Books Beside My Bed

Backbeard: Pirate for Hire by Matthew McElligott

2012-01-30T06:22:00.000-06:00

Backbeard: Pirate for Hire

by Matthew McElligott

Picture Book

Library

2007

Book Jacket Summary

Backbeard may have a new suit, but he is still one of the orneriest, smelliest, and hairiest pirates ever to sail the high seas. And his crew still likes to smash and steal things--they just prefer to do it in style. Unfortunately, certain members of the Pirate Council don't think he looks piratey enough in his new garb, and since they are just as stubborn as Backbeard, it's their way or the waterway.

Unwilling to give up his birthday suit, Backbeard sets out in search of new employment. He can pillage and plunder with the best of them, but who'll dare to hire a dirty, smelly ex-pirate?

My Thoughts

Here is a book that will tickle your funny bone! This is a story of a particular pirate named Backbeard who is a snazzy dresser, does not wear a pirates hat, and has a pig instead of a parrot. This gets him kicked out of the Pirate Guild and he has to look for other work. After many disastrous job interviews he find himself working in a tea shop for an elderly lady. This work out about as well as you would expect. Backbeard drops cups, spills tea, and makes a big mess but the owner is patient and kind. However on her day off Backbeard's old crew comes in and practically burn the tea shop down. Backbeard knows he is meant to be a pirate and actually finds a way... I won't spoil the ending because it is pretty funny how he convinces the Pirate Guild to let him back in.
I highly recommend this on to all the children who love pirates! It is fun to see the rules for pirates change when Backbeard "convinces" the Pirate Guild to let him back in. If you are looking for a funny book to amuse your pirate fans this is the one to buy.

Book Pairings

Backbeard and the Birthday Suit by Matthew McElligott

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long

Dirty Joe, the Pirate: A True Story by Bill Harley

TGIF at GReads! {1}: Buy or Borrow?

2012-01-27T06:31:00.002-06:00

TGIF is a weekly meme created and hosted by GReads! that recaps the week's posts and has a different question each week.

Buy or Borrow: Where do your books that you read come from? The bookstore? The library? Do you prefer to own a book, or have it on loan?

I used to buy all my books but my student loans have kicked in and now I am on a pretty tight budget. I now use my public library and the university library I work at to check out books (you would be surprised how many YA's we get in). ALA Midwinter also provided me with tons of ARC's and I may not have to buy a book this year because of it. I do have a $20 gift card to Barnes and Noble that is burning a hole in my pocket but I am saving that for the next Meg Cabot book! My friends also keep me stocked up and I am constantly having books shoved in my hands to read.

What a great AMV looks like

2012-01-25T14:42:00.001-06:00

(Source)
AMV by Marissa Panaccio.
Anime used: Princess Tutu
The song is 'Hall Om Mig' or 'Hold Me Now' by Nanne Grönvall.

AMV's (Anime Music Video) are a great technology lesson for teens who are into anime. I have seen several but this one stands out as one of my favorites. It has great pacing, music, and shows a sample of the anime's theme. This would be a great one to show teens what they could accomplish. Plus I really like the song.

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

2012-01-24T14:09:00.000-06:00

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

248 pages

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

In this high school-set psychological tale, a tormented teen named Evan starts to discover a series of unnerving photographs—some of which feature him. Someone is stalking him . . . messing with him . . . threatening him. Worse, ever since his best friend Ariel has been gone, he's been unable to sleep, spending night after night torturing himself for his role in her absence. And as crazy as it sounds, Evan's starting to believe it's Ariel that's behind all of this, punishing him. But the more Evan starts to unravel the mystery, the more his paranoia and insomnia amplify, and the more he starts to unravel himself. Creatively told with black-and-white photos interspersed between the text so the reader can see the photos that are so unnerving to Evan, Every You, Every Me is a one-of-a-kind departure from a one-of-a-kind author.

My Thoughts

This was a very different kind of book and was more of an experience than a read. Levithan made you feel the despair and confusion that Evan was going through. The words that were struck out created a window into what was really going on and not what Evan wanted us to see. The story hinges on the mysterious absence of Evan's best friend Ariel and the blame he feels deep inside. He wraps himself in despair and isolation just like Ariel did before she "left". When someone starts leaving photos of Ariel for Evan to find it draws him into a downward spiral. What did know of the true Ariel and the secret life she lead. Can you know everything about someone or do you only see one part? Levithan does a wonderful job exploring this theme and what choices we have when someone we love is on the verge of self-destruction.

The format may scare away some readers but I found it easy to slip into. It will not be for everyone but it does capture the feels we deal with when someone we love is hurting and we cannot do anything about it. Highly recommend!

Book Pairings

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

ALA Midwinter 2012

2012-01-23T06:24:00.008-06:00

Hello all! I am taking a quick break today to go to the ALA Midwinter 2012 in Dallas! I have already picked up some wonderful ARC's and plan on hosting some giveaways in the next week or two.

Some of the ARC's I am most excited about are:

Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolmore

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

The Catastrophic History of You & Me by Jess Rothenberg

Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde

Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls by Mary Downing Hahn

Can not wait to get back out there again and hopefully I will see you there!

Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein

2012-01-20T06:14:00.000-06:00

Everything on It

by Shel Silverstein

194 pages

Poetry

2011

Book Jacket Summary

A spider lives inside my head Who weaves a strange and wondrous web Of silken threads and silver strings To catch all sorts of flying things,
Like crumbs of thought and bits of smiles And specks of dried-up tears,
And dust of dreams that catch and cling For years and years and years . . .
Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is, an amazing collection of never-before-published poems and drawings from the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up. You will say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.
What's that? You have a case of the Lovetobutcants? Impossible! Just come on in and let the magic of Shel Silverstein bend your brain and open your heart.

My Thoughts

Shel Silverstein will always be one of my favorite poets and his work will be an inspiration to many more to come. This collection of work contains a lot of funny, lyrical, and deeply moving poetry and drawings.

Masks

She had blue skin,

And so did he.

He kept it hid

And so did she.

They searched for blue

Their whole life through,

Then passed right by-

And never knew.

Doesn't that make you want to cry? But this book is also filled with funny poems, such as The Lovetobutcants and then there are the ones that are just plan odd.

This is a book for all those who poured over Silverstein's books as children and want to see more his classic style. I was a bit skeptical because some posthumous works of poets or any other artist can be most of the works they did not publish the first time around. The ones the editor threw out but this collection has some gems and is worth the wait.

Book Pairings

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

Falling Up by Shel Silverstein

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

2012-01-19T15:30:00.000-06:00

Hercule Poirot's Christmas

by Agatha Christie

272 pages

Loaned Copy

Mystery/Adultdt

1938

Book Jacket Summary

Agatha Christie's seasonal mystery thriller, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers. It is Christmas Eve. The Lee family reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture, followed by a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed. But when Hercule Poirot, who is staying in the village with a friend for Christmas, offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man!

My Thoughts
I know it is past Christmas and we are into the new year but this was only placed in my hands a week ago. Agatha Christie is a genius and she is only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare. She lead a very interesting life and encountered a mystery of her own. I would highly recommend checking out any of her books for they are very entertaining and intriguing. This one would be perfect to read over Christmas (or any time really) with a roaring fire in the background. You will be glad not to have the family Lee over because backstabbing and blackmail abound. I did have to google two French phrases that Poirot and the word meretricious, which means apparently attractive but having in reality no value or integrity. This describes a character and is pretty accurate. I always find it interesting to come across a word that has fallen out of use, especially the French ones that everyone would have understood in the 1930's.
This book should have lots of crosover appeal for teens and adults. Teens do not seem to have a lot of mysteries in their collection. If they do it is usually paired in a supernatural type book like Clarity. For teens who want a straight mystery with no other element the Christie books would make a great selection. It is a good mystery that left me guessing until the end. It was the first mystery in a long time that I did not take a peak at the end. My Dad gave the book to me and I could not disapoint him. I am looking forward to reading more of Christie's extensive collection.

Book Pairings
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Cat Among Pigeons by Agatha Christie
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie

WOW: Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

2012-01-18T06:33:00.000-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Pretty Crooked

by Elisa Ludwig

Release Date: March 13, 2011

Goodreads Summary

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them suspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her: evening the social playing field between the haves and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of thefts at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

Sounds like a great Robin Hood book and a bit like Heist Society. That is fine with me because I love a mystery and this seems to be the reverse- Willa is trying not to get caught! I love heist books and movies so this ought to be right up my alley!

Bear's Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson

2012-01-17T06:33:00.000-06:00

Bear's Loose Tooth

by Karma Wilson

illustrated by Jane Chapman

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Bear and his friends are munching on their lunch when, all of sudden, Bear feels something wiggling and wobbling in his mouth. Oh, no! What can it be? It’s Bear’s first loose tooth! From a cave in the forest
came a “MUNCH, MUNCH, CRUNCH!”

as Bear and his friends

all nibbled on their lunch.

Bear and his friends are munching on their lunch, when all of sudden…Bear feels something wiggling and wobbling in his mouth. Oh, no! What can it be? It’s Bear’s first loose tooth! In the first Bear book in three years, Bear’s friends ease his concerns about his wiggly, wobbly tooth and help him understand that losing a baby tooth is perfectly natural. This funny and reassuring story with rhyming text from Karma Wilson and charming illustrations from Jane Chapman is a delight for kids of any age.

My Thoughts

The Bear books are so sweet and help children through fear, sickness, and even new friends. The newest book is about Bear's first loose tooth! He gets scared about not being able to eat but his friends tell him that another will grow in its place. His woodland friends include a sparrow,owl, mouse, badger, and many others. They are all important characters and wonderfully illustrated. The pictures are filled with lush greens and fuzzy animals with very expressive faces. This is recommended for children in the age range where teeth are about ready to fall out. I really like that the tooth fairy leaves him blueberries and he promptly shares them with his friends.

Book Pairings

Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson

The Sniffles for Bear by Bonny Becker

Bedtime for Bear by Brett Helquist

CLockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-16T06:12:00.002-06:00

Clockwork Angel

The Infernal Devices: Book One

by Cassandra Clare

479 pages

Personal Copy

2010

Book Jacket Summary

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

My Thoughts

A new series by Cassandra Clare and a Victorian setting at that! I think this is a great new start to a new Steampunkish series that will also make fans of the Mortal Instruments happy. I really like the alternate Victorian London setting and also placing the characters in a new Institute. The characters are intriguing and different from her previous series. Sometime author struggle with that but the characters have different problems, though the romantic triangle seems the same.

Tessa is strong but struggles when she finds out she is not quite human, much like Clarissa in a way. However, Tessa is not a Shadowhunter so there is a feeling of being left out rather than included in the family. She is an outsider that must find a way to help. Will is a brooding, almost unlikeable character but he is the love interest. We hardly know anything about him and he constantly pushes people away. I'm glad we have another possiblity in Jem, who is kind and open. He has his own demons to work out but is a much better choice (althoug in a Cassandra Clare book that never gets the girl). Sophie is also a character that I want to know more about because she is brave and has the Sight. She could be a great character because of her loyalty to the people who helped her out of a dangerous situation. The book skips around in POV but is not in first person. It does make good use of it and there is many things that we would not have learned about otherwise.

Overall it is a fun book that will have YA's wanting more. Good thing the sequel is already out. There is a waiting list at my public library that feels way to long because I want it now!

Book Pairings

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

The Joy of Books (Video)

2012-01-14T06:30:00.000-06:00

Can we please give a round of applause to the people who made this video!?

Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen

2012-01-13T06:37:00.000-06:00

Good Little Wolf

by Nadia Shireen

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Rolf, a small, gentle wolf, lives with Mrs. Boggins, who tells him he is a good little wolf. But when he meets up with a large, ferocious wolf, he is told that he isn't a real wolf. Wolves aren't little and good—they are big and bad. To prove he is a real wolf, the old wolf tells Rolf he must perform certain tasks, such as blowing down a little pig's house. Rolf is a total failure . . . until the big bad wolf urges him to do something unspeakable to old Mrs. Boggins. Then the good little wolf proves that he can stand up to the big bad bully. Or so it seems. More mature readers may find a different ending that could lead to a great discussion! Using familiar storybook characters and an endearing new hero, Nadia Shireen makes her debut in this winning picture book.

My Quick Thoughts

I was enjoying this one, up until the last page. There is a story within a story element element but when the main character gets devoured by the Big Bad Wolf it puts a damper on my enjoyment. Children will have to know Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs to get full satisfaction from this one. I would not recommend this one to sensitive souls because of the ending, although older children many enjoy the dramatic irony. The characters are cute and have an innocence to them (except the Big Bad Wolf). It is a strange story but original. Not my cup of tea but I know others *cough*Kerri*cough* who may enjoy the macabre ending.

Book Pairings

Betsy Red Hoodie by Gail Carson Levine

The Stinky Sheese Man by Jon Scieszka

Betsy Who Cried Wolf by Gail Carson Levine

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

2012-01-12T06:34:00.005-06:00

Shadowcry

by Jenna Burtenshaw

311 pages

Personal Copy

2011

Book Jacket Summary

The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away.

Albion is at war . . . and losing.

The wardens have descended, kidnapping innocent citizens for their army, but looking for one in particular.

And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.

As her home is torn apart by the wardens, Kate's discovery that she is one of the Skilled—the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death—makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Only she can unlock the secrets of Wintercraft, the ancient book of dangerous knowledge. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—with its secret tunnels and underground villages, and where her own parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she'll make a pact with a murderer to do it.

Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price.

My Thoughts

Interestingly the book was originally published in England as Wintercraft. This book reminded me of The Shifter by Janice Hardy in the way the story was told and the world building that took place. Also, in the way that is was good but not quite great. There was a lot going on with the world and the magic the Skilled possess but I cannot help but feel that there was not enough to Kate to make her a great main character. She just kinda went from place to place without much action. I like proactive characters, like the side character Edgar, that drive the story. Things just happen to Kate, she never really created or made a challenge. I think Burtenshaw should have made it a more adult fantasy and focused on Silas. He was an awesome character- even though he was a murdering half-dead villain. What can I say? I love a "good" villain. I wanted to get into his character more than Kate. Not to say that the book was not entertaining. I read it and never thought about not finishing it and the world building is very good. Just know you will want to know more about the side characters, like Edgar and Silas.

That being said, I am looking forward to the next book and would recommend this one to teens who are die hard fantasy fans. Not much paranormal going on here.

Book Pairings

The Shifter by Janice Hardy

The Glass Swallow by Julia Golding

WOW: The Fine Art of Truth and Dare

2012-01-11T06:30:00.004-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Fine Art of Truth and Dare

by Melissa Jensen

Release Date: Feb. 16, 2012

Goodreads Summary

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Yay! Another interesting realistic fiction. I really love the cover and the way the painting frames the two teens. Hope that this is a good one!

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick edited by Chris Van Allsburg

2012-01-10T06:05:00.000-06:00

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

edited by Chris Van Allsburg

195 pages

Anthology

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

An inspired collection of short stories by an all-star cast of best-selling storytellers based on the thought-provoking illustrations in Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.

For more than twenty-five years, the illustrations in the extraordinary Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg have intrigued and entertained readers of all ages. Thousands of children have been inspired to weave their own stories to go with these enigmatic pictures. Now we’ve asked some of our very best storytellers to spin the tales. Enter The Chronicles of Harris Burdick to gather this incredible compendium of stories: mysterious, funny, creepy, poignant, these are tales you won’t soon forget.

My Thoughts

The mysterious drawings of Harris Burdick have fascinated me since I first saw them in elementary school. I choose to believe in the tale and love the extended mystery. In this anthology 14 authors take a stab at writing a story based on the pictures and caption. Famous authors, such as Walter Dean Myers, Lois Lowery, and Stephen King make an appearance.

I think my favorite three were The Harp by Linda Sue Park, Missing in Venice by Gregory Maguire, and The Third Floor Bedroom by Kate DiCamillo. The Harp is a straight up magical tale about two bickering sisters who get caught up in a magic spell. Missing in Venice is about a boy whose adult care takers are after his inheritance. The Third Floor Bedroom is told through the letters of a sick girl who is writing to her brother. Each story has an element of the fantastic and most have a slight creepy vibe.
When I was younger I wrote a story about giant cockroaches that invaded a family's cottage. These pictures have inspired writers of all ages to pen some fantastic stories. I am glad to see some of them in print.

Book Pairings

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg

Enthralled edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong

2012-01-09T06:39:00.003-06:00

Enthralled

edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong
452 pages

YA Anthology

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.

Sixteen of today’s hottest writers of paranormal tales weave stories on a common theme of journeying. Authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Melissa Marr return to the beloved worlds of their bestselling series, while others, like Claudia Gray, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl, create new land-scapes and characters. But whether they’re writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart.
Suspenseful, funny, or romantic, the stories in Enthralled will leave you moved.

My Thoughts

You should pick this one up if you are a fan of paranormal series because there are plenty of continuing short stories. Rachel Caine, Kelley Armstrong, and Melissa Marr add onto their respective series. I especially appreciate Kelley Armstrong's addition to Chloe's life from The Darkest Powers trilogy. I had to run to the library and pick up Jackson Pearces' novel As You Wish because the continuing story from the anthology (Things About Love) was that good!

There are some great standalone's, like Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson. Gargouille are winged humans that live in the mountains in secret. When Gisille is kidnapped and dewinged her love goes to extreme measures to be with her. Red Run by Kami Garcia is a ghost story with revenge on the mind.

I throughly enjoyed this anthology but I was also familiar with most of the series the short stories are based on. I am not sure how people who are unfamiliar with them will enjoy it. I know I was slightly confused with Melissa Marr's Merely Mortal. I never read her series so I was not familiar with the characters back stories and missed many of the inside jokes. However, this is a great anthology for paranormal fans!

Book Pairings
The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire edited by Trisha Telep
Kisses from Hell edited by Kristin Cast
Vacations from Hell by Libba Bray

Arisa volume 1 by Natsumi Ando

2012-01-06T06:11:00.002-06:00

Arisa volume 1

by Natsumi Ando

Manga

Library

2010

Book Jacket Summary

Tsubasa thinks that her pretty and popular twin sister, Arisa, has the perfect life. Everyone at school loves Arisa—unlike the hot-tempered Tsubasa, whose nickname is “the Demon Princess.” But when Arisa attempts suicide, Tsubasa learns that her seemingly perfect sister has been keeping some dark secrets. Now Tsubasa is going undercover at school—disguised as Arisa—in search of the truth. But will Arisa’s secrets shatter Tsubasa’s life, too?

My Thoughts

Natsumi Ando is an established manga creator with great series like Zodiac PI and Kitchen Princess already translated here in the US. Arisa looks to be a great addition to the manga world. I really like that there is a mystery element to this series, not exactly like Zodiac PI where there is a new mystery every few chapters but an overarching look into a sister's life.

Tsubasa and her sister, Arisa, were separated as children when their parents divorced. They stayed in contact through letters and are planning on reuniting. This go wrong when Arisa attempts to kill herself but ends up in a coma. Tsubasa wants to find out what is going on in her sisters life that seemed so perfect. Tsubasa must go undercover at her sister's school and find out the truth. I really liked Tsubasa because she is the polar opposite of her sister and must learn to control her anger to find out what is really happening in her sister's class. There seems to be an element of danger, suspicion, and romance happening in the next few volumes.

As always, Ando draws beautifully and has spunky characters that go headlong into danger! I hope to continue reading this series an look forward to finding out what mysteries lie in Arisa's past.

Natsumi Ando usually writes clean story lines and no nudity. This would be a title to recommend to someone who is looking for a more clean manga.

Book Pairings

Zodiac PI by Natsumi Ando

Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura by Arina Tanemura

Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne by Arina Tanemura

Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy

2012-01-05T06:38:00.000-06:00

Urban Shaman

by C.E. Murphy

344 pages

Loaned from a friend

Paranormal (Adult)

2005

Book Jacket Summary

Joanne Walker has three days to learn to use her shamanic powers and save the world from the unleashed Wild Hunt.

No worries. No pressure. Never mind the lack of sleep, the perplexing new talent for healing herself from fatal wounds, or the cryptic, talking coyote who appears in her dreams.

And if all that's not bad enough, in the three years Joanne's been a cop, she's never seen a dead body—but she's just come across her second in three days.

It's been a bitch of a week.

And it isn't over yet.

My Thoughts

Joanne's life has been turned upside down by saving a young woman from the Wild Hunt. Finding out she is a shaman and has the ability to heal is not something she has a lot of time to explore because now the Hunt's riders are after her. She must place herself in danger to set the world right and get some sleep.
This was a fun book that never got slow or lacked in action. I really liked Joanne and how she is determined to save those who are in danger. She does not want to be a shaman and has run from her past but she takes up the responsibility.
The secondary characters are also believable! I think I love Gary most of all! He is the cabby that Joanne took from the airport to save a woman she saw being attacked. Instead of high-tailing it, he sticks around to help. Her friend, Billy is a fellow cop that looks to be fun, especially in future books. The villains are the right amount of cool but scary. Nothing like the god of the Hunt and a Celtic demi-god duking it out.
Overall a great read! The last thing I needed was a new series but a good friend shoved them in my hands and I knew I had to read them. It looks to be a great series! Teens could enjoy this one but it is more of an adult fare. Cannot wait for for the next book.

Book Pairings

Trick of the Light by Rob Thurman

Greywalker by Kat Richardson

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson

2012-01-03T06:37:00.006-06:00

Sorry for my absence but it has been a long week filled with family, friends, and reading! I will be posting regularly now that the holidays are over and hopefully host a few giveaways in the coming months!

The Lantern

by Deborah Lawrenson 

386 pages

Adult

2011

Book Summary

A modern gothic novel of love, secrets, and murder—set against the lush backdrop of Provence.

Meeting Dom was the most incredible thing that had ever happened to me. When Eve falls for the secretive, charming Dom in Switzerland, their whirlwind relationship leads them to Les GenÉvriers, an abandoned house set among the fragrant lavender fields of the South of France. Each enchanting day delivers happy discoveries: hidden chambers, secret vaults, a beautiful wrought-iron lantern. Deeply in love and surrounded by music, books, and the heady summer scents of the French countryside, Eve has never felt more alive.

But with autumn’s arrival the days begin to cool, and so, too, does Dom. Though Eve knows he bears the emotional scars of a failed marriage—one he refuses to talk about—his silence arouses suspicion and uncertainty. The more reticent Dom is to explain, the more Eve becomes obsessed with finding answers—and with unraveling the mystery of his absent, beautiful ex-wife, Rachel.

Like its owner, Les GenÉvriers is also changing. Bright, warm rooms have turned cold and uninviting; shadows now fall unexpectedly; and Eve senses a presence moving through the garden. Is it a ghost from the past or a manifestation of her current troubles with Dom? Can she trust Dom, or could her life be in danger?

Eve does not know that Les GenÉvriers has been haunted before. Benedicte Lincel, the house’s former owner, thrived as a young girl within the rich elements of the landscape: the violets hidden in the woodland, the warm wind through the almond trees. She knew the bitter taste of heartbreak and tragedy—long-buried family secrets and evil deeds that, once unearthed, will hold shocking and unexpected consequences for Eve.

My Thoughts

I do occasionally read straight up adult fiction that teens will not really enjoy. They are usually recommended to me by a co-worker who has similar taste in books, the more gothic the better. This book is rather gothic and reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier but at the same time was very different. There is a sense that the husband is not telling everything and not knowing the narrator's real name but it has a different pacing and a dual story line. I like dual story lines and this one did a great job of using the house as a connecting point.
I would not recommend this one to teens because it is a bit slow at times. The slowness is a more adult wanderings of life and how many paths we take to get to a certain event. I am not sure many teens would "get" the book but I know many adults who would like the atmosphere and slowness.
Overall I enjoyed it but will not read it it again like I do with some of my other gothic favorites, such as Barbra Michaels, Victoria Holt, or Kate Morton.

Book Pairings

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

2011-12-27T06:38:00.001-06:00

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens!

Flipped

by Wendelin Van Draanen

212 pages

2001

Book Jacket Summary

Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.

My Thoughts

I loved the alternating points of view that this book expertly executes, with Juli and Bryce telling their own story and how they are growing up. This is a perfect book for tweens and teens because it is such a moving story about growing up from the viewpoints of two different people who witness the same things.

Juli first met Bryce when he moved next door and feel in love with his beautiful blue eyes but Bryce only felt intimidated by Juli's exorbitant personality. As they grow up, Juli matures into a caring person who can see the good in everything and enjoys raising her chickens. Bryce takes a bit longer to mature into a boy with character and able to see past the superficial. It was so nice to have a love story that had both sides to the story. Conversations slightly change or have entirely different meaning in alternate chapters.

This is great for tweens and teens who are looking for a cleaner romance and a coming of age story for both a boy and girl. I borrowed the movie from a friend and hope it lives up to the book! It will be interesting to see it set in the 1950's.

Book Pairings

The City of Ember (The Ember Series, #1) by Jeanne DuPrau
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman

2011-12-26T06:29:00.000-06:00

Blue Chicken

by Deborah Freedman

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

In this deceptively simple picture book, author-illustrator Deborah Freedman has created an irresistible character that springs to life and wreaks havoc in a farmyard with a pot of blue paint. The innocent chicken just wants to help, but things get worse and worse-and bluer and bluer--the more she tries. Playing with colors and perspective, and using minimal text, this richly layered story reveals new things to see and laugh about with each reading.

My Thoughts

Why do picture books have to be so adorable? I like the ones that make me smile and close them with a satisfied sigh. This one falls in that category. It uses color and perspective to tell a story of a barnyard picture that comes o life. When a chicken accidentally spills blue paint over her barnyard picture all the animals and scenery become covered in blue. She has to run from the angry mob but discovers that water will wash them all clean.
This book is chalk full of color and laughs as animals get covered in blue, the cat is especially bothered. Very cute addition to any library. I actually suggested this one to my mom during her holiday shopping for a three-year-old.

Book Pairings

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle

Farmyard Beat by Linda Craig
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

I See a Kitty in the Sky by Yasmine Surovec

2011-12-25T14:27:00.002-06:00

Here is the link to the free e-book on ISSUU.

I was not contacted by Yasmine to show you this, this is all me! I love her web comic and even got the Cat vs. Human book for Christmas. Review should be showing up soon!

Where Do You Call Home?

2011-12-25T11:52:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope your day is wonderful and you get everything you asked Santa for this Christmas day. Here is a cute video that shows how the library helps children. Now go drink some warm apple cider and enjoy your day with family and friends!

23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

2011-12-24T08:31:00.003-06:00

This is a very interesting look at the best thing you should do for your health. I really like the way this is put together and the artist is very talented! Enjoy!

Be Quiet, Mike! by Leslie Patricelli

2011-12-23T06:08:00.000-06:00

Be Quiet, Mike!

by Leslie Patricelli

Library

Picture Book

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Digga-digga-digga-digga, zat, zoom, crash! Leslie Patricelli’s lovable (but noisy!) new character finds an ingenious way to create a sound all his own.
Even before he was born, Mike started drumming. Kick! Thump! Pow! Wherever he goes, his rhythms sing: swis, thak, go his books; bang, clank, goes the trash can; tap, tap, go his pencils; and "BE QUIET, MIKE!" yells everyone around him. But one day Mike sees a drum set in a store window-- and puts his hands-on talents to work in a most impressive way. W ith the bold graphic style and clever details her readers love, Leslie Patricelli strikes a cymbal for active, high-energy little monkeys everywhere.

My Quick Thoughts

Be Quiet, Mike! is a book about a little monkey who cannot stop making a beat. A rattle, table, or pencil can help him make the noises that resonate within him. However, those around him constantly yell "be quiet, Mike!" He think he is not destined to hear the music when he see someone playing the drums. Mike is determined to build his own drum set and finally finds a way to compose his music! The pictures are simplistic but conveys Mike need for music. Told in rhyme and great for any family with a rambunctious little monkey of their own.

Book Pairing

Farm Yard Beat by Lindsey Craig

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon

2011-12-22T06:25:00.001-06:00

Fury of the Phoenix

by Cindy Pon
359 pages

Public Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

The Gods have abandoned Ai Ling.

Her mysterious power haunts her day and night, and she leaves home—with just the moon as her guide—overwhelmed by her memories and visions and an unbearable sense of dread. For Ai Ling knows that Chen Yong is vulnerable to corrupt enchantments from the under-world. How can she do nothing when she has the skill and power to fight at his side? A dream has told her where he is, the name of the ship he is traveling on, his destination. So she steals off and stows away on board.

The ocean voyage brings with it brutal danger, haunting revelations, and new friendships, but also the premonition of a very real and terrifying threat. Zhong Ye—the powerful sorcerer whom Ai Ling believed she had vanquished in the Palace of Fragrant Dreams—is trapped in Hell, neither alive nor dead. Can he reach from beyond the grave to reunite with Silver Phoenix and destroy Chen Yong? And destroy whatever chance Ai Ling has at happiness, at love?

In this sequel to the acclaimed novel Silver Phoenix, four lives are woven together and four destinies become one, now and forever.

My Thoughts

Fury of the Phoenix starts up a few months after Silver Phoenix with Ai Ling trying to sneak aboard a ship that Chen Yong is taking to Jiang Doa. Chen is trying to find his biological father and Ai Ling has had dreams of something terrible happening to him on hos travels. That is what I like about Ai Ling, she always acts rather than let things just happen to her/ She goes forward to stop the bad guys herself! A very proactive character that awesome!

We also get to explore the past of Silver Phoenix's villain, Zhong Ye. I kinda wish that his past was left a little more hidden because I usually like a little mystery to my big bads but it was till a good addition to the Ai Ling/Chen Yong story. The romantic subplot was also so good because Ai Ling and Chen Yong are so stubborn and pig headed. Half the time you just want them too hurry up and get together! Especially when they share a cabon on their voyage to Jiang Doa. Everyone thinks they are brother and sister but we know different! There is also dramatic tension because Chen Yong thinks that Ai Ling might have been in love with his brother Li Rong. So much tension!

I do wish the cover was more like Silver Phoenix, with an Asian girl on the cover. This cover is ambiguous to the characters. I know publishers think that it will appeal to more people if they hide the identity but I think it would actual appeal to more people! There is a need for YA books about non-white characters, especially in fantasy. I am so excited that authors like Cindy Pon and Malinda Lo are stepping up to fill the void. Kudos to them!

However, this is a great sequel to an awesome first book. I cannot wait for more books by Cindy Pon!

Book Pairings

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang

WoW: Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

2011-12-21T06:21:00.003-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Someone Else's Life

by Kaite Dale

Release Date: Feb. 2, 2012

When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

Another great sounding realistic fiction.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

2011-12-20T06:06:00.001-06:00

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

526 pages
Crossover
Library

2007

Website Summary

ORPHAN, CLOCK KEEPER, AND THIEF, twelve-year-old Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric girl and the owner of a small toy booth in the train station, Hugo’s undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message all come together...in The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

This 526-page book is told in both words and pictures. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is not exactly a novel, and it’s not quite a picture book, and it’s not really a graphic novel, or a flip book, or a movie, but a combination of all these things. Each picture (there are nearly three hundred pages of pictures!) takes up an entire double page spread, and the story moves forward because you turn the pages to see the next moment unfold in front of you.

My Thoughts

This is a book that I have been meaning to read for a long time and with the movie out I knew it better be sooner rather than later. Selznick captures the imagination with this impossibly thick book. The combination of pictures and story is one of the most unique ways to make a story that I have ever seen. I love seeing Hugo running through the inter-workings of the train station and the narration joining to form a complex story.
It turns out Brian Selznick is related to two of the famous movie Selznick's (watch a lot of black and white movies and their name pops up a lot). The correlation of early years of cinema is explored in Hugo. I wonder how much of it was inspired by his connection to his family... Research time! I love books that make you think and want to find out more about them.
I would highly recommend this one to tweens and anyone else who is interested in the movie or the early days of cinema. Automatons have been a been a great jumping off point for other books, Steampunk uses them a lot.
I cannot stress enough the beauty of the illustrations throughout the book. Even if you don't read it, look for it in the book store or local library and flip through it!

Book Pairings
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan

Rescuing Rover by Raymond Bial

2011-12-19T06:35:00.000-06:00

Rescuing Rover: Saving America's Dogs

by Raymond Bial

80 pages

Nonfiction

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Nearly 75 million dogs live with American families, where many sleep in our beds, walk us to school, and eat our unwanted broccoli. However, millions of dogs are born in America each year without a place to live. Most of these animals find themselves in shelters, and many, if they are not adopted, are put to sleep. Raymond Bial takes readers into the genesis of the dog overpopulation problem, covering puppy mills, pet stores, and backyard breeders, and then he profiles a local animal shelter, sharing with readers the ins and outs of daily life there. Who runs animal shelters? Who plays with the pets? How long do they stay? And how can you adopt one?

My Thoughts

A great look into the different ways dogs can be adopted through agencies, such as: the SPCA, the Humane Society, and rescue groups. This book does speak about neglect and puppy mills with photos that may be disturbing for younger children. However if they have seen the "Arms of the Angels" SPCA commericals they can probably handle this book (although that commerical always makes me tear up). I would highly recommend reading this one with a child before adopting a dog. This way children will be more informed about the responsibilities and items needed to take care of dogs.

I adopted my puppy, Sully, from the Humane Society and would recommend going this route. You can also use Petfinder.com to search for dogs in your area and search for specific breeds or by age. However, this is a large responsibility and never give a dog as a present for someone else.

So much love!

Book Pairings

Fleabag by Helen Stephens

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Brian Dennis

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson

Stitches by David Small

2011-12-16T06:11:00.002-06:00

Stitches

by David Small

329 pages

Library

YA/Adult Crossover

Memoir

2009

Book Jacket Summary

One day David Small awoke from a supposedly harmless operation to discover that he had been transformed into a virtual mute. A vocal cord removed, his throat slashed and stitched together like a bloody boot, the fourteen-year-old boy had not been told that he had cancer and was expected to die.

In Stitches, Small, the award-winning children’s illustrator and author, re-creates this terrifying event in a life story that might have been imagined by Kafka. As the images painfully tumble out, one by one, we gain a ringside seat at a gothic family drama where David—a highly anxious yet supremely talented child—all too often became the unwitting object of his parents’ buried frustration and rage.

Believing that they were trying to do their best, David’s parents did just the reverse. Edward Small, a Detroit physician, who vented his own anger by hitting a punching bag, was convinced that he could cure his young son’s respiratory problems with heavy doses of radiation, possibly causing David’s cancer. Elizabeth, David’s mother, tyrannically stingy and excessively scolding, ran the Small household under a cone of silence where emotions, especially her own, were hidden.

Depicting this coming-of-age story with dazzling, kaleidoscopic images that turn nightmare into fairy tale, Small tells us of his journey from sickly child to cancer patient, to the troubled teen whose risky decision to run away from home at sixteen—with nothing more than the dream of becoming an artist—will resonate as the ultimate survival statement.

A silent movie masquerading as a book, Stitches renders a broken world suddenly seamless and beautiful again. Finalist for the 2009 National Book Award (Young Adult); finalist for two 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (Best Writer/Artist: Nonfiction; Best Reality-Based Work).

My Thoughts

In this autobiographical memoir, David Small bares his childhood to us in all its dysfunctional glory. David Small has to deal with the family who does not know how to communicate with each other and often takes their rage out on him. His childhood is filled with imaginations of escaping to a world that he sees in books and cartoons. When he is older he is wheeled in for surgery for a removal of a cyst that ends up removing half his vocal cords and he looses his voice along with his identity. He later learns that it was a cancer that was removed from his neck and was never told. Small struggles through his early years but finds a way not to tread the path his mother and his grandmother paved. This is a powerful and moving book that will leave you thinking.

Stitches is definitely a book more suited for older teens and adults who can grasp the emotional intensity that occurs throughout the book. I know there were time when I had to put the book down and digest what just happened. The emotional withdrawn mother, whose silence dictated the house and a grandmother whose abuse must of shaped that silence. Silence is a major theme in Small's illustrious and wording through out the book. There are many scenes where there is no dialogue and Small is running around a hospital as a small boy. It is a very traumatic scene where he sees an embryo and mistakes it for a little man that haunts his nightmares for years.

The book has a creepy and even scary feel to it at times. I think Small was showing how scared he was at the time with the cancer, his mother, and the craziness that might run through his family. The mother is drawn with a perpetual scowl and furrowed brow that is menacing. She is a menacing figure throughout his life and he has to come to terms that his mother may have never loved him. This could potentially be a difficult for many people but it is one that should be in every library. It deals with so many issues that teens and adults struggle with and may help them find a way out of the hell that their childhood situations lead them.

Book Pairings

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

2011-12-15T06:34:00.001-06:00

Between Here and Forever

by Elizabeth Scott

256 pages
YA

2011

**Disclaimer: A copy of the book was provided to me by the author, and I received no compensation in exchange for my honest review.**

Book Jacket Summary

Abby accepted that she can't measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby's life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her. She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she'd never seen. Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

My Thoughts

I received this book in the mail and there was not a note or anything that said why it was sent to me. I think it was a goodreads win but I cannot be sure, all I know is that the author was the sender and that I am going to give an honest review.
I have not read an Elizebeth Scott book before and I found this one to be very honest approach on a girl who feels less valued than her evervesent older sister. Abby has always felt that she is second best to her sister. She is now struggling with all the different attention she is receiving as Tess lies in a coma. Abby starts to learn about Tess and how she may not be as perfect as she seems. Her sister's former friend Claire has become Abby's one person she can talk to honestly. Claire may be holding back secrets of her own though. She meets Eli at the hospital and learning to love again after a difficult love affair may be just what she needs.
I really need to go back and read the rest of Elizabeth Scott's books. If all her characters are as real as Abby, Claire, and Eli then I know I have some great reading ahead of me.

*Spoilers*
This book brought up many tough subjects, Abby dealing with the fact that Tess may never wake up, Eli dealing with his OCD, Claire dealing with being a teenage mother, and Abby finding out that Tess is a lesbian. I would highly recommend this one to teens that are looking for books with realistic situations.

Book Pairings
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

WoW: Book of Wonders

2011-12-14T06:36:00.000-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book of Wonders

by Jasmine Richards

Release Date: January 17, 2012

Summary

Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all.

When her own beloved sister is captured by the evil ruler, Zardi knows that she must go to any lengths to rescue her. Along with her best friend, Ridhan—a silver-haired, violet-eyed boy of mysterious origins—and an unlikely crew of sailors led by the infamous Captain Sinbad, Zardi ventures forth into strange and wondrous territory with a seemingly impossible mission: to bring magic back to Arribitha and defeat the sultan once and for all.

This one looks like so much fun! I am a big fan of sea voyages, mysterious lands, and evil rulers! This book has all of this and more. Cannot wait for January!

Missing on Supersition Mountain by Elise Broach

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens!

Missing on Supersition Mountain

by Elise Broach

262 pages

Upper Elementary

2011

Book Jacket Summary

It’s summer and the three Barker brothers—Simon, Henry, and Jack—just moved from Illinois to Arizona. Their parents have warned them repeatedly not to explore Superstition Mountain, which is near their home. But when their cat Josie goes missing, they see no other choice. There’s something unusually creepy about the mountain and after the boys find three human skulls, they grow determined to uncover the mystery. Have people really gone missing over the years, and could there be someone or some thing lurking in the woods? Together with their new neighbor Delilah, the Barker boys are dead-set on cracking the case even if it means putting themselves in harm’s way.

My Thoughts

Simon, Henry, and Jack have moved to Superstition, Arizona with their parents. They quickly meet Delilah Dunworthy and set upon an adventure on Superstition Mountain. This looks to be the start of a fun mystery/adventure series with hidden treasure and ruthless villains. I really liked Henry because he was just the right amount of cautious and brave (when needed). He worries about his actions but is often goaded by his younger and older brothers. It is hard being stuck in the middle with brothers who have strong personalities.

I am looking forward for more books because there seems to be a lot that Broach can draw from in history. Many of the historical things the boys find are drawn from real life mysteries. I also liked Henry's vocabulary because he is always trying out new words. The librarian in the book seems to be "shifty" and it could be fun to see an evil librarian, although real life librarians would be much more helpful.

This is a buy for anyone who needs a boy based adventure book.

Book Pairings

The Red Blazer Girls: The Mistaken Masterpiece by Michael D. Beil

Sidekicks by Jack D. Ferraiolo

Shakespeare Secret by Elise Broach

Orani: My Father's Village by Claire A. Nivola

2011-12-12T06:27:00.000-06:00

Orani: My Father's Village

by Claire A. Nivola

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

As a child, Claire Nivola loved summers in Orani, the village where her father grew up and where her many aunts, uncles, and 50 cousins still lived. She ran freely through the town's cobbled streets with packs of cousins, who quizzed her about America while she took in all teh simple joys and pleasures of daily life in a village where surprises met them at every turn.

In this sensuous homage of prose and pictures, Nivola invites readers to share in her experience of Orani, a village where surprises met them at every turn and luxuries were unheard of, but life was rich, lived close to the earth.

My Quick Thoughts

This is a beautiful look back at a small villiage in Italy that Claire Nivola visited as a child. Her father immigrated to America but would often visit with his family. It describes the community life and customs of the people in Orani. It is a deeply personal story about life, death, and everything inbetween. It is never heavy handed and Nivola keeps the story on a more possitive note. For every death there is new life. The writing evokes emotion and nostagia. You miss the days when children could go out and explore an island with out adults wondering if they will be coming back. Her memories are beautiful and the book captures the beauty of the past.

The pictures are nostalgic with a more muted color scheme but colors do pop with reds. It has a very 1940's look to the illustartiuons. I love the introspective look into the past. I would recommend this book to eveyone. There is something there for children and adults.

Book Pairings

All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino

Coming to America: A Muslim Family's Story by Bernard Wolf

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest

Boy Wonders by Calef Brown

2011-12-08T15:40:00.000-06:00

Boy Wonders

by Calef Brown

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Summary

Have you ever wondered, pondered, quizzically thought?

Have questions and queries made you distraught?

If you have the need to inquire,

Then you might require

A book such as this.

(It’s not to be missed)

Pull up a chair, throw your hand in the air

He’ll answer your questions

…and answer with flare!

For all those "why why why" kid out there, Calef Brown has a few questions of his own: Is water scared of waterfalls? Are clam bakes good for bake sales? Are phones annoyed when no one calls? Do jealous clouds steal each other's thunder? Each question is wackier than the last and is sure to drum up some good laughs…there’s no question about that!

My Quick Thoughts

If you are looking for a book on word play, you have come to the right book. The story is set in rhyme, so we get pages set with:

Are phones annoyed if no one calls?

Do ants, when anxious climb the walls?

The pictures are strange and surreal. It is not really my cup of tea but young boys will get a kick out of it. The tongue twisters and funny questions will make kids giggle and probably most adults. The pictures are simplistic and a bit child like. However, it feels more like an adult drawing like a child rather than a more realistic child's drawing. This does not detract to much because the children will enjoy the witty word play and tongue twisters. I would recommend this one to kids and maybe encourage them to check out Shel Silverstein's books of poetry if they enjoy this one. There are more funny rhymes and word play in his poems as well.

Book Pairings

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein

Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness from Calef Brown by Calef Brown

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown

2011-12-07T15:40:00.001-06:00

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina

by Monica Brown

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

My name is Marisol McDonald, and I don’t match. At least, that’s what everyone tells me.

Marisol McDonald has flaming red hair and nut-brown skin. Polka dots and stripes are her favorite combination. She prefers peanut butter and jelly burritos in her lunch box. And don’t even think of asking her to choose one or the other activity at recess—she’ll just be a soccer playing pirate princess, thank you very much. To Marisol McDonald, these seemingly mismatched things make perfect sense together.

Unfortunately, they don’t always make sense to everyone else. Other people wrinkle their nose in confusion at Marisol—can’t she just be one or the other? Try as she might, in a world where everyone tries to put this biracial, Peruvian-Scottish-American girl into a box, Marisol McDonald doesn’t match. And that’s just fine with her.

A mestiza Peruvian American of European, Jewish, and Amerindian heritage, renowned author Monica Brown wrote this lively story to bring her own experience of being mismatched to life. Her buoyant prose is perfectly matched by Sara Palacios’ engaging acrylic illustrations.

My Thoughts

The inside cover caught me eye when I first opened this book. It is filled with drawing that Marisol might do and remind me of the pictures my cousin would draw. This is a bilingual book with parellel English and Spainish translations. It is a great book about expressing oneself and finding your own personality. Marisol likes to mismatch her clothes and food. Who wouldn't want a PB&J burrito. I also like that Marisol is multiracial. Her hair is read and does not match the rest of her but that is okay because Marisol is herself and no one else! The author based part of that on herself and her own multiracial family. This is a great picture book for all because it celebrates being unique despite peer pressure.

Book Pairings

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan

I Love Saturdays Y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada

Giant Book Tent

2011-12-06T23:00:00.000-06:00

Source

Now You Can Sleep Inside a Giant Book

I'm glad someone turned something as boring and utilitarian as camping tents into something beautiful like FieldCandy's Fully Booked tent, which is designed to look like an open book.

Four people can comfortably sleep in this 11.65 by 5.57 by 4.6 feet tent. $869.

Found what I want for Christmas.

Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played with Puppets by Kathleen Krull

2011-12-01T06:13:00.000-06:00

Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played with Puppets

by Kathleen Krull

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Sesame Street and The Muppet Show introduced Jim Henson's Muppets to the world, making Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Big Bird household names. But even as a child in rural Mississippi, listening to the radio and putting on comedy shows for his family, Jim recognized the power of laughter to bring people together. On Sesame Street, Jim's Muppets transformed children's television by making learning fun for kids everywhere. A visionary, Jim always believed that puppets could reach a wider audience. In 1976, he proved it, drawing millions of family viewers to The Muppet Show. With his feature film The Dark Crystal and his Star Wars characters—including Yoda—Jim continued to push the boundaries of what was possible in puppetry until his death in 1990 at the age of 53.

My Thoughts

This is an interesting picture book describing the life and accomplishments of Jim Henson. The book starts with a quote: When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. Well Jim, I think you succeeded. Henson was brave enough to follow his dream and even went to college to get a Home Economics degree. He was one of six men in a class of 500 women.

I love the muppet movies and I am excited about the new one coming out. This will be a great tool to tell the life of the who made Kermit and Miss Piggy such a success. I remember sitting and watching Muppet Babies when I was little. That was my introduction to the muppets and then Sesame Street. Hard to believe it has such an impact on our lives.

What is your favorite muppet movie? Mine is The Great Muppet Caper.

Book Pairings

The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps by Jeanette Winter

Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg

Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan by Jane Yolen

WOW: Violins of Autumn

2011-11-30T06:30:00.001-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Violins of Autumn

by Amy McAuley

Release Date: June 19, 2012

Summary

Go behind enemy lines during World War II in this tale of romance and espionage...

Betty, an American teenager living in Britain, is determined to contribute to the cause when the Germans begin bombing London in World War II. Instead of collecting scrap metal or running air raid drills like most girls her age, Betty lies about her age and trains to become a spy and member of the Special Operations Executive. Now known by her secret agent persona, Adele Blanchard, she soon finds herself parachuting over German-occupied France in the dark of night to join the secret Resistance movement.

Adele's missions in Paris and throughout the French countryside delivering top-secret messages, lead to several close calls with the Gestapo, but it's when she crosses paths with a young American pilot that Adele fully realizes the brutality of this war and the seriousness of her circumstances. Plus her changing feelings for this pilot are as uncertain as their future. Can Adele elude the Gestapo long enough to enjoy the future they are trying to protect?

I love books and movies set during World War II. This one has all the elements that intrigue me about crossing behind enemy lines and spying. I cannot wait for this one to be released!

Congrats to Thanhha Lai!!!

2011-11-29T15:31:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Thanhha Lai on her National Book Award win!

This review was originally published on August 2, 2011.

Inside Out and Back Again

by Thanhha Lai

Library

262 pages

2011

Book Jacket Summary

No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama.

For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by . . . and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.

But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape . . . and the strength of her very own family.

This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.

My Thoughts

Kim Ha lives in Vietnam where she nurtures a papya tree in her backyard. She loves black sesame candy but her world suddenly changes when her family is forced to flee Vietnam for America in 1975. This book is told in free verse and pack an emotional punch of Ha's tranistion from her home to the strange country that talk's like snakes.

Ha is stubborn and quick to anger with everyone but still loves her family. Her loving mother, Brother Quang, Brother Vu, and Brother Khoi. Brother Quang is studying engineering in Vietnam and now helps fix cars with their American sponsor. Brother Vu worships Bruce Lee and gives self-defense lessons to picked on Ha and Brother Khoi loves animals. The other family member is Ha's fahter who is missing in action from the Vietnam Navy.

I don't know what it is about free verse but in this book it is so emotionally impacting. This is a great book that shows how first generation immigrants from Vietnam in the 1970's were treated. A great book for tweens!

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

2011-11-24T06:25:00.002-06:00

Darker Still

Magic Most Foul #1

by Leanna Renee Hieber

317 pages

Personal Copy

2011

Book Jacket Summary

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

My Thoughts

I picked up and read this book not realizing that it was written by the same author as The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. Knowing this now I realize why I liked it so much! Hieber "aims to be a gateway drug for nineteenth-century literature" and I know I am hooked. Of course, I have always bee a fan but my interest is rekindled.

Natalie Stewart has just graduated from the Connecticut Asylum for the mute and deaf girls. Natalie has been mute since her mother died at the age of four and has a hard time connecting with girls her own age. However she finds champion in Mrs. Evelyn Northe, a society lady with a knack for the supernatural. There is a painting of a young man named Jonathan Whitby III, Lord Denbury that everyone claims to be haunted. Natalie feels a kinship to Jonanthan and finds that the painting is calling to her. With the help of Mrs. Northe, Natalie is able to travel through the apinting and help Jonathan.

This book has many of the elements I enjoy in a book- cheesy romance (okay not cheesy but certainly over the top), Victorian setting, and a bit of magic. I also really liked how Hieber used elements of Dorian Gray with the painting slightly changing depending on Jonathan's mood.

Natalie was proactive and willing to do what was needed to help the man she was falling in love with. I would recommend this one to anyone who loves Victorian settings. It is a fun book and I look forward to more from Leanna Renee Hieber.

Book Pairings

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

WOW: Under the Never Sky

2011-11-23T06:44:00.000-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Under the Never Sky

by Veronica Rossi

Release Date: Feb. 7, 2012

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure.

This one looks like fun! Plus I like the illustrated cover! We need more of those.

Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry

2011-11-22T06:23:00.001-06:00

Bless This Mouse

by Lois Lowry

illustrated by Eric Rohmann

152 pages

ARC

2011

Book Jacket Summary

A resilient and quirky colony of church mice fears another Great X more than they fear cats. Under Mouse Mistress Hildegarde’s leadership, they save themselves from one danger after another—sometimes just by the skin of their tails! Can one ultimate act of bravery during the feast day of St. Francis get Father Murphy to bless these mice and keep them safe forever?

Rife with humor and personality, this young middle-grade novel has an old-fashioned feel with the makings of a modern classic.

My Thoughts

I am not sure what I think about this one..some of details of the mouse traps made me uncomfortable and as a child it might have upset me even more. It is a sweet story about a mouse named Hildegarde that lead s a group of the church mice as Mouse Mistress. She helps them solve problems and makes sure they stay safe. The illustrations are simple but they were not complete in my version of the book. They fit the old fashioned feel of the story. I do like Lois Lowry's other books, The Giver and Number the Stars but this one was a bit off for me. Maybe because we do have a rodent problem where I work...

It really is a sweet but but if you do not like mice or have an aversion to how mice die in traps, stay away.

Book Pairings

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo

Between Two Ends by David Ward

2011-11-21T06:35:00.002-06:00

Between Two Ends

by David Ward

288 pages

Middle School

ARC

2011

Book Jacket Summary

When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.

My Thoughts

From ARC- Subject to change

This is a fun adventure book that references many other lierary classics. The characters even travel into Arabian Nights. Yeats is used to moving around the country due to his father's university job and the underlying fear that his father's depression will return. However, this "revitalization weekend" takes them to his Gran's house in the country where his father must face a tragic past. It turns out that Yeats' father and a childhood friend were transported into The Arabian Nights book and only one came back out. Yeats finds the magical pirate book ends that transport him to Shari (Shaharazad) to try and convince her to come back to the real world. Yeats get caught up in palace intrique and adventure as he tries to get Shari to remember her life before and not get killed in the process.

This is a great adventure story that will appeal to both boys and girls. It also will intrigue them about the pieces of poetry sprinkled within the book. Maybe they will become a fan of the poet Yeats? The cover is beautiful and I really want a poster for my room! It shoews how books can be a gatewayfor adventure.

I do worry that they do glaze over the deep depression that Yeats' dad experiences and that bringing Shari back will be a quick fix. I woryyy that other children may think that their own parents depression can also have a quick fix. I do like that Ward addresses that depression does affect children and the entire family.

Overall this is a fun adventure story that will appeal to a broad audience. I will have to check out other books by David Ward.

Book Pairings

Return to Exile by E.J. Pattern

Peter Nimble and His Incredible Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

Tha Dagger Quick by Brian Eames

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

2011-11-17T06:25:00.001-06:00

Grandpa Green

by Lane Smith

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

From the creator of the national bestseller It's a Book comes a timeless story of family history, legacy, and love. Grandpa Green wasn't always a gardener. He was a farmboy and a kid with chickenpox and a soldier and, most of all, an artist. In this captivating new picture book, readers follow Grandpa Green's great-grandson into a garden he created, a fantastic world where memories are handed down in the fanciful shapes of topiary trees and imagination recreates things forgotten. In his most enigmatic and beautiful work to date, Lane Smith explores aging, memory, and the bonds of family history and love; by turns touching and whimsical, it's a stunning picture book that parents and grandparents will be sharing with children for years to come.

My Thoughts

I read this one and after my intial reaction (this is beautiful) was that the book was aimed more for an older audience. The beautiful topiaries in the pictures may amuse children but the complex themes and meanings behind the words might confuse them. I found this book to be deeply moving as it looked through the life of a young boy's great grandfather's life. The illustrations are a mixture of types and gives the gardens an other wordly feel. The characters are rendered with brush and waterproof ink, while the topiaries are a mixture of watercolor, oil paint, and digital paint. The little boy wanders through a maginificant hedged world and remebers stories his great grandfather has told him. I think my favorite is the Wizard of Oz themed page. It is a beautiful book to leaf through and remember a man's life throught the 1940's and beyond.

Book Pairings

Grandma's Gloves by Cecil Castellucci

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

WOW: Perception

2011-11-16T06:15:00.001-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Perception (Clarity #2)
by Kim Harrington
Release Date March 1, 2012

Goodread's Summary
When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

I loved Clarity by Kim Harrington and cannot wait for the sequel! The cover is just as lovely as the first and it sounds like all the same types of intrigue.

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2011-11-15T16:19:00.003-06:00

Wisdom's Kiss

by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

304 pages

NetGalley

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure beyond the staid old kingdom of Montagne.

Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true identity a secret.

Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.

These three souls might possibly attain their dreams while preserving their empire from ruin – if only they can bear each one another's company long enough to come up with a plan.

Magic, cunning, and one very special cat join forces in this hilarious tale told in diaries, letters, an encyclopedia, and even a play, all seamlessly stitched together by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, author of Dairy Queen and Princess Ben.

My Thoughts

This was an interesting book to read, even for a seasoned reader. There are eight POV! There are diaries, memoirs, letters, a play and an encyclopedia. However, once you get used to the style the book becomes a fun romp through a fairy tale setting.
There is a love triangle but it is very well done and you really feel for Trudy through the entire book. She is still a strong character, even when her heart is broken by Tips and Dizzy. It took me a while to warm up to Dizzy because she was the cause of Trudy's destress. At that part of the book I really liked Trudy the best because she was the most interesting and engaging character. Dizzy was a spoiled princess who was bored and kind of fickle. I did like Pricess Ben and her wacky humor and would like to go back and read her book.
It is a companion book to Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock but she assures the reader that you can enjoy this one without reading the other. I might go backwards and read Princess Ben after this one. I have it in my personal library but it is a bit lower on my TBR pile then all the library books I seem to check out. I would recommed this one to everyone who loves a good fairy tale setting. There is also a Glosasry of One-and_Twenty Unusual Words Found in Wisdom Kiss. This gives you even more of an indepth look into the countries depicted in the book. Plus, a Q&A with Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

Book Pairings
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Beastly by Alex Flinn

America is Under Attack by Don Brown

2011-11-14T06:27:00.000-06:00

America is Under Attack

by Don Brown

Non-Fiction

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

On the ten year anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, a straightforward and sensitive book for a generation of readers too young to remember that terrible day. The events of September 11, 2001 changed the world forever. In the fourth installment of the Actual Times series, Don Brown narrates the events of the day in a way that is both accessible and understandable for young readers. Straightforward and honest, this account moves chronologically through the morning, from the plane hijackings to the crashes at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania; from the rescue operations at the WTC site to the collapse of the buildings. Vivid watercolor illustrations capture the emotion and pathos of the tragedy making this an important book about an unforgettable day in American history.

My Thoughts

A powerful but simple look into what happened on Sep. 11, 2001. It follows several people through the day but uses a chronological approach to the day's happenings. I never knew about the people who were trapped in an elevator and had to claw their way through dry wall and tile in order to escape. The drawings are more sketch-like and convey the emotions in an almost blurred tone. That day was a blur and not knowing exactly what was going on was a huge part of that really happened.
I would recommend this one to teachers, librarians, and parents of children in upper elementary schools and lower middle school ages. Many of these children would be to young to remember the times before this date, when everything changed. They might not understand exactly what happened on Sep. 11th.The book is deeply moving. I did tear up but I also lived through that day and had family in the North East. It is burned into my mind but many younger children would have no recollection of impact that day had on so may people.

Book Pairings

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy

The Twin's Blanket by Hyewon Yum

2011-11-10T16:05:00.000-06:00

The Twin's Blanket

by Hyewon Yum

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary
These look-alike twins have always shared everything—their room, their toys, a crib, and, since the day they were born, a blanket. But as they grow into new beds, they need new blankets, too. Now they face a new dilemma: they don’t know how not to share.

Told from the perspective of two five-year-olds, The Twins’ Blanket playfully illuminates squabbles and affection between young siblings. Yum’s minimalistic art astutely captures these twins’ emotions as they toss, turn, and tug their new and old blankets—and embrace their growing independence.

My Thoughts
This is an adorable new picture book that will make anyone smile. The sweet story of twins learning to share, see their independence but also realise how much they need each other too. They realise that they can share their old blanket by making two new ones that match their personalities.
I love the the white pages with the emphasis on the twins and their immediate actions. There is nothing in the background to detract from them and their relationship. I also love the front pages being pink and the back pages being yellow. It is a great call back to the plot of the book. Who ever designed this book was really paying attention to detail.
I would highly recommend this for twins both young and old. My coworker, who is a twin, teared up at the ending. She says that she had these exact feelings when she and her sister got seperate beds for the first time. The author actually dedicated this book to her twin and the feelings are so genuine! A great addition to any library- school, public, or personal.
Book Pairings

Mine by Shutta Crum
Last Night by Hyewon Yum

Geek the Library

2011-11-10T06:09:00.000-06:00

Don't forget to geek the library!

Buying Mittens by Niimi Nankichi

2011-11-08T06:28:00.001-06:00

Buying Mittens

by Niimi Nankichi

illustrated by Kuroi Ken

ILL

Picture Book

1999

Book Jacket Summary

When a cold winter comes to the forest, a little fox awakens one morning to the magic of a first snow-fall. His romp in the snow is cut short, however, when his cold, wet paws turn peony colored. What he needs, his mother decides, are some woolen mittens the size of his little paws.

So begins an overnight journey into the village where humans live, to buy a pair of mittens and where, along the way, the little fox learns that people are more complicated creatures than he thought.

Buying Mittens is a classic story that has charmed Japanese children for generations. Written by one of Japan's most beloved authors, it has the timeless quality of a folktale that will speak across cultures. Enchanting illustrations illuminate this gentle tale of a mother's tenderness and a child's new discoveries.

My Thoughts

It is getting chilly here in Texas! With this sudden chill in the air we are locating lost winter items and curling up with a good book. Buying Mittens is a beautiful look into a Japanese folk tale. I forget how I heard about this book but I knew I had to read it and ordered it from ILL. It was a little difficult to find but worth the trouble. This is a beautifully illustrated book with foxes light by moonlight. I cannot resist a book about foxes, especially a Japanese story where they are not quite portrayed as tricksters. The mother does change the fox's paw into a child's hand to trick the shopkeeper but the kit forgets to put this one in the doorway. The shopkeeper was startled by the fox paw but seemed more concerned that the money would not be real rather than the fact that a fox was talking.
I would recommend this one to anyone who loves foxes, winter, or Japanese tales. I hope I can find a copy for myself to read everytime winter comes around.

Book Pairings

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Five Little Foxes and the Snow by Tony Johnston

Elephant Talk by Ann Downer

2011-11-07T06:37:00.000-06:00

Elephant Talk:

The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication

by Ann Downer

Non-fiction

2011

Book Jacket Summary

On a hot day in the African savannah, a group of elephants searches for food. While foraging they often lose sight of one another. Yet at the end of the day, in one coordinated movement, the elephants suddenly regroup. This coordinated movement--and others like it--has puzzled scientists and caused them to question how elephants communicate with each other. Since the 1990s, scientists have gathered significant data on elephant "talk." Biologists have determined that elephants use a complex system of communication of at least ten distinct sounds, combined in many variations. Researchers are now asking: what do these sounds mean? As scientists study the elephant sounds that humans can hear, they are also identifying ways elephants communicate through nonverbal behaviors and making sounds too low for human ears. Scientists have realized that elephants even receive messages by using their sensitive feet to feel vibrations in the ground. All of these discoveries are helping elephant researchers better understand elephant behavior. But the elephant's time as a wild animal is running out. Threatened by habitat loss and illegally hunted for their ivory tusks, elephants are on the brink of extinction. Will understanding elephant talk be the key to saving the species

My Thoughts

I went to the zoo this weekend and enjoyed looking at all the animals. Elephants have never been my favorite because you can smell them all the way from the parking lot but this book made me appreciate them in a whole new light. The cover drew me in and the information kept me engaged. It was a whole new approach into how elephants communicate but also how scientists are finding this out.

This book would be perfect for middle and high schoolers that are looking for more than general information about elephants. The budding zoologist will find the science behind the book facianting and something new to their collection. This book book focuses on how they live and communicate with each other. I do have to say the the picture of baby elephants were my favorite part. There is something about baby animals that just make me happy. Of course the book also delves into the elephants being on the endangered speices list and how their habitat is shrinking. I would recommend this one to any library that is in need of current books about elephants or zoological studies. If your child loves animals and wants more information on how they act and why, this is the perfect book for them.

Book Pairings

Face to Face with Elepahants by Dereck Joubert and Beverly Joubert

Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith

2011-11-04T06:31:00.002-05:00

Coronets and Steel

by Sherwood Smith

420 pages

Nook Book
Adult Fantasy

2010

Book Jacket Summary

In this new fantasy series, a young woman takes her own destiny by the hand-and the hilt.
California girl Kim Murray is unsatisfied with grad school and restless in life. Modern men disappoint her, and she studies ballet and fencing because they remind her of older, more romantic times.
She lives with her parents and her beloved but secretive aristocratic grandmother, who speaks only French and refuses to share stories about the mysterious family she left behind in Europe, inspiring Kim to travel there and find her roots.
Kim soon finds herself swept up in an adventure of fantastic deceptions and passionate intrigue-and a shocking realization about her own bloodline that leaves her reeling.

My Quick Thoughts

I grew up reading Sherwood Smith's books and have a special place in my heart for her YA. Her adult books are a bit different and it took me a while to get into Coronets and Steel but once I did it was hard not to put it down. It had a little bit of everything- fencing, identical cousins, adventure, romance... Wait isn't that Prisoner of Zenda? Smith actually has a nod towards the plot similarities and plays them up. It plays up the adventure rather than fantasy and it was a nice change of pace. There are vampires but they are side characters that have little to do with the direct story. I think they come into play in the next book. I liked Kim as a main character but sometimes I wish she would hurry it up a bit. It is a really long book and there are scenes that could have been cut. It might just be because I read so much YA and expect there to be much more action. I do like mistaken identity books and this one has a plot point of almost identical cousins that made me grin, especially when Kim is kidnapped by our dashing leading man.
Going into this book I expected a time travel story, I mean look at the cover! Instead we have a heroine that is going into another country that seems stuck in the past. I have mixed feeling about this book but I am going to read the next book Blood Spirits. Overall it is a good adventure story with a strong female lead. I would recommed it to those who do not mind investing some time in a story.

Book Pairings

Insatible by Meg Cabot
Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

2011-11-03T06:39:00.001-05:00

The Folk Keeper

by Franny Billingsley

162 pages

Library

1999

Book Jacket Summary

She doesn't really know who she is or what she wants...

Corinna is a Folk Keeper. Her job is to keep the mysterious Folk who live beneath the ground at bay. But Corinna has a secret that even she doesn't fully comprehend, until she agrees to serve as Folk Keeper at Marblehaugh Park, a wealthy family's seaside manor. There her hidden powers burst into full force, and Corinna's life changes forever..

My Thoughts
I can not believe I did not read this when it first came out in 1999! It would have been my favorite book! Franny Billingsley has a way of drawing me into her stories and I am so glad she is continuing to write today. The 90's were not the key time to write YA because publisher's thought that teens attention spans were to short for longer books. This story kept to the shorter format but I felt that Billingley could have made it epic with more pages. She seemed to explore many of the same themes in Chime but it was unique in setting and characters.
I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoyed Chime and the slower romance that grows from friendship. The fantasy elements are amazing and Billingsley created a fascinating world that I wish could have been explored more extensively. The folk are creepy and the Folk Keeper's job a scary for anyone, never mind a young girl in disguise. Corinna is a strong female lead that knows what she wants and will do anything to get it but then grows confused as she finds friendship and love along the way. The sea is a major factor in the book and selkie are a mythical creature that I love! They have not been overplayed and are a fascinating story when used correctly.
Go out and read this one. It should not take a long time because of the length but it is a well told, compact story that will keep you entertained.

Book Pairings
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Plain Kate by Erin Bow
The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip

WOW: Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe

2011-11-02T06:35:00.002-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Welocome, Caller, This is Chloe

by Shelley Coriell

Release Date: March 1, 2012

Publisher: Amulet Books

Goodreads Summary

Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home.

I am in the market for more contemprary/realistic YA. I think I am slightly lacking in that genre and want to read more of it. This books sound like it is right up my alley! I love books that take place in a group, like drama, glee, and now radio! Cannot wait for March!

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

2011-11-01T06:35:00.006-05:00

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens!

Enchanted Glass

by Diana Wynne Jones

292 pages

Library

Middle School

2010

Book Jacket Summary

Aidan Cain has had the worst week of his life. His gran died, he was sent to a foster home, and now malicious beings are stalking him. There is one person Gran told Aidan to go to if he ever got into trouble—a powerful sorcerer who lives at Melstone House.

But when Aidan arrives on the doorstep, he finds that the sorcerer's grandson, Andrew, has inherited the house. The good news is that Aidan can tell immediately that Andrew's brimming with magic, too—and so is everyone else at Melstone. The bad news is that Andrew doesn't remember anything his grandfather taught him. Chaos is swiftly rising, and he has no idea how to control it. A sinister neighbor is stealing power from the land, magic is leaking between realms . . . and it's only a matter of time before the Stalkers find Aidan.

If Aidan and Andrew can harness their own magics, they may be able to help each other. But can they do it before the entire countryside comes apart at the seams?

My Thoughts

I love Diana Wynne Jones' books and you should read them all. There, that is the review...

No?

Fine.

Diana Wynne Jones has a style all her own and I love it. She never dumbs down a story and has such a British point of view that I always love in a book. Her humor is dry and it makes me chuckle with each situation that unfolds. There is just this matter of fact way about the characters that makes them feel real.

Professor Andrew Hope has inherited his grandfather’s estate and soon realizes that it is not what it seems. The magic he learned as a boy will be tested as he figures out how to be rid of the evil Mr. O. Brown (say it several times and you might be able to guess who he is). Andrew is visited by Aidan Cain who is recently orphaned (again) when his grandmother dies. Her last wish was that he travel to Andrew’s grandfather for training and now Andrew has an unexpected apprentice.

Mrs. Stock and Mr. Stock (no relation), the giant Groil, Tarquin O'Connor, and Stache round out the cast of characters helping Andrew and Aidan with the battle for their village. These characters have personalities all their own! Mrs. Stock likes things the way she likes them and will make cauliflower and cheese for dinner when made mad. Mr. Stock will push his giant vegetables on Andrew when Mrs. Stock gets her way but thank goodness for Groil who will eat the bushels of asparagus. Tarquin and Stache are also there to help with Andrew’s battle and make Aidan feel like family.

I would highly recommend checking this one out and the rest of Diana Wynne Jones’ books. We lost a great author this year and she will be missed.

Book Pairings

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer
Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories by Diana Wynne Jones

A Not Scary Book About Big Scary Things

2011-10-31T15:42:00.001-05:00

A Not Scary Book About Big Scary Things

by C.K. Williams

illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska

Library

Picture Book

2010

Book Jacket Summary

A boy walks through a forest full of snakes and wolves and bears, but this boy isn't afraid because he knows they'll stay out of his way. The scary monster in this forest won't stay out of his way, though. He pops out at the boy and growls! But the brave boy just keeps walking along because he doesn't believe in monsters. This sets the monster to begging and begging for the boy to believe in him, even just a smidge. Will the boy ever agree?

This unusual monster story, with thrills and fangs and growls, shows that a little confidence and a lot of courage can shrink fears to a size that might even be a little cuddly.

My Thoughts

Here is one extra book today that is perfect for Halloween! The illustrations in this book are slightly creepy, especially the montage of screaming children at the beginning. I was leafing through it thinking that the art style looked familiar and I found that the illustrator drew the Yoon books. Her art style is very unique and I suggest checking out her other books.
The title says it all when it comes to the story line, it is a not scary book about big scary things. I would read this one to any child who is scared of things that go bump in the night. I really do not want to spoil the ending but the monster is not what it seems, although I know plenty of these that think they are big scary monsters. I especially like the authors call back to many fairy tales that are set in a big scary forrest. However, in this story commen sense wins over fear and monsters. It feels like a modern day fairy tale with a boy who knows that wild animals tend to stay away from humans in the deep dark forrest. I hope all of you check this one out because it really has a great story.
A big thanks to Kerri for bringing this one to my attention! You know how to find the good ones!

Book Pairings

Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler

How the Nobble Was Finally Found by C.K. Williams

Hocus Pocus by Sylvie Desrosiers

2011-10-31T06:18:00.000-05:00

Hocus Pocus

by Sylvie Desrosiers

illustrated by Remy Simard

Library

Graphic Novel

2011

Book Jacket Summary

This zany tale pits a grouchy pooch against Hocus Pocus, a mischievous blue bunny who lives in a magician's hat. When Hocus Pocus spots a bunch of tantalizing carrots poking out of a shopping bag, he decides he must have them. But to reach the kitchen counter, he must risk waking Dog, a pet canine who snoozes nearby. Tiptoeing in a pair of bunny slippers works beautifully at first -- until a peanut shell gets crunched loudly underfoot. Soon, Dog is wide awake, and the two begin a hilarious battle, trading victories and defeats and ultimately attracting the attention of the none-too-pleased magician.A classic retro feel gives the illustrations and story a fun punch.

My Thoughts

This is an elaborate Tom and Jerry type book starring a dog and rabbit. Typically I am not a fan of this genre because it always seems like on animal is getting in trouble for something someone else does. I always feel sorry for that animal and in this book I feel sorry for the dog. He is just trying to keep his house safe... I'm not sure the owner even knows about the rabbit that is hopping out of the hat. It is completely wordless and plays up the dog getting in trouble for the rabbits actions- spilled milk, ketchup all over the dog. I know all the rabbit wants is a carrot but I can't help but feel sorry for the dog. For all my complaining, it is a cute book with bright colors and an engaging plot (for those who like it). I would recommend this one to children who are a bit young for Tom and Jerry, I know I never liked all that violence as a kid.

Book Pairings

The Secret Box by Barbra Lehman

Where's Walrus? by Stephen Savage

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Aggie Gets Lost by Lori Ries

2011-10-28T06:39:00.000-05:00

Aggie Gets Lost

by Lori Ries

Illustrated by Frank W. Dormer

48 pages

Early Reader

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Aggie and Ben are back with another adventure in three short chapters just right for beginning readers. Ben and Aggie are playing fetch in the park. When Ben throws too far, Aggie doesn't come back! Ben looks and looks, but he cannot find her. It is the worst day ever. Ben's sadness turns into determination as he retraces his steps, makes posters, and enlists other people to help turn Aggie from a lost pup to a found one.

My Thoughts

A cute early reader that uses short sentences and three chapters to engage a young reader. I need to check out the rest of the Aggie and Ben books because a boy and his dog is a classic genre that can never be told enough. There is something special about owning a pet and when that pet is lost there is a void that fills Ben's life. However, like most children's books, there is a happy ending. Ben is encouraged to use all five senses during his search by his blind friend. Ben is ble to hear Aggie howling and then able to smell her overnight adventures. It was a humorous ending with all the search helpers holding their noses due to Aggie's smell.
The illustrations were simple and helped show the action on the page for early readers. This will be a great addition to any early reader collection.

Book Pairings

Aggie and Ben: Three Stories by Lori Ries

Elephant and Piggie: There is a Bird on His Head by Mo Willems

Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo

Time to Sleep by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

2011-10-27T06:23:00.001-05:00

Time to Sleep

by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Picture Book

2011

Book Jacket Summary

It’s time to sleep! Who dozes standing on one leg without falling over, snores while flying, or snuggles together in a big sleepy pile?

My Quick Thoughts

An adorable picture book that depicts animals sleeping in different ways! I love the illustrations that accompany each fact or description. Each animal is sleeping and my favorite is the walrus hanging by his tusks. I never knew they did that! It is funny how you can still learn from picture books.
There are even more facts on the last page of the book. It was a great touch because to much information in the actual book would have disrupted the gentle flow that Jenkins and Page set up. I would recommend this one to parents who are looking for a nice bed time book to read with their children. Preferably snuggled up with a stuffed animal.

Book Pairings

Sleep Book by Dr Seuss

Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! by Mo Willems

Time to Eat by Robin Page

Bride Story by Karou Mori

2011-10-26T06:21:00.001-05:00

Bride Story

volume 1

by Karou Mori

192 pages

Library

Graphic Novel

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Amira is twenty years old when she marries her husband, a boy named Karluk from a neighboring village. Adjusting to life in a new household can be trying for any young bride, but Amira's husband is eight years her junior! Amira was a strong, sophisticated hunter and horsewoman in her village, but though their villages were next to each other, their customs are very different. As Amira introduces Karluk to the foods and pastimes that were popular among her comrades back home, the warmth she feels for her young husband grows.

My Thoughts

If the thought of a twenty year old woman marrying a twelve year old boy has not scared you away already then you know that Karou Mori is a beautiful storyteller. Her work with Emma, the Victorian romance manga always makes me nostalgic and her artwork is so detailed that find myself starring at a particular scene for longer than most graphic novels. I knew Mori would take this difficult subject and make it her own. I am intrigued by her choice but I think she likes delving into the social mores of a society and exploring them in a realistic fashion. She did this with Victorian England and now with the nomadic life of Central Asia. I have to say that I enjoyed it in that context and found the story interesting. It took a while for me to shake off my Western ideals but as nothing really "happened" in the story I relaxed and just went with the flow.

Amira is an interesting character who has a lot going on that we do not know about and I am eager to find out her back story. Karluk is still a child but is thought of as an adult in his culture. The age difference seems odd even to the family but does not seem to be unheard of and once they get to know Amira they are willing to fight to keep her. I am looking forward to volume two and hope that it continues on its current story line. I am not sure how I will feel as the romance between Amria and Karluk grows throughout the series but I will let you know as I figure that one out.

Book Pairings

The Story of Saiunkoku by Kairi Yura

Bride of the Water God by Mi-Kyung Yun

Emma by Karou Mori

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

2011-10-25T06:36:00.001-05:00

Through Her Eyes

by Jennifer Archer

377 pages

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Every ghost has a story to tell.

The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.

Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever.

My Thoughts

Wow, two ghost stories set in Texas in one year. I am so lucky! I love a well written ghost story and when they are set in my own state of Texas it is doubly sweet. I really liked Archer's depiction of small town Texas and that it could have taken place anywhere once the story started (outside of all the denim, but that of course is true). The story starts off with Tansy, her mother, and Grandpa Dan moving to Cedar Canyon, TX. Tansy is used to moving around due to her mother's need to move every time she starts a new book. Tansy feels like an outsider in the close knit community and feels even more isolated when she starts slipping into visions of another girls life.

I really felt Tansy's pain and anguish. Her feelings of being of of control and her fear of mental illness made me afraid for her. Questioning her sanity was something that a lot of other books lack when it comes to supernatural occurrences. Many of the characters readily accept what is happening but Archer gives it that extra edge of doubt creeping in Tansy's mind. There are people who want to help Tansy. The gorgeous Tate, who may know more than he is saying about the haunting poems and amber pendant Tansy found. There is Bethyl Ann, the only person reaching out to Tansy on her new school. These are great characters and I really wanted to reach out to the strange and quirky Bethyl Ann. She is a hoot and always quoting Shakespeare. Tate is also a conundrum at first but he is such a great guy that Tansy can rely on. Plus there is a restless spirit that is pulling Tansy deeper into the past and may not let her go back. The small details of Tansy's real world fading to gray and the past becoming more colorful are amazing touches. I cannot wait to read more by Jennifer Archer!

This is recommended to those who enjoy a good ghost story and with Halloween coming up we all need a good one!

Book Pairings

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen

The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

Press Here by Hevre Tullet

2011-10-24T06:33:00.001-05:00

Press Here

By Hevre Tullet

Picture Book

Library

56 pages

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!

My Quick Thoughts
Love, love, love, love this book! It is such a clever interactive book that does not need electronics to amuse children or adults. I have been hearing such good things about this one and I have to say all the rumors are true! Not to say that e-books and apps do not have their place but it is nice to see a real book compete with them and win. Go check this picture book out and enjoy playing like you were a child again.

Book Pairs
Perfect Square by Michael Hall
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

Reading List: Coffee House Reads

2011-10-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

Coffee House Reads:

Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors

Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

Better Latte Than Never by Catherine Clark

Happy Café by Kou Matsuzuki

My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

2011-10-20T06:34:00.001-05:00

The Running Dream

by Wendelin Van Draanen

336 pages

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.

My Thoughts

The Running Dream is a look into the mind of a girl who has become a BTK (below the knee) amputee. Van Draanen really did her homework on this one. I know I learned a lot about the world of prosthetics and how people deal with losing a limb. It really makes me want to read Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton to see her real life experience.

Jessica is a character I can believe in and care about. She spends the first part of the book wallowing in her own misery and even tries to block the mental pain with drugs. Thank goodness her parents are on the ball with that one and throw away the pills. That is another good thing about the book. The parents do not just fade into the background, instead they are fighting right along side Jessica, especially her mom. Her dad is hard at work trying to pay the bill because of Jessica's lack of insurance. It really makes me want to check and see that everyone I know have insurance because I do not want them to go through what Jessica's family goes through. This however gives her track team the initiative to start a fund raising campaign to buy Jessica a racing prosthetic racing leg. The team really pulls together and supports Jessica, especially her best friend Fiona. Fiona is a friend that I want right now! She helps Jessica and also pushes (not just her wheelchair) her to be more!

There is also a story line that involves a girl in her class that has cerebral palsy. Rosa is also an awesome friend that helps Jessica with her own tidbits of wisdom. Jessica dreams of being able to race with Rosa and show her what it is like to run. This is an inspiring story and made me cheer throughout. It is a bit predictable but that is part of its charm. I would recommend it to anyone who needs an inspiring tale!

Book Pairings

Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board
by Bethany Hamilton

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voight

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Me & My Brothers by Hari Tokeino

2011-10-19T06:31:00.000-05:00

Me & My Brothers

by Hari Tokeino

vol. 1 & 2

Library

2007

Book Jacket Summary

One Lost Girl + Four Confused Brothers = A Whole Lotta Wackiness! When Sakura, a fourteen-year-old orphaned girl, discovers she has four half-brothers, her world is turned upside down as they're all forced to live under one roof... From international manga-ka Hari Tokeino comes a manga series that shows you can't choose your family--even though sometimes you might want to!

My Thoughts

Silly and cute are the words that come to mind when describing this manga but I think that is what is it going for in the end. It plays many of the shoujo cliches through out the first two volumes but it has lots of funny and quirky characters that will keep you entertained. Like in Dengeki Daisy, there is a hint of a very May/December romance but that is not all that strange in manga. I wonder if that is more of a cultural thing over there? You find out early on that the four brothers are not blood related to Sakura and you know she will probably choose one in the end. The family dynamic is sweet and it would be a shock to suddenly have four brothers!

This series is published by TokyoPop, so it might be hard to find. I found it at my local library and the entire series is published. You could probably find it at a used bookstore or on the amazon shop. It is worth a looksee even if it is a bit cliched. Nothing wrong with a bit of giggles after a long day. It has an age rating of Teen 13+ but I do not think it is that bad. However I have only read the first two volumes. There are elven in total and I think I will have to check them out.

Book Pairings

Dengeki Daisy by Kyousuke Motomi

Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori

The Wallflower by Tomoko Hayakawa

Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell

2011-10-18T06:36:00.005-05:00

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens!

Falling In

by Frances O'Roark Dowell

245 pages

Library

Middle School

2010

Book Jacket Summary

B z z z z z z z
The buzzing sound?
Do you hear that?
There it is again.
B z z z z z z z
No? Well, I really shouldn't have asked. Most people can't hear it, anyway. But, if you could, you'd think it sounds like you're teetering on the edge of the universe. That's what Isabelle Bean thinks...and she's not that far from the truth.
B z z z z z z z
You really don't hear that?
Well, it's actually not that great to have a buzzing in your ear. It's distracting for one thing. And when Isabelle starts listening to the buzz instead of, say, her boring teacher, strange things happen. She gets sent to the principal's office (that's not so strange), but then while awaiting her punishment, she tumbles into an adventure—into another world that's a little bit different, a little bit Hansel & Gretel-y, a little bit like a fairy tale, which would be great, but...did I mention that Isabelle is an unusual dresser? When she shows up in fairy-tale land wearing her favorite high, pointy boots, the fairy-tale people start thinking that Isabelle is a witch — and not just any witch, but the witch!
From Edgar Award-winning author Frances O'Roark Dowell comes the unlikely story of Isabelle Bean—an ultimate misfit, an outsider extraordinaire, and not a witch!

My Thoughts
This one is a fast fun read about Isabelle Bean, a girl that just does not fit in. When she follows a squeaking sound she falls into another world. There she finds that children are sent away because there is a wicked witch that comes after them once a year. Isabelle seems strange even here and many of the children she meets think she is a witch. However, one girl, Hen goes with her to find the witch. Hen wants retribution for the years of suffering while Isabelle thinks it would be interesting to meet a witch. They do find the witch but she is not what they expect. Isabelle also has a connection to Grete, the witch, that may be the cause of her "falling in".
This was a fun book with interesting characters and a parallel world much like our own. Each chapter has a line drawing a plant and the healing properties that it has in the healers world. It is a good way to incorporate the story line into the readers imagination. I would recommend this one to children who are felling a bit odd in the real world and want to "fall in" another world. The characters were engaging and I wish Isabelle could have stayed forever with her new friends.

Book Pairings
Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Keeper by Kathy Applet
Stolen by Vivian Vande Velde

True (...Sort Of) by Katherine Hannigan

2011-10-17T06:06:00.002-05:00

True (...Sort Of)

by Katherine Hannigan

360 pages

Library

2011

Middle School

Book Jacket Summary

True: Delly Pattison likes surpresents (presents that are a surprise). The day the Boyds come to town, Delly's sure a special surpresent is on its way. But lately, everything that she thinks will be good and fun turns into trouble. She's never needed a surpresent more than now.
True: Brud Kinney wants to play basketball like nothing anybody's ever seen. When the Boyds arrive, though, Brud meets someone who plays like nothing he's ever seen.
True: Ferris Boyd isn't like anyone Delly or Brud have ever met. Ferris is a real mysturiosity (an extremely curious mystery).
True: Katherine Hannigan's first novel since her acclaimed Ida B is a compelling look at the ways friendships and truths are discovered.
It's all true ( . . . sort of).

My Thoughts

Like Keeper, this book kept me guessing where it was going through out. I fell in love with Delly and her desire to have fun. It usually backfired but her ideas started in a good place. Her feeling of being "bad" stemmed from these events, the label the adults gave her impacted how she thought and acted. If everyone already thinks I'm bad- why not just be bad. Poor Delly. She is given one last chance at school. to shape up or be placed in an alternative school. She takes advice from her little brother RB but nothing clicks until she meets Ferris Boyd. Ferris Boyd is an enigma to Delly, she neither speaks nor is to be touched. How does Ferris Boyd attract the animals that sit around her at lunch. Through Ferris Boyd, Delly learns to ask questions before acting and gets in less trouble but it is really Delly who needs to save Ferris Boyd.

This book is more than it seems.

Here be SPOILERS!

I went into this book blind and would recommend you do too but I do have to say that this book does deal with physical child abuse. It is rough but very well done. It is interesting seeing this topic through the eyes of a child and the way Delly sees that Ferris Boyd needs protecting but is not sure how to proceed. Delly and RB try to help but are unsure who they can trust with this large secret. Delly is scared because she still has the label of "bad" with so many people.

I would highly recommend this book to those looking to discuss child abuse with their children. It is something that can manifest in everyday life. This story seems simple on the surface but is multi-layered. Please check it out soon!

Good Night iPad Trailer

2011-10-12T06:02:00.001-05:00

If only we could throw technology out the window some days! I know my family has moments of being alone together. I seem to be running a bit behind on my book reviews. I'm reading, just not reviewing. I blame technology... Enjoy!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2011-10-10T06:38:00.001-05:00

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

288 pages

Library

2007

Book Jacket Summary

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Thoughts

What can I say that hasn't already been said? This is a powerful book and it packs such an emotional punch. You get to know Clay and Hannah on such a deep level that it is hard to accept that Hannah is already dead and that Clay is grieving for a girl who was so far gone. It definitely is a book that everyone should read: teens, parents, and teachers. But it is more than that because everyone knows someone who is struggling.

A excellent article from kidpower.org states that eighty-three percent of girls and 79 percent of boys report having experienced sexual harassment. For many students, sexual harassment is an ongoing experience: over one in four students experience it “often.” These numbers do not differ by whether the school is urban, suburban, or rural. That is way too much!

There has been a lot said about this book and all I want to add is that everyone should read this book. It will make you evaluate the small actions/nonactions it takes to be a bystander. I know I would change many things I did back in high school if I could. We all have those moments. Hopefully for teens this will help them not have to look back with regret.

Book Blogger Hop: 10/7-10/10

2011-10-07T06:35:00.003-05:00

As Crazy For Books says:

Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!

This week's question is:

“It’s time to spread some love beyond the borders of the Book Blogger Hop! This week, we aren’t answering a question. We are spotlighting our fellow bloggers. Find your favorite(s) author interview(s), guest post(s), book review(s), or bookish article(s) that ANOTHER BOOK BLOGGER featured on their site recently and tell us why you love it/them! As an additional challenge, find your favorite one of EACH of the categories above and spotlight all 4 (interview, guest post, review, article).”

Yay! Research time!

I really liked GreenBeanTeenQueen's review of Past Perfect by Leila Sales. This is a book that I did not know I neeed until I saw it there! I trust GBTQ's reviews. If she likes it then I am 90% sure I will enjoy it!

One of my favorite bookish article of the week came from DJL and her experience at the Austin Teen Book Festival. I really wanted to go!

The best gues post goest to The O.W.L's Tess Hilmo: Music that influenced With a Name Like Love. I really like knowing what music inspired authors. I like to see what playlists they came up with when writing or a song that their character would enjoy. Music really tells a lot about a person!

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

2011-10-06T06:15:00.000-05:00

You Wish

by Mandy Hubbard

284 pages

2010

Book Jacket Summary

Kayla McHenry's sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla's secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year's supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla's wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.

My Thoughts
Things keep getting worse and worse for Kayla on her sixteenth birthday. Her best friend ditches her for a date, she is in love with said date, her mother it throwing her a huge party to show off her business, she hasn't heard from her father in ten years, and she knows absolutley no one at this monstrosity of a party. So when she is forced to blow out her birthday candles, she wishes- I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin do. This sets off a chain reaction that forces Kayla deal not only with a pink pony, a living raggedy Ann doll, and a room full of gumballs but to examine her own attitude.

I really liked Kayla and how she grew throughout the book. It was not a sudden change nor a drastic change, just a shift in a way of thinking. She does not become an entirely different peson but nicer, less caustic version. It also helps that the supporting characters are so funny! I love Ann and how she only knows what ten year old Kayla knew or what she overheard in the closet. Ken was hilariously into himself and made one of the funniest scenes in the book. Ben was sweet and a great love interest. I especially appricate how Hubbard handled the best friend's boyfirend angle. Nichole is also growing in her own right and doesn't quite know how to tell Kayla.

This is an excellent example of a great humor book for teens. There have been complaints that everything is dark and grim but this book proves that there is still a selection for light hearted literature. Not to say that there is not any weight to the book, there are several story lines that made me think and evaluate how things are going in my life. How can I be a supportive friend? Will anything ever go my way? Why do birthdays suck? Those kind of questions. All I know is that I finished the book with a smile and would recommend it to anyone. There were several scenes where I could not hold the giggles in... much like Kayla.

Book Pairings
Teen Idol by Meg Cabot
How to be Popular by Meg Cabot
Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe
Geektastic by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond

2011-10-05T06:25:00.002-05:00

Charlie the Ranch Dog

by Ree Drummond

illustrated by Diane deGroat

Picture Book

Library

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Meet Charlie.
He's a ranch dog. Breakfast is his life, especially when bacon is involved. Charlie has dangly ears, floppy skin, and big fat paws. And he loves living in the country. That's because he works like a dog...fixing fences, gardening, and helping his family out on the range.
Yep, it's all work, all the time for Charlie the ranch dog. In fact, he's probably working right now...
Zzzzzzz....
A ranch dog's work is never done!
Come along as Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, introduces us to her beloved short-legged pioneer dog named Charlie.

My Thoughts
The Pioneer Woman is tackling a new adventure- instead of frying up chicken fried steak she is cooking up a children's story. This book focuses on her do Charlie and a working dogs day on the ranch. It is a cute story with Charlie doing his daily tasks with Suzie. Suzie is a bit more energetic than Charlie but he doesn't let that stop him! Although he does catch the occasional nap, Charlie is always there to keep cows out of the garden.
Keep an eye out for the chipmunk on each page! Overall this is a cute book that could work in many story time themes- dogs, ranches, farms, food, etc... Plus Ree's recipes are always delish! This on has The Pioneer Woman's (and Charlie's) Favorite Lasagna. Ree reminds children to always cook with an adult and to wash hands before and after. Nice colorful artwork make life on a ranch look like a lot of fun!

The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman

2011-10-04T06:36:00.000-05:00

The Wolf Who Cried Boy

by Bob Hartman

illustrated by Tim Raglin

Library

Picture Book

2002

Book Jacket Summary

Little Wolf is tired of his mom's cooking! It's the same old thing night after night, Lamburgers and Sloppy Does. How he wishes his mother would serve up a nice platter of his favorite dish: Boy! But Boy is hard to come by these days. As Little Wolf trudges home from school one day, he decides to postpone his boring dinner by shouting "Boy! Boy!" But what will happen when a real boy finally comes along? In this hilarious twisted tale, Little Wolf learns the same timeless lesson that the boy who cried "Wolf!" did so many years ago.

My Thoughts

I have not delved into the realm of picture books in a while and what better way than to review a fractured fairy tale. Now, The Boy Who Cried Wolf is not my favorite fairy tale but it is a great one to play around with, like Betsy Who Cried Wolf by Gail Carson Levine. This book gives the wolf a chance to cry "boy"!

The food reversal also worked really well! There were lamburgers, sloppy does, three-pig salad, boys-n-berry pie, and my favorite chocolate moose, which "looks just like-". A little humor for everyone! This is a fun book with detailed illustrations. I especially like the wolf parent's excitement as the race out of their cave to look for the boy in the forest. You can practically see them salivating.
This book would be perfect for a fractured fairy tale storytelling. Maybe a wolf themed one?

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

2011-10-03T06:02:00.000-05:00

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

by Leanna Renee Hieber

324 pages
ILL

2009

Adult Romance/Teen Crossover

Book Jacket Summary

What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Considering how few of Queen Victoria’s Londoners knew of it, the great Romanesque fortress was dreadfully imposing, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met the powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadow, the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She knew simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow-white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gifts. But this arched stone doorway offered a portal to a new life, an education far from the convent—and an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death…

My Thoughts
Every once in a while I need a good romance book that I can giggle with and just have a fun time. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker fits the bill and adds an element of fantasy and Greek myth that made it better than your average Victorian romance.

Percy is an orphan and has grown up in a convent but has embarked on an adventurous term at the Athens Academy. Her ear for languages is highly valued but her albino status makes her uncomfortable around her fellow students. She is more drawn to the ghosts she resembles. Professor Alexi is part of the Guard who are waiting for a Prophecy to come true after eighteen years. I really like how Percy and Alexi really get to know each other and take several weeks to finally get together (no real surprise there, it is a romance).

It is not a masterpiece but a great rainy day read! There are a few sections that give into the purple prose but that makes it all the more fun! It is a call back to many other gothic romances that were written in that time. This book had a lot of teen crossover appeal. Teens that enjoy steam punk will like the Victorian flair and costuming, romance readers will like the tragic romance, and fantasy fans will get a kick out of the powers that the Guard uses on their spectral opponents. For an adult romance there is not a lot of sexual situations. There is passionate kissing but the Victorian sensibilities of the characters make for a better teen book. I would gladly hand this one over to a teen looking for a bit more. There is a second book and I am searching for it through ILL. It is a little hard to find but worth the looking.

It's a Little Book by Lane Smith Book Trailer

2011-10-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

A "toned down" version of It's a Book by Lane Smith!

Book Blogger Hop: 9/30-10/3

2011-09-30T06:41:00.002-05:00

This week's question is:

“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite “banned or frequently challenged book”?”

Click here for 2010-11 list in PDF format. You can also click HERE to view past years and choose from any of those titles!

Off the 2010-2011 list:

The Absolutley True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I read this one for the first time this year and it is one powerful book. Alexie poured so much of himself into that book and the struggles that a young Native American goes through. It is so relateable and packs an emotional punch. I hope this book is never taken off the shelf!

Hunger Games comes in a close second!

Off the 2001 list:

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

This is a great werewolf book! Do not judge it by the movie that came out! This was a very powerful book for me because of the tension and raw power that Vivian has as a werewolf. It is what made me fall in love with paranormal books in high school. Highly recommend!

Reading List: YA Classic Retellings

2011-09-29T06:41:00.000-05:00

YA Classic Retellings

Abandon by Meg Cabot- Persephone

At Face Value by Emily Franklin- Cyrano de Bergerac

Avalon High by Meg Cabot- Camalot

Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding- Pride and Prejudice

Catherine by April Lindner -Wuthering Heights

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman- Much Ado About Nothing

Cupid: a tale of love and desire by Julius Lester- Cupid and Psyche

The Dashwood Sisters' Secrets of Love by Rosie Rushton- Sense and Sensibility

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman- Pride and Prejudice

Falling For Hamlet by Michelle Ray--Hamlet

Flawless by Lara Chapman- Cyrano de Bergerac

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter- Peresphone

Going Bovine by Libba Bray- Don Quixote

iDrakula by Bekka Black--Dracula

Illyria by Elizabeth Hand--Twelfth Night

Ithaca by Adele Geras- The Odessy

Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman- The Great Gatsby

Jane by April Lindner- Jane Eyre

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay- Romeo and Juliet

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor- Alice in Wonderland

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones- Great Expectations

Ophelia by Lisa Klein- Hamlet

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard- Pride and Prejudice

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg- Pride and Prejudice

Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman-Persephone

Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper- Romeo and Juliet

Sass and Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler- Sense and Sensibility

Saving Juliet by Suzanna Selfors- Romeo and Juliet

Something Rotten: A Horatio Wilkies Mystery by Alan Gratz- Hamlet

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel- Frankenstein

Worst Impressions: a Romantic Comedy by K.L. Brady -Pride and Prejudice

Happy Banned Book Week!

2011-09-28T17:30:00.000-05:00

Why yes, it is a holiday!

Top Ten Challenged Books of 2010

from the ALA website

1) And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

2) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

3) Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

4) Crank, by Ellen Hopkins

5) The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

6) Lush, by Natasha Friend

7) What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones

8) Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich

9) Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie

10) Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

Cannot wait for next years list! Happy reading!

Horton Halfpott: Or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger

2011-09-27T06:39:00.004-05:00

Horton Halfpott:

Or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset

by Tom Angleberger

206 pages

Library

Tween

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Tom Angleberger's latest, loopiest middle-grade novel begins when M'Lady Luggertuck loosens her corset (it's never been loosened before!), thereby setting off a chain of events in which all the strict rules of Smugwick Manor are abandoned. When, as a result of "the Loosening," the precious family heirloom, the Luggertuck Lump (quite literally a lump), goes missing, the Luggertucks look for someone to blame. Is it Horton Halfpott, the good-natured but lowly kitchen boy who can't tell a lie? Or one of the many colorful cast members in this silly romp of a mystery.

My Brief Thoughts
This is a perfect book for relunctant boy readers. It is funy, silly, and strange. There are shipless pirates bumbling detectives, disguises, and a stolen diamond known as The Lump. It would be a great starting novel for those who enjoy graphic novels because it is a descriptive but fast paced.
It sets up a household that is filled disgruntled workers and a spoiled noble family that is oblivious to anything other than their own needs. Horton is the kitchen boy with a good heart but bad things keep happening to him. He works for the Luggertuck's in Smugwick Manor. His only friends are the stable boys Blight, Bump, and Blemish but he might be falling in love with the visiting Lady Celia but don't worry! This is not a kissing book.
Wackiness ensues throughout the book! As I said earlier, this book will delight boys with it's irreverant humor and looniness. A lot of fun is packed into this book! Plus the cover glows in the dark.

Supernatually by Kiersten White

2011-09-26T06:34:00.001-05:00

Supernaturally

by Kiersten White

Personal Copy

336 pages

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts

This is the long awaited sequel to Paranormalcy!! Oh Evie, I have missed your quirkiness and love of lockers! I do have to say that I was a little let down with Supernaturally but that could be because I LOVED the first one so much. Overall it was good because Evie was still funny and full of win.

My biggest complaint is that Land was not in it as much as I hoped but this is Evie's journey and Land is away at college. Evie was also thinking about him just a little too much- she kinda needed to have a life outside of him. I'm glad she went back to working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency because it gave her something to do besides wait around for Lend to get home. I also was not liking Jack, usually I like the mischievous pranksters but he always seemed slimy.

The book starts with Evie realizing that high school may not be exactly like the TV shows she watches. Her life is mundane and she longs for just a little bit of excitement or more time with her college bound boyfriend. I would have thought that Evie would have more friends by this time but she only has one close friend that she cannot share her past with. I think that White should have placed another paranormal in the school so she would have someone to confide in but this would break the isolation that Evie feels and we would not have a plot. The book centers around Evie finding out secrets about her past and trying to tell Lend that he is immortal. I really hope the third one picks up the pace with plot!

Now with all this critiquing you might think that I did not like this book. Well, you would be wrong. I did like the book but I did not love it like I did Paranormalcy. There were some flaws but it was still enjoyable because Evie was her quirky loveable self. She is facing dilemmas that she has not come across while living in seclusion for so many years. Real life is not as glamorous as she thought but she is dealing with that and trying to save her loved ones. It is still fun and engaging. I am looking forward to more books about Evie and Co.

Crafty Coworkers

2011-09-23T06:17:00.001-05:00

Here is to crafty coworkers!

Look at what my wonderful colleague made for me!

She always makes me such wonderful knitted items but a Hunger Games pillow just blows my mind! Check out her blog Composistions of Wool. Who knows? Maybe she will inspire you to make an army of bunnies to guard your desk.

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

2011-09-22T06:39:00.001-05:00

Falling Under

by Gwen Hayes

336 pages

2011

Personal Copy

Book Jacket Summary

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

My Thoughts

I have to be honest and say that I could not finish this book. I did not want to read a book where the main character was falling in love with an abusive jerk. I do not care if he is redeemed in the end or whatever Hayes had in store for the couple. Haden did several things where I was yelling at Theia to stay away!! He is not dark and mysterious, he is abusive and dangerous. He made glass rain down and cut you up because you danced with another boy!!! Stop!!! He made an alarm bell so loud it busted your ear drum!!! Stay away!!!

I was about halfway done but I could not read another line. I will not pick this one back up either. I was getting to mad and reading is a pleasure to me. I cannot recommend this one to anyone because perpetuates the abusive boyfriend trend that has been floating around the YA books recently. I hate to think of all the teenage girls out there thinking that a guy stalking you is romantic or that he will change through the power of your love. It does not work that way.

I need to read something else... Please tell me there is a new Meg Cabot book coming out soon.

Geek the Library Video

2011-09-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

Geek the Library... Pass it on!

Teaser Tuesday: Relic Master

2011-09-20T06:05:00.001-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
Be careful not to include spoilers!
Share the title and author so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like the teaser!

Galen laughed sourly. A sudden spark lit his face, twisted with pain. "I used to know when people lied to me, Raffi. If only they knew!" He glanced across. "We both go. Someone has to deal with this relic."

p.17, The Relic Master: Book One The Dark City

Crossing Stones by Helen Frost

2011-09-19T06:21:00.002-05:00

Crossing Stones

By Helen Frost

Public Library

184 pages

2009

Novel in Verse

Book Jacket Summary

Maybe you won’t rock a cradle, Muriel. Some women seem to prefer to rock the boat.

Eighteen-year-old Muriel Jorgensen lives on one side of Crabapple Creek. Her family’s closest friends, the Normans, live on the other. For as long as Muriel can remember, the families’ lives have been intertwined, connected by the crossing stones that span the water. But now that Frank Norman—who Muriel is just beginning to think might be more than a friend—has enlisted to fight in World War I and her brother, Ollie, has lied about his age to join him, the future is uncertain. As Muriel tends to things at home with the help of Frank’s sister, Emma, she becomes more and more fascinated by the women’s suffrage movement, but she is surrounded by people who advise her to keep her opinions to herself. How can she find a way to care for those she loves while still remaining true to who she is?

Written in beautifully structured verse, Crossing Stones captures nine months in the lives of two resilient families struggling to stay together and cross carefully, stone by stone, into a changing world.

My Thoughts

This novel in verse is a deeply moving look at two families who are affected by World War I and the changing times of 1917. It is a clear look into war, women’s suffrage, family, death, love, and being true to oneself. The story unfolds from the point of view of Muriel, Ollie, and Emma. They have very different voices and see the world as individuals.

The two families live next door and the parents hope that their children will marry. They have always paired Muriel with Frank and Ollie and Emma. Frank goes off to join the War over seas and starts to write Muriel. However, Muriel is interested in more than just making house and dreams of continuing her education past the small school house in their town. She wants to be like her aunt and support herself. I really connected with Muriel and her ambitions to be more but I also thought that Emma’s dream of marrying Ollie was equally important. Each woman knew what she wanted and each was true to themselves. Ollie wants to join the war like his friend Frank but is still too young. He slips out into the night and lies about his age. His war experience is harrowing and there are severe consequences to running off to war.

I would recommend this one to those who love novels in verse and to those interested in World War I. This shows how the two families react to different events and relationships that shift. The poetry is beautiful and you really get to see into the way Muriel, ollie, and Emma think. There are some strong characters in this one but also a strong setting in the past.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

2011-09-15T06:05:00.000-05:00

Revolution

by Jennifer Donnelly

472 pages

Public Library

2010

Goodreads Sumamry

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

My Thoughts

I actually read this book several months ago but was unable to review it at the time because I was in the middle of Capstone. I needed a mental break and instead of skimming an old favorite I delved into this door stopper. But I must confess it did help and I felt renewed after reading it.

Andi is a teen on the verge of destruction and does not want any help. All she wants to do is sink into her music and strum away at her guitar. The musical element reminded me of If I Stay because of how much Andi loves her music. The pain is lessened and she is not herself for a while. Andi is a well written character because every time I felt like smacking her she pulled me back in with the pain of her little brother death and the blame she carries. This pain is amplified when her mother withdraws from reality and her father leaves. Andi has hit rock bottom and the only control she has is to be out of control.

Her father finally notices what is happening and takes her away to Paris, to reset her priorities. There she finds a diary that will change her life and connect her to another girl in revolutionary France.

This book really had me heartbroken over Andi and her family. She was already losing her workaholic father when her brother was murdered in front of her. Her family disintegrated and she had nothing to turn to except music. Her peers are no better and they all turn to drugs to get them through the day. They are the bored disenfranchised youth I keep seeing on show like Gossip Girl- don’t really get the appeal myself. I guess being middle class is better? I don’t know…

I really liked both main characters, Andi and Alex, and how Donnelly paralleled their circumstances but yet made them so completely different. I would recommend this book to those who like historical fiction but also to those who like realistic fiction. There is one part that does not fit into the “realistic mold” but you can draw your own conclusions on if it really happened or if it was all in Andi’s head. I like the sense of hope that the book ends on because this book tugs at your heart strings.

WoW: Breadcrumbs

2011-09-14T06:11:00.004-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Breadcrumbs

by Anne Ursu

Release Date: Sept. 27, 2011

Goodreads Summary

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.

And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

A fairy tale based story? Sign me up! Especially when it is the less known (not overused) Snow Queen. I have read a few retellings but it is still a more obscure fairy tale that feels fresh! I have been hearing good advanced reviews about this one.

Doggirl by Robin Brande

2011-09-13T06:34:00.001-05:00

Doggirl

By Robin Brande

Nook Book

269 pages

2011

Book Jacket Summary

Riley Case has always been an expert with dogs--it's people she doesn't understand. But when the chance comes to use her talents as a dog trainer to help her high school drama department compete in a national contest, Riley has to set aside her shyness and fears, and finally let the world see what she can do. It's THE DOG WHISPERER meets GLEE as Riley and her dogs help put on a show no one will forget.

My Thoughts

Robin Brande is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! I am going through her collection and feel that she is a very talented writer that can deal with heavy issues with surprising ease. In her book Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature she dealt with being a Christian and believing in evolution and now in Doggirl she handles a character who does not know how to fit in but it is so much more than that. Her books strive to entertain (and succeed) but there is an underlying smartness and I feel as though I have come away with more than just a story.

Doggirl shows how Riley trains her dogs through a pack mentality and how she cannot seem to understand human behavior as she would a dogs. She starts to break out of her shell when she volunteers to bring in her dog to audition for the annual student production play. Riley is painfully shy because of a mass bullying at her old middle school. Her parents decided to move and have fresh start but Riley just wants to be left alone with her three dogs- Fig, Heidi, and Jack. Each dog has a special place in Riley’s heart but Fig is her best friend. Fig also saved her life but you should read the book to find out how. I must admit that I want those dogs or the patience to train my own. Riley just wants to graduate and become an animal trainer for Hollywood without any entanglements. This plan is thwarted when she joins the close knit theater group and starts learning about human behavior.

She starts to open up to the people in the drama group- Beverly, the costume designer and first girl friend she has made in a long time and Nate, the groups filmmaker and possible love interest (if Riley can open up her heart). These characters show Riley that she can make human friends. She just has to learn how to trust people again and find herself.

I think this book really spoke to me because I was in the drama program in my high school. It was such fun and it took me back to the days of my crazy group of friends. I knew each of these people or people so like them that it was kinda scary. The characters are so realistic and fun. This book is perfect for many subject matters- friendship, shyness, dog lovers, drama geeks, and anyone who wants a good story. I really cannot gush enough about this one! There is so much more I want to say but I do not want to spoil key points. Lets just say that Nate is awesome and that I wish I knew him in high school ;)

Free Nook Book: Once a Princess: Sashaia en Garde!

2011-09-12T06:33:00.001-05:00

Once a Princess: Sashaia en Garde! by Sherwood Smith is free for those of you who have a nook!

I love Sherwood Smith's books and cannot wait to get started! She wrote the Wren Series and the Crown Duel Series. They were two of my favorites as a teen!

This is not a paid promotion... Just trying to find those few really good free books! :)

Book Blogger Hop: 9/9-9/12

2011-09-09T06:15:00.001-05:00

As Crazy For Books says:

This week's question is:

“Many of us primarily read one genre of books, with others sprinkled in. If authors stopped writing that genre, what genre would you start reading? Or would you give up reading completely if you couldn’t read that genre anymore?”

Wow! I would feel sorry for all the children of the world because right now I mainly read picture books, tween fiction, and YA. I would probably start reading more historical fiction because I love other time periods and learning something new about the past. I might read more contemporary fiction , as long as it was humorous. I am so about the funny!

Reading Lists: Girls Pretending to Be Boys

2011-09-08T06:20:00.002-05:00

In my youth I loved books where girls had to struggle to be considered equals. Many times in order to get their foot in the door they had to disguise themselves as boys! I always waited in anticipation for the big reveal and to see if her friends would accept for who she truly is inside. Here is a quick reading list for books and series that follow that story line. Let me know if there is one that I missed!

Fiction

Eon and Eona by Goodman

Alanna Series by Tamora Pierce

Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Blody Jack Series by L.A. Meyer

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

Girl in Blue by Anne Rinaldi

Riding Freedom by Pam Muñoz Ryan

The Girl-Son by Anne Neuberger

Crane by Jeff Stone

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

The Bone Dolls Twin by Lynn Flewelling

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

Pirates by Celia Rees

Sovay by Celia Rees

Falcon Law by Judith Tarr

Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman

Twelfth Night by Shakespeare

As You Like It by Shakespeare

A murder for her majesty by Beth Hilgartner

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

Manga

Ouran High School Host Club

Hana-Kimi

Princess Knight

Kaze no Hikaru

Rose of Versailles

Nonfiction

I'll Pass For Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War by Anita Silvey

Soldier's secret: the story of Deborah Sampson by Sheila Solomon Klass

No Girls Allowed: Tales of Daring Women Dressed as Men for Love, Freedom and Adventure by Susan Hughes and Willow Dawson

WoW: Wisdom's Kiss

2011-09-07T06:24:00.009-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Wisdom's Kiss
by Cathrine Gibert Murdock
Release Date: September 13, 2011

Magic, cunning, and one very special cat join forces in this hilarious, extraordinary tale by the author of the Dairy Queen trilogy and Princess Ben.
Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure beyond the staid old kingdom of Montagne.

Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true identity a secret.

Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.

These three souls might possibly attain their dreams while preserving their empire from ruin — if only they can bear one another’s company long enough to come up with a plan.

Magic, cunning, and one very special cat join forces in this hilarious tale told in diaries, letters, encyclopedia entries, and even a play, all seamlessly stitched together by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, author of Dairy Queen and Princess Ben.

I love Catherine Gilbert Murdock's work and this one looks particularly funny. Plus there is a black cat on the cover!

Books Beside My Bed

Backbeard: Pirate for Hire by Matthew McElligott

TGIF at GReads! {1}: Buy or Borrow?

What a great AMV looks like

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

ALA Midwinter 2012

Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

WOW: Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Bear's Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson

CLockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The Joy of Books (Video)

Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

WOW: The Fine Art of Truth and Dare

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick edited by Chris Van Allsburg

Enthralled edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong

Arisa volume 1 by Natsumi Ando

Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy

The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman

I See a Kitty in the Sky by Yasmine Surovec

Where Do You Call Home?

23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

Be Quiet, Mike! by Leslie Patricelli

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon

WoW: Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Rescuing Rover by Raymond Bial

Stitches by David Small

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

WoW: Book of Wonders

Missing on Supersition Mountain by Elise Broach

Orani: My Father's Village by Claire A. Nivola

Boy Wonders by Calef Brown

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown

Giant Book Tent

Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played with Puppets by Kathleen Krull

WOW: ﻿Violins of Autumn

Congrats to Thanhha Lai!!!

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

WOW: Under the Never Sky

Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry

Between Two Ends by David Ward

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

WOW: Perception

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

America is Under Attack by Don Brown

The Twin's Blanket by Hyewon Yum

Geek the Library

Buying Mittens by Niimi Nankichi

Elephant Talk by Ann Downer

Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

WOW: Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

A Not Scary Book About Big Scary Things

Hocus Pocus by Sylvie Desrosiers

Aggie Gets Lost by Lori Ries

Time to Sleep by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Bride Story by Karou Mori

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

Press Here by Hevre Tullet

Reading List: Coffee House Reads

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

Me & My Brothers by Hari Tokeino

Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell

True (...Sort Of) by Katherine Hannigan

Good Night iPad Trailer

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Book Blogger Hop: 10/7-10/10

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond

The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

It's a Little Book by Lane Smith Book Trailer

Book Blogger Hop: 9/30-10/3

Reading List: YA Classic Retellings

Happy Banned Book Week!

WOW: Violins of Autumn