I Would Lick It For Hours: Two Lumps-Year One by Mel Hynes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The two cats follow the time-honored premise of one being the fall guy, the dumb one, the stooge, and the other being the sharp one, the sarcastic observer.  And, this works.  Part of the reason it works is the quality of the expressions on the faces of the cats.  And another part is that it sticks reasonably close to what we think might be going on in the cats' minds.  I used to love Get Fuzzy, which follows a similar premise (in this case, dumb dog; smart cat), but it has strayed so far from cat and dog-like behaviors that it has lost some of its appeal for me. 



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Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I listened to the book on audio and, unlike the last book I listened to (Howl's Moving Castle), this one was easy to follow. I get a tiny bit annoyed with Lincoln Hoppe's readings at times, though. I am not sure why. His voice and reading are both fine. I guess I just get a bit tired of the sameness of the voice.

I agree with another reviewer about the plot: some of the plot was just too much - more about that below. I was rooting for Doug all along, but some of the plot elements just worked out too smoothly. The babysitter emergency was also something I could have done without. (Echoes of Anne of Green Gables saving Diana's little sister). Lil's illness seemed like an addition that should have either had a much greater impact, or should have been left out entirely. There are other ways to get Doug on stage. An illness that severe shouldn't have been glossed over.

But, there are several things I especially enjoyed. I thought the introduction of Lil was great and I loved the art lessons in the library. And, I really enjoyed the old guy and the horseshoes.

But I think, overall, the plot suffers from what I have come to think of as "too-much-itis". Rather than dealing the everyday problems of life in a normal manner, the situations and problems have to be taken to the extreme. This is NOT confined to Gary Schmidt and his books; it seems to be pervasive in YA books now. E.g., rather than simply gaining the trust of the parents again through reading with their kids and taking care of them, there has to be an asthma emergency. Rather than old Mrs. Windermere writing a play for a local theater group, she has to be writing for Broadway. The side effect of "too-much-itis" is that, as in this book, the actual plot resolution then becomes too much, too - a little too good, a little too extreme.

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Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is an awesome introduction to brain science.  It reads like a combination of biography, forensic science, and biology. 



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Review: Human Body: A Book with Guts!

Human Body: A Book with Guts! by Simon Basher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is an appealing book and it has solid information - and a lot of it. My only question about the book is whether the cartoonish pictures are the best way to illustrate the concepts. Pluses are that they will appeal to kids and the anthropomorphic character of the cartoons adds humor, where the subject might be rather less appealing without them. Negatives are that the real things actually look quite different and for those children who want the real thing, this could be a significant drawback. I ordered this book from the library, based on a recommendation from a parent, who was suggesting the series for a high ability, but very young student. I think this book would certainly fit that bill.

Caveat: this is not the sort of book that I normally read cover to cover. And, I didn't with this one. I sampled pages here and there. So this is not a comprehensive review.



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Review: Need A House? Call Ms. Mouse

Need A House? Call Ms. Mouse by George Mendoza

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I would love to use this book as an impromptu lesson, should I need one as a substitute teacher. It would make a good starter for a writing/drawing lesson. The book has the anthropomorphic Ms. Mouse design human-like houses for various animals, from insects to bears. Having lived for a few years in Alaska, my immediate thought was to have kids design a house for a moose. To accommodate the antlers, the doors could be mushroom shaped, the bed could have a trough at the top, so the dad moose could sleep on his side. I checked into buying a copy on Amazon, though, and a new copy is listed at $220 something and a used copy only slightly less. Too bad it is out of print.



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Review: The Center of Everything

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I sure wish I like this one better. The characters are interesting and the idea has potential, but it is just too slow and too lyrical for me. And you can discount this review, because I read only the first half of the book and then skimmed the rest. I am sorry.



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Review: Almost Home

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Joan Bauer's books have a certain homey-ness to them that is not common in many contemporary books. There are no vampires or zombies, no wizards or monsters, no murders or threats to blow up the world - just people living everyday lives with everyday problems. Well, in this case, it is the problem of what homelessness does to people, which, in my case, being a privileged person, has never happened to me. But the point is, it could. Some times the distance between privilege and poverty is less than we think. Sugar's and Reba's problems are more severe than I have ever had to deal with, but the fact that they seem so realistic and possible lends strength to the story. You have to admire the courage and the honesty of not just the main characters in the story, but also the lesser players.

A very worthwhile read.



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