Wednesday, November 30, 2011

There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff

US Cover
Okay, so it isn't out here yet, but I am thrilled to see it get a starred review in the Jan/Feb Horn Book!

I can't wait to read it.  Meg Rosoff always makes reading her books a fascinating journey. I know she's not everyone's cup o tea, but dang, I adore her books. And it is still listed as coming out on my birthday. All signs point to a great new year!

UK Cover (and it looks better, too, unless the dog is really a poodle)

Friday, November 18, 2011

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Please note that this is posted for our Mock Printz discussion and will have spoilers and pertinent plot points discussed.

First review here.

On my second read the first thing I noticed is how well the author sets up all the major plot points in the book within the first few chapters. It is subtle and well integrated that I didn’t even realize that it was happening the first time I read, I was too busy being swept away by the story. We learn about the origins of Four, even though we don’t know enough to know what we’re learning. We learn about the factions and the stresses that are growing between them. We learn about the danger being a Divergent will bring, although not why or how or where.

I enjoyed the first person present tense. I enjoyed Tris’ perspective and her insecurities and feelings of inadequacies. Perhaps she picked up on things rather quickly and was rather tough for such a small person (but I’ve known some wicked mean-scary skinny people so…). I thought the characters were for the most part distinct and well developed, with there being enough building of the villains to keep them from being card-board cackling maniacs (except possibly Jeanine). And there was just the right amount of tension throughout the novel to keep you turning the pages.

Themes of friendship, morality, family (blood vs. faction were particularly strong), pride vs. bravery, forgiveness, and revenge ran through the novel.

Possible faults:

Tris’ romance with Four relied on some well-worn romantic tropes. He is distant, kindamaybe too perfect at everything he does, and has a mysterious past, is oh-so-strong and manages to come to the rescue at exactly the right time (ack!). And I would say that he has a secret soft side that only she sees (and then go barf), but I really think that we’re getting only Tris’ perspective and she only interacted with him as a trainer. However, when she saw him partying in public with his friends he was substantially different than in his role as trainer. Soooo, I bought that he was different in private. He was obviously different in public with his friends. I don’t know. I liked the romance regardless. I can’t help it.

The factions. Do they really make sense? I mean when you really think about them, does it make sense that people would organize themselves that way? I think the fact that they are crumbling doesn’t mean that their origins weren’t born out of noble aspirations. We know so little of what the cataclysmic event was that brought on this dystopian world (in my mind NOT a problem), that it is hard to know whether or not people would organize themselves this way. It seems to me we have a good idea of what their original purposes were and an even better idea of how far they have strayed from them. I don’t even mind that we don’t learn very much about 2 of the factions (Candor and Amity) since the sequel will have to be substantially different from this book and they could very well be explored there.

From the choosing ceremony on – the rate of healing was a little unbelievable. They cut their palms people and dribble blood – that hurts! And then you can't probably even pick up a pen. And I doubt it heals that fast. How deep did they cut it? Additionally, the beatings they took during Divergent initiation were brutal, yet they shuffled around and then sort of healed. And this is despite hospitalization... I dunno. It wasn't like it was over a period of months, it was at most two weeks.

The Simulations and the final test – the fear landscape. It seemed pretty clear that they weren’t directly connected. By that I mean, the simulations the initiates had when preparing for the final test, weren’t necessarily their fears. So why are Tris’ almost exactly the same as her practiced simulations? Four had four specific ones. They were directly related to his life. In real life he has a fear of heights. But birds pecking? The water tank? Peter burning her at the stake? In real life Tris does not have a fear of birds pecking her to death (etc.). At one point she wishes that she only had four fears to face, but she isn’t that brave. But. Um. Actually…no matter how you say it (powerless, weak, out of control) it is all basically the same thing. So if her one fear is powerlessness than how come she doesn’t just have one simulation? Why aren't more of hers related to her real life? Or is Tris just so damn bad-ass she really only has one fear?

And here is where my main problem comes. The very last simulation, where Tris sacrifices herself instead of shooting her family would have fairly screamed Divergent to the several leaders who were watching the whole freakin’ thing on a screen!

So, yeah, some potential issues. On the whole? I still loved it. I can't wait for the sequel.

=========================
Mock Printz Titles:

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys
(Patti's review)
Berlin Boxing Club - Robert Sharenow
(Patti's 1st review)
Blood Red Road - Moira Young
(Patti's 1st review)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
(Joanna's review)
Divergent - Veronica Roth
(Patti's 1st review)
Everybody Loves the Ants - A.S. King
(Patti's 1st review)
Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Legacy - Albert Marrin
Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma
Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley

Once Upon a Thread

Okay, this is another post for you crafters and kildit fans.

Patti turned me on to the website MADE (of course she's from Austin) which posted yesterday about Once Upon a Thread which I loveloveloved the last time they did it. OUT is sewing inspired by children's literature! 

It started Nov 14 with this cute skirt inspiration from the wonderful The Black Book of Colors. If you haven't read this book go check it out right now.



Nov 15 featured those adorable overalls from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.


Nov 16 was making your own Pigeon from the Mo Willems series.


Nov 17 created a transportation tote inspired by School Bus and I Love Planes!


Today, November 18, is inspired by Caps for Sale. How fantastic are these hats?!




The fun continues until November 24. Check out and contribute to the Flikr Group.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

2011 NBA Winner Announced

Congratulations to the 2011 NBA winner for Young People's Literature!



I loved this story and I'm pleased to see it acknowledged. Let the award season get under way!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Please note that this is posted for our Mock Printz discussion and may have spoilers and pertinent plot points discussed.

The first time I read Imaginary Girls I was struck by how tense the atmosphere was. It was creepy and there was an ever-increasing feeling of dread. It felt a bit otherworldly maybe? Only because you know Ruby has some sort of power, but what that power is exactly is or where (or who?) it comes from is mysterious and murky.

On my second read I picked up more on the intense pressure that Chloe is under to stay on Ruby's good side. For all she tells us that she's the only one that Ruby really loves, she's awfully quick to make sure she doesn't have to find out the alternative. Chloe also regularly informs us that she doesn't always do everything Ruby says. She tells us this over and over and over until finally on page 217 when she finally admits that she does, in fact, do everything Ruby says. It is at this exact point where Ruby shifts in Chloe's perspective and starts to get downright menacing.

Because, let's not fool ourselves, Ruby is cruel. She uses people to her own ends. Picks them up and discards them at random. Seemingly forcing them to do her will. Some of it is just manipulation, no special powers needed (like getting the boy to drive to NYC to get her cheesecake), but then she does seem to have powers over London. She suggests something and London does it. People seem to worship her in a way that isn't quite natural, even for a mean-girl ruler of the town.

What was the real catalyst for the change in Chloe's perspective? Was it the two year separation where Chloe was free from Ruby's influence? Was it Owen, the boy she's always liked and been forbidden to have. Was it London's closeness with her sister? Or was it the memories that are fighting their way to the surface?

So what makes this book special? In my mind it is the ever-growing sense of dread the starts at the beginning and increases through the book. The scene where Chloe gets closer to the town line the talk becomes increasingly crass and mean about her sister and London starts to get vicious until they become physical and then London just completely disappears and no one notices but Chloe was one of the spookiest, creepiest scenes I have ever read. Truly there is a sphere of influence that Ruby is able to control and that sphere is shrinking.

This author can turn a phrase too. The writing was downright beautiful at times. And really fresh.

“I remembered a night two years ago, on the rocks at the edge of the reservoir, a night I’d stuffed up in a paper bag crumpled up inside a sock that I’d balled up and shoved far in the back drawer of my mind, where the worst things go.”

What could have been improved? Frankly, I would have liked a little more tie-in with the stories of Olive. They were totally freakin' creepy and I liked them, but every time we came up to an Olive story I couldn't help but feel there were parallels that were "supposed" to explain things...but didn't actually explain them. While the author had me convinced that Ruby had a sphere of influence, she did not convince me about the people of Olive. And that made me a little sad. I really liked thinking they were down there.

Overall, I think it is a good book. I am not sure it held up as well on the re-read as I would have liked.

=========================
Mock Printz Titles:

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys
(Patti's review)
Berlin Boxing Club - Robert Sharenow
(Patti's 1st review)
Blood Red Road - Moira Young
(Patti's 1st review)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
(Joanna's review)
Divergent - Veronica Roth
(Patti's 1st review)
Everybody Loves the Ants - A.S. King
(Patti's 1st review)
Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Legacy - Albert Marrin
Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma
Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley

Kids with Glasses in Books

Today I'm back with another post about a useful resource for librarians, teachers, parents, and caregivers. My littlest dude wears glasses. He started wearing them when he was 2 and I never really noticed before but there aren't many babies and toddlers in glasses. Case in point - people would stop and ask me why he wears glasses and how it was determined at such a young age that he needed them.*

With this new adventure, I set out to learn about kids in glasses and had the wonderful fortune of finding an excellent and informative community called Little Four Eyes. Bonus: it's founded and managed by a librarian. 


Little Four Eyes has a resource page of books depicting children in glasses and other vision needs. Please check it out for your own collection development.

If you're in a library, you probably have the winner of the 2011 Schneider Family Book Award, The Pirate of Kindergarten,  which tells the story of a girl with glasses and an eye patch. What else do you have? What are we missing on this page?

This recent picture book by one of my favorite illustrators caught my eye:
Big Little Brother by Kevin Kling and illustrated by Chris Monroe

Check out the group's active Facebook and Pintrest pages.

*In our case, he has congenital unilateral cataract. His lens was removed when he was 1 and he currently wears a contact lens with glasses to improve his vision. For more info: Aphakia and Aphakic Yahoo Group.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

SLJ Mock Newbery

Oh fun, the list is up!

I love this mismatch of titles - from picture book to YA and nonfiction.

I feel so accomplished that I've read so many. I need to check out The Trouble with May Amelia, I Broke My Trunk, and Heart and Soul. My library does not have The Money We'll Save ... yet.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Please note that this is posted for our Mock Printz discussion and may have spoilers and pertinent plot points discussed.

It is 1941 and WWII is raging, but this is a very different story than what we’re used to hearing about. It is about the murder and forced removal of anyone (woman, man, child) who was labeled anti-soviet. Lina is 15 when her family is told they have 20 minutes to pack a bag and leave their house. Her family along with thousands of others are herded into boxcars. Those that survive the three week journey end up in Siberia.

The strength in this novel, besides telling a story that is largely unknown, is Lina's voice. It is strong and powerful and descriptive right from the first page. The sentences are short, almost staccato. Her story is very matter of fact, and the narrative flows regardless. This is some very impressive storytelling.

The language was very evocative and descriptive without being flowery. Many chapters, especially in the beginning end with extremely powerful declarative statements. “It was the last time I would look into a real mirror for more than a decade.” or “Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.” This peters out a bit after the first quarter of the book, but by then you've been drawn into the story and won't be able to put it down.

Chapters are fairly episodic and we move back and forth between the present and flashbacks of Lina’s life before. It is through these flashbacks that we are given hints into why the family was deported, what life was like before, etc. Each flashback is tied very well into the current narrative and I did not find them to be jarring or distracting to the story. In fact, they often shed light onto what is going on in the present as Lina processes her surroundings.

Themes of survival, holding onto one's humanity, compassion, and the importance of hope run deep in this novel. The author is unrepentant and honest in the horrors that these people suffer, but also is quick to show that even our enemies have a humanity that must be honored.

Things that struck me: Lina's mother putting on her lipstick when they finally emerge from the box car, holding onto normalcy in a most abnormal and savage environment and then realizing how her lipstick might draw the wrong attention and subtly trying to wipe it off before she's noticed. The compassion between prisoners as they help each other survive. The horrendous trip to Siberia in a boxcar.

The most interesting comparison with the other Mock Printz books is with Berlin Boxing Club. Both protagonists are artists, one author chose to show artwork, one did not. Which one was more powerful? In my opinion one does not need to show the actual artwork, for it to be believable that the protagonist is an artist. In fact, i think it worked against Berlin Boxing Club. I didn’t feel that the art and the text matched up. I didn’t feel an increase in artist talent even though the book spanned several years. By not showing the art in Between, we have to take the author’s word for it. And the author was very convincing using Munch, flashbacks, and current events to prove the artistic talent of Lena. I liked how the theme of art as survival was incorporated into the story line with coded letters and coded artwork being passed between prisoners and between camps sharing knowledge and information.

=========================
Mock Printz Titles:

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys
Berlin Boxing Club - Robert Sharenow
(Patti's review)
Blood Red Road - Moira Young
(Patti's review)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
(Joanna's review)
Divergent - Veronica Roth
(Patti's review)
Everybody Loves the Ants - A.S. King
(Patti's review)
Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Legacy - Albert Marrin
Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma
(Patti's review)
Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley

What We're Reading at Our House - 5

I'm going to cram this post with our list of reads over the past month. Thanks to encouragement from his friends at school, my son discovered that he isn't afraid of Goosebumps after all and has embarked on a steady diet of RL Stine for 2 months. He has taken a few breaks.

Invisible Inkling by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Harry Bliss
Thumbs up from 8 year old and there's more on the way.  Emily Jenkins (e. lockhart) is so reliable.  We ate a lot of ice cream while reading it. Hey, a mom has to do what a mom has to do to make it a complete reading experience.

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight
I picked this out for my son because it is part comic, part chapter book. He enthusiastically approved of my choice although the reading level falls a little below what he normally reads. Still, a fun book is a fun book! We'll get the next one at our next library visit.

Saxby Smart Private Detective in The Curse of the Ancient Mask and Other Case Files by Simon Cheshire and Pictures by RW Alley
My 3 year old picked this off of the JFic shelves at our library and said it was for his brother. He picked a good one! Mysteries are generally a sure-fire hit and this met with approval. There are 3 stories in this volume and the reader is given clues to figure out the mystery.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Yes, it is good. So far I've seen it on both Caldecott and Newbery lists. 8 year old had no interest in reading it.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
I love a book that is a learning experience and offers another perspective on WW2, which are stories I generally avoid because the truth of the stories wrecks me. When her family is taken in the night and she is in her nightgown you know that it isn't going to be well and it's not a short trip. Take your boots! Your jackets! Omg there's a woman with a newborn?! Nooooo!!! I did find it very hard to believe that no one opened that suitcase earlier. Also, an epilogue. Another highly buzzed book by a first time author.

Junonia by Kevin Henkes
A sweet, simple story for the younger set. I loved Alice Rice, which rhymes with nice. Alice is a sensitive girl who feels change keenly and events leading up to her 10th birthday are not what she anticipated. The more I think about this one the more I like it. Younger books are overlooked by committees, but there is sophistication in this short story. (And it also takes place not far from where I grew up in Florida.)

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan

I have to say that this book let me down. Such a great title, too! British rule of India and the rise of Gandhi are certainly interesting and exciting topics. My disinterest came when Rosy went back to England and met up with her Aunt Louise. I would have preferred more India, Isha, the ophanage, and the Club.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Strange Dees, Indeed

Taking a break from books for a moment. I'd like to talk about music. Music for kids, specifically. Music that grown-ups will also rock out to.

I'll also add that the band, Brooklyn-based The Deedle Deedle Dees, are friends of mine so this is more than just a professional recommendation. 

That being said, Holy Cow Readers, check this album out! The cover alone should spark your interest.

If you are a teacher or librarian this CD, like their others, is an excellent addition to your classroom or library. The Dees often write about history, science, famous people, nature, and current events. Pair the songs with books or offer them as a supplement to your lesson plan. Or listen along with your kids and together take the time to learn more about a song's inspiration. Or just listen and enjoy. There's not another band like them writing or performing for kids.

The new album, Strange Dees, Indeed, is now available as a physical package and as a digital download at CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes, and many other outlets.  You can find the band on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Here's a very informative press release for Strange Dees, Indeed. The band tours often to schools, libraries, and museums close to NY, but also travel down here to Florida with stops along the way. Last year they played for my son's entire elementary school.

But back to books! Here's a brief list of books to read along with the new album.

Cool Papa Bell - We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
Penny Farthing - Around the World by Matt Phelan (and video of The Dees singing about Nelly Bly, also in the book!)
Birds of American Don't Care-Oh - Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt*
Phineas Gage Has Something to Tell These People - Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
Sojourner Truth - Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell and R. Gregory Christie

***Nov 17 Update: Just saw Betty Carter's review of SUBWAY STORY which is perfect for the song "Bluebird>Redbird, Redbird>Reef"!

*It's killing me. I feel like I came across another book for kids featuring Audubon's birds earlier this year. Any ideas?

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

November is Picture Book Month


















Check out the great website picturebookmonth.com for daily information about celebrating the picture book!

Stay tuned for posts about picture books here on Oops!

And also, Behold The Proclamation.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Mock Printz - Titles Released

Drumroll please:

  1. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
  2. Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys
  3. Berlin Boxing Club - Robert Sharenow
  4. Blood Red Road - Moira Young
  5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
  6. Divergent - Veronica Roth
  7. Everybody Loves the Ants - A.S. King
  8. Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Legacy - Albert Marrin
  9. Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma
  10. Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley
We've reviewed quite a few of these on here already this year, but where it will get interesting (at least for me) is when we go back and re-read them and then re-review them and see how a closer reading changes what we feel about the book. Because it always does.

One other thing to note is that we removed OK for Now by Gary Schmidt. It was chosen for our system's Mock Newbery as well and so to keep the discussion fresh, we removed the title from our list.

Hope you'll read along with us!