Puzzles Presents: Ultimate Reading Challenge 2015 discussion

a book with non-human characters

Audrey (Cow) by Dan Bar-el

After her mother is sent to the slaughter house, Audrey the cow knows she has to change her fate. Refusing to become another food cow, Audrey takes matters into her own hooves to escape. With thw help of her farm friends, and a few new ones she makes a long the way, Audrey defies all odds and forges her own path and becomes her own cow in the real world. Written like a transcript from a local newspaper's interview with Audrey, as well as a slew of other farm animals and one/two humans, this book is a quick read for children but still packs a big punch.

I should start off by saying, I was biased going into this book. I am a vegetarian and a lover of all things having to do with cows, so I knew I was going to love this book. From a child's perspective, this book is easy to read, funny and really relatable. We have this young cow who knows nothing of the world outside of her own farm and her wonderful friends there and now she's adventuring out on her own. She doesn't want to accept the crappy cards life has dealt her and resolves to make her own path in life. The reader can't help but to root for Audrey and want to see her succeed. Young readers will really relate to Audrey's emotional journey and will see some of their own experiences reflected. I thought this book was so cute and can't wait to recommend it to some of my patrons.

I read lots of fantasy, so there are lots of non-humans in my reading list already. My favorite book so far this year in this category was The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison. In this story a half goblin, half elf hybrid becomes emperor over the elves when their emperor and his first 3 sons are assassinated all at once. As the 4th son and a half-breed, Maia was never trained to be emperor, and was in fact raised in exile from the court, so all of a sudden he must learn to understand court manners and politics to survive as the new emperor, in an atmosphere made all the more challenging by the racist attitudes of the people around him.
This was a fun book, and I wish Addison was planning to write a long series to follow this book. The world she devised in this story is really cool, and would be a great setting for many more novels.
The Goblin Emperor

Can of Worms by Kathryn Mackel

I reread this for a book club. I'm not a big fan of sci fi so this was a fun option. It's about a boy who tells stories about being an alien. After a disastrous school dance he sends a call out to the universe and all sorts of aliens show up to rescue him. I consider it a quick, light read and at first worried that we wouldn't find much to discuss but once I asked if the main character was an alien or not we were all set. The kids all had strong opinions and we also spent a lot of time discussing his parents. One boy used two words to describe it, "weird" and "awesome". Definitely the first and while it might not reach the level of awesome for the average adult, it's great to recommend to reluctant readers.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Honestly, I read this because it fit the criteria and won the Newbery Medal. I was not sorry. It's the first-person story of a gorilla living in a cage at an American mall. Living there with an elephant and a stray dog. One day, a baby elephant is "added" to the group and Ivan takes it upon himself to be her protector, especially after the elder elephant asks it of him. The story also includes Ivan's interactions with his boss and a young girl and her father who visit him. The girl gives him paints and he gradually shifts his thinking from domain to cage.

This book was wholly different from others primarily due to its sparse yet precise description, minimal yet poignant dialogue, and plain yet captivating story. Ivan is at once wise and ignorant, and the author effectively portrays him as both man and beast. The minimalist style of the story forced me to slow down and read each "paragraph" (often one sentence) individually, almost pausing to then read the next. It's an approach that helps you to possibly understand how a gorilla thinks, an animal in a man's world and perspective. For what it's worth, this novel is a beautiful rendition of the power of love, loyalty, and friendship.

Note: This novel is inspired by an actual gorilla named Ivan, who lived in a similar situation.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is a unique tale about an orphaned boy who wanders into a graveyard and is adopted by ghosts. The boy, Nobody Owens, grows up in the graveyard and learns how to interact with both the physical and ghostly world. It is a fascinating coming-of-age story as Nobody has to contend with his past and future. I actually read the book and listened to the audiobook which was narrated by a host of British actors and enjoyed both.