A book called, Three Graves Full, caught my eye due to its premise. A man has killed someone and buried him in his yard, much like Poe's Tell Tale Heart, the man's conscience eats away at him. Eventually a discovery is made, but it isn't the grave he dug, it is two other graves in his yard!
So, great premise and truthfully a great start to the novel. The middle of the book however, particularly the lead up to the climax wasn't developed well, and it was more than implausible that all of the characters did what they did. The reader knows immediately who Bart is, and questions Reid's wife reasoning throughout. She in fact is, in my opinion, a useless character...there would seemingly have been other ways to develop the denouement than throwing her into the mix.
That being said, the ending was somewhat satisfying, despite the issues that lead up to it.
The author is talented, and I enjoyed some aspects of her writing style, but this book needed some polishing to make its storyline plausible.
This book will be published, Feb 12th, 2013.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Kafka updated
I recently read, The Facility, by Simon Lelic. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and want everyone to read it, especially those that have no issues with our (USA) drone policy, FISA "laws" and the like.
A man named Arthur suddenly finds himself taken and imprisoned. His wife (they are separated) has no knowledge of where or why he has disappeared, and she enlists a journalist to aide her in finding him.
The scenes in The Facility are all to real, if you have ever read The Trial, or any transcripts from the McCarthy era. I found it particularly compelling as well, when the journalist is trying to get his editor to print what he has, and is denied...for reasons that I am sure occur often these days, "national security"
If you don't want to worry where our laws might lead, don't read this book, but if there are niggling thoughts in your head, when you read about warrantless wiretapping or drones being for the good of all, then rush to your bookstore, and buy The Facility.
A man named Arthur suddenly finds himself taken and imprisoned. His wife (they are separated) has no knowledge of where or why he has disappeared, and she enlists a journalist to aide her in finding him.
The scenes in The Facility are all to real, if you have ever read The Trial, or any transcripts from the McCarthy era. I found it particularly compelling as well, when the journalist is trying to get his editor to print what he has, and is denied...for reasons that I am sure occur often these days, "national security"
If you don't want to worry where our laws might lead, don't read this book, but if there are niggling thoughts in your head, when you read about warrantless wiretapping or drones being for the good of all, then rush to your bookstore, and buy The Facility.
Compelling Narrative
I just finished, The Tragedy Paper, by Elizabeth LaBan (pub date 1/8/2013).
I found it to be a compelling narrative, reminding me slightly of Thirteen Reasons Why, due to its structure.
Duncan is a senior (high school) at a boarding school; he starts the novel's story as he enters the school's archway. The structure of the beginning and ending are slightly reminiscent of The Outsiders, and in the acknowledgement section, the author states how much that novel (as well as one other novel of Hinton's) changed her. So, Kudos to Ms. LaBan for writing that in the acknowledgements. I recently read a novel called Ten, clearly an homage to Dame Christie, and the author chose not to mention that in her acknowledgement section..something I personally found distasteful.
But, I digress. The room Duncan is given was previously lived in by a senior named Tim (Macbeth, smile now)and as a reader you realize something horrible has happened to Tim. The narration switches back and forth between Duncan and Tim; Tim has provided the new tenant of the room with tapes of his year there, so the story follows these two boys through their respective senior years. At times I did have trouble distinguishing the voices despite one being first person and the other 3rd; my one quibble with the novel is the characters' voices weren't that different.
During the students' senior year, their English teacher, Mr. Simon gives an annual assignment called The Tragedy Paper; I had hoped to learn a bit more about this concept, if only to incorporate something similar with my students...perhaps glimpses of the ones Mr. Simon has found most compelling over the years, but the papers end up being merely a structure to bind the characters' narratives, and storyline.
I am glad I read the novel, and I think it is a worthwhile read for many. Its life-lessons so to speak, are subtle, but all to real. As we question ourselves, and worry about how we are perceived, we might be setting into motion, events that will cause tragic events.
And there is the difference between this novel and Thirteen Reasons Why, it is more subtle, and lends itself to more people thinking deeply about their own self worth, than perhaps Thirteen Reasons did. Thirteen Reasons was wonderful if a person were to really look at bullying and own any of their bullying behavior, but The Tragedy Paper, can potentially make all reading it, look deeply at their own insecurities, and hopefully, "go forth and spread beauty and light," Mr. Simon's version of "Seize the Day"
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Exciting ( gory at times)
I just finished reading Rising, a sequel to Department 19. This series deals with vampires in a manner Twilight couldn't come close to..all due to the excellent writing by author Will Hill.
I finished Department 19 almost 2 years ago, (April, 2011) purchasing the book as soon as it was published. I had a bit of difficulty starting this one, as I had to remember a few characters and what had happened to them. Hill doesn't do the traditional recap that many series' authors do, and I am actually glad about that. I just hope the third isn't published a full year and half after this one.
Jamie Carpenter is the main character, and he is thrust into the role of a covert, vampire hunter suddenly in the first book. It was an exciting read, with great characterization, and there was a great deal of fun as Hill lays out that Bram Stoker was detailing actual history in his novel, Dracula.
Dracula is the focus of this second book, The Rising...it is Dracula's rising that the group, Department 19 that Jamie works for, is trying to prevent. Jamie has many friends in the Department, but both books feature traitors, and Jamie's distrust and fear of losing people, are compelling character traits that the author develops very nicely.
The second book, is a tad gorier than the first, so some middle school students might not be ready for it, if they tend to have nightmares.
I highly recommend this series.
I finished Department 19 almost 2 years ago, (April, 2011) purchasing the book as soon as it was published. I had a bit of difficulty starting this one, as I had to remember a few characters and what had happened to them. Hill doesn't do the traditional recap that many series' authors do, and I am actually glad about that. I just hope the third isn't published a full year and half after this one.
Jamie Carpenter is the main character, and he is thrust into the role of a covert, vampire hunter suddenly in the first book. It was an exciting read, with great characterization, and there was a great deal of fun as Hill lays out that Bram Stoker was detailing actual history in his novel, Dracula.
Dracula is the focus of this second book, The Rising...it is Dracula's rising that the group, Department 19 that Jamie works for, is trying to prevent. Jamie has many friends in the Department, but both books feature traitors, and Jamie's distrust and fear of losing people, are compelling character traits that the author develops very nicely.
The second book, is a tad gorier than the first, so some middle school students might not be ready for it, if they tend to have nightmares.
I highly recommend this series.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
A few highlights
I was tempted to post my entire anthology, as a pdf, but decided it was too much...so I am only highlighting some of it here.
Margolin, Phillip and Rome, Ami Margolin. Vanishing Acts. NY: Harper. 2011.
The main character is the daughter of an attorney; she follows her dad’s case that involves her former 2nd grade teacher, who is missing and might have been murdered. In addition, her best friend has gone missing..so she is trying to solve 2 mysteries. Great debut for a series.
Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. NY: Harper Trophy. 1990
Charlotte makes a cross Atlantic voyage on a ship filled with perils. Great narrative to understand how a character changes over the course of time, due to a variety of events, experiences, and encounters with both villains and heroes.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. Witches The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem. DC: National Geographic. 2011.
An account of what happened in Salem, that led to the witch trials. Discusses the major players and how mass hysteria played a role.
Book tie in: The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
Buzbee, Lewis. Bridge of Time. NY: Fiewel and Friends. 2012.
2 students end up meeting Mark Twain after traveling through time. There are a variety of experiences and views of San Francisco at different time periods; the most pertinent being how Chinese Americans were treated in the late 1800’s. Twain at one point discusses the Mississippi River, and alludes to eddys and rough waters…discussing how an eddy gives you time to pause and reflect, and rough waters you have to just survive for a bit.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Mighty Miss Malone. NY: Random House. 2012.
A great tie in with Curtis’ Bud, Not Buddy. Deza Malone is a strong female character, who is living during the Great Depression. A strong family love is highlighted, as well as a strong desire to be educated. She discusses how some teachers (in Michigan) feel she can’t learn simply because she is black. One teacher (in Indiana) sees how bright she is, and encourages her.
Schmidt, Gary. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. NY: Clarion Books. 2004.
I was unaware of the history of Malaga Island, and it was a fascinating but disturbing read. It is beautifully told, primarily from Turner’s point of view, but the novel can be used to highlight a variety of view points. Just as Turner’s dad asked him to read the same book, night after night, but each time using a different character’s point of view, a student could do the same..in order to understand, perhaps, the town leader’s views.
Boyce, Frank Cottrell. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. MA: Candlewick Press. 2011.
A fun engaging book, for students who enjoy funny adventures. Chitty Chitty is brought back to life, and the new family that builds her, experiences many exciting adventures. (I read the original, by Ian Fleming as well...very different from the movie; you should check it out!).
Schmidt, Gary. Trouble. NY: Clarion Books. 2008.
A compelling look at grief and forgiveness. Characters are believable and well developed. Could tie in with Romeo and Juliet..in keeping secrets from parents, and loving someone you think they might not approve of.
Avi. The Traitors’ Gate. NY: Atheneum Books. 2007.
Another wonderful novel by Avi; a mix of mystery and historical fiction centering on a young boy’s attempts to get his father out of debtor’s prison (while determining if his dad is a good person or not). Ties in beautifully with David Copperfield.
Avi. Ragweed. NY: Harper Collins. 2000.
The prequel to Poppy/the Poppy series. Ragweed leaves home to see the world. The first few pages were very touching, since my oldest had just left on his own adventure. Ragweed assists some city mice who have been dealing with cats who have terrorized them. Some great characters, that are well developed. The city mice all have names associated with cars: Clutch, Blinker, Dipstick etc. Connects with all of the other books in the series, six in all. I am not posting synopsis of each book in the series, but do recommend the entire series.
Ray, Michelle. Falling For Hamlet. NY: Hatchette Book Group. 2011.
A modern day retelling of Hamlet, told from Ophelia’s point of view. Ending is different, as are other aspects, but it is written in a very engaging manner. Told from various time perspectives: flashback, present day via an Oprah Winfrey type of story, and a bit of background from police procedurals. Ties in with Hamlet by Shakespeare.
Horowitz, Anthony. The House of Silk. NY: Hatchette Book Group. 2011.
A new Sherlock Holmes mystery, written by Horowitz (the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate chose him). Set internationally, covering Boston as well as London Watson and Holmes discover what The House of Silk is, and what implications it might have for the world.
Fletcher, Ralph. Flying Solo. NY: Houghton Mifflin. 1998.
A substitute doesn’t show up, and the class decides not to inform the school. Deals with themes of grief and loss in a beautiful manner, that seems realistic. Nice character development, and the interactions between the students seems real.
Green, John. The Fault in our Stars. NY: Dutton Books. 2012.
Two young adults dealing with cancer meet, and support each other throughout their ordeal. Somewhat realistically told (certainly the horrors of treatment) but I found the characters’ dialog somewhat unbelievable…a bit too sitcom for me, in parts.
Krosoczka, Jarrett. Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. NY: Alfred Knopf. 2009.
The lunch lady is secretly a super-hero, and saves the school from a villainous substitute. A very fun series, especially for reluctant readers.
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Boys of Steel. The Creators of Superman. NY: Alfred Knopf. 2008.
Tells the true story of the previously uncredited creators of Superman. Shows how research can be interesting, if you pick a topic you love
Avi. City of Orphans. NY: Antheneum Books. 2011.
Historical fiction combined with a mystery. The main charcter, Maks, must prove his sister innocent of a crime. He is a “newsie” selling on street corners. Interesting historical facts intertwine with a great fictional story.
Margolin, Phillip and Rome, Ami Margolin. Vanishing Acts. NY: Harper. 2011.
The main character is the daughter of an attorney; she follows her dad’s case that involves her former 2nd grade teacher, who is missing and might have been murdered. In addition, her best friend has gone missing..so she is trying to solve 2 mysteries. Great debut for a series.
Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. NY: Harper Trophy. 1990
Charlotte makes a cross Atlantic voyage on a ship filled with perils. Great narrative to understand how a character changes over the course of time, due to a variety of events, experiences, and encounters with both villains and heroes.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. Witches The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem. DC: National Geographic. 2011.
An account of what happened in Salem, that led to the witch trials. Discusses the major players and how mass hysteria played a role.
Book tie in: The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
Buzbee, Lewis. Bridge of Time. NY: Fiewel and Friends. 2012.
2 students end up meeting Mark Twain after traveling through time. There are a variety of experiences and views of San Francisco at different time periods; the most pertinent being how Chinese Americans were treated in the late 1800’s. Twain at one point discusses the Mississippi River, and alludes to eddys and rough waters…discussing how an eddy gives you time to pause and reflect, and rough waters you have to just survive for a bit.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Mighty Miss Malone. NY: Random House. 2012.
A great tie in with Curtis’ Bud, Not Buddy. Deza Malone is a strong female character, who is living during the Great Depression. A strong family love is highlighted, as well as a strong desire to be educated. She discusses how some teachers (in Michigan) feel she can’t learn simply because she is black. One teacher (in Indiana) sees how bright she is, and encourages her.
Schmidt, Gary. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. NY: Clarion Books. 2004.
I was unaware of the history of Malaga Island, and it was a fascinating but disturbing read. It is beautifully told, primarily from Turner’s point of view, but the novel can be used to highlight a variety of view points. Just as Turner’s dad asked him to read the same book, night after night, but each time using a different character’s point of view, a student could do the same..in order to understand, perhaps, the town leader’s views.
Boyce, Frank Cottrell. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. MA: Candlewick Press. 2011.
A fun engaging book, for students who enjoy funny adventures. Chitty Chitty is brought back to life, and the new family that builds her, experiences many exciting adventures. (I read the original, by Ian Fleming as well...very different from the movie; you should check it out!).
Schmidt, Gary. Trouble. NY: Clarion Books. 2008.
A compelling look at grief and forgiveness. Characters are believable and well developed. Could tie in with Romeo and Juliet..in keeping secrets from parents, and loving someone you think they might not approve of.
Avi. The Traitors’ Gate. NY: Atheneum Books. 2007.
Another wonderful novel by Avi; a mix of mystery and historical fiction centering on a young boy’s attempts to get his father out of debtor’s prison (while determining if his dad is a good person or not). Ties in beautifully with David Copperfield.
Avi. Ragweed. NY: Harper Collins. 2000.
The prequel to Poppy/the Poppy series. Ragweed leaves home to see the world. The first few pages were very touching, since my oldest had just left on his own adventure. Ragweed assists some city mice who have been dealing with cats who have terrorized them. Some great characters, that are well developed. The city mice all have names associated with cars: Clutch, Blinker, Dipstick etc. Connects with all of the other books in the series, six in all. I am not posting synopsis of each book in the series, but do recommend the entire series.
Ray, Michelle. Falling For Hamlet. NY: Hatchette Book Group. 2011.
A modern day retelling of Hamlet, told from Ophelia’s point of view. Ending is different, as are other aspects, but it is written in a very engaging manner. Told from various time perspectives: flashback, present day via an Oprah Winfrey type of story, and a bit of background from police procedurals. Ties in with Hamlet by Shakespeare.
Horowitz, Anthony. The House of Silk. NY: Hatchette Book Group. 2011.
A new Sherlock Holmes mystery, written by Horowitz (the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate chose him). Set internationally, covering Boston as well as London Watson and Holmes discover what The House of Silk is, and what implications it might have for the world.
Fletcher, Ralph. Flying Solo. NY: Houghton Mifflin. 1998.
A substitute doesn’t show up, and the class decides not to inform the school. Deals with themes of grief and loss in a beautiful manner, that seems realistic. Nice character development, and the interactions between the students seems real.
Green, John. The Fault in our Stars. NY: Dutton Books. 2012.
Two young adults dealing with cancer meet, and support each other throughout their ordeal. Somewhat realistically told (certainly the horrors of treatment) but I found the characters’ dialog somewhat unbelievable…a bit too sitcom for me, in parts.
Krosoczka, Jarrett. Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. NY: Alfred Knopf. 2009.
The lunch lady is secretly a super-hero, and saves the school from a villainous substitute. A very fun series, especially for reluctant readers.
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Boys of Steel. The Creators of Superman. NY: Alfred Knopf. 2008.
Tells the true story of the previously uncredited creators of Superman. Shows how research can be interesting, if you pick a topic you love
Avi. City of Orphans. NY: Antheneum Books. 2011.
Historical fiction combined with a mystery. The main charcter, Maks, must prove his sister innocent of a crime. He is a “newsie” selling on street corners. Interesting historical facts intertwine with a great fictional story.
Absence
I have neglected this site for many months now, and hope to write in a more routine fashion.
The last week of June I attended a wonderful Children's Literature Conference...but ended up burnt out on writing reviews due to the assignment given us. We needed to read 65 YA books, and create an annotated bibliography (and include instructional strategies). I should have simply posted many of the books here, but I didn't.
Since then, while I have certainly continued reading, expressing my opinion about each book became a low priority.
I am going to include some of those titles, in mini-reviews here, and then will write in a more orderly, full-fashion.
The last week of June I attended a wonderful Children's Literature Conference...but ended up burnt out on writing reviews due to the assignment given us. We needed to read 65 YA books, and create an annotated bibliography (and include instructional strategies). I should have simply posted many of the books here, but I didn't.
Since then, while I have certainly continued reading, expressing my opinion about each book became a low priority.
I am going to include some of those titles, in mini-reviews here, and then will write in a more orderly, full-fashion.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Justice Jack
I recently read Sammy Keys and the Wedding Crasher, and absolutely loved it. I loved the voice, the plot, and all of the characters.
I am sad to say, Sammy Keys and the Power of Justice Jack wasn't as good. It was still enjoyable, but the plot was rather thin. It centers on the character Justice Jack, who imagines himself a super hero, ridding the community of evil doers. At times Sammy thinks he may truly be up to no good, or creating the problems he then solves.
The characterization was still good, but some character developments were resolved a little too neatly. I felt there wasn't truly a huge mystery here, more little inconsistencies that didn't develop much.
I do of course have my suspicions on Justice Jack's future role in the series, and hope the book after that brings him to a nice resolution, as well as bringing back the story quality that Wedding Crashers had
I am sad to say, Sammy Keys and the Power of Justice Jack wasn't as good. It was still enjoyable, but the plot was rather thin. It centers on the character Justice Jack, who imagines himself a super hero, ridding the community of evil doers. At times Sammy thinks he may truly be up to no good, or creating the problems he then solves.
The characterization was still good, but some character developments were resolved a little too neatly. I felt there wasn't truly a huge mystery here, more little inconsistencies that didn't develop much.
I do of course have my suspicions on Justice Jack's future role in the series, and hope the book after that brings him to a nice resolution, as well as bringing back the story quality that Wedding Crashers had
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Red Heart Tattoo
I have loved all of the McDaniel books I have read. As I was reading Red Heart Tattoo I became quite anxious, fearing a central character would be found guilty.
At times it seemed more a very well developed outline, the characters seemed a bit sketched out versus fully developed, but in the long run, it all made sense, and perhaps not much more will be edited prior to publication on July 24th.
The story is set in a typical high school. Initially a prank comes under fire, and then a horrific bombing takes place. As we and one of the victims discover more and more about the plot, and who is responsible, McDaniel successfully builds suspense, while at the same time creating empathy for numerous characters.
A good read; perfect for the YA community, and adults who enjoy this genre.
Monday, April 23, 2012
RPG
I recently finished a book that was enjoyable, but will be particularly interesting for those who enjoy RPGs. Erebos: It's a Game. It Watches You by Ursula Poznanski (translated by Judith Pattinson)is part mystery, part psychological thriller...though that aspect is probably somewhat mild.
The book centers on a mysterious DVD that some students are passing around. The students who don't have the DVD fear that something weird is going on, and many express they don't want anything to do with it, yet when presented with it themselves, find they eventually can't resist it either.
Once involved with the game, they seem to lose all perspective for anything else in their lives: friends, school and family fall by the wayside.
Nick Dunmore is the main character, and once he starts playing the virtual world and reality seem to blur. Eventually he and others, including some romantic possibilities, realize they must do something to stop what is happening in the game, from truly affecting the those in the world.
I am not a gamer, far from it, but I found I was easily hooked. The novel was compelling, the characters believable (many quite likeable), and the plot was entertaining.
I have to admit at times I kind of skimmed through the game scenes, but I imagine those scenes were quite nicely done, and true to form.
While I recommend this book to boys who enjoy various computer games (particularly RPGs) I think most will find the novel a great read.
The book centers on a mysterious DVD that some students are passing around. The students who don't have the DVD fear that something weird is going on, and many express they don't want anything to do with it, yet when presented with it themselves, find they eventually can't resist it either.
Once involved with the game, they seem to lose all perspective for anything else in their lives: friends, school and family fall by the wayside.
Nick Dunmore is the main character, and once he starts playing the virtual world and reality seem to blur. Eventually he and others, including some romantic possibilities, realize they must do something to stop what is happening in the game, from truly affecting the those in the world.
I am not a gamer, far from it, but I found I was easily hooked. The novel was compelling, the characters believable (many quite likeable), and the plot was entertaining.
I have to admit at times I kind of skimmed through the game scenes, but I imagine those scenes were quite nicely done, and true to form.
While I recommend this book to boys who enjoy various computer games (particularly RPGs) I think most will find the novel a great read.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Mystery Genre
Apologies for the lack of recent reviews. I have been reading (re-reading in many cases) Agatha Christie novels, as I created a mystery unit genre for my students.
My honors classes enjoyed these titles: And Then There Were None, A Mysterious Affair At Styles (Her first, written on a dare by her sister), Murder on the Orient Express, They Came To Baghdad and Death on the Nile. I am in the middle of Death on the Nile, and thus far it is my favorite of these few Christie novels.
Despite the lexile level (a method of determining reading level) being within or lower than their range, many students struggled with the novels. This is due of course to the fact that lexile levels don't deal with the complexity of the plot, sentence structure, the need for French translations, a huge number of characters and distractors (red-herrings).
I enjoyed rereading these novels, and had been an avid Christie reader when I was young, after going through a slew of Nancy Drew books.
This go around I was surprised by the use of the "n" word in a few of her novels. A character randomly used the word in A Mysterious Affair at Styles, and in And Then There Were None, it was used twice in a random way. I later learned though that the original title of this book was Ten Little "n" word", later it became Ten Little Indians (and the poem is a main feature of the novel, predicting each death), and then it was switched to its current title.
While I totally understand keeping certain historical novels as they were originally written, I had huge issues with the word appearing in these novels, so randomly, and without any true historical reference. Talked with the students about it...and pretty much moved on...but it was jarring to see.
It also appears in Dumb Witness. I haven't read all of her novels, so can't swear it doesn't appear in others...but in the 10 I have read recently it was in those 3. They remain great mysteries with clever twists.
Speaking of plot twists, nothing beats her short story, A Witness for the Prosecution. I read this aloud to my classes as an introduction to the genre. They all loved the ending. The movie ending is very disappointing, as it changes the ending greatly (just an fyi).
Many students weren't able to read the Christie novels, and I found some titles that they are enjoying. Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach is very engaging, well written, with nicely developed characters. Perfect for the average 4th-7th grade reader.
One I highly recommend is Sammy Keys and the Wedding Crasher by Wendelin Van Draanen. This is the 13th in the series, featuring Sammy who is now in the 8th grade. I had read the first years ago, and decided rather than catching up I would just jump into this, her latest. I loved the characters, and the mystery. I think every middle school student will appreciate it as well. Sammy and others are accused of threatening their history teacher, Mr. Vance. It was realistically told, and Sammy as the narrator, has an engaging voice.
My honors classes enjoyed these titles: And Then There Were None, A Mysterious Affair At Styles (Her first, written on a dare by her sister), Murder on the Orient Express, They Came To Baghdad and Death on the Nile. I am in the middle of Death on the Nile, and thus far it is my favorite of these few Christie novels.
Despite the lexile level (a method of determining reading level) being within or lower than their range, many students struggled with the novels. This is due of course to the fact that lexile levels don't deal with the complexity of the plot, sentence structure, the need for French translations, a huge number of characters and distractors (red-herrings).
I enjoyed rereading these novels, and had been an avid Christie reader when I was young, after going through a slew of Nancy Drew books.
This go around I was surprised by the use of the "n" word in a few of her novels. A character randomly used the word in A Mysterious Affair at Styles, and in And Then There Were None, it was used twice in a random way. I later learned though that the original title of this book was Ten Little "n" word", later it became Ten Little Indians (and the poem is a main feature of the novel, predicting each death), and then it was switched to its current title.
While I totally understand keeping certain historical novels as they were originally written, I had huge issues with the word appearing in these novels, so randomly, and without any true historical reference. Talked with the students about it...and pretty much moved on...but it was jarring to see.
It also appears in Dumb Witness. I haven't read all of her novels, so can't swear it doesn't appear in others...but in the 10 I have read recently it was in those 3. They remain great mysteries with clever twists.
Speaking of plot twists, nothing beats her short story, A Witness for the Prosecution. I read this aloud to my classes as an introduction to the genre. They all loved the ending. The movie ending is very disappointing, as it changes the ending greatly (just an fyi).
Many students weren't able to read the Christie novels, and I found some titles that they are enjoying. Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach is very engaging, well written, with nicely developed characters. Perfect for the average 4th-7th grade reader.
One I highly recommend is Sammy Keys and the Wedding Crasher by Wendelin Van Draanen. This is the 13th in the series, featuring Sammy who is now in the 8th grade. I had read the first years ago, and decided rather than catching up I would just jump into this, her latest. I loved the characters, and the mystery. I think every middle school student will appreciate it as well. Sammy and others are accused of threatening their history teacher, Mr. Vance. It was realistically told, and Sammy as the narrator, has an engaging voice.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Free duds with a couple of exceptions
I have been reading but not reviewing, and realize it is high time I wrote something.
Recently I have been browsing free eBooks, finding the titles via Amazon and a source I came across on Facebook.
Many of the descriptions haven't been alluring, but a few have tempted me. Unfortunately the majority have been pretty dismal.
Titles I am not recommending include:
Entangled by Barbara Ellen Brink. The main character makes random choices in life that make utterly no sense. She gives up a law practice to run a winery left to her by someone she met once. She has no interest in wine, and she leaves her clients and employees in a lurch, essentially telling one employee, "oh, yeah I am not coming back..sorry you no longer have a job..good luck feeding your kids" There is a secret she has been suppressing but anyone with half a brain knows what the secret is early on (and figuring out the perp is pretty easy as well). Even if this title is still free, avoid it.
The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont...potentially good, but I gave up since it won't be appropriate for my students, and it truly didn't interest me as an adult. If you went to a prep school in the 80's and are very, very wealthy you might relate to this book...this is a title from the group I write reviews for, and this is the first I am not terribly impressed with. I might give it a try later on, recognizing it could just be my mood. The writing quality is certainly decent.
A Tale of Two Proms by Cara Lockwood. Another title from the publishing group. This is the 4th in the excellent Wuthering High series. I read the first three in 2008, and anxiously awaited the 4th concluding novel. 3 years is a long time to wait, and it shows in the writing. Perhaps Ms. Lockwood had a baby, or was dealing with other family matters that took away from her focus, but this book is a lackluster ending to a truly delightful series. Read Wuthering High, The Scarlett Letterman, and Moby Clique; they are excellent. A Tale of Two Proms does a decent job of ending the series, but the first half irritated me, primarily because it seemed to be a first effort in writing, versus Ms. Lockwood's genuine ability to produce entertaining, well-written novels.
One free novel that I will recommend, despite a few quibbles with plausibility, is Irreparable Harm by Melissa Miller. The main character, Sasha, ends up being someone I cared about, and I am glad this is the beginning of a series. For a debut novel it is decent, and the author certainly has strengths to build upon.
Sasha is skilled in defending herself, to the point of implausibility, though she is trained it still stretched reality.
It is a thriller based on the premise that there is a device that can control planes from a cell phone. Planes crash, bad guys are in abundance, and Sasha finds a romantic ally in her pursuit of the truth.
An Act of Self Defense by Erne Lewis was thought provoking. He is a true libertarian who wrote this book after the Patriot Act was written. It is set slightly in the future, but could easily be present day. A group is formed that wants term limits, and threatens to kill long serving members of congress if they don't resign, or bring about an amendment that creates term limits. Though I am not a libertarian nor would I ever advocate violence, the author's knowledge of the ramifications of the Patriot Act on our civil rights, and his political points regarding lobbyists, corporations, and congressmen being beholden to many corporate benefactors, proved to be very interesting.
Finally, young readers might enjoy, How to Create a Golem by Alette J Willis.
An interesting coming of age story, that details one girls fears and how she overcame them.
Recently I have been browsing free eBooks, finding the titles via Amazon and a source I came across on Facebook.
Many of the descriptions haven't been alluring, but a few have tempted me. Unfortunately the majority have been pretty dismal.
Titles I am not recommending include:
Entangled by Barbara Ellen Brink. The main character makes random choices in life that make utterly no sense. She gives up a law practice to run a winery left to her by someone she met once. She has no interest in wine, and she leaves her clients and employees in a lurch, essentially telling one employee, "oh, yeah I am not coming back..sorry you no longer have a job..good luck feeding your kids" There is a secret she has been suppressing but anyone with half a brain knows what the secret is early on (and figuring out the perp is pretty easy as well). Even if this title is still free, avoid it.
The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont...potentially good, but I gave up since it won't be appropriate for my students, and it truly didn't interest me as an adult. If you went to a prep school in the 80's and are very, very wealthy you might relate to this book...this is a title from the group I write reviews for, and this is the first I am not terribly impressed with. I might give it a try later on, recognizing it could just be my mood. The writing quality is certainly decent.
A Tale of Two Proms by Cara Lockwood. Another title from the publishing group. This is the 4th in the excellent Wuthering High series. I read the first three in 2008, and anxiously awaited the 4th concluding novel. 3 years is a long time to wait, and it shows in the writing. Perhaps Ms. Lockwood had a baby, or was dealing with other family matters that took away from her focus, but this book is a lackluster ending to a truly delightful series. Read Wuthering High, The Scarlett Letterman, and Moby Clique; they are excellent. A Tale of Two Proms does a decent job of ending the series, but the first half irritated me, primarily because it seemed to be a first effort in writing, versus Ms. Lockwood's genuine ability to produce entertaining, well-written novels.
One free novel that I will recommend, despite a few quibbles with plausibility, is Irreparable Harm by Melissa Miller. The main character, Sasha, ends up being someone I cared about, and I am glad this is the beginning of a series. For a debut novel it is decent, and the author certainly has strengths to build upon.
Sasha is skilled in defending herself, to the point of implausibility, though she is trained it still stretched reality.
It is a thriller based on the premise that there is a device that can control planes from a cell phone. Planes crash, bad guys are in abundance, and Sasha finds a romantic ally in her pursuit of the truth.
An Act of Self Defense by Erne Lewis was thought provoking. He is a true libertarian who wrote this book after the Patriot Act was written. It is set slightly in the future, but could easily be present day. A group is formed that wants term limits, and threatens to kill long serving members of congress if they don't resign, or bring about an amendment that creates term limits. Though I am not a libertarian nor would I ever advocate violence, the author's knowledge of the ramifications of the Patriot Act on our civil rights, and his political points regarding lobbyists, corporations, and congressmen being beholden to many corporate benefactors, proved to be very interesting.
Finally, young readers might enjoy, How to Create a Golem by Alette J Willis.
An interesting coming of age story, that details one girls fears and how she overcame them.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Thought Provoking
Gemma Malley's trilogy, The Declaration, The Resistance, and The Legacy offers a thought provoking series dealing with population control, health, longevity, and human rights.
I came across the series when working with my students, in a literature circle unit (book club). The premise in The Declaration is there is a drug that offers immortality. All adults who take it, must agree to not have any children. Those opting out of the drug can have a child, but can only have one. Any other children born are taken from the parents, and are considered "surplus." They are raised in institutions like orphanages. One young student of mine, who picked this book, struggled with it, due to being raised in an Albanian orphanage. She was adopted at the age of 5, and her parents rightly felt the themes in the book might be a bit much, so she switched to Peak, a novel I have mentioned in another review.
I have been railing against so many trilogy's in the YA market, and it seems most are dystopian, but this trilogy is different because the questions raised are truly thought provoking. Not many authors could pull this off, and I discovered that this author studied philosophy, in London. My older son is currently doing so (as an external student...he lives here), and it is understandable how she is able to offer a variety of themes, that make the reader question their own moral stances.
The second book in the series, The Resistance, had some flaws, primarily in continuity, but also added philosophical queries to ponder. I just finished the third novel, and feel it is a worthwhile series to recommend. It too ends with questions, both in plot and dealing with moral issues that were raised, but it is nice to leave a series thinking.
I came across the series when working with my students, in a literature circle unit (book club). The premise in The Declaration is there is a drug that offers immortality. All adults who take it, must agree to not have any children. Those opting out of the drug can have a child, but can only have one. Any other children born are taken from the parents, and are considered "surplus." They are raised in institutions like orphanages. One young student of mine, who picked this book, struggled with it, due to being raised in an Albanian orphanage. She was adopted at the age of 5, and her parents rightly felt the themes in the book might be a bit much, so she switched to Peak, a novel I have mentioned in another review.
I have been railing against so many trilogy's in the YA market, and it seems most are dystopian, but this trilogy is different because the questions raised are truly thought provoking. Not many authors could pull this off, and I discovered that this author studied philosophy, in London. My older son is currently doing so (as an external student...he lives here), and it is understandable how she is able to offer a variety of themes, that make the reader question their own moral stances.
The second book in the series, The Resistance, had some flaws, primarily in continuity, but also added philosophical queries to ponder. I just finished the third novel, and feel it is a worthwhile series to recommend. It too ends with questions, both in plot and dealing with moral issues that were raised, but it is nice to leave a series thinking.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
a critical review
I don't want to give away any plot points, but as a middle school teacher, who constantly reads and enjoys YA titles, I was under the mistaken impression that the The End of Everything by Megan Abbot was a YA novel. It seemed to be an interesting mystery as a teenage girl explores the disappearance of her friend. Unfortunately any young girl (or boy) who reads this thinking they might connect with the characters will be sorely led astray. I feel particularly that any child dealing with an adult who sexualizes their relationship will be vulnerable and misled into thinking some horrible aspects are "normal" and/or that the child is at fault.
Specifically Mrs. Shaw's character to me was entirely unbelievable; it is one thing to know that some mothers are in denial regarding what their husbands or 2nd husbands are doing with their own daughters, but for this woman to assist in hiding her husband and bringing the son into it, just doesn't play out for me.
The girls understandings of their "power" is misleading and alleviates pedophiles' actions. It is all portrayed as him not having control, the girls having control, and that they should understand how vulnerable the pedophile was.
The secrets revealed only further these misconceptions; the horror of what happened is too vaguely portrayed.
Specifically Mrs. Shaw's character to me was entirely unbelievable; it is one thing to know that some mothers are in denial regarding what their husbands or 2nd husbands are doing with their own daughters, but for this woman to assist in hiding her husband and bringing the son into it, just doesn't play out for me.
The girls understandings of their "power" is misleading and alleviates pedophiles' actions. It is all portrayed as him not having control, the girls having control, and that they should understand how vulnerable the pedophile was.
The secrets revealed only further these misconceptions; the horror of what happened is too vaguely portrayed.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
How high is height?
We've Got a Job by Cynthia Levinson, was a very interesting book. I had of course heard of the March on Washington, and knew of some events that took place in Birmingham, Alabama, but I didn't know anything about the Children's march, nor the events that took place in Birmingham in May, 1963.
I was a toddler in '63, and as I got older I was exposed through news stories and pictures, of horrible events. I vividly remember seeing photos of Bull Connor, and policemen, using dogs and water hoses on civil rights protestors. At the time I saw these, the events had taken place years earlier, but it made me ill to look at them. The raw hatred on peoples' faces as they looked at the protestors, the evil of using the dogs and the hoses, was just incredibly awful.
This book highlights the children's march, and focuses on 4 children who participated. Essentially, Dr Martin Luther King, Mr. Shuttlesworth, and a host of other adult civil rights' leaders, weren't having a great deal of success getting adults to commit to various protests. This was due to fear of losing jobs, being beaten or losing their lives.
The children united Black Birmingham, and all of this resulted in the nation's increased awareness, and the March on Washington in August of 1963.
Though I thought I knew a great deal, I truly didn't and thus learned a lot from this book. I think my students will find it engaging, and they too will learn a great deal.
We have all heard of discriminatory practices taking place during elections, like taxes and questions that were asked of black voters. I knew this was wrong of course, but had no idea the type of questions that were often asked. One was, "How high is height?"
And we of course know about the Jim Crow laws, and of the segregation that existed just a half-century ago.
When the students had their first protest, on May 2nd, they were called to the park through listening to a local DJ named Shelley Stewart. He said, "Kids there's going to be a party at the park. Bring your toothbrushes because lunch will be served."
This code told the kids to meet at Kelly Ingram Park, and that they would be arrested; hence the need for toothbrushes.
The book starts in an interesting manner, as a girl prepares to go to jail, with her parents permission. She is getting ready to attend a protest.
By the end of May 2nd, between 500-800 kids were arrested. This was 2-3 times the number of adults who had been arrested in all of April!
When they were arrested they were crammed into paddy wagons, and soon the police had to use yellow school buses. Prior to being arrested the children were also attacked by dogs and had water hoses...at a super strength..used against them. The water sheared off the hair of one girl's head.
The kids had no rights as they were interrogated (this was 3 years prior to the Miranda case) and they were exposed to some pretty horrific questioning, and had horrible experiences in jail.
I think this book will hook all readers, and that all, whether a young child or an older adult, will learn a great deal as they read the book.
There are numerous pictures and documents, that highlight the historical events.
All school libraries, and many classroom libraries, should obtain a copy of We've Got a Job.
This book will be published Feb. 1st.
I was a toddler in '63, and as I got older I was exposed through news stories and pictures, of horrible events. I vividly remember seeing photos of Bull Connor, and policemen, using dogs and water hoses on civil rights protestors. At the time I saw these, the events had taken place years earlier, but it made me ill to look at them. The raw hatred on peoples' faces as they looked at the protestors, the evil of using the dogs and the hoses, was just incredibly awful.
This book highlights the children's march, and focuses on 4 children who participated. Essentially, Dr Martin Luther King, Mr. Shuttlesworth, and a host of other adult civil rights' leaders, weren't having a great deal of success getting adults to commit to various protests. This was due to fear of losing jobs, being beaten or losing their lives.
The children united Black Birmingham, and all of this resulted in the nation's increased awareness, and the March on Washington in August of 1963.
Though I thought I knew a great deal, I truly didn't and thus learned a lot from this book. I think my students will find it engaging, and they too will learn a great deal.
We have all heard of discriminatory practices taking place during elections, like taxes and questions that were asked of black voters. I knew this was wrong of course, but had no idea the type of questions that were often asked. One was, "How high is height?"
And we of course know about the Jim Crow laws, and of the segregation that existed just a half-century ago.
When the students had their first protest, on May 2nd, they were called to the park through listening to a local DJ named Shelley Stewart. He said, "Kids there's going to be a party at the park. Bring your toothbrushes because lunch will be served."
This code told the kids to meet at Kelly Ingram Park, and that they would be arrested; hence the need for toothbrushes.
The book starts in an interesting manner, as a girl prepares to go to jail, with her parents permission. She is getting ready to attend a protest.
By the end of May 2nd, between 500-800 kids were arrested. This was 2-3 times the number of adults who had been arrested in all of April!
When they were arrested they were crammed into paddy wagons, and soon the police had to use yellow school buses. Prior to being arrested the children were also attacked by dogs and had water hoses...at a super strength..used against them. The water sheared off the hair of one girl's head.
The kids had no rights as they were interrogated (this was 3 years prior to the Miranda case) and they were exposed to some pretty horrific questioning, and had horrible experiences in jail.
I think this book will hook all readers, and that all, whether a young child or an older adult, will learn a great deal as they read the book.
There are numerous pictures and documents, that highlight the historical events.
All school libraries, and many classroom libraries, should obtain a copy of We've Got a Job.
This book will be published Feb. 1st.
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