Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible Poem

March 15, 2020
On the first day of second grade, Stella Endicott meets her new teacher, Ms. Tamar Calliope Liliana, whom she wants very much to impress--and so does the annoying boy at the desk next to hers. During the second week of school, Stella's class is assigned to write a poem that includes a metaphor. After school, Stella visits her friend Mercy Watson the pig. She cuddles up close to Mercy on the couch and begins to write. Stella eagerly writes about Mercy, the sound of the neighbor's accordion, and leaves that fall balletically from the tree outside. She is so excited about her poem that when know-it-all Horace Broom asks if he can read it, Stella doesn't hesitate to share. Horace immediately begins to pick it apart, scornfully informing her, "Pigs don't sit on couches, they live on farms." Angry, Stella loudly defends her poem. The two argue, and Ms. Liliana sends them to see Mr. Tinwiddie, the principal. It is this sentence that forces Stella to act using "courage" and "curiosity," resources she draws on to encourage Horace, who is so afraid by the expected dressing-down that he runs out of the office and into more trouble than either of them thought possible. The academic setting, imaginative Stella, and brown-noser Horace combine for an ideal opportunity for DiCamillo to exercise her characteristic wordplay. Stella is biracial (black/white), Ms. Liliana appears black, and Horace presents white. An adorable story that teaches readers that things--and people--are not always what they seem. (Fiction. 6-9 )

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July 1, 2020

Gr 1-3-The fifth installment of Kate DiCamillo's beloved "Tales from Deckawoo Drive" series. After a three-year hiatus, young readers will be thrilled to reunite with their favorite characters and improve their reading skills with DiCamillo's clear, crisp prose. Stella Endicott is a bright and determined student, so when her teacher Miss Liliana asks the class to write a poem using a metaphor, she rises to the task. Horace Broom, however, is not impressed; he questions the quality of her work. Stella becomes indignant and before she knows it, the two of them get sent to the principal's office for arguing. Consumed by fear, Horace runs away from the office with Stella right behind him until they get locked in the janitor's closet. They discover they have more in common than they thought and become unexpected friends. This book maintains the charming and whimsical narrative style that has made the "Tales" series a gold standard for early reader books. DiCamillo regularly uses advanced vocabulary and seamlessly weaves word definitions into the plot. With metaphor as a primary concept, this text could easily be used in a classroom curriculum. Van Dusen's illustrations are delightful as always, and enhance the story with their humorous and exaggerated quality. VERDICT An engaging and high quality book for young students that will appeal to reluctant and advanced readers alike.-Katherine Hickey, Metropolitan Lib. Syst., Oklahoma City

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