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, July 27, 2010
Publisher Review: Wave
by Eric Walters
Eric Walters, it seems, is finding his niche in writing sensitive takes on major disasters and making a plausible story of one family's experience in that setting. He takes that same direction here, writing the story of a family vacation in Phuket, Thailand, that is turned quite literally on its head with the massive tsunami that wreaked havoc on the Indian Ocean in December 2004.
The writing is believable, and while he does take on some difficult moments, he carefully treads the line between allowing some of the tragedy to occur, making the story truer to life, versus bringing too much to his main characters, which the reader has come to know. It's a balance, and mostly he does it well, though I do sometimes think the happy ending is not always the best for the story.
Walters' level of detail is strong, and he has clearly done his research, both in how tsunamis happen and in what it was like that day, as he writes compelling description that meshes with what video and photos of the day show, as well.
If you have a child who is fascinated by disasters or wants something with a little true-to-life action and danger, this would fit the bill nicely.
Eric Walters, it seems, is finding his niche in writing sensitive takes on major disasters and making a plausible story of one family's experience in that setting. He takes that same direction here, writing the story of a family vacation in Phuket, Thailand, that is turned quite literally on its head with the massive tsunami that wreaked havoc on the Indian Ocean in December 2004.
The writing is believable, and while he does take on some difficult moments, he carefully treads the line between allowing some of the tragedy to occur, making the story truer to life, versus bringing too much to his main characters, which the reader has come to know. It's a balance, and mostly he does it well, though I do sometimes think the happy ending is not always the best for the story.
Walters' level of detail is strong, and he has clearly done his research, both in how tsunamis happen and in what it was like that day, as he writes compelling description that meshes with what video and photos of the day show, as well.
If you have a child who is fascinated by disasters or wants something with a little true-to-life action and danger, this would fit the bill nicely.
Labels: 2009, action/adventure, Canadian, family, growing up, lukewarm, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, set abroad, siblings
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Earth Day: Not Your Typical Book About the Environment
by Elin Kelsey
This book starts from the premise that most books about the environment are depressing - heavy, doomsaying, guilt-inducing, and laying the onus squarely on the reader to fix it. Yikes. From there, it promises to inform and inspire hope rather than horror.
She goes on to talk about a lot of factors that affect the environment and a lot of the problems that we are seeing. A lot of the information centres around our lifestyles and how they impact the world, showing the ripple effects that we have on the planet.
As promised, though, she looks at many sides of each issue, as well as areas where research is showing new promise for future improvements. In some cases, this this means she shows the flaws in things we believe are answers, but she always points out several pros and cons, making the book more about information and choices than about lessons.
The book is text-heavy and densely packed with information, as it is a non-fiction book for kids in middle grades (I'd say grades 4-8), but the tone is light and conversational, making it a surprisingly easy read.
A great gift for a curious or environmentally conscious kid, or a starting point for doing a project or making a change, I recommend this one as a great way to start learning about earth and what we can do to help her out.
This book starts from the premise that most books about the environment are depressing - heavy, doomsaying, guilt-inducing, and laying the onus squarely on the reader to fix it. Yikes. From there, it promises to inform and inspire hope rather than horror.
She goes on to talk about a lot of factors that affect the environment and a lot of the problems that we are seeing. A lot of the information centres around our lifestyles and how they impact the world, showing the ripple effects that we have on the planet.
As promised, though, she looks at many sides of each issue, as well as areas where research is showing new promise for future improvements. In some cases, this this means she shows the flaws in things we believe are answers, but she always points out several pros and cons, making the book more about information and choices than about lessons.
The book is text-heavy and densely packed with information, as it is a non-fiction book for kids in middle grades (I'd say grades 4-8), but the tone is light and conversational, making it a surprisingly easy read.
A great gift for a curious or environmentally conscious kid, or a starting point for doing a project or making a change, I recommend this one as a great way to start learning about earth and what we can do to help her out.
Labels: 2010, Canadian, issues, non-fiction, Publisher Reviews
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Media Meltdown: A Graphic Guide Adventure
by Tim O'Donnell
ill. Mike Deas
Orca has started a new set of graphic novels that include a little teaching in an adventure format - and not just teaching on topics that we adults wish they knew more about. There is one about survival skills, and another about soccer which star the same kids, while this tale of media use and awareness is the second adventure for a group who first taught kids about skateboarding. Which I really have to get my hands on, because it sounds really cool, and I wouldn't mind learning myself!
What I'm loving, though, is even with a topic like this one, which is more fact-based and obviously less kinetic, the story has a base in action and fighting bad guys that would help it appeal to even the most learning-averse. The graphic format helps keep it light and lets labels with tiny blurbs do some of the talking where a traditional text would have to do more describing. It really works.
I think media literacy is more important for kids every day - it's something we really need to be teaching them so that they can start to navigate the millions of messages bombarding them every day, not to mention do their school work and research with a critical eye.
To be able to give them a good start on understanding, a place from which to start getting curious and asking questions, without boring them into avoidance is fantastic. I think every kid should read this or something like it, and explore the accompanying website for more information, and some fun games and free stuff.
If you know a kid in grades 3-6, make sure they get this, whether as a gift or a library pick.
ill. Mike Deas
Orca has started a new set of graphic novels that include a little teaching in an adventure format - and not just teaching on topics that we adults wish they knew more about. There is one about survival skills, and another about soccer which star the same kids, while this tale of media use and awareness is the second adventure for a group who first taught kids about skateboarding. Which I really have to get my hands on, because it sounds really cool, and I wouldn't mind learning myself!
What I'm loving, though, is even with a topic like this one, which is more fact-based and obviously less kinetic, the story has a base in action and fighting bad guys that would help it appeal to even the most learning-averse. The graphic format helps keep it light and lets labels with tiny blurbs do some of the talking where a traditional text would have to do more describing. It really works.
I think media literacy is more important for kids every day - it's something we really need to be teaching them so that they can start to navigate the millions of messages bombarding them every day, not to mention do their school work and research with a critical eye.
To be able to give them a good start on understanding, a place from which to start getting curious and asking questions, without boring them into avoidance is fantastic. I think every kid should read this or something like it, and explore the accompanying website for more information, and some fun games and free stuff.
If you know a kid in grades 3-6, make sure they get this, whether as a gift or a library pick.
Labels: 2009, action/adventure, Canadian, early chapters, good stuff, graphic novel, issues, middle grades
Monday, January 11, 2010
Publisher Review: Gravity Brings Me Down
by Natale Ghent
Sue Sioux Smith is your basic teenage nihilist, stumbling through high school and verging on trouble, when she stumbles right into something - someone, really, who makes her open her eyes.
An old woman gets her out of a jam in a case of mistaken identity, but when she runs into her again, it seems that the woman really is confused about who she is. She is not interested in getting involved, but she is a good kid at heart, a kind person, and feels herself compelled to help this woman once she sees how she lives and how vulnerable she is.
She hides what she's doing - it seems a little weird, it's not cool, and she doesn't think people will really understand - until it seems that her new person - friend? project? - needs more help than she can give on her own.
In the end, without being a cheesy happy ending, she finds she's been put in touch with parts of herself that she had pushed aside, and she sees things in a new light. There is no real moral, even the so-called resolution is problematic, but it rings truer than a tidier ending, because what Sioux finds is that life is not so neat, but it's still worth diving in. Helping, too, doesn't always work out like you hoped, but still feels good, and totally worthwhile.
I mean, she even changes her term project from death to helping. Woah.
An old woman gets her out of a jam in a case of mistaken identity, but when she runs into her again, it seems that the woman really is confused about who she is. She is not interested in getting involved, but she is a good kid at heart, a kind person, and feels herself compelled to help this woman once she sees how she lives and how vulnerable she is.
She hides what she's doing - it seems a little weird, it's not cool, and she doesn't think people will really understand - until it seems that her new person - friend? project? - needs more help than she can give on her own.
In the end, without being a cheesy happy ending, she finds she's been put in touch with parts of herself that she had pushed aside, and she sees things in a new light. There is no real moral, even the so-called resolution is problematic, but it rings truer than a tidier ending, because what Sioux finds is that life is not so neat, but it's still worth diving in. Helping, too, doesn't always work out like you hoped, but still feels good, and totally worthwhile.
I mean, she even changes her term project from death to helping. Woah.
Labels: 2009, Canadian, friendship, good stuff, growing up, issues, teen
Monday, November 16, 2009
Publisher Review: United We Stand
by Eric Walters.
The sequel to: We All Fall Down.
First, the first book, which I read before I started this site:
We All Fall Down was published in 2006, and was the first children's or teens' book I saw that dealt directly with the events of 9/11 - five years after the fact, and I grabbed it right away. It seemed we were ready, and thought our children were, too. The book unfolds as Will joins his dad in the South Tower of the World Trade Centre for a horrifically-timed take-your-kid-to-work day. Will's dad is the classic workaholic, and Will harbours more than a touch of resentment about it, but as he sees his father jump into action as his floor's fire warden after the North Tower is struck, he begins to see him in a new light. His quick action saves lives, as he clears the floor of nearly everyone, ignoring the announcements that everything is alright, but this keeps Will and his father above the impact site when their tower is hit. What follows is their journey - painful, difficult, but full of moments of tiny heroisms - as they make their way down the stairwells.
The writing here is believable, the description of the trip down the stairs fully imagined in great and plausible detail. On the way, Will's feelings about his father change, and their relationship reforms, though this is not belaboured. My only complaint about the book was the very ending, which came across as just a touch cheesy, but I also see why it was necessary for it to end as it did. On the whole, I was impressed by Walters' treatment of a really difficult day - he managed to avoid the traps of getting too wrapped up in sentiment, or of making it too action-movie-style, thus putting together a fairly balanced, respectful telling of one imagined story from that day.
Where the first book ends, United We Stand picks up - on September 12th, 2001. As important and surreal and emotional as the actual day of 9/11 was, the few days afterwards were nearly as bad and strange and laden with fears and tears as the shock began to wear off, and here Walters works towards showing how the event did not end in a single day for the people of New York or, in fact, for people anywhere.
Will and his father wake to the aftereffects, which include not only cuts and lungs full of the dust of the WTC collapse, but also some psychological effects that don't show up right away. Will's mother, too, shows us how the panic of the day before has taken its toll on her, and also provides some information on stages of grieving for Will to use in beginning to understand himself and his friend James and their reactions.
Early in the day, Will's mother suggests they visit James' family, who are still waiting for news of his firefighter father, who Will had seen and was pretty sure was not coming home. James and his mother show us two very different ways of handling their grief and the slow loss of hope as the rescue mission began to move towards recovery as the day wore on.
It is, again, a difficult topic, and tricky to tell a story that is thoroughly thought through and realistic while being both respectful and interesting. While some of what happens may not be entirely plausible, it is well-written to make it seem as if it is, so being able to see the plot devices isn't annoying here. In the end, there is again a touch of the cheese about the last little bit, but it is not too heavy-handed, and confined to the ending, where it was, I think, maybe a little necessary, as with the first book.
On the whole, I thought this sequel handled the grief and shock of Sept. 12th really well, and I would recommend this pair to anyone curious about that day or looking for a good teen book with action, friendship, and growing up.
The sequel to: We All Fall Down.
First, the first book, which I read before I started this site:
We All Fall Down was published in 2006, and was the first children's or teens' book I saw that dealt directly with the events of 9/11 - five years after the fact, and I grabbed it right away. It seemed we were ready, and thought our children were, too. The book unfolds as Will joins his dad in the South Tower of the World Trade Centre for a horrifically-timed take-your-kid-to-work day. Will's dad is the classic workaholic, and Will harbours more than a touch of resentment about it, but as he sees his father jump into action as his floor's fire warden after the North Tower is struck, he begins to see him in a new light. His quick action saves lives, as he clears the floor of nearly everyone, ignoring the announcements that everything is alright, but this keeps Will and his father above the impact site when their tower is hit. What follows is their journey - painful, difficult, but full of moments of tiny heroisms - as they make their way down the stairwells.
The writing here is believable, the description of the trip down the stairs fully imagined in great and plausible detail. On the way, Will's feelings about his father change, and their relationship reforms, though this is not belaboured. My only complaint about the book was the very ending, which came across as just a touch cheesy, but I also see why it was necessary for it to end as it did. On the whole, I was impressed by Walters' treatment of a really difficult day - he managed to avoid the traps of getting too wrapped up in sentiment, or of making it too action-movie-style, thus putting together a fairly balanced, respectful telling of one imagined story from that day.
Where the first book ends, United We Stand picks up - on September 12th, 2001. As important and surreal and emotional as the actual day of 9/11 was, the few days afterwards were nearly as bad and strange and laden with fears and tears as the shock began to wear off, and here Walters works towards showing how the event did not end in a single day for the people of New York or, in fact, for people anywhere.
Will and his father wake to the aftereffects, which include not only cuts and lungs full of the dust of the WTC collapse, but also some psychological effects that don't show up right away. Will's mother, too, shows us how the panic of the day before has taken its toll on her, and also provides some information on stages of grieving for Will to use in beginning to understand himself and his friend James and their reactions.
Early in the day, Will's mother suggests they visit James' family, who are still waiting for news of his firefighter father, who Will had seen and was pretty sure was not coming home. James and his mother show us two very different ways of handling their grief and the slow loss of hope as the rescue mission began to move towards recovery as the day wore on.
It is, again, a difficult topic, and tricky to tell a story that is thoroughly thought through and realistic while being both respectful and interesting. While some of what happens may not be entirely plausible, it is well-written to make it seem as if it is, so being able to see the plot devices isn't annoying here. In the end, there is again a touch of the cheese about the last little bit, but it is not too heavy-handed, and confined to the ending, where it was, I think, maybe a little necessary, as with the first book.
On the whole, I thought this sequel handled the grief and shock of Sept. 12th really well, and I would recommend this pair to anyone curious about that day or looking for a good teen book with action, friendship, and growing up.
Labels: 2009, Canadian, friendship, good stuff, issues, Publisher Reviews, teen
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Publisher Review: Running the Bases
by Paul Kropp. Reviewed for Random House. See more info on this title here.
(a word on publisher reviews at kittenpie reads)
This book is subtitled Definitely not a book about baseball. Well, yes, most definitely not. I can see how that subtitle could be necessary, I suppose, given the title and the fact that the author is a man, and people could easily jump to the conclusion that this one is about sports, not about dating, as it actually is.
This book is also definitely fluffy, and a teen read, focussing entirely on Al's project to get himself a girl. The twist is that when he tries and gets shot down by one of the less popular but very smart girls in his class, she offers to hire out as a consultant and guide to the world of dating and what girls want. A dating coach.
They sign a contract, and the fun begins. He tries and practices and stumbles a good few times, and she points out where he went wrong, prepares him for the next steps, and basically grooms him to treat a girl properly. In the end, she discovers that he has made good headway based entirely on a lie, and quits, just in time for him to get dumped anyhow. She sets him up on one last blind date, though, giving the book a "twist ending" once she thinks he is fully prepared.
I say a "twist ending" in quotations because, well, it was predictable. As were the ways in which he messes up - you see them coming well down the road as he builds towards them. Still, it was an easy read on a topic of high interest to teens, and because of the main character being male and all, this could appeal to boys as much as girls already familiar with the dating genre. The thing I particularly liek about that is that the advice is, in fact, pretty solid, and Al's friend who tries to give him advice and pass himself off as a well-seasoned ladies' man is exposed as a total fraud, his opinions rendered as useless as they really are. So if boys would read this? They might actually improve their own chances by acting like the boy a girl really does want to date, and wouldn't that be a boon to both sexes?
(a word on publisher reviews at kittenpie reads)
This book is subtitled Definitely not a book about baseball. Well, yes, most definitely not. I can see how that subtitle could be necessary, I suppose, given the title and the fact that the author is a man, and people could easily jump to the conclusion that this one is about sports, not about dating, as it actually is.This book is also definitely fluffy, and a teen read, focussing entirely on Al's project to get himself a girl. The twist is that when he tries and gets shot down by one of the less popular but very smart girls in his class, she offers to hire out as a consultant and guide to the world of dating and what girls want. A dating coach.
They sign a contract, and the fun begins. He tries and practices and stumbles a good few times, and she points out where he went wrong, prepares him for the next steps, and basically grooms him to treat a girl properly. In the end, she discovers that he has made good headway based entirely on a lie, and quits, just in time for him to get dumped anyhow. She sets him up on one last blind date, though, giving the book a "twist ending" once she thinks he is fully prepared.
I say a "twist ending" in quotations because, well, it was predictable. As were the ways in which he messes up - you see them coming well down the road as he builds towards them. Still, it was an easy read on a topic of high interest to teens, and because of the main character being male and all, this could appeal to boys as much as girls already familiar with the dating genre. The thing I particularly liek about that is that the advice is, in fact, pretty solid, and Al's friend who tries to give him advice and pass himself off as a well-seasoned ladies' man is exposed as a total fraud, his opinions rendered as useless as they really are. So if boys would read this? They might actually improve their own chances by acting like the boy a girl really does want to date, and wouldn't that be a boon to both sexes?
Labels: 2005, Canadian, fluff, love story, Publisher Reviews, 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
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Hello, Groin
by Beth Goobie.
Somehow, I had not read any of Goobie's other acclaimed teen novels, but this one had so much buzz, I couldn't miss it. And the buzz? Was not unwarranted. Goobie is one powerful writer, and she brings Dylan Kowolski's inner struggles to life so vividly, brings the reader into the story so deeply, that I found myself crying at Dylan's turning point, both for the pain it was causing her and for pride in her for facing it at last.
You see, Dylan is dating one of the school stars. A jock without the jock mentality, Cam is a great guy, and she loves him with her whole heart and her whole mind. The problem is, her body doesn't seem to agree. It keeps just turning off, and he's been waiting patiently for it to be right for her, long past the typical waiting period for couples in their school. It frustrates her, the fact that her groin and head can't match up, but slowly she lets herself realize in a deep, hidden place that it's because her body wants a girl, no matter how much she cares for Cam. and once that starts to bubble up, there's no stopping the secret for long. Within a couple of months, she finds herself unable to carry on the lie, facing suspicion at school, slight pressure from Cam, and the growing needs of her own body. So in one wrenching weekend, both awful and relieving, she faces the truth, and tells Cam, her parents, and the best friend she loves in every way - including the way she can't love Cam.
Cam, being the wonderful, thoughtful, mature guy her is, backs off, but ultimately deals and helps her, too. He may hang with jocks, but he's no meathead himself. Her best friend Joc, fortunately, has been read right, and the two move towards something deeper. The parents are okay, though Joc's brother is not so cool - her mother, though, lets him know that he'd better step up. The only problem left is a girl that has been semi-stalking Dylan since the single kiss they shared weeks ago. Feeling braver now, she calls her to talk, too, and wraps up the ends before she starts moving forward with what is now her new life.
The book is wonderfully written, and the struggle between what Dylan thinks she wants and what her body is telling her sounds like it could be written by someone who knows. Her confusion, her fear, her longing are palpable, and leap off the page. My only complaint is a minor one - there are parts of the language that feel repetitive, which I find slightly distracting. Still, I can see how it can happen that you have a turn of phrase that you feel works well for something, and it's hard to move past it, feels false to grope for something else. Overall, this is one hell of a stellar book, and one that I would recommend for anyone growing up. Because even if it's not the sexuality thing, most teens have something in themselves they are wrestling with that wants to come out, and should be able to identify with this on some level. And this story? Ends on the sort of lovely, hopeful note you hope these stories always could.
Somehow, I had not read any of Goobie's other acclaimed teen novels, but this one had so much buzz, I couldn't miss it. And the buzz? Was not unwarranted. Goobie is one powerful writer, and she brings Dylan Kowolski's inner struggles to life so vividly, brings the reader into the story so deeply, that I found myself crying at Dylan's turning point, both for the pain it was causing her and for pride in her for facing it at last.
You see, Dylan is dating one of the school stars. A jock without the jock mentality, Cam is a great guy, and she loves him with her whole heart and her whole mind. The problem is, her body doesn't seem to agree. It keeps just turning off, and he's been waiting patiently for it to be right for her, long past the typical waiting period for couples in their school. It frustrates her, the fact that her groin and head can't match up, but slowly she lets herself realize in a deep, hidden place that it's because her body wants a girl, no matter how much she cares for Cam. and once that starts to bubble up, there's no stopping the secret for long. Within a couple of months, she finds herself unable to carry on the lie, facing suspicion at school, slight pressure from Cam, and the growing needs of her own body. So in one wrenching weekend, both awful and relieving, she faces the truth, and tells Cam, her parents, and the best friend she loves in every way - including the way she can't love Cam.
Cam, being the wonderful, thoughtful, mature guy her is, backs off, but ultimately deals and helps her, too. He may hang with jocks, but he's no meathead himself. Her best friend Joc, fortunately, has been read right, and the two move towards something deeper. The parents are okay, though Joc's brother is not so cool - her mother, though, lets him know that he'd better step up. The only problem left is a girl that has been semi-stalking Dylan since the single kiss they shared weeks ago. Feeling braver now, she calls her to talk, too, and wraps up the ends before she starts moving forward with what is now her new life.
The book is wonderfully written, and the struggle between what Dylan thinks she wants and what her body is telling her sounds like it could be written by someone who knows. Her confusion, her fear, her longing are palpable, and leap off the page. My only complaint is a minor one - there are parts of the language that feel repetitive, which I find slightly distracting. Still, I can see how it can happen that you have a turn of phrase that you feel works well for something, and it's hard to move past it, feels false to grope for something else. Overall, this is one hell of a stellar book, and one that I would recommend for anyone growing up. Because even if it's not the sexuality thing, most teens have something in themselves they are wrestling with that wants to come out, and should be able to identify with this on some level. And this story? Ends on the sort of lovely, hopeful note you hope these stories always could.
Labels: 2006, Canadian, growing up, issues, love story, loved it, teen
Monday, November 19, 2007
The Mysterious Adventures of Pauline Bovary
by Edeet Ravel. Book two. (Book One reviewed here.)
The continuing adventures of Pauline continue in much the same vein, although she seems somewhat more sophisticated in her writing. Perhaps all her practice has paid off, not to mention the quotations she has sprinkled throughout this second novel at Zane Burbank III's advice...
Pauline loses her best friend Genevieve to the city, where she has gone to train for Olympic skating glory, and also loses her boyfriend to the folly of thinking another, newer boy was pretty exciting, if confusing. Her parents seem to find their feet post-divorce with new companions, which throw her off a bit, but by the end, things have settled, and she finds herself ready for new adventures, which she will be sure to write about in book three.
Fun, girly, fluff, quite charming still, but growing up some. Her involvement with boys remains pretty lightweight - she is, she says, too young for anything more than kissing yet. This is one of the things that keeps this a nice intro to chicklit for younger girls, while she also brings in touches from novels like Madame Bovary, which Pauline is reading while she lives and writes her own story. I would like to hope that that and the quotations might make some readers curious about some classic authors, too, which would be a nice touch.
The continuing adventures of Pauline continue in much the same vein, although she seems somewhat more sophisticated in her writing. Perhaps all her practice has paid off, not to mention the quotations she has sprinkled throughout this second novel at Zane Burbank III's advice...
Pauline loses her best friend Genevieve to the city, where she has gone to train for Olympic skating glory, and also loses her boyfriend to the folly of thinking another, newer boy was pretty exciting, if confusing. Her parents seem to find their feet post-divorce with new companions, which throw her off a bit, but by the end, things have settled, and she finds herself ready for new adventures, which she will be sure to write about in book three.
Fun, girly, fluff, quite charming still, but growing up some. Her involvement with boys remains pretty lightweight - she is, she says, too young for anything more than kissing yet. This is one of the things that keeps this a nice intro to chicklit for younger girls, while she also brings in touches from novels like Madame Bovary, which Pauline is reading while she lives and writes her own story. I would like to hope that that and the quotations might make some readers curious about some classic authors, too, which would be a nice touch.
Labels: 2007, Canadian, fluff, girly, good stuff, middle grades
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Thrilling Life of Pauline de Lammermoor
by Edeet Ravel.
Pauline is writing a novel, adhering closely to the advice of Zane Burbank III's book You Too Can Write a Great Novel! She is also in middle school in a mid-sized Ontario town, with a handful of good friends, an even better imagination, and newly divorced parents who provide lots of fodder for the trenchanct conflict she is trying to inject into the story at Zane's behest. What follows is a bit scattershot (but it is divided nicely into chapters that are not too long, contain plenty of dialogue, and try not to cover too many topics in each), and full of the charm of a girl of that age trying to tell a story while constantly interrupted and always having something else to say as things come up (it's so hard to avoid long tangents when you are 13!). Funny, sweet, still very innocent, and really, really cute. A great choice for girls looking to try something chicklit-ish in feel, but without lots of drama and mean girls and serious boy action. (She does develop a relationship, but one that grows slowly from friendship, and is not going anywhere quickly.)
Pauline is writing a novel, adhering closely to the advice of Zane Burbank III's book You Too Can Write a Great Novel! She is also in middle school in a mid-sized Ontario town, with a handful of good friends, an even better imagination, and newly divorced parents who provide lots of fodder for the trenchanct conflict she is trying to inject into the story at Zane's behest. What follows is a bit scattershot (but it is divided nicely into chapters that are not too long, contain plenty of dialogue, and try not to cover too many topics in each), and full of the charm of a girl of that age trying to tell a story while constantly interrupted and always having something else to say as things come up (it's so hard to avoid long tangents when you are 13!). Funny, sweet, still very innocent, and really, really cute. A great choice for girls looking to try something chicklit-ish in feel, but without lots of drama and mean girls and serious boy action. (She does develop a relationship, but one that grows slowly from friendship, and is not going anywhere quickly.)
Labels: 2007, Canadian, fluff, girly, middle grades
Thursday, September 27, 2007
I'll Sing You One-O
by Nan Gregory
Gemma has lived on the Anderson's farm since she was 4, so even though they are foster parents, they are her family. Until the day that her uncle, aunt, and brother arrive and take her away to their too-perfect home with their persnickety rules and try to make her belong where she thinks it's clear she doesn't. She decides that she needs an angel to help her sort things out so she can go back to the farm and the only family that she has ever known. She goes to the library to do some research (yay!) and reads about the lives of many saints, deciding that she can get an angel to help her by being generous and taking care of someone worse off than her. She befriends a woman in the park (though of course, there is plenty she doesn't know about Willow's world), and gives over her allowance, even stealing a jacket from her uncle to offer her for warmth. Though her uncle is wondering what has been happening with her allowance, he doesn't pry much. But when Christmas comes around and she is told she should be buying gifts from her savings, she panics and sells a set of old lead soldiers from the attic which, come the holidays, turn out to be precious family memories.
As she digs herself deeper into trouble, not through malice but through not understanding, I found myself getting more and more worried for her. She's a character who you care about, because all she wants is the family she loves, and she is trying to get there by doing good so she can get a miracle bestowed upon her. Poor thing. As she becomes more desperate (and I more tense), she finally confronts some of her past and has to come to terms with her new family.
It's a heart-wrenching story, but ends well in the end, when her uncle and aunt come to understand her in a whole new light, and she starts to build some loyalties to her long-lost brother. I do love a good ending, especially when I've been rooting for the main character.
Gemma has lived on the Anderson's farm since she was 4, so even though they are foster parents, they are her family. Until the day that her uncle, aunt, and brother arrive and take her away to their too-perfect home with their persnickety rules and try to make her belong where she thinks it's clear she doesn't. She decides that she needs an angel to help her sort things out so she can go back to the farm and the only family that she has ever known. She goes to the library to do some research (yay!) and reads about the lives of many saints, deciding that she can get an angel to help her by being generous and taking care of someone worse off than her. She befriends a woman in the park (though of course, there is plenty she doesn't know about Willow's world), and gives over her allowance, even stealing a jacket from her uncle to offer her for warmth. Though her uncle is wondering what has been happening with her allowance, he doesn't pry much. But when Christmas comes around and she is told she should be buying gifts from her savings, she panics and sells a set of old lead soldiers from the attic which, come the holidays, turn out to be precious family memories.
As she digs herself deeper into trouble, not through malice but through not understanding, I found myself getting more and more worried for her. She's a character who you care about, because all she wants is the family she loves, and she is trying to get there by doing good so she can get a miracle bestowed upon her. Poor thing. As she becomes more desperate (and I more tense), she finally confronts some of her past and has to come to terms with her new family.
It's a heart-wrenching story, but ends well in the end, when her uncle and aunt come to understand her in a whole new light, and she starts to build some loyalties to her long-lost brother. I do love a good ending, especially when I've been rooting for the main character.
Labels: 2006, Canadian, good stuff, issues, middle grades, siblings
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum Peril and Romance
by Marthe Jocelyn.
It's 1901, and Mable accompanies her sister to Sellerton, where Viola will be the new school mistress. There, she discovers the power of gossip and reputation at the same time that she discovers Ms. Rattle, a bloomer-clad suffragette who leads the local cheese factory girls in the town's first strike. Mable is often in trouble and Viola's position in a precarious situation because of her, but in the end, she sorts out everything to such a satisfactory end as to have her missteps excused.
Interspersed with her journal entries are the chapters of a silly serial adventures story she writes to entertain her friends back home.
This book and its heroine owe a massive debt to Anne of Green Gables and Josephine March, the daydreaming victorian spitfires that came before her. And because of that, I can see fans of those books loving this one, which doesn't stray too far from their fine example.
It's 1901, and Mable accompanies her sister to Sellerton, where Viola will be the new school mistress. There, she discovers the power of gossip and reputation at the same time that she discovers Ms. Rattle, a bloomer-clad suffragette who leads the local cheese factory girls in the town's first strike. Mable is often in trouble and Viola's position in a precarious situation because of her, but in the end, she sorts out everything to such a satisfactory end as to have her missteps excused.
Interspersed with her journal entries are the chapters of a silly serial adventures story she writes to entertain her friends back home.
This book and its heroine owe a massive debt to Anne of Green Gables and Josephine March, the daydreaming victorian spitfires that came before her. And because of that, I can see fans of those books loving this one, which doesn't stray too far from their fine example.
Labels: 2004, Canadian, girly, good stuff, middle grades
Monday, February 05, 2007
Travels With My Family
by Marie-Louise Gay, a favourite picture book author and illustrator. Her work with Don Gilmor and her own Stella books are absolutely fantastic - funny, cute, with an underhanded humour and wide appeal from kids right up to the grownups who read them to the kids.
Loving her material as I do, I was really looking forward to this early chapter book. The premise (family keeps taking crazy vacations to out-of-the-way places, things go awry, hilarity ensues) had promise, she has a great sense of humour, it just had to be great. Right? Right? Um, well...
I think something is not translating on paper, to be honest. Something about the tone leads me to the suspicion that hearing her read this aloud would, indeed, be side-splitting. But it feels kind of flat in the reading. None of the mishaps are really played up for laughs, none of the reactions lingered over to comic effect. The family simply moves from one ill-fated voyage to the next, with each episode kept short. It's like it might just be too dry and deadpan and again, maybe with a facial expression or tone of voice, it would be terrific. I'm kind of hoping to find an audiobook or animated version of this to see if my theory is correct, because I really hate for her to produce something that so completely does not reflect the sense of humour her other work shows.
So yeah, with heavy heart, I will be shelving this one and not really recommending it around to the kids who are always asking me for funny books. Sigh.
Loving her material as I do, I was really looking forward to this early chapter book. The premise (family keeps taking crazy vacations to out-of-the-way places, things go awry, hilarity ensues) had promise, she has a great sense of humour, it just had to be great. Right? Right? Um, well...
I think something is not translating on paper, to be honest. Something about the tone leads me to the suspicion that hearing her read this aloud would, indeed, be side-splitting. But it feels kind of flat in the reading. None of the mishaps are really played up for laughs, none of the reactions lingered over to comic effect. The family simply moves from one ill-fated voyage to the next, with each episode kept short. It's like it might just be too dry and deadpan and again, maybe with a facial expression or tone of voice, it would be terrific. I'm kind of hoping to find an audiobook or animated version of this to see if my theory is correct, because I really hate for her to produce something that so completely does not reflect the sense of humour her other work shows.
So yeah, with heavy heart, I will be shelving this one and not really recommending it around to the kids who are always asking me for funny books. Sigh.
Labels: 2006, Canadian, early chapters, humour
Monday, January 29, 2007
Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen
A Governor General's nominee for literature for children, 2006. By Glenn Huser.
This book's chapters alternate viewpoints between Skinnybones (a 17 year old foster child with attitude and model dreams) and the Wrinkle Queen (an 87 year old opera fan with a dream of her own). The dual voice thing works really well here because it sets up some delicious little ironies (proper dramatic irony, I mean, not Alanis no-a-black-fly-in-your-chardonnay-is-not-ironic irony), letting us readers see how very much alike the two are, while each harbours her own opinions and misgivings about the other.
Together they hatch a crazy scheme to give each their dream, but it involves some serious lies and it's a risky business, to be sure. Stuck together for two weeks on their hare-brained trip, they get along at times and scrap at times, but each sees something in the other, and they are willing to suck up a certain amount to get what they want.
As I was reading, I was imagining the different endings that might result. The heart-warming ending where they come to appreciate each other and live happily ever after, the Stone Angel ending where the old lady dies after her last wish has been fulfilled, and so on. This ending, though, didn't quite fall into any one of the scenarios, but rather blended a few things in a nice, but ultimately more realistic fashion. So while it's a happy ending, it's not a nice easy, rosy, tied-up-with-a-bow one. And it sure doesn't look like it's coming for a while.
Overall? I liked this one. It had shades of other things I've read, but it was fresh enough and tart enough to keep it from being the expected, the trite, the sappy Tuesdays with Morrie for the young that it could have been.
This book's chapters alternate viewpoints between Skinnybones (a 17 year old foster child with attitude and model dreams) and the Wrinkle Queen (an 87 year old opera fan with a dream of her own). The dual voice thing works really well here because it sets up some delicious little ironies (proper dramatic irony, I mean, not Alanis no-a-black-fly-in-your-chardonnay-is-not-ironic irony), letting us readers see how very much alike the two are, while each harbours her own opinions and misgivings about the other.
Together they hatch a crazy scheme to give each their dream, but it involves some serious lies and it's a risky business, to be sure. Stuck together for two weeks on their hare-brained trip, they get along at times and scrap at times, but each sees something in the other, and they are willing to suck up a certain amount to get what they want.
As I was reading, I was imagining the different endings that might result. The heart-warming ending where they come to appreciate each other and live happily ever after, the Stone Angel ending where the old lady dies after her last wish has been fulfilled, and so on. This ending, though, didn't quite fall into any one of the scenarios, but rather blended a few things in a nice, but ultimately more realistic fashion. So while it's a happy ending, it's not a nice easy, rosy, tied-up-with-a-bow one. And it sure doesn't look like it's coming for a while.
Overall? I liked this one. It had shades of other things I've read, but it was fresh enough and tart enough to keep it from being the expected, the trite, the sappy Tuesdays with Morrie for the young that it could have been.
Labels: 2006, Canadian, good stuff, Governor General's, teen
