There’s undeniable entertainment in watching an all-powerful Superman dish out justice to the bad guys. But it can be even more satisfying to see the job done by a hero without laser vision or invincibility or even much in the way of muscles. This is why underdogs work so well in children’s literature, where, to the target readership, everything from a school bully to a burdensome homework assignment can feel as overwhelming as a supervillain.

Is there any more classic underdog than the Victorian orphan? By all rights, Nan Sparrow — the spunky yet snarky protagonist of Jonathan Auxier’s SWEEP (Amulet, 368 pp., $18.99; ages 8 to 12) — shouldn’t even be alive, let alone leading a chimney sweep uprising. As if growing up female in 19th-century London weren’t hard enough on its own, Nan’s job keeps her perpetually filthy, malnourished, deprived of affection and forced to squeeze into lung-blackening spaces tight enough to give a hamster claustrophobia. (In what is sure to be a blow to Mary Poppins fans, the author’s afterword explains how real-life sweeps had it even worse than those in the book.)

Yet Nan perseveres. Granted, she’s got the help of a magical soot golem. If you’ve ever wondered what Frosty the Snowman would be like if he were made of cinders and had awesome fire powers, that’s Charlie the golem: a gift bequeathed to Nan by the kindly sweep who raised her among England’s rooftops. Nan believes Charlie is meant to be her protector, but the creature is himself a childlike naïf who needs Nan as much as she needs him, especially in a society that refuses to see him as anything but a monster.

Many of the most entertaining and touching scenes involve Nan schooling Charlie on everything from the alphabet to the weather. (“I broke the snow!” Charlie cries when the flakes melt against his hot cinder hands.) When juxtaposed with flashbacks of the old Sweep raising Nan, these bits add a layer of beautifully bittersweet parenthood allegory to a tale that is both uplifting and heartbreaking. When Charlie has an “Of Mice and Men” moment, accidentally crushing a baby bird, readers are torn between sympathy, frustration and fear for the future of this oddly beautiful little family. But as one character wisely says about caring for others, “If you’re not afraid, you’re not doing it right.”

Daniel José Older also uses the 1800s orphan theme in DACTYL HILL SQUAD (Scholastic, 256 pp., $16.99; ages 8 to 12), but he ups the threat level significantly by placing his parentless protagonists square in the middle of the American Civil War. This is an alternate history, however, taking place in a world where dinosaurs escaped extinction. Triceratops pull wagons down cobblestone streets, iguanodons lift lamplighters to gas-powered lanterns, microdactyls deliver messages like toothier carrier pigeons, and, on a much less whimsical note, gun-toting gangs of hooded men spread terror from the saddled backs of raptors and ankylosaurs.

Older fascinatingly blends thunder-lizard thrills with lesser-known but important aspects of American history. He starts the action (and then never really stops it) with a real-life incident: the burning of the Colored Orphan Asylum during the Draft Riots of 1863, when mobs of white New Yorkers, angered by their conscription into the Union Army, turned violently against their black neighbors. Suddenly homeless, the children face perils including the Kidnapping Club, a Jurassified version of a real gang who abducted free black people to sell into slavery. Aided by a pair of African-American Shakespearean actors (whose theater has also been torched), the young friends seek safe haven in the minority community of Dactyl Hill.

Readers will adore Magdalys Roca, who becomes the de facto leader of the orphans, thanks to her unique ability to telepathically communicate with the dinosaurs. Far from a natural hero, Magdalys displays a realistic mix of terror and gumption in the face of the monsters around her, reptilian and human. Where else will her adventures carry her? There’s another installment of this mind-bendingly original series coming, sure to be eagerly awaited.

K. E. Ormsbee’s THE HOUSE IN POPLAR WOOD (Chronicle, 344 pp., $16.99; ages 8 to 12) gives us three underdogs for the price of one. And while none may be full-on orphans, they’ve all got serious family issues. First, we have the Vickery twins, Lee and Felix, whose parents were bamboozled into signing a Faustian contract that has forever separated them. Now Mr. and Mrs. Vickery serve as apprentices to Death and Memory, respectively (yes, the literal personifications of those concepts — and they are capital-C Creepy), and although they live under the same roof, they remain eternally invisible to each other. Same goes for the brothers. Each is assigned to one parent, and they only see each other outside the house. It’s a rough way to grow up.

Until our third underdog comes into their lives — the rule-flouting iconoclast Gretchen Whipple, the black sheep of her own family, which has been embroiled in a generations-long Hatfield-and-McCoy-esque feud with the Vickerys. Gretchen goads the twins into helping her solve a murder mystery in which the prime suspect is Death itself. The boys are skeptical (“What do you mean? Death kills everyone”), but eventually realize that if they can prove Death has broken the rules and taken people before their appointed times, they might be able to nullify the diabolical contract that divides their family.

Atmospheric and gripping, the book offers a boldly original take on the Grim Reaper concept, but never sacrifices entertainment for metaphysics (even while raising some thought-provoking questions). Ormsbee does a masterly job of juggling perspectives, keeping all the children distinct and fascinating in their own ways, while never losing the page-whipping pace of her well-crafted plot.

THE ASSASSINATION OF BRANGWAIN SPURGE (Candlewick, 544 pp., $24.99; ages 10 and up), by M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin, presents us with two “heroes” who are as un-Superman as one could get. One — Werfel, the goblin archivist — is more akin to Kal-El’s scientist dad on Krypton, who knew what was going on but got ignored by his people and, well, we know how that turned out. The counterpart to Werfel is the titular Spurge, a scholarly envoy from the elf kingdom sent to deliver a peace offering to their age-old foes in hopes of a truce between the nations. In reality, Spurge has agreed to be a spy for his people — a hapless, naïve, socially awkward spy, but a spy nonetheless. When Werfel — a lovable dork who adheres to the goblin credo that “hospitality was holy” — attempts to introduce the elf to goblin culture, things don’t go as planned.

The story is not only presented from two distinct viewpoints, it uses two distinct methods. In a brilliant storytelling device, Werfel’s side of the tale comes to us in prose, while Spurge’s comes in pictures — the elf’s own mental images, which he secretly transmits to his superiors via magic spell. It’s an ingenious way of showing how fear and xenophobia can affect someone’s impressions of the unfamiliar. A traditional goblin dance, for instance, takes on the aura of a violent ritual in Spurge’s mind’s eye, and a parade of children looks like a wild army. Even Werfel himself, who tells readers he is shorter than his elfish guest, appears as a hulking monster in the illustrations. Yelchin’s art, evocative of kookily surreal medieval woodcuts, is perfectly suited to the task.

The book, which is on this year’s National Book Award long list, is at times both moving and hilarious. Spurge is not just an unlikely hero — it’s hard to know if he’s a hero at all. But that only makes the finale of this political satire all the more surprising. Even more than if Clark Kent had been sent to spy for the elves.

The post Children’ Fantasy Novels That Make Heroes Out of Underdogs appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Q: This is a pretty busy time for you from August through the burning season of the year. Is this traditionally the most busy time?

A: Traditionally yes, then people prepare. They want to make a fire for Christmas or they want to start burning and they want to feel safe when they do.

Q: Do you recommend people take care of some of the maintenance in the non-burning season?

A: That has a couple of advantages. One is just to create a more balanced schedule with our technicians. 60 to 70 hour weeks and then up to 20 hour weeks is generally not what people like. However, if we do find a problem, ideally we will have more time to fix or restore it before they’re ready to use their fireplace or stove. When it comes to a stove hood, you don’t have to do without heat.

Q: What got you into business anyway?

A: Nobody ever dreams of becoming a chimney sweep. (Laughs) I would say it probably fell on my lap and I loved it. I went to college and got my degree in business. I actually spent five years in the Ministry of Youth and just got really excited about being an entrepreneur. Some of our local friends who went to our church had owned a chimney sweep company for many years and asked me if I wanted to come and help them on the weekends. I said yes and I enjoyed it. I thought, “I could do this as a business.” With their blessings, they said, “Yes, you should do that.” I started Saratoga Chimney Sweep in 2009 and it became Chimney Heroes. So far it’s been great.

Q: What was it about the industry that fascinated you when you started out?

A: I think it was the customer relationships that were the most fun. The people are very interesting and it’s great to meet them and build a long-term relationship. Now that I’m not that much into the field, it’s great fun keeping people busy and making sense of the work we do. We protect people. We have seen scenarios where they have suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning or had wood smoldering in an area they did not expect. Knowing that we are actually helping to save lives is useful. I would also say just enjoy pouring into people, i.e. the employees. Really fun to see how they grow and how they really build skills.

Q: How did these customers react when you said something before it got dangerous?

A: I would say a majority of them are grateful and wish they had called earlier. We get that a lot. We only pass on information. We rely heavily on images so we create very extensive documentation so that you can see what you have and make the best decision for you and your family. Usually it’s just a feeling of appreciation and relief.

Q: How has technology changed the way you work?

A: I would say that chimney cameras weren’t very popular, but now they’re hugely popular. We just realized that we can’t see much by sticking a flashlight in a chimney and looking up. When you think of a straw … when you think of a chimney it can have cracks in gaps and damage to the liner. Then think of smoke rising in it and all of the creosote – which is flammable – that gets stuck in the cracks. What if you think of a straw and have a crack in the straw? Where is the water going Get out of the crack. It’s the same with a chimney. The creosote finds these cracks and begins to build dangerous deposits outside the fume cupboard. Something happens, a spark escapes, and then you have a fire that is not in the fireplace. Chimney cameras, we can find it all. It is bright light and can see every single point on the surface. It’s a 360-degree rotating camera that allows us to see every aspect. And then you can email your customers a PDF report. I think this is the best technological advance in the industry.

Q: What are the Chimney Safety 101 tips that readers should take away?

A: In any case, it is important that the chimney is serviced before the heating season. If you’ve never had a camera inspection of any of your fume cupboards, this is what you should request. Most chimney services now have this feature. I would also say if you have made changes to your house, either new windows or an extension that makes your house tighter, to have it checked to see if it has changed the design. We had a couple of customers renovate and then their fire just went out.

Q: Impressive. Can you explain what you mean by narrower?

A: In essence, chimneys rely on natural drafts. It’s basically the house needs to breathe. The chimney lets the house exhale. So windows and everything below the neutral level – usually on the first floor – and below want to suck air into the house. The chimney draws air out. It’s only natural. Now they are making houses so cramped that it is difficult for this process.

A tight house would be one that has minimal airflow in the house. If you draw a sketch of the house and the wind hits it, you can see where the oxygen enters the house through all the different routes. Through the window panes, through the lack of insulation, through various cracks and crevices. Because the houses are so narrow, the air cannot get in and the house is starving for oxygen so it gets where it can get in. The easiest place to pull is …

Q: The big hole that goes to the outside?

A: Yes. If you put your hand in the fireplace and cold air comes in, the house is currently using that to take in air.

Q: How long did it take you to develop these anecdotes to explain these processes to a layman like me?

A: They just come up with straw analogies (laughs) or breathe, we all breathe. We breathe in and out, and the house must do the same. It takes a while to understand these things. We hold congresses every year. We firmly believe in development. One of the most important things in our business, if not the most important, is the development of our people. When we develop leaders, everyone gets better. Going through chimney or house physics anything that has to do with our entire department …

Q: Yes, your different certifications are very evident on your website. How big is your company?

A: We now have four trucks and very personal, great office staff who really are our backbone for customer service. Sometimes I miss being out in the field a lot. I can talk to the technicians a lot and answer any questions they have.

Q: Do you have a fireplace or gas fireplace in your personal home?

A: Yes, I have a wood-burning fireplace.

Q: So let’s say it’s a bleak day. What is the best way for you to enjoy your fireplace?

A: The best thing I enjoy doing, I love waking up early before everyone else, lighting the fire and having some time in front of the fireplace. Have my coffee, read something. This is my favorite time. I have three children. I love her to death, but it’s non-stop. My wife is great. She likes to go to bed early and I like to stay up late. I like to wake up early and she falls asleep.

Q: So you need a quiet moment.

A: Yes.

The post Q&A with Chimney Heroes proprietor, with tips about fire upkeep appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

With the new school year fast approaching, an army of dedicated workers in the Sooke School District has worked hard behind the scenes polishing, scrubbing, and waxing every square inch to ensure schools shine when the first student returns in September .

“These people really are the unsung heroes of the school department. When the last bell rings and the students drop out for the summer, these people go into high gear, ”said Glen O’Keefe, administrator for the Sooke School District.

“And when they’re done, these schools will have a new life … cleaned from top to bottom.”

RELATED: Back to School Soon

In the children’s classic Mary Poppins, the wanderer Bert describes his role as chimney sweep as seen by many as the lowest level of life. He dispels this characterization by speaking (or rather singing) about how the Sweeps take pride in their work and appreciate the invisible elements of the job.

The life of school administrators is something like that.

Note that during the school year, each administrator is responsible for an average of 25,000 square feet of floors per eight-hour shift. That corresponds to about 10 houses.

And they can do a lot more than just sweep, wash and wax. You are responsible for the general maintenance and cleaning of the entire room. If you’ve cleaned up after a single child, imagine multiplying that by several hundred and you get an idea of ​​what to expect.

“I really appreciate my work. We do this for the kids. The way I see it, children are beautiful and without them there would be no point in life, ”said Vince Talman, the senior administrator of the primary school in Sassenos.

“I am very proud of my work.”

He values ​​the contact he has with the children and staff as well as the public who use the school. He said that these contacts give a lot of meaning to the job at hand and can inspire him to do his best job every day.

“During the summer they have a chance to thoroughly clean the 27 schools in the district, and I can tell you these people are amazing,” said O’Keefe. “We have some real rock stars.”

He added that the work of an administrator has become more complex than in the past.

“It’s not just about sweeping and mopping. They need to know how to handle the equipment, mix chemicals, and be aware of all health and safety issues related to their job. “

He said during the school year the 63 full-time administrators and 15 support staff work mostly in the evenings, but that doesn’t mean they don’t meet the community.

“Schools have become community centers these days and are used late into the night. And students have lots of activities after school too, ”said O’Keefe.

“So there is a real personal side of the job where you are also in contact with the community.”

He acknowledged that many school administrators make friends with students and others, and that it is not uncommon for them to receive letters of appreciation or even small gifts from students at the end of the school year.

“I love to see that,” said O’Keefe. “It says a lot about the people who do this work for us. They care about the schools and the people in them, and it shows. “

mailto: tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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The work of a custodian has become more complex as security protocols and the use of various chemicals and methods have increased. Vince Talman checks the chemical supply at Saseenos Elementary School. (Tim Collins / Sooke News Mirror)

The custodian banks Ray Lasell and Angela Winteler give their summer school cleaning tasks a little fancy footwork. (Contributed)

The post Sooke faculty custodians are unsung heroes – Goldstream Information Gazette appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.