More and more, I am becoming me.
It took me this long to get here.
Fewer and fewer things in this house. A miniature car, bright orange. No more of
that corporate work that bound me to this desk from 3 AM, sometimes until 10 PM, sometimes, work that made me less than pleasant (but only sometimes, I think, I hope). Only the books I want to read twice or three times in the house, and the ones I buy now are the ones I want, not the ones I feel an obligation to.
The work I do is the work I want to do. Reading
the middle-grade books that carry the grown-up wisdoms. Reading
the memoirs that I will teach. Profiling the people and places that inspire me, like
Elisabeth Agro, say, who has revolutionized crafts in my city. Talking to other writers in real ways about
the real work we hope to do.
I lived decades measuring my life by what I thought of as "real work." I was, I boasted to myself, making the correct sacrifices. I am trying on something new. Living my life as measured by my passions. I don't know how far this will go. But I'd be so mad at me if I didn't try it.
I read both of these books together, so I'm going to do what I rarely do and review them together. If you haven't read the first book, you might want to stop after my review of The Last Wild, because my review of The Dark Wild will, of necessity, have spoilers for the first book.
The Last Wild
by Piers Torday
In a dystopian future, all animals have died out from an illness called "red-eye" that mutated to spread throughout the animal populations. The only animals still living are a few hardy species like cockroaches. Even the bees are dead, which means that there are no more food crops. The only food left is a synthetic food called Formul-A, and the only supplier of Formul-A is the Facto corporation, essentially giving them control of the remaining human population.
Twelve year old Kester Jaynes has been incarcerated in Spectrum Hall Academy for Challenging Children for six years. The Academy is just as horrible as its name makes it sound: the children live regimented, restricted lives, and breaking the rules is punished by solitary confinement. Kester can't even complain: he hasn't been able to speak since his mother died. The words just won't come out.
Kester keeps company with a cockroach at lunch, but one day he's surprised to hear the cockroach speaking to him in his head. Shortly after that, one hundred pigeons break through his window and help him escape from Spectrum Hall. Kester discovers that Facto lied: the animals are not all dead. There is a group of them — a Wild — still living on the edge of civilization, and Kester has a unique ability to talk to them through a kind of mental connection. Between the red-eye virus and the cullers sent out by Facto to kill any remaining animals, the Wild is in grave danger. Kester sets off with the pigeons, the cockroach, a stag, and a wolf cub to find his father, who used to be a vet, and try to find a cure for the red-eye.
If all this sounds a bit unbelievable, it is, but that's ok. This isn't the kind of book that has to be realistic. The characters and the situations are somewhat exaggerated, like you might find in a Roald Dahl or a Lemony Snicket book, with the same kind of dark humor found in those books.
The main characters are Kester and a girl named Polly, whom he meets along the way, and various animals. Kester and Polly are good characters, but the animals are really the best thing about this book. Torday has done an outstanding job of giving the animals unique voices that really fit their personalities. Kester develops through the story, as he learns to be self-reliant and to take responsibility.
The pacing is good, and the plot keeps you turning pages, as Kester, Polly and the animals go from one situation to another as they try to make their way to the city to find Kester's dad.
The Last Wild is a unique and interesting book, and a good read. I've read a lot of books, and I can honestly say that I haven't read anything quite like it.
Diversity?There isn't really any diversity that I saw in the book. In fact, in a few cases I was bothered that some of the villains had impediments or physical characteristics exaggerated in a negative way for comic effect. For example, the evil headmaster stutters.
Who would like this book?
Middle-grade readers, particularly those who like animal fiction. Be aware that The Last Wild is a dark book, and there are deaths; some animals are killed by evil people in front of Kester and Polly. Sensitive children who are bothered by such things may want to give it a pass.
I suspect that this book would have strong appeal for fans of the Warriors series. It's a very different kind of book, but I think that Warriors fans would appreciate not only the animal characters, but also the dark conflicts in a dangerous world, the Wild community, the theme of personal sacrifice, and the well-paced plot.
The Dark Wild
by Piers Torday
Kester and Polly have saved the Wild, and helped Kester's dad find a cure for the red-eye virus. But the Facto corporation isn't going to give up their control of the world and everything they've worked for so easily. Selwyn Stone, the head of Facto, wants something more than to kill all the animals. He wants what Polly has, the secret she swore to her parents that she'd never reveal.
Other factions are also after the secret, and Polly escapes into the city to protect the secret. Kester sets off after her, to help and protect her, but before he can find her he discovers another Wild — an army of bitter, angry animals living under the city, who are determined to destroy the human race. Kester is caught in the middle, and must try to find a way to stop the Dark Wild, while also saving Polly and the animals of his Wild from Facto.
The Dark Wild is a gripping read, and just as thrilling as
The Last Wild. In the first book, Kester had to learn to be a leader, but in this one he learns something much more difficult: the value of loyalty, personal heroism, and sacrifice. Other characters develop as well, particularly the wolf cub, who is beginning to grow up and become an adult wolf.
It's also just as dark as the first book, if not more so. In one painful scene, Kester, as a prisoner, has to watch Selwyn Stone taxidermy a squirrel who had been one of Kester's friends. The squirrel was already dead, killed earlier in the book, but it's quite a horrifying scene.
Some things are not resolved by the end of the book, so there may be another book on the way.
FTC required disclosure: Review copy sent by the publisher to enable me to write this review. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.
From the publisher:Imagine this. Your dad is a part-time archaeologist who has a tendency to discover things. One day, he comes home from an expedition with a crusty old relic, and dumps it in the basement. You’d probably think everything would be fine and dandy, but that’s where you’re wrong. Because that’s precisely when all the trouble started.
It’s 1930, and Lewis and Eva Hudson are a couple of twin teens with just such a dad. Then, on a chilly wintry day in Washington D.C., the three of them mysteriously disappear into thin air, without a trace.
Throw in a weird and mysterious rival with a point to prove, add a looming disaster that threatens to break time itself, and pretty soon they’re smack bang in the front seat of a roller-coaster to doomsville.My thoughts:I read this book on my e-reader this summer, while on a long road trip. I couldn't think of a better book to read--
Time Square-The Shift had me hooked from the beginning. I found myself reading portions out loud, making my kids laugh with me.
S.W. Lothian has truly captured that MG audience in this book. I heard the next in the series just came out, so I can get back to the fun...
***Be sure to stop by this blog Friday, when Linc interviews Lewis and Eva for the character book club!***
It's Cybils Finalist Day! The Cybils shortlists have been announced, and what a fabulous group of books!
Go check them out!
Here's a list of the Fantasy/Science Fiction finalists:
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult)
And All the Stars
by Andrea K Höst
Every Day
by David Levithan
Planesrunner (Everness, Book One)
by Ian McDonald
Seraphina
by Rachel Hartman
The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories
by Brenna Yovanoff, Tessa Gratton, and Maggie Stiefvater
The Drowned Cities
by Paolo Bacigalupi
Vessel
by Sarah Beth Durst
Click here for Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult) shortlist with blurbs and links
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade)
Beswitched
by Kate Saunders
Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities
by Mike Jung
The Cabinet of Earths
by Anne Nesbet
The False Prince: Book 1 of the Ascendance Trilogy
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
The Last Dragonslayer (The Chronicles of Kazam)
by Jasper Fforde
The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
The Peculiar
by Stefan Bachmann
I was honored to serve again on the Fantasy/Science Fiction (Young Adult) panel. There were so many good books that choosing only seven finalists was HARD! A big shoutout to my fellow panelists. They're all smart, interesting folks who know their SFF! I loved working with them and will miss our discussions. Go follow their blogs:
A big shoutout also to the terrific Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade) panelists! This was one of the most active and dedicated panels I've ever worked with. They generated hundreds and hundreds of messages discussing the books over the course of the three months, and had two separate chat sessions during the holidays, lasting several hours each. Their discussions ranged far and wide, and covered everything from middle-grade appeal to internal consistency. If you want to know more about middle-grade fantasy & science fiction, you couldn't do better than to follow these folks:
Want to donate a middle-grade book to a library in need? From The Mixed-Up Files is running a Great Library Giveaway--
check out the details here.
Donate a book for some good karma. You know, in case you cut someone off in traffic this morning...
The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)
by Avi, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
Harcourt (April 2008) (paperback edition)
ISBN-10: 0152055320, ISBN-13: 9780152055325
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
“I’ve been living here,” said the ant, “for a whole year, and you have never once said hello.”
“I am sorry,” replied Avon. “But there was never anyone around to introduce us.”
“I kept telling myself you were just being polite,” said the ant. “And I’m glad to learn I was right. Still, if you have ever noticed, while it’s awkward to say hello without introductions, one can always say good-bye.”-
-The End of the Beginning by Avi, p. 18.
I love humor when it tickles my funny bone. The End of the Beginning really appealed to me, and I think it will appeal both to young children for the incredible silliness and young child’s sense of humor, as well as to adults for the bits of deep wisdom and truisms that are woven throughout the story.
Avon, a snail who loves to read, gets really sad because he’s never had an adventure like all the characters he’s read about in books. So he decides to find himself an adventure, and he, along with Edward, an ant who’s lived in his house for a year but who he’s never spoken to, set out to find adventures, traveling slowly at Avon’s snail pace. They come to the end of a branch, meet up with a mouse they decide is a dragon in disguise, teach a cricket to sing a different song, and race another snail. They return home (which they think is an enchanted castle) happy, and each a friend richer.
I love the way the story opens, with Avon the snail reading books and enjoying them; this is a validation of readers and book lovers. From there, Avi moves us into tongue-in-cheek humor and playful silliness with sense turned on its head, and, woven throughout it all, bits of wisdom and truth. There are truths that children will easily pick up on, and truths and humor that will resonate more with older readers and adults. The silliness is innocent, young, and appears on most pages, making the book light and easy to read.
Some of the silliness stems from advice that starts out making sense and then gets convoluted but still feels like it almost makes sense: “If it’s going to be tomorrow, it might as well be today. And if it is today, it could have been yesterday. And if it was yesterday, then you’re over and done with it…” Other silliness comes from turning sense upside down and inside out: “‘Well,’ said the ant, ‘if i don’t have a right answer, at least I’ll have a wrong one.’ ‘As long as it’s an answer,’ said Avon, ‘I can use it….’
The bits of wisdom feel profound, and are all the more powerful because of their simplicity–you can see something from a different perspective than others, but you may still be singing the same song, thus can still relate; if you run about crazily trying to get something done, it will probably take you as long as it would if you do something steadily and slowly; you can change the way a place feels or looks by the way you look at it, seeing the world with your heart, not your eyes.
Avi keeps up the humor and tone throughout the entire book, sometimes more successfully than others. Fittingly, there are references to ends and beginnings sprinkled throughout the story. The chapters feel almost self contained; I think they would work well being read aloud each night. At times there were chapters that didn’t move the story forward, and that seemed to have no purpose; I found those chapters almost irritating. They also seemed to lack the bits of wisdom that were sprinkled throughout the rest of the chapters. Though the humor was delicious, at times it became wearing, especially when it felt like there was no point to the chapter; it gave that chapter an empty feeling, but those chapters were the minority. Most of the humor feels fresh and alive, but I found myself disappointed when they Avon and Edward arrive home and don’t recognize their own home, but assume it’s an enchanted home, since I’ve seen a very similar vein in a few children’s books (the titles are alluding me right now). Still, overall, the book was a delight to read. Sweet, funny line drawings accompany the text, punctuating important scenes and making the characters come more alive.
This is a light, funny story with great truths. The paperback edition is a nice pocket-sized book, easy to hold. The double-spaced lines make it easy and quick to read. The End of the Beginning is a good-hearted book. Recommended.
The end of the beginning comes out in paperback in April 2008, and the sequel, A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing
also comes out in April in hardcover.
Want more books?
Go to Teen Books or Picture Books to find another great book.
The Key to Rondo
by Emily Rodda
It all started when Leo inherited Aunt Bethany's music box. The music box is beautifully painted with tiny, detailed scenes that Leo loves examining with a magnifying glass. It also comes with rules: never wind the box more than three times; never turn the key while the music is playing; never pick up the box while the music is playing; and never close the lid until the music has stopped. Aunt Bethany left the box to Leo because she knew that Leo is the responsible type who will follow the rules. But when Leo's obnoxious cousin Mimi Langlander comes to stay, the rules get broken and the unexpected happens.
Mimi and Leo discover that the music box is the gateway to the land of Rondo, and together they travel to Rondo to rescue Mimi's dog Mutt, who has been kidnapped by the evil Blue Queen. Leo doesn't even want to be in Rondo. He doesn't want to risk his life to help Mimi find her annoying dog. But Mimi is determined to rescue Mutt, and Leo can't just abandon her. But what Leo learns in Rondo convinces him to stay; he realizes that they must do more than just rescue Mutt. Rondo needs their help, and Leo isn't leaving until they do what needs to be done.
Accomplishing this won't be easy. Leo and Mimi are in an unfamiliar land, and knowing whom to trust is as difficult as navigating the dangers of Rondo. But the two children find friends and help in unexpected places, and, more importantly, learn to trust and care for each other.
The Key to Rondo uses many standard fantasy elements, but it's saved from being cliché by the imaginative way that Rodda develops those elements. The land of Rondo is beautifully detailed and peopled with interesting characters who sometimes turn out to be more than they seem. There are many imaginative details that make the book a delight to read, from the cameo appearances by fairy tale characters, to the infestation of "dots," a pest species in Rondo that look exactly like Aunt Bethany's gingerbread men. (Although I loved this latter detail, I admit to also being annoyed that it wasn't more fully developed; I wanted to know how this obviously invasive species was introduced to Rondo, and if they were indeed related to Aunt Bethany's gingerbread).
Sophisticated readers may find that The Key to Rondo doesn't have enough depth to hold their interest. However, it's a gentle fantasy that's perfect for younger readers, especially those who find many YA, and even middle-grade, fantasies too intense. There's enough tension and conflict in The Key to Rondo to keep it interesting, without being overly frightening or violent.
The Class of 2k8 is a website launched to introduced 27 new middle grade and young adult novels from 27 debut authors, all being published in 2008. This is one way to discover some new middle-grade or YA authors that you might not have found so quickly on your own. It looks like there are some great reads here.
William and I went to a school fair yesterday morning and then spent some time after lunch blowing bubbles and making rainbows. When we finally came inside, he collapsed on the couch and slept for a good part of the late afternoon. I worked on revising some poems while he dreamed.
Here's one I wrote about rainbows. I revised the original (written for my middle schoolers) and it put in the form of a reverse
Fib.
Sun behind, rain before - light bends
bounces, births an arc
resplendent
colors
bend
bow
Visit this
Science Kids page to learn more about rainbows and how they form.
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And thanks so much to you, Sheila, for being our fearless leader!