The Brain Lair: book reviews

Showing posts with label book reviews. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Storm Watcher by Maria V. Snyder - Review and Giveaway

Snyder, Maria V. Storm Watcher. Leap Books, 2013. 184p. $10.99. 978-1-61603-033-9.

Genre: Adventure (search and rescue, storm watching, dog training)

Cover Appeal: Action lovers, kids who like storms

Immediately After: The cover doesn't do the book justice and is slightly deceptive. Really should have put at least one of those dogs on the cover.

Luke is having a hard time coping with his distant father and annoying older brothers. His twin brothers, Jacob and Scott, spend a lot of time teasing Luke and his father never stopped them. Ever since their mom died, Luke doesn't feel like he is a part of the family any more. In addition, his birthday is coming up and he doesn't know how to tell his dad that he doesn't want a bloodhound like everyone else in the family. He wants a papillon.

Not being able to talk to his dad is only one of Luke's problems. He is also afraid of storms, or any bad weather. Luke spends a lot of time glued to The Weather Channel so he can be prepared when a storm arrives. He stays home when things get bad outside and he wishes everyone else would also stay safe.

Luke gets a summer job helping out at Storm Watcher Kennel for the summer. He hopes that he can earn enough to get the dog he wants instead of the one his dad wants. He meets Megan, the owner's dad, and they become fast friends while helping Megan's mom, Willajean, train dogs for Search and Rescue. Luke believes he can change his dad's mind about papillon if he can show how good they are at Search and Rescue, his dad's job!

When Megan's father moves back home, things get complicated. Luke also decides he can't tell his father the truth about the dogs which leads to more complication.

How will Luke and Megan get back on track with their families?

This was a deceptively simple read. On the surface it's the story of a boy trying to find his place in his family, now that his mother has died. In reality, it's so much more as each person in Luke's family tries to create a new dynamic without the person that held them all together. Luke being the youngest, and most sensitive, takes a huge burden on himself. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still enjoyed the read. I look forward to sharing this book with our 6th graders.

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About the Author

Website | Facebook

Maria V. Snyder writes adult and young adult fantasy novels and short stories. Formerly an environmental meteorologist, she earned a Masters degree in writing from Seton Hill University; she is currently a teacher and mentor for the MFA program. Storm Watcher is her first middle grade novel. You can contact her at maria [at] mariavsnyder.com.

Check out all the Tour Stops!

Feb 19 - Mar 5, 2014

Hosted by readnowsleeplater.com
Join us for interviews, guest posts, reviews, and giveaways!

Tour Schedule

Wed 2/19 - The Book Monsters - review & giveaway
Thu 2/20 - I Am a Reader - interview & international giveaway
Fri 2/21 - Unleashing Readers - guest post & giveaway
Mon 2/24 - Bookalicious - review & international giveaway
Tue 2/25 - Kid Lit Frenzy - guest post & giveaway
Wed 2/26 - Sharpreads - review & giveaway
Thu 2/27 - The Mod Podge Bookshelf - guest post & giveaway
Fri 2/28 - The Windy Pages - review, interview & giveaway
Mon 3/3 - Teenage Reader - review & giveaway
Tue 3/4 - Read Now Sleep Later - review & international giveaway
Wed 3/5 - The Brain Lair - review & giveaway

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

How to Spy on the Neighbors AKA The Wig in the Window

"Never underestimate Nerds." "I wouldn't dream of it, nerd

Kittscher, Kristen. Wig in the Window, The. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2013. 368p. $16.99, 9780062110503.

Affiliate Links: Amazon | Shop Indie

Genre:Mystery (real and not real)
Cover Appeal: A good representation of the girl's personalities. Youngish with the character's drawn more cartoonish than graphic. Will appeal to 4th and 5th and some early 6th graders.

Immediately After
"I'm like...Mr. Miyagi and Yoda rolled into one." Michael Scott, The Office (substitute this book is for I'm)
Right Before
Grace is all about the spy business. She's got the clothes and the lingo down. Sophie considers herself more of a shy-retiring type who needs Grace to bring a little action into her life. The girls have upped their spying game by sneaking out of the house at night and investigating FBI bulletins, pretending that the people in the neighborhood represent wanted criminals and are just hiding out in their town.

Things take a turn towards the serious when they accuse someone of murder and then find themselves being watched. To Sophie's horror, she also now has to spend MORE time with the suspect. Resentment starts eating away her and Grace's friendship.

Were they ever true friends or was she just someone Grace used and pitied?
During
I was drawn in by Sophie and Grace's quick banter. They seemed to know and love each other. There was lots of eye-rolling and compromise. Just like a normal friendship. Using the Walkie Talkies gave them an additional sense of being connected even though Grace was homeschooled, so didn't share in Sophie's daytime world.

The friendship gets strained when Sophie finds a new friend in Trista. Even though Grace has friends from Chinese school and piano lessons, she's never had to compete for Sophie's attention. Soon Trista has Sophie questioning herself and Grace's relationship. Not as a way to get Sophie to herself though. She just calls it as she sees it.

Sometime After
The mystery, a little gruesome and over the top, was well-developed but didn't seem like the heart of the story. That was the girl's friendship. As such, I was baffled by how much the parent's trusted Dr. Agford, the school counselor. I understand that they were stressed at work, but the strong girl characters we were getting to know, should have stemmed from loving, concerned, and involved parents. Sophie's parents didn't even pretend to listen to her side of the story and they never confiscated her spy equipment, not even the rope she'd used to climb out the window. While Grace's homeschool teacher conveniently leaves the picture, meaning Grace could be at home alone during the day.

On the mystery-side, I was able to follow along with Sophie and Grace's spy work and uncover the culprit but I liked that Kittscher threw in a couple of red herrings. Though I guessed the identity of the white truck owner, it took some doing to figure out rest.

Fun Quotes
"At one point she went after the school librarian. The librarian! Could there be a more noble soul?"

"...on the bright side, our school counselor is not a fugitive."

"If I'd known dropping teeth into drinks could so effectively remove Jake from my presence, I would have made it a more regular practice."

Overall
It was refreshing to read a book about two twelve-year-old girls who sounded like two twelve-year-olds. Many middle grade novels make the characters sound too young while the young adult books cast them as precocious. When Grace joked that Sophie and her should trade families, I laughed because my daughter has a friend who's similar to me and they joke about trading all the time.

I give this 4 out of 5 stars for the mystery and the realistic portrayal. It lost a star due to the lack of parenting. Though the SMILE organization almost brings it back to the top, the confusing love interest struck me as unneeded and brings it back down to 4.

Tune in tomorrow when Kristen Kittscher guest stars on The Brain Lair!

Click the button in the sidebar for more tour stops!

Make sure you stop by some of my favorite bloggers!
Read Now Sleep Later
Great Kid Books
Kid Lit Frenzy
HeiseReads
Teach Mentor Texts
Sharpread

Want to use The Wig in the Window in a group setting? Here's The Wig and The Window Discussion Guide!

Find Kristen around the internets:

You can find more about Kristen at http://www.kristenkittscher.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkittscher

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kittscher

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Doomed by Tracy Deebs

Deebs, Tracy. Walker Books for Young Children, January 2013. 480p. $17.99. 9780802723734

Genre: Apocalyptic (world will end if they don't solve the puzzles)
Cover Appeal: Science-fictiony, with numbers, an on button, and circuit board look. Eye-catching and great tag line: Beat the Game. Save the World.

Immediately after
"It's not my favorite shirt, but it is my least favorite shirt." Donna Meagle, Parks and Recreation (substitute book for shirt)

Right Before
On her 17th birthday Pandora gets an email from her Dad, who she hasn't seen since she was 7. Because she's mad at her emotionally and physically unavailable mom, she opens the email even though her mom warned her never to communicate with her dad. Inside is a link to a website that has 12 pictures of her and her dad. She decides she wants to keep these pictures and uploads them to her Walgreens account, emphasis mine, so she can pick them up later. It is this uploading of the pictures that sets all other events in motion. They are actually a computer program that sets off the apocalypse.

During
The first thing that threw me was the uploading of the photos to a local Walgreens account. In a fakepoll of 800+ students at school and my own child and her friends, 0% of them upload photos to be printed. If, for some reason, they want a printout of their photos, they print them. At home. It's noted that she is glued to her cell-phone and laptop. Her mom is a rich, corporate lawyer. Yet, they don't have an awesomely sophisticated printer?

The second thing was the introduction of newcomers, Theo and Eli. These two "seriously hot" guys have "all but revolutionized Westlake's social scene" but somehow Pandora did not know they lived next door to her. But when the computer virus strikes, these two spring to Pandora's rescue even though she continually tells us she doesn't need it. Continually.

Third the gaming aspect. First, we have Pandora. In the ARC, that's both the MC's name and the game that she has to beat to save the world. The game appears to be called Zero Day now. CAn someone who's read the final verify? Anywho, throughout the virtual reality game, these Grecian monsters come to fight the trio. They have to fight the monsters while trying to overcome the obstacles that Pandora's dad have built into the game. If they can beat it, they are 1/2 way to saving the world. The other 1/2 consists of solving clues hidden in the pictures Mitchell, Pandora's dad, sent her. They have to find the places in the pictures because they lead to coordinates that are used to open the gateways in the game. Or vice versa.

Sometime After
What did I read? It was too improbable. I mean, she hadn't seen nor heard from her dad in seven years, yet she was able to remember so many small details about the pictures. Also, somehow the three of them are able to dodge every government agency, procure the necessary health care, food, and transportation despite the loss of all communication and banking systems and a nuclear meltdown. And there was NO internet. But her dad was the smartest of all because he figured out a way for certain people to still be able to play the game. Without internet. On the run. And there's time for a love triangle. And they are brothers. Ew. I don't care if they are stepbrothers. Ew.

Overall
This book is all tell. All action. One tragedy followed by the next. All short sentences and quick hits. None of the characters change or grow. And I didn't care. I couldn't connect with any of them and just wanted to finish this one. Some other people did like it. - check out the Doomed Goodreads reviews.

This review is from an ARC received on Netgalley. Details may have changed before publication.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez - Review and Blog Tour

Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. A Thunderous Whisper. Knopf/Random House Children's Books, 2012. 304p. $16.99. 978-0-375-86929-7.

Historical Fiction - World War II -
Guernica, Spain ("The Bombing of Guernica, 1937," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2005))

My Thoughts
"Life isn't always fair." "But it's what you do about the unfairness that counts."

I hope that in the face of adversity, I would stand up and risk danger. But, despite the FEAR NOT ring I wear, I don't know if I have it in me. Unlike Anetxu and Mathias.

Anetxu has a tough life. Her older brother died from polio and her elderly father is away fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Her and her mother are trying to survive by selling sardines to the poor. Consequently, she becomes known as Sardine Girl, that is, when people notice her. Sardine Girl has no friends. She also spends a lot of time helping her mother, who is not the most affectionate person.

"Best that you realize early on that people always leave...Can't get too attached or else you won't survive."

Anetxu spends her days barely living just going to school and then helping her mother make sardine sales until she meets Mathias. They don't hit it off right away but gradually, as Anextu grows up, they become best friends. The give and take in their conversations is fun and gives Ani, Mathias' nickname for Anextu, something to look forward to. He even helps her stand up to a bully. As they become closer, Mathias gets Ani to help him support his father, the spy.

Gonzalez does a great job of describing her setting. Guernica comes to life, especially the area around Ani's favorite tree, the schoolyard, and the beautiful old theater. Ani's character is also carefully written. She slowly comes out of her shell as she learns about herself. She is not suddenly brave and different but events reveal her inner self and we are taken along with her. Mathias, on the other hand, is more of a sketch of a boy with everything spelled out. We know who he is and what to expect from him, no surprises. This doesn't lessen our immersion into A Thunderous Whisper. The focus on the bombing of Guernica, what leads up to it and the aftermath, keeps us reading. A Thunderous Whisper adds a missing element to a study of World War II and would be a welcome addition to literature circle discussion. I give it 4 copies.

A WWII Study
A few books that I've read that cover a similar time period and would fit a study.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Tropical Secrets by Margarita Engle
Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari

About the Author
Christina Diaz Gonzalez is the author of the award-winning and best-selling children’s novel, THE RED UMBRELLA. Ms. Gonzalez’s debut novel (the story of a 14 year old Cuban girl who is sent to the U.S. in 1961 as part of Operation Pedro Pan) showcases the generosity of the American spirit and highlights the pain of losing one’s homeland. Reviewers from publications such as The Washington Post, Publisher’s Weekly and School Library Journal have praised the book as being exceptional, compelling and inspirational.

The Brain Lair reviews The Red Umbrella.

Other Read Now Sleep Later Book Tour Dates
Wednesday, October 24 - Read Now Sleep Later (Podcast Interview and Giveaway)
Friday, October 26 - Cindy L. Rodriguez (Review and Interview)
Monday, October 29 - There's a Book (Review)
November - HeiseReads (Review and Interview)
Friday, November 2 - Princess Bookie (Review and Giveaway)
Friday, November 9 - Bookalicious.org (Q&A, Review, and Giveaway)
Friday, November 16 - Steph Su Reads (Giveaway and Interview)

Thank you to Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Knopf Books for Young Readers for this ARC.

Friday, June 1, 2012

The Letter Q - Review and Giveaway - Part 4

The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes To Their Younger Selves
edited by Sarah Moon
Arthur A Levine Books
978-0-545-39932-6
$17.99

We've all heard of the "It Gets Better" or the "Dear Bully" campaigns. Scholastic took those projects a step further and gathered over 60 authors to write letters to their younger LGBTQ selves. What a great way to reach those teens who may be struggling to hang on.

Monday - Friday, I will highlight a different young adult author, as well as Arthur Levine himself, and give you an excerpt. (UPDATE: HAD TO SKIP ONE DAY SO WILL RUN TO SATURDAY, JUNE 2)

Brian Selznick
As a fan of Andrew Clements, I've always loved Selznick's work. When he stopped illustrating for Clements, I was heartbroken. Then he wrote The Invention of Hugo Cabret and my heart stopped hurting from pain and exploded with joy. And then he wrote Wonderstruck. And I didn't know I could feel so much. Visit him at - Brian Selznick.

Selznick responds to a letter he wrote to his future self when he was thirteen.

Did I marry someone? Is she nice? Well...this is the question that surprised me, because I'm the only person who knows what you were really thinking at thirteen when you wrote it...So, to answer your question: No, I didn't get married to a woman, but I did fall in love...and we've been together for almost fourteen years now.

Giveaway

Open to US Residents only.

Enter by completing the form below.

Be sure to leave your email address so that we can contact you.

The giveaway is open from
May 28, 2012 - ~~June 1, 2012~~ 11:59pm EXTENDED TO JUNE 2, 11:59PM!

You may enter once per day.
2 copies will be given away.

Trailer

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The Letter Q - Review and Giveaway - Part 2

The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes To Their Younger Selves
edited by Sarah Moon
Arthur A Levine Books
978-0-545-39932-6
$17.99

We've all heard of the "It Gets Better" or the "Dear Bully" campaigns. Scholastic took those projects a step further and gathered over 60 authors to write letters to their younger LGBTQ selves. What a great way to reach those teens who may be struggling to hang on.

Monday - Friday, I will highlight a different young adult author, as well as Arthur Levine himself, and give you an excerpt of their story.

David Levithan
Levithan has co-authored several of my favorite books: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Noami and Eli's No-Kiss List, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He also has many novels of his own, including Boy Meets Boy, Wide Awake, and Every You, Every Me. Check him out online - David Levithan.

Levithan chastises his younger self for bullying a teacher.

I know many gay people now who honed their caustic wit s a defense mechanism - this particular rapier was the best thing in their own arsenals, so they made sure it was sharp as possible, and sometimes they went in for the kill. Hell, sometimes they still do. Don't fall into this trap. It doesn't make you safe. It only makes you mean.

Giveaway

Open to US Residents only.

Enter by completing the form below.

Be sure to leave your email address so that we can contact you.

The giveaway is open from
May 28, 2012 - June 1, 2012 11:59pm

You may enter once per day.
2 copies will be given away.

Trailer

Monday, May 28, 2012

The Letter Q - Review and Giveaway - Part 1

The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes To Their Younger Selves
edited by Sarah Moon
Arthur A Levine Books
978-0-545-39932-6
$17.99

We've all heard of the "It Gets Better" or the "Dear Bully" campaigns. Scholastic took those projects a step further and gathered over 60 authors to write letters to their younger LGBTQ selves. What a great way to reach those teens who may be struggling to hang on.

Monday - Friday, I will highlight a different young adult author, as well as Arthur Levine himself, and give you an excerpt of their story.

Jacqueline Woodson
Woodson is the author of the Newbery Honor Show Me as well as If You Come Softly, Locomotion, Peace,Locomotion and other books for children and teens. Visit her website - Jacqueline Woodson.

Woodson writes of her best friend Maria. Maria has an aunt that Woodson is simultaneously drawn to and afraid of:

Alma scares you - she is tall and thin and dresses like a man. Your mother calls her a a bulldagger and this word alone - when said the way your mother says it - makes you afraid to get close to Alma. You think, That isn't me. You are already thinking, That isn't me. Because somewhere deep, you know that it is.

Giveaway

Open to US Residents only.

Enter by completing the form below.

Be sure to leave your email address so that we can contact you.

The giveaway is open from
May 28, 2012 - June 1, 2012 11:59pm

You may enter once per day.
2 copies will be given away.

Trailer

Monday, December 5, 2011

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody - Review

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
Farrar Straus Giroux
June 2011
320p.

About 'My Life Undecided':

"...Brooklyn Pierce, a fifteen year-old girl notorious for making bad decisions, enlists the help of the online blog reading population to vote on how she should live her life. But some things in life simply aren't a choice...like who you fall in love with."

(from publicist)

Pretty good book. I thought the idea of it was fun and creative. Maybe not my favorite book but it was still good. What I don't get is that she didn't learn from her mistakes, which yeah is the point of the book and why she is writing the blog but still, wouldn't you think that she might have said to herself "Hey, you know I'm not making the wisest decisions. Maybe I should think before I act..." But no she doesn't. Which is kinda stupid of her, but amusing and frustrating to the reader all at the same time. And you would also think that she would realize that she likes Brian WAY sooner, but you know, that proves just how dense she is sometimes. I liked how her sister screwed up, and showing the sisterly love a little bit. I also liked how Brian completely adored her. He seemed to be a really sweet guy who is understanding , intelligent, and really cares about the people he loves. Also, the game of Truth or Dare was...interesting. :) All in all, it was a good book and I hope other people enjoy the book like I did. (review by Isabella)

Trailer

Would you put your fate into the hands of blog readers? http://mylifeundecided.com/

Jessica Brody web

Friday, June 3, 2011

Thoughts Without Cigarettes by Oscar Hijuelos - Blog Tour and Review

Thoughts Without Cigarettes
Oscar Hijuelos
Gotham Books
6/2011 367pgs ARC

Thoughts Without Cigarettes is, as the author says, "told in so many parts--illness, sheltered messed-up childhood, death of father, subsequent struggles with identity and just surviving, my sometimes existence as a writer..."

Thoughts Without Cigarettes is like sitting down with an older relative, pulling out the photo album/scrapbook/netbook/picture place and having them tell you the history of each picture. Each story brings back memories of the occasion and sparks other memories that are somehow connected in the storytellers mind. Reading Thoughts Without Cigarettes is like strolling around the neighborhood, stopping to chitchat with neighbors, petting the animals, sort of ambling with a destination but no hurry to get there.

The prose, however rambling, is mostly beautiful. We meet Oscar Hijuelos father, Pascual, early on as he's trying to get his brother to come visit New York from Cuba. Uncle Oscar has a fatal accident for which Pascual forever after believes he caused and this sets the tone for the rest of his life, as well as that of the Hijuelo family.

"He'd wince with the realization that certain events cannot be undone, and, blaming himself for that tragedy, embarked upon a sea of regrets."

Another recurring aspect of the book is Oscar Hijuelos search for his "Cuban-ess". Hospitalized at the age of four with few visits from family, he forgot how to speak Spanish. This separated him from his family, both physically and culturally, and he would spend a large portion of his life "trying to become anything else but what I should have been, Oscar Hijuelos."

These two paths, his father's depression that becomes his own, and his struggle to reclaim his Latino heritage are the main points of this dense, sad read. The only uplifting portion of the book happens when Oscar Hijuelos travels to Rome, by way of Spain, for a fellowship.

"Rome...pressed so many wonderful buttons inside me that for much of my time there, I became a new and improved version of myself...really enjoying my life for a change."

It was a struggle to get through Thoughts Without Cigarettes due to Hijuelos tendency to get sidetracked. These extra details served to slow the re-telling down and we'd have to backtrack to unravel the original thoughts. Oscar Hijuelos takes those many episodes of his life and narrows them down to two sections - The Way Some Things Worked Out, his life from early childhood until the age of eighteen, and What Happened Afterward, his life as a grownup. We spend an inordinate amount of time in part one while Hijuelos sets up the illness that changed his life as well as his mother's consequent nagging of him and his dad. This left part two feeling rushed as he embarked on his writing life and subsequent Pulitzer Prize award. Although I enjoyed the book, I would have appreciated it more if I'd known it was going to be more about his relationship with father and if it had been a bit more straightforward.

Check out the TLC Book Tour for other reviews.

Thanks to Gotham Books and TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Monday, May 2, 2011

The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry - Review

The Kitchen Daughter
Jael McHenry
Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster
272 pgs

"Only difficult people chuck warm biscuits at their dead mothers. I assume."

Ginny is having a hard time dealing since her parents died. She never realized how much her mother did for her, she just remembers all the times she said no.

"Ma never let me drink alcohol, along with the other things she never let me do: go on dates, get a job, move out, travel to other cities alone...she always said we'd talk about it again...now she's not around to talk about it anymore."

Ginny's sister, Amanda, is resigned to help her. She sets up a real estate agent to sell the house and told Ginny she would move in with her. But Ginny doesn't think she needs anyone to take care of her. She's a grown up. She's normal. She just has "a personality." So what if she likes to sit in the closet with her hands inside of her parent's shoes? She also likes to think of food and recipes to calm herself down. "And the coping always worked."

The more Amanda tries to pack up her house, the more Ginny needs to find ways to cope. And then the ghosts of cooking pasts start to show up. And they have information to help her move forward. And then she meets David, the grocery delivery boy. And she might have her first friend. And then Gert, the housekeeper, asks her to help cook at the temple. And she realizes she might be able to do those things her mother said no to.

The Kitchen Daughter is straightforward but not simple. Just like Ginny. The more we learn about her, we see how she has taught herself, with some help from her mom, to cope in a world where she feels uncomfortable and out of place. The story moves forward as Ginny unravels a mystery that has always been in her face but she never noticed, because she feels better looking down. The Kitchen Daughter is not just another book about a character with Asperger's. It's about finding out who your are based on the past but not letting it define who you can be. It's about moving beyond the label people want to put on you. But also about accepting your limitations without giving in to them. This was a fast read but it sticks with you. I found myself wanting to know more about Ginny in the future. How will she make it if she doesn't move in with Amanda? Can she look after herself? This book leads me to do more research into Asperger's. Also, I want to make a ribollita. Get this one. It's good.

I wonder if this novel is based on anyone. I'm asking Jael McHenry and will update when she answers.

About the Author

Jael McHenry is a talented and enthusiastic amateur cook who blogs about food and cooking at the SIMMER blog.

Find Jael McHenry: The SIMMER Blog, Twitter, Facebook

Tour Dates

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Gallery Books for this review copy.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Trauma Queen by Barbara Dee - Review and Giveaway

Trauma Queen
Barbara Dee
Simon and Schuster
272 pgs.

"You'll figure it out. Soon this will all seem normal."

Marigold has moved "3 times in the last 4 years" and just started Aldentown Middle School in the last three weeks of the school year. After the fiasco with her mom and Trisha Hartley, her bff Emma's mom, she just wants to be unknown.

"Get in there and sniff everyone's butt, Marigold."

But, her mom is not going to allow that. She wants to do an improv class at Aldentown and Marigold is trying to stop her, to no avail. Of course, everyone loves her mom so Mari has to hear about her all.the.time.

What I connected with in Trauma Queen is the relationship between Marigold and her mom, Becca. Becca is a performance artist and she's totally in her own world. This isn't a job for her, it's who she is. She sometimes seems to forget that there is a world outside of her work and that what she does has an impact on her children. She's sure that she is doing the right thing and if Marigold just put herself out there, things would go well.

In the meantime, Marigold is trying to figure out where she fits in. She's losing touch with her best friend Emma and she's landed in the middle of a drama at her new school. There's a boy she likes, a girl who dislikes her but likes the boy, and some other supporting characters.

I loved how Barbara Dee wove the story of the family around the story of Marigold's troubles at school. Marigold's struggles with how her mom mirrors her struggles to assert herself at school. It really reminded me of my relationship with my own daughter and her quest to find her niche at school. When I finished the book I texted her:

I've always been happy that we were in the same school system, even the same schools, because I knew all of her teachers and her friends. When she went to high school, she told me she was excited to meet kids that I didn't know! I really think Barbara Dee nailed the interactions between Becca and Marigold.

My only disappointment was the cover of the book. It doesn't reflect Marigold and her situation at all! Marigold's trying NOT to be noticed and being onstage would be mortifying.

I recommend this one to anyone looking for good realistic middle grade fiction. The daughter and I also enjoyed This Is Me From Now On

and
The Melting of Maggie Bean

, two great Aladdin Mix titles, an imprint from Simon and Schuster.

GIVEAWAY

Three lucky winners will receive one copy of TRAUMA QUEEN by Barbara Dee along with a limited edition t-shirt!

To enter

Send an e-mail to TQgiveaway@gmail.com.

include your name and e-mail address
(if you're under 13, have a parent enter for you).

One entry per person.

US or Canadian addresses, Only

Entries must be received by11:59pm (PDT) on 5/13/11.

Winners will be selected in a random drawing on 5/14/11 and notified via email.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Barbara from Blue Slip Media for this eARC.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner - Review and Contest

Sugar and Ice
Kate Messner
Walker/Bloomsbury
271 pgs.

"Curses! The evil supreme ruler of the sugarhouse calls."

Twelve year-old Claire Boucher (Boo-SHAY) loves skating. She's one of the junior coaches at The Northern Lights Skating Club and she always does numbers with her best friend, Natalie. Skating is fun and exciting. But can she take it to the next level? Andrei Groshev certainly thinks so. He offers Claire a full scholarship to train with the best at Lake Placid. This could lead to the Olympics. It will mean more time away from home and less time with her friends. It's an opportunity. One she shouldn't pass up. But what if this dream is not really hers?

My Thoughts
Sugar on Ice is an absorbing, thought-provoking read. You follow Claire as she starts training for a career in athletics and it makes you wonder about children you know. In Sugar and Ice we see the children who make sports their choice, along with the juggling of homework, family and friends. We also see the children who are forced into sports, (it's amazing what students will tell a librarian, it's like their version of a bartender or hairdresser!), we even see the children who do this because their parents did but they don't have the drive even though they have the talent. It's not what they want. This gives you an idea of the realism Kate Messner injects into Sugar and Ice. You know she's researched and observed these children and that's what brings them to life in the book. You are immersed in the skating and in the running of a syrup farm but you also get to know and understand the characters and their motives. Messner also included some book and math nerds in the book, and not in a mean way! Yay! Kids will be able to identify with the characters and will be engaged by this fast-moving plot.

"Destiny is no matter of chance, it's a matter of choice." This poster is on the office of the sports psychologist Coach Groshev sends Claire to see. This is what Sugar and Ice represents. It reminds me of The Alchemist, in which Coehlo tells us the universe wants our success, we just have to choose to follow the signs. What do you think?

I would give this to my dancing and sporting girls along with On Pointe, Soccerland, and Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs.

More Sugar and Ice
Rasco From RIF (Reading is Fundamental) Messner on Student Athletes
Great Kid Books - Sugar and Ice
Kate's Blog - Sugar and Ice Blog Tour

Contest
Tasanee, a fellow skater, is an avid reader:

"I need the magic. I love the idea that you can be an ordinary kid and just suddenly, magically, turn into something else. It makes me feel...Hopeful."

Can you use Tasanee's clues and name the books she reads throughout Sugar and Ice?

The person with the most right answers gets a $10 giftcard from a bookstore of their choice. Contest open to US only.

Leave a comment after you complete the form.

1."that popular vampire book" p. 30
2. "...reading a new book that looked a lot like the one she had at orientation...this is the last one in the series" p. 67
3. "...homicidal fairies" p. 113
4."...bloodthirsty pixies. She held up a book with barren trees, silhouetted against a girl's pale neck. She had glittery gold lips." p. 148
5. "...a girl who looked like she was sprouting wings. It was by the same author who wrote the homicidal fairies book." p. 186-187
6. "...a teenaged girl in an old-fashioned dress looking up at the sky....about a girl who makes her own homestead claim out west." p. 265-266

Bonus "a book with a girl spinning on the cover." p.186 (bonus - she doesn't read this one but will count for extra points)

No answers in the comment section please! Judges decision is final.

Contest ends Sunday, December 26, 2010 at 11:59pm.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Keeper by Kathi Appelt - Review

Keeper
Kathi Appelt
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
399 pgs.

"Find the one who's been missing."
Keeper is having the second worse day of her life. Signe is mad at her, Dogie is mad at her, and Mr. Beauchamp is mad at her. But, it's not all her fault, mostly not anyway. So, she does the only thing she can think of, take out Dogie's boat Scamper and find her mermaid mother. Everyone knows mermaids are magic, so Meggie Marie would tell Keeper how to make things right again.

My Thoughts
First, I didn't want to read this book because I couldn't figure out how a 10 year-old could still believe in mermaids. It didn't make sense to this middle school librarian who sees jaded and disenchanted sixth graders on a daily basis. But, I had an ARC and it was on our Mock Newbery list. So, I read it.

We start out in the boat with Keeper and as she remembers things, we get to go back and relive those memories with her. Each time we go back, we get a little bit more of the present story and then we start going back even further. It's like when a boat is sloshing around in the water with little moves forward and backward but always progressing. We don't just learn about Keeper, though. We find out how each of the inhabitants of The world unto itself came to live on Oyster Ridge Road. In this way, the story becomes deeper.

In order for Keeper to find her mother, she must give gifts to the sea and each time she does, I feel she grows up a little, in a sense, away from her need of her mother and closer to the reality of her life.

Appelt melds the story of Keeper, the merpeople, the beasts, Dogie, Signe, and Mr. Beauchamp into one epic story that doesn't seem forced or rushed. Keeper actually meanders, like the boat. And then we get to the end. And it's surprising and frightening and enlightening. But, I can't tell you what happens you have to read it yourself. Give this one to students who like Savvy, When You Reach Me, and Waiting for Normal.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Alchemist (Graphic Novel) by Paul Coelho - Review and Blog Tour

The Alchemist
Paul Coelho
Harper One
unpaged

Santiago is a shepherd who has traveled the world and is ready to settle down. He falls asleep one night and is treated to a dream he had once before. In the dream, he is told he can find his treasure if he goes to a certain place. The dream is interrupted before he gets enough information. He decides to go to that place. He meets a king who helps him understand that his quest was given to him by God and that the universe wants to help him acheive his dreams. This help can take the form of good things or bad and Santiago has to learn to read the omens and must never give up.

My Thoughts

I own this novel in chapter book format so it was neat to get it in graphic novel format. For the most part, the pictures and words combine to portray the essence of Coelho's story. I think having it as a graphic novel will lead more people to pick up the book and may even encourage them to read the original version.

I had one moment of confusion when Santiago first gets to Africa, it was hard to tell him apart from the character he met in the bar. I finally figured out their hats were different. The cover illustration combines the original color of the novel with the figure of the graphic novel. Really cool! All in all, a great book. Sampere and Ruiz do a great job of getting across the message. I recommend this one to high school students and above.

About the Author

The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theater director, actor, lyricist, and journalist.

His fascination with the spiritual quest dates back to his hippie days, when he travelled the world learning about secret societies, oriental religions, etc. In 1982, Coelho published his first book, Hell Archives, which failed to make any kind of impact. In 1986, Paulo Coelho did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, Coelho published The Alchemist.

Find out more about The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel and Paul Coelho HERE.

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