Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Simon Cheshire- The Prince and the Showgirl
I was looking at this for my 8th grade boys who really want to read romances, but I was not able to sell it to them. I thought it started out well, but I lost interest when they started to ski. The boys I showed it to thought it looked too young for them, and that's the big thing. Even if I thought it was really good (I did enjoy the first chapters when the boy was doing his job imitating a prince), the boys still would not pick it up. Thought it was an especially nice touch that the boys job as a double was not to be Prince William, but someone fictional, so the book wouldn't date.
St. Iggy
LIKED IT: WILL BUY.Felt like this was damning with faint praise, but I'm really not.
Read this one because, and I quote the flap, it is about the sort of child my students wish to read "When Iggy Corso gets kicked out of high school, there's no one for him to tell. His mother has gone off, his father is stoned on the couch, and becuase the phone's been disconnected, even the social worker can't get through." Sounds good, but I did flinch when opening-- when would the bad words start?
Not until page 94. And there weren't that many, so they can be bowdlerized. (Sorry, AS IF.) I loved the voice. I loved the cadence of the words. It read beautifully. Iggy was born drug addicted, and his thoughts are in marvelous run on sentences, and his ADHD tendencies make him prone to disconnected outbursts.
He's not a good kid, but there are reasons, as stated above. But he wants to be better. He just doesn't know how. He tries, with the help of a friend and his mother (and who is more messed up, Iggy, or his friend with the "good" background?)
Ultimately, there is redemption, which I think most adults look for in this sort of cautionary tale, even though the ending confused me. I even reread it, but it was rather impressionistic, and it was late, and I read faster than I should have.
Read this one because, and I quote the flap, it is about the sort of child my students wish to read "When Iggy Corso gets kicked out of high school, there's no one for him to tell. His mother has gone off, his father is stoned on the couch, and becuase the phone's been disconnected, even the social worker can't get through." Sounds good, but I did flinch when opening-- when would the bad words start?
Not until page 94. And there weren't that many, so they can be bowdlerized. (Sorry, AS IF.) I loved the voice. I loved the cadence of the words. It read beautifully. Iggy was born drug addicted, and his thoughts are in marvelous run on sentences, and his ADHD tendencies make him prone to disconnected outbursts.
He's not a good kid, but there are reasons, as stated above. But he wants to be better. He just doesn't know how. He tries, with the help of a friend and his mother (and who is more messed up, Iggy, or his friend with the "good" background?)
Ultimately, there is redemption, which I think most adults look for in this sort of cautionary tale, even though the ending confused me. I even reread it, but it was rather impressionistic, and it was late, and I read faster than I should have.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Heavy Metal and You
If there was ever a book for which I had high expectations, it was this book. I had a student last year who only wanted to read things about heavy metal music; very little is appropriate. I even wrote to a band (Metallica, perhaps?) to ask if the members could recommend books; they sent a nice sticker and an autographed post card, but could not send any titles the band members liked. So this book, by Christopher Krovatin (who, having been born in 1985, is six years younger than the vest I wore to work the other day), which was about a boy who liked a girl who did NOT like his lifestyle-- would he change, etc.-- sounded perfect. I even read through the TWO PAGE acknowledgements. Note to all authors: anything over two lines (in short: To Mom and Dad, who supported me in spite of heavy metal, and my friends, who supported me because of it) is not going to be read by the general populace. Put them in the back.
Line 8. That's how long he held off before he dropped the F-bomb. And not in a constructive, realistic way. No one was shot in the foot by a policeman. Just felt like swearing. To the girlfriend. And a few milder words, and then our old friend again on page 11. Combine that with constant name dropping of bands, which were so obscure that I couldn't tell if they would date quickly or not, and I gave up. It's too bad. With a little more adult supervision, this probably could have been a compelling book. You hit me with words the students are not allowed to say that early in the book, and there is no way I am going to bat for it.
Line 8. That's how long he held off before he dropped the F-bomb. And not in a constructive, realistic way. No one was shot in the foot by a policeman. Just felt like swearing. To the girlfriend. And a few milder words, and then our old friend again on page 11. Combine that with constant name dropping of bands, which were so obscure that I couldn't tell if they would date quickly or not, and I gave up. It's too bad. With a little more adult supervision, this probably could have been a compelling book. You hit me with words the students are not allowed to say that early in the book, and there is no way I am going to bat for it.
E.R.Frank
Is America powerful? Yes. Would my students who like really sad abuse books like it? Yes. They would also like to read A Child Called It which I refuse to have. For one thing, there is the language, and for the second, there is the somewhat graphic scenes of sexual abuse (In America.) That's just not a call I want to field from a parent when a 6th grader checks it out when I am at lunch.
*Sigh*
*Sigh*
Friday, March 02, 2007
Depressing Titles
William Durbin's The Darkest Evening, about a Finnish-American family that is recruited to move to Russia in the 1930's, is as depressing as you would think.
Kevin Brockmeier's The Brief History of the Dead was arty/adult stuff. My son just giggled at some of the passages. Very Artistic.
Jodi Picoult's The Pact was like a car wreck-- couldn't look away. Kept skimming just to find out what happened, but bleeeeeeah. I like happier things. Compelling, though.
Kevin Brockmeier's The Brief History of the Dead was arty/adult stuff. My son just giggled at some of the passages. Very Artistic.
Jodi Picoult's The Pact was like a car wreck-- couldn't look away. Kept skimming just to find out what happened, but bleeeeeeah. I like happier things. Compelling, though.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Wolfson's What I Call Life
May have to buy this one, since it was such a good description of a positive foster care placement. It follows an 11 year old whose mother has an episode in the public library and ends up in the care of "The Knitting Lady", who has several other girls in her care, all with different issues. There is a second story line that the caregiver delivers a bit at a time, while telling stories to the girls, and it is oddly intriguing, especially figuring out early on that the lady is telling about her own, less than optimal childhood, as well as that of her mother.
All in all, very good. I will check it today with my "problem novel" readership to see if it is something that they would like, but it is nice to read some books that I end up enjoying. There have been so many lately that have just been bad.
All in all, very good. I will check it today with my "problem novel" readership to see if it is something that they would like, but it is nice to read some books that I end up enjoying. There have been so many lately that have just been bad.
More odd historical eras
Thought that Samurai Shortstop was a long shot. 1890s Japan, odd culture versus new. Boy playing baseball. Even had a good beginning (which was apparently written up in Nintendo Power) where the uncle commits ritual suicide instead of being executed. It then continued with a lot of school hazing and people being really mean to each other. Again, who is the audience. I'm going to have to pass.
Lisle's Black Duck almost made it, but it was very disorganized. It kept flipping back to a boy interviewing a man who may or may not have been a rum runner. It started well, with a newsclipping of a three rum runners being found, but switched to the interview. Got into the story, got exciting, then switched back. This happened so often that I lost any interest I would have had in the Prohibition Era, which was too bad. I wanted to take an Exacto knife to the book and just take out the boring parts. Again, not an era we study in middle school, so will pass.
Lisle's Black Duck almost made it, but it was very disorganized. It kept flipping back to a boy interviewing a man who may or may not have been a rum runner. It started well, with a newsclipping of a three rum runners being found, but switched to the interview. Got into the story, got exciting, then switched back. This happened so often that I lost any interest I would have had in the Prohibition Era, which was too bad. I wanted to take an Exacto knife to the book and just take out the boring parts. Again, not an era we study in middle school, so will pass.
Zevin's Elsewhere
After reading Shusterman's Everlost, my son picked this up, continuing on our "Views of Heaven" tour. When he finished, my younger daughter picked it up, laughed at some parts, and told me some was very sad. The impressive part there is that she finished it. In two days. She usually only reads the first three chapters of books.
Basically, Liz dies at 15 and goes to "Elsewhere". When she arrives, she stays with the grandmother she never met, and spends a while moping and watching the life she left on earth before settling down to a job and hanging out with friends.
Yes, in Elsewhere people have jobs and have to clean the house. I found that really depressing.
Liz finally becomes a conselour who matches dogs to people, and meets Owen, who has been pining for ten years for his wife. Since people age backwards, he and Liz are the same age.
Then it just gets sad and complicated. I don't want to wreck it (my older daughter is now reading it!) by saying too much. It was good. No question. But I can' t for the life of me think to whom I would recommend it. It's a girl book, and a fantasy. But it is too real life for people who want fantasy. Too sad for people who want romance; too happy for people who want sad. All in all, it's very deep and philosophical, and really, very mature.
In the end, loved it but am not going to buy it, even though it made me cry.
Basically, Liz dies at 15 and goes to "Elsewhere". When she arrives, she stays with the grandmother she never met, and spends a while moping and watching the life she left on earth before settling down to a job and hanging out with friends.
Yes, in Elsewhere people have jobs and have to clean the house. I found that really depressing.
Liz finally becomes a conselour who matches dogs to people, and meets Owen, who has been pining for ten years for his wife. Since people age backwards, he and Liz are the same age.
Then it just gets sad and complicated. I don't want to wreck it (my older daughter is now reading it!) by saying too much. It was good. No question. But I can' t for the life of me think to whom I would recommend it. It's a girl book, and a fantasy. But it is too real life for people who want fantasy. Too sad for people who want romance; too happy for people who want sad. All in all, it's very deep and philosophical, and really, very mature.
In the end, loved it but am not going to buy it, even though it made me cry.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
What are authors thinking?
Open note to all YA authors-- before you start on your next book, please talk to some actual young adults. Or even people who deal with young adults. If you can't bring yourself to do that, here are some things that I never have any students ask for: (At the bottom, what they DO ask for.)
Novels in verse: They'll check them out, but bring them back and ask what is wrong with the book, especially since most novels in verse aren't really in verse-- they are just chopped up prose. So I won't be buying Stone's A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl. Exception to this: Helen Frost can keep writing, but I'd stick to contemporary issues. Historical novels in verse are a hard sell, even when they are good.
Novels about inner city gang members-- AFTER exciting things happen.Rehabilitation and redemption are all good, but don't start there. It's not exciting. I was relieved when Pagliarulo's A Different Kind of Heat lapsed into curse words. I was bored. Start with the shooting, start with stuff leading up to the shooting, don't start with the therapy in the detention center.
Novels about little known points in history-- I'm all for slow moving, introspective historical novels set in places that the curriculum covers, like the Civil War. Or fast paced, exciting novels set during 1912 mill strikes. But Katherine Paterson picked the worst of all possible worlds with her Bread and Roses, Too. Good in theory, but it's not going to make children like historical fiction.
Novels about anyone who swears three times a page: Likes the idea of Gil's All Fright Diner, and I think it is an adult book, but still. Do we need that much bad language in a book about a vampire and a werewolf. No.
Novels where we don't even meet the main character for 30 pages, especially when the book is only 144 pages long. Abbott's Firegirl was a long shot, anyway-- few children ask for books about sensitive young men who help badly fire-disfigured classmates adjust to school-- but if I wanted to read about that, I don't want to wait that long to meet the classmate.
Novels about quirky dysfunctional people who are not quite able to change themselves. No one ever asks for quirky dysfunctional, and yet about 40% of young adult literature is about that sort of person. Stop already! I should have know from the title of Mark Peter Hughes' I am the Wallpaper that it would fall short, and it doesn't help to have a man write about a girl's struggles with adolescence. Other topics, sure. Just didn't work.
What students ask for: Basketball and football books about students who play the sport and have a few mundane issues in their lives. Notable NO: NO boys who like girls who are secretive about their lives because their mothers have lesbian partners. Just no. And not as much baseball.
Books that are exciting from the very beginning. Things happen. People go places. Cars get blown up. Not saying that people can't sit around and find the meaning of life in their navels (that's the only way to get a Newbery, after all), but have them do it in chapter four after they have sucessfully escaped the evil, drug dealing werewolf skateboard gang.
Girly pink books about fun stuff, with few problems. Problem novels where horrific things happen to children. Don't combine the two.
Humor books. Check humor with actual young adult.
And no quirky dysfunctional. Please.
Novels in verse: They'll check them out, but bring them back and ask what is wrong with the book, especially since most novels in verse aren't really in verse-- they are just chopped up prose. So I won't be buying Stone's A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl. Exception to this: Helen Frost can keep writing, but I'd stick to contemporary issues. Historical novels in verse are a hard sell, even when they are good.
Novels about inner city gang members-- AFTER exciting things happen.Rehabilitation and redemption are all good, but don't start there. It's not exciting. I was relieved when Pagliarulo's A Different Kind of Heat lapsed into curse words. I was bored. Start with the shooting, start with stuff leading up to the shooting, don't start with the therapy in the detention center.
Novels about little known points in history-- I'm all for slow moving, introspective historical novels set in places that the curriculum covers, like the Civil War. Or fast paced, exciting novels set during 1912 mill strikes. But Katherine Paterson picked the worst of all possible worlds with her Bread and Roses, Too. Good in theory, but it's not going to make children like historical fiction.
Novels about anyone who swears three times a page: Likes the idea of Gil's All Fright Diner, and I think it is an adult book, but still. Do we need that much bad language in a book about a vampire and a werewolf. No.
Novels where we don't even meet the main character for 30 pages, especially when the book is only 144 pages long. Abbott's Firegirl was a long shot, anyway-- few children ask for books about sensitive young men who help badly fire-disfigured classmates adjust to school-- but if I wanted to read about that, I don't want to wait that long to meet the classmate.
Novels about quirky dysfunctional people who are not quite able to change themselves. No one ever asks for quirky dysfunctional, and yet about 40% of young adult literature is about that sort of person. Stop already! I should have know from the title of Mark Peter Hughes' I am the Wallpaper that it would fall short, and it doesn't help to have a man write about a girl's struggles with adolescence. Other topics, sure. Just didn't work.
What students ask for: Basketball and football books about students who play the sport and have a few mundane issues in their lives. Notable NO: NO boys who like girls who are secretive about their lives because their mothers have lesbian partners. Just no. And not as much baseball.
Books that are exciting from the very beginning. Things happen. People go places. Cars get blown up. Not saying that people can't sit around and find the meaning of life in their navels (that's the only way to get a Newbery, after all), but have them do it in chapter four after they have sucessfully escaped the evil, drug dealing werewolf skateboard gang.
Girly pink books about fun stuff, with few problems. Problem novels where horrific things happen to children. Don't combine the two.
Humor books. Check humor with actual young adult.
And no quirky dysfunctional. Please.
Students Across the Seven Seas (S.A.S.S.)
How could I have forgotten to mention this series? They aren't as good as 13 Little Blue Envelopes, nothing could be, but if you need to travel to exotic locations (and this is February in Ohio, so I certainly do!), this is the way to do it. Each book features a girl in a different overseas study program. Most of the girls are not as happy as they should be, so I wanted to slap some of them, but in general, the chance to travel, plus some light romance, overrode the impulse.
Pink and fluffy is my favorite. None of these are great literature, but they are great fun!
Check out all of the titles at:
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/youngreaders/features-sass.html
Pink and fluffy is my favorite. None of these are great literature, but they are great fun!
Check out all of the titles at:
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/youngreaders/features-sass.html
Food Writing
I don't hate everything. Really. Loved Schlosser's Chew on This, an expose of the fast food industry. It had historical foundation, too, and even though it told you why fast food was not good for you, it didn't call it evil. Well, not in so many words. Definitely getting a copy of this. And letting my children read it.
Of course, one book I also bought was Kimmerle's Candy: A Sweet History. Very well done, lots of pictures but enough text, too. Half Priced Books had it and I got, well, just a few copies. I've been looking for something like this for a long time, and it was perfect. It might be out of print in hard cover, but it is an excellent addition to any collection above elementary school. And even then, my 3rd grader liked looking at the pictures.
Of course, one book I also bought was Kimmerle's Candy: A Sweet History. Very well done, lots of pictures but enough text, too. Half Priced Books had it and I got, well, just a few copies. I've been looking for something like this for a long time, and it was perfect. It might be out of print in hard cover, but it is an excellent addition to any collection above elementary school. And even then, my 3rd grader liked looking at the pictures.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Alfred C. Martino's Pinned
This was one very intense book about wrestling. Cutting weight, running until you puke-- wrestling in all its glory. I was riveted, however, and devastated when the ending... well, not to ruin it for the types who LIKE the lady-or-the-tiger endings, but I about screamed when the book ended at the beginning of the state champion meet. I was reading avidly to see if Bobby or Ivan won, and we never find out! Arg! Very good though. Too much sex for middle school-- Mr. Martino, put less in the next one and I'll buy it for the library!
More Scott Westerfeld
Read Last Days yesterday. Had to wonder what all of the rock band stuff was-- interesting and compellingly written, but shouldn't we be more concerned about the vampires? It all made sense in the end, and my only regret was that it ended too abruptly. I was enjoying it, and thought for sure that it would be all wrapped up in a third book, but no. Sigh. Good stuff, too. Wouldn't have minded a third.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Jordan Sonnenblick
Read Notes from a Midnight Driver and read so many passages aloud to my daughter that she had to read it, too. I don't know how this author (who also did Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie) can write what are essentially sad books and make them so funny.
This book is about a boy who makes the very bad decision to get drunk and try to drive his mother's car. Fortunately, he doesn't get any further than the neighbor's yard, but he has to serve community service time in a nursing home. This wouldn't be an intriguing plot to most students, but the book is written in such a delightful and funny way that it works. The cover doesn't hurt-- fun cartoon.
Also read Zarr's Story of a Girl, about a girl who makes a bad decision in 8th grade and spends the rest of her school career trying to get past it. The family is entirely dysfunctional. Good book, but too much information, as well as language issues, for middle school.
Not liking the new Blogger style. Can't italicize titles. Sorry.
This book is about a boy who makes the very bad decision to get drunk and try to drive his mother's car. Fortunately, he doesn't get any further than the neighbor's yard, but he has to serve community service time in a nursing home. This wouldn't be an intriguing plot to most students, but the book is written in such a delightful and funny way that it works. The cover doesn't hurt-- fun cartoon.
Also read Zarr's Story of a Girl, about a girl who makes a bad decision in 8th grade and spends the rest of her school career trying to get past it. The family is entirely dysfunctional. Good book, but too much information, as well as language issues, for middle school.
Not liking the new Blogger style. Can't italicize titles. Sorry.
Neal Shusterman
Everlost is my son's second favorite book. (First is Lubar's Flip. He likes reality based fantasy.) It is a complicated and textured account of what happens to well-loved places and children when they die and don't make it all the way to where they are going-- they go to Everlost, where they battle a variety of evils but ultimately reach redemption. It did take me a week of reading a bit at a time, but it was good. I am not a huge fantasy fan, which would explain my reluctance.
A similar book is one that two of my children have read but I haven't-- Zevin's Elsewhere. Looks promising, and my youngest asked for her own copy, which must indicate some quality.
A similar book is one that two of my children have read but I haven't-- Zevin's Elsewhere. Looks promising, and my youngest asked for her own copy, which must indicate some quality.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Geraldine McCaughrean
While her Theseus, Odysseus, and many other titles were quite good, I think I will pass on Cyrano. While I enjoyed it, I can't see many students asking for a book of its type. Her others, especially Peter Pan in Scarlet, are all excellent.
Grisham's Bleachers
Always on the lookout for football books, I thought this adult work would be worth a try and was pleasantly surprised. Nothing objectionable, just a sentimental look at one coach's career through the eyes of his players. I had a student who liked it as well. I'll get a copy and look into more Grisham. Not even any bad language. I appreciate that. The students have liked it, too. Whew.
The Yearling vs. Hell Phone
The Yearling is a wonderful piece of classic literature. Award winning, in fact. And it bored me out of my skull. Is anything ever going to happen? Granted, has it been the only book that I had on me at the lake, it would have been great. However, when I am behind in my reading (a combination of too much quilting and Beany Malone novels), I don't want something leisurely.
This is why the children prefer something like William Sleator's Hell Phone. Would I want it to be the only book that I had with me when marooned on a desert island. No. But is it an interesting, fast paced, quick and dirty read. Yes. Which is why I recommend it and not The Yearling. I am enough of a librarian that this makes me feel bad; I am enough of a middle school teacher that it doesn't.
This is why the children prefer something like William Sleator's Hell Phone. Would I want it to be the only book that I had with me when marooned on a desert island. No. But is it an interesting, fast paced, quick and dirty read. Yes. Which is why I recommend it and not The Yearling. I am enough of a librarian that this makes me feel bad; I am enough of a middle school teacher that it doesn't.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Dodie Smith
Even though we had four snow days, I didn't read much. Just some more Beany Malone books, plus I did a LOT of sewing.
Did read 101 Dalmatians, which was fun. Well-written, if a bit dated (it's Pongo and Missus; Perdita is the wet nurse dog). Children who have seen the movie will have no problem getting through this fun book.
The only other thing I read was Roux-Lough's The Fresh Air Kid, about a girl from the inner city who spends two weeks with a suburban family. A little hokey, but an easy read. I'll try to get it out to someone today, although with missing so much school, we have over 400 overdue books!
Did read 101 Dalmatians, which was fun. Well-written, if a bit dated (it's Pongo and Missus; Perdita is the wet nurse dog). Children who have seen the movie will have no problem getting through this fun book.
The only other thing I read was Roux-Lough's The Fresh Air Kid, about a girl from the inner city who spends two weeks with a suburban family. A little hokey, but an easy read. I'll try to get it out to someone today, although with missing so much school, we have over 400 overdue books!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
