Month: September 2014

Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

| Tasha

iron trial

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Two masters of the fantasy genre come together to create a strong new series for middle graders.  Call was raised by his father to fear the Magisterium and magic itself.  When he accidentally split the sidewalk wide open with his powers as a child, his father was not pleased.  So when Call is required to go through testing for entering the Magisterium, he makes a plan to fail.  But the tests are not what he expected at all and soon he is entering the dreaded Magisterium, a place where he believes people are imprisoned against their will and killed for the sake of magic.  As Call joins the students, he finds himself making friends for the first time in his life.  But all is not what it seems, even for the nightmares that Call has thought up.  It is the ultimate battle of good and evil, but not in the way you’d ever expect.

Black and Clare play with similarities with the Harry Potter series, since theirs is also set in a school for magic.  But the magic here is different, as is the school itself.  Call too is no Harry, being a prickly and unusual protagonist who is at times quite nicely unlikeable.  This book is also set during a magical war, one that is actively being waged.  There are tests that are literally as dull as dirt, others that have the students battling elementals, and then there is a student who tries to escape the school. 

Black and Clare have great pacing throughout the book.  They have also created a very strong setting with the book, the school has a feeling of eternity about it, though we also know that Call is somehow very special.  It is that specialness that makes the book’s twists work so well.  They are completely surprising, shocking even.  In a genre like this where readers will come to it with a certain jadedness, it is great to read a book with that kind of zapping electrical charge.

Fans of Harry Potter will enjoy both the differences and similarities here, though readers of Percy Jackson will also find themselves right at home.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from e-galley received from Scholastic and NetGalley.

Review: I Know a Bear by Mariana Ruiz Johnson

| Tasha

i know a bear

I Know a Bear by Mariana Ruiz Johnson

A little girl gets to know a bear who comes from somewhere that he calls The Land of Bears.  Breakfasts there are sweet as honey, the land is vast, and the rivers are lovely for swimming.  Even the naps are better there, they go on for months.  But he can never return there, since he is in a zoo.  So the little girl has an idea, something that will let him feel a connection with the wilderness and something that she can set free.  It’s a powerful idea too.

Johnson tells this story in very short sentences, which one might think would be terse but instead feel slow and Zen-like.  It is a book about a girl who is forging her own connections with animals, making her own decisions too.  There are no adults in the story, just one little girl and one huge hairy bear.  It is a book about small choices making a big difference in the world.  It is simple and luminous.

Johnson’s illustrations have a wonderful light touch to them.  The pages with the huge bear can be dark and filled with fur, but then the book opens to a new page filled with white and lightness.  They are studies in contrast but also create a book that is a joy to read through with changes of feel from one page to the next.

An empowering story about one little girl and her connection with one big bear and the beauty of freedom.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Schwartz & Wade.

This Week’s Tweets, Pins & Tumbls

| Tasha

Here are the links I shared on my Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr accounts this week that I think are cool:

Child who reads, adult who thinks...

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

16 Facts About ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ | Mental Floss http://buff.ly/WmlMzM #kidlit

Comic Con: Shannon Hale is tipping the superhero scales for women | The Salt Lake Tribune http://buff.ly/1nG3EbZ #kidlit

Emma Carroll’s top 10 circus books | Guardian http://buff.ly/1xNQ7c9 #kidlit

Go Forth and Re-Read Your Favorite Books From Childhood: A Dare – BOOK RIOT http://buff.ly/1wc7vFI #kidlit

Horton Meets A … Who? Introducing The Kwuggerbug, From Seuss’ ‘Lost Stories’ : NPR http://buff.ly/1ojdTCV #kidlit

Middle-grade BFFs – The Horn Book http://buff.ly/1uHAXj1 #kidlit

Minecraft now a publishing sensation | The Kansas City Star http://buff.ly/1lFBvpV #kidlit

Misty Copeland On Broadening ‘Beauty’ And Being Black In Ballet : Code Switch : NPR http://buff.ly/1xEw6oh #kidlit

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis ill @gilbertford is outstanding nonfiction. http://bit.ly/1lWUaOc @HMHKids

Q & A with Molly Idle http://buff.ly/1ou6xwD #kidlit

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast » Flora’s Back!A Visit with Author-Illustrator Molly Idle http://buff.ly/1qlCbRA #kidlit

Here's Why We Need to Protect Public Libraries

LIBRARIES

Here’s Why We Need to Protect Public Libraries – http://buff.ly/1otYXlw #libraries

TEEN READS

Girls on the edge – The Horn Book http://buff.ly/1lU7t26 #yalit

These Six Maze Runner Clips Kind Of Got Us Excited About This Movie http://buff.ly/1oxlGgB #yalit

Why we love writing the epic Magisterium series together – Holly Black & Cassandra Clare | Guardian – http://buff.ly/1owM4qZ #yalit #kidlit

Review: Winter Is Coming by Tony Johnston

| Tasha

winter is coming

Winter Is Coming by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Jim LaMarche

A stunningly gorgeous picture book about the changing seasons, this is a perfect way to welcome winter even when you don’t want it to arrive.  The book begins on a cold day in September with a girl out in nature watching the animals.  She has along her drawing pad and climbs into a tree house to see even better.  From that platform, she sees a red fox stealing the last wrinkled fall apple from a low branch.  A mother bear and her cub are also in the woods searching for food.  As fall progresses, she sees different animals: a family of skunks, rabbits, woodpeckers, a lynx, chipmunks, deer and geese.  All are preparing for the approaching winter in their own way.  As winter gets closer, the animals stop appearing until the day the snow arrives when the red fox is out to see it too.

Johnston has created a book that truly shows children what it is like to be surrounded by the wonder of nature during one changing season.  Her poetry sparks on the page, showing not only the different animals but also explaining what is beautiful and special about each one.  Even more mundane animals like the chipmunks get this honor.  Young readers will be inspired to get outside and sit still and just watch.

The art from LaMarche is stunning.  He takes advantage of the length of the pages and creates wide landscapes that embrace the changing colors of the seasons.  They turn from the bright yellows of early fall to the deeper reds and browns and then to the chill grays of winter.  He uses light beautifully throughout and various perspectives that all center around one tree and one girl.  It is extraordinary.

Perfect pick for just this time of year, get your hands on this beautiful picture book and then be ready for adventures outside, hopefully with your own pen and paper along.  Appropriate for ages 4-8. 

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Review: Father’s Chinese Opera by Rich Lo

| Tasha

fathers chinese opera

Father’s Chinese Opera by Rich Lo

A first person account of a little boy who spent a summer backstage at his father’s Chinese opera in Hong Kong.  He watched the actors, the orchestra, and all of the vibrant action of the acrobats.  The boy approached the top acrobatic actor and asked if he would train him.  He promised to work hard to learn all of the complicated movements.  After practicing for awhile, the boy announced that he was ready for the stage now, but his trainer laughed at him.  The boy was heartbroken until his father explained that it had taken him many steps of training to earn the right to lead the opera.  So the boy began again, this time starting in the lowly role of flag boy onstage but also adding his own movements too.

Lo reveals in his Author’s Note that he grew up with his father taking him to the theater for opera rehearsals and performances.  This book captures the dreams of a young boy and his wish to not only be like his father but also to be on stage and perform.  The focus on hard work and determination is clear in this picture book and is presented in an approachable way for young readers. 

The illustrations by Lo are bright and filled with movement.  He captures the acrobats in mid-flip on the page.  The costumes shine on the page, the rainbow of colors rich against the white background.  He uses flowing lines to crate motion and watercolors that are bright and flow together.

An impressive look behind the scenes at a Chinese opera and a lesson in hard work as well, this picture book will be enjoyed by teachers and children alike.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Ursula Le Guin Lifetime Wins Achievement Award

| Tasha

The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle, #4) A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1)

The National Book Foundation has announced that Ursula Le Guin will received their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.  Le Guin has written many books in many genres.  Readers of children’s and teen books will recognize her for her master works of The Left Hand of Darkness and the Earthsea Cycle.

Review: Firebird by Misty Copeland

| Tasha

firebird

Firebird by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers

Wow!  Misty Copeland, soloist at American Ballet Theatre, is only their second African-American soloist in their history and the first in more than 20 years.  Here she writes her debut picture book and through it encourages other young dancers of color.  Lest you think this is a book just for dancers, it is not.  It is for anyone who needs to hear a voice of success speak about how important dedication and hard work is to creating that success.  Copeland tells it all in poetry that soars and dances just as she does.  This is a beautiful book of inspiration that reaches far beyond dance.

Copeland’s verse is exceptional.  It is hard to believe that poetry with this much control and beauty comes from someone who has not written many books.  It is shining verse that lifts the reader up and invites them to leap across the page along with Copeland.  She weaves lovely metaphors throughout her words, “stitching worn-out slippers, swift as applause” is one of my favorites and it is just as vivid and unique as Copeland herself.

Myers art is a lush mix of media that is just as radiant as the verse.  The pages are filled with Copeland and young African-American dancers who fly across the pages.  Myers creates motion on the page with his strips of paper that frame as well as enliven the illustrations. 

A magnificent picture book for young dancers that will inspire them to see joy in dance and also to understand the dedication it will take to be a success.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Putnam.

Review: Elsa and the Night by Jons Mellgren

| Tasha

elsa and the night

Elsa and the Night by Jons Mellgren

This strange and beautiful picture book is translated from the original Swedish.  It is the story of Elsa who discovers the Night underneath her sofa one night just as she is counting the raisins in her cereal.  So she tucks the Night into a cake tin and gives him some raisins too.  Then she hides the cake tin down in the basement.  With the Night trapped, day continues on and one without end.  Finally, Elsa takes the Night out of his cake tin and starts to talk about how much she misses her best friend, an elephant named Olaf, who she met after a shipwreck.  The explains how the two of them lived together and that now he is gone.  About how she then moved to a lighthouse and stayed awake in the light night after night and has not slept for 30 years.  The Night listens and then goes with her to visit Olaf’s grave and finally to lift her up and take her to her bed to sleep.

Filled with poetry, the text in this book is powerful.  The story winds around, moving from the trapping of night into Elsa’s story of loss and finally to resolution.  It is not linear, but an exploration of emotions and grief.  It is a journey that is glowing, gentle and filled with lovely moments.  In particular when the Night goes around and gathers up the sleepy people along with Elsa, there is such tenderness and love in that moment. 

Mellgren’s art is modern and filled with bold graphical elements.  The cut paper art is complex at times and simple in others, playing with light and dark as well as different shapes.  the way that Night changes the page as he enters it is beautifully handled, his darkness spilling around him but able to be seen right through. 

This unique story is luminous and impressive and will make a great bedtime story for children and parents who enjoy foreign picture books that aren’t the normal bedtime read.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Wednesday by Anne Bertier

| Tasha

wednesday

Wednesday by Anne Bertier

Little Round and Big Square are the best of friends.  Every week on Wednesday, they get together to play their favorite game: one of them says a word and they both transform into it.  Big Square starts with “butterfly” and the two of them change into butterflies, Big Square with sharp angles and Little Round with half circles.  They go through “flower” and “mushroom” until Big Square gets carried away and starts naming lots of different things all at once, things that Little Round can’t shift into.  Soon the friends are arguing, but just like with any friendship there are rough patches and they both have to figure out how to fix it. 

Done in just two colors, the dot and the square and the many shapes they make pop on the page, the blue and orange contrasting vibrantly on the white background.  It is the illustrations that tell the story here, and the strong style they are done in is striking.  Children will immediately relate to both the square and the circle.  They may not have faces, but they convey emotions clearly on the page from anger to exuberance to friendship. 

Strong and vibrant, this picture book translated from the French, is a great pick for units on friendship or shapes.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Enchanted Lion Books.