AUGUST 26, 2010
Freebie for Thirty Nine Clues fans
As I occasionally do in this blog, it is freebie time again...to reward people who check this blog reguarly. We have several sets of the Thirty Nine Clues series "clue" cards to give out to the first few readers who ask for them.
Please only ask for them if you are a Thirty Nine Clues series fan....comment on this post (only your first name and last initial please) and I will set aside a pack for you at the youth desk, as supplies last. Ask Joa or Teresa next time you are at the library.
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Freebies!
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AUGUST 25, 2010
Sequel keeps the suspense going
I just finished reading the teen book, Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink, which is the sequel to Prophecy of the Sisters, about twin sisters in an ancient prophecy where one is the guardian and one the gate. If you haven't read the first book...this review might ruin some of the suspense of the first book.
Lia, who is determined to save the world from the unleashing of "the Souls," is trying to find a way to end the prophecy, while her twin, Alice, wants to see the evil prophecy fulfilled.
The sequel keeps the suspense going, and introduces a new character Dimitri, which also introduces a romantic "Twilight-like" feel to the story. I actually found the "romancy" scenes distracting from the action, but some readers might see it as a plus. The ending wraps up the current book, but also leaves enough unresolved to guarantee a sequel.
While Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty series is a higher on my own personal list of recommendations, I think that fans of Bray's books (as well as those looking for some of the same kind of suspense and romance of Twilight) would enjoy this series.
Categories: Fantasy,
sequels,
Scary/Horror
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AUGUST 11, 2010
Judy Moody on the big screen!
Next summer, a
Judy Moody movie, based on the book series by Megan McDonald, will hit the big screen.
This is the tenth anniversary of the start of the book series about the character, Judy, who is somewhere in between Ramona and Junie B. Jones in her adventurous, and sometimes mischievous personality. There is also a spin-off series, at a little lower reading level, about her younger brother, Stink.
Check out the
Judy Moody website for info about all the books, joining a fan club, and fun stuff to do. And of course, check out books and books on CD, including the newest book coming out this month:
Judy Moody, Girl Detective.
Categories: Movie Tie-ins,
Funny Stuff,
Joa Recommends
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JULY 27, 2010
Mixed review for science fiction novel
Have you ever read a book that you weren't really sure if you liked, but it kept you interested enough that you had to keep reading? Nomansland by Lesley Hauge was like that for me. This dystopian novel has an interesting premise of a future land populated only by girls and women and who are indoctrinated through strict rules and rites to reject the lifestyles lived by those in the Before.
I know that MHS students read Herland in Advanced American Lit, and am curious how the ideas raised in this novel would compare.
Ultimately, my rating on this book was that it was a quick read for mature readers. The ending seems to leave room for a sequel.
Category: Fantasy
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JULY 12, 2010
Read Fablehaven
If you are looking for a new fantasy series to read, you might enjoy
Fablehaven (also the name of the first book) by Brandon Mull. This series is about a brother and sister who are sent to stay with their grandparents, only to discover that their grandparents are the caretakers of a magical, secret preserve of all kinds of fantastical creatures.
This series has been enjoyed by several library staff members, and has recommendations printed on the book cover by science fiction great, Orson Scott Card, as well as Obert Skye, author of the
Leven Thumps series. I'd say that readers who have enjoyed series like
Magyck (Septimus Heap books) by Angie Sage,
The Magic Thief series by Sarah Prineas,
Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson, and
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, would also really enjoy
Fablehaven.
Categories: Joa Recommends,
Fantasy
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JULY 7, 2010
Invention of Hugo Cabret movie!
I'm very excited that the excellent book,
Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick will be a movie, directed by Martin Scorsese.
This novel is a winner of multiple awards, including this past school year's Iowa Children's Choice award and the Caldecott for the powerful drawings that make this chapter book really unique. For more info on the storyline, see my earlier review on this blog.
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Joa Recommends
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JULY 1, 2010
An unsung hero of civil rights movement
I recently read
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose, a biographical account of the impact of teenager Colvin on the civil rights movement, and specifically the bus boycott and segregation laws.
This book, which has multiple starred reviews and several awards, is a Miller Battle of the Books title for the upcoming year, but should also be read by any teacher or student who is studying the civil rights era.
Claudette refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white woman in Montgomery, Alabama several months before the famous act by Rosa Parks spurred people into action that ultimately changed the laws of our country. Frustrated by the unfair treatment she witnessed daily, Claudette took a stand that had very negative consequences for her personally, but really helped the civil rights movement gain momentum.
The book is an easy, engaging read, and gives a very good sense of the step-by-step process that lead to the organized boycotting of the bus lines in Montgomery, and the huge sacrifices made by those involved.
I highly recommend this book to all ages from elementary students through adults as a great example of how young people have had a huge impact on positive social change.
Categories: Teaching Tie-ins,
Joa Recommends,
Historical Reads
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JULY 1, 2010
Guardians of Ga'hoole
The new movie, Guardians of Ga'hoole is based on the book series by Kathryn Lasky. The first book is The Capture. You can check out this book, and other books in the series from the J Fiction section at the Marshalltown Public LIbrary.
Category: Movie Tie-ins
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JUNE 8, 2010
Unifinished Angel by Sharon Creech
This short but simply profound book reminds me how much I love Sharon Creech. Narrated by an angel who lives in a tower in Casa Rosa, Italy, the story is not only funny, but really poignant.
The angel speaks in a really endearing way--with confused words and grammar telling of all kinds of observations about "peoples." A favorite quote of mine would be the angel's comment on people's obsession with time: "Listen. You hear any ticking? No. You hear the world just being the world . You see any clocks in the sky? You see calendars on the trees?" (p. 84)
The angel--who is a little unsure of purpose or mission--is befriended by Zola, a girl who, for some reason, can see the angel when others can't and is often imploring, "Do something, angel." Together, Angel and Zola help the "hungry childrens" and revitalize and bond the aging community they live in.
This would make a great read-aloud--as would probably every book Sharon Creech has written. What great storyteller for all ages.
Categories: Joa Recommends,
Realistic Reads,
Other Cultures
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MAY 5, 2010
Third in Magic Thief trilogy published!
If you met author Sarah Prineas this past fall when she visited Marshalltown, you might be excited to know that the third book in the Magic Thief trilogy is out. Here is an interesting piece of trivia from Prineas' website:
'
Here's a funny thing about the three Magic Thief books: their first lines.
The first line of
The Magic Thief is:
A thief is a lot like a wizard. The first line of
The Magic Thief: Lost is:
A wizard is a lot like a pyrotechnist. And the first line of
The Magic Thief: Found is:
A wizard is a lot like a thief.
Categories: Fantasy,
Sequels,
Battle of the Books
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APRIL 19, 2010
He Forgot to Say Goodbye
I just read an excellent book by writer and poet Benjamin Alire Saenz:
He Forgot to Say Goodbye. This novel alternately tells the story of Jake and Ramiro, two teenage boys whose fathers had each abandoned their families years earlier.
The guys have a lot of differences between them: Jake is rich, Ramiro is poor; Jake is white, Ramiro is Latino; Jake is an only child, Ramiro has a very troubled brother, Tito. However, the loss each of these narrators feels in having fathers who walked out is very similar, and later on in the book when both are dealing with new family problems, their paths intersect and they become friends. They also share a friendship with Alejandra, an outspoken girl who Ramiro has grown up with.
I think that readers who liked
Looking for Alaska or
I Am the Messenger (two of my favorites!) would really like this book..I can picture Miles (Alaska), Ed (Messenger), and the guys from He
Forgot to Say Goodbye sitting around hanging out.
My only complaint about this otherwise excellent book is that the cover art is really misleading...there is no young child in the story....and from the recollections by Jake and Ramiro of their own absent fathers....the picture doesn't seem to fit at all.
Categories: Joa Recommends,
Realistic Reads
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APRIL 5, 2010
The Shifter keeps you reading
I just finished
The Shifter by Janice Hardy, the first book in The Healing Wars series #1. In the community where Nya lives, the conquering Duke has made life very difficult for Geveg residents, especially orphans like Nya and her sister Tali.
Nya is relieved that Tali has been accepted into the Healers' League, but Nya still has to struggle to survive. Even though she shares her sister's healing gift, Nya is different. She is not able to take pain and pour it into pynvium, but has a dangerous ability that she must keep hidden: she is able to shift pain from one person to another.
As Nya learns more about what is going on at the League, she finds that her abilities are even more complicated than she realized. She is faced with some tough choices that challenge ideas about right and wrong, forcing her to explore just how far she will push herself to save those she cares about.
Categories: Joa Recommends,
Fantasy
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APRIL 2, 2010
Read How to Catch Your Dragon
The new
How to Train Your Dragon movie is based on the book by Cressida Cowell (or, if you believe the cover of the book by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III). This is the first in a series of books. The library has the first book in both print and audio, as well as others in the series.
Also on order for younger kids are beginning readers based on the movie.
Categories: Movie Tie-ins,
Fantasy
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JANUARY 21, 2010
Lightning Thief movie released February 12
If you are a fan of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series based on Greek mythology, you will be excited to know that the movie of book one, The LIghtning Thief, will be released in theaters on Friday, February 12.
While often checked out, the entire series is available at the public library in both print and audio formats. You may also want to check out some of the original mythology that the characters are based on in J 292.2, the juvenile non-fiction section.
For Greek mythology fans, there are several other fiction series based on Greek myths, including series by the following authors: Julia Golding, Mary Pope Osborne, and Jane Yolen.
Categories: Fantasy,
Movie Tie-ins
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JANUARY 18, 2010
Binky the Space Cat to the rescue!
I just read a graphic novel (comic-style book) which has received excellent reviews: Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires (JFG Spires). Making excellent use of this format, the story has very funny pictures and features a housecat, Binky, whose dream it is to save the world from aliens....but settles on "saving" his own humans from the small aliens that fly around their house (bugs!)
A shorter story in the same spirit as the Hank the Cowdog series, this is a good choice for beginning chapter book readers, or just any reader who enjoys a funny story with a charming hero.
Categories: Funny Stuff,
Animal Stories,
Joa Recommends
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DECEMBER 7, 2009
Looking for Best of 2009?
With the holidays approaching...thought some of you might be interested in some "best of 2009 lists." I am going to try and make my own recommendations, soon...but here you go:
American Book Sellers Association Kids’ Next (Winter, 2009)
GraphicNovelReporter Graphic Novels: A Survey of Comics Readers(2009)
ALAN’s Picks: (October 2009)
New York Times Best Illustrated Books (2009)
“Best Illustrated Books.” New York Times Book Review November 8, 2009: 28
Booklist Top 10 Arts Books for Youth (2009)
Booklist Top 10 Books in Religion & Spirituality for Youth (2009)
Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books (2009)
“Best Children’s Books of 2009.” Publishers Weekly November 2, 2009: 30-31
Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s (2009)
Kirkus Reviews Young Adult (2009)
Library Journal VOYA Best YA for Adults (2009)
Category: Awards
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DECEMBER 4, 2009
Twilight fans might like Shiver
Teen novel, Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater, is like the romance of Twilight without the vampire battle scenes.
Grace was attacked by wolves as a child, and saved by a wolf with warm yellow eyes. The next several years, she feels an increasing bond with "her" wolf...and then one day he shows up, but in human form. She and Sam make up for lost time, while they also try to solve the problem of a new, unstable wolf that could threaten the safety of the whole pack.
I enjoyed this book to a point, but I also felt a little worn out of the constant expressions of love (just like I felt in the Twilight series)...but for readers who really enjoyed the romance of Twilight, I'd recommend Shiver.
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NOVEMBER 23, 2009
Powerful book discussion
At LOL last week, the high school students who read A Long Way Gone: memoirs of a boy solider by Ishamel Beah had the opportunity to discuss this book with visitor Karen Jennings-Boland, who has traveled several times to Sierra Leone.
Students expressed having to pace themselves in reading this painful, yet very engrossing account of Beah growing up at the height of a time of extremely violent conflict between rebels and the standing government in his country, with both sides showing utter disregard for civilian life.
Beah leads you down the rapid path where he, in his words "lost his humanity," then the much slower road of re-gaining it, in a story that ultimately speaks to the power of forgiveness, and triumph of the human spirit.
This is not an easy book to read, nor does it provide easy answers to the issues of war, responsibility, or healing...rather it gives a genuine voice to children and youth affected by war and violence that deserves to be heard.
Categories: Other Cultures,
Survival/Adventure,
Joa Recommends
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NOVEMBER 16, 2009
Savvy by Ingrid Law
When author Sarah Prineas was here this fall, she recommended Savvy by her friend Ingrid Law, who won the Newbery for this title in 2008. I recently listened to this title on CD, and think this is a great story for anyone of any age.
In the Beaumont family, when a child turns 13, he or she comes into their own unique "savvy"--an ability or gift that he or she must learn to manage and balance (or "scrumble" as they call it.) Mibs has her 13 birthday while her father is lying far away in Salina, KS, in a coma from a recent car accident...and she is convinced that she needs to travel to Salina so her new savvy can help Papa come back to his family.
Stowing away on a pink bible-delivering bus driven by bumbling Lester, Mibs, two of her brothers, her one and only friend, Will,his angsty teen sister, Bobbi, and Lil, a waitress rescued from a broken-down car, set out on an "Oz-like" journey that takes them further and further away from home.
With lessons about the Savvy in each and every one of us, this sweet and wacky adventure is a story that will stay with you for a long time.
Categories: Awards,
Fantasy,
Joa Recommends
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OCTOBER 12, 2009
Diary of Wimpy Kid #4 is here!
Lots of people have been waiting for Dog Days, the fourth book in the The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. We have four copies, so check yours out (or place a hold) today!
Also, browse through our display on the table near the orange reading pavilion "If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid...You Might Like:" with lots of other funny book choices (including The Dork Diaries, Wayside School books, Frankie Pickle, Alvin Ho series, Moxy Maxwell series) that you might want to check out.
Categories: sequels,
Funny Stuff
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OCTOBER 7, 2009
New book-based movies coming in October
A new movie, The Vampire's Assistant is coming out in October. This movie is based on the first three books in Darren Shan's Cirque de Freak series. Check these out from the teen fiction section at the library.
Astro Boy (PG), produced by Imagi Studios and directed by David Bowers, premieres in theaters on October 23, 2009. This movie is based on the graphic novels. Find Astro Boy at MPL in the juvenile graphic novel collection.
Categories: Movie Tie-ins,
Scary/Horror
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