading it! And, it’s already been translated into 5 different languages so you can share it with friends across the world. This is the link to the official Ickabog website, where you can read the story and learn more about the illustration contest: https://www.theickabog.com/home/
Book Reviews
Wonder, Reviewed by Marilena, 9
Ever wonder how it feels to watch the movie of a book you just finished reading? The movie and book are usually very different because one uses words and the other visuals to tell the same powerful story. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is no exception. It is a book that every grammar school student between 4th-6th grade needs to read to be more sensitive of how differences in appearance can cause hate, bullying and fear. While the plot, the characters and the lessons are similar in the book and movie, there are differences that I noticed that changed my experiences with this thought-provoking book. In the book, Auggie, the main character is a disfigured child trying to have a normal life in school while being bullied by some and building good relationships with others in his class. The book and movie are both told from the perspective of different characters, something I have never before encountered. The movie, however left out Summer’s point of view, and she was an important friend of Auggie’s who played a very significant role in the story and in Auggie’s life. A factual error that did not translate well in the movie version was the development of the friendship with Summer. Summer, in the book, sits with Auggie on the first day of school while in the movie, she does not form a relationship with him until several days later. The time line is not quite right. The movie may need extra time to build these relationships, whereas in the book, the author is able to build the characters’ personalities more easily. I found myself crying several times while reading the book. The death of Auggie’s dog was a big loss for Auggie, who has a deformity that keeps people from getting to know him. In the beginning of the book, he does not have friends and the dog is all he has. The emotions I felt were very strong because the author uses vivid descriptions to explain how Auggie feels. Auggie’s feelings are a big part of the written version of Wonder. The movie relies on dialogue to show us Augie’s emotions and it is not as powerful or memorable. The book, Wonder, is something every child should read to make one more aware, sensitive and understanding of the differences that exist in us and how our own choices can make a big difference in someone’s life. The movie takes Auggie’s disfigurement and shows it to us. I think seeing it is very different from reading about it. Watching Auggie, his face, his pain, and his sadness makes the book real. It makes Auggie real. It makes all his friends real. It makes the ugliness of the bully, Julian, real. Watching the movie after reading this book made the author’s message even more powerful. Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, Reviewed by Daniel, 10
A dangerous scavenger hunt across the world cannot be accomplished by one person. In the book The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart, Mr. Benedict sends Reynie Muldoon, Kate Wetherall, George “Sticky” Washington, and Constance Contraire on a scavenger hunt across the world, leaving clues scattered all over the place. However, not everything goes as planned. Mr. Benedict and his assistant, Number Two, are captured by the Society’s archenemy, Mr. Benedict’s evil twin Mr. Curtain. In addition, Mr. Curtain’s minions, the Ten Men, are out to capture the four children. With nearly no help from anyone else, the four children need to rely on each other more than ever now. In order to solve the mysteries and survive the perils of this journey, all four are needed to help, and there is rarely a time when a problem is solved by one of them alone. The clues that Mr. Benedict leaves often require more than one mind. The third clue was especially interesting. It read: Castle of Sticky’s namesake Against westernmost wall Not visible Need tool Olive trees nearby No cork or pine for two meters Since Sticky’s given name was George, and since he was very studious and had a very good memory, he knew that the castle – St. George’s Castle – was in Lisbon. The ship thechildren were sailing on – the Shortcut- was stopping there, that wasn’t a problem. In addition, Captain Noland – a supporting character and the captain of the Shortcut, noticed that the object clued must be hidden, inferred from the lines “not visible” and “need tool.” However, when they arrived at the castle, they found that nearly every spot was at most two meters away from cork or pine, and that there were also olive trees all over the place. Suddenly, Reynie realized that taking the first letter of each line, it spelled out “cannon.” Kate, who was excellent at gauging distances, found that there was only one cannon that didn’t have cork or pine in a two-meter radius. Using her spyglass, she also found that there was a rectangular area, in the shape of an envelope, covered in putty and paint. She quickly scraped the putty and paint off, took the envelope, and dashed back. Even though she was spotted by the Ten Men Jackson and Jillson, it still represents how the children used teamwork to crack the clue. But, it is even harder for them to piece together implicit puzzles that weren’t necessarily planned. In addition to explicitly planned clues, the characters also have to make some improvisations since some of the clues have been tampered or messed with. For example, after they find the first clue, which says “dictionary”, they still need to find it. Sticky, with his photographic memory, has memorized the locations of all the dictionaries, but the one Mr. Benedict is talking about was taken by government officials after he was abducted. In addition, the security guards are already getting suspicious, so Reynie defuses the tension by pretending to be leaving to play a game. Despairing, the children need to find a way to retrieve the dictionary without the government officials noticing. They know they need a distraction, but they don’t know how. Luckily, Moocho Brazos, Kate’s butler and previously the Strong Man for the circus, shows up and, thinking the children are in danger, riles the police up. Kate, seeing her chance, makes a run for the dictionary and manages to retrieve it without anyone noticing. These operations are much riskier and require teamwork more than ever. Teamwork is very important when solving problems. Combining multiple perspectives together is vital when investigating or thinking about something, as it broadens vision from that of one person to that of multiple people, increasing the likelihood of finding the answer. “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart. Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
