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Launch Party for Tempest by Julie Cross

2012-01-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I went to the launch party for Tempest by Julie Cross. Julie Cross is a local author! I love those! And since I'm a satellite member of a group called Supporting Local Talented Authors, well I just had to go. I love attending these things. It's fun to see what sorts of presentations authors make and how comfortable they are behind the microphone. You know they're good behind a desk, but there is just such a fascinating variation in how authors do with presenting.

Julie was great behind the mic. It was apparent that she had been to author events before and that we shared the opinion that the Q&A is the best part. She began with some tantalizing selections from the book, and since the book is told in the first person from a teen male protagonist, a writing workshop student of hers read. Then she turned it straight over to Q&A.

There were the usual questions, ones I'm sure she prepared for. These are NOT direct quotes:

How do you find time to write? I watched less t.v., slept less, and drank more caffeine. If you want something badly enough, you make time.
How long did it take? 3.5 weeks for the first draft and a year of revisions
Where did you get your idea? an editor, while rejecting her submitted manuscript, told her he wanted a YA time-travel and she went from there.
Who are your favorite authors, what are your favorite books? Little Women, Number the Stars, The Babysitters Club, John Grisham, Courtney Summers, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter . . . I typically read 2 to 3 books a week, so there are more favorites that I just can't think of right now. One I loved recently was The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.
Was it challenging writing as a young male? YES. All the danger and peril in the book helped.
What have been some of the most memorable and exciting parts of the journey? Selling film rights and foreign rights, opening the email from Suzie, her agent offering her representation, getting good reviews, teens liking it, and a 13 year old boy saying she had done a good job writing as a boy with her main character, Jackson.
What is your advice for aspiring writers? Read a lot, read your work out loud, have an online critique group, write something and finish it. Leave it for a while and write something else. Read tons!

The question that came out of the blue was one from the back about 3/4 of the way through the presentation:

"Hi, I came in late, and I was wondering if you could sort of summarize what you've said so far." . . . "Particularly, how did you do it? How could I do it?"

Dudes. That is the toughest question I've ever heard an author get.

I was very worried. I was blushing, and my hand was covering my eyes, so I have no idea how Julie was looking up there in those first few moments. But let me tell you, she handled it with grace.

Even as I was thinking, "there's nothing a novelist hates more than distilling her work into a summary," Julie pulled a beautiful one right out of her ear. She emphasized some things she had said before and added a few extra tidbits. She managed to both answer the question and not bore the rest of us to tears. (Ditto it's horrid follow-up by the same asker: "No, I meant how does it actually become a book?")

After that (oh my word it's like I just watched someone run a marathon) I felt like someone had to ask a good question. Being myself, I asked the only question I could think of, even though it was totally oddball.

"This might be kind of strange," I said, "but my question is for Suzie. How did you become an agent? What was your path, and how does one become an agent?" Suzie was more than happy to step up (phew) and told us her fascinating story -- English major to English teacher to Unemployed in NYC to Working for free, Working so much they thought they'd better start paying her, and at last a full fledged agent!

There were two or three more questions for Julie and then it was time to sign books!

Literary agent Suzie Townsend preps the books.

Julie Cross signs Tempest

While Julie was signing away, I got to interview Jackson, who did a great job reading from the book. Yes, that's right, he has the same name as the main character in the novel. I thought it was very clever of Julie to not read it herself, and that Jackson was perfect.

Jackson read selections from Tempest.

A freshman in high school, Jackson prepared for the reading by practicing two or three times in the month before. He said that he didn't practice as much as he originally thought he would, since he has been in plays, and not having to memorize it made the reading much easier. It was scarier, though, because he could see more people since the stage lights weren't shining in his eyes.

Jackson was a beta reader, so he read the book while it was still in draft form. He knows Julie because he took a week long writing camp with her, and his mom is one of her coworkers. (His mom is seated next to him, above. She's sassy, classy, and gorgeous, folks. She says Jackson is the "best ever!") Julie said she would rather have a boy read from the book, and knew Jackson had been in plays. Plus there was the serendipity of his name being the same as the main character's.

Jackson has competed in NaNoWriMo, and finds it crazy that Julie wrote the book in just three and a half weeks. Amen, brother!

Hopefully soon we will get a review of Tempest up in here! I am rather dying to find out what happens after the parts that Jackson read.

If you could ask Julie Cross anything, what would you want to know?

Good books to read aloud!

2012-01-24T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Evereaders! So I went to this very cool book launch on Saturday, for Tempest, by Julie Cross. I listened closely, took notes, and talked to lots of people! I'll post about it soon.

In the meantime, let me share with you a quick list I made up. My dear mother is student teaching in the fourth grade right now, and she asked me for ideas for a read-aloud. It was just three years ago that I myself was student teaching fourth grade, so I sent her this. I've added links to the ones reviewed here on Everead.

The first one I thought of was The Giver, I've heard people say their fourth grade teacher read that to them. Holes is excellent of course. When I was student teaching fourth grade I finished The Sisters Grimm book that the class was on and started The View from the Cherry Tree (a favorite mystery of mine). You could always see if Harry Potter or The Lightning Thief would take. Or (of course) The Goose Girl. You know how I love reading The Willoughbys aloud.* Another one that would be so good out loud (though it is quite scary in my opinion) is The Underneath. It's about a cat and dog who are friends and live under the house of a really scary man. The Mysterious Benedict Society? Crunch, the one with the bikes, perhaps? The True Meaning of Smekday is FANtastic out loud.** The Westing Game (mystery) The Book of Three (fantasy) Everything on a Waffle? I always thought Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach would be a good read aloud. A Year Down Yonder (or anything else by Richard Peck) ... do you want me to go on? :D

Crunch, by Leslie Connor. aka "the one with the bikes."

Even if you're not looking for a book to read aloud, all of these books are great to read in one's head, too. If it sounds good out loud, it sounds good (even better!) in the mind.
___________________________________
*I have read The Willoughbys aloud no fewer than three times. I find it hilarious. Sometimes I just start reading it to people on a whim.
**I have read the first several chapters of Smekday aloud countless times. I'm getting pretty good at my Boov voice.

Feynman

2012-01-21T11:57:00.000-08:00

Feynman
a graphic novel by Jim Ottaviani and Leland Myrick

It is no wonder this book made the 2011 Cybils Graphic Novel Shortlist! And I'm so glad it did. I looked back at my notes and saw this little list: Funny, Interesting, Educational!

The book is made up of vignettes -- sometimes they connect sequentially to one another, sometimes not -- and they give you a sense of what he did and who he was, rather than discussing scientific "contributions."

The book is written as though it were an autobiography, which makes sense because Feynman wrote several books about his own life. I had tried, some years back, to read Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman, but couldn't. I was missing out on all the jokes my older brother thought were so funny. So I was particularly glad the graphic novel worked for me. Because Ottaviani draws from extensive, impressive research ("our stack of Feynman material is over a meter high..." he says in the bibliography), those who've read Feynman's books will find new in with the familiar.

I was unsure of whether or not I'd like this one, despite all the good I had heard about it, because I hadn't liked Ottaviani's T-minus: The Race to the Moon. Good news! I found Feynman easy to follow and engaging -- even fascinating.

When Jacob first saw me with the book, he said something like, "Oh, Feynman. He was a notorious ladies' man."

"Hm!" I thought. "I wonder how that will be treated in the book!"

I liked the way that you got a sense that he was a ladies' man without explicit description. The ladies' man stuff is all implied. Myrick's art depicts nudes in the book: during art class, at the bath house, and in the topless bar Feynman defended in court. Myrick's art style is such that the nudity is not offensive to me.

The art from panel to panel is very styled, while still firmly planted in reality. It was amazing how Myric made Feynman look a different ages, back and forth, but kept him similar enough that I still knew it was him. Myrick's use of color is worth mentioning, too. It defines the end of a story and the beginning of the next. It helps us figure out emotions associated with events. All in all the art is top-notch.

The book made me laugh (I adored his personalized pencils) and it moved me. Five stars.

Hunger Games Map

2012-01-19T18:56:00.000-08:00

This is amazing! Not just because it's a really neat map of Panem, but because over at aimmyarrowshigh you get to see step by step why the map was made this way. It is super geeky and I was totally enjoying geeking out about it.

Map of Panem, by aimmyarrowshigh.livejournal.com and badguys.livejournal.com

via bookshelvesofdoom

Book Clubs I Would Love to Be In

2012-01-11T20:02:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me today that I love book clubs.

I'm in several already:

Graphic Novel Book Club
Anything Goes Book Club (fiction, nonfiction, kidlit, historical fic, scifi)
SLTA (long distance member now, hugs to the ladies pictured above!)

And yet I would love to be in many more book clubs...

Classics Book Club
Contemporary Children's Literature Book Club
Recipe Book Club (where we cook something each time!)
Kids Included Children's Literature Book Club (where actual kids come!)
Read Aloud Book Club (where we all sit and cross-stitch/crochet/knit while one person reads. We could take turns!)
Bring Your Own Book Club (where we all talk about whatever books we've been reading, instead of just reading one book)

How about you? Do you love book clubs? Are you in one?

*oh p.s.! Don't forget online book clubs. I've enjoyed reading along with the Readergirlz at times.

Around the World

2012-01-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

Around the World by Matt Phelan

This is the nominee that I was rooting for that didn't make the short list (there's always one, of course*).

The book opens with fictional traveler Phileas Fogg and the premise of Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days -- a smash hit of it's time and a classic today. Verne's book inspired world travel in its readers, and Matt Phelan writes about three real world travelers:

The first man to ride around the world on a bicycle.
A girl reporter determined to beat Phileas Fogg's record.
An old sailor who circumnavigated the globe alone.

Excerpts from the travelers' journals (and other publications that tracked them) mingle with imagined conversations and beautiful watercolor art. The stories are inspiring and uplifting -- it's beautiful to watch these people find and achieve their dreams. Themes of persistence and innovation are conveyed without any saccharine undertones. Several times while reading I said "wow" out loud. "Can you believe this?" is what I thought, but the stories are completely credible and obviously thoroughly researched. I found it fascinating to learn what humans are capable of, in re: world travel.

I think this would make excellent bedtime story material for younger kids, and teens and adults will pick up on the more subtle themes in the book. It's worth mentioning that Phelan's art is amazingly simple and skillful. I'm thinking in particular of the facial expressions of Nellie Bly, girl reporter. How Phelan conveys such emotion with just a few lines is beyond me.

Find it, read it. You won't regret it. An excellent choice for those who haven't read many graphic novels.
________________________________
*in 2010, that was Turtle in Paradise; in 2009, Cat Burglar Black; in 2008, My Dad's a Birdman.

Cybils Shortlists!

2012-01-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

They're here! Hurrah!

I'm particularly proud of the Graphic Novels lists (one for ages 8-12, one for 12-18) since those are the ones I helped pick. ALL of these titles are stellar, folks. I'll definitely be gushing about some of them, soon!

Hugo Movie

2011-12-02T20:52:00.000-08:00

So, The Invention of Hugo Cabret has been made into a movie. And it's out in theaters now! I knew it was being made, but didn't realize it was out already. Here's a trailer for you.

Music is sounding a little cheesy to me, but I'm digging the production design -- very much like the book.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from us here at Everead! Now we can stop feeling embarrassed that we're listening to Christmas music. . . . :D There is so much to be thankful for in this good ol' world -- like good books for instance.

Everead is now taking questions and making recommendations! That's right, no matter who you are shopping for we can recommend a good book that might be the next favorite. Why are we doing it? Because we love talking about good books!

Image: Surachai / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So, who are you shopping for?

An example:

What should I get for my six-year-old niece who likes pizza and is very polite? Help!

Answer: Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillo!

Why, yes, this example does come from real life. I'm not too worried that she'll be spoiled by this post. Hopefully she'll like the books -- they're her birthday present tomorrow!

How old (ish) is your intended recipient?
Male or female?
What are some of their interests?
What are some books they have enjoyed in the past?
Do they prefer fiction or non-fiction?
Do they have a lot of time on their hands, or just want to pick up a book now and then?
Will they like something everyone's been picking up, or have they read everything already?

Put as many or as few details as you please in a comment and we'll get right back to you (after careful thought of course!).

Froggy Boots Go with Everything!

2011-11-15T18:06:00.001-08:00

This cute little board book was sent to me in the mail a couple of months ago. I think a lot of parents can relate to the child who wears one article of clothing until they can't possibly squeeze their body into it anymore, until it totally falls apart, or until it "mysteriously" disappears in the laundry ... For my older brother, it was a flannel grey-and-black-checkered jacket. He's wearing it in at least one of his school pictures. Wouldn't take his jacket off for the camera guy. For me, it was a pink dress-up dress. I have pictures of myself kneading bread, trick-or-treating, babysitting, dancing, you name it, in that pink dress. My littlest brother practically slept in his cowboy boots.

So the premise of Froggy Boots Go with Everything is charming in its familiarity. A little boy jumps in puddles, takes a bath, and plays on the monkey bars in his rubber froggy boots. Added to the fun of the book is the little guide at the end that has you look for the real frog hiding in each illustration as well as other cute hidden objects. My boys, so far, haven't become overly attached to any one article of clothing, but I would not be surprised if one day, this book becomes both fun and applicable to them as well.

Wonderstruck

2011-11-11T20:18:00.000-08:00

Wonderstruck by Brain Selznick

This book is as thick as a brick. And yet, one can read it in a matter of hours.

Brian Selznick, best known for his book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, has done it again. This time, he mixes two stories, set decades apart. Ben is a boy growing up on Gunflint Lake, Minnesota and dealing with a tragic loss. Rose lives just outside New York City and fights the restrictions that are imposed upon her due to her deafness. Rose's story is told in pictures, Ben's story is written.

Sitting alone in a quiet house and reading Wonderstruck, I almost forgot I could hear. The parallel stories pulled me along from the very beginning; Selznick wastes no time introducing us to the conflict. Elements of mystery combine with themes of parentlessness and finding home in striking simplicity. And I was so happy about the ending.

Speaking of the end of the book, I loved Selznick's acknowledgments. WHEN you read this book, don't skip the pages after "the end."

***
This book is a Cybils nominee in the Graphic Novels category. The above review represents my own opinion, and not the assessment of the Cybils round one panel.

Guest Review: Dolphin Tale: A Tale of True Friendship

2011-11-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today I have a lovely review for you from 8-year-old Joy. She was the winner of our Winter's Tale contest in 2009, and apparently the story stuck with her! She found another book about Winter (the rescued dolphin given a prosthetic tail). Take it away, Joy!

Dolphin Tale: A Tale of True Friendship by Emma Ryan

Guess what! I have the new book based off the movie Dolphin Tale. It is called Dolphin Tale: A Tale of True Friendship and its got extra details. It says who saved Winter and how she got out of the net. A boy saved her with his pocket knife. I really liked reading it. I put my nose right in it because I was so excited! This book will be part of my collection of stuff that I got from your website. I can't wait to get Dolphin Tale: The Junior Novel. (now you push shift and the right pinky, so it will do dot, dot. then you do this one up here, and it makes like a sideways smiley face). :)

So I enjoyed...

2011-10-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

...reading this little chat with Shannon Hale. It officially starts on page two of the comments. Sadly I could not attend, myself, but this was my favorite bit. Says Shannon,

Alvilo, getting my first book published was freakin' amazing. It was a fairy tale. I was not a best seller. I did not make a lot of money (very, very little, actually). I did not win a major award. It wasn't that kind of fairy tale. Not the prince marries you and you swim in gold coins and caviar. It was the kind where you think the bear outside is going to eat you and instead he shows you the way to a secret spring where raspberries are ripe all year long.

Sweet! I could go for ripe raspberries all year long!

Also, as of today, you can bid on having a character in a Shannon Hale book named after you. To benefit the Kids Need to Read charity. Also several other awesome authors are participating. Here is the link for that!
**edit** looks like the auction opens at 3:30 p.m. MST

Guest Post: The Relationship Between Reading and the Brain

2011-10-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

So! Here is something new!

Lindsey Wright, a writer for onlinecollegeclasses.com, approached me wanting to write a piece for Everead. I am so flattered! She proposed to discuss the psychology behind online book reading -- a pertinent issue these days. I have read a handful of books in electronic formats, though none on ereaders, and a certain something is different. If you own or have used an ereader, tell me about it in the comments. How does it compare to other forms of reading?

Without further ado, here is Lindsey.

The Relationship Between Reading and the Brain

Since the birth of the printing press, humans have become accustomed to reading printed material. However, with the explosion of the Internet and electronic publishing, more and more people are replacing print text with digital text. For example, students taking online classes are now getting their text books digitally, and there are even websites available that offer classic books such as Great Expectations by Charles Dickens to read for free via the Internet. However one must consider the implications of reading material through technology. For instance – how does the brain react to electronic text? A 2009 New York Times article titled, “Does the Brain Like E-Books?” stated "Initially any new information medium seems to degrade reading because it disturbs the balance between focal and peripheral attention.”

Researchers will agree that the brain reacts to electronic text and printed text in many different ways. Alan Liu, head of the Transliteracies (a group researching online reading practices and technologies) states one's balance of focal and peripheral attention differs greatly when reading an electronic text and print text. When reading print text, one's attention is very focused on the page, paragraph, sentence, word, etc. In standard novels and nonfiction books, there is very little to distract the reader from the material. All print material is different however. With a newspaper, there will be photographs, multiple news stories, comics, and many times all on the same two pages of printed material. Readers will, nonetheless, be more focused on a standard book than a newspaper, and some may suffer from what Liu refers to as tunnel vision when reading a single page, or paragraph.

Although the balance between focal and peripheral attention in print material varies, in most cases electronic text presents an unhealthy balance resulting in the reader lacking a proper amount of focal attention and being overwhelmed by one's peripheral attention. When reading an e-book on an iPad or reading a blog online, the brain is not entirely focused on what it is reading. Whether the brain becomes sidetracked by the ads on the side of screen or feels an urge to switch tabs to check email, the reader struggles to focus on the text at hand. The best reading experience is considered one in which there is a balance of focal and peripheral attention, and many researchers believe reading a printed text many times results in an abundance of focal attention, whereas reading an electronic text results in an abundance of peripheral attention.

Maryanne Wolf, author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, believes that the effects of electronic reading are unknown. What researchers and scientists do know is how the brain takes in print material. According to Wolf, it takes the brain approximately 300 milliseconds to comprehend a word and the brain allocates an "additional 100 to 200 milliseconds to an even more sophisticated set of comprehension processes that allow us to connect the decoded words to inference, analogical reasoning, critical analysis, contextual knowledge, and finally, the apex of reading: our own thoughts that go beyond the text." Going beyond the text and entering our own understanding is what French novelist Marcel Proust referred to as the heart of reading. As a neurologist, Wolf's greatest concern with reading through an electronic means is that the "young brain will never have the time (in milliseconds or in hours or in years) to learn to go deeper into the text after the first decoding, but rather will be pulled by the medium to ever more distracting information."

Today, the iPad, Nook, and Kindle are household names. In recent years, e-readers have taken the publishing industry by storm. According to a recent Harris poll, one out of six Americans uses an e-reader, rather than reading books in print, while another one out of six Americans is likely to purchase an e-reader in the near future. E-books and electronic text are here to stay. The way we access text and comprehend language is evolving, and we can only hope that our brains can keep up.

Lindsey Wright is fascinated with the potential of emerging educational technologies, particularly the online school, to transform the landscape of learning. She writes about web-based learning, electronic and mobile learning, and the possible future of education.

Food Allergies for Dummies

2011-10-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Food Allergies for Dummies by Robert A. Wood, MD.

So. Things have been a little wacky at my house lately. We are looking for a new normal since discovering (and admitting to ourselves) that my little guy has food allergies. Most of my reading lately has focused on food allergies.

My top recommendation for educating oneself about food allergies goes to Food Allergies for Dummies by Robert A Wood with Joe Kraynack (because, you know, Dr. Wood has the allergy know-how and Mr. Kraynack has the writing thing down).

It is by far the most comprehensive guide I found to read. And that was what I wanted. Admittedly, I didn't read the tome cover-to-cover -- that's not my typical approach with non-fiction. But what I wanted to know, it told me. And the book also raised further questions in me and explained them. It has enabled me to feel competent at the doctor's office discussing allergies and intelligent about what tests are available, which ones I want him to have and how to proceed.

Reading this book was invaluable to me when my son started having a severe reaction to milk (he found his brother's sippy cup). Who do you call? What do you say? When is a reaction serious and when is it deadly serious?

I wish I had found Food Allergies for Dummies sooner. Some of my behavior (*ahem* feeding him allergens because I was in denial!) would have changed earlier.

If you have a little one, and you even suspect that maybe, just maybe, your precious baby has had an allergic reaction to something PLEASE take the time to educate yourself about allergies. Determine what systems your child is reacting on, and whether or not they have a true allergy (an immune system response).

Don't dismiss a reaction as a fluke. If you think something is strange, investigate it now.

Like I said, I wholeheartedly recommend Food Allergies for Dummies. If you can't find a copy quick enough, or if you want to read the story of a young man growing up happy with food allergies (which is what I needed after coming out of denial) I recommend www.allergicchild.com.

StarCrossed

2011-10-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have to blog about this book, because it's just one of those books that must be blogged about! Know what I mean?

StarCrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce (who first wrote A Curse Dark as Gold, another awesome read), follows Digger, an irreverent thief-turned-revolutionary. I'm finding it difficult to summarize this book---like, where do I begin? It's so jam-packed with complex people and plot twists, none of which I want to say too much about, that it's hard to find a footing.

Digger is a professional thief on the run, her partner in crime captured and likely dead already. She stumbles upon a group of joy-riding aristocrats, lies about her identity, and is taken under their wings and turned into a lady's maid for one of them---a young woman, Meri, who's about to come of age, and who hides an extraordinarily dangerous secret: she has magic. Magic is strictly outlawed in the kingdom, and those found with any connection to it are swiftly and brutally dispatched.

Plot twist, plot twist, plot twist, holding your breath, a lot, and then an ending with an ultimate cliffhanger about sums up the rest of the book. There's no love story, as the title might lead you to believe. Just hair-raising action adventure at its finest. And maybe, just maybe a little set-up for a romance in a subsequent book? We shall see. At least, I know I shall---November this year. :)

Cybils Nominations Open!

2011-10-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Click on through to nominate your favorite titles of the year. :D

The Santa Club

2011-10-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

*Before you begin reading this post!*

Are you over the age of 12?

Have you and your parent or guardian had a chat about Santa Clause?

If your answer to one or both, especially the second, is Yes, continue.

Okay, so funny this should be such a hush-hush post, but, you know. Santa has a way of being controversial. :) The Santa Club, by Kelly Moss, walks kids who are ready through that troublesome question of the veracity of the Man in Red. If your child is ready for "the talk," I think this book's approach is perfect. After confirming that the reader is accompanied by a parent and has permission to read, The Santa Club poses that singular question, "Is Santa real?" The answer: a resounding Yes! It all began with St. Nicholas, who wanted to honor the Baby Jesus, and the gift giving continues today with millions of Santas all over the world. After reading, the child is admonished to not share this top-secret information with anyone else, especially younger children, and is then officially inducted him- or herself into The Santa Club.

I loved that this book took such a positive approach to what can be a traumatic revelation. I loved that it embraced the true meaning of Christmas---the birth of Jesus Christ. But ... I didn't love the illustrations. :( I'm no judge of art, but the people depicted throughout the book are generally unattractive and occasionally a little scary looking.

So. The text? Loved it. Fantastic. The pictures? Not my fav. Still, I'll keep this one on a high shelf until my kids are ready for it. A better approach to teaching them about both Santa and his role in the real Christmas, I have yet to encounter.

Alysa will join the Cybils 2011 as a...

2011-09-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

...judge on the Round One panel for Graphic Novels!

I'm so excited about this! The list of my co-panelists looks fantastic.

I was on this panel not last year but the year before (2009) and it was a fantastic experience. It was Graphic Novel immersion and I learned so much. This year I'm thrilled to be back with that knowledge.

I'll be working closely with

Kyle at The Boy Reader
Melissa (my name cousin!) who blogs Here in the Bonny Glen
Liz of lizjonesbooks
Megan of Devour Books
Alyssa (my name twinner!) in The Shady Glade
and Christina, Guerilla Librarian

You (yes, you!) can nominate your favorite graphic novel published in the past year. I and my fellow panelists will read all the nominees and create a shortlist of titles to pass on to the Round Two judges. They'll pick the year's best graphic novels (one for YA, one for Kids) based on Kid Appeal and Literary Merit.

Of course you can also nominate your favorite books of the year that fall in other categories (not just graphic novels). Nominations open on October 1, and I'll be sure to post a link to the nomination form. (EDIT: Here is the link!)For round one, each book nominated is read by two panelists. They read at least the first fifty pages of the book and evaluate it based on the Cybils criteria -- kid appeal and literary merit. In my experience, nearly all of the books are read completely by more than two panelists. We have a great time debating the merits of the nominees via emails and group chats, and inevitably come up with a list of stellar books.

Just itching to start,
Alysa

Sophisticated Dorkiness: An interview with Kim

2011-09-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

Taking part in the Book Blogger Appreciation Week interview swap has been kind of like having a pen pal! That is to say: awesome! In a get-to-know-you-through-text-only kind of way. I was lucky enough to interview Kim, whose blog is titled Sophisticated Dorkiness. Isn't that a great name for a book blog? Here, Kim answers the interview questions. On her site, you can see my answers to the same.

How long have you been blogging?

I’ve been blogging since May 2008.

Why do you blog?

I started out blogging because I was graduating from college and wanted someplace to talk books, since I’d miss that after I wasn’t an English major anymore. I keep blogging because of the great friendships I’ve developed and because of how the blog has positively impacted my career as a journalist.

If you could meet any author, which one would you want to meet and why?

My initial answer was Margaret Atwood, but if I met her I’d be so tounge-tied I’d have no idea what to say and would look like a total idiot. So, on reconsideration I pick Jon Krakauer, a journalist and narrative nonfiction writer I admire because I’d love to pick his brain.

What is one challenge you frequently face when blogging? How have you tried to overcome it?

I run out of time and energy to blog after a long day at work. I’ve tried to remedy that by writing more posts on weekends, getting up early in the morning to blog, and scheduling posts ahead of time. It only sometimes works!

What is one book you wish everyone would read?

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. This is a truly amazing work of narrative nonfiction that I just love.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what three books would you want with you?

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace because I read it once and didn’t really get it. I assume I’d have lots of time to read on a desert island.
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood because Atwood is one of my favorite authors and I haven’t read that one yet.
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder because that book gives me hope when I’m feeling down.

Where is your favorite place to read?

I have two places. The first is in my reading chair, which is one of those big 1.5 size chairs I bought used for $100 about a year ago. It’s so comfy. The other place is in a lawn chair facing the lake at my cabin. It’s serene and beautiful.

That sounds lovely! I can just picture myself reading at a cabin on the lake.

If one were to take a sample of the reviews on Everead and Sophisticated Dorkiness, there would not be many books in common. However Kim and I both enjoyed The Happiness Project.

Thanks Kim!

Happy Book Bloggers Appreciation Week!

2011-09-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

This week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week! Seriously. I'm not making this up. There are prizes for book bloggers and special topics you can post about and tomorrow I'm being interviewed and doing an interview in return! It's all so exciting.

Today, at the suggestion of the BBAW blog, I'd like to "highlight a couple of bloggers that have made book blogging a unique experience" for me:

Reading Shannon Hale's blog, Stephenie Meyer's blog (which no longer exists), and participating on the forums at the Twilight Lexicon (ah, saying that makes me feel nerdy, it has been a long time) got me thinking about books online. "Wait. There's an online book community?" I said to myself. After finding interesting information on their books, I started to look up other books online. The first book blog I began to follow was Bookshelves of Doom.

Leila of Bookshelves of Doom embedded a vlogbrothers video, and while they're not strictly book bloggers (or book vloggers) they are doing a Great Gatsby discussion these days. I do believe I have watched every one of their videos. I have been more faithful to their YouTube channel than to any television series.

Many thanks go to Shannon Hale for highlighting Laini Taylor; I've followed her from Not For Robots to Grow Wings to her current blog.

Then I was a Cybils judge, and I got all kinds of new favorite blogging connections from that! Melissa over at Book Nut remains a standout, and I can't help loving Sherry at Semicolon.

And that's the way these things happen -- one blogger introduces you to another and suddenly your reader (google reader, in my case) is filled with all kinds of awesome author blogs and book blogs, and you have a conglomeration of friends you've never met. People whose lives you get to peek into. People whose taste in books is exactly like your own, crazily different, or to be taken with a grain of salt.

I'm glad to be part of it.

Alysa

p.s. I finished reading Jane Eyre yesterday. Love it!
p.p.s. Permission to appreciate Everead in the comments? Granted.

My Hands Sing the Blues

2011-09-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

I received this lovely book in the mail recently, and I sat down to read it to my three-year-old the night it came. My Hands Sing the Blues is a visual journey through the life of Romare Bearden (who, call me uncultured, I'd never heard of before reading this). Romare Bearden, I now know, was considered "one of America's preeminent artists" and was best known for his collage-paintings. The illustrations are inspired by his style, and the text is inspired by the jazz and blues that inspired his art:

Rocking on her creaky swing, we hear the crickets chirp.
We feel the humming Magnolia Mill and hear the crickets chirp.
We gulp down warm tomato slices, trying not to slurp.

The rhythm of the writing is mellow and fun, and the book touches on important historical events that I hadn't considered how to approach with my son yet. This book helped create a good atmosphere in which to discuss segregation and how the world is better today. It's a lovely book.

From the mists of time...

2011-09-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

...I bring you this review that once was lost (among drafts), but now is found. And it's a good thing I found it, too, because I liked it!

Wildwood Dancing by Julliet Marillier. This is a retelling of that classic fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. While I was recommending it to my sister, I accidentally described it as cute. Then I corrected myself, "actually, it's not cute at all. It's really creepy and atmospheric. I think I called it cute because it has a happy ending." Anyway, the writing is superb -- it imparts a sense of place better than any other fairy tale I've read. I also really enjoyed that I was able to piece together parts of the big reveal at the end, but not everything. I stayed up late reading this one, and want to read its sequel/companion novel, Cybele's Secret.

Cinammon Baby

2011-09-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Baby by Nicola Winstanley, illustrated by Janice Nadeau.

I love this book.

I checked it out from the library after finding it recommended on PlanetEsme. And her review is worth a read. (That Esme's so eloquent.)

Cinnamon Baby is a gorgeous picture book (watercolor, graphite pencil & paper collage) about the beautiful baker Miriam. Every day, she bakes. She saves the cinnamon bread for last, always, because it is her favorite. She marries Sebastian, and they have a baby. A beautiful, wonderful, baby who will. not. stop. crying. Are there any parents out there who are relating?

Oh! I just love Miriam, Sebastian and that baby! They love each other so well.

The text is straightforward and romantic: "After that he bought a loaf of bread every day for a year. Then he asked Miriam if she would marry him, and she said yes." Sigh. Love it.

The pictures are intricate and enhance the story so well. Sebastian is a violinist, though you wouldn't know it from the text. Like Esme, I adored the scenes of Miriam walking the crying baby around town.

I can't lie. I choked up on the last line -- I was reading it aloud to my boys, the first time I read it -- but it was okay because it was the last line, so I didn't have to read after it. This may be my go-to book for baby showers from now on. (Though I still adore Marla Frazee's Walk On! for that purpose.)

Highly recommended, especially for parents.

My Boyfriend is a Monster #1: I Love Him to Pieces

2011-08-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

My Boyfriend is a Monster #1: I Love Him to Pieces
by Evonne Tsang illus. Janina Goerrissen

Ah, this one was so silly!

So I got the recommendation from a School Library Journal Article that highlighted some graphic novels. I went into it with some trepidation, monster romances not being my typical thing, but I ended up really liking it! It grew on me, you might say (har har).

We open the book in a very normal high school, following Dicey, a cute girl with awesome baseball skills. We watch her do a school project, just kind of getting to know her, and then watch her fall in love with her boyfriend. It takes quite a while for the whole "monster" thing to come up, in fact. At first I was like, "Okay, where's the monsters? Lets get to the good stuff!" But after reading the book, I say it is paced just right. The slower beginning and everyday feel really let the climax pack a punch. If we had started with monsters, well, it just wouldn't have been as exciting!

Anyway, this one was silly and funny, and . . . also somewhat violent, but not graphic. The style of the art is fairly detailed, and I appreciate that the violence was not detailed. It kept the focus of the book on the characters, and didn't make me want to gag.

I'd say recommended for 12 plus, have fun with it!

Cybils season! +Hunger Games teaser trailer

2011-08-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Here is the link to the Cybils site, just in case you want to volunteer to be a judge. I've loved it, three years running. Crossing my fingers for four.

Also here is a link to the Hunger Games teaser trailer. Just in case you haven't seen it.

Understanding Comics

2011-08-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

So this was really interesting!

Since I have been reading a lot of graphic novels lately, I've been wondering about the technical terms for things. Like "Is there a name for the scribbling over the top of someone's head, to show that they're mad?" Well, I still don't know the answer to that one. But the spaces between panels are called gutters, in case you were wondering.

Anyway, Understanding Comics is less a primer of terms and more a discussion of the question "What is Art?" and how comics fit into art. Graphic novels, webcomics, and picture books all fit into McCloud's definition of "comics." Also lots of other sequential images.

The book itself is written as a comic -- very effective for it's purpose. It expounds the history of comics according to McCloud and talks about Eastern (especially Japanese) comics vs. Western comics. Their conventions, the things that artists do to get their point across. It delves in to how images can represent the passage of time, and all sorts of other interesting theoretical and practical stuff.

It will definitely be helpful to those (like me) who want to learn more about comics, how to read comics critically, and understand why an artist does something a certain way. More than that, it is consequential as a commentary on art in general. I'd call it a must for those who want to write comics.

I heard about Understanding Comics from author Gretchen Rubin's blog. She's not even interested in comics, but found it fascinating. I heard McCloud has written two follow-ups. Anybody read them yet? I think I might like to chew on those, next.

A World Without Heroes

2011-08-24T09:30:00.001-07:00

The latest and greatest Brandon Mull book (author of the Fablehaven series and The Candy Shop War) hit the shelves not too long ago. I've read all of Mull's books, and I must say, after I got about halfway into Heroes, I enjoyed this one best. For whatever reason, it wasn't grabbing me from the get-go. Maybe I'd gotten out of the habit of reading. Maybe it's impossible to get into a book when one has only two-to-five-minute snatches of time in which to read. Maybe I wasn't convinced that I was ready to invest myself in learning about and caring about a whole new middle-grade fantasy world (this is the first book in a slated trilogy). In any case, I (eventually) enjoyed the fast-action pacing, the likeable (if somewhat unbelievable) main characters, and the plot twists that kept me guessing until the last chapter.

The book has a very strangely quirky beginning for what turns quickly into a serious story. Jason, age thirteen, works at a zoo. Cleaning by the hippo cage one day, he hears music coming from ... inside one of the hippos? Leaning closer to investigate, he falls in, gets swallowed by the melodious water horse, and ends up in another world, where he suddenly finds himself on a seriously dangerous quest, accompanied by another young "Beyonder," Rachel, to recover all the syllables of the one word that can undo the purely evil magician/dictator who rules it.

I say the characters are slightly unbelievable because they are a little too well-spoken and mature for your average thirteen-year-old. Which is not to say that thirteen-year-olds aren't either of these things. These kids just come across as college professors on occasion.

Still, entertaining book. I'll definitely read the sequel, but I won't be dying for its release.

...Well, whaddaya know, it was!

2011-08-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

So I wrote a little story for the aforementioned contest.

The Princess and the Robot

If you like it, register for the site (which is simple, and not spammy) and "heart" it so that I have a chance to win. There are nearly 200 entries, so it is a little daunting, but I only have to get in the top 15 to be considered for the grand prize.

Personally, I think I did a fantastic job. Ashley helped me with the editing.

"Bellissima always gets her way. But when a suitor comes calling during the robotics fair, it could throw a wrench in her plans."

Remember, if I win the awesome prize (books by Shannon Hale and an Amazon Gift Card) I will give the books away here on the blog! :D

Whew! & So this looks fun.

2011-08-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Hey, weren't those guest posts awesome? Whew, they took more work to put together than I originally thought they would, but of course the hardest work was done by their authors. And it was totally worth it! Many thanks to those who left comments on them. We were featured on the homepage of the Center for Children's books, did you see?

In other news, doesn't this contest look fun? Basically write a less than 1500 word story about a prince or princess and you could win awesome Shannon Hale prizes. Y'all know how I feel about Shannon Hale prizes. So I'm going to enter! And, since I already own the two Shannon Hale titles that are part of the prize, if I win then I will do a giveaway here! I've already got a start on my story...

Alysa

Guest Review: Monkey Truck

2011-08-06T04:55:00.000-07:00

Monkey Truck by Michael Slack
AD

Book Review by Mohammad J. (part of the TAP In series of guest reviews)

Monkey Truck is a superhero that helps the animals in the jungle. The monkey truck has four wheels and is a half monkey, half truck. He is brave.

The monkey truck book is a good book to read to kids ages 2-5 because the words tell what the monkey does. It has a lot of action pictures that are fun to look at like when the monkey truck does something. Every thing the monkey did was well drawn in the book. All the pictures show a lot of facial expressions.

Note from Alysa: I seem to remember two camps among the students when it came to Monkey Truck -- those who thought it was awesome and those who found it so-so. Mohammad falls into the latter category, I think. But it is worth mentioning that the text rhymes and the illustrations, which have a kind of Cartoon Network feel, expand the text and give the story fullness. Read and (hopefully) enjoy!

Guest Review: Doors

2011-08-05T04:43:00.000-07:00

Doors by Roxie Munro
R

Book Review by Marcus Taylor (part of the TAP In series of guest reviews)

Doors is a perfect book for kids around the ages of 6 to 12. I say this because it has a decent length of words for the kids to read, and lots of color and texture as to where they won't lose attention. Within the reading the children are asked to find an apple and a hat or other random stuff from different scenes as you turn the page. The opposite page has little doors, or pop-ups if you will, for kids to lift and find these items. So, over all this book is an attention-grasping, worth-your-time book to read; and I give it a R.

Note from Alysa: Ooh, this sounds fun! My older son no longer wants to rip the flaps off of books like this, I wonder if he'd like it. That reminds me that I've been meaning to read Press Here by Hervé Tullet, which sounds similar. Thanks for letting me read (play?) Tullet's other book, The Book With A Hole, with you!

Guest Review: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together

2011-08-04T05:43:00.000-07:00

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman.
R*

Book Review by Clorisa Mainor (part of the TAP In series of guest reviews).

The book I read was You Read to Me, I'll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman. I want it to be an all star book. It's short fables that have really good morals at the end.

I believe this is a great book to start off reading to children because the morals will teach them wisdom and the illustrations are really on point. The pictures can tell the same story as the writing in the book. I think the pictures are for the children who can't read yet so they won't be missing out on anything. They will be reading alone but through pictures. I also love this book because it rhymes and I know children love books that have a rhythm.

Even as a 17-year-old this book appeals to me. So not only is it for children, but adults can also have fun reading along. Most of the fables in the book I heard when I was young, and I really like that they are still being told and in different patterns. I really love to read to children; my little cousins, their friends, even random kids I see in Douglass library when I go. And I really think the theme "you read to me, I read to you" gives the child to time to read along and be engaged instead of sitting there and watching and looking at the pictures.

I think more books like this should be made for a child's imagination. This book should be recommended to all elementary schools and all libraries.

Note from Alysa: One thing Clorisa didn't mention is that the narrative inside is split into two parts -- presumably so that two people can read it together. Of course one person could read both parts, or more than two people could rotate. I think it would be fun to use this book for choral reading. In the workshop we also talked about the interior design of books and this one has a great design that makes it easy to use.

Guest Review: Chester

2011-08-03T04:06:00.000-07:00

Chester by Melanie Watt.
R*

Book Review by Christina Coleman (part of the TAP In series of guest reviews).

I really enjoyed this book, it was creative and cute. It had nice pictures, the concept was understandable and held my attention.

The book was about a cat named Chester that is self centered and rude, and takes over the author Melanie Watt's book. He re-writes the book with a red marker and doodles on it too. He really just wants the story to be about him and not about what she's writing about. Also kids will enjoy a laugh.

What I liked about the book, was that the author was having problems with her own character, and really couldn't handle him. There was nothing that I didn't like about the book.

I recommend this book to young kids ages 7- 10 years of age. Also this book would be great as a read aloud and a read alone book.

Note from Alysa: Hmm, a character who takes over your projects, doodles on things with red markers, and wants everything to be about him? Sounds like parents of toddlers will enjoy a laugh, too! I'll definitely pick this one up soon.

Guest Review: The Little Red Pen

2011-08-02T04:40:00.000-07:00

The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens

Book Review by Jessica Heath (part of the TAP In series of guest reviews)

In the book a red pen takes on the task of completing a huge task alone but in the end only bad comes from the situation.

There are many characters in this book. There is a pen, a stapler, a highlighter, a ruler, a yardstick, an eraser, and other basic office supplies. This is a helpful book because it shows the value of teamwork. It also shows that not one person can do a job that requires many.

This is a good book to read to children because it shows the different dialog by using different colors and font type for each different character. This can allow the reader to use different voices to entertain the children or audience that they are reading to.

The illustrations are good in the book also. They have a lot of color and even though the characters are inanimate objects you can still see the facial expressions.

Note from Alysa: I haven't read this one yet, but I'm guessing it plays on the story of The Little Red Hen. Sometimes I identify pretty well with that bossy chick, so I'll have to pick this one up!

Guest Review: Mirror

2011-08-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Mirror by Jeannie Baker

Book Review by Jonathan Diaz (part of the TAP In series of guest reviews).

There are two different places that create two different stories. One family lives in the country of Australia and the other family lives in Morocco, North Africa.

Each story has many differences and maybe some similarities -- just like some things in families are the same for each family. The book Mirror describes and shows the differences between how people live in each country; how they cook, eat, getting to places, what transportation they use, their different lifestyles at home, different religious views, and many other differences in life using pictures side to side.

As a critic, I think this book was very useful to any age. It was realistic and creative. The story was realistic and simple because it did not use words; it just showed images to describe each action the picture creates. This book would be useful to any person and it makes you think of how different each person’s life is.

Notes from Alysa: This was a favorite of several in the group, and there was some discussion about how it would be great for classroom use. It is not constructed like a typical book, so when my 11 month old opened it up he got frustrated. :D Within the cover are two books that open up side by side, to show the parallel lives Jonathan talked about. Check it out!

Guest Review: It's Christmas, David!

2011-07-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Today I'd like to introduce to you the first of our guest reviews in a new series! It comes from high school student Jazzlyn Carter. Fun fact: Jazzlyn and I share a birthday.

It's Christmas, David! by David Shannon

R (see note*)

Everyone loves the David books. The little boy does various bad things and gets yelled at over and over again.

I feel the opposite. David books are all the same. He does everything in the book to defy the rules, and every page says, "No, David." He's constantly yelled at but never in real trouble, and there's never really a full story. By the end everything's fine and everybody's happy- until the next David book comes.

In It's Christmas, David, David steals cookies, peeks at gifts,breaks ornaments, and everything else there is. But once again, he is forgiven when it's all over. While he books are very repetitive, I will say they touch on things children do everyday, and the responses they normally get. They are bright and colorful, and very realistic. David is the typical little boy, and it's good for kids to know that at the end of the day they'll always be loved.

Because of the positive side of the never-ending "David" collection, I recommend this book to young kids around 1st grade. They can read it, understand it, and they won't get bored too easily.

-Jazzlyn Carter

*Note: R stands for "Recommended." This review is part of a series of guest reviews by students in the Tap In Leadership Academy. Read more about this series of guest posts, here!

Upcoming Guest Reviews

2011-07-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

Over the next week or so, we'll have several guest reviews! These come from high school students that Alysa has been working with at the Center for Children's Books at UIUC. The students are part of TAP In Leadership Academy.

Here is what one student, Jazzlyn Carter, has to say by way of introduction.

TAP In Leadership Academy is a summer enrichment program for grades 5-12. The program focuses on different cultures to broaden the mindsets of children to things they may not be familiar with. Each week TAP In highlights a different country and does projects relating to the culture. There is also a strong literary piece. Over the past 6 weeks, the high school scholars of TAP In have delved deeper into the world of literature. They have read books upon books, done mock review, and even created awards for books chosen by them. They have learned to look beyond the colors of the cover and analyze true literary merit. It has been a real learning experience, and they've gotten information that will forever change the way they read.

So! We will get to peek at some of those reviews and get a taste for the "books upon books" that they've read. As a note, TAP In reviewers rated the books they reviewed according to the guidelines that The Bulletin (the review journal published by the CCB) follows:

R* (Recommended book with special distinction)
R (Recommended)
Ad (additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area)
M (Marginal Book that is so slight in content or has so many waknesses in style or format that it should be given careful consideration before purchase)
NR (Not recommended)

If I Stay / Where She Went

2011-07-19T17:53:00.001-07:00

I finished reading both books in what I assume will just be a 2-book series (duet? combo? pair? am I missing a two-book-series word here?) a couple days ago. I read both of them really, really fast, not because I was in any hurry---just because I could not put them down.

First, the first. Mia, a talented cellist, stands on the brink of change. She's a senior in an Oregon high school and has (almost certainly) been accepted at Julliard. But her boyfriend, Adam, whose band is on the rise, won't be coming. These are the thoughts weighing on her mind when she goes for a drive one snow-day morning with her parents and her little brother. But her world comes to an abrupt end when her father swerves into oncoming traffic and everyone in her car is killed---everyone except for Mia. With her body lying in the hospital, Mia must contemplate the all-consuming question before her: If I stay ...

And the second ... Well, I can't really say much about it without revealing important plot points from the first, but I will say that it's told from Adam's point of view and concerns the aftermath of the tragedy of the first.

Both are told through a series of flashbacks, which sometimes I find annoying, because I just want to know what's happening now, darn it! But this was definitely not annoying. Moving, tragic, and yet hopeful, these books are both great reads.

For me, the beauty I found in these books was in Mia's loving family and in her love for classical music. I will add a warning, though: there is lots of language and some mild sexual references and a touch of gruesome imagery. The bad language is so casually used---just like I remember it in high school. So I guess it's accurate. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. :) Anyway, older teen to adult audience recommended.

Micro-reviews: Graphic Novel Edition!

2011-07-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

My best waiter voice says: Today we have here a delicious sampler of graphic novels to choose from. They are in order from my least favorite to my most favorite.

The Lightning Thief Graphic Novel, by Rick Riordan. If I had picked this up to see what the series was all about I wouldn't have read further. Annabeth, age twelve? Looked like she was a woman from the nineties. The jokes were lost because so much of the humor is in Percy's voice as the narrator of the series. He still "narrates" the graphic novel, but his voice isn't preserved and neither are the laughs. My take: Read the original, instead.

To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel and Mark Siegel. This was a graphic novel by a dancer, for dancers. There was so much distracting name-dropping that I couldn't get into the story. What there was of one. The dialogue was to little and too flat to hold up the story. I almost think there should have been none at all? I don't know. Can't say shoulda. The art was good and interesting, with great use of color. Done in watercolors. The other GN memoir I've read is Persepolis, and it is much broader in scope, more detailed, longer in timeline, etc. So this one didn't compare favorably. Thankfully it didn't get bogged down talking ballet terms, at least. My take: ballerina's could like it.

Crogan's March by Chris Schweizer. Follow up to Crogan's Vengeance, not a sequel but a story of a different ancestor. As with the first, this one begins with a modern setting and compares it with a tale from the past. I don't feel like the question that it set out to explore was really explored, though. Mmm. Maybe I was distracted? Still an enjoyable read. My take: I'll keep following the series.

Joey Fly 2: Big Hairy Drama by Aaron Reynolds and Neil Numberman. Joey Fly, a fly, and his scorpion sidekick must solve the mystery of the missing diva, a painted lady butterfly. Full of details that make it fun. Silly similes and metaphors, artistic detail. Appropriate for all ages and great for a read aloud. My take: Gotta get these, for when my sons get older.

Babymouse: Mad Scientist by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. Babymouse works on a science experiment, for the science fair. We love Babymouse around here. Our favorite was the Star Trek bit of this one. I thought it was particularly funny because Jacob tried to grow mold on bread with the scouts once and it didn't work out the way he planned. My take: Not my all-time favorite of the Babymouses, but fun.

Library Wars: Love & War by Kiiro Yumi. What can I say? This is a new favorite series of mine. It's got loads of awkward hilarity (love) and enough action (war) to move the story along. It's manga (read it backwards, from left to right!) and the premise is that Japanese librarians have an army of their own to protect books from the censor-happy government forces. As a tall woman, I find the pairing of Kasahara (tall) and Dojo (short) particularly entertaining. I'd recommend this one for high school on up especially if you're looking for something that's light but not fluffy. My take: The best new guilty pleasure, low on guilt.

Read it before you see the movie!

2011-07-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

ETA: another link from Shannon Hale!

I am very excited about this! Austenland is being made into a movie. Fer reals. You know, Austenland? By Shannon Hale? My favorite living author?

Shannon Hale's announcement, and some more details

Article at The Hollywood Reporter

Google Pics for your perusal:
Keri Russell
JJ Field
Bret McKenzie

My first review of Austenland

My re-read of Austenland

So I have to tell you: I went to this thing, in September 2009, where I had dinner with Shannon Hale and a bunch of my friends and some of her friends, too, and my mom, and she mentioned this. She and Jerusha Hess were working on the script together at the time. She said that if it happened, (and it was a big if at the time because you know how these movie things go, they have to be funded they have to be done right, everyone has to be doing things and things) she really wanted Jennifer Coolidge for Miss Charming. I'm so excited that she got her wish! Hurrah! And I also remember Shannon saying that she was dying laughing about some of the new stuff that she and Jerusha had put in. So. You know. New stuff! Fun!

Also maybe you didn't notice that Stephenie Meyer is producing? Well that is no surprise to me (it's news, just not surprising) because she's producing on Breaking Dawn and because she blurbed Austenland. And I heard that she loves it. Reads it all the time. (Yep, that's Stephenie Meyer hearsay!)
Oh, here the Twilight Lexicon comments.

Also maybe you didn't know that Midnight in Austenland is coming out? Like a companion book? Not with the same characters, but also set in Austenland. Just look at this pretty cover.

Anyway, I have a couple copies of Austenland. One that is currently at my house. So. If you need to borrow...

Micro-reviews: Teen girl edition!

2011-07-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

I have been on a great reading streak! You wouldn't know it from the blog, though. Here are some short reviews of books I've been reading lately, and there are more to come later:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.
This, my friends, is a YA romance. I thought I should tell you, because for some reason the romance took up more of the book than I thought it was going to. It kind of reminded me of The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks (which is a compliment), due to the boarding school thing. Also Twilight, because of the pasty guy. Just kidding. It's funny, though. I could have done with a little less swearing, but I thought Anna and Etienne were very believable characters. I particularly loved Anna's germ phobia. Recommended for fans of chaste romance, ages 14+.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol.
Inruiging. I liked the style and coloring. Anya has a bad attitude, a self-centered outlook, and a smoking habit -- she's easy to hate. When she falls down a hole and meets the ghost of the girl who fell down it before her, her life begins to change. I thought the plot and art both well executed. It was just creepy enough for me, and has a great ending. Recommended for fans of Neil Gaiman (his blurb on the front reads, "a masterpiece!"), ages 12+.

Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls by Bennett Madison.
Lulu Dark is not a girl detective. And she cannot see through walls. But someone thinks she can. And someone wasn't counting on her love for that gaudy knock-off purse when they lifted it from her. And what the heck happened to the girl with the shark tattoo? The fun is in the snark, with this one. The portions I read aloud to Jacob made him laugh. And about halfway through the mystery really grabbed me. Three or four instances of swearing, so tread lightly if you're reading aloud. Recommended for fans of mystery novels and chick flicks, ages 14+.

Page by Paige

2011-06-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Paige is a small town girl moving to the biggest of the big cities, New York. (Is New York the biggest city in the U.S.? I have no idea. But, it's the biggest of the big cities, regardless, don'cha know.) She purchases her first friend at a bookstore -- a blank sketchbook, and begins to build a new life.

Page by Paige is a mix of the narrative that is Paige's story and the artwork that is her sketchbook. It's very meta -- drawing about drawing. It's almost less of a graphic novel, and more of a narrative sketchbook. But "narrative sketchbook" is not a genre. Yet. So.

When we discussed this one at the graphic novel book club, Barratt put her finger right on the thing that makes this book so unique. That is, the majority of graphic novels portray the action in the book in pictures (and the dialog in words). This book portrays Paige's emotions in pictures as much or more than any movement of people. Which makes sense because there's not a whole lot of exciting action in the typical day of a high schooler.

This could make it a good pick for those interested in practicing their graphic novel reading skills. (I'm serious, there are different skills involved.) After finishing this book, I felt a sense of accomplishment: "Wow! I'm getting good at reading graphic novels, this one didn't give me any trouble at all!" Of course credit is due to thoughtful crafting on the part of the author as much as to my previous practice in reading pictures.

The drawing is fantastic. Exceptional. About the plot, I feel lukewarm. It was never surprising. It's been done. It could be accused of being trite. But that is very much forgivable, as the art kept me fully engaged, and keeps me flipping back through it.

A couple of links

2011-06-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

I quite enjoyed reading what Betsy Bird at Fuse #8 had to say about possible award winners this year. I haven't the foggiest about who will win this year, but going through her picks I just kept adding titles to my TBR (To Be Read) list.

I also quite enjoyed entering this Crossed giveaway, hosted by the author. Cuz I know I want to read it! (everead review of book 1: Matched)

The Happiness Project

2011-06-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

So I'm in this book club. I call it the "Over the Years" book club, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who does. Anyway, it's been meeting monthly since 1993, so "over the years" is apt. Well the book for July is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I put it on hold at the library and it came in pretty quick, so I've just finished it.

I was excited to read it because my friend Lindsay mentioned it on her blog, and talked about how Rubin's "Spend out" principle really resonated with her. I just love the photo.

This is a well written book. It is organized beautifully. Reading through it, I got the feeling that Gretchen Rubin likes to be organized -- a woman after my own heart! Not only is the book well organized but her thoughts are well articulated within it, and many of the resolutions she made over the course of her year-long happiness project were about becoming more focused on things that matter. I found it fresh and insightful to look at the small things that we can change to make us happy -- those of us who are already happy with our lives, for the most part -- and in that way keep the good that we have and deepen our current happiness.

I almost snapped my fingers and said "yes!" several times as I was reading the book. Near the end, Rubin highlights the distinction between resolutions and goals, and that was a particularly enlightening section to me. Goals are set and met. Resolutions are decided upon and you continually strive to meet them. Both are good, of course.

Resolutions? Yes please. I will be making some of my own very soon. I've got a nice list of books I want to read, now, too. She keeps recommending them, you see, and making them sound so fascinating.

The Goose Girl

2011-05-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

I spent a good part of May re-reading and thinking about The Goose Girl. It was my pick for book club, and whoever picks has to lead the discussion, you know.

I hadn't read The Goose Girl since my college childrens' literature class days, when I loved it. I must say, I still love it! I love it all over again!

Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee is the crown princess of Kildenree, next in line for the throne. However her early attempts to try to speak with birds (encouraged by her aunt) are less than undesirable according to her mother, the queen.

I really hesitate to say much more (though other plot summaries will) because I love the unfolding of the plot in this book. It is a retelling of a Grimm's fairy tale, and personally I find those always have some elements of surprise.

Ah, but I love this book! I credit it with turning me back onto reading, and with helping me realize that authors are living people, not just dead people.

And I love the element of romance in the book. It's so nice to get to see people actually get to know each other and fall in love, you know? Rather than the inexplicable love at first sight thing that happens sometimes. The writing is lovely, the plot well paced.

Two thumbs, five stars, glittery hearts and all. Recommended for girls and boys, men and women. If you want to borrow this book, I've got four copies. :-D

North and South (high, fluttery, girly sigh)

2011-05-23T12:08:00.001-07:00

I fell totally in love with this movie the first time I saw it. I was hesitant to read the book ... I'm sure you've had the feeling at some time---you know it won't be the same, and it might change the way you enjoy the movie, and maybe you'll end up being mad at the way the movie was made, wishing it could be more like the book, etc., etc. But read it, I finally did, and I quite enjoyed the book. (But the movie's better. IMHO. :)

Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South has nothing to do with the American Civil War. We'll just clear that up from the get-go. But it is about the struggle between two geographic areas and their conflicting ideals and worldviews. Margaret is from the South of England. Her father, a pastor, loses faith in the church, quits his job, and moves his family off to the North of England, to Milton, a place as different as possible from the idyllic and countrified Helstone they used to call home. There Margaret has to overcome her natural prejudice against the industrial people and way of life she encounters---a way of life totally embodied by the leading man: Mr. Thornton.

In typical 1800s style, the book has lots of long stretches of character monologues, and a couple of the main characters are Northern mill workers whose accents were often difficult to parse. So the reading was kind of slow going. Even so, this is a lovely, complex book, very Pride and Prejudice in its themes and character development, I thought. Feel free to chime in, anyone else who's read the book/seen the movie. It's so girly. I loved it.

15 Minutes Outside

2011-05-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

15 Minutes Outside: 365 ways to get out of the house and connect with your kids, by Rebecca P. Cohen

So this book is a little outside of our usual kids/YA fare, but it is a book that could potentially alter kids' lives (dude, heavy, I know) if their parents were to read and adopt its practices. The back of the book asks, "What could happen if you and your kids went outside, every day, for just fifteen minutes?"

This book was sent to me by its publisher to read and review, and as I've read it, a little at a time over the past month or so, it has proven itself a fabulous motivator. There have been a number of those pulling-my-motherly-hair-out moments when I've suddenly remembered this book and have cried, "Boys, we're going outside! Get your shoes on!" And every time I've done it, it has changed our cabin fever into happy outdoor family time.

My main question when I began reading was how the author was going to manage the fact that some of her readers will reside in Phoenix, AZ, while others will live in frozen winter tundras like Illinois. She does a good job of giving a variety of outdoor-activity ideas that can be adapted to different climates at different times of the year. And since she gives a different idea for every day of the year, I'm sure kids wouldn't notice if the warm-climate-resident parents skipped ahead to the summer chapters in January. Many fun ideas here, and while I haven't gotten my kids outside every day, I am definitely a believer in the value of the great outdoors. I'd especially recommend this book to parents of kids in the 5-12-year-old range.

Hidden

2011-04-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Hidden by Helen Frost

Wow. Fascinating, and intricate.

This novel is written in poetry, and from the perspective of two girls. The one on the left of the cover (which cover I really like a lot) is Wren Abbott. On the right, Darra Monson.

The premise is this: Darra's father steals a car. What he doesn't know, is that Wren is in it. Accidental kidnapping. Things get sorted out, but both girls are still affected by the kidnapping when, years later, they meet by chance at a summer camp.

Dah! It was so cool! It was the best kind of suspense novel: the kind in which your imagination is running wild. The way that Helen Frost crafts the story allows the reader to have an experience that is tense and riveting, but not frightening, no matter the age. People, this is good writing. And you may think, "could I ever give a book about kidnapping to a/my child?" well I would recommend this one.

Okay, so I read it -- it reads very quickly, 142 pages and stanza breaks aplenty -- and then I read the author's Notes on Form and I was amazed all over again. Because Helen Frost has hidden another poem within the poems of the book, (sort of a reverse acrostic? she invented the form herself) where some of the last words in one set of poems is another poem. How did she DO that? This is craft.

So, yeah, I was very impressed by it. It goes on sale May 10, 2011 (I was given a proof to review). I hope you read it, then we can talk about how cool it is, okay?

____
previously reviewed: Diamond Willow by Helen Frost, Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Finalist 2008.

Graphic Novel Poll!

2011-04-26T09:02:00.001-07:00

The polling is open over there in the sidebar. I'm interested in the results!

ETA: Results are as follows.

Have you ever read a graphic novel?
No but I would. -- 3 votes, 15%
No, not my thing. -- 2 votes, 10%
Yes, it was weird. -- 3 votes, 15%
Yes, looking for more good ones! -- 11 votes, 57%
Maybe? not sure if what I'm thinking of counts -- 0 votes, 0%

Beautiful Darkness and Entwined

2011-04-22T07:34:00.001-07:00

I've read two YA chick-flicky books of late: Beautiful Darkness and Entwined.

My one beef with the former is that I can't hear the "male-ness" in the main character's voice. The book was written by two women, but the main character is a guy. While some authors manage to pull off opposite-gender main characters just fine, I simply can't settle into this guy's head. His emotionalness and descriptions are, for me, too feminine---and not just feminine, but womanly. Not that guys can't be emotional or poetic. I don't know. There's just something about both the first book (Beautiful Creatures) and this one that makes it hard for me to really grasp the main character. Still. The books are action-packed and pretty fun. The love triangle in this one, though, I have to say, I was rooting for this book's female version of Jacob. Poor me. :(

And Entwined. Ah, Entwined. Isn't the cover just gorgeous? As I said on Goodreads after I read this one, if I'd ever written a book, this would be it: an adaptation of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" fairy tale. I actually did start trying to write this fairy tale into a book years ago, because as far as I knew then, it hadn't been done. Now it's been done at least three times over (i.e., Entwined and Princess of the Midnight Ball and Wildwood Dancing). I love the entrapment the author weaves---the girls' believable reasons for entering the enchanted wood to dance in the first place, and then their eventual entanglement there. I love that we get to see a relationship develop between the leading lady and her "prince." I love the gradual shift in the girls' relationship with their father. I just loved this book, but I'm kind of notorious for falling in love with fairy tale adaptations. What can I say, I was raised on Disney. :)

Graphic Novel Book Club

2011-04-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

So have I told you guys about the new graphic novel book club? at the Center for Children's Books? No? I feel negligent. It meets from 4-5 on the third Monday of the month at, where else, the CCB.

First, we read Library Wars: Love&War volume 1. I am now reading the rest of them and having such a blast.

Tomorrow we're having our meeting about Zita the Spacegirl. Win.

ETA: Okay the meeting time is in limbo. If you're interested, let me know and I'll keep you posted. Also for next time we're reading Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala (a personal favorite!) and Foiled by Jane Yolen (which looks really good!).

Back When You Were Easier to Love

2011-04-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

Back When You Were Easier to Love

by Emily Wing Smith

Once upon a time Joy and Zan were dating. But happily ever after never happened. Joy is left mooning and moping as she finishes high school in boring little Haven, UT. When she says she needs closure, she really means she needs to go get him back.

This one was fun. Also clever. And it reminded me of those painful high school days. Because even though I didn't grow up in Utah, I grew up (and still am) Mormon. And where there are Mormons there is a Mormon microcosm of this high school.

The pacing was good. The characters were rounded. The religion was a defining element of but didn't overshadow the story. Okay maybe there was a little much of the teen angst, but you know, its all about overcoming the angst, so you've got to have it to begin with. <3

We Are in a Book

2011-04-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

Benjamin says:
"More books! More bananas! Let's do We Are in a Book. That one I want!"

We're big fans of Elephant and Piggie around here. For weeks after we returned this one to the library, anytime anyone said "banana," Benjamin said "Banana! So funny! Ha ha ha! Hee hee hee!"

In this installment of Mo Willems' easy reader series, Gerald and Piggie discover that they are in a book! It is very funny, and very meta. They're hanging from the speech bubbles, counting down the pages, and saying "banana."

Really, it's a must-read. Shiny sticker is the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award.

Previously: What I thought of the series more than two years ago.

You might like to know

2011-04-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

...about this awesome contest! I heard about it in this really great interview of the author, Deborah Underwood, on Shelf Elf (a.k.a. the blog of fantastic Kerry Millar who organizes the Cybils Middle Grade Fiction panel). I simply ADORE Renata Liwska's illustrations. I was introduced to them in Little Panda (thanks to Bookie Woogie). Anyway, I have read neither The Quiet Book nor The Loud Book (slacker! I know! They're on my hold list at the library now). But they look very fun. Good luck winning! (But, you know, not too good of luck, because I want to win.)

Also, how about some contests of our own soon, eh? I have some books here you might like.

Rocket Town

2011-03-31T19:21:00.000-07:00

Rocket Town by Bob Logan

From Ashley: As I'm writing this, my son and husband are in the living room reading Rocket Town. I know this because I can hear my son's voice, "Ten, nine, eight, seven ...!" We love looking at the wild and inventive rocket designs and talking about which one is his favorite and what does he think this one does and wouldn't it be so fun to drive that one ... This is such a quirky, fun, creative book. We've read it many times over the past few days, and it is his "happy time-out" book of choice (i.e., You are being grouchy and crazy and need to sit on your bed and hug your bear and read this book until you're ready to rejoin civilized society). The illustrations are so engaging, it has worked like a charm. My three-year-old gives it two thumbs up, and so do I!

From Alysa:
The illustrations really make the book -- they're intricate and layered, something you don't always see in a board book. And each page has a rather limited color palate, but the book as a whole uses a wide range of colors.

I got the review copy of this yesterday, and I've already lost count of how many times Benjamin (age 2) has made me read it to him. Our reading, minus the original text goes a little something like this:

Benjamin: Mommy! Let's read Rocket Town!

Alysa: Okay.

Benjamin: Levi (the baby brother) wants to listen? You sit next to me, Mommy.

Alysa snatches a pen and paper.

Benjamin: I 'bout to read without you...

Mommy you read this word.

Big, big, big, big! Small, small. These are small like that one.

These up top of them. Mommy what's up top of them?

Alysa: Parachutes.

Benjamin: Parachutes are kind of like an umbrella?

A shark rocket! Rrrrar! Aaugh!

That's a school bus rocket.

Mom what's this rocket?

Alysa: The Claw.

Benjamin: It's like he's car!

You read this words Mommy.

Alysa: You know those words.

Benjamin: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ...and, what's gonna happen?!? BLAST OFF! Blast off, Mommy?

Alysa: Blast off!

Benjamin: He haves his helmet. The End. Now let's read Rocket Town again.

Rocket Town is nearly available for purchase (Sourcebooks, April 2011). Hope you enjoy!

Three books I liked:

2011-03-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Thirteenth Child by Patricia Wrede
I found myself recommending this one to a friend who asked for SF/F books "for people who don't read SF/F." I recommended it because, though it's about a girl who is born the unlucky thirteenth child of a wizard who must harness her power, it's also about a girl growing up during the westward expansion (magician cowboys!), and figuring out who she is. It's a lovely book, really. Despite there being a lot of action, it doesn't have the feel of an action book. Eff, our protagonist and narrator, is very contemplative. (Also of course it is by Patricia Wrede! Hello we love her remember? Sorcery and Cecilia. Mairelon the Magician, Dealing with Dragons, many Star Wars novelizations...ok I'll stop with the résumé.)

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Not gonna lie -- I kind of despised our main character, Liam, at the beginning of the book. Liam looks old. Not old old. But, he's twelve; and somehow people mistake him for an adult. Why did I despise him? He took advantage of his looks (understandable) to do dangerous things (what, are you crazy?!). As a parent, I was constantly having a heart attack on behalf of his parents. But, as the story progressed, I grew to like him more and more. Loved his way of relating the real world to World of Warcraft. And by the end, I was solidly rooting for Liam to come home alive -- for his own sake as well as his parents'. Liam made me wonder about my twelve year old brother, and how he's coping with being the tall kid.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
So it was pretty awesome that I won this book in a contest on the author's blog. She keeps a nice blog. I suspected I would like this book, because I liked Sweethearts by her (and also I like her blog, obviously). Once Was Lost is short and intense. Inspired by the real-life disappearance of Elizabeth Smart, Zarr wrote a book about a girl named Sam who doesn't disappear, but one of her acquaintances does. To make matters more complicated, Sam's father is the local (overworked) pastor. Zarr does a great job of portraying complex emotions. The feelings of sudden attachment to something (someone) that's gone missing -- then detachment when you notice everyone else feels attached too. Loving and loathing her parents at the same time, as they make decisions that are tough on her. Feelings of deep spiritual reflection. So, yeah. I guess that makes it seem like a book about feelings. Which I think it is. It was good.

Three children's books

2011-03-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Book #1: Dream Big, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi.
"Poppy was a pig. A pot-bellied, waddling, toddling pig. She was a pig with dreams." Thus begins this cute story from Olympic-figure-skater-turned-children's-author, Kristi Yamaguchi. I knew when I saw the cover that there would have to be some hilarity to a story about a pig, of all animals, who dreams of becoming a figure skater (after dreaming and failing to become a ballerina and a singing star and a runway model). The "reach for your dreams!" anthem isn't too overdone, and it is infused with some reality---Poppy can't carry a tune, so she's wisely advised that "Singing is just not for you" by the music judges, and when the figure-skating dream takes hold of her, she has to work long and hard to achieve it. I also appreciated the follow-up dream of becoming a pilot, just to add a little touch of something-other-than-the-performing-arts to the storyline. Sweet book, especially for a little someone who might be feeling down about not being good at something. Poppy hits her bumps in the road, but she keeps a cheery optimism that'll make readers smile. Cute!

Book #2: My Name Is Not Alexander by Jennifer Fosberry
"My name is not Alexander!" said the little boy.... "I am Theodore! The greatest, grandest president who ever was!"
Following the dream-big theme of Book #1, Alexander is a little boy with an active imagination and an extensive knowledge of U.S. history. :) He dreams of being Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Chief Joseph, Fred Astaire, Jackie Robinson, and, of course, his daddy, "the greatest, coolest father that ever was!" I love that this book, like its predecessor My Name Is Not Isabella, serves as a great inspiration not only for kids to dream a little but also for them to learn about the past. My son (who is only 3) didn't really "get" it at first read, not having any idea who the people are that Alexander's pretending to be, but it inspired me to explain these historical figures to him. For that, the book also has little bios at the end to help parents teach kids a little more, which is great. Sweet book, especially for older-ish kids (not preschoolers, in other words). :)

And Book #3: Let's Count Goats! by Mem Fox
Can YOU count goats??
So this book is completely different from Books 1 and 2. I just read it for the first time tonight, and I knew I had to blog about it. It's a counting book, but definitely the funniest counting book I've ever seen. My three-year-old was cracking up. I don't know that I've really heard him laugh so hard. Ever. (Though to be fair, it was way past his bedtime, so he was a little loopy ...) Still, the illustrations in this book: hysterical. The goat that's climbed out of the cockpit of his plane to eat the tail fin? The faces of the "rowdy goats careering round in cars"? And the one that had my son really in stitches, the goat trying to play a trumpet backwards? Wow. Seriously hilarious. Most counting books are the same. A picture of six bananas with the corresponding number printed numerically and spelled-out in the top corner. A picture of seven toy cars with the corresponding number printed numerically and spelled-out in the top corner. A picture of eight balls ... you get the picture. Spencer is bored with those. But this got him fired up for counting again. The text dares the reader to count, and the happy, hungry, gagging, shouting, terrified, oblivious, noisy, mischievous goats make it so, so fun. Thumbs up.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else

2011-03-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

I don't remember where I saw this book listed, but it sounded good, wherever it was I heard about it, so I reserved it at the library. It took me a while to get to it, because I'm terribly busy at the moment (my usual book-reading evening time is currently occupied by lesson-planning for a church class I'm teaching, and boy #2 has decided that boy #1's naptime is a great time to be awake). So it pined away on my lamp stand, lost in a pile of lesson-planning materials and little-boy books for a couple of weeks or so, until I'd finally had enough of not reading, and I grabbed it and dived in, busyness be darned, knowing the due date was upon me.

I am so glad I made the time to read this sweet little book. I'm sure it spoke to me especially because it's about a girl who decides to get married at age 18, straight out of high school. I got married at 18 (though in my defense, I already had two years of college under my belt). So it struck a chord. Bronwen, the main character, is a little desperate to escape her broken family, and she falls totally in love with Jared, who comes from a happy, functional home. (More chords striking---minus the desperation part ... happy almost-seven-year anniversary, Honey! :) When Jared proposes, the prospect of marriage to him couldn't feel more right for Bronwen. But as she begins to acknowledge all of the sacrifices she'll have to make---the college roommates she'll never have, the study-abroad semester she won't be able to go on, and then even her college of choice she won't be able to attend---and when she realizes as the wedding draws nearer that "Bronwen" is dissolving into "Us," her perfect dream begins to crack, and only time, growth, and the long-needed support of her family will help her fit the pieces back together.

Such a good book, not least of all because this particular young woman decided to "wait" until marriage, and I think that's downright awesome. There are not many teen books out there with that kind of main character these days. Although, parents be warned, she and her fiance do some pretty heavy making out/necking/petting in one scene. Brief, and definitely not descriptive, but still there.

Anyway, great book. Two thumbs up.

Chickens to the Rescue!

2011-03-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

When I grabbed these two books (Chickens to the Rescue and Pigs to the Rescue by the talented John Himmelman) off the library shelf, entertained by the concept and the cover illustration, I didn't realize what a treat Spencer and I were in for. These books are totally hilarious. Farmer Greenstalk and his wife and two children and their farm encounter the usual mishaps of life (the sheep wandering into the woods, a watch dropping down a well, the dog eating some homework, the hose springing a leak, the cat spilling his milk dish, the duck driving off in the farmer's truck---you know, the normal kinds of daily trials). But lucky for them, they have some fabulously go-getter, good-deed-doing groups of farm animals who send spies around the farm and farmhouse to sound the alarm whenever there's trouble and call in the troops: Chickens to the rescue!! Pigs to the rescue!! (The chickens of the first book are a tad more effective than the pigs in the second in lending a helping hand, however.)
Spencer loved looking for the lurking chicken spy (or pig, in the second book). I loved the illustrations---the scuba-gear-wearing chickens off to rescue the dropped watch, the mayflower-clad pigs "fixing" the daughter's shoelace, delightful chaos and detail on every page. Alysa and I both definitely recommend these great children's picture books (I made Alysa read them when she and her boys were over at my house). Two thumbs up. Or, four. :)

Just in case...

2011-03-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

...you love Shannon Hale like me, but don't check her blog as often as I do:

The big reveal of an Alison Jay cover for Forest Born! Special Hardback edition! Coming October!

It's a mystery! Can you solve it?

2011-03-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

My mother is trying to figure out the name and/or author of this favorite poem of hers. We can't seem to figure it out any way any how. The text may not be exact, since it's from memory, but I bet it's pretty close.

Under the green glass roof of waves
The little merchildren play.

Their toys are shells
And their homes are caves,
Their little pet fish
Feed beneath the spray.

They slip and dive,
Swoop and swirl,
Where the sea-grass sways
And the seashells curl.

Peep through the seaweed wafting wild,
And you might even see a little merchild.

Gunnerkrigg Court

2011-03-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Lazer cows. They're like regular cows, but with lazers. *zot*

Today I'll be interviewing Jacob about Gunnerkrigg Court, one of our favorite books/webcomics.

Alysa: So. Gunnerkrigg Court. It's pretty good, huh?

Jacob: laughs Yeah.

Alysa: Why don't you tell the blog readers how we found it?

Jacob: That's not a question. But I can. Alysa got the first book of Gunnerkrigg Court for the Cybils...last year?... or I guess it was two years ago when she was on the Graphic Novels panel she read it and really enjoyed it and told me I had to read it. So I did. Then we found out there was a web comic.

Alysa: That it is a webcomic. (ETA: It won, by the way.)

Jacob: That it is a webcomic, caught up to the current storyline and both have been following it via Google Reader ever since.

Alysa: If I recall correctly, we were reading it pretty much non-stop for several days.

Jacob: I'm waiting for the next question. The first two have not been very good, as questions at least. One ended in "huh?" and the other was less of a question and more of a command.

Alysa: Umm, ok. What literary themes have you identified in Gunnerkrigg Court?

Jacob: Now I feel like I'm back in High School English. But that was a much better question. The main theme...is...the conflict between technology and the natural world. Which is shown through the conflict of Gunnerkrigg Court and Gillitie Wood.

A: How do you spell Gillitie wood?

J: I dunno. I'll have to find out later. Are you going to go back and edit this at all?

A: Yes. Yes I am. typos everywhere since I'm transcribing as we go Gunnerkrigg court is the school that Annie goes to. Gillite wood is the big scary woods on the other side of the ravine/river/bridge.

J: There's also the usual themes of growing up; it's a coming of age story.

A: Yeah, she's finding out about her parents more, Gunnerkrigg Court is a boarding school, and her parents used to go to it.

J: But it's not like Harry Potter.

A: Right. There's no real bad guy as far as I can tell. It's just a series of chapters, experiences that Annie and her friends have.

J: There's also themes of friendship, and trust. And loyalty.

A: And mystery! checks email

J: Hey, I thought we were doing something.

A: We are. We're creating something together, that is not a baby.

J: You just want to be able to include that line.

A: What can I say? It's a good one.

J: The next question.

A: Ok fine. To whom would you recommend Gunnerkrigg Court? Or, have you recommended it to anyone already?

J: Ummmm I would recommend it to most anyone. Over the age of.. 12 would you say?

A: Sure. Yeah. It's not inappropriate--

J: right, it's not vulgar, explicit

A; but the themes are just kind of --

J: Right. One of the things I like about it. Is that it has interesting themes and ideas without needing to resort to that sort of stuff. ... AND there's City Face. Not actually part of Gunnerkrigg Court. But I'll leave you to find out about that yourself.

A: One of the things that I think is kinda weird is reading it just a page at a time, as it comes out.

J: It was much nicer to read it in book form. We would love to purchase Volume 2. (and 3, I don't think it's out yet though. The material is there, but it's not been published yet.) We're just poor graduate students, though.

A: Hey I wonder if it's on Paperbackswap. Probably not. Cuz --

J: The people who bought it probably want to keep it

A: Yeah. It's not put out by a publisher.

J: Is that true?

A: I think it's self-published. I mean, obviously there's still someone who publishes it.

J: fetches book Archaia Studios Press. flips through first pages The drawing has gotten much better

A: Yeah his style has changed a lot. And I think that the style of the story has changed too, over time. It has become more coherent. Cohesive. Less episodic? But maybe that's just the fact that I'm reading it one page at a time.

J: If you do start reading it, be aware that there's not much exposition. And by not much, I mean none at all.

A: The backstory comes later. In pieces. Which I like.

J: It's all part of the mystery. ... Here's how you spell Gillitie Wood.

A: corrects previous. Ok, cool.

J: chuckles

A: What are you laughing about?

J: The first chapter. Annie's trying to figure out how to get Shadow 2 across the bridge but she couldn't walk across herself. And she says, "There was only one sensible resolution to the problem. I must construct a robotic walking device, which will provide you with transit across the bridge!"

A: I like all the fun inventions. Like the laser cows.

J: laughs

A: Ok! That's us signing off then! Tell us if you read it, and if you like it! Here's the first page. Oh! I wanted to tell them about how when we went out for Valentine's Day, dinner without the kids, we spent a good deal of time discussing our Gunnerkrigg Court theories. That was fun.

J: I see... still paging through Vol 1...Jones!

Astro the Steller Sea Lion

2011-02-25T12:37:00.001-08:00

Astro is an orphaned Steller sea lion who was found and brought to a marine mammal center on the California coast. When he'd grown big enough, his rescuers released him into the ocean to swim away and make his own way in the world. But Astro had other ideas. He'd become too attached to humans in his time at the marine center, and though they tried releasing him farther and farther away, Astro kept making his way back to civilization, once even joining a walk-a-thon taking place at a school!

When it was clear to the marine-center workers that Astro wasn't going to stay away, a new home was found for him at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, where he now lives happily.

This was a sweet children's book sent to me by its author to read and share with my son and review on the blog. Spencer asked lots of questions as I read, and I quite liked the colorful illustrations, so all in all, an enjoyable read, especially for any kids out there interested in marine life.

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

2011-02-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch

Guys. You've got to read this one. It's totally awesome.

The tagline is "Yet Another Troll-Fighting 11-Year-Old Orthodox Jewish Girl!" The book made me laugh and I particularly loved the sibling interactions, being from a big family myself. It's just darn good storytelling is what it is. I made Jacob read it.

Jacob says: "It left me wanting to know the rest of the story, which is a compliment!"

Yes, it is the story of how Mirka gets a sword, and I too am curious to see how she'll use it in the future.

You can read the 57 page webcomic here(ville), but I recommend just getting your hands on the book because it is the expanded (139 page) version.

Seriously though. It's in my Top 5 graphic novels. Or among my favorites, anyway. I don't think I could make a top five (or even 10) list.

Cybils Winners!

2011-02-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

Happy less than three day! <3

Happy Interplanetary Be Who You Are Day!

Happy Singles' Awareness Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Cybils Award Announcement Day!

You can find all the winners here! Winning the Middle Grade Fiction award (the one that Ashley and I helped to judge) is...

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger! Huzzah! I liked it. My Review went up in November.

How Romantic

2011-02-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

Firelight, by Sophie Jordan.
The latest Twilight-esque book.

Jacinda is a "draki"---a dragon descendant with the ability to shift into human form. Her kind are hunted and endangered, and with her rare fire-breathing abilities, Jacinda is particularly important to her tribe. She's destined to marry and "breed" with the clan leader's son, but Jacinda's mom has other ideas. She sneaks both of her daughters away in the night and moves them to a desert town in hopes that Jacinda's inner draki will die, leaving her a normal girl, and keeping her safe from the grasping claws and horrifying future the clan has planned for her.

But Jacinda doesn't want to let go of her draki identity. She fights its withering decline, torn between a desire to please her mother and twin sister and a love for her kind. The only thing she's found in the moistureless desert that keeps her draki alive is Will.

Will is all broad-shouldered, rippling-muscled, sultry-voiced, romantic-ness incarnate. He also happens to be a Hunter---a member of the very family that killed Jacinda's father and nearly captured Jacinda herself.

They are destined to be together, yet so wrong for each other. Star-crossed lovers. *sigh*

There was something about this book that kept me reading. It was fast-paced. It was interesting. But ... it was kinda corny. So if that's your thang, by all means, read Firelight. It'll have a sequel too, to carry on where we left off with a cliffhanger ending, natch.

Matched, by Ally Condie.
And then there's Matched. Apparently the movie-production rights for both of these books have been optioned (is that the right word?), which is unsurprising and potentially fun.

Matched is so deep and lovely where Firelight feels (at times) kind of canned and two-dimensional. Set in a dystopian world, this book tells the story of Cassia, a model citizen who has been matched for marriage to her best friend and next-door neighbor Xander. But when, after the matching ceremony, another boy's face appears on her information card, her tidy life begins to crack, and Cassia has to navigate the treacherous waters of inner rebellion in a society of merciless perfection.

This book pretty much screamed The Giver, but I was okay with that. The writing---the writing! I've read an awful lot of YA books, and it's kind of rare to find a book that puts so much effort into the art, instead of focusing only on a gripping storyline. This book's got both---the grip, and the art. Highly recommended.

Shark vs. Train

2011-02-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton

Maybe if I transcribe some of the gleeful exclamations of Benjamin about this book, we'll have a review that will make you want to read this imaginative book without spoiling any of the fun.

Alysa: Let's write about Shark vs. Train.
Benjamin: Lets read it! Shark bersuz Train. (Pointing to wordless page): read this words! Grr... Shark is not too heavy, Train is too heavy! The train is hot! The shark is burping! Wemomade! Crabs not have mouths. Shark have mouth! Silly wemomade. Trick-or-treating... Having some ice cream. I want to ride on the train. Play hide and seek. Mommy and a Daddy. Light is off. Mom Mommy Mom! Playing a game. Holding that, holding those. That is a TV. Mommy listen! That is the little 'boose! It's too far away. Riding motorcycles! Boys, lunch!

There you have it! Hilariously written, stupendously illustrated, a Cybils finalist this year, among many other accolades.

And then, as he sees me add the cover image to this review:
It's Shark bersuz train! Yay! Mom, clap! (Mom obliges.) Mom, it's a book.

Meanwhile

2011-01-27T19:40:00.000-08:00

Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

Aw, yeah! Choose your own adventure, graphic novel style! Both Jacob and I had a lot of fun reading this book. In it, you make choices for Jimmy. The first choice: vanilla or chocolate?

Interesting tidbit: It's no surprise that the book is peppered with fantastic inventions; the author had to design a computer program in order to create the best layout for the book.

Jacob's 2 cents: 1. It was clever, 2. and kind of morbid, once you figure out what's going on.

To which I respond: What choose your own adventure isn't kind of morbid?

2010 Newbery & Other ALA Awards

2011-01-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

So, you heard that the 2010 ALA Awards have been announced?

Newbery goes to Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool -- a title that was one of the nominees for Cybils Middle Grade Fiction, but sadly neither Ashley nor I could get a hold of it. I bet it will be easier to find now!

Printz (a.k.a. the YA Newbery) goes to Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi -- I happened to have it checked out from the library when the announcement was made, so I jumped right on that. I have to say it is not my favorite book of the year. It lends itself handily to comparison with The Hunger Games, but for me was not as enjoyable. And I don't really call the Hunger Games enjoyable. Ship Breaker had an engaging plot and provided lots of food for thought, but the violence in it was more personal than the Hunger Games violence (which was about my limit) and had the added disadvantage (in my opinion) of plenty of swearing. What is family? What would you do for freedom? What does killing a person do to you? How much does your heritage affect your ultimate self? These are interesting questions, but I prefer to ponder them without graphic violence and crude language.

Behemoth

2011-01-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Holy cow. I just couldn't put this book down. And when I finished it last night, I was dying for more! I thought about it in my dreams and was even still thinking about it the next morning. I kept getting the urge to sit down and read, then had to keep reminding myself, "Dang it, I already finished the book!" I liked Behemoth even more than its predecessor, Leviathan, which is rare, at least for me, to like the second book in a trilogy best. I guess I can't say best, though, since I haven't read the third book, to be titled Goliath, which won't be published until October of this year. (Dang it!)

If you haven't read these books, or my review of the first, the genre is steam-punk WWI. Behemoth picks right up where the first book left off. Alek, an on-the-run heir to the Austrian throne, and Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy midshipman aboard the airship Leviathan, are on their way to Istanbul to deliver a gift from Darwinist England to the sultan in hopes of convincing him to stay out of the brewing war between England and Germany. An escape and a secret-mission-gone-awry later, Alek and Deryn find themselves on the run in the sprawling city and soon join up with a group of rebels plotting to dethrone the sultan.

Totally action-packed, with awesome illustrations, cool old/new/fantastical technology, and even a secret love story, Behemoth gets my two thumbs up. Can't wait for the last book!

Speaking of the shortlist...

2011-01-04T13:26:00.000-08:00

My personal favorite of the books, Crunch by Leslie Connor, is on sale at Amazon right now! A mere $6.80 -- for the hardcover! I reviewed the book back at the end of November. Let me know how you like it, if you read it!

The Shortlist!

2011-01-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

Drum roll please .... (even though it's anticlimactic since the shortlist has been out for four days) ....

In no particular order, I give you the
2010 Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Shortlist!

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze (hooray! I [Ashley] fought for this one!)
Betti on the High Wire (hooray #2!)
Crunch (hooray! Alysa was pullin' for this one!)
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (I'm smiling just thinking about this one.)
Belly Up (a mysteriously murdered hippo in a zoo ... need we say more?)
Because of Mr. Terupt
The Kneebone Boy

Awesome list, if we do say so ourselves. I can't imagine how those round-2 judges are going to choose.

And for the complete list of finalists in all categories, click here.

Hailey Twitch Saves the Play

2011-01-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

Like the first Hailey Twitch book, Hailey Twitch Saves the Play is a totally cute and sometimes chucklingly funny story of a little girl with the best intentions, the worst luck, and a sometimes-unfortunate fairy friend named Maybelle. Hailey gets a new neighbor across the street, a single older gentleman named Mr. Frisk who used to be a famous actor. Meanwhile, Maybelle is told by the fairy council that she must make a new friend, or she won't be allowed to have her magic back. Maybelle decides that the dour Mr. Frisk will be her new friend, but one attempt after another to befriend him ends in disaster. And even worse, in school, Hailey has a substitute teacher who allows the mother of the meanest girl in Hailey's class to take over their school play. Horrors! Will the precocious and incorrigible Hailey make a friend of her new neighbor and simultaneously save the play? (Obviously, but it's still entertaining to read how she does it.)

Definitely a recommended read for 6-9-year-old girls. Boys would also be entertained by Hailey, I think, though they might not appreciate all of her longings for beautiful dresses and sparkly pencils. :)

Dear Secret Santa

2010-12-29T14:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Secret Santa from the Book Blogger Holiday Swap,

I LOVED your package! I got it well before Christmas, opened it to find three wrapped book-shaped things as well as a "READ" sticker, postcard, and two adorable finger puppet monsters. Well. Puppets and postcards are among my favorite things in the whole world! Along with reading of course! I was so thrilled and satisfied by these unwrapped gifts (the sticker is going on our bumper as soon as the snow melts off of it, and the puppets were put to immediate use) that I put the books under the tree. When I opened them on Christmas day, imagine my delight as, one after the other, they were all perfect picks! Persuasion I was just finishing from the library and thrilled to get my own copy. Mostly Good Girls I've been wanting to get my hands on because The Leila Texts blog cracks me up. But my library system doesn't yet have a copy! So thank you! And I have been meaning to read the Emily Windsnap books ever since I first saw their gorgeous covers at a bookstore. So. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Christmas cheer to all!

Cybils round one concludes!

2010-12-23T21:22:00.000-08:00

Ashley and I have finished our Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Round one panelist duties. The shortlist is decided. The blurbs are written. We have acquitted ourselves well. (Can you tell by that last sentence that I jumped right in to reading Austen's Persuasion? For the first time, I might add. One does require a break from modern children's lit every once in a while.)

And though I am bursting with recommendations for you, we are taking something of an internet hiatus. No computer for two whole days (Christmas Eve and Christmas) -- except for webcam with family. For the two days following, only checking email and the bank. I think this will be quite a test of will for me. Wish me luck!

Alysa

Two of my favs

2010-12-15T04:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't read nearly as many books as the other panelists this time around the Cybils block, but that's okay, since Alysa and I are a judging team. But the two that have stood out to me most so far are Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze and Betti on the High Wire. Very different books; very good books. Both are applicable and would be enjoyable to more than just 8-12-year-old kids.

I agree with the School Library Journal on Milo: "Alan Silberberg has managed something that I would have deemed near impossible. He’s penned a funny novel that deals with the very real issue of how a family copes when one of its family members passes on and he’s done it with a combo of art and prose. Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze combines interstitial comics with a fun text and a gripping story to come up with a book that manages to be all things for all readers. Humor fans will like it, but so too will those kids who need a little extra meat in their fiction."

Amen to that. Milo is a totally funny, dorky, clueless, hilarious middle-school boy. I loved reading this book through his perspective. His was a really fresh, really authentic voice. This one has stayed with me in a way that most of the other reads have not. Two thumbs up.

And Betti. Babo is a "leftover" orphan from a war-torn country who gets adopted by an American family and brought to live in the United States. She's never been in a car before, let alone an airplane. She's never left her village before, let alone her country. But leave she does, and is instantly welcomed into the loving arms of a family of three---for the first time in her living memory becoming a daughter and a sister, and for the first time having a roof over her head and plenty of food to eat. Though part of her likes her new life, she's determined she won't "adapt" to being adopted, and she lives from day to day plotting how she will go back to the family of other leftovers she left behind.

I loved experiencing our country and its peculiarities through Betti's fiery, entertaining perspective. This book, like Milo, was simultaneously heart-twisting and hilarious. Two thumbs up for Betti, too. I recommend both of these reads to any reader of any age.

On with the next!

Crunch

2010-11-29T21:27:00.000-08:00

Crunch
by Leslie Connor

I picked this one up for the Cybils, and I'm so glad I did.

The premise of the book has provided me with thinking material for the last several weeks. It's about the Mariss family living through a fuel crunch. The parents are away on their anniversary trip when, all of a sudden, their gas ration coupons are no good to get them home. Fortunately the five kids at home, including our protagonist Dewey, have got things pretty well covered. With no fuel available, however, the Mariss Bike Barn is suddenly a booming business.

I loved hearing about how the Mariss kids played the cards they were dealt. And, of course, I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about what would happen to me in a similar situation. The book also has a little mystery sub-plot that I liked as well. I liked that it added tension to the book, but didn't overshadow the drama that is everyday life. As one of the oldest of 7 kids, I can tell you there's a bit of drama in everyday life when mom and dad aren't home. And yet, Dewey manages to keep it positive, and himself positive. It's admirable. It's real.

And that's probably the highest praise I can give this book. It seems real. When I stopped reading, I had to remind myself that I was back in my own life, and not one of the Mariss kids. And I wish I was as well prepared for a "crunch" as they are.

Yes, yes, yes.

2010-11-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

Just read this post over at Shannon Hale's blog. I totally agree. This is one of the reasons I don't give star ratings (or use a number system of some kind). It's just not part of my reading process.

I do what I like here on my own blog. I don't like being a literary critic, I like reading books and thinking about them and applying them to my own life. I don't like reviewing books, I like recommending books. If I read a book I don't want to recommend, I don't usually mention it here.

I especially liked this list of questions from Shannon's post:

Where did the story fail you? Where did it work for you? So, what does that say about you? What were you hoping for? What did you need from the story? If you're a writer, what does that tell you about what kind of a story you want to write? For me, this kind of responding is just about how I think about the book. Instead of thinking, "The author really dropped the ball on the ending," I try thinking, "What did I want out of the ending instead of what I got? Why did I want that?"

If you feel like chattering about questions like these about a book you've just read, and then you email that to me, I might even post your guest review. Just let me know. Email address is in the sidebar.

Pies and Prejudice

2010-11-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

I find it funny that in middle-grade fiction this year, two totally separate authors published a book called Scones and Sensibility and a book called Pies and Prejudice. Both books are on our Cybils list. I just finished Pies and Prejudice, and I have to say that, like pie, the book was kind of a guilty pleasure for me. It doesn't make my shortlist of favorites, but I still really liked it, because it's my kind of book. A little unlikely romance, a few Jane Austen references (or a lot, in this book's case), and I'm hooked!

Pies and Prejudice is the fourth installment in the Mother Daughter Book Club series. Since I haven't read the other three, I know I don't have the proper background for judging it, but as a stand-alone novel, there were just too many characters! There are five girls, all of their mothers, and two older women in the book club, so that's twelve characters you have to try to keep straight, right off the bat. Then there are their fathers, siblings, schoolmates, teachers, and crushes. I felt like I spent half the book trying to figure out who everybody was. And then the story itself comes from four of the girls' points of view. So just when I was getting comfortable in one girl's head, the next chapter hopped into another's. But like I said. If I'd read the whole series, I'm sure I would've been introduced properly to all of these people. So maybe it's a moot point.

My final beef with what was otherwise a delightful, fluffy-easy kind of read, was that the story I found most interesting--the love/hate relationship between Cassidy and Tristan (the Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy of the story)--was totally glossed over! They apparently hated each other, and then we never got a chance to see Tristan act anything but the conceited snob, and then they're all pal-y at the end? I was so bummed about that. Anyway. Still a fun read. Though I guess my final final beef with the book is that it made me totally desperate to have a daughter. *sigh*

Recommended for mothers and daughters. :)

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

2010-11-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

I've been hitting the Cybils nominees hard and fast, but I just had to pause to mention this one.

So, so, so, so funny. I imagine that anyone from fourth grade on up would enjoy this one. It's got that same way of capturing the disastrous hilarity of early middle school that Jeff Kinney captures so well in his books. Fortunately, most of the characters are more likable than Greg Heffley. I can totally imagine that if this one were out back when I was teaching fourth grade, the kids would have talked and laughed about it as much as they did the Wimpy Kid books. Now that I've compared it to the Wimpy Kid books you're all wondering if it has random comic strip panels. No, it does not. But it does have the occasional very funny illustration.

This book is the case file that Tommy put together to see if Origami Yoda (Dwight's finger puppet) can really predict the future. I think my favorite piece of evidence is the story of Yoda saving one of the boys from looking like he peed his pants. He leaned against the wet bathroom counter, and disaster struck.

Ah, just thinking about reading this book makes me smile. Go read it and have a good time! :D

Dream of Night

2010-11-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

My first Cybils book review! I've read lots, but this is the first I'm getting around to reviewing.

Another atypical horse book. The story comes from three points of view: Shiloh, a very angry young teen who was severely abused as a child and who's been shunted from foster home to foster home for years, Jess DiLima, a middle-aged woman who rescues abused and neglected horses and who has her own tragic past, and Dream of Night, a former racehorse whose last owner kept him locked in a tiny stall and beat him with chains. Their three stories intertwine when Jess takes both horse and girl in, though she's afraid she's becoming too old to help either.

This was also another book where I thought I could see the end from the beginning, and where the ending I imagined was fairly cliche. Troubled teen and wild horse come together, teen gentles horse who gentles her back, together they learn to ride again, and they win some big race and live happily ever after. This was not at all the direction the book took, however. Its real direction was far more believable, far less cliche, and far more moving.

The short, fragmentary writing style was a bit distracting to me at times, but it was effective most of the time in making the story feel more raw and exposed. I recommend this book to readers of all ages, really. Great read.

The Aristobrats (long overdue)

2010-10-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

I received this book from a publisher ages ago and have been meaning to post about it since, but life and the Cybils got in the way. So here comes the long-overdue Aristobrats post.

When I first began this book, I felt totally detached from the characters. Theirs is an almost ridiculously privileged life that I just couldn't connect with. I'd never heard of most of the designer names these tweeny-bopper characters throw around. They seemed initially so shallow, I just couldn't see what kind of gripping plot could possibly develop with them at center stage.

But. As the book progressed, I was quite pleasantly surprised. It wasn't a typical popular-girls-realize-their-shallowness-and-reform kind of plot. It was different, and it was good in its own way, more believable in its own way. The four best friends, "Lylas" (love-you-like-a-sister-s), are at the top of the populadder when they begin their eighth-grade year at their over-the-top-prestigious private middle school. But then they're shocked, and bumped down a few rungs, when they are assigned to head the school's totally uncool webcast. Where I assumed the plot was headed after this revelation---popular girls decide to rock the webcasting thing and by virtue of their own popularity and general coolness turn it around and make it awesome, making them again the toast of the school---was not, in fact, where the plot was headed.

So yes. While it was not initially my cup of tea, I did appreciate it in the end. Maybe I was guilty of some bottom-up pride and snobbery of my own. So thumbs up for The Aristobrats' surprising fun and not-as-shallow-as-I-thought-ness. Recommended for middle-school-aged girls.

Turtle in Paradise

2010-10-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm (author of Babymouse, for you fans!)
2010 Cybils nominee, Middle Grade Fiction

It is so cool that this book was inspired by author Jenni Holm's family history. The book takes place in Florida during the Great Depression. Turtle is a sassy eleven year old, and because her mother's employer doesn't approve of the housekeeper bringing children along, she is sent to live with her cousins in Key West. There she discovers what her rowdy cousins are up to, what an alligator pear is, and what can happen when you dig for buried treasure.

I loved Turtle. She is so good at the quick comeback. She's the witty part of me that was always either late to the scene or suppressed by my polite side. She's not just snotty, she's smart and well behaved, and easy to love. I also loved a couple of the characters who love her: Kermit and Slow Poke were my faves. Anyway, obviously Holm did a great job making the characters seem real.

Many of the analogies in the book came from the popular culture of the time. Turtle references Little Orphan Annie, Shirley Temple, Terry and the Pirates, and so on. I was fairly familiar with all of the references made. Would kids who don't recognize these icons be put off by these analogies? I don't know.

Anyhow, great story. Great writing. Having hung out with a gang of cousins, I can vouch that the spirit of that craziness is well captured here.

Keturah and Lord Death

2010-10-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

"I'm kind of dying to know how it ends." I told Jacob in the middle of the book. He did his "har-har-very-punny" laugh, but I hadn't actually meant the pun. Leavitt just does a very good job of building suspense.

This is an original fairy tale, though it has the whole Arabian Nights thing going since Keturah manages to stay alive after a brush with Lord Death by promising him the ending to her story tomorrow. She's known in her feudal village for her storytelling, and Leavitt gives her a beautiful voice. The imagery in the story is just lovely, and where imagery was deliberately vague (what does Death look like, after all?) mood was there in buckets.

The pacing was spot on, too. If this book had been written by another author it could have gone on and on. As it is, you know that Keturah is thinking and scheming but she never shares her innermost thoughts. Perhaps that helps with the suspense. Anyway, it's a slim book, and not a word is wasted.

This is one I want to add to my collection, and I think it would be fabulous if read aloud. If you like fairy tales (the meat and cheese kind, not the bubblegum and lollipop kind), you'll like Keturah and Lord Death. It was a finalist for the National Book Award, too. Thanks to Shannon Hale for mentioning it on her blog.

Baby Baby Baby!

2010-10-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Baby Baby Baby! is a new board book by Marilyn Janovitz.

Alysa's take:
On the day my new baby was officially two weeks old, this review copy came to my door. How fun! And I'm happy to say that it is just as fun to read with a two-year old as with a new baby. The bright illustrations provide visual entertainment, and the baby is dressed in gender neutral colors. The text is easy to turn into actions for a crazy toddler. Also, something I find important with rhyming books, the meter is not stilted or difficult to figure out.

Ashley's take:
I have had great fun reading this book with my 8-month-old. The interactivity of it is so cute. He just grins and grins as we clap hands, "nuzzle baby's ears," "tickle your face," and "Dance, dance, dance!" The rhyming is sweet---no trite "nose" and "toes" combos. Totally cute board book. Definitely recommended for your bitsy bouncy baby. :)

Cybils judging!

2010-09-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

We're in! Since Alysa just had a baby, and I've got two little munchkins keeping me busy myself, and through a fortuitous twist of fate, Alysa and I (Ashley) are going to be co-judges this year on the first-round panel for Middle-Grade Fiction. Fun times ahead! Be sure to submit your nominations starting October 1 of your 2010 book favs at the Cybils website. Let the games begin!

My Name Is Not Isabella

2010-09-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

Isabella is a spunky combination of contrarion (as my husband likes to call our two-year-old on occasion) and dreamer. Young readers will love her spirit as well as her smarts. Her name is not Isabella, as she tries to convince her mother over the course of the book. Instead it's Sally Ride, Marie Curie, and Rosa Parks, to name a few. I think Mommy is the real hero of the book. I love the way she takes her daughter's imagination into stride and supports her play with affirmation and love. This is a sweet little book for boys and girls alike from author Jennifer Fosberry. I love the book trailer below, which shows how the colorful illustrations came to be---a process I think is fascinating. So enjoy! And while you're at it, check out this book for your dreamer son or daughter. And reading the brief ending bios for the historic figures mentioned, you just might learn something too! I know I did! (And sorry about the video being super wide ... anyone know how to fix that?)

Horrid Henry winner!

2010-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

The randomly selected winner of our Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman giveaway is ...

#5 Sarita

Please send your mailing address to everead@gmail.com.
Thanks for entering, everyone!

Four Thumbs Up for Mockingjay

2010-09-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Since the much-anticipated sequel has been out for weeks now, I feel an Everead review is perhaps overdue. And as usual, a post from me is very overdue, so here goes!

It was with much trepidation that I opened my pre-ordered Amazon.com package to reveal the frosty-blue hardback. So many series seem to end disappointingly, and quite frankly I was scared. Not for Katniss. Not for Peeta. For me. I was scared of a letdown.

As I turned the last few pages of the crisp, new-book-smelling novel, I berated myself for my lack of faith in Suzanne Collins. She'd already given me two subliminal reads, and it just seemed impossible for a third delivery, but she did it.

The page-turning action sequences were there. One thumb up. The no-loose-ends, nicely-packaged ending was there. Two thumbs up. The well-rounded, fault-filled, but lovable characters were there. Three thumbs up (yes, I do realize I don't have three thumbs, but work with me here). And to my delight, the satisfyingly surprising plot twists were there. That makes a grand total of four solid thumbs up.

That, my friends, is about all I can say without commenting on details, which would classify me as a spoiler. Wouldn't want to spoil your fun, so I'll just say: hats off to you Suzanne Collins!

Horrid Henry #3--a giveaway!

2010-09-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

This is the third Horrid Henry book I've received from Sourcebooks to read and review on the blog. Just like the other two (Joke Book and Christmas), this latest Horrid Henry installment delivers hilarious, too-rude-for-grown-ups stories that kids, especially boys, ages 7-12-ish are sure to enjoy. In Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman's four stories, Henry first sets out to build the biggest snowman on the block in hopes of winning a year's supply of ice cream (and his snowman is way better than Moody Margaret's). Next, on a boring, rainy day, he decides to write his will, then writes wills for other people whose stuff he wants when they die. Then he skives his mother's makeup to give makeovers to the neighbor girls in hopes of making big bucks for his art. And finally, that crazy Henry gears up for a classroom visit from his most favorite author in the world.

I love how unapologetically bad Henry is. I keep thinking, even though this is the third of these books that I've read, that Henry will have some kind of final upswing, some kind of redeeming act of goodness to finish the story. But he doesn't. He's just plain Horrid. Heaven help me if I have a child like that! But he is fun to read about. :)

So post your comment here by noon on Monday, September 13th, for a chance to win Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman. It really is an amusing book. Winner will be chosen at random and announced by Tuesday. Happy (or Horrid) reading!

Call for Judges

2010-08-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Cybils 2010 call for judges is here. You have until Sept 15 to apply. I've been a 1st round judge the last two years, and Ashley was a 2nd round judge last year -- so if you have any questions, we're happy to share our secrets (such as they are).

Sequel fun!

2010-08-31T07:45:00.000-07:00

There seem to be a lot of exciting sequels that have just come out or are due to come out in the near-ish future. Here's my list:

and Bitterblue, by Kristin Cashore (no cover available yet)

What titles am I missing? What sequels are you excited about?

Grab Bag!

2010-08-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

You never know what you're going to get from the review grab-bag!

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker -- So I read (and loved) Clementine's Letter since it was a Cybils book a couple years ago. I figured it was about time to read the original. Clementine and her family are spunky and awesome as usual. And of course Marla Frazee's illustrations bring the whole thing to life. I took this one to the doctor's office and my doc saw me reading it. He said he knew it, and that it was a classic. There you go. Recommended reading by 100% of OB/GYN's (in our survey). :D

Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate di Camillo --Adorable! An early reader/chapter book about a beloved pig who lives in the house. When the old couple she lives with gets in trouble they send her for help. Totally clueless, she manages to save the day and take the credit. :D Fun illustrations, fun story, fun fun fun! I definitely plan to read on in the series.

Austenland (again) by Shannon Hale -- I rarely re-read, but I'm just so darn excited about Midnight in Austenland! I know, I know, it doesn't even have a release date yet. It will be a companion to Austenland. That is to say, from what I've heard it will take place (at least partially) at Pembrook Park and may have some overlapping characters. Anyway, Austenland is a sweet escape. I started my re-read on a terrible horrible no good very bad day and it helped. There was lots of funny I had forgotten. (Speaking of funny, @haleshannon on twitter has the most hilarious pregnancy tweets. I wish I was so clever.)

The Ladies' Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis -- I read this one for book club. It's one I never would've picked up myself, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, in theme anyway. (No one at book club had read Stargirl, sigh.) Of course the whole look into the world of orthodox Judaism was fascinating. Mirvis did a good job giving the right amount of detail for me -- I wonder how other orthodox Jews feel about the book of course. I think it does a nice job of saying what we all (should) know: that there is good and bad in any community. Kind of inspiring.

Jeeves and the Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse -- another brilliant audiobook. I've listened to so many of them, that all the Jeeves stories are getting blurry. This is another with Gussy and Madeline, and was my introduction to Corky and Catsmeat (at least, it sounded like that was his nickname, and I don't put it past Wodehouse). Highlight: the Village Concert - including a corny joke about the Russian Ballet and reference to what is an actual poem by Thomas Hood entitled Faithless Nelly Gray.

To Ride the Gods' Own Stallion

2010-08-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I don't know what I expected, but this was given to me by a publisher, from whom I understood mostly that it was a "horse book." The Black Stallion and National Velvet are what come immediately to mind when I think of "horse books." Those, and the juvenile kinds of series whose covers feature cutsie girls posing with their shiny-coated steeds with names like "Lucky" and "Penny."

This book is nothing like either. It's not about racing, and there are almost no adolescent girls (the main character does have an older sister, but she only makes a couple appearances).

Soulai is a young boy living in ancient Assyria. He is a skilled artist but a poor goatherd. When a lion attacks his flock while he's on duty, his father declares "Better that you'd never been born." Soon after, tragedy strikes his family home, and his father sells him into five years of slavery to pay off their debts. While working in the royal stables, Soulai meets a horse unlike any other---a stallion named Ti. But the stallion is owned by the spoiled prince Habasle who breaks the animal's spirit by forcing Ti to carry him against a lion. Soulai stays by the animal's side, however, and together the prince, Soulai, and Ti help one another to fulfill their destinies.

Pretty fun action book, quick read, might be especially appealing to boys, considering the general absence of female characters.

The Cardturner

2010-08-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Alton's wealthy great-uncle has gone blind, but he can't give up bridge. Alton becomes his cardturner with one major rule -- never ask "Are you sure?" Alton knows nothing about bridge, and that's the way his uncle likes it. But spending 12 hours a week as a proxy player changes that, and piques Alton's curiousity about his uncle's mysterious past.

It's Louis Sachar! Of course its good! You know, Holes? Wayside School? Small Steps?

I found myself laughing while reading this book. Partly because there were some funny lines and scenarios, but also because the dialogue was so realistic. I'd say "Hah! I can see those exact words going back and forth between my mom and my teenage brother!" So very well done on that score, and on character development too. Leslie, the little sister, was my favorite. She doesn't show up a ton, but she's great. Since I'm a little sister, I can say that I guess.

There was a lot of "bridge gibberish" -- but it wasn't tough to get through. Sachar gives you an easy out, if you want to skip the details, but for me the play-by-plays were no worse than they would be with any other game/sport. And now I kind of want to learn to play bridge...

The Wide-Awake Princess

2010-08-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Wide-Awake Princess
by E.D. Baker

After Sleeping Beauty is cursed at her christening, her parents are taking no chances with her little sister. They consult a fairy with a good reputation before Annabelle is very old at all and she is given a strange gift: magic cannot touch her, for good or for bad.

Of course, this has interesting consequences when Gwen's curse comes true, putting everyone (except Annie) in a deep sleep for 100 years. Annie sets off to find Gwen's true love and happens to find her own as well.

This was a very fun book -- just what I needed when I picked it up. It has an easy humor and likeable lead characters. Some of the other characters were a bit two-dimensional, but the book was very much plot-driven, so that doesn't stand in the way of a good time. In general I prefer character-driven fiction, so in the midst of all the action I occasionally wondered "but what does she think of that?" Still, a fast paced and fun read.

There's a scene near the beginning that I think is my favorite: Annie's first encounter with a witch in the woods, who ends up chucking Annie's lunch into a bush. Cracked me up.

Recommended to fans of fairy tale retellings -- the book touches on more than just the sleeping beauty story.

Emma (and the Vampires)

2010-08-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's make this quick. Like Bandaid removal time. I thought this book was A) Confusing, and B) a Travesty. Let's start with A.

A) All of the gentlemen in Highbury, except for Emma's father, are vampires. And all of the women, except the ones married to them, are oblivious, even though none of the men ever eat, they all have "cold, pale skin" (a phrase that was oft repeated in the book), they never age, they move super fast, they are strong enough to throw cows over fences, they avoid sunlight, they have black-out curtains in their windows, and a few of their eyes change from black to blood red over the course of the book. The gentlemen's agelessness was particularly confusing. How is it that Mr. Weston is stuck at 50-something forever, Knightley is stuck at 37, and Frank is stuck at 23?? And it's not because that's when they themselves were changed from humans to vampires, because Knightley (presumably) and Frank (definitely) were both born vampires! So Frank aged along until 23 and then stopped, and Knightley aged along until 37 and stopped. *deep breath* Anyway. Plot holes.

B) By inserting all these inconsistencies and weirdnesses, the author has shown that he thinks very little of Emma's mental faculties. He's made her completely stupid, in short. I was particularly blown away by her dumbness (in not noticing that her dear friend and lifelong neighbor, Mr. Knightley, is a vampire) at the scene where Knightley declares something like, "I was thirty-seven years old when you were born." To which Emma replies, "And you are still, haha!" Hello! Doesn't that seem a tad, I don't know, impossible to you, Emma?! Why, twenty-one years later, is Mr. Knightley still thirty-seven?? So the author made Emma stupid and Harriet really fat. So fat, she can't reach the wooden stake she's tied around her thigh when she's being attacked by vampires.

So. I can only conclude that the author's purpose in "writing" this book was to show his contempt for Emma in particular and Jane Austen in general. And since I love them both, I did not like this book. That's my take.

Bookshelf Review

2010-08-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

At last! The long awaited review of the bookshelf. You all can let out your breaths now.

June 23 -- bookshelf ordered
June 28th -- bookshelf arrives, so that's pretty fast, considering there was a weekend in there.
June 30th, 8:20 p.m. -- assembly begins.
8:47 assembly done -- only one "hold this for a second", no sounds of frustration or extra tools needed. A screwdriver was listed in the instructions, but we didn't actually use it, only the included Allen wrench. Nice.

It's pretty cute, if I do say so myself. Moderately sturdy -- not pressboard or something, but the shelves are thin. It is a little bit smaller than I expected it to be (even though I measured out its dimensions before). But, all in all, I like it. Would I pay the price listed on the website for it? Hmm... not at this point in my life.

July 1-August 10 Procrastinate posting about said bookshelf because 1. I'm pregnant 2. I'm teaching the toddler not to throw the books on the new shelf down the stairs and 3. I can't seem to find the picture above on my computer. Hadn't uploaded it yet. Go figure. Ta-da!

Freckles

2010-07-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

So I just finished Freckles, by Gene Stratton Porter. Of the three of her books that I've read, it is the one she published first. Freckles was quite the bestseller of its time (1904). Personally, I liked A Girl of the Limberlost better.

Freckles is about an orphaned young man who doesn't know his name or his heritage, but goes by Freckles. By his hard work, honesty and sense of duty he builds himself up from penniless orphan to respected businessman. And, of course, he finds his true love along the way. :)

Such drama! Porter really knows how to pack it in. I was telling Jacob after finishing Freckles that "according to Gene Stratton Porter, if you don't end up in the hospital over it, it's not true love." heh. It's fun to see the cultural differences in these books that were written more than a hundred years ago. Heart-sickness was apparently more prevalent. Now, Porter hasn't hospitalized anyone strictly for missing their true love, they always have another excuse (old ailment, fractured ribs, etc.). But still.

The dialogue in the books is different, too. For one, characters are much more likely to monologue for a page or two than they ever would be in a modern novel (I'm guessing authors like Fitzgerald and Hemingway had some influence on this). For another, the characters come out with some fun turns of phrase -- some of which I've heard my grandmother use. And my grandmother is also more prone to monologues than I, so, hey, there you go.

Recommended, of course, though I'd probably start with A Girl of the Limberlost.

--------------------
P.S. I despise the covers I see for this book, hence no cover image.

Previously:
The Keeper of the Bees
A Girl of the Limberlost