Saturday, March 31
Book Love Plays Hooky!
Thursday, March 29
BOB: Round 2 - The Carnage
Oh, BOB Lovers... This Battle of the Kids' Books is just not good for my heart! After the first round's losses (I'm still grieving Doug Swieteck), Round 2 came back and dealt yet another blow.
What started out as better than I had dared to hope (Between Shades of Gray advances to Round 3!), quickly dissolved into more anguish over the dismissal of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Winning the other two matches were Drawing From Memory and Life: An Exploded Diagram. Both wins surprised me, but I wasn't too crazy about either of their opponents so... I chose to just keep dwelling on the carnage of DoSaB.
All of this means that the BOB Final Four comes down to:
Between Shades of Gray vs Chime (the winner of the round was actually just revealed this morning, but since this post is just about Round 2, here's a hint: Wahooooooooo!)
Drawing From Memory vs Life: An Exploded Diagram
But do you want to hear the really, really exciting part? We are only two days away from the reveal of (cue spooky music here)... The Winner of the Undead Poll. If you're not familiar with the BOB, the Peanut Gallery (that's all of us!) can vote on their favorite Contender prior to the first round. The book with the most votes comes back from the Dead for the final battle aka The Big Kahuna Round. I feel fairly confident that the Undead will arise in the form of a) Okay for Now or b) Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Then again... I've been wrong a lot lately, so I'll say a little book-prayer for them both, just in case!
What started out as better than I had dared to hope (Between Shades of Gray advances to Round 3!), quickly dissolved into more anguish over the dismissal of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Winning the other two matches were Drawing From Memory and Life: An Exploded Diagram. Both wins surprised me, but I wasn't too crazy about either of their opponents so... I chose to just keep dwelling on the carnage of DoSaB.
All of this means that the BOB Final Four comes down to:
Between Shades of Gray vs Chime (the winner of the round was actually just revealed this morning, but since this post is just about Round 2, here's a hint: Wahooooooooo!)
Drawing From Memory vs Life: An Exploded Diagram
But do you want to hear the really, really exciting part? We are only two days away from the reveal of (cue spooky music here)... The Winner of the Undead Poll. If you're not familiar with the BOB, the Peanut Gallery (that's all of us!) can vote on their favorite Contender prior to the first round. The book with the most votes comes back from the Dead for the final battle aka The Big Kahuna Round. I feel fairly confident that the Undead will arise in the form of a) Okay for Now or b) Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Then again... I've been wrong a lot lately, so I'll say a little book-prayer for them both, just in case!
Wednesday, March 28
Stupid Fast
Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach, Sourcebooks Fire, 2011, 320 pp, ISBN: 1402256302
Recap:
Felton Reinstein is fast. Stupid fast.
Unfortunately, his best friend just moved to South America for the summer. And he is sprouting hair all over. And his mom is going crazy. And his brother is a fire pirate.
But Felton is still so fast. And it turns out he can catch a football pretty easily. And a beautiful girl thinks he's funny. So, this summer might not be so bad after all. Or it might be even worse than expected.
Review:
Guess what? I did not like this book. For about the first 25 pages or so. I just didn't get it. Felton's odd inner monologue never shuts up, and there is more than a sprinkling of profanity. Plus, Felton isn't shy about going into detail regarding the puberty-propelled changes his body is going through.
But. After those first 25-ish pages, I got hooked on Felton's voice. Author Geoff Herbach created a completely original character in Felton - other characters in the book described him as both "retarded" and "innocent." I wondered if he might have fallen somewhere on the autism spectrum. Really, he defies a label. Seemingly incapable of lying or sugar-coating, no one ever has to wonder what's on Felton's mind.
As Felton began to transform from a bitter, self-conscious social outcast into a self-motivated, "D1 prospect," I realized that I could not put my book down. I finished the entire second half in one sitting because I just had to know how his story turned out.
Perhaps even more captivating than Felton's personal transformation was the unraveling of his family. He father committed suicide when Felton was only 5 years old - and he was the one who found the body. His mother, who is only referred to as "Jerri," sinks into a deep depression at the beginning of the summer, and completely stops caring for either of her sons. As Felton is completely preoccupied with football conditioning and his new girlfriend, his little brother Andrew is forced to fend for himself. And that does not turn out well. Andrew - the "fire pirate" - might have been my favorite character in the entire book. He was the only one who wanted to deal with the reality of their family - and I just wanted to bring him home and feed him.
Geoff Herbach isn't shy about tackling subjects like puberty, mental illness, and realistic teen romance - and he almost always does so with a sense of humor. It's no wonder that this book won the 2011 Cybils Award for YA Fiction.
Recommendation:
Stupid Fast should be a go-to recommendation for high school age boys. When recommending this book to younger readers, just be aware that there is more than a little profanity.
Quotable Quotes:
"I stopped my scrambling and looked Aleah straight in the eye, and said, 'I like you specifically. A lot. I can't say any more without making a total dipshit of myself, okay?'"
Felton Reinstein is fast. Stupid fast.
Unfortunately, his best friend just moved to South America for the summer. And he is sprouting hair all over. And his mom is going crazy. And his brother is a fire pirate.
But Felton is still so fast. And it turns out he can catch a football pretty easily. And a beautiful girl thinks he's funny. So, this summer might not be so bad after all. Or it might be even worse than expected.
Review:
Guess what? I did not like this book. For about the first 25 pages or so. I just didn't get it. Felton's odd inner monologue never shuts up, and there is more than a sprinkling of profanity. Plus, Felton isn't shy about going into detail regarding the puberty-propelled changes his body is going through.
But. After those first 25-ish pages, I got hooked on Felton's voice. Author Geoff Herbach created a completely original character in Felton - other characters in the book described him as both "retarded" and "innocent." I wondered if he might have fallen somewhere on the autism spectrum. Really, he defies a label. Seemingly incapable of lying or sugar-coating, no one ever has to wonder what's on Felton's mind.
As Felton began to transform from a bitter, self-conscious social outcast into a self-motivated, "D1 prospect," I realized that I could not put my book down. I finished the entire second half in one sitting because I just had to know how his story turned out.
Perhaps even more captivating than Felton's personal transformation was the unraveling of his family. He father committed suicide when Felton was only 5 years old - and he was the one who found the body. His mother, who is only referred to as "Jerri," sinks into a deep depression at the beginning of the summer, and completely stops caring for either of her sons. As Felton is completely preoccupied with football conditioning and his new girlfriend, his little brother Andrew is forced to fend for himself. And that does not turn out well. Andrew - the "fire pirate" - might have been my favorite character in the entire book. He was the only one who wanted to deal with the reality of their family - and I just wanted to bring him home and feed him.
Geoff Herbach isn't shy about tackling subjects like puberty, mental illness, and realistic teen romance - and he almost always does so with a sense of humor. It's no wonder that this book won the 2011 Cybils Award for YA Fiction.
Recommendation:
Stupid Fast should be a go-to recommendation for high school age boys. When recommending this book to younger readers, just be aware that there is more than a little profanity.
Quotable Quotes:
"I stopped my scrambling and looked Aleah straight in the eye, and said, 'I like you specifically. A lot. I can't say any more without making a total dipshit of myself, okay?'"
Tuesday, March 27
Delirium
Delirium by Lauren Oliver, HarperCollins, 2011, 448 pp, ISBN: 0061726826
Recap:
"Love, it will kill you and save you, both."
Hence, the reason why everyone eighteen and older has to submit to the cure. Once you've taken the cure, you can no longer be infected with the deliria, also known as falling in love.
Lena has been counting down the days until she gets to take the cure. Her own mother was immune, and ultimately took her own life because she was so plagued by the deliria. Lena will not let that same fate come to her.
But with only 95 days left to wait, Lena meets Alex. And realizes that succumbing to the deliria isn't the worst thing that could happen.
Review:
I must regretfully report that I have not been infected with Amor Deliria Nervosa. I wanted to love this book. But I think someone slipped the Cure into my Diet Coke before I started reading, because I just feel pretty neutral.
Before I go on, I should say that rather than reading the actual book, I listened to it via audio. And I think that really tainted my whole reading experience. 1) I could only "read" for as long as it took me to get to the grocery or the library and back. 20 minute snatches is not a huge amount of time to get immersed in a story. 2) The narrator was the same one who narrated Along for the Ride, the last YA book I listened to, and I spent at least the first 4 CDs trying not to think of her as Auden. And finally 3) Scads of readers have soliloquized on Lauren Oliver's "enchanting" writing style. And yes, she is a lovely writer. But... listening to all of those flowery phrases read aloud just felt a little melodramatic sometimes.
But what of the actual story? Well, I am a HUGE fan of dystopians. As a reader, I love few things more than immersing myself in a life set in a very different future thinking, "What if... ?" But I could never actually imagine Lena's world becoming our future. A cure for love? I just don't buy it. I've had my heart broken, completely crushed even, but I would still never want to be "cured" of my ability to fall in love. And I don't think most people would either. So, I kept taking myself out of the story because of my own skepticism.
I also felt like Delirium was extremely similar to another book that I just happened to be reading at the same time. As I mentioned in that post, it didn't make me enjoy the story any less, but it did make Lena's world feel a little less special.
Finally, I did something really dumb, and read a summary for Hana before I was finished with Delirium. That essentially ruined the ending for me. Boooo.
In retrospect, I think that my neutrality regarding Delirium is completely of my own making. I mean, I can't remember my mom, a HS librarian, ever really getting into a dystopian novel other than THG, and Delirium was one of her favs of 2011! I have a copy of Pandemonium (thank you Shannon O'Donnell!!) and I am going to be very purposeful about giving Lena and Alex another chance:
- no audiobook
- no reading any other dystopians at the same time
- no reading spoilers!
What do you think, book lovers? Did any of you not fall in love with Delirium? Do you think I'll change my mind about Lena and Alex with Pandemonium?
Recommendation:
If you like romance or "dystopian light," you will probably really enjoy Lauren Oliver's Delirium.
"Love, it will kill you and save you, both."
Hence, the reason why everyone eighteen and older has to submit to the cure. Once you've taken the cure, you can no longer be infected with the deliria, also known as falling in love.
Lena has been counting down the days until she gets to take the cure. Her own mother was immune, and ultimately took her own life because she was so plagued by the deliria. Lena will not let that same fate come to her.
But with only 95 days left to wait, Lena meets Alex. And realizes that succumbing to the deliria isn't the worst thing that could happen.
Review:
I must regretfully report that I have not been infected with Amor Deliria Nervosa. I wanted to love this book. But I think someone slipped the Cure into my Diet Coke before I started reading, because I just feel pretty neutral.
Before I go on, I should say that rather than reading the actual book, I listened to it via audio. And I think that really tainted my whole reading experience. 1) I could only "read" for as long as it took me to get to the grocery or the library and back. 20 minute snatches is not a huge amount of time to get immersed in a story. 2) The narrator was the same one who narrated Along for the Ride, the last YA book I listened to, and I spent at least the first 4 CDs trying not to think of her as Auden. And finally 3) Scads of readers have soliloquized on Lauren Oliver's "enchanting" writing style. And yes, she is a lovely writer. But... listening to all of those flowery phrases read aloud just felt a little melodramatic sometimes.
But what of the actual story? Well, I am a HUGE fan of dystopians. As a reader, I love few things more than immersing myself in a life set in a very different future thinking, "What if... ?" But I could never actually imagine Lena's world becoming our future. A cure for love? I just don't buy it. I've had my heart broken, completely crushed even, but I would still never want to be "cured" of my ability to fall in love. And I don't think most people would either. So, I kept taking myself out of the story because of my own skepticism.
I also felt like Delirium was extremely similar to another book that I just happened to be reading at the same time. As I mentioned in that post, it didn't make me enjoy the story any less, but it did make Lena's world feel a little less special.
Finally, I did something really dumb, and read a summary for Hana before I was finished with Delirium. That essentially ruined the ending for me. Boooo.
In retrospect, I think that my neutrality regarding Delirium is completely of my own making. I mean, I can't remember my mom, a HS librarian, ever really getting into a dystopian novel other than THG, and Delirium was one of her favs of 2011! I have a copy of Pandemonium (thank you Shannon O'Donnell!!) and I am going to be very purposeful about giving Lena and Alex another chance:
- no audiobook
- no reading any other dystopians at the same time
- no reading spoilers!
What do you think, book lovers? Did any of you not fall in love with Delirium? Do you think I'll change my mind about Lena and Alex with Pandemonium?
Recommendation:
If you like romance or "dystopian light," you will probably really enjoy Lauren Oliver's Delirium.
Monday, March 26
Life: An Exploded Diagram
Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet, Candlewick, 2011, 416 pp, ISBN: 076365227X
Recap:
- Several generations of loveless (or at least romance-less) marriages
- Star-crossed young lovers
- The Cuban Missile Crisis
- Our world on the brink of destruction
- A look at the role both politics and religion play in the end of the world
- Some pretty life-changing explosions
Review:
Oh, what to say about Life: An Exploded Diagram...
It has received all kinds of glowing reviews.
It bested Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls in the first round of the BOB.
Author Mal Peet excelled in revealing a very specific world through the use of the characters' dialect. One example: "You put that ole coat on, if yer gorn out. There's a wind'd cut yer jacksy in half."
As I read, I was struck repeatedly with the thought, "Wow. This man can write." There are tons of writers who can tell a good story, but Mal Peet has a particularly affecting way with words.
All things considered, I can appreciate Life: An Exploded Diagram.
But did I really enjoy reading Life? That's a different story. My major issue is that I sincerely feel that this is an adult novel. The vast majority of the characters are adults. The narrator is an adult, reflecting back on a certain period in his teen years. The issues and themes that many of the adults dealt with felt completely out of place in a YA novel. When the story focused in on Clem and Frankie's teenage forbidden love, it felt a little more YA, but then the ending wandered back into adult territory again.
And does the YA/Adult distinction matter so much? Perhaps not. But. It just won a round in the Battle of the Kids' Books. And this is not a book I would hand to most kids.
The overall mood of the story felt gloomy to me. Every scene I envisioned was brown, gray, and dreary. I found myself looking forward to the scenes with the different political leaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis because those were the only passages that hinted at any action. And because I thought Peet's sense of humor really came through as he described different conversations and reflections that were had by Kennedy, Castro, and Kruschhev.
And the end. What in the world happened there? Bizarre.
If you've read Life: An Exploded Diagram, I would love to talk to you about it. Please leave a comment and let me know!
Recommendation:
I would recommend Life to mature readers who appreciate adult, literary fiction or historical fiction.
- Several generations of loveless (or at least romance-less) marriages
- Star-crossed young lovers
- The Cuban Missile Crisis
- Our world on the brink of destruction
- A look at the role both politics and religion play in the end of the world
- Some pretty life-changing explosions
Review:
Oh, what to say about Life: An Exploded Diagram...
It has received all kinds of glowing reviews.
It bested Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls in the first round of the BOB.
Author Mal Peet excelled in revealing a very specific world through the use of the characters' dialect. One example: "You put that ole coat on, if yer gorn out. There's a wind'd cut yer jacksy in half."
As I read, I was struck repeatedly with the thought, "Wow. This man can write." There are tons of writers who can tell a good story, but Mal Peet has a particularly affecting way with words.
All things considered, I can appreciate Life: An Exploded Diagram.
But did I really enjoy reading Life? That's a different story. My major issue is that I sincerely feel that this is an adult novel. The vast majority of the characters are adults. The narrator is an adult, reflecting back on a certain period in his teen years. The issues and themes that many of the adults dealt with felt completely out of place in a YA novel. When the story focused in on Clem and Frankie's teenage forbidden love, it felt a little more YA, but then the ending wandered back into adult territory again.
And does the YA/Adult distinction matter so much? Perhaps not. But. It just won a round in the Battle of the Kids' Books. And this is not a book I would hand to most kids.
The overall mood of the story felt gloomy to me. Every scene I envisioned was brown, gray, and dreary. I found myself looking forward to the scenes with the different political leaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis because those were the only passages that hinted at any action. And because I thought Peet's sense of humor really came through as he described different conversations and reflections that were had by Kennedy, Castro, and Kruschhev.
And the end. What in the world happened there? Bizarre.
If you've read Life: An Exploded Diagram, I would love to talk to you about it. Please leave a comment and let me know!
Recommendation:
I would recommend Life to mature readers who appreciate adult, literary fiction or historical fiction.
Sunday, March 25
Top 10 Reasons to Love Today
1. Babe Lincoln has been sleeping in his crib for naps for an entire week now. Wow. (Yes, he's almost 6 months old, but I'm a snuggling enabler)
2. Between Shades of Gray won the first match of Round 2 of the BOB!
3. I may be late to the party, but I just discovered Bookfessions. Here are some of my favorites, which just so happen to all be true:
5. The weather has been ridiculously gorgeous all week. I love flinging the windows open and eating lunch out in the yard. And so does the Lincster.
6. Finally finished my "required reading" yesterday with Life: An Exploded Diagram. After my February challenge, completing all of the BOB contenders, and reading a slew of books to choose my favorites for a MG Guest Post, I'm feeling an immense amount of FREEDOM in that there's nothing I need to be reading right now. That being said...
7. I already have a "car bag" full of books set for SB. What am I most looking forward to reading? The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
8. My parents have been visiting for the weekend and we have had so much fun. Right now I'm just waiting for the house to wake up so we can make waffles :)
9. On Thursday my sister a) met Ree Drummond and b) went to the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games. Sometimes I just have to live vicariously through her.
10. "You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!" (name that book!) And that is one of the best reasons to love today. Life is so good right now, but the best is yet to come.
2. Between Shades of Gray won the first match of Round 2 of the BOB!
3. I may be late to the party, but I just discovered Bookfessions. Here are some of my favorites, which just so happen to all be true:
(click to make it bigger!)
4. Spring Break starts Friday!5. The weather has been ridiculously gorgeous all week. I love flinging the windows open and eating lunch out in the yard. And so does the Lincster.
6. Finally finished my "required reading" yesterday with Life: An Exploded Diagram. After my February challenge, completing all of the BOB contenders, and reading a slew of books to choose my favorites for a MG Guest Post, I'm feeling an immense amount of FREEDOM in that there's nothing I need to be reading right now. That being said...
7. I already have a "car bag" full of books set for SB. What am I most looking forward to reading? The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
8. My parents have been visiting for the weekend and we have had so much fun. Right now I'm just waiting for the house to wake up so we can make waffles :)
9. On Thursday my sister a) met Ree Drummond and b) went to the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games. Sometimes I just have to live vicariously through her.
10. "You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!" (name that book!) And that is one of the best reasons to love today. Life is so good right now, but the best is yet to come.
Thursday, March 22
BOB: Round 1 - The Carnage
Well folks, the first round of the Battle of the Kids' Books is over, but not without a few heartbreakers. I admit it... I got a little bit cocky about my BoB predictions. After the first 5 battles, I was 5-5 - correctly predicting wins for:
- Amelia Lost
- Between Shades of Gray
- Chime
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone
- Drawing from Memory
But then karma came back with some pretty sharp teeth. And I am mourning the loss of both Heart and Soul and A Monster Calls. I was not too surprised by the loss of the former (that Thanhha Lai was going to be tough to beat), and can't claim too much emotional distress over the loss of the latter because I still haven't finished its opponent (I know, I know).
But the truly devastating loss was today. Wonderstruck vs Okay for Now. A beautifully illustrated book that I would ultimately declare "pretty good," vs one of my top 3 books of the BoB - and really, one of the best books I've ever read. Guess who won? Not one of the best books I've ever read. I am really pretty shocked that Okay for Now will not be moving on to Round 2. At least Doug Swieteck has a real shot at making it back from the Undead Vault!
What do you think, book lovers? Are any of you following the BoB? And if you are, how are you doing on your predictions? Are your favorites coming out on top? Were any losses particularly heartbreaking for you?
- Amelia Lost
- Between Shades of Gray
- Chime
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone
- Drawing from Memory
But then karma came back with some pretty sharp teeth. And I am mourning the loss of both Heart and Soul and A Monster Calls. I was not too surprised by the loss of the former (that Thanhha Lai was going to be tough to beat), and can't claim too much emotional distress over the loss of the latter because I still haven't finished its opponent (I know, I know).
But the truly devastating loss was today. Wonderstruck vs Okay for Now. A beautifully illustrated book that I would ultimately declare "pretty good," vs one of my top 3 books of the BoB - and really, one of the best books I've ever read. Guess who won? Not one of the best books I've ever read. I am really pretty shocked that Okay for Now will not be moving on to Round 2. At least Doug Swieteck has a real shot at making it back from the Undead Vault!
What do you think, book lovers? Are any of you following the BoB? And if you are, how are you doing on your predictions? Are your favorites coming out on top? Were any losses particularly heartbreaking for you?
Monday, March 19
Book Love Road Trips!
image from here
Sunday, March 18
Okay for Now
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt, Clarion Books, 2011, 368 pp, ISBN: 0547152604
Recap:
When Doug's dad loses his job, their family is forced to pick up and move to stupid Marysville. And moving is never easy, but it's even more difficult when half the town thinks you're some kind of skinny thug and your big brother's just come back from Vietnam. His father is pretty abusive too, but that's nothing new.
When Doug finds his way into the public library - So what? So what? It's not like he's reading books - things start to shift. Not very quickly, not so's you would even notice at first. But a change is coming.
Review:
Who would have ever thought that a book about Audobon's bird paintings would become one of my favorites of the whole year? Not me, that's for sure. But Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now won me over almost immediately.
I am telling you right now. Do not be dissuaded by the weird/boring cover or all of the Audobon talk. Okay for Now is will not disappoint. And I think the #1 reason why is Voice. I can't remember the last time I read a book with such an incredibly strong voice. My parents visited over the weekend (Hi, Mom!) and I read aloud to my mom pretty much the entire way to church and back because every single paragraph was better than the one before. I can still hear Doug's voice in my head saying "So what? So what? I'm not a chump!" in my head.
ALL of the characters in Doug's life are so real you would swear they exist in real life. I would not be surprised to find stupid Marysville on a map, and you know Mr. Powell would have Okay for Now on the front desk at the library.
I really want to keep this review short because the main point is this: Okay for Now is one stellar read. It's up against Wonderstruck on Thursday in the BoB, and not only am I confident that Wonderstruck is toast, I wouldn't be surprised if Okay for Now won the whole shebang.
Recommendation:
Read this book. Boy or girl, young or old, sports fan or bird watcher - you're going to love Okay for Now.
Quotable Quotes:
"You know, there are good reasons to learn how to read. Poetry isn't one of them. I mean, so what if two roads go two ways in a wood? So what? Who cares if it made all that big a difference? What difference? And why should I have to guess what the difference is? Isn't that what he's supposed to say?
Why can't poets just say what they want and then shut up?"
------
"Polly had this book about a house in a forest where Laura lives with Pa and Ma and her sisters. You'd be surprised how good this was, especially considering that nothing happens."
------
"Mr. Powell raised an eyebrow. 'I'm a librarian,' he said. 'I always know what I'm talking about.'"
------
"By the way, in case you weren't paying attention or something, did you catch what Mr. Powell called me? 'Young artist.' I bet you missed that."
When Doug's dad loses his job, their family is forced to pick up and move to stupid Marysville. And moving is never easy, but it's even more difficult when half the town thinks you're some kind of skinny thug and your big brother's just come back from Vietnam. His father is pretty abusive too, but that's nothing new.
When Doug finds his way into the public library - So what? So what? It's not like he's reading books - things start to shift. Not very quickly, not so's you would even notice at first. But a change is coming.
Review:
Who would have ever thought that a book about Audobon's bird paintings would become one of my favorites of the whole year? Not me, that's for sure. But Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now won me over almost immediately.
I am telling you right now. Do not be dissuaded by the weird/boring cover or all of the Audobon talk. Okay for Now is will not disappoint. And I think the #1 reason why is Voice. I can't remember the last time I read a book with such an incredibly strong voice. My parents visited over the weekend (Hi, Mom!) and I read aloud to my mom pretty much the entire way to church and back because every single paragraph was better than the one before. I can still hear Doug's voice in my head saying "So what? So what? I'm not a chump!" in my head.
ALL of the characters in Doug's life are so real you would swear they exist in real life. I would not be surprised to find stupid Marysville on a map, and you know Mr. Powell would have Okay for Now on the front desk at the library.
I really want to keep this review short because the main point is this: Okay for Now is one stellar read. It's up against Wonderstruck on Thursday in the BoB, and not only am I confident that Wonderstruck is toast, I wouldn't be surprised if Okay for Now won the whole shebang.
Recommendation:
Read this book. Boy or girl, young or old, sports fan or bird watcher - you're going to love Okay for Now.
Quotable Quotes:
"You know, there are good reasons to learn how to read. Poetry isn't one of them. I mean, so what if two roads go two ways in a wood? So what? Who cares if it made all that big a difference? What difference? And why should I have to guess what the difference is? Isn't that what he's supposed to say?
Why can't poets just say what they want and then shut up?"
------
"Polly had this book about a house in a forest where Laura lives with Pa and Ma and her sisters. You'd be surprised how good this was, especially considering that nothing happens."
------
"Mr. Powell raised an eyebrow. 'I'm a librarian,' he said. 'I always know what I'm talking about.'"
------
"By the way, in case you weren't paying attention or something, did you catch what Mr. Powell called me? 'Young artist.' I bet you missed that."
Friday, March 16
Mmmm... Not Lovin' It
I am on a mission. A mission to review everything I read this year. Well... all of the YA and MG that I read. (I'm sorry Sandra Boynton, Moo Baa La La La will not be seen here, even though we just read it 11 times this week.) But I've run into a little snag. And that snag is a sudden pile-up of books that I just don't especially care for. I hate writing negative reviews, but I also don't want to stop my review streak, so these are just going to be minis!
The Storm in the Barn
by Matt Phelan
I picked this one up because a) I'm trying to read more graphic novels and b) Matt Phelan was judging the first battle of the BoB and so I just felt like giving one of his books a go. Set in Kansas during the Dust Bowl, a young boy is feeling somewhat useless in the midst of his family's troubles. But then he discovers the storm in the barn, and a storm is just what his dust-filled world needs. I know that this is a graphic novel, so it's told in large part through pictures. But... I needed more words. It felt overly simplistic to me. And the personified storm was so creepy looking - that fantasy element felt out of place in the very realistic world of the Dust Bowl.
Glory Be
by Augusta Scattergood
I had heard good things about Glory Be, and planned to feature it in an upcoming MG guest post. But as I read this story about a little girl whose summer is turned upside-down over an influx of white "Freedom Workers" and the town council's efforts to fight integration, I was struck by the total lack of African American characters (with the one exception of Glory's maid). Glory was a tough little cookie, but her story would have had so much more oomph if she actually knew and interacted with some of the people who she was trying to stand up for. And maybe that's just what was realistic for a girl like Glory at that time, but it seemed like African Americans should have a voice in a story about racism and segregation. Emma (Glory's maid) was a good character, but we still very rarely got to hear her inner voice. It bugged me. The story felt incomplete.
The Way a Door Closes
by Hope Anita Smith
I'm on a NIV kick right now, and had heard fantastic things about this one. It is the story of a boy whose father loses his job and walks out on his family. Even though I knew that was coming, it was pretty shocking because the father seemed so close to his wife, children, and mother who lives with them. At one point the grandmother said (and I'm paraphrasing here because I forgot to write the exact quote) "He's been leaving for a long time/now he's just gone." But I totally disagree - his disappearance seemed to come completely out of nowhere. After that, the rest of the book just didn't sit well with me. Although... I know many students who have been in the main character's position and I have a feeling that they would latch onto his story.
So now tell me, book lovers. What am I missing? I know many, many readers have had extremely positive experiences with all of the above! And what do you do when you read a book you don't especially care for? Review it anyway, or just let it go?
by Matt Phelan
I picked this one up because a) I'm trying to read more graphic novels and b) Matt Phelan was judging the first battle of the BoB and so I just felt like giving one of his books a go. Set in Kansas during the Dust Bowl, a young boy is feeling somewhat useless in the midst of his family's troubles. But then he discovers the storm in the barn, and a storm is just what his dust-filled world needs. I know that this is a graphic novel, so it's told in large part through pictures. But... I needed more words. It felt overly simplistic to me. And the personified storm was so creepy looking - that fantasy element felt out of place in the very realistic world of the Dust Bowl.
by Augusta Scattergood
I had heard good things about Glory Be, and planned to feature it in an upcoming MG guest post. But as I read this story about a little girl whose summer is turned upside-down over an influx of white "Freedom Workers" and the town council's efforts to fight integration, I was struck by the total lack of African American characters (with the one exception of Glory's maid). Glory was a tough little cookie, but her story would have had so much more oomph if she actually knew and interacted with some of the people who she was trying to stand up for. And maybe that's just what was realistic for a girl like Glory at that time, but it seemed like African Americans should have a voice in a story about racism and segregation. Emma (Glory's maid) was a good character, but we still very rarely got to hear her inner voice. It bugged me. The story felt incomplete.
by Hope Anita Smith
I'm on a NIV kick right now, and had heard fantastic things about this one. It is the story of a boy whose father loses his job and walks out on his family. Even though I knew that was coming, it was pretty shocking because the father seemed so close to his wife, children, and mother who lives with them. At one point the grandmother said (and I'm paraphrasing here because I forgot to write the exact quote) "He's been leaving for a long time/now he's just gone." But I totally disagree - his disappearance seemed to come completely out of nowhere. After that, the rest of the book just didn't sit well with me. Although... I know many students who have been in the main character's position and I have a feeling that they would latch onto his story.
So now tell me, book lovers. What am I missing? I know many, many readers have had extremely positive experiences with all of the above! And what do you do when you read a book you don't especially care for? Review it anyway, or just let it go?
Thursday, March 15
Dead End in Norvelt
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2011, 352 pp, ISBN: 0374379939
Recap:
Jack Gantos is grounded for the summer. The whole summer. The only way that he can get out of the house is to write obituaries for Miss Volker, because her arthritis is so bad she can't hold a pencil anymore.
At first, this sounds like even worse torture than helping his dad dig the bomb shelter in their front yard, but once all of Norvelt's old ladies start dropping dead, things get downright interesting.
Review:
Initially, Dead End in Norvelt suffered because I read it immediately on the heels of Okay for Now - both "funny books" with strong male narrators. And in a direct heat between the two, Okay's Doug would win out over Dead End's Jack every time - not that the Newbery Committee seemed to notice. (And have you noticed that the two covers are strangely similar?)
But once I got about a third of the way through Jack's story, I warmed up to him. I think this had less to do with Jack himself, and more to do with the hilarious people in his life - particularly Miss Volker, his best friend Bunny, and the tricycle riding Mr. Spizz. Bunny was aggravated that Jack would rather spend his summer examining bodies and writing obits with Miss Volker than playing baseball with her, but I was just thankful. A summer with Miss Volker surely makes for better reading than a summer of baseball!
Dead End was even more appealing because it is partially a reflection of author Jack Gantos' real life. I mean... the main character is named Jack Gantos! All throughout I kept trying to figure out which pieces of the fiction might actually be fact. Here's one bit of trivia that happens to be true: Norvelt is a real town which was named after First Lady EleaNOR RooseVELT, the town's planner and supporter throughout the Great Depression. Evidently, Mrs. Roosevelt planted a string of these towns across the United States.
Dead End in Norvelt goes up against Daughter of Smoke and Bone in the BoB tomorrow. I am now officially a fan of Dead End, but I'm holding out hope that Laini Taylor wins the round!
Recommendation:
If you like to laugh, and appreciate a little bit of history mixed into your novels, Dead End in Norvelt is for you. Appropriate for upper elementary and above.
Jack Gantos is grounded for the summer. The whole summer. The only way that he can get out of the house is to write obituaries for Miss Volker, because her arthritis is so bad she can't hold a pencil anymore.
At first, this sounds like even worse torture than helping his dad dig the bomb shelter in their front yard, but once all of Norvelt's old ladies start dropping dead, things get downright interesting.
Review:
Initially, Dead End in Norvelt suffered because I read it immediately on the heels of Okay for Now - both "funny books" with strong male narrators. And in a direct heat between the two, Okay's Doug would win out over Dead End's Jack every time - not that the Newbery Committee seemed to notice. (And have you noticed that the two covers are strangely similar?)
But once I got about a third of the way through Jack's story, I warmed up to him. I think this had less to do with Jack himself, and more to do with the hilarious people in his life - particularly Miss Volker, his best friend Bunny, and the tricycle riding Mr. Spizz. Bunny was aggravated that Jack would rather spend his summer examining bodies and writing obits with Miss Volker than playing baseball with her, but I was just thankful. A summer with Miss Volker surely makes for better reading than a summer of baseball!
Dead End was even more appealing because it is partially a reflection of author Jack Gantos' real life. I mean... the main character is named Jack Gantos! All throughout I kept trying to figure out which pieces of the fiction might actually be fact. Here's one bit of trivia that happens to be true: Norvelt is a real town which was named after First Lady EleaNOR RooseVELT, the town's planner and supporter throughout the Great Depression. Evidently, Mrs. Roosevelt planted a string of these towns across the United States.
Dead End in Norvelt goes up against Daughter of Smoke and Bone in the BoB tomorrow. I am now officially a fan of Dead End, but I'm holding out hope that Laini Taylor wins the round!
Recommendation:
If you like to laugh, and appreciate a little bit of history mixed into your novels, Dead End in Norvelt is for you. Appropriate for upper elementary and above.
Wednesday, March 14
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, Peachtree Publishers, 2011, 256 pp, ISBN: 1561455954
Recap:
Skilley is a cat. Pip is a mouse. Both have a great big secret.
This is a story of secrets revealed, unlikely friendships, and some really delicious cheese - with cameos by Charles Dickens.
Review:
Look at this cover. Does that make you want to read this book? No? Me neither. I had put off reading it for weeks, until the BOB was only a few days away and I knew I just couldn't procrastinate any longer.
Well guess what... The Cheshire Cheese Cat is actually pretty darn charming!
I'm always curious about books written by two authors: Did either take responsibility for a certain character? Who came up with the title? Who first said, "Let's write a book together!"? After reading, it's clear that Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright were a well-matched team. The voice is strong and consistent throughout. This PW interview gives some insight into their teamwork.
I don't particularly like animals, so I don't particularly care for animals as the main characters in my books either, but Skilley and Pip were almost like furry people. Pip is the more quick-witted of the two, always ready with a giant vocabulary word and an eager teacher. Skilley is accustomed to the life of an alley cat, so a warm cozy home at The Cheshire Cheese seems pretty much like heaven to him - especially with all of the yummy snacks he gets from the mice each night.
Charles Dickens was a fun addition to the plot, and he was even the first to discover Skilley's secret. "Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese" was actually one of his favorite haunts in London, and I loved imagining him there in the pub, writing away with a little cheese plate at his elbow.
Cheshire Cheese is going up against Chime in the Battle of the Kids' Books tomorrow. I didn't care for Chime at all, which is why you won't find a review for it here, but I have a feeling that Briony will win out over Skilley and Pip tomorrow.
Recommendation:
The Cheshire Cheese Cat is a fun "historical fantasy" for upper elementary students and beyond. Animal lovers or fans of Charles Dickens should absolutely give this one a shot.
Quotable Quotes:
"You want the truth, Master Skilley? Then find out just what manner of cat you really are... and brazenly, unabashedly, boldly, be that cat."
Skilley is a cat. Pip is a mouse. Both have a great big secret.
This is a story of secrets revealed, unlikely friendships, and some really delicious cheese - with cameos by Charles Dickens.
Review:
Look at this cover. Does that make you want to read this book? No? Me neither. I had put off reading it for weeks, until the BOB was only a few days away and I knew I just couldn't procrastinate any longer.
Well guess what... The Cheshire Cheese Cat is actually pretty darn charming!
I'm always curious about books written by two authors: Did either take responsibility for a certain character? Who came up with the title? Who first said, "Let's write a book together!"? After reading, it's clear that Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright were a well-matched team. The voice is strong and consistent throughout. This PW interview gives some insight into their teamwork.
I don't particularly like animals, so I don't particularly care for animals as the main characters in my books either, but Skilley and Pip were almost like furry people. Pip is the more quick-witted of the two, always ready with a giant vocabulary word and an eager teacher. Skilley is accustomed to the life of an alley cat, so a warm cozy home at The Cheshire Cheese seems pretty much like heaven to him - especially with all of the yummy snacks he gets from the mice each night.
Charles Dickens was a fun addition to the plot, and he was even the first to discover Skilley's secret. "Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese" was actually one of his favorite haunts in London, and I loved imagining him there in the pub, writing away with a little cheese plate at his elbow.
Cheshire Cheese is going up against Chime in the Battle of the Kids' Books tomorrow. I didn't care for Chime at all, which is why you won't find a review for it here, but I have a feeling that Briony will win out over Skilley and Pip tomorrow.
Recommendation:
The Cheshire Cheese Cat is a fun "historical fantasy" for upper elementary students and beyond. Animal lovers or fans of Charles Dickens should absolutely give this one a shot.
Quotable Quotes:
"You want the truth, Master Skilley? Then find out just what manner of cat you really are... and brazenly, unabashedly, boldly, be that cat."
Tuesday, March 13
Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition
Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal, Flash Point, 2011, 160 pp, ISBN: 159643449X
Recap:
Bootleg travels all the way back to the Pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower with their casks of beer and hard liquor. Then it works its way through the events leading to the 18th Amendment - aka Prohibition - and finally winds up with the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th.
All along the way, Bootleg is spiked with liquor-related trivia, and insight into the minds of those who fought so hard to free America from the grip of alcohol.
Review:
Oh BoB, I just never know what kind of book you're going to deliver. Graphic novels, fantasy, contemporary, NIVs... and always a few volumes of that divisive genre: nonfiction. Nonfiction can be so hit-or-miss for me. Some texts, like Amelia Lost, turn out to be surprisingly entertaining and revealing. Others, like Bootleg, not so much...
Bootleg covers a lot of ground - literally working its way from the Pilgrims up to MADD and Red Ribbon Week. But the vast majority of the text is focused on the 1920s, the era of Prohibition. Honestly, I learned a TON. Now I could tell you all about Al Capone, the bar smashing Carrie Nation (aka Mother Nation aka Carry A. Nation), and the role that mothers played in passing the 18th Amendment. I was especially interested in how the amendment completely backfired - rather than putting an end to the nation's widespread drinking problem, it did quite the opposite. Not only did "wets" get much more creative in their brewing, their children got in on the act too. Breaking the nation's highest law became a game for the whole family!
If Bootleg had just been edited a little further, I think I would be a big fan. But there were many chapters that just seemed redundant, and the passages that detailed the long, drawn-out political process quickly lost my attention. To be truthful, I really just skimmed the entire second half.
This book is going up against Between Shades of Gray tomorrow in the BOB. Do I really have to tell you that I'm cheering for BSoG? Lina for the WIN!
Recommendation:
Bootleg is a book that I think would be best read in bits and pieces, rather than straight through. Readers who enjoy learning about history, and drinking, would definitely be engaged here.
Did You Know?:
- When George Washington ran for the House of Burgesses, he brought beer, wine, rum, cider and brandy for those who came out to vote at the polls. He won.
- Soldiers in the Continental army had a daily ration of hard liquor.
- NASCAR racing started with the gutsy drivers who had practiced racing by driving loads of moonshine through the back country of the South.
- In the years leading up to prohibition, the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) helped get a law passed that required all schools to provide "temperance education." Their Science textbooks contained "scientific facts" like "This alcohol [wine] is liquid poison," and "It will make a good and kind person cruel and bad; it will make a bad person worse."
Bootleg travels all the way back to the Pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower with their casks of beer and hard liquor. Then it works its way through the events leading to the 18th Amendment - aka Prohibition - and finally winds up with the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th.
All along the way, Bootleg is spiked with liquor-related trivia, and insight into the minds of those who fought so hard to free America from the grip of alcohol.
Review:
Oh BoB, I just never know what kind of book you're going to deliver. Graphic novels, fantasy, contemporary, NIVs... and always a few volumes of that divisive genre: nonfiction. Nonfiction can be so hit-or-miss for me. Some texts, like Amelia Lost, turn out to be surprisingly entertaining and revealing. Others, like Bootleg, not so much...
Bootleg covers a lot of ground - literally working its way from the Pilgrims up to MADD and Red Ribbon Week. But the vast majority of the text is focused on the 1920s, the era of Prohibition. Honestly, I learned a TON. Now I could tell you all about Al Capone, the bar smashing Carrie Nation (aka Mother Nation aka Carry A. Nation), and the role that mothers played in passing the 18th Amendment. I was especially interested in how the amendment completely backfired - rather than putting an end to the nation's widespread drinking problem, it did quite the opposite. Not only did "wets" get much more creative in their brewing, their children got in on the act too. Breaking the nation's highest law became a game for the whole family!
If Bootleg had just been edited a little further, I think I would be a big fan. But there were many chapters that just seemed redundant, and the passages that detailed the long, drawn-out political process quickly lost my attention. To be truthful, I really just skimmed the entire second half.
This book is going up against Between Shades of Gray tomorrow in the BOB. Do I really have to tell you that I'm cheering for BSoG? Lina for the WIN!
Recommendation:
Bootleg is a book that I think would be best read in bits and pieces, rather than straight through. Readers who enjoy learning about history, and drinking, would definitely be engaged here.
Did You Know?:
- When George Washington ran for the House of Burgesses, he brought beer, wine, rum, cider and brandy for those who came out to vote at the polls. He won.
- Soldiers in the Continental army had a daily ration of hard liquor.
- NASCAR racing started with the gutsy drivers who had practiced racing by driving loads of moonshine through the back country of the South.
- In the years leading up to prohibition, the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) helped get a law passed that required all schools to provide "temperance education." Their Science textbooks contained "scientific facts" like "This alcohol [wine] is liquid poison," and "It will make a good and kind person cruel and bad; it will make a bad person worse."
Monday, March 12
'Twas the Night Before BOB: Predictions
'Twas the night before BOB
And all through my home
Fingers were crossed
(I bet I'm not alone)
Sending up prayers
That the judges won't fail
And by that I mean
That my favs will prevail
Between Shades of Gray,
Akiva, Karou,
And even Doug Swietck,
I'm looking at you
After all of the library
Books that I've borrowed
I'm just excited to say
That the BoB starts tomorrow!
Can you tell I'm a little enthused that the Battle of the Kids' Books has finally arrived? I had every intention of reading each of the Contenders before the Battle began, and I'm just one book away. I'm sorry Mal Peet, but Life: An Exploded Diagram will just have to be read another day (prior to March 21, of course!). And without further ado... here are my fail-proof predictions for the 2012 BoB.
ROUND 1:
Amelia Lost over Anya's Ghost
Between Shades of Gray over Bootleg
Chime over The Cheshire Cheese Cat
Daughter of Smoke and Bone over Dead End in Norvelt
Drawing from Memory over The Grand Plan to Fix Everything
Heart and Soul over Inside Out and Back Again
A Monster Calls over Life: An Exploded Diagram (still annoyed at myself for not having read this yet!)
Okay for Now over Wonderstruck
ROUND 2:
Between Shades of Gray over Amelia Lost
Daughter of Smoke and Bone over Chime
Heart and Soul over Drawing from Memory
Okay for Now over A Monster Calls
ROUND 3:
Between Shades of Gray over Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Okay for Now over Heart and Soul
BIG KAHUNA ROUND:
Between Shades of Gray vs Okay for Now vs Daughter of Smoke and Bone (back from the Undead Vault)
And the WINNER is...
I would honestly be thrilled if any of the above three won, but I have to go with my true-book-love and vote Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys for the win!
What do you think, book lovers? Will you be following the BoB? Share your predictions!
And all through my home
Fingers were crossed
(I bet I'm not alone)
Sending up prayers
That the judges won't fail
And by that I mean
That my favs will prevail
Between Shades of Gray,
Akiva, Karou,
And even Doug Swietck,
I'm looking at you
After all of the library
Books that I've borrowed
I'm just excited to say
That the BoB starts tomorrow!
Can you tell I'm a little enthused that the Battle of the Kids' Books has finally arrived? I had every intention of reading each of the Contenders before the Battle began, and I'm just one book away. I'm sorry Mal Peet, but Life: An Exploded Diagram will just have to be read another day (prior to March 21, of course!). And without further ado... here are my fail-proof predictions for the 2012 BoB.
ROUND 1:
Amelia Lost over Anya's Ghost
Between Shades of Gray over Bootleg
Chime over The Cheshire Cheese Cat
Daughter of Smoke and Bone over Dead End in Norvelt
Drawing from Memory over The Grand Plan to Fix Everything
Heart and Soul over Inside Out and Back Again
A Monster Calls over Life: An Exploded Diagram (still annoyed at myself for not having read this yet!)
Okay for Now over Wonderstruck
ROUND 2:
Between Shades of Gray over Amelia Lost
Daughter of Smoke and Bone over Chime
Heart and Soul over Drawing from Memory
Okay for Now over A Monster Calls
ROUND 3:
Between Shades of Gray over Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Okay for Now over Heart and Soul
BIG KAHUNA ROUND:
Between Shades of Gray vs Okay for Now vs Daughter of Smoke and Bone (back from the Undead Vault)
And the WINNER is...
I would honestly be thrilled if any of the above three won, but I have to go with my true-book-love and vote Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys for the win!
What do you think, book lovers? Will you be following the BoB? Share your predictions!
Sunday, March 11
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011, 432 pp, ISBN: 0316134023
Recap:
Karou's past is a mystery - even to herself. She has no idea where the hamsas - devil's eye - tattoos on her palms came from. She has no memory of parents or siblings. The only home she has ever known is Brimstone's shop and her family of chimaera-monsters.
Now 17-years-old, Karou isn't a little girl anymore and she has had to make a home for herself in the human world. But it's almost impossible to make friends when half of your time is spent running through magical portals, collecting teeth for your otherworldly family.
Just when it seems that her life couldn't get any more complicated, Karou meets Akiva. An angel. An angel who almost kills her. And then she falls in love.
Review:
Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone opens with perhaps my favorite opening lines, ever. And that is saying a lot:
Backing up... I've been wanting to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone for a good, long while now. Especially since it was announced as one of the Contenders in SLJ's BoB. But, I was a little wary of the "angel/devil" aspect. I've never read an "angel book." And I actually do believe that angels and demons exist in real life. So, I just wasn't sure how I would react to these fictional forces of good and evil. But as I read Karou and Akiva's story, I quickly came to the conclusion that these angels and demons are, duh, fictional - and nothing like the forces that I believe exist in reality. Once I got past that, I could fully immerse myself in Laini Taylor's wildly imaginative world of "good" versus "evil."
I had to use quotation marks there because I think this book is a fantastic illustration of the fact that good and evil can be extremely subjective. In fact, I'm on the side of the chimaera for this one! Even if they are supposed to be the "devils," I could never root against Brimstone, Issa, Twiga, and Yasri. And Akiva sure seems to be the only positive thing going for the seraphim.
It was interesting how Daughter of Smoke and Bone technically seems to be Karou's story, but she was barely even present for the final third. I actually favored the flashback to Madrigal and the world of Loramendi. And maybe I should have seen it coming, goodness knows the signs were there, but it took me forever to figure out just how Madrigal and Karou were connected. I mean, wow! What a reveal. And the reveal made the title so much more meaningful! While Karou and Akiva are absolutely a prime case of "insta-love," the back story that eventually comes into play makes their insta-love believable.
But the end... OH, THE END. I actually almost started crying in the final few pages. I just don't believe that what Akiva said is true. I don't think he was lying - I just think he doesn't actually know. Ahhhh, what do you think, book lovers? What is going to happen in book #2???
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is up against Dead End in Norvelt in Round 1 of SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books. I've yet to read Gantos' Newbery Winner, but right now I don't see how Taylor could lose. Have any of you read both? What are your predictions??
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Daughter of Smoke and Bone to readers who enjoy fantasy and/or romance.
PS:
I've heard some readers say that they didn't get what the cover has to do with the story, but don't you think that the masked woman has to be Madrigal on the night of the Warlord's birthday? I think the cover is kind of perfect since that was a huge turning point in the story.
Karou's past is a mystery - even to herself. She has no idea where the hamsas - devil's eye - tattoos on her palms came from. She has no memory of parents or siblings. The only home she has ever known is Brimstone's shop and her family of chimaera-monsters.
Now 17-years-old, Karou isn't a little girl anymore and she has had to make a home for herself in the human world. But it's almost impossible to make friends when half of your time is spent running through magical portals, collecting teeth for your otherworldly family.
Just when it seems that her life couldn't get any more complicated, Karou meets Akiva. An angel. An angel who almost kills her. And then she falls in love.
Review:
Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone opens with perhaps my favorite opening lines, ever. And that is saying a lot:
"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well."Doesn't that just grab you? And really, that could have just been my entire recap. Because this book has a lot going on, but those two lines get at the crux of the whole thing.
Backing up... I've been wanting to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone for a good, long while now. Especially since it was announced as one of the Contenders in SLJ's BoB. But, I was a little wary of the "angel/devil" aspect. I've never read an "angel book." And I actually do believe that angels and demons exist in real life. So, I just wasn't sure how I would react to these fictional forces of good and evil. But as I read Karou and Akiva's story, I quickly came to the conclusion that these angels and demons are, duh, fictional - and nothing like the forces that I believe exist in reality. Once I got past that, I could fully immerse myself in Laini Taylor's wildly imaginative world of "good" versus "evil."
I had to use quotation marks there because I think this book is a fantastic illustration of the fact that good and evil can be extremely subjective. In fact, I'm on the side of the chimaera for this one! Even if they are supposed to be the "devils," I could never root against Brimstone, Issa, Twiga, and Yasri. And Akiva sure seems to be the only positive thing going for the seraphim.
It was interesting how Daughter of Smoke and Bone technically seems to be Karou's story, but she was barely even present for the final third. I actually favored the flashback to Madrigal and the world of Loramendi. And maybe I should have seen it coming, goodness knows the signs were there, but it took me forever to figure out just how Madrigal and Karou were connected. I mean, wow! What a reveal. And the reveal made the title so much more meaningful! While Karou and Akiva are absolutely a prime case of "insta-love," the back story that eventually comes into play makes their insta-love believable.
But the end... OH, THE END. I actually almost started crying in the final few pages. I just don't believe that what Akiva said is true. I don't think he was lying - I just think he doesn't actually know. Ahhhh, what do you think, book lovers? What is going to happen in book #2???
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is up against Dead End in Norvelt in Round 1 of SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books. I've yet to read Gantos' Newbery Winner, but right now I don't see how Taylor could lose. Have any of you read both? What are your predictions??
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Daughter of Smoke and Bone to readers who enjoy fantasy and/or romance.
PS:
I've heard some readers say that they didn't get what the cover has to do with the story, but don't you think that the masked woman has to be Madrigal on the night of the Warlord's birthday? I think the cover is kind of perfect since that was a huge turning point in the story.
Friday, March 9
Anya's Ghost
Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol, First Second, 2011, 224 pp, ISBN: 1596437138
Recap:
Anya just wants to blend in. She's lost her Russian accent, lost all kinds of weight, and is scrupulously sure to stay away from Dimi - the other Russian in her class - just to make sure that none of his "fobby-ness" rubs off on her. But Anya is still pretty much a nobody at school.
That is until a ghost follows Anya home. Anya's ghost knows how to raise her grades and grab the attention of her crush. All of a sudden, Anya's life is looking good! But no favors come for free, and this ghost is asking for more than Anya is able to give...
Review:
Anya's Ghost is a Cybils Winner and a Round 1 Contender in SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books (BoB). So it's got to be good, right?
Eh... I'm not so sure. Let's start with what I liked. The art throughout this graphic novel was outstanding. Honestly, I think Anya's Ghost has the best illustrations of any graphic novel I've read. The moody color palate perfectly matched the tone of the story, and Vera Brosgol did an amazing job of conveying emotion and personal transformation through each tiny square.
I thought the plot had a lot of promise. The ghost was initially completely loveable, and Anya's dismissiveness made me root for her even more. Then Brosgol did a great job of slowly, subtly showing the reader that the ghost isn't quite as innocent as she had made herself out to be. By that point, I had switched over to Team Anya and couldn't wait to see how she would react.
But that's point in the story where, unfortunately, Anya's Ghost started to lose me. A) It left me with a lot of unanswered questions. How did the ghost get so strong? And did Anya seriously think the ghost would kill her, even though it was only able to float through her? B) I felt like the tone changed super suddenly from moody and a little dark to just downright sinister and malicious. The shift felt too abrupt for me. And finally C) the sprinkles of profanity and constant cigarette smoking just rubbed me the wrong way. They didn't add a thing to the story, and really... is it even cool for kids to smoke anymore? I didn't care for that at all - even though there is some redemption in the end!
Anya's Ghost is up against Amelia Lost on March 13 and I feel pretty confidant that Amelia will be the one advancing to Round 2. Can't wait to see the judge's verdict!
Of course, this is only my 2 cents! Tons of people have clearly loved Anya's Ghost. Here are just a few second opinions:
- Devour Books
- The New York Times
Recommendation:
If you're a big fan of graphic novels or ghost stories, you'll probably have a lot of fun with Anya's Ghost.
Anya just wants to blend in. She's lost her Russian accent, lost all kinds of weight, and is scrupulously sure to stay away from Dimi - the other Russian in her class - just to make sure that none of his "fobby-ness" rubs off on her. But Anya is still pretty much a nobody at school.
That is until a ghost follows Anya home. Anya's ghost knows how to raise her grades and grab the attention of her crush. All of a sudden, Anya's life is looking good! But no favors come for free, and this ghost is asking for more than Anya is able to give...
Review:
Anya's Ghost is a Cybils Winner and a Round 1 Contender in SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books (BoB). So it's got to be good, right?
Eh... I'm not so sure. Let's start with what I liked. The art throughout this graphic novel was outstanding. Honestly, I think Anya's Ghost has the best illustrations of any graphic novel I've read. The moody color palate perfectly matched the tone of the story, and Vera Brosgol did an amazing job of conveying emotion and personal transformation through each tiny square.
But that's point in the story where, unfortunately, Anya's Ghost started to lose me. A) It left me with a lot of unanswered questions. How did the ghost get so strong? And did Anya seriously think the ghost would kill her, even though it was only able to float through her? B) I felt like the tone changed super suddenly from moody and a little dark to just downright sinister and malicious. The shift felt too abrupt for me. And finally C) the sprinkles of profanity and constant cigarette smoking just rubbed me the wrong way. They didn't add a thing to the story, and really... is it even cool for kids to smoke anymore? I didn't care for that at all - even though there is some redemption in the end!
Anya's Ghost is up against Amelia Lost on March 13 and I feel pretty confidant that Amelia will be the one advancing to Round 2. Can't wait to see the judge's verdict!
Of course, this is only my 2 cents! Tons of people have clearly loved Anya's Ghost. Here are just a few second opinions:
- Devour Books
- The New York Times
Recommendation:
If you're a big fan of graphic novels or ghost stories, you'll probably have a lot of fun with Anya's Ghost.
Are NIVs the New Vampires?
Last month I read three, and noticed in the comments that a lot of people are gaining interest in the genre. I've also seen many reviews for new NIVs like Love and Leftovers and The One and Only Ivan popping up around the blogosphere.
So because of all this, and because Miss K told me to, I've decided to join the Born Bookish Novel in Verse Challenge! I'm joining at the "Limerick level," which is 5-8 books.
Do any of you have a favorite NIV to recommend? I need your suggestions!
Thursday, March 8
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming, Schwartz and Wade, 2011, 128 pp, ISBN: 0375841989
Recap:
Amelia Lost traces both the life and the disappearance of one of the world's most renowned fliers: Amelia Earhart. Dispelling myths and including quotes and stories from primary sources, Amelia Lost helps readers to find the truth behind the daredevil aviatrix.
Review:
I did not want to read this book. At all. In fact, I probably never would have, except it's the very first contender in the very first round of SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books. And I know that the BOB doesn't do bad books. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Betsy Bird is pretty much obsessed with Amelia Lost. So, I read it.
And guess what? It's actually pretty darn fascinating.
Amelia Lost is like two books in one: the white pages give her basic autobiography, from childhood right up until her final flight. These pages are broken up with a number of photographs, news clippings, and anecdotes, all of which made my eyes bounce around like ping pong balls because I could never decide what to read first. Finally, I made a promise to myself that I would finish reading the paragraphs on each page before digesting the yummy little text features sprinkled about.
And you're probably thinking now, "Uh, didn't she say there were two books? What about the second?" Ahhh, the second story was my favorite. The second story was set apart on gray pages, interspersed throughout the white. It told of Earhart's initial missed landing and the following days of searching - a search that covered 250,000 miles and required today's equivalent of $58 million. A search that - if you know your history - never turned up a body or even a piece of a plane. And the most baffling part of the whole thing? These gray pages of the second story revealed that time and again regular citizens heard Earhart's cries for help and snatches of a possible landing location via the radio, but they were always ignored. Wow.
I am definitely not a big biography reader, but both the white story and the gray story had me completely engrossed in the life of Amelia Earhart. All throughout dinner tonight I kept feeding my husband bites of Amelia Earhart trivia (Did you know she was a professor at Purdue?!), and I have a sneaking suspicion that she's going to find her way into my day-to-day conversations for many days to come. I absolutely love fiction, but there's just something amazing about an adventure story/mystery that's actually TRUE.
Cheers to Candace Fleming for spending two years knee-deep in Amelia Earhart lore, sifting through it all to find the difference between fact and fiction, and then piecing it all together into this truly outstanding biography.
Amelia Lost is up against graphic novel Anya's Ghost. Who will come out on top?? Anya's Ghost is next on my reading list, and then I'll be back with my prediction!
Recommendation:
If you are at all interested in adventure stories, mysteries, history, or real-life fearless females, read Amelia Lost!
Quotable Quotes:
"'Why do you want to fly the Atlantic?' he asked her.
Amelia looked at him a moment, then smiled. 'Why does a man ride a horse?' she replied.
'Because he wants to, I guess,' answered George.
Amelia shrugged. 'Well, then.'"
-----
"Ever after he would remember his wife's eyes, 'clear with the good light of the adventure that lay before her.'"
Amelia Lost traces both the life and the disappearance of one of the world's most renowned fliers: Amelia Earhart. Dispelling myths and including quotes and stories from primary sources, Amelia Lost helps readers to find the truth behind the daredevil aviatrix.
Review:
I did not want to read this book. At all. In fact, I probably never would have, except it's the very first contender in the very first round of SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books. And I know that the BOB doesn't do bad books. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Betsy Bird is pretty much obsessed with Amelia Lost. So, I read it.
And guess what? It's actually pretty darn fascinating.
Amelia Lost is like two books in one: the white pages give her basic autobiography, from childhood right up until her final flight. These pages are broken up with a number of photographs, news clippings, and anecdotes, all of which made my eyes bounce around like ping pong balls because I could never decide what to read first. Finally, I made a promise to myself that I would finish reading the paragraphs on each page before digesting the yummy little text features sprinkled about.
And you're probably thinking now, "Uh, didn't she say there were two books? What about the second?" Ahhh, the second story was my favorite. The second story was set apart on gray pages, interspersed throughout the white. It told of Earhart's initial missed landing and the following days of searching - a search that covered 250,000 miles and required today's equivalent of $58 million. A search that - if you know your history - never turned up a body or even a piece of a plane. And the most baffling part of the whole thing? These gray pages of the second story revealed that time and again regular citizens heard Earhart's cries for help and snatches of a possible landing location via the radio, but they were always ignored. Wow.
I am definitely not a big biography reader, but both the white story and the gray story had me completely engrossed in the life of Amelia Earhart. All throughout dinner tonight I kept feeding my husband bites of Amelia Earhart trivia (Did you know she was a professor at Purdue?!), and I have a sneaking suspicion that she's going to find her way into my day-to-day conversations for many days to come. I absolutely love fiction, but there's just something amazing about an adventure story/mystery that's actually TRUE.
Cheers to Candace Fleming for spending two years knee-deep in Amelia Earhart lore, sifting through it all to find the difference between fact and fiction, and then piecing it all together into this truly outstanding biography.
Amelia Lost is up against graphic novel Anya's Ghost. Who will come out on top?? Anya's Ghost is next on my reading list, and then I'll be back with my prediction!
Recommendation:
If you are at all interested in adventure stories, mysteries, history, or real-life fearless females, read Amelia Lost!
Quotable Quotes:
"'Why do you want to fly the Atlantic?' he asked her.
Amelia looked at him a moment, then smiled. 'Why does a man ride a horse?' she replied.
'Because he wants to, I guess,' answered George.
Amelia shrugged. 'Well, then.'"
-----
"Ever after he would remember his wife's eyes, 'clear with the good light of the adventure that lay before her.'"
Tuesday, March 6
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Dutton Juvenile, 2012, 336 pp, ISBN: 0525478817
Recap:
Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters both have cancer. They meet in support group in the Literal Heart of Jesus Christ.
The story that ensues is probably one of the best you'll ever read. Ever.
(I know that's not really a recap - but seriously, how else can you recap a book like this one?)
Review:
John Green has managed to write a book about kids dying with cancer that still caused me to laugh out loud enough times that my husband started shooting weird looks at me across the room. But I couldn't feel offended by the weird looks because (a) some of those lines were seriously hilarious and (b) Hazel and Gus's love made me so very nostalgic for the days that we spent falling love. And so very thankful for all of the days we have left to stay that way.
If you have already read The Fault in Our Stars, you will understand why I strongly considered ending this review with the third sentence of the Recap. If you have not yet read The Fault in Our Stars, you have no doubt heard mountains and mountains of hype about it. And you're thinking, "There is no way this book could ever live up to my expectations." Guess what. You are right. It will surpass them.
Yes, people will die in this book. And they will break your own heart a little bit, even though you see it coming. But Hazel and Gus and Isaac and Hazel's parents and even Peter Van Houton will also make you so very thankful for this world we live in and the people we get to share it with. And not because this book is full of "Encouragements" - because it's not (only Gus's house is). These characters will remind you with sarcasm and sincerity and weird literary allusions that "You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!" Thank you. Amen.
Recommendation:
Just read it. All of you. And then pass it on.
Quotable Quotes:
"You can't know, sweetie, because you've never had a baby become a brilliant young reader with a side interest in horrible television shows, but the joy you bring us is so much greater than the sadness we feel about your illness." - Hazel's Dad
"You are so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are." - Augustus
"For a moment he said nothing. 'You do know how to shut me up, Hazel Grace.'
'It's my privilege and my responsibility,' I answered." - Hazel and Gus
"Oh, I wouldn't mind Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you." - Augustus
Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters both have cancer. They meet in support group in the Literal Heart of Jesus Christ.
The story that ensues is probably one of the best you'll ever read. Ever.
(I know that's not really a recap - but seriously, how else can you recap a book like this one?)
Review:
John Green has managed to write a book about kids dying with cancer that still caused me to laugh out loud enough times that my husband started shooting weird looks at me across the room. But I couldn't feel offended by the weird looks because (a) some of those lines were seriously hilarious and (b) Hazel and Gus's love made me so very nostalgic for the days that we spent falling love. And so very thankful for all of the days we have left to stay that way.
If you have already read The Fault in Our Stars, you will understand why I strongly considered ending this review with the third sentence of the Recap. If you have not yet read The Fault in Our Stars, you have no doubt heard mountains and mountains of hype about it. And you're thinking, "There is no way this book could ever live up to my expectations." Guess what. You are right. It will surpass them.
Yes, people will die in this book. And they will break your own heart a little bit, even though you see it coming. But Hazel and Gus and Isaac and Hazel's parents and even Peter Van Houton will also make you so very thankful for this world we live in and the people we get to share it with. And not because this book is full of "Encouragements" - because it's not (only Gus's house is). These characters will remind you with sarcasm and sincerity and weird literary allusions that "You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!" Thank you. Amen.
Recommendation:
Just read it. All of you. And then pass it on.
Quotable Quotes:
"You can't know, sweetie, because you've never had a baby become a brilliant young reader with a side interest in horrible television shows, but the joy you bring us is so much greater than the sadness we feel about your illness." - Hazel's Dad
"You are so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are." - Augustus
"For a moment he said nothing. 'You do know how to shut me up, Hazel Grace.'
'It's my privilege and my responsibility,' I answered." - Hazel and Gus
"Oh, I wouldn't mind Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you." - Augustus
Crossed
Crossed by Ally Condie, Dutton Juvenile, 2011, 367 pp, ISBN: 0525423656
Recap:
*Spoiler Alert* If you haven't read Matched, you might want to stop now and take care of that!
Cassia and Ky have both been taken away from each other and from their families - one by force and the other by choice. But they are determined to do whatever it takes to find their way back to each other.
But of course, Cassia is still matched with Xander, and he isn't about to let her just slip away.
And what about The Rising? Is the anti-Society rebel force real, or just another myth? And why does it seem like both Ky and Xander are keeping secrets from they girl they love?
Review:
Oooooh boy, Crossed is one good book! I know I mentioned a few days back that Crossed is pretty much exactly like another YA novel, but that didn't lessen my love for it a bit.
I think I had gone into Matched with my hopes set just a bit too high, because I came away from it feeling a little let down. Crossed was exactly the opposite. I started it without any real expectations, and ended up finishing in just a day or two. Cassia has toughened up! And Ky has finally started growing on me. But that Xander... he is a charmer. He didn't end up with a whole lot of screen time in Crossed, but the big "Xander reveal" gave me high hopes for him in Reached.
So why did I enjoy book #2 so much more than #1? I think it was partially due to the Pilot/Rising storyline. I know I'm a sucker for storied subversive forces and an impending rebellion. Plus, Crossed had so many more unexpected plot twists. *Spoiler Alert Again* Could Ky really be the Pilot? And what the heck is going on with Xander and The Rising? And what will happen to Cassia now that she's back in the Society... but undercover? And did anyone else guess that Cassia might have been talking about Xander, rather than Ky, in the last couple of pages?
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of dystopian and/or romance novels, read this trilogy! Right now!
*Spoiler Alert* If you haven't read Matched, you might want to stop now and take care of that!
Cassia and Ky have both been taken away from each other and from their families - one by force and the other by choice. But they are determined to do whatever it takes to find their way back to each other.
But of course, Cassia is still matched with Xander, and he isn't about to let her just slip away.
And what about The Rising? Is the anti-Society rebel force real, or just another myth? And why does it seem like both Ky and Xander are keeping secrets from they girl they love?
Review:
Oooooh boy, Crossed is one good book! I know I mentioned a few days back that Crossed is pretty much exactly like another YA novel, but that didn't lessen my love for it a bit.
I think I had gone into Matched with my hopes set just a bit too high, because I came away from it feeling a little let down. Crossed was exactly the opposite. I started it without any real expectations, and ended up finishing in just a day or two. Cassia has toughened up! And Ky has finally started growing on me. But that Xander... he is a charmer. He didn't end up with a whole lot of screen time in Crossed, but the big "Xander reveal" gave me high hopes for him in Reached.
So why did I enjoy book #2 so much more than #1? I think it was partially due to the Pilot/Rising storyline. I know I'm a sucker for storied subversive forces and an impending rebellion. Plus, Crossed had so many more unexpected plot twists. *Spoiler Alert Again* Could Ky really be the Pilot? And what the heck is going on with Xander and The Rising? And what will happen to Cassia now that she's back in the Society... but undercover? And did anyone else guess that Cassia might have been talking about Xander, rather than Ky, in the last couple of pages?
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of dystopian and/or romance novels, read this trilogy! Right now!
Monday, March 5
Um... Are These the Same Book?
So for the past few days I've been reading Crossed at home and listening to Delirium in the car. And... I've come to the conclusion that they are more or less the same book. Check out my nifty chart for comparison's sake.
(Click the image to make it bigger)
I really do not mean this as a criticism of either book! I'm enjoying them both quite a lot (Ok, maybe enjoying Crossed a titch more!), but I just keep getting confused because they are so darn similar.
What do you think, book lovers? Did I miss any other similarities? Can you think of another book pairing where it was easy to confuse the two stories?
Good Fortune
Good Fortune by Noni Carter, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010, 496 pp, ISBN: 1416984801
Recap:
Ayanna was taken from her home, from her mother, in Africa when she was only four years old. Good Fortune traces her life's journey from the slave ship, through years on a southern plantation, and then across the country in her search for freedom.
Review:
I initially picked up Good Fortune because I read a synopsis and it sounded so much like one of my favorites: Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. Plus, that cover is just gorgeous.
After reading all 496 pages... I think I'd just as soon have re-read Copper Sun. Yes, Ayanna (who becomes Sarah who becomes Anna) is a protagonist to admire. She is strong, courageous, and wants to be educated more than almost anything in the world. She is the embodiment of perseverance. Her story even has a little romance which, in my opinion, makes any good book better.
But I just couldn't help thinking that her story had already been told. There were many passages that just seemed redundant, and there wasn't a single surprise over the course of Anna's journey. In all fairness, the last few pages could have been a great surprise, but I felt like author Noni Carter had left plenty of foreshadowing hints along the way.
I do think that Noni Carter's journey toward publication was pretty phenomenal! She started writing pieces of what would become Good Fortune when she was only 12-years-old. She sold the manuscript to Simon and Schuster at BEA 2008, and they published it in 2010. Ms. Carter is only 19-years-old! That is just flat out amazing. While Good Fortune may not be my new favorite book, I do think we will see great things from Noni Carter in the years to come.
Recommendation:
Good Fortune will appeal to readers who really enjoy historical fiction. That being said, I would eagerly recommend Copper Sun by Sharon Draper, 47 by Walter Mosley, or Numbering All the Bones by Ann Rinaldi to readers who are looking for a truly engrossing story about slavery. 47 is actually just as much science fiction as it is historical fiction; how's that for a twist?
Ayanna was taken from her home, from her mother, in Africa when she was only four years old. Good Fortune traces her life's journey from the slave ship, through years on a southern plantation, and then across the country in her search for freedom.
Review:
I initially picked up Good Fortune because I read a synopsis and it sounded so much like one of my favorites: Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. Plus, that cover is just gorgeous.
After reading all 496 pages... I think I'd just as soon have re-read Copper Sun. Yes, Ayanna (who becomes Sarah who becomes Anna) is a protagonist to admire. She is strong, courageous, and wants to be educated more than almost anything in the world. She is the embodiment of perseverance. Her story even has a little romance which, in my opinion, makes any good book better.
But I just couldn't help thinking that her story had already been told. There were many passages that just seemed redundant, and there wasn't a single surprise over the course of Anna's journey. In all fairness, the last few pages could have been a great surprise, but I felt like author Noni Carter had left plenty of foreshadowing hints along the way.
I do think that Noni Carter's journey toward publication was pretty phenomenal! She started writing pieces of what would become Good Fortune when she was only 12-years-old. She sold the manuscript to Simon and Schuster at BEA 2008, and they published it in 2010. Ms. Carter is only 19-years-old! That is just flat out amazing. While Good Fortune may not be my new favorite book, I do think we will see great things from Noni Carter in the years to come.
Recommendation:
Good Fortune will appeal to readers who really enjoy historical fiction. That being said, I would eagerly recommend Copper Sun by Sharon Draper, 47 by Walter Mosley, or Numbering All the Bones by Ann Rinaldi to readers who are looking for a truly engrossing story about slavery. 47 is actually just as much science fiction as it is historical fiction; how's that for a twist?
Saturday, March 3
Reached: The Cover is Up!
Ta Daaaaaaaaa! The third cover for Ally Condie's Matched trilogy.
I see this image and think "Revenge." Not so much Cassia... Then again, Ky did paint Cassia in a red dress at the end of Crossed. I could tell that the color was supposed to be significant since she made a point of mentioning it, but just didn't get the meaning behind it. Evidently the red dress has a role to play in Reached!
What do you think, book lovers?
I see this image and think "Revenge." Not so much Cassia... Then again, Ky did paint Cassia in a red dress at the end of Crossed. I could tell that the color was supposed to be significant since she made a point of mentioning it, but just didn't get the meaning behind it. Evidently the red dress has a role to play in Reached!
What do you think, book lovers?
Wonderstruck
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, Scholastic Press, 2011, 608 pp, ISBN: 0545027896
Recap:
Two very separate lives, decades apart, become inextricably linked through the magic of howling wolves (not werewolves, real wolves!), a great big museum, and a little blue book called Wonderstruck.
Review:
The story of Wonderstruck is lovely - a little girl growing up in New Jersey in the 20s, and a little boy growing up in Minnesota in the 70s, are unaware that their lives are being knit closer and closer together with each passing page. Neither have any parents to speak - due to either death or just really bad, dismissive parenting. And both are deaf, and just beginning to learn to communicate with their hands.
I had a few different ideas about how their stories would eventually connect, and I thought that their ultimate resolution was completely satisfying.
But... the real star of this story is the artwork. And that's not just because Brian Selznick creates some truly fantastic illustrations. Obviously, he does that, but the magic of the artwork here is the way that they communicate an entire storyline with almost zero words.
A series of illustrations will zoom in and out, so you think you're seeing one thing, but then realize that it's actually only a small part of a much larger scene. And he includes tiny details, so that discerning readers can approach each page as a treasure hunt, searching for clues that will connect back to the story in prose.
I remember reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret and feeling, well, wonderstruck over the incredible imagination that was behind those illustrations. I remember only bits and pieces of the actual storyline, but much of the artwork still vividly stands out in my memory. I have a feeling that Wonderstruck will end up being the same way for me. I'll remember the gist of the storyline, but still regularly want to flip back through the pages, just so that I can re-experience the magic of Selznick's art.
Wonderstruck is up against Okay for Now in SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books. Who do you think will come out on top?? I still have to read Okay for Now and then I'll share my vote...
Recommendation:
Readers of all ages will be charmed by Wonderstruck. Teachers will find that the illustrations can be used for a variety of lessons on inferences, making connections, point of view, and character development.
Two very separate lives, decades apart, become inextricably linked through the magic of howling wolves (not werewolves, real wolves!), a great big museum, and a little blue book called Wonderstruck.
Review:
The story of Wonderstruck is lovely - a little girl growing up in New Jersey in the 20s, and a little boy growing up in Minnesota in the 70s, are unaware that their lives are being knit closer and closer together with each passing page. Neither have any parents to speak - due to either death or just really bad, dismissive parenting. And both are deaf, and just beginning to learn to communicate with their hands.
I had a few different ideas about how their stories would eventually connect, and I thought that their ultimate resolution was completely satisfying.
But... the real star of this story is the artwork. And that's not just because Brian Selznick creates some truly fantastic illustrations. Obviously, he does that, but the magic of the artwork here is the way that they communicate an entire storyline with almost zero words.
A series of illustrations will zoom in and out, so you think you're seeing one thing, but then realize that it's actually only a small part of a much larger scene. And he includes tiny details, so that discerning readers can approach each page as a treasure hunt, searching for clues that will connect back to the story in prose.
I remember reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret and feeling, well, wonderstruck over the incredible imagination that was behind those illustrations. I remember only bits and pieces of the actual storyline, but much of the artwork still vividly stands out in my memory. I have a feeling that Wonderstruck will end up being the same way for me. I'll remember the gist of the storyline, but still regularly want to flip back through the pages, just so that I can re-experience the magic of Selznick's art.
I'm ashamed to admit that I've never read E. L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed Up Files of Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler, but am now even more determined to finally do so. In the Acknowledgements, Selznick described how "any story about kids who run away to a museum owes a debt of gratitude to [the aforementioned title]." He went on to say, "In order to pay back that debt, Wonderstruck is filled with references to Konigsburg and her book. How many can you spot?" Doesn't that make you want to read it all over again with a brand new lens? I love a good literary scavenger hunt.
Wonderstruck is up against Okay for Now in SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books. Who do you think will come out on top?? I still have to read Okay for Now and then I'll share my vote...
Recommendation:
Readers of all ages will be charmed by Wonderstruck. Teachers will find that the illustrations can be used for a variety of lessons on inferences, making connections, point of view, and character development.
Thursday, March 1
Prized
Prized: Birthmarked Book #2 by Caragh M. O'Brien, Roaring Brook Press, 2011, 368 pp, ISBN: 1596435704
Recap:
The second book in the Birthmarked trilogy, Gaia's story follows her escape from the Enclave. Rescued in the wastelands by a handsome boy on a horse - an animal Gaia believed to be extinct - she is brought to the city of Sylum.
Sylum is no longer quite the safe "asylum" it was named for: once you choose to stay in Sylum, you can never leave. If you try, you die. In this town, the small handful of women rule over the men - no matter that the men outnumber them 10 to 1. And with the rapidly dwindling population, romance is extremely serious business. If you're found kissing someone you aren't intending to marry, you might just find yourself in the stocks - or worse yet, in prison.
Gaia knows that staying in Sylum might be her only chance to save her sister. But staying there means risking the loss of her own conscience, and beyond that, risking her heart.
Review:
I was thrilled when my hold for Prized finally came in at the library. As a HUGE fan of Birthmarked, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. In so many ways, author Caragh M. O'Brien delivered big time.
Sylum was a fascinating place. It really did feel odd to learn about a town where the women are 100% in control. The Matrarc (kind of like the mayor - possibly adapted from "matriarch?"), was the town's leader, and her word was law. The interesting part was, no matter if you were a cuzine (a voting woman, eligible for marriage) or a libby (a non-voting woman, destined to stay single), all women trusted and respected the Matrarc completely. While the same could be said for many of the men, there is bound to be dissension in the ranks when you are treated like a second class citizen...
O'Brien crafted a wholly unique setting in other ways as well: although leaving Sylum was a death sentence, staying would ultimately have the same effect. Because of the ratio of women to men, the town's population was dropping more and more drastically each year. So valued were the women, that they became the prize of the monthly "32 Games," where 32 men would compete to spend the following month in the winner's cabin with the cuzine of their choice. Flattering? Maybe. But that's also a whole lot of pressure - for both the man and woman involved.
In order to truly create a new world in Sylum, O'Brien created a new vernacular for the townspeople: matrarc, mlass, cuzine, libby, expool, crim... this book could almost use its own glossary! Truthfully, that was one of my favorite aspects of the novel. I love it when an author takes the time to make even the language feel precious and unique to the characters. James Dashner is another author who does a wonderful job at that.
Of course, all of this is merely the backdrop for Gaia's story. And as much as it pains me, I have to admit that I just wasn't feeling the love for Gaia this time around. She was made out to be a kind of champion for the people of Sylum - the only person who had ever dared to stand up to the Matrarc. But I just didn't totally believe it. She gave in to the Matrarc the very first time she tried to take a stand - and for most of the book she seemed much more interested in all of the male attention she was getting: "Oh, I like this boy! No, now I like this one. Oh, actually I think I like him the best! Ooooh, I just can't decide!" (I'm paraphrasing here.) Maybe I'm being too hard on her - she is only 16-years-old. And yet, I still expected more. She got some redemption in the scene in the stocks, but then went back to acting like a twit in the last couple of pages. I've got my fingers crossed for the third reincarnation of Gaia in Promised.
One of the best parts of Prized for me? LEON. This Boy Is AWESOME. Intense, surprisingly thoughtful, fierce, loyal, just a little bit wild. He was the true champion of the people of Sylum, even if no one seemed to acknowledge that. I wanted the story to keep going just so that we could have more Leon!
Recommendation:
Prized is a fantastic read for anyone who appreciates a one-of-a-kind dystopian novel. I think high school readers would get more out of it, but Prized could be a great choice for more mature middle schoolers as well. Caragh M. O'Brien will not disappoint!
Quoteable Quote:
The second book in the Birthmarked trilogy, Gaia's story follows her escape from the Enclave. Rescued in the wastelands by a handsome boy on a horse - an animal Gaia believed to be extinct - she is brought to the city of Sylum.
Sylum is no longer quite the safe "asylum" it was named for: once you choose to stay in Sylum, you can never leave. If you try, you die. In this town, the small handful of women rule over the men - no matter that the men outnumber them 10 to 1. And with the rapidly dwindling population, romance is extremely serious business. If you're found kissing someone you aren't intending to marry, you might just find yourself in the stocks - or worse yet, in prison.
Gaia knows that staying in Sylum might be her only chance to save her sister. But staying there means risking the loss of her own conscience, and beyond that, risking her heart.
Review:
I was thrilled when my hold for Prized finally came in at the library. As a HUGE fan of Birthmarked, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. In so many ways, author Caragh M. O'Brien delivered big time.
Sylum was a fascinating place. It really did feel odd to learn about a town where the women are 100% in control. The Matrarc (kind of like the mayor - possibly adapted from "matriarch?"), was the town's leader, and her word was law. The interesting part was, no matter if you were a cuzine (a voting woman, eligible for marriage) or a libby (a non-voting woman, destined to stay single), all women trusted and respected the Matrarc completely. While the same could be said for many of the men, there is bound to be dissension in the ranks when you are treated like a second class citizen...
O'Brien crafted a wholly unique setting in other ways as well: although leaving Sylum was a death sentence, staying would ultimately have the same effect. Because of the ratio of women to men, the town's population was dropping more and more drastically each year. So valued were the women, that they became the prize of the monthly "32 Games," where 32 men would compete to spend the following month in the winner's cabin with the cuzine of their choice. Flattering? Maybe. But that's also a whole lot of pressure - for both the man and woman involved.
In order to truly create a new world in Sylum, O'Brien created a new vernacular for the townspeople: matrarc, mlass, cuzine, libby, expool, crim... this book could almost use its own glossary! Truthfully, that was one of my favorite aspects of the novel. I love it when an author takes the time to make even the language feel precious and unique to the characters. James Dashner is another author who does a wonderful job at that.
Of course, all of this is merely the backdrop for Gaia's story. And as much as it pains me, I have to admit that I just wasn't feeling the love for Gaia this time around. She was made out to be a kind of champion for the people of Sylum - the only person who had ever dared to stand up to the Matrarc. But I just didn't totally believe it. She gave in to the Matrarc the very first time she tried to take a stand - and for most of the book she seemed much more interested in all of the male attention she was getting: "Oh, I like this boy! No, now I like this one. Oh, actually I think I like him the best! Ooooh, I just can't decide!" (I'm paraphrasing here.) Maybe I'm being too hard on her - she is only 16-years-old. And yet, I still expected more. She got some redemption in the scene in the stocks, but then went back to acting like a twit in the last couple of pages. I've got my fingers crossed for the third reincarnation of Gaia in Promised.
One of the best parts of Prized for me? LEON. This Boy Is AWESOME. Intense, surprisingly thoughtful, fierce, loyal, just a little bit wild. He was the true champion of the people of Sylum, even if no one seemed to acknowledge that. I wanted the story to keep going just so that we could have more Leon!
Recommendation:
Prized is a fantastic read for anyone who appreciates a one-of-a-kind dystopian novel. I think high school readers would get more out of it, but Prized could be a great choice for more mature middle schoolers as well. Caragh M. O'Brien will not disappoint!
Quoteable Quote:
"Mark my words," he muttered in his gravelly voice. "The Matrarc's turned you into a mystery woman and a martyr all at once. What boy could resist you?""Will's hardly a boy.""Don't give me that. He's a boy playing a game," Norris said. "The oldest game there is."
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