January Jacket Flap-a-Thon

As I look back at the end of January, I realize I have managed to keep one resolution: my reading is so slow there's really only three jacket flaps to choose from! Sure, there were (five) other books, but these are the ones that stood out.

The White Queen (Touchstone): "Philippa Gregory, "the queen of royal fiction" (USA Today) Presents the first of a new series set amid the deadly feuds of England known as the Wars of the Roses. Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author."

Forge (Atheneum): "In this compelling sequel to Chains, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson shifts perspective from Isabel to Curzon and brings to the page the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own paths in a world of obstacles—and in the midst of the American Revolution. The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom."

Keeper (Atheneum): "To ten-year-old Keeper, this moon is her chance to fix all that has gone wrong...and so much has gone wrong. But she knows who can make things right again: Meggie Marie, her mermaid mother who swam away when Keeper was just three. A blue moon calls the mermaids to gather at the sandbar, and that's exactly where she is headed -- in a small boat, in the middle of the night, with only her dog, BD (Best Dog), and a seagull named Captain. When the riptide pulls at the boat, tugging her away from the shore and deep into the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico, panic sets in, and the fairy tales that lured her out there go tumbling into the waves. Maybe the blue moon isn't magic and maybe the sandbar won't sparkle with mermaids and maybe -- Oh, no..."Maybe" is just too difficult to bear. Kathi Appelt follows up to her New York Times bestseller, The Underneath, with a tale that will pull right at your very core -- stronger than moon currents -- capturing the crash and echo of the waves and the dark magic of the ocean."

Other books read this month:
Sapphique
Guests of the Sheik
Behemoth
Same Kind of Different as Me
Street Magic
Pegasus (DNF)

Pegasus

by Robin McKinley
ages: 12+
First sentence: "Because she was a princess she had a pegasus."

I love Robin McKinley, I really do. And so I hate to say that I didn't finish this book. I wanted to finish this book. I wanted to love, or at least like, this book. But I just didn't.

The concept is interesting: McKinley imagines a world where pegasi are a species of intelligent beings, with language and culture and kings, but fragile ones. So, they make a pact with the humans for protection. They will bond the ruling humans and pegasi together in exchange for keeping the land safe. The only problem is that they need magicians to communicate.

That is, until princess Sylvi bonds with her pegasus, Ebon. They can talk, not just bits and snatches that they come to understand, but really communicate. And, of course (though I never really could figure out why), this causes all sorts of problems.

Honestly? I got bogged down in the setting up of the world. I was halfway through the book, and the story hadn't hardly started. It was history, it was world building, and while it was interesting, it wasn't engaging. I wanted it to be. But at some point, I realized it just wasn't working for me. So, I skipped around and read the ending. Which, if that's the end ending, it's just wrong. It's a horrible ending, and if I had invested even more time in the book, I would have been more upset.

As it was, I was just disappointed. I suppose even Robin McKinley can't win them all.

Keeper

by Kathi Appelt
ages: 10+
First sentence: "Keeper leaned over the edge of the boat."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

I wasn't that interested in reading this one because I had such a bad experience with The Underneath. But Pam at Mother Reader convinced me that it's completely different from Appelt's first book. And she was right. It's on that hinterland between reality and fantasy: while it has elements of both, it's not really either. But even that worked for me.

It's a simple story: Keeper has grown up on the Texas Gulf of Mexico shore, her family consisting, for the last seven years since her mermaid mother left, of Signe, Dogie and Mr. Beauchamp (that's not counting the animals). They are the residents of a little road down by the shore. It's a good life, one that seemed to, in one day, fall completely apart. So, Keeper has decided that she needs to go ask her mother how to put it back to rights. She gets a boat and in the middle of the night, heads out to the ocean to figure out how to put her life back together.

It's a beautifully written book: sparse in the language, slipping in and out of viewpoints, including the animals, as the story needs. I loved that she used language I haven't heard for a long time: cooleoleo, calloo callay, shazaam, easy peasy, and so on. It fit the feel of the book, as something both current yet also outside of time. It had the feel of mythology, and incorporated the mer mythos. But it was also very much grounded in reality. I loved how she defined family as anyone who cares about one another, no matter what. I didn't think there would be enough of a story to manage 400 pages, but with flashbacks to the past explaining how this family came to be a family, it worked for me.

It's not a flashy book, but it's a sweet, quiet, tender one. And sometimes that's exactly what a book should be.

Same Kind of Different as Me

by Ron Hall and Denver Moore (with Lynn Vincent)
ages: adult

First sentence: "Until Miss Debbie, I'd never spoke to no white woman before."

Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

I would have never, in a million years, have picked this up if it weren't for my in-person book group. I don't to religious books, I especially don't do evangelical books. It's not that I have anything against religion or even evangelicalism, it's just that I prefer to escape when I read.

I'd love to say that I loved the book, in spite of my hesitations. But, I didn't. I liked it. I thought the story was interesting. But I wasn't moved by it, or even motivated by it.

It's the story of two men: Ron Hall, who came from a lower-middle-class Texas upbringing and turned himself, by luck and the grace of God into a millionaire art dealer; and Denver Moore, the product of Jim Crow laws and a Louisiana sharecropping upbringing, who was homeless in Fort Worth when Ron and his wife Debbie first met him. Debbie insisted that Ron reach out to Denver, and it eventually turned into a friendship. One that helped Ron make it through his wife's cancer and eventual death (yep: it's one of those cancer books). It's basically their witness and testimony: look what God wrought in their lives.

The most inspiring person (obviously, since it's their story about her and because she's passed on) is Debbie: how she took the money Ron made and put it to better use. How she got involved in her community and worked to make it a better place. But, even that wasn't enough to salvage the book for me.

Now, I suppose this is me being all hyper-critical: just because the writing wasn't the most elegant, just because the story was a bit cliche, should I take apart these men's beliefs? Because I do believe that they believe they were doing good by writing this book. No. That wouldn't be fair. I guess my fundamental problem was that I just never got what I was supposed to get out of their story. (There's class issues here as well, I discovered: I have a problem with wealthy people throwing their money at good causes and saying "Look at me doing good! Aren't I wonderful?" And I felt like I got a lot of that.) In the end, though, I felt like I feel in those tear-jerker movies: manipulated. And that rankled me.

That said, there is good in this book. There's a good story. There's redemption and forgiveness and grace. I just didn't feel it. But maybe you will.

Audiobook: Street Magic

by Tamora Pierce
read by Full Cast Audio
ages: 12+
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

I realized sometime in the last couple of weeks that I was spending an inordinate amount of time in the car driving my children places. I don't mind this: I like my car, I like my children, and I generally don't mind listening to the news/music. But then I got thinking: the more time I spend in my car, the less time I have to actually sit and read (though I do take a book for me to read while I am waiting). Then the tragedy in AZ happened, and the news was just depressing, and that's when it hit me: audiobooks! (I'm slow sometimes.)

I wandered around the audiobook section (I really need an MP3 player/iPod so I can listen to downloadable stuff) and realized that I hadn't read a Tamora Pierce book in a while, so I pulled this one off the shelf. When M saw the book, she informed me that it's the second book in a second series and I might be a little lost. But then she proceeded to fill me in on all the information I needed.

Fourteen-year-old Briar Moss and his teacher, Rosethorn, are have been in Chammur, a Middle Eastern-like country, for a while to try and figure out a way to help the farmers with their plants. As both are plant mages, this is an ideal way for them to collect and study new plants and ideas. As their time comes to a close, Briar spots Evvy, a young street rat, in a market, and noticed she has stone magic. Once he finds Evvy, it becomes an interesting race with one of the nobles in town -- Lady Zenadia, who is dabbling in leading a gang and inciting gang wars for a unspecified motivation -- to see who can tap into Evvy's power first.

That sounded bad. But it's hard to explain, even though it's pretty black and white: Briar wants to teach Evvy (or find her a teacher at least), Lady Zenadia wants the power (I'm assuming, since it was never specified) that Evvy's magic will bring her. Evvy just wants to be fed and clothed and treated like a person not a slave.

The story is an interesting one, dealing with issues of ownership and propriety as well as those of class. However, I'm thinking this one was probably one I should have actually read, because I was distracted by the full cast audio. The narrator was okay, but several of the actors voices drove me nuts, so every time they spoke, I cringed. Of course this took away from the story. Also, it seemed to me, every time we turned around Pierce was describing what people were wearing. Did it really matter that Lady Zenadia was wearing a black and crimson sari, arms hung heavy with gold, a delicate nose ring that had a slim chain connecting it to her earring? Did it matter that Briar's favorite overrrobe was a long, forest green one, beautifully embroidered? Um, no. Not really. I could have skipped over all that had I been looking at the text, but because I was listening, I couldn't. Yawn.

Aside from that, the story was just okay. I wanted Pierce to give me more motivation for Lady Zenadia's involvement in the city's gangs, for her ruthlessness. It just was, and that bothered me. I wanted to know why. And while the ending was cool -- it's always nice to see YA characters taking action and being awesome without help from the adults -- it was a bit too pat for my taste.

Maybe I should ask for some good audiobook recommendations. They need to be clean YA or MG because I drive around with my kids in the car, and there are some things that a 4 year old doesn't need to hear. Any suggestions for my next book?

Behemoth

by Scott Westerfeld
ages: 12+
First sentence: "
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

When we last left our dynamic duo, Alek and Deryn, they were floating on the airship, Leviathan, headed toward Instanbul and the Ottoman empire. Deryn, who is masquerading as a boy, knows pretty much all of Alek's secrets: he's a prince, his parents' death started the war, and he's on the run. The crew of the Leviathan have a wary peace with Alek and his companions, especially because it's their Clanker engines that are keeping the Leviathan up.

Deryn has still managed to keep her secret safe, though she's slowly realizing that Alek means more to her than just a pal. Then again, he's a barking prince. (What is it about Westerfeld's writing that gets me talking like he writes? Seriously? I said "happy-making" for ages after reading the Uglies series, and now I'm swearing like a seampunk Darwinist sailor. Barking spiders, indeed!)

And when they get to Istanbul, it all breaks loose. Alek and his companions escape the Leviathan (they're increasingly afraid that "guests" means "prisoners of war"), and end up falling in with a group of revolutionaries determined to overthrow the shah and end the German influence in their city, at least. Deryn, on a secret mission of her own, ends up in the same place: aiding Alek and his new friends.

Although the book is slow to get started, especially if it's been a while since you've picked up Leviathan (like me), once it does, it delivers everything you'd want from a Westerfeld book. Action, adventure, mystery, romance... and a great imagination. There's some amazing machinery and creatures in this book; things that will have you gaping and scratching your head: where does he come up with this stuff? And, of course, by the end of the book, enough happens that you will be on the edge of your seat, wondering what, possibly, could happen next.

Waiting is always the hardest part.

Sunday Salon: An Argument for EReaders

My book pile with me in Hawaii. I'm beginning to see the appeal for the Kindle, et al. It would make traveling easier...

Forge

by Laurie Halse Anderson
ages: 12+
First sentence: "'Can you walk?' someone asked me.
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

I'm not sure how you are, but I really shouldn't read winter books in the dead of winter. It's too depressing.

Granted, this book, the sequel to Chains, isn't supposed to be lighthearted fluff. It picks up several months after (spoiler, sorry) Isabel and Curzon escape. They had wandered around a bit, trying to get some money, and squabbling about whether or not to head south to rescue Isabel's sister Rose. That led to a split between the two, something which Curzon thought he wouldn't mind. However, through a couple of accidental encounters, Curzon's ended up in the Continental Army. Again. He signs on to save his skin just as the army's heading into winter encampment at (dead giveaway because of the title, here) Valley Forge. Anderson spends some time making sure that her readers know just what the conditions of Valley Forge were (not good is an understatement), but this is historical fiction, not non-fiction. The story is Curzon's and we follow his struggles to get accepted at camp as an African American. He registers as a free man (even though he's not, technically), and yet there are prejudices and obstacles to overcome even among his friends.

Then his old master shows up and decides that Curzon isn't a free man. Which means that Curzon has to figure out how to escape all over again.

This book came with expectations, because it's Anderson's work and because I adored Chains. I'm not sure it lived up to them, however. Perhaps because it's been too long since I've read Chains. Perhaps because, as I mentioned before, it's winter, and reading a story about soldiers freezing in the snow just doesn't help my already glum mood. But it just didn't grab my attention the came way that Chains did. It's a good story and Curzon's an interesting enough main character, and once I picked it up, I did enjoy what I was reading. Anderson does the history justice, and more so: she paints a picture of the situation that's can't be found in the history books. The story doesn't clip along as fast as I remember Chains doing, but it managed okay. However, in the end, I felt it was missing that something to keep me turning the pages, to draw me to the book in between readings.

That said, I'm quite curious to see what happens in the next book.

Guests of the Sheik

An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village
by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
ages: adult
First sentence: "The night train from Baghdad to Basra was already hissing and creaking in its tracks when Bob and I arrived at the platform."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

I'm perfectly sure, even with Amira's high recommendation, that I would have never picked up this book without it being chosen as a book group selection. I am also perfectly sure that, even though it took me a lot longer to read than I wanted it to (for various reasons), it's a fascinating look at a specific segment of of the Iraqi women population in a specific time in history.

Our author, amazing woman that she is, was brave enough to spend the first years of her marriage in a backwater tribal village in southern Iraq in 1957 and 1958. Her husband, Bob, was there to do some research, and she went along for the ride. It was good, as well, since Bob had no access to half the population: the women. Through trial and error, Elizabeth (or Beeja as they referred to her) made her way through the intricacies of daily life for a Shiite Muslim woman in that particular tribe. It was an interesting insight to the Islamic faith, to the traditions and strictures and customs of both the faith as well as the tribe.

That's one of the things I had to keep reminding myself: this ethnography (so hard to spell!) is of a particular village in a particular time, and while it's fascinating, it really can't be applied broadly. I kept wondering how things have changed, not just for the village, but for women in Iraq in general.

Given that, it was an interesting story. I kept admiring Beeja for her gumption: I'm not sure, newly married, if I would have been that adventuresome. (Yes, I want to travel, but generally "travel" for me includes flushing toilets and mattresses.) But, she did what any sensible person would do: she threw herself into her situation and made the best of it. Can't ask for more than that. It was interesting to read about her ups and downs of adapting, and how her relationships with the women in the village evolved and flourished in spite of the cultural (and, initially, linguistic) barriers.

But it wasn't until the end of the book that I found something that truly resonated with me:

How many years would it take, I wondered, before the two worlds began to understand each other's attitudes towards women? For the West, too, had a blind spot in this area. I could tell my friends in America again and again that the veiling and seclusion of Eastern women did not mean necessarily that they were forced against their will to live lives of submission and near-serfdom. I could tell Haji again and again that the low-cut gowns and brandished freedom of Western women did necessarily mean that these women were promiscuous and cared nothing for home and family. Neither would have understood, for each group, in its turn, was bound by custom and background to misinterpret appearances in its own way.

For better or for worse, this still is the case. And, at the very least, helping bridge that misinterpretation is something good that this book, even out-of-date as it is, can do.

Sunday Salon: Library Funny

If your paper doesn't get it, here's this morning's Pearls Before Swine (click to embiggen):




Cracked me up.

Musing about Historical Fiction

This morning, in a column I sometimes read in the paper, I read this:

My 10-year-old son chose "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" for his upcoming book report on a work of historical fiction.

I never finished the column because I did a double-take. Tom Sawyer, historical fiction?

Really?

I could see how it could be defined as such, for (as the columnist went on to say her son said), "The people in the story don't really exist, but the time period does."

I asked Hubby what he thought, and it turns out that he and I have different definitions of "historical fiction".

Him: the work has to be a fictionalized retelling of a historical event, involving actual historical figures. So, according to his definition, Moon Over Manifest (to throw out an example) is not historical fiction, but rather fiction set in the past.

Me: the work has to be set in an earlier time period than an author is writing. By this definition, Moon Over Manifest is historical fiction.

By either definition, Tom Sawyer isn't historical fiction. A classic, yes. Historical fiction, no. But that also got us debating about what defines historical fiction. We weren't able to come to an agreement, so I'm throwing it out to the masses: what makes a book "historical fiction" for you? Is there a set definition? (Librarians, help!) And do you agree or disagree: is Tom Sawyer historical fiction?

Sapphique

by Catherine Fisher
ages: 13+
First sentence: "The alleyway was so narrow that Attia could lean against one wall and kick the other."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

If you haven't read Incarceron, you'll probably want to skip this review, because there's no way to talk about Sapphique without giving away the ending of the first one. That also begs the question: WHY haven't you read Incarceron?

Finn has made it out of Incarceron, discovering that Outside isn't all that it's cracked up to be. He's got endless Protocol, and after the relative freedom of the prison (ironic, yes), it's driving him batty. He thought he could remember his past once he got outside, but is finding even that isn't what he'd hoped. Claudia, who was banking on the belief that Finn was the lost prince, is even having second guesses. On top of that, Finn's oathbrother Kiero and their friend (such as it is) Attia are still stuck in Incarceron, still looking for a way out. That knowledge haunts Finn, because he feels it's his fault that they couldn't escape with them. And to add insult to injury, there's another claimant for the throne, one that Finn and Claudia are sure has been put up by the current, not so nice, queen. Finn has to prove something he doesn't quite believe in himself, both his and Claudia's lives are forfeit.

On the inside, Kiero and Attia are looking for the Glove of Sapphique, a magical item that legends say helped Sapphique escape from the prison. Is the glove real? Can they find it? And more than that, will they be able to stop the prison from escaping itself.

This book is much like Incarceron: complex, intricate, yet held together with brilliant writing and plotting. It's not a romance: everyone in the book is working to save their life and/or the world that they know, to just survive. And yet there are moments of tenderness, of reflection, and insight as well. It's a good follow-up book, wrapping things up quite nicely, yet leaving room for another book, if Fisher so chooses (I have no idea if she will or not). And while Finn is meandering aimlessly, and Kiero is his still-annoying self, the girls carry the book: Attia is amazing, finding hidden resources and connections that otherwise would have gone missing. And Claudia, even with her doubting, handles the scheming and plotting of the court quite admirably. The unsung hero award, however, goes to Master Jared: Claudia's tutor and father-figure, he's the one who finds most of the answers to the questions, as well as ultimately saving the day. He's remarkable.

At the very least, Fisher is an author to keep an eye out for.

10 Questions for Alan Silberberg

Honestly, after I read Milo for the Cybils, I knew I needed to talk to his creator. It's just fortuitous, and a bit of procrastination, that this comes out after the Cybils shortlists come out, and Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze
was on the Middle Grade list. Much like his book, Alan was a delight to interview. Do check out his webpage or follow him on Twitter. Milo even has a Facebook page, which I find quite amusing.

MF: I've read a lot of books where the parent dies or has passed on, but Milo was different in that it focused on the healing afterward. What made you decide to write about death from that angle?
AS: I wrote Milo from the POV of a 13 year old learning how to finally grieve and move on from his mother's death. It was a very personal story for me, my mom died when I was nine and it was a major event in my life that I have to admit I was still coping with when I started this book. As I wrote Milo's story I realized how close to my own emotions it was and I really felt ready for my own healing. Milo coming to terms with his mother's death really mirrored my own emotional catharsis. Stepping away from that answer, I also knew that I wanted to write a book that could help children and families accept and deal with whatever loss that they might be experiencing and that meant writing not only about the loss and grief - but the potential for healing too.

MF: Wow. I had no idea. That's probably part of the reason the book resonated so deeply. Given the emotional baggage for you, why did you decide to write about death at all?
AS: When I started the book it was just going to be a silly story about Milo and his tween angst. I knew I was going to add my cartoons to tell the story but it was just going to be a fun little book. As I wrote about his junior high experience I realized I was remembering a lot of my own time back then and slowly began to let that part of me seep into the story. It was at that point I realized I wanted to let Milo's story be close to my own experience - and that meant telling the story of what it's like to lose a parent when you're young.

MF: Aside from your own experiences, how did you come up with the character of Milo?
AS: Milo is a funny kid with a good sense of humor who also has a running monologue in his head about everyone and everything. In that way I guess Milo is a lot of me mixed in with some of the kids I remembered when I was that age.

MF: Is there a favorite character or scene from the book that you particularly like?
AS: I like the scenes where Milo has to be tutored in Math by his bald Math teacher, Mr. Shivnesky. Milo can't quite figure out of Mr. Shivnesky is really bald, or if he shaves his head, which to Milo - is just not cool. I like the relationship they develop. I also really like Milo's best friend, Marshall, who is really weird!

MF: Milo's completely different from your first book, Pond Scum (which I will hunt down and read; it sounds delightful). What did you do differently to prepare/write this book from your first one?
AS: Pond Scum was my first book after years of writing TV for kids. The story is about Oliver, who finds a magic gem that can turn him into any animal he touches. To write the book I had to do lots of research about the different creatures that Oliver became, and that was a lot of fun to work the details into the story. Writing Milo was all about my own emotional research. It was like a form of therapy dealing with the story that so closely mirrored my own life.

MF: You're also a cartoonist, yes? What are the differences, if there are any, between doing your cartoons and your writing? Do you feel like it's two separate sides of yourself, or do the artist and the writer compliment each other?
AS: I really feel that the cartoonist and writer work side-by-side as I work on the book. It is like there are two of me, each one making suggestions as the story unfolds. "Ooh, I know a great cartoon that could go here!" Or, "Maybe the story needs some more depth here."

MF: Who or what inspires you to write?
AS: I am inspired by the books I read and by the kids I meet who like good stories. I think most writers get a certain energy from knowing that an audience is out there devouring the words.

MF: What do you do when you're not writing?
AS: There's a time when I'm not writing? Seriously, when I'm wrapped up writing a book I find it hard to not be thinking about it even when I'm away from it. I do try and have a life though, time with my family, going to movies, taking the dog for a walk. But it's hard to escape my brain!

MF: What's the last book you've read that you really loved?
AS: I totally loved "Cosmic" by Frank Cottrell Boyce. He has such a distinct voice and the story about a 12 year old boy who is mistaken for an adult and is then put in charge of taking a bunch of kids into space was beautifully written, sharp and quite funny. (I was actually asked to contribute a cartoon to the Unshelved site and chose to do my own tribute to Cosmic.)

MF: If you don't mind telling us, what can we expect next from you?
AS: I can't tell you the exact premise - it's a secret. But I can say that I am almost done with a new book about two best friends who find a way to get anything they ever wanted. It's more like Pond Scum in that it has a certain amount of magic in it - but like Milo, it will feature text and my cartoons.

MF: Sounds interesting! Thanks for your time, Alan.

Newbery, Caldecott and Printz: Oh My!

So, if you haven't heard, today was the Ocsars of kidlit. And me, being the geek I am, followed it both through the live webcast and on Twitter. Like last year, I did quite well with the Newberys


Honor books:
Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night
One Crazy Summer (which won the Coretta Scott King award)
Turtle in Paradise
Heart of a Samauri

And the winner is none other than local (Wichitan!) author Clare Vanderpool! I'm VERY excited about this. Hubby told me a month ago when I read the book that I should interview her. I should have; I'm going to have a hard time getting an interview with her now!
Moon over Manifest

I have only heard of one of the Caldecott awards, and I haven't read any of them. Here's hoping my library gets them soon.
Dave the Potter (which won the Coretta Scott King Award)
Interuupting Chicken

Winner:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee

I did poorly with the Printz, as well. Heard of one, haven't read any:

Honor books:
Stolen
Please Ignore Vera Dietz
Revolver
Nothing

Winner:
Shipbreaker

There's a lot that won various other awards (how about a shout out to Sir Terry Pratchett who won the Margaret A. Edwards award for lifetime achievement?!?) that I'd like to read. Then again, there's a lot that I'd like to read, period. The American Library Association web site has the full list of awards, if you're interested.

Congrats to all the winners!!

Sunday Salon: Random Thoughts

I feel like, after a week off -- I put up a grand total of one review, and finished a grand total of 2 1/2 books last week; yes, I have a review to write. I'll do it later today -- I'm already wondering if I've lost readers... I shouldn't be that insecure.

That said, I actually enjoyed my slow reading week. I'm doing a lot more running around in the car these days, and so I'm thinking about delving into the world of audiobooks. I have enjoyed the ones I've listened to in the past.

I'm doing well on the commenting part of my bloggy resolutions, in part due to MotherReader and Lee Wind's Comment Challenge. The deal? It started January 6th, but you comment on five blogs through Wednesday January 26th. Easy peasy.

I'm actually wishing for the snow that's predicted for here today. We're off to Hawaii in two weeks, and I want something to be running away from!

Speaking of Hawaii, I've picked up two Robin McKinley books (Pegasus and Dragonhaven) and Guys Read: Funny Business to take with me as beach/light reads. I'll happily entertain suggestions for other beach-ish type books.

Does anyone know of any place I can get a good bookish picture for my new header? (Preferably for free/cheap.) I'd take one myself, but I'm feeling uninspired, and M is too busy to do something for me. I really would love to change up the look of the place around here.

In other techy stuff: How does one go about changing the little icon next to the web address in my browser? Some of you have really cute ones, and dang it, if I don't want one, too.

And the biggish news: ALA Midwinter is going on, and even if you, like me, are not in San Diego, you can tune into the big awards announcement tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. PST. (Which means I'm skipping K's playgroup because live tweeting #alayma is so much more important than going to playgroup. It has a fairly even chance of being snowed out anyway...) I can't wait!

The White Queen

by Philippa Gregory
ages: adult
First sentence: "My father is Sir Richard Woodville, Baron Rivers, an English nobleman, a landholder, and a supporter of the true Kings of England, the Lancastrian line."
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!

I have to admit, first off, that I picked this book up after the Cybils on purpose. I wanted something sweeping, something grand, something intricate, and yes, something slightly skanky.

I got two of the four, plus lots of fighting, scheming and plotting, so I'm not disappointed.

Gregory takes leave of the Tudors (oh, how we all love them), and turns her more than capable gaze to the family that preceded them: the Plantangents. Since I knew absolutely nothing about them, historically speaking, I was starting from scratch. The White Queen is the story of Elizabeth Woodville, a widow whose husband fought against Edward of York, and who fell in love with Edward after meeting him to appeal the loss of her lands to her former mother-in-law. They eventually marry, in secret, and when Edward finally fights his way to the kingship, she becomes queen. It's not a pretty book, or a simple one. There's a huge cast of characters, and it's full of intricate plotting and planning and fighting and twisting. There's no such thing as real loyalty; it's every man, and every woman out for him/herself. And, at the center of every twist and turn, is Elizabeth.

All this twisting and turning has both its pros and cons. It's good because it keeps the 400 page book moving, and the reader guessing: what is going to happen next, and where on earth is all this going? There's enough plotting and backstabbing and turncoating in the book to entertain just about anyone. But, there's also enough to confuse one, too. I kept flipping back to the beginning where there was a family tree, but it didn't do much to keep everyone straight in my head. Neither did the Author's Note at the end, though that at least provided some fascinating historical detail. In the end, I had to put aside all my questions of who, what and where and just throw myself into the novel.

Which worked for a while. But, around two-thirds of the way through, about the time that King Edward dies, it all fell apart for me. The mystery of the missing princes that the jacket flap promised, and that sounded so intriguing, was almost an afterthought to the novel. Things unraveled for Elizabeth, as queen, as a person, and yet, somehow, the book kept going. Until, finally, it just stopped. Which, of course, leaves room open for sequels. It's not a "to be continued", but it's only just short of that.

It's not as tight as some of Gregory's other books, but there's much of what her fans have come to love from her in the book. Even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted, I did enjoy much of it. There's just something about the scheming and plotting of the English royalty that makes for a good story. And, at the very least, this was that.

Sunday Salon: Bloggy Goals

Happy New Year, everyone! (Yes, I know it was yesterday, but yesterday was also Cybils day and so New Years gets pushed off a day.)

I wrote a little while ago about pulling back and redefining my reading habits, something which I think is going to spill over into my blogging. So, I thought I'd come up with a few distinct, erm, goals (I hate that word) for my blog as I head into my seventh year of doing this.

1. I'm going to read what I want to read. I'm not going to worry about being on the forefront of anything, about reading what's hot, or even about getting ARCs from publishers anymore. (That said, I'd still love to go to BEA someday.)

2. I'm going to clear off my TBR shelf. Or at the very least, make a big dent in it. That said, see #1.

3. I'm going to blog when I have something to say. Which means I may not blog every day.

4. I'm still going to do one author interview a month. I do try to pick authors whose books I've read and liked, with a special emphasis on first time and YA/MG authors.

5. I'm cutting back on challenges. I've got the book swap, of course, and I'm still going to try to diversify my reading with the POC challenge. Other than that, I think I'll just do the Once Upon a Time and the RIP (which I missed this past year) challenges. Unless, of course, something comes up that I can't resist.

6. I'm going to spend more time with my family, catching up on things I used to do, and spend less time on the computer (which means Facebook and Twitter, too). I do have a life outside of this chair in the corner with the laptop on my lap. Or, at least, I'd like to have one again.

7. That said, I'm going to comment on others blogs more. I've gotten out of that habit, and I want to get back to fostering discussion both on my blog as well as on others'. I will read the posts more carefully, instead of just skimming them for the highlights. (Bad, bad habit.)

I think that's it. Oh, and redesign this space. It needs a new look. What are your goals for the coming year?

And the Shortlists Are...

Another year, another Cybils -- it's the fifth, can you believe that? -- another Middle Grade shortlist. If you're interested, the shortlists for all the categories are over at the site. But, Ill save you the trip, and put my panel's hard work up over here. It's an eclectic list, but one with a great diversity of books. A lot more "boy" books than usual, too, which surprised us. As always, I thoroughly enjoyed working with the other panelists, and the entire experience! I hope you enjoy reading these books. I sure did!

Because of Mr. Terupt
by Rob Buyea
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: David Richardson

Rob Buyea, a teacher and first time author, has written Because of Mr. Terupt. It is a beautiful book about a class of fifth graders and their new teacher. The book is told by seven students. They write about their experiences with a special teacher. The students share the impact that tragedy has on their young lives. The experiences are sad, touching and life changing. Jessica, one of the students, tells Mr Terupt early in the book that she likes happy endings. This book does have one. --Kyle Kimmal, The Boy Reader

Belly Up
by Stuart Gibbs
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Jennifer Rembold

This is a humorous mystery that takes place in a zoo. The main character Teddy along with Summer, the zoo owner's daughter, must figure out who murdered the zoo's famous mascot, Henry the Hippo. The characters are well developed and will be loved by both children and adults alike. Listed for 8 - 12 year olds it is probably best for the higher ages due to some mild language. Children will love the gross descriptions and side splitting antics along with the believable parents in the book. The environmental element adds to the flavor of this book. Humor, save the animal type themes, and independent, can't stay out of trouble kid. Who could ask for anything more? --Sandra Stiles

Betti on the High Wire
by Lisa Railsback
Dial
Nominated by: Mary Ellen Thompson

Babo is one of the leftover children. In an unnamed, war-torn country, she lives in an abandoned circus turned orphanage. She is a storyteller, she has friends, and she is happy. Then she's adopted by an American couple, who change her name to Betti. In this heartbreaking, yet humorous and touching book, you get to know Betti as she struggles to adapt and adjust and come to terms with her new life while still yearning for the old. Nothing in this book is black and white: every character and situation is complex, appealing to the older readers, but yet the book is simple enough for younger ones as well. It's a book that will generate discussion about war, refugees, adoption and immigrants. It's not depressing, though; Betti is a spitfire, and readers of all ages will end up cheering for her and falling in love with both her and the book. --Melissa at Book Nut

Crunch
by Leslie Connor
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: Deena Lipomi

Gasoline is not available at any price, so Dewey Marriss and his siblings have to tough it out until their parents can get back into town. Dewey was left in charge of the Marriss Bike Barn, and business is booming to say the least. We loved the believable characters and thought provoking circumstances of this story. It has a retro feel, but could easily be set in the near future. A mini-mystery keeps the plot moving along but doesn't distract from the big question: What would life without gas be like? Crunch is a shoo-in for boys and girls ages 8 to 800. --Alysa, Everead

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze
by Alan Silberberg
Aladdin
Nominated by: Elizabeth Bird

It's a story with a sad premise -- a boy trying to deal with the death of his mother. However, it reads like a surprisingly normal "kid overcoming an obstacle" kind of story.

Milo's dad isn't really up to talking about serious topics, and he keeps moving the family from house to house, seeming to avoid the memories of his wife. That means that Milo is dealing with yet another new school. At this school he finds a good friend who appreciates him for who he is and what he likes (Freezies drinks from the local convenience store) and a next door neighbor who keeps leaving him sticky notes. These friends and a widow neighbor fill part of the hole that his mother's absence has left. Readers will cheer with Milo as he takes charge of overcoming his situation.

This story will speak volumes to any child who has lost a parent or is trying to help a good friend deal with that loss. But this book's humor, use of line-drawings and cartoons throughout, and universal themes such as struggling in Math, having a crush, the power of friendship, and moving to a new home or new school will entertain and enlighten other readers as well. --Jennifer Donovan

The Kneebone Boy
by Ellen Potter
Feiwel & Friends
Nominated by: Jennifer Donovan

Dashes of Dahl. Snippets of Snicket. Heaps of Horvath. Those are the comparisons from the blurb on the back of this rather gothic middle grade adventure novel that I read breathlessly to the end in one day. I would add: A modicum of Monty Python. Pinches of The Princess Bride (without the kissing). Even a whisper of Joan Aiken's Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

No spoilers here, but it won't hurt to tell that The Kneebone Boy has no vampires, no magic, only one very small ghost, one large castle and one small play castle, lots of adventure, many oddities, and a few crazies. Also, there's not much blood, and lots of stuff happens at night . . . in the dark . . . in a spooky forest. Oh, and there's a dungeon and a secret passageway. How can any kid with an inkling of imagination resist? --Sherry

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
by Tom Angleberger
Amulet
Nominated by: Sarah (aquafortis)

There are kids all over McQuarrie Middle School who believe Origami Yoda can tell the future. Others think he's just a stupid finger puppet made by the 6th grade's biggest loser, Dwight. Tommy HAS to know the truth. He has to know if Origami Yoda is real before he makes a complete fool of himself. Tommy reasons that Origami Yoda MUST be the real thing because there is no way a loser like Dwight could ever offer such great advice. Still, what if he takes Origami Yoda's advice and makes a fool of himself? In order to find out, Tommy opens a case file where his classmates explain their experiences with Origami Yoda's Jedi-like advice. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda will delight readers. It's filled with humor, great characters, a unique plot and the occasional glimpse of the force at work. Read it, you must. --Cheryl Vanatti for Reading Rumpus