Ares: Bringer of War by George O'Connor - Blog Tour

To climb atop a pile of your enemies...and want more. That..is Ares.

O'Connor, George. Ares: Bringer of War (Olympians, 7). First Second (Roaring Brook Press), 2015.
76 pages. $9.99. 978-1-62672-013-8.

Affiliate Links: Amazon | IndieBound

Genre: Greek Mythology Graphic Novel
Cover Appeal: Color choice screams WAR! And Ares' stance tells you he glories in it! This is how covers should be done! Middle Schoolers and above.

Immediately After:
Whoa! That last line was great!

Students can't seem to get enough of graphic novels or Greek Mythology and this series combines both.

We are introduced to Ares in comparison with his sister Athena. Ares is bloodthirsty and the joy he gets from the chaos comes through in the graphics. The Gods  are watching the Trojan War enter into it's 10th year. The stakes are high in this war as  many demi-gods are involved and each God wants to help his or her child. Zeus asks that they stay impartial but that does not happen. In addition to seeing the Gods involvement, we also witness the war from the fighters. These two levels give Ares: Bringer of War a level of complexity not seen in the previous graphic novels. I sense much discussion to ensue from this one. I already have students waiting for it as they've read all the other books - some several times.

Layout
O'Connor's artwork is always vivid but I think he's outdone himself. There are some FANTASTIC spreads and throughout Ares: Bringer of War that portray so much emotion and life. Here are a few but please go to the Macmillan Ares page and DO NOT miss O'Connor's Olympians site.

Overall
I gave this a 3 out of 4 stars because the different storylines made it confusing. I had to go back several times to understand what was happening. The previous books in the series were more straightforward.  A wonderful part of each book is O'Connor's End Matter. He not only gives you more information about the featured God but he has "Geek (Greek) Notes" where he discusses particular panels, questions for discussion, and a bibliography.

Blog Tour

Thank you to First Second books and Macmillan for including me on this tour! Using the above affiliate links will bring a small measure of support to The Brain Lair and I thank you in advance.

Tuck Everlasting 40th Anniversary Celebration

Babbit, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. Macmillan, 1965. 192 p. $9.99. 9781250059291.

Blessed with—or doomed to—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less of a blessing than it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.

What if you could live forever?

I think about Tuck and his insistence that the wheels of change must keep turning. Everything has a season they say. And I believe that. You could never really get to know anyone new because you would have to leave before they noticed you weren't getting older. Now, I am not a big fan of people but I like talking to them. I think we are built for different levels of companionship.  So, I guess I would not want to live forever!

What would 3rd Graders do?

I talked to several 3rd graders about Tuck Everlasting and asked them the question. Here's what they had to say?:

• Jump into a  volcano
• Drink after I go to college and then go live on Mars
• Drink at 30 so I can drive and give to family so we can live together
• I don't want to live forever
• Give it to people about to die
• Drink at 25 and give to family and go to Pluto
• Drink at 30 and give to family and dive into a volcano with dynamite
• I would not drink it
• I would go to war and be last one standing and win the war

About the Author

A gifted artist and writer, Natalie Babbitt is the award-winning author of the modern classic Tuck Everlasting, The Eyes of the Amaryllis, Kneeknock Rise, and many other brilliantly original books for young readers. She began her career in 1966 as the illustrator of The Forty-ninth Magician, a collaboration with her husband. When her husband became a college president and no longer had time to collaborate, Babbitt tried her hand at writing. Her first novel, The Search for Delicious, established her gift for writing magical tales with profound meaning. Kneeknock Rise earned her a Newbery Honor Medal, and in 2002, Tuck Everlasting was adapted into a major motion picture. Natalie Babbitt lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a grandmother of three.

The 40th Anniversary edition will release on January 20, 2015 with a special forward by Gregory Maguire! Pre-order your copy here!

Click to read an excerpt!

Search #Tuck40th to see what other people are saying!

Books of Influence by Dorothy Hearst - Guest Post - December 2014

Hearst, Dorothy. Promise of the Wolves. Simon and Shuster, 2009. 363p. $16.00. 978-1416569992.

What is the promise of the wolf? Never consort with humans. Never kill a human unprovoked. Never allow a mixed-blood wolf to live. At least that's what the wolves of the Wide Valley believe. Until a young wolf dares to break the rules--and forever alters the relationship between wolves and the humans who share their world.

Read below to find out what book inspired a young  Dorothy Hearst and how that influenced her series.

There were so many books that influenced The Wolf Chronicles that I could never list them all. 

Here are some of the books I read as a pup—between the ages of eleven and thirteen—that I know led me to the wolves.

The magic of what if:
Madeleine L’ Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time and Peter Dickinson’s Changes trilogy

I remember finishing A Wrinkle in Time, setting it down and thinking “I didn’t know you could do that.” I didn’t know that people were allowed to write about what was known, then—when arriving at what wasn’t known—make stuff up. I knew I wanted to do that. Peter Dickinson’s Changes trilogy is the story of England thrown back into the Middle Ages. I don’t want to give away the ending, but there’s a huge “what if” that drives the story. I had the same reaction at the end of it that I had to A Wrinkle in Time. You can do that? 

“What ifs” ended up at the center of The Wolf Chronicles. What if wolves domesticated us as much as we domesticated them? What if this story was told through the eyes of a young wolf who saves the life of a human child? And then there were all these wonderful gaps in our knowledge about wolf and human evolution that I could fill in with the story.

The animal’s perspective:
Richard Adams’ Watership Down 

When I set out to write about how the wolf became the dog from the wolf’s point of view, I wanted my wolves to be fully-drawn characters, and also realistic wolves. The first book I thought of was Watership Down, which a cousin had given me when I was eleven. I’d gobbled it up. When I started writing about Kaala’s adventures, I remembered how Adams had written his rabbits so that their needs and goals were as important as any human’s, and I modeled the wolves on that. I’d also been miffed that Adams’ female rabbits were so passive, so I got to set that right with Kaala.

Interspecies devotion
Anne McCaffrey’s dragons

I read the first four Pern books the summer I was thirteen. I was entranced by the relationship between the riders and their dragons and, even more so, fifteen-year-old Menolly’s love for her fire lizards. To this day I can feel how much I wanted a fire lizard. The dragons and fire lizards had very clear personalities, but they were definitely not human. The connection between human and nonhuman stayed with me.

A young female character in the center of a complex world 
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The cousin who gave me Watership Down gave also gave me A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I loved how Francie moved through a complex world with clear vision and a solid sense of herself. There was no breathlessness or silliness about Francie like there was in so many girl characters I’d read. I skipped through much of the adult perspectives and kept coming back to Francie and how she quietly, but steadily and firmly, found her way in the world.

About the Author
Before the wolves barged in the door, demanding that their story be told, Dorothy Hearst was a senior editor at Jossey-Bass, where she published books for nonprofit, public, and social change leaders. She currently lives, writes, and plays with dogs in Berkeley, California. Spirit of the Wolves, the third and final title in the Wolf Chronicles, will be released December 2. For more information, and to download free CCSS-aligned discussion questions for all three novels, visit her website: dorothyhearst.com.

Check out all the stops on the Wolf Chronicles blog tour!

Mon, Dec 1             Novel Novice                          http://novelnovice.com/
Tues, Dec 2            The Book Monsters                 http://thebookmonsters.com/
Wed, Dec 3             SLJ Teen                                 http://www.slj.com/tag/sljteen/
Thurs, Dec 4           I Am a Reader, Not a Writer   http://www.iamareader.com/
Fri, Dec 5                I Read Banned Books             http://www.jenbigheart.com/
Mon, Dec 8             Library Fanatic                       http://www.thelibraryfanatic.com/
Tues, Dec 9             YA Book Nerd                       http://yabooknerd.blogspot.com/
Wed, Dec 10           Read Now, Sleep Later          http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/
Thurs, Dec 11         The Brain Lair                        http://www.thebrainlair.com/
Fri, Dec 12              Unleashing Readers               http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Sat, Dec 13             The Children's Book Review  http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/

Tune in tomorrow for a review and a chance to receive all 3 books in the series!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? November 3, 2014

What I Purchased
The Rookie (Galactic Football League, 1) by Scott Sigler

What I Read
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Jackaby by William Ritter
Princess in Black by Hale and Hale
Rain by Amanda Sun
Accidental Highway by Ben Tripp
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Shouldn't You Be in School? (All the Wrong Questions, 3) by Lemony Snicket
And Two Boys Booed by Judith Viorst
All That Glows by Ryan Graudin
Promise of Shadows by Justine Ireland
The Hit by Melvin Burgess

Public Library - I must say my local library is super fantastic when it comes to finding #Cybils nominated titles. Of course, these holds come faster than I can read! I have over 50 items checked out at the moment!

Lemony Snicket, redux - For some reason I'm loving this prequel series. It's less punny than the Series of Unfortunate Events and the story seems to progress faster also. The students don't seem as enthralled as I am sadly.

CYBILS - have come across some titles that I may have missed if it wasn't for the #cybils. Can't wait to purchase some of these titles for the school library. We are still furiously reading and assembling our own personal shortlists.

Off for more reading with my eyes and ears! Hop on over to TeachMentorTexts for more reading ideas!

WTF Did I Read? AKA Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Smith, Andrew. Grasshopper Jungle. Dutton (Penguin Group), Feb 2014. 388p. $18.99.
9780525426035.

Affiliate Links: Amazon | Indiebound

Genre: Science Fiction (mutant grasshopper soldiers)
Cover Appeal: Plain green with yellow pages (if you are lucky) will appeal to all with its brightness. Very eye-catching in its simplicity.

Weird. From beginning to end. And yet, I couldn't stop reading. This is my second Andrew Smith book and both were different. Grasshopper takes you through an incident of bullying, a breaking and entering, an attempt to get drunk, an underground lair, and some mutant grasshoppers who hatch from inside some randos throughout the story. The grasshoppers are key since they are pretty much impossible to stop. Or Unstoppable.  Throughout this crazy story, Austin Szerba is constantly questioning his sexuality since he's attracted to both his girlfriend, Shannon, and his best friend, Robby. I had pretty much been dystopiad/post-apocalypticed out until I read this book. I'm hoping that more authors step out the box because I am tired of the same-o, same-o. Maybe not as crazy as this one.

I recommend this for 9th and above.

Dragon Slaying 101 AKAThe Story of Owen by EK Johnston

I always carry my sword in my backpack.

Johnston, E.K. Story of Owen, The (Dragon Slayer of Trondheim, 1), Carolrhoda Lab. 2014. 302p. $17.95. 9781467710664.

Affiliate Links: Amazon | IndieBound

Genre: Fantasy (dragons and dragon slayers)
Cover Appeal: I think the front works better without the dragon on the cover. It's a cover students will look over because it's not bright and eye-catching.

This is actually the story of Siobhan McQuaid, bard to Owen Thorskard, high school student and dragon slayer-in-training. Siobhan is the first person to befriend Owen when his family moves to Trondheim. Owen's family is special, his aunt Lottie is the most famous Dragon Slayer of this time and his dad, Aodhan, is no slouch either. They also bring with them Hannah, the best swordsmaker. They have raised Owen in a loving and kind household. Siobhan's family are no slouches either.

As Owen and Siobhan's friendship grows, the family asks her to be Owen's bard. They want to shape the story of dragon slayers. There's a lot of talk about who controls the message and how. It's like you are reading two stories at once. And therein lies it's excellence.

"This is pretty much entirely not exactly what happened." 199


I recommend this for 7th grade and up.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 26, 2014

What I Purchased
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page

What I Read
Chasing Before by Lenore Applehans
Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire
Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
The Ghosts Go Haunting by Helen Ketteman
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
First Halloween
Teeny Tiny Ghost by Kay Winters
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender - 25%
Endgame by James Frey - abandoned
Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch - abandoned
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page - 50%


Singsongy Picture Books - Big Pumpkin is one of my favorite books. It was a joy to share it with students again. The repetition and rhythm make it fun to read aloud.  The Ghosts Go Haunting is thisclose to the tune in the Ants Go Marching. The beauty here is you don't have to sing the whole book - I modified based on grade but we all heard the book this week. It was fun flapping, clomping, and WOEing through the library.

Halloween is coming - I read First Halloween with kindergartners and we discussed similarities and differences. We also read The Teeny Tiny Ghost and talked about how Halloween can be scary and fun.  We also watched the first minute or two of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and talked about pumpkin carving.

CYBILS - wowza - Seems like I'm pretty much reading my backside off. Because I'm sitting on it. Reading. Constantly.

I have to go read now.  If you want some reading ideas - check out TeachMentorTexts and don't forget to link your reads to her blog! Happy reading.

Writing Great Books for Young Adults - Excerpt and Giveaway

Just in time for NaNoWriMo! 

Are you looking for some inspiration to write your own novel? 

Check out the newly updated

Writing Great Books for Young Adults

Brooks, Regina. Sourcebooks. $14.99. 
ISBN: 9781402293528

from the publisher:

With an 87 percent increase in the number of young adult titles published in the last two years, the young adult market is one of the healthiest segments in the industry. Despite this fact, surprisingly little has been written to help authors hone their craft and truly connect with the young adult audience.

Writing Great Books for Young Adults gives writers all the advice they need to tap into this incredible and innovative market. Literary agent Regina L. Brooks shows writers how listening to young adults will help them create characters their audience can identify with.

Topics covered include meeting your protagonist, engaging your readers,, trying on points of view, and many more.

Excerpt

Giveaway
Open to US Residents only. 13 years of age and older. 1 entry per person/email.
Closes October 24, 2014 , 11:59 pm. EST. Winner announced October 26th.
UPDATE: Congratulations, Stephanie.  Expect your book directly from the publisher.

About the Author 

Regina L. Brooks is the founder of Serendipity Literary Agency and has been developing award-winning authors and books for over a decade. She has been highlighted in several national and international magazines and periodicals, including Poets and Writers, Essence, Writer’s Digest, and Sister2Sister,Forbes, Media Bistro, Ebony, and Jet. She lives in New York City.

Connect With the Author

Twitter: @serendipitylit

Facebook: Serendipity Literary Agency

Website: Serendipity Literary Agency

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 20, 2014

What I Purchased
Shadow of Night (All Souls, 2) by Deborah Harkness
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (Raven Cycle, 2) by Maggie Stiefvater

What I Read
Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus, 5) by Rick Riordan
Infinite Sea (the 5th Wave, 2) by Rick Yancey
Warrior Heir (Heir Chronicles, 1) by Cinda Williams Chima
Fall Leaves by Loretta Holland
Ball by Mary Sullivan
Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems
Emily's Blue Period by Cathleen Daly
Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin
Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli
Ling and Ting Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin
Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka
Cats by Seymour Simon
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Button by Eric Litwin
Pete the Cat and his White Shoes by Eric Litwin
The Story of Owen (Dragon Slayer of Trondheim, 1) by EK Johnston
Dangerous by Shannon Hale
Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo
Little Elliot, Big City by
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus, 4) by Rick Riordan

Picture Books - I've always read picture books but usually just for myself or to promote to teachers for writing mentors. Now I'm reading them as possible readalouds for my younger students. By far our favorite of this group was Creepy Carrots. Loved by all from K - 3. Great for leading up to Halloween and can be enjoyed on different level.  We enjoyed the Pete the Cat videos more than the books - basically because we love music. And you must read Ball. That was ingenious! But Fall Leaves, Number One Sam, nor Nuts at Bedtime ever made it to a classroom audience.

Re-Read - Finished my reread of The Heroes of Olympus series and devoured the final book, Blood of Olympus. I think Riordan left just enough open to re-visit in the future but answered enough questions to feel like a satisfying ending. I look forward to his Nordic Adventures.

Book Clubs - Next book club reads are Graceling by Kristin Cashore, which will be a re-read for me, and The Bully Pulpit which is so long and not one I'm looking forward to reading. I may not make that book club meeting!

CYBILS - The nominations are closed. We are furiously reading these titles and I will try to write a word or two about some of the ones I read as I go along. Lots of reading ahead!

Need more reading suggestions? Check out Teach.Mentor.Texts and don't forget to add your link while you are there!

Dangerous by Shannon Hale

Hale, Shannon. Dangerous. Bloomsbury Publishing, 4/2014. 416p. $17.99. 9781599901688.

Affilitate Links Amazon
| Indiebound

Genre: Science Fiction (aliens taking over, superheroes created)
Cover Appeal: Nothing sets this apart from any other science fiction title out now. I do like the purple and gray though. I also like the font used for the title.

Maisie Danger Brown is tired of her boring life. She's homeschooled with her best friend, Luther and both her parents work from home.  They never go any where or do anything exciting.  She figures it's because they don't have enough money.  Along comes a sweepstakes to win a trip to astronaut camp. Now Maisie has a chance to live up to her middle name. She becomes part of an elite team who isn't sure what their purpose is but are sure they need to work together.

For the most part  the book is all about the science of space travel and gadget building with moments of romance and intrigue thrown in.  I was happy to see Maisie pull herself from the brink of losing her sense of self over a boy though she was aware that it could happen and she fought it. She was a strong character who thought carefully about how her actions affect others. I enjoyed seeing her thought process. The aliens were bit underwhelming and the rest of the characters, Jacques, Mi-sun, and Ruth, could have used a bit more depth. Luther, even though he was only in the book a short time, was one of my favorite characters.

I recommend this one for 7th Gr and above.