MMGM: More Than a Mystery: A Heart-Filled Journey to a Darjeeling Tea Plantation

 

"There is no frigate like a book,” Emily Dickinson said. And that’s exactly how The Golden Necklace made me feel. Reading this book was like opening a window to another world, filled with tea, diverse cultures and traditions, and a girl who sees what others miss.

As I read Sona’s story, I couldn’t help thinking of the time I lived in places where clean water was a precious gift, like the Crimea and Honduras. It made me think about how books can help children—and adults—appreciate simple things we often take for granted.

Synopsis  

National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins crafts a contemporary chapter-book mystery about a 12-year-old Nepali girl who sets out to solve the disappearance of her Bengali friend’s missing jewelry.

Sona, a 12-year-old Nepali girl, has struck up a friendship with Tara, the niece of the greedy tea plantation manager who has promised Tara’s hand in marriage in order to get his hands on her inheritance of precious jewelry. Then Tara’s gold jewelry goes missing. The search is on for the culprit, and Sona must use all her wits in order to prove it wasn’t her beloved brother, Samiran Daju, who stole it.

Filled with vivid characters against a complex and multilayered political and cultural backdrop, this novel showcases a strong girl protagonist whom readers will root for. The Golden Necklace is award-winning author Mitali Perkins’s latest and most compelling story yet. (from Penguin Random House)

Reading Guide: This book would appeal to 7-10-year-olds as a Morning Time read-aloud and independent readers at the 3rd-5th-grade reading level. It's illustrated and only 128 pages, so it's a gentle introduction to middle grade mysteries. 

Why This Story Stays with Me

1.    The rich detail of life near a Darjeeling Tea plantation.  Sona had to wait in line to fetch water every day, and the tea workers wore forehead straps to carry the heavy bamboo baskets of tea. While some of the cultural terms were new to me, they felt like a gentle invitation to learn alongside Sona.

2.    How poverty was depicted. I loved the quiet details of Sona’s life—the way she saved water for emergencies, the meals she prepared, and her fierce loyalty to her brother when a rumor threatened his business. I rooted for Sona as she helped her family. Her dedication to learning and wanting to succeed in school was especially inspiring.

3.    Beautiful friendships. I really enjoyed that Sona had kindred spirits across culture and social barriers: Jampa, who only spoke Tibetan, and with whom she communicated mostly through gestures, and Tara, who was both older and from a higher social sphere. All the girls helped each other, despite their differences. 

4.    Family relationships! I loved how Sona’s heart for her brother was at the center of the mystery. Finding the necklace was the only way to prove his innocence and keep their small world safe. I loved how Sona and her mother supported each other through the ache of losing Sona’s father while simply trying to put food on the table each day.

5.    More than just a mystery.  This was a story about girl finding quiet courage to help her family. That’s exactly where Perkins shines. Like with Bamboo People or Ricksaw Girl, Perkins has given us a true sense of place, making a far-off tea plantation feel as real as our own cozy reading chair.

Max, the Reading Dog

 

 

 

 

 

Max’s Bone-Rating: 

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

 5/5 Bones for Kutu! He shows that sometimes the best mystery-solving partner has four legs and a very good nose. Sona couldn’t have solved the case without him! 

 

 

A Note for the Front Porch:

Does your family have a favorite 'window book' that took you to a place you’ve never been? Or perhaps a favorite fictional mystery that kept your young readers guessing?

Check out other fabulous middle grades at Always in the Middle!  

 

 

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MMGM: The Thrilling Ride of The Jules Verne Prophecy

 

Like with epistolary novels, I've been on a hunt (no pun intended) for middle grades about treasure hunts lately. When I saw The Jules Verne Prophecy (Larry Schwarz and Iva-Marie Palmer) was set in Paris and involved Jules Verne, I knew I had to read it! 

Jules Verne has always been a favorite at my house. We watched all the classic movies about his novels and devoured his books as my sons were growing up.

What drew me in was the Paris setting. It brought back so many memories of my trip there in my twenties. A friend and I walked over the whole city, determined to try to experience Paris on $0/day. (We were broke college students.)

Luxembourg Gardens is in the Jules Verne Prophecy and it's free! *

 If you love Paris and Jules Verne, then you are in for a treat.

Synopsis:

Owen Godfrey is spending his summer in Paris studying science fiction writer Jules Verne, the brilliant mind behind Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days. When Owen and his new friends find what appears to be a dusty copy of Verne’s collected works in an old bookshop, they’re intrigued by the hidden codes written inside. As one clue leads to another, the trio gets swept up in an epic treasure hunt spanning the city—from the depths of the catacombs to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and by way of skateboard, boat, car, and even a hot air balloon!  But they quickly realize they’re not the only ones searching for the hidden riches, and that there are others who will stop at nothing to get to them first.

This fast-paced larger-than-life adventure is filled with action, high stakes, and three friends who are dead set on cracking the Jules Verne mystery.

Highlights of The Jules Verne Prophecy:

1.    A fun, engaging main character. Like last week’s post with a fun male protagonist, Owen is all over the place sometimes in his thoughts. He also loves skateboarding, which will appeal to many readers. Crazy adventures and mishaps just seem to cling to him, which is a lot of fun to read about.

2.    Cool puzzles based on a fictional Jules Verne manuscript. I thought the whole idea of Jules Verne setting up a puzzle for his fans to solve was a lot of fun. There were a ton of nods to his works which true fans will enjoy. It certainly made me want to check out more of his work!

3.    Three distinct characters that work as a team. Owen, Nas, and Rose were different and memorable in their personalities and their backgrounds. They each had strengths that helped solve the mystery. And learning not to make assumptions about a person was a key theme.

4.    Action! Action! Action! Boy, this novel though not short (346 pages), it kept me on the edge of my seat. Although I figured a few things out, there were a lot of twists I didn’t see coming but totally worked. Kids who love adventure (or movies like the Goonies) will love this.

 

5.    A perfect ending. It looks like this book is set up to be a series, but I couldn’t find any information about when or if a sequel will be released. But the ending tied things up for now in the most perfect way.

Max, the Reading Dog*

Max’s Take (on a five bone 🦴scale): 

Other than a brief mention of Laika, my hero, there are no dogs in this book. This book would’ve been so much better, if Owen had a dog. I would’ve sniffed out the clues and the villain right away. Aw, people! 🦴🦴

 

*Photo credit: photo of Max and Luxembourg Gardens by Jenni Enzor 

Your Turn:

Have you read The Jules Verne Prophecy? What are your favorite treasure hunting movies or books? 

 

MMGM: Carver and the Queen: Historical Fantasy at its Finest

 

As someone who lived for a short time in a Russian-speaking region (Crimea), I am a bit picky about books set in Russia. Often the details are not quite right or don’t reflect the culture I came to know and love.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered The Carver and the Queen, a historical fantasy by Emma C. Fox, another book from Owl's Nest. Not only is this an immersive read, but the details about Russian life during 1813 (think the Regency period in England) are authentic and accurate.

A scene from The Stone Flower, the ballet this novel is based on--from https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2024/4/12/1_1900/

If you like rich historical fantasy with a Slavic bent, you will love this book. Although it is classed as a young adult, this novel would also appeal to upper middle grade readers who are ready for more in depth stories. (There is some violence and frightening situations, but this is otherwise a clean read.)

Synopsis

In the age of Imperial Russia, deep in the Ural Mountains, two teenagers plot their escape from serfdom and dream of a destiny beyond their birth. Petr, a castoff orphan, longs to make a name for himself as a sculptor of malachite, the Ural’s most treasured gem. His best friend Lena harbors an even more impossible goal: to escape an arranged marriage to the cruel village bailiff and become an artist in her own right. 

When their bid for freedom falls to pieces, Petr seeks help from the mythical Malachite Queen, only to find himself trapped in an underworld where godlike skill comes at the cost of his humanity. It’s up to Lena to contrive a daring rescue before Petr is lost forever in a kingdom of stone. (from Amazon)

What I loved:

1. Well-drawn, smart, and sympathetic characters: The narrative switches between Lena and Petr. From the start, I felt for Petr when he is punished unjustly, and Lena, who is fighting to avoid an arranged marriage with the man who harasses Petr. It is not a surprise that they become fast friends.

2. Incredible world building and lyrical writing: Fox not only made this world accurate in terms of Russian peasant traditions (such as jumping over a fire on Ivan Kupala*),  but she used Russian folklore, such as water sprites (rusalkas) as some of the fantasy elements.

 

*from https://ukraine.ua/stories/ivan-kupala/

3. An interesting antagonist: Malachinista, The Malachite Queen, reminded me of the White Witch of Narnia in her fierceness and her ability to lure unsuspecting men. I liked how Fox shows how enticing evil can be and the importance of not thinking we are too strong to be tempted.

 

Carved Malachite box: Photo by carole smile on Unsplash

4. A strong message about being true to those you love, being brave even if you are in a position of weakness, and the power of love to overcome evil. Lena's sacrificial quest to help find Petr was very inspiring.

5. A relationship based on shared dreams and values. I loved how Lena and Petr’s friendship and later sweet romance were built on their shared dreams of stone carving and their desire for freedom from Demyan Gorlov.

Favorite quote: “Sometimes we must reach the end of ourselves to find what lies beyond us.”

*See https://ukraine.ua/stories/ivan-kupala/ for more information about Ivan Kupala day in Ukraine.

Max’s Take (on a five bone 🦴scale):

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

Sasha is a good boy! He comforted Lena when she was sad and fought for her when Gorlov came to the house. Then Lena rescued him and brought him to Granny Vichta when he got hurt. I would do that for my family.

Your turn:

Do you like historical fantasy? What makes a good antagonist? What books have you been enjoying lately?

If you'd like to read more middle grade reviews or join in the MMGM fun, go to Greg Pattridge's Always in the Middle blog.

What I Learned from Living in the Crimea

 

Aerial view of the coast of Crimea near Yalta

Since the corona virus and the subsequent lock down hit the US last spring, I’ve been thinking a lot about the four months I lived in the Crimea in the spring of 1994. Crimea was a Russian-speaking area of Ukraine when I lived there, but since March 2014, it is part of Russia.

It was one of the defining moments of my life. When I returned home, I would never look at my closet brimming with clothes, full grocery store shelves, reliable electricity and water, and my genuinely easy life the same again. And whenever I hear a few words of Russian, I feel homesick.

My experiences in the Crimea help me keep perspective when life gets tough. 

 

A Crimean party for a dog's birthday. My late Russian professor Lyudmila and myself.

What I learned from living in the Crimea (the short list):

1.  Appreciate the simple joys of life: One day my host father brought home a single orange (fresh fruit was very rare), and my host sister, who was six at the time, ate each segment slowly, as if it was an expensive piece of chocolate. I have learned to appreciate the small joys each day last year: eating food from my backyard, going on walks, and laughing at Mr. Bean antics with my teenage sons.

2. People rise to the occasion. I love the stories of how Russians secretly stood against communism through their music and art. (I think of Achmatova's Requiem, an elegy poem to her husband and son, both arrested by the NKVD.). They became adept at making jokes about Soviet propaganda (when I was there, every joke had a spy in it). Here in the States, I have enjoyed seeing how creative people can be in turning this difficult situation to good: making Youtube movies, repairing or fixing up their homes, baking bread (although I wish they’d leave some flour and yeast for me!)

3. We have lost the illusion of control. We have enjoyed a very long time of peace and prosperity as Americans. So we begin to think we can plan on our lives only getting better. But the truth is, so much of life is out of our control. I’ve been trying to be thankful for each day and what it brings. I wonder if saying something like “If the Lord wills…” when we talk about future plans will become more common.

4. Separating my happiness from world events: When I saw one of my Russian professors in 2014, Russia had just taken over Crimea. She said, “I left as a Ukrainian, I return as a Russian.” She has lived through communism, perestroika, Yeltsin, and Putin. But she continues to find joy in her life, enjoying her time with her grown children and teaching foreigners like me to speak Russian. Just because the world is going crazy doesn’t mean you have to let it make you crazy. Find joy in the things you can control: your relationships, your work (even if it’s working around your home), and making great art.

 Goodbye Party for my professor Irina (center) in 2014. I'm joined by Rachel Humphrey Fleet (left) and Darcy Franzen Syme (right), two other American students who studied in Crimea.

What about you? How do you keep your perspective and joy when life is crazy?

Photo credits: Crimea photo from Vimeo. All other photos are my own or from Rachael Humphrey Fleet, Jennifer Steele, or Darcy Franzen Syme.

 

#IMWAYR: Symphony for the City of the Dead: Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

 

I was drawn to Symphony for the City of the Dead: Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad  due to its author. M.T. Anderson is brilliant. And then it's about Russia. I studied Russian in college, and I am especially partial to 20th century Russian history, even though it is quite dark. I visited St. Petersburg when I studied in the Crimea in the mid 90s. Here is a photo of a plague commemorating the siege. 

Sorry for the dark photo! My loose translation: Citizens! During the shelling this side of the street is dangerous.

 
Then there’s Shostakovitch. Back in March, my husband and I went to a concert featuring one of his pieces. And though the conductor implied that Shostakovitch wrote that piece to celebrate the Russian revolution (and we should too, scarily enough), I didn’t believe him. 

Reading this book was my way of proving to myself that Shostakovitch music only seemed to be lauding Stalin and communism.

Here is the synopsis from Amazon:

“This ambitious and gripping work is narrative nonfiction at its best. . . . The book has all the intrigue of a spy thriller. . . . A must-have title with broad crossover appeal.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

In September 1941, Adolf Hitler’s Wehrmacht surrounded Leningrad in what was to become one of the longest and most destructive sieges in Western history—almost three years of bombardment and starvation. Trapped between the Nazi invading force and the Soviet government itself was composer Dmitri Shostakovich, writing a symphony to rouse, rally, eulogize, and commemorate his fellow citizens: the Leningrad Symphony. This is the true story of a city under siege, the triumph of bravery and defiance in the face of terrifying odds. It is also a look at the power—and layered meaning—of music in beleaguered lives. Symphony for the City of the Dead is a masterwork thrillingly told and impeccably researched by National Book Award–winning author M. T. Anderson.


Highlights:

1.  Anderson points out that it’s really hard to find the truth about Shostakovitch meaning behind his music, because telling the truth meant death during Stalin's reign. But considering that Shostakovitch often wrote letters to help friends who were arrested, never denounced anyone, and was almost purged at least twice shows that he wasn’t a fan of communism.

2.  The people of Leningrad who survived did not lie down to conserve their strength. There’s something about going about your daily tasks and acting as if life is normal that breeds hope. And I loved that they entertained each other by reading and quoting the Russian classics!

3.  I found it interesting that although a German nutritionist advised Hitler to not attack the city because the people would die in a few months of starvation, he was wrong. This nutritionist and the Germans in general underestimated the Russian people, whom they considered subhuman. Yet the Nazis didn't consider how much a people's will to live, their love for their homeland, or the intangibles of life (faith, love, family, etc.) can impact a person's ability to survive.

4.   It is a powerful scene in the book when Shostakovitch's 7th Symphony is finally performed in Leningrad. The audience consists of starving people who’ve given up their day’s rations to buy a ticket, and the band includes Red Army soldiers on leave from their duties, because so many have died of starvation. Yet, with each note they played, they demonstrated how music and the arts can elevate the soul. 

5.   Anderson made a smart choice in letting Shostakovitch be our eyes through the terrible events of the first half of 20th century Russia. I probably couldn’t have stomached the barbarity of the revolution or Stalin’s purges without a mild-mannered man like Shostakovitch to root for. His love for his family and his willingness to do so much for others and so little for himself was truly inspiring.

I think another reason this book spoke to me was the timing. I shared in the spring some funny and light-hearted books that cheer me up. But I’m also finding that difficult books, especially about people surviving trials far greater than I can even imagine, puts life in perspective for me. Reading this book will make you grateful for the gift of food, of family, and the ability to speak the truth without losing your life.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Have you read any books about difficult times lately?

When You Can’t Travel, Dream

In Vermont in 2017--my first plane trip in over 20 years!

If you look at my bio, you’ll think I’m a world traveler. But most people don’t know that most of my world traveling was done in my 20s. After I returned from Honduras, it was over 20 years before I got on a plane again.

I know a lot of people are feeling disappointed about not being able to travel right now. If you’ve had to cancel plans, what to do?

Here are a few things I’ve done over the years when I wanted to travel, but couldn’t for one reason or another.

1.    Explore your own town: Right now, it may not be possible to do much locally, except walk local trails. We are taking in all of our city’s parks, which are still open. Getting take out treats from our favorite bakeries and ice cream stores can feel like a vacation.

2.    Do research for your next vacay: Make a Pinterest mood board or an old-fashioned collage or idea journal. Before all this happened, I was planning a trip to the Redwoods. I can still read travel books and collect ideas, even if the trip is not as soon as I hoped.

3.    Read a travelogue: Some of my most memorable reads have been travel accounts.

 

How the Heather Looks by Joan Bodger—A book about a family who takes their children to England to explore all the settings of their favorite children’s books

The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severi—A story of a man who builds a boat trying to replicate the voyage an Irish monk took to the new world.

4.    Watch a travel show. I’ve always loved Rick Steve’s European specials, but I’ve recently discovered Samantha Brown’s Places to Love. All three seasons of her PBS specials are free on her website. She travels to other places besides Europe, and I really enjoy watching her travels in the U.S. as well.

Have you had to cancel any trips due to the current crisis? What do you to quell the travel bug when you have to stay home?