Richie's Picks: Great Books for Children and Young Adults

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I'm the last person to ask about movies, unless you want the opinion of someone who has always spent far more time in old theaters that have been converted into concert venues than those converted into multiplexes. The last film I actually plopped down my seven bucks for was Bowling for Columbine. (Which I do highly recommend.)

I expect that my taste in movies might be characterized by many as maturity-challenged. Some high school kid instant-messenged me the other day on his way out to the movie rental place and asked me what some of my favorites were. I listed National Lampoon's Animal House, Boyz 'N The Hood, The Music Man (the original one), Mary Poppins, A Hard Day's Night, Big, Benny and Joon, and Ghost.

As you can imagine--and probably to your everlasting relief--I have no intention of expanding Richie's Picks into movie reviews.

But, instead, I think that we need to expand the scope of children's book awards. What I really want to see are some posh awards for book characters the way they have Oscars for individual actors and actresses.

And since it's my idea, I think we'll just go ahead and call them the "Richies."

My inspiration for creating the "Richies" is a cheeky and tenacious character who's been bugging me for months, since I first meet him back in January. And so, to honor this wild and crazy...um...character, my very first nomination for the 2004 "Richies" is a Best Supporting Character bid for Monkey from THE SIGN OF THE QIN:

"The first and only offender, bound in chains, was brought before the Heavenly Throne.
" 'What, again?' said the Master Hand, sighing mightily when he saw the prisoner. 'You are looking worse for wear, Monkey.'
" 'Have mercy, master,' said Monkey, wringing his hands. 'It's not dying I fear, it's the rebirth that's the hard part. Please let me come back as something else--anything else. I just can't stand being Monkey any longer.
" 'Let's see,' said the Master Hand stroking his long white beard. 'It's been three thousand years, has it not? And you still can't seem to get it right.'
" 'My point exactly,' said Monkey, looking truly repentant. 'Maybe I'd do better as a dung beetle, sir. Or an ant.' He hung his head.
" 'Perhaps you would,' agreed the Master Hand thoughtfully. 'Better an insect than a thief--even a master thief.'
"Monkey looked alarmed. 'Or you could give me a job in Heaven to keep me out of trouble,' he said, brightening. 'I'd be your stable boy, my lord, and groom your nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine horses. Or your leaf sweeper in the royal peach orchard.'
" 'Yes, I'm sure you'd like to get close to those peaches,' observed the Master Hand. 'One bite of the white ones and you'd be as strong as the Dragon King of the North Sea. One bite of the yellow ones and you'd be as wise as the Tattooed Monk. One bite of the purple ones and you'd never grow old. But what have you done to deserve such a feast?'
" 'Oh, sir, are you implying I would take the fruit without your permission?' asked Monkey plaintively, looking hurt.
"The Master Hand signaled his officers, Thousand-League Eye and Down-the-Wind Ear, to come forward. 'What are the charges this time?' he asked wearily. Dutifully the Eye unrolled a very long scroll. Monkey cringed, and the Master Hand glared at him sternly.
" 'Just the main points please,' he said."

Monkey, alas, is compelled to return, once again, as Monkey. Along with the Tattooed Monk, Monkey is given the responsibility of serving as Guardian to the new Starlord, Prince Zong. Birthed by Silver Lotus, the First Consort to the Emperor, the child is born with the hated outlaw Sign of Qin birthmarked upon his cheek, resulting in his mother's being immediately cast out of the Forbidden City. Shortly thereafter, Monkey escapes the City (and its corrupt Emperor) with the newborn child in his arms.

THE SIGN OF THE QIN (pronounced "chin") is the best and certainly one of the most complex Young Adult fantasies that I have read so far this year. The book is meticulously crafted; there's not a word out of place. But, at the same time, it does not take itself too seriously--even in the face of the world as they know it possibly ending.

" 'Oh oh, not the head, not the head,' babbled Monkey. 'Haven't we done that already? Yes, yes, you had me beheaded in 1068, a very bad year, but I put it right back on again, don't you remember? I learned that trick from a traveling snake charmer. "Head, come back!" I said. And it did. Yes, and I'll do it again, just you watch!' "

Our most experienced middle school reader of fantasies (the guy who was talking about Elise Aidinoff needing to enter the Witness Protection Program) loved this tale, and explained that it was largely based upon Chinese legends. I am not familiar with those legends, but nevertheless I was utterly enthralled and entertained by the scores of characters who exist on a variety of intersecting planes.

"But I said dear doctor
I think that it's you instead
Because I have got a thing
That's unique and new
To prove it I'll have
The last laugh on you
'Cause instead of one head
I got two
And you know two heads are better than one."
--Ross & Gray, "Twisted"

"With a nod from the Celestial Detective, a Red-Legged One marched Monkey to the block. At the word 'Strike!' the royal executioner swung mightily, and Monkey's head fell upon the ground and rolled away like a melon. But miraculously Monkey shed no blood.
" 'Head come back!' called Monkey to his head, just as he had boasted he would. But he should not have boasted, for the Red-Legged Ones had used a charm to root Monkey's head to the ground as soon as it fell from his shoulders, and it stayed firmly where it was, about twenty paces away.
"Monkey had to think fast. 'Grow!' he commanded. And to the immortals' amazement, a new head magically replaced the old one.
" 'It didn't hurt at all,' Monkey boasted, regaining his bravado."

THE SIGN OF THE QIN is the best and most comedic hot action kung fu fantasy movie that I've ever read. I look forward to rereading it again before the second book in the trilogy appears.

Richie Partington
http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com