Sunday, October 29, 2017

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding


















Prosper Redding does not fit in.  Not only does he have a ridiculous, Puritan name, but he isn't as popular or smart as his twin Prudence.  Then things get worse when his grandmother tries to kill him and he finds himself in the middle of an ancient curse and the host of a malefactor named Alaster.

Fortunately he is rescued by his long lost uncle and his cousin who are working on a spell to release him from the control of the malefactor before it's too late.

But of course, things are not what they seem.  

So I loved the tie in to Salem and Alaster was a cool character.  I also liked the twist at the end but as I got to the last 50 pages and realized the book wasn't going to really end I did get a bit annoyed.  There will be a sequel and overall I did enjoy the book...  It will be interesting to see where this goes.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

The White Tower


















First, let me say, I like this cover much better than the one showing up in Edelweiss.

Livy's best friend has died from leukemia and Livy is having a hard time accepting it and moving on.  When her father gets a new job as a librarian at a prestigious school, Livy is accepted on scholarship.  She dreads going and making new friends but is intrigued by the history and statues.  She feels drawn to the rooftop and feels so light and free up there.  Maybe it is because the blood of the school's founder runs in her veins.  But something strange is going on - there is a mystery of a lost boy, alchemy, and the study of gravity.  Can Livy keep herself and her brother safe from the strange goings on?

I was intrigued pretty early on.  There was some good creep factor and Livy's struggles were tangible.  But it got lost along the way for me and it seemed like for all its length there was no real development of character.  The person who the reader believes is the villain is not and there is a quick shift that I didn't feel had enough to support it.  I ended up being a bit disappointed because it started so well.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

The Secret of Nightingale Wood


















Ever since the death of her brother Robert, Henrietta's (Henry) mom has been ill.  They moved to the country to try and help but she isn't getting any better.  Then her dad needs to go overseas for work and Henry is left with her nanny, her baby sister, and her distraught mom.  Unfortunately, a local doctor seems more intent on getting her mom admitted to a nearby "hospital" for new treatments (and getting some personal recognition in the process) than in really helping.  Not only that but he suspects that Henry is also psychotic. Can Henry figure out a way to help her mother and restore her family?

I really enjoyed this historical fiction.  It brought to light the history of mental illness and misguided efforts in that area.    

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Have Sword Will Travel

















When Odo discovers a sword in a dried up river near his home he embarks on an unexpected quest.  The enchanted sword knights him on the spot and he and his friend Eleanor, now his squire, set off to find the source of the drying river.  Both meet with unexpected challenges along the way and even find that the dragon they seek is not actually the cause of the river problems.

The book had a lot of action and was a lot of fun.  My gripe came at the end.  There was a lot of build up and then all of a sudden there was a quick battle, a confrontation with the dragon, and done.  It just seemed to end quicker than it should have.  

I recently read Frogkisser as well, another book by Garth Nix and I liked that one better.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine

















Oh, when I heard there was a Mark Twain short story that had been found and finished I was intrigued and excited.  I so wanted to like this book.  But it just didn't work for me at all - it was definitely quirky but so much so that it ended up not really making sense to me and I was more confused than amused.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Frogkisser


















Princess Anya - second in line to the throne, has a step mother, and a wicked sorcerer step step father.  When her sister's prince beau is turned into a frog Anya promises to try and find a way to turn him back.  This leads to a much longer quest than she anticipated filled with twists, turns, surprises, battles, and adventure.

This was a fun twist on the frog prince story and for students who love fairy tale type stories this will be a hit.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Sink or Swim

















It's been a month since Pearl Harbor.  The country is on edge and Colton's older brother Danny is about to ship out for the Navy.  But before that can happen Danny is seriously injured in an encounter with a U boat off the coast.  Colton is upset, worried about his family's financial situation, and eager to get back at the Germans.  So at age 12, he uses his brother's enlistment papers and uses them to join the Navy.  While some initially question his age, the Navy is so desperate that no one really questions it and he just leaves a message to his mom saying he went to find a job.  The book then follows Colton's training and adventures on a PC boat along the eastern coast and then on a trip across the Atlantic.

There was a lot of action, and as a book about war some violence and death.  I liked the book and think that my students who are interested in books about World War II will enjoy it. 

Monday, October 16, 2017

Different Days


















Rosie loves her life in Hawaii.  Her mom runs a kindergarten, her dad has a radio shop, and she has wonderful neighbors.  But on December 7 everything changes.  While it was mainly the Japanese Americans who were suspect after the bombing and US entry into the war, there was also suspicion of German and Italian Americans.  Rosie's parents are called in for questioning and interned as is another aunt, their house is sold, their dad's business is taken, and some of their friends abandon them.  Will Rosie ever be reunited with her parents?  Can she learn to survive these different days?

What I liked about this was that it drew attention to the internment of German and Italian Americans.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Poison...












In typical Sarah Albee fashion poisons are broken down and explained in a historical context.  I love the sidebar material about the poisons themselves, famous people, mysteries, and so on.  The book is formatted by time period and the predominant poisons of the time.  Very well researched and informative.

Saturday, October 14, 2017

The Things Owen Wrote


















Owen has always been good at things - straight A student, well behaved.  But he has something he is ashamed of and when the evidence of that mistake is mistakenly sent to Iceland he talks his grandfather into going there to get it back.  But Owen's grandfather is starting to forget things and get confused so the journey is a tough one.

Not a bad story but ended sadly.  Not sure how many students will pick this up honestly - the cover is so quiet...

This is Just a Test


















The year is 1983.  David is getting close to his bar mitzvah but has concerns about so many things.  He is half Chinese and half Jewish and his two grandmothers can't seem to get along, of course there is the Cold War as well, he has a best friend Hector but also a new friend Scott and he isn't sure how to balance them both, and there's a girl.  

This is a coming of age story as David navigates these issues and finds out he may not be able to totally solve all the problems in the world but he can start with his own corner of it.

Sit


















This was a very intriguing set of short stories that all start with a child sitting - one in a factory making chairs, one in a food court, on in time-out, and so on.  Each story was poignant and thought provoking.  Many times I find collections of short stories a mixed bag but I felt all of these were good and so different.  2 of the situations came back around in another story which I was expecting to happen and it was successful - especially the last story.  For a short book this packed a good punch.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Skeleton Tree


















Stanly really wants to discover something unique for a contest.  He hopes that by winning he can reunite his family and maybe help his sister in the process.  When a skeleton starts emerging from a tree he thinks it is the answer to all his problems.  But it is not.  As more of the skeleton appears Stanly and his friend try to take pictures of it but they are all blurry, they disappear, or the camera gets wrecked.  And why do only children see it?  As Miren gets sicker Stanly begins to wonder if the skeleton is connected.  Is the skeleton good or bad?

So I was intrigued at the beginning but as the story went on and I could see where it was going it was just too sad.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

The Handbook


















Jake and his friends tolerate their parents strict rules but they aren't happy about it.  When Jake accidentally discovers a book that a neighbor threw out by mistake everyone goes nuts.  Why is a book of turnip recipes so important?  Because it is actually a secret handbook for parents.  Now the secret society of parents are determined to make sure that the book is recovered while a resistance group of kids also fights for control.

This book was amusing and I am sure some kids will like it.

Graveyard Shakes

















The book starts out with a boy ghost who seems terrified of other ghosts and then we see a scientist Nikola and his son.  Nikola needs a secret ingredient to keep his son alive. 

Then the book jumps many years and features Katia and Victoria who are attending a boarding school and not fitting in very well.  It seems that Nikola is looking for the secret ingredient again and one of the girls might be the target.  Can the little ghost and Nikola's son save them from a terrible fate?

The first part of the book moved so quickly that I was 30% done within about 5 minutes.  Then it slowed down some.  I did like the story and how it ended up but I think overall I wanted more.  My students will like it though.

Monday, October 9, 2017

Scientists in the Field... 3














So I read 3 of the Scientist in the Field books over the long weekend.  I think of the 3 the Asteroid one was my favorite followed closely by Surtsey.  Surtsey, above, is fascinating.  A brand new island and scientists investigating it was really cool.















The Pluto book was my least favorite but that was more due to some unfortunate formatting choices.  Whoever thought a bluish font on black would work well...  ugh no.  The content was interesting for sure and students who want to know more about Pluto will like it for sure.














Asteroids are so cool and this was very cool to see how scientists are exploring and discovering asteroids and ways to protect the planet from them.

Time Shifters


















This was a really interesting graphic novel.  Most people know I am not a big fan of graphic novels and honestly, the cover and most of the illustrations were not my cup of tea.  But, the story itself was pretty good.

The story started with a tragedy.  Luke's brother Kyle died while saving Luke's life.  Then fast forward several months and Luke meets some interesting characters in the woods and goes on an adventure through time.  I will admit I was a bit confused about the device and the two sides but it was intriguing and full of action.  The end was bittersweet.  Unclear whether this could be/will be a series???  I think kids will enjoy it even if I didn't so much.

Who Killed Darius Drake















What an interesting mystery.  Darius Drake is an orphan who is on a mission to figure out who sent him a message in blood that said "Who Killed Darius Drake?" because you know - he's still alive.  

Darius hires a faux thug named Arthur to help him and they are also joined by a neighbor.  Together they investigate his parents' death, his uncle's crime, and a century's old mystery with diamonds.  

The mystery was really good, not too long, intense, and with good friendships and humor on top of it.  Really liked this which kind of surprised me. 

The Dollmaker of Krakow















This was quite an interesting book - fantasy or historical fiction?  

Karolina is a doll who lived in the Land of Dolls.  Unfortunately her land was overcome by rats and she was devastated.  But then, magically she was transported to the land of humans by a dollmaker who lived in Krakow.  There she helped him make friends with a Jewish father and daughter.  But war affected the human world as well and Karolina, the dollmaker, and their friends saw the rise of Hitler and World War II.  Can the dollmaker work his magic, make the right choices, and make a difference?

Very interesting take on the Holocaust and World War II.  I will be curious to see how this is received.  I don't think it will work in my library but at a junior high I think it will work.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

The Wishtree

















Red, the oak tree, has had a long life.  Animals have lived in and around her for over 100 years.  A tradition has grown up around her where the townspeople hang their wishes on May 1st.  

Lately, things have shifted.  People in the neighborhood have become fearful of some new residents and the owner of the land and the tree has forgotten its rich heritage.  Can Red mend the differences and help forge a friendship between two young people?  Can she save herself in the process?

Beautiful, simple, powerful.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

One Last Word
















Nikki Grimes is so talented and this collection of poetry is so powerful and beautiful.  Using the poetic technique of Golden Shovel Nikki Grimes uses the work of famous Harlem Renaissance poets to create her own poems.  Loved this so much!!

The Way to Bea

















So let's talk middle school fiction tropes - the biggest is when your best friend suddenly stops being your friend (usually over the summer) and is now popular while you aren't.  I read stories with that idea all the time...

And yes, there is some of that in this book.  Bea went to Taiwan over the summer and when she comes back and wants to surprise her best friend at their annual end of summer pool party... well, she is the once who gets surprised.  So now Bea has no one to sit at lunch with, no real friends.  She starts hanging around the path they used to walk and even leaves haiku in invisible ink hoping Sammie will find it and things will go back to normal.  But then she meets Will and Briggs and others and starts to become friends with them.  

Can Bea discover a way to be herself? 

I enjoyed this book even with a familiar trope.  Bea was delightful and thoughtful and Will was a great character as was Briggs.  Solid choice!

One Amazing Elephant


















What a delightful story.  

Lily's grandparents and mom work in a circus.  Her dad works at a campground.  Lily struggles at times with anxiety and with feelings of abandonment - especially regarding her mother who left when she was 3.  But, she loves her grandfather even if he keeps trying to get her to connect with his elephant Queenie Grace.  When her grandfather dies suddenly Lily struggles to comes to terms with it and to find a way to help Queenie Grace through it as well.

The book is told in alternating chapters from Lily's point of view and Queenie Grace's point of view.  This lends an interesting perspective to the book.  I really enjoyed this.

A Properly Unhaunted Place

















Rosa and her mother, a ghost appeasement specialist, have just moved to Ingot.  But Ingot has no ghosts.  So why do they need a specialist?  Or did her mother move to Ingot to escape the memory of Rosa's father?  As Rosa tries to adjust to life without ghosts she meets Jasper, whose family works at the Renaissance Fair in town.  But then something weird happens...  a ghost appears.  Now Rosa and Jasper must figure out where this haunting is coming from and how to make things right.

I really enjoyed the book.  It was fast paced and had an interesting concept.  I think my younger readers will like it for the reason that made me frustrated in the end.  There was a lot of build up about how terrible it would be when the barrier was breached and all the ghosts were able to come back to town and then...not so much.  Younger readers won't mind it but older readers (like me) may feel let down.

Nile Crossing














Told in poetic narrative form this book tells the story of Khepri who is leaving home, crossing the Nile with his father, to start school as a scribe.   The poems and illustrations are lovely and the book is filled with factual information about life at the time, especially in the back matter.  A great addition to Egyptian studies.

The Watcher















Oh my word, I thought this was lovely.  Using a form of poetry called, golden shovel, Nikki Grimes used words from Psalm 121 and turned it into a poetic narrative about bullying and learning to watch and listen to the people around us.  Powerful stuff and the illustration were gorgeous as well.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Puritan Girl, Mohawk Girl

















This historical fiction book is based on the true story of Eunice Williams, a Puritan girl who was captured and raised by Mohawks after a raid on her village.  It documents her life from that time until her death but focuses primarily on her childhood and her transition from a Puritan girl to a Mohawk girl, who although given many opportunities, chose to stay with the Mohawks.

While interesting and well researched the story reads more like a textbook instead of a smooth story.

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Sidetracked


















Joseph is used to being picked on - he's small, he is not athletic, and he has a learning disability.  He is totally surprised when the new girl, Heather, stands up for him in PE and then when she encourages him to be on the cross country team.  While certainly not the fastest, Joseph keeps going and learns about teamwork, friendship, and perseverance.

Overall, I liked the book.  The themes were well done and Joseph was a great character.  There were good dynamics between Heather and Joseph and the book moved along well.  There was some swearing in the beginning of the book, a weird incident in the men's restroom at the senior housing, and the use of the word "retards" which always bothers me.  Still divided about whether I will have this in the library.

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street


















Tessa is not overly thrilled about moving from Florida to Chicago, but her dad just got his dream job in the symphony orchestra so she is uprooted from her best friend and life in Florida.  Things get worse though when strange things start happening in her old house - cold air, creaking, getting locked in the bathroom, missing items, mysterious sketches, and a talking ventriloquist dummy.  Fortunately, Tessa meets some new friends who help her in her investigations.  They soon learn of a legendary ghost Inez Clarke who may or may not be buried in a nearby cemetery.  But who was Inez?  Did she really exist?  And why would she be trying to communicate with Tessa?

I thought this had good creep factor - some familiar tropes but there was an underlying theme of friendship that made this a bit different.  I liked it.