Bite by Bite: American History through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes

 

Today's nonfiction post is on Bite by Bite: American History through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes by Marc Aronson, Toni D. Chambers (Illustrator), et al. It is 176 pages long and is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. The cover is light blue with different foods like corn on the cob and spaghetti with meatballs. The intended reader is someone who is interested in the history of American food. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Explore the fascinating history of America as told through the lens of food in this illustrated nonfiction middle grade book that lays out the diverse cultures that have combined to create the rich and delicious tapestry of the American country and cuisine.
As American as apple pie. It’s a familiar saying, yet gumbo and chop suey are also American! What we eat tells us who we where we’re from, how we move from place to place, and how we express our cultures and living traditions.
In twelve dishes that take readers from thousands of years ago through today, this book explores the diverse peoples and food that make up the United States. From First Salmon Feasts of the Umatilla and Cayuse tribes in the Pacific Northwest to fish fries celebrated by formerly enslaved African Americans, from “red sauce” Italian restaurants popular with young bohemians in the East to Cantonese restaurants enjoyed by rebellious young eaters in the West, this is the true story of the many Americas—laid out bite by bite.

Review- A well written, interesting book about food and how life in America shaped it. The book starts with the beginning of people living on the American continent and moves all the way to current time. The author also invited speical guests to add in their speical knowledge about foods and the cultures that created them. The writing is good just challenging enough so that a young read will not be bored but an older like myself will still be engaged. If you have child with an interest in food  this would a fun read for them. 

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Alice Ever After

Today's post is on Alice Ever After by Dan Panosian, Giorgio Spalletta (Illustrator) and Cyril Glerum (Illustrator). It is 128 pages long and is published by BOOM! Studios. The cover has Alice trapped in a glass pill jar, crying, trying to get out. The intended reader is someone who is interested in what happened to Alice after she grew up. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this graphic novel. The story follows Alice and her sister Edith. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Alice first visited Wonderland as a child. Now an adult, it’s her only escape from her cold, strange reality. But in order to return, Alice needs something stronger than mushrooms, and is forced to resort to crime to feed her growing addiction… When this fateful decision takes her a step too far down a terrible path, Alice finds herself committed to the dreaded asylum. What horrors await her in the bowels of this twisted place? And will Alice ultimately choose to escape from her uncaring family and childhood trauma in Wonderland, or find the courage to face her demons in the real world?

Review- A dark for Alice and a dark reason for her going to Wonderland. When Alice was a child, she was given a drug to help her sleep and she dreamed of Wonderland. But She was given too much and is now addicted and need the drug. This has some very dark moments when Alice is in the asylum with the guards and the madam. The art is good, bright in Wonderland and more muted tones in the real world. If you are a big Alice in Wonderland fan, then you should enjoy this graphic. If you like darker takes on classic stories, you should like this graphic. But if you are neither, then you may not care for this one. 

I give this graphic novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this graphic from my local library.

Code Beaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizabeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars

 

Today's nonfiction post is on Code Beaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizabeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars by Laurie Wellmark and illustrated by Brooke Smart. It is 48 pages long and is published by Abrams Books for Young Readers. There is no sex, no foul language and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in women's history. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Elizabeth Friedman dedicated her life to cracking and deciphering secret messages. Until recently, her role in taking down Nazis and outsmarting criminals had been hidden away with her classified files, stamped TOP SECRET ULTRA. With just paper pencil, and her sharp wit, Elizabeth thwarted smugglers, uncovered spy rings and evn cracked the unbreakable Enigma codes. Author Laurie Wellmark and illustrator Brooke Smart reveal Elizabeth's accomplishments and bring her incredible true story to light. 

Review- A fun and interesting nonfiction read for children about an interesting and important woman. Elizabeth Friedman helped cracked spy and military codes for the United States during both World Wars and until 2015 all her work was classified. Now she story can and should be told. Wellmark and Smart bring her story to life in this colorful book for all ages. They tell her story from beginning to the end of her life but we spend the most time with her during her years in the wars. There are codes that you can solve as you go through the book and you learn how to make a basic code yourself. This was a fun read and easy read. Elizabeth Friedman was a brilliant woman, whose work saved lives, and deserved to be remembered. 

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

History is Delicious

Today’s nonfiction post is on History is Delicious by Joshua Lurie and Laura Foy (Illustrator). It is 80 pages long and is published by Honest History. The cover is an illustration of different foods from around the world. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who wants to know more about food history at a basic level or has children who are curious about world foods. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A delicious children’s book by Honest History uncovering the history of cuisine and culture from around the globe. From well-known cultures to those just being rediscovered, History Is Delicious explores the history of different dishes, cultural traditions, and even a few great recipes. What does Ethiopian cuisine look and taste like? Find out for yourself with each beautifully illustrated page that makes learning about food fun. Discover the role cuisine plays in the fabric of unique cultures from around the world and enjoy some great tasting food along the way. Featured sections include History of European Cuisine, Dining "Do's and Don'ts," Dumplings of the World, Recipes from Around the World, and so much more.

Review- A great food about food history for young readers with some fun recipes to try out. Lurie takes the reader all around the world and through the history of food. He uses straight forward language, not too simple or too complex, to guide the reader and inform them. Foy’s illustrations are very cute but good reflections of the real foods and ingredients used to create the foods. The recipes are simple enough for a child to do with some help from a parent and are tasty projects to help tie the book’s topic to real world  applications. I would recommend this book and I had a good time reading it. 

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Over the Woodward Wall

Today’s post is on Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker. It is 204 pages long and is published by Tor. The cover is orange with a wall in the center and two children sitting on top of the wall. The intended reader is someone who likes portal fantasies like Wizard of Oz. It is the first in the The Up-and-Under series. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving as the story does. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the dust jacket- Avery is an exceptional child. Everything he does is precise, from the way he washes his face in the morning, to the way he completes his homework – without complaint, without fuss, without prompt.

Zib is also an exceptional child, because all children are, in their own way. But where everything Avery does and is can be measured, nothing Zib does can possibly be predicted, except for the fact that she can always be relied upon to be unpredictable.

They live on the same street.

They live in different worlds.

On an unplanned detour from home to school one morning, Avery and Zib find themselves climbing over a stone wall into the Up and Under – an impossible land filled with mystery, adventure and the strangest creatures.

And they must find themselves and each other if they are to also find their way out and back to their own lives.

Review- As someone who really likes portal fantasies and loves the novels of the Wizard of Oz this was a wonderful novel that I enjoyed very much. Zib and Avery are trying to get to school when a wall stands in their way and because they are children and they need to get to school, they climb over the wall and into another world called the Up-and-Under. It is a place where girls can become crows, owls come in all colors, and the only way to get home is to find the Queen of Wands in the Impossible City on the Improbable Road. The writing is excellent, the story is fun and safe for all readers, and the characters are fun. I am very excited to see Baker a.k.a. Seanan McGuire take on the Wizard of Oz and all the tropes with it, the second volume cannot come out soon enough. 

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

City of Ghosts

Today’s post is on City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. It is 285 pages long and published by Scholastic Press. It the first in her Cassidy Blake series. The cover is white with a girl in silhouette with a cat. The intended reader is someone who likes mild horror stories with a child lead. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character, Cassidy. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Cassidy Blake’s life is full of Ghosts.
Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn’t like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead… and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.
So things are already pretty stranger. But they’re about to get much stranger.
When Cass’s parents land a gig hosting a TV show about the world’s most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets another much she still has to learn about the Veil- and herself.
And she’ll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Review- This is a fun intro horror novel. Cassidy can see ghosts, talk to them, and interact with their deaths. Her parents are ghost hunters but they have cannot see ghosts themselves and Cass is not sure that they would believe her if she told them that she could. The main point of the plot is Cass learning that she can help ghosts to move on to the next world. The other girl, Lara, is the one who teaches Cass about how to do that and that ghosts can be very dangerous themselves. The story is fast-paced with interesting characters and strong writing. If you have a child who is interesting in trying a horror story without getting nightmares then I think that this novel will work.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The House With a Clock in Its Walls

Today’s post is on The House With a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs. It is 179 pages long and is published by Puffin Books. The cover has a skull over a mausoleum and two boys standing in front of it. The intended reader is middle grade and like stories that are just a little scary. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Lewis. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Tick Tock. A Murderous Clock
When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan, comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, are both witches! Lewis is thrilled. At first, watching magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Serenna Izard. It seems that Serenna and her husband build a time-piece into the walls- a clock that could obliterate humankind. And only the Barnavelts can stop it!

Review- This is a fun story with just a little horror to make it more intense. The magic is fun and makes sense. The relationships are the heart of the story both the good and bad ones. The good ones are between Lewis, his uncle and Mrs. Zimmerman; they are a great family unit that cares about each other. The bad one is between Lewis and a boy that he wants to be friends with but the boy doesn’t really want the same. I think that it an honest portrayal of being the new kid and the popular kid that looked at you once. The scares come from Serenna and her quest to get into the house to do something to the clock. She has a few moments that are pretty intense. The clock itself is never really explained and I think that is best, let it be a mystery and why it is was built. If you have a young one who is interesting in something with a little bit of a scare then you should give this book a chance.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

The Thief of Always

Today's post is on The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. It is 225 pages long and is published by Harp Collins. The cover is very colorful with a fantastic house and face under it. The intended readers are older children or people who like stories with just a little bit of creepy. The story is told in third person close of the main character. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Master storyteller and bestselling novelist Clive Barker creates an enchanting tale for both children and adults to cherish and retell. The Thief of Always tells the haunting story of Harvey, a bright 10-year-old who is suffering from the winter doldrums, and of a creature who takes him to a place where every day is filled with fun, and Christmas comes every night. Illustrated.

Review- This is a children's story by a master of horror and it works. It has very light horror in it, just enough to make it a little creepy but no nightmares from this one. Harvey is a good main character, he is brave, smart, and just enough like a normal child that you can see yourself in him. The art of the beginning of each chapter helps give some form the fantastic and the horrors that Harvey and the other children see. Once Harvey realizes what is really going on with the House and the children, he first leaves then he comes back to stop the bad guy. The final fight is clever and really brings home the fact that Harvey is a child and Mr. Hood/the House is a being of great power and no morals. So when Harvey outwits him it is very satisfying.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from a friend.

The Marvels

Today's post is on The Marvels by Brian Selznick. It is 647 pages long and is published by Scholastic Press. The cover is a beautiful blue and gold with a ship on it with the title on the sails. The intended reader is someone who likes stories told in unusual ways, good art, and touching plots. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is in both pictures and words over the course of time. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the dust jacket-The journey begins on a ship at sea in 1766, with a boy named Billy Marvel. After surviving a shipwreck, he finds work in a London theatre. There, his family flourishes for generations as brilliant actors until 1900, when young Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage.Nearly a century later, Joseph Jervis runs away from school and seeks refuge with an uncle in London. Albert Nightgale's strange, beautiful house, with its mysterious portraits and ghostly presences, captivates Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about the house, his family, and the past.

Review- Another beautiful and touching story from Selznick. Again he touches on what it is to family and what that looks like. The way the two stories are married is very interesting, even after you discover what is really going on. In addition to the subtle nod to human rights in all its forms. It is harder for me to say which I liked better the picture part of the book or the written half. There are so many surprises in this tale that I do not want to give any of them away. I look forward to Selznick's next book.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Mossflower

Today’s post is on Mossflower by Brian Jacques. It is the first in his Redwall series. It is 373 pages long and is published by Ace Books. The cover has Martin, Gnoff, and Dinny walking a field on their great journey. There is no language, no sex, and the violence is very fantasy but there is high death toll in this book just to be fair. The story is told from third person close of the main characters moving from one to another within chapters. The intended reader is older children but this book is just wonderful that anyone can really enjoy it. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The clever and greedy wildcat Tsarmina becomes ruler of all Mossflower Woods and is determined to govern the peaceful woodlanders with an iron paw. The brave mouse Martin and quick-talking mouse thief Gonff meet in the depths of Kotir Castle's dungeon. The two escape and resolve to end Tsarmina's tyrannical rule. Joined by Dinny the mole, Martin and Gonff set off on a dangerous quest for Salamandastron, where they are convinced that their only hope, Boar the Fighter, still lives.

Review- I first read this book when I was about 10 and I just loved it. So I wanted to reread it as an adult and see if it could stand up to adult eyes. It can. I had just a wonderful time reading this book again. I still love every minute of it. The characters, the setting, and the flow of the plot are still just perfect. Gnoff is still my favorite character; he is funny and clever. I still have trouble reading the mole’s speech but that does not annoy me as much as it did when I was a child. I am going to be rereading all of the Redwall books now because if my favorite is still as good then I think all of the others will hold up as well. On a side note I said that this is the first book because of time in that world. This is the first book if you are going by time not publish date. But if you read this one first you will have an idea about where everything in Redwall and later books came from. I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch

Today’s post is on The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney. It is 343 pages long and is published by Greenwillow Books. The cover is dark with the shadowy figure of a man walking towards the reader. The story is told from first person point of view of the man character Tom. There is no sex or language but there is some violence and scary stuff so younger readers be aware. The intended reader is younger about the age of 10 and up with the younger enjoying this more than the older. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Capturing Witches Binding Boggarts Driving away Ghosts.
For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook got the county, ridding the local villagers of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried- some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive.
Only Thomas Ward is left. He’s the last hope; the last apprentice.
Can Thomas succeed? Will he learn the difference between a benign witch and a malevolent one? Does the Spook’s warning against girls with pointy shoes include Alice? And what will happen is Thomas accidentally frees Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the county…?

Review- When I started reading this I thought that this was The Witcher for kids but it really not. It is its own story with some influences like The Witcher and other stories with things that go bump in the night and those that fight them. It is well written but nothing really special. The cast is pretty average with self-doubting young man who will grow into some power, a harsh teacher with a heart of gold, and a mysterious young girl who may or may not be good or bad. For a younger reader this would have been fun, scary, and new but to someone who has read as much as I have nothing really new here. I would recommend it for a kid who is looking for a way into horror. I do not think that reluctant readers would be drawn to this because of the length and the long(er) chapters. All in all nothing really new but nothing against it either. Tom has compassion, he listens to others, but he makes decisions himself. If you have a young one who like Goosebumps and wants to move up in the horror world then this is a good way to go.

I give this book Three and half stars out of Five. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this from my local library.

Wonder

Today’s post is on Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It is 313 pages long and is published by Knopf. The cover is blue with the head of a child on it, the child’s face only has one eye and two ears of different sizes. The story is told in first person point of view changing from main character to main character in different parts of the story. There is no language, no sex, and only one fight scene that is not scary or gory. The intended reader is a middle school aged child. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

Review- This is a feel good book about overcoming your metal barriers. Auggie cannot change his face or the way that people respond to him but he can change how he responds to the world. That is what is important in this book. Not Auggie’s disfigurement but the choices that he makes along the way. Other characters are given the main light in their own parts of the book but it all comes back to Auggie’s decision to not hide from the world anymore. Auggie goes from really not liking himself and what he feels is his place in this world to in the end he just feels like a normal kid. He has problems but Auggie does not let them overwhelm him or make him bitter. It is an uplifting story with character change and movement. This is not my normal reading fare but it is very well written and was a finalist for the Newbery book award this year 2013. This book could be a good teaching tool about children born with problems from facial disfigurements, like Auggie, to other problems that people have in life.

I give this book Five out of Five Stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Destiny, Rewritten

Today’s post is on Destiny, Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice. It is 335 pages long and is published by Katherine Tegen Books. The cover has a young girl looking up with shelves of books all around her and a black cat sitting next her looking up too. There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this book. It is told from the first person point of view of the main character Emily. The intended reader is a young girl no younger than seven but no older than about 12. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Des tin y: |destine| (noun) The hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future; fate.
Eleven-year-old Emily Elizabeth Davis has been told for her entire life that her destiny is to become a poet, just like her famous namesake, Emily Dickinson. But Emily doesn’t even really like poetry, and she has a secret career ambition that she suspects her English professor mother will frown on. Then, just after discovering that it contains an important family secret, she loses the special volume of Emily Dickinson’s poetry that was to her at birth. As Emily and her friends search for the lost book in used bookstores and thrift shops all across town, Emily’s understanding of destiny begins to unravel and then rewrite itself in a marvelous way.
In her third novel, Kathryn Fitzmaurice again weaves a richly textured story about unexpected connections, about the stories that shape our lives, and about the most perfect kinds of happy endings: those that happen just on time.

Review- I have some serious problems with this book. First the cover when Emily is searching for her book she is not looking for anything else so she does not have a look of happy wonder on her face, like on the book cover and there is no cat in this book at all. If I was a younger and reading this book because of the cover I would want a cat in this story. I would want the cat to be important to Emily. Next Emily does not really believe in destiny, her mother does. I did not enjoy reading this book. It was boring. The only thing not boring about this book is some of the conversations that Emily has with her best friend Wavey. They are very natural conversation and very funny. But other than that I did not enjoy this book. It was boring and I found her mother, a main character, to be very annoying. Her mother believes that destiny just happens to people and nothing Emily or anyone else any change it. She is not helpful or interesting to the story. Another reason I would not give this to a young girl to read is because Emily’s mother is actively stopping her from finding anything out about her father. The mother is keeping information from her that her mother knows that Emily really wants to know.

I give this book Two stars out of Five and I will never read anything by the author again. I get nothing for my review and I was given this book to read for a graduate course.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Today’s post is on Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. It is 279 pages long including beautiful full page illustrations and is published by Little, Brown, and Company. The cover is a beautiful picture of a young girl riding a flying dragon across the cover in bright and vivid colors. The intended reader is are children about the age of seven and up but it is so well written that anyone who likes fantasy Chinese stories will enjoy this book. The story is told from third person close changing characters from one to another over the course of the story. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli’s mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest.

Review- I really loved this story. I love myths and legends from all cultures. Grace Lin is a wonderful storyteller and this book won the Newbery Honor the year it was published. This is a wonderful story is you are interested in Chinese storytelling or if you want to introduce your children to this vivid culture. The main story is about Minli wanting to meet the Old Man of the Moon and discover how she can make her family’s life easier. But threaded throughout the story are dozens of other stories that gives beautiful background information about the main plot. It is not just about Minli changing her family’s fortune but about learning to be happy with what blessings you have. There is theme of family being the most important thing in the world from the beginning story about the Jade Dragon looking for her lost children to Minli’s parents looking for her. This book is easy to read aloud so bedtime story would be great with this.

I give this book Five stars out of Five. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

One Crazy Summer

Today’s post is on One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Gracia. It is 215 pages long and is published by Amistad. The cover has the three sisters on it with Delphine closest to the reader looking up at the sky. The intended readers are children but teachers could read this out loud for the class. It is told from the first person point of view from Delphine. This book has won the Coretta Scoot King Award, was a National Book Award Finalist, and is a Newberry Honor Book. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Eleven-year-old Delphine has it together. Even though her mother Cecile, abandoned her and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern seven years ago. Even though her father and Big Ma will send them from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to stay with Cecile for the summer. And even though Delphine will have to take care of her sisters, as usual, and learn the truth about the missing pieces of the past.
When the girls arrive in Oakland in this summer of 1968, Cecile wants nothing to do with them. She makes them eat Chinese takeout dinners, forbids them to enter her kitchen, and never explains the strange visitors with Afros and black berets who knock on her door. Rather than spend time with them, Cecile sends Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern to a summer camp sponsored by a revolutionary group, the Black Panthers, where the girls get a radical new education.
Set during one of the most tumultuous years in recent American history, One Crazy Summer is the heartbreaking, funny tale of three girls in search of the mother who abandoned them- an unforgettable story told by a distinguished author of book for children and teens, Rita Williams-Garcia.

Review- This is not my kind of book. But that said it is well written and if you are interested in the time period then this is a good book for you. For me personally I was bored with it. I did not feel that the main problem was resolved by the end. I did not buy Cecile’s ‘change’ and I still do not get why she left when Cecile could not name Fern. I think that Delphine is only adult that is in the book and that is sad because she is only eleven. The dynamics between the sisters is believable but I just really did not connect with the book. I think that it was a place in the classroom with all the history that is very important to the book but other than that I just do not see it being more.

I give this book Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review, I borrowed this book from my local library, and I read it for a graduate class.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Today’s post is on The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. It is 525 pages long including over 284 pictures. It is published by Scholastic Press. The cover is very colorful with an ornate lock and keyhole in the center and the full moon over Paris behind it. This book has won the Caldecott medal and is written for children but anyone who loves stories with hope and movies will enjoy this book. It is told from third person close mostly from Hugo's point of view but it can change from time to time. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. Anyone over the age of five should be fine. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks- like the gears of the clocks he keeps- with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the train station, Hugo’s undercover life and his most precious secret are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spell-binding mystery.
With 284 pages of original drawings, and combining elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film Brain Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience. Here is a stunning cinematic tour de force from a boldly innovative storyteller, artist, and bookmaker.

Review- This book is fun to read and great for those children who have trouble reading. The plot is fast paced with interesting twists. The characters are so real. They make this story about life after War World One not only interesting but enjoyable. Hugo is just trying to survive and he wants nothing more than to fix the last thing that his father was working on before he died. Isabelle wants to see movies without having to hide it from her godfather. And her godfather just wants to forget everything from before the war. The way that these characters meet, interact, and save each other is moving and beautiful. Selznick brings together so many elements from writing and film that it is hard to pick them apart. This book is an ode to the love of books and film from Selznick to the reader. If you are an adult you will fly through this book and children will enjoy both the pictures and the way the words build them in your mind.

I give this book Five stars out of Five. I get nothing for this review, I borrowed this book from my local library, and I read this book for a graduate class.

Escape: The Story of the Great Houdini

Today’s Non-fiction is Escape: The Story of the Great Houdini by Sid Fleischman. It is 210 including notes and an index and is published by Greenwillow Books. The cover has a picture of Houdini is in his Chinese Water Trap. The intended reader is about seven and up. It is written from third person with notes, letters, photos, and the odd comment from the author. There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Who was this man who could walk through brick walls and, with a snap of his fingers, vanish elephants? In these pages you will meet the astonishing Houdini- a magician, ghost chaser, daredevil, pioneer aviator, and king of escape artists. No jail cell or straitjacket could hold him! He shucked off handcuffs as easily as gloves.
In this fresh, witty biography of the most famous bamboozler since Merlin, Sid Fleischman, a former professional magician, enriches his warm homage with insider information and unmaskings. Did Houdini really pick the jailhouse lock to let a fellow circus performer escape? Were his secrets really buried with him? Was he a bum magician, as some rivals claimed? How did he manage to be born in two cities, in two countries, on two continents at the same instant?
Here are the stories of how a knockabout kid named Ehrick Weiss, the son of an impoverished rabbi, presto-changoed himself into the legendary Harry Houdini. Here, too, are rare photographs never before seen by the general reader!

Review- This is a biography written by a children’s book author and kids will love it. Fleischman is an award winning author who knows how to write for kids. This biography was easy to read, interesting, and fun. I had a fun time with it. I am not much of a biography reader but when I saw the cover of this book I had to read the blurb. When I read the blurb I had to read the book and I am glad that I did. Fleischman loves Houdini and magic and it shows in this book. The notes in the back are intensive and could be used as a good base for more research into Houdini and his life. Fleischman knows how to write in way that kids will understand, enjoy and want to read. With details from Fleischman about magicians, as a former one himself, he makes the answers about Houdini did his tricks come alive. Houdini wanted to be legendary and this biography helps explain how he did it.

I give this book Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for this review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Golden Compass

Today’s post is on “The Golden Compass” by Philip Pullman. It is the first in His Dark Materials trilogy, is 399 pages long, and is published by Alfred A. Knopf. The cover is blue with the author’s name and title in a raised golden square, behind that is are constellations of the night sky. There is no language, no sex, but some of the violence is cruel and vividly described. So be warned before reading. It is told from third person close, mostly focused on Lyra but the narration does jump to others at different points in the story. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Lyra is content to run wild among the scholars of Jordan College, with her daemon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle- a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armored bears. And as she hurtles toward danger in the cold, far North, young Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: she is destined to win, or to lose, this more-than-mortal battle.
Philip Pullman’s award-winning The Golden Compass is a masterwork of storytelling and suspense, critically acclaimed and hailed as a modern fantasy classic.

Review- This is an interesting, twisted, and good plot. The characters grow, are interesting, and they are why you read this story. Lyra is interesting and she grows so much over the course of the novel. Starting out she does not really do much thinking about anything but at the end she is willing to try and stop her very powerful father from doing something, that he think is good, but really does not know. Lyra is willing to face the unknown with just herself and her soul animal, her daemon Pantalaimon because they believe that they can. There is hope in the future, hope that children can make a better world than their parents have made. The mystery of what the Dust is, what Lyra is to do, and so much more. I enjoyed reading this book, I look forward to reading the second volume The Subtle Knife. I do not get why so many people get angry about this book. Yes I can see his religious dislike, I can see where some people do not want to read anything that is so religiously charged but it is just a book in the end. But it is no more than any other book where religion is the villain. To be honest, religions make good easy villains. It does not take much to make a religion, any religion, a villain. So read this book and enjoy the villain because the church in Lyra’s world and those who are hands for it that she encounters, make good, interesting, and evil enough villains.

I give this book Five out of Five Stars. I get nothing for this review and I bought my copy of this book with my little moneys.

Mothstorm

Today’s post is on “Mothstorm” by Philip Reeve, it is decorated throughout by David Wyatt and is the third in the Larklight series. It is 387 pages long and is published by Bloomsbury Publishing. The cover has Art Mumby, his sister Myrtle, the sky pirate Jack, and Charity Cruet looking ready for fun and adventure with a sky ship behind them and the planet Uranus… I mean Georgium Sidus. The intended reader is older children and tweens but anyone with a love of the classic pulp novel will love this series. There is nothing in this book or series to make it unsuitable to read, there is no sex, no language, and all the action is fun. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Say it isn’t so! A sinister cloud has appeared on the edge of the Known Universe, and it seems to be moving closer. The nearest planet, Georgium Sidus, has but two human inhabitants: the missionary reverend Cruet and his daughter, Charity. Their last communication? ‘Great danger- imperative that-‘ And then nothing. To determine the nature of the threat and rescue that Cruets, Art, Myrtle and family decide to bravely to bravely go where only one man and his daughter have gone before.
But the mothy evils they discover within the monstrous cloud are far beyond anything their imaginations could concoct (and that’s saying quite a lot). Lucky, then, that Jack Havock is hot on their heels to help in the battle to save the Universe… again.

Review- The Larklight series is so much fun. Reeve is writing in the style of the adventure pulps from the 1800’s. Everything is dramatic, fun, and just full of adventures in the unknown. The characters are not the central point of the story, just like in the pulp novels, but they are interesting and important. The main thing to remember when reading this series is to have fun with it. Reeve is clearly having fun writing it, so do not take anything too serious about the story because he is not. The illustrations are fun and help the reader get a better idea about the strange and wondrous things that Art and company come into contact with. Some of the old plot points like what Ssilissa is and where she came from and how to save Jack’s parents from being trees on Venus are answered. All in all I found this one a very satisfying read and I am still looking forward to the next book. With this series I am always looking forward to the next book. Reeve is an excellent writer and if you are looking for something with Steampunk or humorous over the top adventures then he is the guy to go to.

I give this book Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Curse of the Thireenth Fey

Today’s post is on "Curse of the Thirteenth Fey” by Jane Yolen. It is 290 pages long and is published by Philomel Books. The cover is a close up of a pretty young girl asleep on the green grass. The intended reader is older children and young adult. There is no language, no sex, and the action is age appropriate. It is told from the first person point of view of the main character Gorse. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Gorse is the thirteenth and youngest of the Shouting Fey, a family of faeries who are tied to the evil king’s land and made to do his Bidding. Because of an oath the first Shouters made to the king’s great-great-ever-so-many-times-great-grandfather, if they try to leave or disobey any member of the royal family, they will burst into a thousand stars.
When the accident-prone Gorse falls ill just as the family is Bid to bless the king’s new baby daughter, a story like- and unlike- Sleeping Beauty starts to unfold.
Sick as she is, thirteen-year-old Gorse wakes out of her fever and races to the castle with the last piece of magick the family has left for her- a spindle with a piece of the Thread of Life with which to bless the baby.
But that is when accident, mayhem, and magick combine to make Gorse’s story veer into the unthinkable, threatening the baby, the Shouters, the kingdom, and all.
With her trademark depth, grace, and humor, master storyteller Jane Yolen weaves a tale of magick that tells readers the “true” story of the faerie who cursed the princess and the sleeping spell that just might end them all.

Review- This story is good but it does not become Sleeping Beauty until the last 40 pages. But the story is fun, lighthearted, and has a happily ever after. Yolen is a good storyteller and she does not fail again. It is marketed to young adult but I do not think that is a young adult novel. The story is good but I think that children will like it better. The characters are fun but I think that a teenager would not enjoy them because there is no darkness in this story. There is a villain and he is really bad but there is no real danger to Gorse or her family. I believed that everything would work out in the end and I was right. That is not a bad thing but most young adults want there to be some suspense about it. In the end this is a fun story about a 13-year-old fairy who accidentally curses Sleeping Beauty at the end of the story. It is more about how Gorse is going to help save her life from the Bidding and stop the bad guy from getting out of his prison.

I give this one Four out of Five Stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.