Let The Journey Begin!

April 15th, 2010

Happy Thursday everyone! I’m going to deviate a little from the norm today, but only slightly.  For those of you that have been following me for a while now you know that I am an advocate for children’s literacy.  I think that children and teens can learn more than just HOW to read by picking up a book, but also how to LIVE.  Each Thursday I recommend a book for the slightly older kids in your life and this Thursday is no different, only this time, instead of just posting the synopsis for the book I’m suggesting you share with your kids… I’ve actually read it and am going to share my views on it.

“Kevis Hendrickson” sent me a copy of “The Legend of Witch Bane” a few weeks ago and I was excited to get it.  Not because I had ever heard of it but because I love adventure, and once I finally found the time to read it…boy it was so much more than just an adventure, it was an experience.

Kodobos, Anyr, and Laris are only children, but when a terrible curse causes their homeland of Kalden to lapse into a permanent slumber, these 3 very determined and very different siblings take it upon themselves to find out what happened. Discovering that the evil High Queen Rhiannon is behind their towns horrible fate they set out on a quest to topple her kingdom and bring peace to their lands, but what starts out to be a hike in the woods quickly turns into an epic battle for their lives.  Can these 3 tiny souls find the strength they need to free their people? How in the world will they ever defeat so many minions and what exactly IS the legend of Witch Bane?

“Kendrickson’s” ability to weave “known fairy tales” with a new and exciting plot line was genius, and his attention to the tiny details that make adventure books come to life was equally flawless.  Here is an author that dared to ask the question…can a child save the world?  Each of the main characters had their own individual personality and he used their weaknesses and strengths to feed the plot line.  Children’s fantasy is (admittedly) difficult to write, there must be an equal balance of impending doom and life lessons and “The Legend of Witch Bane” spouted both with perfect form.

There were ice breathing dragons, ogres who think they are giants, greedy treasure stealing dwarfs, children who never grow old,  a mysterious spirit, and so many battles it was actually hard to keep track of them.

This is a must buy for your Tiny Tots and Tween! Turn off the TV and give them the adventure of a lifetime…inside of their imaginative little minds.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: When THIS worlds got you down…step into a NEW one.

For a Complete Book Description Click Image

(5/5)

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Dying To Be Popular

March 25th, 2010

Last Thursday I introduced the boys in your life to an exciting new series…so to even out the playing field here is one for the girls.  Be sure to pay close attention when you are finalizing your purchase, wouldn’t want you to accidentally buy book #2.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: When THIS worlds got you down…step into a new one.

 

Ghostgirl

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Product Description

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

And if I should die before I awake,

I pray the popular attend my wake.

Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she’s dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn’t stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal.

If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is. In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we’ll go to be seen.


From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 7 Up—Charlotte User, an invisible loser, dies just before enacting a plan to catch the cutest guy in school and achieve popularity. She refuses to accept her fate (death by gummy bear) and returns as a ghost with a mission: to go to the Fall Ball with Damen and get a midnight kiss. Hurley combines afterlife antics, gothic gore, and high school hell to produce an original, hilarious satire. Charlotte ambles through death’s door and remains a pitiable, selfish, and somewhat annoying heroine. Readers root for her, but cringe at her blunders, too. She blows off her new dead-kid school and classmates, unable to give up her living, breathing crush. Hurley’s pitch-perfect dialogue and clever names (Petula, Rotting Rita, Principal Styx) keep readers laughing. Dark, meditative song lyrics and poetry start each chapter while campy, Gothic illustrations frame the pages. Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe devotees will die for this fantastic, phantasmal read.—Shelley Huntington, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

 

Praise for ghostgirl:

* Polished dark-and-deadpan humor, it’s a natural fit with Gen Y, too.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

* “[Tonya] beats out witty teen-speak like a punk-band drummer, keeping the narrative fast-paced and fun yet thought-provokingly heartwarming. Goofy, ghastly, intelligent, electrifying.”–Kirkus (starred review)

*”Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe devotees will die for this fantastic, phantasmal read.”–School Library Journal (starred review)

* “Readers with a taste for black humor and satire will feast on Hurley’s crisp, wise dialogue. Anticipate a well deserved cult following.” –VOYA (starred review)

“Written with deadpan wit…this is a ‘Wonderful Life’-like tale.” -New York Post

“A sincere (and humorous) exploration of how we all feel invisible at one time or another…perfect read.” -CosmoGirl

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Get Them Involved!

March 18th, 2010

Morning Everyone!

I know I have missed the last 2 weeks with “It’s A Tween Thing” but I was searching desperately for a new series to get your someone little ones involved. Starting a series with your child won’t only help in getting them involved in a story but in the long run in can be helpful with comprehension! Here is one that is geared more towards the boys in your life, (I will look for a good girly series next) just make sure you are paying very close attention to the volume before you run right out and purchase the first one you see.

To Help… here is book one.

Happy reading and remember: When THIS worlds got you down, step into a new one!


The Chronicles of Prydain

Book 1 “The Book of Three”

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Amazon.com Review

The tale of Taran, assistant pig keeper, has been entertaining young readers for generations. Set in the mythical land of Prydain (which bears a more than passing resemblance to Wales), Lloyd Alexander’s book draws together the elements of the hero’s journey from unformed boy to courageous young man. Taran grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King.


What brings the tale of Taran to life is Alexander’s skillful use of humor, and the way he personalizes the mythology he has so clearly studied. Taran isn’t a stick figure; in fact, the author makes a point of mocking him just at the moments when he’s acting the most highhanded and heroic. When he and the young girl Eilonwy flee the castle of the wicked queen Achren, Taran emotes, “‘Spiral Castle has brought me only grief; I have no wish to see it again.’ ‘What has it brought the rest of us?’ Eilonway asked. ‘You make it sound as though we were just sitting around having a splendid time while you moan and take on.’” By the end, Alexander has spun a rousing hero’s tale and created a compelling coming-of-age story. Readers will sigh with relief when they realize The Book of Three is only the first of the chronicles of Prydain. –Claire Dederer –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“A very funny adventure tale set in an imaginary kingdom… The writing is sophisticated.”--Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
— Review

“A very funny adventure tale set in an imaginary kingdom… The writing is sophisticated.”--Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

–This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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History 101

February 18th, 2010

Happy Thursday! Sorry about the late night post last night but life got in the way…better late than never I suppose.  Anyways, here is a younger reader novel that has been getting an enormous amount of buzz.  I’m sorry to say that I haven’t had the time to check it out myself, but if you have…please… let me know what you think.

Happy Reading my fellow Tweeny-Boppers and remember: When THIS worlds got you down, pick up a new one!

 

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

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From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 5–8—A charming and inventive story of a child struggling to find her identity at the turn of the 20th century. As the only girl in an uppercrust Texas family of seven children, Calpurnia, 11, is expected to enter young womanhood with all its trappings of tight corsets, cookery, and handiwork. Unlike other girls her age, Callie is most content when observing and collecting scientific specimens with her grandfather. Bemoaning her lack of formal knowledge, he surreptitiously gives her a copy of The Origin of Species and Callie begins her exploration of the scientific method and evolution, eventually happening upon the possible discovery of a new plant species. Callie’s mother, believing that a diet of Darwin, Dickens, and her grandfather’s influence will make Callie dissatisfied with life, sets her on a path of cooking lessons, handiwork improvement, and an eventual debut into society. Callie’s confusion and despair over her changing life will resonate with girls who feel different or are outsiders in their own society. Callie is a charming, inquisitive protagonist; a joyous, bright, and thoughtful creation. The conclusion encompasses bewilderment, excitement, and humor as the dawn of a new century approaches. Several scenes, including a younger brother’s despair over his turkeys intended for the Thanksgiving table and Callie’s heartache over receiving The Science of Housewifery as a Christmas gift, mix gentle humor and pathos to great effect. The book ends with uncertainty over Callie’s future, but there’s no uncertainty over the achievement of Kelly’s debut novel.—Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Growing up with six brothers in rural Texas in 1899, 12-year-old Callie realizes that her aversion to needlework and cooking disappoints her mother. Still, she prefers to spend her time exploring the river, observing animals, and keeping notes on what she sees. Callie’s growing interest in nature creates a bond with her previously distant grandfather, an amateur naturalist of some distinction. After they discover an unknown species of vetch, he attempts to have it officially recognized. This process creates a dramatic focus for the novel, though really the main story here is Callie’s gradual self-discovery as revealed in her vivid first-person narrative. By the end, she is equally aware of her growing desire to become a scientist and of societal expectations that make her dream seem nearly impossible. Interwoven with the scientific theme are threads of daily life in a large family—the bonds with siblings, the conversations overheard, the unspoken understandings and misunderstandings—all told with wry humor and a sharp eye for details that bring the characters and the setting to life. The eye-catching jacket art, which silhouettes Callie and images from nature against a yellow background, is true to the period and the story. Many readers will hope for a sequel to this engaging, satisfying first novel. Grades 4-7. –Carolyn Phelan

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Spooky and Kooky

February 11th, 2010

Happy Thursday! Here’s a new one from the author of Stardust and Coraline;  “Neil Gaiman” Hope your little humans enjoy it.

Happy reading and remember, when THIS worlds got you down…pick up a new one.


The Graveyard Book

For complete book description click image

 

Amazon.com Review

In The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman has created a charming allegory of childhood. Although the book opens with a scary scene–a family is stabbed to death by “a man named Jack” –the story quickly moves into more child-friendly storytelling. The sole survivor of the attack–an 18-month-old baby–escapes his crib and his house, and toddles to a nearby graveyard. Quickly recognizing that the baby is orphaned, the graveyard’s ghostly residents adopt him, name him Nobody (“Bod”), and allow him to live in their tomb. Taking inspiration from Kipling’s The Jungle Book, Gaiman describes how the toddler navigates among the headstones, asking a lot of questions and picking up the tricks of the living and the dead. In serial-like episodes, the story follows Bod’s progress as he grows from baby to teen, learning life’s lessons amid a cadre of the long-dead, ghouls, witches, intermittent human interlopers. A pallid, nocturnal guardian named Silas ensures that Bod receives food, books, and anything else he might need from the human world. Whenever the boy strays from his usual play among the headstones, he finds new dangers, learns his limitations and strengths, and acquires the skills he needs to survive within the confines of the graveyard and in wider world beyond. (ages 10 and up) -–Heidi Broadhead

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—Somewhere in contemporary Britain, “the man Jack” uses his razor-sharp knife to murder a family, but the youngest, a toddler, slips away. The boy ends up in a graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants adopt him to keep him safe. Nobody Owens, so named because he “looks like nobody but himself,” grows up among a multigenerational cast of characters from different historical periods that includes matronly Mistress Owens; ancient Roman Caius Pompeius; an opinionated young witch; a melodramatic hack poet; and Bod’s beloved mentor and guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead and has secrets of his own. As he grows up, Bod has a series of adventures, both in and out of the graveyard, and the threat of the man Jack who continues to hunt for him is ever present. Bod’s love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting. The child Bod’s behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.—Megan Honig, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


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