Adventures in Reading

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, Or Why You Should Be Signing Up Right Now!

2009-09-01T09:15:00.003-05:00

These days, nothing in life is free. Except the most awesome little treasure you could possibly find...it's so small it fits right in your pocket, it opens the doors to adventures, magic, love, betrayal, friendship, and more information that you can shake a pencil at - and it doesn't cost you a dime! A library card is a valuable resource for readers of all ages, but as it is back to school time once again, I would encourage all you parents out there to take your children to your local library and get them a library card. The power of reading was never so accessible! Open the door to adventure today!

I Am On Sensory Overload, Or Why Black Has Never Looked So Colorful

2009-08-24T20:32:00.002-05:00

I am on a picture book sensory overload these days! The newest blast is a bit surprising (especially after my last post) and comes in the form of The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria. In this innovative work of genius, the pages are black and appear to have no illustrations. But upon closer inspection, the reader is treated to a raised illustration that is meant to be experienced with the fingertips, as well as white text and braille print for good measure. The book is simple, but in a moment, very powerful. I was instantly captivated by this work, and it definitely left me thinking. I do so love a book that is an experience for all of my senses!

Let Me Pause to Catch My Breath, Or Why Pamela Zagarenski is my New Favorite Illustrator

2009-08-24T20:12:00.004-05:00

I just love it when I find a book accidentally and it ends up taking my breath away. Such was the case with Joyce Sidman and Pamela Zagarenski's gorgeous new book Red Sings from Treetops: a year in colors. Observe:

Fall smells
Purple:
old leaves, crushed berries,
squishy plums with worms in them.
Purple: the smell
of all things
mixed together.

Even without the amazing imagery that goes along with it, can't you just taste the purple on the tip of your tongue? This little gem of a book goes through each season just as vividly as the purple autumn listed above. Honestly, this book is a sensory experience. It really has been a while since a picture book has really taken my breath away, but I assure, I was panting a bit at the end of this one. And to think, I requested it from the library by accident! What a lovely act of serendipity.

Orange ripens in
full, heavy moons,
thick with pulp and seed.
Orange flickers,
all smoke and candles.
Orange eyes.
Orange cheeks.
Orange teeth.

To be fair, I absolutely adore autumn, so this spread is by far my favorite. I cannot implore you enough: CHECK OUT THIS BOOK! It will put you in a fantastic mood, no matter what your favorite season.

Hit Refresh and Hold on Tight, Or Why Paisley Hanover is Totally UnPredictable

2009-08-16T09:25:00.003-05:00

I've been reading a lot of high school fiction in the past couple of weeks. Many times when I read such material, I find myself rolling my eyes because the characters are so stereotypical that I generally have the urge to throw up in my mouth a little. I've been really lucky recently, though, reading books that have had characters who were so real and so endearing that a few text messages thrown in here and there didn't bother me as much as usual. The best of these by far is Cameron Tuttle's bright and brilliant Paisley Hanover Acts Out.

Paisley Hanover is a character unlike any I've met in my recent forays into high school fiction. She's spunky, she's smart, and she's really just trying to figure out where she fits into her high school hierarchy. The story begins with Paisley being shuttled to Drama class on the first day of her sophomore year, something that certainly wasn't part of her seven point plan for making this year the best of her life. What follows is a story filled with twists and turns, quirky supporting characters, and a strong, willful protagonist who is so ridiculously refreshing that I was wishing she'd been my best friend in high school. I absolutely adored this book and especially its completely undefinable and always awesome Paisley.

Paisley brings to mind some of the other awesome divas I've met in recent reads, including Louise in Robyn Harding's hilarious and touching tale My Parents Are Sex Maniacs: A High School Horror Story which goes to show you that no one has a perfect family and was so laugh-out-loud hysterical that I was actually a little bummed when it ended, and Alice in Liz Gallagher's charming high school tale The Opposite of Invisible.

I've been thrilled with the amount of reading I've been able to do lately, and reading books like Paisley Hanover just gets me super excited to read more, more, more. I personally don't relish the idea of going back to high school myself, but if I can read stories like these, I'll gladly tag along any day!

Sarah Dessen Book Challenge Hosted by Em's Bookshelf

2009-07-26T19:31:00.003-05:00

Em's Bookshelf (emsbookshelf.blogspot.com) is hosting a Sarah Dessen reading challenge. Here are the rules:

1. Read all 9 Sarah Dessen books
2. Set your own time frame for finishing the books
3. Comment here and at the link above to participate in the challenge

I'm setting my finish date for December 31, 2009. I've never read any of Sarah Dessen's works, and I'm so excited to get started! Let me know when you plan to start and finish the challenge, and definitely check out Em's Bookshelf - it's fantastic!

Happy reading!

Sure I Love a Happy Ending, But..., Or Why I Enjoy Believing in My Books

2009-07-26T10:43:00.005-05:00

I really love a good Contemporary Realistic Fiction read, particularly when it doesn't overdo the stereotypical "realistic" elements that have come to dominate our world today (think texting). Some of this is to be expected, certainly, given that our society is overrun with technology and the like, but I'm also very pleased when I'm reading a book - even one set in modern times - that gives me a bit of hope that it may become timeless. Let's face it. Nowadays you're lucky to look at a young adult or teen section in a library or bookstore and not be hit over the head with vampires or princesses. I myself do enjoy said vampires and princesses, but it's also nice to come out of the fantasy world from time to time and get comfy with a book that's a bit more relateable. I also love a good happy ending to a story, but let's face it, life doesn't always turn out the way we would like. I state this because, although closure is pretty important at the end of a story, I wish that authors wouldn't always feel that they have to give everyone the happy ending the reader is expecting.

Case in point: The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick. This book did a fantastic job of setting up four very different, and very interesting, preteen characters who are all struggling with various issues and who come together through the aid of a book club set up by their mothers. I honestly didn't expect to love this book, but as I read, I felt the author was doing such a fabulous job of painting a picture of what's very realistic with preteen/teen girls today: they are complicated, they are bitchy, they are insecure, and they are looking for love and friendship despite the fact that they each feel they have nothing in common with the others. Sure, it's been a few year since I was of the middle school set myself, but these themes rang true back then, and I'm positive they ring true today, albeit with far more texting. I was really engrossed by this book....and then I came to the ending.

I would have categorized this book as Comtemporary Realistic Fiction...until I reached the last several chapters. Without risking spoilers here, I will simply say that while I was thoroughly and somewhat unexpectedly enjoying this book, the final chapters were a complete joke. Everything worked out in a very cookie-cutter manner, which was a huge disappointment after a very relate-able story up to that point. I love a happy ending just as much as the next gal, but this was a bit much. Although I still think I will read the next installments of this series, it will take me a bit to get over the really ridiculous ending.

That being said, I do enjoy believing in the books that I read, CRF or otherwise. I am looking forward to continuing with this series; I just wonder what the author has in store with all of the complicated happy endings she provided at the end of the first installment. Maybe I'm just being overly picky here, but the end of this book really bummed me out. Of course, I still encourage people to read the book and decide for themselves and I have high hopes that all will be resolved in the end. For now, though, I may as well pick up Potter or Twilight, because I really felt that The Mother-Daughter Book Club is living in the fantasy world.

Books to Read - Late July 2009

2009-07-25T19:21:00.003-05:00

Somehow, I never manage to catch up...and my list certainly never gets any shorter!

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Waiting for Normal - Leslie Connor
When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley
The Goodbye Time - Celeste Conway
Girl in a Blue Dress - Gaynor Arnold
So Punk Rock: And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother - Micol Ostow
My Fair Godmother - Jeanette Rallison
Jemma Hartman, Camper Extraordinaire - Brenda A. Ferber
How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier

I really adore making lists. Nearly as much as I adore a good book!

The Joys of Rereading, Or Why I Only Buy Books I Know I'll Read Again

2009-07-24T07:26:00.004-05:00

I LOVE buying books. I love the feeling of finding the perfect one (or twelve), carrying it up to the register. I especially love it when the cashier makes comments or asks questions about the book(s) I'm about to purchase. I love carrying it home and cracking it open, or putting it on one of my many, many shelves for later. I also love the feeling of supporting the authors and artists who have contributed this lovely little piece of perfection to the world. I absolutely ADORE buying books.

But, alas, times are tough. My own personal budget has certainly felt the squeeze during this past year, and I have to admit I've bought far fewer books so far this year than in years past. I have a friend who buys books all the time - she recently confessed to me that she doesn't even own a public library card (!). But as much as I love buying books, I'm a library girl through and through. This most likely stems from my desire to be a librarian one day, but I also look at the library as an invaluable resource. I can, at any given time, get my hands on any book that I could possibly want, usually with no more than a days' wait (and patience is a virtue, after all). Then, when I've read a library book that I've loved, I simply add it to my ever-growing list of books to buy, and I feel quite happy with myself.

That's not to say that I never just take the plunge and buy something from the bookshop straightaway. Certainly when Sharon Creech, Kate DiCamillo, or Esme Codell have something new to offer, I'm at my local bookstore on release day, happy to snatch up whatever hits the shelf that day. And heaven knows I certainly didn't wait on a library list when Deathly Hallows arrived in 2007, or when Rick Riordan's final Percy Jackson title came out last spring. But, like I said, I'm a library girl through and through, and for the most part, I don't mind the wait.

As I'm preparing to move next week, and every single book I own is currently boxed away in preparation, I did sneak out to the bookshop for a few (okay, fine. Five.) titles last night to get me through the weekend. And I am happy to report that only two of the five have I ever read before. It is a nice feeling to purchase a book you've never read, something about the anticipation of the moment when you first turn back the cover to adventures yet undiscovered. But at the same time, I am looking forward to checking out the public library in my new neighborhood next week.

So yes, I love buying books. And I do manage to get book buying into my budget. But I feel the best when I purchase a book that I know I'll read again, or at the very least, my children will have the opportunity to read someday. I love living in a house surrounded my shelves and shelves full of books, and I really don't mind if they have that little library barcode on their spines.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Or Why Leaving Two Libraries for One Really Sucks

2009-07-22T18:26:00.004-05:00

I'm about to do something I've done loads of times before. I'm moving on from one public library to another. I've done this in the past for many different reasons, and this time it's really as simple as moving to a new home, a new neighborhood, and a new public library system. The kicker this time, however, is that for the past six months, I've been the proud owner of two - count 'em! - two public library cards. Having grown up in a small community and then having attended college in an only slightly larger community, county lines were all very important in terms of who could get a public library card without having to pay massive yearly fees. But lo and behold, and much to my pleasant surprise, this is not so in the Big City. Here, counties blend one into another like nobody's business, and those tricky rules enforcing library proximity are pretty relaxed. So this year, for the first time ever, I was privy to the delight of two - count 'em! - two public library cards.

The great thing about having two library cards is that (a) you have nearly limitless access to anything you could possibly want to check out (for surely one of the two systems would have what you're looking for) and (b) it means you can have approximately a thousand books checked out at a time and no one even nods a head. (Well, that's not entirely true after all. I do have a husband who would patiently step over massive piles of books strewn about and have the decency to look only slightly puzzled as to why I might need to have so many out at any given time.) This also requires a good deal of organization, which happens to be something I live for. I mean really, it's right up there with aforementioned husband and small mountains of books in my living room. Trust me, post-it notes and due dates are the very dear friends of a girl with two library cards. Seriously.

Now that I'm going back to one public library (anyone thinking Flowers for Algernon here?), I have to admit that I'm a bit sad and a bit confused. The library system I'm moving into is actually quite good (I was in this same system some years ago) but it just isn't the same as having two - count 'em! - two stiff, shiny library cards nestled lovingly in my bag, just waiting to be scanned for the next big stack. Perhaps I'll get lucky and find that Big City rules don't apply in the suburbs either? Or maybe I'll just have to make my trips to the bookshop a bit more frequent.

Dan Radcliffe, You Will Break My Heart Yet, Or Why Half-Blood Prince is My New Favorite Potter

2009-07-15T14:06:00.004-05:00

I did something last night that I've never done before. I went to a 12:01 showing of a movie, in this case Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I have to confess that I was a tiny bit disappointed by the lack of outrageous costumes (admittedly, I could only rustle up a straw at the concession stand to use as a wand!) but that is where the disappointments ended. I have had very high hopes for this film since the very first trailer I saw, and my every hope was confirmed last night. This film is incredible! Certainly the best Potter film yet, and by far the most entertaining on both sides of the spectrum. It was lovely to laugh so much during a movie that you knew was going to end badly...and even though there were a few strays from the book (should we expect any less?), overall I found that it followed the story well, and those creative liberties that were taken were done so with such grace that I was quick to forgive. I was completely captivated by this movie. The actors have really come into their own, and I was seriously impressed by the depth of the performances. Each time I think I have conquered my Potter obsession, something like this comes along and smacks me in the face. Seriously, Jo Rowling, if I could have even one grain of your genius, I could die happy.

The true magic of Harry Potter for me (pun very much intended) is the fact I have read these books and seen these films dozens of times, and yet I still want more. I am now ridiculously excited for the next film installments. (How ever will we wait?) In the meantime, I am soaking up the media coverage of the film and its stars, rereading the series once again, and practicing my straw work, uh I mean wand work, for the release of the next film!

Fabulous Read Alouds, Or Why Being a Teacher Rocks!

2009-07-11T14:23:00.000-05:00

I am often asked how/why I read as many books as I do. I'm beyond surprise when the answer to the question is often met with a chuckle and the words, "Oh, I see. You read kid's books" or something similar and equally snarky. Yes, I read kid's books. And guess what? They are some of the most deep, emotionally effecting, and certainly entertaining books out there. To all the eye rollers of the world, I challenge you to try it. I dare you to read a quality children's book and walk away without some sort of positive impression. Go on. Just try it.

I often have to point out to these stinkers that I read a lot both personally and professionally. I am a teacher by trade and I have certainly made it my mission to expose kids to a variety of quality literature in all different shapes, sizes, genres, styles, ups, downs, ins, outs...well, you get the picture. I thought for the sake of posterity, I would take a bit of time to list here some of our favorites from the last two school years.

Owl Babies - Martin Waddell
Bridget and the Moose Brothers - Pija Lindenbaum
The Big Orange Splot - Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Fancy Nancy - Jane O'Connor
Alice the Fairy - David Shannon
Baby Brains - Simon James (and subsequent sequels)
Dear Mr. Blueberry - Simon James
Burger Boy - Alan Durant
Chickens to the Rescue - John Himmelman
Imogene's Antlers - David Small
Little Pea - Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Snip Snap! What's That? - Mara Bergman
Strega Nona - Tomie dePaola
My Father the Dog - Elizabeth Bluemle
Martha Speaks - Susan Meddaugh
19 Girls and Me - Darcy Pattison
When Dinosaurs Came with Everything - Elise Broach
Lost and Found - Oliver Jeffers
The Incredible Book Eating Boy - Oliver Jeffers
Gator - Randy Cecil
Duck - Randy Cecil
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - Judith Viorst
Miss Nelson is Missing! - Harry Allard (and subsequent sequels)
I'd Really Like to Eat a Child - Sylviane Donnio
The Fantastic Mr. Wani - Kanako Usui

Of course, this list could continue on for days and days, which I have to admit is a point of pride for me. I'm really pleased that kids leave my classroom discussing books...and begging their parents for a trip to the library or bookstore!

What are your favorite titles to share with kids?

I'll Take My Chances with the Lightning, Or Why Violet Raines Struck My Heart

2009-07-08T13:02:00.001-05:00

"I tear the word jubilant out and add it to my collection. Even though I am the exact opposite of jubilant, I can see it's a good word. It sounds like candy, something colorful and sweet you can chew on for a long time."

This is exactly how I feel about Violet, the heroine of Danette Haworth's lovely gem of a novel, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning. At times she left me feeling less than jubilant, but for the most part, she was sweet and colorful and I was so glad to have met her. Spunky, snarky, and full of sass, this is one diva I'd love to have as my loyal friend, even if it means taking a chance and knowing a storm or two might come along. This is a fantastic first offering from an author sure to have many more stories to tell. I can only hope that Violet will be in good company!

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow, Or Why I Look to Picture Books for Infinite Wisdom

2009-07-07T19:39:00.001-05:00

Dashka Slater's The Sea Serpent and Me gets me every time. It is the bittersweet tale of a sea serpent who one night falls out of the faucet and into the bath tub (and heart) of a young girl. As the days pass, the sea serpent grows larger and larger. As much as they are both enjoying their friendship, soon both serpent and girl realize that he must return to the sea. As any good friend would, the girl supports the serpent's needs, and soon they are parting ways. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it!

Complimented (and moved forward) by Catia Chien's dreamlike illustrations, The Sea Serpent and Me has been a favorite of my Kindergarten crowd for weeks and will certainly be on my shelf of favorites for years to come. This is one of those classic stories of friendship that never goes out of style, and I honestly have to hand it to authors like Slater who don't underestimate what kids are capable of understanding and feeling. I have found that this is a wonderful title to use at the end of the school year for teachers, students, and friends who are parting ways. I just can't decide who needs the comfort more: the students or the teacher.

25 Random Things About Me, Or Why Sometimes Kid Lit Allows for a Bit of Snark

2009-07-05T14:37:00.000-05:00

Facebook is one of my absolute favorite ways to take my attention away from reading. Sometimes at the end of a particularly satisfying read (or a particularly disappointing one), I just feel the need to walk away for a bit. Sometimes it is to bask in the warm glow of an amazing story; sometimes it is to allow myself to recover from the icy clutches of a nasty one. At any rate, I'm a self-proclaimed Facebook junkie and a few months ago, these "forwarded" notes were raging all around the site. "One Word Answers." "Shuffle Your iPod." "25 Random Things About Me." Sure, it is fun to write 25 so-called random things about yourself (things your friends undoubtedly already know about you), but I decided to do things a little differently. Here I present "25 Random Things...and then some!"

1. One time, while playing hide and seek with my siblings, I hid in an old wardrobe and disappeared into a magical land.

2. When I was young, I lived across the road from a farm inhabited by a pig, some geese, some sheep, a couple cows, a rat, and one very clever spider.

3. I once moved to Florida and befriended a stray dog, which I promptly named after a local grocery store.

4. When I was 11 years old, I received an acceptance letter to an old school in England. I got there by riding a train.

5. When I was young, I could only see in black and white, until I became friends with this old guy who taught me the ways of the world.

6. I have a younger brother who is actually a mouse.

7. I am currently engaged in a high-stakes, worldwide hunt for clues that will lead to possible world domination.

8. I love my dog so much that I once wrote an entire book of poems about him.

9. I was once inspired to redecorate my house by a seagull and a can of orange paint.

10. I once saved a colony of owls from losing their home to a pancake house.

11. I used to eat at a restaurant where you always got a waffle, no matter what you ordered.

12. When my dad reads aloud, things come out of books.

13. I once pretended to be Zen to impress a girl.

14. I once belonged to a secret society of genius kids who were trying to save the world from their leader's deranged twin brother.

15. I once discovered a carousel that served as a fountain of youth.

16. When I was a kid, all these crazy things kept happening to me and I didn't know why. Then I found out that my best friend was actually a goat and things got pretty weird from there.

17. Storks used to build their nests on the roof of my school.

18. I once took a tour of a candy factory. It turned out to be a pretty big deal.

19. A friend of mine used to take me to a magical land by swinging on a rope over a string.

20. I once decided to go live in the wilderness, where I befriended a peregrine falcon.

21. I once lived in Canada, had red hair, and talked way too much.

22. Another time I had red hair and lived with a monkey and a horse.

23. I have aunts named Sponge and Spiker.

24. I'm always in favor of a wild rumpus.

25. In high school, I moved to a small town in Washington and made some new friends. I don't sleep much anymore.

Post-Twilight Vampire Love, Or Why I Won't Read Just Anything About Vampires

2009-07-04T20:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay, I can admit it with little to no embarrassment: I LOVE the Twilight Saga. Is it as timeless or sophisticated as Harry Potter? Hell no. Is it as action packed and snarky as Percy Jackson? Not even close. But it certainly has had much hype surrounding it over the past several years, so I reluctantly took the bait and jumped on the band wagon. And I loved it. LOVED it. While certainly not the best writer I've ever read, Stephenie Meyer is quite the story teller and she has created some pretty memorable characters. Edward or Jacob? I don't really have a preference (it's true!) but I have certainly found myself diving into the entire saga more than once. What can I say? It's delightfully entertaining and I LOVE it!

That being said, when I finished my (second) go round of the series, I was looking for a little more vampire love. (Did I mention that I had no inclination toward vampires pre-Twilight? Not so much my cup of tea, but I am glad I abandoned my comfort zone in this case.) So while perusing the stacks in the teen section at one of my local libraries, I stumbled across Beth Fantaskey's Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. Admittedly, the title sucked me in and the idea of a few more vampire lovelies intrigued me, so I promptly checked it out and headed home to start reading. Little did I know, it would become one of my newest favorite reads.

Jessica's Guide is silly, sassy, and a bit ridiculous...and yet I couldn't put it down. Was it as intricate as Twilight? Not really. Did it leave me wanting more? Absolutely. This book is incredibly engaging and will certainly do wonders for both reluctant readers and those Twilighters looking for a bit more vampire love. I attempted to read several other vampire books/series post-Twilight and found them all a bit unbearable. Filled with stereotypical teenage characters and completely eye-roll-worthy scenarios, I just couldn't make it through most of them. Something about Jessica's plight, however - fending off the advances of an arrogant, irritating, and completely sexy teenage vampire - was just light enough, just fun enough, just steamy enough to keep me hooked from the very first page. And after flaky Bella (admit it - the girl's a flake and a bit unbearable herself at times), Jessica is a refreshing, independent, sassy diva who takes care of her own business. The bottom line is this: in the midst of the vampire craze, you really have to create something special if you think you're going to hook in the Twilight crowd. We're a tough bunch to please, and thankfully, Fantaskey has given us something more to swoon over in Jessica and Lucius.

Will Jessica's Guide remain in print after the vampire craze dies down? Maybe. Will it ever be classified as quality teen literature? Probably not. Will I forever be glad that I ran out and bought a copy promptly after my return trip to the library? Absolutely. Will I read future offerings from Beth Fantaskey? Certainly. Will I read Jessica's Guide again? Definitely. That is, of course, after my mom returns it.

Books I Recently Adored, Or Why My House is in Constant Disarray

2009-07-03T23:05:00.001-05:00

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney - Suzanne Harper
Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning - Danette Haworth
Schooled - Gordon Korman
How to Steal a Dog - Barbara O'Connor
Framed - Frank Cottrell Boyce
Sand Dollar Summer - Kimberly K. Jones
The Opposite of Invisible - Liz Gallagher
The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower - Lisa Graff
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey
Melonhead - Katy Kelly
Lawn Boy - Gary Paulsen
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac - Gabrielle Zevin

Words, Words, Words....

2009-07-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

I have a library card and a fierce love of books.

I quote books the way other people quote movies.

I'm just a girl wandering through the printed word.

Join me, won't you?