What are You Reading / Reviews - April 2017

[Terris]

Thank you for this wonderful review! I read Harold Fry so long ago & didn't really think I wanted to read about Queenie. But now you've made me want to -- thank you! :)

[Book Concierge]

The Mighty Miss Malone – Christopher Paul Curtis – 4****
In Bud, Not Buddy, Bud met a precocious girl at a camp next to a railroad track near Flint, Michigan. That girl was Deza Malone and this is her story. I just love Deza Malone! She’s smart, courageous, resilient and big-hearted. The family’s journey is perilous at times, and Mrs Malone’s worry is well-founded. But they also have moments of joy, and meet with kindness and compassion from total strangers. Curtis doesn’t shy away from the tragedies of the era, but he also gives a strong message on the power of family unity, and of never giving up your dreams.
LINK to my review

[Terris]

Book Concierge wrote: "

The Mighty Miss Malone
– Christopher Paul Curtis – 4****
In Bud, Not Buddy, Bud met a precocious girl at a camp next to a railroad track near Fli..."

I'm so glad that you related this book to "Bud, Not Buddy" for me! I loved that book, and "The Mighty Miss Malone" is on my TBR list. Now that you say that, I think I remember her from that story. Now I'm moving it up on the list! Thanks :)

[Beverly]

Fates and Furies by Lauren Goff
3 stars

This was just an OK read for me. This story is told from 2 different viewpoints. First we hear from the man in the relationship (the fates portion) and then his wife (the furies) I will say that the difference in their perspectives was amazing. The book covers the entire span of their meeting, courtship and marriage and from the beginning nothing is really as it seems but the reader doesn't discover that until they've read both sides of the story. There was too much sexual content for my liking but the story itself is interesting and kept me involved. Going into any detail, I feel, would spoil the impact so if sex, secrets, relationships and love stories are your thing, you'd probably enjoy this.

[Beverly]

Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley
2 stars

I really wanted to like this book...really wanted to but I just didn't. It started out with a punch but then kind of melted down. I was not impressed with much of the writing, although occasionally there were some bright spots. The main characters who are supposed to be some "kick ass" heroines mostly come off as lazy or uninterested in doing what they're intended to do. We actually read this as one of our Young Adult book club selections this month and the general consensus was that the book was disappointing.

[Beverly]

Browsings: A Year of Reading, Collecting and Living with Books by Michael Dirda
3 stars

This was much more interesting than I thought it would be although Mr. Dirda is obviously is much more well read reader than myself. It actually consists of columns that he wrote for publication and it covers a variety of topics but always with books, reading or massive amounts of time spent in bookstores as the core topic. Any avid reader could certainly identify with the ideas presented even if they have not read the array of older books that Mr. Dirda tends to collect. Definitely a book lover's book, a very pleasant read.

[Beverly]

The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe
3 stars

I guess what I can say about this book is that it was certainly different. From the promos I'd read, I had a pretty good idea what was basically going to happen but ramping up to it with the actual reading of the book made it more horrifying than I expected. Francie Brady, who didn't have the best circumstances in life to begin with, encounters one unexpected loss after another. His mental condition is questionable from the beginning and each loss or suspected insult tips him closer and closer to the edge. I can't say that I enjoyed reading this but I'm glad that I did. It's a book that will not only tell the tale of a slip into madness but will make the reader actually go along for the ride.

[Beverly]

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
4 stars

I really enjoyed this young adult adventure story. The city of Ember was established underground many years ago. The city was stocked with supplies to last well into the future and a message was hidden away to tell the populace what to do when they finally ran out but the message's location was lost when the person keeping it died before they passed it on to the next person. Now the lights are starting to flicker and supplies are almost gone. Two of the newest workers for the city now become the final hope to rescue their entire society.

[Terris]

Beverly wrote: "
Fates and Furies by Lauren Goff
3 stars

This was just an OK read for me. This story is told from 2 different viewpoints. First we hear from the man in the rel..."

This didn't do much for me either. I liked it fine, but...

[Beverly]

Rudas by Yuyi Morales
2 stars

Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards--my last group for this year's vote. I just not sure about this one...it's kind of a Spanish take on Captain Underpants. The colors are very bold and bright. This is just a really different picture book. I'm not really even convinced that a child would love this.

[Beverly]

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
5 stars

Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards--my last group for this year's vote. I loved this imaginative book. It's the simple story of a cat taking a stroll and those that saw him during the walk. Each saw the cat from a different perspective and so each of their ideas regarding the cat were different. What a wonderful way to teach a child that even though many may see the exact same thing, each sees it in a very different way.

[Beverly]

A Voyage in the Clouds by Matthew Olshan
5 stars

Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards--my last group for this year's vote. Another book from the Caldecott candidates that I loved. The illustrations were wonderful and I really enjoyed the sense of humor used in the telling. Two men set out to attempt the same adventure but have very different ways of going about it. The lesson is that a difference of opinion does not mean that anyone is wrong.

[Beverly]

We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen
4 stars

Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards--my last group for this year's vote. Cute, cute, cute. Two turtles find a hat. The hat looks great on both of them but there's only one hat and two turtles...so they leave the hat behind. One of the turtles cannot stop thinking about that hat...

[Beverly]

The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk by Jan Thornhill
5 stars

Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards--my last group for this year's vote. I loved the illustrations in this non-fiction book. It tells the sad but extremely interesting story of how the Great Auk became extinct.

[Beverly]

Some Writer by Melissa Sweet
4 stars

Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards--my last group for this year's vote. I really enjoyed this lovely telling of the life of E. B. White using both beautiful illustrations and family photographs. The reader is told about White's life and just how he came to write Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web and the Trumpet of the Swan. My favorite fact was about one of the speakers at Mr. White's funeral who said (in summarizing White's dislike of formality "...if Andy White could be with us today, he would not be with us today."

[Beverly]

All Ears, All Eyes by Richard Jackson
4 stars

Reviewing for Mock Caldecott Awards. This book has a beautiful color palette. Not so much a story as a lovely walk through the woods listening to a recital of night sounds.

[Beverly]

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper
3 stars

Reviewing for Mock Caldecott Awards. This was a sweet but sad little book. I did not care for the illustrations. It tells the story of a kitten being added to the household and the older cat teaches it everything it needs to know. They live companionably until the older cat leaves and a new kitten arrives.

[Beverly]

Egg by Kevin Henkes
4 stars

Reviewing for Mock Caldecott Awards. I loved the soft colors of the illustrations. There are 4 different colored eggs. Three of them hatch first. When the 4th one finally hatches, it was quite the surprise. I think young children would really enjoy this story.

[Beverly]

Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History by Walter Dean Myers
4 stars

Reviewing for Mock Caldecott Awards. The illustrations are very muted but certainly lovely. This was an interesting biography of Frederick Douglass' life. The most interesting fact, to me, was that he changed his last name from Bailey in order to keep the slave catchers from finding him.