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This illustration is from my early days as an illustrator. I did a lot of work for my client Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in those days and this is one of them for a cover of their in house magazine: LifeLines! -Mike
3 Comments on Blast from the past!, last added: 4/24/2010
I ran across this video interview with Jessica Day George over at Fuse #8's School Library Journal Blog and decided it would be the perfect thing to share with you while you are waiting to find out if you are the lucky winner of the signed copy of Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. I'll announce a winner in the morning...until then...
In the last few days, the Adbooks list has been discussing online resources where teens review books. Because it can often be frustrating to try to figure out what teens in general enjoy without becoming stereotypical, I love these sites! Here are my three favorites that were mentioned on the email list:
LYRE: Center for Literature for Young Readers from Youngstown State University offers the LYRE review which is filled with book reviews by high school students. The Review is posted quarterly and features a mix of brand new titles and older ones.
NotRequiredReading.com also does reviews by high schoolers. Their interface is more graphical and will probably appeal more to teens themselves. They have different sections such as What's Hot and Pageturners to draw you in. The What's Hot section does feature hot books in YA lit.
Teen Book Review is my final pick. It is a book review blog written by 16-year-old Jocelyn. She also has an active MySpace, a great blogroll, and does incredible interviews with authors. Amazing!
While I sincerely doubt many of you, my fine readers, get all of your kidlit news from Yours Truly it may be possible that the following bit of news has escaped your attention in the kidlit blogosphere. Guys Lit Wire, a new site launching in June, promises to provide you with everything you need to know in the world of literature for teenage boys. Colleen of Chasing Ray has been been
0 Comments on about those teenage boys... as of 1/1/1900
The difficult thing about reviewing is finding a balance between telling about a story and not giving anything crucial away. I am finding this balance particularly difficult with Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow.
If I knew everyone would be intrigued enough to read it with a recommendation that simply said, "I love this book. If you enjoy YA fantasy, such as books by Shannon Hale, Robin McKinley, Patricia Wrede, C.S. Lewis, etc. don't pass this one by"...that is all I would write. I enjoyed the journey through this book, not having any clue about the story ahead of time. I have seen reviews since I read Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow that gave away crucial elements of the story that I am glad I didn't know.
Having said all that, here is my review. I know. Finally.
The girl, aka the pika, lives in a place that is always winter. Her family is poor. The girl, though a teenager, remains nameless. Her mother was so upset at having another worthless girl, that she refuses to name her.
Legend has it, that nameless girls are often stolen by trolls...but it isn't a troll that takes the pika away from her safe home and beloved brother. It is an isbjorn, or ice bear. The great white bear takes the girl to live in an ice castle for a year, promising that her family will be wealthy.
Many girls have been taken by isbjorns in the past, but the girl has a special quality that distinguishes her from the others.
She can talk to animals, which certainly helps when you have been taken captive by a bear.
Jessica Day George loved this Norwegian fairy tale and decided to flesh it out into a full length novel. At the BYU conference, she said she chose the story because it had everything...adventure, trolls, castles, mystery, romance.
I also enjoyed the details she added to the tale...like how the ice castle smells of rotten meat. Ewww. So gross. Great description though.
Recommended readers: lovers of YA fantasy/fairy tales.
Thanks for that review! Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow sounds really good. I'll be sure to put it on hold at my local library.
Michelle said, on 2/27/2008 6:37:00 PM
Thank you for the review! I am so excited to read this book now! It's got everything I love in a book all wrapped up in one!
ikkinlala said, on 2/27/2008 8:37:00 PM
That sounds like a really neat book. I've read some Norwegian fairy tales, I think, but I'm not familiar with this one.
Beckyb said, on 2/28/2008 11:25:00 AM
Sounds super - I'd love to be included!!
KT said, on 2/28/2008 4:46:00 PM
Is this the same myth that East by Edith Pattou is based on? I really enjoyed East, and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow sounds great. I will definately have to check this one out!
Emily said, on 2/28/2008 4:51:00 PM
KT, I haven't read East but I believe they are based on the same fairy tale.
hwalk said, on 2/28/2008 6:24:00 PM
I want to read it. I just read East though, so I think I will take some time so that I can read this book without comparing it too much.
Aubrey said, on 2/28/2008 8:39:00 PM
I like the interview - she sounds like a hoot. If she's that entertaining in real life, I'm sure the book is great!
Sara said, on 2/29/2008 6:56:00 AM
East o' the Sun, West O' the Moon is my favorite fairy tale, so I have to read this! It looks magical.
Bohae said, on 3/1/2008 4:59:00 AM
It sounds like an amazing read :) I've only read Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George, sadly :-( And I totally agree with you on the reviewing-with-balance-in-mind thing ;)
Amanda said, on 3/1/2008 4:56:00 PM
I would love to enter to win this book. Thank you!
myrna said, on 3/3/2008 1:37:00 AM
Thanks for the review. It sounds like a fun read.
Alyssa said, on 3/3/2008 10:40:00 AM
Wow! I'm so excited to read the book now. I hadn't been able to find any reviews of it yet, but this is incredible.
Stephanie Roth said, on 3/3/2008 10:55:00 AM
I started reading this book yesterday and I totally love it!
AnnaZ said, on 3/3/2008 11:45:00 AM
I'm anxiously awaiting this - I love fairy tale retellings. Shannon Hale (also a Utah author) has excellent fairy tale novels such as The Goose Girl or Book of a Thousand Days.
Emily said, on 3/3/2008 12:01:00 PM
Hi Everyone!
I'm anxious to read East now, too. I'll add that to my ever-growing to-read list.
Anna, Welcome. If you stick around, you'll find that I am a big fan of Shannon Hale. I spent a whole week spotlighting her here, actually. You can find an interview here: http://cleanreads.blogspot.com/2007/11/interview-with-shannon-hale.html
joelandnatalie said, on 3/3/2008 9:42:00 PM
Okay, sign me up again -- I'd love, LOVE to get this book!
Enna Isilee said, on 3/4/2008 10:26:00 PM
I loved meeting Jessica as well, wish I knew you were there. I haven't read EAST either but I've heard it's fantastic.
<b>Reader Rabbit</b> said, on 3/5/2008 12:20:00 AM
Thanks for the great review. I appreciate the way you concealed details.
I really wanted to read this book and now, I only want to read it more. It sounds great!
KT said, on 3/5/2008 10:36:00 AM
I am really excited now that I know that it's based on the same fairy tale as East. That just confirmed it will go in my every growing must read pile. Yay!
Aj said, on 3/5/2008 3:02:00 PM
Do you know of any other books that are based on Norwiegan folktales? I would love to hear about them.
Caesia J. said, on 3/5/2008 3:31:00 PM
I have yet to read "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow," but it sounds like it would be an excellent addition to our library. I was a bit cautious and did not want to buy it straight off without knowing more about it. Bad, bad experience with other authors. Methinks I can safely go seek out "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow."
Thanks for the review, especially for not giving critical information away!
Caesia J.
Shawna said, on 3/12/2008 11:43:00 PM
I'm sorry I missed out on the contest. Sounds like a very good read. I added it to my wishlist.
What can I say about Jessica Day George? She is a riot in a bottle. She is a red-headed firecracker. When asked for a picture of herself she sent the one to the right, saying, "Oh, here, post this picture! I swear, it's an exact likeness!"
Today we have the opportunity to find out a bit about her, her books, and her writing habits.
But quickly, before we get started, let me remind you about her books. The first one was Dragon Slippers, which I requested from the publisher after hearing it was something I might enjoy. I did. Tremendously. To find out all my thoughts about it, visit my review here.
The sequel to Dragon Slippers will be released in April. Dragon Flight is a fantastic sequel and lovers of Dragon Slippers will surely be happy with it. I have had the chance to read it already and will be reviewing it fully closer to its release.
Jessica Day George's latest book, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, is my favorite of the three. I will be reviewing it shortly. If you love fairy tales and fantasy, you don't want to miss this book. I loved it.
If you comment on this post (be relevant, please), the one about Dragon Slippers, or the review of Sun and Moon (which is coming soon) you will be entered into the drawing for a free signed copy of Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow!!! Comments will close a week from today, on Wednesday, March 5th at midnight. A winner will be announced the following day.
JDG: Okay, let's get to these questions before my brain falls out my ear, which is a very likely scenario at this point.
1. How much research do you do for your stories? How do you organize it?
JDG: Ah, organization. Yes, er, I'm not that organized, actually. It's kind of alarming. For Dragon Slippers, I pretty much did no research, since I like my dragons a certain way and I invented the customs, language and culture of Feravel. But for Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, I reread the original fairy tale both in English and Norwegian, and kept an Old Norse dictionary at hand for reference. It was a project I had been mulling over for years, and so I already knew what elements of Norwegian culture I wanted to bring to it.
2. How did you get the ideas for Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight? JDG: Dragon Slippers came to me one night like a bolt of lightning, which is just as painful as it sounds. The entire book just downloaded into my brain (again: ouch!), and I just had to type fast enough to get it all in before I forgot any of it. I never intended to write a sequel, but one day while telling my husband that I had no ideas for a sequel, I thought of one. So Dragon Flight was a bit harder to write. I knew that certain dragons were still alive (not to spoil anything), and I knew that I wanted to go to a new country, and have that country using dragons like cavalry horses. But piecing the rest of it together took a lot more effort than the first book. Hilariously, I've just finished the first draft of a third dragon book, which was much easier to write than the second one.
JDG: Not at all. But if there is a Feravel out there, I'd love to visit. (Not so much Citatie, I don't do well with heat.)
4. How did you get into writing?
JDG: "Oh, yo ho! Yo ho! The writer's life for meeeee. . . ." I am just completely unsuited for anything else. All my life I've wandered around with my nose in a book or my head in the clouds, making up stories. I've got a Cabbage Patch Kid diary from when I was eight that has about five pages of actual diary entries, and then it suddenly goes off on some story about a girl and her horse. (Which, incidentally, I'm turning into a trilogy based loosely on World War I England.) I've been telling people I was going to be a fantasy author since I was at least eleven, and my parents always supported me in that. They would take me to writers' conferences or to booksignings so that I could meet real authors, and all I've ever wanted was to be one of them.
5. What authors have influenced you as a writer? As a person?
JDG: The person and the writer are the same being, really. And I owe so much of my childhood and my writing to Robin McKinley, Patricia C. Wrede and Diana Wynne Jones. If you haven't read The Hero and the Crown, Dealing with Dragons, or Dogsbody. . . . for shame! And there's also the inestimable Tad Williams, whose giant, 1,000 page fantasy novels were the most treasured possessions of my awkward high school years. (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn: best fantasy trilogy ever.)
JDG: It is, hands down, my favorite folk/fairy/legend/tale/story. Trolls, polar bears, fabulous palaces, it has them all! And it's set in Norway, one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. I used to read the P.J. Lynch picture book version over and over, and dream about how I was going to turn that story into a full-length novel. There was just something about it that appealed to me. It was my story, the way little girls now dress up like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, I wanted to be the woodcutter's youngest daughter.
7. After Dragon Flight, do you have any other books in the works?
JDG: Oh, my yes! I have a retelling of Twelve Dancing Princesses coming out next year (title is under construction), which will have knitting patterns in it, and I'm a hundred pages into a sequel to that. Plus I just this week finished a third dragon book, and have about half a dozen more books planned. So far.
8. How did you break into publishing?
JDG: With a crowbar and a delicate set of lockpicks. . . . Oh, sorry! That's another story. . . . I was at BYU's Writing for Young Readers Conference (which I very much recommend), and the girl sitting next to me during one of the sessions heard me talk about Dragon Slippers. She invited me to attend a private writing retreat she and some local authors were putting together. They were bringing in a real live New York editor to talk to about 20 people about publishing, and then we would each get 15 minutes alone with the editor to tell her about our writing. I went, it was wonderful, the editor loved my story and ended up buying it. I couldn't understand one word in ten of the contract, though, so I called up an agent I had met at the BYU conference, and asked her if she could negotiate it for me. Now she's my agent full time, and Bloomsbury is my publisher! I really recommend attending writing conferences. Not only does it help you become a better writer, but meeting an agent or editor face-to-face gives you a much better chance at selling your story.
9. What is the hardest thing about being a writer?
JDG: Not enough time! Balancing writing new books, editing the ones on their way to the printer, and taking care of my little one and our messy house is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Added that are making time for school visits and booksignings, it's just crazy-busy!
10.What advice do you have for other aspiring writers?
JDG: Make sure you don't forget to read, not just in the genre you're writing in, but all kinds of books. Write down all your ideas and keep them, even if you think they sound stupid five minutes later. A few years down the road, you may find a use for that scene/character/plotline. Did you catch my above comment? I'm using a story I wrote when I was EIGHT as the starting point for a trilogy! And writers' conferences = invaluable.
A commenter at Clean Reads asked the following questions:
What are you reading right now?
JDG: I am currently reading Juliet Marillier's Wildwood Dancing, which is also a Twelve Dancing Princesses story (but vastly different from mine), and next I am very excited to read Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay, a wonderful writer for grown ups and a cool person too!
What do you do when you get writer's block?
JDG: Eat licorice and dance around the room. (You're laughing because you haven't tried it.)
What's your favorite part of the creative process?
JDG: Sitting down at the computer and starting a fresh new story. There is no writer's block yet. There is nothing but that blank screen. And as soon as I start typing, I get this giddy feeling and think that I could go on and on for days . . . if only my family didn't need dinner and clean underwear.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
JDG: You're welcome, you're welcome!
To find out more about Jessica, visit her website, http://www.jessicadaygeorge.com/, where she blogs and there's all kinds of fun stuff about the books.
18 Comments on Interview with Jessica Day George, last added: 3/12/2008
I really, really need to read her books. This interview is wonderful.
Erin said, on 2/27/2008 1:11:00 PM
VERY fun interview. :)
Stephanie Humphreys said, on 2/27/2008 1:13:00 PM
Thanks for the great interview. I totally understand about the family needing food and clean underwear.
joelandnatalie said, on 2/27/2008 3:35:00 PM
Thank you so much for posting my comments! I really did want to know the answers to all three questions I had (especially about what she was reading), but didn't think there would be room. I think it would be so fun to meet her -- she & Shannon Hale are both just hilarious.
Stephanie Roth said, on 2/27/2008 6:15:00 PM
I ADORE Jessica Day George. Her books are FABULOUS!! Thanks for the fun interview that gave me such a great insight into her mind, life and works.
Manelle said, on 2/28/2008 10:22:00 AM
Great interview. I just finished Dragon Slippers and I can't wait to read Sun Moon Ice and Snow. It's next on the list.
Becky said, on 2/28/2008 2:17:00 PM
Great interview! I finished reading Dragon Slippers earlier this week and I absolutely loved it!!! I hope I can read more of her in the future :)
Deanna said, on 2/28/2008 2:53:00 PM
I cannot believe her story about how Dragon Slippers got published. That has to be a writer's dream, to be attending one of those conferences and have everything basically fall into place. Wow!
Laurie said, on 2/29/2008 2:54:00 PM
One of my favorite fairy tale re-tellings is East by Edith Pattou, and I loved Dragon Slippers, so I'm really looking forward to both upcoming titles by the author.
Laurie, a Librarian
Melissa said, on 2/29/2008 4:49:00 PM
Wow, she read it in Norwegian? That, I must admit, sounds like dedication and research. I think I would require more than a simple dictionary handy. Looking forward to reading this book!
Laree I said, on 2/29/2008 6:53:00 PM
I loved the interview! I'm on the list at the library for Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow and I can't wait to read it. I wish I had the ablility to write so it actualy made sense to others (instead of just rambling like I usually do). But I love reading books by people (Like Jessica Day George) that do!
Julie and Joe Campbell said, on 3/1/2008 2:02:00 AM
My husband and I put Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow on a must read list for 2008. It was great to read your interview with Jessica Day George and learn a little more about it. I too loved the tale East O' The Sun, West O' the Moon. I bought my own copy of the illustrated version years ago. It is also nice to read that other families struggle for dinner ideas and underwear (hopefully they see mom reading or writing!)
Bohae said, on 3/1/2008 5:18:00 AM
"Eat licorice and dance around the room. (You're laughing because you haven't tried it.)"
I guess now I should try it ;) Great interview!!
Aj said, on 3/2/2008 1:52:00 PM
That was a great interview! Thanks so much for posting it. She sounds like a really nice person.
Susan said, on 3/3/2008 10:29:00 AM
What a fun, hilarious interview. I loved it. Jessica Day George sounds like a fascinating person.
I would love to win her book. Sounds like a wonderful read!
Alyssa said, on 3/3/2008 10:41:00 AM
Excellent interview! I love it when authors show thier personalities in interviews
<b>Reader Rabbit</b> said, on 3/5/2008 12:24:00 AM
That's a great interview. Jessica Day George seems like a really nice person.
Caesia J. said, on 3/5/2008 3:38:00 PM
Thanks for the interview with the charming Jessica Day George! Now,of course, I want to read all of those books she mentioned she was writing, has written, or plans to write! Starting with "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow."
Also, would you happen to know the working title for the third dragon book or a skeleton plot? Worth a shot.
Now, I'm a very big reader, and when I don't have much to do, I can read as many as three to four novels a week. So when I sat down to read the Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson, I was just expecting another book. Mediocre, and just a good read. But nothing that was really going to keep me turning the pages. By the end of this wonderful novels, my opinion had completely changed. It is truly one of the best I've ever had my big reading nose stuffed in. It's really fantastic. I completely engulfed it.
It is about a young girl named Anne. Her lifelong dream is to become a pirate. Her father will not let her formally join the crew, and Anne despises it. Sure, it has its occupational hazards, but she's just a strong as any of the men that work on her father's own pirate ship. But when Anne and her father's crew take a short stop on a small island, they find a wounded young man on the beach. Turns out that his name is Cat. He has amnesia. But what he doesn't know could come back to bite him.
At the same time, Bartholomew Throne is out to get Anne and her father's crew and ship. He is the self proclaimed "Most ruthless pirate sailing the seas" and he carries around a stick that he beats his crew members with. It always drips sap making it look like the stick itself is bleeding. Whether or not Anne escapes Bartholomew's wrath is for you to find out. I loved this book's element of surprise and would recommend it to any one of any age. It's great.
Recommended Age Group: Teen
2 Comments on ISLE OF SWORDS by Wayne Thomas Batson, last added: 3/12/2008
Hi, Allana! So glad you enjoyed Isle of Swords. Kind of you to post a review on your site. Thank you.
As you might have guessed, there will be a sequel to Isle of Swords. It'll be called Isle of Fire and will release this August.
And, as my characters in my Door Within Trilogy say...
Never alone.
-Wayne Thomas Batson
Anonymous said, on 2/24/2008 5:36:00 PM
Thank you so much for commenting on my review. I love any feedback you can give me. I am looking forward to your sequel to the Isle of Swords. Have a great day! God Bless, Allana
My review of C.S. Lewis' classic children's book The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is going to be chatty--quite chatty--and there's nothing I can do about it. I first encountered the magic of Narnia in fourth grade when my teacher read it aloud to us. My teacher, Mrs. Watts, was known for many things. She inspired much fear and trembling. Like Aslan, she was not safe, but good. While, other students may remember the discipline or the hard work...I'll always remember my magical introduction to Narnia. Soon after, I added book by book the series to my collection. Most of my copies were used. Most were ugly. But I devoured each one. I seem to remember my sister reading a few of the series at least. But unlike Little House and Ramona and Anne, this series was more me and less her. Narnia belonged to me--the magic, the wonder, the glory of it all. I remember the pure pleasure I experienced each and every time I opened up a book. I remember the book covers, yes. And I definitely have strong opinions on which book covers through the years are 'the best' of the bunch. But more precisely, I fell in love with the proper order of the series. Few things irritate me more than someone who insists on that new-fangled order. Which is why, if you could see me, you'd know how frustrating it is to read my 7-in-1 novel. But some things must be preserved at all costs.
Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. This story is about something that happened to them when they were sent away from London during the war because of the air-raids. (p. 111 in the 7-in-1 edition)
The adventures in and out of the wardrobe that these four experience during the course of the novel is oh-so-magical. The characters--both major and minor--so memorable. The story, familiar yet resilient, even after having read it a dozen times. So many wonderful scenes. Scenes that resonate. In case you haven't read it, let me give you a teaser. Lucy, the youngest of the children, accidentally discovers a magical land of ice and snow while hiding in a wardrobe in the Professor's house. Her three siblings--Peter, Susan, and Edmund--at first don't believe her. They take her tale as a wild, silly, foolish story of a girl whose homesick and wanting attention. Edmund, the brother closest to her in age and thus her biggest tormentor, also wanders into Narnia unexpectedly. But who he meets there, will perhaps undo them all. Narnia is not a land at peace. Not at all. For the land is under a spell--an enchantment--the White Witch--the supposed Queen of the land--has made it always winter and never Christmas. And the lives of the children--all four children--are in grave danger when they're in Narnia. For there is a prophecy that four humans--two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve--will come to rule the land as Kings and Queens and restore peace and order to the kingdom.
And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don't understand but in the dream it feels as if it has some enormous meaning--either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer. (141 of 7-in-1 edition)
The children's journey to Narnia, their quest to meet Aslan at the Stone Table, and their battle to save Narnia and their brother from the grasp of the evil and wicked witch....are unforgettable adventures that deserve to be experienced again and again by readers of all ages. You're never too old to experience the magic of Narnia.
0 Comments on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis as of 1/1/1900
Spitfire has great voice, two great voices actually.
Abigail, who is nearly 13, disguises herself as a boy to fight against the British in 1776. She never was a very good girl, so she set out to see if she would make a better boy. Abigail joined the battle at Lake Champlain in an attempt to find her uncle, her only remaining relative.
During her adventures, she finds friendship in Pascal.
We follow these two young fighters through their battles on the ship, the Spitfire.
The book is well-written and the characters are enjoyable. Spitfire, the name of the book, is also a fitting description for the characters who fight for their country and to prove themselves in a tough world.
Spitfire is a quick, easy read. Excellent for young people learning about history. The way the story is told, it is easy for the reader to put themselves into the battle scenes and imagine life as a young soldier on the Spitfire.
0 Comments on Spitfire by Kate Messner as of 1/1/1900
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....Persuasion by Jane Austen has to be--without a doubt--my favorite, favorite Austen novel. I've only read it twice, but each time was oh-so-magical. Though I will *admit* that it perhaps isn't a book that will "grab" you from page one. It might take some patience and effort, but give it a chapter or two (or three) and you might just find yourself swept up in the story of Anne Elliot.
Sir Walter Eliott, of Kellynch-hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Barnetage; there he found occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs, changed naturally into pity and contempt, as he turned over the almost endless creations of the last century--and there, if every other leaf were powerless, he could read his own history with an interest which never failed--this was the page at which the favorite volume always opened: Elliot of Kellynch-Hall.
See what I mean about NOT being an opening that will hook you? Long story short...or three reasons why you should read Persuasion despite its verbose, pompous opening....1) It is the story of Anne Elliot. A middle child, a daughter obviously, born into a pompous and atrocious family muddles through the best she can while waiting for her Prince to come. (Okay, she's not really waiting for her Prince to come and rescue her. She's all but given up on love since she's also, at age 27, an "old maid.")
2) Despite coming from a ghastly, horribly obnoxious family, Anne herself is not only intelligent and genuine but she's also thoroughly enjoyable and likable. She has a wit and cleverness about her. She actually sees the world around her. She isn't blind to reality like so many of the other characters.
3) Persuasion is all about second chances. Anne Elliot, a girl who truly deserves good things because her family is so rotten, lost her one chance for love and happiness eight years before our narrative opens. Her heart belonged--then and now--to a young man, a sailor, Frederick Wentworth. But her family and friends deemed him unworthy and unacceptable. And forced into choosing between her family and her love, she chose her family. A decision she regretted from the moment she broke her lover's heart.
When Persuasion opens the reader learns that hard times have come to the Elliot family--a family mostly known for its arrogance and pride. The family is *forced* into renting their out their estate to an Admiral Croft and his wife. The Elliot family--all but Anne--will reside in Bath year round. Anne, poor Anne, only Anne, will be parceled out as need be between Bath and her father and older sister, Elizabeth, and her younger sister, Mary.
What can I say about Mary? Mary is interesting--and by interesting I mean obnoxious and annoying--in a completely different way than her father, Sir Walter, and her sister, Elizabeth. Mary is married to Charles. Charles Musgrove. Charles and Mary and their two children live on the estate--in a smaller house--as his parents and his sisters. They live in the "great house." Anne's time spent with her sister and her sister's in-laws is interesting to say the least. Mainly because someone has just arrived in the neighborhood. A Captain Wentworth. Captain Frederick Wentworth. Just the sight of him makes her heart skip a beat--or two or three--she loves him like she's always loved him. But he's out of reach. He's now courting--of all people--one of the Musgrove sisters.Love. Requited. Unrequited. Broken hearts. Regret. Jealousy. Disappointment. Frustration. It's all there with just a little more besides.I do not want to spoil this one for anyone. Really. I don't want to. So please, please, please stop reading if you haven't read the novel. I mean it.
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There are just a few scenes--one really big scene--that makes this novel oh-so-magical. That takes it from nice to really really great.I love, love, love the conversation between Anne Elliot and Captain Harville. Their discussion on which sex--which gender--loves most, loves deepest, loves truer is one of the best dialogues ever. Seriously. Mostly because of the heart-felt letter that is the result of Captain Wentworth overhearing that conversation. That letter? The best, most romantic love letter of ALL TIME. Who could not love this guy?
I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that a man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan.
The letter goes on, but I think you get the idea. Anyway, as much as I love Pride & Prejudice (and I do) I've just got to give the award to Anne and Captain Wentworth when it comes to love and romance. Okay, it only wins by a small margin--because Darcy is quite a letter-writer as well. And he is oh-so-dreamy in his own ways. But Anne, Anne is what makes this book so wonderful. She's a heroine that has nothing to recommend her but her self--her true self. A self that only a few recognize as a thing of beauty, a thing of great worth.
The story begins with this great opening: “It was my aunt who decided to give me to the dragon. Not that she was evil, or didn’t care for me. It’s just that we were very poor, and she was, as we said in those parts, dumber than two turnips in a rain barrel.”
Creel’s aunt hopes Creel will come away from the dragon with a rich husband. Creel hopes to come away with gold from the dragon’s hoard. What she actually comes away with is something nobody expected…a pair of enchanted slippers.
When she escapes from the dragon’s lair, she can’t return home, so she makes the long journey to the King’s Seat in search of a job as a dressmaker. Of course, things don’t often turn out the way we expect. Many obstacles arise, but in the midst of her struggles, she finds love, courage, friendship, and the strength to pursue her dreams.
As you can probably tell, I highly recommend this novel. It is an original fairy tale full of dragons, princes, adventures, and laughs. Nothing pleases me more than a good fairy tale.
0 Comments on DRAGON SLIPPERS by Jessica Day George as of 1/1/1900
Author Historical Fiction HEALING WATER (Spring 2008) BLUE (2006)-See the review here. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER (1995)
Twelve year-old Livy Two lives a hardscrabble yet gentle existence. It’s gentle, because her large mostly happy family lives in slow-paced, beautiful Maggie Valley, NC. It’s hard, because Daddy doesn’t work a regular job. Daddy is a musician with a song in his pocket, a banjo in hand, and a plan to make it big one day. Since Livy Two writes lyrics also, she believes in her daddy’s dreams. And she has dreams of her own.
“…I want to see the world beyond the Smokies and I aim to bring my guitar with me when I do.
One day, I’d like to stroll along the Great Wall of China, ride me a camel in Egypt , swim in the Ganges River way over in India , and sip a cup of tea with the queen of England .”
Livy also dreams of helping her sister Gentle (whose eyes don’t work right) to learn Braille. Otherwise they might send Gentle to the school for the blind over in Raleigh . So with the help of the lady from the lending library truck, Livy Two gets a Braille book and begins to learn. Keeping the family together is a high priority for her!
But Daddy comes and goes on his quest to make it big. Mama is weary of his search for fame. She just wants him to feed his family. Grandma Horace with her glass eye (actually, a collection of them in different colors which she wears according to her mood) moves in to help out. And she’s is not the kind of grandmother who makes you feel better because she has arrived.
To make things worse Livy’s brother, Emmett gets fed up with daddy’s dreams and takes off for Ghost Town in the Sky to earn some money. Then tragedy strikes at another level, rearranging the family’s future even more dramatically.
And also leaving room for a sequel.
Fortunately, Gentle’s Holler (2005) is just the first in a trilogy that takes place during the 1960’s. Louisiana’s Song (2007) and Jessie’s Mountain (2008) continue the Weem’s family story. Author Kerry Madden infuses her stories with love of family and an at-home feeling for the Smoky Mountains . These books are populated with distinctive and quirky characters, unforgettable names, and much warmth. They are wholesome, funny, and heartwarming!
I know that there was a movie and all, but a Series of Unfortunate Events is my favorite series ever. When I was in fourth grade, I engulfed the books in three weeks. Since then I've had a passion for the books and now own all 13 in hardcover edition. The first book in the series, The Bad Beginning is just the start of wealthy children Violet, Klaus, and Sunny's misfortune. When a horrible fire destroys their home, it also leaves both their parents dead. Mr. Poe, the children's banker, informs them that they cannot collect the massive fortune that their parents left them until Violet is 16. Their parents wishes leave the children with their somehow related Count Olaf. He makes them do horrible work, and treats them like dogs. But not only is he evil, but he is scheming. He has a plan, but what it entails is for you, the reader to find out.
Recommended Age Group: Young Adult
0 Comments on A Series of Unfortunate Events: A Bad Beginning as of 1/1/1900
I'm very excited to be hosting Day Ten of Kaza Kingsley's whirlwind tour through the blogosphere. Let me reiterate that her Erec Rex series is fabulous. I am reading it slowly to my little guy, but everyday I'm tempted to just sit and finish it myself. Kaza Kingsley is a wonderfully creative writer. Erec Rex, a Harry Potter-type series, is a ton of fun and absolutely worth reading.
The amazing thing about this tour, is that there are original questions/answers and pictures at every stop!
So, here goes...
1/16 – Deliciously Clean Reads ; Emily Beeson
Emily – Thank you so much for hosting me on Deliciously Clean Reads. What a great site! It’s been fun, and I look forward to see if your readers have any comments or questions. Also, enjoy the kid picture of me below! Readers will get to see me “grow up” along this blog tour!
-Kaza, This picture is SO adorable. It looks like you came straight out of a Harry Potter movie...or maybe an Erec Rex movie? Let's begin.
-What is your favorite thing about being an author?
I think it’s split right down the middle between two things – and they are complete opposites of each other!
First, for me, there is nothing better than escaping into my writing. It’s so satisfying for me to plunge in, and get so involved in the story in my head, that I lose myself. It’s escapist, really, like seeing a movie or listening to your favorite music. And it recharges me, too.
But, also, I like the opposite end of the spectrum just as much. Along with the quiet, solitary side of writing, I also enjoy meeting people, especially fans who love my series. Going to schools, talking to kids and adults, recharges me in another way, and gives me the inspiration I need to keep going.
-What is your least favorite?
The pressure!! I wish I could just focus on the books, and I hope to get to a point when I no longer worry about hitting sales marks and wonder where my books will fall on the lists. Unfortunately it’s a real part of being an author today. Book sales mean better placement in stores that lead to better book sales.
I wish I knew what the future held for the Erec Rex series. But at least I feel I’ve hit a point where I don’t have to worry quite so much any more. Cross fingers!!
-What do you want readers to take away from your books?
The most important thing to me is that my readers come away feeling like they’ve had a great escape. I’d like my books to be a safe place for kids and adults to go, to experience harrowing adventure from the safety of their armchairs (or beanbags…)
But beyond that, I do hope readers will come away with a few more things, too. I made Erec face some tough choices, and I hope these will inspire readers to question how they might handle the same situation. Do you do what’s easy, do something to help yourself only, or do you do what’s right, even if it puts you at risk? How far are you willing to go out of your way to help others in need? I think some of the hardest choices we face involve doing what we should do instead of what we want to do.
Similarly, the books also deal with themes of trust, prejudice and self-doubt that I hope give people some more thoughts to chew on…
-Do you consider your books to be for children mainly, or adults too?
I actually wrote the books for adults to enjoy, going with a story that I found interesting, rather than one written just for kids. There are definitely some references and jokes in the books that most kids won’t pick up on.
But at the same time I was conscious of keeping the words in the story relatively simple, so that kids wouldn’t be put off. It was important to me to keep it clean, too! There were a few times when, in a rough draft, a swear word might pop out of one of the characters mouths in a really tense situation. Of course, I changed those words. There are much better ways of expressing the same ideas without bad language. Usually more creative ones!
The beauty of fantasy is that it’s a great medium for stories that interest both kids and adults! That makes it a great genre for parents to read to their kids, too.
-You've had a lot of interviews, posted in your website. Have any of them gone badly?
I have had a lot of interviews! Luckily most go well, but there was one once that turned a corner and went terribly. It makes me cringe to remember it! It was a radio interview. The host had heard there would be twelve books in the series, but I corrected him and said it would be eight. Somehow that upset him, I think. For the rest of the interview he became so negative and disparaging! I tried to keep my wits about me, and bit my tongue until it was over. Not pleasant, though!
I actually didn’t decide on the main character of this series until after I knew the underlying story theme, which was the legend of Hercules. After I knew that, I had to go with a boy. But his best friend, Bethany, is a very big part of the series as well. I hope that evens things out for girl readers.
-Was it hard to write from a boy's perspective?
Surprisingly, no! Writing his character did put me in touch with my mischievous side, though. I think I was still able to find enough kid in me to get into his head, as well as his friends’. I guess once you know a character well you kind-of become them, so it gets easy.
Kaza, Thanks so much for stopping here. I've truly enjoyed hosting your tour.
Readers-Kaza will be checking back all week to answer any questions or comments, so talk away...and here's the schedule if you're itching for more...
Song of the Sparrow is a wonderful verse novel that retells the story of Elaine the Lady of Shalott. While the literary tradition has her as beautiful but essentially weak and desperate, Sandell's Elaine is strong, brave, and while she, for a time, is lovesick on Lancelot, she is not too desperate or clingy. (Not, I'll die without his love desperate.) Meet Arthur, Elaine, Gwynivere, Lancelot, Tristan, and Gawain in this new telling of love and war. The poetry is powerful and quite effective in communicating the behind the scenes emotions as well as capturing the senses--especially the sights and sounds of battle camps and war.
Here is a snippet from the tenth chapter:
I wish I could go back to that time,
when my mother would smile
the gentle smile that told me,
all is right and well.
Back to that time when I was
young
and loved
and safe.
When we were all safe.
That things change,
that people change,
and die,
that we grow older,
that life brings the unexpected,
the unwanted,
oh,
some days it feels me with
a measure of lightness, for
I will be a woman soon.
But other days,
the very thought
of growing older,
of not being that small girl
who danced over river rocks,
whose brothers held her hands,
whose mother lived,
the very thought of itcrushes me,
till it is stopped,by the world
outside
my memories.
0 Comments on Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell as of 1/1/1990
Meggie is a young girl who loves to read. She's seriously obsessed. She even sleeps with books under her pillows. Her best friends are books. There's few things she loves more than a good book, a good story. Mo is Meggie's father. He loves books too. He mends them. He's a book doctor. But as much as he loves books, he knows they can be dangerous as well. He's hiding a secret. A big secret. One rainy night, the secret is forced out into the open. Meggie sees a man staring at the house, watching the house, waiting for something or someone. As soon as her father sees this man, you can begin to feel the danger, sense the adventure. Dustfinger. He has found them at last. Found them again. Dustfinger is one of those semi-likable semi-villains. Neither good, nor evil. Selfish, yet not heartless. He wants what he wants. But he doesn't necessarily want other people to suffer. He's full of longing and desire for something that is completely impossible. So he's hopelessly miserable. The secret? Well, Mo, her father, has another name. Silvertongue. Her father has a gift. Or a curse. Depending on your point of view. The 'gift' is something that he's ashamed of, something that he'd be rid of forever if he only knew how. A 'gift' that Capricorn and Basta--the villains--want to use for evil.
Inkheart is full of adventure, full of suspense, full of descriptions. It's exciting but long.
0 Comments on Inkheart by Cornelia Funke as of 1/1/1990
Garth Nix is in the process of writing a seven-book series--The Keys to the Kingdom Series--and I wish I could read them all, but I will be patient while the author writes. The currently published books in the series are: Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, and Lady Friday. I have not yet had the opportunity to read Lady Friday, but I am excited to do so.
The series starts as Arthur Penhaligon has a severe asthma attack. He is supposed to die, but a mysterious Mister Monday gives him a large minute hand of a clock right before his death. The minute hand turns out to be a magical key that saves Arthur's life, but also makes it so he is the Rightful Heir to the House. The House, created by the Architect, is responsible for recording everything that happens in the Secondary Realms, but the House has started to interfere in the Realms in ways it shouldn't. The Architect has left and now there are seven evil leaders of the House, all of them assigned to a specific day.
Arthur must defeat each leader (starting with Mister Monday), gain control of the house, and stop it from interfering with the Secondary Realms. He does this aided by the Will of the Architect (the parts of which manifest themselves as different animals), Suzy Turquoise Blue, Leaf, and others.
The tension is high, especially as the series progresses. So many things go wrong with Arthur, yet he always ends up all right in the end. All he wants is to go back home and live an ordinary life, but the people of the House keep making this impossible. He doesn't want to be heroic or brave, and he goes about his adventures not fighting strongly, but just trying his best and doing whatever he feels is right for himself and for the people around him. Sometimes he is exasperated with the whole situation, but he continues to fight to save his family and his life on earth.
The books go in many different directions--the back of the book explains it well: "On the first day, there was mystery. On the second day, there was darkness. On the third day, there were pirates. On the fourth day, there was war. . ." and so on. All the books are packed with action, tension, enjoyable characters, humor, and emotion. The setting is quirky, eccentric, and original.
The books are fun to read and fun to experience, and you become genuinely worried whether the characters are going to turn out all right.This series is currently my favorite fantasy series of its type. I love reading these books and can't wait (though I'll have to) to read more.
Recommended Readers: 10 and up.
0 Comments on Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix as of 1/1/1990
The Book of Time: By Guillaume Prevost is a book that from the fifth page, will suck you in. I read it in one day, and couldn't put it down. From the detailed descriptions of the scenery, to the characters vibrant personalities, this book has more than one reason to dive in. It is the first book of a series, so even when you finish, you'll have more to look forward to after you are done.
This is the story of Sam, a young boy who is sent on a journey of epic proportions. When Sam's father disappears, Sam, who usually lives with his grandparents, goes over to his father's house. But what he finds is more than he is willing to take on. A stone statue in a secret area in his father's basement. The secret of the statue is what sends Sam off on a journey of a lifetime. He learns that with the power of the statue, he can travel through time. With some help from his cousin Lilly, a nagging Aunt, and a few newspaper articles, Sam might just be able to take on his worst fear; A bully named Monk. Whether or not Sam succeeds is for you to find out.
This book is full of suprises, and with throw you for many loops. I loved The Book of Time and I hope you do too!
0 Comments on THE BOOK OF TIME by Guillaume Prevost as of 1/1/1990
Number the Stars is a Newbery winner. It is the story of a young girl, Annemarie, and her family. The book is set during World War II in Denmark, 1943 to be precise. Annemarie and Ellen are best friends. The two live together in the same apartment building. The two go to school together. The two do practically everything together. But all that is about to change, you see, Ellen and her family are Jewish. And while the soldiers--Nazis--have been occupying Denmark for over a year, their policies are about to change. There is danger in the air, and everyone--young and old--can feel it. This is the story of two girls, two friends, and two brave families. I always enjoy reading about the war and the holocaust from the danish perspective. For one thing, the resistance movement is strong, powerful. Denmark was a nation with people who cared, who took risks, who did the right thing, who saved lives. I think this book can be read and enjoyed by everyone--no matter your age--despite the fact that it is a "children's book."
0 Comments on Number the Stars by Lois Lowry as of 1/1/1990
There's a good chance you read the title of this book and had similar thoughts to mine...sounds like cheesy chick lit. Well, maybe it kind of is, but it is written well, and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. In fact, I read it in about a day.
I strongly recommend IT'S A MALL WORLD AFTER ALL if you like clean teen romances. Similar movie flicks would include A Cinderella Story, High School Musical...you know, the fun, innocent high-schoolish romances.
Charlotte, a tall-and-pretty klutz, works at the mall as a perfume spritzer for Bloomingdale's. From the entry of Bloomingdale's, she watches life at the mall, often spying on classmates. However, sometimes spying can get you into trouble. A funny series of events unfolds. I honestly laughed out loud, which I rarely do, while reading.
Besides being an active member of NHS (the National Honor Society), Charlotte loves to head up service projects, but being a klutz, something always goes wrong. During the course of the story, she finds a way to help disadvantaged kids for a Christmas project.
It is pretty obvious who Charlotte likes and how the story will end, but does that matter? Most chick flicks are predictable. That certainly doesn't stop me from loving them. If you don't like predictability, IT'S A MALL WORLD AFTER ALL may not be for you. However, if you love a quick-n-funny chick flick now and then, like I obviously do, read this one.
0 Comments on It's a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison as of 1/1/1990
I’m not unfamiliar with Lois Lowry. I’ve read Number the Stars. I’ve read The Giver (which is one of "Our Favorites"). And I had really loved those books. Enough to buy my own copies instead of relying on the library. But I didn’t expect to be so swept up with her newest book GOSSAMER. I expected it to be good. But I didn’t expect it to be a WOW book. It’s like this book was written just for me. Instant connection. Instant love.
What is it about? Gossamer is the story of Littlest. What is Littlest you ask? She isn’t a human. She isn’t a dog. (You’ll have to read it to get the joke). She’s an imaginary creature of sorts. A dream giver. Or to be more precise. A dream giver in training. If you’re like me you’ve always wondered why you dream the things you do. Wondered why certain fragments fit together in your dream in a completely random way. Sometimes in a wonderfully pleasant way. Small details of your life--whether recent or from years or even decades past--suddenly confront you in your dreams. The answer is provided in Gossamer. Dream givers. Benevolent creatures that bestow dreams to humans. One dream giver per house...unless you’re training a little one. Thin Elderly is training Littlest and their household is an interesting one. An elderly woman and her dog...until one day an eight year old boy (foster care???) from an abused background moves in with her over the summer. Can an old woman and two dream givers bring peace and joy to an angry boy? Or will his nightmares follow him? Can good dreams overpower bad with a little loving help? It’s a simple story really covering a wide range of human emotions: anger, pain, shame, guilt, despair, love, joy, peace, hope, laughter.
This gathering, this dwelling place where they slept now, heaped together, was only one, a relatively small one, of many. It was a small subcolony of dream-givers. Every human population has countless such colonies--invisible always--of these well-organized, attentive, and hard-working creatures who move silently through the nights at their task. Their task is both simple and at the same time immensely difficult. Through touching, they gather material: memories, colors, words once spoken, hints of scents and the tiniest fragments of forgotten sound. They collect pieces of the past, of long ago and of yesterday. They combine these things carefully, creating dreams... (13).
If the premise doesn’t get you...perhaps Littlest will. She is a lovable, memorable character.
0 Comments on Gossamer by Lois Lowry as of 1/1/1990
By: Tuomas Ikonen,
on 7/19/2011
By: Tasha Saecker,
on 2/28/2008
By: David Elzey,
on 2/27/2008
SPITFIRE by Kate Messner
by
Nice and clean, acrylic? Ink wash?
Thanks Tim! A bit of both actually.
And a slight bit of pencil work.
*Hahaha* Love the hairstyles going on here. Early Clinton era?