You've got to love Jon Klassen. Simple words, simple pictures that nevertheless could tell the story all by themselves, and an ending that is shocking...moreYou've got to love Jon Klassen. Simple words, simple pictures that nevertheless could tell the story all by themselves, and an ending that is shocking and disturbing and hilarious! A fabulous book! My kids adore it!(less)
FREAKING ADORABLE! Someone recommended this to me months ago, and I thought it looked mildly interesting. But it's a sweet and beautifully illustrated...moreFREAKING ADORABLE! Someone recommended this to me months ago, and I thought it looked mildly interesting. But it's a sweet and beautifully illustrated story about a little girl named Annabelle (a name dear to my heart) who finds a magic box of yarn and begins to knit sweaters for everyone in her town. I mean, it's like this book was MADE FOR ME.(less)
ARGH. So, I read this aloud to the kids, and halfway through there's a major death, and I'm bawling and thinking, If this book ends badly I may have t...moreARGH. So, I read this aloud to the kids, and halfway through there's a major death, and I'm bawling and thinking, If this book ends badly I may have traumatized my eight-year-old for life! But it ends well, and is actually a delightful book, though heart-breaking at times.(less)
I have been looking forward to reading this after all the rave reviews, and then on Monday it was named a Printz Honor book. I felt quite superior bec...moreI have been looking forward to reading this after all the rave reviews, and then on Monday it was named a Printz Honor book. I felt quite superior because I already had it on my bedside table! And then I started it . . . and I kept waiting for it to wow me . . . and waiting. . . In the end it did, but the first half of the book was problematic for me.
Here's the thing, which you will pick up from the back, inside flap, and first page, so it's not spoiling anything. The bulk of this book is meant to be a confession of a British spy who was caught and has two weeks to spill her guts and then they'll probably execute her anyway. She's writing on whatever scraps of paper they can find for her, and they mainly want to know where she's from, what names she knows, locations of bases, etc. She's tied to her chair every day while she writes, she's starving, she's been tortured, and she's scribbling with bad ink on old recipe cards. And yet she somehow manages to wax poetic on the Scottish landscape. The mountains! The sunsets! The glories of riding a motorbike over the hills with your friend on a summer's day for a picnic! I kept thinking, She's wasting paper. She's wasting time. And they are going to murder her here and now for being useless! Wein's writing is wonderful. She's clearly done a great deal of research, but as a "confession" it just didn't work for me. The spy also writes in third person, which prevented me from getting to know her and caring about her all the much.
The second half of the story, which is from another character's POV, was infinitely more interesting, had far more shocks and twists, and ended brilliantly. I SOBBED through the last few pages of the book. So I really don't even know how to rate this book. The first part of the story was kind of meh for me. I did like most of the characters, and thought the premise of the book was interesting and the story of the civilian (and often female) British courier pilots was truly something fascinating that more people should be aware of. But the way the story was being told just didn't work for me. The second half was amazing, concise and perfect, and pulled together the threads of the first half. It was worth reading for the second half alone.
By the way, this is for older teens for sure. There is torture, death, maiming, and some moral decisions that younger readers will either find distressing or won't even be able to understand.(less)
Hm. So. Loved the setting and the quirky characters, but with Newbery winners I'm always thinking of how they are going to hold up in a few years, and...moreHm. So. Loved the setting and the quirky characters, but with Newbery winners I'm always thinking of how they are going to hold up in a few years, and whether I would recommend them to kids. If anything, this reminded me of CRISS-CROSS, which a week later I couldn't remember more than . . . something about a kid with a guitar???? But this book is fun, and interesting, and different in that it is basically a semi-fictional autobiography. But I couldn't pin down the main character's age until he had a birthday and they announced that he was twelve. He felt eleven-turning-twelve, but the book also feels like it's written for teens, up until the rather rushed ending, which made me think it had been oversimplified for younger readers . . . Not sure how I feel over all.(less)
A delightful adventure story. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the old Rex Harrison movie (a childhood favorite) follows the book quite well. M...moreA delightful adventure story. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the old Rex Harrison movie (a childhood favorite) follows the book quite well. My 8 year old loved it, and now we will be reading the first Dr. Dolittle book together.(less)
So gorgeous! One of those picture books that is truly for everyone, too. I read it, and immediately sent a copy to my parents, read it to my son, who...moreSo gorgeous! One of those picture books that is truly for everyone, too. I read it, and immediately sent a copy to my parents, read it to my son, who thought it was fun, while my sister and I were moved to tears. Something for everyone!(less)
This book is the perfect combination of text and illustration. Every word and every tiny detail of the pictures is needed to tell this (hilarious) sto...moreThis book is the perfect combination of text and illustration. Every word and every tiny detail of the pictures is needed to tell this (hilarious) story. A new favorite!(less)
This, children, is what a perfect novel looks like. A fairy story, a coming-of-age story, and a love letter to the classic sci fi and fantasy that Wal...moreThis, children, is what a perfect novel looks like. A fairy story, a coming-of-age story, and a love letter to the classic sci fi and fantasy that Walton grew up on, this book was so gorgeous I could hardly bear to put it down. I want to embroider whole chunks of it on linen and hang them on the wall. Through the character of Mor, Walton shares beautiful thoughts about books, libraries, wonder, and magic. It has the perfect mix of characters that you love, and those you love to hate. And Mor is such a delight: wise in many ways, naive in others, and her enthusiasm for books charmed me and made me feel nostalgic for my early reading days as well. This book is sweeping the SF/fantasy awards, and with good reason. It's absolutely a must-read for anyone who has ever loved reading, especially (but not exclusively) SF/fantasy books.(less)
How exactly have I never read this book before? I knew it existed, I've read almost every other book by Madeleine l'Engle, and it's a Newbery Honor bo...moreHow exactly have I never read this book before? I knew it existed, I've read almost every other book by Madeleine l'Engle, and it's a Newbery Honor book!
Gross failure on my part, clearly.
I loved this beautiful, tender book, which reminded me more and more of l'Engle's Crosswicks journals, where she meditates on the nature of God and life and science in more detail. Here it's young Vicky Austin, finding herself on uncertain footing in the face of three very different guys who are interested in her just as she has come to spend a final summer with her ill grandfather. If you've never read one of L'Engle's non-WRINKLE IN TIME books, why not start here? Simply lovely.(less)
I will have the song "Tiny Dancer" in my head forever now, but I don't care. This was a superb book about friendship, love, taking chances, and learni...moreI will have the song "Tiny Dancer" in my head forever now, but I don't care. This was a superb book about friendship, love, taking chances, and learning to be comfortable in your own skin. Two Will Graysons, with entirely different lives, are dragged together along this journey of self-discovery by the massive (and massively fabulous) Tiny Cooper, one of the greatest YA lit characters I've encountered in dog's years. Flawlessly written, but I'll warn you now: there is frequent, graphic language.(less)
Breathtaking. And, let's face it, part of the reason why I was crying at the end wasn't just because the ending was so perfect, but because I know tha...moreBreathtaking. And, let's face it, part of the reason why I was crying at the end wasn't just because the ending was so perfect, but because I know that I will never write a book as amazing as this.
Not only has Willis crafted an intricately layered time travel novel, but it's also an outstanding piece of historical fiction. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of WWII, and makes you feel the horror and hardship of life in England during the war in a way that no other author can. (At least none in my experience.) Her characters, both the time travelers and the "contemps" are real and completely engaging. Even when a random shopgirl or crabby landlady gets killed in the Blitz, you feel their loss. And how Willis kept track of each of the characters, some of them with multiple aliases and existing in multiple threads, I will never know.
There were surprises and twists, humor, romance, adventure, mystery, history, and science all wrapped together into one fabulous package. This review, by the way, also applies to the first half of the story, BLACKOUT, which you must read first. And you must read them, yes, you must.(less)
Is it possible that I have never reviewed this book?! Or maybe I've just reviewed another edition? Whatever the case, this book is fantastic! A young,...moreIs it possible that I have never reviewed this book?! Or maybe I've just reviewed another edition? Whatever the case, this book is fantastic! A young, respectable girl returning from her English boarding school to her home in Massachusetts ends up caught in the middle of a mutiny, and pressed into service as a sailor. Wonderfully descriptive, with meticulous detail about life on board a ship, readers of all ages and sexes can enjoy this book.(less)
So many brains splattering on the walls! So much pus! And the blood! Buckets and buckets of blood! Urp. Pardon me.
I am the hugest fan of Rick Yancey's...moreSo many brains splattering on the walls! So much pus! And the blood! Buckets and buckets of blood! Urp. Pardon me.
I am the hugest fan of Rick Yancey's Alfred Kropp series, and so I cheered very loudly when this book was awarded a Printz Honor. I had not read it yet, and was looking forward to reading it, and was excited to see Yancey honored.
But, boy howdy, this is a wild and crazy departure from the Alfred Kropp books, yesireebob!
HOWEVER. HOWEVER! Once I got used to the fact that this was not Alfred Kropp by another name, oooh, was it a fascinating read! Our new hero, Will Henry, is the assistant to Pellinore Warthrop, Ph.D. a monstrumologist. His job? To research and hunt monsters, before they can torture and kill the good citizens of the world. An infestation of Anthropophagi have struck the New England coast, despite being native to Africa, and Dr. Warthrop is on their trail with Will Henry in tow. Like an even more deranged Sherlock Holmes with an even more clueless Dr. Watson at his heels, Warthrop autopsies monsters, lurks in graveyards at night, and interviews the demented and the damned! (Mwah ha ha!) Anthropophagi, might I add, are not the product of Yancey's (fertile) imagination, but have appeared in everything from Shakespeare to Herodotus' histories. They're human-like creatures, but without heads, and their faces are in their torsos. Creepy and horrifying! This is a great book for fans of horror, particularly if you like zombies and monsters!(less)
Young Minli's family is very poor, and so she goes in search of the Man in the Moon to ask how they can increase their f...moreA charming Chinese folk tale!
Young Minli's family is very poor, and so she goes in search of the Man in the Moon to ask how they can increase their fortune. Along the way she meets many interesting people and animals, and hears many new stories. You can ask only one question of the Man in the Moon, but when Minli reaches him, which question should she ask?
Lovely, lovely book, with full color illustrations as well!(less)
A delightful book for the very young! I read this aloud to my five-year-old son, and he just loved it. The illustrations are lovely, and there's one o...moreA delightful book for the very young! I read this aloud to my five-year-old son, and he just loved it. The illustrations are lovely, and there's one on nearly every page, the story is simple and silly and fun! Excellent for reading aloud, or for a child just learning to read himself.(less)
Shortly after the Newberys were announced, I was at a bookstore talking with some children's book authors, and some of the bookseller...moreUtterly engaging!
Shortly after the Newberys were announced, I was at a bookstore talking with some children's book authors, and some of the booksellers. They were talking about the Newbery awards, always a hot-button topic, and one of the other authors (Ann Cannon) was saying how much she adored the new winner, When You Reach Me. She said that it reminded her of books she had read as a kid, and that it was just a treat for her to read.
Ann, I agree 100%.
This book was a treat. A delight. It reminded me of reading A Wrinkle in Time, or The One Hundredth Thing About Caroline. It was like Konigsberg and L'Engle got smooshed together to create Rebecca Stead. Quirky (yet not gratingly so) and fully realized characters, from Miranda's mom (who dreams of being on $20,000 Pyramid) to the homeless Laughing Man on the streetcorner to Miranda the Narrator herself, I loved everyone in the book, and everything they did. I laughed, I teared up at the ending, and I even got chills. The Newberys are supposed to be the best books for readers aged 10 and up, a hard thing to pick. Some years I think the books skew too young, some are clearly Good For You (but not Fun To Read), but this is one I will recommend to everyone.
A charming portrait of the marriage of Charles and Emma Darwin. Charles Darwin was an interesting person just on his own: tormented by his scientific...moreA charming portrait of the marriage of Charles and Emma Darwin. Charles Darwin was an interesting person just on his own: tormented by his scientific finds and that they might show that God had no hand in creation, horrified by the idea that he might offend anyone (particularly his family) when he published his theories and troubled by poor health (probably brought on by stress and anxiety attacks). Nevertheless, his marriage to Emma, a staunch believer in God and religion, was one of great love and peace. They rarely (if ever) argued, and she edited all of his writings. They had ten children and lost three, one of them the ten-year-old favorite of the family. The book uses their diaries and letters to recreate scenes typical of their marriage from courtship to death. Engaging, informative, and accessible for any age of reader. (less)
In an alternate 19th century Seattle, a terrible thing has happened: Leviticus Blue has built a magnificent machine, intended to drill throug...moreSo. Good.
In an alternate 19th century Seattle, a terrible thing has happened: Leviticus Blue has built a magnificent machine, intended to drill through ice to unlock the Klondike's gold. What makes this so terrible is that Blue's machine first burrows under the city of Seattle itself, unleashes a strange gas that turns anyone who breathes it into a zombie!
Yes, it's a weird, sensational premise. No, the book is not at all overwrought and silly. It's a hard, simple book about people who went west to work the frontier, and instead find themselves dealing with a much harder world than they had imagined. Briar Wilkes Blue, widow of the strange inventor, is just trying to eke out a living for her and her boy, Zeke . . . but when Zeke goes into the heart of the city for evidence that his father was a hero, not a villain, Briar goes in after him. The book is beautiful: heartfelt, inventive in ways that make me stand in awe of Priest's writing as well as her fine, fine plotting. The characters were wonderful, the steampunk machinery as believable as the real historical details.
Run, people, and get a copy of this book! Run before the rotters get you! Mwa ha ha ha ha!(less)
Cameron, diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease, goes on a madcap journey to save himself (and the world!) along with an angry little person, and the Norse go...moreCameron, diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease, goes on a madcap journey to save himself (and the world!) along with an angry little person, and the Norse god Balder (in lawn gnome form).
It's hard to describe, really, but it's about life, and love, and friendship, courage, loyalty, and learning to live. Hilarious, heart-breaking, and written with a delicacy I can only admire!(less)
A sprawling teen fantasy that encompasses an entire world. Katsa is Graced, meaning that in her home country of the Middluns she is shunned by most pe...moreA sprawling teen fantasy that encompasses an entire world. Katsa is Graced, meaning that in her home country of the Middluns she is shunned by most people and practically owned by her uncle the king who values her Grace. (A Grace is a talent for something, and Katsa's appears to be killing.) She meets a young man, also Graced, who comes from a country where the Graced are celebrated, and together they embark on a journey to solve a mysterious crime. Along the way they uncover secrets about themselves, their Graces, and the powerful rulers who seek to use the Graced for their own ends.(less)
Simply amazing! The world that Knox created was a strange little corner of our own, yet her plot and the dreamhunting was so totally unique. I'm in aw...moreSimply amazing! The world that Knox created was a strange little corner of our own, yet her plot and the dreamhunting was so totally unique. I'm in awe of this book. Brilliant!(less)
Loading...
