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Merry Christmas From Betsy. Carolyn Haywood. 1970/89. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: Thanksgiving was hardly over when Betsy and the rest of the children in the first grade began talking about Christmas.
Premise/plot: Merry Christmas From Betsy is a collection of the Christmas chapters from previous books in the Betsy series by Carolyn Haywood. The stories are sweet and charming and cute. The stories aren't all focused on Betsy either. Her younger sister, Star, who makes her arrival on Christmas Day as the "present that Betsy always wanted" is also a huge part of the book. Some stories focus on the anticipation of Christmas coming, others on Christmas Day itself. All are worth your time.
My thoughts: Really, really enjoyed this one! I haven't read all the Betsy books, but, the few I've read I've really enjoyed. I like spending time with Betsy, Star, their family, their friends.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
By:
Becky Laney,
on 12/15/2016
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Ghost. Jason Reynolds. 2016. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Check this out. This dude named Andrew Dahl holds the world record for blowing up the most balloons...with his nose.
Premise/plot: Castle Cranshaw (aka GHOST) narrates Jason Reynolds' Ghost. He's a seventh grader who 'accidentally' finds himself on one of the city's greatest track teams, the Defenders. One minute he's watching from the sidelines eating his sunflower seeds, and, the next he's out on the track trying to beat the newbie, Lu, in the 100 meter. At first, before the race, the coach is surprised and unhappy. After the race, the coach is eager to have him on the team. Very eager. Ghost's mom is skeptical about the whole sports team thing. But she reluctantly agrees on one condition: he has to stay out of trouble. (And he has to keep up with his school work.)
My thoughts: The book covers a short span of time--less than month--but from cover to cover it kept me engaged. So engaged that I was upset when it ended. Note I did not say HOW it ended, but that it ended at all. I had become attached to all the characters: Ghost, Lu, Patty, Sunny, and especially the COACH. (I did like his Mom well enough, it's just that she was working so hard and so long--working in the hospital cafeteria, taking nursing classes on the side--that we didn't get a lot of scenes with her. Another notable, for me, was Mr. Charles, the store owner who sheltered Ghost and his mom when they were running for their lives, the man who has remained a part of his life because he sells him sunflower seeds every single day after school.)
To sum it up: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. Even though I don't really "like" sports books. I think those looking for character-driven novels can claim this one. Yet, at the same time, I think maybe just maybe those looking for action-driven novels can equally claim this one.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Moo. Sharon Creech. 2016. 288 pages. [Source: Library book]
First sentence: The truth is, she was ornery and stubborn, wouldn't listen to anybody, and selfish beyond selfish, and filthy, caked with mud and dust, and moody: you'd better watch it or she'd knock you flat.
Premise/plot: When their parents decide to move from the big city to a small town in Maine, Reena and Luke have big adjustments to make. For better or worse, their mom volunteers them to help out a prickly neighbor, Mrs. Falala. At first this means bringing her library books. Then it means taking care of her cow, ZORA. Reena ends up agreeing, somehow, to SHOW the cow at a fair. The book is written--for the most part--in verse.
My thoughts: This book had some potential, in my opinion. But for me, it was "ruined," by the blank verse. I don't mind verse novels if the verse is spectacular and it makes sense for it to be written in verse instead of prose. There are some authors who have mastered this: they have a way with words, with phrases, with building images. What they write is lyrical and deserves the title of poetry. This was just prose masquerading as poetry.
If it had been prose, I think I would have connected more with the characters and the story. I did like the idea of liking this one. Essentially it is the story of two children struggle to connect with an ornery and "mean" neighbor lady, slowly but surely coming to like and respect her. And the two do have to learn a LOT about farm life and taking care of cows. And by working hard and working towards a goal, they do end up growing and stretching as characters.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Maybe a Fox. Kathi Appelt. 2016. 272 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: From under her covers, Jules Sherman listened for her sister, Sylvie, to walk out of their room.
Premise/plot: Can this book be summarized into a sentence or two? I'll try. Jules and Sylvie are two sisters that are close as can be, yet, in some ways as different as night and day. Jules is more than a little obsessed with collecting rocks, with collecting wishing rocks. Sylvie is more than a little obsessed with running. Her one big wish in life is to run fast, fast, FAST. Jules can't fathom the "why" of it. One winter morning, Sylvie breaks one of her father's many rules. And she does so ultimately at the cost of her life. Jules is alone and not alone. There is her father, of course, her friend, Sam, and, then there is a FOX.
My thoughts: I am of two opinions with this one. On the one hand, I think WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER SAD BOOK. WHY DOES EVERY BOOK HAVE TO BE SO VERY SAD?! This one doesn't just have a sad twist, it's sad practically cover to cover. On the other hand, I can't deny that it is written quite well. I really loved The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. This I didn't love. Not even close. But not because it was poorly written. It was written well. Not because it lacked creativity. It was definitively unique. Not because the characters were one-dimensional. I found myself liking the characters and finding them developed. I simply didn't "need" or "want" another sad book in my life.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Hammer of Thor. Rick Riordan. 2016. 471 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Lesson learned: If you take a Valkyrie out for coffee, you'll get stuck with the check and a dead body.
Premise/plot: Magnus Chase and his friends are back for a second save-the-world adventure. In this one, they must find a way to retrieve Thor's Hammer and keep a dangerous sword out of the hands of Loki, a sword that would free him. It won't be easy--lives will be put on the line more than once. But they've got a new sidekick, Alex, a son-daughter of Loki. Alex is gender-fluid. From what readers are told, his/her gender isn't something that she/he decides from one minute to the next. Literally, Alex could wake up female and go to bed male. Even throughout one day--there could be a lot of fluidity. This is something that Alex embraces and champions. Alex is, as you can imagine, a bit defensive and very opinionated. Other sidekicks include Samirah al-Abbas (Loki's daughter, a devout Muslim), Hearthstone (deaf elf) and Blitzen (dwarf). There are others--his neighbors--but Sam, Hearth, Blitz, and Alex are essentially his team.
My thoughts: I liked it okay. I didn't love, love, love it. It had its moments. It did. I wish now I'd marked which passages or scenes I liked or loved. I have a feeling that would give me a better sense of how I really "feel" about this one. I think if you're in the right mood, and, if you don't mind a representation of Thor that leaves him wanting, then this one could satisfy. Riordan's THOR is night and day different from THOR from the Marvel movies. And having just rewatched all the movies, it just left me disgruntled.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard. Jonathan Auxier. 2016. Harry N. Abrams. 464 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: It has often been said that one should never judge a book by its cover. As any serious reader can tell you, this is terrible advice.
Premise/plot: Peter Nimble has come to Bustleburgh in search of the Bookmender. Her name, he learns, is Sophie Quire, and she has grown up in a bookshop. Her mother was a world-famous bookmender. Sophie has come into the trade mostly by chance and love. Peter comes with a book. Not any book but The Book of Who! It is one of four magical books. Each one is protected by a different Storyguard. The book chooses Sophie to be its storyguard, and the LAST storyguard whatever that means! An adventure awaits her, Peter, and Sir Tode...and a treat awaits readers!
My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this one so much. I loved getting reacquainted with Peter and Sir Tode. But I really loved getting to meet Sophie. This one had me hooked from the beginning. Not just the characterization but the quality of the writing as well. The story is intense and exciting! This book made me FEEL things. Like when her dad threw the book into the fire! Definitely one I'd recommend no matter your age!
Quotes:
If one hopes to live in a world of wonders, he had better locate himself in a place where wondrous stories abound (147).
Stories are more than the sum of their words (150).
Stories lived inside those who read them (439).
Magic cannot be removed from the world, because the world--every speck of it--is magical. It is simply a matter of whether or not we can see it (439).
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Falling Over Sideways. Jordan Sonnenblick. 2016. Scholastic. 272 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: I'm waiting in the wings, watching all of the fathers dancing onstage.
Premise/plot: Falling Over Sideways chronicles Claire's eighth grade year in a way that only Jordan Sonnenblick can. Claire is upset that a) her friends got promoted to the next dance class level, and she didn't; b) most of her teachers previously taught her older, oh-so-perfect brother, Matthew; c) her home room and most of her classes have more bullies than friends; d) her father has had a major stroke and has lost the ability to talk, write, read. Mid-September family life gets way complicated. All of the complexities of life make for a great coming of age story.
My thoughts: Sonnenblick is one of the best contemporary writers when it comes to characterization. (The one exception might be the mom in this one. Though that might be a case of me not getting her personality.) Claire's relationships with everyone--from her perfect brother to the former-friend turned enemy (Ryder)--are so well done! (I appreciated the fact that he didn't try to squeeze in a romance. This middle grade read was perfect without rushing ahead.)
I really loved this one. It might pair really well with The Seventh Wish. Both heroines are into dance, focus on friendship, and feature a family in crisis coming together.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
By:
Becky Laney,
on 11/8/2016
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Half Magic. Edward Eager. 1954/2016. HMH. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: It began one day in summer about thirty years ago, and it happened to four children.
Premise/plot: Edward Eager loved, loved, loved reading E. Nesbit, and was inspired to write magical tales of his own. This is the first book he wrote, I believe. It stars Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha. One day Jane accidentally discovers a 'nickel' with magical properties. It grants half-wishes. So if you want a whole wish, you have to word it cleverly or else you'll be mightily disappointed! Of course, the children learn this the hard way! And it's not the only thing they learn either.
My thoughts: I love, love, love, love this one. It is so fun and charming and just like Nesbit--in a good way! It had me from hello.
"The library was two miles away, and walking there with a lot of heavy, already-read books was dull, but coming home was splendid--walking slowly, stopping from time to time on different strange steps, dipping into the different books." (4)
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Raymie Nightingale. Kate DiCamillo. 2016. Candlewick. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: There were three of them, three girls. They were standing side by side. They were standing at attention.
Premise/plot: Set in 1975, in Florida, Raymie Nightingale is middle grade novel about everything and nothing all at the same time.
Three girls--Raymie Clarke, Beverly Tapinski, Louisiana Elefante--become the Three Rancheros one summer. Technically, these three are brought together by a couple of 'obvious' things: they are all in a baton-twirling class, they all will be competing in a Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition. One of the questions on the application asks each girl to LIST their good deeds on a separate piece of paper. But the obvious reasons these three belong together aren't the 'real' reasons. Each girl knows something of loss, of longing, of regret, of 'the real world.'
Raymie's quest to do a good deed so she can write it down leads to the start of a not-so-wonderful, wonderful summer. Her good deed--to read to the elderly about FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE--goes horribly wrong. One patient REFUSES to listen, and her spur-of-the-moment good deed to answer the lonely cries of another patient causes her to DROP HER BOOK--HER LIBRARY BOOK--IN A PANICKED DASH.
Raymie seeks help from Louisiana and Beverly....and in return, she pledges to help them.
My thoughts: LOVED THIS ONE. I'm not sure it's BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE all kinds of magical. But that is because I loved, loved, loved, LOVED that one so very much. It's a GREAT book though. And I really enjoyed all three girls. I really found myself loving Louisiana and her grandmother most of all. I'm not sure why. I just do. Maybe it was Louisiana's duck barrettes? Maybe it was her hope? I don't know. But I love her fiercely. I think I love all three girls actually.
I was confused for the first few chapters, but, eventually everything clicked into place and it was LOVE.
I wouldn't mind a movie adaptation.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
By:
Becky Laney,
on 11/4/2016
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The Seventh Wish. Kate Messner. 2016. Bloomsbury. 228 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: I've only seen the ice flowers once.
Premise/plot: Some books are near-impossible to summarize concisely...and do the book justice. This is such a book. I want to just say READ IT. But I won't. That really won't help you make up your mind now, or refresh my memory later. Charlie, the heroine, learns a little about wishes and a lot about life in this middle grade fantasy. Why is it fantasy and not realistic fiction? A talking fish that grants Charlie wishes.
My thoughts: I LOVED this one so much. Why? Perhaps in large part because of the narrator, Charlie. I truly connected with her--despite our differences--and wanted to spend time with her. I just adored her as a character. And because I adored her, I didn't mind a bit reading about Irish dancing (she made it sound super fun!) and ice-fishing (not convinced this is super fun but still not enough of a deterrent to keep me from loving it). I really felt this one was well-layered and peopled with flesh-and-blood characters.
This one was wonderfully balanced between light and dark. On the one hand, we've got Charlie and her friends and their "problems." (A friend whose father is pressuring him to play sports when that is the absolute last thing he wants to do, for example. Charlie's own "troubles" about wanting to earn money so she can buy a dancing dress for competitions.) On the other hand, we've got grown-up problems as well. Charlie's sister experiments with drugs--with heroin--at college and life becomes MESSY very quickly.
The Seventh Wish doesn't read like your typical PROBLEM NOVEL. It doesn't feel weighed down with manipulative messages, themes, and morals. Part of me wishes that this one didn't have the fantasy elements--the fish that grants wishes. The other part realizes that maybe the fantasy elements give this one a just right balance so that it isn't heavy and serious and dramatic and IMPORTANT.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
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By:
Becky Laney,
on 10/29/2016
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You Can Fly. Carole Boston Weatherford. 2016. 96 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: No matter that there are only 130/ licensed black pilots in the whole nation. Your goal of being a pilot cannot be grounded/ by top brass claiming blacks are not fit to fly./ Your vision of planes cannot be/ blocked by clouds of doubt./ The engine of your ambition will not brake/ for walls of injustice--no matter how high.
Premise/plot: You Can Fly is a collection of poems--all written in second person, to you--about the Tuskegee Airmen. Readers can potentially learn a lot about flying and airplanes, the second world war, and race relations in the 1940s.
The perspective is unusual. But it oddly works for me.
You are in Class 42-C under all white command./ Your first lesson: to "Yes, sir!"/ and "Sir, no sir!" your officers.
The poems are still able to communicate a lot of details: names, places, dates, statistics, etc. Yet the poems are not dry and boring.
You love Hershey's bars,/ but letters from home are sweeter./ Hearing your name during mail call/ is like being lifted by a prayer.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I spent several years editing interviews for the Women Airforce Service Pilots. So while there are definite differences--big differences--between the two groups, it did give me an understanding or appreciation for training and flying at that time. My love of World War II is what led me to this one, not specifically the poetry. But the poetry is lovely I have to say!
It is a short, compelling read. It made me wish that MORE history subjects were covered through poetry. (Though not just any poetry would do, I suppose!)
I love the fact that it is just eighty pages. I do. In school, when I was on the younger side, when assigned to read a "nonfiction" book to give a report, I always looked for the SHORTEST book no matter the subject.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Dark Talent (Alcatraz #5) Brandon Sanderson. 2016. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: So there I was, standing in my chambers on the day before the world ended, facing my greatest adversary to date. The royal wardrobe coordinator.
Premise/plot: The Dark Talent is the fifth book in the Alcatraz series by Brandon Sanderson. Alcatraz Smedry, the self-confessed coward, is the hero of this one. Alcatraz and his team (including his grandfather, Leavenworth, and his Uncle Kaz, not to mention his MOTHER,) are heading to the Hushlands, to the Highbrary (aka Library of Congress) for a final stand. Readers will finally come full circle: So there I was, tied to an altar made from outdated encyclopedias, about to get sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of evil Librarians. But what makes for an amusing first sentence in the first book makes for a devastating scene in the fifth and final book.
My thoughts: I'm really torn with this one. I do not want to spoil the book in any way. But it's like pushing through the last chapters of Gone With the Wind after Bonnie's death. You don't want to leave it unfinished. You don't want to be a coward and have to put the book in the freezer. But you almost dread turning the pages because you know what's coming. Because, let's face it, you've either read the book a dozen times or seen the movie a dozen times. You know that FOG is coming closer and closer and closer. The question is not will Rhett leave Scarlett, but, will you--the reader--pull it together enough to be there with Scarlett when the end comes.
Last books in series carry a lot of weight. For better or worse. They can set in stone your thoughts about the series as a whole, about characters, even authors. (I have to admit that I lost my faith in Stephenie Meyer as a writer after reading Breaking Dawn.) I wouldn't go so far as to say I think less of the series after reading this book. That would be too melodramatic of a response. But I can easily say that this one is not my favorite of the five. There is a sadness in this one--almost cover to cover--that humor can't displace.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Full of Beans. Jennifer L. Holm. 2016. Random House. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: Look here, Mac. I'm gonna give it to you straight: grown-ups lie. Sure, they like to say that kids make things up and that we don't tell the truth. But they're the lying liars.
Premise/plot: Full of Beans is the prequel to Jennifer L. Holm's Turtle in Paradise. Both books are set in Key West, Florida. Full of Beans is set in 1934, and Turtle in Paradise is set in 1935. Bean, a character first introduced in Turtle in Paradise, narrates the book. And WHAT A CHARACTER Holm has given us!!! I wish Bean starred in a dozen books! That is how much I love and adore him.
So what is it about? It's the Great Depression and Bean and his family--the whole community, the whole nation--is in need. Bean does what he can to help his family out while his Dad is off crossing the country looking for any job he can get. But it isn't until the end of the book that Bean's inspiration pays off. Until then, he too is prone to trying anything and everything to bring home what nickels and dimes he can.
Bean has two brothers: Kermit and Buddy. He has a very hard-working mother and a MEANIE of a grandmother.
The book opens with Bean trying to determine if the government's visitor to Key West is good news or bad news....
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I'm not sure the plot is wow-worthy on its own. But. Because it's BEAN I was engaged start to finish. The characters make this novel well worth reading. Even if you don't love, love, love historical fiction.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer L. Holm. 2010. Random House. 177 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Everyone thinks children are sweet as Necco Wafers, but I've lived long enough to know the truth: kids are rotten.
Premise/plot: Turtle, our heroine, is sent to live with her aunt and her cousins in Key West, Florida. The novel is set during 1935. And the Great Depression is one of the reasons why she's sent. Her mother is a housekeeper, and her new employer does not like children...at all. She needs the job so she sends her daughter away to live with her sister. Turtle's arrival is a surprise! She arrives before the letter does. Turtle brings with her one cat, Smokey. Her cousins are Bean, Kermit, and Buddy. The friends she hangs around with? The Diaper Gang.
My thoughts: What did I love most about this one? Practically everything. I loved Turtle's voice. I loved getting to know her. I loved getting inside her head. I also loved the setting and atmosphere of this one. One definitely gets a sense of time and place and culture. I also loved the characterization and the relationships. Seeing Turtle get to know her grandmother was priceless. Not because the grandma was sweet and lovely. But because she was just as fierce as Turtle herself.
I reread this one because I was excited about Full of Beans. I thought that Full of Beans was a sequel. It isn't. It's a prequel. It's set in 1934. It stars Bean and his family and friends. It's a great book. But I still wish I knew what happened next to Turtle. I don't doubt that Turtle will survive and find a way to thrive--that's who she is--but I do wish to spend more time with all of them.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Another Day as Emily. Eileen Spinelli. 2014. Random House. 240 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Mrs. Harden nearly died today.
Premise/plot: Suzy, the heroine, becomes jealous of her younger brother, Parker, when he saves Mrs. Harden's life by calling 911 and becoming the town's "little hero." The situation continues perhaps because Suzy's mom can't resist supporting, encouraging, enabling the hero-complex--cape and all. Suzy's friend, Alison, is good for her, for the most part. But Alison doesn't love to read, and, doesn't really enjoy going to the library for tween-time. Suzy, likewise, doesn't really want to be an actor and audition for a play--but she does anyway. So--perhaps unrealistically--the library's tween program meets weekly (or even several times a week?) and has a theme of the 1800s. This library program has homework too. And not even reading club type homework--reading and discussing the same book. Suzy's project is Emily Dickinson. And in light of failure--as she sees it, she did not get a part in the play--she decides to become a recluse for the summer. She only wants to be called Emily; she only wants to dress in white; she will no longer do technology. This phase is worrying to her parents and friends. Will Suzy ever want to be Suzy again?
My thoughts: Out of all the elements in this one, I think I like her friendship with Gilbert best. Though that isn't quite fair. I also like Mrs. Harden very much. This verse novel is a quick read. Suzy's emotions are up, down, and all over the place. She just doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin most of the time. That part is certainly easy to relate to, I think, for readers of the right age. I don't necessarily "like" verse novels. But at least verse novels are quick reads.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Home Sweet Motel (Welcome to Wonderland #1). Chris Granbenstein. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: Like I told my friends at school, living in a motel is always exciting--especially during an alligator attack.
Premise/plot: P.T. Wilkie loves the attention that storytelling brings him. The wilder, the crazier, the better--in his opinion. Some of the adults in his life--namely his teachers--have little tolerance for P.T.'s obvious lies. But P.T. may come by all of it--his love of stories, his wacky sense of humor--honestly. He's just like his grandpa in many, many ways. Essentially, the whole book chronicles one family's fight to keep their motel from closing. They have ONE month and only one month to raise $100,000 to pay back the bank.
My thoughts: The plot is over-the-top ridiculous. There is not one believable thing that happens in this one from start to finish. The characters? Well they fit right in with the plot. I didn't believe in them for a minute. That being said, though I spent the first half of the book rolling my eyes and predicting exactly how it would all end, I spent the second half going with the flow and almost, almost enjoying it. I think it depends on what you value in a book. There is very little--if anything--real about this book. It's no window into anyone's soul. But there is a lot that is comical in an elementary way. And with hundreds of SAD books being published and pushed on this audience, you almost have to like a book that doesn't even try to be remotely SERIOUS.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Best (Worst) School Year Ever. Barbara Robinson. 1994. 117 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: Unless you're somebody like Huckleberry Finn, the first day of school isn't too bad.
Premise/plot: This book is a sequel to the Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Both books are narrated by a girl named Beth who bear witness to the awfulness of the Herdman family. The book loosely takes place between the first and last days of school. The chapters are more episodic than linked to one another. All focus in on the Herdman family. Some chapters are better than others. I wouldn't say that any were wonderful.
My thoughts: I really LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Best Christmas Pageant ever. And I think the reason why was that it had a point--a redemptive point. The Herdmans surprised everyone with their humanness, and, they weren't just the town joke when all was said and done. That isn't the case with The Worst Best School Year Ever. While there was one touching moment when Beth, the narrator, noticed Imogene at her best, that alone wasn't enough to make up for all the "let's laugh at the Herdmans." The scene I did like was when Beth noticed the initials on the blanket "returned" to baby Howard. I.H. When Howard lost his blanket--he was the bald baby whose head the Herdmans tattooed with waterproof markers--Imogene gave him her old blanket and pretended it was his that she had found. Only Beth suspected the truth. The first book seemed to end with a fuzzy removal of the "us" and "them" distinction. Not so with this one. And that is disappointing.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens. Brandon Sanderson. 2010. Scholastic. 294 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: So there I was, holding a pink teddy bear in my hand.
Premise/plot: The fourth book in the Alcatraz fantasy series for children. Is Alcatraz brave or stupid in this one? He insists that bravery and stupidity are essentially the same. The free kingdom of Mokia is in danger of falling. Their capital city seems doomed to fall within days...if not hours. The royal family has been evacuated, so we're told, and unless a famous person whose life is so very, very, very valuable is there to be saved, no knights or soldiers will be endangered or sacrificed recklessly. Alcatraz's scheme? To go to Mokia so that the KNIGHTS will go to Mokia. Once he arrives, he learns, well, that would be SPOILERS. But he learns that he isn't the only person with Smedry blood to be stupid or brave. Bastille is along for this adventure....Kaz as well.
The new character introduced in this one is Aydee, and, her talent is being BAD AT MATH.
My thoughts: This one is definitely the best of the series perhaps. Or rereading all four books within two weeks has made me care so very much about these characters?! Either way, I recommend the series.
This book left so many unanswered questions. I had almost come to terms with having no true answers...when I learned that the fifth book will be released this year. So after years, I can finally know what happens next!
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
By:
Becky Laney,
on 9/23/2016
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Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia. Brandon Sanderson. 2009. Scholastic. 299 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: So there I was, hanging upside down underneath a gigantic glass bird, speeding along at a hundred miles an hour above the ocean, in no danger whatsoever.
Premise/plot: This is the third book in the Alcatraz fantasy series. IN this one, Alcatraz and company arrive at last in the Free Kingdoms, in Nalhalla. Alcatraz wrestles with fame and ego in this one. Though raised in the Hushlands in a Librarian-controlled nation, he's FAMOUS in Nalhalla already, even starring in his own book series. (The book series being written by the Prince himself). Open up one of his books, and his theme music plays. You don't really get more famous than Alcatraz Smedry, of course, it's not really, truly HIM that is famous, more an idea of him. Also in this one, Bastille is put on trial. Will she be stripped of knighthood? How long will her punishment last? I should also not forget to mention that the LIBRARIANS want to come to peaceful terms and end the war at last. But Alcatraz and his friends suspect the WORST. But so many people want peace that they seem willing to give the Librarians the benefit of the doubt....
My thoughts: This one is an action-packed read full of fun and humor. I love this series. And I think I enjoyed this third book even more than the first two books. Folsom was a great new character to introduce--loved his talent, by the way. And it was nice to meet a librarian who wasn't evil for a change!!!
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
By:
Becky Laney,
on 9/19/2016
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Emily's Runaway Imagination. Beverly Cleary. 1961. 288 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: The things that happened to Emily Bartlett that year!
Premise/plot: Emily Bartlett is the heroine of Beverly Cleary's Emily's Runaway Imagination. Emily has many adventures or misadventures, many of which center around the formation of the first public library in her town. I would categorize the book as historical fiction. Reference is made to a world war, and, I think it may even be the first world war. One of the adventures involves Emily's grandpa getting a car. And having a car is a novelty in their town. Most people either walk, ride horses, drive a horse and wagon.
My thoughts: I really LOVE this one. If I read this one growing up, I only read it once. It's even possible this is one we didn't own. It took me so long to get to it as an adult because the local library doesn't have a copy of it. I bought this battered copy of it at my local charity shop for a quarter.
Favorite quotes:
"There are still books left to choose from," answered Mama.
And there were! Just think of it, real library books right here in Pitchfork, Oregon. The Dutch Twins, the Tale of Jemima Puddleduck--what a tiny book that was! Emily had not known they made such little books. The Curly-Haired Hen, English Fairy Tales. But no Black Beauty. Oh, well, perhaps another time. Emily chose English Fairy Tales because it was the thickest, and Mama wrote her name on a little card that she removed from a pocket in the book. Emily now had a library book to read. (117)
"Ma'am, is it all right if I get some books for my family?" he asked.
Mama smiled at the boy. "I don't believe I have seen you in Pitchfork before. Do you live in the country?"
"No, ma'am. I live in Greenvale," he answered. "We read about the library in the Pitchfork Report and I walked down the railroad track to see if we could get some books too."
"Why, that's at least four miles," said Mama, "and four miles back again."
The boy looked at the floor. "Yes ma'am."
"Of course you may take books for your family," said Mama. This boy wanted to read. That was enough for her. It made no difference where he lived. (118)
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Hansel and Gretel. Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Lorenzo Mattotti. 2014. Toon. 54 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: This all happened a long time ago, in your grandmother's time, or in her grandfather's. A long time ago. Back then, we all lived on the edge of the great forest.
Premise/plot: The book is an illustrated retelling of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. It isn't a picture book necessarily. Nor is it a graphic novel. Every two pages of text is followed by two pages of illustration. The illustrations are black and white and are by Lorenzo Mattotti.
My thoughts: Hansel and Gretel isn't one of my favorite fairy tales to begin with, so my expectations were not very high. I wasn't disappointed perhaps because my expectations were realistic. I was surprised by how much I liked the illustrations. They are dark but expressive. This retelling by Gaiman isn't new and unique and full of extra-special clever twists and turns. It is traditional for the most part.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
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By:
Becky Laney,
on 9/16/2016
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The Borrowers. Mary Norton. Illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush. 1952/2006. HMH. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: It was Mrs. May who first told me about them.
Premise/plot: Ever wondered why there's never a safety pin when you need one? Readers meet a family of Borrowers who live under the kitchen floor in an older house. Pod is the 'borrower' of the family. He knows the routines of the 'human beans' and can go out and about without being seen, most of the time. He doesn't mind being seen by the matriarch of the family at night. (She thinks she's hallucinating because she's had a couple too many drinks.) His wife, Homily, is quite satisfied to stay safely in her house behind dozens of locked gates and such. (She gives him plenty of instruction on what to borrow, however.) The couple's daughter is Arrietty, and, she is the book's heroine by my reckoning. She meets a boy that has come to stay--recuperate--for a couple of months. They become very, very good friends. She reads to him. He brings her and her parents STUFF for their home. (He 'borrows' freely from the house, most notably from a doll house that everyone seems to have forgotten about.)
Readers learn about the dangers of being a Borrower and 'the good old days' when the house was FULL of families. Arrietty fears that her family is the last living in the house.
My thoughts: This one is super fun. It is also quite suspenseful at the end!!!! I definitely recommend this one!
© 2016 Becky Laney of
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By:
Becky Laney,
on 9/14/2016
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Applesauce Weather. Helen Frost. Illustrated by Amy June Bates. 2016. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: Today is the day I've been waiting for: the first apple fell from the tree.
Premise/plot: Faith and Peter love, love, LOVE applesauce weather. When the apples are ready to pick from the family's apple tree. Uncle Arthur comes and tells stories--thousands of stories--and it's the best time ever. This year, there's some question though if he will come at all. Though Faith--aptly named Faith--never wavers in her belief that he will come. This year will be the first time for making applesauce WITHOUT Aunt Lucy. Uncle Arthur is still deeply mourning the love of his life. Lucy was someone he knew since he was a child, his best friend and soul mate. Will he come? Will he still tell stories? Or will he be too sad?
My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one. Dare I say it's more than practically perfect in every way, that, it is in fact actually perfect in every way?! I love Faith and Peter. I do. I love Uncle Arthur. I love seeing Arthur interact with his great-niece and great-nephew. I love how Arthur tells true stories--of him and Lucy--and more fanciful tales as well. (For example, how he lost his finger.) I love seeing authentic family moments.
It is a verse novel. But Helen Frost excels in this genre. Her verses resonate. One never feels that her verses are chopped up prose. At least I never feel that way. I suppose I should be careful generalizing!
Here's a verse from Uncle Arthur's perspective:
Here comes an old memory
walking down the road,
like a peddler
pushing a heavy load.
I'll walk out to meet him,
see what he has to sell--
a hammer, and a pound
of two-inch nails,
a cooking pot, and
a new tin pail.
Somewhere in the mix,
I might have found
the beginning of a strange
new tale to tell. (48)
© 2016 Becky Laney of
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By:
Becky Laney,
on 9/6/2016
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Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones. Brandon Sanderson. 2008. Scholastic. 322 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: So, there I was, slumped in my chair, waiting in a drab airport terminal, munching absently on a bag of stale potato chips.
Premise/plot: This is the second book in the fantasy series. Alcatraz has had several months to get used to the truth. (The Hushlands (including the U.S.) are ruled by EVIL LIBRARIANS who control all information and manipulate and manufacture things their own way.) Smedry was raised in the Hushlands, but his 'real' place is with the Free Kingdomers. He's a SMEDRY. His family is one of the oldest and most powerful. He comes from a line of Oculators, for one thing, and each Smedry has their own unique talent. His grandfather's talent is arriving late. His own talent is for breaking things.
This is his second adventure...Bastille is present, but, readers meet many new sidekicks in this one. The mission this time is to find Alcatraz's GRANDFATHER and possibly his FATHER who have gone missing. They are believed to be in the Library of Alexandria. Kaz is an uncle. Australia is another relation, possibly a cousin? Also there is Bastille's mother--also a knight. The novel is definitely action-packed. Perhaps even more so than the first book.
My thoughts: Definitely like this series very much. I know I've read all four books before, but, it's been so long it was like reading them again for the very first time.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
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By:
Becky Laney,
on 9/5/2016
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Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. Brandon Sanderson. 2007. Scholastic. 308 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: So there I was, tied to an altar made from outdated encyclopedias, about to get sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of evil Librarians.
Premise/plot: Alcatraz Smedry is not your ordinary boy, even before he learns of his special ancestry and his magical powers. He's a foster kid with a talent for breaking things--no matter how big or how small. On his thirteenth birthday he receives a package in the mail--from his father--a bag of sand. He thinks, at first, it's a joke. He doesn't think: Wow! I bet my life is going to change forever and ever! On his birthday, he "breaks" the stove and accidentally catches the kitchen on fire. His foster care worker shows up and steals the sand, though he doesn't realize it just yet. She'll be back for him in the morning with a new foster home ready to take him in. Before she shows up, his GRANDFATHER shows up to "rescue" him. Alcatraz was clueless he had a grandfather. And his grandfather is so weird and odd and a CHARACTER. But it's either go with his grandfather....or....face a hitman with a gun. So Alcatraz's second day as a thirteen year old is something....
My thoughts: I love this one. This is my first time to reread the series. Or at least I think it is! Readers meet Alcatraz, his grandfather, Bastille (a knight around his own age), Quentin, and Sing Sing. (I hope I didn't forget anyone!) Their mission is to infiltrate the downtown library and get back the sand....it won't be easy.
The style of this one is half the fun. I do like some of the commentary quite a bit!
© 2016 Becky Laney of
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Snowbound with Betsy is my all time favorite!