Thursday, May 29, 2008

STARTED:
Andersen, Hans Christian. (illustrated by Marcia Brown). (1963). The wild swans. New York: Scribner.

[Reading this, as mentioned below, to see how it compares to a book I'm reviewing for ACL which is a takeoff on this classic tale.]

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Monday, May 26, 2008


STARTED & FINISHED:

Parkinson, Siobhan. (2008). Blue like Friday. New York: Roarking Brook Press/Macmillan.


[Will post my ACL review here when I've written it... Funny, though, because in finding the link and cover shot I discovered that Ms. Parkinson wrote another book that I reviewed last year, and didn't like...

Here's my "official" review:

Hal isn’t a fan of his mother’s new live-in boyfriend, Alec, so he and his friend Olivia concoct a plan to split them up. Unfortunately, things backfire when is appears as though Alec may have been arrested because of the pair’s scheme. Then, when that has been cleared up, Hal’s mom suddenly disappears and Hal is forced to live with Alec alone. Is this a scheme set up by Hal’s mother all in an effort to make Hal and Alec bond? Parkinson’s tale is liberally littered with cheekily funny dialogue, and its straightforward, uncomplicated plot make this a breezy and enjoyable read. The zany situations which Hal and Olivia blow out of proportion ring true as those which young people may actually do. The drawback is the fact that Hal is said to have synesthesia, where he describes situations and things as colors (hence, the title), though this condition isn’t explored at all, with no real explanation given to how this has come about, or what the medical ramifications are of this condition. Still, this is a humorous and madcap tale that is sure to delight. Includes a glossary of Irish colloquialisms and pop culture references.]


STARTED:
Marriott, Zoe. (2008). The swan kingdom. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

[Reviewing for ACL. Am attempting to go beyond the usual and look at the source of inspiration for this one: Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans". Trying to get a jump on this month because I've got an 800 page behemoth to read for consideration on the Distinguished list for the year once I finish this one.]

*

Monday, May 19, 2008


FINISHED:

Thompson, Kate. (2005/2007). The new policeman. New York: Greenwillow/HarperCollins.


[Liked this one. It didn't ever compel me to WANT to keep reading, but it was nicely uncomplicated and straightforward. J.J. is led into another world through a souterrain in an Irish ring fort and hopes to find the source of a leak that is letting time escape from our world and poison a world that doesn't know time. Rich in Irish lore and music, this is a novel with a number of great moments such as when J.J. finally returns to our world and realizes that the pile of dust in his hand is Bran, the wounded dog that followed him around in the other world.]

STARTED:
Obama, Barack. (2006). The audacity of hope: Thoughts on reclaiming the American dream. New York: Crown/Random House.

[I've been wanting to read this one for a while now. Figured that I ought to try to get inside the head a bit of the man that I will be voting for in November to be our next president. Plus, Brian will be pleased to see that I'm reading an "adult" book...]

*

Monday, May 12, 2008


FINISHED:

Babbitt, Natalie. (1969). Search for delicious. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux.


[Certainly, not as fantastically engaging as I found Tuck Everlasting to be, but this woman has a gift for storytelling. After an argument at the king's castle over what the definition in a new dictionary should be for the word "delicious", young scribe Gaylen is sent out into the kingdom to poll all the citizens as to what they deem to be the most delicious thing to them. Along the way, Gaylen's efforts are thwarted by a member of the king's court who wants to use the unrest as a tool by which to throw the kingdom into war and usurp the king's throne. Little men living in trees, whistles, and a mermaid that has lost her doll round out this fairy tale with a political edge.]

STARTED:
Thompson, Kate. (2005/2007). The new policeman. New York: Greenwillow/HarperCollins.

[Won awards in Britain - have had my eye on it for awhile, and SFPL finally got some copies...]

*

Saturday, May 10, 2008


FINISHED:

Pullman, Philip. (1985). The ruby in the smoke. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf/Random House.


[.]

STARTED:
Babbitt, Natalie. (1969). Search for delicious. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux.

[It's short and I really wanted to read something else by her.]

*

Sunday, May 4, 2008


FINISHED:

Hale, Shannon. (2005). Princess academy. New York: Bloomsbury.


[All of the younger teenage girls in Miri's mountain village are forced to attend a "princess academy" as it has been told that the prince must marry a girl from Mount Eskel. There, Miri learns the value of friendship and family, how to read, the true value of the linder rocks that her people have been quarrying for years, and to be happy with what she has and where she is. There's some weird, somewhat underdeveloped stuff about "quarry speech" - or, how Miri's people can communicate with each other wordlessly - and I wish that a lot of the stuff that got packed into the ending - stuff about how important it is to be literate, and how Miri intends to start a school in her village - would've been explored more. I never really found myself WANTING to pick it up and find out what happened next, which is never a good sign. BUT, all that being said, it was enjoyable and I could see recommending it to just the right kid.]

STARTED:
Myers, Walter Dean. (2007). What they found: Love on 145th Street . New York: Wendy Lamb/Random House.

[Reading for ACL to see if I think that it should be deemed "outstanding" and "distinguished".]

*

Friday, May 2, 2008


STARTED & FINISHED:

Wiesmuller, Dieter. (1997/2000). The adventures of Marco and Polo. New York: Walker & Company.


[STUNNING illustrations in this tale of a monkey who visits the Arctic and is led around by a penguin. After finding the Arctic too cold, the monkey takes the penguin to HIS home in the warm jungle. A sweet, simple story with repetitive elements and a great message about making friends and really making an effort to understand who they are.]



Kitamura, Satoshi. (1999). Me and my cat? New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.


[I just love this guy's illustrations. The story itself is about a boy and his cat who switch bodies for a day. Funny with an irreverent touch.]





Lobel, Arnold. (1966). Martha the movie mouse. New York: Harper & Row.


[Can't believe that I've never read this one by the Master before. A cute tale about a mouse looking for a new home who finds it in a movie theatre. When a film breaks, Martha takes it upon herself to fill the void in entertainment by dancing for the filmgoers. Rhyming text and Lobel's winning illustrations make this one a gem.]

STARTED:
Pullman, Philip. (1985). The ruby in the smoke. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf/Random House.

[Started reading this over my Coachella weekend. Still need to make it through Princess Academy as well. I'm not much of a person for mysteries, but I'm liking this one. Pullman, as always, is a master storyteller.]

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