Higher Power of Lucky....

...is over at Tweendom!

A Taxonomy of Barnacles

So, every now and again I get a hankering to read an adult book. I was at a bit of a loss as my Bookmarks subscription expired and I try to avoid the papers (bad news and all!). But this lovely cover caught my eye, and as you well know, I am a sucker for the NYC story!

The Barnacle sisters are summoned to their father's apartment for the Passover seder and for a big announcement. Benita, Beryl, Belinda, Beth, Bridgit and Bell (ages ranging from 10-29) are in attendance when dad, Barry, announces that whichever girl can find a way to immortalize the Barnacle name will inherit his fortune. (Barry is the pantyhose king from Brooklyn)

What ensues is a hilarious and depressing look into family life. The Barnacles are a very eccentric family. While they are rich enough to have an enormous apartment, the girls are forced to double up because the "extra" three room house Barry's collections. There is a hole in the ceiling and a spiral staircase that connect the apartment to that of his first wife, Bella. This is not the typical pristine apartment on the Upper East Side.

Each of the girl is a character unto herself and interprets this question very differently. Youngest Benita is a competition fiend, and hopes that notice in the papers will catch her father's eye. Rebellious Belinda finds herself a dirty punk boy to "marry". Oldest sisters Bell and Brigit vie for the attentions of the Finch twins from upstairs, while super smart Beth decides that academic recognition is the way to go.

The reader can picture each scene perfectly. Perhaps this is due to author Galt Niederhoffer's background in film. It read a bit like the Tannenbaums to me. It is zany and dark all at the same time.

I truly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to adults and older teens who like the "slice of life" story.

Rosy Cole

I am always on the look-out for books for the younger reader. Rosy Cole is too young for the tweensters, but perfect for the kids who are out of Amber Brown and on the hunt for something else!

I originally picked up Rosy Cole's Memoir Explosion for the simple fact that I am a school librarian. Sometime during the year, every teacher from every grade will call me up.

"Hi Stacy, this is teacher X...we are doing memoirs....could you bring a pile of small moment books up to my class?"

" Of course!"

This sly look at the memoir will have kids snickering as they read.

Rosy's teacher has just assigned her class to write about the most interesting family member they have. The problem is, Rosy doesn't think anyone in her family is interesting. Older sis Pippa suggests that Rosy write about the person she knows best...herself! Rosy's teacher isn't pleased, but allows Rosy to continue on with her memoir. She has found the perfect book to help her along the way : Write Your Life: A How To Guide for Memoir. All she has to do is follow the steps.

But Rosy is not so sure that she can come up with sections like "Family Feuds" or "Confronting Demons". Maybe stretching the truth a little will help Rosy's memoir.

Before she knows it, Rosy has managed to alienate her friends, spill secrets that shouldn't be told, and get herself uninvited to all social events. Can Rosy use her writing to fix what is wrong?

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Back to my series binging habits...I then read Rosy Cole's Worst Ever, Best Yet Tour of New York City.

Rosy is frantically preparing for cousin Duncan's trip to the city. She has planned a "Big Rosy" tour. This is a sightseeing trip extraordinaire, with stops at Ellis Island, Rockafeller Center and a Circle Line Tour.

Rosy is a bit set back when both Mom and Dad are sick, and Duncan steps off the plane with a barf bucket around his neck. But true to form she sticks with her plan. Unfortunately, the fates seem to be working against her. Instead of seeing all the big sights, they manage Mongolian hotpot in Chinatown, some Mariachi lessons from Manuel, and a tour of buskers in the subway. Can Rosy's cousin really get a taste of NYC and not see the big sights?

****************************
Sheila Greenwald has created a plucky character, who comes out above it all in the end (even if she does whine a bit in the during!). Fans of Amber Brown, Ramona and Judy Moody are sure to enjoy Rosy Cole!

We Are SO Crashing Your Bar Mitzvah!!

...is over at Tweendom!

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

...is over at Tweendom!

Headless

My colleague Jen and I were just having a conversation about this the other day. Today over at BookBurger, you can read about the headless covers on teen chicklit.

Why are the girls being decapitated? Really. There's a ton of feminist theory written on this subject, and there just seems to be a proliferation of bodies sans heads!

110 per¢

Tony Consiglio's 110 per¢ is quite the ride of a graphic novel.

Meet Cathy, Sasha, and Gertrude...3 aging boy band fans and members of MOFO 110 per¢ (the Mature Older Fans Of...). 3 very different lives with the single fact in common that they are way too concerned, and even obsessed with the boy band.

Cathy is an overweight single gal who is the butt of many a joke in her workplace. She goes to MOFO meetings in hopes of identifying with other adults, and finding a place to fit it. Sasha is the eldest of the 3 and her husband Harry is a bit of a jerk. Gertrude obviously hates her life, her husband, and even her kids...and simply lives for the band. All things come second to 110 per¢.

This is a sad and hopeful story. While Sasha and Cathy realize that they don't need the band to be happy, Gertrude pays the price of her family for her obsession.

I think most readers can find themselves in one of these women. From the jerky husband, to feelings of lost youth, the themes in this book make it best for adult readers. (Not to mention the couple of simply drawn, yet *raunchy* sex scenes with the MOFO group's only straight male member!)

Another great book from Top Shelf Productions.

This Thing Called Class

This is an interesting question that colleagues and I have been pondering.

There are many ways to organize books. There are many labels that one can put at the top of the booklist. "Books for Boys", "Multicultural Fiction", "Chicklit", "Mysteries"...you know the drill.

Why is it that we never see "Books About Class"? Class meaning socioeconomic circumstances, in this case. Fiction, especially.

Because the books are out there...we just never stick them on a list to allow others to find them en masse.

devilish

Ahhhh. Nothing like a little Satan around the holidays!

It is Big-Little day and Jane is a little concerned that her bestfriend Ally won't have any freshman want to be her little. Ally is a little strange. Well, she tries too hard, anyway. The reviews from the junior judges were out, and while Jane came off ok, nothing was spared in mocking Ally's looks.

Just before the Big-Little ceremony is to begin, Ally runs up to Jane, cupcake in hand. It was in her locker with a note reading "Will you be my big?". Jane thinks she can relax a little. Then the whole thing starts. Several of the girls have plenty of freshmen who want to be paired with them, but Jane and Ally stand alone. All of a sudden Jane recognizes the pale and pasty look on Ally's face. But it's too late. Vomit. Projectile. Everywhere.

Is there anything more humiliating in highschool than actually puking on people in front of other people?

Jane is trying to help Ally in the restroom when a tall girl enters. Jane hasn't seen her before, but she can tell that she's a sophomore from her blazer. She tells Jane to go to class and that she wants to be Ally's little.

Ally lays low for awhile, but returns with trendy clothes and a fashionable do.

Would you sell your soul to end the torment? Would you sell your soul to save a friend?

Maureen Johnson has written a smart and sassy story that Buffy fans will adore. Yes, the devil exists...but not as you would assume. And yes there are forces working to save the souls that the devil wants. And they are not who you think they will be. Fun, fast, light and dark at the same time, Devilish will appeal to girls (and boys) who recognize highschool popularity for what it is!

And hey, I managed an A-Z read as well!

A-Z Read

I read about this challenge on SassyMonkey earlier today and I was intrigued. I thought, what the heck...I will give this a try.


Voila! Here is my list for 07. Let's see what I can get through!




A-Z Challenge


Amulet of Samarkind, by Straud

Born to Rock, by Korman

Caddie Woodlawn, by Brink

Devilish, by Johnson

End (The), by Snicket

Fairest, by Levine

Glass Castles (The), by Walls

Hole in My Life, by Gantos

I Capture the Castle, by Smith

Joy in the Morning, by Smith

Keturah and Lord Death, by Leavitt

Love Curse of the Rumbaughs, by Gantos

Mansfield Park, by Austen

No Flying in the House, by Brock

Our Eleanor, by Fleming

Places in Between (The), by Stewart

Queen Sophie Hartley, by Green

Reading Like A Writer, by Prose

Sweet and Low, by Cohen

Turn of the Screw, by James

Under the Persimmon Tree, by Staples

View from Castle Rock, by Munro

Weedflower, by Kadahota

Final EXits, by Largo

Yellow Raft in Blue Water, by Dorris

Zero at the Bone, by Walker


As you can see, it's quite the ecclectic mix of adult, classic, children's and graphic novels. I am interested in seeing what kind of priority I put on these books in the face of bright, shiny arcs coming across my desk!

Cybils

So, I guess it's about time that I talk about the Cybils.

The Cybil Award is the blogger community's answer to the Best Lists. Best YA fiction, Best Picture Book, Best Graphic Novel...etc.

I am on the judging committee for the Graphic Novels. You won't see any reviews here until judging is over, because I think it may seem a little conflict of interest-y.

So...look forward to some super gn reviews in the near future, and head on over to the Cybil site to check everything out!

Scrapbook

Oh Adrian Tomine. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

There are various ways that one can come to Tomine's work. From the New Yorker, from various album covers, or from his comics. I found Tomine through Optic Nerve which remains one of my favourite comics of all time.

Scrapbook is a wonderful collection of early work, later work, rework, and illustration. Eventhough I am familiar with lots of his stuff, this collection was still fresh to me. One of the things that I love, is that his stuff isn't always autobiographical. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole comic scene like that (Joe Matt etc), but as a reader, I really love the characters that Tomine develops. From the hipster to the sociopath (that creeeeeeepy laundromat guy *shiver*), Tomine gets the voice down in such a way that the reader feels for each and every character. You may not necessarily like the character, but doubtless you will feel something.

A wonderful way to spend the afternoon. I will revisit this often!

The Year the Gypsies Came

Another book that I wanted to read after my high school librarian booktalked it.

Set in South Africa during Apartheid, Emily's family is falling apart. Mother and Father rarely speak, and when they do it is just to argue. Mother is upset that Father isn't keeping her in the lifestyle that she imagined for herself, and Father is tired of Mother's browbeating. The only time that her parents seem to stop arguing is when other people stay at their compound. This time it's the gyspies.

Not gypsies like one would imagine, her Father assures Emily. This is a wandering family from Australia. Jock, the nature photographer, wife Peg (with her omnipresent snake Opalina around her neck), and sons Otis and Streak. It's plain to see that Otis is simply not right in the head, and Streak is a bit of a wild one himself. Emily immediately takes to Streak, and sister Sarah is so kind and gentle that Otis' ways do not seem to bother her.

The family's night watchman, Buza, has a bad feeling about these visitors. Emily spends her evenings with Buza, listening to his Zulu stories. He is the only person who can make Emily feel whole as her family splinters apart.

***************

This is a beautifully written tragedy. Emily is young enough that her emotions are raw and on the surface and Linzi Glass writes her voice perfectly. In fact there are no weak characters in this story. Each is integral, and everyone grows in some way.

I have a bit of an interest in South Africa as a friend of mine lived there for several years, and I have recently aquired a South African penpal. However, I think that this is a book that will appeal to most fans of the written word. It is not for younger YAs as themes of infidelity, sexual abuse, and death are present. It is, however, wonderfully written and a pleasure (despite the pain) to read.

Sold

Our high school librarian booktalked this for a parent night we had at school and I knew I had to read it. Then, I was fortunate enough to hear Patricia McCormick read at Donnell for the YA National Book Award press conference. After that, I couldn't wait to read Sold.

Lakshmi is 13 and living with her mother, baby brother and stepfather in Nepal. They get by, mostly because of Lakshmi and Ama. Stepfather gambles away his nights in the teahouse and does not work during the day. But as Ama keeps reminding her, any man is better than no man.

After a long draught, the monsoon wipes out the meager crops that the family has. Stepfather announces that Lakshmi must go to the city to work. Lakshmi is nervous, but she is looking forward to helping her family. After all, since Gita went to the city to work for a rich family, her own family has a sun in the living room, a new set of pots, spectacles for father, a wedding dress for her sister, and school for her little brother. Lakshmi just wants to earn enough to get a tin roof for her mother.

Four days of travel leave Lakshmi not in a wealthy house in the city, rather in Calcutta's red light district. She has to work until the sum Mumtaz paid for her is gone. But Lakshmi doesn't understand the city math until one of the other girls explains it to her.

"...If I work a hundred days more, I should have nearly enough....Then Shahanna teaches me city subtraction. Half of what the men pay goes to Mumtaz, she says. Then you must take away 80 rupees for what Mumtaz charges for your daily rice and dal. Another 100 a week for renting you a bed and pillow. And 500 for the shot the dirty-hands doctor gives us once a month..."(p. 147)

13, in a strange city, locked in a brothel, speaking little Hindi what chance does Lakshmi have?

This is an amazingly powerful story. Especially since it's based on fact. Sparsely and beautifully written, Sold can open eyes to a world that Western youth generally never thinks about. The Author's Note alone brought tears to my eyes.

Reads Gone By...

You must have noticed that this is the time of year that folks break out the "Best of" lists. I don't feel like I have read widely enough this year to really comment, so I decided to take a little walk down memory lane.

Before Blogspot, I used to keep track of my books in this cute little "Books I've Read: A Reader's Journal". So I pulled out my volumes, blew off the dust, and took to reading about what I have read in the past.

There is some great stuff in there, and maybe I will backtrack and blog them sometime, but for now, here are my "Top 25 Books Before the Blog"!

The Lovely Bones, by Sebold (read 9/10/02)

Skellig, by Almond (read 9/20/02)

The Brothers Grimm, by Hettinger (read 10/21/02)

Abarat, by Barker (read 11/1/02)

The Rope Trick, by Alexander (read 12/11/02)

The Fig Eater, by Shields (read 1/2/03)

God Went to Beauty School, by Rylant (read 2/12/03)

first part last, by Johnson (read 3/12/03)

Paint Me Like I Am, teen writers (read 3/25/03)

Vampire High, by Rees (read 3/26/03)

Mondays are Red, by Morgan (read 5/22/03)

Full Tilt, by Shusterman (read 6/14/03)

Out of Order, by Jenkins (read 7/13/03)

33 snowfish, by Rapp (read 8/10/03)

The Canning Season, by Horvath (read 9/16/03)

Target, by Johnson (read 9/19/03)

Colibri, by Cameron (read 9/30/03)

afterlife, by Soto (read 10/03)

Shutterbug Follies, by Little (read 10/15/03)

Fables: Animal Farm, by Willingham (read 10/17/03)

Hollow Kingdom, by Dunkle (read 10/28/03)

Pirates!, by Rees (read 11/19/03)

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Bray (read 11/03/03)

Point Break, by Horowitz (read 12/03/03)

Drop City, by Boyle (read 1/24/04)

So there you are. No particular order, but I enjoyed each one. Some got panned in the reviews, but...I like what I like and I rarely apologize for it!

Prom Anonymous

So the prom to the teen is somewhat like New Year's Eve to us old folks. Big anticipation, and a bit of let down. I would know. I went to 3 "formals" as they were called in my hometown, and each was depressing in its own little way.

But I digress.

Laura, Jace and Chloe are bestfriends. At least they were in the 8th grade. Now they've each gone their own way. Laura is the popular, organized one. She is going on a year and a half dating her boyfriend Mike. She went to his prom last year. Jace is the athletic one...the star of the basketball team. And Chloe? Let's face it. She's just weird with her red barrette and Sylvia Plath obsession. It's hard to think that once they were known and "The Three Ts" (It's a last name thing.)

Laura has decided that it is her duty to get her old friends together to have the night of their lives. She has her date, Jace thinks she can get one with the new tennis boy in town, and they will simply have to help Chloe out.

Can these three overcome their differences in time for Prom? Is there really such a thing as a perfect night? What happens when you figure out that your boyfriend is a jerk?

All important questions to be answered.

Blake Nelson's Prom Anonymous will most likely appeal to a younger teen girl. You know how I feel about the super different friends coming together...(see Queen of Cool )But Chloe is so helpless and Jace is so nice and Laura is a mess, so as a reader, I found myself rooting for the night to go well.

Not my fav, but an entertaining read, nonetheless!

Cupcake

...so you knew what was coming, right? My tendancy to binge on a series continues.


We follow Cyd to her post highschool year in NYC. Cyd is living in the Village with her half brother Danny, and she is valiantly trying to avoid higher education. Fortunately, she has loads to keep her busy. Friend Autumn is ditching classes at Columbia, there is the search for the ultimate caffeine (not easy, I live in NYC and I know!) , Luis may be back in the picture, and there is the neighbourhood curmudgion to win over.

There is nothing really surprising about the latest in the series. Cyd is trying to find herself and her place in her family. She is trying to put Shrimp behind her, but the fates seem to be working against that little situation.

This is a very NYC-centric story and a very Village-centric story at that. I think, however, the juxtopposition of Cali and NYC is just what Cohn was working on. A big, in-your-face showing of the "then" and the "now"....growing pains included.

This will serve well to the readers who love the Pants and have outgrown the Princess Diaries. The hot pink covers do little to belie the 18-year-old stuff going on inside. My niece will love them!

Shrimp

Ok. So I wasn't a huge fan of Gingerbread. The whole "Sid" and "Nancy" parents offended my somewhat punk sensibilities. I left Shrimp unread on the shelves for a year or so. Then the Cupcake arc showed up at work and I wanted to read it. Jen let me know it wasn't too good of an idea to read one without the other, so Shrimp got read.

Cyd is in San Fran for her final year of highschool. She and Shrimp are no longer together, but she is on the lookout for him when she runs into Helen, a girl from her school. Cyd recognizes Helen, but doesn't really know her, since as a rule, she does not befriend girls. Helen, however, has different ideas, and before Cyd knows it, she is actually friends with Helen and Autumn (who Shrimp actually hooked up with when on break from Cyd!)

Cyd and Shrimp keep finding each other, but Cyd soon finds that she is no longer the hellion she once was. And maybe Shrimp and his wandering ways are no longer for her.

****************

This is a great read for older teens who may find themselves in relationships that they no longer understand. The dialogue, though wonky, rings true and I found my 36 year old self yelling at the book "Break up with him dammit!"

I really did enjoy this book much more than Gingerbread. Did I just get over the Lia Block comparisons and unfortunate character names? I don't know. Maybe I dated one too many "artists" in my youth?

Nick and Norah

Now here is a book that many told me my music lovin' self needed to read. And yet, I kept putting it off. Why? I was scared of being disappointed or underwhelmed. Sometimes YA books that discuss music, seem to do it in a grown-up "I still know all the hip music" inauthentic way. Boy, was I ever pleasantly surprised.

Nick is trying to get over Tris. Tris who he confessed his love to only to get dumped. He wrote songs for her. He loved her. And now, here he is in this crappy NYC bar, playing with his band, and who is out in the crowd? Tris. Nick tries not to notice her, but it is impossible.

Norah is trying to keep an eye on Caroline. It's not so easy to keep being the straight-edge friend to the drunk hook up girl. But Norah and Caroline go way back. Caroline is currently trying to get with one of the band boys when Norah notices the bass player from the previous band standing next to her. And that b*tch from her school Tris is coming her way.

Bass boy asks Norah "I know this is going to sound strange, but would you mind being my girlfriend for the next five minutes?"

Who knew that one question could change everything? Who knew that 12 hours could shape your future?

This is one of those take the plunge and fall into it books. As a reader, you've got to buy it, or you won't like it. Well...I bought the farm. I LOVE Nick. I don't know why, but I do. He's smart, musical, kind ...(yes, I know this is fiction!) And Norah's not so bad either.

Written in alternating voice chapters, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is fun, passionate and perfect for older teens.

I heart Nick and Norah.

Just Grace

This has a super cutie patootie cover on the arc that I happily snatched out of my coworker's hands!

Poor Grace. She is one of 4 Graces in her class and her teacher does the unthinkable...renaming the girls with Grace "insert last initial here". When one of the Graces volunteers to be Gracie, our Grace says that she can be called just Grace. Unfortunately, her teacher begins calling her "Just Grace". Not happy news to a young girl.

Just Grace's story is all over the place, not unlike most girls in the third grade. She is very concerned with "girl things" and "boy things". According to Grace, the following are boy things: "1)Spitting and making burping noises. 2) Not caring that your shirt or pants are sticky with food or mud or worse...mucus. 3)Really liking big and flashy superheroes...the kind with capes. 4) Drawing comics." [arc pp9-10] The thing is, Grace likes to draw comics. Her comic is called "Not So Super...but still good", and is a collection of her fantasies about her life.

Charise Mericle Harper writes in a wonky voice that takes some time to get used to. Once I started reading in my mind in a Pinky Dinky Do voice (you parents may know what I am talking about), the flow started to actually flow for me.

The book has all the trappings that 3rd grade girls will love. The aforementioned supercute cover, lists and more lists, boy-girl pre angst figuring, wonderings about her teacher/neighbour, a fascination with her flight attendant downstairs tenant, comics, and photos of kitties.

I know a couple of girly girls I will be handing this to once it is published!