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March 18, 2008

Even a Demon Needs a Break

RepossessedRepossessed by A. M. Jenkins
Kiriel needs a vacation from being a demon--actually he prefers the term "fallen angel." He's tired of inflicting guilt on the souls sent to Hell. So Kiriel decides to inhabit the body of a teenage boy, Shaun, right before the moment of his untimely death. Kiriel has a list of things he wants to experience before he's caught and cast out. Some are physical experiences and some are emotional. Additionally, once he's human, Kiriel discovers that he wants to his mark on the world, especially the people in Shaun's life.

The human experience turns out to be a lot more complex than Kiriel imagined. As a reader, looking at life through Kiriel's eyes is humorous but also thought-provoking. Repossessed will make you re-evaluate the ways you see ordinary things.

February 15, 2008

Book Review: Spud

Spud by John Van De Ruit Spud by John van de Ruit

What exactly goes through a 13 year old boy’s mind?  Although I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out the answer to that question, the book Spud pulled me along through the wild ride of boarding school, puberty, and conflict in South Africa.  John “Spud” Milton is a scholarship student at a prestigious all-boys boarding school, and the story takes place in South Africa in 1990.  The Apartheid is crumbling, and so is Spud’s world as he tries to adjust to life at boarding school and deal with his crazy family.  This book is written in journal style and really feels like a diary, especially when Spud obsesses over his moody crush and pulls hilarious pranks with his friends.  Spud is a best seller in South Africa, and was recently released in the United States.  I think that Spud’s feelings and experiences are universal, but a few times I had to google some of the South African lingo and look up the country’s history to fully know what was going on.

February 13, 2008

Teen Urban Fiction: Ride wit' Me

Triple Crown, Urban Books, and BET Books are very popular publishers of Street Lit or Urban Lit for adults. But some publishers are taking a look at Urban Lit from a teen perspective. So now the same page-turning drama is being told from a teen view—the son or daughter—instead of an adult viewpoint.

Ride wit' MeRide wit' Me by Katina King
Mercedes is a daddy's little girl, and why not since he gives her everything she wants? Mercedes father is a very wealthy entrepreneur; she knows that means he runs his own business, but she doesn't actually know what he does. Her life is easy and carefree until after her 16th birthday when she meets Dalvin. Dalvin is a year older, but he's finished high school already. He's handsome, smooth, seems to have an unlimited source of money and treats Mercedes like a princess. The two fall quickly and deeply in love and start talking about marriage right away. When Mercedes introduces Dalvin to her father, the drama begins and everything changes. It seems that Dalvin is the son of a crime lord in direct competition with Mercedes' father. Soon Mercedes' carefree life is full of lies, family drama, and possibly violence. Dalvin seemed like a dream come true to Mercedes, but now she's living a nightmare and doesn't know what to do. Can love conquer all?

This is obviously a Romeo and Juliet kind of story, but it's updated and set on the mean streets of Chicago. I'm not sure why marriage is on the table at age 16, but regardless, this story will keep you flipping through the pages wondering if it will all work out or if a tragic ending is inevitable. I thought the book was hard to put down, because I wanted to know if Mercedes was going to be alright; but I have to say, I didn't really like Dalvin. Read it and let me know what you think by posting a comment.

February 12, 2008

Win Some LOVEly Books

Do you need some lovey-dovey presents this week to get you into a Valentine’s Day mood?  You don’t have to wait for a special someone to buy you anything, just click here for a chance to win fabulous stuff for yourself!  The ladies at the Author2Author blog are giving away a romantic YA book every day this week to a lucky reader who leaves a comment on the daily blog post. Here are the books that you can win:

Something to Blog About by Shana NorrisTuesday- Something to Blog About by Shana Norris

Wednesday- The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren by Wendy Toliver

Thursday- The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

Friday- Lost It by Kristen Tracy

Good luck!

January 31, 2008

If You Love the Series Gossip Girl, Try…

Whether it’s the book series or the TV series that you love, you are definitely not alone! Gossip Girl is definitely a teen fav. While you wait for new episodes/books, try these:

If you like the look into the insider's look rich, prep school life, try one or more of theseInsiders:
Insiders by J. Minter
The Clique by Lisi Harrison
The A-List by Zoey Dean
Prep: a novel by Curtis Sittenfeld

If you would like a look at how the rich live from an outsider’s viewpoint, try:
The Au-Pairs series by Melissa de la Cruz
The Nannies series by Melody Mayer
Fresh off the Boat by Melissa de la Cruz
Confessions of a Teen Nanny by Victoria Ashton
LBD series by Grace Dent
The Manny by Sarah L. Thomson

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal SnoggingIf you like the series because of the drama and appreciate a little humor, try:
Angus , Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging and the rest of series by Louise Rennison
The Year My Life Went Down the Loo and the rest of the series by Katie Maxwell
Mates and Dates series by Cathy Hopkins
I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader by Kieran Scott

Continue reading "If You Love the Series Gossip Girl, Try…" »

January 28, 2008

Peach Girl is a delicious read

Peach Girl: Change of Heart Vol. 1 by Miwa Ueda

 Peach Girl:Change of Heart

Peach Girl: Change of Heart is a manga series that is published in the authentic right-to-left Japanese format.  At first it seemed weird to read a book backwards, but it was cool to read it in the style that it was originally printed.  Peach Girl is about a girl named Momo who does not fit in at her Japanese school because she has naturally tan skin and blonde hair.  She’s very insecure, but a lot of other girls are jealous of her unusual (for Japan) appearance, and try to make her life miserable.  Momo has also just started dating a new guy and is finding out all kinds of secrets from his past, including secret relationships and jealous ex-girlfriends.  This book is soap-opera level dramatic, but very fun and exciting. The pictures and text work together perfectly to tell the story and once you start reading this manga series, it’s very addictive!

January 18, 2008

Follow The Night Tourist into the dark...

The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh 

The Night TouristWeird things start happening to ninth grade bookworm Jack Perdu after he is nearly killed in a car accident.  He sees a pale stranger who disappears into thin air, finds a 100 year old map of New York City with his dead mother’s name scrawled on it, and overhears a mysterious conversation about a ghostly underworld that living people cannot enter.  His worried father sends him to a doctor in New York City, where Jack meets a girl named Euri in Grand Central Station.  She leads him to a secret passage nine floors below the train station, and he is swept into a world beyond what he ever imagined.

This book pulls you into a frenetic adventure as Jack tries to find his dead mother and unlock the secrets of her life and death before he runs out of time and must stay in the underworld forever.  As Jack and Euri decipher the clues and try to hide the fact that Jack is still alive from the vicious guards, the story gets deeper and they learn about themselves and their roles in life (and death).  The story is intertwined with Greek mythology and modern New York City flavor, which makes it an unusual fantasy that I couldn’t put down.

January 14, 2008

Printz 2008 Award Winner Announced

The Michael L. Printz Award is a national award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 

WINNER: The White Darkness by Geraldine  McCaughreanThe White Darkness--Printz Winner!
Fourteen-year-old Symone's exciting vacation to Antarctica turns into a desperate struggle for survival when her uncle's obsessive quest leads them across the frozen wilderness into danger. A longer description can be found on this Graffiti post on survival tales.

HONOR AWARD: Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox
In this inventive and richly imagined finale of the Dreamhunter series, Tziga Hame discovers that he can enter the Place and share his dreams with other people. When he disappears, his daughter knows that the art of projecting dreams has turned sour--leaving a puzzle only she can unravel, a puzzle having to do with the very nature of the Place itself.
One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke
Lily feels both love for and embarrassment about her eccentric family: a grandmother with an imaginary friend, an ax-brandishing grandfather, a mother who brings home patients from the elder-care facility where she works, and an estranged older brother, Lonnie, who still can't seem to get his life together. Lily's wish to get one perfect day with her family is unexpected fulfilled.
Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins
Repossessed tells the comic story of Kiriel, a fallen angel who takes a vacation from his job as a tormentor to experience life as an American teenage boy.
Your Own Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill
With photos and an extensive list of facts and sources, this biography-in-verse is a welcoming introduction to newcomers to Plath's work.

This year's winner and honor award winners are a bit of a surprise to me. The book I thought would win, didn't even get an honor award. And a couple of these, I've never heard of before. What do you think of the winners? Have you read any of them?

January 10, 2008

If You Love the TV Series Heroes, Try...

Heroes graphic novelWith the writer's strike, it might be awhile before you get to watch a new episode of Heroes. In the meantime, feed your addiction by checking out one or more of these books. 

The most obvious choice is the graphic novel based on the TV series. Heroes. Volume 1 is on order, but you can place a hold on it already.  I hear it's fantastic!

So This Is How It EndsSo This Is How It Ends by Tui Sutherland
If you are intrigued by Peter (and other heroes) attempts to save the world from an apocalyptic future, try this one. In New York, Kali wakes to an empty subway car, and an even emptier city. Venus and Gus survive an earthquake in Los Angeles and realize they have to deal with more than just the aftershocks. In Chile, Tigre finds himself in an unfamiliar jungle, and strangely not alone. And Amon, in Egypt, can see his path but is blind to the full picture. These five teens are suddenly trapped in a seemingly deserted world. Why have they survived? What force—or intelligence—connects them? Drawn inexorably toward one another, they only know their future involves an experience outside anything they could have imagined and they will learn that they have the power to complete the destruction of Earth or to save it.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
If you are hooked on the quests such as “save the cheerleader, save the world” or Hiro’s quest to re-establish the legendary acts of Kensei, try this one. Twelve-year-old Percy has always been considered a troubled boy, hopping from school to school. When his life is in danger, though, he is told the secret of heritage: he’s a demigod who seems to attract mythical monsters. He’s quickly shipped off to Camp Half-Blood Hill to learn more about the Greek gods and begin a quest to prevent war between the immortals. This is a wild, action-filled, tale full of humor.

Fade by Robert Cormier
Try this book if you are intrigued by the darker aspects of the series and the internal struggle of good vs. evil within individuals such as Niki and Sylar. This book is told by alternating narrators who describe three teen boys in three different decades who discover their family’s extraordinary power of invisibility. Their ability enables them to consider criminal acts of violence as well as peeping tom opportunities which will warp their personalities and change the lives of the people around them. This is a dark, seductive, gripping tale that will haunt you.

The Eyes of Kid Midas by Neal ShustermanThe Eyes of Kid Midas
If Peter is the character you like the most and you are attracted to the struggle of good vs. evil but would like a lighter, much more comic read, try Shusterman’s book. He tells the story of one boy's struggle to control his thirst for revenge against a class bully as well as his desire for everything else. Atop the Divine Watch lies the key to the most awesome power imaginable--a pair of sunglasses that grant their wearer access to their every dream. But before Kevin Midas realizes it, his wishes are tearing his world apart.

Hero by Perry Moore
HeroIf Claire’s struggle to please her father, live under the radar, and still find a way to explore her abilities is the most compelling part of the series for you, then perhaps you’ll enjoy Hero. Thom Creed is used to being alone. Even though he's a high school basketball star, he still isn't accepted because of his father, Hal. Hal Creed was one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League until the disastrous Wilson Towers incident. After that, Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast. The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father, so Thom keeps two secrets from him. The first secret is that he's gay. The second is that he has a superpower--the power to heal others. Initially, Thom has trouble controlling his powers without making himself ill. But with trial and error, he improves and is asked to join the League. Even though he knows it will upset his dad, Thom can't resist.

Hidden Talents by David Lubar
If you enjoy watching the characters discover and test their abilities, check out Lubar’s novel. Six kids shipped off to an alternative boarding school discover their misunderstood psychic talents are the cause of past and current problems. The six bond over their discovery and attempt to help each other control their abilities while keeping their abilities a secret.

If you have a suggestion for another Heroes-like book or you want to comment on my choices, post a comment!

January 04, 2008

Wintry Tales: Fantastical Worlds

In this wintry list, escape our world and enter a magical one. These highly imaginative novels include a bit of horror, adventure, mystery, humor, and/or science fiction. So grab a mug of cocoa and enjoy one or two of these fantasy books!

Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
In Farmer's latest, a battle-ax-size fantasy-adventure, rampaging Northmen (a.k.a. Vikings) pass through a Saxon village and enslave two of its residents: an 11-year-old apprentice mage and his 5-year-old sister. When Jack offends the Northmen's touchy queen, she threatens to kill his sister unless he reverses a misfired spell--a task that requires a journey deep into icy troll country. Along the way Jack faces everything from giant golden troll-bears to man-eating spiders, yet each frightening encounter brings wisdom and understanding to the budding young Bard. Award-winner Nancy Farmer tells a rich, funny tale, and shows young seekers to "Just say no to pillaging."Wintersmith

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
At 9, Tiffany Aching defeated the cruel Queen of Fairyland. At 11, she battled an ancient body-stealing evil. At 13, Tiffany faces a new challenge: a boy. And boys can be a bit of a problem when you're thirteen. But the Wintersmith isn't exactly a boy. He is Winter itself—snow, gales, icicles—all of it. When he has a crush on Tiffany, he may make her roses out of ice, but his nature is blizzards and avalanches. And he wants Tiffany to stay in his gleaming, frozen world. Forever. Tiffany will need all her cunning to make it to Spring. She'll also need her friends, from junior witches to the legendary Granny Weatherwax to the Wee Free Men (the bravest, toughest, smelliest “pictsies” ever to be banished from Fairyland) whether she wants their help or not. It's going to be a cold, cold season, because if Tiffany doesn't survive until Spring then Spring won't come.

Book of the Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick
The days between Christmas and New Year's Eve are dead days, when spirits roam and magic shifts restlessly just beneath the surface of our lives. A magician called Valerian must save his own life within those few days or pay the price for the pact he made with evil so many years ago. But alchemy and sorcery are no match against the demonic power pursuing him. Helping him is his servant, Boy, a child with no name and no past. The quick-witted orphan girl, Willow, is with them as they dig in death fields at midnight, and as they are swept into the sprawling blackness of a subterranean city on a journey from which there is no escape.

First Light by Rebecca SteadFirst Light
Stead's debut novel is an exciting, engaging mix of science fiction, mystery, and adventure. Thea lives in Gracehope, a world hidden inside Greenland's ice cap. Her English ancestors, hunted and slaughtered as accused witches seven generations earlier, retreated beneath the ice, settling in the cold world. But now, the population has increased to 600; births are limited and food rationed. Thea believes that the intent of the Settlers was to one day return to the world above. She and her cousin, Mattias, find the passage to that world, but in the process Mattias is hurt. Alternating with Thea's story is that of Peter, a seventh grader from New York City who is in Greenland for six weeks while his father, a glaciologist, investigates the melting ice cap. Thea's and Peter's lives cross when he finds the passage and Thea asks him to help with Mattias.

Siberia: a novel by Ann Hallam
When Sloe was tiny, her papa disappeared and she and her mama went to live in a prison camp in the snowy north, in a time and place when there are no more wild animals. Mama’s crime was teaching science and hoping that the lost animal species could be reborn. To Sloe, Mama’s secret work is magical, as enchanting as Mama’s tales of a bright city across the ice where they will be free. Years later, after Mama disappears too, Sloe escapes prison school and is pursued by a mysterious man. With only hope to keep her going, Sloe sets out on a solitary 1000-mile journey. But she is not truly alone for Mama left Sloe a gift: the seeds of five missing species and the knowledge to bring them to life.

Red JudgeThe Red Judge by Pauline Fisk
Can Zed outrun his past, or will the creatures of his imagination find him first? An ordinary Christmas for Zachary “Zed” Fitztalbot quickly turns into a disaster. After accidentally causing his older sister to be struck by a car, Zed is banished to his grandmother’s newly-abandoned house in Wales. Haunted by guilt and the spooky creatures of local myth—including fearsome wolves and the demonic Red Judge—Zed embarks on an arduous journey by dogsled across the hostile winter landscape in this supernatural thriller

Snow-Walker by Catherine FisherSnow-Walker
Gudrun, the Snow-walker, came from the frozen mists beyond the edge of the world to rule the Jarl's people through fear and sorcery. But the enchantress has one weakness -- her son, Kari, banished as a child to Thrasirshall, the forbidding fortress in the desolate, snowbound north. The people of the Jarl have never set eyes on Kari, but in secret they wonder: Are the rumors true? Was he born a monster? Now, two will discover the truth. Because their fathers were loyal to the rightful ruler, Gudrun has exiled Jessa and Thorkil to Thrasirshall. The cousins wonder if they can survive the impossible trek to the ruined castle. And if they do, what will they find at the end of their journey? A beast? Or the means to stop Gudrun? In this spellbinding saga, a resourceful heroine and an unexpected hero must discover a way to free the Jarlshold from tyranny or lose it forever to the Snow-walker.

Continue reading "Wintry Tales: Fantastical Worlds" »

January 03, 2008

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Teen book review 
This book is Monster, written by Walter Dean Myers. A young man named Monster by Walter Dean MyersSteve Harmon is in this book. He writes about his time in prison. He has a notebook he writes in, and that talks about how he ended up in prison for a crime he did not do. People thought he did the crime, but some people did not. They had a big discussion in court about the situation. Some discussions he writes about in his notebook. Also, in his notebook he writes how he hates the life in jail, and he gets mad at the fact that no one believes him except his mother. When you read this book, the book just might be confusing. When he discusses his crime, in court, that is when the situation really gets confusing, because the judge and his lawyer get into this big discussion, and then they start talking to the other jail mates to see if Steve's story was true. This book is really interesting, because you do not know the surprising ending. He was also taught to make a movie in one of his classes at school, so that means he made this book as a movie.
Reviewed by teen: Heather

December 30, 2007

Wicked Stepmothers

 As much as we love our families, this time of year, when we have so much time together, they can start to really bug us. So why not indulge in a wickedly fun tale of three stepdaughters who try to turn the tables on their evil stepmothers. It might even make you appreciate your family even more!

 The Poison ApplesThe Poison Apples by Lily Archer
Teens Alice, Reena, and Molly come from wildly diferent backgrounds, socially and economically. But they bond their first semster at boarding school when they discover each has a wicked stepmother. While they realize that not all stepmoms are wicked, their stepmothers are ruthlessly selfish and extraordinarily immature. To add to the teens' pain, the newly married fathers are blind to their daughters' unwarranted suffering. So the girls seek to change their status as victims by forming a club called, the Poison Apples. As the teens plot delicious revenge scenarios, they find that taking control of their lives may be more complicated than they expected. Ultimately this an uplifting, funny story of friendship, self-acceptance, and taking control of your life.

December 26, 2007

A Gamer's Epic Struggle

EpicEpic by Conor Kostick

Some people may be addicted to video games, but on New Earth, Epic is much more than an addictive game. While the original inventors of the game Epic intended it to be fun quest filled MMORPG, the citizens of New Earth use Epic to structure their society. Epic is used to settle personal disputes, lawsuits, and governmental requests by pitting players in an arena to duel it out; win the duel, win the dispute. If you lose, you not only lose the dispute, but you have to start all over in the game because your character/avator cannot be revived. Plus the economy of the game is tied into the economy of New Earth as well, so game wealth equals real world wealth. That’s a lot of pressure to do well in the game, and most people can’t afford to risk questing and therefore spend most of their time killing low level monsters to loot their small stash of gold.

Teenager Erik finds that repetitive play dull beyond words and looks into tougher challenges such as how to defeat a dragon and gain its tremendous horde of valuable armory, weapons, and piles and piles of gold. However Erik has to think even bigger to get his parents out of exile when they lose an important arena duel. Erik and his friends set out to win the game to see if they can end Epic and start a new government.

If you are a gamer, or you're friends with a gamer, this is the book for you. It perfectly captures the excitement and strategy of playing an MMORPG, plus it gives a look into a well-imagined fantasy world that I hated to leave behind. While I don’t want Epic to rule my world, I would love to play the game—it sounds fascinating!

December 22, 2007

Wintry Tales: Romantic Comedies

 Nothing says romantic comedy like a little winter sport activity, right? Okay, maybe not, but warm up to these fun, light reads that will make you smile, sigh and giggle.

Frozen Rodeo by Catherine ClarkFrozen Rodeo
Peggy Fleming Farrell, 17, feels no obligation to live up to her famous namesake-much to the disappointment of her father, a retired professional skater hoping to make a comeback at a local summer rodeo-on-ice. Taking care of siblings Dorothy, Torvill, and Dean; coaching mom at Lamaze class; and working at the coffee bar at Gas 'n Git are enough responsibility for the teen. From the first paragraph in which Fleming dodges a pursuant Doberman as she rollerblades to work, the action never pauses. A fun read with quirky characters and humorous misadventures.

Finnish Line by Linda Gerber (part of S.A.S.S. series)
This one is short on comedy and takes the sports seriously, but it's fun enough to make the list anyway. When Nordic ski jumper Maureen “Mo” Clark set foot in Finland, she breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, escape from her famous skier father’s shadow and a chance to jump in the renowned Lahti Ski Games. But Mo quickly realizes that balancing practice and classes is more challenging than she expected. So when a gorgeous bad boy teammate offers coaching assistance—for a little publicity in return—how can she refuse? Surely she can work in a few extra practices somewhere between studying for calculus and sightseeing in Finland? Amid snowmobiling and dog-sledding, ice hotels and Northern lights, Mo begins to discover what strength and perseverance—the Finnish sisu—is all about. Now it’s up to her to take that final jump and cross the finish line in style.

Love on the Lifts by Rachel Hawthorne
Kate is invited to her aunt’s condo for winter break for a little skiing and relaxation. When Kate and her friends show up, they discover Sam (Kate’s brother) is there with two of friends as well. At first the girls don’t want to share the condo, but the guys are good-looking and Kate quickly finds herself tangled up in a love triangle. A fun, light-hearted romance that’s hard to put down once you start reading.

Icing on the LakeIcing on the Lake by Catherine Clark
More skating, romance, and love triangles in this quick read by Catherine Clark. Kristen’s big sister, Gretchen, has an accident and breaks her leg. Kristen decides to live with her for a couple of months so that she can help take care of Gretchen’s toddler. During her visit she meets twins Sean and Connor and first she only likes Sean who seems nice and gives her ice skating tips. But as she gets to know Connor better, Kristen realizes she likes him too and doesn’t know what to do!

Do-Over by Niki Burnham
The on-again-off-again romance between Prince Georg and Valerie from the book Royally Jacked continues, or doesn’t continue, in Do-Over. Valerie is hoping to get another chance at romance.  She's back in Schwerinborg after spending some time with her mother and hopes that sparks are still flying between her and Georg. At first it looks like things are going great, until a ski trip to the Alps has Val and Georg's romance hitting some moguls. Could Val's love life be heading for a face-plant?

The Prince and the Snowgirl by Simon Cheshire The Prince and the Snowgirl
In this lighthearted British comedy, readers are given a glimpse into the life of Tom Miller. A student at Emerson High, he has the good luck to resemble Prince George, and he earns money impersonating him. Tom deals with usual adolescent angst, ranging from problems with an overly involved mother and his love for a girl who doesn't love him to the upcoming UK Inter-Schools Ski Championship and finding his true self. During the competition, he meets up with the real Prince George, who turns out to be rude and obnoxious, and he has to decide whether to pursue fame and fortune or be true to himself.

If you are more interested in ice skating than in romance, you might want to try Melissa Lowell’s Silver Blades series for sporty fun.

December 21, 2007

Where is that book?

Gossip Girl by Cecily Von ZiegesarOne of the great things about reading is that you can imagine places and people however you want.  I think this is why some people are disappointed by movie or T.V. adaptations of their favorite books.  No actor or movie studio can create a character or scene that matches the one in your mind perfectly.  But what if the setting of a book is a real place? For example, the Gossip Girl books and TV series take place in New York City and a lot of the spots that the characters go are real.  Here is a cool map of some of the places featured in the books and on the show.Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer is also set in a real place: Forks, Washington.  This small town has a website that gives a picture tour that shows where Edward and Bella spend time in the book.

If you’ve read the books, are the real life locations close to how you imagined? Do you think that seeing these places make the books seem more real?

December 19, 2007

Wintry Tales of Survival

The recent wintry storms may have put you in the mood for some great survival tales. Check out these titles, and later this month I'll post some winter books for the fantasy and romance readers! For now, bundle yourself up and try not to shiver as you read one of these chilling tales.

Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen
Paulsen brings back his character Brian for another round of survival imagining “what if Brian was never rescued?” Now Brian has to fight the elemental forces of winter and nature to survive realizing that he hasn’t planned ahead and will need to discover new resources, new tools, and new skills.

The Trap by John SmelcerThe Trap
Johnny Least-Weasel worries that his grandfather hasn't returned home from checking his trapline. The elderly Indian packed ample supplies onto his snowmobile, but has been out far too long in the plummeting temperatures of the Alaskan winter. Cultural pride and reluctance to disrespect an elder get in the way of search plans until Johnny's grandmother can wait no longer, and she sends him out to find her husband. Only readers know that Albert Least-Weasel has caught his leg in a trap, several feet away from his supplies, and is unable to free himself. Chapters alternate between Albert's dilemma and Johnny's failed attempts to raise concern among his uncles, creating a suspenseful page-turner in which the old man's survival becomes a race against time. Albert's wilderness skills are sharp and described in detail, such as fending off wolves with a spear made from a cedar branch and creating a rabbit snare from a shoelace.

Shackleton’s Stowaway  by Victoria McKernan
On October 26, 1914, Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance set sail from Buenos Aires in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in exploration: the crossing of the Antarctic continent. The crew stood on deck to watch the city fade away. All but one, 18-year-old Perce Blackborow hid below in a locker. But the thrill of stowing away with the legendary explorer would soon turn to fear. Within months, the Endurance, trapped and crushed by ice, sank. And even Perce, the youngest member of the stranded crew, knew there was no hope of rescue. If the men were to survive in the most hostile place on earth, they would have to do it on their own. A fictionalized account of the hard-to-fathom facts of this famous voyage create an epic, edge-of-your-seat survival novel.

Ice DriftIce Drift Theodore Taylor
Taylor jumps headlong into this page-turning tale of survival set in the Arctic in 1868. Inuit brothers Alika, 14, and Sulu, 10, are seal hunting with their family's dog team when the ice shelf they are on is rammed by an iceberg and detached from their island. As the floe begins drifting south, the boys free all but one of the dogs to swim to the mainland and run home. Thus warned, their father attempts to find them but is unsuccessful. In the meantime, Alika builds an iglu and hunts. The boys fight the frigid weather, are menaced by a bear, and try to keep their spirits up while wondering if they will ever return home.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When the village is no longer safe for her, Miyax runs away. But she soon finds herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness, without food, without even a compass to guide her. Slowly she is accepted by a pack of Arctic wolves, Mid she grows to love them as though they were family. With their help, and drawing on her father's teachings, Miyax struggles day by clay to survive. But the time comes when she must leave the wilderness and choose between the old ways and the new. Which will she choose? Is she Miyax of the Eskimo or Julie of the Wolves?

Continue reading "Wintry Tales of Survival" »

December 15, 2007

The Revenge of the White Spiders!

Larklight by Philip ReeveLarklight: a Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space by Philip Reeve, decorated throughout by David Wyatt

What if Isaac Newton had invented space travel and by the mid-1800s the colonization of the planets in our solar system was commonplace? What if Queen Victoria of England extended the influence of the British Empire around the globe but also to planets like Mars and Jupiter? Author Philip Reeve dares to explore this shocking advancement of space exploration in Larklight! Art Mumby lives with his father and sister in a very strange house called Larklight. Art's father is a scientist who studies rare varieties of icthyomorphs, which are sort of like fish that swim in the aether of space. The Mumby's receive regular supply ships, as their home, Larklight, it traveling through space on an orbit far past the moon. Art's older sister Myrtle is concerned about the proper ladylike behaviors for a girl of her age, but Art is more concerned with adventure, especially when an unexpected visitor arrives. If huge, invading, and destructive space spiders weren't enough of a challenge, Art and Myrtle soon encounter man-eating-moths, only to be rescued by space pirates who are running from the Royal Navy (who use space ships to pursue their enemies in the vast aether of space.) If they survive, maybe Art and Myrtle can get back to Larklight and save their own father from the giant spiders, who seem to be awfully intelligent and organized compared to others of their species and are much too large to swat with a rolled up newspaper. 

I think that children and adults of all ages will enjoy this adventuresome romp through the universe with Art and Myrtle.  The writing has a Victorian British influence, but is still quite understandable for the 21st century reader. Black and white drawings by artist David Wyatt illustrate almost every page, bringing the strange characters and creatures to life.  

You can expand your reading by visiting the book's website; it is designed to evoke the Victorian era and continues the old-fashioned advertisements and quaint language of the book.  A sequel is now available: Starcross: A stirring adventure of spies and time travel and curious hats.

December 12, 2007

Read the book, see the movie

When I went to see the big-screen adaptation of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass last weekend, the previews before the movie were basically just one giant advertisement for reading!
From what I saw in the movie trailers, these three film adaptations are going to be first-rate. Read the books now, see the movies later, and tell us what you think!

water horseThe book: The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith
The movie: The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Movie release date: December 25, 2007
What’s the story? A lonely boy discovers a mysterious egg that hatches a sea creature of Scottish legend.




The Spiderwick ChroniclesThe books: The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi (check our library catalog)
Book 1: The Field Guide
Book 2: The Seeing Stone
Book 3: Lucinda’s Secret
Book 4: The Ironwood Tree
Book 5: The Wrath of Mulgarath
The movie: The Spiderwick Chronicles
Movie release date: February 15, 2008
What’s the story? Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.

InkheartThe book: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The movie: Inkheart
Movie release date: March 19, 2008
What’s the story? One cruel night, Meggie's father reads aloud from a book called "Inkheart," and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books.

The release dates are from www.imdb.com. Check that site, or the official sites for each film for updates.

December 07, 2007

Irish Tale of the Faerie

The Summer King by O.R. Melling The Summer King
Shortly after graduation, Laurel and her twin Honor took a trip to visit relatives in the Irish countryside. Actually Laurel went in search of fun, adventure, and maybe boys; Honor went to hunt for evidence of faeries. The trip ends in tragedy as Honor meets an unexplained and untimely death. One year later, Laurel returns to Ireland to find answers and peace. To her surprise, faeries are real and she’s approached by a cluricaun to accept a quest. This quest will help heal the rifts in the faerie world, and more importantly to Laurel, may result in the release of Honor who is frozen in a rift. While Laurel doesn’t understand everything the cluricaun tells her, she doesn’t care. She only wants to hold on to the possibility that she may get her twin back. 

Laurel has trouble believing in what she previously considered nonsense, but she must if she wants a chance to free Honor. Faeries are liars and tricksters and Laurel knows very little about their world—that was Honor’s hobby, not hers. Who can she trust? What dangers lie ahead? She will need to believe in herself, be a quick learner, and face seemingly insurmountable odds to survive, let alone, succeed. Melling’s love of her homeland, Ireland, and folklore enrich the story as she takes the reader on a wondrous journey of discovery, surprise, and growing up.

December 06, 2007

Golden Compass in the news

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.While many children and adults have read the book The Golden Compass in the 11 years since it was published, now that the movie is in theatres around the country this Friday, the buzz about this story is getting louder.
You may remember that I read and reviewed the book earlier this year
here. I enjoyed the fantasy-style references to science and religion, but with the movie reaching mass audiences, some people are less amused. I read an excellent overview article today in the Christian Science Monitor called “Is 'The Golden Compass' really anti-Christian?” And, if you scan the news (search google news for “golden compass” for the latest headlines) you’ll see that some churches and schools are discouraging people from reading the book or seeing the movie, using boycotts, letters and censorship.

The American Library Association President Loriene Roy said in a statement Tuesday that "fear and misinformation" are driving the effort against the film and Pullman's books. "We encourage librarians, teachers and parents to resist the call to censorship," Roy said. "Censorship results in the opposite of true education and learning." While parents should take an active interest in their family’s reading, she added "But they should not impose their beliefs on other people's children."

The Golden Compass is the first book in the His Dark Materials series, followed by The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.
I hope to see the movie this weekend and will post an update as a comment below. If you have read the book and/or seen the movie, what do you think about this controversy? If you haven’t read the book, do these news articles make you want to read it or not?

December 02, 2007

A Heart-Pounding SciFi Thriller

Bunker 10Bunker 10 by J. A. Henderson
Seven teens/preteens have been drafted into the military due to their unbelievably high IQs and a tendency to get in big trouble. They are housed in a bunker, given an excellent education, and a promise of entry into any college they desire. In exchange, they are to help with top secret military research and experimentations. Due to a security threat, this year the teens aren’t allowed to leave for the Christmas holiday.

Trapped inside the bunker, with boredom and mischievousness building, they hatch a plan. A plan to escape for a bit. In fact, the origin of the plan was to give Jimmy and Leslie a chance to go on a real date. It’s the Christmas season and the others are willing to help despite the fact that breaking out of a high security facility will involve a little treason. But what’s treason in the face of freedom and romance? Unexpectedly things get much more dangerous when two separate forces break into the bunker. One team is here to eliminate the security threat, even if it means killing everyone on the base, including the kids. The other, smaller, team is given wildly different information. This team is from the future, and they’ve been told they are entering a highly advanced virtual training simulation that has gone awry.

This is the most amazing scifi book I’ve read in a long time. My head was spinning trying to figure out what was real and what wasn’t. The story is inventive, scary, and completely unexpected. In short, it’s a complete thrill ride!

November 30, 2007

Book Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

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

Fourteen-year-old Junior is frustrated with his life on the Spokane Indian reservation.  He gets beat up all of the time because of a physical disability, his family’s crushing poverty means there is never any food in his stomach, and he’s afraid that he will end up in the same hopeless, alcoholic cycle as so many of his family members.  When he opens up his tattered The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indiangeometry book in school and realizes that it is the same one that his mother used over thirty years ago, Junior reaches his boiling point and throws the book as hard as he can.  Unfortunately, it smashes into his elderly teacher’s face.  Rather than scold him, the teacher shocks Junior by forgiving him and encouraging him to get off the reservation before he loses hope and gives up like everyone else. 

In a move that has never been done before at the reservation, Junior decides to enroll in a rich prep school located twenty minutes away where the only other Indian is the school mascot.  Everyone on the reservation calls him a traitor and an apple (red on the outside, white on the inside) and everyone at his new school believes every stereotype about Indians is true and treats him like a freak.  His best friend on the reservation feels betrayed and wants to beat him up for leaving, which leaves Junior all alone and torn between the two places.

Junior considers himself an awkward nerd, but he is also incredibly tough.  From punching the captain of the football team in the nose to dealing with tragedy within his family, Junior never gives up and keeps his sharp sense of humor and hope. He is a budding cartoonist, and there are witty drawings scattered throughout the book.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is equally hilarious and heartbreaking, and Junior and his struggles will probably stay with me for a long time.

November 27, 2007

Graphic Novel Book Review: Paintings of You

Paintings of YouPaintings of You by Mia Paluzzi and Chris Delk 
Claude’s paintings are realistic but completely devoid of emotion. At his new art school, he meets Ben, a photographer who takes amazing pictures. Claude likes Ben and he thinks Ben likes him too. But everyone is trying to set up Claude and Beatrice. Beatrice is a nice girl, but Claude accidentally offended her when they were introduced. Ben is teaching Clause to improve his paintings, but can he teach him about love as well?

Telling a story about art through a graphic novel format seems like a natural fit, especially in the hands of Mia Paluzzi and Chris Delk. They create fun and flamboyant roommates and add love triangles wherever possible!  I love the “guest art” section in the back of the book where other artists drew portraits of Claude and Ben. I was glad to discover that the publisher, Iris Print, features more graphic novels and short fiction with gay characters at boyslovebooks.com. This is a highly enjoyable story that will appeal to manga romance readers!

November 26, 2007

Book Review: Haters

Haters

Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez 

When sixteen-year-old Paski Archuleta’s dad gets his big Hollywood break, he abruptly moves them both from sporty Taos, New Mexico to upper crust Southern California.  Paski misses her friends and almost immediately runs into the “haters,” the gorgeous, rich, and mean queens of the school.  They don’t like Paski because she is getting lots of attention from the hot guys of the school, particularly the most popular girl’s studly boyfriend.

This fish-out-of-water plot has been done many times before, but Haters adds some interesting new elements to the situation.  Paski has special powers that allow her to see visions of the future, and a lot of the book is about her learning to accept and control her talents.  When she sees an ominous vision about a popular girl who hates her, Paski is conflicted about whether or not to try to help her. 

Paski’s realistic relationships with the people around her also improve this book.  Her single parent dad is funny and embarrassing as he tries to connect with his daughter and be “cool.”  Their interactions are both awkward and sweet as he realizes that she’s not a little girl anymore and he has to let Paski live her own life.

November 25, 2007

Teen Urban Fiction: Keysha's Drama

Triple Crown, Urban Books, and BET Books are very popular publishers of Street Lit or Urban Lit. But some publishers are taking a look at Urban Lit from a teen perspective. Kimani Tru is one of these. So now the same page-turning drama is being told from a teen view—the son or daughter—instead of an adult viewpoint.

Keysha’s Drama by Earl Sewell Keysha's Drama
I’ve never met anyone with as much drama in her life as teen Keysha. The worst part of Keysha’s life is that no one has her back. Her Grandma Rubylee loves her, but she’s in jail for robbery. Her mom, Justine, neglects the teen and doesn’t even provide the basics for Keysha. Keysha’s boyfriend cheats on her and dumps her. Her friend, Toya, wants her to drop out of school so that they can hang out and take care of Toya’s baby together. Nobody is on Keysha’s side.

Everything goes from bad to worse though, when Justine disappears without a word for several days.  A social worker is notified and places the teen in a group home while she searches for Keysha’s biological father. Keysha doesn’t have high hopes for finding her dad or being accepted by him. But she's wrong, Keysha's rich dad turns her life upside down by inviting her home to his mansion. Will Keysha's nightmare of a life turn into a dream come true, or will this be just one more disappointing drama?

November 18, 2007

What Would You Do?

This Is What I DidThis is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis
Logan is an easy to like character. He’s awkward, shy, and completely normal, but his life is not normal at all. Although he’s not talking about it, Logan witnessed a horrific crime a few months ago. He can’t talk about it; he doesn’t know how. His silence fills the pages of the book as others try to figure out what exactly happened. His parents move the family to a nearby neighborhood hoping to get a fresh start. However, the stories and rumors follow Logan, plus Logan’s own guilt and horror remain fresh over what happened at Zyler’s (his best friend) house. While Logan’s parents are loving and supportive, they are both just a little too preoccupied with their own lives and fears to really be able to help Logan when he needs it most.

Ann Dee Ellis writes in a very unique style, sort of movie script-like, and the pages fly because she hooks you in. What happened to Logan and his friends? In an all-too-sadly-true portrayal of our society, Ellis looks at the ugly side of some people’s family life—domestic abuse—and its consequences. A gripping book that will have you asking, “What would I do?”

November 17, 2007

Looking for a good book?

Let Us Create a Personal Reading List for you!Would you like a list of book recommendations JUST FOR YOU?

Click here to request a personal reading list.

Just fill out the form with whatever information you want us to factor into making your list, and tiny, chattering library monkeys will get busy researching some awesome book titles that you might love to read.

Did you read that part about the monkeys? Because I was just being silly, of course librarians make the lists.
 

November 15, 2007

WAW Review: Out of Order