Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’
Did you know that November is National Picture Book Month? I didn’t until Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts shared her plans to read #bookaday–and share out on her blog–for the month. I decided to join in the fun.
When it comes to middle grade and young adult literature, I can list hundreds of books on hundreds of topics and genres and by hundreds of authors. But when it comes to picture books, not so much. I’ve been seeing the pictures books shared by other readers and have wanted to explore this format more.
I headed to the children’s room in our public library and quickly became overwhelmed. All those thin books sticking out at odd angles up and down the shelves. Where do I even begin? I sat down at one end of the shelves and began browsing. (Of course, I didn’t write down any of the titles I discovered through IMWAYR or other blog posts.) Even so, it didn’t take long to create a stack of books to bring home.
I discovered some familiar friends among the authors. Some wrote books that I enjoyed reading to my daughter when she was younger. Other were authors I recognized from their books for middle grade or young adult readers. The picture books did not disappoint.
Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle – My daugher (and me, too) loved Eric Carle. We had board books and hardback and paperback picture books. As soon as she saw Hello, Red Fox, she recognized Carle’s distinctive artwork. I was surprised there was another Carle book that we hadn’t read. Little Frong invites his friends to his birthday party, but Mama Frog thinks they are the wrong color! Using an optical illsusion based on the color wheel, the reader helps Mama Frog “see” the right colors. As a kid, I loved these illusions. I enjoyed the concept even now, but my eyes are getting old! It’s hard to stare at the colors page after page.
Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo and Harry Bliss – How could I go wrong with a story by Kate DiCamillo? Louise is a brave chicken who yearns for more adventure than she can find in the hen house and farm yard. She discovers pirates sailing over the seas, lions rampaging at the circus, mysterious strangers lurking at a bazaar. After each adventure, she is glad to return home…until the next adventure calls.
The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden and Barbara Cooney – Godden’s The Diddakoi was one of my most treasured books from my grandmother’s library. Discovering The Story of Holly & Ivy was like having tea with an old friend. The magic of Christmas wishes brings together three unlikely characters on a cold Christmas night. The oprhan ivy wishes for a family of her own, so she sets out for Appleton to find the grandmother she is sure is waiting for her. Holly wishes to leave her perch in the toy store window so she can be some little girl’s Christmas doll (even if the scary owl Abracadabra says impossible). Mrs. Jones wishes for a child and decorates a tree even though she’s not quite sure what she’s hoping for this Christmas.
Strega Nona’s Gift by Tomie dePaola – Of course I remembered Strega Nona. This one turned out to be another Christmas story. (I’m really not trying to rush the season, but I do love Christmas stories.) Strega Nona is cooking and cooking and cooking for all the feasts through the month of December in her village of Calabria. She even cooks a feast for the animals, but something goes wrong when Big Anthony can’t resist the goat’s treat. What will it take to set the world right again?
I have even more great picture books to share tomorrow. What picture books should I be looking for to read next? Let me know your suggestions in the comments.
I’m not a big horror fan. I close my eyes in the scary parts of movies and don’t read Stephen King because his stories give me nightmares. But I did get brave enough to listen Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein last summer through SYNC YA’s free downloads over the summer. It was not what I was expecting, to say the least. I found the doctor to be much more monstrous than his creation.
I’ve had This Dark Endeavor (Scholastic 2011) by Kenneth Oppel on my bookshelf for some time. I wanted to read it because I had heard such good things about it, but I was also nervous (see nightmares above). I am glad I finally read it.
Oppel’s vision of a young Victor Frankenstein is complicated. Yes, Victor loves his twin brother, Konrad, and would go to all lengths to save him. Much of the excitement in the book comes from his (along with the spirited Elizabeth and dreamy Henry) adventures in securing the ingredients to make the elixir of life to give to Konrad. Yet at the same time, Victor is intensely jealous of his twin and wants all the glory for himself. I can see how this Victor grows into the doctor of Shelley’s book.
Did I mention that the adventure starts with the discovery of a secret library? Down a narrow staircase behind a secret door is the Dark Library, filled with tomes of alchemy and magic. Even though the Frankenstein family is quite on the cutting edge of science, Victor is fascinated. He returns again and again even though his father forbids it. Then when Konrad falls ill, Victor becomes desperate to save him–and to be the hero. Victor and his friends make a secret alliance with the mysterious Polidori–a man reknowned for his alchemical works and whose life was ruined by practicing them.
For all of Victor’s complicated nature, I couldn’t help but like him–even knowing where his fascination ultimately leads. My favorite character, though, has to be Elizabeth. She is determined not to be left behind on any adventure and can match Victor’s rages with her own temper. Henry would much rather write or read about adventures than go on them himself, but he goes along and tries to restrain some of Victor’s impulses–not with much success.
I found myself engrossed in this lush, gothic adventure–and no nightmares! I’m looking forward to finding the next installment, Such Wicked Intent.
A gift came in the mail this week, a gift of the best kind, a brown envelop containing a book I have been waiting for most of this year. You see, last Christmas I had gift cards to spend on books. Since I had been given Jasper Fforde’s The Last Dragonslayer in paperback, I chose to preorder the second book in the Chronicles of Kazam in paperback, too. The Song of the Quarkbeast (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2013, Hodder and Stroughton 2011) finally released in the US in paperback this month.
That’s a long time to wait to see what the rise of magic might mean to Jennifer Strange and the motley collection of magicians at Kazam Mystical Arts Management. It was worth the wait. Even though magic is surging through the Ununited Kingdoms, all is not well. King Snodd and his Useless Brother are up to their usual tricks. This time they are joined by an evil magician who goes by the name of Conrad Blix, and the fate of magic–and the world–hangs in the balance. Who is the only one who can stop them? Jennifer Strange, of course.
The highly capable foundling might have her hands full. Kazam Mystical Arts Management forced into accepting a challenge from Blix. Kazam should have no trouble taking on Blix and his few magicians, but the contest just might be rigged. Two of Kazam’s most powerful wizards get turned into stone. They others are being rounded up by the police.
Just like the first book in the series, The Song of the Quarkbeast is packed with quirky humor and unforgettable characters. Blix is a villain that you will love to hate. I loved the introduction of the Mysterious Boo. What’s not to love about someone who rescues quarkbeasts and has a deep, dark secret? We even learn more about the transient moose and finally meet–however briefly–the Great Zambini.
If you’re totally confused right now, don’t worry. Jasper Fforde excels at the kind of humor that introduces random things that somehow make sense in the end. Just hang on tight and enjoy the ride. The only down side is now I have to wait for the release of The Eye of Zoltar. The sneak peek in the back is just enough to leave me wanting more.
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
I got some writing done, I canned more tomatoes and pasta sauce. I battled yellow jackets and baby snakes. I even read some. Here are the books that joined me through this week.
I finished…
The Cup of Our Life by Joyce Rupp – I’ve been using this book for my morning devotions the past six weeks. I’ve used it before, but since I’m at a different place in my life, the reflections are still fresh and relevant. Once again, I am moved by the symbolism of a cup for many things in my life.
Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan – I found this one while poking around on Amazon looking for something else. I still have to wait until October for The Blood of Olympus, but this long short story–or is it a short novella–might hold me over until then. This time Annabeth Chase and Sadie Kane come together to defeat a monster that combines Greek and Egyptian elements. The question remains, is Riordan just teasing us with these shorts, or is he planning another series joining the Greek demigods and the Egyptian magicians?
I’m currently reading…
Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo – I know this is one reason my reading (in terms of number of books) has slowed down. I have spent quite a bit of time this week with Gavroche (a Paris street urchin) as he rescued his unknown younger brothers and escaping from prison with Thenadier. He may be a rascal and the “master of the house,” but he does have street smarts. I am now 67% of the way through. I’m still working to finish it by the end of the year.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – I am almost done–just 25 minutes or so left. I loved Morven Christie’s narration of Queenie/Julie. She wrung every drop of emotion out of the character without being overwrought. Then when Lucy Gaskell started narrating Maddy’s/Kitty Hawk’s part, I was blown away. Her voice brought Maddy to life in my mind. I will be sad to finish with this story again.
2014 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market edited by Chuck Sambuchino – I have learned so much from reading the articles and interviews–making the most of conferences, creating compelling characters, taking the plunge into self-publishing, and more. I am almost through the informational part for writing craft and business and to the list of publishers, agents, editors, magazines.
Bugged! How Insects Changed History by Sarah Albee – I am having too much fun reading this one. I have to bite my tongue to keep from sharing gross facts about bugs and the diseases they spread at inopportune times. Even though much of the information is groww, I find myself laughing, too.
Postponed…
How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals by Mal Warwick – This one is due back at the library today, and I think I’m going to hand it back in unread. My heart is with writing stories–both fiction and nonfiction–not in copywriting. If that opportunity presents itself, I know where I can get the book if I want to learn it later.
Coming up…
I am nearly finished with several books. I’m not sure what I what I will grab off the shelf next. I will choose another audio book from the ones I downloaded from Sync YA earlier this summer. I’m looking for something lighter after the intensity of Code Name Verity. I’ve also been picking up Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed, so it may be next up, too.
I was captivated by Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and have been waiting for the release of the second book, Hollow City (Quirk Books 2014). Ransom Riggs did not disappoint. Hollow City picks up just where the first book ends–with the peculiar children rowing the boats across the sea to reach the mainland and escape from the wights who are chasing them.
Once they reach the shore, their troubles have just begun. Jacob, our hero, is now stuck in 1945 unless they can find an ymbryne who can open a time loop and send him back to the present. While they search, the other peculiar children look to Jacob to lead them to safety–at least some of them do. Others, including Jacob himself, aren’t sure he is up to the job and are sure he will never live up to his grandfather’s legendary feats.
Not only does Jacob discover the strength and power of his peculiar talent, but each of the children learns the strength they have. Each of them is given the chance to be a hero and rescue the rest from near disaster and destruction.
Every page uncovers new secrets and reveals unexpected twists. New characters from gypsies to peculiar animals help the children on their journey to London. Along the way, nothing is what it seems to be. The story races along, full of mystery and suspense. The pictures that accompany the text are eerie and propel the story brilliantly. I can’t wait for the next installment.
In the author’s note in the back (yes, I’m that geeky reader that reads those, too), David Lubar shared that he did not want to write a sequel to Hidden Talents. I am glad he gave in to reader requests and wrote True Talents (A Tom Doherty Associates Book 2007).
Trash, otherwise known as Eddie Thalmeyer, wakes up in a concrete cell and knows he is in trouble. He is seeing gorillas on the wall and has vague memories of pain. A guy named Bowdler insists that he use his mind to move a marble across a table. If he can use his powers and his strength and his wits, he just might be able to escape. But who has him and why do they want him? Who can he turn to once he escapes?
Even though this story focuses on Trash, all the other guys from Edgeview Alternative School find themselves drawn to Philadelphia. As they come together to first help Trash and then rescue Lucky. This time the bad guys are much worse than a few school bullies. Along the way the pull on their powers, and more importantly, they count on each other to discover their true talents.
I enjoyed the shifting points of view that allow glimpses of each of the boys and their different paths to Philly. Martin still runs his mouth, but he is learning to control it around everyone except his dad. My favorite, though, is Torchie. Torchie has taken up a new hobby–playing the accordion. He is in constant wonder at the generosity of the neighbors, who gladly take up a collection to send him to accordion camp (in Philly, of course) and then to purchase a piano. Too bad they won’t get to enjoy any more of Torchie’s traveling concerts. Flinch has put his impeccable timing to use in a stand up comedy routine. Cheater meets his match when he tries to outplay a group of poker playing friends who don’t like losing money. Poor Lucky is finally driven over the edge by the voices of lost objects.
My students love graphic novels, and my one small shelf cannot keep up with the demand. I’m excited to have several more to introduce after Christmas break. One of the things I am enjoying as I explore more graphic novels is the great variety of stories that are told through this format.
Pandemonium (Scholastic graphix 2012) by Chris Wooding and Cassandra Diaz
The world of Pandemonium is dark and full of secrets. Seifer Tombchewer is a hero in his small mountain village for playing skullball, but he longs to see what lies beyond. One day he gets his wish, but it is not at all what he expected. He has been kidnapped because he looks just like Prince Talon. Now he is to take the prince’s place in order to fool the kingdom until the real prince can be found again. He knows nothing of royalty, but begins to make a better prince than the one who disappeared. I enjoyed this dark and fantastical twist on a tale of mistaken identity, but there are many more questions to be answered. Where is the missing prince? How did the royal advisors know of Seifer’s existence in a village that has forgotten the wider world? Just what other secrets lie in Seifer’s past that even he doesn’t know? Not only is this gem a dark fantasy, it rocks with British humor!
Resistance: Book 1 by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis (First Second 2010)
Travel through history to when World War II raged across the globe and land in France, where part of the citizens support the occupying Germans, and where many of them fight against the occupation. It is hard for Paul and his sisters to know who they can trust, but when their friend Henri’s parents are rounded up by the Nazis for being Jewish, they must decide which side they will take. Their first action is to hide their friend Henri, but soon they find themselves delivering messages for the Resistance as well trying to reunite Henri with his parents. I can’t imagine living in an occupied country and having to make the decisions faced by people such as Paul and his family. I hope I never have to learn.
Baltimore: The Plague Ships (Dark Horse Books 2010) by Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, Ben Stenbeck
Horror is not my favorite genre. (The blood and gore and general scariness give me nightmares), but I see students who are horror fans devouring this graphic novel. Lord Baltimre is fighting the vampires, but he is cursed and downright creepy himself. The vampires definitely do not sparkle. They and the other creatures of the plague are dark and deadly and horrifically ugly as they creep out of shadows and sunken wrecks. Throw in a superstitious witch and her beautiful but stubborn granddaughter, and the sense of foreboding grows. The dark illustrations with lots of black and red enhance the feeling of fear throughout the story. It is not for the faint of heart. Who is going to stay up with me and my nightmares tonight?
My daughter is a huge fan of Alex Flinn and loves Beastly. When I saw Bewitching at the school book fair, I grabbed it for her and wrapped it up to put under the tree. She started reading as soon as she opened it, and as soon as she finished it, she handed it to me to read so we could dish on it together. Here is what we loved about Bewitching.
- It is funny. No matter what Flinn writes, the humor and attitude shines through the modern twists. In this case, Kendra always, well almost always, has good intentions, but her spells don’t always work out as planned.
- It’s not just one fairy tale (one with stepsisters and stepmothers and a ball), but Flinn incorporates several more. Kendra’s story starts with the Plague that swept Europe in 1655. In escaping the plague with her baby brother, she learns of her magic and meets up with a witch who cooks children into gingerbread. Somehow after she burns the evil witch and frees the children, Kendra is hung for the crimes (see point above). It’s a good thing she is immortal. Learn how she played a role in matchmaking for the little mermaid and Louis, Dauphin of France. Those didn’t work out so well, either.
- The modern updates to the fairy tales are fresh and surprising. You never know what princesses and princes just might be hiding out in your local high school.
- The ending is not predictable (well, not completely if you know the fairy tale), but it fits. Emma does end up with the prince at the ball (of course), but even she is surprised at who the prince turns out to be. So is Lisette, her evil stepsister, that everyone else believes is Cinderella. Well, after all, Lisette is the stepchild (and Emma’s mom is warped, too), but she’s got everyone fooled.
- Emma is a bookworm and a complete nerd! I love this girl who finds her way in the world (with a little help from Kendra) without following anyone else’s script.
We can’t wait to see what Kendra is up to next.
What do you get when you combine fading magic, a dying dragon and a most unlikely heroine? If you sprinkle it all with a dose of wacky humor (and a few very odd magicians), you get Jasper Fforde’s The Last Dragonslayer (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2010).
Jennifer Strange has everything I want in a heroine: She’s a foundling (yes, that’s your classic orphan raised by the sisters in the Blessed Ladies of the Lobster). She’s very capable at running Kazam Mystical Arts Management (an employment agency/retirement home for magicians) ever since its owner disappeared months ago. She is caught up in a greater destiny than she knows, and she doesn’t know it, but she will play a major role in the coming Big Magic. Most of all, she has heart and wit.
The Ununited Kingdoms are quirky, to say the least, most of all the House of Kazam. You never know when you will walk through the Transient Moose (one of the magical residents of Kazam). Magic may be dying, but plenty of unexplained things abound. The quarkbeast may look ferocious with its mouthful of razor-sharp teeth, but it is loyal to Jennifer until the very end. Even the last dragon is not at all what I expected.
I love this book–the magic, they mystery, the humor. The best news of all is that it is just Book One. I have more adventures in the Chronicles of Kazam to look forward to, and hopefully will read much more of Jennifer Strange.
I hate being asked what my favorite book is because there are just too many good books to choose from, but Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time is always near the top of my list of potential all-time favorites. Actually, that’s not quite right. I like each book in the Time Quintet better than the one before, but Wrinkle holds a special place in my heart for being the book that starts them all.
I was a little nervous to try Hope Larson’s graphic novel adaptation. What if she didn’t get all the things I loved about this story where Meg Murray, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe travel through time and space to rescue her father from the dark thing that holds him captive on Camozotz?
I didn’t need to worry. Larson gets it. The blue and black drawings give an other-worldly feel, and the pictures and text capture the gist of the story. I particularly liked her portrayal of the tesseract. It is much as I pictured it when reading it.
More than anything else, I hope that this graphic novel introduces a new generation of readers to A Wrinkle in Time and leads them to journey through the rest of L’Engle’s books. I can’t wait to share it with my students when I get back after Christmas break.
Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle – My daugher (and me, too) loved Eric Carle. We had board books and hardback and paperback picture books. As soon as she saw Hello, Red Fox, she recognized Carle’s distinctive artwork. I was surprised there was another Carle book that we hadn’t read. Little Frong invites his friends to his birthday party, but Mama Frog thinks they are the wrong color! Using an optical illsusion based on the color wheel, the reader helps Mama Frog “see” the right colors. As a kid, I loved these illusions. I enjoyed the concept even now, but my eyes are getting old! It’s hard to stare at the colors page after page.
Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo and Harry Bliss – How could I go wrong with a story by Kate DiCamillo? Louise is a brave chicken who yearns for more adventure than she can find in the hen house and farm yard. She discovers pirates sailing over the seas, lions rampaging at the circus, mysterious strangers lurking at a bazaar. After each adventure, she is glad to return home…until the next adventure calls.
The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden and Barbara Cooney – Godden’s The Diddakoi was one of my most treasured books from my grandmother’s library. Discovering The Story of Holly & Ivy was like having tea with an old friend. The magic of Christmas wishes brings together three unlikely characters on a cold Christmas night. The oprhan ivy wishes for a family of her own, so she sets out for Appleton to find the grandmother she is sure is waiting for her. Holly wishes to leave her perch in the toy store window so she can be some little girl’s Christmas doll (even if the scary owl Abracadabra says impossible). Mrs. Jones wishes for a child and decorates a tree even though she’s not quite sure what she’s hoping for this Christmas.
Strega Nona’s Gift by Tomie dePaola – Of course I remembered Strega Nona. This one turned out to be another Christmas story. (I’m really not trying to rush the season, but I do love Christmas stories.) Strega Nona is cooking and cooking and cooking for all the feasts through the month of December in her village of Calabria. She even cooks a feast for the animals, but something goes wrong when Big Anthony can’t resist the goat’s treat. What will it take to set the world right again?
