While this book was a bit short of a plot (we all know that eventually Vesuvius is going to blow), it is about the best book I have ever read as far as details of ordinary life in Ancient Rome. What made the book all the more effective was that Julia is going through her ordinary days, waiting for her sister's wedding, putting up with the summer heat, and all along we know that she is not going to have to worry about her slave being sold or anything else... they are all going to be toast.
Will anyone escape? This kept me riveted, and was a wonderful trip to Ancient Rome to visit with a Roman family and realize that they had many of the same worries that we have today.
AND Vesusvius.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sequels
Had to chant to myself "Kids like series. Kids like series." in order to finish Lemony Snicket's The Austere Academy (#5). I am still not getting the series. It's drab, predictable, and the children love it. I'm glad they do.
Beany Malone series makes me way happier than anything should. Great literature? No.
Still, Ellen Schreiber's Dance with a Vampire (#4) irritated me. Will it be popular with the girls who like vampire romances? Absolutely. Do I have two copies? Sure. Is it annoying? You bet. How many times do we need to hear that Raven wants to be a vampire and loves her vampire boyfriend? How many black, alt-designer outfits must she mention by name? Part of my dislike is that Raven seems to think she is original, when she is merely a lemming of another color (black). If she really wanted to be original, she would wear double knit polyester dresses and probably wouldn't drone on about how she wanted a group of friends who were just like her.
I sense personal feelings intruding on my enjoyment of the book.
Beany Malone series makes me way happier than anything should. Great literature? No.
Still, Ellen Schreiber's Dance with a Vampire (#4) irritated me. Will it be popular with the girls who like vampire romances? Absolutely. Do I have two copies? Sure. Is it annoying? You bet. How many times do we need to hear that Raven wants to be a vampire and loves her vampire boyfriend? How many black, alt-designer outfits must she mention by name? Part of my dislike is that Raven seems to think she is original, when she is merely a lemming of another color (black). If she really wanted to be original, she would wear double knit polyester dresses and probably wouldn't drone on about how she wanted a group of friends who were just like her.
I sense personal feelings intruding on my enjoyment of the book.
Thieves Like Us-- Stephen Cole
This was great! Enjoyed completely! Five teenagers, all with special abilities (lock picking, reading body language, hacking into computer, mesmerism, breaking into security systems) work for a man who steals antiquities for clients. All five have run afoul of the law and have no families, so they are glad for his protection.
In the first book, they travel to Egypt to try to discover the secret of eternal life. The students will like the thieving aspect (it is tempered with some morality-- they are often retrieving items from people who acquired them illicitly), I liked the antiquities tie in. In Thieves 'Til We Die, the teens go to an Aztec temple to retrieve Cortes' sword. Action, suspense, a bit of crude humor but surprisingly little foul language, this series will be a hit with students who like Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider books.
In the first book, they travel to Egypt to try to discover the secret of eternal life. The students will like the thieving aspect (it is tempered with some morality-- they are often retrieving items from people who acquired them illicitly), I liked the antiquities tie in. In Thieves 'Til We Die, the teens go to an Aztec temple to retrieve Cortes' sword. Action, suspense, a bit of crude humor but surprisingly little foul language, this series will be a hit with students who like Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider books.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Jennifer Holm's Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf
Was very much looking forward to this title, with its Conford/Danzigeresque title, loved the cover, but was temporarily put off by the format, which befits the subtitle, "A year told through stuff": IM's, notes on the refrigerator, 'articles' from teen magazines, bills, bank balances, etc. I usually hate that sort of thing, but as I kept reading, I really was able to get quite a complex story from all of this. There are a few poems to keep the reader on track, but I came away with the conclusion that this was really rather clever, and was something that reluctant readers might pick up.
This author also does the Babymouse books, which are primarily for younger readers. They are graphic novels, and while I have one at school, it's a hard sell to middle school girls.
The Creek is a wonderful suspense/mystery, and is checked out frequently by the girls who don't want to read mysteries but are big fans of Boston Jane. The Boston Jane books are great historical fiction.
Rounding up my Holm collection is Our Only May Amelia which has its fans. I am not in their number. Can't remember why.
This author also does the Babymouse books, which are primarily for younger readers. They are graphic novels, and while I have one at school, it's a hard sell to middle school girls.
The Creek is a wonderful suspense/mystery, and is checked out frequently by the girls who don't want to read mysteries but are big fans of Boston Jane. The Boston Jane books are great historical fiction.
Rounding up my Holm collection is Our Only May Amelia which has its fans. I am not in their number. Can't remember why.
Back again!
Haven't found anything that has made me happy, but it might be the weather. Looked through several longish fantasy books that just didn't reel me in. I've read some good ones this summer, so I should look at these again, but for now I will pass.
Lyn Gardner's Into the Woods was too Lemony Snicketesque in that the writing was high flown and the situations over-the-top and unbelievable. It might be good for die-hard Snicket fans, but it was a long book. The best part was the Mini Grey illustrations.
Avi's Traitor's Gate was reminiscent of some of the older Avi work that I've deaccessioned because no one read them. Oddly, these works were the only ones listed in the "Other books by" section in the front. Should have known. For die-hard Dickens fans. We get so many in middle school.
Trent Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society also involved an orphan and dire/mysterious circumstances in somewhat precious language, and was also very long. However, my son deemed it his 9th favorite book.
All three books certainly have something to recommend them, but they are for larger collections or perhaps older readers.
Lyn Gardner's Into the Woods was too Lemony Snicketesque in that the writing was high flown and the situations over-the-top and unbelievable. It might be good for die-hard Snicket fans, but it was a long book. The best part was the Mini Grey illustrations.
Avi's Traitor's Gate was reminiscent of some of the older Avi work that I've deaccessioned because no one read them. Oddly, these works were the only ones listed in the "Other books by" section in the front. Should have known. For die-hard Dickens fans. We get so many in middle school.
Trent Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society also involved an orphan and dire/mysterious circumstances in somewhat precious language, and was also very long. However, my son deemed it his 9th favorite book.
All three books certainly have something to recommend them, but they are for larger collections or perhaps older readers.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Some good books!
I had my doubts about Gordon Korman's Schooled. Boy raised on commune with no experience in a modern middle school suddenly thrust into one. Ooooh. Train wreck. But it was surprisingly good and funny, which I should have expected, because Korman is about the best there is when it comes to writing humor. He's also great at suspense and adventure. Shouldn't have doubted for a moment!
Roland Smith's Peak was fabulous. Can't say I ever really wanted to climb Mt. Everest, but this was a good vicarious experience. Lots of details about climbing, lots of ...cliff-hangers. Okay, bad I know. Loved the familial interplay, and everyone's sneaky motivations. Exquisite. Will recommend to everyone.
Another surprisingly good book-- Rune Michaels' Genesis Alpha. Surprised because she is an Icelandic author, and I've weeded a LOT of stuff "translated from the Russian"-- this was apparently written in English. Starts with an online game scenario, so will drag reluctant readers in, and then turns into a very complex mystery and psychological thriller. Great cover-- more of this foil, abstract stuff with cool typefaces that will not date as much as somewhat poorly drawn pictures of people.
Roland Smith's Peak was fabulous. Can't say I ever really wanted to climb Mt. Everest, but this was a good vicarious experience. Lots of details about climbing, lots of ...cliff-hangers. Okay, bad I know. Loved the familial interplay, and everyone's sneaky motivations. Exquisite. Will recommend to everyone.
Another surprisingly good book-- Rune Michaels' Genesis Alpha. Surprised because she is an Icelandic author, and I've weeded a LOT of stuff "translated from the Russian"-- this was apparently written in English. Starts with an online game scenario, so will drag reluctant readers in, and then turns into a very complex mystery and psychological thriller. Great cover-- more of this foil, abstract stuff with cool typefaces that will not date as much as somewhat poorly drawn pictures of people.
Harry Potter
Read ...and the Deathly Hallows in one gulp. Seven hours. I usually pace myself, but when I was looking at how many chapters there were to figure out how many chapters I could read a day, I saw the epilogue, and I knew the epilogue would ruin everything... so I had to read it.
Won't spoil anything here, but good does trump evil. Found some of the book confusing-- apparently everyone has to reread the part where Harry goes into Snape's memory. Still, explains a lot.
I was a bit disappointed because Harry wasn't in school at Hogwarts, and the magical academy part was always my favorite bit. And what did the great battle of Hogwarts do to the standardized testing schedule? Did everyone graduate? If you save the world from evil, it still matters what you get on your NEWTs. Is there wizarding college? What sort of majors are there? What jobs are available?
All things that we can think about in spare moments. It doesn't bear thinking about Harry folding laundry and washing dishes, no matter how much he might like the sanity of the mundane. Like any long series, it's possiblefor the author to go on too long and say too much. Didn't really need to see Anne of Green Gables grown up and a mother. That's not why I loved her.
Sigh.
Won't spoil anything here, but good does trump evil. Found some of the book confusing-- apparently everyone has to reread the part where Harry goes into Snape's memory. Still, explains a lot.
I was a bit disappointed because Harry wasn't in school at Hogwarts, and the magical academy part was always my favorite bit. And what did the great battle of Hogwarts do to the standardized testing schedule? Did everyone graduate? If you save the world from evil, it still matters what you get on your NEWTs. Is there wizarding college? What sort of majors are there? What jobs are available?
All things that we can think about in spare moments. It doesn't bear thinking about Harry folding laundry and washing dishes, no matter how much he might like the sanity of the mundane. Like any long series, it's possiblefor the author to go on too long and say too much. Didn't really need to see Anne of Green Gables grown up and a mother. That's not why I loved her.
Sigh.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Quick Notes
Before the marauding horde realizes I'm on the computer, here's what I have been reading:
Fantastic:
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This?-- Australian girl decides to wear the hijab full-time, even though it means dealing with some people who don't understand why she is doing this. Very different!
Carroll. The Awakening: Quantum Prophecy 01. How can a book about children who begin to realize they are Superheroes not be good? Lots of action. For fans of Stormbreaker.
Rallison, Janette. Playing the Field. Baseball, but also BOY middle school problems. Really good balance.
Good
O'Brien. Mary Jane. A problem novel about Spiderman's friend Mary Jane. Oddly riveting, but alas, out of print.
Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. Extra points for NOT using the f-bomb but wanting to so badly that he found an author who used "fug" to get around censors, and employs that.
Rinaldi, Ann. Hand 1,000 Trees with Ribbons. Phyllis Wheatly. Rinaldi at her best.
Rees. Lightning Time. Quite good, but liked Vampire High way better.
Han, Jenny. Shug. Well, we can tell the author has the MFA in kid lit, but it's still good despite the dysfunctional Southern navel gazing. Nice cover. Pink fans will pick it up, although it's one of those books that makes more sense as an adult. I'll buy it in March if there is money left.
Roth. Iceberg Hermit. Oldie but goodie; survival fiction. Eating whale blubber.
Not good.
Saldana. Whole Sky Full of Stars. Sounded promising, but couldn't keep my interest.
O'Dell. Bad Tickets. Set in the '60's, just odd.
Burnham. Goddess Games. Too much name dropping. Will age poorly.
Cooper. Tell Me Lies. More 60's, this time in England. Commune. No.
Turnbull. No shame, no fear. Odd historical time in England.
Burgess. Sarah's Face. Stopped reading when the boy was examining her, um, chestal region and comparing it with puppies. Smack was good, if inappropriate, this... wasn't.
And yes, I plan to start reading Harry Potter, but I have to share two copies among four people. I think somehow that I will survive.
Fantastic:
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This?-- Australian girl decides to wear the hijab full-time, even though it means dealing with some people who don't understand why she is doing this. Very different!
Carroll. The Awakening: Quantum Prophecy 01. How can a book about children who begin to realize they are Superheroes not be good? Lots of action. For fans of Stormbreaker.
Rallison, Janette. Playing the Field. Baseball, but also BOY middle school problems. Really good balance.
Good
O'Brien. Mary Jane. A problem novel about Spiderman's friend Mary Jane. Oddly riveting, but alas, out of print.
Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. Extra points for NOT using the f-bomb but wanting to so badly that he found an author who used "fug" to get around censors, and employs that.
Rinaldi, Ann. Hand 1,000 Trees with Ribbons. Phyllis Wheatly. Rinaldi at her best.
Rees. Lightning Time. Quite good, but liked Vampire High way better.
Han, Jenny. Shug. Well, we can tell the author has the MFA in kid lit, but it's still good despite the dysfunctional Southern navel gazing. Nice cover. Pink fans will pick it up, although it's one of those books that makes more sense as an adult. I'll buy it in March if there is money left.
Roth. Iceberg Hermit. Oldie but goodie; survival fiction. Eating whale blubber.
Not good.
Saldana. Whole Sky Full of Stars. Sounded promising, but couldn't keep my interest.
O'Dell. Bad Tickets. Set in the '60's, just odd.
Burnham. Goddess Games. Too much name dropping. Will age poorly.
Cooper. Tell Me Lies. More 60's, this time in England. Commune. No.
Turnbull. No shame, no fear. Odd historical time in England.
Burgess. Sarah's Face. Stopped reading when the boy was examining her, um, chestal region and comparing it with puppies. Smack was good, if inappropriate, this... wasn't.
And yes, I plan to start reading Harry Potter, but I have to share two copies among four people. I think somehow that I will survive.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Daemon Hall by Andrew Nance, etc.
Definitely buying this one. Great cover ( shimmery copper skull with corpses for eyeballs!) and a great tag line:" Is a contest worth dying for.
This is basically short stories, but strung together in a Monster House sort of way. Five students are invited by author Ian Tremblin to stay the night in a haunted house and tell stories to freak each other out. Some fun ghost stories in a variety of formats. The cover alone would encourage check out, so it's nice that it also has some literary merit. Rare that there is horror that I like. Note: blood and gore somewhat limited.
Garfinkle's Stuck in the 70's also had a fun cover, and having been a teen in the 70's I had to read it, but all middle school librarians need to know is this: Brief but very graphic sex. Okay. So, no. Also, very vague and disturbing ending and message. Were the 70's supposedly better than now? And if so, why? Just because mothers made homemade meals and people wore more clothing?
Rabin's Black Powder has a promising premise-- boy whose best friend is killed in a gang related shooting travels back in time to stop Roger Bacon from discovering gun powder. Might have worked if there weren't so many subplots. The students who might be drawn into the historical/sci fi aspect because of the gang violence would probably give up on this one. Think I'll pass.
Hautman's All-in had its moments, but I need to get up to speed on the previous adventures of Denn Doyle in No Limit. Intriguing story about gambling and Las Vegas, but I have concerns about his relationship with Cattie. Hautman's Sweet Blood and Mr. Was are very good, but I haven't been as thrilled about Rash, Invisible or Godless. He writes mainly for high schoolers, I think.
This is basically short stories, but strung together in a Monster House sort of way. Five students are invited by author Ian Tremblin to stay the night in a haunted house and tell stories to freak each other out. Some fun ghost stories in a variety of formats. The cover alone would encourage check out, so it's nice that it also has some literary merit. Rare that there is horror that I like. Note: blood and gore somewhat limited.
Garfinkle's Stuck in the 70's also had a fun cover, and having been a teen in the 70's I had to read it, but all middle school librarians need to know is this: Brief but very graphic sex. Okay. So, no. Also, very vague and disturbing ending and message. Were the 70's supposedly better than now? And if so, why? Just because mothers made homemade meals and people wore more clothing?
Rabin's Black Powder has a promising premise-- boy whose best friend is killed in a gang related shooting travels back in time to stop Roger Bacon from discovering gun powder. Might have worked if there weren't so many subplots. The students who might be drawn into the historical/sci fi aspect because of the gang violence would probably give up on this one. Think I'll pass.
Hautman's All-in had its moments, but I need to get up to speed on the previous adventures of Denn Doyle in No Limit. Intriguing story about gambling and Las Vegas, but I have concerns about his relationship with Cattie. Hautman's Sweet Blood and Mr. Was are very good, but I haven't been as thrilled about Rash, Invisible or Godless. He writes mainly for high schoolers, I think.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Demon Keeper, Buckingham; assorted
Demon Keeper was quite a fun read. Not as horrific as some of my students would like, although I wouldn't personally want to be hunted down by any of the monsters, but not funny in a way that my horror fans will find obnoxious. In fact, I think this would be an excellent book to get die-hard horror fans to transition to some good humor books for boys. Definitely buying.
Mull's sequel to Fablehaven, The Rise of the Evening Star, was a worthy successor to the first book. Great realistic based fantasy with adventure, fun characters. The brother needs to grow up in the next book and stop doing stupid things, though!
Davis' Smart Boys and Fast Girls was rather fluffy, but my daughter, who runs cross country, loved this light romance about a girl who is good at sports but not so good at math. She gets tutored by a boy who doesn't like jocks, and it's no surprise that a romance develops. Still, strong girl and some life lessons. Since same daughter is begging to read Beany Malone, we need a lot of discussion!
Papademetriou's Wizard, a witch, and two girls from Jersey looked promising, and certainly understands the fantasy genre really well (some of the names made me laugh-- they are so typical of high fantasy that takes itself too seriously), and aforementioned daughter liked it as well, but we both agreed that it would not draw in girls who had to read fantasy but didn't want to, but also wouldn't be picked up by girls who liked fantasy. Will have to pass, but it was quirky fun.
I do not for the life of me know how Carney's The Adventures of Michael MacInnes got published for the YA market. Boys' boarding school in 1920's, some mention of dysfunctional, um, Noel Coward type male relationships...just can't see anyone asking for it. Just somehow disturbing.
Charlie Price's Dead Connection looked promising, but was a bit too disjointed. For students very interested in paranormal phenomenon.
Mull's sequel to Fablehaven, The Rise of the Evening Star, was a worthy successor to the first book. Great realistic based fantasy with adventure, fun characters. The brother needs to grow up in the next book and stop doing stupid things, though!
Davis' Smart Boys and Fast Girls was rather fluffy, but my daughter, who runs cross country, loved this light romance about a girl who is good at sports but not so good at math. She gets tutored by a boy who doesn't like jocks, and it's no surprise that a romance develops. Still, strong girl and some life lessons. Since same daughter is begging to read Beany Malone, we need a lot of discussion!
Papademetriou's Wizard, a witch, and two girls from Jersey looked promising, and certainly understands the fantasy genre really well (some of the names made me laugh-- they are so typical of high fantasy that takes itself too seriously), and aforementioned daughter liked it as well, but we both agreed that it would not draw in girls who had to read fantasy but didn't want to, but also wouldn't be picked up by girls who liked fantasy. Will have to pass, but it was quirky fun.
I do not for the life of me know how Carney's The Adventures of Michael MacInnes got published for the YA market. Boys' boarding school in 1920's, some mention of dysfunctional, um, Noel Coward type male relationships...just can't see anyone asking for it. Just somehow disturbing.
Charlie Price's Dead Connection looked promising, but was a bit too disjointed. For students very interested in paranormal phenomenon.
The Wereling: Wounded, Stephen Cole
Think the series is The Wereling. Book one is Wounded. I think that readers of Twilight would like this one, although it lacks the romance, and readers of Cirque du Freak might like it, even though it comes close to romance and isn't as fantastic. It was certainly a worthy addition to the werewolf genre.
Bad news: Tom falls into a river and is almost killed. Good news: He is rescued by a family who helps him recover. Bad news: They turn him into a werewolf. Good news: He's a wereling, who can keep hold of his humanity and not snack on everyone he meets. Bad news: The werewolves are following him.
Plenty of action, an interesting story line, and a sympathetic teenage werewolf, Kate, who dislikes her mother and helps Tom run away. Bad feeling that it's only in paperback, but I'm getting the series anyway.
Note on the series: There is a second and even a third book, but they could be difficult to find. The Westerville Library has them, but I still don't have the second one at Blendon because it has not been available in a prebind edition. Guess I should buy a used paperback for the students who like this one!
Absolutely could not get into either Moloney's The Book of Lies or Scott's The Alchemyst: the secrest of the immortal Nicholas Flamel. There are so many fantasies out there, and these are fine-- they just didn't have that extra spark that I need in order to buy something for my small collection.
Bad news: Tom falls into a river and is almost killed. Good news: He is rescued by a family who helps him recover. Bad news: They turn him into a werewolf. Good news: He's a wereling, who can keep hold of his humanity and not snack on everyone he meets. Bad news: The werewolves are following him.
Plenty of action, an interesting story line, and a sympathetic teenage werewolf, Kate, who dislikes her mother and helps Tom run away. Bad feeling that it's only in paperback, but I'm getting the series anyway.
Note on the series: There is a second and even a third book, but they could be difficult to find. The Westerville Library has them, but I still don't have the second one at Blendon because it has not been available in a prebind edition. Guess I should buy a used paperback for the students who like this one!
Absolutely could not get into either Moloney's The Book of Lies or Scott's The Alchemyst: the secrest of the immortal Nicholas Flamel. There are so many fantasies out there, and these are fine-- they just didn't have that extra spark that I need in order to buy something for my small collection.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
Tina Ferraro's first young adult book was great fun. Unabashedly pink on the cover but more serious on the inside, this will be a hugely popular book.
Had to put the cover here because it is so great-- must be same illustrator as the S.A.S.S. books, Jeanine Henderson. (Who very nicely emailed me back and said she did the interior illustrations, and that the covers are done by someone named Zuko.) This illustrator must have read a lot of 1950s teen fiction illustrated by Joe and Beth Krush. The Krushes are my favorite illustrators. Couldn't find much info to share.
Nicolette is dumped right before prom, and left with the perfect dress. She needs something perfect in her world-- her father has left, remarried, and has a two-year-old daughter; her mother is struggling with her job; her best friend is not happy with the budding relationship between her brother and Nicolette. There is still schoolwork and volleyball team to contend with, so keeping all the balls in the air keeps Nicolette busy.
The tone was great-- Nicolette doesn't quite understand why the boy who dumped her and the brother are interested in her. The fact that they are interested in her makes this escapist-- the fact that things don't follow the typical teen romance formula makes the book stronger and more edifying. I cannot wait to see How to Hook a Hottie, which comes out in 2008.
Janet McDonald
Sadly, I just found out that this young author passed away in April.
http://www.projectgirl.com/
Read Harlem Hustle last night. First off, great cover. Kids will pick this up since the colors are vibrant and the picture new-looking and appealing. Second, there was no bad language. Considering the amount of it I've had to read, this is a huge help to me. There's artistic expression, but then there's remembering your audience. The schools are trying to teach children to use more creative words. It would be nice to have help from YA authors.
Harlem has had a less than optimal childhood, but has support from the family of a friend. He is trying to turn his life around after being arrested for shop lifting, but violating probation still has some appeal to him. Some of his friends are trying to get away from life in the projects, and while aspects of this are appealing, there are still things about his life he likes. As a compromise, he writes rap lyrics. I did like that when the grandmother of a girl he likes finds the lyrics offensive, he changes them. This woman also gets him interested in some poetry. There is character development, and a positive message about education.
The book was a little hard to read, going choppily from street lingo to somewhat didactic passages. Also, given the topic of changing one's life, I was looking for a more powerful story, more along the lines of Sharon Draper's work. Still, there is a need for fiction about African American students, and in general, McDonald's work provides mainly positive messages. I will be adding this title, Brother Hood, Chill Wind, Twists and Turns, Spell Bound, and the upcoming Off-Color to my collection this fall.
http://www.projectgirl.com/
Read Harlem Hustle last night. First off, great cover. Kids will pick this up since the colors are vibrant and the picture new-looking and appealing. Second, there was no bad language. Considering the amount of it I've had to read, this is a huge help to me. There's artistic expression, but then there's remembering your audience. The schools are trying to teach children to use more creative words. It would be nice to have help from YA authors.
Harlem has had a less than optimal childhood, but has support from the family of a friend. He is trying to turn his life around after being arrested for shop lifting, but violating probation still has some appeal to him. Some of his friends are trying to get away from life in the projects, and while aspects of this are appealing, there are still things about his life he likes. As a compromise, he writes rap lyrics. I did like that when the grandmother of a girl he likes finds the lyrics offensive, he changes them. This woman also gets him interested in some poetry. There is character development, and a positive message about education.
The book was a little hard to read, going choppily from street lingo to somewhat didactic passages. Also, given the topic of changing one's life, I was looking for a more powerful story, more along the lines of Sharon Draper's work. Still, there is a need for fiction about African American students, and in general, McDonald's work provides mainly positive messages. I will be adding this title, Brother Hood, Chill Wind, Twists and Turns, Spell Bound, and the upcoming Off-Color to my collection this fall.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Lots of books, little computer time
The books I will buy:
Jan Page's Rewind was a great time travel story about a boy in a rock band who goes back in time, after an accident in concert, and meets his own parents when they were in a rock band. Some teen angst, some family mysteries and a fairly believable excuse for time travel makes this a fun book. Two of my three children picked this one up, too.
Anthony Horowitz, author of Stormbreaker and Raven's Gate, has two collection of mystery stories out -- Horowitz Horror and More Horowitz Horror. How did I miss these? Quite good, and psychological thrillers than blood and gore, although there is just enough of that as well.
Not buying (remember, I have a small budget!)
Castelucci- Beige. I liked this one, but it was a bit mature for most of my audience. Had it scrubbed the bad language, I might buy it. A little more Sarah Dessen-like than other books.
Joyce- TWOC (Take without owner's consent)-- Looked promising-- a car on the cover, and about boys who steal cars for joyriding. More about the one boy's mental illness. Almost too British. Just didn't do it. Too mature. Got a random sample of British books this library trip.
Hughes. Open Ice. Okay. I'm trying to get more boy books, but came to the conclusion that more books for boys include 1) foul language and 2) groping girls. **Sigh** In the end, this didn't have enough sports-- it was more about the boy's brain injury.
Shields, Gillian. The Actual Real Reality of Jennifer James. In diary format, sort of like the Louise Rennison, about a British girl whose school is chosen for a reality tv show. Got better as the book progressed, and if I am in desperate need of pink books and have money left, I'll buy it, but it's certainly an optional purchase. Would be wildly popular, just not good for people.
Roter. Camp Rules. Loved Girl in Development by this author-- didn't like Camp Rules because none of the characters were likeable and the whole camp experience didn't even sound like fun. I want to go to camp, but this was not a fun vicarious vacation for me.
McNeal. Decoding of Lana Morris. Quirky Dysfunctional. Again, just didn't quite do it.
Jan Page's Rewind was a great time travel story about a boy in a rock band who goes back in time, after an accident in concert, and meets his own parents when they were in a rock band. Some teen angst, some family mysteries and a fairly believable excuse for time travel makes this a fun book. Two of my three children picked this one up, too.
Anthony Horowitz, author of Stormbreaker and Raven's Gate, has two collection of mystery stories out -- Horowitz Horror and More Horowitz Horror. How did I miss these? Quite good, and psychological thrillers than blood and gore, although there is just enough of that as well.
Not buying (remember, I have a small budget!)
Castelucci- Beige. I liked this one, but it was a bit mature for most of my audience. Had it scrubbed the bad language, I might buy it. A little more Sarah Dessen-like than other books.
Joyce- TWOC (Take without owner's consent)-- Looked promising-- a car on the cover, and about boys who steal cars for joyriding. More about the one boy's mental illness. Almost too British. Just didn't do it. Too mature. Got a random sample of British books this library trip.
Hughes. Open Ice. Okay. I'm trying to get more boy books, but came to the conclusion that more books for boys include 1) foul language and 2) groping girls. **Sigh** In the end, this didn't have enough sports-- it was more about the boy's brain injury.
Shields, Gillian. The Actual Real Reality of Jennifer James. In diary format, sort of like the Louise Rennison, about a British girl whose school is chosen for a reality tv show. Got better as the book progressed, and if I am in desperate need of pink books and have money left, I'll buy it, but it's certainly an optional purchase. Would be wildly popular, just not good for people.
Roter. Camp Rules. Loved Girl in Development by this author-- didn't like Camp Rules because none of the characters were likeable and the whole camp experience didn't even sound like fun. I want to go to camp, but this was not a fun vicarious vacation for me.
McNeal. Decoding of Lana Morris. Quirky Dysfunctional. Again, just didn't quite do it.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Question of the Day-- Time Travel
What would you wear if you were time traveling? This is very important, you know. Several people at my school and I have discussed this at length, but I'm curious as to what other people would choose.
One pink, one science fiction
Michael Daley's Shanghaied to the Moon fills a niche perfectly. Reluctant readers who want science fiction to be a littel more serious than Mackel's rmsCan of Worms or Luzzato's Interplanetary Avenger but can't quite handle Heinlein will appreciate this tale of a disgruntled youth who manages to get himself taken into space-- with interesting results.
Stewart wants to be a space hero like his mother, but since her death in space, his father is reluctant to let him go. When his father takes off on a business trip, Stewart meets a somewhat creepy "spacer" who has repaired an old ship and takes him on an adventure. Sure, there are issues with Stewart's grieving, deep family secrets, and conselours trying to get Stewart to forget him mother and move on, but there are also 3-Vid adventure games, trouble in space, and lots of adventure. Told in an easy-to-read style with plenty of action, this will be perfect for handing to students who have read all of my Star Wars books as well as students who HAVE to read science fiction.
One book I may buy for the cover more than anything else is Heather Vogel Frederick's The Mother-Daughter Book Club. A fairly standard book about the difficulties faced by four average middle school girls and their families, (suddent wealth and alienation from friends, parental expectations at odds with reality, separation from parents) it does at least mention Little Women so many times that girls who pick this up because of the great cover may go on to try that book. The writer grew up in Concord, so there is a lot of loca flavor as well.
Stewart wants to be a space hero like his mother, but since her death in space, his father is reluctant to let him go. When his father takes off on a business trip, Stewart meets a somewhat creepy "spacer" who has repaired an old ship and takes him on an adventure. Sure, there are issues with Stewart's grieving, deep family secrets, and conselours trying to get Stewart to forget him mother and move on, but there are also 3-Vid adventure games, trouble in space, and lots of adventure. Told in an easy-to-read style with plenty of action, this will be perfect for handing to students who have read all of my Star Wars books as well as students who HAVE to read science fiction.
One book I may buy for the cover more than anything else is Heather Vogel Frederick's The Mother-Daughter Book Club. A fairly standard book about the difficulties faced by four average middle school girls and their families, (suddent wealth and alienation from friends, parental expectations at odds with reality, separation from parents) it does at least mention Little Women so many times that girls who pick this up because of the great cover may go on to try that book. The writer grew up in Concord, so there is a lot of loca flavor as well.
Charlie Fletcher's Stoneheart
This is a lengthy (450 pages) fantasy book and will be great for my avid readers who have finished ALLof Orson Scott Card's Enders books by the end of 6th grade.
George has some issues, but these are quickly forgotten when, in a moment of rage, he knocks the head off a dragon statue and life quickly becomes strange. Accompanied by Edie, who can see the spirits of stautes, and an assortment of the statues ("spits", the spirits of the human statues) himself, George is regularly attacked by the "taints" (the spirits of the monster statues) of London, and has himself quite the unwilling, but quite exciting, adventure.
To best read this, have a copy of London A to Z by your side. A lot of the action occurs around the neighborhood of St. Pauls' Cathedral and The Monument, and with the directions in the book, it's easy to follow exactly where the character are going. In a way, it's too bad that pictures of the actual statues are not involved.
This is not an easy read. It's quite complex, with a lot of good versus evil that is not clear cut. (Now I really want to see a picture of the Black Friar.) Still, for fantasy readers, this is good stuff. There has got to be another book on the way, although I don't have the title right now.
After this book and Ursu's The Shadow Thieves, it was a mistake to read Buckley-Archer's Gideon the Cutpurse. The time travel aspect always appeals to me, but a whole lot of time is spent in 1753 London and environs, and is more historical than fantastic. I will recommend that my students get this from the public library, but it's part of a trilogy, and I don't think I'm going to buy it. It was good, but will be hard to get into a wide variety of students' hands. HUGE pet peeve with this one-- the binding will not hold up very well since it is a paper over boards "library binding" but also has a cut out in the front cover which will immediately fall apart.
George has some issues, but these are quickly forgotten when, in a moment of rage, he knocks the head off a dragon statue and life quickly becomes strange. Accompanied by Edie, who can see the spirits of stautes, and an assortment of the statues ("spits", the spirits of the human statues) himself, George is regularly attacked by the "taints" (the spirits of the monster statues) of London, and has himself quite the unwilling, but quite exciting, adventure.
To best read this, have a copy of London A to Z by your side. A lot of the action occurs around the neighborhood of St. Pauls' Cathedral and The Monument, and with the directions in the book, it's easy to follow exactly where the character are going. In a way, it's too bad that pictures of the actual statues are not involved.
This is not an easy read. It's quite complex, with a lot of good versus evil that is not clear cut. (Now I really want to see a picture of the Black Friar.) Still, for fantasy readers, this is good stuff. There has got to be another book on the way, although I don't have the title right now.
After this book and Ursu's The Shadow Thieves, it was a mistake to read Buckley-Archer's Gideon the Cutpurse. The time travel aspect always appeals to me, but a whole lot of time is spent in 1753 London and environs, and is more historical than fantastic. I will recommend that my students get this from the public library, but it's part of a trilogy, and I don't think I'm going to buy it. It was good, but will be hard to get into a wide variety of students' hands. HUGE pet peeve with this one-- the binding will not hold up very well since it is a paper over boards "library binding" but also has a cut out in the front cover which will immediately fall apart.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Anne Ursu's The Shadow Thieves
Loved the voice on this one. Quoted half the first chapter to my daughter, because it was just funny and fresh. Here is an example (from pg 326) of what was so enjoyable: "
Charlotte had never been a particularly fast runner; she always finished in the middle of the pack in school fitness exams. But never during the exams had they used vampires to motivate Charlotte, and if they had, she would have been tops in the whole nation. It's amazing the things you can do when you're really motivated."
Now, this is a BIG book. Four hundred some pages. And it took a while for the whole good-vs-evil fight versus fight with Charlotte and her cousin Zee to get going. Oddly enough, I was having so much fun reading that I didn't mind. It occurred to me about halfway through that fans of Twilight might like this one. I'm not sure why.
Not quite like The Lightning Thief, but a good mythology based reads for girls who want philosophy more than action. There's action-- it just comes later.
It was the voice. Delicious. I loved Charlotte, and the way that Ms. Ursu wrote. I am definitely purchasing this and can't wait for the sequel! (Which I think comes out fairly soon.)
Charlotte had never been a particularly fast runner; she always finished in the middle of the pack in school fitness exams. But never during the exams had they used vampires to motivate Charlotte, and if they had, she would have been tops in the whole nation. It's amazing the things you can do when you're really motivated."
Now, this is a BIG book. Four hundred some pages. And it took a while for the whole good-vs-evil fight versus fight with Charlotte and her cousin Zee to get going. Oddly enough, I was having so much fun reading that I didn't mind. It occurred to me about halfway through that fans of Twilight might like this one. I'm not sure why.
Not quite like The Lightning Thief, but a good mythology based reads for girls who want philosophy more than action. There's action-- it just comes later.
It was the voice. Delicious. I loved Charlotte, and the way that Ms. Ursu wrote. I am definitely purchasing this and can't wait for the sequel! (Which I think comes out fairly soon.)
Reluctant Readers
My nine-year-old has decided that all books are boring. This was a shocker. I knew she was starting but not finishing things, but she is a strong reader who polished off Zevin's Elsewhere in an evening. 
We made a trip to the library to sign up for the summer reading program and stock up on books. She likes action adventure, spies, and magic (Anthony Horowitz, Lemony Snicket, and J.K. Rowling are her favorites.) She also needed to read biographies for her school. Those, of course, were too boring, at least until we found a biography of Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket.
In general, the best thing for reluctant readers is books that are:
We made a trip to the library to sign up for the summer reading program and stock up on books. She likes action adventure, spies, and magic (Anthony Horowitz, Lemony Snicket, and J.K. Rowling are her favorites.) She also needed to read biographies for her school. Those, of course, were too boring, at least until we found a biography of Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket.
In general, the best thing for reluctant readers is books that are:
- SHORT
- Fast-paced
- Of interest and
- SHORT
When I needed to read something last night, I looked at my pile and could not bear to pick up any of the very promising two inch thick books. There is a huge sense of accomplishment in finishing a book. Many nonfiction picture books are written on a 5th grade reading level, so those can be very successful for some students.
If you have a reluctant reader, work with the child. Make a trip to the library an event (we had ice cream, too). Listen to what they want to read, not what you think they should. I love Dan Gutman, but his My Weird School series seemed a bit low for my reader.
She finished two of them last night.
Also, ask for professional help! We talked to the librarians, because sometimes other people might have great suggestions, and I wanted my daughter to know that. We took home A Cricket in Times Square, Trumpet of the Swan, and The Trouble With Tuck. We'll see how those go.In Which I Read An Award Winning Book
Yang's American Born Chinese was on the just returned shelf, so I took it home. Won Printz and American Book honors, I think. Not bad. Graphic novel, included a lot of Chinese mythology as well as modern issues of cultural discrimination. I enjoyed it.
Don't think I"ll buy it. The three intertwined story lines were a bit hard to follow. My 8th grader, who read the whole thing, said she didn't get how the stories came together, so the force of it was lost on her. She's a strong reader, and sometimes the students attracted to graphic novels are not, so I think that there would be a lot of confusion. This would be a good book for a high school class discussion.
Kaslik's Skinny would also be better for high school. The story of one girls' struggle with anorexia includes some questionable material that detracts from the main issue. Also, this is a very well-written and lyrical story, with vivid descriptions and philosophical musings. Just not the thing to fill the need for eating disorders for my middle school girls. Again, confusion would be high.
Theodore Taylor's The Trouble With Tuck was recommended by the Ms. Patti at the public library (hi, everyone!) and is a good selection for students who like books about dogs. A bit introspective, but the larger story about the dog who loses his sight eventually getting a guide dog was touching. THere are always a few 6th graders who want nothing but books about dogs, and I didn't realize that that's what this one was about. Sad note: Taylor died in October of 2006.
Don't think I"ll buy it. The three intertwined story lines were a bit hard to follow. My 8th grader, who read the whole thing, said she didn't get how the stories came together, so the force of it was lost on her. She's a strong reader, and sometimes the students attracted to graphic novels are not, so I think that there would be a lot of confusion. This would be a good book for a high school class discussion.
Kaslik's Skinny would also be better for high school. The story of one girls' struggle with anorexia includes some questionable material that detracts from the main issue. Also, this is a very well-written and lyrical story, with vivid descriptions and philosophical musings. Just not the thing to fill the need for eating disorders for my middle school girls. Again, confusion would be high.
Theodore Taylor's The Trouble With Tuck was recommended by the Ms. Patti at the public library (hi, everyone!) and is a good selection for students who like books about dogs. A bit introspective, but the larger story about the dog who loses his sight eventually getting a guide dog was touching. THere are always a few 6th graders who want nothing but books about dogs, and I didn't realize that that's what this one was about. Sad note: Taylor died in October of 2006.
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