Summerhouse Time ...

is over at Tweendom!

Vacation!

I am off to my homeland! Woot!

No computers for a week.

But...these 2 delightful pixies won't be with me either. So expect a pile of reviews when I get back!

Cheers!

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star...

..is over at Tweendom!

Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb

Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb, is over at Tweendom!

Punished

Logan and his friend Benedict head over to the library to get a head start on their project for school. They have to write 5 whole pages on "What's So Great About Being a Human?" For Logan, this is easy. Baseball. He heads right over to the baseball books and gets to work.

It's not so easy for Benedict, however. He can't seem to pay attention to anything for more than 5 minutes, and before Logan knows it, Benedict smacks him on the back and calls out "tag".

Who can resist?

Logan is soon chasing Benedict down into the Reference Section. He soon crashes into a elderly gentleman. Logan gives him a bit of cheek, and the man says that Logan needs to be punished. He then blows a bunch of dust right in Logan's face.

Logan hightales it out of there only to discover that when he speaks more than 3 words, all he can utter are puns. Will he ever be able to speak normally again? What will his friends and teachers think of this new way of speaking?

Young readers are introduced to wordplay in the form of palindromes, anagrams, redundancies and oxymorons. Definately appealing to those kids who love language.

Candyfloss...

...is over at Tweendom!

The True Meaning of Smekday...

...is over at Tweendom!

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY

Clay Jensen is just a regular, over-achieving high school student when he comes home from school one day. Then he checks the mail, and everything changes.

He finds a package addressed to him. Inside are 7 cassette tapes, each side marked with a number in nail polish. Clay is puzzled. Who would send him a box full of tapes? Can he even listen to them? It's not like tape players are a dime a dozen anymore.

Clay remembers that his dad has an old boom box in the garage, so he heads out. Clay pops in the first tape, hits play, and then almost falls over. It's Hannah Baker's voice. Hannah Baker who he had a moment with at a party not so long ago. Hannah Baker who freaked out, just as he thought they were getting close. Hannah Baker who killed herself.

Hannah starts off by saying that if you are listening to the tapes, that you in someway contributed to her suicide. Clay cannot believe this. He liked Hannah. A lot. For a long time. He couldn't even bring himself to believe the rumours about her reputation.

Jay Asher has penned a compulsively readable, if sad, book. The reader wants and needs to know as badly as Clay does, what brought Hannah to the point where she thought there were no other options. Each person, each reason, brings to light life in highschool. Every action does have a reaction, and many times, it will not be the one that you expect.

You read Hannah's words in italics, and Clay's reactions all around them. You feel like you really are inside Clay's thought process, and this is what makes this title so strong for me. How can you say this without sounding crass...it's a fresh look at suicide. In the end the reader (or at least the adult reader) is left with the sinking feeling that Hannah's life wasn't all that bad. She would have come out of all of it in time. But we must remember, or try to, what it is like to be really in it. And in high school.

Rosie Little's Cautionary Tales for Girls

I picked up this delightfully creepy little book at BEA a couple of weeks ago. The cover shown here is not the one I have...I have a black polka dotted cover with a little red shoe.

These stories all involve Rosie Little in some way. Danielle Wood reminds me a little of Barbara Gowdy...I am not sure why, but there it is.

My most favourite stories are "Wardrobe" and "The Deflowering of Rosie Little". The second one is the first story in the book. It's a bit shocking to someone who is used to reading for children. First line - "The Trouble with fellatio, in my view, is its lack on onomatopoeia". Nice!

Incredibly well written, the reader will find a smile or two crossing her lips during reading. A real pleasure to read! Yay!

Deadline

"What if you had one year to live...and you knew it?"

This is what Ben, aka Little Wolf, finds himself dealing with. Ben lives in small town Idaho with brother Cody, his dad and his crazy mother. He is a runner, diminutive in size, and most consider him a good guy.
When Ben goes in for his annual physical to get the okay for track, Doc Wagner leaves a message on his machine saying that he wants to see Ben in his office, and that he'd better bring his folks. Cashing in on his 18-year-old status, Ben goes alone, and then does the unthinkable. He refuses treatment. And he tells noone.

What follows is a story about bravado, faith, love, and the search for meaning. This is a layered story, not only about mortality and faith, but abuse of many kinds, football, small town racism, and other weighty issues.

Crutcher does it with style, as always. Ben is bigger than life, despite his size, and many of us could learn a thing or two about how to live from him.

I am sure that some readers may find Deadline too issue laden, and Ben's bravery beyond his years. I, however, bought in, and aside from Dallas' situation and a few too many football details for my taste, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I would love to be able to meet kids like Ben, Cody and Dallas Suzuki!

If A Tree Falls at Lunch Period...

...by Gennifer Choldenko is over at Tweendom!

The Mother-Daughter Book Club...

...is over at Tweendom!

Amelia Rules! What Makes You Happy....

...is over at Tweendom!

Namedropper

Adam Rex. Adrian Tomine. Dave Barry. Ridley Pearson. Alison Bechdel. Brandon Mull. Gennifer Choldenko. Jimmy Gownley. and the elusive Scott Westerfeld!

And I got to hear Libba Bray, Jacqueline Wilson, Mo Willems and Daniel Pinkwater speak.

Boy do I love BEA. My body is sore. I am tired. And I missed some gems like Kirsten Miller, and K. L. Going...but overall, it was fun, fun, fun.

Love Curse of the Rumbaughs

Now. This is my kind of book. Creepy. Odd. Super-well-written. And, in my opinion, overlooked.

Ivy was always drawn to the twins. Ab and Dolph were identical. Pharmacists. Taxidermists. Elderly.

It has always been Ivy and her mom. She went to the twins place afterschool, in the hours before her mother came home from work. She had a play area in the basement, but little did Ivy know that her cottage of oversized pharmacy props were not the only things existing in the basement.

Then on the fateful Easter that Ivy was 7, she made a discovery that would alter her perception forever. What she discovers in the twin's basement is horrific, yet appealing to Ivy.

What follows is a true gothic story. Without giving too much away, all I can say is that pages 177 and 180 are truly stupifying. In a rueful smile way. Am I making any sense?

I do know that there was a bit of a discussion about this title on adbooks. I steered clear since I knew I wanted to read this title. This is one of those books like Funny Little Monkey and 33 Snowfish that elicits extreme reaction. I think that Gantos has outdone himself. This is simply brilliant!

this is what i did

Logan's family has just moved. He is on to a new school. His parents think this will be for the best after what happend.

But history has a way of following you.

Zyler and Logan used to be best friends. They weren't the kind of guys who had lots of friends or girlfriends, but they were good that way. Zyler spent time at Logan's house, and every now and again - if Zyler's dad wasn't home - Logan would go over there too.

Then Logan saw what he saw.

Then his family moved.

Ann Dee Ellis has written and poignant and moving story about growing up, families, rumours and friendship. How far would you go for a friend? What would you do if you saw something terrible happening? Would you jump in?

Ellis has a way of writing silence that is simply brilliant. The setting is so clear, and our kids who have read the arc are simply beside themselves with how much they like this is what i did.

Dramarama

Sayde and Demi are getting the heck out of Dodge (aka Brenton, OH)and going off to the fabu summer drama institute at Wildewood Academy. Before she met Demi, Sayde was plain old Sarah, and her life lacked razzle-dazzle. Now, on the way to Wildewood with Demi dropping his straight boy drag, Sadye is sure she is in for the time of her life.

She is partly right.

Wildewood has everything. Amazing productions, Broadway directors, students who have performed all over the country. There are even a few straight boys for Sadye to consider pouncing. She gets along fine on the surface with her roomies Nanette, Iz and Candie, but underneath it all, tall gawky Sadye still doesn't fit.

She wonders how all of these other kids can simply accept direction. Especially when it's obvious that better options exist. Even Demi starts to think that Sayde is being a downer.

Filled with all of the heartache and angst one expects at summer camp, E. Lockhart has written a superfun book about growing up and growing apart, that theater geeks as well as those who have never even heard of Guys and Dolls will eat up.

I am as far from a theater person as you can get. My high school didn't even have a drama option, and musicals give me a rash, but I truly enjoyed this book!

Parrotfish

Angela has finally decided on her new name. Grady. Gender ambiguous and perfect. But when she lets her family know her decision, she is met with a distinct chill.

Angela had been homeschooled until she hit her sophmore year in highschool. She and Eve had been best buddies, and the fact that Angela never felt like she fit into a girl mode was not that big of a problem. Not until the uber-girliness comparisons of highschool. She had first come out as a lesbian, but that didn't feel right either. She doesn't feel like a girl who likes girls, she feels like a boy who like girls.

Enter Grady.

Imagine it. Imagine binding down your chest, chopping off your hair, buying some boys clothes. Imagine changing your whole identity...rather revealing your whole identity.

Grady is lucky in a way. He first reveals himself to classmate Sebastian. Sebastian is a geek, but has managed to be friendly with everyone. Sebastian's reaction to Grady's announcement is to exclaim, "Wow!...You're just like the stoplight parrotfish!" Not exactly the reaction Grady was expecting, but not the worst reaction either.

But all reactions to Grady are not so positive. Mean girl Danya has decided that Grady is a pervert and hatches a plan to embarass him infront of everyone. Some teachers refuse to call Grady anything but Angela. And then there are the logistics of where to go to the bathroom, and what to do with a crush.

Ellen Wittlinger has written a story about the search to fit in a world that is either male or female. Readers are forced to face their own stereotypes and opinions about gender identity. This is a book that will fill a large void in the YA lit world, and would make for an amazing classroom read (at least at the school I work in). I had a couple of problems with the way that Grady waxes poetic about Kita's ethnicity, but other than that, this is a solid novel with likable (and not so likeable) characters. You will be rooting for Grady and loving Sebastian before you know it!

Book Expo

Why do I get so excited about BookExpo?

Lots of my librarian friends and colleagues go to these things with a "Been there, done that" sort of attitude. No matter how many times I score a free book, I feel the rush!

I love meeting authors. I love meeting fellow librarians and bloggers. So if anyone else is going to be there, drop me a line. I am going on the Friday, and plan on spending the day!

Last time I was all pregnant and tired. This afforded me no sympathy. (See my previous blog entry from 2 years ago here!) No more belly, and my elbows are ready for shoving! I also come with the supreme knowledge that while rolly bags are not allowed on the floor, you can bring one and check it...thus making the trip home, tres facile!

Woot!

In Search of Mockingbird...

...is over at Tweendom!

Feathers....

...by Woodson is over at Tweendom!

Reading Rants - The Book

So, in the name of full disclosure, Jennifer Hubert is my colleague. And my friend. My good friend.

I have watched her, over the past couple of years, write this book. And now it is in my hands! So exciting!

This is THE book that you need if you are an educator, librarian or parent, and you don't read voraciously, constantly, or just plain all the time. Jen explores YA books under the same categories found on her website: True Grit, Boy Meets Book, Graphic Fantastic, et cetera. She maintains her chatty style, while providing professionals and parents alike with amazing amounts of information on titles.

She has just started blogging it herself in the form of a blog that gives you the flavour of her book, and welcomes your feedback as well. Check it out here!

Jen is an amazing advocate for youth and young adult literature. She has been a mentor to me over the years, and I am so proud of her!

Sweet and Low

Every now and again, some nonfiction comes along that TOTALLY captures me. First it was Devil in the White City, then it was Maximum City, and now it's Sweet and Low, by Rich Cohen.

Like the jacket says, "Millionaires. Mobsters. Power. Corruption. Fraud. Scandal. Saccharin". (And an A-Z Read!)

I love when I learn stuff. Like Canarsie used to be a swamp where the mob dumped bodies. Like the sugar packet wasn't invented until the late 1940s. Like Saccharine isn't a carcinogen (What!)

This is a family tragedy of epic proportions. It's a study of that 3 generation theory. He who is hungry builds the business. Next in line holds the fort. Next in line watches it all float away. While that isn't exactly what happens here, the reader cannot help but feel badly for patriarch Ben, who though quite unlikeable, really built something from nothing. Imagine watching your son screw the whole thing up.

Post war NYC has always fascinated me, and though it sounds cliche, I will say it ... the city is a character in itself. After living here for a decade, I feel an uncomfortable kinship with NYC, and I delight in reading about it.

Cohen's style is incredibly readable. Though I slow down for nonfiction, I was compelled to have at it until it was finished (3 days of commuting). I loved it. My colleagues are probably sick of hearing about it, but Sweet and Low is one of those books that makes me say, "No really...listen to this! You won't believe this!"

Just read it!

Total Constant Order

I was delighted when I received this title in the mail.

Fin's life has changed so much in the last year. Her dad dragged her family from Vermont down to Florida, and to top it off, her folks split. Fin doesn't know how to fit into her Miami highschool, and consequently is ostracized.

To cope, she counts. Count, and counts, and counts. Some numbers are lucky. Whether they are even or odd makes a difference as well.

Her relationship with her mother is strained. Her mom brings her to

see a shrink who thinks that Paxil will be the answer to all the problems. It's not. The drug makes everything worse.

Fin connects with her school's weird kid, Thayer, after seeing him at her shrink's office. Thayer tells her about Ritalin, tagging, manatees...he's the only one that gives Fin the time of day. The problem is, Thayer's not exactly on solid ground himself.

Crissa Jean Chappell has written a sensative account of the lonliness and distress that disorders such as OCD bring to those who suffer. In our society today, too many folks joke about these things. Comments like "What are you? ADD?" fly around lunchrooms and libraries without a second thought. Perhaps Total Constant Order can open some eyes.

Pretty Little Liars

Hello Mean Girls!

Spencer, Aria, Emily and Hanna were all friends with Ali. They loved her and loathed her at the same time. She always managed to get secrets out of them, and then lord that fact over their heads.

But Ali disappeared.

Two years later, the girls are juniors and have changed drastically since junior high. Aria is back from Iceland and is more bohemian than ever. Hanna lost all that weight and wears the latest fashions. Emily is trying to love her boyfriend, while she is lusting after new girl Maya. And Spencer is still trying to surpass her older sister.

An amazing amount of things are going on in this book. Sex, drinking, affairs with teachers etc. It kind of reminded me of a girl version of Doing It in that my brain refuses to believe that all of this could possibly be going on.

But admidst all of this a some pieces of brilliance. Like when Emily realizes that her mom is a racist. The slow dawning of this unthinkable idea is life altering for her. Also, the pacing is perfect. What Sara Shepard is writing about is nothing new, but she made me stay up past my bedtime, wanting to find out what the "Jenna Thing" was all about.

More substantive that other mean girl series, girls 8th grade and up are going crazy for Pretty Little Liars.

The Misadventures of Benjamin Bartholomew Piff : You Wish

...is over at Tweendom!

There's Nothing To Do On Mars

Davey Martin is bored. Why? Because there's nothing to do on Mars. "The nights were very cold. The dust storms were terrible. And there was no water anywhere."

Boring!

When Davey's parents finally holler at him to "Go out and play", he takes his trusty robot dog Polaris and off they go. But Davey is still bored.

He decides to climb a tree.

Boring!

He decides to build a fort.

Boring!

He rain dances with the stinky Martians, digs for buried treasure, and digs in a volcano before inadvertantly finding the water that Mars so needs. Mars isn't so boring anymore, but it sure is getting crowded.

Is there anything to do on Saturn?

Chris Gall's combination of "be careful what you wish for", and "Terrible No Good Day" feel is a sure fire bet with planet savy kids. Pulp style illustrations give There's Nothing To Do On Mars the type of flare that will likely bring professional recognition. All I can tell you is it's the most grabbed for arc on my desk!

Hug Time

Preview season is upon us, it seems, and my fabu colleague picked up some picture book arcs from Little Brown and Co.

Hug Time, by Patrick McDonnell immediately captured my heart.

Jules wants to make the world better, and decides that the best way to do so is by hugging the whole world. After making his "Hug To-Do List", he sets off.

Jules starts with his best friend, and then branches out to butterflies, buttercups and squirrels. This is simply not enough hugging, so Jules takes off for far flung places. He hugs in Africa, and India, Australia...he even goes to the North Pole.

In sing song verse with whimsical watercolour illustrations, McDonnell makes the point that, "The world is so big...And yet so small, It's time that we embrace it all." There's a lesson we all can learn from. Heartwarming and sweet, Hug Time is a guaranteed winner with preschoolers and world weary 4th graders as well.

Woot!

Where the heck have I been?

Head on over to Westerblog to see what I am on about.

*dance of joy*

The Green Glass Sea...

...is over at Tweendom.

Poetry Friday

I thought I would share something from the poetry book that my soon-to-be 4 year old is currently obsessed with. I do love having a kiddo who is fascinated with words and rhyming! Such fun!

Spit

Saliva, better known as spit;

it seems our mouths are full of it.

To see your spit at work, don't spew it;

bite a bit of bread and chew it.

Your salivary glands produce

saliva, a digestive juice

that helps to turn the bread to mush,

assisting the esophagus

(a muscular and lengthy tube)

in swallowing the food you've chewed.

Although some folks think spit is rude,

your spit helps you digest your food.

With poems like "Consider the Anus", and "Your Hormones are Exciting", Allan Wolf's poems really do cover the ins and outs of the body. A fun look at our bodies and even a helpful gateway to those inevitable discussions about "parts"!

Plain Janes

Starting a new school is never easy, but for Jane, it proves especially difficult. She has just survived a bombing, and her parents think that it's best to move out of Metro City and to the suburbs.

Jane is invited to sit with the popular girls at lunch, but defers and tries to break into the table of not-so-popular girls. Jane is surprised when these girls don't welcome her with open arms. But, she doesn't give up. She soon wins them over when she comes up with her plan to hit the town with P.L.A.I.N. (People Loving Art in Neighborhoods).

Soon Jane and the other Janes (Polly Jane, Jayne, and Jane) are hitting the town guerilla grrl style with public art. The small town deems the acts "art attacks", and soon that feeling of fear from Metro City has followed Jane and her parents.

Smartly written with sassy illustrations, this graphic novel is my favourite of Castellucci's work. I honestly have to say, I was coming at this with a little bit of a snotty, holier-than-thou, this is a marketing comic viewpoint, and I was swiftly reminded that coming at something with that kind of bias makes me no better than those comic boys who look down their noses at me, just cuz I'm a girl. The plot is quickly gripping and the main Jane is quite likable. The desperation and rollercoater-y nature of teen life is honestly portrayed.

Black and white illustrations are perfect for the story, and I think that Plain Janes will lead many a young grrl toward comics and illustration. Never a bad thing!

Hannah West...

...is over at Tweendom!

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?

*******************************
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.