Wednesday, December 31, 2008


FINISHED:

Hautman, P., and Logue, M. (2008). Doppleganger [The Bloodwater mysteries]. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin.


[Review posted right here... once I've written it...

Voila:

Roni, a budding journalist and private eye, sees an age-progressed photo of a child that has been missing for the last 10 years and believes it so closely resembles her friend Brian that it opens up a whole investigation for the two of them to find out the truth about this case and it’s possible relation to Brian. Simultaneously, some shadowy figures see a picture of Brian in the newspaper and also believe him to be this particular missing child and will stop at nothing to seek out answers to this decade-long mystery. This third installment in the Bloodwater Mysteries series, behind Snatched (Putnam, 2006) and Skullduggery (Putnam, 2007), is a fun and fast-paced puzzler that covers the issues of mistaken identity, foreign adoption, abandonment, and the difficult choices that parents must make in what they believe to be their child’s best interest. This isn’t a bogged down, confounding tale that is impossible to follow, but rather a breezy and light one with satisfying elements of danger and intrigue that ought to have wide appeal – to those who are diehard mystery fanatics and those who are just getting into the genre. ]

STARTED:
Martin, C.K. Kelly. (2008). I know it's over. New York: Random House.

[Reviewing for ACL.]

*

Tuesday, December 30, 2008


FINISHED:

Korman, Gordon. (2008). The 39 clues [Book 2]: One false note. New York: Scholastic.


[Must. Visit. Venice. Before. Dying.]

STARTED:
Hautman, P., and Logue, M. (2008). Doppleganger [The Bloodwater mysteries]. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin.

[Reviewing for ACL...]

*

Saturday, December 27, 2008


FINISHED:

Look, Lenore. (2008). Alvin Ho: Allergic to girls, school, and other scary things. New York: Schwartz & Wade/Random House.


[LOTS of Mock Newbery buzz on this one. I liked it a lot - best book of the year... um, no. Alvin Ho is ready to begin 2nd grade, but he has selective mutism - outside of school he's a chatty Cathy, but when he gets to school he goes mute and can't speak at all. This is a fun little read which chronicles a few different events in Alvin's life, mostly centered around beginning a new school year and his attempts to make friends. Alvin is a sweetly drawn character whom you will root for, and those around him are interesting as well - his genius brother Calvin, spunky little sister, and Flea, a girl in his class who wears an eye patch. Looks like there are further adventures of Alvin to be published next year, and I was intrigued enough with this one to read the next. OH! And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention LeUyen Pham's fantastic illustrations which ABSOLUTELY add tons to the text. Newbery Honor, maybe...]

STARTED:
Korman, Gordon. (2008). The 39 clues [Book 2]: One false note. New York: Scholastic.

[They've kind of got me hooked...]

*

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Book 2008



Snicket, Lemony. (2008). The lump of coal. New York: HarperCollins.


[There was just a derth of good children's Christmas picture books this year. This one jumped out as this year's winner simply because it's Snicket and Helquist - always a winning combination. A lump of coal with an artistic sense can't find his place until he finds himself in the stocking of a rotten kid who wants to begin drawing. Random and not so Christmasy, but still fun.]

*

Wednesday, December 24, 2008


FINISHED:

Avi. (2006). Crispin: At the edge of the world. New York: Hyperion.


[This is turning out to be a triumphant trilogy in the Avi canon. Crispin and Bear are off and trying to make do while traveling by juggling and playing music for money. When Bear is injured, the two are taken in by a pagan medicine woman and the "disfigured" girl, Troth, who serves as her apprentice. When the woman dies, Bear takes Crispin and Troth on his his children and the three, to escape Bear's past, catch passage on a ship which ends up losing its crew and drops the trio in France. Here, they are forced to take part in the pillaging of a church and castle by British soldiers bent on stealing a treasure. Interesting themes of religion (Christianity vs. paganism), friendship, dealing with sins of the past, redemption, and, ultimately, loss highlight this insightfully written, compelling, deeply enjoyable gem. When's the conclusion of the trilogy coming out?!?!]

STARTED:
Look, Lenore. (2008). Alvin Ho: Allergic to girls, school, and other scary things. New York: Schwartz & Wade/Random House.

[Getting some buzz lately as one of the best of the year. Heard it's a lot of fun so I'm giving it a go.]

*

Sunday, December 21, 2008


FINISHED:

Konigsburg, E.L. (1976). My father's daughter. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks/Simon & Schuster.


[An interesting one. Certainly not my favorite, but, damn, if this woman can't do everything. I mean, all of her books are SO different - each with their own narrative devices and voices. In this one (originally titled Father's Arcane Daughter), Winston is a kid with an extremely wealthy and well-known father. One day, a woman rings their doorbell claiming to be Winston's father's daughter that was kidnapped and held for ransom many years before. It was thought/assumed that Caroline died in a fire before she could be rescued, but, here she is walking into the skeptical Carmichael household. Winston develops a quick friendship with Caroline, but Caroline doesn't have patience for Heidi, Winston's sister who has a physical handicap and may be a genius beyond her years. It's a question whether Caroline is the REAL Caroline until all is revealed in the end through the notes of an old teacher who taught Caroline. Intriguing, but I think that it may have limited appeal. Some of Konigsburg's books are just so emotionally complex and sophisticated - a definite plus, she's still one of my favorites - but may not hold the attention of those with a taste for the fun and breezy.]

STARTED:
Avi. (2006). Crispin: At the edge of the world. New York: Hyperion.

[Read the first one - the NEWBERY award winner - a while back and really liked it. Thought it was time I found out what further adventures Crispin was having...]

*

Friday, December 19, 2008


FINISHED:

Lord, Bette Bao. (1984). In the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson. New York: HarperCollins.


[Really liked this one - didn't LOVE it. It just felt a bit light to me - kind of a bunch of short little events in a year of this girl from China's life, her first year in the U.S. Yes, it's a book intended for upper elementary kids, but I still feel that it could've been filled out a bit more. Her story (based, as I understand) on real events) is an interesting one, given the historical context and such, and I wanted Shirley Temple Wong to feel more real and fleshed out. One of the reasons I got this one is because I'm in love with Marc Simont, and his illustrations here are winners, giving insightful visuals to the people and events. I'm making it sound like I hated it, but I did find it enjoyable - especially the instances where Shirley misinterpreted certain "American-isms" and came up with her own versions of English language phrases and cues.]

STARTED:
Konigsburg, E.L. (1976). My father's daughter. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks/Simon & Schuster.

[Let it be said now that this is the March 2008 paperback reprint of the book originally titled Father's Arcane Daughter. Wanted to read something short and I'm always up for a Konigsburg that I haven't read yet.]

*

Wednesday, December 17, 2008


FINISHED:

Juster, Norton. (1961). The phantom tollbooth. New York: Dell Yearling/Random House.


[I just CAN'T BELIEVE that I've never read this one before! Milo receives a tollbooth in the mail which ends up being a porthole to a strange world where language is everything. The princesses Rhyme and Reason have been locked away, thus causing unwelcome changes across the lands, and it is up to Milo, Tock (a literal "watch dog"), and Humbug the bug, to travel to save them. Naturally, they have many odd adventures and meetings with strange creatures and beings, all of which tend to play on a well-known phrase in the English language. And it is just this, the wordplay, that makes this one an absolute classic - one that I would recommend to any avid reader with a firm knowledge of, and interest in, language. There are many memorable scenes here: Milo getting a chance to bring color into the world by conducting an orchestra that controls the comings and goings of the day; coming across the home of the man who is, all at once, the skinniest fat man, the fattest skinny man, the tallest short man, etc.; and meeting with the kid who, in his world, appears to be floating because he grows down instead of up. Quirky, odd, nonsensical, and fun in that classic, Roald Dahl-ish way, this one should be on every reading list.]



STARTED & FINISHED:
Robinson, Barbara. (1972). The best Christmas pageant ever. New York: HarperCollins.

[Gotta get in a holiday themed title here. This one has special meaning to me because not only do I remember watching the TV version of this classic, but I played Leroy Herdman in a community theatre production of the play. A must read at some point, despite the fact that it's main focus is a church nativity play. The Herdmans are the rottenist kids in town and, when they find out that there is free food given out, show up at church and end up taking over all of the major roles in the church nativity pageant. This one is really amusing, has a great narration, and bullies that are humanized by the end of the story. The image of Imogene Herdman dressed as Mary and crying while holding the baby doll gets me every time.]


STARTED:
Lord, Bette Bao. (1984). In the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson. New York: HarperCollins.

[Recommended by a colleague who is reading with her adopted daughter from China.]

*

Saturday, December 13, 2008


FINISHED:

St. James, James. (2007). Freak show. New York: Dutton/Penguin.


[Billy Bloom is sent to live with his father in rural Florida where he then must attend a conservative private school. The thing is, Billy is a young drag queen with a taste for the outrageous and inventive when it comes to clothing and makeup choices. Right from the first day he's ridiculed, spit at, and eventually becomes the victim of a HORRIBLE attack. He is saved from that beating by, and subsequently befriends, Flip, the hot, high school football star hunk whom he begins to heavily crush on until things get a bit too close for Flip. In the end, Billy decides to run for homecoming queen in an effort to show how everybody should be able to be exactly who they are. I REALLY liked this one. 75+% of the novel is Billy's inner dialogue which is a bunch of hilarious and insightful musings on the life of a gay kid with a taste for the clever and unconventional. At times drop dead funny, horribly brutal, touching (especially the relationships with his mother and father), romantic and swooning, and just plain bizarre, this one likely has a limited appeal, but those who "get it" will find it truly fabulous.]

STARTED:
Juster, Norton. (1961). The phantom tollbooth. New York: Dell Yearling/Random House.

[It was time to read a classic, and, shamefully, this is one that I've never read before. Recently saw the animated adaptation of his picture book The Dot & the Line and LOVED it (actually, I'm sure that I've seen it before... maybe in middle school math class??).]

*

Thursday, December 11, 2008


FINISHED:

Link, Kelly. (2008). Pretty monsters: Stories. New York: Viking.


[Um, call me an idiot, but I just DIDN'T GET THIS ONE AT ALL. The first story, about a guy digging up his ex-girlfriend so that he could retrieve some poetry that he wrote and put in the casket with her, was kinda straightforward and interesting, but then it just got bizarre and difficult to follow in a stream-of-consciousness kind of way. There's a story about a TV show called "The Library" that loops back on itself and contradicts itself and includes superfluous and esoteric details. Just not my cup of tea, but I suppose others might think that it's bold and refreshing... I suppose...]


STARTED & FINISHED:

Koertge, Ron. (2008). Deadville. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.


[Read and reviewed for ACL (just neglected to update this site in the last few weeks... Won't let it happen again). Here's my official review:

Ever since his little sister died a few years back, high school sophomore Ryan Glazier has been perpetually stoned, hangs out exclusively with the school pot dealer, and keeps a constant soundtrack of music in his ears. Inexplicably (even to himself), Ryan begins visiting a popular girl from school – with whom he wasn’t even friends – who is in a coma at the hospital. This behavior causes Ryan to begin a life change, waking him from the smoke and music-hazed coma under which he was living. Ryan is a relatable character who engages in situations – such as dealings with his parents, and a scene in which he finds himself at an outdoor party spot – that teenage readers will find familiar and true. Pot smoking, while prevalent throughout, is hardly glamourized and is realistically portrayed with Ryan finding it difficult to cope without getting high, passing out asleep in a fast food restaurant, and a friend stumbling around looking like a buffoon. This is a genuine story of a lost boy finding his way back to the real world through redemption and a willingness to once again deal with life head-on and sober.]

STARTED:
St. James, James. (2007). Freak show. New York: Dutton/Penguin.

[Read great things about this one when it came out, and I'll read anything with a gay character.]

*