Penguin Problems

Starred review from April 8, 2013
Skillfully blending comedy and poignancy, Myracle begins the Life of Ty series (a spinoff of her Winnie Years books), which spotlights Winnie’s seven-year-old brother, Ty, as he grapples with growing pains and change. His mother is preoccupied by his new baby sister (leading to feelings of displacement), his best friend has leukemia, and Ty himself yo-yos between two unreliable friends at school. Ty’s self-effacing, good-natured narration reveals his ricocheting emotions and insecurities: he is fascinated by his old pacifiers and afraid to let peers see him cry, but he also reacts maturely when a preschooler wets his pants in the boys’ room. In the story’s climax, Ty wanders off during an aquarium field trip and winds up stealing a baby penguin, convinced it wants to go home with him (in one of Henry’s loosely drawn spot cartoons, Ty reacts in horror as the penguin pees on a bathmat). Smack-dab on target with her plotting, characterization, and dialogue, Myracle again demonstrates her versatility as she ventures into early chapter books. Ages 6–9. Author’s agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Shannon Associates.

April 15, 2013
The spinoff from the popular The Winnie Years series will offer a new, younger generation of Myracle fans the chance to enjoy the ups and downs of the Perry family. Seven-year-old Ty was the baby of the family until his little sister came along, and getting used to life with a demanding new baby around hasn't been easy. Desperate for his mother's attention and struggling with feelings of jealousy he's too young to understand, Ty begins to act out. Though the action doesn't really pick up until Ty makes it to the aquarium about a third of the way through the book, his escapades will entertain and endear Ty to readers. With its easily accessible language and engaging black-and-white illustrations, this book makes for a wonderful read-aloud, particularly for young children who are likely to be experiencing the same growing pains in their own homes. Early chapter-book readers, however, might be turned off by the fact that Ty often feels more like a 4- or 5-year-old than a "big guy" second-grader. Some might secretly relate to what Ty is going through (like rediscovering the comfort of a pacifier), but it's hard to imagine that most children capable of reading a book like this on their own wouldn't seek out a more mature protagonist. Still, Ty might hit the spot for certain kids in that liminal stage. (Fiction. 6-8)

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July 1, 2013

Gr 1-3-Ty's mom always drove him to school and walked him all the way to his classroom, but then his baby sister arrived. Now his oldest sister takes him to school and he has to walk in all by himself. But that's not all that has changed. His best friend, Joseph, is in the hospital, and his friend Lexie seems to prefer playing with Breezie. And worst of all, his mother forgot to pack him a Lunchable for the second-grade field trip to the Georgia Aquarium. When Ty wanders away from his class, he ends up in the closed penguin exhibit and manages to slip a baby penguin into his backpack. He sneaks it home and hides it in the bathtub until it is discovered by his sister Winnie. She solicits the assistance of their oldest sister to return the penguin to the aquarium. While Ty gets scolded for running off at the aquarium, he doesn't face any consequences for stealing the baby penguin. And, it's unclear how Winnie and Sandra are able to successfully return Pingy. Animated illustrations, some filling a full page, enhance this beginning chapter book. However, the book gets off to a slow start as the most exciting and interesting aspect of the story-the kidnapping of the baby penguin-doesn't occur until chapter eight. Nevertheless, this spin-off of Myracle's "Winnie Years" series (Dutton) will appeal to fans of other younger brothers like Megan McDonald's Stink Moody and Lois Lowry's Sam Krupnick.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2013
Grades 2-4 With a new baby in the house, his best friend in the hospital, and his exhausted mother relatively unavailable, seven-year-old Ty is also having trouble coping with life's little problems, like how to get out of bed without being clawed by his sister's cat. Just when he has solved that one (scare the cat away by switching on the DustBuster), he is in trouble again for waking the baby. While Ty's inclination to help those smaller than himself is heartening, it backfires when he rescues a baby penguin from the Georgia Aquarium and takes it home. An offshoot of the Winnie Years series, which features Ty's older sister, this accessible chapter book has sympathetic characters, some amusing scenes, and an engaging first-person narrative. Black-and-gray drawings illustrate the story with sympathy and wit. A good choice for readers who have enjoyed Megan McDonald's Stink series, in which another younger brother finds his voice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)