A brief history of my reading Linda Urban's A Crooked Kind of Perfect: I had prepared myself not to like the book; I'm not a big fan of drama in kids' literature and the content lent itself to drama (mother works all the time, father has OCD, she's an outcast at school) so I feared that the book would take itself too seriously. But one of my favorite bloggers, ShelfTalker, raved about it so much that I grudgingly checked it out of the library.
And the book blew me away. So fabulous I got goosebumps multiple times.
The story is about Zoe Elias who has grand visions of playing the piano in Carnegie Hall after watching a PBS special about Vladimir Horowitz. Since Horowitz makes his debut at 17-years-old, Zoe figures that (since she is almost 11) she has six years to learn how to play piano perfectly; a chance to wear a tiara, long gloves and maybe get her distracted mother's attention and admiration. However her well-meaning father gets overwhelmed while trying to purchase the piano and ends up buying an organ from the mall- the Perfectone D-60- instead of the shiny grand piano she has been daydreaming about. Since six months of free lessons are included, Zoe begins by learning how to play t.v. themes and 70s pop tunes. Her enthusiasm to learn and passionate practicing prompts her teacher (Ms. Mabelline Person- pronounced "Per-saaahn") to register her for the annual Perform-O-Rama organ competition. Now if she can only focus on her practice while dealing with her father's neuroses, her best friend's ambivalence, her new friend- a boy, her mother's hectic schedule and her own insecurities.
This book amazed me. It was the perfect snapshot-of-childhood story with humor and poignancy but poignancy that was never heavyhanded. I couldn't stop talking about it and trying (unsuccessfully) to relate parts of the book to anyone who would listen to my meandering until I said, "Well, you should read it, that's all."
I don't know what else I can say about it. You should read it, that's all.
Okay, I just finished this book and I loved it! Iris, Messenger, by Sarah Deming, tells the story of a middle schooler named Iris Greenwold who lives with her mother in Middleville, Pennsylvania. Iris, like many other protagonists, hates going to school and really doesn't have any friends but she loves daydreaming and does her best to just get through the day avoiding detentions. Which she is not very good at.
Slight Spoiler AlertThen on her twelfth birthday she receives a copy of Bullfinch's Mythology and is captured by the stories as well as the notes scribbled in the margins. Of course the notes lead her to the world of gods and goddesses living right in her hometown, carrying on their own lives and trying their hardest to do a job similar to their immortal powers: Aphrodite owns a beauty shop, Hephaestus works as a mechanic, Artemis is a private detective and, my personal favorite, Hades is the principal of Iris's middle school ("Middle school is the closest thing we've found to hell." How great is that quote!?). Greek myths are woven throughout the story as the deities help Iris to discover her identity as well as help Iris's mother (a soybeantologist) get her job back.
The book was a completely exhilarating read. Iris had a delightful personality and the story was both witty and poignant. I also love books where the author redeems the characters from another story (The Game by Diana Wynne Jones is another) and Deming kindly saves the poor, dilapidated Greek gods and goddesses from their tragic lives to a happily ever after in a hilarious epilogue (and I would have been very jealous of Iris's happy ending in my middle school years, that's for certain). I actually learned more about myths from this fun book (and I considered myself an intermediate myth-lover, if not an expert); I can't wait until Ms. Deming comes out with another.
This quirky and action-packed story is about a ten-and-a-half-year-old girl named Alex (who is constantly being confused with being a boy because of her short hair, feisty attitude and dislike for skirts) who lives with her kindly uncle and goes to a prestigious private school (because her uncle is on the Board). Although she loves learning, she dislikes school because of her shallow classmates and her old-fashioned teachers. But this all changes when she gets a brand-new teacher, Mr. Underwood, just as she begins sixth grade, who teaches her to fence and use correct grammar. Alex and her uncle befriend the teacher and he reveals to them that he is heir to an enormous hidden treasure garnered by his piratical great-great-great-grandfather, the infamous Wigpowder.
Slight Spoiler Alert
Of course, the current infamous pirate Steele kidnaps Mr. Underwood so as to have to treasure for herself, kills Alex's uncle and leaves Alex homeless. Whereupon, Alex sets off to find her favorite teacher (taken aboard the notorious pirate ship, The Ironic Gentleman) and rescue him. Her journey takes her on a number of adventures, from placating a ginormous Octopus to becoming a mind-reading personal assistant to rescuing a train of partiers having their souls stolen from them. Naturally, the story concludes on the high seas in a swashbuckling climax.
Alex and the Ironic Gentleman was action-packed and took many unexpected twists and turns, (I was particularly intrigued by the moral dilemma Alex struggles with during her captivity on the pirate ship). I enjoyed the unusual experiences and the chummy tone of the author- similar to E. Nesbit- as well as the very well-defined characters. And anyone who has ever gotten yelled at (or whispered at) when visiting a museum will enjoy the comeuppance of the villainous Daughters of the Founding Fathers' Preservation Society.
The one problem I had with the book was the amount of character casualties. I know that the Harry Potter books, especially the final one, had no problem killing off many of the readers' favorite characters; J. K. Rowling said it was to exhibit the horrors of war. Yet this book didn't really go as dark and foreboding as the Potter series; having characters, side characters or otherwise, drop like flies was a bit disturbing. I like happy endings and everyone coming out okay.
If Ms. Kress decides to release another novel, I will certainly read it- I loved her page-turning plot and her larger than life characters. Yet I will be careful not to get too attached to any characters in the story... just in case.
A brief history of my reading Linda Urban's A Crooked Kind of Perfect: I had prepared myself not to like the book; I'm not a big fan of drama in kids' literature and the content lent itself to drama (mother works all the time, father has OCD, she's an outcast at school) so I feared that the book would take itself too seriously. But one of my favorite bloggers, ShelfTalker, raved about it so much that I grudgingly checked it out of the library.
