Little Lit: Almost Super by Marion Jensen

Summary:
Rafter Bailey can't wait to get his super power. He knows exactly the power he'd like to have, but when his power arrives precisely at 4:23 pm on February 29th, just like every other Bailey's has arrived he doesn't get quite what he'd hoped for. In fact, he and his brother Benny get the most useless super powers anyone in their family has ever had. How are they supposed to help defend the world against the evil Johnsons if the only thing he can do is strike a match on polyester? As the conflict between the Baileys and the Johnsons escalates, Rafter and Benny might have to actually join forces with Juanita Johnson in order to save the world from an even bigger threat.

What I Liked:

• I found this a fun and really fast read. I can see why it's been compared to The Incredibles.
• I liked Rafter's ability to plan and coordinate and the ways he could see problems in a different way.
• Benny is so feisty! I loved him.
• Juanita was a fun character as well and I liked the perspective she brought that added a nice twist I hadn't been expecting.

What I Would Have Liked:

• I wish Rafter had used his strategy skills more. There were places where he could have had the opportunity to really showcase this strength and he didn't, which I found a little odd.
• There were places the narrative felt a little rushed. I think there could have been a little deeper development of the characters, which would have strengthened the story overall.

Verdict:

• I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes stories that play with the superhero trope.
• I think this would be a good option for middle grade kids who don't really like reading, because it is fairly short, the chapters keep things moving, and there isn't a lot of complex vocabulary.
• But I think any kids who like superheroes would enjoy this book.

10 Things I Loved About The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst

Sophie has a pretty great life. She loves her parents and their bookstore. She loves her pet Monster. But most of all she loves helping distill dreams which are sold to the clients who come secretly looking for the chance to live out a fantasy. Sophie is particularly fascinated because she never dreams and is under strict instructions to never drink any of the dream potions herself. But when a stranger learns of their secret and Sophie's parents disappear, Sophie finds herself on a quest to discover the truth, making surprising allies and a few new enemies as she tries to save her parents and herself.

Here are my 10 Things I Loved about The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst.

1. Sophie - She makes such a great protagonist. She is a very nuanced and complex character. She's shy and a little unsure of herself, yet also spunky and willing to do what needs to be done to save her parents. She has realistic reactions to the events that take place but doesn't let herself get pushed around, willing to stand up for herself and the people she cares about.
2. Monster - MONSTER. Oh man, he is a monster worthy of Monsters, Inc. I love him so much. I mean, come on, he's smart, he's funny, he's loyal, he "helps" Sophie do her homework, he loves cupcakes. I want one.
3. Ethan - I loved the development of his character. I found that his reactions to everything were so believable as well and I loved the development of his friendship with Sophie and his joyful embracing of the craziness they encounter.
4. Mr. Nightmare - *shudders* A truly creepy antagonist. Perfect for the story.
5. Glitterhoof - I won't say more because spoilers but hahahahahaha man I loved that character.
6. The Concept - I loved the idea that dreams could be collected in, what else, dreamcatchers, and distilled down to be used by people who wanted to live in a fantasy world. And the idea that dreams could come out into the real world - both exciting and terrifying and Durst explores both perspectives.
7. The Writing - I enjoyed Durst's writing style. She conveys all of the action and humor really well, the language is perfectly suited to the main audience and she has respect for middle graders abilities.
8. The Humor - I laughed so much through this book. It's not a comedy per se, but it's just filled with situations and dialogue that are hilarious.
9. The Crying - Oh man, no specific spoilers, but something happened toward the end of the book that had me actually sobbing, something I was not expecting when I started. It wasn't out of left field, though. It fit perfectly in the narrative.
10. The Ending - I loved the way everything was wrapped up. The ending made me so super happy. It was very satisfying.

Horns & Wrinkles

Learn more about Joseph Helgerson at his website

Mal and Chad by Stephen McCranie

Learn more about Chad McCranie at his website

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies! Oh My!

Find out more about Andrea Beatty at her website

OR about Dan Santat at his website

Little Lit: The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate De Goldi

Summary:
Perry is an only child and she doesn't see the world quite the way other people do, a trait she has in common with her grandmother, Honora Lee, who she visits weekly with her father. Perry's parents believe that only children should be kept busy. Music lessons, dance class--every day has something planned. Then her movement class is unexpectedly and suddenly canceled and Perry convinces her parents to let her spend Thursday afternoons with her grandmother, Honora Lee, at the Santa Lucia rest home. As Perry gets to know her grandmother better and learns more about the other residents she decides to create an alphabet book all about Santa Lucia for a school project. What starts out as a simple project turns into an exploration of family, life, and the little moments that tie people together.

What I Liked:

• I loved Perry's voice. Though it's not explicitly stated there is a sense that she is somewhere on the autism spectrum and I loved the way that was expressed through her language and through the illustrations.
• The illustrations were beautifully chaotic - I thought they were a perfect representation of Perry's mind.
• I enjoyed the portrayal of Perry's family. They certainly aren't perfect and her parents are rather stereotypically distracted parents, but they do care about Perry and I liked the way that Perry starts to see the connections between her father and grandmother and her parents and herself.
• I really loved the way the residents of the rest home were portrayed as well. De Goldi captures the perspective of a child really well in her depictions of Perry's reactions to and interactions with the seniors especially.

What I Would Have Liked:

• I really wanted to see the alphabet! I wish it could have been included at the end of the book.

Verdict:

• I thought this was a sweet book.
• I really enjoyed it and it made me laugh and tear up a bit as well.
• I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.

A Monster Calls: Patrick Ness

You can find out more about Patrick Ness at his WEBSITE,

where you can also find news about how this book is being turned into a movie.

(I actually just watched the trailer and now I'm excited about seeing the movie this October.)

You can find out more about the illustrator, Jim Kay at his WEBSITE.

He also illustrated the new Harry Potter book.

10 Things I Loved About Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick

Truly Lovejoy is twelve years old, almost six feet tall, the middle of five kids, and is once again having to start over at a new school, this time in the tiny little town of Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire. Half of the town is named after the Lovejoys, but that doesn't make Truly feel like she belongs. In fact, her entire life has felt inside out and upside down ever since her father was injured by an IED in Afghanistan and became the Silent Man. They had to leave their house in Texas to move to Pumpkin Falls so he and his sister can take over their parents bookshop. But when the bookshop starts failing and a first edition autographed copy of Charlotte's Web goes missing Truly gets caught up in a mystery bigger than she can handle on her own. As she follows clues left in a hidden letter Truly starts to get to know some of the other kids and finds that maybe family and friends are what truly make a place home.

1. Truly's Family - I loved the portrayal of Truly's family. Books about big families can sometimes feel cliche, but the Lovejoys felt so authentic. The teasing, the caring, the conflicts - all rang very familiar (as someone from a big family).
2. Truly's Siblings - Yes, I know they're part of Truly's family, but I particularly loved her siblings. Hatcher and his nickname for Truly and the way he sees her when she gets lost in the shuffle, Pippa's lisp and habit for being brutally, kid-speakingly honest. The way they all love each other but also drive each other crazy added a great layer to Truly's story.
3. Truly - Her voice was well developed through the story. The first person narrative really allowed her to shine through and reveal her frustrations, insecurities, and strengths. I thought she was so authentically drawn.
4. Truly's Bird Watching Hobby - I loved the way Truly classifies everyone she meets by determining what kind of bird they remind her of. It's a really interesting way of showing a sort of coping mechanism she uses to classify her world that is constantly shifting and changing.
5. Truly's Friends - I loved how different they were and how they complimented each other. The way their friendships developed was done well, too, with different relationships developing at different speeds and being affected by the different events and challenges they face.
6. Pumpkin Falls - If I didn't want to live in Stars Hollow, I would totally live in Pumpkin Falls. I loved the picture of small town life and the way everyone knows everyone for better or for worse. Complete with the quirky characters and nosy busybodies that managed not to feel cliche.
7. Aunt True - What story about a big family moving to a tiny town to operate a book store would be complete without a quirky world-travelling aunt who lives over the shop and has a cat? Yet once again Aunt True is an interesting and entertaining character who has a sweet relationship with Truly and the rest of the family.
8. Silent Man - I appreciated the way the author dealt with the effects of Truly's father's injury on the whole family, especially the kids. It was heartbreaking to see the way Truly and her brothers and sisters feel a bit like they're walking on eggshells. They have to be careful not to say something that would remind their father of what he's lost or that might make him withdraw back into himself. It was a rough subject to deal with and I thought she handled it well, without a "miracle" cure in the end.
9. The Mystery - Although it wasn't a huge mystery, I liked the way the coded letters helped Truly get to know the town better and develop friendships with other kids in the town. And I liked that they were able to solve the mystery. It was a light and fun adventure and I liked that.
10. The hope that, since this is labelled as "A Pumpkin Fall Mystery," there might be more hi-jinks in store for Truly and the rest of the Pumpkin Falls crew.

Wooden Mile - Chris Mould

Find out more about Chris Mould at his WEBSITE or BLOG.

Kalevala: Tales of Magic and Adventure

"Better for me in the ocean,

dwelling deep beneath the waters;

be a sister to the whitefish,

sibling to the deep-sea creatures,

than be comfort to a dotard,

or to nurse a trembling codger."

- Rune 4: lines 247-252

Down Unders: Uprooted

Book Details:

• Written by Lynne Reid Banks
• Cover Illustration - I couldn't find this information, though I looked all over the place, which made me sad because I absolutely adore this cover. It's so perfect for the story.
• Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (first published in 2015 in Great Britain)
• This is geared toward a solid middle grade audience. Lindy is 10 and her cousin is a little older.

Summary:

• Ten year old Lindy along with her mother and cousin Cameron flee England as war begins to encroach on their home. Settling in Saskatoon, Canada with a kind couple who welcomes them in, the three struggle to adapt to their new situation in a new country. Lindy has to find ways to deal with her feelings of loss and displacement and the uncertainty of what is happening to the family she left behind on top of the every day trials of growing up, going to school, and making and losing friends.

Important Things To Know:

•  This book does deal with issues of war and some domestic issues, but everything is handled in an age appropriate way.
• Although this is a fictional story, it is based on Banks' own life story, which is really cool and makes this story even more interesting, in my opinion!
• This is a standalone novel, but Lynne Reid Banks has written many books, including the classic The Indian in the Cupboard. You can check out more of her books and more about the author on her website.
• I got an Advance Reader Copy of this book at Book Expo America this year

Why I Enjoyed This Book:

• I really liked the way that the different levels of the story came together. Even though there were really big, intense troubles going on from the war to the troubles they had with their sponsor family, there were also the more intimate problems a ten year old would face like settling into a new school with a "funny" accent, losing friends, and worries over her parents being apart for so long.
• I loved Lindy's voice and the way the book is told sort of as a flashback (without being too cheesy or belaboring that aspect). It makes even more sense knowing this was based on Banks' own childhood memories.
• I liked the way Lindy interacted with her cousin Cameron. They felt very real in the way they got along, fought, and found each other confusing at times.

You Can Find This Book At:

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-a-Million
• Chapters
• An Indie Bookstore Near You

10 Things I Loved About The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

Christopher is actually pretty happy with his life. He's the apprentice to an intelligent and kind apothecary, has the opportunity to study and learn many different things, and his best friend is always up for trying to blow something up. Everything is good, that is, except the mysterious and deadly cult that seems to be targeting apothecaries. When everything in Christopher's life turns upside down, he will have to use every lesson Master Blackthorn taught him to solve the mystery and escape the doom that is starting to close in on him and everyone he knows.

You can learn more about Kevin Sands and his books on his website, Facebook, or Twitter!

And now, the 10 things I loved about The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands:

1. The genre: It's a historical mystery! I love well-written middle grade novels set in the past. And well done mysteries. So, to find them both in an adventurous, crazy, fun book was so wonderful.
2. The details: Somehow Sands weaves in so much historical detail that the period just oozes through. I felt completely immersed in the world, but it never felt didactic. overdone, and never a single info dump that I can remember.
3. The sense of time: This is kind of connected to the previous point, but I really appreciated the acknowledgment of how pervasive religious belief was in the 17th century.
4. Christopher: He seemed so real, not only just as a boy, but also as a boy of the period. It felt authentic. Sometimes authors can tend to assign too many modern sensibilities to children set in a historical period, but Sands does a great job of avoiding this, but still making Christopher completely believable.
5. The concoctions: I loved all the bits of scientific details and how Christopher uses his knowledge to mix up things to help him get out of (and sometimes into) trouble.
6. The friendship: I absolutely adored Christopher and Martin's friendship. They were everything best friends should be: similar, yet different - complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses, and loyal.
7. Martin's sisters: They were adorable and strong and intelligent and I wanted so much more of them!
8. The twists and turns: What good is a mystery without a ton of crazy twists and turns? The mystery spins you around, revealing things at just the right rate to keep you intrigued but not frustrated.
9. The secret passage: I love a good secret passage. How much fun would it be to find a secret room in real life? I'll take experiencing it second hand in a good book if I can't experience it for real.
10. Bridget: Every boy needs a pigeon sidekick. Adored Bridget.

So there you have it! What are you waiting for, go out and grab a copy for yourself!

I received this advance reader copy via BookExpo America

Little Lit: The Nest by Kenneth Oppel, Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Summary:
Steve's life is a bit topsy turvy right now. The new baby isn't doing well and has been in and out of the hospital, which means his parents are tired and distracted. His little sister Nicole doesn't really understand what's going on, and now Steve is having strange dreams of someone saying they can help fix the baby if he'll only say yes to helping them. But can he trust the dreams? Do the creatures really have the baby's best interest at heart? If Steve helps them will it really help his family or could he be hurting the very people he's trying to protect?

The book just came out this week!
You can learn more about Kenneth Oppel on his website or GoodReads or follow him on Twitter.
You can learn more about Jon Klassen on his tumblr or GoodReads or follow him on Twitter.
I had the chance to meet these two at Book Expo America this year where they so kindly autographed my Advance Reader Copy of this book. They were so much fun and such lovely authors to meet. NaomiRuth brought Wombly the Wombat and the two of them were absolutely hilarious as they tried to figure out what he was. I love being able to meet authors!

Now on to my mini review of the book. There are some spoilers here. I usually try to keep my reviews spoiler free, but really can't manage that in this case, so be forewarned.

What I Liked:

• I loved the illustrations. I just adore Klassen's style - it's so stark and simple and striking and beautiful. I particularly liked the way the chapters were demarcated by adding wasps - so chapter 1 had 1 wasp, chapter 4 had 4, etc.
• I liked that Steve struggled with anxiety and obsessive compulsions. It was so great to read about a kid dealing with these things in the middle of the larger issues going on with his family. And it wasn't magically solved at the end. though he makes progress in understanding himself and finding some ways to help live with and work through some of his struggles.
• I liked that the family was cohesive. Even with all the stress of things going on, there was a complete family unit who loved and cared for each other even in the middle of the strain when they aren't always nice to each other, you could tell they all still loved each other.
• I loved the message it sent that physical and mental perfection are not and should not be our goal. Our deficiencies, problems, struggles - the things that make us different - are what make us us.

What I Would Have Liked:

• I would have liked to get a little better sense of how old Steve was. He seemed younger to me at the beginning, but as the story went on I realized he was most likely older than I had originally thought. Unless I missed it, I wish there had been some sort of indication as to his grade or age.
• One of the things that made me uncomfortable was the knife left by the mysterious knife sharpener. I understand that it was part of the sort of mystical aspect of the book, but I wasn't sure I liked the message it sent of making it the weapon Steve literally wields to try to destroy the creatures.
• Again, I realize that they were mystical creatures, but if anybody had a fear of wasps, this would certainly not allay their fears in any way and I can see some kids being really affected, particularly by the ending with the swarms attacking and nearly killing Steve. So this isn't so much an I-didn't-like-it thing as a it-might-be-too-much-for-some-kids thing.

Verdict:

• It's a beautiful and touching story with gorgeous illustrations. Except for the intensity of the wasp swarms at the end, the message overall was a moving one about the importance of embracing our flaws and caring for our family in the midst of difficult circumstances.

10 Things I Loved About The Shrunken Head by Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester

Pippa, who can read people's pockets; Max, who can throw a knife so accurately it's scary; Sam, the strongest boy in the world; and Thomas, who can bend and fold his body in remarkable ways, all live in Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. There, among a group of people labeled freaks by society, the four children have found a sort of family in each other. But after Mr. Dumfrey unveils the newest marvel, a shrunken head, a series of horrible tragedies including murder and the theft of the head itself, sets them on the trail of a dangerous criminal as they try to unravel the mystery and save the museum. Can they figure out how to work together to retrieve the skull or will they lose everything they care about?

This book just came out this week, so go to your local book store and get yourself a copy!

Here we go! 10 things I loved about Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head by Lauren Oliver & H. C. Chester.

1. The Tone: At the risk of using an over-used comparison, this book had a very Snicket-esque feel to it. Not in the writing style itself. Instead it was more in the sensibility of the story and the plot. It had the quirkiness and the definition of the characters and the utter lack of condescension to the audience.
2. Pippa, Max, Sam, and Thomas: One thing I particularly enjoyed, was the way the four main characters had such agency. They see something that needs to be done and they do it. I also loved their "freak" traits, especially the way Pippa reads what's in people's pockets rather than their minds in a traditional sense.
3. The Secondary Characters: There are a lot of secondary characters and some of them are only roughly sketched in, but those sketches are enough to give you a feeling for who they are - they don't feel flat.
4. The Curiosity House: There's just enough described to give you a good feeling of the setting, which is important for the overall tone and feel of the book, but not too much so it becomes tedious. There's a very real sense of place.
5. The Sense of Time: I liked that it was set in a historical period, so not only the physical place of the house, but also the sense of time provided a great backdrop for the happenings. It's all woven into the story in a very organic way with all the little historical details adding to the story.
6. The Mystery: I sort of had a feeling I knew where things were going, but it didn't make the journey any less enjoyable. It was interesting seeing them find their way through all of the twists and turns to figure out what was actually going on.
7. The Stakes: I'm not trying to diminish stories where the stakes are less physical, but I enjoy when there are significant physical stakes - people's lives in danger, their home literally at risk. It adds something, especially when there are also emotional and mental issues at stake as well. The combination of the two sides make the story more intense for me.
8. The Villain: I liked that there was an actual, physical villain - someone actually against the children. Though the villain isn't revealed until basically the end, I like that there is so much potential for future books.
9. The Artwork: I didn't even get to see all of it, because this is the Advanced Reader Copy, but what was there was so interesting and so beautiful. I liked the chapter headings, but I did wish that they corresponded better with the POV of the chapter. It sort of switches between silhouettes of Max and Pippa, but not straight back and forth so I was a little confused, and the chapters include Sam and Thomas' perspectives as well, but there weren't silhouettes of the boys. Maybe that's something that will be different in the final copy, but I found it a little distracting (though pretty).
10. There's More! At least I'm assuming so, since it leaves us hanging at the end! (that and it's listed as #1 on GoodReads) I want to know what happens next!

I received this Advance Reader's Edition via BookExpo America

Little Lit: Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Welcome to a new feature here on the blog! While I absolutely love doing my 10 Things I Love... posts, sometimes I just want to quickly write up what I liked and didn't like about a book without going into so much detail. Hence, Little Lit!
So hang on for my quick review of Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz.

Summary:
Twelve year old Clara is captivated by the marionette performance of the masterful Grisini, but also taken by his two assistants, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall. When she invites them to perform at her birthday party and Grisini gives her a strange gift, Clara is drawn to the strange man. When Clara goes missing, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall find themselves caught up in a web of deceit, magic, and revenge that goes back decades. Can they figure out how to break the spell before their lives or Clara's are lost forever?

What I Liked:

• I really enjoyed the play between Lizzie and Parse. Though they aren't related, there was a brother/sister vibe between them that I enjoyed.
• I liked Lizzie and Parse's perseverance and street smarts. Though neither is formally educated, they each have many skills that they use to work their way through the very strange events they find themselves trapped in.
• SPOILER (kind of): I liked the idea of Clara being trapped into being a marionette and being caught in this power struggle between Grisini and his rival.

What I Would Have Liked:

• I would have liked it better if it hadn't been quite as dark. I'm sure there are kids who would love the creepiness of this, but I am an adult and I found some of the things to be a bit too gruesome or dark for me. I would really hesitate to give this to many middle grade kids.
• I would have liked less of the adults. Not that I have an issue with adults being major characters in kids' books, but in this, the feud between Grisini and Cassandra felt like something out of an adult novel, while the parts with Lizzie and Parse fit better in a middle grade novel. For me, the two didn't blend together very well.

Verdict:

• For people who like a dark, creepy story, I think they'll enjoy this.
• For me, it just didn't quite work as a whole.
• I did like Schlitz's style. Though it was a bit more formal than many middle grade level books are, it fit with the tone and time period of the story.

You can find more information about Schlitz and her books on her GoodReads page or through this page on the Candlewick Press website.

I received an advance copy of this book via BookExpo America.

10 Things I Loved About Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

One day I forgot to bring my book to work with me, so I needed something to read on my break. I wandered up to our Juvenile Fiction section at the academic library where I work, and pulled this book off the shelf. I ended up reading only 2 chapters, since I spent most of my break chatting with a coworker, but it intrigued me enough that I borrowed it and brought it home, where it's been sitting in my stack of library books for a while. A couple of days ago I picked it up again, started reading, and didn't want to put it down. This book consumed me as I consumed it.

Set roughly in the 60s or 70s, this book is about a group of fourteen year olds as their lives criss and cross and interconnect and disconnect and reconnect along with all of the strange, quirky, confusing, wonderful, challenging things that happen in a small town as you're growing up.

You can check out Lynne Rae Perkins website HERE.

1. The format: This is such a unique book in its format. There are strings of dialogue, snippets of conversations, feelings, drawings, songs, prose, poetry, pictures - all woven together just like the lives of these teens are woven together. Somehow it makes something bigger than the sum of the parts.
2. Debbie: If I had to choose a protagonist, she would be at the top of the list. She's trapped in the in between stage of childhood and adulthood and just trying to figure out who she is. She's settling into the person she's going to be and reaching for the person she wants to be. I found her so distinctive and yet she also feels a little bit universal of how many girls seem to feel at that age.
3. Hector: He ties at the top of the list for protagonist. At the beginning of the novel he's moved by music and sets out to learn how to play the guitar. He starts with chords, he starts writing songs (or at least the choruses of songs). He starts seeing the lyrical in the world around him. It's not as though he hadn't seen it before, but that it's clear to him in a different way because of the way he's changing and growing up and music opens the world up for him.
4. The setting: I love that it's set in past decades, because, if anything, it adds to the feeling of universality of what the characters are going through. Maybe it's not your neighborhood, but it could be. And these could be your friends, And this could be you. Maybe it was. Maybe it still is. Maybe it's who you're going to be. I love the connection with the characters while the characters are still themselves, not just universal types, yet somehow they function that way too.
5. Dan: I loved the ambiguity of his character. While each teen is a bundle of possibilities poised on the edge of what they could become, Dan walks the razor edge. He could fall or he could surmount. And it's not clear which way he's going to turn. There aren't any easy answers. He still has a chance to choose to become something powerful and good rather than powerful and mean. But he has the capacity for meanness and only time will tell who he decides to be.
6. The illustrations: They add such a whimsical touch. And sometimes, you have to really look to see how the drawing connects to what is being said or thought in the story. It's like a little puzzle to decode that enhances your engagement with the text.
7. Different intelligences: I liked that different characters were shown to be smart in different ways. It wasn't just book-smart or academic intelligence that was portrayed (though it's not excluded either), it is also mechanical knowledge, musical knowledge, the understanding of human behavior, emotional intelligence - so many different ways of being smart, each of which plays its role in the things that happen. And many characters have a combination of these and by using their knowledge, they're able to help those around them and gain confidence in themselves.
8. The friendships: Even though there are obviously some closer connections between some of the characters (like Patty and Debbie), I liked that it felt like a real town. Where you see the same people all the time and in school and in your neighborhood, so you spend time with someone because you like them. But it doesn't have to be because you like them. In fact, if anything, romantic love is diminished. What is important is relationships between people. And they don't have to be romantic relationships to be important.
9. Beauty in the details: I loved the way little things have significance. The way Hector and Debbie and Lenny see things like combs in the street or the way an engine works or the strange shape of a wrench and see the beauty in something many people would just look over or disregard.
10. The message: While I think that the criss crossing of life and the interconnectedness of us as humans is a huge part of the message that comes across in the story, for me the thing that stood out was the reminder that it's the little decisions we make that can have a huge impact on who we are. Big sweeping exciting events don't have to happen for us to do something important or become the person we want to be. Every choice we make has an effect on the person we are becoming. So we need to make decisions that make us the person we want to be.

Happy Reading!

10 Things I Love About the Incorrigible Children Series

I stumbled across this series a while ago, and I'm so glad I did. On my first foray into my new local library I saw the second book and my friend who was giving me the grand tour laughed as I jumped up and down and clutched the book to my chest. I just finished the third book and the fourth one is sitting on my table waiting for me. I was going to wait to do this post until I'd finished it, but I'm loving them too much. I want everyone to go find and read them!

This middle grade series by Maryrose Wood is set in Victorian England setting and follows the adventures of young Miss Penelope Lumley. She has recently graduated from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and is beginning her position as the governess to the three new wards at Ashton Place. Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia were raised by wolves. Literally. And it is up to Miss Lumley to train them in proper etiquette, and educate them in history, mathematics, Latin, and all other proper pursuits. However, larger and larger mysteries abound as Penelope and the Incorrigibles make friends, enemies, and end up in more scrapes than should be possible.

If you would like to learn more about the series you can go to the Incorrigible Children website and if you want to see what Maryrose Wood is up to you can check out her website or follow her on Twitter. I just found out about #swanburnewednesdays where Maryrose is encouraging retweets with contests so I'll be over there tweeting my heart out today! Plus she has the cutest hashtag ever with #ahwoo - and you have to read the books to understand that.

So here are the 10 things I absolutely adored about Maryrose Wood's Incorrigible Children Series

1. The Tone. I know that so many books have been described as Snicket-esque. I've described books that way myself. But somehow Maryrose Wood pulls off a vaguely Snicketish tone while combining it with an air of Jane Austen and yet managing to feel completely original. The voice is mature, but not out of reach of the age range for which it is written. This is an author who trusts her audience and does not talk down to the children who make up her primary audience.
2. Penelope Lumley. She is just the right mix of plucky, sober-minded, warm-hearted heroine with a sense of humor to boot. She is curious and grows through her experiences. Even though she's older than the typical middle grade heroine at fifteen, the focus is enough on her young charges and the tone is such that it never feels like a YA book. And I really like the fact that it was marketed as a middle grade series.
3. Old Timothy the coachman. Mysterious, gruff, with a kind heart (though he'd never really show it :) - everything an old coachman should be. I'm really curious to learn more about him.
4. The Incorrigibles. For children raised by wolves they are very well behaved. I love their little quirks and while it might be unbelievable that a six year old girl who grew up in the woods would be able to learn how to parse Latin verbs, somehow it works. I also love their names. They are adorable and good-hearted and (I just realized that each of these descriptions has included a reference to the characters hearts, but they're apt descriptions so they're staying) I really wish I was their adoptive mother rather than the disinterested Lady Constance.
5. Speaking of. Lady Constance and Lord Frederick. I like them in the role that they play. Their disinterest (along with Lord Frederick's mysterious secret) create a great foil for Penelope and the children.
6. Simon Harley-Dickinson. I want more of him. Way more than we're given. So I'm really hoping he surfaces much more often in the next book(s).
7. Nutsawoo. Could there be a more adorable animal sidekick? Seriously straight out of a Disney movie.
8. Miss Swanburne's sayings. The founder of Penelope's Alma Mater has left a legacy of pithy sayings that Benjamin Franklin would have been proud of. I love how often they pop up and how "little" sense some of them make while somehow being incredibly profound. I was reminded of a saying Dick Van Dyke mentioned in his memoir that he always said: "you can spread jelly on peanut butter, but you can't spread peanut butter on jelly." There's a Swanburne-ism if she'd been born in more modern times if I ever heard one.
9. The hunt is on. There are so many mysteries you almost need an abacus to keep them all straight. Something Cassiopeia could do with ease. There are so many little details and things you start to put together but then something else happens or is revealed. Even some things which are obvious end up being not so obvious because even though you know a certain thing you don't understand how it fits into the bigger picture and I need to read the next book to figure it out!
10. There are SIX books in this series. SIX OF THEM! I'm so excited! I'm only half way done! I have three more whole books to look forward to!

Go forth and happy reading!

10 Things I Loved About Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Basic premise: Ten year old Hà and her family live in Saigon in 1975. When they have to flee for their lives, they find themselves homeless and country-less. When a sponsor provides a home for them in Alabama everything is different and Há isn't sure she can handle the changes.

I adored this book (obviously). So here are the 10 Things I Loved About Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai:

1. The format - the book is told in free verse poems. The light lyricism doesn't feel forced and gives a really good picture of Há's state of mind and her personality.
2. Cultural Details - I love that things aren't dumbed down or "American-ized" and here's what I mean by that - the characters' names maintain their cultural spelling. Words are used that middle grade students (much less many adults) might not be familiar with. Lai assumes her readers will be able to make sense of it in the context. And I appreciate that she has this faith in her readers, particularly since it is geared toward "Down Unders" to steal my sister's term :)
3. Há's description of papayas - I'm not a fan of papayas and I wanted to try some of hers. It also created this really interesting image that Há clung to that came to mean so much more than just the fruit itself.
4. The realism - while the poetic form of the story keeps the tone light-ish, Lai doesn't shy away from the challenges Há and her family face both in Korea and in the United States. There is real tragedy and heartbreak in their lives and Há really has to struggle to deal with it. And, while there is a hopeful ending, everything isn't just happily ever after.
5. The lightness - I loved that even in the midst of some of the terrible things going on, Há doesn't lose her sense of humor. She's not laughing at everything (in fact, there's the sense that she doesn't laugh very much), but she is trying very hard not to let herself get beaten down in the midst of challenging and bewildering situations.
6. Spotlight on bullying - Within the larger narrative of someone being transplanted to a new culture and country, Lai also draws bullying into sharp focus. There are different levels of it aimed at Há and her family, but Lai doesn't make excuses for anyone. She draws a picture of the anxiety and confusion Há feels - everything from being laughed at for her clothes to the more serious physical danger she feels from a group of boys.
7. Not everything is big - Even though Há is going through these larger trials, she's still a ten-year-old girl. She has questions and anxieties about little things. She feels guilty for "little" sins in her past and has to confess to her mother. She dislikes certain foods and worries about her friendships.
8. Há's misconceptions about America - particularly her misconceptions about "cowboys" - There are so many stereotypes about Americans and Há gets confused about what is real and what is just story, sometimes with quite humorous perspectives on her part.
9. Misses Washington - I wanted to hug her. Her kindnesses and generosity to Há's family were so special to the story.
10. Há's struggle to learn English - I was laughing out loud at these passages. English is such a bizarre language and Lai captures the absurdity in perfect ten-year-old perspective. Here's an example: 

"Sometimes the spelling changes when adding as s.

Knife becomes knives.

Sometimes

a c is used

instead of a k,

even if

it makes more sense

for cat to be spelled kat.

Sometimes

a y is used

instead of an e,

even if

it makes more sense

for moldy to be spelled molde.

Whoever invented English

should have learned

to spell."

Happy Reading!

Dragonbreath, Ursula Vernon

   

Book Details:

• Written by Ursula Vernon
• Illustrated by Ursula Vernon
• Published by Dial Books (an imprint of Penguin)

Important Things to Know:

• Over on my other blog I'm going to try and write Media Monday posts about media things (books, games, movies, etc.) that I really love and enjoy. I've noticed that discontent and dislike tend to be "louder" than contentedness and likeableness (cause those are totally words). Therefore! For the next couple of Thursdays Down Under I will try and focus on the young readers books that I have read and loved and appreciate. Dragonbreath seemed like a good place to start.
• Dragonbreath is a series of books (there are about 9 of them I believe) and I want to own them all.

Why Wombly and I Enjoyed This Series:

• One of the main reasons why I wanted to read these books in the first place: the artwork. I love, love, love Ursula Vernon's artwork. It's fun to look at. It had a sort of bubbly feeling that I really enjoy. Wombly likes the tone of having it two-toned in green, blue, and black. He thinks it gives it a unique flavor.
• It is one of the few books that drifts from the main character's pov (Danny) to side character's pov (Wendell) without driving me crazy. I'm not sure why. Most of the time when author's head-hop from one character's thoughts to another it makes me want to hit things. Vernon does it in such a way that feels organic, it's fluid, and it feels necessary. When I'm hearing how Wendell feels it's because it adds something to the story and because Danny's thoughts are not currently necessary.
     
• I always feel like I learn a tiny little something new about animals, whether it be bats or iguanas or what have you.
• They are fun to read. There is adventure. There is mystery. There is humor.

• Vernon takes the stereo-typical class goof-ball and nerdy side-kick and somehow doesn't get stuck in that stereotype. Danny is fairly predictable, but he is growing up as the series progresses and dealing with how he fits in his family dynamic and what it's like for him to grow up into a more mature dragon. And where this kind of dynamic as a friendship can sometimes be unhealthy, I really feel like Wendell and Danny compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Wombly and I Read This Book Because:

• I saw these books when working at Borders and soon as Wombly came along I knew we had to try these books out together. I was not disappointed!

You Can Find This Book At:

• Barnes & Noble

• Books-a-Million

• Or an Indie Bookstore near you!

10 Things I Loved About Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

I saw this book on a "librarian pick" shelf at my local library and I had to pick it up. So glad I did! I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Shurtliff. You can check out her website or like her author page on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

Here's the book trailer, which is hilarious and tells you everything you need to know about the book:

And now here are the 10 things I loved about Rump (without spoilers!):

1. FAIRY TALES. Because fairy tale retellings are awesomesauce. And telling the story from the "villain's" perspective? Brilliant - especially when we know virtually nothing about said villain.
2. Rump. I never thought I could completely root for and be absolutely sympathetic with Rumpelstiltskin. Shurtliff crafts such a great story keeping to the elements of the original fairy tale, but filling in all the background details which make Rump the hero rather than the antagonist.
3. Red. Every hero needs a sassy friend who will smack them upside the head when they're being particularly idiotic and Red is that for Rump. Plus she can create magic paths through the forest - always a useful skill.
4. The pixies. They are hilarious pests that create a lot of trouble for Rump throughout the book!
5. The gnomes. I seriously love that the gnomes are basically walking telegrams. Instead of writing letters you just find the nearest gnome, give them the message and they run around until they find the person the message is intended for. I'm fairly certain this occasionally involves some sort of locator magic. They are adorable.
6. Ida, Hadel, and Balthilda. I won't say too much because I don't want to give any spoilers, but I loved this trio of ladies (especially Ida) and their distinct personalities.
7. The trolls. Ba Ha Ha!
8. Names. In this world names are super important, so in Rump's village they don't name the village, their pets or animals, or anything other than themselves. So Rump calls his donkey Nothing and his goat Milk. I love that the donkey's name is Nothing. It is not only humorous, but it also plays into the larger themes of choice vs. destiny and the power of names.
9. The world building. It's very subtle and woven throughout the story but also very clear. You know where you are, the magic has specific rules that it follows, and the world always makes sense within its own parameters. This kind of consistency is so nice to see.
10. Happy ending! The ending of the fairy tale is a bit... ambiguous to say the least. But it ends with Rumpelstiltskin poofing or ripping himself in half or stomping into the floor and disappearing. Shurtliff plays with the traditional ending and still manages to give Rump a happy ending. Yeah!