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
Friday, September 24, 2010
Knucklehead:
Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka
by Jon Scieszka
Jon Scieszka, as you likely know, is one of the funnier authors around, and is also a huge proponent of finding the right books for boys to read. His own books have massive boy appeal, and he highlight a lot of others, as well as giving advice, on his website, Guys Read.
Like Gary Paulsen, whose hilarious How Angel Peterson Got His Name had me literally guffawing (and I don't do that often), Scieszka has been moved to write about what it was like growing up a rowdy boy among other rowdy boys. Thank goodness, because this book is funny - and explains a lot about how he became such a funny guy, himself.
The family stories and photos are, as those commercials like to put it, "priceless," being funny, revealing, and wonderful snapshots of the era he grew up in. The stories are full of humour, horseplay, and sometimes pain, with physical comedy looming large. It's not all slapstick, though, because these stories of his boyhood are also full of heart, reflecting the full range of chaos and love that coexist in a big family.
by Jon Scieszka
Jon Scieszka, as you likely know, is one of the funnier authors around, and is also a huge proponent of finding the right books for boys to read. His own books have massive boy appeal, and he highlight a lot of others, as well as giving advice, on his website, Guys Read.
Like Gary Paulsen, whose hilarious How Angel Peterson Got His Name had me literally guffawing (and I don't do that often), Scieszka has been moved to write about what it was like growing up a rowdy boy among other rowdy boys. Thank goodness, because this book is funny - and explains a lot about how he became such a funny guy, himself.
The family stories and photos are, as those commercials like to put it, "priceless," being funny, revealing, and wonderful snapshots of the era he grew up in. The stories are full of humour, horseplay, and sometimes pain, with physical comedy looming large. It's not all slapstick, though, because these stories of his boyhood are also full of heart, reflecting the full range of chaos and love that coexist in a big family.
Labels: 2008, family, good stuff, growing up, humour, middle grades, non-fiction, siblings
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
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, May 03, 2010
The Remarkable Adventures of Tom Scatterhorn
: The Museum's Secret (Publisher Review)
by Henry Chancellor
This book is on the face of it in the vein of the Night at the Museum movies - Tom Scatterhorn's father seems to go a little bonkers, and then disappears, so tom is sent to live with his aunt and uncle while his mother goes to find his father. They live, of course, in the strange, spooky old Scatterhorn Museum, where strange, spooky things seem to be afoot.
This is not enough, however, so there is also a portal to the past, which may also be played out in a scale model of the town at that time, some 100 years ago, when the museum was first being built and opened by Sir Henry Scatterhorn and his genius taxidermist friend, August Catcher.
Add to this also a strange life-giving serum, "the divine spark" and a pair of odd characters who also seem to be traveling through time hunting for the bottle and ready to destroy Tom for it, some strange goings-on in Mongolia that involve Tom's parents, and the second-largest uncut sapphire in the world, and you have a LOT going on in this book.
It's not short, but it's packed, and it feels like a few threads were left untied at the end. Whether this spells sequel or just the fact that it was too much to keep track of is really not clear, but i could hardly blame the author for dropping one or two lesser plotlines, given the number that do find themselves neatly wound up.
The book did not immediately grab me, to be honest, but after a few chapters, began to pick up, when Tom begins to wander the museum a bit and you get a sense of where this is going. Once it does get going, there is plenty of suspense and action, though I did at times find it confusing with the hopping around in time and the references to the town model and the large eagle that seems to go unexplained even at the end. It had large sections that were great fun, but I think this is one for a dedicated reader or one really looking for a time travel or museum adventure.
by Henry Chancellor
This book is on the face of it in the vein of the Night at the Museum movies - Tom Scatterhorn's father seems to go a little bonkers, and then disappears, so tom is sent to live with his aunt and uncle while his mother goes to find his father. They live, of course, in the strange, spooky old Scatterhorn Museum, where strange, spooky things seem to be afoot.
This is not enough, however, so there is also a portal to the past, which may also be played out in a scale model of the town at that time, some 100 years ago, when the museum was first being built and opened by Sir Henry Scatterhorn and his genius taxidermist friend, August Catcher.
Add to this also a strange life-giving serum, "the divine spark" and a pair of odd characters who also seem to be traveling through time hunting for the bottle and ready to destroy Tom for it, some strange goings-on in Mongolia that involve Tom's parents, and the second-largest uncut sapphire in the world, and you have a LOT going on in this book.
It's not short, but it's packed, and it feels like a few threads were left untied at the end. Whether this spells sequel or just the fact that it was too much to keep track of is really not clear, but i could hardly blame the author for dropping one or two lesser plotlines, given the number that do find themselves neatly wound up.
The book did not immediately grab me, to be honest, but after a few chapters, began to pick up, when Tom begins to wander the museum a bit and you get a sense of where this is going. Once it does get going, there is plenty of suspense and action, though I did at times find it confusing with the hopping around in time and the references to the town model and the large eagle that seems to go unexplained even at the end. It had large sections that were great fun, but I think this is one for a dedicated reader or one really looking for a time travel or museum adventure.
Labels: 2008, action/adventure, enh, family, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, slightly weird stuff, suspense
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones
by Brandon Sanderson.
Not much is different in this book than the first, as one might expect. There is still the sense that this is a mashup of fantasy and comedy, a sort of Terry Pratchett-ish form of the fantasy genre, but maybe more so. Add, as I suggested last time, a dash of Snicket-ish asides and loops of silliness that turn back on themsleves constantly, and you get the idea.
This time, Alcatraz, Bastille, and some long-lost family members unite to try to break into the very dangerous Library of Alexandria and rescue Alcatraz's father and grandfather, whom they believe to be there. On the way, they have a nasty encounter with some Librarians, in particular a sect known as The Scrivener's Bones, who are a sort of cyborg hybrid.
It's all danger, learning to use weird "talents" more effectively, uncovering some mystical prophecies and magical lenses, and of course, a lot of narrow scrapes. In short, fun and full of adventure, if maybe a bit more busy being silly and flip than is really my own taste. Fans of Pratchett and Pinkwater, though, will love it, I'm pretty sure.
It's all danger, learning to use weird "talents" more effectively, uncovering some mystical prophecies and magical lenses, and of course, a lot of narrow scrapes. In short, fun and full of adventure, if maybe a bit more busy being silly and flip than is really my own taste. Fans of Pratchett and Pinkwater, though, will love it, I'm pretty sure.
Labels: 2008, action/adventure, humour, lukewarm, middle grades, sci fi, witches and wizards
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Clementine's Letter
by Sara Pennypacker
ill. Marla Frazee
There are a certain group of young girls who star in early chapter books. Some of them, I find overly precocious, even obnoxious. Some I find not all that well-written. But when they are hit just right - think Ramona Quimby - they are fantastic. Clementine is like that.
Clementine is not precocious or convinced of her own specialness. The world does not need to revolve around her. She does not sound bratty. Rather, she is a girl who struggles a little to contain herself. In this third book in the series, she has started to find some strategies, and find out a little more about what she needs to succeed. She and her teacher have worked out a system, and she is doing better than ever in school.
And then... her teacher gets nominated for a year abroad, and she has to contend with a supply teacher while she also deals with her feelings about her teacher's possible departure. Part of this, too, is that the children are asked to write letters about why their teacher should be selected for the trip - the trip she really doesn't want him to go on.
So with a blend of humour and heart that is characteristic of her, Clementine muddles her way through, making mistakes, getting frustrated, but coming out on top in the end. I can't help but love this kid, and while I have to laugh at her escapades, I am always cheering for her and love seeing how her good intentions pull her through after all.
If you know a young girl, I highly recommend putting these books in her hands.
ill. Marla Frazee
There are a certain group of young girls who star in early chapter books. Some of them, I find overly precocious, even obnoxious. Some I find not all that well-written. But when they are hit just right - think Ramona Quimby - they are fantastic. Clementine is like that.
Clementine is not precocious or convinced of her own specialness. The world does not need to revolve around her. She does not sound bratty. Rather, she is a girl who struggles a little to contain herself. In this third book in the series, she has started to find some strategies, and find out a little more about what she needs to succeed. She and her teacher have worked out a system, and she is doing better than ever in school.
And then... her teacher gets nominated for a year abroad, and she has to contend with a supply teacher while she also deals with her feelings about her teacher's possible departure. Part of this, too, is that the children are asked to write letters about why their teacher should be selected for the trip - the trip she really doesn't want him to go on.
So with a blend of humour and heart that is characteristic of her, Clementine muddles her way through, making mistakes, getting frustrated, but coming out on top in the end. I can't help but love this kid, and while I have to laugh at her escapades, I am always cheering for her and love seeing how her good intentions pull her through after all.
If you know a young girl, I highly recommend putting these books in her hands.
Labels: 2008, early chapters, friendship, growing up, humour, loved it
Friday, February 26, 2010
Airman
by Eoin Colfer
This book of historical fiction by the author of the Artemis Fowl series is far different from what I am used to from him, so those who didn't like the fantasy series (I'm looking at you here, Sue) would, I think, enjoy this stand-alone novel.
There is no magic or fantasy element, here, and the story is slower to get started, but once the action begins, Colfer's excellent writing takes you along on a ride. Even then, the action is slower, more plotting and working inch by inch to a goal, the suspense stretched taut by danger rather than flat-out action.
The character is different, too, a boy who has grown up with a mentor who teaches him discipline and patience as he teaches him fencing and other fighting techniques, as well as working together with him to try and create the first heavier-than-air flying machine. This makes him a quietly dangerous character, and far more mature. His emotions are deeper, and on the whole, it makes the book seem right for an older, more serious, or more mature reader.
On the whole, though it is less obviously "fun" than the Fowl books, this not only kept me on the edge of my seat until the resolution just a scant few pages from the end, but also stuck with me more. This may work as well as a YA book as it does for older middle grades.
This book of historical fiction by the author of the Artemis Fowl series is far different from what I am used to from him, so those who didn't like the fantasy series (I'm looking at you here, Sue) would, I think, enjoy this stand-alone novel.
There is no magic or fantasy element, here, and the story is slower to get started, but once the action begins, Colfer's excellent writing takes you along on a ride. Even then, the action is slower, more plotting and working inch by inch to a goal, the suspense stretched taut by danger rather than flat-out action.
The character is different, too, a boy who has grown up with a mentor who teaches him discipline and patience as he teaches him fencing and other fighting techniques, as well as working together with him to try and create the first heavier-than-air flying machine. This makes him a quietly dangerous character, and far more mature. His emotions are deeper, and on the whole, it makes the book seem right for an older, more serious, or more mature reader.
On the whole, though it is less obviously "fun" than the Fowl books, this not only kept me on the edge of my seat until the resolution just a scant few pages from the end, but also stuck with me more. This may work as well as a YA book as it does for older middle grades.
Labels: 2008, action/adventure, family, good stuff, historical fiction, middle grades
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan
An Enola Holmes Mystery
By Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes is another series I am really enjoying, this one still full of action and suspense, but more girl-oriented, if not all that girly.
(Follow links for my reviews of books #1 and #2.)
Enola is the runaway younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft, who would see her contained and cultured in a girls' school, much against her unconventional wishes. Instead, she is solving mysteries herself, and has rather a knack for it.
In this fourth installment, she runs into and thwarts both brothers in turn, even helping Sherlock and working with him a little, as he is on the same case as she. This causes her a little distress, as she finds herself softening toward him, and seems to think she perceives the same in him, which makes her wonder if it might be possible one day to reconcile, leaving her less alone.
This doesn't dull her acuity one bit, though, and she uses a combination of smarts and inside knowledge of the feminine world to help her save the day once again.
I am interested, though, to see how that relationship will develop a little further in the next book!
By Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes is another series I am really enjoying, this one still full of action and suspense, but more girl-oriented, if not all that girly.
(Follow links for my reviews of books #1 and #2.)
Enola is the runaway younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft, who would see her contained and cultured in a girls' school, much against her unconventional wishes. Instead, she is solving mysteries herself, and has rather a knack for it.
In this fourth installment, she runs into and thwarts both brothers in turn, even helping Sherlock and working with him a little, as he is on the same case as she. This causes her a little distress, as she finds herself softening toward him, and seems to think she perceives the same in him, which makes her wonder if it might be possible one day to reconcile, leaving her less alone.
This doesn't dull her acuity one bit, though, and she uses a combination of smarts and inside knowledge of the feminine world to help her save the day once again.
I am interested, though, to see how that relationship will develop a little further in the next book!
Labels: 2008, family, girly, good stuff, historical fiction, middle grades, suspense
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Theodosia, books I and II
by R.L. LaFevers
This is a new series that follows the recent trend for mythology in chapter books - a direction in fantasy that I love, as straight up fantasy was never really my thing, but this fusion of classical myths and fiction is really speaking to me.
Here, a young girl spends most of her life wandering around a London museum of antiquities, thanks to her obsessive and somewhat absent-minded archeologist parents. She has spent loads of time learning about the classics and Egyptology, particularly on some obscure books about Egyptian magic. It's a good thing, too, since she seems to be the only one who can sense the curses and spells, so she takes it upon herself to rid the objects of them and keep the museum safe. Though this starts leading her into some odd situations...
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos
A tall order for a young girl? Yes, she thinks so, too, but is determined that if it means saving England, she must find a way. A more clever and plucky heroine you could never want, and between her exploits and her funny aside comments, the book is loads of fun.
Life is just returning to normal after her first adventure, when Theodosia runs into new trouble almost immediately. She is cleaning out the basement, when she finds an interesting staff, and pops the two pieces together. Next morning, all the mummies in London have congregated in the museum! They are mostly moved back, but reappear the next day, and then the next, bringing suspicion upon Theo's dad. It's not until the next evening that she puts two and two together to realize that the staff is the problem, and lets Lord Wigmere know about it. None too soon, it turns out, for not only are the Serpents of Chaos society after it, but both a new secret society and a pesky and persistent governess have appeared and are seriously hampering her efforts to save the day.
Once again, a rousing tale of near misses, sneaking messages, precious artifacts, crazy curses, and wild adventure - I devoured this book in a mere couple of days, which is pretty impressively riveting for a slow reader like myself.
Now I can't wait for the Third book, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus to come out, in April!
Meanwhile, perhaps I should give her book about Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist a try.
Labels: 2008, action/adventure, family, growing up, historical fiction, loved it, middle grades, set abroad, witches and wizards
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Calder Game
by Blue Balliett
The author of the wonderful novels Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3 returns with another art-themed tale of suspense! I was very excited to read this, because I loved the first ones.
Calder, Tommy, and Petra are friends - well, Calder and Petra are friends, and Calder and Tommy are friends, but Tommy and Petra, not so much. The three of them do all share in the misery that is their new teacher, though. She even manages to put a damper on an exciting exhibit of Calder mobiles that has the whole of Chicago talking, but the three can't help but be a little inspired anyhow. It's not great, but it's something - at least, until Calder gets the chance to go to Britain with his dad and leaves the other two behind.
The author of the wonderful novels Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3 returns with another art-themed tale of suspense! I was very excited to read this, because I loved the first ones.
Calder, Tommy, and Petra are friends - well, Calder and Petra are friends, and Calder and Tommy are friends, but Tommy and Petra, not so much. The three of them do all share in the misery that is their new teacher, though. She even manages to put a damper on an exciting exhibit of Calder mobiles that has the whole of Chicago talking, but the three can't help but be a little inspired anyhow. It's not great, but it's something - at least, until Calder gets the chance to go to Britain with his dad and leaves the other two behind.
When he arrives there, he finds the whole town in an uproar over a new and mysteriously donated Calder sculpture, and no one seems friendly to outsiders. He passes a day or two on his own, exploring the grounds of Blenheim and its maze, and then both he and the sculpture disappear on the same night.
There is a little less puzzle-solving and a little more on-foot discovery here, but the relationships between the kids are still really well-drawn, and the emphasis on how inspiring art and ideas can be is as strong as ever, even leading each of the trio to start seeing patterns in words and numbers the way the others do. I love that about these books, that these kids are smart and quirky without being painted as hopeless geeks, and that their interests are not only useful tools, but also fun ways to look at what is around them.
Labels: 2008, friendship, good stuff, middle grades, set abroad, suspense
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Stop, In the Name of Pants!
by Louise Rennison.
With this book, the series of the "Confessions of Georgia Nicholson" is at, to my delight, book #9. And while I was, around the end of book #8 (Love Is A Many Trousered Thing
) (my review here), starting to get a twist in my nicknacks about why she couldn't just get on with it and figure out that she and Dave the Laugh were perfect together, I have to admit that this one came back so funny that although I still wanted it to happen, I was enjoying the ride too much to have the hump about it, as Gee would say.
This time, things are heating up between her and Masimo, but she keeps finding Dave the Laugh hanging around in her brain for some reason, and she can tell it's getting to Masimo - at one point, she stops an almost-fight with the line in the title. (Nice work, kittykat.)
It's not resolved quite yet, all of this agony of luuuurve, but along the way, Rennison serves up more of Georgia's usual madness and hilarious self-absorption, as well as her equally berserk family and friends. (and cats, for that matter)
These remain the only books that I cannot allow myself to read in public, for fear of looking like a complete twit when I laugh to the point of hysterics - I nearly choked myself giggling over this at home one night. (My husband may be calling a psychiatrist for me behind my back.)
Now on to #10, just arrived...
(want a little taste of the mad, mad world of Georgia before you dive right in? Go check out this book here!)
With this book, the series of the "Confessions of Georgia Nicholson" is at, to my delight, book #9. And while I was, around the end of book #8 (Love Is A Many Trousered Thing
) (my review here), starting to get a twist in my nicknacks about why she couldn't just get on with it and figure out that she and Dave the Laugh were perfect together, I have to admit that this one came back so funny that although I still wanted it to happen, I was enjoying the ride too much to have the hump about it, as Gee would say.This time, things are heating up between her and Masimo, but she keeps finding Dave the Laugh hanging around in her brain for some reason, and she can tell it's getting to Masimo - at one point, she stops an almost-fight with the line in the title. (Nice work, kittykat.)
It's not resolved quite yet, all of this agony of luuuurve, but along the way, Rennison serves up more of Georgia's usual madness and hilarious self-absorption, as well as her equally berserk family and friends. (and cats, for that matter)
These remain the only books that I cannot allow myself to read in public, for fear of looking like a complete twit when I laugh to the point of hysterics - I nearly choked myself giggling over this at home one night. (My husband may be calling a psychiatrist for me behind my back.)
Now on to #10, just arrived...
(want a little taste of the mad, mad world of Georgia before you dive right in? Go check out this book here!)
Labels: 2008, fluff, friendship, girly, growing up, humour, love story, loved it, teen
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The Battle of the Labyrinth
by Rick Riordan
Book #4 of 5 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
This series has been amazing - see reviews for books #1, #2, and #3 - and though I didn't love the 2nd and 3rd as much as the first, I thought this 4th installment was fantastic.
It brings together a fast-moving plot with lots action, a good dose of greek mythology, plenty of fantastical elements, and solid friendships that save the day.
This time, the dark forces marshalling around Kronos in his bid to return are threatening the training camp of the demigods, hoping to wipe out the heros and force the gods to fight them in a second epic clash of good vs. evil.
The heros will be no match for a full-scale invasion, so when they find an entrance to Daedalus' underground Labyrinth, they enter it, despite grave danger, to try to find Daedalus and seek his help. What they find is not what they expect - of course.
What they find includes various mythological gods and monsters and even one human who is not quite so human after all. The group splits up at one point, and not to give anything away, but there is some lost time, some nasty surprises, soem pleasant surprises, and, well, let's just say it's not every day that someone gets to show up at their own funeral!
If you haven't been reading this series, you really ought to - and quickly, before the first movie comes out soon! It's a sure winner for people who like action, people who like fantasy, and people who just like a well-written, fast-paced read with a few laughs on the side.
Book #4 of 5 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
This series has been amazing - see reviews for books #1, #2, and #3 - and though I didn't love the 2nd and 3rd as much as the first, I thought this 4th installment was fantastic.
It brings together a fast-moving plot with lots action, a good dose of greek mythology, plenty of fantastical elements, and solid friendships that save the day.
This time, the dark forces marshalling around Kronos in his bid to return are threatening the training camp of the demigods, hoping to wipe out the heros and force the gods to fight them in a second epic clash of good vs. evil.
The heros will be no match for a full-scale invasion, so when they find an entrance to Daedalus' underground Labyrinth, they enter it, despite grave danger, to try to find Daedalus and seek his help. What they find is not what they expect - of course.
What they find includes various mythological gods and monsters and even one human who is not quite so human after all. The group splits up at one point, and not to give anything away, but there is some lost time, some nasty surprises, soem pleasant surprises, and, well, let's just say it's not every day that someone gets to show up at their own funeral!
If you haven't been reading this series, you really ought to - and quickly, before the first movie comes out soon! It's a sure winner for people who like action, people who like fantasy, and people who just like a well-written, fast-paced read with a few laughs on the side.
Labels: 2008, action/adventure, friendship, growing up, loved it, middle grades, slightly weird stuff
Monday, August 11, 2008
Publisher Review: Madapple
by Christina Meldrum. See more about the book on the publisher's website, here.
(and read about my stance on reviews here, if you like.)
To start, let me fill you in on the title: Madapple is another name for a local herb also called jimsonweed that plays a major role in this tale so defined by herbs and lore. Aslaug grows up isolated, under the complete control of her mother, who teaches her what she thinks she should know, including lots of mythology and history, as well as great amounts about scientific inquiry and how to identify and use local flora.
The actual story unfolds in two formats running in alternating chapters - one a series of transciprts from a trial, the other the story as told by Aslaug in her complete version, filling in the gaps and questions that the court records open up. I must say that I think this gradual drawing out of the plot was probably supposed to engage and draw in a reader, but I didn't love the device. It was a bit slow going for me, though it did raise questions along the way, as intended.
Once Aslaug's mother passes away, she seeks and finds family, only to discover a world of strange, intertwined secrets and history. Herbs continue to play a role, but now she is thrust into a place of religion, where she is suddenly introduced to the readings and explorations that her mother kept hidden from her, although she had known that her mother was reading in these areas. Now she begins to see a new side of her mother and hear conflicting stories that leave her confused. Each member of this new family seems to have their own secrets and agendas, many of which revolve around her, but which she is unable to decipher. History seems to repeat itself at the end, until her cousin decides to take matters into his own hands and break from the madness.
Without giving away the ending, it does leave you with questions, most certainly, and with some things to chew on, if the story has grabbed you enough to make you keep thinking about it. For myself, I wasn't finding that I had to keep coming back to it, though I did also have to give myself a good few days to let it percolate before I could sit down and write a review. I found myself wonderign, instead, whether I liked it or not. It was haunting in places, certainly, it raises questions that might be of gripping interest for some readers, especially if they are of a religious bent, for it flirts with religious teachings, and it leaves open questions about the family and their history. In the end, though, I think I might just not have been the right person for this one.
(and read about my stance on reviews here, if you like.)
To start, let me fill you in on the title: Madapple is another name for a local herb also called jimsonweed that plays a major role in this tale so defined by herbs and lore. Aslaug grows up isolated, under the complete control of her mother, who teaches her what she thinks she should know, including lots of mythology and history, as well as great amounts about scientific inquiry and how to identify and use local flora.The actual story unfolds in two formats running in alternating chapters - one a series of transciprts from a trial, the other the story as told by Aslaug in her complete version, filling in the gaps and questions that the court records open up. I must say that I think this gradual drawing out of the plot was probably supposed to engage and draw in a reader, but I didn't love the device. It was a bit slow going for me, though it did raise questions along the way, as intended.
Once Aslaug's mother passes away, she seeks and finds family, only to discover a world of strange, intertwined secrets and history. Herbs continue to play a role, but now she is thrust into a place of religion, where she is suddenly introduced to the readings and explorations that her mother kept hidden from her, although she had known that her mother was reading in these areas. Now she begins to see a new side of her mother and hear conflicting stories that leave her confused. Each member of this new family seems to have their own secrets and agendas, many of which revolve around her, but which she is unable to decipher. History seems to repeat itself at the end, until her cousin decides to take matters into his own hands and break from the madness.
Without giving away the ending, it does leave you with questions, most certainly, and with some things to chew on, if the story has grabbed you enough to make you keep thinking about it. For myself, I wasn't finding that I had to keep coming back to it, though I did also have to give myself a good few days to let it percolate before I could sit down and write a review. I found myself wonderign, instead, whether I liked it or not. It was haunting in places, certainly, it raises questions that might be of gripping interest for some readers, especially if they are of a religious bent, for it flirts with religious teachings, and it leaves open questions about the family and their history. In the end, though, I think I might just not have been the right person for this one.
Labels: 2008, enh, family, growing up, Publisher Reviews, slightly weird stuff, teen
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Publisher Review: Confessions of a Serial Kisser
by Wendelin van Draanen. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Find more information about the title at the publisher's website, here.
Evangeline is looking for something, and she's not sure what until she trips on a romance novel of her mother's, and reads about crimson kisses. That is it, she thinks, she needs that passion. Reading a self-help book on living your dream makes her convinced that she should just go for it, and she does.
Add to that the fact that her mother seems to be willing to take back her father after a separation, while Evangeline is holding onto her anger, but feels like she can't talk to anyone about that. And the fact that her grades are slipping as she becomes preoccupied by everyone except school. It's beginning to get desparate, when she gets some help and support from a few directions, has an epiphany of her own, and begins to get things back on track. Somehow, the crimson kiss seems less important, and she finds herself looking for something more realisitc, but just as exciting in the end.
(First, a word about publisher reviews.)
Evangeline is looking for something, and she's not sure what until she trips on a romance novel of her mother's, and reads about crimson kisses. That is it, she thinks, she needs that passion. Reading a self-help book on living your dream makes her convinced that she should just go for it, and she does. She's not necessarily finding what she's after, though, and instead of finding passion and romance, finds herself in a mess. Her reputation is taking a hit, her best friend gets angry with her, and more than one of the guys she's tried out as a kisser is unthrilled with the aftermath. Now she has to try to figure out a way to clean up this mess, not to mention figure out what went wrong in the first place.
Add to that the fact that her mother seems to be willing to take back her father after a separation, while Evangeline is holding onto her anger, but feels like she can't talk to anyone about that. And the fact that her grades are slipping as she becomes preoccupied by everyone except school. It's beginning to get desparate, when she gets some help and support from a few directions, has an epiphany of her own, and begins to get things back on track. Somehow, the crimson kiss seems less important, and she finds herself looking for something more realisitc, but just as exciting in the end.
I was curious to see how van Draanen would do teen chicklit - I have enjoyed her middle grade Sammy Keyes mysteries and the novel Flipped, and thought she could do a character with a little more substance than the too-typical fluff-dwellers. She didn't disappoint - Evangeline has a strong base, even if she loses it for a while, and comes back to her senses in the end. She also has her own interests - van Draanen sprinkles the book liberally with references to blues rock, including bands and songs that she listens to, for she is a serious music lover. All of which make for a nice solid character and a message about being grounded and true to yourself that resonates without ever hammering to bring it home.
I really quite liked this one, both as a fun read and a fine example of the kind of girl you'd like other girls to see - fun, but sensible, cool, but smart. Good stuff, indeed.
Labels: 2008, family, friendship, girly, good stuff, growing up, love story, teen
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Publisher Review: What I Was
by Meg Rosoff. Reviewed for Doubleday/Random House. Here is their info on the title.
(a note about publisher reviews and kittenpie reads)
This was one of those much-hyped titles this last fall/winter season, so I was curious, because it sounded interesting, with the vague descriptions I heard, and because I've never read anything by this author before. It was an interesting book - a looking back, a sort of reverie of a time in the narrator's life that changed and stuck with him.
(a note about publisher reviews and kittenpie reads)
This was one of those much-hyped titles this last fall/winter season, so I was curious, because it sounded interesting, with the vague descriptions I heard, and because I've never read anything by this author before. It was an interesting book - a looking back, a sort of reverie of a time in the narrator's life that changed and stuck with him.He is not a boy with ambition, not a boy suited to the boarding school life that has been chosen for him, not a tough boy, but one who has learned to survive in that setting. Still, he has been failed out of or expelled from more than one school already, and is at what is pretty much his last chance school. He is going through the motions, when he sees something that changes everything. On a forced class run, he sees a beach shack and a smallish boy beside it, and decides to make his acquaintance. He is fascinated by him - his physical grace and beauty, his independence, his strength and capability, and the fantasy of living without adult supervision. Indeed, he sort of falls in love, though he seems unsure of what kind of love it is, whether it's about the boy, or the fantasy, or about a wish to be like him.
In the end, though, his occasional playing at keeping house with his friend doesn't add up to knowing what to do when his friend seems really and truly sick, and he puts his friend's position in jeopardy to get the help he doesn't know how to give any other way. (Yes, I am being vague here, but there is a surprise twist at the end that is worth keeping a surprise!) The book closes with the boy now an old man, returning to the scene, now long slid under the sea, where the beach house once stood, remembering.
The book is written in lovely, lyrical language and has the feel of a dream state through most of it, which really works, and kept me captive. My only real quibble is whether most boys would read this or enjoy it. It doesn't have much action, it has a questionable sexual subtext that might make less secure boys uncomfortable, and the dreaminess of it may be offputting to some. I would certainly recommend this to girls, but I think it would take a particularly sensitive, dreamy boy or one secure in himself and with a genuine interest in literature to appreciate this, even with a boy protagonist.
Labels: 2008, friendship, good stuff, growing up, love story, Publisher Reviews, teen
