Keena Ford and the field trip mix-up

Melissa Thomson, 1979-

Book - 2009

Keena and her second-grade class go on a field trip to the United States Capitol where they meet a congressman and Keena makes a big impression, which she documents in her new journal.

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jFICTION/Thomson, Melissa
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Subjects
Genres
Diary fiction
Published
New York : Dial Books for Young Readers ©2009.
Language
English
Main Author
Melissa Thomson, 1979- (-)
Other Authors
Frank Morrison, 1971- (illustrator)
Physical Description
101 pages : illustrations ; 19 cm
ISBN
9780803732643
9780142415726
Contents unavailable.
Review by New York Times Review

Keena Ford is a likable new addition to the grade-school class of characters that includes Ramona Quimby and Junie B. Jones. A second grader with confidence and personality and less sass, Keena goes on a memorable field trip to Washington, where she makes friends with a congressman (though the excursion is not otherwise a success, partly because she knocks him down the Capitol steps: "The field trip was NOT the best ever"). Readers will be happy to accompany Keena on more outings. A FOOT IN THE MOUTH Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout. Selected by Paul B. Janeczko. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. Candlewick. $17.99. (Ages 8 to 12) It's not clear how often we need to read "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat," so it's a relief that Janeczko for the most part chooses more surprising poems to go with Raschka's lively palette - as varied as Sandra Cisneros's "Good Hot Dogs" (in Spanish on the facing page) and Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" ("their strong melodious songs"). The effect is fresh and all over the map. WHEN ROYALS WORE RUFFLES A Funny and Fashionable Alphabet. By Chesley McLaren and Pamela Jaber. Illustrated by Chesley McLaren. Schwartz & Wade. $16.99. (Ages 5 to 9) Following the alphabet, this book jumps around a bit in time but contains fascinating tidbits. Under "I" for "illegal intruder," for instance, we learn that "with all the jewels in their wigs," ladies in the 1700s became the target of wig snatchers, and that the Spencer coat (ending at the waist) came about when the Earl of Spencer got too close to a fireplace. With all the makeup, jewels and platform shoes (some 30 inches high, in the 1500s!), the book will appeal mostly to girls - but not only. WHEN THE MOON FORGOT Written and illustrated by Jimmy Liao. English text adapted by Sarah L. Thompson. Little, Brown. $17.99. (All ages) Here's another side of the moon: One night "the moon never rises. The tides grow slow and stop." In Liao's mysterious, bittersweet story, gorgeously and whimsically illustrated, the moon for some reason forgets how to hang in the sky, and many moons arrive to take its place (truckloads of them, rolling into each "sad, dark city"), though none are the right moon. Finally a resourceful boy in a black cat costume helps set things to rights. A MIRROR TO NATURE Poems About Reflection. By Jane Yolen. Photographs by Jason Stemple. Wordsong. $17.95. (Ages 10 to 12) Stemple's stunning pictures find a mirror everywhere they look. "The first mirror was water," as Yolen writes. "Puddles, pools, lakes, quiet rivers." So in "Swimming With Raccoons," the animal is pictured in a still blue pond, two ears up mirrored by two ears down, "doubled, wet, worried." A buck standing in reeds in shallow water really has something to be worried about: "A deer that stays / too long / reflecting / is a deer called / meat." ALMOST ASTRONAUTS 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. By Tanya Lee Stone. Candlewick. $24.99. (Ages 10 and up) Stone's carefully researched book makes the point that in the 1950s and '60s there were "13 women who . . . had the Right Stuff" - but were the wrong sex at the wrong time (in the United States at least; the Soviets sent a woman into space in 1963). "Almost Astronauts" reminds us how many women, in the years after World War II, were seasoned, risk-taking pilots and gives the story behind a NASA program that tested them for spaceflight; even though it was blocked in the end, it blazed the trail for Sally Ride, Eileen Collins and all the rest. JULIE JUST

Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [October 27, 2009]
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 1-2-Spirited Keena Ford, who lives in Washington, DC, goes on a field trip with her second-grade class to the Capitol. During the outing, Tiffany pulls Keena's scarf off, revealing an accident the child had in a snipping-the-air-with-scissors session. Representative Thomas shows Keena that he has a toupee so she'll know she's not the only one with hair trouble. As the class is walking down the steps, Keena is determined to get to the back of the line, the most fun position, and stomps on a foot in her way. It belongs to Representative Thomas. Keena writes an apology to him and learns a few lessons, including an effective approach in dealing with Tiffany. Keena tells her story in journal format, and includes information about the Capitol, senators, and representatives in an entertaining manner. Distinctive illustrations depict a quirky African-American girl and her episodes. A solid series for early chapter-book readers.-Debbie S. Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Keena Ford's second-grade class is taking a field trip to the United States Capitol. This good-hearted girl works hard to behave, but her impulsive decisions have a way of backfiring, no matter how hard she tries to do the right thing. In this second book in a series, Keena cuts off one of her braids and later causes a congressman to fall down the stairs. The first-person journal format is a stretchmost second graders can barely write, let alone tell every detail of three days of her life. Children will wonder how Keena can cut one of her "two thick braids" all the way off by pretend-snipping in the air. They will be further confused because the cover art clearly shows Keena with a completely different hairdo on the field trip than the one described. Though a strong African-American heroine is most welcome in chapter books and Keena and her family are likable and realistic, this series needs more polish before Keena writes about her next month in school. (Fiction. 6-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.