What We're Reading at Our House

We have loads of books checked out from the library so I thought I'd post what we have acquired.

• What to Read When by Pam Allyn (Penguin Group 2009)
  I think this is a lovely basic reference book that makes you think about introducing different topics and types of books at different ages. She does really like Jamie Lee Curtis. Thanks to this article from The Horn Book.
• Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell (Little, Brown 2011)
  Really as lovely as all the zillion glowing reviews.
• Wanted the Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton (G.P. Putnam's Sons 2009)
  from the library's "May is Pet Month" display
• Red Wagon by Renata Liwska (Philomel Books 2011)
  I wanted to like this one more. Very cute.
• Chicken, Chicken, DUCK! by Nadia Krilanovich (Tricycle Press 2011)
  Reminds me of my storytime favorite Tanka Tanka Skunk by Steve Webb. Not quite as infectious, but still fun.
• Arm in Arm by Remy Charlip (Tricycle Press 1997)
  Picture book artist retro lesson
• Clementine and the Family Meeting by Sara Pennypacker (Disney Hyperion 2011)
  ARC from TLA. My 2nd grader loooves Clementine. Still no name for Broccoli - but it's coming!
• Calendar Mysteries : January Joker by Ron Roy (Random House 2009)
  Said 2nd grader was introduced to A-Z Mysteries by his teacher a couple months ago. He can't get enough. Checks out a few a week from school. Calendar Mysteries are a spin-off.
• The Purple Smurfs by Peyo (Papercutz 2010)
• Pinky & Stinky by James Kochalka (Top Shelf 2008)
• The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson
  Eva Ibbotson passed away this past October. I never read her books. I started this one, but am wondering if I should finish it or read with with my 2nd grader.
• Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour #6 by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press 2010)
  I have blogged about Scott Pilgrim. I heart him. Lots. But I never read #6. It was published at a bad time for me. I also refused to see the movie because I didn't read it yet. Fast forward to now. We're getting HBO for free these days (we tried to cancel our cable and they offered us this) and the movie is playing almost every day. So I saw it. Before I read it! And you know what? I kind of didn't like it. Then I watched it again. And again with my husband. And again by myself in the middle of the night. And I love it. LOTS! And so I got off my duff to read #6. I then shocked Michelle by saying I liked the movie ending. SHAME! But really, that's how it is.
• Mathilda and the Orange Balloon by Randall de Seve, illustrated by Jen Corace (Blazer+Bray 2010)
  This is a signed copy gift from our friend Lloyd. Thanks, Lloyd!
• As far as the 2 year old, he can't get enough Eric Carle/Bill Martin Brown Bear/Polar Bear/Panda Bear. He's really into surprises. Any suggestions?

So what are you reading this week?

The Dreaming Collection by Queenie Chan

Two teenage twin sisters get accepted to an exclusive private boarding school. Of course, it turns out they're not at just any ordinary boarding school. This one is located in the remote Australian bushlands (you should see the drawing. It is acceptably ominous). And not only is it remote, but students have been going missing since the 1920s. The first batch disappeared in a group of 12 and then another girl disappears which makes 11 (OMG who will be the 12th?). Cue scary music.

This was a super fun read. Sort of brainless. But with some really nice touches. There are these super freaky paintings hanging all around the school that no one really notices (like, hello, they're chasing a girl into the woods. With knives. And there is that faceless girl. In. Every. Single. One.) Anyhoo, those paintings are awesome. I wish there had been more of them.

The characters were a little slow on the uptake for my taste. I couldn't help but think they could have solved the mystery a little faster if they had, you know, thought about it for more than two seconds at a time (or read the damn book on the paintings that they had the entire time). The ending was a little weak. I would have liked it a lot more had it ended like a horror movie with a sequel on the way (like if on the last page...there was a new painting...only this time with an ax!)

Regardless there was more than enough atmosphere and drama for me. I read it in one sitting and had a great time burning through it.

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Book Source = Library Copy

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories

I can't tell you how excited I was to learn about this book during TLA. I loved loved loved Kelly Link's stories in Pretty Monsters. Loved them. Loved them. Loved them.

I'm happy to say that I enjoyed this anthology very much as well. There were some really highfalutin authors that participated in this book, Libba Bray, MT Anderson, Garth Nix, Kelly Link (whoo!) amongst others. As with any story collection some were stronger than others, but I thought this was a strong group of stories with the steampunk theme tying them together regardless of how differently each author interpreted it. And believe me, they were all very different.

My absolute favorite was by Libba Bray, a story entitled The Last Ride of the Glory Girls, and the second in the collection. It was a steampunk western and it was absolutely lovely. I loved the dialect and language, I loved the characters, especially Addie our plainspoken heroine. Simply put, it was 36 pages of excellent storytelling.

Short stories are really ideal vacation reading. I read this in Galveston and it was somehow fitting. All those old Victorian houses were a perfect setting for me to sink my teeth into a steampunk book. In fact, I recommend someone write something to that effect and set it there. What a perfect place for a novel. A rundown seaside town that is full of gorgeous old buildings and history. Someone definitely needs to write something set in Galveston beside hurricane books anyway. And lest anyone wonder, I'm a big fan of Galveston.

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Book Source = ARC provided by publisher
(thank you Candlewick! You Rock)

Around the World by Matt Phelan - Video update!

I forgot to post this along with the review of Matt Phelan's Around the World (Oct 2011)

The Deedle Deedle Dees singing NELLY BLY

Also on Facebook.

Red Blazer Girls #3 - coming soon!

I am a fan of Michael D. Beil's fun, contemporary Red Blazer Girls mystery books. If there is a young reader about age 10+, these 3 books would make a super summer read. First there was The Ring of Rocamadour and then there was the Vanishing Violin. Next month we get...

The Mistaken Masterpiece!

And they are on Facebook, but they, like, need more friends!

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

I've been waiting for this book for what seems like ages. Sarah Dessen's reliability for smart, funny, contemporary ya chick lit continues its blazing trail of awesomeness with her latest novel - Big #10, due out tomorrow. Statistically, I'm sure there are people out there who do not like her novels. Just like there are people who do not like ice cream. Or kittens. Or having fun.

What Happened to Goodbye offers another female lead who doesn't think she wants to make connections with people. For good reason, though, because Mclean moves every few months. (I made a connection to this book and Pete Hautman's Big Crunch earlier this year.) But she likes the instability which offers her some refuge from the epic public disaster that was her parents' marriage and divorce. Each new place Mclean tries out a new girl - the theater girl, the cheerleader. No ties. No worries.

What could be everyday chick lit in some hands is near masterful in Sarah Dessen's. The spectacular way Mclean meets Dave, the tiny model town, the quirky-but-real cast of characters (including those you don't want to like but then learn that there's more to 'em), her relationship with her parents, the locker mirror of doom, craving for fried pickles (ah, Texas treats), the desire to get to Austin (I totally get it, dudes.) the Gert. The scene in the dark restaurant - one of the several times I laughed out loud on the plane trip from TLA Austin to Jacksonville. And I can't forget the Easter Eggs. (Thanks fine ladies at FYA for the term.) Dessen peppers her later novels with people, places, events from previous stories. I so love that. It makes her stories like visiting with friends back home. Oh yeah, I remember that place. Is that so and so from Colby?

Dessen is one of the more deserving authors who find their books on the NYT bestsellers list with every new publication. She's got a good thing going. Here's to 10 more novels!

Oh and librarians, there's some good librarian action in this one as well.

Book source: ARC from publisher

Around the World by Matt Phelan

Happy Free Comic Book Day! 

In celebration, I offer a GN review.

Matt Phelan offers another nice addition to non-fiction GN for young readers with his forthcoming Around the World due in October from Random House. As usual, his storytelling and artwork are top-notch and have a wonderful whimsy to them that is signature Matt Phelan.  I like, I like, I like.

I do think that these 3 stories about adults will not have the appeal that The Storm in the Barn has for young readers. Yes, these are biographies so of course they are not children. My favorite story of the three is Thomas Stevens. The scenes of him, and others, "taking a header" off their bicycles really hit my funny bone. I liked his adventures as well has his message about exploring the marvels of the world and the people who live in it. Nelly Bly, tagged as Girl Reporter - why the necessary "Girl"? - became less adventurous and more tiresome. I admit I wasn't as fond of her as I would have liked. Capt. Solcum's story had adventure but also loneliness and sadness. This story is the one that could be the challenge for young readers.

All in all this is another outstanding nonfiction book and should find its place in schools and libraries.

Out October 2011. 

Book Source: ARC from publisher at TLA conference

Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton

It's picture book time. I picked this one off the shelf of my local library with my 2.5 year old. We sat and read it in the library and we sat and read it at home. He does like owls, but the real fun for him in this book is the silliness of the squirrel trying to help baby owl find mom. Little owl takes a tumble out of his nest and lands on the forest floor. Squirrel comes to his aid and makes it his mission to help owl find mom. Owl describes mom as big and squirrel enthusiastically brings back... a bear. Hm. Not exactly right. My son loved that. "That's not owl!"

I dig the retro illustrations and the overwhelming adorableness of owl. I'm looking forward to seeing more by debut author/illustrator Chris Haughton.

Of note, original title in UK - A Bit Lost

Knocking out my Alex Award Reading

Book seven and eight on my quest to read all the 2011 Alex Awards.

I apologize in advance for doing some lame double post of two books without actually saying anything interesting about them. I just don't have the energy to actually do any reviews and have to actually, like, think about what I want to write. Seems like too much work at the moment

But, dang it, I still want credit for reading them!




They were both fantastic. It was interesting reading them back to back. They both have the theme of alienation in them, but how the main characters deal with their circumstances couldn't be more different.

I am really glad that I decided to try to read all the Alex Awards this year. I'm really impressed by the list. Only two more to go!

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Book Source = Library Copies

Other 2011 Alex Award Reviews:

Room
The Radleys

The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had to
The House of Tomorrow
The Reapers are the Angels
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Free Comic Book Day Approaches

Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, May 7.

Here's the webiste - go and find a participating store -or library- near you and celebrate one of the best days of the year!