Saturday, September 10, 2011
Noah Barleywater Runs Away
by John BoyneDoubleday
978 0 385 67597 0
Something is wrong at Noah's home, and he decides to run away. He's not being mistreated, it's made clear, but the nature is a mystery that some readers will guess at before it is revealed at the end.
In any case, he is now on the road and encounters some strange people and situations along the way, landing finally at a strange toyshop built under a most unusual tree. There, he meets an old man who seems to understand a great deal about him. By the end of a very odd and thought-provoking day of magical happenings and meandering discussion, Noah has learned enough to change his perspective and decide to return home, and the reader has learned enough to piece together the pieces of this fairy-tale-inspired story.
The ending is satisfying, if not as surprising as it might have hoped to be, and the read has a decidedly fairy-tale quality, as mentioned above. How well it all worked, though, I'm not certain. I think it is perhaps too old for most children, or too determinedly offbeat, but that is John Boyne's style, and to be honest, I didn't love his famous title The Boy in Striped Pajamas, either. I have to call this one a book that some will enjoy and some not, because I really believe it's a case where taste will dictate more than anything whether you walk away liking it or not.
Labels: 2010, family, growing up, issues, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, slightly weird stuff
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Agency: A Spy in the House
by Y. S. Lee
This spy mystery is set in Victorian London, and features the kind of anachronistic spunky young girl that makes the Enola Holmes mysteries so fun and engaging. In this case, though, she's not just going it alone, but is found and trained up by an agency that uses the invisibility of young women to gain entry into areas not open to police or male spies.
Her adventures are fast-paced, action-packed, and complex enough to keep teen readers guessing until the last. Along the way, she must deal with shadowy government types, suitors, society folk, and baddies alike, each with their own set of perils. She proves herself quite able, though, and by book -----2, is a trusted member of the mysterious Agency. Now to go and find book 2...
Book 1 is newly available in trade paperback.
This spy mystery is set in Victorian London, and features the kind of anachronistic spunky young girl that makes the Enola Holmes mysteries so fun and engaging. In this case, though, she's not just going it alone, but is found and trained up by an agency that uses the invisibility of young women to gain entry into areas not open to police or male spies.
Her adventures are fast-paced, action-packed, and complex enough to keep teen readers guessing until the last. Along the way, she must deal with shadowy government types, suitors, society folk, and baddies alike, each with their own set of perils. She proves herself quite able, though, and by book -----2, is a trusted member of the mysterious Agency. Now to go and find book 2...
Book 1 is newly available in trade paperback.
Labels: 2010, action/adventure, good stuff, historical fiction, Publisher Reviews, suspense, teen
Friday, August 06, 2010
Publisher REview: Boom!
by Mark Haddon
(A foreword to this book notes that it is a rewrite of a long-ago-published book by the former title of Gridzbi Spudvetch!.)
This title by the author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is full of action and silliness in equal measure right from the get-go, when Jimbo overhears his teachers exchanging words in another language and starts to snoop.
When it becomes clear that his teachers are not normal humans and are onto he and his friend, Charlie, the stakes climb, and things get dangerous, but when his friend disappears, he knows no adults will believe his story. He's on his own - except for a surprise last-minute addition to the mission.
What follows is funny and fast-paced, and reminds me a bit of a Daniel Pinkwater, or even a slightly (and I mean slightly) toned-down Douglas Adams written for kids. Totally enjoyable, and a great read across the board, though it does have the benefit of great boy appeal.
(A foreword to this book notes that it is a rewrite of a long-ago-published book by the former title of Gridzbi Spudvetch!.)
This title by the author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is full of action and silliness in equal measure right from the get-go, when Jimbo overhears his teachers exchanging words in another language and starts to snoop.
When it becomes clear that his teachers are not normal humans and are onto he and his friend, Charlie, the stakes climb, and things get dangerous, but when his friend disappears, he knows no adults will believe his story. He's on his own - except for a surprise last-minute addition to the mission.
What follows is funny and fast-paced, and reminds me a bit of a Daniel Pinkwater, or even a slightly (and I mean slightly) toned-down Douglas Adams written for kids. Totally enjoyable, and a great read across the board, though it does have the benefit of great boy appeal.
Labels: 2010, action/adventure, family, friendship, loved it, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, sci fi
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
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Bride's Farewell
by Meg Rosoff
Pell is intended to marry a boy with whom she has a great friendshp, but no love. In fact, though she is of age and from a terribly poor family, and despite the fact that marrying him would represent an improvement in her life, she has no wish to marry at all, and decides to run away and see if she can't find a way to ply the farrier's trade that she has learned growing up or make money from her gift for working with horses. As she leaves, her brother, a mute half-brother, presents himself and asks in his way to go with her.
The two set out on the road, with little to no resources outside of a horse, a woollen shawl, and a few pennies. They live in rough times in a rural area, so while they receive a few small kindnesses, most people view them as suspicious or as potential victims, so they must be careful.
She does meet someone promising at one point, hangs her hopes on him, only to be disappointed when he leaves the city without paying her his due. Meanwhile, her brother follows him, so by the time she returns from a small errand, she has lost brother, horse, and hopes of money.
How she fares on her own, searching for both the man who has wronged her and her lost brother, makes for a tale with many twists and turns, heart-catching moments, disappointments, and small victories. Perhaps Pell's most amazing gift is her tenacity, and she proves herself made of the very iron she knows how to mold as she faces one trial and another.
The book is, of course, lovely, as Rosoff is a terrific writer, and the end is, not to give much away, one that left me satisfied without being so miraculously happy as to ring false.
Pell is intended to marry a boy with whom she has a great friendshp, but no love. In fact, though she is of age and from a terribly poor family, and despite the fact that marrying him would represent an improvement in her life, she has no wish to marry at all, and decides to run away and see if she can't find a way to ply the farrier's trade that she has learned growing up or make money from her gift for working with horses. As she leaves, her brother, a mute half-brother, presents himself and asks in his way to go with her.
The two set out on the road, with little to no resources outside of a horse, a woollen shawl, and a few pennies. They live in rough times in a rural area, so while they receive a few small kindnesses, most people view them as suspicious or as potential victims, so they must be careful.
She does meet someone promising at one point, hangs her hopes on him, only to be disappointed when he leaves the city without paying her his due. Meanwhile, her brother follows him, so by the time she returns from a small errand, she has lost brother, horse, and hopes of money.
How she fares on her own, searching for both the man who has wronged her and her lost brother, makes for a tale with many twists and turns, heart-catching moments, disappointments, and small victories. Perhaps Pell's most amazing gift is her tenacity, and she proves herself made of the very iron she knows how to mold as she faces one trial and another.
The book is, of course, lovely, as Rosoff is a terrific writer, and the end is, not to give much away, one that left me satisfied without being so miraculously happy as to ring false.
Labels: 2009, action/adventure, family, good stuff, growing up, historical fiction, middle grades, Publisher Reviews
The Owl Keeper
by Christine Brodien-Jones
As this novel starts, it is not clear how much the world is like ours and how much is set in another, very different reality. I'm not much a reader of fantasies or dystopian literature, and liked how this left some of that misty at first, and slowly revealed how much the world had changed in this story. There is an interesting blend of old stories, of folklore nearly lost, and a darkness to the main character's world that add to the moodiness.
You see, he is told that he is allergic to sunlight, and kept hidden away indoors, so that he only roams at all in the dark of night. he receives injections regularly from a doctor, and has a guardian who looks after him, for his parents are working nearly always, and he seldom sees them at all.
As we start to learn about silver owls that had once been revered but were now considered enemies to be destroyed, he also meets a strange girl who appears to live just as far outside of the bounds of normalcy as he does, and they form an instant bond. He is attracted to her fearless fierceness, and they start to explore and question, making some horrifying discoveries about the world and the plans that are soon to be completed. They decide that they are the only ones who understand what is coming, and that they must act, even if their mission is nearly hopeless, and based on half-remembered mythology. They set out on a quest, as it were, fending off dangers human and not on the way, and find surprising resolution and renewal.
This book is very much in the tradition of quest tales, but is told beautifully, with a dreamy quality that mutes the more horrifying parts just enough, and keeps the sense of mystery nicely. There is some lovely bits of poetry tucked in, and a warming feeling of love for this boy, even among terrible, dark times, that makes this especially lovely.
Even though I am not generally a fan of this genre, I really loved this book.
As this novel starts, it is not clear how much the world is like ours and how much is set in another, very different reality. I'm not much a reader of fantasies or dystopian literature, and liked how this left some of that misty at first, and slowly revealed how much the world had changed in this story. There is an interesting blend of old stories, of folklore nearly lost, and a darkness to the main character's world that add to the moodiness.
You see, he is told that he is allergic to sunlight, and kept hidden away indoors, so that he only roams at all in the dark of night. he receives injections regularly from a doctor, and has a guardian who looks after him, for his parents are working nearly always, and he seldom sees them at all.
As we start to learn about silver owls that had once been revered but were now considered enemies to be destroyed, he also meets a strange girl who appears to live just as far outside of the bounds of normalcy as he does, and they form an instant bond. He is attracted to her fearless fierceness, and they start to explore and question, making some horrifying discoveries about the world and the plans that are soon to be completed. They decide that they are the only ones who understand what is coming, and that they must act, even if their mission is nearly hopeless, and based on half-remembered mythology. They set out on a quest, as it were, fending off dangers human and not on the way, and find surprising resolution and renewal.
This book is very much in the tradition of quest tales, but is told beautifully, with a dreamy quality that mutes the more horrifying parts just enough, and keeps the sense of mystery nicely. There is some lovely bits of poetry tucked in, and a warming feeling of love for this boy, even among terrible, dark times, that makes this especially lovely.
Even though I am not generally a fan of this genre, I really loved this book.
Labels: friendship, good stuff, growing up, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, sci fi
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Alice Week II: the Giveaway
When Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland was released in theatres, I did a roundup of fun new Alice books.
This week, the DVD will be released, and to celebrate, I am giving away a copy of Alice!
(Yes, I'm a tiny bit of a Carroll fangirl, but just a bit.)
The book in question comes from Chronicle Books, and the text of my review back in March went like this:
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll Compiled by Cooper Edens
This edition from Chronicle Books is an interesting way to go if you want to see some of the many portrayals of Alice, in that it features not one illustrator, but an extremely plentiful selection of images from of host of different artists.
From the time Alice came out of copyright in 1908, every major illustrator has had a crack at it, and many lesser-known ones, besides. It' s well-loved, a real classic, and has a massive following of collectors, so why not? This is a good sampler of some you may never have seen before, as well as old favourites like Arthur Rackham.
It's not as cohesive in look because of this, and is large and a bit floppy in format, so if you want something for just a nice straight read-through, there may be better editions, but for the curious who want to talk about illustrations and how they relate to text, to peruse lots of pictures and styles, or get a pretty solid overview of different ways Alice has been drawn, this is a really good way to get that. I even found some illustrated versions that I have never seen, and I've seen a pretty good range of them, being an Alice fan myself.
Sound interesting? To enter to win a copy (I have one from the publisher to give away), tell me in comments about your favourite classic.
(Please remember to leave me an email address so I can let you know and ask for your mailing address!)
------------------------------------
***And the winner, drawn by Misterpie from a well-scrambled batch of names written on lips of paper is:
kgirl!
(I know, we are so high-tech around here!)
This week, the DVD will be released, and to celebrate, I am giving away a copy of Alice!
(Yes, I'm a tiny bit of a Carroll fangirl, but just a bit.)
The book in question comes from Chronicle Books, and the text of my review back in March went like this:
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll Compiled by Cooper Edens
This edition from Chronicle Books is an interesting way to go if you want to see some of the many portrayals of Alice, in that it features not one illustrator, but an extremely plentiful selection of images from of host of different artists.
From the time Alice came out of copyright in 1908, every major illustrator has had a crack at it, and many lesser-known ones, besides. It' s well-loved, a real classic, and has a massive following of collectors, so why not? This is a good sampler of some you may never have seen before, as well as old favourites like Arthur Rackham.
It's not as cohesive in look because of this, and is large and a bit floppy in format, so if you want something for just a nice straight read-through, there may be better editions, but for the curious who want to talk about illustrations and how they relate to text, to peruse lots of pictures and styles, or get a pretty solid overview of different ways Alice has been drawn, this is a really good way to get that. I even found some illustrated versions that I have never seen, and I've seen a pretty good range of them, being an Alice fan myself.
Sound interesting? To enter to win a copy (I have one from the publisher to give away), tell me in comments about your favourite classic.
(Please remember to leave me an email address so I can let you know and ask for your mailing address!)
------------------------------------
***And the winner, drawn by Misterpie from a well-scrambled batch of names written on lips of paper is:
kgirl!
(I know, we are so high-tech around here!)
Labels: 2000, Alice, giveaways, Publisher Reviews
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
Friday, April 23, 2010
Publisher Review: When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
This first caught my attention because it is last year's Newbery winner, and I try to make sure I hit those big titles amidst my reading. The jacket blurb sounded decidedly strange, leaving more questions than anything, and it seemed like this was one you'd have to read to get, as if it was defying attempts to describe it.
It didn't grab me on the first few pages, to be honest. But once I started further in, and started to care about the characters and be curious about where the story was going, it became a series of events that were a little strange, full of hints, and weaving their way slowly towards a fascinating conclusion.
It's definitely a book for older children - it contains some minor violence, some abstract concepts, and a horrible accident, and would just fly over the heads of younger children. But for the child who can follow it and stick with it through the first little bit as it gets going, it holds rich rewards. It's a book that has stuck with me after I closed it, a sure sign of a worthwhile read.
This first caught my attention because it is last year's Newbery winner, and I try to make sure I hit those big titles amidst my reading. The jacket blurb sounded decidedly strange, leaving more questions than anything, and it seemed like this was one you'd have to read to get, as if it was defying attempts to describe it.
It didn't grab me on the first few pages, to be honest. But once I started further in, and started to care about the characters and be curious about where the story was going, it became a series of events that were a little strange, full of hints, and weaving their way slowly towards a fascinating conclusion.
It's definitely a book for older children - it contains some minor violence, some abstract concepts, and a horrible accident, and would just fly over the heads of younger children. But for the child who can follow it and stick with it through the first little bit as it gets going, it holds rich rewards. It's a book that has stuck with me after I closed it, a sure sign of a worthwhile read.
Labels: 2009, family, friendship, good stuff, growing up, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, slightly weird stuff
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
Friday, March 05, 2010
A Week of Alice: Rodney Matthews
Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Rodney Matthews
This edition is nothing short of gorgeous. It starts with a thick, sturdy, slipcover beautifully decorated with the White Rabbit framed in a stone heart, two inset gleaming blue hemispheres, gilded letters in writing that speaks of fantasy, and a front edge that cuts back to reveal a bit of the fully illustrated cover. This all adds up to a pretty strong announcement that you should expect something special inside.
The cover itself, too, opens out into a painting of part of Matthews' conception of Wonderland, replete with all the arches, towering mountains, and ringed moons you would expect from a noted painter in the field of fantasy. he adds thoughtful details, though, in card suit-shaped trees, heart motifs sprinkled everywhere, and an Alice standing, looking at the terrain she is about to enter. Gorgeous.
A foreword by the illustrator explains his fascination with Alice and his history of painting scenes from her for calendars and prints, making this book released in 2008 by Macmillan and in 2009 by Templar Press in the US a culmination of sorts. It is clear, too, that Wonderland is somewhere he has spent some time in his imagination, and he fills it with loving touches, such as small insects playing music among the foliage and about a million tiny instances of hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs hidden among the images.
He is one of the few illustrators who has really managed to pick some different scenes and moments, as well as the classics we are used to seeing, making this a great treat because it pulls you back to the text a little more. In the Pool of Tears, for example, we see not only the small mouse swimming, but also a wonderful crocodile grinning wide underwater as he beckons the wee fishies closer and breather out heart-shaped bubbles.
The feeling of the whole certainly shows Matthews own usual style in the forms of landscapes and buildings alike, as well as putting on display a strong sense of humour. The tea party, for example, features a strikingly rabbity-looking house, while in the same picture, a tree bears a kindly smile, and a stag beetle holds a skein of yarn for a spider as she spins. On the whole, the illustrations are fun, wonderfully imagined and planned out, and rendered in either a softish black/white for the smaller decorations or the most stunning colour for the full-page or double-page spreads. The ivory pages and large format only serve to further the feeling that what you have in your hands is something well more than your ordinary edition.
I must admit that of the many new versions of Alice out this past year, this is definitely my favourite. Now to see whether Tim Burton's Wonderland can compete with this visual treat, as he's known for a few gorgeous details, himself. I'll report back!
by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Rodney Matthews
This edition is nothing short of gorgeous. It starts with a thick, sturdy, slipcover beautifully decorated with the White Rabbit framed in a stone heart, two inset gleaming blue hemispheres, gilded letters in writing that speaks of fantasy, and a front edge that cuts back to reveal a bit of the fully illustrated cover. This all adds up to a pretty strong announcement that you should expect something special inside.
The cover itself, too, opens out into a painting of part of Matthews' conception of Wonderland, replete with all the arches, towering mountains, and ringed moons you would expect from a noted painter in the field of fantasy. he adds thoughtful details, though, in card suit-shaped trees, heart motifs sprinkled everywhere, and an Alice standing, looking at the terrain she is about to enter. Gorgeous.
A foreword by the illustrator explains his fascination with Alice and his history of painting scenes from her for calendars and prints, making this book released in 2008 by Macmillan and in 2009 by Templar Press in the US a culmination of sorts. It is clear, too, that Wonderland is somewhere he has spent some time in his imagination, and he fills it with loving touches, such as small insects playing music among the foliage and about a million tiny instances of hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs hidden among the images.
He is one of the few illustrators who has really managed to pick some different scenes and moments, as well as the classics we are used to seeing, making this a great treat because it pulls you back to the text a little more. In the Pool of Tears, for example, we see not only the small mouse swimming, but also a wonderful crocodile grinning wide underwater as he beckons the wee fishies closer and breather out heart-shaped bubbles.
The feeling of the whole certainly shows Matthews own usual style in the forms of landscapes and buildings alike, as well as putting on display a strong sense of humour. The tea party, for example, features a strikingly rabbity-looking house, while in the same picture, a tree bears a kindly smile, and a stag beetle holds a skein of yarn for a spider as she spins. On the whole, the illustrations are fun, wonderfully imagined and planned out, and rendered in either a softish black/white for the smaller decorations or the most stunning colour for the full-page or double-page spreads. The ivory pages and large format only serve to further the feeling that what you have in your hands is something well more than your ordinary edition.
I must admit that of the many new versions of Alice out this past year, this is definitely my favourite. Now to see whether Tim Burton's Wonderland can compete with this visual treat, as he's known for a few gorgeous details, himself. I'll report back!
Labels: 2009, Alice, loved it, Publisher Reviews
Thursday, March 04, 2010
A Week of Alice: Oleg Lipchenko
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
I have to admit, I didn't find this edition appealing at first glance. it's illustrated all in sepias and black/white drawings and sketches, and I wasn't drawn (heh) to the Alice in it right away. But this is a classic case of not judging on first impressions.
Once I started looking at the drawings more closely, I found them fascinating, in fact, filled with details and references to both the story and the back-story of Carroll and the "real" Alice. It's clear that Lipchenko has done some reading and put some serious thought and inspiration into what seem initially like so many doodles.
This is definitely not bright enough for a child or someone looking for some bright "wow" pictures, nor for someone who is intrigued by the darker aspects of Alice's adventures, but for someone who is interested in Carroll or is likely to spend time perusing the illustrations the way children do with I Spy books, it's full of hidden treats. It would amuse someone who knows a lot about Carroll, or perhaps inspire someone to read a bit more to find out, for the little things he has dropped in are truly clever.
In the end, I like this a lot for being not only thorough, but interesting in a quiet, unflashy way.
I liked it enough to include it among six editions I spotlighted over at sweetmama.ca this week, in fact. Go check out that and a few others that I won't be reviewing in greater depth here. There are some really nice things in the bunch!
by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
I have to admit, I didn't find this edition appealing at first glance. it's illustrated all in sepias and black/white drawings and sketches, and I wasn't drawn (heh) to the Alice in it right away. But this is a classic case of not judging on first impressions.
Once I started looking at the drawings more closely, I found them fascinating, in fact, filled with details and references to both the story and the back-story of Carroll and the "real" Alice. It's clear that Lipchenko has done some reading and put some serious thought and inspiration into what seem initially like so many doodles.
This is definitely not bright enough for a child or someone looking for some bright "wow" pictures, nor for someone who is intrigued by the darker aspects of Alice's adventures, but for someone who is interested in Carroll or is likely to spend time perusing the illustrations the way children do with I Spy books, it's full of hidden treats. It would amuse someone who knows a lot about Carroll, or perhaps inspire someone to read a bit more to find out, for the little things he has dropped in are truly clever.
In the end, I like this a lot for being not only thorough, but interesting in a quiet, unflashy way.
I liked it enough to include it among six editions I spotlighted over at sweetmama.ca this week, in fact. Go check out that and a few others that I won't be reviewing in greater depth here. There are some really nice things in the bunch!
Labels: 2009, Alice, lukewarm, Publisher Reviews
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
A Week of Alice: Camille Rose Garcia
Alie's Adventures in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia
This purpleish edition illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia is full of little details like decorated endpapers, small illustrations tucked in margins, and fanciful initial letters in each chapter. The illustrations are printed in colour so bold as to at times flirt with the garish, while the pages are an offwhite, with small, neat type. On the whole, the design is very nicely done, though my own preference is for matte pages over glossy (it's a personal thing, really). I especially like the 1920s-style font on the title page, which lends it the suggestion of an absinthe-fueled fantasia. Clever touch!
As to the illustrations? Garcia's style is interesting, and different than a typical portrayal of Alice, for certain. She is older, and sports a look featuring thin eyebrows and long, spidery lashes reminiscent of Theda Bara at her vampiest. Indeed, the overall of the illustrations is like that - a sort of older, gothic, yet playful mood that even seems to feel the influence of the surrealists, which fully works for Wonderland, where it makes the creepy creepier, the sad sadder, and the mean meaner with their black-rimmed eyes, downturned mouths, and much purple dripping going on throughout.
Between the feel of the illustrations and the tiny type, I would venture that this is not a book for a child, but would be fun for an adult with a taste for the offbeat and absolutely perfect for a teen, especially one who is inclined to the gothic anyhow. I mean, even Alice's hair-bow is oddly bat-like. How could you not give that to your dearest black-wearing darling?
by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia
This purpleish edition illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia is full of little details like decorated endpapers, small illustrations tucked in margins, and fanciful initial letters in each chapter. The illustrations are printed in colour so bold as to at times flirt with the garish, while the pages are an offwhite, with small, neat type. On the whole, the design is very nicely done, though my own preference is for matte pages over glossy (it's a personal thing, really). I especially like the 1920s-style font on the title page, which lends it the suggestion of an absinthe-fueled fantasia. Clever touch!
As to the illustrations? Garcia's style is interesting, and different than a typical portrayal of Alice, for certain. She is older, and sports a look featuring thin eyebrows and long, spidery lashes reminiscent of Theda Bara at her vampiest. Indeed, the overall of the illustrations is like that - a sort of older, gothic, yet playful mood that even seems to feel the influence of the surrealists, which fully works for Wonderland, where it makes the creepy creepier, the sad sadder, and the mean meaner with their black-rimmed eyes, downturned mouths, and much purple dripping going on throughout.
Between the feel of the illustrations and the tiny type, I would venture that this is not a book for a child, but would be fun for an adult with a taste for the offbeat and absolutely perfect for a teen, especially one who is inclined to the gothic anyhow. I mean, even Alice's hair-bow is oddly bat-like. How could you not give that to your dearest black-wearing darling?
Labels: 2010, Alice, good stuff, Publisher Reviews
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
A Week of Alice: A Compilation
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
Compiled by Cooper Edens
This edition from Chronicle Books is an interesting way to go if you want to see some of the many portrayals of Alice, in that it features not one illustrator, but an extremely plentiful selection of images from of host of different artists.
From the time Alice came out of copyright in 1908, every major illustrator has had a crack at it, and many lesser-known ones, besides. It' s well-loved, a real classic, and has a massive following of collectors, so why not? This is a good sampler of some you may never have seen before, as well as old favourites like Arthur Rackham.
It's not as cohesive in look because of this, and is large and a bit floppy in format, so if you want something for just a nice straight read-through, there may be better editions, but for the curious who want to talk about illustrations and how they relate to text, to peruse lots of pictures and styles, or get a pretty solid overview of different ways Alice has been drawn, this is a really good way to get that. I even found some illustrated versions that I have never seen, and I've seen a pretty good range of them, being an Alice fan myself.
By Lewis Carroll
Compiled by Cooper Edens
This edition from Chronicle Books is an interesting way to go if you want to see some of the many portrayals of Alice, in that it features not one illustrator, but an extremely plentiful selection of images from of host of different artists.
From the time Alice came out of copyright in 1908, every major illustrator has had a crack at it, and many lesser-known ones, besides. It' s well-loved, a real classic, and has a massive following of collectors, so why not? This is a good sampler of some you may never have seen before, as well as old favourites like Arthur Rackham.
It's not as cohesive in look because of this, and is large and a bit floppy in format, so if you want something for just a nice straight read-through, there may be better editions, but for the curious who want to talk about illustrations and how they relate to text, to peruse lots of pictures and styles, or get a pretty solid overview of different ways Alice has been drawn, this is a really good way to get that. I even found some illustrated versions that I have never seen, and I've seen a pretty good range of them, being an Alice fan myself.
Labels: 2000, 2010, Alice, lukewarm, Publisher Reviews
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Publisher Review: The Magician's Elephant
by Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo is almost a sure-fire winner when it comes to middle-grade fiction, but having been a few years since I last read her, I could only remember general impressions about what was so special about her writing when I picked this up. I knew I enjoyed her, recalled that she was really good at creating a mood, and it seemed to me that there was something old-fashioned about her storytelling. And so, like most people in the kidslit world, I was eager to read this latest offering.
When I started, I remembered immediately what makes her writing amazing - she uses language gorgeously, reveling unabashedly in words, and never shying away from using a word that a child will need to ask about. a strong or confident reader will usually pick up the meaning from context, but a reader-aloud may have to explain a word or two, or there may be some looking up, but with her stories being so magical, I don't think it's off-putting, and find it rather a great thing that she may be good enough to entice kids to do that just to stay with her when they need to! Talk about your vocab booster.
The language is not the whole of the story, of course, but one of the ways she helps create an overall atmosphere, which she does beautifully. In this case, there is magic in the air, magic strong enough the swirl through an otherwise depressingly heavy winter. This magic in the town begins with a magician's incredible but unfortunate trick, and gives way to a sense that anything is possible.
Dreams, prophetic dreams, start to bloom in the sleeping minds of the populace, drawing many of them into being part of an unfolding story. it is a strange story, an impossible story, but with the help of the dreams, with the help of a new sense of wonder, the people follow along with it and help it come true.
It's a slightly odd book, this one, but for a child who is willing to dream, who loves a good ending, who loves a beautifully told tale, it's just a lovely book to share and immerse yourself in.
Kate DiCamillo is almost a sure-fire winner when it comes to middle-grade fiction, but having been a few years since I last read her, I could only remember general impressions about what was so special about her writing when I picked this up. I knew I enjoyed her, recalled that she was really good at creating a mood, and it seemed to me that there was something old-fashioned about her storytelling. And so, like most people in the kidslit world, I was eager to read this latest offering.
When I started, I remembered immediately what makes her writing amazing - she uses language gorgeously, reveling unabashedly in words, and never shying away from using a word that a child will need to ask about. a strong or confident reader will usually pick up the meaning from context, but a reader-aloud may have to explain a word or two, or there may be some looking up, but with her stories being so magical, I don't think it's off-putting, and find it rather a great thing that she may be good enough to entice kids to do that just to stay with her when they need to! Talk about your vocab booster.
The language is not the whole of the story, of course, but one of the ways she helps create an overall atmosphere, which she does beautifully. In this case, there is magic in the air, magic strong enough the swirl through an otherwise depressingly heavy winter. This magic in the town begins with a magician's incredible but unfortunate trick, and gives way to a sense that anything is possible.
Dreams, prophetic dreams, start to bloom in the sleeping minds of the populace, drawing many of them into being part of an unfolding story. it is a strange story, an impossible story, but with the help of the dreams, with the help of a new sense of wonder, the people follow along with it and help it come true.
It's a slightly odd book, this one, but for a child who is willing to dream, who loves a good ending, who loves a beautifully told tale, it's just a lovely book to share and immerse yourself in.
Labels: 2009, family, good stuff, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, siblings, slightly weird stuff
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Publisher Review: Umbrella Summer
by Lisa Graff
Annie is, to put it mildly, a worrier. She has good reason, she thinks, because you just never know. They didn't know anything was wrong with her brother Jared until he died, and he was only 11. Sure, these things might be rare, but clearly they happen, and she is determined to live firmly on the safe side, even reading up on new dangers to look out for.
Annie is, to put it mildly, a worrier. She has good reason, she thinks, because you just never know. They didn't know anything was wrong with her brother Jared until he died, and he was only 11. Sure, these things might be rare, but clearly they happen, and she is determined to live firmly on the safe side, even reading up on new dangers to look out for.
Annie doesn't really realize that she is reacting, but she does know she hates the worried, pitying looks she gets from everyone, and and she knows her parents are acting strangely, her dad mostly disconnected, and her mother cleaning and refusing to talk about Jared.
It's not until her friend's hamster dies and she simply cannot be there for her and attend the rodent's funeral that things start to become both better and worse. For one thing, her friend Rebeccas is so hurt at her lack of support that she won't talk to Annie, who is miserable and blows up at a public event. On the other hand, she becomes friendly with the new neighbour, an older woman who has her own loss to face and who makes a part of that journey with Annie.
In the end, the new neighbour not only helps heal the rift between Annie and Rebecca, but points out to Annie that her healing is stalled, using the comparison that gives the book its title: Annie has been walking around with her "umbrella" open to prevent herself from getting wet, but in protecting herself, she is keeping herself from enjoying the sun. It's time, she says, to start closing the umbrella and find out about the other things around her. It's a message that Annie not only takes to heart for herself, but shares with Jared's best friend and brings home to her parents, leading her to help them with their own healing, too.
If you'd like to read a little for yourself to get a feel for this book and character, check out an excerpt, here.
Labels: 2009, family, friendship, growing up, issues, loved it, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, siblings
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Publisher Review: Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?
by Louise Rennison.
And here it is. The tenth and final book in the confessions of Georgia Nicholson series.
The one where she finally figures out her boy situation, though not until the very, very, VERY end, after you, as a reader, have very nearly had a nervy b.
The one where she and her friends start to show mysterious signs of maybe edging towards the direction of maturing just a touch. (But not that much, don't be scared.)
My very favourite wait-for-the-next-one series for girly teens, the one that makes me laugh like a drain, as Georgia would put it.
I am, for all that I did indeed giggle and cackle my way through it and thoroughly enjoy it, unreasonably sad. Now where will I turn when I need to be wholeheartedly amused until it hurts? I may have to re-read these, and if you haven't read them at least once, I recommend you get started. You won't regret it a bit - only that it ends.
Meanwhile - Ms. Rennison? I do hope you are starting a new series?
(Check out some of this last book online if you don't believe it could be so funny - then come back and tell me I'm right.)
And here it is. The tenth and final book in the confessions of Georgia Nicholson series.
The one where she finally figures out her boy situation, though not until the very, very, VERY end, after you, as a reader, have very nearly had a nervy b.
The one where she and her friends start to show mysterious signs of maybe edging towards the direction of maturing just a touch. (But not that much, don't be scared.)
My very favourite wait-for-the-next-one series for girly teens, the one that makes me laugh like a drain, as Georgia would put it.
I am, for all that I did indeed giggle and cackle my way through it and thoroughly enjoy it, unreasonably sad. Now where will I turn when I need to be wholeheartedly amused until it hurts? I may have to re-read these, and if you haven't read them at least once, I recommend you get started. You won't regret it a bit - only that it ends.
Meanwhile - Ms. Rennison? I do hope you are starting a new series?
(Check out some of this last book online if you don't believe it could be so funny - then come back and tell me I'm right.)
Labels: 2009, fluff, friendship, girly, growing up, humour, love story, loved it, Publisher Reviews, teen
Publisher Review: A Season of Gifts
by Richard Peck
Richard Peck is a prolific writer, and one I have enjoyed many times, at different ages. As a girl, I thrilled to his tales of Blossom Culp and loved Ghosts I Have Been. More recently, I have loved his hilarious tales of long-ago happenings in small towns. His ridiculously funny Long Way From Chicago
was a favourite pick for nearly everyone, landing on "best" lists everywhere. The followup, Year Down Yonder
continued this trend, a great, rollicking story of pranks, races, and schemes, not to mention some great librarians (my review here).
It seems that she has taken a shine to these new arrivals, though, and in her gruff, mysterious way, she paves the way for them while she brings down revenge on some of the town's shadier characters both on their behalf and her own through one ridiculous mishap after another.
By the end, her gifts become more apparent, and the "new" family has been solidly taken in by the town - so much so, that their success will lead them on their way.
A fun, warm-hearted read, this book may culminate in a Christmas scene, but should in no way be seen as limited to being just a seasonal book - it's a great read at any time of year, this one.
Labels: 2009, family, fluff, friendship, good stuff, historical fiction, humour, middle grades, Publisher Reviews
Publisher Review: Pip: The Story of Olive
by Kim Kane
Olive is an odd-looking young girl who lives with a single mom who is single-mindedly chasing a career goal, and putting in too many hours to really be there for Olive at the moment. She doesn't quite fit in among the ruthless social structure at her girls' school, either, but has a best friend who shares her love of long baths, dress-up, and good snacks. The friend helps, gives her someone with whom to stave off the lonely hours, and a sense of belonging. So when her friend falls prey to the lure of the popular girls and is eager to be brought into their fold even at the expense of her friendship with Olive, Olive is cut adrift.
With too many free hours to start contemplating life, Olive's ever-present curiosity about her father grows unbounded. He is know to her only known by name and old stories of how the family lived as hippies when she was a baby, plus one old photo, so there is plenty of scope for her imaginings. And then one day, the day she is dealt the final parting insult by her former best friend and the top girls, she discovers her twin. Pip.
This twin moves in with her, goes to school with her, provides her with company, and eggs her on, getting her to do some things she wouldn't do on her own, and even getting her into some small trouble at school. (The twin, it is never explicitly said, is imaginary.) In fact, the twin so emboldens Olive that the two of them together hatch a plan to find their father, using clues to figure out last place he was known to be and plotting out how to get there.
And they do it. They skip school, lie to their mother, and board a train for a town a little ways away down the coast of Autralia. What they find, though, is not what Olive dreams of, but a man who has built a life with no room in it for her. The book ends with Olive having the answers she needs to move forward, even if they are not as she hoped - realistic, yet not depressing, for other things have turned up well in the meantime.
Her mother's aspiration has been met, and she will have more time, as well as seeing how desperately Olive needs her around. Olive has found a new friend at school during all of this, a girl with similar sense of humour and lack of interest in the school's hierarchy, so she can let Pip fade away, disappearing from her mirror and leaving her one.
The language in this book is lovely, capturing the beauty of the wild coastline and a less-structured life with a strong sense of the wistful. Longing is palpable, befitting Olive's emotional state through most of the book. And as someone who had her own unanswered questions about her absent father at this same age, I know it to be true. In fact, I had a friend with whom I plotted a trip out west to my father's last-known whereabouts as well - but it's a longer trip than Olive made, and my friend and I just plotted and dreamed, both too practical to really convince ourselves to go. Still, I know the pull of wanting to just know, and I found it pitched well here.
And for concerned parents - the dangers inherent in such a trip are not ignored by Olive entirely. She has been focused on the puzzle and the planning, not thinking of that until she has set out, but when she starts to think of that and second-guess her decision on the way, it seems too late to turn back, and she goes ahead, cautiously.
I found this book haunting and lovely, yet grounded in emotions that I recognized - a read for a thoughtful child, or one a little more mature.
Labels: 2009, family, friendship, growing up, issues, loved it, middle grades, Publisher Reviews, set abroad
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Publisher Review: Emily the Strange: The Lost Days
a novel by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker.
I've been a fan of Emily the Strange as a sort of semi-defined character in my mind for quite a while, as have many people who wear her on their hair-clips, lunchboxes, or pencil-cases - but never really had much of a firm handle on her story or what she was really about. All of which has changed. Now? Now, I love her.
Right from the start, this book pulls you in with a promising premise and a winning voice and personality. You see, we know she's Emily, but she doesn't. In fact, she doesn't know anything about herself, having arrived in a super-weird town with a serious case of amnesia. it tells you right away that you are in for a good ride as she tries to sort things out, and things are pretty, er, Strange in this town.
The other characters are also interesting little puzzles that make you wonder and keep you guessing, even if hardly anyone seems likeable, and the town contains enough odd little mysteries to satisfy even the most easily bored. As she does start to unravel the layers of mystery, Emily discovers (and we along with her) what kind of person she is (and is decidedly not), where she came from, that she knows a lot of people in some other unusual places, and finally, the big secret that brought her here in the first place.
You may just be following along in her diary, but she is funny, smart, and every inch unapologetic for being different, so she never loses you, and the little drawings and asides are worth noticing.
Final verdict? I half-expected this to be kind of gimmicky and not so great, as books based on something else often are, but I was pleasantly surprised, and loved every minute of this. I fully recommend it to anyone who likes a girl with a twist - chicklit this is not, yet girly fun all the same.
And even better, you can check it out online at HarperCollins' website for the book, where they have not just the usual inside jacket flaps and a tiny excerpt, but over half of it posted for viewing with the Browse Inside feature. That's pretty awesome in itself.
I've been a fan of Emily the Strange as a sort of semi-defined character in my mind for quite a while, as have many people who wear her on their hair-clips, lunchboxes, or pencil-cases - but never really had much of a firm handle on her story or what she was really about. All of which has changed. Now? Now, I love her.
Right from the start, this book pulls you in with a promising premise and a winning voice and personality. You see, we know she's Emily, but she doesn't. In fact, she doesn't know anything about herself, having arrived in a super-weird town with a serious case of amnesia. it tells you right away that you are in for a good ride as she tries to sort things out, and things are pretty, er, Strange in this town.
The other characters are also interesting little puzzles that make you wonder and keep you guessing, even if hardly anyone seems likeable, and the town contains enough odd little mysteries to satisfy even the most easily bored. As she does start to unravel the layers of mystery, Emily discovers (and we along with her) what kind of person she is (and is decidedly not), where she came from, that she knows a lot of people in some other unusual places, and finally, the big secret that brought her here in the first place.
You may just be following along in her diary, but she is funny, smart, and every inch unapologetic for being different, so she never loses you, and the little drawings and asides are worth noticing.
Final verdict? I half-expected this to be kind of gimmicky and not so great, as books based on something else often are, but I was pleasantly surprised, and loved every minute of this. I fully recommend it to anyone who likes a girl with a twist - chicklit this is not, yet girly fun all the same.
And even better, you can check it out online at HarperCollins' website for the book, where they have not just the usual inside jacket flaps and a tiny excerpt, but over half of it posted for viewing with the Browse Inside feature. That's pretty awesome in itself.
Labels: 2009, fluff, graphic novel, growing up, loved it, Publisher Reviews, slightly weird stuff, teen, witches and wizards
