Thursday, October 27, 2011
Scott Pilgrim
Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness
Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour
by Bryan Lee O'Malley
This set of graphic novels set in Toronto follow Scott Pilgrim in his pursuit of becoming the boyfriend of Ramona Flowers and, as required, defeat her evil ex-boyfriends, all seven of them. Sounds strange? Well, yes, but it makes more sense when you realize that it is set up much like a video game, with each book as a level, and the defeat of each boyfriend an objective that earns Scott points toward his final goal. Better?
That framework also helps explain the crazy fight scene between Ramona and Knives Chau, who Scott first dates briefly, that is held, of all wonderful things, in the Toronto Reference Library. Seriously. It is a delight to Toronto readers that the city figures so prominently and recognizably, but it doesn't limit the readership, either. It's a bit nonsensical, a little rambling, and a whole lot of crazy, mixed-up fun with characters you mostly like, even in their douchey moments, and they do have them.
I like the drawing style, a fairly comic style that keeps the fight scenes jokey and the characters seeming fun even when they have their moments. Having read the series, I can see that Michael Cera might just be the most inspired choice to play Scott Pilgrim, as he was cast - it's sitting on my shelf waiting for a viewing now.
Labels: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, Canadian, friendship, graphic novel, love story, music theme, slightly weird stuff, teen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List
by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Namoi and Ely. Ely and Naomi. They were like ham and eggs. Or at least they were until the ham kissed the eggs' boyfriend and the eggs thought that was the last straw in a series of small petty annoyances and decided to draw a line in the home fried... so to speak.
What made me really excited for this book was that it's written by the same dynamic duo that brought us Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist which has to be one of my favourites, still. Different characters, but still, the chemistry! The problem is that while some of the same ups and downs and near misses are at work here, at its heart, this is the story of a breakup, while Nick & Nora was a love story, and that? Is so much more satisfying.
The writing is still tight, and the voices arch and interesting, but I must admit that I didn't love either character - neither is really someone you'd like, even if they are charismatic, and I wasn't really rooting for them the way I was for - well, you know, the other couple. So while I wouldn't say I really liked this, I would also have to say in fairness, that it was not what I was looking for either, which made me more disappointed than anything else about it.
Namoi and Ely. Ely and Naomi. They were like ham and eggs. Or at least they were until the ham kissed the eggs' boyfriend and the eggs thought that was the last straw in a series of small petty annoyances and decided to draw a line in the home fried... so to speak.
What made me really excited for this book was that it's written by the same dynamic duo that brought us Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist which has to be one of my favourites, still. Different characters, but still, the chemistry! The problem is that while some of the same ups and downs and near misses are at work here, at its heart, this is the story of a breakup, while Nick & Nora was a love story, and that? Is so much more satisfying.
The writing is still tight, and the voices arch and interesting, but I must admit that I didn't love either character - neither is really someone you'd like, even if they are charismatic, and I wasn't really rooting for them the way I was for - well, you know, the other couple. So while I wouldn't say I really liked this, I would also have to say in fairness, that it was not what I was looking for either, which made me more disappointed than anything else about it.
Labels: 2007, family, friendship, lukewarm, teen
Monday, February 21, 2011
Spanking Shakespeare
by Jake Wizner
Shakespeare Shapiro. Yep, that's his real name. (Hey, his brother is named Gandhi - but somehow, his brother is popular and everything works out for him anyhow.) He's thinking not much is going his way, and tends to see himself as the victim - or at least, that's the way he writes it in his writing projects, which always take the funny slant and lump in a dose of crude teen guy humour. He writes a lot - not only because he goes to a school with a special writing programme and he's hoping to get picked as one of the finalists in the memoir contest, but also because it is one of the few things he seems to do well.
He grows up - a little - over the year, and there are some lessons about choices and what's important, as well as a bit of loser-makes-good teen movie optimism, but mostly, this novel is a really funny and very guy-oriented read. If you know a fan of Don Calame's Swim The Fly, this is a good followup in the same sort of vein, with just the same good balance of solid message and rude, crude humour. Yes, I snorted as I read it - always a good indicator.
Shakespeare Shapiro. Yep, that's his real name. (Hey, his brother is named Gandhi - but somehow, his brother is popular and everything works out for him anyhow.) He's thinking not much is going his way, and tends to see himself as the victim - or at least, that's the way he writes it in his writing projects, which always take the funny slant and lump in a dose of crude teen guy humour. He writes a lot - not only because he goes to a school with a special writing programme and he's hoping to get picked as one of the finalists in the memoir contest, but also because it is one of the few things he seems to do well.
He grows up - a little - over the year, and there are some lessons about choices and what's important, as well as a bit of loser-makes-good teen movie optimism, but mostly, this novel is a really funny and very guy-oriented read. If you know a fan of Don Calame's Swim The Fly, this is a good followup in the same sort of vein, with just the same good balance of solid message and rude, crude humour. Yes, I snorted as I read it - always a good indicator.
Labels: 2007, good stuff, growing up, humour, teen
Thursday, August 05, 2010
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School
by Candace Fleming
This collection of stories takes place throughout the school year at Aesop Elementary, a most unusual institution filled with punnily-named teachers and occasionally very strange occurrances, particularly in the grade 4 classroom, with its new teacher...
Each of these tales is a way of retelling one of Aesop's famous fables, or telling a story that while set in a modern school, winds up at the same moral as one from an ancient fable. The moral is spelled out at the end of the chapter, but this doesn't feel preachy because of it, and it doesn't seem that it would turn kids off. Instead, they might find themselves trying to guess what the lesson will be.
The stories, with their often strange and sometimes supernatural elements combined with the school setting made me think of the Sideways Stories from Wayside School series, or maybe even the Bailey School books.
Fun, a little silly, and light-hearted, but not without its little life lessons, either.
Labels: 2007, friendship, humour, middle grades, slightly weird stuff
Friday, July 23, 2010
Maybelle - Cockroach With Ambition
Maybelle in the Soup
Maybelle Goes to Tea
by Katie Speck
Maybelle is a cockroach. She lives in the apartment of a couple who like everything Just So - no dust, no mess, and no bugs. There are rules that help keep a cockroach alive in this kind of situation, and she knows them, but, well, she really, really wants to taste food that isn't a leftover crumb, you see, and that ambition tempts her into some dangerous situations, along with her friend, the flea who occasionally hops onto the cat for his own snacks.
Whenever Maybelle's wishes overtake her good sense, the two find themselves off on an adventures of some sort, precipitated by an urgent need to flee (heh, heh) when they are noticed by a human and must hide in a hurry and find safe shelter while the humans try to make sure there can be no bugs left in their apartment.
These predicaments are fast-paced, funny, and easy to read, making these books a great pick for an early chapter reader.
Maybelle Goes to Tea
by Katie Speck
Maybelle is a cockroach. She lives in the apartment of a couple who like everything Just So - no dust, no mess, and no bugs. There are rules that help keep a cockroach alive in this kind of situation, and she knows them, but, well, she really, really wants to taste food that isn't a leftover crumb, you see, and that ambition tempts her into some dangerous situations, along with her friend, the flea who occasionally hops onto the cat for his own snacks.
Whenever Maybelle's wishes overtake her good sense, the two find themselves off on an adventures of some sort, precipitated by an urgent need to flee (heh, heh) when they are noticed by a human and must hide in a hurry and find safe shelter while the humans try to make sure there can be no bugs left in their apartment.
These predicaments are fast-paced, funny, and easy to read, making these books a great pick for an early chapter reader.
Labels: 2007, 2008, action/adventure, animal story, early chapters, friendship, good stuff, humour
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
by Chris Riddell
Ottoline lives in an apartment on her own, except for her very odd little companion, Mr. Munroe, who is of unknown species, found in a bog in Norway. She has a cute, spunky little haircut, absent parents off hunting things down for collections, and several collections of her own, as well as several agencies who take care of everything in her apartment that might need taking care of, including the making of beds and plumping of pillows, the cleaning, the cooking of meals, and the shining of door handles.
She also has several costumes and a diploma from an academy of subterfuge, as well as a healthy curiosity that she isn't afraid to pursue. Which, of course, is how she gets herself and Mr. Munroe involved with the yellow cat.
You see, she had been noticing that several lapdogs were disappearing, and then an advertisement appeared offering help in finding lost lapdogs - isn't that odd? Ottoline thought so, too. And of course, she and Mr. Munroe sort things out with a little extra-special assistance from some of those many agencies and their specialties.
This book is an unusual little mystery, with a touch of the eccentric upbringing of Eloise thrown in for good measure. What pushed it past somewhat amusing and into the thoroughly charming, though, is the mix of story told in text and the many drawings that accompany it, making it one part graphic novel to two parts early chapter book.
It really is a fun, quirky little number for the child who likes something a little different.
Ottoline lives in an apartment on her own, except for her very odd little companion, Mr. Munroe, who is of unknown species, found in a bog in Norway. She has a cute, spunky little haircut, absent parents off hunting things down for collections, and several collections of her own, as well as several agencies who take care of everything in her apartment that might need taking care of, including the making of beds and plumping of pillows, the cleaning, the cooking of meals, and the shining of door handles.
She also has several costumes and a diploma from an academy of subterfuge, as well as a healthy curiosity that she isn't afraid to pursue. Which, of course, is how she gets herself and Mr. Munroe involved with the yellow cat.
You see, she had been noticing that several lapdogs were disappearing, and then an advertisement appeared offering help in finding lost lapdogs - isn't that odd? Ottoline thought so, too. And of course, she and Mr. Munroe sort things out with a little extra-special assistance from some of those many agencies and their specialties.
This book is an unusual little mystery, with a touch of the eccentric upbringing of Eloise thrown in for good measure. What pushed it past somewhat amusing and into the thoroughly charming, though, is the mix of story told in text and the many drawings that accompany it, making it one part graphic novel to two parts early chapter book.
It really is a fun, quirky little number for the child who likes something a little different.
Labels: 2007, early chapters, good stuff, graphic novel, suspense
The Voyages of Dodsworth
Dodsworth in New York
Dodsworth in Paris
by Tim Egan
This pair of cute, quirky books about Dodsworth and his friend's duck and their travels is a great addition to the Beginning to Read level of short, simpler books.
Start with New York - order matters here, as they set out on their adventures and we see that the duck is along for the trip because a) he stows away in Dodsworth's luggage and b) Dodsworth feels responsible for getting his friend's duck back home safely to him. Which means that his time in New York is mostly spent chasing the crazy fowl around the city and seeing sites incidentally along the way.
Which is also sort of how he gets to Paris - he and the duck were about to get on a train back home (having let his friend know they were okay), when he spots the duck boarding a boat, follows him, and finds the boat pulling away, Paris-bound.
In Paris, though, he and the duck make their peace, and manage to have a good trip together, even though the duck can't seem to help but get into trouble. By the end, all is right again, and they board a hot air balloon - which seems to be headed for England. I smell another installment!
These are great fun, a little offbeat, and especially suited for a kid who is curious about the world or likes a little adventure. They're going on the reading pile here, without question.
Labels: 2007, 2008, action/adventure, early chapters, friendship, good stuff, set abroad
Monday, November 16, 2009
Montmorency's Revenge
by Eleanor Updale
#4 in the series.
The events at the end of book 3 in this series propel this book, as Montmorency and his circle burn with the need for revenge at the same time that they take on a mission that should lead them straight to the person they want to get their hands on. What could be more perfect? Though they do have to struggle to keep the mission in sight at times...
Once again, the intrigue in this episode takes various characters from Scotland to London, Italy, and New Jersey to pursue the international ring of anarchists and their shadowy leader. In the process, Montmorency takes to the sewers once again, they foil an assassination attempt, and the deadly plotmaster of the terrorist group finds out Montmorency's identity, making for a whole new level of menace, especially when the book ends with the cloaked man still on the loose. (I smell sequel! Again!)
Meanwhile, the paternity of Vi's son tom has been a mystery until now, and this not only changes the way parts of the mission are conducted, but also leads Montmorency to, for the very first time, not only talk about his past, but reveal his entire life story.
I think this book brings together a lot of the side plots that in some ways had seemed to detract from the action of the last few books, making it a good way to bring the series back onto the path of the main plot even while it opens up possibilities for the next book. it also forces Montmorency to grow up a little, which makes me wonder how he will handle things next time, and once again makes me eager to read about what comes next.
Labels: 2007, action/adventure, good stuff, historical fiction, suspense, teen
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Montmorency and the Assassins: Master Criminal, Spy?
by Eleanor Updale
#3 in the Series
Montmorency's back many years later, with a whole host of characters from the first books, not to mention a few from the new generation who are just growing into their own and able to join him and Lord George on their wild and dangerous spying missions.
Here, Montmorency, Vi and her son, George, and George's nephews all get in on the mission, which takes them all the way to Paterson, New Jersey in search of anarchists. Again, there is costume and undercover work involved, though this time, it's not Montmorency who dives into the lower classes and the plots of would-be terrorists. Instead, while a junior Fox-Selwyn joins the inner circle of anarchists, Dr. Farcett visits with Thomas Edison, and Montmorency falls for a woman so hard that it threatens the success of the mission when he is reluctant to leave on the ship that carries George's nephew Frank and a young man planning a bombing.
Quick thinking and new schemes hatched on a moment's notice save the day, and by the end of the book, they have, they think, found a way to extricate Frank from the anarchists without seeming to have betrayed them. Everything seems fine... until a package arrives and sets up book #4.
Again, the books seemed rather scattered over a few different plotlines, though it was more cohesive than the last. In the end, though, the action is fast-paced, the suspense kept taut, and the characters make you care about them, and those are the things that make or break a novel of this sort. So while I didn't love it as much as the first book either, I wasn't putting it down! Rather, I quickly picked up the next installment.
Here, Montmorency, Vi and her son, George, and George's nephews all get in on the mission, which takes them all the way to Paterson, New Jersey in search of anarchists. Again, there is costume and undercover work involved, though this time, it's not Montmorency who dives into the lower classes and the plots of would-be terrorists. Instead, while a junior Fox-Selwyn joins the inner circle of anarchists, Dr. Farcett visits with Thomas Edison, and Montmorency falls for a woman so hard that it threatens the success of the mission when he is reluctant to leave on the ship that carries George's nephew Frank and a young man planning a bombing.
Quick thinking and new schemes hatched on a moment's notice save the day, and by the end of the book, they have, they think, found a way to extricate Frank from the anarchists without seeming to have betrayed them. Everything seems fine... until a package arrives and sets up book #4.
Again, the books seemed rather scattered over a few different plotlines, though it was more cohesive than the last. In the end, though, the action is fast-paced, the suspense kept taut, and the characters make you care about them, and those are the things that make or break a novel of this sort. So while I didn't love it as much as the first book either, I wasn't putting it down! Rather, I quickly picked up the next installment.
Labels: 2007, action/adventure, good stuff, suspense, teen
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Author Review: Anatomy of a Boyfriend
by Daria Snadowsky. To be released in paperback in September.
Gotta love it when an author takes to the net to promote her own book, as this lady did, offering me a review copy of her teen novel of first love and loss. I'm glad, too, because for all that I love the cover (yeah, yeah, you do it, too), I may have passed it over as another fluffy teen chicklit book, which I've read lots of and find that while some are quite good, there are plenty that are, well, not so good. This book, while it does track the course of a romance, is not the same old formula, by any stretch.
What I most like about this is its straight take on the whole affair. Dominique wants to be a doctor, and has always been far too engrossed in studies and intellectual interests to notice boys all that much. She's a serious girl, unlike her friend, who is all about the fun with boys. Because of this curious, pragmatic personality, the fact that her voice is often frank and unflinching works really well to convey information about her sexual explorations as well as being able to discuss her emotions clearly.
Dominique, to be honest, is much like me as a teen, so I found her very relatable as a teen who is not a silly girl, but finds herself sometimes having to hold back to keep things going along at a pace that is is comfortable with, unwilling to completely give herself over to the rush of it, but unable to resist completely. She goes in with her eyes open and thinks about what she wants, which I like, but she isn't perfect and impervious to temptation, either. Neither a saint nor a slut, she treads a middle ground that I think will be familiar to teens and eye-opening but not alarming to parents.
I also really liked the writing of the sex and makeout scenes. It is free from cheesy euphemisms and other romance cliches, yet doesn't come across as clinicla, either. It is straight up, but perfectly evocative of how Danielle feels both physically and emotionally. I think it would actually be a really good book for a teen to read before they were involved in a relationship or considering any degree of physical exploration, as it really tells it like it is for an average teen.
I would highly recommend this for any teen.
Gotta love it when an author takes to the net to promote her own book, as this lady did, offering me a review copy of her teen novel of first love and loss. I'm glad, too, because for all that I love the cover (yeah, yeah, you do it, too), I may have passed it over as another fluffy teen chicklit book, which I've read lots of and find that while some are quite good, there are plenty that are, well, not so good. This book, while it does track the course of a romance, is not the same old formula, by any stretch.
What I most like about this is its straight take on the whole affair. Dominique wants to be a doctor, and has always been far too engrossed in studies and intellectual interests to notice boys all that much. She's a serious girl, unlike her friend, who is all about the fun with boys. Because of this curious, pragmatic personality, the fact that her voice is often frank and unflinching works really well to convey information about her sexual explorations as well as being able to discuss her emotions clearly.
Dominique, to be honest, is much like me as a teen, so I found her very relatable as a teen who is not a silly girl, but finds herself sometimes having to hold back to keep things going along at a pace that is is comfortable with, unwilling to completely give herself over to the rush of it, but unable to resist completely. She goes in with her eyes open and thinks about what she wants, which I like, but she isn't perfect and impervious to temptation, either. Neither a saint nor a slut, she treads a middle ground that I think will be familiar to teens and eye-opening but not alarming to parents.
I also really liked the writing of the sex and makeout scenes. It is free from cheesy euphemisms and other romance cliches, yet doesn't come across as clinicla, either. It is straight up, but perfectly evocative of how Danielle feels both physically and emotionally. I think it would actually be a really good book for a teen to read before they were involved in a relationship or considering any degree of physical exploration, as it really tells it like it is for an average teen.
I would highly recommend this for any teen.
Labels: 2007, friendship, girly, good stuff, growing up, love story, Publisher Reviews, teen
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Eggs
by Jerry Spinelli.
This latest book by multi-award-winner Spinelli hits some of the same notes as his other big titles, but somehow, I felt missed by a bit.
As with many of his stories, his characters are damaged - David has lost his mother and is both angry and trying to find a way to get her back, while Primrose has no father and a mother she is embarrassed and angry about. The two find each other and develop a kind of strange relationship, each angering and needling the other, each easily offended, yet somehow needing someone. They come together and apart often, according to their latest level of hurt, and in the end, take a journey together that heals in some ways, but not as much as the homecoming.
I like the way he gives his characters realistic responses, and I found that the prickliness of the two felt right, like them just bonding happily would have been false, and I am always happy to see the happyish ending, where things are not all sunshine and roses yet, but where you can see everyone moving towards a better future. I think he handles these things well, and enjoy them, even if they are beginning to seem like what he always does.
So what did I think missed? I think I found the book a bit disjointed in the writing, making it harder for me to get into, like the author was trying to be clever by making us guess what was going on for a while before revealing things. Perhaps this is meant to draw the reader in, but I found it more of an obstacle than a compelling lure.
And I think there were some things that seemed like they were supposed to be significant in some way that were left untouched in the end - like the eggs. Yes, they were a theme, present in the opening egg hunt scene, in descriptions of the sun and its rising, in the egging of Primrose's room, and in the fragility of the characters, though this is not pointed out directly. But what was with the egging? It is clear that it is part of her life as an outcast, but is never really addressed, which I think would have been helpful.
Overall, it's fine, and fans of Spinelli will probably not be disappointed, but I just felt it wasn't his best. Instead? I loved Crash, would recommend Maniac Magee, of course, and found Loser an interesting study.
This latest book by multi-award-winner Spinelli hits some of the same notes as his other big titles, but somehow, I felt missed by a bit.
As with many of his stories, his characters are damaged - David has lost his mother and is both angry and trying to find a way to get her back, while Primrose has no father and a mother she is embarrassed and angry about. The two find each other and develop a kind of strange relationship, each angering and needling the other, each easily offended, yet somehow needing someone. They come together and apart often, according to their latest level of hurt, and in the end, take a journey together that heals in some ways, but not as much as the homecoming.
I like the way he gives his characters realistic responses, and I found that the prickliness of the two felt right, like them just bonding happily would have been false, and I am always happy to see the happyish ending, where things are not all sunshine and roses yet, but where you can see everyone moving towards a better future. I think he handles these things well, and enjoy them, even if they are beginning to seem like what he always does.
So what did I think missed? I think I found the book a bit disjointed in the writing, making it harder for me to get into, like the author was trying to be clever by making us guess what was going on for a while before revealing things. Perhaps this is meant to draw the reader in, but I found it more of an obstacle than a compelling lure.
And I think there were some things that seemed like they were supposed to be significant in some way that were left untouched in the end - like the eggs. Yes, they were a theme, present in the opening egg hunt scene, in descriptions of the sun and its rising, in the egging of Primrose's room, and in the fragility of the characters, though this is not pointed out directly. But what was with the egging? It is clear that it is part of her life as an outcast, but is never really addressed, which I think would have been helpful.
Overall, it's fine, and fans of Spinelli will probably not be disappointed, but I just felt it wasn't his best. Instead? I loved Crash, would recommend Maniac Magee, of course, and found Loser an interesting study.
Labels: 2007, enh, family, friendship, issues, middle grades
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
by Gabrielle Zevin.
Right off the bat, I was amused by the contradiction in the title. And the flap was intriguing.
So we have Naomi, who lost a coin toss, went back into the school to grab a camera and lock up, and on the way out, lands at the bottom of the school steps with a head injury and amnesia going back some four years. Meaning she has forgotten a lot - all of high school, some major family and life events, much about her relationships with others in the school. She's sort of starting over, and starting over knowing she's a bit of a curiosity in the school. In high school. Ouch.
It's a tough book to talk about without giving some of the twists and turns and discoveries away, and I think they are worth leaving for you to discover, so I will instead, just note that as she learns things and navigates her way forward through that and her re-entry into school, she finds herself interested in some different things and people, learns more than she initially might expect, and does some real growing up along the way.
By the end, she is in some ways where she started, and in other, important ways, in a very different place. I like the ending, it does wind up how I would hope, and i think the person she ends up as is a much more likeable person, all told.
I really liked this one, and kept wanting to know what came next, always a good sign. I'm not telling you a lot, here, but I will tell you I think it's a great read.
Right off the bat, I was amused by the contradiction in the title. And the flap was intriguing.
So we have Naomi, who lost a coin toss, went back into the school to grab a camera and lock up, and on the way out, lands at the bottom of the school steps with a head injury and amnesia going back some four years. Meaning she has forgotten a lot - all of high school, some major family and life events, much about her relationships with others in the school. She's sort of starting over, and starting over knowing she's a bit of a curiosity in the school. In high school. Ouch.
It's a tough book to talk about without giving some of the twists and turns and discoveries away, and I think they are worth leaving for you to discover, so I will instead, just note that as she learns things and navigates her way forward through that and her re-entry into school, she finds herself interested in some different things and people, learns more than she initially might expect, and does some real growing up along the way.
By the end, she is in some ways where she started, and in other, important ways, in a very different place. I like the ending, it does wind up how I would hope, and i think the person she ends up as is a much more likeable person, all told.
I really liked this one, and kept wanting to know what came next, always a good sign. I'm not telling you a lot, here, but I will tell you I think it's a great read.
Labels: 2007, family, friendship, growing up, issues, love story, loved it, teen
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The Alchemyst:
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
by Michael Scott
This book drew my attention immediately because of the Nicholas Flamel connection - some may remember him as the creator of the Philosopher's Stone in the first Harry Potter book. I was curious to see what another author had done with him and this being a teen novel, I was hoping for something meaty.
This weighty novel did not disappoint. The action begins quickly, as Sophie stands on a regular summer day in the coffee shop where she works and sees chaos break out in the bookstore across the street, where her twin brother is employed. She runs to him, and the pair are drawn into a whole new world, where the unassuming bookseller Nick Fleming and his wife Perry turn out to be the ages-old alchemist and his wife, kept alive for hundreds of years through a formula he uncovered in an ancient text. Coming after them and that same text is another magician, this one from Elizabeth I's court and also immortal through magic, Dr. John Dee, who has allied himself with ancient and dark forces who wish to reclaim the world for themselves and enslave the human race.
As they flee Dee, Josh (the other twin) manages to rip two very important pages from the book - pages which Dee will want badly enough to continue hunting for the twins and Flamel, though he has captured his wife. Flamel, and later Dee, also begin to suspect that these twins are something special, something referred to in one of the book's prophecies, and that the fate of the world may well rest with them and how well they can be protected and taught along the way.
The action is nonstop in this book, and as the plot twists and progresses, the author has drawn in a wide variety of historical figures and legends, weaving them together to form a background that he notes took years to piece together before he truly began writing the book. Without giving away too much detail, he incorporates myths from Egypt and the British Isles, as well as legends that have cropped up in cultures around the world, topping it off with a sprinkling of real historical figures such as Flamel and Dee. (An excerpt at the end reveals that we can look forward to Nicolo Machiavelli joining the fray in the next book, where the chase has moved to Europe.) The result is something so well-thought-out that it becomes convincing in the reading, and allows for easy suspension of disbelief - something I struggle with sometimes in reading fantasy-type fiction, and I must admit, the use of real mythology certainly helps for me. The book's construction and backstory is clever and interesting, the plot keeps you reading, and the characters sympathetic enough that even where you don't feel that you know them well (as in the enigmatic ancient warrior Scathach), you care about their fate. It all comes together to mean that I read this book in record time, sacrificing valuable evening flake-out time and nearly missing my subway stop on more than one occasion. Yes, I was riveted, and devoured it in mere days, quite a thing for a slow reader like myself to say of a 375-pager.
This book was terrific - I am handing it off to a coworker who was looking for something to read, and I am more than a touch disappointed to see that the next installment is not available in the catalogue yet, though it is to be released in hardcover later this week, according to Indigo (which I had to go and check, having just finished the book today!). Perhaps it might have to be a rare teen purchase...
by Michael Scott
This book drew my attention immediately because of the Nicholas Flamel connection - some may remember him as the creator of the Philosopher's Stone in the first Harry Potter book. I was curious to see what another author had done with him and this being a teen novel, I was hoping for something meaty.
This weighty novel did not disappoint. The action begins quickly, as Sophie stands on a regular summer day in the coffee shop where she works and sees chaos break out in the bookstore across the street, where her twin brother is employed. She runs to him, and the pair are drawn into a whole new world, where the unassuming bookseller Nick Fleming and his wife Perry turn out to be the ages-old alchemist and his wife, kept alive for hundreds of years through a formula he uncovered in an ancient text. Coming after them and that same text is another magician, this one from Elizabeth I's court and also immortal through magic, Dr. John Dee, who has allied himself with ancient and dark forces who wish to reclaim the world for themselves and enslave the human race.
As they flee Dee, Josh (the other twin) manages to rip two very important pages from the book - pages which Dee will want badly enough to continue hunting for the twins and Flamel, though he has captured his wife. Flamel, and later Dee, also begin to suspect that these twins are something special, something referred to in one of the book's prophecies, and that the fate of the world may well rest with them and how well they can be protected and taught along the way.
The action is nonstop in this book, and as the plot twists and progresses, the author has drawn in a wide variety of historical figures and legends, weaving them together to form a background that he notes took years to piece together before he truly began writing the book. Without giving away too much detail, he incorporates myths from Egypt and the British Isles, as well as legends that have cropped up in cultures around the world, topping it off with a sprinkling of real historical figures such as Flamel and Dee. (An excerpt at the end reveals that we can look forward to Nicolo Machiavelli joining the fray in the next book, where the chase has moved to Europe.) The result is something so well-thought-out that it becomes convincing in the reading, and allows for easy suspension of disbelief - something I struggle with sometimes in reading fantasy-type fiction, and I must admit, the use of real mythology certainly helps for me. The book's construction and backstory is clever and interesting, the plot keeps you reading, and the characters sympathetic enough that even where you don't feel that you know them well (as in the enigmatic ancient warrior Scathach), you care about their fate. It all comes together to mean that I read this book in record time, sacrificing valuable evening flake-out time and nearly missing my subway stop on more than one occasion. Yes, I was riveted, and devoured it in mere days, quite a thing for a slow reader like myself to say of a 375-pager.
This book was terrific - I am handing it off to a coworker who was looking for something to read, and I am more than a touch disappointed to see that the next installment is not available in the catalogue yet, though it is to be released in hardcover later this week, according to Indigo (which I had to go and check, having just finished the book today!). Perhaps it might have to be a rare teen purchase...
Labels: 2007, loved it, siblings, teen, witches and wizards
Monday, June 16, 2008
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney.
This first of three (so far) is an interesting blend of diary-style book and graphic novel, much in the style of the Amelia books by Marissa Moss, with handwriting for a font, and little comics illustrating it throughout.
It is essentially the journal of a middle-school kid who is not at the bottom of the food chain, but definitely not at the top. He isn't exactly admirable, letting his friend get in trouble for things he's done, for example, but isn't a total jerk, either. He's just a kid. Self-interested, somewhat obnoxious, occasionally kind, trying to find his way through school without being eaten alive.
My favourite thing here is how the illustrations complement the text by showing a bit more truth or detail, or by adding what he wishes had happened or been said. They are a fun added layer, something that would have to be embodied in the text of a more conventional book.
I see this as a great find for a reluctant reader, for it is quick, short, funny, and eminently relatable. The fact that there are two more to devour once you've read it only mkaes it that much better as a starting place into reading for a kid who'd rather not.
This first of three (so far) is an interesting blend of diary-style book and graphic novel, much in the style of the Amelia books by Marissa Moss, with handwriting for a font, and little comics illustrating it throughout.
It is essentially the journal of a middle-school kid who is not at the bottom of the food chain, but definitely not at the top. He isn't exactly admirable, letting his friend get in trouble for things he's done, for example, but isn't a total jerk, either. He's just a kid. Self-interested, somewhat obnoxious, occasionally kind, trying to find his way through school without being eaten alive.
My favourite thing here is how the illustrations complement the text by showing a bit more truth or detail, or by adding what he wishes had happened or been said. They are a fun added layer, something that would have to be embodied in the text of a more conventional book.
I see this as a great find for a reluctant reader, for it is quick, short, funny, and eminently relatable. The fact that there are two more to devour once you've read it only mkaes it that much better as a starting place into reading for a kid who'd rather not.
Labels: 2007, friendship, good stuff, graphic novel, growing up, humour, middle grades
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Talented Clementine
by Sarah Pennypacker. Sequel to Clementine.
I adored the first Clementine book, which really stands out from the pack of other early readers about the misadventuresof young, precocious girls for the fact that Clementine isn't bratty or snotty, just doesn't always get it right.
In this followup, she panics when her class starts organizing a talent show, and she can't think of an act. Avoiding it doesn't seem to be working, trying to learn a new talent is a bust, and by the time the show has snuck up on her, she is convinced she is bound to disappoint her parents, teachers, and classmates.
Some of her true talents shine as the show starts coming together, however, and while she doesn't notice them, others do. so she doesn't get on stage after all - but she does get her due recognition, just in a different way. And I love the way she describes the feeling when she does, as "the proud feeling: like the sun was rising inside my chest." Perfect.
I adored the first Clementine book, which really stands out from the pack of other early readers about the misadventuresof young, precocious girls for the fact that Clementine isn't bratty or snotty, just doesn't always get it right.
In this followup, she panics when her class starts organizing a talent show, and she can't think of an act. Avoiding it doesn't seem to be working, trying to learn a new talent is a bust, and by the time the show has snuck up on her, she is convinced she is bound to disappoint her parents, teachers, and classmates.
Some of her true talents shine as the show starts coming together, however, and while she doesn't notice them, others do. so she doesn't get on stage after all - but she does get her due recognition, just in a different way. And I love the way she describes the feeling when she does, as "the proud feeling: like the sun was rising inside my chest." Perfect.
Labels: 2007, early chapters, family, growing up, humour, loved it
The Case of the Left-handed Lady
by Nancy Springer. An Enola Holmes mystery.
Enola has set up, since the first mystery, a reasonable semblance of an existance for herself, complete with a few different identities and associated disguises. Although set up as a "scientific perditorian," she is mostly concerned, at first anyhow, with keeping herself hidden and figuring out how much her brothers know about her whereabouts, as well as adapting herself to keeping safe on the dangerous streets of Victorian London. Her newfound passion for helping other disguised as a nun doesn't help any, as she performs this role at night, wandering among the slums.
Through the book, a strange series of events turn out to be related as she is drawn into the mystery of a missing girl, learns about some radical new political movements of the time, and set upon at night herself.
Parallel to this runs the continued avoidance of her brothers, complete with a trick message left by one to trap her, a bit of snooping on her part, and a direct run-in with the ever-so-sharp Sherlock Holmes. Thsi plot will clearly continue to push through any future volumes as well, and at the end of this book, she is determined to keep herself from their grasp, telling them via newspaper ad to 'rot.'
I like the blend of suspense from the two plotlines here, I like Enola's spunk and intelligence, and I especially like the high level of explanation as to Victorian customs that is done throughout, somehow without being overly intrusive. This is a great series for a girl who likes some adventure and some smarts in her reading, but won't leave the girlier girls behind, either.
Labels: 2007, family, girly, historical fiction, loved it, middle grades, siblings, suspense, teen
Invasion of the IQ Snatchers
by Arthur Slade, from the Canadian Chillers series.
Something weird is going on in Nanaimo, BC, where plates of nanaimo bars are being delivered, and a few of them stolen away by a large, hairy thief. And why do the parents all seem so strange, all of a sudden, what with the curlers and the TV-watching and the obsession with clean ears?
Determined to find out, a pair of friends and friendly competitors set out after the thief to find out what she knows. A fair bit, it turns out, but joining forces, the three just barely manage to stop the brains of Nanaimo from becoming fuel for intergalactic flight. No, really. But it's okay, everyone turns out normal in the end, and the thief becomes a friend - for future volumes, perhaps?
Strange and silly, this one reminds me a bit of Daniel Pinkwater's style, and is sure to have the same appeal, especially to reluctant readers. Teachers may appreciate the author, who is notable on the Canadian kid lit scene, while kids will pretty surely enjoy the thin size and the fun, quirky, fast-paced content.
Labels: 2007, enh, fluff, middle grades, slightly weird stuff, suspense
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Publisher Review: Nobody's Princess
by Esther Friesner. Reviewed for Random House. For more information about the book, visit their site here.
(A word about publisher reviews)
You would expect that a book of historical fiction about the classical figure Helen would have something to do with Troy? In this case, no. Instead, Friesner looks into Helen's younger years, envisioning her as a princess itching for something different, more adventurous out of life, long before Paris ever enters the picture.
Helen starts learning to hunt and use weapons, avoiding needlework whenever she can, and accompanies her brothers on their errand to deliver her sister to the land of her new husband. On the return, they are drawn into adventures, and she in turn creates a few of her own, including meeting up with Atalanta to learn to ride a horse and take part in a boar hunt. By the end of the book, she has found a companion, given her guards the slip, and is headed out to try and join the crew of Jason with her brothers.
This book is pure imagining, but is fun for anyone who enjoys the spunky heroines of authors like Tamora Pierce or Nancy Springer, for example. I did find her rebellious streak and the ways in which she indulges it a bit formulaic, having read others like her, but that is to take nothing away from the book - it is still a good read for the teen who enjoys this style, and I particularly liked the way the author wove in references to ancient personages while making them more realistic. All in all, it was a solid, enjoyable read. I think I will be reading the sequel, Nobody's Prize, to see where Friesner takes it from here!
(A word about publisher reviews)
You would expect that a book of historical fiction about the classical figure Helen would have something to do with Troy? In this case, no. Instead, Friesner looks into Helen's younger years, envisioning her as a princess itching for something different, more adventurous out of life, long before Paris ever enters the picture.
Helen starts learning to hunt and use weapons, avoiding needlework whenever she can, and accompanies her brothers on their errand to deliver her sister to the land of her new husband. On the return, they are drawn into adventures, and she in turn creates a few of her own, including meeting up with Atalanta to learn to ride a horse and take part in a boar hunt. By the end of the book, she has found a companion, given her guards the slip, and is headed out to try and join the crew of Jason with her brothers.
This book is pure imagining, but is fun for anyone who enjoys the spunky heroines of authors like Tamora Pierce or Nancy Springer, for example. I did find her rebellious streak and the ways in which she indulges it a bit formulaic, having read others like her, but that is to take nothing away from the book - it is still a good read for the teen who enjoys this style, and I particularly liked the way the author wove in references to ancient personages while making them more realistic. All in all, it was a solid, enjoyable read. I think I will be reading the sequel, Nobody's Prize, to see where Friesner takes it from here!
Labels: 2007, action/adventure, good stuff, historical fiction, teen
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Love Is A Many-Trousered Thing
by Louise Rennison. Book #8 in the Georgia Nicolson series.
Oh my giddygodspajamas (as Georgia might say), how I love these. Truly, I can't read them in public because I tend to gigle, snort, and ocasionally howl, they are so damn funny. This last is no less ridiculous, with family madness continuing, a class camping trip looming, and not one but two potential boys to figure out?
How to choose between a Luuurve God who has said he is free for you and a Sex God who has returned from afar without notice or known reason? Ack! Yes, our girl Gee is stumped, and as such, acts like a crazy loon. As you do. (If you're Georgia.) And there's Dave the Laugh. Why does he keep popping up in her thoughts? He's just a mate. Right?
So yes, still funny after all these years, though I must admit - the bouncing back and forth between and not noticing Dave is starting to wear thin. I had figured this would be the book where she pulled him into the mix of her boy confusion, but no, it is more of the same, and she still has not figured that one out by the end. So while I continue to love them... She'd better at least add him to the list by next book, or I may just give up entirely.
Oh my giddygodspajamas (as Georgia might say), how I love these. Truly, I can't read them in public because I tend to gigle, snort, and ocasionally howl, they are so damn funny. This last is no less ridiculous, with family madness continuing, a class camping trip looming, and not one but two potential boys to figure out?
How to choose between a Luuurve God who has said he is free for you and a Sex God who has returned from afar without notice or known reason? Ack! Yes, our girl Gee is stumped, and as such, acts like a crazy loon. As you do. (If you're Georgia.) And there's Dave the Laugh. Why does he keep popping up in her thoughts? He's just a mate. Right?
So yes, still funny after all these years, though I must admit - the bouncing back and forth between and not noticing Dave is starting to wear thin. I had figured this would be the book where she pulled him into the mix of her boy confusion, but no, it is more of the same, and she still has not figured that one out by the end. So while I continue to love them... She'd better at least add him to the list by next book, or I may just give up entirely.
Labels: 2007, fluff, girly, good stuff, humour, love story, teen
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Publisher Review: The Blue Helmet
by William Bell. Reviewed for Random House. See here for more info on the title.
Lee is going down a bad path, largely raising himself in the absence of his late mother and hard-working single father, letting hatred and anger grow into a hard knot inside him, until he decides to join a local gang. The last stage of his initiation, though, goes terribly awry, and he ends up in the hands of a police officer who knows his father. A deal is worked out, and though Lee is none too thrilled, it is explained to him that he has run out of options. In short, the deal is to get him into surroundings where he won't be tempted by the gang, will be put to some productive work, and will have more supervision. He will go to live with his aunt Reena and help her run her small cafe in New Toronto, a corner of Etobicoke, Ontario.
But the real leap occurs when tragedy and an unexpected gift come together. He puts off the discoveries that will follow for a bit, but eventually finds his way to a realization about how destructive the dark, violent corner of his soul really could be. In the end, he mends fences on all sides, finding a new way to repair the hurt and the anger that had been pushing him down the wrong path.
On the whole, I think this book has plenty of appeal, and moves quickly enough to keep even less avid readers. I think it speaks to boys well, something of increasing concern as we notice how many boys stop reading, while not excluding a female audience. This is a nice balance, and could make it good for a book discussion title or a class read.
Labels: 2007, Canadian, friendship, good stuff, growing up, issues, Publisher Reviews, teen
