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Mainly reviews of children's and young adult literature. Primarily focuses on new literature, 2004-present, but may feature older titles if they are "favorites" of mine. Feel free to leave comments. I always enjoy reading what others have to say!
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Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America. By Jim Murphy. 2000. Scholastic. 136 pages.
On Saturday, March 10, 1888, the weather from Maine on down to Maryland was clear and unusually warm.
Oh what a difference a day makes! Reading Blizzard! made me cold...and hungry...and thankful to be living in the modern world. Not that weather forecasters always get it right. Even now. But still. Jim Murphy's Blizzard! is about a great snowstorm--the great snowstorm of 1888. It's focus is mainly on the East Coast, mainly on New York City. Though the great storm was widespread--very widespread. Still, it seemed to hit bigger cities harder. Usually because these "modern" cities had grown more dependent on modern conveniences like daily deliveries.
What did I enjoy about this one? Many things. I found an interesting story, a well-crafted narrative that was engaging. It was rich in detail. (But not in a boring fact-heavy way.) I appreciated Murphy's research. He pulled together some interesting stories, and relied on many different primary materials. There was an immediacy to it that kept me turning pages. There were things that just amazed me. Of course there were parts of this one that were devastating. But. Bad things do happen. Especially in extreme situations like this one. I think the story that effected me most was the story of the Chapell family. It was personal stories like this one that made this one so compelling, so real.
This is a great little book. I was so surprised by all the changes that that this storm inspired: national weather service, underground transportation, buried wiring and more. My mini review is here if you're interested.
Becky, I felt cold just reading your review of this one!
I'm not sure of the dates, but apparently it was due to a blizzard that the NY subway was built. (I just noticed Beth's review. I will "check it out" as well.)
Happy Sunday everyone! I was pleased to see the Georgette Heyer Classics Circuit Tour announced yesterday! It will be wonderful to see all those reviews come March! I just love, love, love Georgette Heyer. And I hope the tour can bring in some new readers and create new fans! I'm actually reading The Black Moth, her first book, by the way. And it is so good. So amazingly good. I haven't decided between reading Sylvester and Venetia for the tour, any thoughts on what you want to see reviewed? Chances are I'll get to both this year!
I'm a bit relieved to discover that I was *slightly* wrong about the deadline for the 1% Well-Read Challenge. I thought the deadline was the 1rst of March. But I just looked again, and it's the 31rst of March. Will having thirty days more make that much difference? I still have FIVE books that I'd need to read in order to complete the challenge. I've got a pool of possibilities on my post about the challenge. We'll see.
My mom and I have been too busy the past few months to have any Me? Read That?! fun. (For the record, she did read Life As We Knew It. And liked it. But I completely failed and didn't have questions ready to go. And it just wouldn't be polite (or fair) to do it four months after the fact. I also failed to read At Home In Mitford.) But. Mom is contemplating reading Jane Austen. For the first time. And I'm super excited about that! I'm not sure which one she'll start with.
Becky--I just discovered Georgette Heyer last year; she's so good! And I loved Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
I actually came in here to let you know that I gave you a Prolific Blogger Award today, O Reader Extraordinaire. Here's the link so you can read what I said about your blog: http://bookaunt.blogspot.com/2010/02/thank-you-ev.html
A Million Shades of Gray. Cynthia Kadohata. 2010. [January 2010] Simon & Schuster. 216 pages.
Y'Tin Eban watched Tomas fasten the rope around Lady's neck. Lady was the smallest of the village's three elephants, but she was also the strongest, so she was much in demand as a worker. Today Lady would be dragging logs for the Buonya clan. The Buonyas' house had caught fire and they were building a new one.
I was so excited to see this one. A new Cynthia Kadohata book! And it's about elephants too! I was not disappointed. What is this one about? It's about a Vietnamese village torn apart by war. It's been a few years since the Americans have left, but war is still raging. And Y'Tin's village faces great danger from the North Vietnamese forces that are heading their way.
Y'Tin's Ama is just one of the village men who helped the Americans during the war. Knowing that his presence would only endanger the lives of his wife and children, he's all for setting out into the jungle. But. Before the men can leave. Before anyone can leave, the threat becomes all too real, all too urgent. The message used to be any day now, now the message is they're here, they're coming, flee!
How do elephants enter into the picture? Well, Y'Tin, our narrator, is an elephant handler. Yes, he's young--only thirteen--but he's good at what he does. Lady is his elephant to handle. She is his responsibility. The village has two other elephants--each with their own handler--as well. Y'Tin loves elephants; he loves Lady. He has promised to care for her throughout her life. But it's a promise that the war may make impossible to keep.
A Million Shades of Gray is a devastating book. It shows a village, a country, torn apart by war. It's chaotic. It's violent. It's ugly. Y'Tin may have known war most of his life--it may be all that he's able to remember. But he doesn't like it. He doesn't understand why.
The novel is well written, just what I'd expect from a Newbery award-winning author. It's rich in cultural detail. Y'Tin is a great narrator. His story was compelling though bittersweet. I found this one hard to put down. I would definitely recommend this one.
Once Y'Tin had seen some Special Forces soldiers playing chess. He hadn't understood why, with the same pieces in the same positions and with the same players, each game was so different. But now he understood. As they struggled to live in the jungle, every day was the same yet very different. (149)
What’s your plan of attack, now that we’re dealing with more “mature” literature?
Have you ever seen the movies? If so, do you think they’ll influence your reading? If not, well, why haven’t you seen them?
I didn't really pay attention to The Lord of The Rings (or The Hobbit for that matter) until I was an adult. I wasn't even all that interested in the movies when they first came out. I saw Fellowship of the Rings because I rented it. I didn't have much hope for it. And in fact, I didn't like it all that much. I thought it was very boring (most of the time). But. I decided to rent the second one when it was released. And. Wow. I just loved The Two Towers. It was exciting. It was fun. It was magical (for me). It was something that I just had to own. So I went out and bought both the first and second movies. And having loved the second, I was then able to appreciate the first more. I guess I understood that it was all about world-building and setting up everything that was to come. I *did* go to see the third movie, Return of the King, in the theatres. I think I went twice even.
I became interested in the books the fall before the third movie came out. I borrowed an all-in-one edition. And I began reading. But. I had trouble. You see, I was reading the book like it was the movie. I was getting frustrated with the differences. I was impatient, I suppose. I was reading the book to find the scenes in the movies. And so I ended up more disappointed and bored than I'd hoped. In fact, I ended up mainly skimming. It was also around this time that I read The Hobbit. And I couldn't quite understand how The Hobbit could be so satisfying, so enjoyable, so rewarding, and The Lord of the Rings be so different, so difficult.
I've been meaning to reread the trilogy for years now. So I was very excited to learn about the readalong. I started last week, and so far so good. I'm a little over two hundred pages in at this point. And I'm finding it so different than what I remember. I'm finding it good.
5 Comments on O! Water Hot Is A Noble Thing!, last added: 2/8/2010
My dad bugged me and bugged me to read The Lord of the Rings, and I started The Fellowship of the Ring and just couldn't get into it. I guess the world building thing taking time applied for the book, too. When the first movie came out, I finally broke down and read all three books and loved them.
Hope you really enjoy the re-read! I love, love those movie soundtracks, too. I think they just *fit* so well with the story. That reminds me, I should dig mine out and listen to them again sometime...
I love me some LOTR. I attempted to read them in high school, but never really got through them. Later on I read them over the summer in college while working at camp. I really do enjoy the books and am totally craving a re-read.
I have to agree with you on FotR film, I always put the dvd in when I need a lovely nap, as no matter what I literally always fall asleep.
I hope you enjoy the books much more this time around :-)
I always found LOTR a bit more difficult and not as enjoyable as The Hobbit, too. I like that you showed all the different cover images! That newest one with the artwork (is it John Jude Palencar?) is pretty cool.
The first film came out when I was sixteen, and I fell in love with it immediately. Before that my fantasy-reading was limited to things like Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia. I couldn't wait a whole year to find out what happened next, so I read the book, but, like you, the first time around I found it frustrating and hard-going, and I skimmed whole chapters at a time to find out what happened to Frodo. I decided to re-read just before the second film and read it more slowly and sedately. I read it about that time of year for maybe three years, while the LotR mania was all around me. Then came uni and the shock of not having a chance to read what I wanted due to all the required reading. After a break of about 4 years I'm re-reading it again, limiting myself to one chapter a night, and discovering different insights into character etc.
The Lord of the Rings is a story from another era, so I think it's understandable that there should be a learning curve, just like with other classic literature. And everybody comes to LotR at a different time: some in their early teens, some in their late teens, some in adulthood, and a very few when they're still children. In a way, it's almost as if each person has their own perfect moment to discover The Lord of the Rings. I always recommend people try again if they didn't like it the first time.
I love the soundtracks too, but I can't listen to them as background noise when I write! I can't help but picture scenes from the movie and it messes me up, lol.
Enjoy the re-read! I wish I had time right now to read along with you! :)
The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry. Edited by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson. Foreward by Eric Carle. 2008. [November 2008]. Simon & Schuster. 175 pages.
What should you expect from this one? Poetry, poetry, and more poetry. It really is a big book of poetry. It's got all sorts of poems. Some classic pieces, of course, and others with a more modern feel. You've got poets like Carl Sandburg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost and Christina Rossetti. But you've also got folks like Lee Bennett Hopkins, X.J. Kennedy, Jack Prelutsky, and Judith Viorst. Just about every subject matter is covered in this big book of poetry: animals, nature, family life, school life, food, etc. So chances are you'll find something you love within its pages. (Even if you aren't all that into poetry for poetry's sake.)
I mentioned there was a variety of authors, but I should also mention that this one has a variety of illustrators as well. (Some of the illustrators include Lois Ehlert, Steven Kellogg, Chris Raschka, Dan Yaccarino, Nancy Tafuri, and Ashley Bryan.)
So do I have any favorites? Yes! Of course!
My favorite may just be Once Upon A Time by Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson
The Storyteller came to town To share his gifts sublime, Tell it again, Storyteller, Tell it again, Onceupona Onceupona Onceuponatime, Tell it again, Storyteller Tell it again, Doors flew open to him, Kings begged him not depart, And children tucked his stories In the pockets of their heart, Tell it again, Storyteller Tell it again,
For the full poem, you'll need to pick up a copy of the book.
The book also includes one of my favorites--a poem that has long been a favorite--"Mummy Slept Late And Daddy Fixed Breakfast" by John Ciardi.
I just love, adore this book. I'm so glad you've mentioned the illustrations, because that grabbed us as well. There are so many illustrations and styles we recognized. Thanks for a great review!
This is fast becoming my favorite collection of children's poetry. It's so inviting and colorful and well-organized and the poems are so kid-friendly! Three cheers for a great anthology!
It rained more than I ever saw it rain last night.
Bird has run away from home. She's gone to Acorn, Alabama, to search for her stepfather. She's hoping that he'll come back home with her. That she can get her family back, the way she wants her family to be. But Cecil, the man she's known as father for most of her life, did leave them. She doesn't know why. She's come looking for answers.
When we first meet Bird she is living in a shed. She hopes to go unnoticed. But that's not the case. Not for long. Ethan, one of the boys living in the farmhouse, befriends her. As does Jay, a boy grieving the loss of his brother, Derek. And then there's Mrs. Pritchard.
Lives are going to change, and hearts are going to start healing. Not that anything in life is ever so easy. But it's a start, right? This is a beautiful novel about brokenness, loneliness, heartache, hope, love, and family.
I thought the writing was beautiful. Here are a few of my favorite lines:
The moon woke me up a minute ago. It always does. Doesn't have to make a noise or have to spill anything down from the sky. Just shine in my window and dance shadows off my walls. (16)
There's one thing about the people in Alabama that I've never seen before in anybody else. They'll feed you if they think you're hungry, guess you're hungry, or if you aren't hungry but they are. (67)
The Museum of Mary Childs by Cassandra Golds The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick Girl Stays in The Picture by Melissa de la Cruz Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Just In Case by Meg Rosoff I'm A Pig by Sarah Weeks Whose Mouse Are You by Robert Kraus Chester's Back by Melanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel At the Beach by Melanie Watt Morris the Moose by B. Wiseman Morris Goes to School by B. Wiseman Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems Today I Will Fly! By Mo Willems I Love My New Toy by Mo Willems Are You Ready to Play Outside by Mo Willems There Is A Bird On Your Head by Mo Willems My Friend Is Sad by Mo Willems I Am Invited To A Party by Mo Willems Pigs Make Me Sneeze by Mo Willems Watch Me Throw The Ball by Mo Willems
Leftover Library Loot:
An American Plague by Jim Murphy Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America by Jim Murphy The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer Joe Rat by Mark Barratt Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata The Counterfeit Guest by Rose Melikan Perfect World by Brian James Toning the Sweep by Angela Johnson Looking for Red by Angela Johnson Heaven by Angela Johnson Bone by Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston One Second After by William R. Forstchen My Lord John by Georgette Heyer Pistols for Two by Georgette Heyer The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer The Fifth Queen by Ford Madox Ford Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini Redemption by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley
Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!
Great loot. How you manage to have that much out and keep track of it all. I've been meaning to check out the Last Dickens and Purple Heart, but alas only so much time in the day. Enjoy the loot.
Candor. By Pam Bachorz. 2009. [September 2009]. Egmont USA. 256 pages.
Ca-chunk, ca-chunk, ca-chunk. The sound drifts through my bedroom window. Pokes through my homework haze. It's not loud, but it's impossible to ignore. Because it doesn't belong here.
Oscar Banks is only pretending to be perfect. But he may be the only one pretending. You see, in the town of Candor, you are what you hear. And there are non-stop messages (hidden in the music) telling everyone how to behave. Parents with troubled teens pay a lot of money to "transform" their kids into perfect ones. It takes a week or two at most, and then independence and free thinking are things of the past.
Oscar's not following in his father's footsteps. He's only pretending his father (and his inventions) are the best thing ever. He is using "the messages" to accomplish what he wants. He runs a rescue operation. For the right price, he can get you out of town. It's not easy. It's a risk. But if you've got the money and the goods (contraband items), then he might just make you a deal.
Enter Nia. She could just be the love of his life. But with her Oscar faces the most dangerous challenge of all. Love.
I definitely recommend this one. I thought the premise was interesting, and it was nicely carried out. It was hard to put this one down. Some of the characters annoyed me--I must admit Sherman got on my nerves--but for the most part, I really enjoyed this one!
Romeo's Ex: Rosaline's Story. By Lisa Fiedler. 2006. Henry Holt. 256 pages.
Such a season as this one Verona hath ne'er known. It is the year of our Lord 1595, summer. A fervent heat has settled upon the city, baking the trodden dirt in the market square. I am comforted only by my own whimsy: the belief that in such heat, all manner of magic is possible, for men cannot think straight, and women dream chilly dreams. In the orchard, the defeated fruit falls to the warm grass, and the smell of it is lush and dangerous. Equal to the heat is the hatred in which the city simmers; 'tis a selfish conflict begun long before this summer. A feud so great that it has carved a chasm of anger, like a moat, around the city of Verona.
What did I think of this retelling of Romeo and Juliet? I liked it. In fact, I really liked it in some places. (There were only a few places here and there where I didn't like it.) The story is told through multiple narrators. We've got Rosaline as our main narrator. But we also get sprinklings of Tybalt, Benvolio, Mercutio, and Romeo. (Juliet is not one of our narrators. Though through Rosaline's portions, we do hear from Juliet in dialogue.) Fiedler introduces a few twists to Shakespeare's story. And I won't begin to tell you about all of them.
Who is Rosaline? Well, she's the young woman that Romeo is sick with love over at the beginning of the play. He just can't understand why Rosaline would ever turn him down. Why did she turn him down? Well, for a couple of reasons really. One, she wants to be a healer. She wants to learn, to get an education. Two, she thinks Romeo "loves only with the eyes" and that his love is not love at all. Three, she just doesn't believe all that much in love and marriage.
I honestly didn't know what to expect from this one. But as soon as I read this bit from Benvolio's narrative, well, I knew it would work out well.
A man approaches. The pale glow of sunrise surrounds him, glinting off his hair. But e'en the breaking dawn cannot brighten this fellow's general aura of gloom. No wonder. 'Tis Romeo. Romeo here, in this veiled grove, accepting the morning as it spills in slanted ribbons of light upon the leaves, refracting the joy of it in his own despondent prism. Romeo is sulking. Romeo is heartsick. Romeo is nothing if not predictable. (31)
Love is in the air that summer. Will Rosaline have a change of heart? Will she have the happily ever after denied to her cousin, Juliet?
Even if you're not a fan of Romeo and Juliet, you might enjoy this one.
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared To Dream. Tanya Lee Stone. 2009. Candlewick. 144 pages. [Paperback is coming in February 2010.]
July 1999 One woman stands alone, off to the side of the crowd. She paces back and forth--agitated, excited, impatient. From the back, it is hard to tell her age; her faded brown leather jacket and blond ponytail reveal nothing. But if she were to turn to glance at the group of women on the observation bleachers behind her, you would see the lines of time etched on her face. You would see a smile tinged with sadness. Although the women behind her huddle close like sisters, sharing a chuckle, a tease here and there, a knowing look, it is not at her expense. They understand her need for solitude. This is an emotional time for all of them, but perhaps especially for her, Jerrie Cobb. It was Jerrie who led them in a quest to live their dreams, Jerrie who first believed they had a shot at all this, Jerrie who still, to this day, is fighting for her dream. Nearly forty years earlier, it was Jerrie who thought she would be exactly where Eileen Collins is right now: inside a NASA craft, about to fly into space.
This one should be a must-read. It is one of those books where I learned how much I just don't know. The story of these women--of Jerrie Cobb especially--was an amazing one. A book that left me a little shocked, disappointed, and more than a little sad. Why didn't I know her story? their stories? How could I not have known that there were women involved in the space race?! That there were women--really qualified women--that were being denied the chance to be astronauts because they were women. Of course there were a few reasons given as to why they were being denied. But some of these "excuses" really shocked me. I guess I'm a bit naive.
Almost Astronauts is well-written. It's simply fascinating. Very compelling. Not all nonfiction has the same quality as fiction. That can't-put-it-down factor that makes a book really good. That makes a book a must-read.
It's great to shed some light on this important subject that isn't talked about enough. I'll keep this one in mind - it sounds like an informative read!
Oooooo ! I think so too ! It goes on the wish list... if I am lucky I will be able to get it in March for my b'day!! Not all that far away. Thanks Becky!
holy cow Becky! just went to amazon ... that is expensive for a book that can be read in one or two sittings!! ...but I put it on the wish list cause I really do think i would like to read this..
Too Purpley. By Jean Reidy. Illustrated by Genevieve Leloup. 2010 (January 2010) Bloomsbury USA. 32 pages. Animal Crackers Fly the Coop written and illustrated by
3 Comments on January Accomplishments, last added: 2/1/2010
Under the Dome by Stephen King. 2009. [November 2009]. Simon & Schuster. 1088 pages.
From two thousand feet, where Claudette Sanders was taking a flying lesson, the town of Chester's Mill gleamed in the morning light like something freshly made and just set down.
How many books can you think of that make you thankful--really thankful--for fresh air, for oxygen?
Stephen King's Under the Dome is quite a book. At over a thousand pages, it has plenty of drama to offer readers. King's message that absolute power corrupts absolutely is well played out in its pages. As readers meet some really dirty, really corrupt, downright evil politicians.
The book begins by introducing us to Dale Barbara, one of the heroes--one of the good guys; he is on his way out of town. After having one too many confrontations with "Junior" the son of the most evil politician (who just happens to be a used car salesman too) in town, Barbie has decided he's had enough. It's time to move on. And quickly. But. He never makes it out of town. Something stops him. The dome. On the day the dome appears (October 21), life changes dramatically and drastically. The dome isolates this little town. No one can get in or out. In fact, nothing can get in or out. Not water. Not wind. Not rain. Not air. (Not much air at any rate.)
What's to keep the residents from panicking? Not much! Especially with Jim Rennie in charge. In fact, he thinks Dome Day is just about the best thing that ever happened to him. Suddenly, he's the guy in charge. There is no one to stop him. He can implement anything in the name of "doing good for the city" and who can challenge his authority? The fact that the President of the United States has chosen Dale Barbara to take command? Not gonna stop Big Jim! It's just one more reason why Barbie (or Baaarbie needs to be taken care of). And Barbie knows it. As do his friends.
How long can a community stay a community? How long before residents start turning on one another? How long before they become "us" and "them"? How long before the mob mentality takes over completely? Will any one be safe under the dome?
I imagine it has enough appeal for readers of horror and readers of science fiction. Is it for everyone? No. I don't think a book has to be for everyone. This one has plenty of horrific details. The language. The graphic nature of death and violence and sex and drug use. It's going to turn some readers off. Also this one could definitely be offensive to those who are religious. King's depiction of Christianity is abrasive, harsh. (No question about that!) What I wasn't expecting exactly in this very dark, very horrific book is the humor. (Though it was often a dark sense of humor.) Like this description of a trucker colliding with the Dome:
The trucker might have been overloaded and moving too fast, Barbie thought, but at least he was getting a Viking funeral. (41)
Or this one of an unlucky farmer:
On God Creek Road, Bob Roux had been digging potatoes. He came in for lunch (more commonly known as "dinnah" in those parts), sitting astride his old Deere tractor and listening to his brand new iPod, a gift from his wife on what would prove to be his final birthday. His house was only half a mile from the field he'd been digging, but unfortunately for him, the field was in Motton and the house was in Chester's Mill. He struck the barrier at fifteen miles an h
1 Comments on Under the Dome, last added: 2/1/2010
Happy Sunday everyone! I'll be posting my monthly 'accomplishments' later in the day. If you should be so curious to want to know every little thing I've read and reviewed this week. It also includes my favorite 'first' lines of the month and my top six favorite books. (I gave up on narrowing it to a top five. It seems there is always *one* more book that just begs to be on the list.)
What was your favorite book that you read this month? I'd love to know! I think mine would probably be Tiger Moon. I just loved this one.
Tiger Moon. Antonia Michaelis. 2008. [November 2008]. Harry N. Abrams. 384 pages. (Translated into English by Anthea Bell.)
Of course this is a completely outlandish story. In India, all stories are outlandish, though only a few are completely outlandish.
Wow, wow, wow. I just loved this one! I did! Anyone who loves a good story, appreciates good storytelling, where telling the story is half the fun, should consider this one a must! Safia is the eighth wife of Ahmed Mudhi, an extremely wealthy merchant. Because he's been sick, he hasn't discovered that his new-wife "Safia" does not live up to her name, "Virtue." Safia knows that when he finds out that his new wife was not a virgin, that it will mean death for her. What can she do in the meantime? She can tell a story! A story to one of the servants of the harem, a young man named Lalit. (Though his name is Lagan, "The Right Time.") Do words have power? Can a story change someone's life?
The story Safia tells is a fantastic one. About a young man, Farhad, called by a god (Krishna) to take on a dangerous journey, a quest. He's called to be a hero. To save a princess from the demon king. Farhad isn't a hero. He doesn't feel like he's one at any rate. And the idea of him undertaking such a long, dangerous journey, well, it's unthinkable. But he accepts this journey, takes on this task. Can he with the help of the white tiger (a sacred tiger) named Nitish, rescue the princess in time?
What did I love about this one? The story. The characters. The writing. The pacing of it all. Michaelis has really told quite an incredible story. I found it hard to put down and easy to recommend.
Manga Shakespeare: As You Like It. William Shakespeare. 2009. Ill. Chie Kutsuwada. Adapted by Richard Appignanesi. 208 pages.
As I remember, Adam, it was bequeathed me by will a thousand crowns to breed me well.
A romantic comedy. I must admit I like Shakespeare's romantic comedies a bit more than his tragedies. This was my first time reading "As You Like It." And I must say I liked it overall. A bit complicated perhaps. But it works.
There are four couples sharing the stage in this one, but I suppose the main focus of this one is on Rosalind and Orlando. Do you think that their path to love and happiness will run smooth?
This one also stars the melancholy Jacques, who was very appropriately illustrated in this one.
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
2001 A Space Odyssey. By Arthur C. Clarke. 1968. Penguin. 320 pages.
The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended.
I'm not quite sure what to say, what to share about this one. This is my first Arthur C. Clarke novel. And I am glad I read it. But. I also found it a bit confusing in places. I found it hard to connect with in some ways. Most of the novel concerns David Bowman and his life aboard the Discovery. As his ship--mostly controlled by the computer Hal--heads towards Saturn. Things don't go according to plan--Bowman's plan that is. And not quite according to Earth's plans either. Knowing that rescue or return is futile, Bowman sets out to explore to the last.
Of All The Stupid Things. Alexandra Diaz. 2009. [December 2009]. Egmont. 272 pages.
Of all the stupid things he could have done, Brent Staple had to go and do that.
Did he or didn't he? Did Tara's boyfriend, Brent, mess around with a cheerleader. A guy cheerleader? When Whitney Blaire tells Tara he did, then she believes her best friend. Without giving much of a chance to Brent to explain. He does deny it, by the way. But the idea of his being with another guy so disturbs her--whether it's true or not--that she can't be with him.
And no one at school has ever mentioned anything about Brent swinging both ways. Not now, not before. I feel like someone played a cruel joke on me, just to make the thought haunt me at night. Part of me argues that I should take Brent back because the incident really wasn't true. That said, knowing the rumor is false still doesn't change the images swimming in my head. (32)
OF All the Stupid Things is a messy book. Overly complicated by having too many narrators. The story is told through three characters. Three supposed best friends. Tara. Whitney. Pinkie. I think if this story had been Tara's alone it probably would have worked better. Tara's story is the main focus, in my opinion, her falling out of love (or lust, or like, or whatever) with Brent, and falling into love with someone new. Someone the cover claims is "forbidden." Step aside, Brent, and walk right in Riley. A gymnast who sweeps Tara off her feet. Tara never thought she'd have a girlfriend, but now that she's met Riley, well, she's so happy with her.
The main problem I had with this one is how mean and unsympathetic and annoying most of the three narrators were. Whitney was someone I didn't just dislike, I absolutely hated her. She was mean. She was spiteful. She was as horrible as horrible can be. Pinkie I didn't dislike so much as I just pitied her. As in cringing while I read her narration because I just felt so absolutely sorry for her. (By the end, I actually started liking Pinkie.) And Tara, well, Tara I was indifferent to. Mainly.
I also thought the jacket flap gave 100% of the plot away. It was definitely way too much information. Jacket flaps should tease readers into picking up a book.
I kind of understand the jacket flap giving it away a bit, I think that's basically fair to those who go into a "romance" book expecting boy-girl "love" or whatever you want to call it that they can relate to..
I see your point in a way. It is nice to know what to expect. I guess what I thought was "too much" was that they were telling the inner motivations of the characters--particularly Pinkie and Whitney. When there are no surprises left to discover in the book itself, that's too much in my opinion.
An American Plague by Jim Murphy Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America by Jim Murphy Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang by Ian Fleming Of All The Stupid Things by Alexandra Diaz The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer Joe Rat by Mark Barratt Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon The Counterfeit Guest by Rose Melikan Perfect World by Brian James Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson Toning the Sweep by Angela Johnson Looking for Red by Angela Johnson Heaven by Angela Johnson Bird by Angela Johnson Bone by Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston
Leftover Loot:
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr One Second After by William R. Forstchen Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis My Lord John by Georgette Heyer Pistols for Two by Georgette Heyer The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer The Fifth Queen by Ford Madox Ford Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Candor by Pam Bachorz Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris Romeo's Ex: Rosaline's Story by Lisa Fiedler Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini 2001 Space Odyssey by Arthur C Clarke Redemption by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley
Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!
I'm impressed! That is massive library loot right there. :) Sadly, today I had to drop off due books at the library without going in to get more, because I was in such a hurry. Very disappointing!
Mary Anne Saves The Day. Raina Telgemeier and Ann M. Martin. 2007. Scholastic. 158 pages.
The Babysitter's Club (BSC) is in BIG, BIG trouble in this third graphic novel of the series. Can "shy" and "babyish" Mary Anne save the day? Can this club survive long enough for Mary Anne's curfew to be extended to 10PM? Will she ever be able to take down the Mother Goose posters in her room? Will those braids ever go? Find out the answers to these pressing questions (and more) in Mary Anne Saves the Day.
Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are the founding members of the Baby Sitter's Club. But conflicts are arising. Some people (cough, cough) are being accused of being job-hogs. While others are being called out for being bossy. Where does Mary Anne fit into all of this? I had forgotten that Mary Anne can have quite the temper when provoked. I remembered her as more of the peace-maker.
Did you grow up reading The Baby Sitter's Club? Did you read them all? Or just a few? Do you have a favorite book?
I definitely grew up reading them and loving them! I don't care how dorky they are, I'm still a fan! Claudia and Mary Anne were always my favorites...probably b/c I always played it safe like Mary Anne, but wanted to be Claudia!! I think I grew out of them around the time #105 was published, so I haven't read every single one, but close!
It's hard to say how the graphic novels compare to the original. I grew up reading the other. And early titles like this one had plenty of rereads. So reading the graphic novel is both strange and familiar.
Amanda, I think I gave out a bit earlier than you--probably in the seventies. But I definitely read as many as I could back then.
I read a lot of them when I was young, but definitely not the entire series. It's so odd to me to see different artwork for Babysitters Club, as I always associate them in my mind with the original cover artists' depictions.
I used to read these! Not in order, though, just whichever happened to be in the library or which were cheap at book fairs and jumble sales. I think Mary-Anne Saves The Day was one of about five that I actually owned. Is it the one where the kid she's babysitting is ill, and she copes and proves that she's grown-up enough to stop wearing pigtails? :D
Happy Sunday! Have you read any good books lately? I have read some great ones this past week! And some of those I haven't reviewed yet. Did you see the announcements on Monday?! I wish there had been a few more surprises. But overall I was pleased with the awards and honors.
I hope you're enjoying the Centuries Reading Challenge so far! Have you read any good books for the challenge? Do you have any you'd want to recommend to other participants? Have you had to abandon any that just weren't-for-you? Feel free to start conversations in the comments about your progress (or lack of progress for that matter). If you have review links for the first three months of the challenge (January through mid-March) this is the place to leave them. In the MckLinky below. The second update post will be posted on March 22, 2010.
I have completed level one now-3 centuries-I posted links to works from the 21, 20th, 18th and 11th century just now-I will soon be through with a 19th century work so I will go ahead and commit to the second level of 6th centuries-thanks to Becky for hosting this great challenge
Claudette Colvin: I was about four years old the first time I ever saw what happened when you acted up to whites.
Have you heard of Claudette Colvin? Have you heard her story? Before Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin. She was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus. Only 15 at the time, there wasn't a consensus in the community to support her, to rally around her, to make this incident the needed catalyst to fight Jim Crow laws. Yet, even though she may not be as famous as Parks, her story is important and significant. Because she did make a significant contribution to the civil rights movement.
What I enjoyed most about this one is hearing the story in Claudette's own words. The author conducted a series of interviews with Claudette Colvin (among others) and these frame the book well. I thought it was a good balance really. We hear from Claudette Colvin (and other eyewitnesses), yet we also have strong narration by Hoose to piece it all together. We see the big picture, yet, at the same time we get an intimate behind-the-scenes look.
Winner of the National Book Award. Also a Sibert Honor. And a Newbery Honor.
This series has always been complex. Following multiple couples, siblings, various relations, etc. The Darcys. The Bingleys. The Maddoxs. (Dr. Daniel Maddox is married to Caroline Bingley.) But this latest one had a bit too much going on, in my opinion. What is it about? Well, it's about Mr. Darcy and Dr. Maddox having really, really bad luck. Bad. Stuff. Happens. You see, Marsha Altman created a character, Brian Maddox, the brother of Daniel, and he got into trouble when he married a Transylvanian Princess. A barren Transylvanian Princess with a tyrannical father. And when the couple runs away (fearing for their lives) this father tricks Dr. Maddox into visiting, and holds him prisoner. Unfortunately, Mr. Darcy was traveling with him. So both men are now prisoners.
The action of this one--the story line--is so far removed from the original novel. The characters so distant, in a way, from who they were in the original novel that this one can be a bit hard to believe. It's definitely more on the ridiculous side of things. It's a very long, very tedious, over-the-top sequel. I was very disappointed with it. I really did enjoy the first two in the series. But I can't recommend this one.
Once Was Lost. By Sara Zarr. 2009. [October 2009]. Little, Brown. 224 pages.
The whole world is wilting. Shriveling. Giving up. Dying. Maybe not the whole world. Somewhere, I guess, it's not ninety-one degrees at four in the morning. I would like to be in that place. I would like to be somewhere, anywhere, that life feels possible and not smothered under a layer of heat and hopelessness.
Sam (not short for Samantha, but Samara) is a preacher's kid. And this summer is her worst yet. Her mom's in court-ordered rehab. Her dad is her dad. He's so caught up in being "Pastor Charlie" that he has forgotten that his family should come first. When he's not ignoring her, he's not listening to her. (Could this be one reason why her mom turned to alcohol?!) Sam's family is falling apart. It's more than her mom's drinking and her dad's absence. There are financial worries as well. Sam might have to switch schools. She just feels so alone, so depressed, so angry. This is a summer when doubts and questions and fears arise.
When Jody Shaw, a church kid, only thirteen, disappears, then Sam just sees it as one more thing gone wrong, one more reason to doubt God. As a community comes together for thirteen anxious days, she becomes closer to Jody's older brother, Nick. Both teens are struggling. For better or worse, this crisis is changing her as a person. Can she find her way? Can she find a way to believe in miracles again?
I loved this book so much that I chose it for our teacher book club for the month of February. I think it's got some really interesting things to talk about.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming. 1964*. Random House. 160 pages
Most motorcars are conglomerations (this is a long word for bundles) of steel and wire and rubber and plastic, and electricity and oil and gasoline and water, and the toffee papers you pushed down the crack in the backseat last Sunday.
This is a children's book about a magical car named Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It stars an eccentric family by the name of Pott. Commander Caractacus Pott (explorer, inventor), his wife, Mimsie, and their eight-year-old twins Jeremy and Jemima. After selling his Crackpot Whistling Candies to the Skrumshus candy factory, the family has enough money to buy a car. They could have bought any car--they certainly were rich enough now--but Commander Pott wanted a special car, a unique car, so he bought one that would take some work. He bought the car that would become Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Owning this car will lead to a few adventures.
How does the book compare with the movie? Well, they have very little in common. For example, they take poor Mimsie out all together and add in a 'Truly Scrumptious' who will ultimately prove the love interest to this lonely not-so-old widower. Now was that very nice to kill off the poor kids' mother? (Grandpa is also a movie addition.) Besides changing characters, the movie also changes plenty when it comes to the plot, the story. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang does transform into a boat and plane (when necessary) and there is promise of so much more in the book as to what it could do. It's truly a magical car in the book. With a mind of its own. In the movie, the "magical" aspects are really just found in the story-sequence. I have a few little problems with the story-sequence in the movie.**
*This edition published 2003, the new cover art is by Brian Selznick. The inside illustrations are by Ian Cunliffe. **Like the fact that Caractacus Potts is telling this story. And he conveniently writes in a love song for Truly to sing about how much she loves him.
I have never read the book of this but have glanced through it in a bookstore and was very surprised to see how little I recognised. I have to agree that the "Lovely lonely man" song does not fit in a story that Pott(s) is telling to his children - and the lady who is supposed to be singing it. That would surely cause a lot of embarrassment?
I actually didn't like this book much, but I think that it is because the movie is so beloved to me. I grew up with it, so it's one of those "I'm blind to it's faults things" I guess.
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This is a great little book. I was so surprised by all the changes that that this storm inspired: national weather service, underground transportation, buried wiring and more. My mini review is here if you're interested.
I was just going to ask- what did the blizzard change for America? but Beth F answered it for me!
Becky, I felt cold just reading your review of this one!
I'm not sure of the dates, but apparently it was due to a blizzard that the NY subway was built. (I just noticed Beth's review. I will "check it out" as well.)
I'm not usually much of a nonfiction reader, but this one sounds interesting.
I just started a book review site too!
What a great one for today! We've just cleared out the 2 feet we got this weekend, but are looking at another 10-20 inches tomorrow!
Last year, I never had to shovel.