ComingSoon.net has the brand new New Moon poster. Here it is:
So what do you think? As a non-fan I bow to the expertise of my readers!
Day: May 20, 2009
Big Wolf & Little Wolf
Big Wolf & Little Wolf by Nadine Brun-Cosme, illustrated by Olivier Tallec
Big Wolf lived all alone at the top of a hill under a tree. But then one day, Little Wolf came and stayed under Big Wolf’s tree. The two wolves didn’t talk, but they watched each other. When night fell, Big Wolf shared a small corner of his leaf blanket with him. In the morning, Little Wolf climbed the tree following Big Wolf and did exercises together. Big Wolf shared his meal with Little Wolf but still never talked with him. Big Wolf headed out for his walk, looking back and seeing Little Wolf get smaller and smaller in the distance. When he returned to the tree though, Little Wolf was gone. Big Wolf was shocked, astounded to find that he missed Little Wolf deeply. So what is a lone wolf to do when he finds himself to be more of a LONELY wolf?
Brun-Cosme has created a picture book with a unique feel. Her wording is simple and almost bare. It is through that very minimalist writing that the emotions are really clear and powerful. It is also a format that works well for a lone wolf and his simple life. Tallec’s art is different here than in some of his other work (like Rita and Whatsit). He uses paint to create a world of open fields and wide skies, but plays with color to make it a world in a vivid palette of pinks, yellows, blues, and greens. This depth of color and strong lines make the illustrations a foil for the simple words.
This book speaks to the lonely of us, the confused, the awkward. It is a picture book that every child will understand whether they have been Little or Big. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Along for the Ride
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Auden has always been dedicated to school work, hoping that achieving in the academic world her parents work in will gain her attention and recognition from them. She aslo doesn’t sleep any more, which started when she had to listen to her parents night-time arguments before they divorced. Now Auden has just graduated from high school and faces a summer of work preparing for college. To get away from her overbearing mother, she decides to go to stay with her father, his new wife and their new baby at the beach. Prepared to spend the summer alone with her books, Auden is surprised when she finds herself getting drawn more and more into the lives of the people she is staying with. She even volunteers to do the book at her stepmother’s boutique where she is surrounded by the pink of girly things for the first time. As she becomes more involved with her family, she is also drawn into the lives of the local teens. She and a brooding ex-biker named Eli find that neither of them sleep at night so a connection is made. Will Auden have to change to fit into this new place or perhaps is there a hidden Auden that has always been there?
This book is magic. The writing is done with an assurance and style that offer insight to the characters and important statements about being female in our culture without ever being overbearing about it. The lightness of the writing works well with the deeper truths of the novel: loneliness, self-perception, and self-awareness. All are beautifully woven into the book.
Dessen has an ear for dialogue so that every phrase rings true, effortlessly changing between characters. She also has created a cast of characters who are individuals, unique and all intriguing right down to the parents and other adults. I see novels in each of the teens, they are so well drawn and interesting in their own right. Each adult character carries their own youth with them, just as we all do, offering them a depth and level of understanding unusual in teen novels.
I was sincerely amazed by this novel. It was an interesting, fluffy, deep, fast read that I could not put down. Expect this to be a huge hit of the summer. It has summer beach read written all over it, but even better it has a lot of brain behind it too. Appropriate for ages 13-16.
Waking Brain Cells 