Books and Cleverness

Toot & Puddle: Wish You Were Here

2008-12-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Holly Hobbie
Year: 2005
Reading Level: 4-8
Series: Toot and Puddle

Plot Summary: Toot goes off to visit Borneo (of course) leaving Puddle with Cousin Opal for company. Toot sends a few postcards about his exotic adventures but winds up coming home soon with the Violet Virus and he turns a rather unhealthy shade of purple. It's up to Puddle and Opal to find a cure for this rare disease--and it happens to be right in their own backyard.

My Rating: A-. I'll admit that I expected more from this book after hearing so much about the series. The artwork is extremely lovely, but the story seemed a little lacking to me. Maybe I'm just picky though... Also there was a random inclusion of the Internet when Opal does research online. It seemed so very out of place in Woodcock Pocket.

Place Called Kindergarten

2008-12-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

Author: Jessica Harper
Illustrator: G. Brian Karas
Year: 2006
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: Tommy lives on a farm and he visits the animals in the barn every morning, until one day he doesn't show up. The animals wonder where he could be all day until Tommy appears in the afternoon to tell them he's been to kindergarten. Tommy is full of new facts and stories and even sings a song for the animals.

My Rating: B+. This is a nice, gentle positive endorsement for the kindergarten experience. The illustrations are soft and soothing, and it all turns out quite rosily in the end. That said, I'm sure this same story could be told in a more interesting fashion...but I guess then it might not be so gentle and soothing?

Owen's Marshmallow Peep

2008-12-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Year: 2002
Reading Level: 3-6

Plot Summary: It's Easter and Owen has a lovely Easter basket full of goodies. One by one he gets out his favorite treats--jelly beans, a chocolate bunny--and eats them up. But when he gets to his yellow marshmallow chick, Owen just can't bring himself to eat it. Instead he plays with it all day and then puts it safely on his shelf at night.

My Rating: A-. I enjoyed this book. It was cute and had such cute little pictures. It's a good one for younger readers with lots of white space and simple, repetitive language. On the other hand...it's a book about Peeps! How random is that?

Burger Boy

2008-12-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Author: Alan Durant
Illustrator: Mei Matsuka
Year: 2005
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: Benny loves hamburgers. They're all he ever wants to eat and finally he eats so many he...turns into a burger boy. Naturally everybody except his Mother want to eat him so Benny goes on the run, chased by dogs and other boys alike. In the end he eats vegetables and turns back into a real boy...until he eats too many carrots.

My Rating: B+. This was another kind of strange book. I really liked the colors, and it was well written. But it was kind of strange when other boys were salivating over the idea of eating Benny and started chasing him. I don't know how I feel about semi-cannibalism in picture books.

The Terrible Underpants

2008-12-08T19:57:00.001-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Kaz Cooke
Year: 2003
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This kind of strange book is about a girl, Wanda-Linda, who goes to put on her underpants only to realize they're all hanging on the line to dry. Her parents tell her she needs to wear her "terrible underpants" that are faded, stained and baggy. Through the rest of the book Wanda-Linda's terrible underpants seem to be seen by everyone--including a news crew. Her final solution? Why, take them off of course!

My Rating: B. Strange book. The art is kind of wacky and not to my taste..the story didn't really interest me. My real question is: why does she still have this terrible pair of underwear and why do her parents actually support her wearing them?

Meggie Moon

2008-12-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

Author: Elizabeth Baguley
Illustrator: Gregoire Mabire
Year: 2005
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: Digger and Tiger are best friends and they love to hang out in the junkyard, all day every day. One day someone new comes to their favorite place and, even worse, it's a girl. Meggie Moon plays differently in the junkyard--she builds things like rockets and carts. Soon all three of them play together all day every day but what happens when Meggie Moon goes away?

My Rating: A-. This was a cute little story and the illustrations are quite delightful also. My one complaint is just that the story ends rather abruptly and almost a little over the top. I know part of the book is about imagining things, but the last page seemed a little unnecessary.

Once Upon a Banana

2008-12-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

Author: Jennifer Armstrong
Illustrator: David Small
Year: 2006
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This wordless book follows a street performers attempt to catch his wayward monkey. As the monkey sets off, antics and accidents ensue as one person tumbles into another. In the end, however, everyone winds up happy and everyone gets a banana.

My Rating: B+. This was a fun book, and the illustrations have a lot of style. My one complaint is that sometimes the action sequences could be hard to follow.

Never Take a Shark to the Dentist (and Other Things Not to Do)

2008-12-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

Author: Judi Barrett
Illustrator: John Nickle
Year: 2008
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This book is a series of warnings of things not to do for certain animals. There is no real plot to string it a lot, it's just a series of silly things and that's the only point. One of my favorites was to never give a moth a sweater--I actually had to think for a few seconds about what the problem was.

My Rating:A-. Like I said, the "premise" for this book is completely silly, although I think it might be at least somewhat educational as far as why such and such would be a bad idea. The illustrations are great though, very fun and over the top.

Good Night, Sweet Butterflies

2008-12-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

Author: Dawn Bentley
Illustrator: Heather Cahoon
Year: 2003
Reading Level: 3-6

Plot Summary: This colorful book is perfect for nighttime. Nine butterflies search for a place to sleep for the night and they each find a place on a colorful page. Each page highlights a different color and in the end all the colors and butterflies come together under the moon.

My Rating: A-. This is a pretty book and it's fun to look at. The illustrations are better than the text (not that the text is bad), although I think I might like them better on a bigger page. The strong colors might be less overwhelming that way.

The City of Ember

2008-12-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Year: 2003
Genre: Sci-Fi
Reading Level: Intermediate
Series: Books of Ember

Plot Summary: In the city of Ember, times are getting hard. The lights are flickering and supplies are running out. Lina Mayfleet is twelve years old and just started a job as a messenger while her friend Doon Harrow starts working in the depths of the city in the Pipeworks. When Lina finds a mysterious message, she and Doon slowly realize it's a message from the city's founders--the Builders--and it tells them how to leave the city for somewhere better. Unfortunately Ember's mayor isn't going to let them shake things up and Lina and Doon have to rely on each other to solve the mystery.

Award: 2006 Mark Twain Award

Movie Version: City of Ember

My Rating: A-. I really enjoyed this book. I don't know exactly how she did it, but DuPrau totally evokes the suffocating atmosphere of this underground city on the brink of desperation. The characters may be a little bit flat (or maybe just standard) but they don't detract from the story. I do think her writing got a little clunky when trying to describe things that Lina and Doon had never seen, like a boat and candles. But overall, it was a good read.

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More

2008-12-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

Author: Karen Beaumont
Illustrator: David Catrow
Year: 2005
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: A little boy loves to paint...everything. He paints the walls, the ceiling and, of course, himself until his mother catches him and puts all of his paints away and puts him in the tub. After his bath while his mother is out, the boy sneaks out his paints again. He starts with just his arm but he can't resist painting himself all over and soon paint is everywhere.

Red Flags: Another book that might give kids some rather colorful ideas. Also it's written with deliberate bad grammar.

My Rating: B+. I have decided that I don't really like reading books (picture books especially) about kids misbehaving. It's just kind of stressful...I mean come on, his mom has to clean up a huge mess! But whatever, I guess I just missed the point of this book.

I Will Never Not Eat a Tomato

2008-12-05T21:46:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Lauren Child
Year: 2000
Age Level: 4-8
Series: Charlie and Lola

Plot Summary: Charlie is charge of making Lola's dinner for a night, but he runs into trouble with Lola's picky eating habits. Luckily Charlie knows how to use Lola's imagination to his advantage. He invents clever names for peas and carrots, telling her food comes from underwater markets and different planets. Soon he has Lola eating all the food she swore she didn't like.

My Rating: A. I wanted to read one of the original Charlie and Lola books to compare it with the post-TV show books, just to see if/how they differed. I liked that this one had a more handmade feel to it. It was simpler but still clever. I was a little disappointed that it had used Mom instead of Mum though.

Olivia Saves the Circus

2008-12-05T21:29:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Ian Falconer
Year: 2001
Age Level: 4-8
Series: Olivia

Plot Summary: Olivia wakes up and puts on her boring school uniform (and jazzes it up with accessories of course) and heads off to school. In her class she tells about her trip to the circus. Of course, none of the performers are there and so Olivia must perform all the acts herself. Is it true? Olivia thinks it is.

My Rating: B. I expected more from this book, after hearing about Olivia for so long. As it was, I didn't really like the character (such a diva) and the story wasn't really interesting either.

My Friend is Sad

2008-12-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Mo Willems
Year: 2007
Age Level: 2-7
Series: Elephant and Piggie

Plot Summary: One day Piggie discovers that Elephant is very sad. He sits and sighs, and Piggie wonders how she can cheer him up. She tries dressing up as many things--a robot, a clown and a cowboy--but nothing is working. Finally Piggie confesses that she can't cheer him up, and realizes what would really cheer up Elephant is a friend.

My Rating: A. The expressions in this book are so delightful and the story is so cute. I can't think of any kid who would not love this book.

Today I Will Fly!

2008-12-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Mo Willems
Year: 2007
Age Level: 4-8
Series: Elephant and Piggie

Plot Summary: Piggie announces her determination to fly, but Elephant (Gerald) is more than a little skeptical. Piggie tries a few different methods, and at one points succeeds...she thinks. Finally Piggie figures out what she needs to fly--help. And in the end fly she does.

My Rating: A-. So cute! The illustrations are so simple and crisp and charming. The vocabulary is really simple and would be great for younger readers.

How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?

2008-12-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Mark Teague
Year: 2003
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This book is a series of questions that begins with "What if a dinosaur/catches the flu?/Does he whimper and whine/in between each atchoo?". Each question deals with bad behavior, like knocking over juice or spitting out pills. In the end it's resolved that dinosaurs would get rest and listen to the doctor.

My Rating: A-. This was a fun book and a fun idea. I liked that each page had a different dinosaur and the name was included (subtly) in the illustrations.

The Widow's Broom

2008-12-05T20:43:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Chris van Allsburg
Year: 1992
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: While en route, a witch's broom dies and she falls into the widow Shaw's garden. The widow puts the witch into bed, where she quickly heals and then is picked up by another witch and leaves the broom behind. The broom still has some magic left and starts doing chores for the widow, but unfortunately the neighbors don't like the idea of a magic broom.

My Rating: A. This book is gorgeous. I've read a good handful of van Allsburg books and I think these are some of his best illustrations. The story is good too, and it has a nice twist. It's easy to follow but clever and well written.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

2008-12-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Year: 1992
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: A collection of twisted fairly tales (or "fairly stupid tales") ranging from "The Ugly Duckling" to "The Gingerbread Man." Lane Smith's unique illustrations are well matched to the, shall we say, unusual stories. Besides the unusual stories, pages are out of order, text spills all over and characters go outside of their own stories.

My Rating: A-. Very funny, and the illustrations are crazy. My favorite story was about the ugly duckling and it was hilarrrrious. I think this book would be more fun for boys, but who knows. Maybe I'm stereotyping.

Earthquake

2008-12-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

Author: Milly Lee
Illustrator: Yangsook Choi
Year: 2001
Age Level: 5-8

Plot Summary: This story is based on 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. Based on the memories of Lee's mother, the family is jolted in the evening by an earthquake. Immediately they pack their vital belongings and flee for safety. The rest of the book follows their escape to safety.

My Rating: B-. I had no idea this book took place in San Francisco until I read the note at the end of the book. It didn't really provide a lot of context or details. The illustrations were all right but a little bit muddy.

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born

2008-12-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

Author: Jamie Lee Curtis
Illustrator: Laura Cornell
Year: 1996
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: Instead of wanting a regular bedtime story, a little girl wants her parents to tell her (again) about the night she was born. The book is a series of "Tell me again..." statements, about their trip to the hospital and seeing her for the first time. At first you don't realize that the daughter was adopted, and really, that fact isn't discussed much at all.

My Rating:A-. This is a nice book. The illustrations are probably the most fun--there are lots of little details in the background that are amusing for kids and their parents. I think the whole topic of adoption was pretty rushed and little bit forced, but I guess the focus wasn't supposed to be on the how's and why's of it.

Millions of Cats

2008-12-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Wanda Gag
Year: 1928
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: And old man and his wife are lonely but they get the idea that having a cat would be nice. So the old man sets out to find a cat, but he winds up finding millions of cat. He has a little trouble picking just one and so in the end all of the cats follow him home, leaving a wasteland behind them. The old man and his wife can't keep all the cats, so what are they going to do?

Red flags: Cat deaths.

My Rating: A. This is a great, really well done book. The pictures and text are nicely designed and integrated. The language is lively and appropriately repetitive.

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed?

2008-12-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Barney Saltzberg
Year: 2005
Age Level: 2-7

Plot Summary: It's time for Cornelius's bedtime and his Mom asks him a series of questions. Has he put his toys away? Yes...in the fridge. Did he feed his fish? Yes...a handful of cookies. Eventually Cornelius is tucked into bed and all he wants then is a hug.

Red flags: kid antics--the kind you wouldn't want to give your kids ideas about doing. Unless you want cookies in your fish tank that is.

My Rating: B+. This was a fun book. Lively, and just right for younger kids. But again...is this something you want to give kids ideas about?

The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

2008-12-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Beatrix Potter
Year: 1909
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: Benjamin Bunny and his little bunny family are out trying to find food. Peter Rabbit doesn't have any spare cabbages so they head to the infamous Mr. MacGregor's compost heap to find vegetables. Unfortunately the bunnies eat so much lettuce they fall right to sleep, and when Mr. MacGregor finds them, he has the idea to have bunny for dinner...

Red flags: Mr. MacGregor talks about chopping off bunny heads.

My Rating:A-. How can you not love Beatrix Potter? They're so cute and the stories are charming and funny.

Outside Over There

2008-12-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Year: 1985
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: Ida's father is away and she's in charge of watching her baby sister. Ida isn't so interested in babysitting her sister. When the baby is stolen out of their cottage by goblins, however, Ida feels bound to fetch her back again.

My Rating: A-. This is definitely a quirky story, and not one that I think every parent or child would like. The art is lovely though, and the story is a good one--just unusual. I think the baby-napping element would scare some kids.

Forever

2008-12-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

Author: Judy Blume
Year: 1977
Genre: Novel/Romance
Reading Level: Young Adult

Plot Summary: Katherine meets Michael at a New Year's Eve party and the sparks start to fly. Basically they start dating and then they have sex and have sex a whole lot more and plan to be together forever (hence the title). Unfortunately then Kath goes to a tennis camp for the summer and realizes maybe she doesn't want to be with Michael forever. The end.

Red Flags: Lots of detailed sex. Strong language. People smoking "grass." Teen drinking. Oh did I mention all the sex?

My Rating: B-. I'm having a hard time rating this book. Judy Blume is known for her frank depictions of teenage life, but this was not my teenage life at all. So in that way, it doesn't appeal to me and I don't relate to it at all. Other people may feel differently. As for the writing, I think it was all right, but not her best. And I have to wonder: at what point is detail *too* much detail?

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

2008-12-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Dav Pilkey
Year: 1997
Genre: Comedy
Reading Level: Intermediate
Series: The Captain Underpants series

Plot Summary: George and Harold are best friends and the resident pranksters at their elementary school. George and Harold are also notorious for their comic book series featuring their underwear clad hero, Captain Underpants. When they get into deep trouble with Principal Krupp for their pranks, they have to figure out some way of getting out of it. Their solution involves hypnosis, and the consequences are completely unexpected.

Red Flag/s: Boyish antics and rubber dog poo.

My Rating: A-. I will admit that I don't think I fully appreciated this book because I'm not a boy and I'm not 10. That said, I can definitely see why that audience would love this book. It's funny and silly and fun to read. So, for the audience it's intended for, I think it's very good. Just not so much my genre of choice.

Black? White? Day? Night?

2008-12-03T16:57:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Year: 2006
Reading Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This book is a series of opposites, represented with both words and pictures. Each page starts with a word and small picture, mostly covered with a flap. When the flap is lifted, the opposite word is shown, along with an illustration that incorporates the smaller image. It is really quite a delightful experience.

Award/s: ALA Notable Children's Book

My Rating: A. This is a fun book. I think it would be fun to read with a kid and see what they think will be under the flap--not just the word but how it's shown.

Runaways, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

2008-12-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrators: Adrian Alphona, Takeshi Miyazawa
Year: 2006
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: Runaways ongoing title

Plot Summary: 5 teenagers and one tween discover their normal parents are really a group of super villains (called The Pride) working to overthrow the whole world. Confused, they run away and try to figure out how they can bring their parents to justice. Along the way, they discover unique abilities of their own as they go on the run, fight a hot vampire and, finally, confront their parents.

Red Flag/s: Character death, some language, action, teenage delinquency

Award/s: Eisner, Harvey

My Rating: B+. This started out more interesting than it ended up being. Midway through the characters started turning into cliches, and the story dragged a bit. The art and writing are both pretty solid, but neither are really fantastic. I got kind of tired of Vaughan sneaking in little bits of political agendas. Also, why were Gert's legs so very very short? Even more importantly, why did the raptor have a nose ring?

Flotsam

2008-12-01T20:17:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner
Year: 2006
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This wordless book begins with a boy on the beach. He's clearly interested in the local wildlife and even brought his microscope to the beach. When he finds an old camera that washes up on shore he can't resist getting the pictures developed. But that wasn't just an ordinary camera and its pictures are most certainly not ordinary either.

Award/s: Caldecott Medal

My Rating: A+. Definitely my favorite Wiesner book. The illustrations in this one are so well done and have such beautiful colors. And did I mention they're crazy and AWESOME? And even though it's wordless, the story is so clear. At the same time, it's easy and fun to make up the little details like the boy's name.

The Three Pigs

2008-12-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner
Year: 2001
Reading Age: 4-8

Plot Summary: In this unexpected take on the story of the three little pigs, the real excitement happens when the first pig gets blown out of his own story. The puzzled wolf continues in the original story, despite the pig's disappearance. After the other two pigs escape, they continue to explore their in-between land and find their ways into other stories as well.

Award/s: Caldecott Medal

My Rating: A-. This book was so much more interesting than I thought it would be. The cover always looked kind of boring and very pig-ish so I never opened it. But really it's so different and quirky and neat. Probably my favorite part was seeing the art styles change depending on the context.

But Excuse Me That is My Book

2008-12-01T20:03:00.000-08:00

Author: Lauren Child
Year: 2006
Age Level: 4-8
Series: Charlie and Lola

Plot Summary: Lola is desperate to get to the library so she can check out her favorite book about bugs--again. Tragedy strikes when they arrive only to find that Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies is in the hands of another little girl. Charlie eventually convinces Lola that there are lots of other interesting books at the library (go, Charlie!).

My Rating: B+. Charlie and Lola are so cute. I will say that I kind of think the characters and the illustrations work better as a show. I like hearing their little British voices and the illustrations seem to work better when they move. But you know...I still like them.

Snow is my Favorite and my Best

2008-12-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Lauren Child
Year: 2006
Reading Age: 4-8
Series: Charlie and Lola

Plot Summary: Charlie has this little sister Lola...she is small and very funny. (I love that intro) Lola gets extremely excited when they have a snowfall and they spend the day outside reveling in the white stuff. Unfortunately it melts the next day and Lola bemoans the sudden lack of snow, which is her favorite and her best. Luckily Charlie is around to put snow in perspective and show Lola that a variety of weather is best.

My Rating: B+. I love this show so I thought I would love the books. And I did like this book, but I felt a little jipped when I was looking through the front pages and saw that the text and illustrations are from an episode. Still...Charlie and Lola!

Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs

2008-12-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

Authors/Illustrators: Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart
Year: 2005
Age Level: 4-12

Plot Summary: What could have been a kind of dry book on dinosaurs is turned into a visual spectacular with the addition of more than 30 pop ups. The book also includes facts on different dinosaur species and a brief overview of the history of paleontology. Younger readers will enjoy the book for the impressive images (especially the t-rex head) while older readers will also enjoy the dinosaurs facts.

My Rating: A-. Who would not have fun with this book? Honestly, I could have cared less about what the words were--I was really just reading it for the dinosaur pop ups. My one complaint is how (kind of necessarily) the text is a little shoehorned in, squeezing in between all the pop ups. Also, some of the pop ups are *so* intricate it's almost hard to visualize the dinosaur, with all the different paper joints and such. Still...definitely worth a read. Or a look.

How to Find Flower Fairies

2008-12-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Cicely Mary Barker
Paper Engineer: Richard Ferguson
Year: 2007
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This is a handy guide to fairies and where to find them. Five different habitats are explained--the wayside, gardens, forest floors, tree tops and marshes--with plenty of tricks and tips to finding fairies. Oh, and did I mention its a pop-up book?

My Rating: A+. This book is so much fun! I know I would have been in complete awe of it as a wee thing. But really, it's so much fun to look at it. Besides the elaborate pop-up on each page, there are little miniature books on each page and plenty of flaps to look under. Also, even though the pop-ups are elaborate and beautiful, they don't seem as delicate as those in a Robert Sabuda book. This may be my favorite pop-up book.

The Seven Dwarfs

2008-12-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Etienne Delessert
Year: 2001
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This unique version of the Grimm Brothers' Snow White tale focuses on the seven dwarfs. It also tells the story as a flashback, after the dwarfs have gathered at the castle for Snow White's wedding. Narrated by one of the dwarfs, this book offers a different, quirkier perspective on a familar story.

My Rating: C+. This book was weird and the illustrations were weird and it was all weird. Really, I don't know why a kid would pick this book up and read it. The illustrations were strange and there was too much text and it was boring. Fail!

Bee-Bim Bop!

2008-12-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

Author: Linda Sue Park
Illustrator: Ho Baek Lee
Year: 2005
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: A little girl is very excited about having the Korean dish bee-bim bop for dinner. She helps with buying the groceries and putting the meal together. In the end, she and her family eat bee-bim bop together.

My Rating: A-. This was fun to read. Very simple but lively and entertaining. My favorite part was the instructions for making bee-bim bop...it made me want to go to the grocery story and make it myself.

The Ugly Vegetables

2008-12-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Grace Lin
Year: 1999
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: A little girl watches her neighbors plant beautiful flower gardens and is confused when her mother's garden is full of only strange, ugly plants. She wishes that her mother would plant a flower garden but her mother insists their plants are "better than flowers." Finally the vegetables are harvested and made into a delicious soup that they share with all their neighbors.

My Rating: A. This was a good, unique story with a good execution. It was simply told and easy to follow but also fun to read with a good resolution.

Pizza for the Queen

2008-12-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Author: Nancy Castaldo
Illustrator: Melisande Potter
Year: 2005:
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: It's 1889 and Raffaele Esposito makes the best pizza in Naples, Italy. One day Queen Margherita asks him to make a pizza for her and Raffaele can't decide which kind she would like best. In then end he creates the Margherita pizza in this factual story.

My Rating: B. This book made me want a good pizza really badly. Besides that, it was just okay. The illustrations did the job, and the text was all right. The font was kind of harder to read though, and it had kind of jumbled effect overall.

Shiloh

2008-11-29T14:28:00.001-08:00

Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Year: 1991
Genre: Novel
Reading Level: Intermediate
Series: First in the Shiloh Trilogy

Plot Summary: While wandering the woods around his rural West Virginia home, eleven-year-old Marty Preston runs into a small beagle that follows him home. Marty is very taken with the dog, and is concerned at the way it shows signs of mistreatment. Not long after the dog has been taken back by its owner, the beagle shows up at Marty's house again. Naming him Shiloh, Marty is determined to keep him safe, whether Shiloh's owner likes it or not.

Red Flags: Some dog violence, hunting

Award/s: Newbery winner, 1992

Movie Version: Shiloh

My Rating: B. I'll admit, I expected a bit more from this book, being a Newbery winner and all. It was good, it was a good story and it pulls the heartstrings a little, but it didn't blow me away. I think I was unintentionally comparing it to Because of Winn-Dixie the whole time, and that book is the superior Newbery-winning dog tale.

Ophelia

2008-11-29T13:58:00.000-08:00

Author: Lisa Klein
Year: 2006
Genre: Novel
Reading Level: Young Adult

Plot Summary: This retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet focuses on Ophelia and her doomed romance with Hamlet. The story traces Ophelia's rambunctious childhood to her education and development at court and finally intersects with the events of Hamlet. Readers expecting the story to end with Ophelia's suicide will be surprised. Told from her own perspective, Ophelia offers a fresh take on a very familiar tale.

Red Flags: Character deaths, political intrigues, some men of a forceful persuasion

My Rating: B+. This is a good book. Klein is a good writer and her characters are fleshed out and interesting. I only have a few problems with this book. First, in an effort to make Ophelia a strong female character, Klein kind of turned her into a cliche. She's bookish! She's educated! She speaks her mind! Also, the romance element was not as strong as I expected. Besides a few scenes together there wasn't much interaction with Hamlet and Ophelia. Also, she spends half of the book thinking he never loved her, but hello, he totally did. Second, the last third of the book--SPOILER!--takes place at a French convent and it just seemed rather irrelevant. Or maybe that was just me. Third, I forget. Anyway, I liked it. It just got long and a little boring towards the end.

The Outsiders

2008-11-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

Author: S.E. Hinton
Year: 1967
Genre: novel/realistic fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult

Plot Summary: Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis lives with his older brothers after their parents' deaths, the youngest member of the gang they've formed with their closest friends. Though their lives are rough and tumble, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny try to defy their hoodlum stereotype. After a violent encounter with a rival gang, however, Ponyboy and Johnny struggle to adjust to the drama and tragedy that follows.

Red Flags: teen drinking and smoking, some violence, character deaths

Movie Version: The Outsiders

My Rating: A-. I didn't love it, but I think it was a good book. It's just not really my genre or a time period that interests me. Besides that, though, the writing was solid and the characters rang true. The story was a little slow moving, but not to the point of frustration.

The Golden Compass

2008-11-19T18:51:00.001-08:00

Author: Phillip Pullman
Year: 1995
Genre: Fantasy (steampunk)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: First in the His Dark Materials series

Plot Summary: When Lyra Belacqua decides to sneak into a forbidden room at Oxford and overhears a discussion among the scholars, she has no idea of the consequences. Children all over England are disappearing, stolen by "Gobblers" and when Lyra's best friend, Roger, disappears she's determined to rescue him. Along with her faithful daemon, Pantalaimon, Lyra journeys to the mysterious North to solve the mystery of the Gobblers' purpose and rescue Roger. On the way she discovers startling information of her own past and learns to use the mysterious truth-telling device--the alethiometer.

Red Flags: some scariness and spookiness, character death, a violent battle between ~~polar~~ armored bears. And let's not forget the whole anti-Christian thing, although that doesn't really come into this book.

Movie Version: The Golden Compass

My Rating: A-. I don't know if this is traditionally viewed as a young adult book, but the writing style and the overall heaviness of it makes me wonder how many kids would be interested. Anyway, I really enjoyed it. It took a while for me to get really interested but by the end I was thoroughly hooked. Pullman is a good writer and even though Lyra is a brat, I mostly liked her by the end. Also: Iorek=win.

Hatchet

2008-11-19T18:50:00.002-08:00

Author: Gary Paulsen
Year: 1987
Genre: Adventure/Survival
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: First in the Brian's Saga series

Plot Summary: Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father in Canada in a small plane when the pilot dies suddenly of a heart attack. Alone in the plane with the pilot's corpse, off course and with only a rudimentary understanding of flying, Brian first has to figure out how to land the plane in a way that will not lead to his demise. When he finally gets to the ground, Brian finds his troubles are just beginning when he has to survive, alone, in the middle of a Canadian forest. Of course he has to do this with just the clothes on his back and a dorky gift from his mother--a hatchet.

Award/s: Newbery Honor book

Red Flags: stressful situations, a detailed death and general unpleasantries

My Rating: B+. I enjoyed this book. It was interesting and entertaining and fast. But I didn't care for Paulsen's super dramatic style, which I will now imitate: "If he didn't land the plane he would die. Die. That would be it. He would be dead. Forever. Dead." But I did enjoy it! It was just filled with all kinds of unpleasant survival details like vomiting and swollen faces. Also, two words: turtle eggs.

Once Upon a Princess and Pea

2008-11-19T18:50:00.001-08:00

Author: Ann Campbell
Illustrator: Kathy Osborn Young
Year: 1993
Age Level: 4-8

Plot Summary: In this updated version of the Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, the good-hearted princess Esmerelda runs away when she finds out she's being married off to middle-aged, toothless king. Luckily Prince Hector is on the road, looking for a princess to marry. None of the so-called princesses he encounters meet his standards, but Esmerelda just might change his mind...

My Rating: B. This book=blah. I really didn't like the illustrations. They were weird and ugly and sorry, but I like my fairy tales to be pretty. The story was fine, but the changes didn't really improve it at all and the whole book seemed like a weak effort.

The Ballad of the Pirate Queens

2008-11-19T18:07:00.001-08:00

Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: David Shannon
Year: 1998
Age level: 4-8

Plot Summary: This book tells the story of the two most famous female pirates--Anne Bonney and Mary Reade. Sailing on the ship Vanity, the two women protest when their captain does nothing when the ship is attacked. After the ship is captured by the military, they escape hanging...unlike their unfortunate shipmates.

Red Flag/s: Thievin' and plunderin'. Also, hangings.

My Rating: A-. I'll admit I read this book for the illustrations, which are fantastic. The text is good too, but in this case picture trump words.

Seven Blind Mice

2008-11-19T18:00:00.001-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Ed Young
Year: 2002

Plot Summary: This retelling of an Indian story deals with seven blind mice and an elephant. Each mouse goes out to touch the elephant and decide what, in fact, it is. Each feels a different part and comes to a different conclusion of what they're feeling. When the truth is finally discovered in the end, the mice conclude that "Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole."

Award/s: Caldecott honor book

My Rating: B+. This was a fun book to read. The illustrations are very bright with a black background that makes it all very dramatic. Also, the mice have very long tail and I appreciate that.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

2008-11-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

Author: Judy Blume
Year: 1972
Genre: Novel
Reading Level: Intermediate
Series: Fudge books

Plot Summary: Peter has a new pet turtle named Dribble, and he also has a little brother called Fudge. While Peter finds Fudge all manner of exasperating, most adults think he's cute as can be. Peter endures many trials with Fudge--buying shoes, seeing a movie in the theater, and a birthday party, among others. Fudge's antics culminate in an event that is both gross and tragic.

Red Flags: None, unless you count the antics of a two year old.

My Rating: A-. This was a very fun, entertaining read. It's just little stories, but Peter is a great, likable and sympathetic character. I also really liked the family relationships in this book. Another thing I liked was that even though it was written in the 1970's, it doesn't seem very dated at all.

Tuck Everlasting

2008-11-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

Author: Natalie Babbit
Year: 1975
Age Level: Young Adult?
Genre: Fantasy, coming of age

Plot Summary: Winnie Foster lives with her overprotective parents and grandmother, and she longs for something more interesting in life. Feeling bold, Winnie finally ventures into the mysterious woods surrounding the house and discovers ~~Edward Cullen~~ a handsome boy at a spring. What Winnie doesn't know is that this spring has given the entire Tuck family eternal life. When Winnie is offered the same, will she choose to live forever?

Red Flags: One scene of mild violence

Movie Version: Tuck Everlasting

Memorable Quotes: "'Know what that is, all around us, Winnie?' said Tuck, his voice low. 'Life. Moving, growing, changing, never the same two minutes together. This water, you look out at it every morning, and it looks the same, but it ain't. All night long it's been moving, coming in through the stream back there to the west, slipping out through the stream down east here, always quiet, always new, moving on. You can't hardly see the current, can you? And sometimes the wind makes it look like it's going the other way. But it's always there, the water's always moving on, and someday, after a long while, it comes to the ocean.'"

My Rating: A-. I enjoyed this book. It was a nice read, very summery, nice story. I wasn't blown away but I do like Babbitt's writing style and her descriptions. I think I missed the romance element from the movie a bit, and some of the character development for Jesse.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book?

2008-11-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator: Lauren Child
Year: 2003
Reading Level: Picture book (4-8)

Plot Summary: Herb likes to read books all the time, and one night Herb falls asleep while reading a book of fairy tales. Strangely enough, Herb wakes up in the book, and its inhabitants aren't too happy with how he's treated their book. Prince Charming is missing, the Queen has a mustache and the Stepmother's house is upside down. But before he can fix the book, Herb has to get out--luckily he has Cinderella to help him.

My Rating: A-. I'm a little torn about this book. For myself, I enjoyed it. It was fun and creative. One of my favorite things was that Herb had drawn a telephone on each page so at one point Cinderella picks up the phone. On the other hand, I think younger kids would have a hard time with it because there is so much going on. The pictures aren't super easy to follow along with, even though they're fun to look at it and the text (intentionally) goes all over the place.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

2008-10-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

Author: Robert C. O'Brien
Year: 1971
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Plot Summary: It's early spring and for newly-widowed Mrs. Frisby and her small (mice) children, it means they have to move out of the farmer's garden before he plows it. Unfortunately her youngest son, Timothy, falls seriously ill and she cannot move him before the plowing. Mrs. Frisby finds help in unexpected places, but nowhere more unexpected than from a mysterious group of rats living under a rose bush. Where did the rats come from? What connection do they have to Mrs. Frisby? The answer is, well, awesome.

Red Flags: This is one of those books that will make you feel guilty for interefering with the animal world at all. Also, the ending is kind of sad.

Movie Version: The Secret of NIMH

My Rating: A. I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. I remember liking the movie a lot (which is not entirely faithful), but that was all I had to go on. And while the book is different, it was really good. Justin! How can you not love Justin? It reminded me of Watership Down, more towards the end, what with the drama and the escaping and the tragic ending.

Snow White

2008-10-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Authors: Brothers Grimm
Illustrator: Charles Santore
Year: 2004
Reading Level: Picture Book (4-8)

Plot Summary: This traditional version of Snow White begins with her mother wishing for a daughter with, shall we say, exceptional coloring. After her mother's death, Snow White's stepmother tries to have her killed but Snow White's would-be murderer takes pity on her instead. Snow White flees, and finds the home of seven dwarfs, who take her in. Unfortunately Snow White's stepmother isn't happy that her stepdaughter lives and is determined to finish her off.

Red flags: Murderous step mothers! Poison 1) lace 2) combs 3) apples!

My Rating: A- You know...it's Snow White. That's cool. I like the illustrations a lot--they're very grand. But sometimes their eyes look vacant and the dwarfs were not quite what I imagined. Still good!

T is for Terrible

2008-10-22T16:49:00.000-07:00

Author/Illustrator: Peter McCarty
Year: 2004
Reading Level: Picture book (4-6)

Plot Summary: Tyrannosaurus Rex narrates this book and wonders why he is called "terrible." After all, he says, he came out of an egg just like other dinosaurs and had a mother, just like other dinosaurs. It's not his fault he grew to be so big and hungry. He can't be a vegetarian and he can't help squashing flowers when he walks.

My Rating: A+. This is surely the cutest dinosaur book I have ever read. It makes me all sad for this cute, puffy-looking, wants-to-be-loved Tyrannosaurus Rex. The illustrations are very nice, and the text is big and easy to read. And even though I love T-Rexes anyway, I have to admit I might love them more if they were pink.

Bats at the Library

2008-10-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

Author/Illustrator: Brian Lies
Year: 2008
Reading Level: Picture book (4-8)

Plot Summary: A group of bats are tired of flying around every night and want to do something different. Luckily for them, a librarian has left a window open in the library and the bats get to have their "Bat Night at the library!" The bats enjoy all the delights of a library, from copy machines to drinking fountains and, of course, books.

My rating: A+ This book is so fun! The bats are so cute! There's a library! One of my favorite things is the montage of book references that are included in the illustrations, to show what the bats are reading. There are references to Make Way for Ducklings, Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland and many others--all with a batty spin. The illustrations are my favorite part.

The Fantastic Flying Adventure

2008-10-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

Author: Gerald Durrell
Year: 1987
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Adventure

Plot Summary: The three Dollybutt (really) siblings--Emma, Conrad and Ivan--are understandably surprised when their Great-Uncle Lancelot shows up on their lawn in his enormous hot air balloon house, the Belladonna. He quickly enlists the children's help in finding his lost brother Perceval and they set off to find him in the Belladonna. They travel around the world in the balloon following Perceval's trail, frequently stopping to question the local animals on his whereabouts.

Red Flags: Heavy handed environmental message

My Rating: C. Illustrations=nice. Story=bland. I'm not sure which annoyed me more--how obviously the animal factoids were shoehorned in or how obnoxiously heavy handed the environmental message was. It's great that Gerald Durrell is a leading naturalist and whatnot but a storyteller he is not.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

2008-10-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

Author: Ann Brashares
Year: 2001
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Novel
Series: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Plot Summary: Four best friends, Lena, Bridget, Tibby and Carmen, are 15 and facing their first summer apart. The day before they separate they realize a pair of thrift-store jeans magically fit all of them perfectly. They go their separate ways to face their own trials over the summer, some with more success than others. Through it all, however, the Pants are shared and sent from one friend to another until they come together again.

Red Flags: Some mild language and mild sexual situations

Movie Version: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
My Rating: A. Good grief, this book sucked me like a Twilight book (sadly, no brain-breaking Jacobs involved). Maybe I liked it better because I had Gossip Girl to contrast it with, but I really, really liked this book. The girls had real personalities and read like actual people that could exist in real life. The adventures weren't too overblown or overdramatic, and the writing was good! Now, quick, give me the next one!

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

2008-10-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

Author: Joan Aiken
Year: 1987
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Alternate history, novel

Plot Summary: Young Bonnie Green's parents are leaving for a ocean trip to improve her mother's help. They've hired a governess, Miss Slighcarp, and sent for Bonnie's cousin Sylvia to watch over the house and keep her company in their absence. Sylvia is everything Bonnie expected and wanted in a companion, but as soon as her parents leave, Miss Slighcarp asserts her authority in the most unpleasant ways. She soon sends Bonnie and Sylvia off to a wretched orphan school, but Bonnie's determined to escape and take back her home.

Red Flags: Scary adults

My Rating: A-. It took a while to get into this book, and by the end I was still puzzled by the wolves. But after the intitial kind of "Huh?" of the first 40 pages or so, it was quite entertaining and strange in an appealing way. Also, it's all Victorian and stuff and that's cool. Final note: Simon reminded me a lot of Dickon from The Secret Garden (this is a good thing).

Tantalize

2008-10-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith
Year: 2007
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Supernatural fantasy

Plot Summary: 17 and orphaned, Quincie Morris is overseeing the renovation of her family's Italian restaurant as it becomes the vampire-themed Sanguini's. After the head chef (and family friend) is brutally murdered, Quincie finds his replacement in the unassuming but talented Henry Johnson. Meanwhile Quincie's best friend (and would-be love interest) Kieren, a hybrid werewolf, is under suspicion for murder. Life gets increasingly stranger as Sanguini's opening night draws closer...

Red Flags: teenage drinking, some gore, moderate language, mild sexual content, general weirdness

My Rating: C. This book just got weirder and weirder. I thought it would be more Twilight-y (which, for some reason, I wanted) and it wasn't at all. I thought hot werewolf Kieren would actually be in the book, but he hardly was. Also, this book was strange and in the end, what was the point? The characters were bland. The setting was Austin but too undefined for me to get a grip on. Also, I hate it when characters aren't described (Kieren! I don't know what you look like! I only know that you're hot!).

Fairest

2008-10-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

Author: Gail Carson Levine
Year: 2006
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fairy tale
Series: Not a series per se, but set in the same universe as Ella Enchanted

Plot Summary: Aza has never been pretty, especially compared to other Ayorthians, but what she lacks in looks she makes up for with her singing talents. When Aza gets the chance to go to the king's wedding, her life changes as she becomes involved with court life. She doesn't have much time to enjoy it though, as an unfortunate accident has repercussions not just for Aza but for the whole kingdom.

Red Flags: None

My Rating: A- This was a fun book to read, very quick and absorbing (I liked it much more than Ella Enchanted, but not as much as Goose Chase). Aza was very likeable, as was the Prince. Probably my only gripe is how the gnomes talk. Am I supposed to be able to pronounce any of those words?

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread

2008-10-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Year: 2003
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Fantasy

Plot Summary: Despereaux, a small-bodied but large-eared mouse, is not like the other mice that live in the castle. He loves books and music and is in love with Princess Pea, which shocks his relations to their core. It's also this love that takes him on a series of adventures, down to the castle's dungeon, where the vicious rats live. Despite his small size, Despereaux risks everything to save his (human) lady love.

Red Flags: None! Unless you count a mild inter-species romance.

Movie Version: The Tale of Despereaux
Award/s: Newbery Medal, 2004
My Rating: A. This was a very fun, endearing kind of book. Despereaux is cute, cuddly and sincere, and the supporting characters are all entertaining (especially his French mother). I like Kate DiCamillo's writing style, although I didn't so much care for her constantly saying "Reader..." But overall, it was a great book.

Runaway Ralph

2008-10-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Author: Beverly Cleary
Year: 1970
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Real world fantasy
Series: Mouse and the Motorcycle

Plot Summary: Fed up with living with his pesky younger cousins and nagging relatives, Ralph leaves the rustic inn that is his home and strikes out for freedom on the open road. After a long journey on his trusty motorcycle, Ralph finds himself at the Happy Acres summer camp. His freedom is short lived, however, as he soon finds himself shut in a wire cage with only a cynical hamster for company. In a bid for his freedom, Ralph launches a desperate escape plan, but the camp's cat isn't so keen on letting him go.

Red Flags: None

My Rating: B+. I loved and still love The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and while this one isn't as good, I still love the idea of a mouse being able to ride a motorcycle just by making the sound. About 3/4 of the way through I started to wonder if I've read this one before, or if I'm thinking of Ralph S. Mouse. Or did I read them both? I have no idea.

Gossip Girl

2008-09-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

Author: Cecily Von Ziegesar
Year: 2002
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Novel
Series: Gossip Girl

Plot Summary: Serena van der Woodsen used to be the queen of Constance Billard School until she left for a year of boarding school. She comes back to find that her former best friend, Blair Waldorf, has gotten used to having the spotlight. Nasty rumors start spreading about Serena's time away and she soon finds herself an outcast and looking for new friends. Much teen drama ensues.

Red Flags: Um, a lot. Of every kind. It seems like you'd at least have to be voting age to read this book. But to be more specific, there is plentiful strong language, teenage drinking, drug use and and sex a'plenty. There's also some bulemia on the side.

My Rating: D
Um, this book is a pile of crap. (Sorry, Mom) No, seriously, I can't believe teenage girls are reading this. I can see college girls enjoying it for the ridiculousness of it, but for really reading it and wanting to get into that world? That's kind of unbelievable.

Little House on the Prairie

2008-09-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Year: 1935
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Western,
Series: Little House

Plot Summary: Laura Ingalls and her family move from their house in the big woods to find a new life on the plains. After the long trip to the West, her family builds a new house and tries to establish themselves in the land. Over the course of the book, the Ingalls family builds a new home, acquires a cow, fights a prairie fire and interacts with the local Indian tribes.

Red Flags: This book will make you feel incredibly lazy and unskilled because you can't make a door, dig a well, hunt for food or be really self sufficient at all.

My Rating: A
I'm pretty sure my mom read all of the Little House books to us when we were little, but all I can remember really is the bear in Farmer Boy. Anyway, this was fun to read, and it was interesting to read it knowing the author had lived it. Her writing isn't really awesome in the technical sense but it works for the story. And I always like Garth Williams illustrations.

Jinx

2008-09-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Author: Meg Cabot
Year: 2007
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Novel/Fantasy

Plot Summary: Hoping to escape her perpetual bad luck, Jean Honeychurch (aka Jinx) moves from a small town in Iowa to live with her wealthy aunt and uncle in New York City. There she finds that her formerly friendly cousin, Tory, has turned into a surly teenager with a lot of attitude and a belief that she's a witch. When Jinx seems to be getting everything Tory wants, Tory does her best to make Jinx's life miserable, including bringing her past back to haunt her.

Red Flags: Some strong language, teenage partying, witchcraft

My Rating: B-
I expected this book to just be the standard teen drama novel, and then was really surprised when the witchcraft angle came in. It was kind of weird how it was presented, like witchcraft is a beautiful thing and all about being in harmony with nature. Not that I don't like nature or being harmony with it, but it was just kind of strange. The writing was all right, nothing spectacular, and the characters were all pretty standard. Also, Jinx was unbelievably dense when it came to her boy situation.

Coraline

2008-09-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Author: Neil Gaiman
Year: 2002
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Real world fantasy

Plot Summary: Coraline loves exploring and she has plenty of time to explore her family's new flat, which is part of a larger house. In the course of her exploring she opens a door that leads to nothing...or so it seems. Soon she discovers an other world on the other side with other versions of her parents and neighbors. Her other parents adore her to a creepy extent and though they let her leave the first time, leaving the second time isn't so easy.

Red Flags: The story would scare some kids

Movie version: Coraline
My Rating: A-
This was such a spooky book! Ominous messages from mice, button eyes, shadowy things...spooky! This is probably my favorite Gaiman book that I've read. I really like the story and Coraline, though I wish we got into her head a little more. She says she's scared, but I don't always believe her. Also, I liked the cat.

Crispin: the Cross of Lead

2008-09-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Author: Avi
Year: 2002
Age Level: Intermediate
Genre: Historical
Series: Crispin

Plot Summary: After his mother's death, 13-year-old Crispin happens to overhear a mysterious nighttime conversation that leads to his being framed for theft. Escaping into the woods, Crispin begins a desperate journey to find safety. Along the way he meets a deep-thinking entertainer and together they work to outrun Crispin's pursuers and discover the secrets of Crispin's past.

Red Flags: Religious discussion and themes

Award/s: Newbery medal winner
My Rating: A
This was the first Avi book I've ever read and I am definitely going to have to pick up the next book soon. The writing is very good and Crispin is such a cute little character. It also has a nice level of historical detail--enough to fully set the stage, but not so much that it reads like an encyclopedia article.

An Abundance of Katherines

2008-09-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Author: John Green
Year: 2006
Age Level: Young Adult
Genre: Novel

Plot Summary: Colin Singleton is a "washed-up child prodigy" who has just been dumped by a Katherine for the nineteenth time. In an effort to distract him, Colin's best friend, Hassan, instigates a roadtrip adventure. It's not long before the two find themselves in Gutshot, Tennessee, looking for the grave of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and making friends with the locals. Colin and Hassan take up residence in a pink mansion and experience all the drama and teenage antics Gutshot have to offer, while Colin tries to explain his dumping-by-Katherines history with mathematics.

Red Flags: Language, some sexual content, some math talk

My Rating: B+
I'm lukewarm about a lot of this book. The story and setting is fun enough, and some of the characters are interesting. I guess I just don't relate to it much because this was nothing like my teenage experience, and the book seems like it's supposed to reflect the average teenager. Anyway. I did really like Colin by the end of it though, and the whole resolution of the story was pretty satisfying, if predictable.

Goose Chase

2008-09-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Author: Patrice Kindl
Year: 2002
Age Level: Intermediate
Genre: Fairy tale

Plot Summary: Alexandria Aurora Fortunato, once simply a Goose Girl, has been enchanted and put in a tower while a young, simple Prince and a older, ruthless King vie for her hand in marriage. Her twelve white geese come to her rescue just in time, and although Alexandria escapes the tower, she still has to deal with hungry ogresses, a cruel Baroness and a hapless traveling companion. All she wants is to live in the country again with her geese, but Alexandria seems to be destined for a life grander than that of a Goose Girl.

My rating: A.
I read this book several years ago and loved it. I was hoping it would hold up on a second reading, and it did. It has everything a good fairy tale ought to have: enchantments, royalty, good characters and a satisfying conclusion.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

2008-09-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Author: Brian Selznick
Year: 2007
Age Level: Intermediate
Genre: Mystery, illustrated

Plot Summary: Hugo Cabret is a young boy living in the hidden areas of the train station in Paris, France, 1931. He winds and repairs all the clocks in the station, keeping out of sight and stealing the necessities of life. His real project, however, is a mysterious "mechanical man" who, when fixed, will write what Hugo hopes is a message from his dead father. In his quest to repair the automaton, Hugo gets involved in a larger mystery that involves drawings, necklaces and dreams.

The inclusion of 284 pages of illustrations make this an exceptionally entertaining book, one that Brian Selznick describes as "not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things."

Award/s: 2008 Caldecott Medal,

Memorable quotes: "I like to imagine the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too." --page 378

My rating: A. I hemmed and hawed about this one, mainly because the resolution and mystery were so entirely not what I expected. I did love the atmosphere of the book though, the illustrations are really, really lovely and the characters are quite charming. Hence the A.

Because of Winn-Dixie

2008-09-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Year: 2000
Age Level: Intermediate
Genre: Novel

Plot Summary: India Opal Buloni is ten years old when she moves with her preacher father to Naomi, Florida. Struggling to find friends and interact with her father, she chances to meet a large, smelly dog in the grocery store. The two form an instant bond, and she adopts the dog after naming him Winn-Dixie. Together with Winn-Dixie, India Opal Buloni finds true friends, comes to terms with her mother's absence and finally reconnects with her father.

Award/s: Newbery winner
Movie version/s: Because of Winn-Dixie
My rating: A
I liked this book more than I expected to. I liked that the kids acted like kids, but it still had a serious edge and genuine emotions. It was a little bit cozy but still realistic. DiCamillo has a really nice writing style.

The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1: The Field Guide

2008-09-13T09:47:00.001-07:00

Authors: Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Year: 2003
Age Level: Intermediate
Genre: Real world fantasy
Series: The Spiderwick Chronicles

Plot Summary: After his family moves to the run-down Spiderwick estate, it's not long before Jared Grace starts to notice unusual things around the house. Jared, his twin brother, Simon, and his older sister, Mallory, decide to find the source of scratching noises behind the wall ("Probably a squirrel."). In the process, Jared discovers much more than a lost squirrel and finds himself battling a sneaky, mischievous foe.

Red Flag: Since this is only the first of five books, the ending is somewhat open.

Movie version/s: The Spiderwick Chronicles
My rating: A-
This was a really fun book. I feel like I've just tipped my toe in the water, so to speak, and so I will definitely be picking up the next book. I also really liked the illustrations. Just judging by the covers, I expected it to be much more of a Series of Unfortunate Events knockoff, but it really wasn't similar at all.

The Dollmage

2008-09-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Author: Martine Leavitt
Year: 2002
Age Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy (Pure)

Plot Summary: The village of Seekvalley is led by the Dollmage, one woman with the power to guide and protect her people with her mystical abilities. Two girls, Annakey and Renoa, are born on the same day and both have the potential to be the Dollmage. Even though Renoa is favored to become the Dollmage, Annakey develops her skills as well, often in secret. When outsiders threaten the safety of Seekvalley, both girls form plans to save the village with their abilities, but in the end there can only be one Dollmage.

Red Flags: some minor gore, (discrete) rape scene

My rating: C
This was kind of strange book. The first-person narration made it really hard to imagine the world and setting of the story--it was kind of like watching a movie filmed entirely with close-ups. So I didn't really understand why dolls were the method of controlling and creating the society, and it just came off as random. It's hard to take it seriously when it's weird.

Books, books, books...

2008-09-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my reading blog! The idea here is to post reviews of books as I read them during the next few months of 2008. A lot of these will be childrens and young adult because of a class I'm in, but I hope to squeeze in a few for my leisurely hours.

Anyhoo, boring first entry...but there will be at 71 more posts more by the end of the semester!