What We're Reading at Our House - 6

Other titles for this post could be A: The month-long cold that we've passed around is finally on its way out so I can finally get other things done. Or B: Oh alright, watching each episode of Downton Abbey 10 times didn't leave much time for reading, either.

Here's what we put in our library bag this past month. (I'm impatiently waiting for The Fault in Our Stars and There Is No Dog. C'mon library! Acquire these already!)

8 year old son has continued on his quest to read all Goosebumps books, zomibe doll nightmares and all. He knocked out Harry Potter #3 and we celebrated by watching the movie, which is probably my favorite of them all. He also plowed through the Spiderwick Chronicles and we have that movie on reserve at our library.

Other notables: Bad Island by Doug TenNapel. We both loved this GN. I was particularly fond of the strong parent-child relationships. Yesterday he checked out Ghostopolis and I know he read it once already. He has Mouse Guard vol 1 (which he read ages ago) and vol 2 on his night stand.

 






And me? 

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce, a novel from an author I've been meaning to read. Say what you will about lucky coincidences, but I found this immigration story magical and beautiful. The characters are reunited at the end and while that is, I'll admit, a totally schmaltzy author trick, I found it heartwarming. My sap status is firmly established on this blog so this should be no surprise.

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall earned the Pura Belpre Author Award this year. I love a good novel in verse and this is one of them. I read it right after The Unforgotten Coat which made fore back-to-back immigration tales. Under the Mesquite is a feel good, good girl triumphs over adversity immigration tale based on the author's life. Another warm fuzzy read.

And then there was Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler, a 2012 Printz Honor. It just didn't do it for me. I am apparently not a Handler fan. I never got past book 2 of Unfortunate Events. But I love Maira Kalman and admired each piece in this book. I trudged through this one, often tiring of Min's voice and her finger pointing accusatory "Ed you this", "Ed you that". Al, Al, Al. At the beginning I liked all the fake movie titles, actors, plots, but then it wore on me. It was too precious. Too cute. Trying so darn hard to be "artsy", which Min loathed. Some sections I thought were truly excellent and distinguished, but overall I was not captivated.


P.S. What is this pain in the neck registration with ALA to view award lists? Really?