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MG and YA book reviews and frequent author interviews, with a focus on debut authors
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JacketFlap tags: Louis Sachar, the cardturner, A+, Add a tag
Delacorte; May 11, 2010
Overall Grade: A+
Alton Richards (not Richard Alton like some of his teachers call him) has always known that wealthy Lester Trapp is his favorite uncle. He loves him. At least, that's what his mother tells him to say every time Trapp and Alton talk on the phone. But when Trapp's health problems lead to his blindness and Alton is roped into being the old man's “cardturner” at his bridge club...Alton has to decide his feelings for himself—along with his feelings for Toni Castaneda, Trapp's niece by marriage and former cardturner according to most, contender for the fortune according to Alton's mom. But he soon learns that Toni might not be as crazy as his mom says, that bridge may not be as boring as he thought, and that not all coincidences are mere coincidences.
Ok, this time I'm skipping all the educated, literary-sounding praise. Getting straight to the point: I loved The Cardturner. Like Sachar's previous masterpiece, Holes, The Cardturner hides layer upon layer of meaning with the utmost subtlety...yet is so straightforward about it all that you will trust the narrator implicitly. I know my summary is slightly convoluted; a more simple way to put it is that this book is all about bridges. Yeah, the game bridge of course, which you will find delightfully, surprisingly exciting, but so much more... The bridges we build from one person to another...one idea to another... to friends, strangers, God, our own subconscious minds.
Ok, and if anyone suddenly has a strong desire to start up a bridge club after reading this (it wouldn't surprise me), I so want to be in on it.
Literary Quality: A
Plot: A+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+ (Can't get much more original than a book about bridge!)
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A+
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A
*Possibly objectionable topics: mild language, stories of physical abuse in a marriage, brief discussion/thought of mature topics such as adultery.
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JacketFlap tags: author interview, Tenners, kay cassidy, the cinderella society, Add a tag
Here's what Kay's bio says:
Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.
(Lindsay is the author of the delicious 2010 debut novel Princess for Hire.)
You can visit Lindsey at http://www.lindseyleavitt.com
HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY, TO ALL YOU MOTHERS OUT THERE! (And especially to Lindsey, Rosanne, and Lindsay! Thanks for inspiring us!)
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JacketFlap tags: Lindsay Eland, Mothers Day post, Add a tag
(Guest writer-mama # 2, Lindsay Eland, is the author of Scones and Sensibility. I believe this is one of the times where less of an intro is more, so I'll be quiet now and get to her lovely words...)
To all the mothers buried under mounds of laundry and dishes and homework
To all the mothers that kiss their kids good-bye…sending them off to school, to college, to their own families, to war
To all the mothers whose hearts have ached at every scraped knee, every broken heart, every good-bye
To all the mothers who have worried and prayed and stayed up until the car pulls into the driveway…no matter how late the clock struck
To all the mothers who aren’t the same in the mirror as they were before…but who are so much more beautiful and full of life and wonder and love because of having a child
To all the mothers who have a hidden lion underneath their soft skin and gentle touch…a ferocious love that doesn’t go away or diminish as time goes on
To all the mothers who do it all alone—the cooking and cleaning and crying and loving
To all the mothers who have taken children who aren’t their own and sewn them into their hearts forever
To all the mothers who loved their child enough to give them a better chance
To all the mothers that have cried over the babies that left them too early but were loved a lifetime over
To all the mothers still dreaming dreams
To all the mothers reawakening old dreams
To all the mothers laughing or crying, singing or skipping, reading or sleeping, old or young or in-between…
Happy Mother’s Day!
(You can visit Lindsay at http://lindsayeland.com/)
Today we have Rosanne Parry, author of Heart of a Shepherd, discuss her own mother's influence on her writing...and I know it has already had influence on mine as well. Thanks, Rosanne!
I could say any number of things about my mother and my writing. I could tell you how she taught me to read when I was four, had the chicken pox, and was bored out of my mind. I could tell about her love of poetry, how she always had a table just my size with paper, pens, paint, scissors, and glue. How she almost never interrupted me when I was working. But when I think about what she did that made the most difference in my life as a writer, it’s this: my mother never said a negative thing about herself in my hearing.
She had plenty of negative things to say to me which is why I had oatmeal for breakfast instead of brownies, and I wrote a thank you note this morning, and I am not picking my nose as I write this. But she never had a critical word for herself. I’m sure it’s not that she’s never had regrets or felt dissatisfied. But in a world that expects a woman to be self-effacing, she chose to remain uncritical of her appearance, her work, her relationships and her life choices. It is, in its silence, as bold a feminist statement as any I’ve heard.
And it has had an important impact on my own writing process. We all have our inner critic. The difference is that mine has never been one that says: “You have no talent. You are never going to finish this. You will never be good enough.”
I get my share of doubts and self-criticism, but they sound more like this: “This character is too much like this other one and needs his own voice. This scene needs more specific and detailed action. This work needs more time to develop.”
It’s a subtle difference but an important one. One that helps me stick with a story until it’s done, look at the story dispassionately when I revise, and receive the critique of my writers group and editor in the spirit it is intended.
I’d like to say that I’ve done the same for my own daughters. I’ve certainly tried but it takes a measure of self-discipline to swim against a
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JacketFlap tags: author interview, Kristina McBride, Add a tag
Up today is the next lovely Tenner, Kristina McBride. (Seriously, aren't they all so good-looking?) She very graciously joined us to discuss her upcoming book, The Tension of Opposites ( on sale May 25, 2010 from Egmont USA).
CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?
KM: Psychological thriller, kidnapped and returned, friendship, love, romance, photography, nature.
CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?
KM: The following comes from the scene where my main character sees her best friend for the first time since she went missing two years earlier. The reunion goes nothing like Tessa had expected, as her old friend Noelle seems to be a completely different person:
Noelle sighed. “This just isn’t my life anymore, Tess. I’m not that girl you knew all those years ago.”
“Noelle, I’ll always be - ”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Her hand shot out at the darkness, aiming to hit something that wasn’t there. “I’m not Noelle anymore.” She breathed heavily through her nose and clenched her jaw.
“Of course you’re Noelle. Who else would you be?”
The girl who was not Noelle looked directly into my eyes. Her stare was hard and cold. “Noelle is gone. And she’s not coming back.” She blinked. “My name is Elle.”
CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?
KM; Noise, coffee, people not being reliable, people not wearing their seatbelts, itty-bitty children drinking soda, when people are disrespectful to books, cold weather (too bad I live in Ohio!). Does it say something about me that I can only come up with seven things for this list?
CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?
KM: Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns by John Green. She’s mischievous and brilliant with all of her pranks and I think she’d be great fun to hang out with!
CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?
KM: This is so hard to answer! Every book I have read has inspired me in some way. To name a few
Overall Grade: A+
When his parents get stuck miles away from home due to a worldwide gas shortage, it's up to Dewey Marriss to run the family's bike shop. But with the sudden demand for bicycle repairs, this proves to be no easy task... Between the heavy workload, the fear of a thief, sibling conflicts, Dewey has a lot working against him--but luckily he has the love of family, the support of friends, and even the unexpected help of a stranger working for him.
Crunch is amazing. It's that simple. Rarely do you find a story with such great family interaction--and the ones that come to mind are already greats: the stories of Elizabeth Enright, Eleanor Estes, Jeanne Birdsall... Despite some mentions of technology, Crunch is sure to join them on the classic shelf, because it feels timeless. Dewey's voice is marvelous and believable, and his predicament is well developed through a character-driven plot.
I'm expecting to see this story come up on a lot of Newbery discussions.
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+
Possibly objectionable topics*: some mild language
Overall Grade: A
Desi makes a wish: she wants to make an impact. An Audrey-Hepburn-in-a-movie kind of impact. And being as gorgeous as Audrey wouldn't hurt either. But she didn't expect her wish to be answered by a sort of technologically advanced fairy godmother with crazy-colored hair who offers her a chance to be a stand-in princess. Basically, when Desi applies a magical rouge to her cheeks, she takes on the appearance of any princess who has applied for her help. No problem, right? Oh, come on, you're intelligent readers: of course there's a problem. But I'm not going to tell you.
Voice: A
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: B+
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+
Possibly objectionable topics*: a little kissing
Overall Grade: A+
When a sleepy bat mistakes her for a moth and takes a bite, Flory the night fairy is left wingless--and with one fear: bats. She decides to become a day fairy to avoid the creatures, but the day is not without its own dangers: squirrels, spiders, praying mantises...but Flory, always stubborn and resourceful, learns to survive and makes a home.
The Night Fairy is an ideal read-aloud for any children old enough to handle a few scary moments--the language is lyrical and descriptive, making it a pleasure for the adult reading as well as the child being read to. From the first lovely description on page one, "eyes that sparkled like blackberries under dew," to its humorous and endearing ending, this book is definitely one that fits into that "small gem" category along with its main character. I loved the wonderful world-building of fairy life--the petal dresses, the thorn dagger--I loved the humor and the cast of supporting characters, especially Skuggle, the most squirrel-like squirrel you will ever come across, I loved the adventure, I loved Angela Barrett's beautiful illustrations. The omniscient narrative voice was slightly off-putting; it came across as very obviously human and adult. I would prefer a firmer handle on the fairy perspective, but I will allow that this familiar narrator may make the story readily accessible and familiar to young readers.
Plot: A-
Voice: A-
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: A+
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A
Overall Grade: A
At seventeen, Pancho has decided the last thing he needs to do with his life: kill the man he thinks responsible for the death of his sister. It's not so simple, though...first he has to figure out who exactly the man is, how to find him, and how to get past the annoying, aggravatingly happy D.Q., another teen boy with a mission of his own: live life to the fullest in his last months...before he dies of brain cancer. And...honestly...I can't do justice to the plot here. Throw in some conversations about life, death, faith, love. Mix up with heart-wrenching backgrounds, wise children, foolish adults, and sucking every drop of marrow from life.
As my little synopsis probably makes clear, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors is one of those fathoms-deep, meaningful stories that you rarely come across in YA lit. It is also an extremely subtle story--almost too subtle for my taste (the ending didn't feel wrapped-up enough for me), yet I love the way it left me thinking after I finished it. I can guarantee that it will make you question the way you're living your life, embrace the beauty of every day, and appreciate things you never thought to notice. You will never forget Pancho and D.Q. or the friends they make on their journey--Francisco Stork is a master at character and relationship development, and these aspects of the story are truly what make it shine. Even every description, although technically all of them are extremely basic and simply worded, serves to develop character--and does so perfectly.
As a bit of a warning, this is a very difficult book to read...certainly not in actual pacing or readability, but simply because it delves into topics and a world that are hard to be in. This is not a story to be read casually, and it is certainly for mature readers who can handle its issues. Yet it is a beautiful book, and it is an important book.
Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A
A Novel of the Johnstown Flood, will be published by Alfred A. Knopf on April 13, 2010.
CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?
Peter
The sunset competes with the red glow over Johnstown.
And I know,
at any given moment,
metal is liquid fire
lighting the night sky,
becoming steel
that will build tracks
to anywhere she might be.
It will build bridges between the glittering stars
and the likes of me.
CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?
I hate the smell/taste/sensation of a temporary crown falling off.
I hate the smell of hot dog water.
I hate honking horns.
I hate the cold.
I hate the cold.
I hate the cold. (Apparently I always say it three times!)
I hate getting my car’s oil changed.
I hate being trapped.
I hate the phone and its infernal ringing.
CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?
CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?
CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?
CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?
CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?
Even though I can imagine a big beautiful illustrated edition of Three Rivers Rising, I don’t have a specific illustrator in mind, someone who can do epic realism.<
Overall Grade: A-/A
Allie Jo fears that summer with her best friend away is going to be miserable—but she didn't expect that helping her parents work at the Meriwether Hotel in Hope Springs, Florida, would bring her a few new friends: a sweet girl named Sophie, a skateboard-loving boy named Chase, and a beautiful girl named Tara with a mysterious penchant for moonlit swims...and maybe that's not the only mystery surrounding her...
There's something about a big, old house, a bunch of kids, and a mystery that made the perfect ingredients for a kids' book. There's a long history of books that fit into this sub-genre: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Children of the Green Knowe; now, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets. Danette Haworth created a cast of lovable, believable characters, and put them in an absolutely incredible setting. The Meriwether is bursting with secret passages, hidden rooms—it's the perfect place to hide a secret, so it isn't too surprising that secrets abound. These secrets, and the characters themselves, move the plot forward to an exciting, touching climax.
My critique of the book would be that certain plot elements (Chase's mom and Chase's relationship with Sophie, in particular) are very built up in the beginning, to be left rather vague by the end. They serve well as plot-propellers, but didn't tie up into a perfectly satisfying ending. Also, in terms of pacing, once the danger arrives at the book's climax, everything is resolved a little too quickly for my taste. I felt that if the danger had presented itself sooner or lasted longer, the tension and pacing would have been perfect.
Altogether, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets is an enchanting story for middle grade readers, and, who knows? It might be at the start of a new fantasy trend—you'll have to read to find out what.
Plot: B
Voice: A-
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A
Overall Grade: A
You come across a few books in your lifetime that really surprise you. You come across a few that make you laugh until you're crying. You come across a few that have such profound depth and meaning that when you finish them they settle into your gut so you'll always remember the way you felt reading them. You hardly ever come across one that embodies all these qualities; Cosmic is such a book. I finished it a week ago and held off writing the review so I didn't just gush meaninglessly (I did that to my family and friends). Now that I've stopped raving, here are my more organized thoughts:
To start with the negative (note the use of the singular), the structure was confusing. Liam begins telling his story to his parents from space, through recording himself on his phone—which makes for a very cool opening. But once we get to the point in the story where he began telling it, there is a disconnect. The time and circumstances have to be reestablished a few times, which can be disorienting. Unfortunately, it felt that a story which could more simply have been told in past tense after it was all over, began in the middle for the sake of a killer opening paragraph.
That said—deal with the confusion. Seriously. Because... we're on to the positives: brilliant voice, wonderful humor, the coolest tribute to Roald Dahl ever. (You'll have to figure it out yourselves.) If you like Science fiction, you'll be impressed by the author's attention to research and detail; if you don't, you'll still love Cosmic for the characters, the story, the subtlety with which a very important message is conveyed.
Ok, I'm going to go gush to my family some more now.
Plot: A+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A+
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A
Miss Loupe is the new sixth grade teacher at a school just outside a Air Force base in North Carolina; Bo Whaley is the base commander's well-meaning, trouble-making son; Gari Whaley is Bo's cousin whose mother is deployed in the Middle East; the whole sixth grade class is a group of individuals who are waiting for something to turn their lives into something...meaningful. That something may be Miss Loupe's crazy ideas about improv theater and the practice of saying, "Yes, and..."--crazy smart ideas which show a group of disconnected kids how to make their lives and themselves a true piece of art.
Having spent a large part of my own childhood as a "military brat" (Sorry, dad...I know you don't like that term--neither does this book's author, seemingly, so you're in good company...), Operation Yes really resonated with me, and I feel it provides a fascinating look for civilian kids into a virtually untapped setting and group of characters. I did find the initial pacing somewhat slow; it took a while to get to a real "plan" on any character's part. The multiple POV's may have accentuated this; to me, what propelled the story was the relationships, rather than any one character or plot element. On that note, however, the relationships were exceptionally well developed and believable. I loved the way the theme was exposed, and the improv theater stuff--so cool and original.
On a final note, I have to offer my sincere thanks to Ms Holmes for so beautifully representing her character's muddled thoughts regarding war. Long-time followers of this blog know how much it bothers me when an author uses her characters and plot as mere vehicles to forward an agenda; far to the contrary, I think Operation Yes offered a balanced, true presentation of how most kids stuck in the middle of it actually feel about war. Ms Holmes presents the facts, simple as that, followed by her character's reactions to them, and allows her readers to draw their own conclusions. So, thank you!
You may have noticed that When You Reach Me was not on my list of Newbery predictions, even though it was on practically everyone else's, and I've been asked to explain why...
Well. I did read the book, and was very impressed (as were most readers) by Rebecca Stead's deft handling of character development and relationship growth. She crafted a tight plot—however, one that I felt fell short. It gives the semblance of falling perfectly into place at the climax—like another Newbery winner, Holes, for example. My problem, which I am surprised no one else brought up, is that the plot is too forced. So many problems could have been solved very simply: Why can't the notes be more direct? Why can't the time traveler at least give his name? Why can he warn the characters through ambiguous notes, yet not simply tell them in person? Furthermore, the rules of time travel are highly ambiguous, a big rule-breaker for anyone immersed in the SciFi genre, and the only explanation given sounds technical but is really philosophical—unfortunately, any philosopher could find several holes in it. I find it ironic that the author took the best philosophical argument against travel into the past (that is, the impossibility of free will if one's actions have “already happened and therefore must happen”) and used it as the premise for her explanation of time travel and her “Aha! moment” in the plot.So, that's what I think. I'd be thrilled to carry on a lengthy philosophical argument with anyone who disagrees, however.
Finally, it's not really my field of expertise, but I did think Pinkney deserved his Caldecott for The Lion and the Mouse—beautifully done. However, it was pointed out to me that his lovely, dramatic cover was hardly original...a talented Welsh artist by the name of Jackie Morris has done it before, twice. Compare, and enjoy:
0 Comments on My comments on various awards... as of 1/1/1990
Here's the list of actual winners of the 2010 Newbery Award and Honors:
I don't think there's even much room for arguing here. My prediction for the Printz award (and one of the best 3 books of the year):
Marcelo in the Real World, by Francisco X. Stork
Yes, I know everyone else is saying the same thing. Everyone is right, it so happens.
2009 has drawn to a close, and with it have closed the covers of many, many wonderful books. But now, with the announcement of the most coveted medal in American Children's Fiction only a week away, it's time to revisit a few of the best.
Last year, I didn't write an official post on my predictions; The Graveyard Book was my untouchable pick for best book of the year--yet, somehow, I didn't think in a million years the Newbery committee would choose it. I did guess that The Underneath and Savvy would end up with stickers, though, so my record is pretty good.
Knowing the Newbery committee's flair for being unpredictable, I'm probably about to ruin said good record...but here (in order of when I read them) are my Newbery picks:
Umbrella Summer, by Lisa Graff. Very sweet, very well-written. Not on the top of my list for literary quality and plot, but the emotional story is rock-solid and wonderful.
The Year the Swallows Came Early, by Kathryn Fitzmaurice. Not much chatter on this one that I've seen (who knows, that may be in its favor), but I thought it was a beautifully written, moving story with the type of emotional pull that always seems to earn stickers.
Heart of a Shepherd, by Rosanne Parry. I have so much respect for this book and its author. I love, though sometimes the Newbery committee doesn't seem to, the type of truly uplifting ending this story has.
Tropical Secrets, by Margarita Engle. A beautiful novel in verse with a fresh angle on old history.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly. A lot of people loved this. I liked it a lot. I do think it may win something, and I have even higher hopes for whatever the author's next work might be.
When the Whistle Blows, by Fran Cannon Slayton. This is the book I believe should win the Newbery. Whenever someone scoffs at the quality of children's literature, I'm going to smile to myself and hand them this book.
A Season of Gifts, by Richard Peck. The greatest obstacle for this book to overcome will be the author's repuation and its "prequels". Both the previous Grandma Dowdel stories earned stickers, both were wonderful, so the latest has a lot to live up to. Its plot wasn't as strong as its predecessors'...but the overall literary quality, the crafting of each sentence and paragraph and chapter, are enough to earn it an award, in my book.
I'd love to know your thoughts! Any glaring omissions? Anything I should hastily read before next Monday?
JN: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell?
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