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A blog filled with books for the contemporary tweenster!
I am a school librarian. And an avid reader of children's and YA fiction, with the occasional dabble in the world of grown up non fiction
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This is a book I have been meaning to read for quite some time now.
The Big Splash is a book that has a constant and steady flow of readers at our school. I enjoyed it very much, but somehow I had not gotten around to reading the sequel. Boy, I'm glad I finally did!
It's only 2 weeks after the end of The Big Splash. Matt is experiencing a bit of a moment of celebrity himself, and more and more kids are interested in his services. He is a bit surprised when beautiful cheerleader Melissa Scott, girlfriend of basketball star Will Atkins, want to hire him to follow her famously sporty boyfriend around. Matt isn't exactly used to dealing with the beautiful cheerleader type, and little does he know that Melissa is just the tip of the iceberg.
Of course, Vinny is still ruling The Frank, and he isn't about to leave Matt's talents untouched. He too, wants Matt's services and doesn't give him much of a choice about the matter. Liz, who is pulling away from Matt at this point, accuses him of having a lack of moral compass. Matt is left wondering if he is any better than Vinny and his thugs.
Throw in some twists and turns of the family mystery, a super twisty path toward a romance, and wrap it all in a noir package and you have The Quick Fix. And somehow it works. Readers totally buy into Ferraiolo's world with it's rules and slang. Kids have pixy stix addictions, water guns seal their fates, basketball games are fixed, and it all makes sense. There is a sensibility to Ferraiolo's writing that oozes commitment and authenticity. Kids get this and they enjoy every moment of it. If you haven't made time to read this one yet, you should.
While I don't often put press releases on this blog, every now and again I make exceptions. The incomparable
Jack Gantos will be speaking at the 92nd Street Y on Saturday, May 11th. I suggest you run, not walk to get yourself to this event. I was lucky enough to witness Jack's Newbery speech for Dead End In Norvelt, and I have to say, he is unparalleled in the public speaking arena. Follow the link for tickets!
Jax is a kid I have known since he was a mere 4 year old. He has grown into a quintessential middle school boy. He's usually in the mix of everything and has grown into quite the reader. He's usually up for a recommendation or two and was very helpful to me during my Newbery year! I've been chasing him down to fill out this survey for me for a while. When he's not surfing, playing video games or hanging out with his friends, he does like talking books!
Do you consider yourself a reader?
Yes, I do consider myself a reader. What are your favorite genres to read?
I like reading books with a lot of action in them, but also being funny. How do you select the books you want to read?
I usually read the next book in the series or I ask the librarian if there is a book that has been a hit. What is your favorite book so far?
I really liked The One and Only Ivan, but I also like the Daniel X series. What is your favorite thing about reading?
I really like being attached to a book, and to feel like I am there. Do you read on an ereader/iPad/phone?
I only do my reading from a book. What kind of books do you think are the most popular with kids your age? Why?
I think that kids my age like books that have a little bit of comedy, but are action and mystery. What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading the third book of the Daniel X series by James Patterson.
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 4/2/2013
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"So as that summer began, while America counted hostage days and Beth learned to swim, I thought up good lies to tell and climbed trees and lay a lot in the shade." (egalley pg 11-12)
11 year old Annie and little brother Rew live at the edge of the Zebra forest with their Gran. They keep mostly to themselves, on account of the house and on account of Gran, but Annie and Rew have each other, a battered copy of Treasure Island, the joy of making up bad jokes, and the many trees of the Zebra forest to keep them company on the hot, steamy summer days.
They are getting along in typical fashion when one summer night, a man rattles the back door and steps into the kitchen. Before Annie can process what is even happening, the man takes the key they always keep in the knob, drops it in his pocket and tells Annie to stay quiet. As Annie stands dumbfounded, Rew heads for the phone and then the door, but the man is quick and powerful. He is also covered in mud, and his clothes are torn. He has come through the forest. On the other side of the Zebra forest is the prison.
Now they must wait. Gran completely shuts down, and Annie and Rew must figure out how to be in the house with the doors shut and the windows closed, with the precarious piles and dirty dishes, with the man always there, always watching. There will be no more going into the trees to read Treasure Island, no more trips out into the shade.
Adina Rishe Gewirtz has crafted a novel that gives an inside look into mental illness and family. There is an incredible resilience to both Annie and Rew that shines through even though the two deal with their situation in vastly different ways. The importance of story (both family and books) is felt throughout. Even though some major points like the Iran Hostage Crisis and the plot of Treasure Island may be unfamiliar to today's readers, Gewirtz does a fine job of weaving them into the greater plot -- using them to give a sense of ticking time as well as examination into real life characters. This is a book that may not be for everyone, but will definitely find fierce love with the readers who love imperfect characters, finding connections, and those who don't mind feeling a bit off kilter.
Publishing April 9, 2013.
The sisters Stephenson live in their humble vicarage with their father, brother and Stepmama. Eldest Elissa is soon to be foisted off to old Sir Neville in the name of bringing some much needed money to the family. Elissa is long suffering and realizes that this is to be her duty and her fate.
Middle sister Angeline and youngest Kat don't understand why Elissa has to be so good about everything...always doing her duty, never getting into trouble. Kat constantly finds herself in trouble, as manners and ladylike things are not her forte. Angeline herself has gotten into a bit of trouble as she has been using her Mama's magic book (strictly forbidden) and has managed to cast a love spell on the unsuspecting Frederick Carlyle.
Mama had been a witch, and it was clearly her downfall. One of the first things that their stepmama did when she joined the family was to lock away all of the girls' mother's things in a cabinet. Kat, being the youngest, is insatiably curious about her Mama as she was so young when she passed. One evening Kat dares to steal the key to unlock the cabinet so that she can know something of her Mama as her sisters do. If she ever had any questions about her mother's magical abilities they are answered in the darkness.
Before Kat can fully address her realizations and questions about her own magical abilities, she is rounded up with her sisters by her Stepmama to attend a week long house party at Grantham Abbey where Elissa is to meet Sir Neville. Upon meeting the older gentleman, Kat is overcome with a feeling of darkness. There is simply no way she can allow her sister to marry this man. Especially when it is so clear to anyone around her that she actually has feelings for Sir Neville's brother, Mr. Collingwood.
What follows is a wonderful adventure filled with magical orders, intrigue, murder, highwaymen and family loyalty and betrayal. Kat herself is a fierce and feminist character who relies on herself and takes all kinds of risks rather than succumbing to helplessness. The pacing is perfect and the cast of characters compliment each other completely. There is non-stop action and just the right amount of romance. Kat is someone readers will want to get to know further as they cheer her on. Readers of
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, and
The Mysterious Benedict Society will likely adore this one as well.
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 3/10/2013
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I first read about this book over at
Ms. Yingling's blog. Romance is always a bit of a tricky thing in that I tend to find them super girly or super sexy. Farrar has hit the mark with
A Song for Bijou in that it offers a boy's point of view without going into the realm of YA.
Alex knows the moment he lays eyes on Bijou that she is something special. Time seems to slow down so that he notices every detail about her: from the way that she unwraps her straw at Peas 'n Pickles, to her stiff new uniform and the butterfly purple beads that end her braids. The girl is with motor mouth Mary Agnes and Alex can she that she's not able to get a word in edgewise. Alex asks his friend Nomura who the girl is, but he doesn't know either.
It doesn't take Alex too long to find out. Bijou goes to St. Catherine's along with Mary Agnes and Ira's sister Maricel, and the boys attend St. Christopher's which is the brother school. Alex cannot wait to get to know Bijou, which shouldn't be too hard as they have a school dance coming up.
There are, however, a couple of obstacles that Alex has to get around before he can see what the possibilities are with Bijou. First of, she is living with her Aunt and Uncle who are super strict about her hanging out with non-Haitians let alone with boys. Then there are Rocky and Trevor - two tough guys who seem to have some interest in Bijou as well. Lastly, there is the fact that Alex doesn't exactly know what to do in order to get Bijou to notice him! He's been stuck at an all boys school forever, and hasn't had practice talking to girls aside from his mom and his sister Dolly.
Mary Agnes starts to hatch some plans that will allow not only Alex and Bijou to get to know one another, but herself and Nomura as well. What follows is a story filled with age appropriate angst, first love, cultural clashes and misunderstandings. Farrar gifts readers with the bitter sweet dance of first crushes from both Alex and Bijou's points of view. Cultural and racial differences are not shied away from and Alex and Bijou must both face prejudice in their quest to get to know each other. A breath of fresh air!
"G" is a reader who likes to try books on. She's a bit of a genre surfer, so it's a bit of tricky business to figure out what she might like next. Here are her answers to the Tweendom survey.
Do you consider yourself a reader?Yes. I am a reader.What are your favorite genres to read?My favorite genre to read is adventure. I also sometimes like mysteries, realistic fiction and biographies.How do you select the books you want to read?I browse through the shelves. When I see a title that hits me, I look at it.What is your favorite book so far?My favorite book so far? That's hard. Probably An Accidental Adventure: We Are Not Eaten by Yaks.What is your favorite thing about reading?My favorite thing about reading is cliff hangers! They make you want to read more!Do you read on an e-reader/phone/computer?Sometimes I read on my mom's Kindle. What kinds of books do you think are the most popular with kids your age? Why?The most popular books for kids my age are A Tale Dark and Grimm and In a Glass Grimmly. I think they like them because they like scary books.What are you currently reading?I just started P.S. Longer Letter Later.
"Haven't you ever had anything you loved doing, Mom?...Something that was worth getting in real big trouble for?" ( Will Asher - arc p. 200)
This is a world where people either have a Talent or are simply Fair. Talents can range from the ability to knit anything at a quick pace (Mrs. Asher) to the ability to spit with choreographic grace and accuracy (Zane).
Cady lives in an orphanage in Poughkeepsie New York with Miss Mallory. Each of them has a talent that drives their lives. Cady has a talent for baking. She can size up a person and know exactly what kind of cake to bake that will bring them the most possible happiness. Miss Mallory has a talent for making matches, which has led to her matching countless parentless children with the right families. Even though Miss Mallory has attempted to match Cady in the past, it has never been the perfect match. The tug in her chest hasn't been enough to place Cady with the right family.
Meanwhile, in town, the Owner of the Lost Luggage Emporium has been on a lifelong quest. He believes that a piece of lost luggage holds the secret to his success. He has been trying to track down the powder blue St. Anthony suitcase that he lost 53 years prior. The loss has turned him bitter, and Toby who works with the Owner, is subject to his random temper and tirades.
Also in town are the Asher family. The aforementioned Zane hasn't always yielded his talent for good, and the words of his school Principal haunt him, as his misguided attempts to help his family bring him nothing but trouble. Zane's sister Marigold is desperately searching for her own talent, as she tries to keep not only Zane, but little brother Will (who has a talent for disappearing) out of trouble.
Add a bake-off, recipes, attempted adoption, archeological crime, a mysterious wordless stranger, a wayward ferrt and an in-and-out narrator dressed in a gray suit, and you have
A Tangle of Knots. I know I haven't done the best with plot summary, but that is because Graff's story defies description. Story-lines dance and weave, short chapters keep the forward motion, and the reader finds him/herself trying to predict what will come next. That said, I can't help but throw in the idea of the mash-up/remix with titles like
Savvy,
The Westing Game and
Pie coming to mind. Not bad company to be in. While A Tangle of Knots most definitely pays homage, I do think Graff has made this all her own. The moment I finished reading, I wanted to go back and re-read to fit the pieces together.
Whew.
Fantabulous announcements at the YMAs yesterday. While I couldn't be there this time, there was much whooping, squeaking and chair dancing happening at the reference desk.
What have the kiddos around here been checking out lately?
Dumpling Days, by Grace Lin
(review from Kirkus)
No Other Story, by Dr. Cuthbert Soup
(review from wired.com)
Rules, by Cynthia Lord
(review from Kirkus)
The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter, by Kristen Tracy
(review from Kirkus)
Vordak: Double Trouble, by Scott Seegert
(review from YA Central)
What are your tweens checking out these days?
Holy moly, friends. If it weren't for the eagle eyes of Reading Rants, I would have left my Top Ten list at a scrawny 9! This is what happens when I try to do things like blog during a break at work.
What did I leave out? None other than -
The Secret Tree, by Natalie Standiford
This small town mystery slash friendship story has tween written all over it. Moody and compelling, The Secret Tree has something for everyone.
How's that for alliteration!
This has been a phenomenal year for books. For picture books, middle grade and YA. I don't envy those folks on award committees because those discussions are going to be *fierce*! This year, I simply couldn't pare things down to 5, so here are my favorite reads of the year. If they haven't appeared on Welcome to my Tweendom before now, they will shortly!
Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz
This creepy Victorian story had me reading under the covers deep into the night!
Liar & Spy, by Rebecca Stead
A NYC mystery slash family story that is incredibly authentic and thoughtful.
Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
Pitch perfect graphic novel about crushes, theater kids and family life.
Starry River of the Sky, by Grace Lin
Lush and magical storytelling matched with extraordinary pacing.
See You At Harry's, by Jo Knowles
A family story that packs an emotional punch.
Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage
A countrified mystery filled with characters to love.
The Great Unexpected, by Sharon Creech
A genre busting layers story that is simply beautiful.
One Year at Coal Harbor, by Polly Horvath
Horvath is back with signature quirk and memorable characters.
Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
A first novel that speaks to kids and adults alike...it will leave you thinking.
I had planned on getting a blog post up here last week. Some of you know that my home is on Staten Island, and this borough got hit hard by the storm. Thankfully, my family is safe and my home is in tact. I am hoping to get back on track with Tweendom soon. I appreciate your patience.
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 10/14/2012
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After downsizing and moving to an apartment with his family, Georges (yes with an "s") and his dad are in the basement throwing out garbage when they see a sign posted on a door. "Spy Club Meeting -- TODAY!". Much to Georges' chagrin, his dad writes "What time?" on the sign, setting off a series of events that will occupy Georges' days for the next while.
Georges himself, is a big of an awkward kid. He puts up with the daily microbullying that his mom says aren't part of the big picture. The big picture of life is kind of like the Seurat print they have in their living room. If you look at it close up, it's just a bunch of dots, but back away to see the big picture and everything comes into focus. Thinking about the big picture doesn't make school any easier, however. The sarcastic clapping at his volleyball moves, the renaming him Gorgeous, the fact that his friend Jason came back from camp completely different -- these things all pepper Georges days. Add onto this the fact that his nurse mom is always at the hospital, and his dad works plenty as well, and you get a sense of what Georges is going through.
So when somebody answers on the Spy Club sign that there is a meeting at 1:30 and Georges' dad encourages him to go, nobody is more surprised than Georges to find a kid waiting in the basement room. He first meets Candy, then Safer and their family from the 6th floor. Safer says that he's a spy and that he's got his eye on one of the building's tenants. He's creepy -- always wears black and is constantly hauling big suitcases in and out of the building. Safer teaches Georges some of the art of being a spy, and before he knows it, he is in over his head.
Rebecca Stead has written what could be called the perfect tween/middle grade novel. She gets kids, and the situations the characters get into as well as their voices are spot on. Each setting rings true, and the slow simmer and reveal are plotted precisely and perfectly. Stead manages to pay close attention to detail without slowing the pace of the story. There is a message in Liar & Spy about empathy and bullying and being an ally, but it doesn't feel the least bit didactic. Liar & Spy has quickly risen into my top five for the year.
What have our tweens been reading? The question should be what haven't they been reading! Here are 5 titles from our clipboard this week!
Summer of the Gypsy Moths, by Pennypacker
Clover Twig and the Perilous Path, by Umansky
Return of the Dapper Men, by McCann
Liar and Spy, by Stead
Cheesie Mack Is Cool in a Duel, by Cotler
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 9/24/2012
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It's summertime, and there's not much that Gloriana June Hemphill (Glory) looks forward to more than having her 4th of July birthday party at the community pool. This is the year she'll be turning 12 so she won't have to be supervised by big sister Jesslyn every time that she and Frankie want to go swimming.
But it's the summer of 1964, and Glory's age isn't the only thing that's changing. First off Jesslyn, who used to play junk poker and talk with Glory in their shared room, isn't really talking anymore. She's busy dressing up, putting on lipstick and sneaking visits with new boy Robbie at the library. And then there's Glory's best friend Franklin Cletus Smith (Frankie for short). Sure he's always been pushed around by his big brother J.T., but now Frankie is seeming to spew the same kind of stupidity as J.T. and his Daddy. After all, it's Frankie who tells Glory that the pool is closing. He says he overheard his Daddy talking about it. He said it has cracks and needs to be fixed. Glory doesn't see any cracks...
Hanging Moss, Mississippi has to face the fact that just because things have always been one way, doesn't make that way right. Maybe there shouldn't be a white fountain and a colored fountain. Maybe the community pool shouldn't only be for white people. Maybe the library should be open to all.
Augusta Scattergood tells one girl's story about a summer of change in the South. Glory's world view is pitch perfect as she slowly starts to understand the bigger reasons for the pool closing, and her fellow townspeople's treatment of the Yankees who have come to town. Glory is a white girl who has grown-up in the white part of town with a black maid employed by her preacher father. She has all of the spunk and indignation of an 11 year old who can see right and wrong, but has a hard time seeing where she fits into the picture. This is a great tween read that will get readers thinking about the big issues of social justice as well as the universal changes that come with growing up.
I participated in the League of Librarians during the summer throwdown. What did this mean? That I read and recorded lots of pages while I was reading during the beginning of the summer. It was a great motivator to keep reading, and to see what other folks were reading as well.
I have a guest post over at The Brain Lair outlining 10 memorable books that I read during that time. It's a mix of tween, YA and adult, and I'm interested to see what you all think about these books. Not all of them have been or will be reviewed on Tweendom, so head on over to check them out!
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 8/9/2012
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Prairie is unhappy when her grandmother up and announces that it's time she moves home. After all, Grammy is much more than simply a grandmother to Prairie; she is her friend and her teacher as well. Especially since they moved up to New Paltz, NY from North Carolina.
Prairie's family inherited the farm from her mama's side of the family. New Paltz is where she grew up, and now the Evers family are trying to make a go of life by living off this small portion of land. Folks in town seem to have lots to say about this whole situation.
When Prairie and her mama are in town to pick up Prairie's new chicks, her mama leaves her in the malt shop while she runs some errands. While Prairie is sitting at the counter top, she overhears some women mention her mama's name. The women go on to talk all kinds of foolishness about her family-- how Prairie probably can't even read and isn't in school -- how her family probably doesn't have two pennies to rub together -- and it is everything Prairie can do to sit put and not give those women a piece of her mind.
One of those insults, however, is soon unfounded. Prairie's folks tell her that she has to enroll in school. Grammy has always taught Prairie before. They were explorers, learning about things that are interesting. How can she ever go to a school where she is trapped inside all day? How can she ever learn to raise her hand when she has something to say? Or not to blurt out an answer?
School is only made bearable by the one friend that Prairie sets on making. Her name is Ivy Blake. She's clearly a loner and a pretty quiet one at that, but Prairie seeks her out and soon they are spending lots of time together, and Prairie actually starts to feel happy. But as she slowly peels back the layers of Ivy's existence, Prairie realizes that things are not always as they seem.
Ellen Airgood has written a story of family, friendship and loss that while sad in measure is buoyed by an overarching feeling of hope. Even though Prairie and Ivy are misfits on their own, together they are strong and they even each other out. Ivy's family story is an intense one and is buffered by the Evers' family's cohesiveness. There is a Southern feeling to this story despite the setting, and while the idea of the importance of making family is loud and clear, the story never gets eclipsed by it. Prairie is a strong protagonist and readers are likely to admire her even as they cringe at her adjustments to school life.
Anyone who works with tweens and middle schoolers can tell you that life is often fraught with drama. Capital "D" drama. And while I was never a theater kid, Raina Telgemeier's latest graphic novel lets us in on some middle school theater kids who get an extra dose!
Callie loves theater. She is not the leading lady type, however. She prefers things back stage in the set department, which is where she will be working on her school's latest production; Moon Over Mississippi. She is busy putting up casting posters when she runs into twins Justin and Jesse. Justin is all about musical theater, while Jesse is a bit more on the shy side.
Even though Callie has been crushing on her friend Matt's big brother Greg, Jesse sets off a spark in Callie. Before long she is hanging out with Justin and Jesse and she discovers that Jesse is just as talented as his brother. She also discovers that Justin is gay. He's not super out, but it's not too hard to figure out if you pay attention.
Callie has set her sights on Jesse, but between the business of the musical, Greg's dipping into the picture, and Justin always being around, it feels like Jesse will never get the hint to invite her to the 8th grade formal. Once he finally gets to it, in true middle school dance fashion, it all hits the fan and many truths are revealed.
The beauty of Telgemeier's storytelling is that it's incredibly spot on. Each and every character is fully developed and believable. Readers will be rooting for and groaning at Callie in turn, and even if theater is the farthest thing from their reality, readers will know these kids. Relationships are everything in middle school, and Telgemeier gets that.
The art is signature, and since my copy is an arc, I cannot wait to see the finished product in full color. From the movement created by simple wonky eyes to the flop as Callie pours over a theater book she loves complete with air heart, the line is never crossed into caricatures. It is worth noting too, that the cast of characters is multicultural as well.
Drama should be in every school and public library, and preferably in multiple copies. This is a graphic novel that is sure to be every bit as well loved as the author's previous title
Smile.
Lately, I've been thinking about kids who choose not to read. As librarians we know that there are many reasons why certain kids are not readers. I have a few of them in my life, and I am probably quite annoying to them, as I tend to foist books on kids at every turn.
Nick is one of those kids. I know him from my real life, not my school life. I am not his teacher or librarian...simply a neighbor in the summertime. I've pushed a few books his way over the years...books that I thought he might enjoy, based on what I know about him. No dice. Nick is a kid who doesn't like to read. He was nice enough to answer some of my questions about his reading habits.
Do you consider yourself a reader?
I don't consider myself a reader. When was the last time you read a book for fun (not for school)?
The last time I read a book for fun, was the fifth grade. What was that book?
It was the Harry Potter series. What do you like to do besides reading?
I like to practice my instrument or watch TV. If you have to read something for school, how do you get through it? Do you read the whole thing?
If I have to read something for school, I read the whole thing only because I have to and I don't want to fail the essay on the book. Do other people in your family like to read?
The only person in my family who likes to read is my mom. Why do you think reading is not your thing?
I think reading is not my thing because I have a hard time getting into the book, and I think it's easier to just watch the movie. Maybe someday I will find something for Nick to read. Maybe someday he will find the perfect book without my help. Maybe he will never turn into a reader of books. The question that I have to ask myself as an adult and a reader and a librarian, is how far to go with the suggestions. Not all kids like to read, and maybe that's just going to have to be okay.
Many people have been telling me to read this one for quite some time now, but it just never came across my desk. I put matters into my own hands, downloaded a copy, and read it in virtually one gulp.
Fern feels a bit invisible in her busy family. They own Harry's, a casual restaurant and ice cream joint that takes up most of her parents' energy. All of the kids are expected to pitch in, and Fern's after-school time is usually spent in a booth doing homework and trying to keep an eye on her sticky ball of energy little brother Charlie. But things in Fern's world are beginning to shift.
First off, she is starting middle school. Now she is going to school with big brother Holden since the high school and middle school share a building. After a somewhat cryptic warning about bus etiquette from Holden, Fern is distressed to realize just what goes on during the bus ride. She has always been closest to Holden, and now he wants her to pretend she doesn't know him...all for her own good. Her big sister Sara has been teasing Holden about his J-Crew sense of style and has been egging him to address who he really is, but Fern had never considered how this might translate on the bus and at school.
Then there are her father's crazy schemes to get more business into their restaurant. Just before school started, he had the family shoot a basic cable style commercial, and now everywhere she goes she hears little brother Charlie's tagline - "See you at Hawwy's!". She tries to channel her best-friend Ran's zen nature and starts thinking of his mantra -
all will be well.
But suddenly, all is decidedly not well. After a tragic turn of events, Fern's busy family is broken. At this time when she needs her parents and brother and sister more than ever, Fern finds herself feeling incredibly misunderstood and guilty.
Jo Knowles has written a powerful story about family and self that packs a punch. Readers will be able to see themselves in each character turn by turn for better and for worse. The idea that families really are sets of individuals who fulfill different roles at different times is explored gracefully. Knowles also gets the voice of the kids and the adults down perfectly. From Holden's excitement and distance in his first relationship, to Fern's concern for Charlie to her mother's need to get away rather than argue, each character feels authentic and whole.
See You At Harry's is a definite must-read for the tween set.
Just a word of warning...make sure to have some tissues handy!
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Whew! The end of school is firmly behind me, as is ALA Annual 2012. Now I can get down to some serious summer reading!
I have read several great books in a row including
Lucky Times Three by Sheila Turnage (who I was lucky enough to have lunch with at ALA),
A Year in Coal Harbor, by Polly Horvath, and
Drama, by Raina Telgemeier. All three books are fantastic, and I will get to blogging them soon!
I will also say that if you haven't read our Newbery 2012 books, you should get on that yourselves. Honors
Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanha Lai,
Breaking Stalin's Nose, by Eugene Yelchin, and medal winner
Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos are all spectacular tween reads exploring journeys, families, summers and beliefs.
Happy Summer Reading!
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 7/10/2012
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Naomi lives in the small town of Blackbird Tree. It is not named because of the shape of its trees, however, but for the many blackbirds that live in those trees. Blackbird Tree is a bit of a tragic place, where most of the children have experienced some sort of loss. Naomi is unsurprisingly a bit of a pessimist. After losing her mother as an infant, and her father in a tragic accident, she has been in the care of Joe and Nula. But she has always felt a little off kilter about the whole thing. What if someone comes to take her away? What if bad things instead of good things start coming out of the donkey's ear from the story that Joe tells?
One fateful day, a boy falls out of a tree right in front of Naomi. She's not sure if he's real or not-real, so she is happy when her friend Lizzie comes by and lets her know that she can indeed see this boy laying unconscious on the ground. Where Naomi dwells in the quiet places, Lizzie fills the air with her words, which can be both comforting and bothersome at once. She fusses over the boy when he comes to, and worries after "Finn boy" who says that he is staying up on the hill with the dim Dimmenses.
Finn has awoken something in Naomi, and she finds that she cannot stop thinking about him. Each time she runs into him she asks Finn about his life, but he would much prefer to talk to Naomi about hers. He seems odd, however, visiting the folks in town that others normally steer clear of - folks like Crazy Cora, or Witch Wiggins. When Finn asks Naomi where he can find Elizabeth Scatterding, who just happens to be Naomi's Lizzie, she finds herself consumed with jealousy.
Meanwhile over in Ireland, Sybil and her caretaker Miss Pilpenny are plotting revenge. Living at Rook's Orchard, Sybil has enlisted the help of a solicitor to help her with the perfect plan. There is a Finn boy who used to live there, as well.
Creech has woven together a magical story about family and friendship and the ties that bind. Each character, no matter how seemingly small is tied to another, and readers will find themselves spell bound from considering the ways in which this is possible in their own lives. Naomi herself often wonders about the connections between people and places -
"But I thought about all the things that had to have spun into place in order for us to be alive and for us to be right there, right then. I thought about the few things we thought we knew and the billions of things we couldn't know, all spinning, whirling out there somehow." (p 223 arc)
The Great Unexpected is a story that defies categorization in terms of story and of audience. Found within its pages are mystery and magic, old and young, boys and girls, rich and poor. I just finished it an hour ago, and I already want to read it again!
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 7/21/2012
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June has been content living with her mother on the shores of Lake Champlain, spending her time baking and selling sweets at the Stillwater Marina, and swimming with her friend Luke. This summer she is dreaming of what pie she is going to enter in the Champlain Valley Fair. It seems pretty ideal, yes?
It is pretty ideal except for Eva. Eva has just moved in with June and her mom. It's not like June didn't know that her mom was gay, but having Eva living with them is making June uncomfortable. After all, June and MJ have always had a rhythm, and Eva just doesn't fit. Now that Vermont's civil union law has passed, Eva and MJ are even talking about getting married!
But not everyone in their town is happy with the idea of civil unions. In fact, someone even had the nerve to put a "Take Back Vermont" sign on their front lawn. June isn't even sure what that means, but she doesn't stick around to find out. After Eva tears up the sign, June takes off with Luke to see the secret blueberry bushes that he found up by the jumping cliff. June can't wait to come back the next week to pick some for her pies. Before she and Luke leave, however, June's friend Tina's brother Sam and some of his friends show up. Sam calls June a "lezzie" for being too scared to jump off the cliff, and June starts to wonder if Sam put up the sign on her lawn. And does Tina feel the same way her brother does?
Soon the "Take Back Vermont" campaign starts to take off in town. Folks stop coming into the marina, and June starts to worry about her mom. But there are others who are willing to stick up for June, Eva and MJ, and June starts to realize that she needs to stick up for her family as well.
Overall this is a coming of age story that easily could have turned into a didactic piece about marriage equity. Gennari has managed to balance the discussion with June's struggles with friendships, her blossoming crush on Luke as well as the everyday growing pains that families go through. I am always on the look out for LGBT books to put in our collection, and honestly ones that fit the tween audience are hard to come by.
My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer fits nicely into not only the LGBT collection, but into tween summer reads as well.
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 7/25/2012
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As you know, I am a sucker for the boarding school book. And although these books do not take place at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, I can't help but think on such a place as it has clearly coloured our young heroine Penelope Lumley.
In the latest installment, the Widow Ashton and her companion Admiral Faucet (pronounces Fah-say, if you please) have returned to the homestead. The Widow to see her son Frederick, and the Admiral to woo the Widow and to launch his money making scheme of ostrich racing. But when the pair arrive, Faucet's ostrich Bertha has escaped into the woods around the estate. In fact, Penelope and the children come across the ostrich while on a nature hike in the woods, but no sooner do they see her than Bertha is off and running again.
Upon meeting the children, the Widow Ashton is quite taken with them, and Lady Constance who has never shown the children any affection to speak of, starts to fuss over them. In fact, the first night of the visit, Penelope and the children are invited to dine with the family and they are regailed with the tale of Master Ashton's untimely death in a medicinal tar pit. After dinner Frederick and the Admiral take the boys back to the study and hatch a plan to get Bertha back. Faucet wants to catch her and Frederick wants to hunt her. And they want to take the children due to their unique tracking abilities.
Penelope won't let the go without her and Cassiopeia, and since she is worried about Frederick's abissmal eyesight, she conspires with Faucet to have the expedition take place on the full moon when she knows full well that Frederick will be suffering from his "moon sickness".
What follows is an adventure that only Penelope could get into with the Incorrigibles. Honestly, not as much happens in this installment as I was expecting. There are of course the elements of the Swanburne education with the exploration of philosophers like Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, synonyms, and prognostics. There are also dappled mysteries like the sandwiches in the cave, and the identity of "Judge Quinzy". But it seems that the biggest thing that is happening in The Unseen Guest is Penelope's own growth. Why, for example, is she not finding the comfort she used to in the pony books of her childhood, and why does she yearn for adventure instead of comfort?
Overall, fans of the series will eat this one up. I do hope, however, that the next adventure brings us closer to the reveal of not only the moon sickness, but of the identity of Quinzy as well!
By: Stacy Dillon,
on 7/28/2012
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I made a discovery during my committee tenure last year about books I love. There are books with chops where I delight in the use of language, setting, characterization et cetera, and then there are heartsong books. You know, those books that you wax poetic about...the ones that speak to you? And every so often, these two things collide into a book that you know will remain a favourite for all of your days.
This is what
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage is to me.
"Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt." (p. 1) Tupelo landing is where Moses (Mo) LoBeau ended up after her mother strapped her to a make shift raft during a hurricane. She came to stay with Miss Lana and the Colonel and helped them run their cafe. When local oldie Mr. Jesse turns up dead, Tupelo Landing turns upside down, with Mo and bestfriend Dale smack in the middle of everything, due to a little bit of borrowing of Jesse's rowboat.
Turnage has managed to pack an awful lot of goodness into this one including a twisty turny mystery, unforgetable characters, family heart-ache, strong girl-boy friendship and memorable turns of phrase. It is a book that will have readers laughing, wondering and feeling sad in turn.
I was lucky enough to meet Sheila Turnage at ALA in Anaheim and she said that Mo just kept talking to her. She wanted her story told. I'm awfully glad Turnage listened to her!
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I just adore this series. The humor is awesome. It makes these books so much fun to read!