Saturday, December 29, 2012

Review: The Youngest Girl in the Fifth


The Youngest Girl in the Fifth
The Youngest Girl in the Fifth by Angela Brazil

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is a book from a much earlier era, where school girls actually tried to be moral and ethical and when it wasn't a subject of ridicule to try to be honest and work hard. I like that part about the book. On the other hand, the writing is saccharine and overbearingly descriptive in places.

But, since I am quite interested in books about schools, that aspect of the book was still worth reading for me. It was a time when competition for school prizes was about real scholarship, not just high scores on standardized achievement tests. And competition itself was not anathema to education. It was a time when being the best at school work was equally valued with being good at sports (at both of which the heroine was, a bit unrealistically, victorious).

I read the book on my Mac, on the program Kindle for the Mac - not my favorite reading place, but still OK.



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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Review: The Great Unexpected


The Great Unexpected
The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Some of Sharon Creech's books are among my favorites, especially Walk Two Moons, but this one won't be.

The thing that most puzzles me about why this book didn't grab me is that one of the difficulties I had with the book was that I couldn't keep Lizzie and Naomi straight in my mind. This should NOT have been a problem, since Lizzie was the talker and Naomi was the dreamer. I think part of the problem is that Lizzie, the talker, wasn't the narrator of the book. So you end up with Naomi, the dreamer, doing most of the talking.

The other problem is that I just didn't care enough about some of the peripheral characters. Nula and Joe you got to know a bit, but some of the others seemed to be there just to justify and then later tie up the loose ends of a rather complex interweaving of plot elements. And, even after all of that, those plot elements still had to be tied up yet again in the last couple of chapters of the book.

Finally, there is the implausibility of the resolution. I won't say too much of it, but it just didn't seem real to me. And even the resolution leaves lots of questions dangling - and these are not the cliffhangers of some novels, urging you to buy the next book in the series, but they are, rather, little niggling things that early on in the novel seemed to point toward some question that needed answering, but then the answer, if it does appear, seems incomplete and unsatisfactory.

I did read the whole book, but I don't think it will be one I tout to kids as a "must read".



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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Review: The Pajama Diaries: Deja To-Do!


The Pajama Diaries: Deja To-Do!
The Pajama Diaries: Deja To-Do! by Terri Libenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Another one of my interests is comic strips, especially ones that deal with lives of families with children. This is one such comic strip that I generally read. The thing I appreciate most about this particular strip is that the parents are not just foils for kids jokes. In fact, the mother is the main focus of the strip, which gives it a perspective that I enjoy (since I am a mother). The art work is good and the jokes are much more self-effacing than mean spirited.

One of the reasons I like buying comic strip books is that I can read more of the strips in one sitting and get a stronger feel for the story line. This was not as big of a factor in reading this book though. In fact, in this case, each strip often gives me enough to think about that reading just a few is satisfactory.



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Review: Internat auf Probe


Internat auf Probe
Internat auf Probe by Dagmar Hoßfeld

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



One of my major interests is education and I have long been intrigued by books about boarding schools. One of the reasons I enjoy them is that sometimes you get glimpses of what the schooling is like, but you also usually get an in-depth view of the children in various aspects of their lives. I know there is significant literary analysis of the fact that children in literature are frequently left to their own devices, without adults to limit them or protect them. Boarding schools seem to be a mid-point between being orphaned or abandoned and therefore alone in the world and living at home with parents. The teachers at the schools are free to take on all sorts of personalities and varied relationships with the students, and there are still people around to help with problems, to provide companionship, and to be obstacles to overcome.

This book is a fairly standard boarding school book. The MC likes it at first, then has problems with kids and/or schooling and doesn't like it, then finally ends up loving it (or, in some other books, simply coming to terms with it). It is written for slightly younger children than many of the boarding school books and seems a bit cautious about going into problems too deeply. It is an "everyday life" sort of book, in that the problems are ones that could and do occur in real life. My children loved this kind of book when they were middle-grade age - it seems to talk about things that could happen to them.

As an adult, I found the book a bit too predictable and too simple. But the German vocabulary and speaking speed was enough to challenge me and to keep my interest up.



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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Review: French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters


French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters
French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters by Karen Le Billon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Although I do not have young children any more, I enjoyed reading this book. As a substitute teacher, I go to many different schools and I have previously taught regularly in quite a few more and I am not happy with the eating habits I see kids developing. It started with water. There was a big push to have kids drink more water and since the water from drinking fountains was often not very good, kids started bringing their own water bottles. Then kids would substitute juice for plain water, which soon was switched out for energy drinks. The morning milk and cookies snack, became the morning juice and crackers snack. Then came the decision that kids should determine when they were hungry and thirsty, so they should be allowed to eat whenever they felt they needed to. In some schools, VERY MANY of them, actually, this has become "kids can eat all day, whenever they want". This has led to an INCREDIBLE amount of food being thrown out - from their school lunches or from their packed lunches, usually food that is higher in nutrition than sweet drinks and chips of various sorts. Even at the high school and middle school level, in MANY schools, kids are eating virtually all day. I had one very chubby girl tell me that she "needed" to eat all day, or else she would suffer from faintness. She could have been telling the truth, I have no way of knowing, but it certainly wasn't doing her any good to be eating cookies all day.

So, it was very interesting to me to read about a different culture where this was not accepted. The only problem with this book for me personally is that I really do not like to cook. It made me wish very much that I did.

I must also admit to skimming a lot of the latter part of the book. Still, if either of my daughters ever decide to have children, I may seriously consider buying this for them. And should I ever have a say in the matter, I would also seriously advocate for changing the eating habits of children in American schools.



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Review: The Far West


The Far West
The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Again, this is a rather strange concept for a book. It is akin to steam punk, but the emphasis is on an alternate history of the US frontier, based on magic and the continued existence of animals known to have gone extinct in North America. As a story, this is a meandering tale that never really develops tension or progress (though there is action with animals and with magic), but, for some strange reason, it pulled me in anyway. I have had a hard time wanting to finish quite a few books lately (personal distractions), but this one, I managed to make time for. I like the semi-scientific approach to magic and magical animals. I like Eff, Lan, and Michael.

My chief annoyance with the book is a good one: I want more. More of the characters, more of the setting, more of the concepts about magic.

And I do have one question/comment: is this the last of a trilogy? I will be disappointed if it is, for two reasons: 1) I enjoyed reading it and 2) I don't want Eff's story to end with marriage. Life does go on after a young girl gets married. Wrede showed this in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles and I would be interested to see it here, too.



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Saturday, October 20, 2012

Review: Die schrecklichsten Mütter der Welt


Die schrecklichsten Mütter der Welt
Die schrecklichsten Mütter der Welt by Sabine Ludwig

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I listened to this book as an audiobook in German. I should probably write the review in German, but I am not going to. The book is a good romp and a fun idea. But at some point, the back and forth trips to the island and the weird fascination of the "bad guy" with the robots gets a bit too much like slapstick. I would have liked to see more character development and less trivialized action. It was a lot of fun, but lacking in depth for me.



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Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Review: Orientation


Orientation
Orientation by Allis Wade

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



It is a bit sadly that I rate this book only at 4 stars. The book touched me deeply enough that I cried in several places and at the end of the book. The tears were not for sadness at the events in the story, but rather for the recognition of the feelings, thoughts, and experiences. I am also convinced that it is an important book for gifted students, most especially highly gifted students. Why then 4 stars rather than 5? Although I can't imagine how it could have been done otherwise and still cover the same material, the book is most definitely didactic - it just isn't either completely a story or completely a treatise on Dabrowski. It is a melding of the two that works, mostly, but at the expense of making the story somewhat awkward. There are also, as another reviewer remarked, a number of typos and word usage errors (commiserate, rather than commensurate is the most glaring). Still, it is a important book for upper elementary and middle school aged gifted kids - a welcome support for their needs in a number of dimensions.



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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Review: If This is a Gift, Can I Send it Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice Exceptional


If This is a Gift, Can I Send it Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice Exceptional
If This is a Gift, Can I Send it Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice Exceptional by Jen Merrill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is a fun read and is especially good if you need encouragement and humor to help you get through some difficult times. The book is not meant to be a guide through getting through issues, though. I found that a tad disappointing. I enjoyed reading it, but there isn't much to refer to when you are done.



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Saturday, October 6, 2012

Review: Keeping the Castle


Keeping the Castle
Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this one, but it brings to mind my completely deficient background. I have read some of the books and authors that the book ostensibly mimics, but not thoroughly or recently enough to recall the details. I understand the irony, but for me, the appeal of the book is its lightheartedness. I am growing weary of the "save the world from evil forces" genre and the "dire things happening in the modern world" genre. It is nice to have just a fun romp through a ridiculously incongruous representation of 19th century nobility.

It probably warrants re-reading with an eye for allusions to the classics, but I probably won't get around to that. Sigh.



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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Review: How to Scratch a Wombat: Where to Find It . . . What to Feed It . . . Why It Sleeps All Day


How to Scratch a Wombat: Where to Find It . . . What to Feed It . . . Why It Sleeps All Day
How to Scratch a Wombat: Where to Find It . . . What to Feed It . . . Why It Sleeps All Day by Jackie French

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book isn't quite as adorable at the Diary of a Wombat pair, but it has a lot more information in it. I would choose this book for the slightly older children that I enjoy working with the most - 8 to 12 year olds.



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Review: Wombat Goes Walkabout


Wombat Goes Walkabout
Wombat Goes Walkabout by Michael Morpurgo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is a "where is my mother" style book that highlights the abilities of various Australian animals, as well as the fire danger of the Australian bush. Cute, but more anthropomorphic than the Jackie French books.



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Review: Diary of a BABY Wombat


Diary of a BABY Wombat
Diary of a BABY Wombat by Jackie French

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I have been on a wombat kick lately - reading several books about the adorable (but stinky) creatures. This book is every bit as cute as its predecessor, Diary of a Wombat. I may just have to go out an buy it.



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Friday, September 7, 2012

Review: Eighth Grade Is Making Me Sick: Ginny Davis's Year In Stuff


Eighth Grade Is Making Me Sick: Ginny Davis's Year In Stuff
Eighth Grade Is Making Me Sick: Ginny Davis's Year In Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Fluff - moderately interesting, but not compelling fluff. Girls who don't like to read much may enjoy this, but don't go looking for profound or something that you will remember a long time.



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Read Aloud with Document Camera

The other day, I was in a classroom where the teacher had left instructions to read aloud from any book I chose for 30 minutes (I am a substitute teacher). I usually carry with me a couple of books that I think might interest the age level that I am teaching for the day. I have found that Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka is generally a hit with 4th through 6th graders, so I read the first few chapters of that.

The teacher had a document camera right next to the place from which I was reading the book, so, rather than show the pictures around, where the students would see them for a very short time and not very well, I put the pictures under the document camera. That was nicer than I expected. Since this was a 6th grade class, and 6th graders hate to sit on the floor for read aloud, they were all at desks or tables and from wherever they were, they could just look up and see the pictures.

In the past, I have not been very fond of document cameras. They have been awkward replacements for white boards, but this was a better interaction with them for me. Next time I read a book with significant illustrations, I will look for a document camera.

Review: Don't Let the Republican Drive the Bus!: A Parody for Voters


Don't Let the Republican Drive the Bus!: A Parody for Voters
Don't Let the Republican Drive the Bus!: A Parody for Voters by Erich Origen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I have never been a fan of the book this is based off of - I don't hate it, but it didn't appeal to me as much as it did many other readers of the book. This book is a direct take-off on that book and thus, some of the humor, though funny, didn't hit my "hilarious" meter. I am a "flaming liberal", so the political slant of the book was fine with me - and rings true. I doubt if it will convince many people, but it does bring some much needed comic relief.



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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Review: The False Prince


The False Prince
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I read this book in one day and really enjoyed it. It isn't a book with great deeper significance or long lasting messages, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I went looking for it at my local B & N store, with only the remembrance of what the cover looked like. I couldn't find it in the kids' section, but eventually located it in the teens' section. I think it reads a bit young compared to most of what I seem to find in YA these days, but I really LIKED that. A lot of YA has gotten too violent, too sexualized, and too dark for me. Give me a book like this any day. There is violence in the book, but the book isn't centrally focused on the violence. For me, there is a difference.

I will look for the sequels.



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Friday, July 13, 2012

Not Just a WitchNot Just a Witch by Eva Ibbotson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted something a bit lighter, since my life right now has been "challenging", and this fit the bill for this, but the story didn't quite make it for me.

The characters are the main attraction, but somehow, I just didn't find out enough about them to make a real connection. For example, you don't really get to know Heckie and her friend Dora, before they have a big fight and stop talking to each other. You don't care enough about the friendship to feel its loss until much later in the book.

And some of the characters, especially the other witches and the children, seem uni-dimensional. One wizard wants to make cheese walk. This could be a great joke, but it isn't developed enough to help me understand him - to feel his quirks and sympathize with him. It is just a one-line joke, until it comes in handy later in the story. You do find out a lot about some of the villains, but what you find out is mostly there to convince you that Heckie's plan for them (turning them into animals) is justified.

I don't think children would mind these flaws, but for me, it keeps the book from being a classic. Enjoyable, but superficial.

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Review: The Complete Funky Winkerbean 1972-1974



The Complete Funky Winkerbean 1972-1974 by Tom Batiuk

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think the author of this book and I are of a similar era, so this retrospective was, for me, a walk through my past as well. The difference in the humor of that era to the current one is minor, but it seems to me that it is a bit gentler. There is a long-running gag about Les getting turned down for dates. The difference is that he largely puts himself down and the girls that he asks don't put him down cruelly, they just say no. One even says yes, but he is so focused on accepting a negative answer that he doesn't even notice.

That said, I think his writing didn't venture too far from the stereotypes of the day. The football hero is stupid; the feminist is abrasive; the cheerleaders are "hot". Funky and Les are better developed than the other characters, but most of the minor characters are rather one-dimensional.

There are a couple of minor characters that are intriguing; Crazy Harry is a favorite of mine. He is an underachiever and satisfied with confronting the norms through passivity. The school counselor, Mr. Fairgood, a couple of the teachers, and the principal, all give the strip a chance to poke at the cluelessness of some of the adults.

I enjoyed the book. I have a relatively large collection of cartoons and comics (though not the standard comic books) and I am happy to add this to my collection.



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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Review: May B.

May B.May B. by Caroline Starr Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was good, but the blank verse didn't work as well for me. It made the story a bit too sparse for me - and too short. I am not a big fan of short stories and this read, to some extent, like a short story.

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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Review: Nerd Camp


Nerd Camp
Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I would actually give this 3 1/2 stars, if that were allowed, but I am rounding up, due to this being about nerds. The book is a fairly standard tween type book, with one kid wondering if his nerdiness will keep his new stepbrother from liking him, but at the same time really enjoying his nerdy summer camp. The nerdiness questions get a little old after a while, but I think they have to be there.

As an interesting aside: this is one of the few American books I have read, where relationships to family and other adults are portrayed really positively. I give it a plus for that, even though, at times, the positive feelings border on sugary. In fact, there is a bit of the too-positive throughout the whole book - another reason for the 3 1/2 stars.
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Monday, June 4, 2012

Review: Flying Solo


Flying Solo
Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book worked better than I thought it would, just from reading the blurbs. There is a lot of thinking crammed into a short-ish novel. In fact, it reads a little bit like a series of short stories - short vignettes tied together by some common threads. But it comes together surprisingly well.

I wasn't completely satisfied with the ethics of the resolution, but then I am a substitute teacher and I am perhaps biased by my experiences with 6th grade classes.



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Review: The Snow Queen


The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I like the illustrations for this, but I didn't love the story as much as I had hoped.



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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Review: Geek Abroad


Geek Abroad
Geek Abroad by Piper Banks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Enjoyable and good. I like these books well enough to keep reading them, but for some reason, they aren't quite as profound as I had hoped. I am not sure what it is, but they are more of a summer vacation read than a serious, devote all of your attention to read. That isn't bad, BTW; sometimes, it is exactly what I want.



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Review: Summer of the Geek


Summer of the Geek
Summer of the Geek by Piper Banks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



There are some things I like about these books: realistically dealing with people's differences, family relationships, problem solving, and this book was a good choice for a plane trip. There isn't tremendous depth here, but it is enjoyable.



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Review: Geek High


Geek High
Geek High by Piper Banks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I am a sucker for books about smart kids and I enjoyed this. It is no classic, but it was enjoyable.



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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Review: Down Under Thunder


Down Under Thunder
Down Under Thunder by Mark Miller

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



So, yeah, I did read the second part of this adventure - just for completeness' sake and I stand by my earlier review. The characters are stereotypes, the adventure is predictable, the writing is straightforward and not especially compelling. This might be redeemed, if some of the other promised elements were worthwhile, but the geography is even faulty. If you land at Uluru, it is around 1,778 MILES to Sydney. You can't expect to cover this much territory in one nap (the drive to Sydney) or one brief conversation (the drive back from Sydney). And, there is very little water along the way, so the chances of meeting that crocodile are pretty slim.

Sigh. I will try something else.



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Review: New Kids on The Rock


New Kids on The Rock
New Kids on The Rock by Mark Miller

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The first thing to say about this is that I am not sure about this marketing plan. This selection only cost $0.99, but it is only one chapter's worth of story. The second thing to say is that, in general, I am not a fan of short stories I just get into them - and they are over.

Now, for the story (I can't quite refer to it as a book, since it really isn't). The premise is interesting, but there isn't nearly enough development for me. So far, everyone seems like a stereotype, from the kid-jock and the other kid-computer geek to the threatening-secret agent, the out-back-kid, the nondescript out-back girl place-holder, the aboriginal jeep driver, and quite a few other minor characters. For such a short excerpt, there just isn't enough there.

It is an interesting idea and it may appeal to its target audience - middle grade kids who like action and adventure, but I will need to debate with myself long and hard, before I commit too much to it. There are so many good books out there. But I am a sucker for things that have to do with geography and, in this instance, Australia, so who knows, maybe I will try at least the rest of this story.



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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Review: Wonder


Wonder
Wonder by R.J. Palacio

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



As I was reading this, I kept thinking, "This would make a good read aloud; a good discussion starter." And, now that I am finished I still think so. How DO you get past the initial shock of someone who has a physical deformity? What IS the kindest way to react? How can you look past the outward appearance and get to know the person?

I once taught a girl who had severe cerebral palsy and I never managed to answer these questions. In her case, I never even managed to figure out how to communicate with her, but that really doesn't explain (or justify) my reactions to her.

There were parts of this book that were just a tad too good (Auggie's family), but most of the book was spot on for each of the different characters. The craft of the author really shows through in the shifts of points of view - with each character adding to the depth of the story. In literature for students of this age (somewhat young for YA; too old for middle grades), there is sometimes the temptation to simplify people and situations, but here the author purposely adds to the complexity, illustrating convincingly that you need to know each character better, before you really understand the situation.

Highly recommended.



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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Review: Blood Red Road


Blood Red Road
Blood Red Road by Moira Young

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This audiobook was 9 CDs long and I did listen to them all, which says something about the interest level of the book. I enjoyed it and might even look for sequels, but it seems to me more like a guilty pleasure than a book I would recommend to many people.



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Saturday, May 19, 2012

Review: Die Wolke


Die Wolke
Die Wolke by Gudrun Pausewang

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I listened to this in German. I am not a native German speaker, so I probably missed some of the words, but I understood the reader pretty well.

The story is not a pleasant one. It follows the fate of a 14 year old girl after a large nuclear accident in Germany. The book was originally published in 1990, well before the Japanese earthquake and the resulting nuclear accident at Fukushima, but after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl.

It is obvious that the author is trying to engender fear of atomic reactors (and might be criticized as being a tad didactic), and, after the accident at Fukushima, this doesn't seem as unreasonable as some critics of the book might maintain. The authorities at Fukushima did not understand the full extent of the damage in the situation and they did not inform the public quickly of the dangers. But the actual physical damage takes second place to the resulting psychological damage in the audiobook and it doesn't feel like this is exaggerated. It will be interesting to compare this fictional account to biographical accounts, should they eventually come from Japan.

There ARE safer atomic energy reactors (thorium reactors), but the large majority of currently operating reactors are not of this type. Adults need to consider carefully and with long term thinking the benefits and problems of using atomic energy. The question is, should children do this? The book is targeted at children 13 to 16 years old. I think it is appropriate for the older end of this range, and would pair well with a more scientific account.

As for the literary quality of the book, I am a terrible judge of "literary" writing, especially in a language that is not native for me. My criteria tend to be more mundane - did the book pull me in? is the story convincing and worthwhile? I found it exciting and the characters appealing. The emotional impact of the book is strong and the subject matter is important.

I was a little disappointed, when I looked up the book for this review, to find that the audio version is abridged. I generally prefer to avoid abridged versions, but in this case, I think it probably worked OK. I am not sure I could have maintained strong interest in such a painful story had it gone on significantly longer. But I also think the longer version might have allowed for better development of the characters, which is always important to me.



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Saturday, May 5, 2012

Review: Mouse Guard: Fall 1152


Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The illustrations and the relatively straightforward story are very appealing in this story. The mice are well drawn and distinctive. The only critique I can think of is that, in some cases, the illustrations have too much red or reddish orange. This makes sense when there is a fire or they are traveling through the forest with orangish leaf-fall; it makes less sense when it is just sunset. Anyway, the illustrations that have less orange are more appealing. I wish I could find an excuse to purchase the plush or plastic characters. Now to learn how to play the game based on these books.



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Review: Artsy-Fartsy


Artsy-Fartsy
Artsy-Fartsy by Karla Oceanak

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book is written for kids a bit younger than the ones I usually read for, which may color my review. I liked the book, but I think the narrator sounds a bit too cute. The concept of the book is good and I think the plethora of "a" words is a good, whimsical touch.



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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Review: Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip


Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip
Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



From the literary merit of this book alone, I probably would have given this 4 stars, but there is some undefined aspect of quality that this book has that many do not for me: I WANTED to read it. The writing, the characters, the several interrelated themes all worked for me.

Normally, I don't read other reviews before I write my own, but this time, I read a few. I must say, I didn't find Angelika unbelievable - it seems to me the high school kids I see make snap judgements like that all of the time. [I am a substitute teacher, so I see a lot of kids making snap judgements and witty remarks.] And the sarcastic wit is one of the hallmarks of today's teens. In fact, sometimes I wish it weren't so. But not this time. The wit in this book didn't seem mean-spirited, just keenly observant.

There were also some things that this book didn't have that impressed me: there was no unnecessary sex scene. There wasn't a big nasty confrontation to resolve the character's dilemma. There wasn't an unrealistically positive ending (see Okay for Now).

But, most of all, I just enjoyed it.



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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Review: Fallen Grace


Fallen Grace
Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I got this book from the children's section of the library and I am somewhat surprised that it was there, rather than the young adult section. The central event of the book is the rape of the two sisters, and their resulting fall into desperate poverty. Be that as it may, the book is rather cleverly plotted and the characterization is good. It is even rather suspenseful. But it is a book I read quickly, rather than savored. Good, but not a classic for me.



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Review: Regeneration


Regeneration
Regeneration by Linda J. Singleton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This feels like just part of a story - and I think it is part of a series, so that may actually be the case. It is interesting, but the characters didn't quite grab me as much as I would hope. It was bit more melodramatic than I like, but I think kids would enjoy that more than I do. They would also like the action more.



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Friday, March 23, 2012

Review: Mastiff


Mastiff
Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Ok, I admit, I am going to be a bit too hard on this book. The problem is, I have read a lot of Tamora Pierce's books and I keep coming back for more. The books hook me in. I am interested in the characters and their interactions. It is an absorbing universe.

So, I enjoyed this book tremendously - until the end. Suffice it to say that the twist in the ending just didn't ring true to me. This is the third book about these characters and the case for the twist didn't seem strong enough to justify the action. It isn't that this book was bad - it was still absorbing enough that I even read it while waiting in the doctor's office - but the ending just didn't convince me.

My recommendation: don't let this be the first Tamora Pierce book that you read - for a lot of reasons. This is the third book in this particular series, but it is not the third book in the whole saga. Some of the other series are stronger and have more satisfyingly strong endings.



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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Review: Winter of Fire


Winter of Fire
Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was actually slightly disappointed in this book. I liked the spunk of the main character, Elsha, but all of the other females in the book seemed to be just tacked on so that the male to female character ratio wouldn't be so overwhelmingly male. None of the other female characters had anywhere near the level of interest that the surrounding male characters did.

And, the ending seemed almost like a Deus ex machine - where everything was wrapped up almost too neatly by the people learning how to "think warm". Yes, I know that there were all of these other powers exhibited during the course of the story, and Elsha gradually learned that she was powerful in ways she hadn't known before, but that particular power seemed to just be summoned up so that the story could end with a satisfactory conclusion.

On the other hand, the book WAS good enough that I read the whole thing. I can't always say that lately.



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Review: That Scatterbrain Booky


That Scatterbrain Booky
That Scatterbrain Booky by Bernice Thurman Hunter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book for its honest depiction of the trials of family life during the depression. In its depiction of everyday life during historical times, it reminds me of Anne of Green Gables. The book is similarly episodic and filled with little vignettes of experiences.

And I enjoyed the main character, Beatrice. One minor gripe, though, is that I don't quite understand how she got the appellation "Scatterbrain". She seems to have had dyscalculia long before that was even beginning to have a ready name for the condition, but I didn't see her as especially scatterbrained.



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Friday, March 9, 2012

Review: Birthmarked


Birthmarked
Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book and read the whole thing in only a couple of days. The biggest strength, for me, is the cast of characters - I like the complexity of many of them. The biggest negative, again for me, is that sometimes the descriptive passages got to be too long. I know some of that needs to be there to build up the suspense, but when the suspense is already built and strong, the descriptive passages actually get in the way.

Nevertheless, I have already ordered the second book from the library and I am looking forward to reading it.



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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Review: Z Is for Moose


Z Is for Moose
Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is a delightful take on alphabet books. The text is excellent; the pictures appealing. But the best part is that it is emotionally satisfying - it speaks directly to emotions of the target age group and resolves them.



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Monday, March 5, 2012

Review: Mummies in the Morning


Mummies in the Morning
Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The reason I decided to read a few of the Magic Tree House books was that, while my middle school students were preparing for a Brain Bowl competition, there was a question that came up, asking for the author of two of the books. Whereas I had never heard of them, the kids knew right away and could even name MANY of the other books in the series, even though they had probably read them 5 or 6 years ago. I figured that was a good recommendation.

Caveat: I don't read a lot of books for this age group: chapter books for moderately proficient lower middle grade kids.

The advantages of this book are several. It is the right length for a good reader to read in a short enough time that the story hangs together. It has enough facts and details to whet the appetite of interested students to learn more. It has enough suspense to keep the kids reading, but not so much as to make them anxious.

I think it is also clever psychologically. The boy is the older of the two siblings, so he is cast in a slightly protective role. But the girl is an active participant in the story, not just along for gender balance. I think this helps the book appeal to both boys and girls.

I actually prefer books for slightly older kids, ones that tackle more complex issues and matters of character, so I am not quite a fair reviewer of this kind of book. But I am impressed that my students, who are older, remember them so fondly.



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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Review: The One and Only Ivan


The One and Only Ivan
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is a sweet book that would make a good read-aloud for middle grade students. It is a quick read and is a bit too anthropomorphized for me, but I think kids will like it.



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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Review: Where Things Come Back


Where Things Come Back
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



What I liked about this story was the relationship between Cullen and his brother Gabriel and the one between Cullen and his best friend Lucas. What I didn't like was the relationship between Cullen and the various women in his life. And, there was another minor detail that really annoyed me, so I might as well say it: why do authors choose such similar names for two of the important characters, Ada and Alma, or whatever their names were. Come on, there are loads of different names available, even ones that sound Southern. Why do they choose ones that are so similar? It makes all the females sort of run together in one depiction of the female gender. After all, they are just accessories to the story, so we don't really need to have them have individual characters.

The plot for the story is quite convoluted and I must admit that about halfway through, I started losing interest. It does eventually all hang together, but it takes quite a while to get there.



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Monday, February 20, 2012

The Lions of Little RockThe Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book, but I wasn't completely wowed by it. I like the idea that it follows the year after the schools in Little Rock were first integrated. Sometimes the follow-up is just as interesting as the original news story.

One of the things I am not so sure about is the selective mutism aspect of the story. I have an acquaintance whose son had this difficulty and it would be interesting to find out if his experience over-coming the problem had any relation to the protagonist's experience.

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Review: The Lions of Little Rock


The Lions of Little Rock
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book, but I wasn't completely wowed by it. I like the idea that it follows the year after the schools in Little Rock were first integrated. Sometimes the follow-up is just as interesting as the original news story.

One of the things I am not so sure about is the selective mutism aspect of the story. I have an acquaintance whose son had this difficulty and it would be interesting to find out if his experience over-coming the problem had any relation to the protagonist's experience.



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Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Piper's SonThe Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are some books that you devour - you read through them at a lightning pace, racing toward the end; there are some books you plod through, slogging through to the end just because of some sense of obligation; there are still other books that you start and abandon, lured on by something else more appealing. And then there are books that you pick up and put down and pick up and put down, not because they aren't appealing or motivating, but because the feelings that well up in you when you read them can overwhelm you on a bad day - or even on a good day. This was, for me, one of those last kind.

For me, many Australian writers have a stronger sense of family than American writers. I am not sure why, perhaps it is only in my own mind. But this book is chock full of examples. Little turns of phrases, gestures, plot elements - they all add up to a very powerful account of the importance of family, and, in this case, also friends. This is a love story about friendship and family - and how they deal with grief.

Years ago, two friends of mine died - one through suicide, the other by murder. Both were an extreme shock to me. I guess you never really come to terms with either. This book deals with two family deaths - one through terrorism, the other through war. And it is a painful journey for them.

It also deals with the complications of relationships - the death of one form of the relationship and then the much more hopeful rebuilding of them. It is this latter aspect that gives hope for the dealing with the deaths.

There are a lot of characters in the story - almost too many to really care about. But each of the glimpses into other characters does add depth to the understanding of family and friends. None are unnecessary distractions. The novel is expertly crafted.

The only question I would have is whether it should be pitched at young adult or as adult fiction. It is certainly aimed at least at the older end of the young adult spectrum. It isn't that it is too risqué for younger YA, but more that they won't get it. The things that are most powerful about the book, the deft turns of phrase, the subtle orchestration of interactions, the ambiguous feelings - these will likely be missed by the young YAs, looking for action and adventure. I have a similar feeling about the book The Giver by Lois Lowry. It can be, and often is, read by children as young as 4th or 5th graders (9 - 11 years old), but there are certain aspects of the book that simply won't have their full power until the reader is a bit older - at least in puberty. This book seems to require that the reader know about loving relationships - their power and, at times, their fragility. Perhaps you can find that in younger children, but not often.
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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Review: In The Sea There Are Crocodiles: Based On The True Story Of Enaiatollah Akbari

In The Sea There Are Crocodiles: Based On The True Story Of Enaiatollah Akbari
In The Sea There Are Crocodiles: Based On The True Story Of Enaiatollah Akbari by Fabio Geda

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This impressive account is simply, but compellingly told. I enjoyed reading it, although it does detail many difficult and horrible events.

On greater reflection, I was thinking about the difference of what happens to young boys in danger of the Taliban to what happens to young girls. A girl could not have made it all the way to Italy. It would be more likely for a young girl to have been subject to some sort of gender-based compulsory service, either through marriage at a young age or sold into sexual slavery, similarly to the tale told in Patricia McCormick's Sold. There is hope in this story, the one about Enaiatollah, but we have to remember that it was told by the boy who made it - not by the several who died along the way or who suffered other dismal fates. There is less hope in Sold, but even there, some of the young women escape. Somehow the sexual slavery is worse to me, but I am a woman, so perhaps that is why I react so strongly to that.

Either way, both books make a contribution to knowledge about a part of the world that Americans now know more about than in previous decades, due to our military efforts there, but which we still don't understand.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Review: When I Wore My Sailor Suit


When I Wore My Sailor Suit
When I Wore My Sailor Suit by Uri Shulevitz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I know I should probably like this better than 3 stars, but I didn't, actually. The problem is that the book started out as though it was going to be a grand adventure and then it seemingly, rather abruptly switched into an explanation of a childhood fear and how it was eventually overcome. It makes sense and the idea is good, but felt like two different books to me. The adventure part seemed like something fun, that was horribly interrupted by the childhood fear part - which is probably the intention of the author. As an adult thing, it works, but, from a child's perspective, I am not sure it would. I get the sense that kids would feel that part of the story was missing - the enjoyment of the adventure. But, perhaps, I underestimate young children. It would be interesting to me to hear what children think about the story.



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Sunday, January 29, 2012