Libri Dilectio

The Thirteen Days of Doctor Who: Growing Up with the Doctor

2011-12-24T07:00:00.013-06:00

Today, we're doing things a little differently here at Libri Dilectio. In honor of the holiday and the best television show EVER (inarguable), I'm participating in the 13 Days of Doctor Who Blog Hop! This is the final day, so for those of you who've been following the hop since the beginning, you're in the home stretch! Soon you'll find out who won that highly coveted series 6 box set! Thank you to Erica O'Rourke for hosting and inviting me to play too!

I also have a guest hanging out at at LD with me today, my Dad, Mark! I thought no post about me growing up with Doctor Who would be complete without the man who started it all. You may remember my dad from his previous guest appearance, reviewing I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett. Today he will be wearing TARDIS blue and I'll be in traditional black. Here we go!

Matt (2) and Becky (4) - Doctor Who babies 1989

The Doctor has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. At the age of 4, I rocked a homemade (thanks mom) mini Doctor Who scarf. My brother, 2 years old at the time, had a matching one. We drank out of Doctor Who mugs when we wanted hot chocolate after playing in the snow, and we both referred to the show as “Doctor Wubbedy” since we sang the theme song, “wubbedy wub wubbedy wub…” Yes, we were cool children.

My dad, who was always available on Saturday mornings to watch The Smurfs or Mighty Mouse, has always been a HUGE Doctor Who fan. Dad here, actually my first exposure to the Doctor was in 1972 at the house of a friend. His parents were watching an episode with Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. To explain the show to me they said, the Doctor was like James Bond from outer space who had a spaceship that was bigger on the inside than on the outside (honestly, it was one of the worst explanations I have ever heard of the show). My response was, “Let’s go hang out somewhere else and talk about girls.”

Six years later, I found myself in graduate school in Ann Arbor, in an apartment all by myself, and trying to get through the MBA program at the University of Michigan. At that time, WTVS, the Detroit PBS station, ran Doctor Who on Saturday nights. I started watching the show in reruns and found Tom Baker to be a wonderful Time Lord. He made you believe that he was more than human.

Okay, so you haven’t always been a fan, but for a long time, as long as I’ve been alive. I remember watching old episodes of Doctor Who on PBS with you and not understanding what was going on. I liked Sarah JaneSmith best of all the assistants (as they used to be called) and Tom Baker was my Doctor. Obviously, I was a preschooler who wore his scarf! I’ve never hidden behind a couch to avoid the Daleks, but I knew that you didn’t want to mess with those trash bin aliens!

In 1983, I found myself managing the construction of a suburban Chicago cable TV system for Westinghouse Electric. My plant manager was a big Whovian and every Monday morning, he would come into the office and want to talk about the episode shown on WTTW Chicago late on Sunday night. It was him who really opened up the world of Doctor Who for me. Peter Davison was the current Doctor Who or “Tristan” as we called him having been earlier fans of “All Creatures Great and Small.”

When you were born, Colin Baker had become the Doctor and the show was starting to unravel. Not that that was my fault or anything. I was just born under a bad BBC star or something. Something like that. Anyway, John Nathan Turner was producing the show and the stories were weak, disjointed and sometimes just plain bad, but that didn’t stop me. I was still looking forward to bringing my children along for a ride in the TARDIS one day. When you were two, Sylvester McCoy became the Doctor and the shows got worse, although McCoy was a very convincing Doctor. Then, just as it looked like Becky was ready to join the team, the end came. Abruptly. No final episode, no tying up loose ends. Nothing. It was 1989 and it was over before it had begun.

Becky and Dad, Whovian Love!

And from then on, we waited. Well you waited. I had pretty much forgotten about the show. In 1994 I found one way to fill the gap: I discovered the Doctor Who series novels and started reading them. Those novels were what the show should have always been. The Doctor became a more dark and lonely person, feeling the pressure of keeping the universe together and often losing patience with it. One of my favorite lines from one of the books was, “I’m what monsters have nightmares about,” which was later used for David Tennant in “The Girl in the Fireplace” episode. The made-for-tv movie came out in 1996 and the less said about that, the better, although I still think Paul McGann was superb and would have been a great continuing Doctor. You had high hopes for the TV movie, but sadly it just didn’t grab an audience like the BBC wanted and the Doctor went back into hibernation for another 10 years.

Fast forward to 2005 – another job, but back home in the Chicago area. I was traveling to Europe every now and then for business. It was September 13th (a Tuesday – yes, I keep track of these things as any real Time Lord would). I was lying in my bed in the hotel in London watching the BBC when a promotional spot came on. It was a shot panning across a wall. The voice over said, “He’s back. And it’s about time.” And the shot pans over to the TARDIS. WHAT?? I had not read that they had started shooting the show again!!

The next day, I ran over to Tower Records on Piccadilly and bought the first two DVDs of the new series without any way to play them. I figured out how to watch them on my company laptop, but that only works five times and then the DVD drive gets hosed. When I got home, I bought a multi-region DVD player so I could watch the shows on my HDTV. The show was just what it should have been years ago. It had picked up the darker and more serious elements of the books, but kept the old Tom Baker humor (“Nine hundred years of time and space and I’ve never been slapped by someone’s mother.”). I honestly could not wait to reintroduce the kids to the show. But that would have to wait until they got home for Thanksgiving.

In 2005, during my sophomore year of college, I brought my boyfriend (who is now my husband) home to meet my family. He was still at the point that he did pretty much anything my family asked of him, including watching Rose, the first episode of the new season of Doctor Who. I was skeptical of the new reboot, but, after one episode, we were both hooked. Maybe that was the first sign that we were meant to get married.

My dad and I (and my brother, mother, husband, friends) are devoted Whovians. We remember the lines, the episodes, the characters, and the music. Doctor Who is a part of my family, and one of the only shows we really enjoy as an entire family. We’re all loving Matt Smith’s Doctor and will miss the Ponds when they bow out at the end of this upcoming season. We'll all be watching tomorrow for The Doctor the Widow and the Wardrobe, and you should too!

To enter the grand prize giveaway, please leave a comment with your name and email address. You may enter once at every stop on the blog tour, for a total of thirteen chances. The Grand Prize giveaway is limited to the US and Canada, due to regional restrictions on the DVD. Individual contests will close at the discretion of the author, but the Grand Prize contest will accept entries on any site until midnight CST on December 24th. The winner will be posted HERE on December 25th, and be notified via email.

The Adventures of a Booktalking Librarian - Part III

2011-12-10T10:58:00.002-06:00

My favorite outreach program at the library is a booktalk we do twice a year (winter and summer) for 3rd-5th grade advanced readers at a local elementary school. The kids really appreciate the visit, and I have a great time getting ready for it. I don't always get to go, gotta share the joy with some of the co-workers sometimes, but I did get to go yesterday! Another librarian and I each shared 10 titles with the class and then left them for the kids to read over winter break. I know we brought good books because I worked last night and 4 different kids came in looking for books from our booktalk!

Here are the books I shared this time:

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous, Georgia Bragg and Kevin O'Malley

The awful ends of 19 awfully famous people including; Beethoven, Henry VIII, Napoleon, Pocahontas, and Queen Elizabeth I. Perfect for readers who love all things disgusting, but best avoided by those with a weak stomach.

Hidden, Helen Frost

When Wren and Darra were eight years old, Darra’s father stole a minivan, with Wren inside. What happened next changed both their lives forever.

Years later, Wren and Darra end up at the same summer camp and must face each other for the first time. Both girls have questions and neither one trusts the other.

True...Sort Of, Katherine Hannigan

This is the story of three kids all living in a small town. Delly Pattison is one of many siblings and always in trouble. She doesn't mean to be trouble, everything she does seems like a good or helpful thing to her, but it's always big trouble. Brud Kinney is a shy boy who speaks with a stutter. Brud loves basketball more than anything. He wants to be the best basketball player in the world. Ferris Boyd is new in town and she plays basketball better than anyone Brud's ever seen, but Ferris is a very different kind of person. She never speaks and she doesn't want to be touched...at all. Ferris ends up in the same class at school as Delly, which, of course, leads to big trouble, and big fun.

Touch Blue, Cynthia Lord

Tess loves living on an island off the coast of Maine, but now that so many families have moved away, the state is planning to shut down her island’s school. With no school, Tess and her family would have to move to the mainland. The islanders have a plan to keep their island school open and the families in their homes, they just need more students. Several families, including Tess’, take in foster children. Tess is convinced her new foster sibling will be just like Anne in Anne of Green Gables. She can’t wait to show her all around the island and make friends, but then it turns out that she’s getting a foster brother. Aaron is a thirteen year old trumpet player who is not happy to be on the island and has no interest in getting close to Tess’ family.

The Unwanteds, Lisa McMann

In Quill, thirteen is a very important age. Who you are at thirteen determines who you will be for the rest of your life, and how long the rest of your life will be. Thirteen year olds are sorted into two categories, the smart, strong Wanteds who go on to the University and a lifetime in Quill, and the artistic Unwanteds who are sent to die.

Alex and Aaron are twin brothers and also thirteen. Aaron is Wanted, Alex is Unwanted.

Alex is prepared to die; he has expected to be an Unwanted, knowing that he is too creative. When he arrives at the place where all Unwanteds go to die, he is surprised to discover that not only will he live, but he will be taught to use his creativity as magic. He now lives in the hidden land of Artime. A place filled with magic and mystery, and well hidden from the government officials who believe the Unwanteds living there are all long dead.

Even in this magical place, Alex can’t forget his twin brother, Aaron. Their bond is so strong that each can sense the other, leading to danger for Artime and a magical war that will pit brother against brother.

Wisdom's Kiss, Catherine Gilbert Murdock

This is the story of three people whose lives become completely entangled. Princess Wisdom, known to all as Dizzy, just wants to be free to live a life filled with adventure. Tips is a soldier, trying hard to keep his true identity a secret from his family and the girl he left behind. Fortitude, called Trudy, has visions of the future, but only cares that Tips return home to her.

These three very different people must find a way to work together to save the country of Montagne, protect it’s future queen, and find out who they really are. Too bad they have so much trouble getting along. Told in diaries, encyclopedia entries, newspaper articles, and plays, this hilarious story will turn happily ever after on its ear and redefine what it means to be a hero.

Liesl and Po, Lauren Oliver

Liesl has a wicked step-mother, who has locked her away in an attic room. Liesl's step-mother is so wicked that she didn't even let Liesl out to say goodbye to her father before he died. In the attic Liesl is all alone, except for the mice, until the night she meets Po - who just happens to be a ghost.

On the same night Liesl meets Po, Will, an alchemyst's apprentice, is supposed to make a delivery. He's meant to deliver a box containing the most powerful magic in the entire world, but he gets it wrong. Now the magic is lost and Will, along with Liesl and Po, sets off on an epic adventure.

Wonderstruck, Brian Selznick

This is the story of two young people, living 50 years apart. Rose's story is told entirely in pictures because Rose is deaf. This way, readers experience the world much as Rose herself does, through sight.

Ben's mother has just passed away and he's living with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousins on a lake in Minnesota. One night, he sneaks away and finds a clue to the identity of the father he's never met. Ben wants nothing more than to find his father, so he runs away to New York City where he meets some interesting people and ends up living in a museum.

Breadcrumbs, Anne Ursu

Hazel's parents have just gotten divorced, and to make matters worse, now her mother can't afford the tuition for the private school Hazel's always gone to. Hazel starts to attend public school, but she just doesn't understand the rules or her classmates. Hazel is a daydreamer, a reader, and completely lost in her own imagination. She doesn't have any friends at her new school, except Jack.

Jack is Hazel's neighbor and he's been her best friend their whole lives. Jack's family life isn't the best so he spends a lot of time in his imagination, just like Hazel. They are two peas in a pod until the day Jack gets something in his eye that turns his heart cold. He stops talking to Hazel or being her friend at all and one day he disappears completely.

Hazel knows there's more going on then just growing apart and that Jack hasn't gone to live with some relative she's never heard of. She sets off to save him and finds herself in the middle of an enchanted forest. Hazel learns that it's one thing to dream of adventures, but another thing entirely to find yourself in the middle of one.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, Chris Van Allsburg

The classic images and captions from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick are turned into full stories by 14 well known children's authors including: Kate DiCamillo, Lois Lowry, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka, and the man himself, Chris Van Allsburg.

Reader's Advisory or A Missed Opportunity

2011-12-09T09:32:00.000-06:00

I am a librarian. I know...you're not particularly surprised. It does say so all over the place on this site. It's in my "About Me" section, my "Review Policy," my header, and look, over there on the right, it's even in my "Welcome" note. I've made it pretty clear that I am a librarian, but I've been missing an opportunity to share my librarian-ness with the internet! I said that I started my blog, "as a way to keep track of what I'm reading and to better do my FAVORITE part of my job, reader's advisory," but I haven't been readers advising! Not at all! I mean, yes, I've been reviewing and recommending good books, but I could do more!

I really do love reader's advisory and kids ask for it so often that it's also become one of the most answered reference questions for me. I'm not sure if adults ask as often as kids, never worked with grown ups before...too big. Anyway, I get to recommend good books to kids all day every day at work. I'm in charge of maintaining and updating my library's online book lists as well, so seriously, if I haven't made it clear enough already, I do A LOT of reader's advisory.

Now, here's the problem, I haven't been advising all of you. I'm sorry, but there's an easy solution, I'm going to start! You might have noticed in my last post about The Agency series (which once again is awesome!) that I added a section for reader's advisory. I'm going to start doing that from now on with every single review I write. I might even go back and add it to old posts (not sure about that yet. It'll depend on how much I hide indoors this winter). Hopefully, this will be fun for readers and useful for those who have already read the book I'm reviewing, or just want to know what to read after they finish it. OR, for those of you who are also librarians, maybe it will help you with recommending books to your kids and teens.

I'm sad it took me this long to realize my mistake, but I'm happy to start remedying it now! Yay for reader's advisory!! Now, excuse me, I have to go get ready for a school booktalk. Smile.

Series Review: The Agency

2011-11-21T09:20:00.001-06:00

A Spy in the House, Y.S. Lee
(Gr 7+)
Candlewick, March 9, 2010. Reviewed from library book.

"Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past."

The Body at the Tower, Y.S. Lee
(Gr 7+)
Candlewick, Aug 10, 2010. Reviewed from library book.

"In this, the second book of the series, Mary Quinn sets out to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death at St. Stephen's Tower, better known as the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The accident occurred after hours in a highly public part of town and despite the presence of night watchmen. Mary, disguised as Mark Quinn, becomes a builder's assistant to find out the truth about the body at the tower."

I've been meaning to read this series for awhile, but actually, I'm kind of glad that I waited. This way I was able to read the first one and immediately dive into the second one! That is the perk of being a late comer to a series.

Mary Quinn is a great character. She's smart, brave, and nothing like other ladies of her time period. I love that she's part street child, part thief, part lady, and part secret agent! She reminded me of Sally Lockhart, although Sally leans a little more to the lady side initially, she certainly becomes more and more of a strong, independent woman. I love Phillip Pullman's Sally Lockhart mysteries and was very pleased to find a series that reminds me of them.

The mysteries in the series are wonderful. They keep the reader guessing, but are completely solvable by the reader if they pay attention. Mary doesn't pull anything out of her hat at the last minute. Lee lays everything out for Mary and the reader. I figured out both of the mysteries and loved that I was able to. I think the best mysteries are the kind that the reader can solve with the main character. This is especially nice in mysteries written for teens.

Y.S. Lee is a great author! She writes compelling characters, interesting plots, and amazingly well researched stories. She has a PhD in Victorian Literature and Culture, and it shows reading these books. They are perfect for teens who want to learn about the time period, but don't want to read a dry text book. I've already recommended the series to several teen girls, one of which came back to tell me how much she loved it and that she wanted the second one right away. If you're looking for a great historical mystery series, check out The Agency, but try to get the first and second one, you'll want both.

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If you like The Agency, you might also like:
The Ruby in the Smoke, Phillip Pullman
A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray
The Diamond of Drury Lane, Julia Golding

Top Ten Tuesday: The Sad and the Long Overlooked

2011-11-15T10:21:00.002-06:00

This is the first time I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish (love that blog name, probably describes every book bloggers life).

This week's topic, the top ten unread books on your shelves, was of particular interest to me. Just this weekend I went through my shelves and counted all the books I own, but haven't read. There are a lot, like a lot, way more than 10. I keep acquiring books with intentions to read them right away, and then they just hang out on my shelves forever. If new books would stop being published for a few months, maybe I could catch up.

Going Bovine, Libba Bray
This has been sitting on my shelf since it first came out. I really want to read it, but I never seem to be in the right mood. To make matters worse, it's been signed by the author...twice. I accidentally brought it to a book signing without remembering that she'd already signed it, but Libba Bray is so awesome, she just drew pictures in it.

The Demon King, Cinda Williams Chima
I love fantasy, so so so much. This author seems to get great reviews and have a devoted following. I'll probably love this series...and yet, this book (and the next in the series The Exiled Queen) are just hanging out on my shelves. Sigh.

A Northern Light, Jennifer Donnelly
I loved Revolution so much that when I bought a copy of it, I also picked up a copy of A Northern Light. It's just been sitting on the shelf since then. Well, that's not entirely true. I did start it once, but put it down when a shiny new book I'd been waiting for came out. I have book ADD.

Reckless, Cornelia Funke
Another one that I bought with the best intentions, and yet it remains unopened.

One of the shelves where good books go to die. And my husband's "office."

Bright Young Things, Anna Godbersen
Oh how I loved The Luxe series. It's one of my favorites. When asked what book world I'd most like to live in, this is the one I chose. My wonderful mother in law gave this to me last Christmas. I still haven't read it, not even opened it. I'm a bad bad daughter in law.

Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan
Okay, so this one I have opened. I've actually started it at least 3 times. Something about this story has never grabbed me. Maybe I should try it one more time...then it might be heading for the donation pile. Poor Printz Award winners. I just never seem to read them once I buy them (one notable exception being Looking for Alaska).

Rot and Ruin, Jonathan Maberry
I love zombies. I love action. Why I have I not loved this book yet? No idea.

Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta
Another award winner that so many people seem to love more than anything, but I haven't found the desire to try it yet. Maybe some day.

The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness
Got this one at what my bestie referred to as a "Post-Apocalyptic Borders" during the initial closing of certain stores. No matter how much good stuff I hear about this series, or how much I LOVED A Monster Calls, I still haven't tried this one.

The Uglies Series, Scott Westerfeld
Okay, so I have read Uglies, but just not the rest of the series. I got the boxed set for my 25th birthday, and, considering I'm coming up on my 27th, it's been sitting on my shelves for awhile. I really do want to read the rest of them. No good reason why I haven't.

There you have it, just a selection of the GREAT books I haven't been reading. It seems that, for me, buying a book is a death sentence. It doesn't have a due date anymore, I own it, I'll always have it, I can read it any time I want - so I don't. Maybe they'll be another snowpocalypse this year and I can read some books I've been meaning to for so long.

Book Review: Breadcrumbs

2011-11-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

Breadcrumbs, Anne Ursu
(Gr 4-6)
Harper Collins/Walden Pond, Sept 27, 2011. Reviewed from library book.

"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."

This modern day retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen is beautiful, endearing, and imaginative. The first half of the novel is realistic fiction. The story of a girl, Hazel, who's wild imagination keeps her from fitting in with anyone her own age. Anyone except her best friend and neighbor, Jack. Hazel lives inside her imagination, comparing her life to those of her favorite book characters. Jack understands Hazel's imaginings, and has some of his own to share. The two make a great pair, much to the dismay of Jack's male friends, until the day Jack suddenly turns on Hazel.

I loved Hazel right from the start. She's vivacious and creative. I actually had a little trouble believing that no one, other than Jack, wanted to be her friend. Really, no one wants to be friends with the nice girl who daydreams and reads a lot?! But, I digress. Hazel is the kind of girl who knows how to deal with trouble. She's read about it enough. As long as she has Jack by her side, she doesn't care that the rest of her classmates ignore her or call her "Crazy Hazy." Even once Jack abruptly ends their friendship, Hazel is resilient. She knows something terrible has happened to Jack. He wouldn't just stop being her friend, not ever.

The second half of the novel is straight fantasy, fairy tale. Hazel goes into the enchanted wood to save Jack from the Snow Queen. This part of the novel is perfect for all children who think they'd like to go on an adventure like the ones they read about. Hazel has always believed in good triumphing over evil and the strength of the smallest people, but when faced with her own adventure she realizes just how hard it is to be brave.

This book is wonderfully written. The descriptions are vibrant and will stay rooted in your imagination long after you turn the last page. This is a book lovers book. Hazel frequently name drops familiar characters or references places many readers will have visited in other stories. I gobbled this story up and enjoyed every minute - now I can't wait to share it with all the kids at the library. Breadcrumbs is out now so pick up a copy! You'll love it!

Book Review: The Future of Us

2011-11-01T06:19:00.000-05:00

The Future of Us, Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
(Gr 7+)

Coming 21 November 2011
Razorbill. Review copy provided by publisher.

"It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out."

The premise of this story is really interesting. As I was reading the book, I found myself wanting to look at my own facebook profile and try to see it through the eyes of my sixteen year old self. Would I like the way I looked? Would I like my job? Would I be happy with my husband (of course, he's adorable)? If you were a teenager and had a brief glance at what your future would be like in fifteen years, how much would you want to change? Obviously, a facebook profile can't give all the details of a future life. Even people who put the most personal details online don't put everything on, so can you really judge your future on only what you find on a social networking site?

I like stories about time travel, any kind of time travel really. I like it if the character manages to physically travel through time, gets secret messages from their future self, or, as it turns out, finds a future website. The story raised some great points about changing the future. Emma starts out right away thinking about how she can make her future life different than it is, better. Josh on the other hand, is worried about what his new knowledge might mean for the present and how it could screw up his future. For example, "This is making me nervous. The future seems so fragile. For instance, I already saw that I'm going to the University of Washington like my brother. And I definitely want that to happen, but what if knowing I'll get in makes me slack on the application and then I get rejected?" (ARC 134-135). Yup, mind blown! What if just knowing the future changes your actions in the present and, therefore, changes the future!? I think I need a cup of tea.

Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler are a little bit of an author dream team. Together they created a compulsively readable book that I could not put down. Literally. I read the entire thing in just over 2 hours. Emma and Josh are sweet, fun, interesting characters who I would definitely want to be friends with. Their story is a perfect mix of obsessing over their future and trying to figure out their present. Each of them faces different dilemmas from their new knowledge - do they keep secrets or help friends? Their story will suck you in and you won't be able to stop until the very end, so I recommend starting this book in a very comfy chair. Then ask yourself, how much would you want to know about your future?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

THE ONE WHO INVENTED TRICK OR TREAT

Yes, I invented “trick or treat”

So you could fill your mouth with sweets –

Candy bars and lemon drops,

Marshmallows and Tootsie Pops,

Butterscotch and bubble gum.

Hold out your hand – they’ll give you some

Chocolate kisses, Jujubes,

Sourballs and jelly beans.

Have a cake – some cookies too.

Take a couple – grab a few

Peppermint sticks and Mary Janes,

Licorice whips and candy canes.

Slurp some soda, munch a pie,

Don’t let those M&M’s go by,

Chew that toffee, munch those treats,

Get that caramel in your teeth.

Then come see me, I’ll be here –

I’m your friendly dentist, dear.

-Shel Silverstein, Every Thing On It

Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

2011-10-05T16:38:00.001-05:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Rae Carson
(Gr 7+)
Greenwillow Books, September 20 2011. Review copy provided by publisher.

"Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do."

My mother always taught me to write thank you notes promptly after receiving a present - so here goes.

Dear Rae Carson~

Thank you for coming along and filling the Tamora Pierce/Kristin Cashore sized hole in my heart. Your heroine was smart, inventive, brave, and caring. Once I got to know her, I couldn't stop reading her story! Elisa has joined the ranks of Katsa, Alanna, Becka, and Fire for me. I think she'll fit in nicely.

Thank you for writing a fantasy book that didn't feel like it was set in England. It didn't feel even the slightest bit inspired by British history or anything. I love that you have created a world that is inspired by Spain. Your descriptions were so vivid that I could almost feel the heat of the sun in the desert, see the lush greenery of the jungle, or feel lost in a crowded marketplace.

Thank you for creating fully fleshed out secondary characters who felt just as real and important as the main character. You made me love them, you never chose the easy path for them, and yes, you let them break my heart. I love when a secondary character means just as much to me as the main character.

Thank you for writing a book that I couldn't wait to share with the other librarians, and that I'm even more excited to pass along to the kids at the library. There is one girl in particular who I know will adore your story. In short, thank you for writing my favorite book of 2011.

Very Truly Yours,
Becky the Librarian

Book Review: The Iron Knight

2011-10-03T09:53:00.000-05:00

The Iron Knight, Julie Kagawa
(Gr 9+)

Coming 25 October 2011
Harlequin Teen. Review copy provided by publisher.

"My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.

I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl..."

This is the fourth book in the Iron Fey series (The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen are the others). The Iron Fey is the kind of series that I really look forward to reading. I have enjoyed every book and can't wait to read MORE! Usually, I like trilogies best. I want to have the end in sight, even if I like the setting/story/characters, but with this series - the more the better! Keep going Julie Kagawa! I'll keep reading them!

The previous three installments in this series were narrated by Meghan Chase, the half faery princess daughter of Oberon, King of the Summer Fey. I'm not sure how much to say about her story...if you've already read the first three books in the series, you're fine to keep reading, but if you haven't you should probably just stop reading this. Seriously. Stop. Actually, just go get a copy of The Iron King and read that instead. Anyway, at the start of this book Meghan is settled into her new role as Queen of the Iron Fey. She's had to separate from Prince Ash, her true love and our new narrator, because he is full blood fey and would die in the Iron Realm. Meghan believes there's no way for the two of them to ever be together, but Ash is not giving up.

Ash makes for an interesting narrator. As a reader, I felt like I knew him, but reading a story from his perspective was a lot different than getting to know him through Meghan. He's a very complicated character. This is best illustrated by his relationships. He loves Meghan, but he still has unresolved issues from an old relationship. His biggest enemy, Puck, is also his best friend and closest ally. In this story we get a lot more back story on Ash and find out that he is even MORE complicated than he seems on the surface! He needs some faery therapy stat to start working out his mountain of issues!

The Iron Knight will be a huge hit with fans of the series. It keeps the plot moving along at a steady clip, shows readers new parts of the Nevernever, reintroduces old characters as well as a few new ones, and has the romantic feel that readers will be looking for. This series continues to be a lot of fun and I can't wait to see what Julie Kagawa comes up with next!

Book Review: Wonderstruck

2011-09-20T10:34:00.002-05:00

Wonderstruck, Brian Selznick
(Gr 3-5)
Scholastic, Sept 13 2011. Reviewed from library book.

"Set fifty years apart, two independent stories—Ben's told in words and Rose's in pictures—weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

Ever since his mom died, Ben feels lost.
At home with her father, Rose feels alone.

He is searching for someone, but he is not sure who.
She is searching for something, but she is not sure what.

When Ben finds a mysterious clue hidden in his mom's room,
When a tempting opportunity presents itself to Rose

Both children risk everything to find what's missing."

I read, and loved, The Invention of Hugo Cabret for my Materials for Youth course in graduate school. Since I have become a librarian it has been both my salvation and one of my biggest heartaches. Salvation because it is the perfect book to give to a reluctant reader who does not want to be embarrassed by carrying around a small "baby" book at school. Hugo has enough appeal, pictures, and pages to satisfy even the most anti reading child. Sadly, after they finish it, that's when the heartache sets in. Inevitably mom will be so happy that little insertnamehere read a whole book, and such a thick book too, that she will immediately head back to the library searching for anything similar to try to recreate her own little miracle. The sadsad librarian will then have to tell the elated mother that there is nothing exactly like Hugo Cabret. Yes, there are tons of other illustrated novels, there are even great ones, but nothing like Hugo. He is unique, which is part of what makes his story so wonderful. Poor mom will then leave the library with a handful of good, but not quite Hugo, illustrated novels and hope that at least one sparks some sort of interest with her anti reading child. That was the end of the story - until now! I know many other children's librarians will join me in rejoicing that Brian Selznick's new book is out and it is WONDERFUL! Finally, finally, something to keep those Hugo fans reading!!

Ben lives on a lake out in the middle of Nowhere Minnesota. His mother has just passed away and he isn't ready to move on. He doesn't know anything at all about his father, until the night he gets struck by lightning. Rose lives an equally secluded life, but in a big house overlooking New York City. She dreams of getting away and finding the movie star she most admires, but Rose is deaf. Her story, told entirely in pictures, is about overcoming disability and proving that everyone wants a chance to really live. These two characters, living a lifetime apart, are both wonderful, believable, and the kind of kids every reader will want to root for.

This story lacks none of the imagination and magic that made Hugo Cabret so exciting to young readers. It has all the elements of a great story; runaway kids, big city adventures, and life in a museum. Oh yeah, you read that right, life in a museum! Kids will likely need little encouragement to pick up Selznick's newest book, even though it has some serious heft to it. They know what to expect from a book like this, and they can't wait to dive right in. Thank you, thank you Brian Selznick for easing my librarian heartache and for writing a book so awesome, that all 12 copies I bought for the library are already checked out.

Book Review: Goliath

2011-09-19T14:50:00.000-05:00

Goliath, Scott Westerfeld
(Gr 7+)

Out TOMORROW! 20 September 2011
Simon Pulse. Review copy provided by publisher.

"Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies."

The war between the Clankers and the Darwinists is well under way, but Prince Alek still believes it's his destiny to end it and he'll do anything to make that happen. His best friend, Deryn, who he knows as Dylan, the midshipman aboard the airship Leviathan, is a little less certain that destiny exists or that the war can be stopped. We first met Alek and Deryn in Leviathan and followed their adventures into Istanbul in Behemoth, now, in the end of this amazing trilogy, the stakes are higher and all their secrets are bubbling to the surface.

I have loved this trilogy from the start. It's imaginative, exciting, and full of amazing illustrations (some of which I'd very much like to frame on my wall!). Goliath needed to bring everything together for me, no loose ends and no disappointments - and it actually did pretty well. When we first meet back up with Alek and Deryn they are still aboard the Leviathan and not entirely sure where the ship is headed next. Alek hopes it's to Europe, to the center of the fighting, so he can step up and end the war, but they seem to be heading farther and farther away. Deryn is just following orders, she doesn't mind where the Leviathan takes them next, but she does want Alek to stay aboard and for her secret to stay hidden. At least until she's ready to tell Alek herself, but just Alek.

Fans of this series will be happy to see all their favorite characters back in action and history buffs will be pleased to meet a few new famous faces. Deryn is just as strong and tough as always, but she's started to find a little bit of a softer side. Don't worry, she's still fiercely independent and the bravest midshipman serving on Leviathan (male or female). Alek grew a lot as a character in this book. He started to make his own choices and be less of a reactionary character. I wasn't sure how I felt about him after Behemoth, but he made up for all his prior character flaws in Goliath. Oh yeah, in case you were wondering. It's not all character growth and relationships, this book (like the previous two) is chock full of action, adventure, and suspense!

The one big hurdle in this series is for the teen readers. I'm not sure how much they know about World War I to begin with, so the re-imagined history might not resonate as much for them. I have book talked Leviathan a lot lately, since it's nominated for the state book award, and many parents have said some variation of, "He has no idea what happened during World War I" or "She has never heard of Darwin and won't understand genetic engineering." I try to explain that the series can be enjoyed without a full understanding of either science or history and that it might prompt further study, but both parents and kids have been put off by parts of this trilogy. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? Although, the kids who have picked it up have all loved it and come back for more! I'm excited to get Goliath on the library shelves and start passing it out to teens who aren't afraid of a different kind of story!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Scorpio Races

2011-09-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is masterminded by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Check out her blog for more upcoming releases that bloggers are waiting patiently for.

Coming 18 Oct 2011
The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen."

Teaser Tuesday: Wisdom's Kiss

2011-09-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is a weekly meme run by MizB at Should Be Reading. Check it out for other Teaser Tuesday books. Here's how it works.

1) Grab your current read

2) Open to a random page

3) Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

4)Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Coming 12 September 2011

"When I am ancient and writing my memoirs I shall entitle this chapter, 'The Puking Path.' Or perhaps, 'The Retching Road'--that's more accurate as the Alpsburg Pass is quite clearly a decent road when it's not full of mud." -Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. pg. 47.

Book Review: Divergent

2011-09-02T11:25:00.003-05:00

Divergent, Veronica Roth
(Gr 8+)
HarperCollins Children's Books, May 3rd 2011. Reviewed from purchased copy.

"Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger."

Warning: When I'm excited I write a lot of run on sentences.

I have heard people at work raving about this book all summer, and yet I still waited until last weekend to finally pick it up. Silly silly Becky, when will you learn? When tons of librarians are obsessed with a book, it's probably super awesome, and this one is super duper awesome. It was the first book I've read for awhile that I could not put down, and that I couldn't stop thinking about when I did, unfortunately, have to put it down to go do work. Grumble grumble, kids needing books and homework help, don't you know I have a book to read?!

There are a lot of dystopias out there. A LOT. Yet, I am still not sick of them. I'm not sure I ever will be. They are awesome and I love them, and I want to read more. Obviously this book was starting with a distinct advantage with me. Also, it's set in future Chicago! Speaking as someone who has spent most of her life living in the Chicago area, I was ridiculously excited to read a book set in my own hometown! It was awesome to know where the characters were, like really really know. They go to the Sears Tower, (not Willis. Seriously Willis?! C'mon Chicago, why don't you just rename it the Penis Tower?!), Navy Pier, the Hancock Building - obviously none of these places are the same as they are today, but their presence made the story so much more real for me.

Okay, now that I've aired my biases I can actually say what I thought of the book. First off, I loved Tris. She is a perfect dystopian heroine. She is comfortable with the world the way it is...to an extent. She questions her place within her own family, but believes there is a place for her in the world. She is not fighting against the status quo or leading a rebellion, she's just a teenage girl trying to figure out who she is. In this way she is a relatable character to most readers, even those not living in a future world governed by five factions. Tris takes risks, has strong morals, and more raw gumption then is good for her. I think she's awesome! Also, speaking of characters; I have a crush on Four, want a friend like Christina, and had my heart broken by Al.

The plot moves along at a nice pace, not too fast, but quick enough to keep me ravenously turning pages. I lovelovelove what Veronica Roth said on her website about this trilogy, "Just so you know, my goal is to make each book feel A. like a complete work in and of itself and B. absolutely necessary." Isn't that awesome? You know, as a reader going into this trilogy that, even though the story isn't over after the first or even the second book, you will finish the novel with a sense of satisfaction and completion...while still desperately wanting the next book to come out! Other series authors, take note, this is the best way to write a continuing story.

Obviously, I loved this book. I can't say enough good stuff about it, really my only complaint is that the second book won't come out until May! What will I do until then?! Probably read some more books that all the librarians are raving about...lesson learned.

Book Review: Pregnant Pause

2011-09-01T07:00:00.039-05:00

Pregnant Pause, Han Nolan
(Gr 9+)

Coming 19 September 2011
Harcourt Children's Book. Review copy from publisher.

"Nobody gets away with telling Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant sixteen-year-old, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the baby’s father and work at his family’s summer camp for overweight kids.

Despite her initial reluctance to help out, Elly is surprised that she actually enjoys working with the campers. But a tragedy on the very day her baby is born starts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with unexpected emotions and difficult choices. Somehow, she must turn her usual obstinance in a direction that can ensure a future for herself—and for the new life she has created."

I originally picked up this book because of the author. I've heard lots of great things about Han Nolan's books, but I've never read one for myself and thought it was about time. She did not disappoint me!

Eleanor is the type of character who felt really real because of her changing and evolving personality. She starts out as a rebellious teenager who makes a lot of wrong choices and ends up in big trouble, yes in the 50's sense...she's pregnant. After she decides, against her parents wishes, to marry the baby's father and live with his family at their weight loss camp, she starts to find another side of herself. She realizes that she can connect positively with the young campers and provide them with a shoulder to lean on. Even as Eleanor starts to find her feet in her new life, her new husband is losing his.

I loved that nothing happened like I thought it would in this story. It's part of what made it feel so real. There was no idealistic teen family playing house for reality TV cameras - there was just a lost, confused girl rushed into a marriage, about to give birth, and stuck with only an ugly orange dress that fits her. Elly managed to stay strong during some things that would have broken just about anyone. I think she's a great character for high school girls to read.

Yes, there are a LOT of books out there about teenage pregnancy, but this one adds some elements I haven't seen before. This would be a good book to use to start a discussion with teenagers about safe sex and NOT ending up in Elly's situation. It is not an easy book to read and so I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but, in the hands of the right readers, this book will be a welcome find.

Take Two Review: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

2011-08-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

Every once in awhile I like to re-read the books that I loved when I was younger - my second opinion is a Take Two Review.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, Patricia A. McKillip
(Gr 7+)
Magic Carpet Books, January 1st 2006. (first published August 1st 1974). Reviewed from library book.

"Sixteen when a baby is brought to her to raise, Sybel has grown up on Eld Mountain. Her only playmates are the creatures of a fantastic menagerie called there by wizardry. Sybel has cared nothing for humans, until the baby awakens emotions previously unknown to her. And when Coren--the man who brought this child--returns, Sybel's world is again turned upside down."

I first stumbled upon this book when I was in 6th or 7th grade, and I gobbled it up as fast as I could. It's still one of those books who's images stay with my imagination and that I can recall almost instantly. What was it about this story that I loved so much and that's stayed with me for so long? I figured a second (okay more life 4th) reading would give me some fresh insight.

First off, I remember instantly loving Sybel. She is such a unique character. She's a strong, independent young woman who really and truly doesn't need anyone, almost to a fault. If Coren had never shown up on her doorstep with baby Tamlorn, she probably would have lived out her entire life in solitude. She has her animals to keep her company, but she would never have placed any value on human relationships if one hadn't been forced upon her. Yet, once she is put in charge of a baby, she quickly learns the value of human love. She knows that she can't care for him alone and so reaches out to Maelga, a witch woman (and my FAVORITE character) for help. Together, Tam and Maelga show Sybel the importance of having a family.

The setting was also something that stayed with me. There are certain places that are easier for my imagination to conjure up than others, and Eld Mountain is at the top of the list. Sybel's home, filled with places for her animals to live - a cave for the dragon, a lake for the black swan - and isolated from the world, was an imaginary safe place for my middle school self. What girl wouldn't want a house filled with books, comfort, and magical creatures to talk to who would all do anything to protect you? Sounds perfect to me.

Of course I had an instant crush on Coren. He's strong, loyal, smart, honest, and (in my mind) super handsome. I liked that he was the kind of leading man who wanted Sybel to be herself. The angriest he ever got at her was when she lied to him, he knew she wasn't perfect, and he loved her anyway. Sigh, bestill my sixth grade heart.

Pick up this GREAT fantasy novel that (in my mind) is just as good to read if you're a middle schooler or a done with schooler.

Book Review: The Unwanteds

2011-08-30T13:35:00.003-05:00

Released into the wild TODAY! Check your local library or independent bookstore.

The Unwanteds, Lisa McMann
(Gr 4-6)
Aladdin, August 30, 2011. Review copy provided by publisher.

"Every year in Quill, thirteen year olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret—behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.

In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.

But it's a rare, unique occurrence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle."

This book had some serious hype to live up to. I mean did you read that blurb on the front cover? "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter," from Kirkus! If you're a librarian or anyone who does collection development/reads a lot of book reviews, you'll know that a positive review from Kirkus is really something to brag about. Then there's that comparison...really?! The Hunger Games AND Harry Potter? That's almost too much to live up to, but The Unwanteds makes a valiant attempt.

Lisa McMann has done something pretty cool in my opinion. She's taken the most popular (right now) genre in Young Adult fiction, dystopia, and made it into something for the middle grade crowd. Quill has all the features of a traditional dystopia - all powerful, corrupt government, total control over the population, and a familiar landscape. I like that the younger brothers and sisters who see their older siblings reading books like The Hunger Games or Divergent now have something more their speed to turn to.

Artime is a little bit like Hogwarts - with all the magic creatures hanging about and a dangerous, magical forest surrounding it. Young readers will love imagining what living in this magical place would be like. My personal favorite part is having a talking blackboard as a message service, especially since they all have their own names and personalities. That would be awesome.

Overall this book was creative, fun, and entertaining. I'll be passing it along to tons of kids at the library. Although, if you ask me, it didn't really live up to the hype, but, really, what would? The Unwanteds is out today, so check out your library or local independent bookstore for a copy - especially if you know a reluctant reader who needs something to shake off the back to school blues.

Book Review: Anya's Ghost

2011-08-29T07:00:00.002-05:00

Anya's Ghost, Vera Brosgol
(Gr 8+)
First Second, June 7, 2011. Reviewed from library book.

"Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part...

Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.

Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.

Or so she thinks."

This awesome graphic novel really doesn't need me to sing it's praises, I mean just look at the top. If Neil Gaiman calls your gn a "masterpiece" you really don't need anyone to say anything else. That's like J.K. Rowling saying your fantasy novel is her favorite or Martin Scorsese saying your movie is the best he's ever seen. It never hurts to have a little more love though.

I LOVE graphic novels, especially imaginative, well written, creepy, artistic ones. Anya is a wonderfully three dimensional character. She wants nothing more than to fit in at her preppy, private school. If that means ignoring her heritage, Americanizing her last name, and getting help from a ghost - so be it. Her story is part social drama and part ghost story, oh yeah, it's as awesome as it sounds.

Brosgol's imagery is fabulous. It's gritty, realistic, and creepy. Her characters have great movements and awesome facial expressions. I'm not the most artistic person so I can't go into too much detail, all I can say is, "I may not know art, but I know what I like," and I super liked this book!

Book Review: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg

2011-08-26T09:39:00.000-05:00

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, Rodman Philbrick
(Gr 4-7)
Blue Sky Press. January 1, 2009. Reviewed from library book.

"Master storyteller Rodman Philbrick takes readers on a colorful journey as young Homer Figg sets off to follow his brother into the thick of the Civil War. Through a series of fascinating events, Homer's older brother has been illegally sold to the Union Army. It is up to Homer to find him and save him. Along the way, he encounters strange but real people of that era: two tricksters who steal his money, a snake-oil salesman, a hot-air balloonist, and finally, the Maine regiment who saved Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg and won the war for the Union."

This nominee for the 2012 Rebecca Caudill Award has been on my to read list forever. I love historical fiction so I was excited to sink my teeth into Homer's adventures. Homer P. Figg reads like a very real young boy. He has his own logic that he uses to make sense of the world and is deeply loyal to his family. All he has left in the world is his older brother Harold, and he would do anything to keep them together. I loved Homer's narration! It was funny, exciting, and sad. He is a character who will very much appeal to elementary school boys, he's a little like a historical fiction Greg Heffley.

Young readers will be sucked into the fast pace of this novel and never notice all the great historical details, but they'll absorb them. Philbrick has painted a very vivid picture of life during the Civil War and provided readers with context that will help in history studies. This book would be a great choice for teachers to share with their classrooms. I love the way fiction can help kids form a real sense of awareness when it comes to history - in a way that nothing else really does.

If you know a boy (or girl) who is looking for a book full of adventure, humor, and a little truth stretching, this would be a great choice. They'll even learn something, whether they notice or not. Good choice Caudill comittee!

Book Review: Incarceron

2011-08-15T11:43:00.000-05:00

Incarceron, Catherine Fisher
(Gr 7+)
Dial, January 26, 2010. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Finn is a "cell born." His entire life is a blank, except for the years he's spent in Incarceron, an enormous, sentient prison that becomes it's inmates' entire world. Finn knows there must be a world outside the prison, a world that comes to him in visions he can't control.

Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron and betrothed to a prince she hates. She longs for the paradise she believes exists inside the walls of the prison, but no one in the world knows it's location, no one except the Warden.

Claudia and Finn each find a crystal key. A key that allows them to communicate with each other. Finn discovers that he was right all along, the real world exists, and he's going to find a way back to it. While Claudia realizes life in the prison is not the Utopia she and the rest of the world have been lead to believe.

It has taken me an embarrassingly long time to get around to reading this book! Owning a book is the kiss of death for me, do you find that, when faced with a book you own and a library book/galley with an upcoming pub. date, you always end up choosing the one with a deadline? It's a problem.

Catherine Fisher has created an incredible, rich fantasy world in Incarceron. I loved the vast differences between the world of the prison and the real world. Outside the prison, life has reverted (and stalled) in what seems to be the late middle ages. It was decreed that people would be safer if life just stopped changing. Unfortunately, certain technologies made it much harder to implement a true historical feel to the world, so they were simply outlawed. Claudia's home is a fascinating mix of historic and futuristic; wands that wipe away wrinkles, specially manufactured cobwebs, and rooms that clean themselves are side by side with girls in corsets, men riding around on horseback, and courtly manners.

Incarceron was a character unto itself. The prison is huge and smart. It watches the inmates and guides their lives. Finn has a special relationship with the prison that the rest of his companions do not. He spends many nights staring into the eyes of Incarceron and trying to speak to the beast that is his whole world. Incarceron was a little harder than the outside world to envision at first, probably since the real world had a basis in history and the prison was completely fantastical, but once I had an image of it in my head, it was easy to get lost in!

This is a wonderful, exciting, well written adventure that will appeal to many teen readers. Finn and Claudia are both strong, interesting characters who are fun to get to know. Books like this are easy to recommend to boys and girls since they each get a main character to root for. My favorite character outside of the two main characters was Keiro, Finn's oath brother. He has one of those awesome personalities that makes you constantly wonder if he's a good guy, or the kind of guy who's just out for himself. I can't wait to read more about him in Sapphique. Check out this awesome adventure (if you haven't already) and end your summer with a bang!

Book Review: Bumped

2011-06-27T09:30:00.001-05:00

Bumped, Megan McCafferty
(Gr 9+)
Balzer + Bray, April 26, 2011. Review copy provided by publisher.

Melody and Harmony are identical twin sisters, but, until the day Harmony shows up on Melody's doorstep, they've never met. The girls were given up for adoption at birth; Melody going to a suburban couple and Harmony to an isolated religious community. The world they live in is not like the one of today. A virus has spread throughout the human population, making young women infertile as they enter adulthood. The result of this virus is that adult couples have started to pay young teenage girls to have babies, or "bump," for them. Melody is a highly paid reproductive professional, just waiting for her time to bump for a childless couple. Harmony, on the other hand, believes that babies shouldn't be bought and paid for. Her religious community still believes in traditional, rigid family values and she wants nothing more than to convert her twin to her beliefs before it's too late.

This tongue in cheek satire was enormously entertaining. Megan McCafferty throws readers right into Melody's world without a lot of explanation, and they are left to find their footing slowly. The teens in this novel use an unusual form of slang that all has fertility and reproductive roots. Reading the dialog at first was a little jarring, but after a few chapters it made the world seem a lot more real. The best part is that, once you get comfortable with the writing, it is hilarious!

Melody and Harmony are two very different characters. I felt like Harmony, in some ways, is the reader's in to the world. Since Harmony lives in a place that's so cut off from the rest of civilization a lot of things have to be explained to her, or she has to figure them out. This helps the reader get a better feel for everything as well. Although, Harmony has her own set of social rules that are just as interesting as Melody's. In some ways I thought Harmony was the more compelling character. She is fighting with the way she has always lived and what she sees in the rest of the world, as well as some very different possibilities for her future.

Readers who loved McCafferty's Jessica Darling series will be happy to have a new book full of the author's trademark humor. While fans will miss Jessica and her way of looking at the world, I think they will soon find themselves drawn to Melody and Harmony. Their story is funny, eye opening, and thought provoking - especially in a world that is seemingly more and more fascinated with teenage mothers. Definitely pick up a copy of Bumped, you'll finish it in no time and join the ranks of readers who are already longing for the sequel.

Itty Bitty Book Review: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

2011-06-24T07:00:00.005-05:00

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Grace Lin
(Gr 3-5)
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, July 2009. Reviewed from library book.

Minli's parents spend all day, every day working hard in the rice fields under the Fruitless Mountain. Their hard work is rewarded with little food and less money. Minli's mother laments their lack of fortune, but her father finds solace in stories. Minli loves her father's stories, and frequently begs to hear them over and over. These stories lead her to a desire to seek out better luck for her family. With a little help from a friendly goldfish, Minli sets out on an adventure that will take her far from home and introduce her to many interesting characters.

Review in 75 words or less:

This Caudill nominee drew my attention because of its beautiful cover and colorful illustrations. Fortunately the story was just as great as the artwork! Minli is a sweet, brave character who readers will love to root for. The story reads like an old folk tale, and actually has many of Minli’s father’s stories worked into the narrative. This is a great choice for classroom reading that practically begs to be read aloud. (72)

Book Review: Between Shades of Gray

2011-06-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys
(Gr 7+)
Philomel, March 2011. Reviewed from library book.

Lina is fifteen and lives with her family in Lithuania. They are a happy, normal family, until the night Soviet soldiers take them from their homes and send them away. Lina, her mother and brother are separated from her father and taken far North where they are forced to live in terrible conditions. Through their harsh treatment, lack of food, and the freezing climate, Lina finds strength in her art. She draws her feelings, using her illustrations as a record of her family's ordeal. She records the heartbreak and hardships of all those who were deported with her family, and manages to keep up hope even in the worst circumstances.

This is a really, truly wonderful book. I've read a lot about World War II and the terrible things that were done to the Jewish people, the Russians, and many others, but I had never heard about what happened to the people living in the Baltic States. These people faced mass deportations of the educated, upper and middle class, and those who had too many connections abroad. They were taken from their homes, forced into overfull cattle cars, and taken hundreds of miles away from their homes. The saddest part of their story is that it was kept silent for so long. Some of those who were deported weren't able to return to their homes for twenty years or more, and when they did, they were forbidden to talk about what had been done to them.

Ruta Sepetys' family is originally from Lithuania. Her parents were able to escape the country prior to the deportations, but many of their friends and family were not so lucky. Sepetys based Lina's parents on her own mother and father, and shed light on the untold story of so many people. This book would be wonderful for older junior high and high school students to read during a study of World War II or the Soviet Union.

Readers will quickly fall in love with Lina, her younger brother, and her incredibly strong mother. Sepetys writing style is straight forward and unapologetic. She shows readers genuine horrors in a matter of fact way that makes the reader feel part of the story. The people who were deported are forced to work together and to sometimes ignore things that would normally enrage them in order to survive. This powerful book made me cry multiple times and stayed with me for a long time after I turned the final page. I highly recommend it to those who don't know the history, who love historical fiction, and who just want a powerful story.

Libri Dilectio 2nd Blogoversary

2011-06-22T07:00:00.012-05:00

Libri Dilectio is 2 years old today!
My blog is entering the terrible twos,
I hope it doesn't start whining a lot and

asking me "why" all the time.

I can't believe it's been 2 years already!

Books Read in Bloggy Year 2: 152

(I read 124 last year and set

(and achieved) a goal of 150 for this year!)

Posts: 71

(187 last year! It's pretty obvious that I lived alone last year

and that this year I have a husband who needs attention!)

Favorite Book Read: Plain Kate, Erin Bow

Book Challenge: The 48 Hour Book Challenge

Thanks for reading and for keeping me company on the interwebs for the last 2 years! I love all of you who follow, read, and comment. I think I'll keep doing this for blogging thing for awhile...

Book Review: Entwined

2011-06-20T09:50:00.000-05:00

Entwined, Heather Dixon
(Gr 5-7)
Greenwillow Books. March 29, 2011. Reviewed from library book.

Princess Azalea is the oldest of twelve daughters who all love to dance. When their mother dies, shortly after giving birth to the youngest princess, the girls enter a period of mourning. This means they can only wear black, they can't have any clocks, and above all, they aren't allowed to dance. The girls are devastated by the loss of their mother - made even worse by the loss of their dancing time. Dancing was something their mother loved and it's a way for them to feel close to her. When Azalea discovers a secret passage in their bedroom, all the girls follow the long stairs down into another world. A world where they can dance every night, until their shoes fall to pieces, and where they are always under the watchful eye of Mr. Keeper.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses has been my favorite fairy tale since I was a little girl. I loved the thought of having so many sisters, being a princess, and having a secret place to go and dance all night. In Entwined, Heather Dixon reimagines the original fairy tale while adding new details, new characters, and new dangers.

The princesses of Entwined live in Eathesbury, a small kingdom experiencing some serious budget cuts when it comes to the monarchy. The girls live in a drafty castle, wear sensible old gowns, and have porridge for breakfast every day...and sometimes lunch. Their castle was once a grand, enchanted palace, ruled by an evil high king. Some small remnants of the magic still exist, like a tea set with an attitude and passages that can only be opened by pure silver.

Azalea is the oldest of the princesses and has taken on the role of mother as well as that of eldest sister and heir to the throne. She is a strong character who cares deeply for her younger sisters and has a shaky relationship with her father. She has an enormous amount of responsibility placed on her shoulders when her mother passes away, so it makes sense that she would be so happy to find a secret place to lose herself in dance every night. Her growth throughout the story makes her a very satisfying character who readers will identify with.

Overall, this is a rich, imaginative re-telling of a well known story. Heather Dixon has created a vivid fantasy world and characters that come to life. I would recommend this book to teens who like Shannon Hale and Robin McKinley.

More Re-Tellings of The Twelve Dancing Princesses:
Princess of the Midnight Ball, Jessica Day George
Wildwood Dancing, Juliette Marillier
The Thirteenth Princess, Diane Zahler

48 Hour Book Challenge Finish Line

2011-06-06T07:05:00.001-05:00

It's 6:55am, which means, in 5 minutes, my time for this years 48 Hour Book Challenge is over. I didn't quite hit my goal of 20 hours, but I still think I did pretty well.

Hours Read: 18 hours, 45 minutes
Hours Blogged/Social Networked: 3.5
Pages Read: 1,656

The books I read this weekend were...
The Throne of Fire, Rick Riordan
The Penderwicks, Jeanne Birdsall
Entice, Carrie Jones
Abandon, Meg Cabot
Hidden, Helen Frost
Invisible Inkling, Emily Jenkins
The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray (only started this one. It's really LONG!)

I may not have read as long as I had wanted to, but I did read more books than I thought I would! Overall, I'm proud of myself and definitely going to participate again next year. Now it's time to get ready for the Summer Reading Club at work. It starts....NOW!

Book Review: Abandon

2011-06-05T15:53:00.000-05:00

Abandon, Meg Cabot
(Gr 7+)
Point. April 26, 2011. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Pierce knows what happens when you die and it's not what everyone thinks. There's no white light, no pearly gates, and nothing makes any sense. When she was fifteen years old, Pierce had a NDE (near death experience) that left her a different person. She lost the ability to connect with the world, lost her friends, her place at school, her family, and her home. Now she and her mother have moved to her mother's home, an island off the coast of Florida, to try for a fresh start. Pierce really does want to try, but she keeps seeing him. The guy who seems to be behind everything that happens to her, who has been around since she was a young girl, and who is never far from pain and death.

Abandon is Meg Cabot's re-imagining of the Persephone myth. In the original story, as most everyone knows, Hades kidnaps Persephone and makes her his queen. Her mother, Demeter, steps in and manages to negotiate with Hades that Persephone can spend a few months of the year out of the underworld with her. This story is how the Greeks explained the seasons. When Persephone is with her mother, Demeter is happy, thus, spring and summer. When Persephone has to go back to the underworld with Hades, Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter, causing fall and winter. Pretty good story, huh?

Meg Cabot's version has some similarities, but she has modernized the story and added her own special flair. I did appreciate her trying something new, but ultimately I was disappointed with this book. I really wanted to love it! Instead, I realized, belatedly, that it's the first in a trilogy and would not provide me with any closure. Sometimes that's great, if the author makes me care about a character in the first book and want to get the second one right away. Instead, I felt like this book was all about world building and set up with no pay off.

The writing style is such that the reader always feels two steps behind. Pierce talks a lot about "incidents" and other cryptic things, without really letting the reader in on what has happened to her. We do eventually get most of her story, but it happens in a way that is very choppy and difficult to follow. Certain plot points were graced over so quickly that I missed them completely and got really confused. Overall, this is very much a first book. I will probably read the rest of the series, to see if the story takes off anymore, but I'm not dying for a sequel. This wasn't really a bad book, I just had my hopes a little too high. Also, on a side note, I've realized that I have a strong preference for Meg Cabot's realistic fiction books!

Still plugging along on the 48 Hour Book Challenge. Not sure I'll hit my 20 hour goal, but I'm doing pretty well.
Books Read: 5
Hours Read: 14
Hours Blogged/Social Networked: 2.5
Pages Read: 1,342
Husbands Who Are Feeling Neglected: 1

Itty Bitty Book Review: The Penderwicks

2011-06-04T16:37:00.000-05:00

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, Jeanne Birdsall
(Gr 3-5)
Yearling. March 13, 2007. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty Penderwick spend every summer with their father at Cape Cod. Until the year their usual cottage is sold, and there is no where else for them to stay. At the last minute, their father hears about another cottage available for rent in August. This cottage turns out to be on the grounds of an enormous mansion, and the site of the best summer the Penderwick sisters have ever had.

Review in 75 words or less:

I've been meaning to read this book forever and I'm so glad I finally got around to it. It's the perfect mix of old fashioned family story and modern realistic fiction. This is the sort of book I can't wait to share with my future children. The characters are sweet, the setting is perfect, and the story is both quiet and exciting. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good summer read. (74)

Okay 48 Hour Book Challenge Update:
Books Read: 2
Hours Read: 6.5
Hours Blogged/Social Networked: 1
Pages Read: 614
Breaks Taken: 2 (lunch and Doctor Who!)

Book Review: The Throne of Fire

2011-06-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

The Kane Chronicles: The Throne of Fire, Rick Riordan
(Gr 4-7)
Hyperion. May 3, 2011. Reviewed from library book.

Carter and Sadie Kane have been busy since their fight at The Red Pyramid. They've gathered many young magicians to Brooklyn House to undergo training. Everything seems to be pretty much under control, until they find out that they've only got five days to find the Book of Ra, figure out how to use it, and save the world from falling into chaos. Yep, just an average day for the Kanes.

This book starts very similarly to the first in the series. Carter and Sadie's first adventure starts on the day their father blows up the British Museum and now their newest one starts when they set Brooklyn on fire. They didn't really mean to, things get complicated fast when you're fighting a huge griffin and holding a flaming scroll.

As with the rest of Riordan's books, this one does not lack for adventure. Carter and Sadie only have a few days and a lot of impossible odds to beat to save the world. They have come into their powers more in this book and are finding more strength in their relationship with each other. I really love the brother sister dynamic in this series. Carter and Sadie bicker and annoy each other like all siblings, but they also really trust and rely on each other. It's great for young readers to see such a strong sibling bond!

The Throne of Fire was a little shorter than The Red Pyramid and the narrative flowed much better. I felt like the author really knew his characters this time around and it was much easier for me to tell Carter's narration from Sadie's. There were fewer unnecessary stops this time around and the plot was more fast paced. Overall, I liked this second book in the trilogy more than the first, and I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've felt like that about a trilogy ever!

I would recommend this book to fans of Riordan's other books and anyone who likes history, adventure, or mythology. You do have to read the first book to understand this one, so make sure to pick up a copy of The Red Pyramid if you haven't already. I can't wait to find out what happens next summer!

This is my first book finished for the 48 Hour Book Challenge!
Books: 1
Hours Read: 4 (including a little audiobook time)
Time Blogged/Social Networked: 30 minutes
Pages: 352

48 Hour Book Challenge (2011)

2011-06-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time again...time for Mother Reader's 48 Hour Book Challenge! This is my second time participating, so I feel slightly more prepared this year than I did last year. I think I'll try to keep my goals modest again. I like to get that feeling of accomplishment so gotta keep myself a little grounded in my goal setting.

48hbc Goals
Read: 20 hours
Blog/Tweet/Etc.: 3 hours

The books I plan to start with are... The Kane Chronicles: The Throne of Fire, Rick Riordan
Abandon, Meg Cabot
The Penderwicks, Jeanne Birdsall
The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray
I say "plan to" because I frequently start a book and then change my mind. Right now these are the ones at the forefront of my brains, but I might wake up tomorrow in the mood for something else. I'm fickle like that. Okay...it's 7:00am here I go!! Well, here I go to Starbucks...gotta get some caffeine first. I'll be listening to Eona: The Last Dragoneye, Alison Goodman on the way though, so I really am starting now!

Book Review: Knucklehead

2011-06-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka, Jon Scieszka
(Gr 3-5)
Viking Juvenile. October 2, 2008. Reviewed from library book.

Did you ever wonder what that guy who wrote The Stinky Cheese Man was like as a kid? He was probably really weird! Here is your chance to find out for certain what it was like to be young Jon Scieszka! Growing up in a house with 6 boys, he certainly had lots of opportunities to get wild and crazy. Jon Scieszka was the second oldest brother, which means he was second in command of this wiley brigade of boys. This book is filled with hilarious anecdotes, stories that come with "don't try this" warnings, and pictures of Scieszka and his brothers that will make kids of all ages laugh out loud!

This book is nominated for the 2012 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book award, and is, so far, my favorite! Scieszka has written an autobiography that will have boys, girls, grown ups, pets, whatever reads it, rolling on the floor laughing! He presents his childhood in a way that will give the distinct impression that he never actually grew up at all. His stories about playing a ball game guaranteed to injure someone (probably one of his younger brothers), peeing on an electric space heater, and trying to navigate military school will leave readers wishing they had grown up in the same neighborhood as these ridiculously energetic Scieszka boys.

The best best best part about this book is all the wonderful ridiculous, not to be imitated lightly shenanigans the boys get up to are all outdoor or imaginative activities. Scieszka will inspire young readers to go outside and make some memories. You never know which ones will inspire a great book someday! This is the perfect book for summertime reading or reluctant readers. The stories are told in quick chapters and full of pictures. Kids will finish this book in record time and then, hopefully, head outside to see what sort of adventures await!

Warning: this book may cause perfectly normal children to become raging knuckleheads.

Book Review: Forge

2011-05-31T07:00:00.033-05:00

Forge, Laurie Halse Anderson
(Gr 5-8)
Atheneum, October 2010. Reviewed from library book.

Readers were first introduced to Curzon in 2008's Chains which was the story of Isabel, a slave girl living in a loyalist house during the American Revolution. In Forge we switch perspectives from Isabel to her friend Curzon. Isabel and Curzon have just escaped from New York City and gone their separate ways - Isabel to find her sister and Curzon to find a place to settle and live free. Curzon passes for free and ends up as a soldier in the American army, stationed at Valley Forge. His path once again crosses with Isabel's when he finds that she is also at Valley Forge, but not of her own choosing. Not only will these two have to struggle to survive the harsh winter conditions, but also to hide who they really are, and to find a way to trust each other again.

Forge was a wonderfully well written, fascinating novel. Laurie Halse Anderson has given readers a character who they will feel an instant connection with in Curzon. It will help to have read Chains first, but it really isn't necessary, but then again, why would you want to deprive yourself of such a fabulous book? Curzon is a strong character who knows that freedom is the most important thing in life. Even so, he is not the kind of boy who can ignore another person's trouble. After saving a young soldier's life, Curzon finds himself back in the army he thought he'd left for good. He's a good soldier and is well liked by the rest of his troop, but he has to constantly lie to them. If they knew he was really an escaped slave, they'd turn him in for sure.

This story will give readers an up close look at what it was like to live during the American Revolution and what it was really like to be a Patriot fighting for freedom. The descriptions are vivid and, at times, discomforting. Young readers will get a sense of the bravery it took to be a soldier and be shocked by the young age of many of them. This book would be great for history teachers who need a way to make the Revolution come to life for their students.

Forge is not just a vivid depiction of historical events, it is also a fast paced, entertaining story. Readers will be on the edge of their seats wanting to know what will happen to Curzon and Isabel. Anderson has woven a story that will make young readers frantic for a third book in the series. Beware of paper cuts, this book is a serious page turner.

Book Review: Squish Super Amoeba

2011-05-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

Squish: Super Amoeba, Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
(Gr 3-5)
Random House Books for Young Readers. May 10, 2011. Reviewed from library book.

Squish is a grade school amoeba with a soft spot for comic books and twinkies. Lately he's got a lot on his plate - his friends are either too naive for their own good, or sort of spacey and moochie. What's a blob to do when the biggest baddest bully in school threatens to eat his friend if Squish won't let him copy off of him on a science test? It's Super Amoeba to the RESCUE! ...Probably.

Jennifer and Matthew Holm are the brother and sister masterminds behind my FAVORITE graphic novel series, Babymouse! When I heard they were putting out another series geared more towards boys, I immediately put a copy on hold. I did read Babymouse: Mad Scientist first, which is where readers are first introduced to Squish, as he becomes Babymouse's science project. He's cuter than she expected, more interesting, and he sure does love to eat! Readers can follow him home to the pond after Babymouse sets him free and get to know a fun new friend.

Squish reminded me a little of a rounder, maler Babymouse. She loves books, he loves comics. She eats cupcakes, he eats twinkies. They both have very healthy imaginations that help them and get them into trouble. Squish's world is a little grosser than Babymouse's, but also filled with interesting scientific facts. I actually learned some things about amoebas that I didn't know before reading this. Not that I really knew anything about amoebas...

This is another great graphic novel from a hilarious brother sister writing team. I was lucky enough to see them when they were in town (and get some of my favorite Babymouse books signed!). They are a wonderful pair for kids to see and realize how great a sibling relationship can be! I definitely recommend Squish for boys and girls looking for a new, fun graphic novel. If you pick up a copy, take notice of his hat, it changes faces depending on his moods! Sometimes the hat even seems to be a little exasperated with our microscopic hero. Check out this new series, you'll love it!

Book Review: Withering Tights

2011-05-26T07:00:00.004-05:00

Withering Tights, Louise Rennison
(Gr 6-9)

Coming 8 July 2011
HarperCollins US
HarperCollins UK, July 2010. Reviewed from purchased UK edition.

Tallulah Casey is Georgia Nicolson's younger, but equally mad cousin. Tallulah has been bitten by the acting bug and is off to Dother Hall performing arts college to hone her craft. Her cousin Georgia has even given Tallulah her old "comedy mustache" for use in emergencies. Tallulah is ready to leave home and see the world, but it turns out that Dother Hall is right smack in the middle of nowhere. Now she's spending her days romping in the forest with her new friends, dancing about like a loon, and scouting for BOYS! Oh...and acting...of course.

I have to start by saying that I lovelovelovelove Georgia Nicolson so ridiculously obnoxiously much. Seriously, I sometimes find myself slipping accidentally into "Georgia Speak." When Georgia's story ended in 2009, I was so sad to see her go, but now I get to fall in love with her equally ridiculous cousin! Tallulah is both very much like Georgia and very much NOT like her. She is much younger than Georgia, less experienced, and less fussy. She actually reminded me a little of Georgia's best friend, Jas. Tallulah is much more willing than Georgia to go for a walk in the woods, or spend hours watching a nest full of baby owls.

The best thing that Tallulah does have in common with her cousin is that she is also hilarious! It took a few chapters for me to get comfortable with the new cast of characters, but once I was, I was laughing out loud again. There are aspects of Tallulah that were so familiar to me, it made me love her very quickly. She frequently laments her height and the scrawny ganglyness of her legs, especially her knees. Also, unlike her busty cousin, she is not well endowed in the "corkers" region. Ahhh, long scrawny legs with knobbley knees AND a small chest. Tallulah is my soul sister!

This story does follow the Rennison formula, so fans of her previous books will not be disappointed. Wacky school filled with friends and rivals, check. Even wackier staff of teachers at said school, check check check times ten. A devoted and bonkers collection of friends, check! More cute boys than a tall girl well endowed with knees can shake a scrawny leg at, CHECK!

This book will be released in the US on July 8th, from Harper Collins. If, you are like me and can't wait, you can always order it from Book Depository. That way you'll also get the super adorable UK cover, which I do prefer to the US one. If you have more patience than I do, then mark July 8th on your calendar and get ready to fall in LOVE with another bonkers girl brought to us by the fabitty fab Louise Rennison.

Book Review: A Tale of Two Castles

2011-05-25T15:37:00.000-05:00

A Tale of Two Castles, Gail Carson Levine
(Gr 4-6)
Harper Collins. May 10, 2011. Review copy from publisher.

Elodie is ready to strike out on her own. She dreams of becoming an apprentice to a Mansioner (an actor), but she doesn't have any money to pay for an apprenticeship. Shortly after arriving in the town of Two Castles, Lodie finds herself alone, without any friends, and to top it all off, she's been robbed...by a cat. Not the kind of girl to wallow in her troubles, Lodie gets a job as a Dragon's Assistant to the dragon Meenore. Meenore expects Lodie to learn all about inducing and deducing, which will help her as she works to solve a mystery involving an ogre, a princess, a rogue, a dog, a king, and a lot of cats.

This is the third of Gail Carson Levine's books that I've read and I really enjoyed it. Levine knows how to write a smart, spunky girl who also seems very normal. Elodie doesn't have any special powers or strengths, she's just an observant girl who wants more from her life. I suppose her acting skills are pretty unique, but even that seems to come from her own inner strength. She is the kind of character I wish more girls would be drawn to. She is resourceful, independent, and determined. Even when she is alone in a new place without any friends, family, or money - she finds a way to survive.

The secondary characters in this story are interesting because the reader never really gets much of a sense of them. Elodie's mother has warned her against the "whited sepulcher," a person who seems good but is bad on the inside, and she is ever vigilant for people who are not what they seem. When she is drawn into a mystery, everyone is a suspect. It's interesting to note that the only characters Elodie trusts are the only two who are not human.

I liked that this novel had the feel of a fairy tale, but no romance. Sorry mushy love fans - just feisty girls, dragons, and ogres here. Elodie does get a little bit of a crush at one point, but she doesn't moon around about it and it's over pretty quickly. It's nice to know about this book for reader's advisory. Sometimes I'll get girls in (especially 4th/5th graders) who are sick of kissing and romance in their fantasy stories. This will be the perfect story to put in their hands!

Overall, this is an entertaining story that will appeal to girls (not so much cross gender appeal here). I'd recommend it to fans to Levine's other works, Shannon Hale, or Patricia C. Wrede. It is a little easier to read than some of those authors' books, so it would also be great for girls who aren't quite ready to dive into their longer stories yet.

Book Review: Me...Jane

2011-04-14T07:00:00.003-05:00

Me...Jane, Patrick McDonnell
(for everyone!)
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, April 2011. Reviewed from library book.

Jane Goodall is my life long hero. Seriously. I've read everything she's ever written (and I own most of her books...actually...all, now that I think of it). When I was twelve she came to Chicago to speak and my wonderful parents took me out of school and brought me to meet my hero. After her talk there was time for her to sign books, when I got to the front of the line and she made real-live-in-person eye contact with me, I immediately burst into tears. Yup. TEARS! I have a picture of the two of us taken right after the tear bursting. I'm kneeling down next to her and we're looking at each other. I'm looking like another bought of tears is about to hit me and she looks vaguely concerned for my obvious little girl sensibilities. It is one of my favorite memories of my entire life. It's up there with my wedding.

Anyway, now that there's a frame of reference for why I would be drawn to this book, I can give my brutally honest opinion of it. This book is completely and totally fabulous! It is biographical, but written in such an accessible way that it is also a perfect read aloud. I've already shared it with my kindergarten group, a visiting preschool, and two after school groups ranging from 1st-5th grade...and it's only been in the library for a week.

Patrick McDonnell (best known for his Mutts cartoons) has written a sweet, endearing story of one of the most inspirational women ever. His illustrations will appeal to even the youngest children and his language is simple without being boring. He includes real pictures of young Jane, as well as a two page spread featuring some of her actual childhood sketches.

This book is completely wonderful. Go out and find a copy right now! Then, if you're anything like me, share it with every child you know - maybe keep a copy for yourself too. ;)

Abraham Lincoln Award (2012)

2011-04-11T07:00:00.001-05:00

Every year I feature the nominees for the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award which is chosen by 4th-8th grade students in Illinois. It seemed like this year it would be fun to also feature a few of the other state book awards, starting with the one I have the least to do with! The Abraham Lincoln Award is voted on by Illinois high school students. Since my department at the library only serves patrons up to 8th grade, I've never really paid any attention to this award before, but it looks pretty interesting. Here are the nominees for the 2012 award - I put the ones that I've read in bold. Have you read any? What do you think of the choices?

2012 MASTER LIST
After -- Amy Efaw
(Speak 2010)

Beastly -- Alex Flinn
(HarperTeen 2008)

Before I Die -- Jenny Downham
(David Fickling 2009)

Carter Finally Gets It -- Brent Crawford
(Hyperion 2010)

Columbine -- Dave Cullen
(Twelve 2010)

The Compound -- S.A. Bodeen
(Square Fish 2009)

Flash Burnout -- L.K. Madigan
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2010)

Ghosts of War -- Ryan Smithson
(Harper Collins 2010)

Going Bovine -- Libba Bray
(Random House 2010)

How to Build a House -- Dana Reinhardt
(Wendy Lamb 2009)

If I Stay -- Gayle Forman
(Speak 2010)

The Looking Glass Wars -- Frank Beddor
(Speak 2007)

Love is the Higher Law -- David Levithan
(Knopf 2010)

The Maze Runner -- James Dashner
(Delacorte 2010)

Mexican White Boy -- Matt de la Pena
(Delacorte 2010)

Reality Check -- Peter Abrahams
(HarperTeen 2010)

Shiver -- Maggie Stiefvater
(Scholastic 2010)

Story of a Girl -- Sara Zarr
(Little, Brown 2008)

Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines -- Nic Sheff
(Atheneum 2008)

Why I Fight -- J. Adams Oaks
(Atheneum 2010)

Wish You Were Dead -- Todd Strasser
(EgmontUSA 2010)

World War Z -- Max Brooks
(Three Rivers 2007)

Book Review: Junonia

2011-04-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

Junonia, Kevin Henkes
(Gr 2-4)

Coming 24 May 2011.
Greenwillow Books, review copy provided by publisher.

Alice Rice has spent every February since she was a baby in Florida with, what she considers, her extended family. She looks forward to this visit more than anything else, and this year will be especially wonderful, because this year she’ll be turning 10! Alice can’t wait to enter double digits and she just knows that this birthday will be the best one ever, but when she and her parents arrive in Florida they learn that several of their friends won’t be able to come this year. Then Alice’s Aunt (well she’s not really related, but she may as well be) Kate shows up with a new boyfriend and his young daughter in tow. Suddenly Alice’s special trip is turning out all wrong. She knows that the only thing that will save the vacation is if she can find a junonia, the most rare and special shell she knows. That will make everything perfect.

This incredibly sweet story is told by one of the masters of children's fiction. Kevin Henkes seems to be comfortable writing for all age levels and excels in all of them. His picture books are award winning storytime classics and his chapter books are just as wonderful. This man seems to be full to the brim with good stories.

Alice is a very believable little girl. She is so excited for her tenth birthday and has built it up in her head as being a turning point in her life. This will resonate with young readers who will empathize with Alice's excitement and disappointment as her vacation turns out to be different from what she'd wanted. She does read slightly more mature than a lot of ten year olds, but I think this can be explained by the fact that she is an only child who spends most of her time in the company of adults. However, she has moments of such pure, childish bursts of emotion (there's a perfect scene with a missing spoon) that she feels completely real.

I would highly recommend this story to elementary school girls. They will eat it up and parents will enjoy it as well. This is the type of story to be shared and savored chapter by chapter at bedtime. Kevin Henkes has once again delivered a beautiful story that will be popular with those who already love him and bring in lots of new fans.

Books that Keep Me Coming Back for More

2011-04-04T11:32:00.001-05:00

I read a lot. Not as much as some people, but a lot. Over the years, I've had a lot of favorite books. To me a favorite book is one that you dream about, filled with characters who become your friends, one that you never want to end. These books are the ones that you want to read over and over and over and over... I've been thinking a lot lately about my favorite books, the ones that I always want to read when I look over my shelves for my next book. Why do I keep coming back to them and why are they so awesome?

The Song of the Lioness Quartet, Tamora Pierce
Anthem Books for Young Readers, September 1983
I first read this series at the age of 11 and found myself completely and totally hooked. The story of a young girl who disguises herself as her own twin brother to become a knight consumed my imagination. I loved Alanna so much. She was strong, smart, and ridiculously driven. Her story resonated with me so much that after finishing all four books in the series, I immediately went back and read them again. I have since read all the Tamora Pierce books I can get my hands on and was lucky enough to meet the lady herself at a book signing last year. Over the years I have read Alanna's series over and over and over. Actually, all this thinking about it is making me want to go read it again. Okay, so one thing that draws me to a book is a strong female lead.

Graceling and Fire, Kristin Cashore
Harcourt Children's Books, October 2008.
Dial, October 2009.
I first read Graceling in the summer 2009, shortly after I started my first full time job, and Fire in October of 2009. Both of these books took root in my imagination and became stories that I would turn to again and again in a short amount of time. These stories are epic and take place in a world I can imagine so well that it is difficult for me to keep it from seeping into my own writing attempts. Every time I wander over to my bookshelves, these two call to me. They demand to be experienced again and loved to the fullest. In only 2 years, I've re-read Graceling twice and Fire three times. The adventure keeps me on the edge of my seat every time and the romance melts my heart. Brigan and Po are book boys who I have big crushes on. They aren't just pretty to look at, they are strong and they challenge Fire and Katsa to be better than they are. These are the types of relationships I want to experience over and over! Turns out the second thing I look for in a favorite book is a unique love story.

Sloppy Firsts, Megan McCafferty
Broadway, August 2001.
This was the sort of book that I knew nothing about before I bought a copy. It was face out on the bookstore shelves and something about the cover made me keep picking it up. Eventually, I gave in to temptation and took it home with me. As soon as I started reading, I realized that I was lead astray by the cover. This was not the fluffy light chick lit book I had assumed it would be, but instead, it was something so much better. Jessica is smart, snarky, honest, and completely hilarious. Marcus Flutie is not the typical romantic lead in any way and yet, I fell hard for him. Since I first picked it up in 2005, I have re-read this book more times than I can count. I even chose it for a discussion session I had to lead in a grad school course. This book doesn't get old for me because it makes me laugh - so there you have it. I'm drawn to books with a generous helping of hilarity.

The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
Knopf Books for Young Readers, March 2006.
This is the book that brought me back to young adult fiction. I had avoided it for all of high school and college, believing that I had grown past it - that it held nothing of interest for a mature woman (scoff) of 22. What a doofus I was, a stuck up book doofus. Shortly after starting my first year of grad school in 2007, I was working as a page and I stumbled across this book. I was bored after working a long shift and had started reading the back of most of the books on my cart prior to shelving them. This one grabbed my attention completely. I had heard about it from various people, but always dismissed it because it was "just ya." I was honestly embarrassed to be seen checking it out, so I shuffled it back on my cart and tried to slyly use the self check. I brought it home and it completely changed my opinion of young adult fiction. I sobbed my way through this book. I don't mean a few adorable tears running down my cheeks or even a few cries, I mean full out-no holds barred-give yourself the hiccups SOB. Liesel's story didn't just get inside my head, it got inside my heart and sent me running back to the ya section for more earth shatteringly wonderful stories. That's another thing I look for in a favorite book - a strong emotional reaction.

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
Pub. 1847. HarperTeen; Reissue edition February 2011.
Since I first read it at 12, this has been my number one, all time favorite book. I thought that Jane was the most wonderful character I had ever read, and I still do. I admire her strength, her intelligence, and her human frailty. I have re-read this book more times than I can count. I encouraged my husband to read it and chose a favorite passage from it to be read at our wedding. This story is a part of me in a way that no other book has ever been. It combines all the things I most look for in a story; a strong female lead, a unique love story, a dash of humor, and a strong emotional reaction. Yup, this is my favorite book and I'm so glad there is a new edition, with a teen friendly cover, so a new generation of readers can experience this story and love it as much as I always have!

There you have it, the books I can't stop reading. The ones I'll probably never stop reading. These are the stories that have gotten inside my imagination and taken root. I can't stop pushing them on anyone who will listen and frequently pick them up for a quick fix or a full immersion. What are the books that keep you coming back for more? What takes a book from simple enjoyment to lifelong favorite for you?

Book Review: The Dark and Hollow Places

2011-03-28T07:00:00.003-05:00

The Dark and Hollow Places, Carrie Ryan
(Gr 9+)
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, March 22, 2011. Reviewed from library book.

When Annah was only five years old she went exploring in the Forest of Hands and Teeth with her twin sister and their friend, Elias. They thought it would be fun to find out what lay beyond their village, but they ended up lost and separated with the unconsecrated tearing at the fences around them, desperate for their flesh. Annah ran with Elias until they reached the Dark City and she's lived there ever since, not knowing what became of her sister. She's been on her own in the city for three years and Elias has been out fighting the unconsecrated as a recruiter, all the while hoping to find some trace of Annah's twin. Annah had just lost all hope of him ever coming home, when she sees a face across a crowd, her face. She knows that this is the sister she'd left behind so many years ago, but no reunion is simple in a world overrun by the dead who have returned to stalk the living.

This is the third (and final?) installment in the series that began with The Forest of Hands and Teeth and continued in The Dead-Tossed Waves both of which are fabulous and NEED to be read before this one. Really should be read before even reading a synopsis of this one, certainly before a review. If you haven't read the first two books, stop right now and go get them! Seriously, you've been warned.

I like that each of the books in this trilogy (?? seriously, are there more?!) has a different narrator. We started with Mary, then her daughter Gabry, and now Annah. I slipped easily into both Mary and Gabry's narration, but it took me a little longer to warm to Annah. She's much more brusque, closed off and dark than either of her predecessors - although, her life has been much harder. Both Mary and Gabry were raised in relative safety with families who loved them. Annah lost her family at five and was alone with Elias for her entire life, but really all alone for the last three years. She didn't have a village full of friends and neighbors, just strangers in a city full of fear and uncertainty. Her story was a good one for this trilogy (?) to end on because it was so different from either Mary or Gabry's.

Through reading these books, I feel like I've been able to examine life in very different parts of this world. Mary's village, while small and backward, was safe and full of family. Just those darn Sisters, yeesh. Gabry's village was larger than Mary's, safer, and better governed. Annah's is by far the largest, but also the most dangerous. Of all the places these girls lived, I'd want to live in Gabry's seaside village of Vista the most, but reading about Annah's was the most exciting. She lives in a city that I'm assuming is the remains of New York. Her home is controlled by the Recruiters who care little for the people outside their own order. Her life is hard and bleak, but she is still filled with the need to fight for survival.

Fans of Ryan's first two books will devour this one with equal relish. It's a fast paced adventure that will leave you literally unable to stop reading. Definitely add this book to your reading pile and get ready to sleep with a nightlight...and a machete. Just in case.

Book Spine Poetry

2011-03-15T15:29:00.002-05:00

I've seen book spine poems all over the place lately! They looked like so much fun that co-worker J and I decided to try it out for ourselves today. We're getting ready for a creative writing program for grades 3-5 that meets tomorrow and, since our topic is poetry, this fits perfectly! We're going to pull a cart of books with interesting titles for the kids to use to try writing their own spine poems. I'm pretty excited! Here's what we came up with.

Try this yourself (if you haven't already)! It's really fun! Wanna see more/learn more about these poems? Check out Travis @ 100 Scope Notes. He's got all sorts of great stuff!

Book Review: Cryer's Cross

2011-03-05T17:21:00.000-06:00

Cryer’s Cross, Lisa McMann

(Gr 7+)

Simon Pulse, February 2011. Reviewed from library book.

Cryer’s Cross Montana, population 212, and home to Kendall Fletcher. Kendall has lived there all her life and now hopes to escape the small town by getting into Julliard for dance. One day, a high school student mysteriously disappears without a trace. After an extensive search, the town settles back into a, mostly normal, routine. Until another student, Kendall’s best friend, disappears. The town believes there is a serial killer preying on their teenagers, but Kendall, who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, notices things that others do not. She starts to feel and hear strange things that can’t be ignored. Then an intriguing new boy in town catches her eye, but she’s not sure if she can trust him or if he’s more closely linked to the mystery stalking the town than he seems.

My interest in this book came from the fact that I really enjoyed the author's previous books (Wake, Fade, and Gone). Lisa McMann has such a unique writing style. Her use of present tense and the way she almost distances herself from the narrator makes the reader feel a little more like a viewer than some other books do. Usually I feel like I'm right inside the main character's head - feeling everything they feel and seeing everything from their perspective. McMann doesn't let us get as deeply into the character as some other authors do, while still giving a reader a sense of their personalities and feelings. Frankly, at first, her writing style was off-putting to me, but once I get involved in one of her stories, it flows in a way that I find interesting.

Cryer's Cross was hyped as being a seriously scary novel, but for a lot of it, I was just confused. Teenagers have started disappearing without a trace in Kendall's small Montana town, but without much of a sense of fear. Kendall is (obviously) upset when one of the missing teens is her best friend/platonic boyfriend, but she has a weird reaction to it. She goes from being consumed with grief one moment to super duper focused on the new boy at school.

At the beginning of many of the chapters is a passage from someone or something. They started out just weird and confusing, then became more creepy, but never all out horrifying. I did figure out what was going on pretty quickly. No, I suppose I didn't have all the details, but I had enough. I don't read a lot of horror/scary books, mostly because they either scare me not at all or too much! This one fell into the not at all category.

Overall this is a reasonably creative story, but I didn't like it as much as I liked the Wake Trilogy. That storyline was MUCH more creative. If you're looking to read a book by Lisa McMann, try those instead. This one honestly reminded me of an episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark," which, now that I think about it, might be a good thing! I did like this book, just not as much as McMann's others.

Book Review: Wither

2011-03-02T15:24:00.001-06:00

Wither, Lauren DeStefano

(Gr 9+)

Simon & Schuster, March 2011. Reviewed from ARC borrowed from friend.

Coming 22 March 2011

Rhine Ellery is 16 and by the time she turns 20, she’ll be dead. Rhine lives in a world ravaged by genetic engineering. Now males only live to 25 and females to 20 before a mysterious illness kills them. The aging “first generation,” unaffected by this deadly disease, is working obsessively to find a way to save their children. The first step towards survival is to keep the human race alive by forcing young girls into polygamous marriages with well to do young men. Rhine is one such bride – kidnapped from her home and sold into marriage with two other young women, one 18 and one only 12. Rhine’s only thought now is escaping and returning to her brother in New York, but she’s starting to feel attached to her sister wives and she does have a good life in her new home. And then there’s Gabriel, a servant in her husband’s home, who is becoming more important to her every day.

This was one of those books that I couldn't put down. Looking back on it, I'm not sure what it was that kept me ravenously turning pages. It is not a thriller, not a horror story, or even one of those stories that really keeps you guessing. At it's heart, it's a morality tale, an examination of the human spirit. Yeah, that sounds cheesy, really cheesy. However, in this case it really is true.

Rhine loves her twin brother, he is all the family she has left in the world and the two of them rely on each other to survive. She starts out her imprisonment determined to find a way back to him, no matter the risks or how impossible the journey. But, the longer she stays in the safe, comfortable, luxurious mansion, the more she starts to feel at home. It isn't just having servants to fulfill her every whim, or a library stacked with more books than she could read in a lifetime, it's the sense of safety. No one will try to kidnap her here (granted, that's because she's already been kidnapped), no one is breaking into her house trying to steal food, and speaking of food, she has it! Lots of it! All the food she'll ever need.

Then there are her two sister wives. These two girls started out as just two other prisoners, but soon become Rhine's best friends and her true sisters. Rhine often finds herself feeling that she is a better sister to her fellow wives than a wife to her husband.

With all this to tempt her, should she still try to escape? The ultimate question of the novel is one of freedom. Rhine may be comfortable and she may love her sisters, but she isn't really free. Her every move is controlled. Her husband, Linden, is her enemy. He is the man who pulled her away from her home and away from her brother, or is he? The more Rhine learns about her new family, the less certain she is of anything.

This is a wonderful story that will suck you in and keep you burning the midnight oil until you turn the last page. The descriptions are vivid, the characters are all fully realized (even the secondary ones), and you will find yourself jumping from one side of Rhine's argument to the other. You'll be rooting for her to run away as fast as she can one chapter and then telling her to get comfy and stay right where she is the next. Put this one at the top of your reading list and look for it in stores and libraries on March 22nd!

Series Review: Ruby Oliver

2011-02-08T07:00:00.008-06:00

Ruby Oliver Quartet, E. Lockhart
(Gr 7+)
Reviewed from purchased copies

The Boyfriend List: Delacorte 2005
The Boy Book: Delacorte 2006
The Treasure Map of Boys: Delacorte 2009
Real Live Boyfriends: Delacorte 2010

Ruby Oliver's life is in shambles - her friends all hate her, her boyfriend dumped her for her ex-best friend, and the whole school thinks she's a big slut. All this adds up to a big panic attack, literally. Ruby has to start seeing a therapist to deal with her attacks. Dr. Z tries to lead Ruby through an analysis of herself and what she wants from life, but Ruby seems to bring everything back to boys. With a lot of humor, an obsessive list making tendency, and, yes, some boys in tow, Ruby finds a way to find herself.

I am in love with Ruby Oliver. She is such a wonderfully real, fully fleshed out character that I feel like she's a real person! What made me fall in love with Ruby first and foremost is her unstoppable sense of humor. Even when she's at (what I would deem) an all time low, she still finds a way to laugh at herself. I mean seriously, Ruby should be required reading for all high school girls. She stays true to herself (even when she's not sure who she is) and finds true friendship, okay, sure, she has the occasional panic attack, but the important part is that she's dealing with them.

The secondary characters in this series are just as loveable, and unloveable, as Ruby. They're fully realized and also seem like real people. For example, Ruby's friend Megan starts out as just the ditzy girl with a serious boyfriend and a coffee habit who drives Ruby to school. However, as the series goes along, the reader learns more about Megan and she really comes into her own as a character. She may have started as a blip on Ruby's radar, but she ended up as one of my favorite characters.

Okay, so, the boys. Yes, there are boys in these books. I know, you wouldn't guess it from the titles... Anyway, I'm pretty sure I have a book crush on Noel. He was smart, funny, and outspoken but also overly analytical, private, and secretive. I love that the characters in these books are so three dimensional! They aren't just idealized perfect ideas of what teenagers should be. Yes, I know that Noel is 17 and fictional and I'm 26 and married, but I still have hope.

I know I focused A LOT, okay only, on the characters, but I just LOVE them so much! Don't worry, everything else in this book is fab as well. The prose is light and easy to lose yourself in. The descriptions are so vivid that your imagination really doesn't have to do any work to see Ruby sitting in her houseboat trying on vintage dresses while her great dane looks on.

Readreadreadread this series! Trust me. I'm obsessed.

A True Princess Blog Tour

2011-02-06T07:00:00.056-06:00

Today I'm featuring a great author of middle grade fiction! Diane Zahler writes fairy tale re-tellings with her own unique spin. She is the author of The Thirteenth Princess and (new this month) A True Princess!

About Diane Zahler

Diane Zahler, author of A True Princess, has loved tales of fairies and magic since before she was old enough to read. She has worked in the children’s room at a public library, in children’s book publishing, and as an elementary and high school textbook writer. The Thirteenth Princess, her first novel for young readers, was published in 2010. She lives with her husband and dog in an old farmhouse in the Harlem Valley that is held together with duct tape and magic spells. Diane’s website is: http://www.dianezahler.com/.

About A True Princess

Twelve-year-old Lilia is not a very good servant. She daydreams, she breaks dishes, and her cooking is awful! Still, she hardly deserves to be sold off to the mean-spirited miller and his family. Lilia refuses to accept that dreadful fate, and with her best friend Kai and his sister Karina beside her, she heads north to find the family she's never known. But danger awaits. . . .

As their quest leads the threesome through the mysterious and sinister Bitra Forest, they suddenly realize they are lost in the elves' domain. To Lilia's horror, Kai falls under an enchantment cast by the Elf-King's beautiful daughter. The only way for Lilia to break the spell and save Kai is to find a jewel of ancient power that lies somewhere in the North Kingdoms. Yet the jewel will not be easy to find. The castle where it is hidden has been overrun with princess hopefuls trying to pass a magical test that will determine the prince's new bride. Lilia has only a few days to search every inch of the castle and find the jewel—or Kai will be lost to her forever.

A True Princess is out now and you can get it from the HarperCollins website, your favorite bookstore, or your local library!

Check out the other tour stops

February 1 The Compulsive Reader

February 2 The Brain Lair

February 3 Jean Little Library

February 3 Galleysmith

February 4 Write for a Reader

February 5 The Cozy Reader

February 7 Tales from the Rushmore Kid

February 8 Green Bean Teen Queen

February 8 Mother Daughter Book Club

February 9 There's a Book

February 10 Mrs. V's Reviews

February 11 The Cazzy Files

February 11 Sonder Books

February 12 BookScoops

Iron Queen Winner

2011-02-02T11:19:00.000-06:00

Congratulations To...

Caroline!

You've won a copy of The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa!

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered!

Random.org provided a winner for this contest.

Rebecca Caudill Nominees (2012)

2011-01-31T12:30:00.000-06:00

I'm still working my way (yes very slowly) through the 2011 nominess for the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award, but the next list of nominess came out today! The RCYRBA is the Illinois state young reader's book award and the winner is selected by the kids! I'm really excited about this new list of nominees!

The Nominees for the 2012 Rebecca Caudill Award ARE...

One-Handed Catch, MJ Auch
Masterpiece, Elise Broach
All the Broken Pieces, Ann E. Burg
Wild Things, Clay Carmichael
Extra Credit, Andrew Clements
The Girl Who Threw Butterflies, Mick Cochrane
Powerless, Matthew Cody
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, Jacqueline Kelly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Grace Lin
The Rock and the River, Kekla Magoon
Every Soul a Star, Wendy Mass*
Greetings from Nowhere, Barbara O'Connor
Heart of a Shepherd, Roseanne Parry
Woods Runner, Gary Paulsen
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, Rodman Philbrick
The Magic Thief, Sarah Prineas
Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories about Growing up Scieszka, Jon Scieszka
Peak, Roland Smith
Flygirl, Sherri L. Smith
Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld*

*= I've already read this one. Only two again this year! Yeesh. At least a LOT of these have been on my to read list for awhile. Maybe this year I'll actually read all of them! One of my coworkers will have all of these read by the weekend. No, I'm not kidding. Well, better go get started reading!

Series Review: The Mortal Instruments

2011-01-30T10:24:00.001-06:00

The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare
(Gr 7+)
Reviewed from audiobooks from the library
City of Bones: McElderry March 2007
City of Ashes: McElderry April 2008
City of Glass: McElderry March 2009

Clary Fray lives in Brooklyn New York with her artist mother, her best friend, and a family friend who is more like a father. She likes to read Manga and draw. All in all she is just a regular teenage girl, until the day she sees three teenagers murder what seems to be another teen - three teenagers who she shouldn't be able to see. After that night Clary's normal mundane world falls spectacularly to pieces; her mother is kidnapped by demons, she realizes that huge chunks of her memories are missing, and she's brought into the world of the Shadowhunters. Shadowhunters are the children of men and angels, charged with protecting the human world from demons. As Clary is pulled deeper into the Shadowhunter world she learns more and more about herself, her family, and what it means to be brave.

I didn't want to write too much of a summary because I'm under the impression that I am one of the last people in the world to discover this series! Everyone I know has read these books and most of them love them, like super love them, like want to marry and have little paper well bound babies with them. With practically every YA reader around singing the praises of The Mortal Instruments, I had to pick them up and try them for myself.

I started out reading the first book in the series, City of Bones, and actually started and stopped it three times before I decided to switch to the audiobook. This is one of the first series that I've encountered where I've been interested in the story, but put off by the writing. I had trouble losing myself in the world Clare had created because the overly written style was really jarring. It's not bad, it's just not for me. I like simple folk tale style prose so the audiobook worked a lot better for me. Hearing the books read rather than reading them myself allowed me to lose myself in the plot and ignore the writing.

The reader for City of Bones is different than the reader for City of Ashes and City of Glass, but both women are excellent. They both have the kind of voices that you can just focus on the story. I love a good audiobook! When the reader has a quiet, soft cadence to their voice (without being too monotone, that would put me to sleep) I can pay attention to just the story without thinking about the reader. Actually, for those of you who are as into audiobooks as I am, the reader for City of Ashes and City of Glass is the same woman who read the DJ Schwenk books. She does a great teenage girl voice, realistic but not whiny.

This series is a lot of fun. I don't think it's my favorite, but it was entertaining. I really liked some of the characters; Luke, Simon, and Magnus were my favs. Sometimes the plot dragged a little, but that seems to be pretty standard in very long books. Yes, I figured out a lot of the plot points long before the characters did, but I didn't mind. Overall this series is action packed, imaginative, and LOTS of fun. I already started listening to the prequel Clockwork Angel, which I'm liking, but a lot of it seems really familiar - like the Mortal Instruments again but earlier in history. I'll stick with it though, because it's just so entertaining! Any audiobook that makes me take the long way home deserves to be listened to all the way through.

If you are among the few who haven't tried this series yet, I highly recommend trying them on audiobook. I think you'll like them!

The Iron Queen GIVEAWAY!

2011-01-25T13:13:00.002-06:00

~~~~Contest Ended 1 Feb 2011~~~~

I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this one that I accidentally bought two! Oh well, my bad memory is your gain! I have a brand new copy to give to one of you! Just fill out the form below and I'll do the rest. I'm going to keep it to US residents only (sorry) and the contest will be open until Tuesday February 1st.

Good luck and if you want to know more about this FAB series, check out my reviews of The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen!

Book Review: Plain Kate

2011-01-22T07:00:00.018-06:00

Plain Kate, Erin Bow
(Gr 6+)
Arthur A. Levine Books, September 2010. Reviewed from library book.

Official Synopsis:

"Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden talismans are so fine that some even call her “witch-blade”: a dangerous nickname in a country where witches are hunted and burned in the square.

For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate’s father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The townspeople are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate.

Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he’ll give Kate the means to escape the angry town, and what’s more, he’ll grant her heart’s wish. It’s a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes she can't live shadowless forever -- and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed."

This book was recommended to me by a coworker and I am so happy she told me to read it! I've read a few books lately that felt overly written, bogged down with adjectives and beating me over the head with lengthy ridiculous exposition. Erin Bow's beautiful, sparse prose was just the vacation I needed. This novel reads like a folk or fairy tale. The writing, while still incredibly expressive and vivid, is simple and unadorned. This is the way I would wish to be able to write if the author genie ever asked me.

The story itself is not full of action, it's not particularly fast paced or exciting, but it's wonderful. Kate lives in a world terrified of witches. These people see witchcraft in everything around them, even Kate's beautiful carvings. Her life is so interesting because she has such incredible skill that should be celebrated and valued, but instead it's feared. Poor Kate seemed to go from bad to worse to the absolute rock bottom and then lower. Be forewarned, this story, while beautiful and moving, is also incredibly sad. Yes, I cried...three times. But, on a happier note, there is a particularly fabulous talking cat who even the most die hard dog person won't be able to help but love.

I think this is the perfect novel to curl up and get lost in on a particularly cold evening. Seriously, Plain Kate is now one of my absolute favorites! You won't regret picking up a copy of this one, but don't forget the tissues as well.

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

2011-01-21T07:00:00.002-06:00

Anna and the French Kiss, Stephanie Perkins
(Gr 9+)
Dutton Juvenile, December 2010. Reviewed from library book.

Anna's father, a famous although embarrassingly sappy writer, decides that she needs to get some culture. Instead of taking her on a trip or something small, he enrolls her at a Paris boarding school. Anna is not excited to spend her senior year making new friends, trying to fit in to a new culture, and learning a whole new language when she should have been hanging out with her best friends, getting closer to a new guy, and just enjoying her senior year in Atlanta. Lucky for Anna, upon arriving in Paris, she is approached by some really nice people who turn out to be great friends. One in particular is not only a great friend, but an attractive one as well. Etienne St. Clair is perfect except for one thing, he has a girlfriend and anyway, Anna has a boyfriend, well, sort of.

This book was FABULOUS! Seriously, best book I've read for awhile. I instantly loved the characters, the setting, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. Stephanie Perkins has written the sweetest, most believable love story I think I've ever read. I know lots of other people have already said this, but the relationships in this story were wonderful. No one fell in love at first sight, or harped on how attractive someone was without ever noticing their personality. I especially liked that St. Clair is described as being 3 inches shorter than Anna. As a tall girl, I appreciate relationships between tall ladies and less tall fellas (although, yes, my husband is taller than me, but not by much).

The setting for this novel was perfect. It made me feel like I really was in Paris. I have been to Paris before and it was really cool to read about so many places I've been, as well as places that made me think, "Oh no, how did I miss that?!" I suppose I don't have to tell you much about how fun it is to read a love story set in Paris, but really really, it was fab.

I won't say much more, because I know pretty much every book blog out there has been singing the praises of this one. All I have left to say is, read this with a cup of hot chocolate (or chocolate chaud) and you'll be the happiest little bookworm around. AND, for those of you who've already read it, were you as in love with the little old Frenchman from the movie theater as I was?

Book Review: The Iron Queen

2011-01-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

The Iron Queen, Julie Kagawa
(Gr 9+)
Harlequin, January 25, 2011. ARC from NetGalley.

Meghan Chase thought she could go home. One year ago, on her sixteenth birthday, Meghan's brother was stolen by the fey and taken into the land of the Nevernever. When Meghan followed to save him, she discovered that the man she'd always thought was her father was not and that she was the half fey daughter of Oberon, King of Summer. As a half summer faery princess, Meghan fought her way through the Nevernever and has had many adventures, some exciting, and some just plain terrifying. Now, on her seventeenth birthday, she's ready to leave her fey side behind and just be a human girl again, but before she can enter her home, she's attacked by servants of the Iron King. Her adventures aren't over, but just beginning, and Meghan can't go home...ever. She has to find a way to re-enter the Nevernever and save a world that neither wants nor cares about her. She'll have the help of Ash, prince of the Winter Court and love of her life, but this just might be her most dangerous quest yet.

If you haven't discovered the Iron Fey series yet, what are you waiting for?! They are lots of fun and will keep you turning pages until you've swallowed up the entire series in one gulp. The first in the series is The Iron King followed by The Iron Daughter and now The Iron Queen. They have everything I need to love a book; action, adventure, romance, a great setting, a snarky talking animal, and faeries that would sooner rip you apart than grant you a wish or take a tooth.

Meghan is a character I have really grown to love. She's brave and smart, without stepping into the realm of the flawless hero. She still feels real to me, with faults that balance out her many charms. The same can be said of Puck and Ash, the two male leads. Each of them has a unique personality that makes them feel like real people...well faeries, but whatever. The relationships between the three of them are sweet and complicated. Yes, there's a love triangle...get over it, but it's the kind where either of the leading men would be good matches for our heroine and most readers will probably have a strong contender in mind for Meghan's affections.

The Nevernever continues to be a main character all by itself. I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, I LOVE the world that Julie Kagawa has created. It's so incredibly easy to visualize. I can slide right into this place and completely leave my cozy suburban home. If you're the kind of reader who likes a strong setting, this series will make you salivate.

I don't really want to say too much more since this is the third book in the series. Just, if you haven't read any of them yet, go to the library right now and start! If you have read the other two than get excited, because The Iron Queen hits shelves January 25th!

Book Review: Delirium

2011-01-05T06:45:00.000-06:00

Delirium, Lauren Oliver
(Gr 9+)
Review copy provided by publisher.

HarperCollins. Coming 1 February 2011.

"It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure," (ARC p. 9). Lena has always lived in a world separated into two groups; the cured and the uncured. Everyone 18 and older is cured, incapable of feeling love, but those under 18, are still susceptible to the disease "amor deliria nervosa." Lena is only ninety-five days away from her own cure, and then she'll be safe from love. Safe from the disease that is love, a disease that almost ruined humanity, but until then she'll have to make it through one more summer. One last summer to spend with friends she'll stop caring about and to experience things she'll never wonder about after the cure. Ninety-five days until she'll be a whole new person - the clock is ticking.

I have to start by saying that I haven't read Lauren Oliver's debut novel, Before I Fall, but after reading Delirium, I definitely want to. Oliver has a genuine way of writing a teenage character that is neither too worldly nor too childish. I took to Lena immediately and wanted to know everything I could about her life before the novel started and to see where the story would take her. Like most narrators in a dystopic future, Lena is not entirely on board with the status-quo. Although, to be fair, she does seem a lot more devoted to the society in which she lives than some narrators I've read. This makes her story even more interesting since the reader presumably doesn't agree with her for most of the beginning, but she has her little moments of rebellion - like saying that her favorite color is gray or that she thinks Romeo and Juliet is beautiful instead of frightening. Lena is a very sympathetic narrator who's story unfolded in a way that was believable to me.

The society created by Oliver is one that I really liked. Unlike a lot of the dystopian novels I've read, it's much closer to our present day society. Granted, no one except the super wealthy drive cars, the city is fenced in both to protect it's residents and enclose them, only certain books and music are available, and the government controls your entire life, but really, it's basic feel was less far off than some others. This made the whole narrative more plausible to me, which sucked me in a LOT! The only negative thing I can say about it isn't really about the book or the world Oliver has created, it's that I read it back to back with Matched by Ally Condie. Yes, I should have realized that was a bad choice. Many of the societal characteristics between the two books are really similar, which could actually be good. If you've already read and loved Matched than you'll probably also love Delirium.

Overall this was a really good book that held my interest throughout it's considerable length. Of course, like most teen and YA novels of late, it ends on a huge cliff hanger that will make you want to pull your hair out! As far as I know, this is the first book in a trilogy, so be forewarned, there is no pretty little wrapped up ending here. You'll be left saying, "How long until Pandemonium comes out? Not until 2012?! Oh no."

Book Review: The Thief

2011-01-03T07:00:00.025-06:00

The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
(Gr 6-8)
Greenwillow Books, October 1996. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Gen is the greatest thief in the world, just ask him. When he brags that he can steal the King’s seal from right under the nose of his closest advisor, he is overheard by the wrong people. He is caught and jailed, kept alone in a cell and chained to the wall. Then one day, the very advisor who he had stolen from, takes him out of prison and offers him a deal. If Gen can pull off an impossible heist, he’ll be free, if not, he’ll be dead.

I can't believe it took me this long to read this book! It's been out since the nineties and teenage Becky would have LOVED it! I seriously wish I could somehow send it to her. Someone needs to invent book time travel. Not time travel for people necessarily, just a way for me to send myself books that I would have loved at various ages.

Gen is the perfect character for today's upper elementary school/junior high readers, both boys and girls will fall completely in love with his self centered, boastful, spoiled nature. Frankly, in the words of one of my brilliant co-workers, he's just like Greg Heffley! Yes, he really does remind me of the Wimpy Kid himself. He's the kind of character you should dislike, but you just can't. Instead you find yourself rooting for him and finding him hilarious instead of ridiculous.

I chose this book for an upcoming bookclub for 6-8th graders and I can't wait to see what they say about it! It's such a unique story. Much of the narrative is like a road novel, with the characters traveling and telling each other stories. Then there are parts of fantasy and adventure that will get young readers turning pages so fast they'll be in danger of papercuts.

Seriously, this book is pure awesome. Do yourself a favor, if you're like me, and you made it to adulthood without meeting Gen, don't wait any longer. You will LOVE him!

Secret Santa Presents

2010-12-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yay! My Secret Santa presents came today! I love getting presents...especially book type presents! I want to thank my secret santa, Caroline of Words and Whispers. She has a great blog, so go check it out and leave her some love!

Now for presents...yay! She got me City of Glass and City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare! I just finished reading City of Ashes, so I'm excited to have my own copy and SUPER excited to have City of Glass! I'm going to start reading it reallyreally soon.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas!

Book Award Predictions (2011)

2010-12-08T18:13:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, on our booktalk visit, the teacher put J and me on the spot for our Newbery predictions. We had a little trouble coming up with them on the fly, but I've been thinking about it since then so here are my award predictions! They'll be announced pretty soon, what are yours? It's a lot harder than last year to come up with some good ones!

Becky's ALA Award Predictions!

Caldecott: My Garden, Kevin Henkes
Newbery: A Long Walk to Water, Linda Sue Park
Printz: Will Grayson, Will Grayson, John Green and David Levithan

I am also expecting to see One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia and Keeper by Kathi Appelt as Newbery honors. I'd really like to see Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter as a Caldecott honor (although they might surprise me and just give it the award!).

What are your picks? Tell me! Tell me now.

Not familiar with Here Comes the Garbage Barge? It's amazing! Watch this video to see how Jonah Winter made the very unique, detailed illustrations.

The Further Adventures of a Booktalking Librarian

2010-12-07T13:00:00.001-06:00

At the end of the last school year I got to go to a local elementary school for a booktalk. It was lots of fun and...I got to do it AGAIN!

The class is made up of 3rd-5th grade advanced readers. This time around my fellow librarian and I each brought 12 titles to share with the kids...okay, well I brought 13. Lucky 13! I just couldn't cut any of them! Here are the books I couldn't wait to share!

A Long Walk to Water, Linda Sue Park
Salva is just a normal boy living in Sudan in 1985 - he goes to school, helps his family with their cattle, and spends time with friends. Then one day, his school is attacked by soldiers and Salva's teacher sends the boys running into the bush to hide themselves. This starts off many years of running and living in refugee camps for Salva. He is one of the lost boys of Sudan, a boy who has lost everyone and still manages to walk hundreds of miles across unforgiving terrain to safety in the camps. Salva's story is told alongside the story of a young girl living in modern day Sudan. Her family's biggest problem is water. They follow the water all year long, sometimes water that is mostly mud. Until the day two men come to their village and offer to help.

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, Barry Deutsch
Mirka is a spunky, troll fighting, fast talking, orthodox Jewish girl. She lives in the small community, Hereville, and dreams of adventure. Mirka's step mother wants her to focus on useful tasks (like knitting), her sister wants her to be mindful of the husband she will one day have, and her brother just tells her not to do things all the time. Mirka just wants to fight dragons, but first she needs a sword.

The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner

Gen is the greatest thief in the world, just ask him. When he brags that he can steal the King’s seal from right under the nose of his closest advisor, he is overheard by the wrong people. He is caught and jailed, kept alone in a cell and chained to the wall. Then one day, the very advisor who he had stolen from, takes him out of prison and offers him a deal. If Gen can pull off an impossible heist, he’ll be free, if not, he’ll be dead.

Bread and Roses Too, Katherine Paterson

Rosa is a child of the Mills - she goes to a Mill school, her mother and older sister work in the Mills, and her father died in them. Her mother and sister get caught up in the Bread and Roses strike and soon Rosa is fearing for their lives. With no money coming in and less food than ever, Rosa also starts to worry that she'll be sent away. Meanwhile, Jake is a boy who works in the Mills to support himself and to keep away from his abusive father. Jake too finds himself in the middle of the strike, but as one of the workers.

Gideon the Cutpurse, Linda Buckley-Archer

Peter Schock has been sent away to the English countryside and he isn’t very happy about it. He soon befriends Kate Dyer, whose father is a brilliant scientist, studying anti-gravity. When Peter and Kate come across one of Dr. Dyer's inventions, they find themselves suddenly transported back in time to 1763. There they meet Gideon Seymour, cutpurse and gentleman. Gideon is on the run from the Tar Man, a villain who has stolen Dr. Dyer's invention and Kate and Peter’s only way home. This story is told from the perspectives of Kate and Peter, but also their parents in the 21st century as they search for their children.

Terrier, Tamora Pierce
Sixteen year old Becka Cooper was born in the lower city and earned her way into the home of the Lord Provost, a high ranking official. From there she trained hard to become one of the Provost's Guards, a Dog. Her first year of training is her Puppy year, but Becka already has what it takes to be a full fledged Dog. She is smart, dedicated, and has a little extra ability to help her out. Becka hears the voices of the dead in a most unusual fashion. Pigeons carry uneasy spirits and these spirits speak to Becka, telling her about their life and death. Through these voices she is able to find out things about crimes that other Dogs cannot. Her fellow trainees and Dogs call her the Terrier because once she gets her teeth into a mystery she won’t let go.

Airman, Eoin Colfer
Conor Broekhart was born flying. He knows it’s his destiny to fly again and devotes much of his time to studying flight with his tutor. His life on the Saltee Islands is a happy one until the day he uncovers a plot to overthrow the king. When he tries to expose the plot, he’s called a traitor and imprisoned. As an inmate, Conor must face horrible conditions to mine diamonds, all the while knowing his friends and family are in danger and that he is innocent.

Peter and the Starcatchers, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

We all know how Wendy, John, and Michael got to Neverland, but did you ever wonder how Peter Pan did? This series introduces readers to Peter before he became the flying boy who wouldn’t grow up. A group of orphan boys set sail on the Never Land for an island ruled by an evil king. Their ship doesn’t just carry orphans, it also has some very precious cargo that will take them on the adventure of a lifetime and turn a boy into a legend.

The Danger Box, Blue Balliett

Mr. Zip has arranged for a game to be played all around an incredibly valuable item, he sends it out into the world, but before the game can start, he dies of a heart attack. The man transporting the box realizes that he has something he can use for his own gain, but then his truck, with the box inside, is stolen. Soon the box ends up in the hands of Zoomy, a 12 year old boy with a very unique way of looking at the world. Zoomy feels a connection to the item inside the box and starts investigating the history behind it, but all the while the mysterious man is still out there, searching for the box.

Absolutely Normal Chaos, Sharon Creech

Mary Lou Finney is not excited about her summer school assignment. She has to keep a journal of her summer and her life is not interesting enough to make that any fun. Then her cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with her family and her best friend gets a little nuts. Then there’s Alex Cheevey, a sweet boy who starts to make her summer a lot more interesting. Now Mary Lou’s biggest problem is that her teacher might actually read her journal!

13 Treasures, Michelle Harrison

Tanya has a problem, she's being bullied...by fairies. They wake her up at night to pester and torment her, but no one else can see them. Her mother thinks she would benefit from spending some time away. Tanya finds herself at her Grandmother's home, an old English manor that's covered in ivy, surrounded by forests, and teeming with fairies. She is soon thrust into a years old mystery, discovering secrets about her own past, and making friends with some very unlikely people.

The Chimpanzees I Love, Jane Goodall

When Jane Goodall was a little girl she decided she wanted to know how a chicken laid an egg. She went out to her family’s hen house and waiting patiently for four hours to see how the task was accomplished. When she finally came out, it had gotten dark and her family was frantically searching for her - thus starting her long career as a naturalist. Jane was sent to the Gombe Stream Research Center in Tanzania by Dr. Louis Leaky in 1957 to study the chimpanzees there.

Dark Life, Kat Falls

Set in our future, after global warming has raised sea levels to the point of cutting off huge chunks of land, Dark Life tells the story of the first sub sea settlers. Ty was the first baby to be born and raised sub sea. As such, there are several things about him that are entirely unique to his living situation. Due to the amount of bio luminescent fish he eats, Ty's skin has a permanent shimmer, he's extremely sensitive to sunlight, but most of all, seemingly has the ability to see even in the darkest depths of the ocean. When Ty meets Gemma, a "topsider" from the remaining world above, she sets in motion events that will change his life forever.

Book Review: Matched

2010-12-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Matched, Ally Condie
(Gr 7+)
Dutton Juvenile, November 2010. Reviewed from ARC from ALA.

Cassia Reyes lives in a world where everything is controlled by the Society; what she reads, listens to, how she spends her free time, what she eats, even who she will marry. The Society pairs people based on their various levels of compatibility, including how healthy their children might be. On the night of her matching ceremony Cassia is very happy to find out that her match is her lifelong best friend, Xander. She knows he's the perfect match for her, until she gets home and tries to play her match disc which will introduce her to all the things she needs to know about Xander, things she's pretty sure she already knows. When she starts the disc, instead of seeing Xander's face, she sees a different boy, one she also knows. Ky has always lived on the outskirts of Cassia's group of friends, not someone she's close with, but not a stranger. Is he really her true match, or is it all just a big mistake? And, if he isn't her match, why is she suddenly so drawn to him?

I'm not sure what I could say about this book that hasn't already been said by just about every other book blogger out there. It seems like everyone has read (and loved) this one. Well, I've read it and, while I can't say that I loved it, I did enjoy it. The Society is an interesting view of a possible future, one that seemed more and more probable as I read on. However, I was more interested in the world Condie built than in the characters who inhabited it. There wasn't much character development apart from Cassia. Yes, this makes sense since she's the main character, but I wanted to know more about her friends and family, especially the two boys who are vying for her affections. Why is Xander her perfect match? What's so awesome about Ky? Sure, he's interesting because he's got that whole forbidden thing going on, but I wanted him to be more of a fleshed out character. Although, I suppose he'll become more of one as the trilogy goes on. I'll just have to wait and see.

My favorite character, and the one Cassia seemed to have the closest relationship with, was her grandfather. He is the real influence behind all of her questions about the Society. The boys might be the more obvious ones, but he's the spark that ignites Cassia. He was also an interesting link between a world that was more like ours and the Society. I think that's why I was drawn to him even though he isn't in the book for very long.

Finally, that cover is HOT! I want that dress, and I want a party to go to that is so fancy that I'd be able to wear that dress. And I'd also like that girl's hair...and her figure...okay...I'm cover obsessed. Not only is it pretty, it's super appropriate for the story. Cassia is trapped inside what the Society wants her to think and starting to push against it. This novel is definitely worth a read. I haven't actually talked to anyone yet who has disliked it, so you'll probably like it too!

Book Review: Once in a Full Moon

2010-12-02T07:00:00.048-06:00

Once in a Full Moon, Ellen Schreiber
(Gr 7-9)
Review copy provided by publisher.

Katherine Tegen Books coming 28 December 2010.

Celeste Parker has everything a teenage girl could ever want; a loving family, good friends, popularity, brains, and a super cute jock boyfriend. She isn't completely sure about the boyfriend though. Nash is cute and popular, and her two best friends want her to date him because they're dating his best friends, but that might not be enough. Logan's Run is a small town and very much divided between the Eastside and Westside, so when someone new moves to town, it's cause for lots of talk and speculation, especially when they move to the wrong side of town. Brandon Maddox immediately catches Celeste's eye. He may be all wrong for her, but something about him draws her in. Then he saves her from a pack of wolves in the woods and strange sightings of a huge wolf creature start all over town. Suddenly Celeste's perfect little life is a lot more interesting.

This is the first Ellen Schreiber book I've ever read. She also writes the Vampire Kisses series and now has turned her attention to that other popular supernatural creature, the werewolf. Celeste's life slowly starts to revolve around werewolves. At the start of the novel she is out in the woods with her friends and their boyfriends telling scary stories about Legend's Run's own werewolf. Her favorite resident at the senior living community she volunteers at is a werewolf expert and then she decides to do a school project on...you guessed it...werewolves! This chick needs to spend more time playing with her dog!

Brandon and Celeste's relationship progresses pretty much as any other paranormal romance relationship. They go from being barely acquaintances to head over heels in love really quickly. Their relationship, while on fast forward, is rather tame and definitely appropriate for younger teen readers (nothing more than a few steamy kisses). Junior high girls will flip for their wrong side of the tracks/different species love story, but older readers might find it a little boring.

Overall this was a pretty predictable, but mostly entertaining story. I liked Celeste, but I didn't really understand her relationship with her friends. They seem to like her, but she worries that they won't be her friends anymore if she isn't dating super jock, Nash. Maybe they'll redeem themselves in the later books. Yes, later books, this is a pretty obvious series opener. Here's my parting thought for this novel, if you read it, let me know what you think of the descriptions of the werewolf. They're not like any I've read before that's for sure!

Itty Bitty Book Revew: Trickster's Girl

2010-12-01T07:00:00.016-06:00

Trickster's Girl, Hilari Bell
(Gr 9+)
Review copy provided by publisher.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, coming 3 January 2011.

Synopsis from Amazon:

"In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die.

The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying.

Kelsa has the power to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet."

Review in 75 words or less:

I wasn’t sure what to make of this story. I liked the setting and wanted to know more about Kelsa’s world from the first pages. Kelsa is a sympathetic narrator who I felt drawn to, but once the action got going, I got lost. The mixture of science fiction, fairy tales, and Native American legends was confusing. I didn’t finish this one, but not because it was bad I was just a lazy reader. (74)

Book Review: A Long Walk to Water

2010-11-15T09:16:00.000-06:00

A Long Walk to Water, Linda Sue Park
(Gr 5-8)
Clarion Books, November 2010. Reviewed from library book.

Salva is just a normal boy living in Sudan in 1985 - he goes to school, helps his family with their cattle, and spends time with friends. Then one day, his school is attacked by soldiers and Salva's teacher sends the boys running into the bush to hide themselves. This starts off many years of running and living in refugee camps for Salva. He is one of the lost boys of Sudan, a boy who has lost everyone and still manages to walk hundreds of miles across unforgiving terrain to safety in the camps. Salva's story is told alongside the story of a young girl living in modern day Sudan. Her family's biggest problem is water. They follow the water all year long, sometimes water that is mostly mud. Until the day two men come to their village and offer to help.

This was an amazing, powerful, beautiful story that I read it one sitting. It made me cry in the library break room because I was so involved in Salva's story. Salva is a real person. He is a friend of Linda Sue Park's and she has written this fictional account, based on his real life. Knowing that this story actually happened made it even more powerful.

Linda Sue Park writes with very sparse prose to describe the horrors that Salva witnessed during his journey. In this way, she presents terrible things - thousands of people dying in a river full of crocodiles, men wasting away in the desert - in a way that children can handle. She doesn't shy away from any moment of Salva's life, but presents them in a way that isn't too graphic. Her descriptions are matter of fact, not sensationalized.

I would recommend this book to (mature) 5th graders, but definitely to junior high readers. I think this would be a perfect choice for classroom discussion. It's a slim book, so it won't intimidate those students who aren't big readers, but the prose and the story are so moving that they will absorb any reader. I think this is the first real Newbery contender I've read this year.

Book Review: The Lost Hero

2010-11-12T07:01:00.001-06:00

The Lost Hero, Rick Riordan
(Gr 5-7)
Hyperion, October 2010. Reviewed from library book.

When Jason wakes up on a bus holding hands with a girl he's never seen before he realizes it isn't only the girl he doesn't know. He doesn't know anyone around him, even Leo, who says they're best friends. Jason has no idea who he is or how he got on the bus with these people, all he knows for sure is that he shouldn't be there.

Piper has spent the better part of the school year trying to get Jason to notice her. Now, finally, he's her boyfriend and she couldn't be happier. That is until they go on a field trip and he suddenly forgets who she is!

Leo is always the goofy side kick to his best friend, Jason. He's always felt like a little bit of a third wheel when he's with Piper and Jason, but now that they're an official couple, he's pretty much feeling alone - until the day at the Grand Canyon. The day a group of storm spirits tries to kill them.

Jason, Piper, and Leo find themselves thrown into the adventure of a lifetime. They are all three demigods and the time has come for them to take their places in the quest that will either save the world, or doom it to destruction. Oh, and Piper's dad's been kidnapped by a giant, Leo is being haunted by an old babysitter, and Jason just wants to know who in the world he is! Just an average day when you're the kid of a Olympian God.

This book had everything I've come to expect from Rick Riordan; action, adventure, humor, daring escapes, and sides of ancient Gods and monsters that no one ever saw coming. For instance, did you know that King Midas never really did learn anything from his golden touch, or that the king of the winds works as a weather caster? Rick Riordan has a found a great way to get kids interested both in mythology and history. I'm pretty sure if I polled my library patrons he'd be tied for coolest person ever (obviously he would tie with Jeff Kinney).

The Heroes of Mount Olympus is definitely written for a slightly older crowd than Percy Jackson, but only slightly. There is a lot more noticing of the opposite sex in this series than there was in Percy's adventures and the book itself has some serious heft to it that might intimidate younger readers. Although, from what I've seen, it's just making the young kids more okay with reading a really thick book!

Jason, Piper, and Leo were great additions to the Camp Half Blood gang. All three were instantly likeable and had distinct voices throughout. The story is told from each of their perspectives, which did make the story move much quicker. Leo is one of my favorite of Riordan's characters. He's earnest, loyal, and always sees the humor in any situation. Even when three very large cyclopes are trying to catch and roast him.

This is a great book, a hilarious adventure, and one that the kids will be clambering for more of. Just be forewarned, some kids seem to be getting confused between Percy Jackson, The Heroes of Mount Olympus, and The Kane Chronicles. If you're a librarian and you aren't certain, check out the Kent District Library's What's Next database. Seriously, it's a life saver.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5 Countdown

2010-10-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

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Book Review: Revolution

2010-10-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Revolution, Jennifer Donnelly
(Gr 9+)

Coming 12 October 2010 - That's TODAY!
Delacorte Books for Young Readers. ARC from ALA.

Andi is a modern day teen, living in Brooklyn, and dealing with the death of her brother. Alex is a girl who lived during the height of the French Revolution and was close to the royal family of Louis XVI. When Andi finds Alex's journal she feels a deep connection to the girl who lived two centuries before. The further she digs into Alex's story, the more she realizes it's implications on the modern day interpretation of the Revolution. As Andi struggles to deal with her own demons, she also takes on those of Alex, which just might be more than she can bear.

This is mostly Andi's story, but it's told in both girl's voices. Andi is struggling in school and in life when her mostly absent father steps in to take her away for her winter break. He believes that getting her out of Brooklyn, away from the memories of what happened to her brother and taking care of her deeply depressed mother, will help Andi focus on not failing out of school. Her father, a Nobel prize winning geneticist, has been invited to Paris by a family friend to solve a centuries old mystery. A mystery that, Andi soon learns, Alex was intimately connected to.

I love historical novels that introduce new elements of history to me. A main thread of this story involves the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Louis-Charles. I knew that he died during the Revolution, but I wasn't fully aware of the details. The novel presents them in a way that fascinated me and I had to know if the story was true. Upon further research, I realized that, yes, the story of Louis-Charles is based on historical fact! Hopefully, teens who read this book will be equally interested and moved to further research.

This book, though a little on the long side, was engrossing and fascinating. I loved that Andi and Alex's voices were so similar and yet different enough that I did know which was which. I really felt the connection between the two young women. Andi kept saying that things happened because Alex wanted them to. She could feel the long dead girl leading her through Paris and forcing her to read on in her story.

Another very interesting aspect of this novel is it's emphasis on the evolution of music. Andi is writing a thesis on the influence an historical French composer had on modern musicians. She frequently makes reference to musicians, their songs, and the composers whose influence can be heard in them. It made me want to go listen to the music she talked about and hear it for myself. Teenagers will love the nod to their favorite bands and, hopefully, will want to listen to the classical composers who influenced their songs.

This novel was an interesting mash up of historical fiction and realistic fiction, with just a splash of magical realism. I really couldn't put it down. This would be a great novel for a high school student to read in concurrence with a study of the French Revolution. I think it would make the history come alive for them. Revolution comes out TODAY, so head out and pick up a copy right now...now...seriously...now.

Book Review: The Iron Daughter

2010-10-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

The Iron Daughter, Julie Kagawa
(Gr 9+)
Harlequin, August 2010. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Meghan Chase has never really fit in anywhere. Half faery princess and half human, Meghan is forgotten in the real world and not entirely welcome in the world of the fey. Now she's lost the one person who made her feel like she belonged, the Winter prince Ash has turned away from her. Now she has to fulfill her end of a faery bargain and turn herself over as a prisoner to the Winter Queen. As the war between winter and summer intensifies, Meghan finds herself caught in the middle. She knows that the real enemy are the Iron Fey who would destroy all of Summer and Winter to rule the faery world with a (literal) iron fist. No one else in either world, except for the prince who once loved her, knows about the Iron Fey and no one will believe her.

We were introduced to Meghan in The Iron King when she first entered the Nevernever (faery land) to save her kidnapped brother, Ethan. She was helped by her friend Robbie, who turned out to be the immortal faery, Puck and Ash, the prince of the Winter Realm. She made a deal with Ash that if he helped her find her brother, she would return with him to Winter as his prisoner. Now, with Ethan safe at home, Meghan has to fulfill her end of the bargain.

I am super in love with this series. It honestly reminded me (only a little) of The Chronicles of Narnia. It was probably the fact that Meghan first entered the Nevernever through a closet and a lot of the elements of the magical realm remind me of Narnia. That's probably why I was initially drawn to it. I love when books make me feel like a kid while I read them! It means that I can completely lose myself in the story and wish that adventures like that could happen. My parents have an old wardrobe that I used to wish would open up and show me a magical world...instead of my dad's sweaters. No such luck though. Any story that reminds me of that feeling is a-okay in my book.

Early in the story, Ash tells Meghan that, for her own safety, once they reach the Winter Court he has to pretend to not care about her at all. He knows that if the Court knew about their feelings for each other, they would kill them both. Meghan says she understands, but as soon as they get there and he starts the ignoring, she freaks! She spends a huge chunk of the story feeling like he really doesn't love her anymore and that he wouldn't care if she died. What the what?! Meghan, get your ears cleaned out! He told you he loves you, but that he couldn't show it and you said you agreed! Yeesh. I kind of wanted to smack her around a little bit, but I restrained myself, mostly because she's fictitious.

This is a great series. It's filled to the brim with adventure, romance, and imagination. I can find elements of many childhood favorites in here, like The Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, I feel really spoiled that I got to read the first two books so close together. It's making the wait for the third book, The Iron Queen, which doesn't come out until February, much harder. If you haven't read this series, what are you waiting for? Seriously! They are lots of fun and, trust me, they will transport your imagination into a world of adventures. Check the library or the bookstore for Julie Kagawa's awesome series, you'll know them by their super fab covers.

Guest Book Review: I Shall Wear Midnight

2010-10-06T07:00:00.002-05:00

Today, I'm hosting a very special guest reviewer here at Libri Dilectio...my DAD! He's a longtime fan of Terry Pratchett, so when an ARC of Pratchett's newest title for teens came my way, I sent it on to him. Here it is readers, Mark Daniel's review of I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett - enjoy!

I Shall Wear Midnight, Terry Pratchett

(Gr 7+)

HarperCollins. September 2010. Reviewed from ARC picked up by co-worker at ALA.

Synopsis from Amazon:

“It starts with whispers.

Then someone picks up a stone.
Finally, the fires begin.

When people turn on witches, the innocents suffer. . . .

Tiffany Aching has spent years studying with senior witches, and now she is on her own. As the witch of the Chalk, she performs the bits of witchcraft that aren’t sparkly, aren’t fun, don’t involve any kind of wand, and that people seldom ever hear about: She does the unglamorous work of caring for the needy.

But someone—or something—is igniting fear, inculcating dark thoughts and angry murmurs against witches. Aided by her tiny blue allies, the Wee Free Men, Tiffany must find the source of this unrest and defeat the evil at its root—before it takes her life. Because if Tiffany falls, the whole Chalk falls with her.

Chilling drama combines with laughout-loud humor and searing insight as beloved and bestselling author Terry Pratchett tells the high-stakes story of a young witch who stands in the gap between good and evil.”

As those who have read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels already know, witch-work can be very hard. Witches aren’t very magical in the sense that they turn people into frogs (What do you do with all the physical mass that used to be a person, but can’t fit into a frog? The solution isn’t very pretty.), but they are very special.

Tiffany, now sixteen (or close to it) was first introduced to readers in Wee Free Men, where she, at the age of eight, fought off a river monster with a frying pan and battled the Queen of the Faeries with the help of the Nac Mac Feegle, a tribe of little blue men who resemble the worst (and the best) that Scotland has to offer, and won. In A Hat Full Of Sky, Tiffany fought off a hiver, an invisible entity that absorbs your personality and lives your life for you, turning you into a rather nasty, hateful person until you die rather prematurely. In the third book, she nearly turns the discworld into an iceworld by dancing with the Wintersmith (everyone makes mistakes), but in I Shall Wear Midnight, the latest book from Terry Pratchett, there are no special monsters, no amazing magical creatures to overcome; just the evil that lives in mankind.

Pratchett has created a truly transitional book for his farewell to the Tiffany Aching series. Tiffany is grown up and her problems are those that the reader may also face one day. Tiffany, having returned to her home (The Chalk Hills) from training with the older witches takes on the responsibilities of being the local witch. Yes, she cares for the sick and dying, but she is also faced with new adult-centered issues.

Tiffany is challenged by how to help an abusive father who beats his daughter so badly that she loses her unborn child. She has to face the reality of her social status (how can a poor witch-girl ever hope to have a real relationship with the son of the local Baron). But worst of all, she has become known to an ancient evil, a spirit of pure hatred that is insane and utterly relentless. It finds a home with ignorance and fools. “Poison goes where poison’s welcome.” It wants to destroy Tiffany and, through her, all witches of the Discworld. The other witches offer to help, but this is Tiffany’s battle. Tiffany and the other witches understand that, as a witch, Tiffany’s problems are hers to solve. If she accepts help, she’s probably not really a witch at all. Even the ever present Nac Mac Feegle can’t help her now.

Pratchett is a master of weaving life lessons into a gripping story. The evil Tiffany faces is very much like the ignorance and hatred that is spread with lightening speed today across sections of the internet and from pundits on cable TV. Tiffany chooses to battle ignorance and hatred directly, which is truly the only way to do it. You can’t wait out ignorance to simply go away. Ignorance and hatred are immortal.

As Tiffany faces her final confrontation with evil, she worries that there is more that she should have done to prepare, to which a more senior witch advises her, ”There are times when everything that you can do has been done and there’s nothing for it now but to curl up and wait for the thunder to die down.”

Tiffany is a wonderful character that should appeal to both girls and boys, but mainly girls. Pratchett’s female characters are smarter, calmer, more sensible and ultimately braver in spirit than his male characters who typically face adversity with a burning desire for a quick visit to the pub.

This is NOT the book to read if you have not yet read a Tiffany Aching novel before. Pick up Wee Free Men and start from the beginning. A lot of the fun is to watch Tiffany grow into her chosen profession. Even those who are familiar with the witches of the Discworld (Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and the rest who make appearances in each of the Tiffany Aching books) will miss out if they don’t start from the beginning.

Finally, as a guest reviewer for Libri Dilectio, I should add that I recently read aloud a quote from Wee Free Men at the wedding reception of this blog’s main author (who also just happens, by strange coincidence, to be my daughter). It was some advice that Miss Tick, Tiffany’s first witch advisor, gave her on one of their first meetings:

“If you trust in yourself and believe in your dreams and follow your star, you’ll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren’t so lazy.”

The Honeymoon’s over, kid. Get back to work and find us more great books!

Book Review: Jane

2010-10-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jane, April Lindner
(Gr 9+)

Coming 11 October 2010
Poppy. ARC provided by publisher.

Jane Moore has just lost her parents. With no one to turn to and no money to stay in school, she must leave Sarah Lawrence, and take a job as a nanny. Since she's a rather unconventional young woman, uninterested in pop culture, she is sent to work for one of the world's biggest rock stars, Nico Rathburn. Jane is serious and pragmatic, but, immediately drawn to her new employer, she falls deeply in love with him. However, there is a dark secret hidden within the walls of Thornfield Park, one that could destroy their love forever.

I have to start by saying that Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is my all time, uncontested favorite book. I read it for the first time in 7th grade and I was completely obsessed with the characters, the story, the setting, everything! When my husband and I were still dating, I made him read it and discuss it with me. We even had a passage from it read at our wedding! Jane Eyre is my super duper favorite book EVER! Yes, that means I have a predisposition to like April Lindner's Jane.

Okay, now that you know my mind set starting this book you can judge for yourself why I liked it. I raced through the story, excited to see how my favorite characters would be portrayed. Yes, that means nothing was a surprise, but I didn't care. This is a great re-telling of the best story ever ever ever (I know, that's just my opinion, but I bet some of you agree). No, of course it isn't as good as the original, and yes, I'd obviously rather read that than this, but I love April Lindner for finding a way to bring Jane Eyre to the attention of new readers. Jasper Fforde did it with The Eyre Affair (another fun book for super fans like me), and now Lindner has done it in a more straight forward way that teen girls will gobble up.

I was skeptical at first when I read that Mr. Rochester was going to be a rock star in this version of the story, but it actually worked really well. His dark, arrogance really translates to musician! He was portrayed in a way that you could see the original character, but Nico Rathburn felt like a new man. The same can be said of Jane herself. She still felt very true to the original heroine, while still having a new, modern woman holding all her earnest, serious, wonderfulness.

This book will hopefully bring new readers to the original and give super fans a new way to experience their favorite characters. Teenage girls will love this dark Cinderella story and I'd bet some adults will be drawn to it as well. Look for Jane on shelves next week!

Book Review: Beautiful Darkness

2010-10-04T09:46:00.002-05:00

Beautiful Darkness, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
(Gr 9+)

Coming 12 October 2010
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ARC provided by publisher.

Ethan Wate always thought of Gatlin as a slow, sleepy Southern town where nothing ever happened, until he met Lena. Lena showed him a new world buried right beneath his every day life - a world full of magic, danger, and love. Ethan and Lena have already fought for their relationship against strong evil and he thought they'd won, but at a price. Lena has lost her uncle, the man who was the most important person in her life. Now she's pulling away from Ethan and acting less and less like the girl he knows, the girl he loves. Ethan finds himself pulled deeper into the world of the Casters, a world he isn't sure he belongs in, and one that Lena may not want him in anymore.

Readers made their first trip to Gatlin in last year's Beautiful Creatures. The novel that introduced us to Ethan, Lena, and the magical world of the Casters. Ethan and Lena were drawn to each other and could communicate with each other in ways that had never linked Casters and mortals before. They fought for their impossible love and now we find them on the other side of that battle, with new scars that are still healing.

This novel is again told from Ethan's perspective. He is an open and honest character who is easy to care about. Lena is less easy to know for a reader. I had trouble getting a hold of her personality, but I'm pretty sure, based on the fact that Ethan had no idea what was going on with her either, that that was the point! I found myself worrying about Lena, not because I really cared about her myself, but because Ethan did.

The setting of the novel remains my absolute favorite thing about it. Gatlin is a sleepy, hot Southern town where everyone is in everyone else's business, but hiding just beneath this Christian moral social hierarchy, there is a dark world of tunnels, magic, and evil. In this book we get to spend more time in the Caster tunnels and really get a feel for just how huge this world is, and how dangerous. There were a few moments when the action lagged a little, but the setting kept me interested in the story.

The best best best part about this book was finally getting Macon Ravenwood's back story! He is such an interesting character and I loved learning more about his family and their curse. There is a part that revealed something so jaw dropping, that I actually closed the book and shouted "WHAT the WHAT?!?!" (seriously, ARC pg. 262. Get ready for it!).

Overall this is still a great story with interesting characters and a fantabulous setting. My only complaint is that there were several parts where the action really dragged. I would get all excited and worked up only to have the plot get super slow for a long time before I got excited again. Also, there were a few too many easy fix moments. Ethan and his gang kept getting into these impossible scrapes only to have someone surprisingly swoop in to save the day. I mean, no, I didn't want him to die, but I wanted him to get out of trouble a little more on his own steam. With that being said though, yes, I would recommend this to fans of dark fantasy and think that readers who enjoyed Beautiful Creatures will be very happy to have this book in their hands. I can't wait to see how this story ends!

Itty Bitty Book Review: Living Dead Girl

2010-09-20T08:48:00.001-05:00

Living Dead Girl, Elizabeth Scott
(Gr 9+)
Simon Pulse September 2008. Reviewed from library book.

When she was 10 years old, Ray took Alice from a school trip and hid her away from the rest of the world. Now she's 15 and living in a nightmare. Ray starves her to keep her small, but she can't stop growing. Soon Alice will be too big, too old, too wrong for Ray. Will finding him a new Alice save her life, or just put off the inevitable?

Review in 75 words or less:

This is a hard book to read and a harder book to stop reading. It's not a book that I can say that I liked, but it is a book that I read in one sitting and couldn't get out of my head afterward. The story telling was powerful and, unbelievably enough, had a sense of hope throughout. The reader feels that human spirit will endure and that a good person can overcome hell. (74)

Book Review: Behemoth

2010-09-16T12:40:00.003-05:00

Behemoth, Scott Westerfeld
(Gr 7+)

Coming 5 October 2010
Simon Pulse, ARC picked up at ALA by awesome co-worker

In this sequel to Leviathan readers find Deryn Sharpe, a British girl masquerading as a boy, still sailing through the skies with her closest and also unlikely ally, Alek, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While their two countries are at war and vastly different - the British are Darwinists who believe in genetic engineering while the Austrians are Clankers who abhor the creatures of the Darwinists and rely on metal machines - Deryn and Alek trust each other completely.

As the airship Leviathan comes closer to Istanbul to try to keep the Ottoman Empire out of the conflict, the British servicemen aboard start to question the presence of Alek and his Austrian entourage. While Deryn knows that Alek and his men would never do anything but help the crew of the Leviathan, she is only a midshipman with little sway over the ranking officers. Rather than be held prisoner aboard the ship that he helped save, Alek makes a break for freedom and finds himself on the streets of Istanbul, right in the middle of a revolution.

I loved Leviathan, it was creative, exciting, and over the top awesome! Obviously, I had super high hopes for Behemoth, and, overall, it lived up to them. I still loved the characters, the setting, and the action. This time Deryn and Alek are very much on the same side. They are more loyal to each other than they are to their countries. Actually, Deryn is starting to feel something more than friendship for Alek, but, sadly, he still thinks she's a he. Frankly, stories like this always make me feel really bad for the disguised girl. She seems to hope that the boy will sense that she's a lady in love, but the poor fella just thinks she's his (male) buddy.

Westerfeld has kept this world feeling fresh and interesting. It is so vividly described and the illustrations are amazing. This is the type of book that will excite your imagination. Much of the setting feels like another character. The streets of Istanbul pull the reader in while the Leviathan itself continues to feel like a main character. I loved the way the city was described. I could smell it, hear it, and see it really vividly. It made the story even more engrossing.

Something that bothered me is that the namesake of this installment plays a very small role in the story itself. I wasn't really sure if I ever got a good picture of it in my mind, but, since this is only a galley, maybe the finished version will be a little more concrete. The other thing that struck me, and a coworker, as odd is how hard the author has to work to keep his protagonists together. Logically, they shouldn't be and a few moments seem clumsy in the way our heroes are kept from going their separate ways. It's certainly not a big problem and doesn't keep me from being any less crazy excited for the next book! I need it right now...um now...how about now...

Book Review: Hunger

2010-09-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hunger, Jackie Morse Kessler
(Gr 9+)

Coming 18 October 2010. Harcourt Graphia
ARC provided by publisher.

Lisabeth is seventeen and she hates the way she looks. She knows she's fat and that if she can just lose those last pounds, then she'll be pretty. Only problem is, no one else can see it. Not her former best friend, or her parents, or her boyfriend, but Lisa knows. She counts every calorie that goes into her mouth, restricting her diet more and more while exercising off the little that she does eat. Her life is in a downward spiral until the night a strange man comes to her home and says, “Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.” Now Lisa is Famine, one of the four horseman of the apocalypse and it isn't just her food she has to worry about.

This is a very unique look at anorexia and the effects it has on a person. The story jumps back and forth from realistic fiction to fantasy without ever really being either. Lisa's life as Famine, the Black Rider, is separate from her life as Lisa the girl who won't eat, but also inextricably linked. Frankly, it made the story interesting and a little confusing. Not so much because I wasn't sure what was going on, but more that my brain was unsure how to react.

Lisa is a sympathetic character who readers will be drawn to right away. Her struggles feel real, in that she still loves food and wants to be normal, but her insecurities plague her and keep her fighting to lose more and more weight. I found her relationship with her boyfriend to be really interesting. I had trouble figuring out what he knew about her or what he suspected.

The supernatural elements of the story are best illustrated by Lisa's horse. As the horse of a rider of the apocalypse, he's invisible to all mortals, but always there - even if the only one who knows is Lisa. He stands in her yard, just on the outskirts of normal, waiting to take her to far away places to do her work as famine. Like the horse, the fantasy elements cling to the edges of the novel, waiting to jump out in the spotlight and take the reader somewhere they haven't been before.

Overall this was an enjoyable story and a very quick read. Look for it on shelves in October!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Dark and Hollow Places

2010-09-08T07:16:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is masterminded by Breaking the Spine. Check out her blog for more upcoming releases that bloggers are waiting patiently for.

Coming 22 March 2011
(yeah...looooong wait)
The Dark and Hollow Places, Carrie Ryan

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister’s face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah’s world stopped that day and she’s been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn’t feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah’s longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it’s up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return’s destruction?"

I have LOVED the first two books in this trilogy, The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead Tossed Waves. Now I can't wait to see what will happen next! If you haven't read any of Carrie Ryan's books, you definitely should! You won't regret it.

Book Review: Linger

2010-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Linger, Maggie Stiefvater
(Gr 9+)
Scholastic July 2010. Reviewed from purchased copy.

Sam has finally been cured, he'll never be anything but a normal boy for the rest of his life. Now he and Grace can finally settle in to a relationship where they are both on equal footing. However, the universe has different ideas for these two. Now it's Grace who can't seem to hold on to her form, who is fighting to stay herself. And the new wolves are starting to shift back into humans, one in particular is causing lots of trouble for Sam. Cole St. Clair wants to be a wolf more than he wants to be a human, but he can't seem to stay in either body for long. In between his times of wolfishness he finds himself drawn to Isabel, but he knows that all he'll do is hurt her. Sam has to find a way to protect the wolves, trust in his own cure, and save the girl he loves before time runs out.

I loved Shiver so so so much. The story was easy to lose yourself in and I loved the idea of werewolves that whose shifts were dependent on temperature not the moon. I had really high hopes for Linger and was not disappointed. No, I didn't like it as much as Shiver, but I didn't really expect to.

Linger is the second book in a trilogy, which to me, means it will be the weakest. Well, until the third one comes out. The second book in a trilogy is always weak until you read the end, then you get a new appreciation of the middle. Linger was still a great book. The writing was as beautiful as ever and Sam and Grace are still the cutest couple. I liked the addition of Cole and Isabel's relationship. Without it some of the tension of the book would have been lost. This time around both Sam and Grace are human so they start to have more human problems; issues with families, friends, etc. Until, of course, when Grace starts getting sick. Instead of the story getting a little slow during the non-supernatural elements of their relationship, we get a whole new couple to read about while still following our old favorites!

The plot line of Linger moves a little slower than Shiver, but overall it is a great book. The descriptions of the forest were so incredibly lush that my imagination could take a little break and just let the book do all the work. I love a story with a real sense of place. In Maggie Stiefvater's books the setting becomes just as much a main character as anyone. She really makes the natural world important in all her books. I think it's a great way to make teenagers care more about the environment. Instead of beating them over the head with messages of conservation, write a beautiful story set in a magical wood. It'll go a lot farther.

My one problem with Linger isn't really something that can be helped, because the problem I had was that it ended! That's why I don't like second books! I already have invested my feelings into the characters, I care about them, I'm interested in the story because the first book sucked me in. Second books just mess up the stuff that got fixed in first books and emotionally beat me up before leaving me bruised and confused by the side of the road...or something less violent. Anyway, the point is...my only real problem with Linger is the fact that Forever, the third book, won't be out for another year! Yeesh.

Summer Reading Round Up (2010)

2010-09-06T09:20:00.001-05:00

Okay, so summer is officially over! Time to put away the sunscreen and sandals and break out the jackets and socks. Fall is my absolute favorite season so to really get it started and leave summer's heat behind, I thought it was time to round up my summer reading! Last year I read 35 books and my favorite was When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. This year I actually managed to read the exact same number, even though I was planning my wedding!

June: 11 books (13 last year)
July: 11 books (10 last year)
August: 13 books (12 last year)

My favorite book that I read this summer was The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart. I haven't reviewed it yet (even though my reading didn't suffer due to wedding stuff, my reviewing did!) but I will soon. Actually, my favorite book that I've read so far in 2010 is The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks also by E. Lockhart. I think I've found my new author obsession!

This was a great summer. I read some really awesome books, had some great programs at work, and married my best friend! I hope everyone else had as much fun this summer as I did!

Happy Fall!!!

Book Review: The Alchemyst

2010-09-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Michael Scott
(Gr 6-8)
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, June 2008.

Sophie and Josh Newman are twins living in San Francisco. They're very close and work right across the street from each other. One day, Sophie looks out the window of the coffee shop she works in and sees Josh's workplace, a book store owned by an older couple, Nick and Perry Fleming, is under attack. Without thinking, Sophie rushes headlong into the fray, effectively tangling herself and Josh up in a centuries old conflict. Nick and Perry are really Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, who have been alive since the 1300's. Nicholas is a famous alchemyst and his ancient rival, Doctor John Dee, has finally tracked him down. Dr. Dee is after Flamel's most important treasure, a book, older than even it's owner knows, with the power to save or destroy the world.

This is a nominee for the 2011 Rebecca Caudill Award, and so, a must read for me. Sadly, it was not a good one. The story dragged for me when it should have been exciting and was confusing and rushed when it should have been slower. Scott introduces the reader to his main characters, Josh and Sophie, and then clumsily drops them into the action. They witness the attack by Dr. Dee and, for some reason, this means that Nicholas Flamel now has to take them with him on a quest to get back the book and also tell them all his secrets. He says it's because Dr. Dee will kill them for having witnessed the attack, but when Dee sees them again, it takes him a moment to remember who they even are. He is definitely not planning their demise, until after he sees them a second time in Flamel's company. I hate when fantasy stories just sort of stumble into the action. If a kid is going to become entangled in a magical adventure, I want it to at least feel plausible. It can be fantastical, obviously, but don't just tell me that they have to be part of the action now. SHOW me why!

That was my biggest issue with this book. It's complete lack of SHOW! It was all tell. My seventh grade English teacher would be appalled. There were really only five events in the whole long book which were supplemented by lots and lots...and lots of talking. I suppose a younger reader, with no advance knowledge or history of mythology would appreciate the didactic tone of the novel, but I was bored stiff. Maybe the future books in the series are better, since all the back story has been explained, but frankly, I don't want to find out.

Obviously, I did not enjoy this book, but I was interested in the idea behind it. The writing style wasn't really for me, but I could see how others might like it. I did love Scathach, she was the most interesting and fun character in the story. Frankly, I think Michael Scott should just go ahead and write a book about her! She was smart, quick witted, and an awesome fighter! Maybe if there had been more scenes prominently featuring Scatty, I would have liked the whole book more!

Okay RCYRBA 2011...That's 11 done...9 to go!

Book Review: Wicked Girls

2010-08-31T13:09:00.000-05:00

Wicked Girls, Stephanie Hemphill
(Gr 7+)
Balzer & Bray June 2010. Reviewed from library book.

In 1692, in the town of Salem Massachusetts, a group of young girls became "afflicted" by witchcraft. The girls complained of being tormented by the women and men of their town, naming many innocent people as witches. Of those accused, 20 are put to death. This verse novel tells the story of the girls who accused their friends and neighbors. From the perspectives of three of the "afflicted girls" readers are taken on a journey of deception, manipulation, and desire for power that will have them seeing parallels in the modern world.

I haven't read that many verse novels, but I've noticed that they seem to pull me into the narrative faster than standard prose. I'm not sure if it's because it reads like the way people actually think or if it's just the beauty of the language that makes these books so compulsively readable. Wicked Girls is definitely this type of book.

Stephanie Hemphill chooses to focus on the group dynamics of the afflicted girls. This is not a supernatural book, it is a book about groupthink and how one strong minded person can effect the actions of many. It would be a great book to read with junior high or high school girls. While the novel is obviously historical fiction, I think some interesting parallels can be drawn to modern social groups.

The author does take a few liberties with characterization to make a better narrative, but I certainly can't fault her for that. If you do some research into the afflicted girls, there's very little information about them as people. All the information is about them as a group and mostly about the time when they saw witches. Several of them disappear from history after that. Hopefully this novel will inspire teens to further historical exploration!

Getting inside the girls' heads was an interesting experience. Hemphill has really shown how different they all were - from their ages to their social statuses. They were brought together through a series of coincidences and a shared desire to be more than they were. I really felt for each girl in turn while also wanting to shake them and make them see what they were doing to their friends and neighbors.

This is a wonderfully descriptive, evocative novel that will capture the imaginations of teenage girls. I will be passing it along to several historical fiction and verse novel fans at my library. I highly recommend you make space in your TBR pile for this one, it will get under your skin!

Itty Bitty Book Review: A Drowned Maiden's Hair

2010-08-17T07:25:00.001-05:00

A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama, Laura Amy Schlitz
(Gr 6-8)
Candlewick-September 2006. Reviewed from library book.

Maud Flynn is an orphan. Her life in the orphanage has not been a particularly happy one, but Maud isn't one to mope about. She's feisty and vivacious, a little too much for anyone to handle. When three elderly sisters come to adopt a child, everyone is surprised that they choose Maud, but the Misses Hawthorne see something special in her - something they can put to good use. The women need Maud to help them stage seances for grieving families. At first Maud is excited to be part of something, part of a family, but soon she starts to feel something is wrong about the Hawthorne sisters. Now she has to decide between the family she longs for and the reality of what she has become.

Review in 75 words or less:

Maud's story is incredibly unique and the kind that will appeal to a broad range of readers. Kids will need to know what will happen next and whether or not Maud will take matters into her own hands. The secondary characters are just as intriguing as the primary characters. I was never sure how I felt about the sisters. Did they care about Maud at all or was she just a means to an end? (75)

Dark Song Giveaway Winner

2010-08-17T06:48:00.000-05:00

Congratulations To...

Bailey!

You've won an ARC of Dark Song by Gail Giles! Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered!