My Reading Frenzy

YA at its Finest

I recently read three really excellent YA titles:  A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff (which is admittedly a bit closer to middle grade than YA.), Enchanted by Alethea Kontis and Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zach Stentz.  I really enjoyed them all for different reasons.

A Tangle of Knots involves people coming together because of old and new attachments.  The story is really beautifully done as we meet individuals who turn out to have connections to others in the story.  They all cross each others paths and either become permanent parts of each others lives or help to foster other long term relationships after a chance encounter.  It is really well done, lining everyone up and untangling by the end.  It illustrates how closely related we all really are in this big family of humanity. 

Enchanted has some similar tangles in it.  Sunday is the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter making her particularly interesting in a family of unique people.  This story is a brilliant mash-up of many fairy tales including "Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and others.  A tiny piece of each figures into the bigger story of Sunday and her immediate and extended family.  It is beautifully written  and ends with the possibility for a sequel that I personally would love to read. 

The main character in Colin Fischer loves a good mystery.  He likes the ordered thinking required to figure something out.  He takes notes on what he observes around him in a notebook.  He often ends a note with the word "Investigate."  Much of what Colin does is influenced by his Aspberger's Syndrome.  Unfortunately, this also causes problems for him as he begins high school on his own.  The story moves quickly and really only captures the first few weeks of Colin's time in high school but seems to accurately portray someone with Asperger's.  I would be interested to hear from a student like Colin to see how well done his characterization is.  

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train is a charming novel about a day Elizabeth II of England leaves the palace to travel on her own to Edinburgh to see her beloved, decommissioned yacht, Brittannia.  While the possible inner thoughts of the queen are interesting, much of what The Queen thinks, feels, and does is mostly improbable.  However, the staff who spend their time serving her and tracking her to Scotland are vastly interesting and probably more realistic.  There is Shirley, The Queen's long-time dresser; Lady Anne, a Lady in Waiting; William, a butler; and Luke an equerry who has recently returned from combat in Afghanistan.  They are joined by Rajiv, an aspiring poet, who works in the cheese shop The Queen visits before deciding to go to Scotland.  Rebecca, who works in The Queen's Mews, is also swept along on the adventure.  All of these people have fascinating inner lives and interact with each other in telling ways.

The narrative switches from person to person watching the activities of the pairs as they try to catch up to The Queen before she finds herself alone and resourceless in Edinburgh in the middle of the night.  It is ironic I think, that The Queen who rarely finds herself alone, is the one person in the novel who does not have a partner on whom to rely during the journey.  Each person finds strength and a much needed foil in his or her travel companion, while The Queen most unusually has only her own wits on which to rely.  She rises to the challenge with no difficulty, but does dwell on her own connections to others, whether her subjects, her family, or her staff. 

I enjoyed learning about the inner workings of the royal household, which I imagine was quite accurate given the author's background.  The ancillary characters were full and as sympathetic  as The Queen.  While this might seem like a light tale, it really asks a great many questions about duty, family, and aging. 

I should have trusted John Green...

...not to give me more than I could handle.  I put off reading The Fault in Our Stars because I knew it would be sad.  I even bought it right when it came out in order to get a signed copy, plus I have become a book snob and prefer hardbacks.  While not giving in to the e-book craze I have gone excessively in the other direction to make sure the books I buy are hefty and solid.  None of those flimsy paperbacks for me...unless I get them used and the price is fabulous. 

So anyway, The Fault in Our Stars did make me cry.  Not quite as much as A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, but close.  Just like many of John Green's other works it is mainly a love story about two really funny teens who happen to have cancer and are obsessed with this book and its author who lives in Amsterdam and have friends with cancer.  The fun in the book is the two main characters know the young cancer patient stereotypes and try to thwart them, but in some way become them anyway because it is difficult to be dying young of cancer and not evoke that pity and sadness in others. 

Hazel and Augustus though are at their most important two teens in love for the first time.  I'd put the level of sweetness in their falling in love up there with Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.  These stories are important reminders that teen love is just as real as that felt between adults.  Just because adults diminish it because their young relationships did not become "forever" ones does not mean that what they or others felt is not REAL love. 

I love a good love story and the sad part was not more than I could handle because the happy part was so euphoric.  I should have trusted you John Green. 

 

Excellent books from my Cybils reading

Ok, so I have been a bit lax on my posting.  I have been so busy reading books for the Cybils, I have not been writing about books, but I am going to remedy that now.  If you know a middle grade reader who is into science fiction and fantasy, all of these books are good reads. 

The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True by Gerald Morris  This one is a nice retelling of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."  It has some good messages about honor and honesty but is not off-puttingly moralistic. 

The Flint Heartby Katherine and John Paterson  In ancient times an evil man has a magical flint heart made that will harden his heart and bring him power.  100s of years after his death the heart is found and wreaks havoc in the human and faery worlds. 

 **Both of these books are for younger readers.  3rd - 5th grade I would imagine.**

Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier  More birds in this one as major characters, but a really interesting metaphor with Peter's eyes.  Peter is blind and therefore has excellent hearing and touch senses, but he finds sets of eyes that give him special powers.  This serves to remind us all about needing to see the world from different perspectives sometimes. Aside from the messages it is a rollicking good adventure story.  It would appeal to fans of Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord. 

The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty  This was an odd book and it took me awhile to decide if I liked it or not.  It takes place in NYC of the early 1900s, but not a NYC we know.  Instead it takes place in a world where people with magical ability are commonplace, but must keep their magic in check as not all forms of magic are legal.  This is where Sacha, the main character, comes in.  He has the ability to tell if someone, who may not be known to the authorities, has magical abilities.  He is therefore recruited by the police to become an apprentice inquisitor.  The story has great detail about New York of this time as well as various ethnicities and social classes which each have their own type of magic.  But once Thomas Edison and Harry Houdini come in I was less charmed.  This is a book with high interest for fantasy lovers, maybe boys especially, but I did not love it. 

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby  Solveig is the king's daughter who finds she has great storytelling ability.  This however is not the focus of the story, though her abilities become increasing relevant as the tale progresses.  Solveig and her beautiful older sister Asa and her younger brother Harald have been sent away while their father the king is immersed in a war.  They anticipate returning home until their father's berserker warriors are sent to them for added protection.  When the enemy king arrives to carry Asa away as his wife, Solveig must leave her middle child insecurities behind and become a leader and storyteller.  It is really a wonderful story with much more depth and detail than this would indicate.  This ended up being one we put on our short list. 

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy  This book is chock full of historical details to temper the magic.  It takes place in London where Janie and her TV writer parents have just moved to avoid the House Un-American Activities Committee.  Janie becomes friends with Ben whose father is not a modern apothecary, but rather someone who protects and practices the old ways.  Together they endeavor to stop Russian nuclear activity and other nefarious goings-ons.  Interesting story with superb historical detail.

Dragon Castle by Joseph Bruchac  Bruchac writes a great deal using his Native American background.  This time he turns instead to his Czech roots and comes up with a wonderful piece of traditional folklore that he has adapted for this story. 

The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin  This is an interesting adventure in which the main characters find their way into a painting where there are layers of life going on beyond what is seen by visitors to the museum where it hangs.  An interesting concept that is reasonably well done.  I wish there had been a little less going on that was better developed, but ultimately it was a good adventure. 

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud  I listened to this book and fell in love with Simon Jones' voice.  I also found myself seriously charmed by djinni Bartimaeus.  This is the 4th book in the series, but unlike the other three, it takes place in Bartimaeus' past with King Solomon in  Jerusalem.  I think therefore this novel can be read alone, but may be enhanced by having read the other three, which I have plans to do.  Bartimaeus is arrogant and sarcastic and clever, three of my favorite qualities.  In this story he tries to gain his own freedom from the evil magician Khaba while simultaneously trying to help Asmina steal the ring for her Queen.  A fun and quick read that I really enjoyed. 

The Coming of the Dragon by Rebecca Barnhouse As an adult familiar with the Beowulf story I really enjoyed how this story took off from the adventures of Beowulf. Rune is a young man when the dragon who is responsible for King Beowulf's death terrorizes the land.  Young readers will experience this story now and someday in a high school English class will remember and feel more comfortable with the Old English poem from already knowing some of the plot points.

Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout  When the boy wakes up he finds himself alone with a droid whose mission is to protect him.  Awakened from a deep sleep in an ark the boy must find other arks in order to restart the human population.  This is an interesting take on a world destroyed by humans leaving a legacy for other creatures and a new group of humans to fix.  There a some overtones of Wall-E here. 

The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer  In a world in which all but a few people have disappeared, a group of young teens struggles to discover what has happened and how to get everyone back.  This one has overtones of Lord of the Flies.

The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley  When she is only six, Molly is sent away from home to serve in the household of the king of Westria.  Molly's magical abilities show themselves when she polishes a silver bowl that gives her the ability to see visions of the past and future.  Molly finds herself helping the royal family break the curse that has plagued them for generations. 

Aliens on Vacation by Clete Smith "Scrub" visits his grandmother in her home where she runs a hotel for aliens on vacation on Earth.  Much hilarity and high jinks ensue as "Scrub" adjusts to this strange place while trying to maintain relationships with kids who have no idea what is going on with all of the strange visitors to their town. 

The comic genius of Tom Angleberger

I have read two books by Tom Angleberger, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, and Horton Halfpott or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset. Both are comic children's or YA novels, but are quite different from each other.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is a casebook of anecdotes from the adventures of Origami Yoda. Dwight has created Yoda, but Yoda's advice is too wise, too apt, and too perfect to have come from the socially inept Dwight.  Because yes, while the advice's wisdom may not always be immediately evident, Yoda is always right.  Tommy, who is the casebook author seeks an explanation for Yoda's wisdom as he asks gathers the stories of Yoda's triumphs over evil as evidence of his powers.  I am sooooo looking forward to Darth Paper Strikes Back.

Horton Halfpott, as should be obvious from its extensive title is a wonderful romp around Smugwick Manor, where the family are horrors and the servants are heroes (except perhaps for the evil cook, Miss Neversly, who wields a dangerous spoon.)  This is a great way to introduce children to the grand tradition of the English farce.  Angleberger is a master of witty word-play, some of which will go over the heads of young readers who will still find much to chuckle about.  As the narrator describes M'Lady Luggertuck's perfume he claims, "The thick stone walls of Smugwick Manor once, long ago, held up against an assault by Belgian Crusaders, but they were no match for 'Eau d'Peccary,' which stormed the old castle like a berserker."  This would really be a great book for parent and child to read together so the parent can explain why he is convulsed in laughter once a page.