Review: Prized by Caragh M. O’Brien

December 9, 2011December 9, 2011 | Tasha

Prized by Caragh M. O’Brien

In this sequel to Birthmarked, Gaia has escaped into the wasteland with her infant sister, following a rumor to guide her. Gaia is reaching the end of her strength and her baby sister is perishing when she is discovered by a rider from Sylum. When she is brought into their matriarchal society, Gaia is forced to give up her sister into the society for care and must submit herself to their rules. No man can speak to her first much less touch her, and a kiss can get you jailed. Sylum is slowly dying, since there are many more male births than female. But Sylum also cannot be escaped easily. Newcomers get physically ill and then after that violent illness are unable to leave. If they try to leave, they will die of an even more extreme illness. So Gaia is trapped in Sylum without her sister, trying to follow their rules, when she discovers that Leon is also there, imprisoned. In order to free him, Gaia has to give up the last of her will to the ruler of Sylum.

I adored the first book in this series. The Enclave was a skewed society that was fully rendered and well thought out. O’Brien has done the impossible in a single series and created within her world another complete society that makes sense, surprises, and then displays its darker side. Sylum is a world run by women, but also a decaying society where there are few rights especially for those who refuse to follow the rules. It is a beautiful, green but dreadful place where the darkness is right below the lovely surface. In short, it is immensely readable and a wonderful dystopian setting.

O’Brien introduces us to new characters just as we are getting reacquainted with those we enjoyed in the first book. Gaia remains a fierce, independent force who is bright, inspiring and strong. She is a character thrown into a society she does not understand, who makes waves with every step and friends too. There are two brothers who serve as additional love interests in this complex society that forbids touching. They are wonderfully similar but also very different, attractive in different ways to Gaia. Still, there is also the angry and ever-frustrating yet fascinating Leon to consider. As Gaia muses, it is actually a love square rather than a triangle.

This is a compulsively readable book, just like the first. The world is well drawn, but it is the different societies that truly shine here. I look forward to the rest of the series, because this book was very unexpected and I can’t guess what is going to happen next. Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.

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Review: Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

December 8, 2011December 8, 2011 | Tasha

Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

For over 80 years, there have been huge balloons in the Macy’s Parade. We have Tony Sarg to thank for that. Even when Tony was a small boy, he was inventing things. He figured out a way to feed the chickens in the morning without having to get out of bed. He wanted to be a marionette puppeteer, but was born in a time when marionettes were not being used anymore. So he figured out how to build them and started performing on Broadway with his marionettes. From there, he got a job designing the holiday windows for Macy’s where he did puppets that moved through gears and pulleys. After that, he started working on parades. He first built balloons that were held by stiff sticks, but they needed to be higher so more people could see. So out of necessity and through tremendous creativity, he figured out how to make balloons fly high but still be controlled and seem lifelike. We are all lucky enough to still be able to see the work of Sarg every Thanksgiving in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This book is all about dreaming big and then figuring out a way to make those huge dreams come to life. Sarg’s life is also about following your own personal bliss and making a living doing what you love. It is a tribute to creativity and imagination on a grand scale. Sweet has created a book that celebrates all of this and remains a biography of a real man too.

Her art is a tremendous part of the book’s success. Through a mix of painting and collage, she brings Sarg’s world to life. Fabrics, different paper, objects and maps all find their way into the illustrations, creating new textures, dimension and color. They are illustrations that celebrate on almost every page, filled with bright colors and ingenuity.

Highly recommended, this book should be added to everyone’s must read list for Thanksgiving titles, but don’t keep it just for that time of year. It is also a great book to discuss creativity and unusual jobs! Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Review: A Christmas Goodnight by Nola Buck

December 8, 2011 | Tasha

A Christmas Goodnight by Nola Buck, illustrated by Sarah Jane Wright

This cozy, quiet Christmas book focuses on the nativity. Through gently rhyming stanzas, the story of Jesus’ birth is told. It is woven into a bedtime story where everyone in the nativity tale is told goodnight. It includes the animals, the angels, the star, the Wise Men, and the shepherds. Then the book moves to a modern winter scene at a farm where the good night wishes continue to the snow, the hare, and a small nativity set. This transition is made seamlessly and very successfully, tying the modern Christmas celebration directly to the birth of Jesus.

Buck has written a book that celebrates the story of the nativity in a way that small children will be able to easily understand. She successfully ties in a goodnight theme as well as a link to the modern world.

Wright’s illustrations have a jewel-colored palette and simple lines. They are modern and yet also honor the traditional, so they work well for this subject. The simplicity also works well for the very young audience with the washes of color and the clean lines.

A great pick for libraries or families looking for books that celebrate the reason for Christmas in a religious way. It’s a perfect bedtime read for Christmas Eve. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Around the World by Matt Phelan

December 7, 2011December 7, 2011 | Tasha

Around the World by Matt Phelan

In this graphic novel, Phelan tells the story of three adventurers at the end of the 19th century who attempt to travel around the world. There is Thomas Stevens in 1884 who had been working in the mines but then started bicycling. He first bicycled across the United States, and then attempted to cycle around the world on the difficult-to-ride old-fashioned bicycle with one larger wheel. The next adventurer is Nellie Bly in 1889, who set herself the task of beating Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. The men running the New York World newspaper did not like her idea, but eventually came around to having her attempt it. Her race became a national obsession and sold many newspapers for them. Finally, there is the story of Joshua Slocum in 1895. He restored an old sailing vessel in a time when sailing was becoming outdated. Then all on his own, he set off to sail around the world, becoming the first person to sail around the world alone. These three adventurers all have their own reasons for circumnavigating the globe, but they are united in their attempts. These are all stories of determination, courage and bold ideas.

United under the umbrella of Jules Verne’s novel, these three stories are beautifully connected and yet stand entirely on their own merits as well. The three intrepid souls are also equally connected and yet uniquely themselves. Their journeys are made for different reasons and received differently by the public, but they are all powerful stories of independence and resourcefulness. All three stories show the power of taking charge of one’s life and following your dreams.

Phelan’s art suits each of the stories individually and also has a cohesive whole. There are subtle changes from one story to the next, the colors shift from blues and greens to oranges and creams and then to deeper blues and grays. The art style stays much the same but beyond the colors there are changes in mood that are amazingly deep yet subtly done. Stevens’ story of bicycling has a merry joei de vive to it. Bly’s adventure is filled with energy and zip. Then there is the lonely sailing tale that has a deep grief embedded in it that almost aches.

Beautifully done, this is one of the top graphic novels for children, period. It is honest, emotional, and a rousing adventure-filled read. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

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2011 Horn Book Fanfare

December 7, 2011December 6, 2011 | Tasha

Horn Book has announced their top books of the year. It’s a nice contrast to the popularity contest of the Goodreads lists. Here it’s quality all the way. The books on the list that I’ve read, I have loved. I’ve also added several books to my lists, and I’d love to hear if there are some of your favorites on the Horn Book list too.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children–The Movie

December 7, 2011 | Tasha

Deadline has the news that Jane Goldman, screenwriter of X-Men: First Class, is in talks to adapt Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. I love the idea of Tim Burton directing, because I think he has the perfect eye for the mix of timelessness and magical intrigue from the book. He will also embrace the unsettling feeling of the book and really bring that through too.

Review: Bluefish by Pat Schmatz

December 6, 2011 | Tasha

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz

Travis misses his home after moving with his grandfather but even more, he misses his dog. He used to have lots of room to roam in the country, but he’s stuck in a small house with his alcoholic grandfather. At his new school, he is nearly silent but loud Velveeta will not allow him to withdraw far. She joins him at lunch after seeing Travis help out a boy being bullied, firmly adopting him and filling his silence with all of her words. The two unlikely friends are both hiding secrets. As the story progresses, the secrets are shared with the reader first and then with each other. This story explores the meaning of friendship and how we can all be friends that help one another in our own unique way.

Schmatz’s writing is clean and clear. She doesn’t fill the story with flowery language, instead exploring the story alongside the reader. The book is filled with characters who are struggling, including both Travis and Velveeta. Another example is Travis’ grandfather who is battling his addiction and trying to be a parent to Travis. There is nothing perfect here, and the message is clear that perfection is not something that is necessary or needed. It is the striving, the doing that matters.

The two main characters are well drawn and intriguing. They are very similar to one another in many ways and yet so different in others. Their struggles may not be the same, but the two definitely need one another to get through. There are also other adults who help, including one incredible teacher and a librarian. It is a joy to see two adults helping children written free of any didacticism.

This powerful read offers great characters, no easy answers, and no grand solution of an ending. It’s a book that is about the journey. Appropriate for ages 11-14.

Reviewed from copy received from Candlewick Press.

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How Child Abuse Changes the Brain

December 6, 2011December 6, 2011 | Tasha

Wired has a fascinating and haunting article on what happens to children’s brains when they are raised in violent households. Their brains respond more like soldiers’ brains who have been exposed to warfare.

In a study done by psychologist Eamon McCrory of University College London, 43 children who had been abused had their brains imaged by fMRI. Their results were compared to 23 non-abused children who otherwise were comparable demographically. The children were shown images of sad and angry faces and their brain reactions were observed.

The children who were abused had a distinctive pattern of reaction to angry faces in the parts of the brain that process threat and pain.

The hope is that these findings will help develop more effective treatments for the depression, aggression, and anxiety that plague those who have been abused.

You may also want to read the Wired article on how poverty affects the brains of children.

2011 Goodreads Choice Awards

December 6, 2011December 6, 2011 | Tasha

The 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards have been announced. This is the third year they have done awards based on user voting. So this will be a list of very popular titles mostly. Goodreads is my go-to social media book site and I use it on a daily basis, something you know if you ever have clicked on an image or title on my blog, since they almost all take you directly to Goodreads (so you can add them to your reading list!)

Perhaps one of the reasons I feel so at home at Goodreads is that they seem to have a lot of YA and children’s lit folks there. In fact, the book of the year is a YA book. So here are the top books for the YA and children’s, which include the top author and top book overall too:

Favorite Book of the Year and Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction