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!

February Book Club: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

After deciding to stay with the other peculiar children at the end of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Jacob is faced with a whole new set of problems. Miss Peregrine is still trapped in bird form, many of the peculiars have died in the battle with the hollowgasts, and they have to leave the island to try to find someone who can help them survive. As he and Emma grow closer together other challenges arise as well leaving Jacob scrambling to keep everyone alive in a world he's just starting to understand himself. Friendship, betrayal, and more peculiars await them all as the hollows begin to close in and threaten the world as they know it.

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What we thought:

Rebecca T: Although I thought there were a couple of rough patches, overall I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Peculiar's lives. There is a lot of danger and a lot of travelling, making this kind of a bridge book between the introduction we get in the first book and what will most likely be the major climax and battle in the third. Although is was terrible that they lost so many of the peculiar children, it was really nice to focus in on a handful of them and get to know them all better as they traveled together. I felt like the images were not as well integrated as in the first book, but that was to be expected since there are certain expectations on a second book that are not placed on the first. The twists that erupted at the end of the novel were astounding and definitely have me waiting for the next book.

Eileen: Ransom Riggs does a great job of making a story around a group of vintage photos in Hollow City. I loved learning more about the origins of the wights and Miss Peregrine. Their discoveries about the history of peculiars from the story book Miss Peregrince used to read to them also piqued my curiosity. I'm hoping for a book of those stories at some point from Ransom as well.

Jenn N: I really enjoyed Hollow City. The premise of building a story around the photos Ransom Riggs found is incredible in itself. You'll be wondering what the true origins of the photos are. On top of that, the story of Jacob's and the Peculiar's quest to save their beloved Miss Peregrine is thrilling and intriguing. My favorite part of the story was when they encountered the Peculiar animals. I also appreciated that Jacob still reflected on his family and questioned whether running off with Emma and the others was really the best thing for him. Jacob is a very thoughtful and relate-able protagonist.

For March we decided to tackle Jim Henson's biography so look ahead to a review of that. In the meantime, did you read Hollow City? What did you think? We'd love to hear from you!

First Things First: The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Happy March  and welcome back to "First Things First."  Each month I'll be reviewing the first book(s) in a long-standing series.  This month, I took a break from mystery thriller and re-visited my friend Alice McKinley.  "The Agony of Alice," is the first novel in Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's "Alice" series.

"Life, Alice McKinley feels, is just one big embarrassment. Here she is, about to be a teenager and she doesn't know how. It's worse for her than for anyone else, she believes, because she has no role model. Her mother has been dead for years. Help and advice can only come from her father, manager of a music store, and her nineteen-year-old brother, who is a slob. What do they know about being a teen age girl? What she needs, Alice decides, is a gorgeous woman who does everything right, as a roadmap, so to speak. If only she finds herself, when school begins, in the classroom of the beautiful sixth-grade teacher, Miss Cole, her troubles will be over. Unfortunately, she draws the homely, pear-shaped Mrs. Plotkin. One of Mrs. Plotkin's first assignments is for each member of the class to keep a journal of their thoughts and feelings. Alice calls hers "The Agony of Alice, " and in it she records all the embarrassing things that happen to her.

Through the school year, Alice has lots to record. She also comes to know the lovely Miss Cole, as well as Mrs. Plotkin. And she meets an aunt and a female cousin whom she has not really known before. Out of all this, to her amazement, comes a role model -- one that she would never have accepted before she made a few very important discoveries on her own, things no roadmap could have shown her. Alice moves on, ready to be a wise teenager." goodreads.com

Not only did I love "The Agony of Alice," I've read and love this entire series.  While "The Agony of Alice," was first published in 1985 and is geared for middle grade readers (age 9-12) I didn't stumble upon it until 2011.  I read "I Like Him, He Likes Her," which details Alice's freshman year in high school and featured the novels: "Alice Alone," "Simply Alice," and "Patiently Alice."  After I devoured that, I had to put first things first and see where the Alice series began.

While I read the entire series as adult, I found Alice's story to be very relate-able to my school days and in turn, I think tweens and teens could easily relate to her. Alice isn't a privileged Upper East Sider like the "Gossip Girl" gang, nor is she full of secrets and scandals like the "Pretty Little Liars" crew or in love with a vampire.  Alice is just a normal girl dealing with everyday life.  Phyllis Reynolds Naylor doesn't shy away from describing Alice's life experiences such as puberty and the awkwardness that comes with it.  There are many instances throughout this book and the series that I really empathized with Alice and recalled similar experiences.  

As as adult I was also able to appreciate the life lessons in this series.  As Alice grows up and enters high-school, the relationships she and her friends engage in turn more serious and in some instances more physical.  Naylor does of good job of showcasing the realities and consequences of sexual relationships without coming off as preachy.  

However, this series isn't all awkward moments and life lessons.  There are plenty of comical moments too such as when Alice's fashion challenged brother Lester tries to help her with back-to-school shopping, the pranks Alice's friends play on Lester, and Alice's attempts at playing matchmaker for her father and brother.

I also loved Alice's relationship with her father.  Mr. McKinley reminds me a lot of my dad.  He's easy-going, loves music and he and Alice can talk about anything and everything. 

Last Fall, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor concluded the series with "Now, I'll Tell You Everything," which followed Alice from her college years until she turned 60.  It was a wonderful conclusion to a fantastic series.  I laughed and I cried just as I had through most books in this series.  You may also want to rewind the clock a little further and explore the prequel novels "Starting With Alice,"  "Alice in Blunderland," and "Lovingly Alice," which follow Alice from 3rd Grade through 5th. 






If you haven't met Alice McKinley, I highly recommend you do and that you share the books with the teens and tweens in your life.  She's been a great friend to me and I'm sure she'll be one to you too.

If you've read any of the books in the "Alice" series, I'd love to hear your non-spoilery thoughts below. 

January Book Club: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

The last thing Kendra wants to do is spend part of her summer vacation with the grandfather she barely knows. But her parents have to go on the cruise and she and her annoying younger brother Seth need somewhere to stay. The house is large and they have the entire attic playroom to themselves. Plus there's the pool and the beautiful gardens, but it's not enough for Seth. Despite their grandfather's rules, he wanders off into the woods surrounding the house where he finds winding paths, dark shadows, and a strange old woman. Meanwhile Kendra manages to unravel the mystery in the keys her grandfather gave her. They lead to a secret message: Drink the Milk. Little does she know that her grandfather is actually the caretaker of one of the many "Fablehavens" for magical creatures. And she and Seth just might be in line to take over. But first they have to survive the ticked off fairies, evil crones, demons, giant cows, and selkies. Who would have thought fairy tale creatures could be so dangerous?

Fablehaven is geared toward middle grade readers and is the first in a series.

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Jess B and rachelyons were so excited
about their signed copies!

When our Borders was still open, we were lucky enough to get Brandon Mull in for a signing. He is absolutely one of the nicest authors we've ever met. He took his time chatting a little with each person and stayed until everyone's books got signed.

Brandon Mull is the one in the red shirt in the middle.
Moving to the right are Jess B, rachelyons, Jess P, and Rebecca T

SPOILER ALERT!
Below are our reviews and discussions on the book. While there aren't too many spoilers, we are talking about the book as if we have read it, so if you want to avoid them you can skip down to the very end to see what we're reading for February!

Jess P - I personally loved this book. It's very good for someone who is looking for something to read after they read Harry Potter. I didn't like how annoying Seth was, and even in the book following this one, he is just as annoying. Maybe that's what makes it a little more realistic to me.

Jenn N - I really liked Lena. I found it very unique to have a character who was once immortal and is now mortal. I actually don't know any characters like this other than Anya from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While immortals in most novels are seen as beautiful and glamorous, Lena experienced an immortal life of vanity and emptiness. She made immortality and not mortality seem like a curse. I hope to read more about her in subsequent novels especially with how her life turned out by the conclusion of this novel. I also found Seth really annoying and the perfect example of kids today. it seems most parents today don't actually parent; they never tell their kids "no" or show them that their actions have consequences. Seth's grandfather let Seth's failure to obey go unpunished and the consequences were dire. When Seth felt guilty, his grandfather told him it wasn't his fault, when it really was, and as a result, his grandfather nearly died. I don't understand how a caretaker of a large mythical village can be such a lousy grandparent.

Jess B - I loved loved loved this book! Seth was insanely annoying, but Kendra's strong will and amazing mind more than make up for it. There were some parts where it was like a train wreck - I couldn't look away, but shortly after I was drawn back in! I highly recommend this book for anyone who is having a hard time getting into reading.

Rebecca T - I really enjoyed this book. There were a number of moments where I was holding my breath or yelling at the characters - always a sign I'm really getting into it. I think that Lena was my favorite character, for many of the same reasons that Jenn N listed above. Kendra was also great. I identified with her as the cautious older sibling and loved how she had to step out of her comfort zone to save the day. Seth was a typical impulsive young boy and I did find his character believable. However, I would have liked to see a little bit of development toward the end of the book, but he keeps making the same error over and over. That's something I hope will develop over the course of the series. I loved the premise of the book and the mystical creatures were well drawn and intriguing. My favorite scene had to be the milking scene. Overall an enjoyable read with memorable characters.



For February we're reading Stolen by Lucy Christopher. The discussion post should be up on February 25th, and we'd love it if you read along and came back to tell us what you thought!