The Book Report

And the winner is...

2010-05-27T10:39:00.000-04:00

Okapi! You'll be hearing from me soon so we can talk about how to get your new, super cool bookmark to you!
Congratulations!

Win a lovely glass slipper bookmark in honor of Kay Cassidy's THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY

2010-05-16T19:24:00.000-04:00

As if doing an interview here wasn't cool enough, Kay Cassidy has offered to up her awesomeness by letting me host a giveaway as part of the (drum roll, please) Official Cinderella Society Blog Tour Giveaway!

So, here's the treasure:

A beautiful glass slipper bookmark, to keep your place in your favorite fairy tales and inspire you to live your own!

Keeping it simple:

Leave a comment to enter. If you've read the book, I'm sure we'd all love to hear what you loved about it, but if not, no worries.

If you don't have a Blogger profile with your contact info, make sure you leave your email address in the comment--or be sure to check back next Monday to see if you won and you can email me.

The giveaway will end next Sunday, May 23.

Good luck!

(Note: this contest is open internationally.)

Reporter's Review: The Cardturner, by Louis Sachar

2010-05-13T12:58:00.000-04:00

Delacorte; May 11, 2010
Overall Grade: A+

Alton Richards (not Richard Alton like some of his teachers call him) has always known that wealthy Lester Trapp is his favorite uncle. He loves him. At least, that's what his mother tells him to say every time Trapp and Alton talk on the phone. But when Trapp's health problems lead to his blindness and Alton is roped into being the old man's “cardturner” at his bridge club...Alton has to decide his feelings for himself—along with his feelings for Toni Castaneda, Trapp's niece by marriage and former cardturner according to most, contender for the fortune according to Alton's mom. But he soon learns that Toni might not be as crazy as his mom says, that bridge may not be as boring as he thought, and that not all coincidences are mere coincidences.
Ok, this time I'm skipping all the educated, literary-sounding praise. Getting straight to the point: I loved The Cardturner. Like Sachar's previous masterpiece, Holes, The Cardturner hides layer upon layer of meaning with the utmost subtlety...yet is so straightforward about it all that you will trust the narrator implicitly. I know my summary is slightly convoluted; a more simple way to put it is that this book is all about bridges. Yeah, the game bridge of course, which you will find delightfully, surprisingly exciting, but so much more... The bridges we build from one person to another...one idea to another... to friends, strangers, God, our own subconscious minds.
Ok, and if anyone suddenly has a strong desire to start up a bridge club after reading this (it wouldn't surprise me), I so want to be in on it.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: A+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+ (Can't get much more original than a book about bridge!)
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A+
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

*Possibly objectionable topics: mild language, stories of physical abuse in a marriage, brief discussion/thought of mature topics such as adultery.

Author Kay Cassidy visits on her blog tour for THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY!

2010-05-11T15:58:00.000-04:00

Here's what Kay's bio says:

Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

Here's what she says about her book:

What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

And I will add that she is also another lovely, generous Tenner who volunteered her time for an interview here! Welcome!

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

KC: Can I choose MacGyver? Seriously, that would be my number one choice. He'd have a lodge built with running water and TV in nothing flat.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

KC: When I was first considering writing YA, I stopped into my local library at the time and asked the teen librarian what she would recommend. Based on my adult reading preferences, she suggested THE PRINCESS DIARIES by Meg Cabot, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares, and HOW MY PRIVATE, PERSONAL JOURNAL BECAME A BESTSELLER by Julia DeVillers. I devoured all three in a week and fell in love with YA. So without Meg, Ann and Julia, I might not be a YA author today!

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

KC: I absolutely loved LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I swore I wasn't going to read it because it sounded so despondent, but my friend Tera Lynn Childs insisted I would love it and I finally caved. It made me fret for weeks afterward that we didn't have enough canned goods stored in the pantry, but it was so compelling and human.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

KC: I create a playlist for my books because it really helps me make the transition from the real world of laundry, phones ringing and domestic crises to the world of the story. The theme song of the book is SOAR by Christina Aguilera. Jess's theme song is WHO I AM by Jessica Andrews and Ryan's theme song is SAVIN' ME by Nickelback.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

KC: Right now, I'm working on the sequel to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, titled Cindy on a Mission. It follows the further adventures of Jess and the Sisters as the Wickeds launch an offensive that threatens everything the Cindys hold dear. Cindy on a Mission will be on shelves in Spring 2011.

CBR: Thank you, Kay! Best of luck with your book and many projects!

To learn more about THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, first of all, read the following blurb...and visit Kay at her website: http://www.kaycassidy.com/!

I opened the card, my hands trembling in dread and the faint remnants of what I used to call hope, as a tiny silver high-heel pin bounced into my hand.

I juggled the pin for a second, barely managing to keep it from falling, and flipped open the note with my other hand. The words inside were not a message but an invitation that sent shivers down my spine:
Your presence is requested at The Grind.
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Wear the pin.
Discretion MANDATORY.

Mothers' Day Writer Mama Guest Post: Lindsey Leavitt

2010-05-09T12:41:00.000-04:00

(Lindsay is the author of the delicious 2010 debut novel Princess for Hire.)

Last week was my oldest daughter's birthday. Since my husband was out of town, we saved the party business for another day and opted to have some girl time instead. We spent the day at Chuck E Cheese, playing with friends, watching movies and eating cupcakes.

That night, my little-six-year-old cuddled up to me and said, "Mom? It's night time. Why aren't you on your computer?"

I kissed her head and answered, "I'm not working today. I'm hanging out with you."

And her eyes got super wide and she said, "Wow! That's the first time you've EVER done that! Thank you for not working, Mommy!"

Yeah, I listened to Cat's Cradle on repeat that night and drowned my Mommy Guilt in the leftover cupcakes, comforted in the fact that this same daughter also said she NEVER goes to the bookstore. Hello, if I buy another book, they're going to name a wing after us. If bookstores had wings.

The truth is, I am on my computer a lot. Or hiding in the closet so I can talk to my agent. Or I'm reading a friend's book at the park. Two years ago, when I sold my first book, I went from a full-time mom with a dream to a full-time mom with a career. Sometimes, I feel like I'm straddling some invisible line between the two, wanting so desperately to succeed in both, never feeling like I'm doing my best in either.

But. The beauty of my job is that I CAN be a full-time mom. I can put my kids to bed and stay up until 1 to get that dang character description right. There are weeks where cereal is on the menu every night, and others where I don't write at all. And I teach my kids the importance of perseverance and going after a dream simply by booting up that computer every day.

It's a crazy, wonderful balancing act, filled with play-do and "quick email checks". And a day NEVER EVER goes by that I'm not grateful for it.

You can visit Lindsey at http://www.lindseyleavitt.com

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY, TO ALL YOU MOTHERS OUT THERE! (And especially to Lindsey, Rosanne, and Lindsay! Thanks for inspiring us!)

Mothers' Day Writer Mama Guest Post: Lindsay Eland

2010-05-08T15:34:00.000-04:00

(Guest writer-mama # 2, Lindsay Eland, is the author of Scones and Sensibility. I believe this is one of the times where less of an intro is more, so I'll be quiet now and get to her lovely words...)

To all the mothers buried under mounds of laundry and dishes and homework

To all the mothers that kiss their kids good-bye…sending them off to school, to college, to their own families, to war

To all the mothers whose hearts have ached at every scraped knee, every broken heart, every good-bye

To all the mothers who have worried and prayed and stayed up until the car pulls into the driveway…no matter how late the clock struck

To all the mothers who aren’t the same in the mirror as they were before…but who are so much more beautiful and full of life and wonder and love because of having a child
To all the mothers who have a hidden lion underneath their soft skin and gentle touch…a ferocious love that doesn’t go away or diminish as time goes on

To all the mothers who do it all alone—the cooking and cleaning and crying and loving

To all the mothers who have taken children who aren’t their own and sewn them into their hearts forever

To all the mothers who loved their child enough to give them a better chance

To all the mothers that have cried over the babies that left them too early but were loved a lifetime over

To all the mothers still dreaming dreams

To all the mothers reawakening old dreams

To all the mothers laughing or crying, singing or skipping, reading or sleeping, old or young or in-between…

Happy Mother’s Day!

(You can visit Lindsay at http://lindsayeland.com/)

Mothers' Day Writer Mama Guest Post: Rosanne Parry

2010-05-07T14:25:00.000-04:00

You're in for a special Mothers' Day Weekend treat (not of the chocolate variety, though I hope you mothers will get plenty of that at home)... For each day this weekend, I will be posting a guest post by a writer/mother who has inspired me; I am sure their posts will give you much inspiration as well!
Today we have Rosanne Parry, author of Heart of a Shepherd, discuss her own mother's influence on her writing...and I know it has already had influence on mine as well. Thanks, Rosanne!

I could say any number of things about my mother and my writing. I could tell you how she taught me to read when I was four, had the chicken pox, and was bored out of my mind. I could tell about her love of poetry, how she always had a table just my size with paper, pens, paint, scissors, and glue. How she almost never interrupted me when I was working. But when I think about what she did that made the most difference in my life as a writer, it’s this: my mother never said a negative thing about herself in my hearing.

She had plenty of negative things to say to me which is why I had oatmeal for breakfast instead of brownies, and I wrote a thank you note this morning, and I am not picking my nose as I write this. But she never had a critical word for herself. I’m sure it’s not that she’s never had regrets or felt dissatisfied. But in a world that expects a woman to be self-effacing, she chose to remain uncritical of her appearance, her work, her relationships and her life choices. It is, in its silence, as bold a feminist statement as any I’ve heard.

And it has had an important impact on my own writing process. We all have our inner critic. The difference is that mine has never been one that says: “You have no talent. You are never going to finish this. You will never be good enough.”

I get my share of doubts and self-criticism, but they sound more like this: “This character is too much like this other one and needs his own voice. This scene needs more specific and detailed action. This work needs more time to develop.”

It’s a subtle difference but an important one. One that helps me stick with a story until it’s done, look at the story dispassionately when I revise, and receive the critique of my writers group and editor in the spirit it is intended.

I’d like to say that I’ve done the same for my own daughters. I’ve certainly tried but it takes a measure of self-discipline to swim against a cultural expectation so ingrained most of us never think about it. So my Mother’s Day wish, beyond a lifetime of thanks to my mom, is that my own girls will learn to speak of their bodies, their choices and their work with respect and without excuses.

So how about you moms out there? Chime in on the comments with one thing about your work that makes you proud. Or maybe lay to rest for good a self-defeating phrase you hear yourself using. It’s the Mother’s Day gift that only you can give yourself—a gift that endures in the lives of your daughters. Happy Mother’s Day!

You can visit Rosanne at her website: http://www.rosanneparry.com/

Author Interview: Kristina McBride

2010-05-02T13:36:00.002-04:00

Up today is the next lovely Tenner, Kristina McBride. (Seriously, aren't they all so good-looking?) She very graciously joined us to discuss her upcoming book, The Tension of Opposites ( on sale May 25, 2010 from Egmont USA).

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

KM: Psychological thriller, kidnapped and returned, friendship, love, romance, photography, nature.

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

KM: The following comes from the scene where my main character sees her best friend for the first time since she went missing two years earlier. The reunion goes nothing like Tessa had expected, as her old friend Noelle seems to be a completely different person:

Noelle sighed. “This just isn’t my life anymore, Tess. I’m not that girl you knew all those years ago.”

“Noelle, I’ll always be - ”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Her hand shot out at the darkness, aiming to hit something that wasn’t there. “I’m not Noelle anymore.” She breathed heavily through her nose and clenched her jaw.

“Of course you’re Noelle. Who else would you be?”

The girl who was not Noelle looked directly into my eyes. Her stare was hard and cold. “Noelle is gone. And she’s not coming back.” She blinked. “My name is Elle.”

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

KM; Noise, coffee, people not being reliable, people not wearing their seatbelts, itty-bitty children drinking soda, when people are disrespectful to books, cold weather (too bad I live in Ohio!). Does it say something about me that I can only come up with seven things for this list?

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

KM: Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns by John Green. She’s mischievous and brilliant with all of her pranks and I think she’d be great fun to hang out with!

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

KM: This is so hard to answer! Every book I have read has inspired me in some way. To name a few off the top of my head: Laurie Halse Anderson, Jay Asher, Sarah Dessen, John Green, Les Edgerton (the author of Hooked, an incredible book on writing!).

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

KM: Are you kidding me? I mean, there is absolutely NO WAY I can answer this one. When I’m reading a book, I slip into this alternate reality where I believe the characters are real. They’re like friends to me. I could never choose just one. Or even ten! If people are interested in seeing the types of books I read, they can check me out on Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3084178.Kristina_McBride).

(I know, I know, it's such a mean question. I could never answer either!)
CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

KM: A librarian, teacher, author, or hair stylist.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

KM: Maxfield Parrish – not that his style would match my book so much, but that I think he is an incredible artist. My favorite of his pieces is titled Ecstasy.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

KM: Don’t Follow by Alice & Chains is the first song that comes to mind. It portrays the journey of Elle, the character who was kidnapped and returned after two years of captivity.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

KM: It’s the second book in my two-book deal. The only thing I can say right now is that it has nothing to do with The Tension of Opposites.

CBR: Many thanks for the interview, Kristina, and best of luck on your upcoming release!

To learn more about Kristina and The Tension of Opposites, there's lots of places you can find her:
Website: http://www.kristinamcbride.com/
Blog: http://kristinamcbride.livejournal.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/McBrideKristina
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6889070-the-tension-of-opposites

And you can pre-order her book from Amazon (though it would be even better to get it from your local indie bookstore)!

Reporter's Review: Crunch, by Leslie Connor

2010-04-18T18:27:00.001-04:00

Harper Collins (Katherine Tegen Books), March 30, 2010
Overall Grade: A+

When his parents get stuck miles away from home due to a worldwide gas shortage, it's up to Dewey Marriss to run the family's bike shop. But with the sudden demand for bicycle repairs, this proves to be no easy task... Between the heavy workload, the fear of a thief, sibling conflicts, Dewey has a lot working against him--but luckily he has the love of family, the support of friends, and even the unexpected help of a stranger working for him.
Crunch is amazing. It's that simple. Rarely do you find a story with such great family interaction--and the ones that come to mind are already greats: the stories of Elizabeth Enright, Eleanor Estes, Jeanne Birdsall... Despite some mentions of technology, Crunch is sure to join them on the classic shelf, because it feels timeless. Dewey's voice is marvelous and believable, and his predicament is well developed through a character-driven plot.
I'm expecting to see this story come up on a lot of Newbery discussions.

Literary Quality: A

Plot: A- (It is simple, but very well-ordered)
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A

Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: some mild language

Reporter's Review: Princess for Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt

2010-04-18T17:46:00.001-04:00

Disney, Hyperion, March 2010
Overall Grade: A

Desi makes a wish: she wants to make an impact. An Audrey-Hepburn-in-a-movie kind of impact. And being as gorgeous as Audrey wouldn't hurt either. But she didn't expect her wish to be answered by a sort of technologically advanced fairy godmother with crazy-colored hair who offers her a chance to be a stand-in princess. Basically, when Desi applies a magical rouge to her cheeks, she takes on the appearance of any princess who has applied for her help. No problem, right? Oh, come on, you're intelligent readers: of course there's a problem. But I'm not going to tell you.

What I will tell you is that Princess for Hire was funny, cute, wonderfully readable and enjoyable, and that I can't wait for it to be made into a movie. More specifically, the main character was exceptionally well-created and believable, every scene was very visual, and the structure was excellent. I know it seems weird to make a point of the structure, but seriously, it stood out as well done. My one complaint--or perhaps just a pet peeve--is the openness of the ending. I'm kinda picky in that I like everything wrapped up, tied with a bow, with a gift tag on the side...you get the idea. That said, this is the first in a series...and it's a series that I will definitely be following.

Literary Quality: B

Plot: A+ (Extremely well-structured)
Voice: A
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: B+

Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: a little kissing

Author Interview: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

2010-04-07T19:04:00.000-04:00

Up today, Tenner interview #6, with Christina Gonzalez, author of The Red Umbrella, to be released May 11.

Welcome!

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

CDG: Secret plan, revolution, family, friendship, betrayal, separation, Cuba, Nebraska, red umbrella

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

CDG: It was a bright clear day outside. Not a cloud in the sky. I stared through the plane’s window at the palm trees in the distance. It didn’t seem real. Like a painting was hung inside the plane showing us a last glimpse of Cuba. I pushed my nose against the glass. Mamá and Papá were out there…somewhere.

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

CDG: I guess some are obvious choices: nails on a chalkboard, early morning alarms, stinky garbage, stinky soccer cleats, cleaning dog poo, babies crying hysterically, my children crying because they got hurt. Others are a little more peculiar: old water from a flower vase, lilies and high pitched whistles.

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

CDG: I’ll take Katniss from the Hunger Games/Catching Fire. She seems like a girl who can handle just about anything that is thrown at her.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

CDG: Madeleine L’Engle and the writers who wrote under the pseudonym of Carolyne Keene

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

CDG: Too many to name

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

CDG: Probably a writer or a lawyer

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

CDG: Roberto Innocenti. I’ve seen some of his work and love it.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

CDG: I have a playlist with the actual songs on my website, but I think my mc’s favorites would be Celia Cruz’s “Guantanamera” and Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up”.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

CDG: It’s a story about the Bermuda Triangle, Bahamian folklore, parallel universes and powerful talismans.

CBR: Thank you so much, Christina! Best wishes on your upcoming release and all the fun and stress that go along with it!

To learn more about Christina and her novel, you can visit her website: http://www.christinagonzalez.com/

And watch her book trailer on YouTube!

Reporter's Review: The Night Fairy, by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Angela Barrett

2010-03-21T13:34:00.006-04:00

Candlewick, March 2010
Overall Grade: A+

When a sleepy bat mistakes her for a moth and takes a bite, Flory the night fairy is left wingless--and with one fear: bats. She decides to become a day fairy to avoid the creatures, but the day is not without its own dangers: squirrels, spiders, praying mantises...but Flory, always stubborn and resourceful, learns to survive and makes a home.
The Night Fairy is an ideal read-aloud for any children old enough to handle a few scary moments--the language is lyrical and descriptive, making it a pleasure for the adult reading as well as the child being read to. From the first lovely description on page one, "eyes that sparkled like blackberries under dew," to its humorous and endearing ending, this book is definitely one that fits into that "small gem" category along with its main character. I loved the wonderful world-building of fairy life--the petal dresses, the thorn dagger--I loved the humor and the cast of supporting characters, especially Skuggle, the most squirrel-like squirrel you will ever come across, I loved the adventure, I loved Angela Barrett's beautiful illustrations. The omniscient narrative voice was slightly off-putting; it came across as very obviously human and adult. I would prefer a firmer handle on the fairy perspective, but I will allow that this familiar narrator may make the story readily accessible and familiar to young readers.

Literary Quality: A+
Plot: A-
Voice: A-
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: A+
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: some moments may be scary for very young, sensitive readers

Reporter's Review: The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, by Francisco X. Stork

2010-03-18T19:16:00.005-04:00

Arthur A. Levine Books, March 2010
Overall Grade: A

At seventeen, Pancho has decided the last thing he needs to do with his life: kill the man he thinks responsible for the death of his sister. It's not so simple, though...first he has to figure out who exactly the man is, how to find him, and how to get past the annoying, aggravatingly happy D.Q., another teen boy with a mission of his own: live life to the fullest in his last months...before he dies of brain cancer. And...honestly...I can't do justice to the plot here. Throw in some conversations about life, death, faith, love. Mix up with heart-wrenching backgrounds, wise children, foolish adults, and sucking every drop of marrow from life.
As my little synopsis probably makes clear, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors is one of those fathoms-deep, meaningful stories that you rarely come across in YA lit. It is also an extremely subtle story--almost too subtle for my taste (the ending didn't feel wrapped-up enough for me), yet I love the way it left me thinking after I finished it. I can guarantee that it will make you question the way you're living your life, embrace the beauty of every day, and appreciate things you never thought to notice. You will never forget Pancho and D.Q. or the friends they make on their journey--Francisco Stork is a master at character and relationship development, and these aspects of the story are truly what make it shine. Even every description, although technically all of them are extremely basic and simply worded, serves to develop character--and does so perfectly.
As a bit of a warning, this is a very difficult book to read...certainly not in actual pacing or readability, but simply because it delves into topics and a world that are hard to be in. This is not a story to be read casually, and it is certainly for mature readers who can handle its issues. Yet it is a beautiful book, and it is an important book.

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: Serious issues, such as death, sex, alcohol, drugs. Harsh language. A lot of all of the above.

Author Interview: Jame Richards

2010-03-08T14:32:00.006-05:00

Today we welcome fabulous Tenner number 5: Jame Richards! Jame's novel, Three Rivers Rising:
A Novel of the Johnstown Flood, will be published by Alfred A. Knopf on April 13, 2010.

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

JR: Cross-class romance, disowning, power, accountability, action, disaster, change, rebuilding

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

JR:
Peter
The sunset competes with the red glow over Johnstown.
And I know,
at any given moment,
metal is liquid fire
lighting the night sky,
becoming steel
that will build tracks
to anywhere she might be.
It will build bridges between the glittering stars
and the likes of me.

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

JR: I hate the smell of wet dogs.
I hate the smell/taste/sensation of a temporary crown falling off.
I hate the smell of hot dog water.
I hate honking horns.
I hate the cold.
I hate the cold.
I hate the cold. (Apparently I always say it three times!)
I hate getting my car’s oil changed.
I hate being trapped.
I hate the phone and its infernal ringing.

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

JR: Katniss from The Hunger Games. What other answer could there be? Hopefully she’ll have a lifetime supply of contact lens solution with her.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

JR: Patricia Reilly Giff, Karen Hesse, Edith Wharton, Jane Austen, Judy Blume, Louise Erdrich, Sandra Cisneros, Jacqueline Woodson, Anne Lamott, Sue Bender, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Roy, Helen Frost, David McCullough, J.M. Synge, L.M. Montgomery, Ibtisam Barakat, Naomi Shihab Nye

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

JR: Nory Ryan’s Song and Maggie’s Door by Patricia Reilly Giff: I’m counting them as one because I devoured them together all in one gulp. I had chills and goose bumps the whole time knowing I was witnessing a masterpiece.

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

JR:I loved to draw. Faces. People. Dresses. So I thought I’d be a designer since that’s the only job where you get to draw people. I was always fascinated to see personalities and emotions emerge when I drew someone I thought was only from my imagination. Sometimes I thought I knew their stories. Or even what they would say if they could speak. Writing is the same way. I draw with words now, of course, but I still love to be surprised.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

JR: If I had a picture book, I would love to see it illustrated by Anita Lobel (Allison’s Zinnia), Betty Fraser (The Cozy Book), Mari Takabayashi (Flannel Kisses) or Kristina Swarner (One White Wishing Stone).
Even though I can imagine a big beautiful illustrated edition of Three Rivers Rising, I don’t have a specific illustrator in mind, someone who can do epic realism.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

JR: I don’t know a great deal about music from the late 1800s, but it would be instrumental and filled with longing.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

JR: Two ideas from Three Rivers Rising seeped into my next project. Tea leaves. And typhoid.
Set it in Ireland and Brooklyn. Mix in talk of fairies and the gift of seeing. Put it all in motion against the backdrop of young Irish women working as domestics, otherwise as known as “Bridgets.” Yeah, someday I’ll write a nice straight-forward uncomplicated book, but this isn’t it.

CBR: Thanks, Jame! I'm sure I'm not the only one counting down to release date--best wishes for everything! (And be forewarned that if you do a book signing in my area, I'm showing up. :)

To learn more about Jame, you can visit her at: www.jamerichards.com or http://jamerichards.blogspot.com

Reporter's Review: The Summer of Moonlight Secrets, by Danette Haworth

2010-02-26T18:43:00.005-05:00

Walker Books, to be released June 2010
Overall Grade: A-/A

Allie Jo fears that summer with her best friend away is going to be miserable—but she didn't expect that helping her parents work at the Meriwether Hotel in Hope Springs, Florida, would bring her a few new friends: a sweet girl named Sophie, a skateboard-loving boy named Chase, and a beautiful girl named Tara with a mysterious penchant for moonlit swims...and maybe that's not the only mystery surrounding her...
There's something about a big, old house, a bunch of kids, and a mystery that made the perfect ingredients for a kids' book. There's a long history of books that fit into this sub-genre: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Children of the Green Knowe; now, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets. Danette Haworth created a cast of lovable, believable characters, and put them in an absolutely incredible setting. The Meriwether is bursting with secret passages, hidden rooms—it's the perfect place to hide a secret, so it isn't too surprising that secrets abound. These secrets, and the characters themselves, move the plot forward to an exciting, touching climax.
My critique of the book would be that certain plot elements (Chase's mom and Chase's relationship with Sophie, in particular) are very built up in the beginning, to be left rather vague by the end. They serve well as plot-propellers, but didn't tie up into a perfectly satisfying ending. Also, in terms of pacing, once the danger arrives at the book's climax, everything is resolved a little too quickly for my taste. I felt that if the danger had presented itself sooner or lasted longer, the tension and pacing would have been perfect.
Altogether, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets is an enchanting story for middle grade readers, and, who knows? It might be at the start of a new fantasy trend—you'll have to read to find out what.

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B
Voice: A-
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: broken family, kidnapping

Reporter's Review: Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce

2010-02-21T13:32:00.003-05:00

Harper Collins (Walden Pond), January 2010 (U.S. date)
Overall Grade: A

Ever since he was a little kid, Liam wasn't little. By the time he turns twelve, he's way taller than his dad, let alone his classmates. He has to shave. Everyone mistakes him for an adult—and he hates it. Until...he's the only kid allowed to ride the new super ride at the amusement park...and adults treat him with respect...and he (almost) gets away with test-driving a Porsche. And he somehow cons his way into being the “parent chaperone” to the first four kids in space. Which is absolutely cosmic, as he would say—until the kids start acting like typical kids and break the ship. What they need is a dad to come rescue them—but Liam is the only dad they've got.
You come across a few books in your lifetime that really surprise you. You come across a few that make you laugh until you're crying. You come across a few that have such profound depth and meaning that when you finish them they settle into your gut so you'll always remember the way you felt reading them. You hardly ever come across one that embodies all these qualities; Cosmic is such a book. I finished it a week ago and held off writing the review so I didn't just gush meaninglessly (I did that to my family and friends). Now that I've stopped raving, here are my more organized thoughts:
To start with the negative (note the use of the singular), the structure was confusing. Liam begins telling his story to his parents from space, through recording himself on his phone—which makes for a very cool opening. But once we get to the point in the story where he began telling it, there is a disconnect. The time and circumstances have to be reestablished a few times, which can be disorienting. Unfortunately, it felt that a story which could more simply have been told in past tense after it was all over, began in the middle for the sake of a killer opening paragraph.
That said—deal with the confusion. Seriously. Because... we're on to the positives: brilliant voice, wonderful humor, the coolest tribute to Roald Dahl ever. (You'll have to figure it out yourselves.) If you like Science fiction, you'll be impressed by the author's attention to research and detail; if you don't, you'll still love Cosmic for the characters, the story, the subtlety with which a very important message is conveyed.
Ok, I'm going to go gush to my family some more now.

Literary Quality: B (for the aforementioned confusing structure—and that alone.)
Plot: A+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A+
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Reporter's Review: Operation Yes, by Sara Lewis Holmes

2010-02-07T14:36:00.005-05:00

Arthur Levine Books; Fall 2009

Overall Grade: A-

Miss Loupe is the new sixth grade teacher at a school just outside a Air Force base in North Carolina; Bo Whaley is the base commander's well-meaning, trouble-making son; Gari Whaley is Bo's cousin whose mother is deployed in the Middle East; the whole sixth grade class is a group of individuals who are waiting for something to turn their lives into something...meaningful. That something may be Miss Loupe's crazy ideas about improv theater and the practice of saying, "Yes, and..."--crazy smart ideas which show a group of disconnected kids how to make their lives and themselves a true piece of art.
Having spent a large part of my own childhood as a "military brat" (Sorry, dad...I know you don't like that term--neither does this book's author, seemingly, so you're in good company...), Operation Yes really resonated with me, and I feel it provides a fascinating look for civilian kids into a virtually untapped setting and group of characters. I did find the initial pacing somewhat slow; it took a while to get to a real "plan" on any character's part. The multiple POV's may have accentuated this; to me, what propelled the story was the relationships, rather than any one character or plot element. On that note, however, the relationships were exceptionally well developed and believable. I loved the way the theme was exposed, and the improv theater stuff--so cool and original.
On a final note, I have to offer my sincere thanks to Ms Holmes for so beautifully representing her character's muddled thoughts regarding war. Long-time followers of this blog know how much it bothers me when an author uses her characters and plot as mere vehicles to forward an agenda; far to the contrary, I think Operation Yes offered a balanced, true presentation of how most kids stuck in the middle of it actually feel about war. Ms Holmes presents the facts, simple as that, followed by her character's reactions to them, and allows her readers to draw their own conclusions. So, thank you!

Literary Quality: A-

Plot: A-

Voice: B

Originality: A+

Descriptive Ability: A-

Humor: A-

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: A+

Believability of Situations: A+

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A-

Possibly objectionable topics*: war-related injury and violence (not directly related, but through dialogue)

Reporter's Review: Scones and Sensibility, by Lindsay Eland

2010-01-22T15:49:00.005-05:00

Egmont, December 2009

Overall Grade: A-

Indeed, love is in the air for one Polly Madassa, a reader of most elegant books and daughter of the owners of a quaint and lovely bakery. Determined to find matches for her friends and family befitting the romantic ideals set forth in her favorite books (Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice—hey, the girl's got taste;), Polly takes it upon herself to manage a little matchmaking. When things go awry, however, she finds herself in the depths of despair...will she be able to right the terrible wrongs she has committed?

Scones and Sensibility is a must-read for all those girls (you know who you are) who always wished they could be Anne of Green Gables. (Oops, did my hand just jump into the air? Sorry.) Polly is a delightful, extremely memorable character, just like her heroine. There are moments when the story's and characters' believability is called into question; chiefly this stems from the unique way Polly narrates her story in first person. Her thoughts and commentary are all told to the audience in the archaic, flowery, adjective- and adverb-laden speech she admires, and which she uses. Because we have a constant dose of the strongest examples of that, it seems at times that Polly's friends and family should be more startled/annoyed by it than they are...however, that reaction—the rolled eyes, the confused stares, etc.--is there if you look. The only actual flaw may have been that Polly, as she was narrating, did not point out the emotional moments where she lapses into modern speech (except in one instance); she leaves it to her audience to draw their own conclusions, the classic show-don't-tell theory...but Polly would tell. That's just the kind of girl she is. Perhaps this is a case of the factor that makes a story lovable (that unique, kinda crazy voice) also making it difficult for some readers to follow.

Nonetheless, I love the idea, that wonderful exploration of what a girl could end up like if she took storybook romance too much to heart—and I love the conclusion that is reached, that ultimately, true love does exist and is even better than storybook love.

Literary Quality: B+

Plot: A-

Voice: A

Originality: A-

Descriptive Ability: A-

Humor: A+

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: B-

Believability of Situations: A-

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

*Possibly objectionable topics: broken families

Books for Boys: Homer Price, by Robert McCloskey

2010-01-22T15:41:00.004-05:00

Viking, 1943

One test of a classic is time, a test that Robert McCloskey's Homer Price has aced. Originally published in 1943, this book's marvelous illustrations and crazy humor are still, rightly, winning it fans. Homer Price is an average boy living in Centerburg, a town populated by some of the most memorable, hilarious characters in children's literature. Each chapter is a story in itself (a plus for boys who find long book difficult to digest), covering a range of humorous topics from a pet skunk assisting in capturing dangerous criminals, to a diamond bracelet lost in a doughnut—one of a thousand or so doughnuts (accompanied by some of the funniest illustrations you will ever see).

Why boys like it: short stories, easy-to-read, humor, humorous illustrations, great characters.

My comments on various awards...

2010-01-22T15:29:00.005-05:00

You may have noticed that When You Reach Me was not on my list of Newbery predictions, even though it was on practically everyone else's, and I've been asked to explain why...
Well. I did read the book, and was very impressed (as were most readers) by Rebecca Stead's deft handling of character development and relationship growth. She crafted a tight plot—however, one that I felt fell short. It gives the semblance of falling perfectly into place at the climax—like another Newbery winner, Holes, for example. My problem, which I am surprised no one else brought up, is that the plot is too forced. So many problems could have been solved very simply: Why can't the notes be more direct? Why can't the time traveler at least give his name? Why can he warn the characters through ambiguous notes, yet not simply tell them in person? Furthermore, the rules of time travel are highly ambiguous, a big rule-breaker for anyone immersed in the SciFi genre, and the only explanation given sounds technical but is really philosophical—unfortunately, any philosopher could find several holes in it. I find it ironic that the author took the best philosophical argument against travel into the past (that is, the impossibility of free will if one's actions have “already happened and therefore must happen”) and used it as the premise for her explanation of time travel and her “Aha! moment” in the plot.So, that's what I think. I'd be thrilled to carry on a lengthy philosophical argument with anyone who disagrees, however.

Onto the Printz award... I can't decisively comment on the winner because I didn't finish it. I started it, loved the humor, was very disturbed by the constant crude language and casual drug use, and finally had to stop when I realized my list of “possibly objectionable topics” would be longer than my review. I do think Francisco X. Stork deserved to win this award (though he has my congratulations on winning the Schneider Family Award)... I will reiterate now that Marcelo in the Real World was one of the most beautiful and relevant books I've read in my lifetime. Though it, too, had its share of difficult topics, I believe the grace with which they were handled may be unparalleled.

Finally, it's not really my field of expertise, but I did think Pinkney deserved his Caldecott for The Lion and the Mouse—beautifully done. However, it was pointed out to me that his lovely, dramatic cover was hardly original...a talented Welsh artist by the name of Jackie Morris has done it before, twice. Compare, and enjoy:

Newbery Winner 2010

2010-01-18T09:53:00.003-05:00

Here's the list of actual winners of the 2010 Newbery Award and Honors:

Winner:

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead

Honors:

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, by Rodman Philbrick

Congratulations to everyone! (And check back later for my comments... ;)

Printz Prediction...by the way

2010-01-15T19:43:00.003-05:00

I don't think there's even much room for arguing here. My prediction for the Printz award (and one of the best 3 books of the year):
Marcelo in the Real World, by Francisco X. Stork
Yes, I know everyone else is saying the same thing. Everyone is right, it so happens.

Vote for your favorite in the Newbery Poll!

2010-01-13T15:29:00.003-05:00

To participate in our very own, very small-scale, mock-Newbery...cast your vote in the poll to the right before 11 pm, January 17th (Sunday)!

We'll send the winner--well, an email. With the picture of a medal. :)

The Time Has Come...Newbery Predictions 2010

2010-01-11T12:51:00.003-05:00

2009 has drawn to a close, and with it have closed the covers of many, many wonderful books. But now, with the announcement of the most coveted medal in American Children's Fiction only a week away, it's time to revisit a few of the best.
Last year, I didn't write an official post on my predictions; The Graveyard Book was my untouchable pick for best book of the year--yet, somehow, I didn't think in a million years the Newbery committee would choose it. I did guess that The Underneath and Savvy would end up with stickers, though, so my record is pretty good.
Knowing the Newbery committee's flair for being unpredictable, I'm probably about to ruin said good record...but here (in order of when I read them) are my Newbery picks:
Umbrella Summer, by Lisa Graff. Very sweet, very well-written. Not on the top of my list for literary quality and plot, but the emotional story is rock-solid and wonderful.
The Year the Swallows Came Early, by Kathryn Fitzmaurice. Not much chatter on this one that I've seen (who knows, that may be in its favor), but I thought it was a beautifully written, moving story with the type of emotional pull that always seems to earn stickers.
Heart of a Shepherd, by Rosanne Parry. I have so much respect for this book and its author. I love, though sometimes the Newbery committee doesn't seem to, the type of truly uplifting ending this story has.
Tropical Secrets, by Margarita Engle. A beautiful novel in verse with a fresh angle on old history.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly. A lot of people loved this. I liked it a lot. I do think it may win something, and I have even higher hopes for whatever the author's next work might be.
When the Whistle Blows, by Fran Cannon Slayton. This is the book I believe should win the Newbery. Whenever someone scoffs at the quality of children's literature, I'm going to smile to myself and hand them this book.
A Season of Gifts, by Richard Peck. The greatest obstacle for this book to overcome will be the author's repuation and its "prequels". Both the previous Grandma Dowdel stories earned stickers, both were wonderful, so the latest has a lot to live up to. Its plot wasn't as strong as its predecessors'...but the overall literary quality, the crafting of each sentence and paragraph and chapter, are enough to earn it an award, in my book.

I'd love to know your thoughts! Any glaring omissions? Anything I should hastily read before next Monday?

Author Interview: Jen Nadol

2010-01-08T19:36:00.006-05:00

Tenner Interview #4 today brings us Jen Nadol, author of THE MARK (Bloomsbury USA), on shelves January 19.

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?
JN: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell?

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?JN: I doodled Cassandra Canton in my notebooks, liking the alliterative sound of it whispered aloud, then quickly scribbled it out before Lucas could see that I wasn't the deep thinker he took me for, but just a silly schoolgirl after all.

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?JN: Wasting time, pantyhose, Phil Collins’ music , knick-knacks, the fatty parts on meat, being disorganized, the Geico cavemen, shag carpet, TV shows with laugh tracks, not living up to committments I've made

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?JN: Robinson Crusoe. He’s done it before and could save me some hassle trying to figure out how not to die.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?JN: Stephen King, Lisa McMann, John Irving

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?JN: That’s really hard. City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling was excellent – a great story and fascinating look at early NYC.

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?JN: I didn't have much of a plan at ten. Or at twenty, for that matter.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?JN: Rembrandt van Rijn

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?JN: Just about anything by Nickelback – they have a real mortality/carpe diem thing going.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?JN: I have a paranormal YA novel on submission with my Bloomsbury editor right now and two other YAs that I’m working on, one paranormal, one dystopian.

CBR: Thank you so much, Jen, and we hope your release time is exciting and wonderful and everything you could hope for!

To learn more about Jen, you can visit her website at www.jennadolbooks.com.

Reporter's Review: DREAMDARK: Silksinger, by Laini Taylor

2009-12-29T13:31:00.005-05:00

Penguin, October 2009
Overall Grade: A+

Whisper Silksinger is the last of her clan, the brave Silksingers who protected their Djinn and their city when its appointed guardians, the Mothmage, failed at their post...and her last mission is to set the Djinn once again on his throne.

Hirik is the first of a shamed clan to rise above his reputation and become a true champion...

And Magpie Windwitch is still at work, capturing devils, seeking out forgotten magic, and restoring the fraying tapestry of the world.

Evil forces work against all three...will the three of them together be able to overcome the most daunting of obstacles?

Laini Taylor is a rare find in an author: she has masterful plotting and world-building skills, she crafts every sentence with skill, fluidity, and subtlety, and her characters are unforgettable, lovable, and completely unique. Fans of epic fantasies would be more than remiss to overlook this amazing specimen; the omniscient narrative viewpoint may at times be difficult for a reader not accustomed to fantasy to follow, but it is well worth the effort it may take to "get into" the first few chapters. I can promise you that the action, intrigue, world-building and relationships will pull you into this fascinating story, whether you usually enjoy fantasy or not.

(Note: This is a sequel to DREAMDARK: Blackbringer, and will probably be more enjoyed if you have read that first book already. However, it does stand on its own as well.)

Literary Quality: A+
Plot: A
Voice: A-
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: A
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: violence; demons; a fantasy world in which there are multiple "gods" (Also, there is some slight ambivalence surrounding the world's "heaven" as everyone goes there after death and can be killed--thus unmade--there...the book's only plot weakness as far as I have seen).

Author Interview: Irene Latham

2009-12-29T13:15:00.005-05:00

Tenner Interview Number 3 today: Irene Latham, author of LEAVING GEES BEND, due out from Putnam on January 7. Welcome, Irene!

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

IL: heart-touching, historical, adventure, lyrical, southern, survival, quilts, midgrade, family, love

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

IL: "Mama always said every quilt tells a story. Every piece of cloth, every stitch and every bit of cotton stuffed between the seams tells a secret about the one who made the quilt."

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

IL: restaurants where the music is too loud to converse, politics, predictable movies, the fact that there's not enough time to read all the books I want to read, napkin fuzz sticking to my black pants, the way ink smears for us left-handed folks, how expensive printer ink is, nubby sheets, cockroaches, the inability (so far) to time travel

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

IL: Oh my. This is quite a commitment. But I think me and Newland Archer from Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence might have some fun.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

IL: Katherine Paterson, Sharon Olds, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mary Oliver and so many others.

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

IL: Gosh. The MOST? Impossible to say. But for a real reading experience, I enjoyed Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

IL: A thoroughbred horse trainer (and my sister would ride our horse to victory in the Kentucky Derby)

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

IL: Garth Williams (knee-jerk response -- love his work on the Little House series)

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

IL: the movie them from Forest Gump

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

IL: I've got two in the hopper: another historical fiction set during the 1902 eruption of Mt. Pelee and a contemporary midgrade about a boy who lives at a zoo.

CBR: Thank you so much, Irene! For those of you who want to learn more about Irene and her books, you can visit her at www.irenelatham.com or www.irenelatham.blogspot.com or follow her on twitter @Irene_Latham.

The Best Buy Geeks not really helping you...?

2009-12-17T21:46:00.003-05:00

Here are my Christmas gift picks (with a much smaller pricetag):

For the hopeless romantic: Catching Fire; The Espressologist

For the geek: The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading

For the reluctant boy reader: Bobby vs. Girls, Accidentally; Crows and Cards

For the early reader: Bobby vs Girls, Accidentally

For the adventure lover: Catching Fire; Dreamdark: Silksinger

For the fairy tale afficianado: Forest Born; Fortune's Folly; The Amaranth Enchantment

For the historical fiction buff: When the Whistle Blows; Winnie's War; A Season of Gifts; Al Capone Shines My Shoes; Carolina Harmony

For adults who think kid books aren't as great as adult books: Catching Fire; Forest Born; A Season of Gifts; When the Whistle Blows; Marcelo in the Real World

For anyone who just loves great books: Heart of a Shepherd, When the Whistle Blows; The Year the Swallows Came Early; Umbrella Summer

Any other ideas?

Wisdom of the Week

2009-12-16T16:51:00.002-05:00

I'm about halfway through (and loving) Laini Taylor's DREAMDARK: Silksinger, where I found this nugget of profundity:

"New ages don't just dawn all by themselves. They're not sunrises. If you want a new age, you don't wait for it--you make it."

Author Interview: Lindsay Eland, author of Scones and Sensibility

2009-12-06T14:47:00.005-05:00

Today we welcome the second of our Tenner authors, Lindsay Eland, author of the middle grade title SCONES AND SENSIBILITY, due in stores December 22.

CBR:What are ten words that best describe your book?

LE: Funny, heartwarming, utterly romantic, soaring on the wings of elation, drowning in the depths of despair, bosom friends, scrumptious baking, matchmaking, books, and family dynamics

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

LE: Oh dear! One of them is in the first thirty or so pages of Scones and Sensibility, when Polly, my overdramtic, over romantic main character is meeting up with her neighbors dog on one of her first deliveries. "Jack the Nipper stared viciously at me with his blackened eyes, but I lifted my nose to him unwilling to fall under his spell of intimidation. Still, I felt it unwise to enter the gate lest my dainty ankles be punctured by his pointed blood-thirsty teeth."

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

LE: The smell of syrup and cold spaghetti, the sound of a banana being eaten and macaroni and cheese being stirred which are sounds that are pretty much equal on the "despise" scale, I don't like waiting though I'm quite good at it now, the smell and the sound and the situation of throw-up is always just a horrible thing, I hate icy sidewalks, and the back of my hair when it gets too long, and I don't like long lines which kind of goes along with waiting, I guess, and I can't stand high-pitched screams

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

LE: Why, most definitely, Anne Shirley

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

LE: Kate Dicamillo, Richard Peck, Polly Horvath, Gary Schmidt, Laura Tarshis, LM Montgomery, and so, so many more

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

LE: Only one?! I guess it would have to be The Tale of Desperaux by Kate Dicamillo...I love it so very much

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

LE: A writer, actually!

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

LE: I adore Marla Frazee as well as David Small and Matt Phelan!

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

LE: It would an all instrumental soundtrack with lot's of tinkling piano keys and romantic melodies that whisk you away

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

LE: I'll give you the titles of two new projects!

1. The Culinary Year of Gloria Cubbins

2. My Life As An Omelet

CBR: Thanks so much, Lindsay, and best of luck with everything!

LE: Thanks so much for having me!

To learn more about Lindsay and her books, you can visit her website at www.lindsayeland.com

Magic Under Glass Book Trailer

2009-12-06T14:33:00.001-05:00

Check out Jaclyn Dolamore's trailer for MAGIC UNDER GLASS, in stores December 22!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvAq2lgrZ4

Author Interview: Jaclyn Dolamore, author of Magic Under Glass

2009-11-30T21:17:00.003-05:00

In the first of an exciting set of new author interviews from the Tenners, we welcome Jaclyn Dolamore, author of MAGIC UNDER GLASS (Bloomsbury, December 2009). She's here today to tell us a little about her book and herself--the novel is released on December 22.

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

JD: Foreign dancer. Mysterious automaton. Brooding sorcerer. Fairy taxidermy. Corsets. Pianoforte.

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

JD: "I felt like I could have peeled back the stiff fingers and found living ones beneath. If I could only see the spark of life in him and draw it out. If I could only punch his back and make him breathe. I ached to see his eyes searching from his frozen face."

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

JD: Polyester, mayonnaise, calling someone on the phone, buying shoes for my huge feet, the lack of creative vegetable dishes at restaurants, hot weather, planned obsolescence, "adult contemporary" stations piped into retail establishments (I worked retail for 8 years...), anything medical, wearing makeup.

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

JD: How about...Aang from the Avatar: The Last Airbender TV show. He's pretty cheerful and he can command the elements, so I would trust him to be pleasant company and keep us alive.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

JD: L. M. Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Piers Anthony back in the day, Lois Lowry, Maud Hart Lovelace, Charlotte Brontë, J. K. Rowling; also various graphic novels and manga, especially Thieves and Kings by Mark Oakley, Dame Darcy's Meatcake, and Ai Yazawa's manga Paradise Kiss and NANA.

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

JD: 10 years? Oh... wow. That's a pretty long stretch to remember. Maybe Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. (Note: this book is not for kids. Definite adult content. But I could NOT put it down.) However, I have read a lot of good books in 10 years, so I could go on...

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

JD: I believe that was my "acting" phase. I generally waffled between artist, actress, and writer throughout my childhood.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

JD: Oh man. That is so hard. I love so many illustrators so so much. Arthur Rackham and similar artists of that period, or Trina Schart Hyman, or the aforementioned Dame Darcy. Or my sister Kate Dolamore! *pimp* http://www.pencilshavings.net *end pimp* Because she is an artist and it would be so cool to produce something together like that.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

JD: Lizst's "Hungarian Rhapsody" and almost anything Chopin. Player pianos and Victorian music boxes. The Decemberists, Franz Ferdinand, and "Love Hurts" by the Everly Brothers, because most love in the book does hurt... I had a real playlist but I lost it in a computer switch...reconstructing it is on my "to-do" list.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

JD: My next book is about a mermaid and a winged dude, and it's already with my editor. So that is my next published project, but no longer the next project I'm working on (until edits). I am currently poking at a pet project about a girl whose mother was once a potion maker in another world until she fled to America...but now someone from her old life has found her. It includes a magical Mafia and doll people.

CBR: Thank you so much, Jackie! It's been great getting to know you a little--and best of luck with all your release fun and excitement!

To learn more about Jackie and her book, you can visit her website: www.jaclyndolamore.com. And there's rumors that her book trailer may appear on this blog sometime in the near future, so check back!

Reporter's Review: Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally), by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat

2009-11-17T15:13:00.007-05:00

Arthur Levine Books; September 2009

Overall Grade: A

Bobby Ellis-Chan is just a normal fourth grade boy, and like all normal fourth grade boys he has realized a thing or two: one thing is that boys and girls just aren't supposed to be friends...so he can't be seen in school with his best friend Holly. And another thing is that boys are supposed to be better than girls...so when he has the chance to run for classroom representative, even though it's against Holly, he has to take it. But when Holly, in her turn, starts to act like a normal fourth grade girl (why would someone want to wear nail polish and dresses, for goodness' sake?), Bobby's not so sure that what every normal fourth grader knows is actually right.

Bobby is one of the most realistic, entertaining boy characters I've seen in the category of contemporary realistic fiction for years (which, incidentally, means that those other boys aren't so contemporary, anymore, huh?). Every child has to live through that painful time when girls are just about ready to start acting like grown-ups, while boys, on the other hand, just want to stay kids for as long as they can...and Lisa Yee has captured that tension and dynamic extremely well. The simple, yet well-crafted language and constant humor, interlaced with the perfect amount of poignancy, make Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) a story that will be accessible and enjoyable for boys, girls, and parents alike. A great start to a new series.

Literary Quality: A-

Plot: A-

Voice: A+

Originality: B

Descriptive Ability: A

Humor: A+

Illustrations: A

Believability of Characters: A+

Believability of Situations: A+

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: none

Reporter's Review: The Espressologist, by Kristina Springer

2009-11-15T13:50:00.005-05:00

Farrar, Straus, & Giroux; October, 2009
Overall Grade: A-

Jane Turner is more than your average people-watcher; as a barista at her local "Wired Joe's" coffee shop, she's made a science out of analyzing people based upon their beverage of choice. She calls is Espressology, and it becomes the basis for a match-making endeavor that becomes the holiday promotion (tons-of-profits-earning, cool-enough-to-be-on-TV promotion) for the coffee shops. Everyone seems to be really happy--especially Jane's best friend Em (a hot chocolate) who was matched up with a cute guy from Jane's English class (a toffee nut latte). Everyone, that is, except Jane. How is it that everyone ends up with true love except for her?

So...I'm just waiting for this book to be turned into a movie, because it is perfect "chick flick" material. The plot, to be honest, isn't very complex (there's about half a subplot); this doesn't make it an astounding piece of literature, but it does make it a great, relaxing read that teenage girls will love. I found myself wishing my Christmas tree were up, so I could snuggle up in a fleece blanket with a cup of hazelnut cappuchino, and read by the tree lights--it was just that cozy. The idea is excellent, the characters are lovable and entertaining, the story is easy-to-read, sweet, and funny.

Literary Quality: B+
Plot: B-
Voice: A
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A
Illustrations: N/A
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: language (fairly mild, but frequent), mild sensuality

Reporter's Review: Crows and Cards, by Joseph Helgerson

2009-11-10T10:08:00.003-05:00

Houghton Mifflin; 2009
Overall Grade: A

Finding a trade to learn is a little difficult for Zeb Crabtree. The thought of splinters makes him queasy. Animal hair makes him sneeze. Fires are just plain scary. Having thus ruled out the occupations of cooper, livery boy, and blacksmith, Zeb’s father decides to apprentice him to a tanner and ships Zeb off on a riverboat to St. Louis. And Zeb…he does what any 1840’s boy in his position would: runs off to apprentice to a riverboat gambler, Chilly Larpenteur by name.
Chilly’s no average scalliwag, Zeb finds--he teaches the boy the noble aspects of gambling--it’s really just helping rich folks share their wealth--and Chilly even generously offers a portion of his own winnings to a woman collecting for the poor orphans. But when Zeb is asked to help Chilly cheat, his doubts are raised… and when he finds out Chilly’s generosity was a lie, he gets downright feisty. In order to get himself out of his mess (and help a beautiful Indian princess and understandably malcontent slave along the way), Zeb must face his greatest fear…
And splinters are only the start of it.
Crows and Cards is an example of historical fiction at its best. This is historical fiction that boys will love, and that no one will want to put down; Joseph Helgerson combines an intriguing story with boisterous humor, a lovable protagonist and larger-than-life crooks, and a marvelous setting. Think Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer without the hard-to-read dialect… Sam Clemens himself would have hooted along with the rest of us.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: A-
Voice: A+
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A+
Illustrations: A
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A-
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: gambling, some violence, communication with a spirit.

Note: Great book for boys!

Reporter's Review: Betraying Season, by Marissa Doyle (Sequel to Bewitching Season)

2009-11-09T13:18:00.004-05:00

Henry Holt; October, 2009

Overall Grade: B

Spending her first time away from her newly-married twin sister Percy is difficult for Penelope Leland, but she is determined to take the opportunity to learn to wield magic as well as her talented twin. While visiting her old governess/magical instructor Ally in Ireland, Pen learns new magic and meets new people: a wealthy Lady with a disreputable past, a small Irish faery called a clurichaun with a taste for fairy whiskey and an affinity with young witches, a ghost, and a young gentleman with mysterious origins and a very handsome face. In Ireland, Pen's magic thrives along with an exciting new romance...until both threaten to turn Pen against all that she holds most dear.

I always find it interesting to read sequels of books I've already reviewed, to see how they compare to the first book. Overall, I found the writing/plot/and pacing of Betraying Season to show a development and growth in Marissa Doyle's writing. Also, Pen's voice was delightfully easy to follow and interesting. It was infinitely readable and entertaining, but I felt it still suffered from some of the same problems as the first book. Namely, the magic is thrown into the real world in a way that brings up far more questions than are answered; the ones that are answered are a mix between vague and detailed which leaves the reader slightly disoriented. Also, though I thought the overall plot development was well-done, unfortunately the very crux of it was highly doubtful. Without any spoilers, that's hard to explain, but basically I felt like the authors/characters were trying to fool me into believing something was far more important than it actually was. "The only way" a certain character could get what she wanted was unbelievable, as was another character's "only way" to prevent that, but other possibilities of either plot point were never even explored. And as this second "only way" involved a character doing something entirely against the nature that had been developed for him (but conveniently adding a hightened tension for the romance plot), I was quite disappointed.

On the plus side, I felt the author has really improved her ability to bring the world of Victorian Europe alive; her dialogue was excellent and appropriate to the character's time and place, though I did note a few anachronisms that both sounded modern and could have been easily avoided.

Literary Quality: A-

Plot: B+

Voice: A

Originality: B

Descriptive Ability: A

Humor: A

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: B

Believability of Situations: B-

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

*Possibly Objectionable Topics: sensuality and several veiled (a few not so veiled) mentions of sex; one instance of crude humor; language; idolatry; witchcraft. (Because the story is set in the real, historical world, against a backdrop of an obviously Christian country, the magical elements do not feel like harmless fantasy and can be disturbing.)

Switching things up a little....

2009-11-05T19:36:00.002-05:00

Nothing to review today (though you can look forward to a review of Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle over the weekend), but I heard something funny I couldn't resist putting up:

How many science fiction writers does it take to change a light bulb?

Two, but it's actually the same person doing it. He went back in time and met himself in the doorway and then the first one sat on the other one's shoulder so that they were able to reach it. Then a major time paradox occurred and the entire room, light bulb, changer and all was blown out of existence. They co-existed in a parallel universe, though.

Books for Boys: Wee Free Men, by Terry Pratchett

2009-11-03T10:55:00.006-05:00

Harper Collins, 2003

Young Tiffany Aching of Discworld has always felt different than your average girl. She knows things, feels things that others, well, they just don't. But she didn't realize that her powers made her guardian to the gates of the faery world--until an evil power tries to break in. Luckily for Tiffany (and somewhat to her annoyance), a group of renegade faeries, tiny blue imps called the Wee Free Men (or Nac Mac Feagle, in their Scots-like dialect) want very much for the gates to stay closed. And they've made Tiffany their queen.

Why Boys Will Like It: Despite it's female main character, this is definitely not a "girly" book. It has great action, adventure, and pacing that will keep boys turning pages--and, as mentioned, Tiffany is not your average girl. Her cool common sense and goal-driven personality may in fact resonate more strongly with male readers than the average female. Certainly boys will be fascinated by the feisty secondary characters, the Nac Mac Feagle, who are as full of humor and pranks and ridiculousness as any boy could wish for, and who (as the title might indicate) are prone to running away with the story from time to time.

The reading level of this book is upper middle grade/lower YA, making it ideal both for young adults and for younger boys whose reading level has jumped ahead of their maturity/experience.

And though we're showcasing this book, all Terry Pratchett's children's books are excellent. His humor is astounding. His characters are totally unique. His writing is incredible--in fact, his first book for children, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, a humorous take on the Pied Piper story, was the winner of the Carnegie Medal, England's closest equivalent to the U.S.'s Newbery. (And for another famous recipient, how does the name C. S. Lewis sound?)

Monday's Food for Thought

2009-11-02T18:56:00.000-05:00

"That is a good book which is opened with
expectation and closed in profit."
~ Amos Bronson Alcott

Contest Winner!

2009-10-31T20:50:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Catherine Brandolini, winner of our first ever contest! We'll be contacting you shortly for your prize preferences.
The rest of you will just have to wait for the next contest... :)

10 Books of '10 that I wish I didn't have to wait for...

2009-10-31T18:15:00.016-04:00

Have you checked out the Tenners yet? They're a group of writers all set to debut in 2010...and if you're not looking for more books to covet, you shouldn't check out their site. If you are, though...just be prepared for sudden bouts of wishing 2010 would come more quickly!
Here are the 10 of Winter and Spring (because it would have been impossible to choose just ten from the entire list) that I most look forward to reading, based on their synopses:

Brightly Woven, by Alexandra Bracken

A Most Improper Magick, by Stephanie Burgis

The Cinderella Society, by Kay Cassidy

Magic Under Glass, by Jaclyn Dolamore

Scones and Sensibility, by Lindsay Eland

Harmonic Feedback, by Tara Kelly

Princess for Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt

Escaping the Tiger, by Laura Manivong

The Mark, by Jen Nadol

Birthmarked, by Caragh O'Brien

If the covers alone don't make you drool, I'm surprised.

Reporter's Review: A Season of Gifts, By Richard Peck

2009-10-31T15:24:00.004-04:00

Dial, October 2009
Overall Grade: A

Mrs. Dowdel (of A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way from Chicago fame) is back, seen this time from the viewpoint of a preacher's son who has just moved into the house next door. As he and his family try to adjust and survive, they receive more than a little help from their crafty, indomitable next-door neighbor...though all given in her own, unique way.
Richard Peck's writing in A Season of Gifts is as wonderful as ever...if not more so. Every sentence is perfectly crafted, and there are some so perfect, so unique, that they left me gaping. He writes a town you can see and smell and people you could touch (or maybe smack or maybe hug!). The plot is not his strongest...but with writing this crazy good, who cares?
On second thought...we do. Because with this kind of character development, this remarkable crafting, this extraordinary pacing--imagine what a plot with more depth would do. Quite honestly, it would take this from one of the best children's books written this year to one of the best children's books written ever.
And if you're looking for a great Christmas gift for someone with good taste in books...you found it.

Literary Quality: A+
Plot: B
Voice: A
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A+
Illustrations: A
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: various mentions of children born out of wedlock; mildly crude humor; underage drinking (viewed as dangerous)

Reporter's Review: Al Capone Shines My Shoes, by Gennifer Choldenko

2009-10-21T12:01:00.003-04:00

Dial, 2009
Overall Grade: A-/A

Moose Flanagan is still the nice boy of the kids living on Alcatraz Island. Their parents are guards—but even they can’t quite keep the incorrigible group of youngsters from getting involved where they shouldn’t. And getting involved with notorious gangster Al Capone tops the list. When Scarface Al asks Moose for a favor in return for helping Moose’s autistic (though that word is never used) sister Natalie into a good school, Moose doesn’t know what to do…and the other kids’ plans have a way of making the right choice even more difficult to find.
Al Capone Shines My Shoes falls into the category of very well-done sequels. Gennifer Choldenko created a unique, stand-alone plot for the second Alcatraz book, while nicely carrying through the elements that she set up in the first. In fact, the plot was masterfully structured; while being filled with action and suspense, each plot point clearly and logically arose from the characters’ actions and decisions. Some of the minor secondary characters didn’t always ring true, but the main characters were excellent and the interpersonal relationships were well developed.

Beyond that, despite its unique and seemingly “hard” setting, Al Capone Shines My Shoes was a beautiful story. I’ve read very few (though some excellent ones have been reviewed here) novels containing a character “on the autism spectrum,” to be specific, that was so authentic and genuine—and just as important, in terms of story, in which this character’s condition was so intrinsic to the plot. Moose and Natalie have a touching (while still honest and believable) relationship which dramatically demonstrates the immeasurable value of every human being, no matter how society might view them.

Now for one “pet peeve”, falling under the categories of both literary quality and overall enjoyment… Remember the post on “Yolenisms”? To briefly sum up, that’s the term we coined for melodramatic repeated phrases, often used at chapter and section ends (but very seldom in real life) to create a sense of drama and completion and/or suspense. It’s a pitfall for even some of the best writers, as evidenced here: we counted 17 altogether, which comes to more than one per every 15 pages. Here’s just a few, as examples:
p. 38: “Close enough, Moose. Close enough.”
p. 48: “You bet, doll. You bet.”
p. 133: “Jeepers, Moose. Jeepers.”
p. 193: “I dunno, Moose,” she says without turning back. “I really don’t know.”
(If you’re curious, you can find the others on pages 49, 58, 81, 110, 124, 142, 158, 176, 178, 185, 203, 209, and 222, respectively.)
After that, we thought of changing the term to “Choldenko-isms”… but it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Why bring it up? Truth is, we see this a lot…but it’s so much funnier when an excellent author falls into it.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: A+
Voice: A-
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: B+
Believability of Situations: A-
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

*Possibly Objectionable Topics: some mildly crude humor and scary moments

Food for thought

2009-10-13T15:09:00.001-04:00

"The good writer seems to be writing about himself, but has his eye always on that thread of the Universe which runs through himself and all things."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

...and, on a random note, remember to enter our contest to win a signed copy of Shannon Hale's FOREST BORN, or other cool writing- and reading-related things! http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/09/another-contest-to-win-free-stuff.html

Author Interview: Fran Cannon Slayton

2009-10-13T14:45:00.005-04:00

A hearty welcome to Fran Cannon Slayton, author of When the Whistle Blows; the story follows a boy named Jimmy Cannon through several All Hallows' Eves of his life in West Virginia, as he grows up and his world changes. (Read my original (raving) review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/09/reporters-review-when-whistle-blows-by.html)

CBR: Why did you choose All Hallows’ Eve as the day in which your stories are set? Does that day have a special significance for you?

FCS: Legend in our family has it that my grandfather was born and buried on Halloween. I always thought that was a pretty cool fact and it made me think about how the circle of life is made clear when a person dies on the same day that he was born. The beginning is the end, the end is the beginning – all whole; all complete; all one. And in some ways that is what my book is all about: that death – whether it is of a person, or a time, or a place, or a state of being – is not necessarily the “end.” It’s a part.

CBR: In your foreword you mentioned that much of WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS was inspired by stories your father told you growing up… Was it challenging for you to fictionalize these real-life events for the sake of the overall quality of the novel?

FCS: No, it was not hard to fictionalize the real events. I think the reason for this is because they were not events that I myself had lived through. My father had lived through them and knew them firsthand. But I only knew the stories through him – so even as he was telling me these stories when I was a child, I had to create my own visuals. When you create your own vision of an event it is already fictionalized to a certain extent. And because the events were not my own, I think it was easier for me to nip and tuck and let go of some of the realities in order to serve the narrative.

CBR: Would you want to live in 1940’s Rowlesburg if you (magically!) had the chance?

FCS: Not permanently, but I certainly would like to spend a month or so there. I’d love to see (and ride!) the steam engines, watch the railroaders work in the pits and in the shop; watch the ladies sweep the cinders off their porches; swim in the old swimming hole; walk along the old train bridge; meet my grandfather and eat some of my grandmother’s cooking. Sigh.

CBR: Where do you get your best thinking done? Best writing?

FCS:I can think pretty much anywhere as long as it is quiet. Thinking is one of my favorite parts of writing; I suppose my favorite place for it is in front of the fireplace.
In terms of writing, I really like writing late at night until the wee hours of the morning, but it doesn’t suit my family’s schedule very well. So most of my writing I do sometime between 8am and 3pm. I usually like writing best at home or in a coffee shop.

CBR: How do you push through those times when writing is difficult?

FCS: I’ll often revert to thinking about it. Things come in their due time, and I try not to worry about it and give myself space. Sometimes I’ll start working on another project, and let my subconscious percolate for a while. Other times I’ll just try to write through the issue, or approach it from another angle.

CBR: Thank you so much, Fran! Your book was delightful...and we look forward to seeing it come up often during "award season"--it's one of our picks for Newbery hopefuls!

Author Interview: Jenny Moss

2009-10-11T12:36:00.003-04:00

Today we welcome Jenny Moss, author of Winnie's War, the story of a young girl struggling to keep her family safe and together through the outbreak of war and epidemic in her little Texas town.

(See my full review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/08/reporters-review-winnies-war-by-jenny.html)

CBR: What drew you to the time period and setting for WINNIE’S WAR?

JM: I live in the Houston/Galveston area and wanted very much to write about this part of the country. I chose the time period because of my interest in the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. It actually wasn’t until I did research for the book that I realized what a fascinating time period it was, on the technological cusp of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

CBR: Have you ever wanted to live in a different era? Would it be similar to Winnie’s world (minus the flu and the war!) or some other place and time entirely?

JM: Great question! I’m interested in many other time periods, including Elizabethan and medieval England, the time of the flappers in the US, the New York theater crowd in the 1950s, the world in 1969, so much! Which is what’s great about being a writer: You’re able to “visit” these amazing places.

CBR: What are your favorite and least favorite parts of writing historical fiction?

JM: Historical fiction is a lot of work, but well worth it. I’m into research. I like learning obscure facts about bygone days. My least favorite part is when I feel rushed, when I can’t linger over the details. But writing historical fiction requires finding the right balance between writing and researching. Researching more means writing less; you may never finish the book if you don’t find that balance!

CBR: Are there any authors you loved as a child (or an adult) which influenced your writing or your decision to become a writer?

JM: I don’t remember deciding to become a writer. I liked reading and writing stories. I kept doing it and finally was a writer, I think. I’ve admired many authors over the years and thought it would be wonderful to be as gifted as they were, writers like “Carolyn Keene” (during my Nancy Drew phase), Victoria Holt (during my gothic novel reading), and later, Toni Morrison, F Scott Fitzgerald, Emily Dickinson, Markus Zusak, Billy Collins, Megan Whalen Turner, Shakespeare, Geraldine Brooks, and on and on.

CBR: Are there any questions you’ve always wanted to be asked that you’d like to answer here?

JM: Are there any other members of your family who write?
Why, yes. :) My brother and daughter are both gifted writers. I like to think my mother started it all, tapping away at her typewriter when her kids were small.
Thanks so much for the interview!

CBR: Thank you, Jenny! Your book was great, and we very much appreciate your taking this time to talk to us!

Special Topic: Books for Boys

2009-10-07T14:47:00.010-04:00

I've recently noticed a trend in the emails and feedback I've received from this blog's viewers: a large number of parents and teachers are reading it for a particular reason. To quote: "I want to find books for my boy(s) to read!" Sadly, while there are hundreds of great books out there for boys, many adults don't know where to look once they're off the NYT best seller list (and even if they're on the list, who's to say they're good?).

So.... I'm initiating a new feature of The Book Report: a monthly feature entitled "Books for Boys".

In the future I will be highlighting older (that is, not published this year, or not currently bestsellers) books, but today I'm going to briefly run through some books your boys may have already read and let you know what I think of them.

1) HARRY POTTER

Controversy regarding witchcraft aside, this is obviously the most popular book ever written for children of either gender. The plot is one of the most well-thought-out I've ever encountered in either children's or adult's literature, and the characters are well-developed and unforgettable. Long sentences make it difficult to read aloud, but older readers will read it quickly and enthusiastically. However, due to the aforementioned controversy, parents should do their research and read it first. Being involved in your children's reading means being involved in their life...that's just good parenting.

Why boys like it: Action. Drama. Plot. Characters. The enticement of another world, another reality from what they know. Humor. With an emphasis on humor.

2)PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS

There's some controversy surrounding these books, as well, due to their content of ancient gods--so again, do your research. However, they are easy to read, filled with action, and very exciting. I would argue that character development suffers as a result of constant action, but... apparently millions of boys don't mind that.

Why boys like it: Action. (Some) humor. Fantasy. Quick pacing and readability.

3) ARTEMIS FOWL

Boy genius meets the fairy realm. One character can be a little crude, and a later book in the series turns demons into a possibly objectionable fantasy element, but the plot is excellent, surprisingly touching, and overflowing with clever humor.

Why boys like it: Humor. Action. Kick-butt fairies that are anything but girly.

4) THE INHERITANCE TRILOGY (OOPS, I MEAN, CYCLE)--A.K.A. ERAGON

These books seem to appeal to the younger fans of Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS. They're decently fast-paced, very action-packed, and filled with other-worldliness and excitement. Personally, I think the writing is amateurish and the plot and characters almost define cliche. Boys like it...but I would recommend they stick to Tolkien, Lewis, maybe MacDonald, or venture into the works of Robert Louis Stevenson if they're smart enough to tackle books with that kind of length and vocabulary.

Why boys like it: Fast-paced action. Fantasy elements reminiscent of (or stolen from) The Lord of the Rings. Plot reminiscent of (or stolen from) Star Wars.

And, still bestsellers for boys though it's been years since their publication:

5) THE LORD OF THE RINGS

and 6) THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA.

It's great what a blockbuster movie will do to rejuvenate old classics. #5 is great for advanced readers who want to tackle it, and #6 is excellent for readers of any level, simple language yet profound story.

Food for Thought...and don't forget to enter contest to win real food (a.k.a. chocolate) and a signed copy of Shannon Hale's latest!

2009-10-04T12:32:00.002-04:00

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
-Albert Einstein

And speaking of imagination... I met Shannon Hale at a book signing Friday and she signed the copy of FOREST BORN for our contest. (Remember to enter here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/09/another-contest-to-win-free-stuff.html)
She has a seriously crazy imagination, and her chat/signing was a blast. If you haven't read any of her books, do so. Really.

Another contest to win free stuff--really cool free stuff, like a SIGNED copy of FOREST BORN and hot cocoa with those cute little marshmallows

2009-09-30T15:43:00.008-04:00

I recently added the "followers" thingummy (that's the technical term, you know! ;) on my sidebar, and have decided to have a contest to actually get people to notice it... It hides in there so cozily at the moment.
First of all, the prizes:
The winner has a choice of two prizes. The first shall henceforth be known as "THE READER'S JOY" and shall contain: one copy of our most recent A+ graded book, Shannon Hale's Forest Born, signed by the author; a bookmark; gummy bears; a box of hot chocolate--with those cute little marshmallows. The second shall be called "THE WRITER'S SURVIVAL KIT" and shall contain: a leatherbound notebook; pens in fun colors; a mug; coffee or tea; chocolate candy bar.
How to Enter:
-Become a follower, and post a comment here letting us know. (1 entry)
-Post an entry on your blog linking to this contest, and post a comment here letting us know. (for a second entry)
-Place a link to this blog on your blog or website, and post a comment here etc. (for a third entry)
Per the usual procedure, one winner will be chosen at random; make sure we have your email address so we can contact you. The contest will be open for entries through October 31, 2009.
Good luck!

Special Topic: If at first you don't succeed...

2009-09-30T15:19:00.002-04:00

I recently came across a book by one of my favorite authors—and I hated it. The story was so cloying and poorly written that I often found myself convulsed in laughter. The characters are terribly unbelievable and too perfect to be likable; the events are hilariously cliché; the plot is unoriginal and dreadfully predictable. Here’s a sample of dialogue:

…he stood beside her and held his hat above her head, saying, “Will you accept the only shelter I can give? The damp drops falling on your hair will chill you.” (NOTE: Aren’t all drops damp??)

As she looked up to thank him, she saw blood upon his hand. “You have wounded yourself. How did it happen?” she asked.

“It is nothing but a scratch from the rough stones, and won in a good cause,” he answered, smiling.

“But it was gained in moving them for me. It must be painful. Let me bind it with my handkerchief,” she asked timidly.

“If you please, but ‘tis not worth the trouble.”

And as Edith stooped to place it on his hand, Amy saw a strange, bright smile rest upon his face as he looked upon her head, bent before him with the raindrops shining in her dark, disordered hair, which fell upon her shoulder…

I should have clarified: this is a RANDOM example of dialogue. There are worse.

When you’re done gagging, consider this: the excerpt above is from the book The Inheritance, the first novel completed by Louisa May Alcott, when she was seventeen years old. It wasn’t published then. It probably shouldn’t be now, except to serve as an example to all of us of a few things:

1) It’s a rare teenager who can get past the passions and inexperience of adolescence to write a book worthy of publishing. Even the author of Little Women couldn’t manage it.

2) Perfect characters are muy boring.

3) Don’t let rejection stop you. Just because an editor hates your book (or just because I hate your book!) doesn’t mean you don’t have what it takes to become a great author. You have to have a hide of steel and a lot of perseverance; you also have to have an ear for honest constructive criticism. Louisa May Alcott was lucky enough to have editors, friends, and family members who were willing to point out her flaws in writing. She fixed (most of) them. She kept writing. She became one of the most beloved authors of all time. And if she was alive now, she would be rolling in what she made from the movie deal.

I address this in particular to the many young writers out there: By all means, don’t stop writing when you recognize flaws in your writing, or when finishing a story is harder than you anticipated, or when even your mom thinks your book stinks. Keep writing. Keep living. Keep gaining maturity and experience and keep piling up criticism and rejections (though I wouldn’t recommend actually submitting anything to a publisher until someone other than you and your mom love it—try contests for young writers instead). Remember that drops are always damp.

Try, try again.

Reporter's Review: Forest Born (Book 4 in the Books of Bayern), by Shannon Hale

2009-09-26T18:53:00.002-04:00

Bloomsbury; September, 2009
Overall Grade: A+

Rin has had a happy childhood in the Forest of Bayern. But as she grows older, she realizes that she doesn’t know who she is, what she is supposed to be--or if she even likes what she might become. To discover herself, she leaves the forest, her beloved trees and even more beloved family, to become a handmaid to Isi, her brother Razo’s friend--who also happens to be the Queen of Bayern. War has only just ended, but a new, mysterious threat faces the monarchs. Rin joins Isi, Enna, and Dasha (the three mysterious “fire sisters” who can speak the languages of wind, fire, and water) on a mission to save Bayern and the queen’s own son. Rin soon realizes that in order to be truly helpful, she must find her own self (and maybe her own language) along the way.
Those of you who regularly follow this blog (or just look at my lists) already know that Shannon Hale is, in my opinion, one of the best contemporary authors, so you’ll know it means a lot when I say that Forest Born is one of my favorites of her books, and that Rin is my favorite character. Upon beginning the book, I felt a little disappointed with Rin, feeling that her character wasn’t as well developed or interesting as Bayern’s other heroines--but then I was knocked over with Shannon Hale’s ability to use a seeming flaw as a crucial element to the plot. I hate spoilers, so I won’t give anything away…but Rin’s struggles and victories make her arguably the strongest Hale character yet. For those of you who follow Shannon Hale’s work religiously, I felt that Forest Born’s plot was not as heart-stopping as Enna Burning’s or as well-paced as Princess Academy’s, and that the humor was not quite up to the level of River Secrets. (But they’re still very good.) On the other hand, her descriptions and metaphors are better than ever, and…the characters! Every book has its own particular strength and Forest Born’s is the characters. Rin is inspirational, and you’ll be pleased to see the old cast of friends come back into play.
Readers will love Forest Born, but I should add that writers could use it as a lesson in creating a story that can simultaneously follow a protagonist’s growth, learning and development as well as an intriguing action plot. These elements, to me, are what made Forest Born one of the most enjoyable stories I’ve read this year.

Literary Quality: A+
Plot: A-
Voice: A
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A-
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A
Possibly objectionable topics*: war; violence

Reporter's Review: Road to Tater Hill, by Edith Hemingway

2009-09-26T18:50:00.003-04:00

Delacorte; September, 2009
Overall Grade: B+/A-

Annie has spent every summer with her grandparents in North Carolina, but in the summer of 1963, she expects things to be different: her military father is overseas in Germany and her mother is expecting a baby, Annie’s first sibling. But things turn out more different than she could have imagined: the baby, Mary Kate, dies shortly after a premature birth, Annie’s mother is caught in a cruel state of depression, and Annie meets a strange woman…who just might be a murderer, if the town gossips are right--or who just might be the only person who can understand Annie and help her overcome her grief.
Edith Hemingway crafts Road to Tater Hill with considerable literary skill. The plot is slightly slow and not particularly original, but don’t let the slow beginning keep you from getting to the heart of the story. Annie’s voice is fresh and genuine, showcasing a clear understanding of the mind and heart of a 10-year-old girl. Some lovely descriptions very successfully bring to life the time period and setting; the little North Carolina town has a personality all its own, nearly as vibrant as the characters who occupy it.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: B-
Voice: A
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: B+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: death; depression; story told involving violence between spouses

Reporter's Review: When the Whistle Blows, by Fran Cannon Slayton

2009-09-17T20:49:00.002-04:00

Philomel; June 2009
Overall Grade: A+

Growing up in the 1940’s railroad town of Rowlesburg, West Virginia, Jimmy Cannon just wants to grow up and work on the steam engines like his family has for generations. Oh, and keep his no-nonsense father from finding out about his antics. And stick up for his friends. And win the championship football game for his high school. And grow up to become a man…maybe more like his father than he would have ever guessed.
When the Whistle Blows is an example of an excellently-written story teamed with a tangible, charming setting, a cast of believable, lovable characters and a touching plot. I could go on for a long time about everything I love about this novel, but I’ll limit myself to only a few: 1) Voice. Fran Cannon Slayton uses the first person voice of her narrator with incredible skill, adroitly expressing setting and time period not so much by what is said as by how it is said…and that also serves to make this an excellent read-aloud. 2) Style. Each chapter is presented vignette-style, presenting several consecutive All Hallows’ Eves, each with its own story…which leads to 3) Plot. Although each chapter is a vignette, each perfectly advances the overall plot, which is beautifully wrapped-up in the final chapter, while still leaving the reader with plenty to reflect upon.
Very highly recommended.

Literary Quality: A+
Plot: A
Voice: A+
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: small amounts of violence; death

Reporter's Review: Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins

2009-09-17T19:40:00.002-04:00

Scholastic; September 2009
Overall Grade: A+

Katniss Everdeen, recent winner of the cruel Hunger Games imposed by her tyrannical government, is back home, “enjoying” the spoils of victory and trying to help her starving neighbors—until the president of the country himself turns up and blames her for sparking a revolt. As he threatens her more and more in several malicious twists, Katniss must decide what is more important: protecting her family and herself, or giving her countrymen a chance for a free life.
Considering that Catching Fire (along with its prequel, The Hunger Games) is currently at the top of the children’s bestseller list, it hardly needs my recommendation—but it was so well-written it more than deserves my praise. Anyone of the thousands of people who read The Hunger Games can attest to Suzanne Collins’ “mad skills” in plotting, but what amazed me in the sequel was her ability to pace her plot so perfectly. I’ve read stories with great plots that fall short because of pacing alone; Suzanne Collins is the exact opposite. Her sense of timing within the telling of her story is so perfect that it immediately sets her book apart. She makes an art out of the “I-can’t-put-this-book-down” factor.
On top of that, Catching Fire is a perfect sequel. There’s no awkwardness or forcing of back story, but the plot of Hunger Games is made clear while allowing the story of this book to stand completely on its own.
Lastly (not really, but the last thing I’ll mention), the characters are amazing. Katniss may be the most realistic non-girly girl I’ve ever read. The secondary characters are so real, you worry about them as much as Katniss does. Even the minor characters are three-dimensional and believable; you could imagine any one of them suddenly becoming a major player in Book Three.
(One proviso: if you usually skip over the “possibly objectionable topics”, they’re worth taking a look at this time. Catching Fire is very violent; consider that the central event of the trilogy is a gladiator-type “game” where the players fight to the death. If you have a weak stomach, you may wish to avoid this novel. Obviously all readers have different levels of tolerance, but I would recommend this book to mature readers only.)

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: A+
Voice: A+
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: B (but as the story is told in first person, the descriptions are appropriate to the narrator)
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: graphic violence; extremely intense situations; many secondary or tertiary characters live amoral lifestlyes, so there is some mention of drugs and sex, and frequent mention of alcohol

Reporter's Review: Sliding on the Edge, by C. Lee McKenzie

2009-09-17T19:37:00.002-04:00

West Side Books, April 2009
Overall Grade: A-

When her mother leaves her in a Las Vegas slum apartment with nothing but a name and a phone number of the grandmother she’s never met, Shawna decides it’s worth facing the unknown…considering how dire the known is looking. She ends up in Sweet River, California, on her grandmother Kay’s horse farm—and finds, to her dismay, that “the unknown” involves lots of chores, lots of rules, lots of beat-up trucks and plaid and denim and boring country living. It’s an easier life than Vegas, but will a wholesome lifestyle and the friendship of a hurt, neglected horse be able to help her fight the problems she brought with her?
Despite its many serious topics, not-super-original plot and often melancholic back story, Sliding on the Edge is a surprisingly gripping and uplifting novel. C. Lee McKenzie’s writing skill is significant; not a single metaphor is overused or cliché, and her characterization, particularly of Kay, is impressive. It was particularly refreshing to see a book which could so easily have fallen into the “issue” category yet managed to keep its story firmly focused on the characters themselves instead of over-emphasizing their problems alone.

Literary Quality: B+
Plot: B-
Voice: A-
Originality: B-
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: broken family; child abuse and neglect; crude language; some sensuality; psychological issues involving cutting one’s self and attempted suicide

Reporter's Review: Prophecy of the Sisters, by Michelle Zink

2009-09-17T19:34:00.005-04:00

Little, Brown; August 2009
Overall Grade: B+

There are so many things in her life that Lia can’t explain: the unaccountable, unexpected deaths of both her parents, her twin sister Alice’s distance and strange behavior, a mysterious scar-like mark that appears on her own wrist, the discovery that her two new friends bear similar marks. When she discovers her role in an ancient prophecy, a prophecy that for thousands of years has turned sisters against each other in an age-old battle against evil, she finds some answers…but the questions of what she must do become more and more confusing.
Prophecy of the Sisters contains arguably some of the best writing I’ve encountered this year. Michelle Zink has created a unique dilemma and unique characters to face it; I loved the way she gave the protagonist a very complex personality and allowed her the opportunity to use her free will to fight what seems to be her fate. However, I found the plot somewhat bothersome. While the events were dramatic and story-worthy, I thought the overall situation was lacking an element crucial to the kind of epic-style fantasy the story implies. Namely, while the evil power is very clear in this story, there doesn’t seem to be any equivalent good power. Particularly in a story set in our own world, against the backdrop of real world religions, this lack of good was disorienting. It brought up many unanswered questions: Who made the prophecy in the first place? Who or what are the good characters working for? If it is simply a lack of evil, it diminishes the story’s significance and makes a happy outcome seem less complete.
This issue is complex enough that I believe I shall have to address it further in a “special topic” handling epic fantasy plot in general; for now, let’s hope that Ms Zink has plans to answer these questions in Prophecy’s sequel and bring the story to a satisfying end.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: C+
Voice: A
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: B
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A-
Overall Reading Enjoyment: B

Possibly objectionable topics*: demons, violence, murder, suicide, spellcasting, contact with the dead through a spiritualist, indication of plurality of gods

Author(s) Interview: Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance

2009-09-17T18:44:00.003-04:00

Please give a warm welcome to...Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance, co-authors of A Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading, the story of Bethany and Mona, two self-proclaimed geeks who challenge stereotypes when they try out for their high school's varsity cheerleading squad. (And, while they may be geeky, their story is really cool. Read my original review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/07/reporters-review-geek-girls-guide-to.html)

CBR: The characters in A Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading are comprised of many types of people, all faithfully represented: geeks, cheerleaders, etc. What category do you find yourselves in, or do you fit into more than one? If only one, how did you research "life on the other side"?

C: In high school, I really felt like I fell into the geek category. And since I work for a software company as a technical writer, I’m still pretty geeky. That being said, both Darcy and I have known a lot of different types of people thanks to various life experiences. One thing I think is important is any character (the antagonist, a secondary character, a bit player) is the hero of his/her own story. Even if they don’t have a point of view in the story, keeping that in mind can help you write more well-rounded characters.

D: When I was a teenager I moved in and out of a lot of different groups: the geeks, the free spirits, the strivers, the jocks, the slackers; I had friends (and enemies) (and frenemies, come to think of it) in each of them. These days, I manage an amazing bunch of high school and college volunteers. Some of them are misfits, some are prom queens. As an adult it is so much easier to see that the differences between these kids are really so slight compared to all they have in common.

CBR: Did you ever take a risk similar to Bethany and Moni's when you were a kid? If so, how did it turn out? If not, what do you wish you'd done?

C: Well, the premise for The Geek Girls Guide to Cheerleading is based on real life, sort of. A friend convinced me to try out for cheerleading, although she wasn’t as serious about it as Moni is in the story. We both made the squad, but the similarities (mostly) end there. I don’t know if I took risks so much as stuck with things. I stayed with Girls Scouts all through high school, which was a terribly geeky thing to do. But! We ended up going to France and England between junior and senior year of high school. And that was undeniably cool.

D: When I was 16, we moved to the same small town where my mom had gone to high school. She pushed me to be more involved in school activities there, and I did. I told myself I was just doing it to make her happy – but the truth is – I really liked it. I wrote for the school newspaper, went to all the football and basketball games, helped out with the prom committee and had an amazing time that entire year (while pretending to my city friends that I was really too cool for all of it). My senior year I went back to my old school and back to being too cool. I did continue to write for the school paper but I wish I’d had the courage to stay involved. I probably would have had more fun.

CBR: What was it like for you both co-authoring a book? What were your biggest surprises and challenges and what did you like best about it?

C: It was fun, hard, challenging, and fun. Did I say fun? I think that may have been the biggest surprise. I have this hazy memory of having both the master copy of our manuscript plus the marked up copy from Darcy on my computer screen (fortunately, I have a wide screen) and the marked up pages from our editor on a document holder, to one side, and Darcy in IM on the other. It was crazy--clearly. We really only had one big argument over a plot point, but it all worked out in the end (both the plot point and our partnership).

D: Co-authoring with Charity has been one of the best experiences of my life. I’ve never had a sister, but I imagine writing a book with someone feels a lot like that. You share so much. Some of it is hard, but all of it is amazing.

CBR: What is one writing tool (a special chair, notebook, pen, mug, etc.) that you couldn't do without?

C: When I write longhand, I really like using the Uni-ball vision pens and I like writing on notepads instead of in notebooks. Of course, I leave a couple of blanks pages on top so no one can see all the secrets I’m writing.

D: I’m partial to Mirado Black pencils when I’m trying to pull the knots out of a scene, but other than that, I’m pretty flexible.

CBR: As a geek myself, I just have to ask... Star Wars or Star Trek???

C: Oh, this is a toughie. Star Wars was my first love. I was very young when Star Trek first aired—and people kept dying; I didn’t like that. (I was too young to get the concept of the “red shirt.”) But, while in college, I had this ancient black and white TV that only picked up one channel. That one channel aired Star Trek: TNG along with the original series. It was a steady diet, kind of like the mac and cheese in the hot pot. Still, I saw the original Star Wars in the theater fifteen times. I’m thinking I have to call this one a draw.

D: Star Wars! Although I loves me some vintage Trek (especially TNG) I was actually too busy last spring to catch the Star Trek movie while it was in theaters. I cannot imagine a set of circumstances that would cause me to miss a Star Wars movie on the big screen. Even if the world was coming to an end and I had the only secret *whatever* that could save us all, I’d still probably be all – Hold on, I’ll be there after the 7 o’clock show!

CBR: You have another book coming out next year... Anything you'd like to share about that?

C: Actually, we don’t have a book coming out next year (but we wish we did!). We are working on several projects, in various stages of completion.

D: I wish we had another book coming out next year too. We do have a few things we’re working on, both solo and together. Right now I’m at the beginning stages of a non-fiction book for middle graders that I’m pretty excited about and trying to lure Charity into helping me with. We’ve also got a couple of geek girl style stories in the works that are a lot of fun.

CBR: Finally, you have the chance here to answer any question you've always wished to be asked... or just spout random interesting facts. We like that, too.

D: I’m all about the random interesting facts. Remember that non-fiction book I mentioned? It’s about the national anthems of North America -- which sounds like a pretty dull topic, but No! Did you know that Canada’s national anthem took 100 years to write? Or that the Cayman Islands anthem discusses rare juices? Or that the lyricist for the Cuban anthem shouted the words to his song as he faced a firing squad?

CBR: No...I didn't! But thanks--I love learning random facts... And thank you both so much for this interview!

Reporter's Review: Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate, by Donna St. Cyr

2009-09-10T18:35:00.002-04:00

CBAY Books, August 2009
Overall Grade: B+/A-

Robert Montasio didn’t have the most normal of lives; his father, after all had disappeared a few years ago with no warning or explanation…and his little sister Janine had to be more annoying than the average. But nothing could have prepared him for the day when she would drink a strange elixir and shrink to bug-size. In order to get her back to normal, Robert discovers he must take his place in an age-old society: The Cheese Syndicate, of which his father was a member and for whose mission he disappeared. Robert must complete the mission and find an ancient, magical cheese if he ever wants to see his dad and a normal-sized Janine again.
Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate has a lot going for it: fast-paced action, very believable relationships, good humor which makes the story remarkably readable. Fans of Percy Jackson will doubtless enjoy the references to mythology and the non-stop action plot, though it could be argued (of both books, it must be admitted) that the amount of action at times clouds the character development the reader hopes for with such a funny, likeable protagonist. Additionally, some of the magical elements seemed to be too random, weakening the overall effect of the plot. I was never sure, for example, exactly why the magical cheeses were so important to the world as to necessitate a secret society for their protection. Or why a magical dog could appear out of the blue three times to save Robert—but only three times, as he failed to mention until his last visit. But as the book ended with the perfect set-up for a sequel, perhaps these are questions Donna St. Cyr is planning on giving us answers to later. She certainly has the makings of a good storyteller; as this is her first published work, it can only be assumed that her later novels (like the best cheeses, as she would say) will get better and better with age.

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B
Voice: A-
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: B
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: C
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A-

Possibly objectionable topics*: mild violence

Reporter's Review: Mudshark, by Gary Paulsen

2009-09-03T18:03:00.001-04:00

Wendy Lamb Books, 2009
Overall Grade: A

Mudshark is cool. He’s athletic, he’s friendly, and he’s smart. Really, really smart. He can remember everything, and reigns supreme as item-finder and mystery-solver at his middle school…until a strange, “telepathic” parrot takes up residence in the library, just as things around his school are beginning to get very strange.
Mudshark (I mean the book this time) is clever and very, very funny. Because it is clearly early middle grade, the plot is small; I would argue that even as a middle grade book, it could have been slightly better developed… In particular, I would have been more satisfied if the reader had more insight/emotional involvement in the solving of the mystery, as the outcome seemed rather sudden. However, the characters were lovable and unique, the narrative voice was excellent, and the humor was superb. Highly recommended to readers ages 8-10 in particular.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: B
Voice: A+
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A+
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+ (although the development is minimal in such a short book, it is very accurate)
Believability of Situations: A-
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: none

Reporter's Review: Here's How I See It; Here's How It Is, by Heather Hensen

2009-09-03T18:01:00.002-04:00

Simon & Schuster 2009
Overall Grade: B+

Junebug lives in a dream world for an aspiring actress: her family owns a summer stock theatre, her father is an actor, director, and playwright—she practically gets to live in the theatre all summer long. Unfortunately, she also lives in her own dream world sometimes, imagining up her world as it should be, and is often disappointed by the way it really is. She’s not a starring actress; she’s a gofer. She doesn’t have hordes of devoted fans; she’s ignored unless someone needs a chore done. She doesn’t have a devoted family; she’s left confused and lonely when her parents decide to split up for the summer. And when a boy named Trace comes along to “help out” for the summer, Junebug feels more displaced and confused than ever as she tries to adjust to his strange ways.
Here’s How I See It; Here’s How It Is used a unique setting and format to tell a touching story, making an otherwise fair plot still intriguing. Junebug’s character and her relationship with her family was very well-crafted, although some of the secondary characters seemed cliché. (But, then, some actors seem cliché in real life…) Also, Junebug’s relationship with Trace and Trace’s own difficulties could have been developed further; I felt these elements were secondary to, instead of intrinsic in, the overall story. However, I will be forever grateful to Heather Hensen for bravely setting forth a happy ending, despite popular trends, which was completely real and unforced without the slightest bit of melodrama.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: B
Voice: A
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A-
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: B
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A-

Possibly objectionable topics*: broken family

Reporter's Review: Breathing, by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

2009-08-25T17:12:00.003-04:00

Viking; 2009

Overall Grade: A-

Savannah Georgina has suffered from severe asthma ever since her father left when she was little--he literally, so she thinks, took her breath with him. Not until she meets the boy of her dreams does she begin to get better--until he has to leave, too. Savannah questions her ideas of love and loyalty while they endure a long-distance relationship...but eventually true love teaches her the importance of breathing for herself.

Breathing is incredibly refreshing--I would say it's a breath of fresh air, but I don't want to fall into puns already! Basically, it is a very real, very honest love story that captures the essence of a first, true love, and brings it to life in a way that is both profound and inspiring. Cheryl Renee Herbsman has the ability to restore your faith in love and in human nature itself through her novel and its lifelike characters. The first-person voice may be a bit hard for some to digest; the story is told in a heavy southern accent and style, which was somewhat distracting to me, at least, as a Northerner, though it certainly brings a unique style to the story. I also questioned whether some of the phrases/metaphors Savannah uses would be accurate to a girl her age--they seemed more middle-aged than teenager at times, but truly I have no way of knowing as the jargon was so unfamiliar. If there are any southerners who've read this book, please leave a comment--I really would love to know what your (more informed) opinion is! And to everyone else: if you like contemporary romances, you'll be impressed with the poignancy, honesty and faith that Savannah brings to her story.

Literary Quality: B

Plot: B

Voice: A-

Originality: A-

Descriptive Ability: A-

Humor: n/a

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: A+

Believability of Situations: A+ (The believability was exceptionally well done)

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: crude language, sensuality, broken families, violence

Reporter's Review: The Problem with the Puddles, by Kate Feiffer, illustrated by Tricia Tusa

2009-08-24T15:31:00.002-04:00

Simon and Schuster; 2009
Overall Grade: A

The Puddles are a family of oddballs who can't seem to get anything quite right--perhaps because for the past several years, the only thing Mr. and Mrs. Puddle have agreed upon is to disagree. When they leave their country house for their city house and accidentally leave their two dogs (both named Sally) behind, their crazy adventure begins.

Applause to Kate Feiffer for writing this story as she did; she completely ignored a lot of the "rules of writing," which, in my opinion, have practically become cliche because so few people know how to write a book without them. For this reason, The Problem with the Puddles is enjoyable and never predictable, the voice is strong and unique (and without being in first person!), and the humor is wonderful. The plot is rather thin--okay for a middle grade book, but it was annoying in such a clever story that certain plot twists or elements were left vague or unexplained. Nonetheless, even adults will enjoy this story for its lovable, zany characters and cute illustrations (which add to the text remarkably well).

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B-
Voice: A+
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: A- Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: none

Reporter's Review: Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin

2009-08-10T17:24:00.003-04:00

Simon and Schuster; 2009

Overall Grade: A

Even for a typical kid, it can be hard getting by from one school day to the next. Hard to relate. Hard to figure out the right thing to do at the right moment. But Jason is anything but typical, and for him, every day is a battle to be the best version of himself he can be. He finds release and happiness in writing short stories and sharing them with an online friend from a creative writing website--but will his happiness last when he gets the chance to meet her in person where he can't hide behind his stories?

Anything But Typical is well-written, with a cast of great characters, all very believable and well-developed. Nora Raleigh Baskin's story is touching as well as important, and she brings it masterfully to life with excellent metaphors and descriptions, great pacing, and a wonderful first-person voice. The one drawback was a slight difficulty following the plot in a few moments; because the story is told from Jason's viewpoint, there are times when it was hard to tell whether what he was revealing was his daydreams or actual events.

This is one for the Newbery watch list.

Literary Quality: A-

Plot: A-

Voice: A+

Originality: A-

Descriptive Ability: A+

Humor: n/a

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: A+

Believability of Situations: A+

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: bullying

Author Interview: Deva Fagan

2009-08-10T13:36:00.003-04:00

Today we are pleased to present an interview with the very talented Deva Fagan, author of Fortune's Folly.

In Fortune's Folly, Fortunata is a young girl who must rely on her own cleverness to hold her life together... Magic might not be around the corner to help her, but she is smart enough to make her own happy ending come true. (Read my original review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/07/reporters-review-fortunes-folly-by-deva.html)

CBR: Although Fortune's Folly fits into a "fairy tale" genre, it is
always Fortunata's ingenuity, rather than the help of a magic elf or
fairy godmother, that gets her out of trouble. What made you decide
to write this kind of non-traditional fairy tale?

DF: The original kernel of an idea for FORTUNE’S FOLLY was the concept of
a person who tells a fake fortune and then has to make it come true.
So in order to set that up, I decided it made sense to keep any hint
of “real magic” in the background. Plus, one of Fortunata’s defining
characteristics is that she is deeply pragmatic and just doesn’t
believe in magic: she isn’t going to wait around for a fairy godmother
to give her glass slippers. She’s going to go out there and FIND them
herself. Since the book is told in Fortunata’s voice, everything is
colored with that same pragmatism. My hope is that readers will come
out of the book asking themselves what is magic, what is chance, and
what is just the “good fortune” we make for ourselves.

I also found in writing FORTUNE’S FOLLY that I enjoyed not having
magic front-and-center, because it was more interesting to me as a
writer to find ways for the protagonist to overcome the challenges if
she didn’t have magical abilities. I have a great respect for writers
who can incorporate magic into their books in a way that is clever and
unique, because too often I find magic becomes a sort of skeleton key
that you just use to open whatever door is blocking your way.

CBR: What is your favorite fairy tale? Do you have a favorite modern
retelling? Favorite children's book in any genre?

DF: My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast. I have a special
fondness for Robin McKinley’s BEAUTY, which I think was the first
fairy tale retelling I ever read.

Choosing a single favorite children’s book would be virtually
impossible! There are so many!

I did, however, run a series of posts on my blog last December where I
spotlighted one of my childhood favorites on each day of the month.
The posts are here: http://devafagan.com/tag/childhood-favorites/

CBR: Undeniably, Fortune's Folly has a very clever, intricate plot...but
the characters are also wonderfully unique and three-dimensional. Did
you find it difficult to balance these two elements in the writing of
your story?

DF: Yes, actually one of my toughest struggles as a writer is to make sure
that I don’t get carried away by my ideas for plots before I find
real, living, breathing characters for them. I have written large
chunks and even entire drafts of books that I have ended up tossing
out because the characters just aren’t there yet!

CBR: What is your favorite part of being an author?

DF: Getting to meet and talk with other people who love books as much as I
do is probably the most rewarding thing. I still have to mentally
pinch myself sometimes after an email exchange with my editor about
books we’ve been reading, or an online chat with other writers, or an
interview like this! It’s just so weird and wonderful to actually be a
part of the awesome community of people who love kids books!

The other thing I really love is seeing my book in libraries. When I
was a kid (and now) libraries were one of my favorite places, and
where I discovered almost all my favorite books. So seeing FORTUNE’S
FOLLY out in libraries, being checked out and read, is a real dream
come true.

CBR: According to your website you have another book in the works--could
you give us any hints as to what we can expect?

DF: I have a second middle grade fantasy coming out from Henry Holt in the
spring of 2010, titled THE MAGICAL MISADVENTURES OF PRUNELLA
BOGTHISTLE. Here’s a blurb:

All Prunella wants is to be a proper bog-witch. Unfortunately, her
curses tend to do more good than harm, and she hasn’t got a single
stinking wart. When her mixed-up magics allow a sneaky thief to escape
her grandmother’s garden, Prunella is cast out until she can prove
herself a true bog-witch.

It’s hard enough being exiled to the decidedly un-magical Uplands, but
traveling with the smugly charming young thief, Barnaby, is even
worse. He’s determined to gain fame and fortune by recovering the
missing Mirable Chalice. And to get what she wants, Prunella must help
him. But what if the aspiring villain and the would-be hero are on
the right quest . . . for the wrong reason?

CBR: Finally...Are there any questions you've always wanted to be asked
that you'd like to answer here?

DF: I am always happy to say “YES” anytime someone offers me chocolate,
curry or tea!

CBR: Thank you, Deva, for your time and thoughtfulness in this interview! We are definitely going to be haunting the bookstores next Spring for a copy of Prunella's story, and we wish you all the best..and plenty of chocolate, curry, and tea. :)

To read more about Deva Fagan and her novels, you can visit her very enjoyable and informative website: http://devafagan.com/

Reporter's Review: Winnie's War, by Jenny Moss

2009-08-09T13:46:00.003-04:00

Walker Books; February, 2009
Overall Grade: A-

1918: A world war is killing the boys abroad…but at home in Coward Creek, Texas, a feared epidemic is attacking all without discrimination and Winnie is determined to save her family from contracting the deadly Spanish Influenza. Between her controlling, irritable grandmother, her silent father, her traumatized mother, and the possibility of losing her best friend, Winnie has a lot to deal with, but her courage and stubbornness serve her well in her own battle to hold her family together.
Winnie’s War is written in a lovely, engaging style, sharing aspects of L. M. Montgomery’s or Eleanor Estes’ literary qualities. Jenny Moss’s portrayal of the era of the First World War was very real and engaging, and her book escaped becoming depressing as one might expect of a book about sickness and death. The plot was fairly simple and some minor secondary characters could have been more developed; however, Winnie herself is a delightful protagonist, very strong and appealing, and the more important secondary characters are unusually complex and believable.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: B
Voice: A
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A (A+ for Winnie, Clara, Mr. Levy, and Winnie's parents, B+ for the others...)
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: death and illness, one secondary character with intense emotional disturbances

Coming soon to a blog near you...

2009-08-06T15:25:00.003-04:00

Just to whet your appetite (and because I'm excited about it), here are our coming attractions in author interviews!

Deva Fagan, author of Fortune's Folly

Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance, authors of The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading

Even more are soon to follow, so (to be really tacky about it) ...stay tuned!

Reporter's Review: Faith, Hope, and Ivy June, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

2009-08-06T15:09:00.004-04:00

Delacorte; 2009
Overall Grade: A-

A few miles can make a big difference--or maybe not so big... Ivy June Mosley of backwoods Thunder Creek and Catherine Combs of affluent Lexington are chosen for a Kentucky exchange program where each girl is able to spend two weeks in the other's home to see "life on the other side" of the mountains. While both facing their own personal dramas and family problems/disappointments, Catherine and Ivy June are able to learn that while lifestyles may differ, humans face the same problems everywhere you go.
Faith, Hope, and Ivy June was a very good example of a book which focuses on its setting; both Thunder Creek and Lexington were portrayed believably and visually, while also creating an emotional connection with the reader for the place as well as the characters. Not to belittle the characters, for they were the heart and soul of the story and Ms Naylor did a wonderful job of filling her cast with memorable, lovable, and complex human beings. The main aspect that seemed to be lacking was the emotional intensity in the plot; while a lot of "big" things, serious and potentially life-altering things, are happening, it felt as though they were not developed to their full emotional potential. Everything, except the final climax, resolved itself quite quickly, leaving me as a reader with the feeling that the conflicts would have been more suited to a shorter book. However, partially because of this, it is a story that can be recommended to a younger reader with a sensitivity to too much tension--while still able to be enjoyed by older children and adults as well.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: B-
Voice: A-
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: family conflicts, corporal punishment

Food for Thought

2009-08-04T14:54:00.000-04:00

"When we see a natural style we are quite amazed and delighted, because we expected to see an author and find a man."
~Blaise Pascal, Pensées, 1670

Reporter's Review: Dying to Meet You; 43 Old Cemetery Road, by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

2009-07-31T11:07:00.003-04:00

Harcourt; April, 2009
Overall Grade: B+/A-

Ignatius B. Grumply, an author of children's books with a twenty-year case of writer's block, decides to rent a old Victorian mansion in which he can ignore the distractions of the world and meet his publisher's deadline for his latest ghost story. But he soon finds out he's hardly safe from distractions there: a boy, a cat, and a very old ghost are already living on the third floor, and they don't intend to let him rest.

Dying to Meet You was an easy, enjoyable read which will likely be devoured by middle grade lovers of not-too-scary ghost stories. There was nothing spectacularly wonderful about it...but there was nothing which stood out as bad, either. Basically, it was cute and clever. You'll probably have fun reading it; you're less likely to be reading it to your grandkids in 20 years.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: B
Voice: A-
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: B
Humor: A
Illustrations: B (They're cute, but they don't add much to the text)
Believability of Characters: A-
Believability of Situations: A-
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A-

Possibly objectionable topics*: parental neglect; ghosts (imagine that!)

Reporter's Review: The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading, by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance

2009-07-29T10:52:00.006-04:00

Simon Pulse; 2009

Overall Grade: A

How does a self-proclaimed and universally-acknowledged geek girl get to be one of the most popular kids in school? Join the cheerleading squad, naturally. If it sounds strange to you for a geek to wear an insanely short skirt, show off her mad split skills, and flirt with the star of the basketball team, then you're already in agreement with Bethany, the main character and hilarious narrator of The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading. She tries out for the squad to please a friend--but she never expected how actually making it would change her life, her relationships, and herself. And whoever thought those cutesy ditzes worked so hard?

From the perspective of someone who's spent a lot of time in the geek world, I can vouch that Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance ship have got their main character and her very funny geek friends right on. I can't personally verify the cheerleader aspect, but the portrait the authors paint of both worlds are exceptionally believable and tangible. I could say to read this book for the great humor...or for the character development and relationships and friendships...or just for the insight into the world of geekdom... But really you should just read it because it's a fabulous, fresh, and funny story that will bring out the inner geek in all of us.

Literary Quality: B

Plot: B (It's a character book, but there are some nice twists)

Voice: A

Originality: A

Descriptive Ability: A

Humor: A+

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: A

Believability of Situations: A

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: language, moderate sensuality and references to sex, underage drinking (not engaged in by the protagonist; viewed as very dangerous)

Reporter's Review: Fortune's Folly, by Deva Fagan

2009-07-20T14:32:00.003-04:00

Henry Holt; April 2009
Overall Grade: A

Princesses in dire peril…a prince with a destiny to fulfill… an all-knowing fortune teller: seems like the recipe for a perfect fairy tale. Unless, that is, you are that all-knowing fortune teller—and not only don’t you believe your own fortunes, you don’t believe in fairy tales at all. Fortunata, the shoemaker’s daughter, is satisfied concocting fake portions to keep food on her father’s plate after he loses his wife and all his creative ability. But under the influence of an evil master, she is tricked into giving a prince a prophecy she is sure won’t come true…and she soon finds out that she is bound to see it does. If Fortunata is not able to help the prince fulfill his destiny (a.k.a. her prophecy), her father’s life will be taken. As she struggles to make the fortune come true, Fortunata learns that perseverance, a little wit, and a lot of love can be more powerful than magic itself.
Fortune’s Folly is, first and foremost, a very enjoyable book to read, full of all the great characters and action and true emotions you could hope to find in an original fairy tale. But Deva Fagan’s construction of plot and her clever allusions to many old fairy tales take the book to a higher level, far above the average fairy tale retelling. Like its plot, there are a lot of pieces to this story itself: action, romance, intrigue, characters…and each one fits seamlessly. Fans of fairy tales aren’t the only readers who will be fascinated and delighted with this excellent debut novel—the writing makes for a story that crosses and transcends genres and can be appreciated by everyone.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: A
Voice: A
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A (though limited, what’s there is good)
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: some scary moments and violence

Monday's Food for Thought (...just on Tuesday!)

2009-07-14T20:40:00.002-04:00

"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."
~Anton Chekhov

Special Topics: The Dreaded Anachronism

2009-07-14T15:46:00.003-04:00

This is a short post about a small issue:
One short, small word that is my biggest pet peeve:
"OK."
No one is certain about this word/term's origins, but remember this if you're writing a historical novel: it's American, mid-ninteenth century.
Times and places this word was not used, the literary conversations of which I've seen it inserted into:
Regency England (in a few books, actually)
Revolutionary War America
Revolutionary War France (Although maybe you could make an argument for translation there...I guess they weren't speaking English anyway!)
Here's a link to just one dictionary entry regarding "OK"...for a more thorough treatment, you'll have to find a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary somewhere:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/okay

Monday's Food for Thought

2009-07-06T10:50:00.000-04:00

"Don't you understand that we need to be childish in order to understand? Only a child sees things with perfect clarity, because it hasn't developed all those filters which prevent us from seeing things that we don't expect to see."
--Douglas Adams

Reporter's Review: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly

2009-07-03T16:53:00.005-04:00

Henry Holt; May, 2009
Overall Grade: A-

As the only girl stuck in the middle of six brothers, Calpurnia (Callie Vee) Tate has to fend for herself—and in turn-of-the-century Texas, this means fighting for her right to be a girl with interests other than knitting and sewing and learning a new dish to cook every week…in particular, interests in the budding field of naturalism, in which Callie turns to her reclusive grandfather for help and mentorship. Through the course of several months she develops an unexpected friendship with the old man, who teaches her, though word and example, that she can be whatever she dreams of becoming.
With The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, we’ve never been so grateful for our grading system, which allows the individualization of various elements: the pacing and slow, but steady character development in Jacqueline Kelly’s story was exemplary, very fine writing; the sense of place and time was excellent; the reading enjoyment was unflagging. It is hard to say, however, whether the average (or even above-average) middle grade reader would be able to appreciate the extremely subtle plot. As far as plots go, this one was only average: whole chapters pass with no development—one chapter is entirely devoted to Callie and her family’s musical taste, another entirely to the history of their maid. The overall story arch is very small. It should be kept in mind, however, that this is Ms Kelly’s first novel—if she can bring the same flow and character and language to her future stories while devising more clever or complicated plots, her work will certainly be among the best of this time.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: C
Voice: A+
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a (Though praise should be given to the gorgeous dust jacket)
Believability of Characters: A-
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: mild language, veiled Victorian references to sex

Monday's Food for Thought

2009-06-29T13:31:00.001-04:00

None can sense more deeply than you artists, ingenious creators of beauty that you are, something of the pathos with which God at the dawn of creation looked upon the work of his hands. A glimmer of that feeling has shone so often in your eyes when—like the artists of every age—captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours and shapes, you have admired the work of your inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you.
--John Paul II, Letter to Artists

Author Interview: Kathryn Fitzmaurice

2009-06-26T17:49:00.004-04:00

Today we are happy to welcome Kathryn Fitzmaurice, author of The Year the Swallows Came Early.

Eleanor (called Groovy) Robinson dreams of becoming a chef… But her dream and her family both begin to fall apart at the same time when her father is arrested. What follows this unique beginning is a deeply emotional and beautifully-written story of Groovy’s path to set things right, follow her dreams, and find a way to forgive.
(Read our original review at: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/06/reporters-review-year-swallows-came.html)

CBR: Did you ever dream of becoming a chef, as Groovy does?

KF: I have never dreamed of becoming a chef and in fact, do not enjoy cooking at all. During the week , I go through the same seven or eight dinners I usually make because I have two teenage boys and they eat a LOT, but on the weekends, my husband (who has always wanted to be a chef) does all the cooking. He has every known kitchen utensil and spends most of his free time coming up with fabulous new recipes. He’ll say things like, “Tonight I’m making a traditional winter dinner.”

CBR: Groovy tries to find the perfect dish for every occasion… What do you think the perfect dish would be to eat while enjoying her story?

KF: In the beginning of the book it might be Luis’ secret recipe tacos, but closer to the end it would definitely be chocolate covered strawberries because they symbolize Groovy overcoming the obstacles that were set in her way.

CBR: Just like Groovy associates certain foods with certain times, is there a food you associate with writing this book?

KF: Probably scrambled eggs, for two reasons. First because they’re so easy to make, and Groovy makes them after her crisis is over because they match her uncomplicated mood, and second because I remember (this was near the end of me writing the book) my oldest son one night telling me “not scrambled eggs again, mom”, when I had forgotten to take something out of the freezer for dinner.

CBR: How long did it take you to write The Year the Swallows Came Early? What were the most difficult and the most enjoyable parts of the process?

KF: It took me three years to write the book. The most difficult part was leading Groovy to forgive her father because in the first draft, she did not forgive him. I had to give her enough time to come around to it without pushing her.
The most enjoyable parts were working with my agent, Jennifer Rofe, and my then editor, Brenda Bowen. I had a lot of fun going through their comments and the copy edits. I kept thinking how fortunate I was to work with such great people and how they helped me to make it the best story it could be.

CBR: Following your dreams is a significant theme in your book… Have you dreamed of becoming an author for a long time? What is your advice to those with a similar dream?

KF: The summer I turned 13, my mother sent me to New York City to visit my grandmother, who was a science fiction author. This was in the 70’s, when science fiction was becoming very popular. My grandmother led a very eclectic lifestyle. I remember we never did anything until late afternoon, and then we stayed up until 2 or 3am. Sometimes, we went to dinner as late as 11pm. Then when we returned, she’d sit down to write until very early in the morning. She told me she did this because the middle of the night was when people said and did things they normally wouldn’t. She had a collection of porcelain owls, because they were creatures of the night. She studied paranormal events. She discussed things like inner motivations and secret desires. She helped me to write my very first story that summer, and stayed up all night typing it so I could have a real story like she had. It was my first real writing lesson.

She worked very hard that summer revising a novel entitled Chrysalis of Death. And one day, we met her agent for lunch, and after listening to them discuss how my grandmother could make her characters into whomever she wanted, I decided that someday, I’d like to be a writer, too. So after I announced my decision, my grandmother proceeded to send me books about writing techniques, books by classic authors, and literary essays for every birthday and Christmas holiday after. One of my favorite books she sent me when I was deep into a teenage poetry stage was a volume of poetry written by Emily Dickinson. Inside the front cover, she wrote: “Emily Dickinson is a revered poet. Perhaps the same can be said of K.H. someday. Love, Grandma Eleanor."

When she passed away, she left me a big box with all of her unfinished manuscripts in it. The box of manuscripts has been a huge inspiration to me. And because of all of the encouragement she gave me and to honor her, I decided that when I sat down to write my own novel many years later, that I would name my main character after her and give her a grandmother very much like my own. I gave the grandmother in my story the same characteristics and even had her give a box of manuscripts to her granddaughter. In fact, because I remember her revising Chrysalis of Death the summer I visited, I decided to include it in The Year the Swallows Came Early. So on page 148, my main character and her best friend find this manuscript and talk about it, along with a few of her others stories. I included her book, Chrysalis of Death inside my book.

She never got to read even the first draft of my novel. But I did send it to her agent three years ago, who is still alive and working in NYC. After reading my book, my grandmother’s agent made the comment that she liked how I included my grandmother’s books in my own books, and she thought my grandmother would have been very proud.

When I started working on my novel, I knew just two things. I knew I wanted to write about my grandmother, and how she left me a box of manuscripts which later shaped my life. But also, I wanted to write about the swallows and their annual migration back to the mission every year. Their return reminds me of a promise which can never be broken. It’s so hopeful to me. I am there every year, waiting for them, amazed that they somehow know the way home.

I would tell new writers to go to as many writing conferences they can attend, and to join a critique group. Both have been invaluable to me.

CBR: Finally, our signature question: is there any question you’ve always wanted to be asked and never had a chance to answer before?

KF: My question would be: What is your favorite thing to write? My answer would be: I hope someday to write a book of poems. I adore poetry. I love the economy of text that makes up its structure. I love the emotion of poetry. I love how one can set up the lines just as they want to highlight certain words or phrases. I have a couple of my favorite poems framed and hanging in my home office.

CBR: Many, many thanks, Kathryn, for answering these questions and for writing such a beautiful story! I am certain we’ll be hearing more wonderful things of you in the future!

To learn more about Kathryn Fitzmaurice, you can visit her website at: http://www.kathrynfitzmaurice.com/

Special Topic: Thoughts on Plot (or, Just Because It Happened to You Doesn't Make It Interesting)

2009-06-25T11:42:00.007-04:00

Here's a question posed to me by a former acting professor:
"How many truly dramatic moments have you experienced?"
The answer (pretty uniform through my class): "Um...two? Wait, maybe three... No: one, I guess?"
Which elucidates an important point: while true-to-life stories often make the best books, writers need to be selective about which scenes and moments (and how long of a time-span) they choose to represent.True-to-life and actual life are not the same things.
There is a big difference between the scope of plot in a fantasy novel and a contemporary fiction novel--but the fantasy writers often have the easier job, or so it would seem... Hmmm...things are getting slow: look! a giant, presumed-dead mythical creature just appeared and tried to bite my head off!
Only one problem: that's not real plot. It is action, and gives the allusion of movement and progression, but does it really further the character's story? In a perfectly crafted plot (or so I believe), every moment of action should be working double- or triple-time: yes, it should provide action and entertainment, but it should also further the main character's development and preferably be a result (whether direct or indirect) of the character's choices. Lastly, it should be truly dramatic. It should be a moment worthy of being written because it thrusts the reader into the situation, makes you question what you would do there, pulls at your heartstrings, intrigues your intellect, makes you relive the moment in your dreams and daydreams for hours or days or weeks afterward.

Reporter's Review: The Year the Swallows Came Early, by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

2009-06-23T14:23:00.003-04:00

Harper Collins, February 2009
Overall Grade: A

Groovy Robinson knows exactly what she wants: to go to cooking school; wear a tall, oval chef’s hat; learn the exact amount of time to cool a cake before frosting it; make lemon zest fall from her grater like confetti. And another thing: to keep her family together—even if her superstitious mother claims that the zodiac signs predict unavoidable failure. But when her father is arrested, her mother admits to turning him in, and Groovy discovers that his crime is gambling away her inheritance, all her dreams seem to crumble at once. It takes some sturdy friends, a handful of insight, and many trays of chocolate-covered strawberries to help Groovy along her path to understanding, forgiveness, and moving ahead.
Kathryn Fitzmaurice is a brilliant writer with a unique, but comfortable voice which practically propels you into her characters’ lives and fortunes. Every character, and every scene, is true-to-life and completely tangible, and the descriptions and metaphors of daily life are stunning. Once you begin reading Groovy’s story, I defy you to ever forget her.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: B+ (As a character novel, it is light on plot, but nicely constructed)
Voice: A
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: broken families, superstition, gambling (However, these serious issues are dealt with in a subtle, graceful way, reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie…they are serious, but not oppressive.)

Monday's Food for Thought

2009-06-22T15:31:00.001-04:00

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.
-C. S. Lewis

Reporter's Review: Tropical Secrets; Holocaust Refugees in Cuba, by Margarita Engle

2009-06-22T15:05:00.006-04:00

Henry Holt, 2009

Overall Grade: A

Daniel is a young German Jewish refugee, seeking harbor in the last haven available to him and his countrymen: Cuba. Paloma is the daughter of the Cuban official who decides which refugees will be given assistance...and which will be returned to Nazi Germany to face their deaths. As the years pass and the two become friends, their lives change with the tide of war: when the United States enter the war, all Japanese and non-Jewish Germans (even if they are spouses of Jews) are rounded up and arrested. Daniel must risk his own safety to keep others from suffering from the prejudice and danger he has known for so long.

Told in first-person free verse, using alternating viewpoints between Daniel and Paloma (and a couple others, briefly), Tropical Secrets is a beautifully told, exceptionally crafted story of a little-known aspect of history. Margarita Engle uses free verse to her advantage; whereas some free verse "poets" seem to randomly arrange prose sentences to resemble something greater than it is, Ms Engle chooses her words carefully and artistically. In addition, the plot of Tropical Secrets is appropriate to the length and style of a free verse novel, simple enough to be told completely and rich enough to benefit from the stylized language.

But we wonder why the name was chosen... ??? It makes the book sound more like a history text than a novel in verse...which is a grave injustice.

Literary Quality: A

Plot: A-

Voice: A

Originality: A+

Descriptive Ability: A+

Humor: n/a

Illustrations: n/a

Believability of Characters: A

Believability of Situations: A

Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: separation of family due to war, religious prejudice

I just discovered something...

2009-06-20T17:51:00.002-04:00

http://community.livejournal.com/10_ers/

The 10'ers--the 2010 equivalent of this year's 2009 Debutantes (link on right)!

So now I can begin getting impatient a whole year earlier...

Special Topic: What About the Bad Reviews?

2009-06-20T17:18:00.004-04:00

Considering that the large majority of books reviewed here receive pretty good reviews, you'd think either we're not very critical or the publishing world has reached a veritable golden age... While I can't vouch for the latter one way or the other, I wanted to clarify that there are many many books which I begin to read which never end up on my "to review" shelf.
Believe it or not, I have a system. When I start any, and I mean any, new book, I will always read it at least half-way through, whether I find that difficult or not. Some great books just take a while to get started (for example, last year's A Curse Dark as Gold, reviewed here:http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2008/06/reporters-review-curse-dark-as-gold-by.html) and are worth the wait.
But, sad as it is (since many of these books are fair, to give them credit), I simply don't have time to read every book that comes out if it can't hold my interest. There are so many wonderful books being released that I want to turn my attention to them and give them the recognition they deserve. Even a "B" review here means the book was great in one aspect: it was interesting and entertaining, and should be lauded for being so...which is why I'm addressing this issue now.
I don't really enjoy writing negative reviews, quite frankly. Maybe in the future I'll actually review a book I wasn't impressed with...but, to be honest, that will probably only happen if the book is getting recognition it doesn't deserve and is truly poorly crafted--enough to really annoy me. I'm sure we can all think of a couple that fit that category...but I try to avoid them.
For now, though, enjoy the optimism. And enjoy reading these books numbered among the outstanding few!

Author Interview: Rosanne Parry

2009-06-19T15:49:00.006-04:00

Today we are proud to welcome Rosanne Parry, author of Heart of a Shepherd!

Ignatius (known as Brother) is the youngest in a family of strong men, most of whom plan careers in the military and/or herding the cows on their family's ranch. When Brother's father, a military officer, leaves to fight overseas, Brother has to step up to be the man of the house...and discover his plan for his own future...

(Read our original review at: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/05/reporters-review-heart-of-shepherd-by.html)

CBR: Heart of a Shepherd takes place on a ranch--how did you discover what life on a ranch was like?

RP: I’ve never lived on a ranch, although I have lived in small towns. I have friends who live on ranches and I’ve traveled through Eastern Oregon several times. There are plenty of good books about ranch life. A current favorite is The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss. Agricultural colleges are a great source of information and YouTube has an extensive collection of calf birth videos. Yeah, I was surprised too! It’s interesting to see but definitely not for the faint of heart.

CBR: Faith and family are such an integral part of your story...was your own family an inspiration for this?

RP: Not really. I used to be an altar boy so the scene where Brother was serving on the altar was lots of fun for me to write. On the other hand, the Alderman family Christmas traditions are nothing like my own. Some writers do base their characters on people they know, but that never works for me. The only character in the book that’s “real” is Brother’s Shetland pony Spud.

CBR: Do you have any advice or words of encouragement for children, like Brother, whose parents are away at war?

RP: So here’s the big secret about being in the military. Soldiers love each other. If you have a mom or dad serving the armed forces, you can be positive that they are surrounded by other soldiers who love them and would do ANYTHING to help them.
The soldiers your parent serves with care about you, too, and they love it when you send your parent pictures and drawings and great stories about your life at home. All the ordinary stuff you do is like treasure to people far away, so send them lots of letters and play piano over the phone and send videos of the school play and tell about your cool science project. Everybody will be glad you did!

CBR: Heart of a Shepherd was your first published novel; what was the hardest part about writing this book? What was the hardest part of getting it published?

RP: My husband is a veteran of Desert Storm and had been off active duty for a dozen years when I began working on Heart of a Shepherd six or seven years ago. By the time I was revising it, I had several family members on active duty and a few had deployments. That made the work far more emotionally intense than it might have been otherwise. The challenge for me was to give the story emotional strength without overwhelming a young reader. Fortunately, I have an editor I trust to help me find that balance.
The hard part about the publishing process is how long everything takes. Even with an agent, it takes time to sell a manuscript. Once you have a publisher it takes months and often more than a year to get on the schedule and through the revision process. Once that hurdle is cleared it may take many more months to design the cover, copy edit, print and ship the books. Once your book is in stores, it’s months before you know whether or not you are making sales. It’s not that I wish things would speed up exactly. I’m glad my editor is committed to making sure I have enough time to write the strongest book I can. The cover and book design took a while, but the result is gorgeous! It’s just hard to wait.

CBR: How do you balance your vocation of writing with your vocation of motherhood?

RP: Lucky for me house cleaning and yard work is not a vocation! Not a lot of that going on over here. Seriously. Ask around.
It helps greatly that the one vocation supports the other. I’m a better writer for having a house full of children. I have insight into childhood I would not have if I were just recalling my own experiences. My teaching and volunteer work puts me in regular contact with children beyond the immediate circle of my family. Children are also very motivating. I have to be purposeful about setting aside a time and place for writing, so it motivates me to get work accomplished when I have writing time.
I also find the writing helps the mothering. Because I’m immersed in children’s books I’ve read most of the books my children love, and we have an easy avenue to talk about what is important to them. Literature at its best is an invitation to a conversation, and I love it that books are a way for my children and me to connect.

CBR: Finally, are there any questions you've always wished to be asked that you'd like to answer here?

RP: Not so much a question but a moment of shameless self-promotion. I’m very proud to be a member of the Class of 2K9, a group of debut middle grade and young adult authors who have banded together to promote our books releasing in 2009. We are all so grateful for the work teachers and librarians do to make literacy happen that we wanted to do something to pay them back, particularly in our current budget crisis. Authors-To-Go was formed out of this idea. It’s a volunteer virtual author visit that the Class is offering to teachers and librarians and summer reading programs in 2009. Pick the book your kids and love and contact us at authorstogo@classof2K9.com. We will arrange an hour-long chat room or Skype visit with our author and your students. It’s easy and fun so give us a try!

CBR: Thank you so much, Rosanne! Your book was such a pleasure to read, and we're very grateful for the time you took for this interview. We'll be keeping our eyes out for Heart of a Shepherd when the award season comes around!

To learn more about Rosanne Parry and her books (and to see more cool pictures like the ones of the lamb and lovely easten Oregon mountainscape she provided), visit her website at http://www.rosanneparry.com/

Reporter's Review: The Amaranth Enchantment, by Julie Berry

2009-06-17T18:23:00.004-04:00

Bloomsbury, March 2009
Overall Grade: A

Lucinda is the daughter of wealthy aristocrats, but when they die in a tragic carriage accident, Lucinda is taken in my her uncle-by-marriage and his cruel wife, the owners of a struggling goldsmithy. When Uncle dies, Lucinda is thrown out onto the streets—but fate brings her to the home of a kind, but mysterious woman reputed to be a witch…and it turns out to be Lucinda’s childhood home, as well. Throw in a charming thief, a down-to-earth prince, an immortal villain, and a magical stone that they all seem to be after—and you have the key ingredients for one of the most exciting Cinderella stories you’ll ever read.
The Amaranth Enchantment is gripping and fast-paced as well as romantic. Julie Berry is a master of thinking outside the box, turning a wonderful, but dog-eared, fairy tale into an original novel. Her plot was very clever, though at times the pacing of the events was slightly jarring. There are a few unbelievable moments at the dénouement—but they provide such a satisfying ending that they likely won’t bother anyone. On the whole, a very enjoyable, and highly recommended, read.

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B+ (While the actual plot was brilliant, the way it was pieced together was occasionally sudden and, as a result, slightly confusing)
Voice: A
Originality: A+
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: child neglect/abuse, mild swears, some blood and violence

Food for Thought... (Just a nibble, actually)

2009-06-15T11:58:00.001-04:00

"Easy reading is damn hard writing." ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Author Interview: Robin Brande!

2009-06-12T14:03:00.004-04:00

Please welcome our very first author interviewee (that should be a word), Robin Brande, the author of FAT CAT!

Cat is a spunky, determined, science-buff, who takes on a very interesting research project to win the Science Fair--and get revenge on her former best friend... She decides to live, as closely as possible, the life of the earliest humans. In the process her body--and her life--changes in many unexpected ways...

(Read our original review at: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/04/reporters-review-fat-cat-by-robin.html)

FAT CAT comes out in October 2009--be sure to check your bookstores!

CBR: I've promised never to ask the ever-annoying question: "How did you get the idea for this story?", but there is another I just have to ask even though you probably get it all the time... In your research for FAT CAT, did you personally submit yourself to Cat's diet and lifestyle to see what it would be like?

RB: Oh yes, oh yes. And sometimes that was great—giving up all the processed food felt SO good for my body—but sometimes it was awful—giving up all the processed food felt SO sad for my little tongue. Face it, in real life there are definitely times when you need some tortilla chips and salsa and a few (or a dozen) cookies--book deadlines come to mind. I don’t know how other writers write without the proper dosage of salt, fat, and sugar. But overall, writing FAT CAT—and really, doing all the research for it ahead of time and during it—ended up convincing me to make a huge, lifelong change to the basics of my diet. I ended up where Cat does in the book, which was a big surprise to me, because that’s not at all where I thought we were headed when I first started writing it. That’s what I love about writing books: I end up changing myself as often as I end up changing my characters.

CBR: On a related note, did you actually come up with any of the great recipes Cat develops (which, incidentally, made my own meals while I was reading look like plastic in comparison!)? Any you'd be willing to share with us?

RB: I did try a whole bunch of fancy combinations, all using basic, unprocessed foods like whole grains and beans and veggies and such. I cooked a lot as I worked on the book, because I wanted Cat to be able to experiment with foods, and it’s hard for me to write that if I haven’t lived it. But I’ve found that what I keep coming back to now, post-writing, are the simplest of meals: roasted potatoes with salt and pepper, big honking salads, fresh homemade bread, oatmeal and bananas for breakfast. Pretty exotic, huh?

CBR: One of my favorite things about your story is the element of relationships that you developed and the amazing job you did developing true-to-life, lovable characters. Did people you know inspire the characters of Cat's friends and family?

RB: I love that question! Because I’m sure a lot of writers can tell you that they love slipping in family members and friends—it’s so sweet to be able to spend the day with fictional characters based on people you already love. Cat’s best friend, Amanda, is named after my niece and has a lot of her qualities. But the friendship itself is based on my own friendship with the same best friend I’ve had since I was a sophomore in high school. I’ve always felt that amount of unconditional support from her that Amanda and Cat give to each other. I HATE snarky girlfriends, and it was such a pleasure to write a relationship that felt warm and accepting and true. As for some of the other characters, I’ve given a lot of them names of my friends and family members, and based a lot of them on people I know. It’s always fun to have those people read the book and see if they’re able to pick themselves out!

CBR: A question for those of us out here who pray to be writers someday... FAT CAT was your second book; was it more or less difficult to write than your first?

RB: I’m so glad you asked this. Because I’m one of those classic cases where I spent YEARS—so many years—writing and rewriting the same first book. I’d send it off, have it rejected, rewrite it, send it off again—so much time given to that one book, because I thought that’s all I could ever write. Then I went to a writing conference where the speakers talked about writing multiple books every year—and making a good living as a writer. Until then, I didn’t realize you could even write more than one book a year—that certainly hadn’t been my experience. So I came home all fired up to try it—to see how quickly I could write another book. I sat down and wrote one in 5 weeks. Then took a little break and wrote another one in 6 weeks. They weren’t great art—they never sold—but they did teach me that (1) I have more than one story to tell, and (2) I’m able to start and finish books. Maybe this sounds simple, but that was THE hugest breakthrough I’d ever had. It completely built my confidence that once I begin a book, I can actually finish it—and finish it within a reasonable time (rather than after years and years). This is all a long way of saying that every time you write a book, it gets easier in some ways because you’ve just built up your confidence again with the previous one. Each book has its own fresh challenges, of course, but it’s fun to try to grow your skills with each book, and to know that when you begin, you’ll be able to work through to the finish. You’ve proven to yourself that you can do that. And then when you are finished, you’ll have yet another novel to send out there into the world! It may or may not be the one that gets published, but that’s okay, because you’re going to go write the next one, and that may be the one that begins your career. You’re not hanging everything on just that one novel you keep writing and rewriting.

CBR: Are there any new projects you're working on that we can hope to see soon?

RB: FAT CAT comes out this October, then I just finished writing my new novel, which I’m hoping will be out in spring of 2011. It all seems too far away. Let’s not speak of it yet!

CBR: Lastly, are there any questions you always wish you'd be asked that you'd like to have a shot at here? :)

RB: Yes, as a matter of fact: “What would you like the aspiring writers out there to know?”

1. There is room for all of us, and if you have stories to tell, please tell them. Don’t give up!

2. Be kind to your fellow writers, both aspiring and established. Don’t give in to snark. Remember that there are actual human beings behind the books you’re reading, and if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. You may not understand that until you’re on the other end of a mean review or a comment, but trust me, there is such a thing as Writer’s Karma.

3. Read a lot. You’d be surprised by how much you can learn from reading how other people do it.

CBR: Thank you so much, Robin! We can't wait to see your book on the shelves.

RB: Thank you for this interview! What fun!

Special Topic: Authors are our favorite “real people”

2009-06-11T18:30:00.000-04:00

Perhaps one of the dangers of being completely obsessed with books is that we readers tend to put authors on gigantic pedestals, solid mountains of their published books and those that came before them, looking down on us mortals with lofty smiles.
Reality check: authors are real people. Really cool people, granted, but quite approachable and, indeed, mortal and tangible. They’re not abnormal, they’re not weird, and they’re not gods on earth. Their creativity and perseverance certainly makes them worthy of our admiration, but the truth is they really don’t want to be isolated from society simply because their name is in print.
There a couple ways to get over this problem… First of all, we highly recommend seeking out and attending book signings and presentations by your favorite authors. It is a great way to see just how real and likable many authors are—and a good chance for them to meet admiring, but not crazy/worshipping, fans. Did you know that Gail Carson Levine is really cute…and really short? Or that Linda Sue Park loves babies? Or that Jeanne DuPrau is very sweet and shy? Or that Norton Juster used to get picked on in the Navy because he was drawing dragons and castles everywhere? All true—all memories we will keep forever of the chances we had to meet these gifted people.
But meeting an author in person isn’t always possible… so we are happy to announce that we are about to begin a new tradition on this blog: author interviews! Our inaugural interview will be with the delightful Robin Brande, author of the upcoming novel FAT CAT. So stay tuned to meet some cool real people…even if it’s not in the real world…
And a couple addendums…
To readers: please feel free to share your favorite author stories here!
To authors: We always love to hear from you, whether in response to a review or just to comment and say hi. And if you’d like us to review your book and/or feature you in a future author interview, please email us at thechildrensbookreporter@gmail.com. (We have a particular soft spot for debut authors, as well, so don’t be shy. :)

Reporter's Review: Distant Waves; a Novel of the Titanic, by Suzanne Weyn

2009-06-11T17:52:00.002-04:00

Scholastic, 2009
Overall Grade: A

Jane Taylor can remember the day, when she was only four, that her life changed: her medium mother seemingly contacted a spirit “from beyond”; her family was caught in a freak earthquake caused by the odd and genius scientist Nikola Tesla; and her mother decides to move her family of five daughters to the little town of Spirit Vale, New York, inhabited entirely by those hoping to make their living through the new fad of spiritualism. For the next twelve years, Jane’s life is stuck in this surreal setting, until she runs away with her older sister Mimi to interview the great Tesla for a journalism contest. The trip is life-altering, to say the least: Jane meets her hero,Tesla; she falls in love with his handsome assistant; and Mimi runs away to be the companion of Ninette Aubart, the beautiful and wealthy mistress of Benjamin Guggenheim, wealthy business magnate. Once introduced into this new world, the Taylor sisters follow on a path that leads their whole family, and many of those they love, to face their lives, and possible death, on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.
Distant Waves is a very enjoyable read, skillfully blending elements of historical fiction, romance and fantasy almost seamlessly. Suzanne Weyn did a laudable job connecting the reader to the various characters and their dilemmas; the character changes were always tied so closely to the ever-moving plot that it was impossible to lose interest in their lives for even a second. Only on reflection after finishing did we realize that a few situations and character decisions were fairly unbelievable—the story is so engrossing that they won’t be bothersome to any but the most analytical and critical (which, we fully admit, we probably are). Especially considering how many Titanic stories are out there, this novel was refreshing and original—and surprisingly uplifting—so don’t be afraid to pick this up even if you, like us, dread the tragic ending.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: A
Voice: A
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: B
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: many attempts (mostly fake but a couple real) to contact the dead through “spiritualism”; a couple in an adulterous relationship

Reporter's Review: Troll's Eye View

2009-06-08T16:43:00.009-04:00

Viking, 2009

Overall Grade: A

Troll's Eye View is a collection of short stories and poems by various prominent fantasy authors (Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Peter S. Beagle, to name a few), told with the aim of presenting a fairy tale from a different point of view: the villain's. The stories are diverse in style and telling--but consistently entertaining.

It's impossible to give a traditional review of this book due to the number of stories, but we highly recommend it. If you are a fan of fairy tales, a fan of villains, or just a fan of good literature, be sure to pick this up and find your own favorite bad guy. (Ours was the witch from Sleeping Beauty, a la Neil Gaiman...)

Possibly objectionable topics: fairy tale violence, including: abuse, murder, eating of children. (If you can't stomach the original Brothers Grimm, you would do well to avoid this, basically.)

Reporter's Review: Lucky Breaks, by Susan Patron

2009-05-29T19:45:00.002-04:00

Atheneum, 2009
Overall Grade: B

Lucky is about to celebrate her eleventh birthday—when, she anticipates, she will become intrepid. But her intrepidness is not challenged until a girl named Paloma comes to town…and Lucky promises that she won’t get them into any trouble. In trouble and out of it, Lucky learns the value of friends, the meaning of family, and other small lessons with big meanings.
Lucky Breaks was a sweet, easy-to read story, with absolutely adorable, huggable characters. It is, however, a book for readers who shy away from plot—not until page 125 does any conflict develop, and it is quickly resolved with a few heartfelt conversations. Lucky’s voice is unique, but one wonders if it wouldn’t be more so with use of first-person-narration; often the author’s voice steps in, sounding very adult, and distracting the reader from the story.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: B-
Voice: A-
Originality: A-
Descriptive Ability: A+
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: B-

Possibly objectionable topics*: language , including: one mild curse, mention of a male body part (should we say, again?), and bathroom humor referring to a burro.

Reporter's Review: Princess of the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day George

2009-05-27T18:59:00.002-04:00

Bloomsbury, 2009 (published in Britain in 2008)
Overall Grade: A-

Galen is a young, parentless soldier returning from a recently-ended war to work as a palace gardener, and Rose is the eldest of twelve motherless princesses under a curse. Coincidentally (or maybe not), after the two meet, their lives begin to be filled with excitement and danger; the sorcerer king who has cursed the princesses to dance with his half-human sons every third night grows more demanding, the princesses’ father grows more worried, and a witch-hunter with a lust for hangings grows more suspicious. Galen determines to save Rose and her sisters, though others have tried and died. But they weren’t Galen, and they didn’t have his help: a little magic, a lot of ingenuity, and a heart full of true love.
Jessica Day George’s Princess of the Midnight Ball is an exciting retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Perhaps because the original story already has so much depth and completeness, George’s plot is not as original or clever as some other recent masterful fairy tale retellings. However, it is a beautiful rendition of an already beautiful folk tale, and the characters are given personalities that make the story personal as well as intriguing.

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: B+
Voice: A-
Originality: B+
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: A
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: sorcery and curses

Reporter's Review: Soldier's Secret, by Sheila Solomon Klass

2009-05-23T11:23:00.002-04:00

Henry Holt, March 2009
Overall Grade: A-

Deborah Sampson never had any desire to be a man; but when her family abandons her and her country needs her, she determines to do everything she can to be able to fight like a man. She enlists in the army to support General Washington in the War for Independence, disguising herself and battling as a young man—and fooling everyone for over a year.
In Soldier’s Secret, Sheila Solomon Klass does an admirable job of translating Deborah’s true story to an entertaining and accessible novel for young readers. She brings historical details vividly to life, and will give readers an understanding of colonial life they will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, illuminating the daily lives both of a woman and of a soldier.

Literary Quality: A-
Plot: A-
Voice: A+
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A
Believability of Situations: B+ (The romance plot seems, at times, unbelievable)
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: mild language; some mention of inappropriate behavior mentioned among soldiers; frank discussion of feminine topics related to Deborah’s disguising herself as a man; war-related violence.

Reporter's Review: The Season, by Sarah MacLean

2009-05-15T18:47:00.003-04:00

Scholastic, 2009
Overall Grade: B

Seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford (a.k.a. Alex) wants nothing to do with the demands of her first London Season in Regency England—in particular she wants nothing of what her mother sees as the primary point of the season: finding a husband. She is sure she will be bored to death by the countless young earls and dukes who care for nothing but her title and her good looks. However, the season turns out to be anything but boring as she faces some dangerous prospects: discovering a traitorous spy, solving a murder, and finding true love.
Sarah MacLean has a clear eye for unfolding both plot and a love story, and The Season was both exciting and romantic. It never felt completely true to the era—the language often seemed modern and the main characters’ ideas and ideals at times seemed imposed upon them by a member of the modern world.
However, the intriguing plot and clear voice made the story quite enjoyable—and if you love lush descriptions of period dresses, you should read The Season at least once.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: A
Voice: A
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: B
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: C
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: B

Possibly objectionable topics*: mild language; kissing (but this is Regency England we’re talking about…you don’t really have to worry); some violence and possibly scary political intrigue

Reporter's Review: A Kiss in Time, by Alex Flinn

2009-05-12T15:45:00.002-04:00

Harper Teen, 2009
Overall Grade: B

When Princess Talia meets her fate and touches a spindle on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, she falls into a deep sleep—like, 300 years deep. She wakes up to the kiss of a seventeen-year-old American tourist Jack—and he’s the only person more surprised than she is. When her father blames her for the country’s deplorable state, Talia flees with Jack to America, to face his fears, fight against the dangerous fairy who cursed her, and find love along the way.
A Kiss in Time was a creatively thought-out story, with many humorous moments and some good points made from something as small as the ridiculous societal views of beauty to something as grand as the universality of love or the power of forgiveness. Unfortunately, much of the character development didn’t ring true, particularly in the case of the male protagonist, Jack. It often felt as though in an attempt to create a “realistic modern guy,” Ms Flinn reverted to the stereotypical romantic-chick-flick version of a guy who has a lot of growing up to do. It was hard to believe that someone with such a depraved nature as Jack begins with could actually develop into a chivalrous, selfless young man by the end—and, frankly, portraying him as better than the average guy was rather insulting to young men in general. However, the story can be enjoyed for its interesting plot and funny depiction of what would happen if two cultures, three centuries apart, suddenly converged.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: A
Voice: B
Originality: A
Descriptive Ability: B
Humor: A-
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: C
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: B

Possibly objectionable topics*: kissing (not intense); inappropriate touching (viewed as wrong); underage drinking (viewed as normal); mild language; objectification of women

Reporter's Review: Just One Wish, by Janette Rallison

2009-05-08T18:14:00.002-04:00

Publishing house/date: Putnam, 2009
Overall Grade: B+/A-

Annika Truman has to do something when her six-year-old little brother faces a surgery for a brain tumor—she is used to being the best at everything she does, knowing just how to read people and get what she wants. Her problem: you can’t read God. When he doesn’t answer her prayers the way she wants, she takes matters into her own hands—matters involving a pretend genie, an almost impossible wish, a snake, some bunnies the LA Lakers…and getting the famous TV star who plays Robin Hood, her brother’s hero, to visit him. Through the course of a Hollywood-worthy (and very crazy) adventure, she learns that sometimes it’s only when you lose control and things go wrong that you can find life’s most valuable treasures.
Just One Wish was a quick, entertaining read that is nonetheless very poignant and thought-provoking. While the situations are often a little too ridiculous to be believable (if you stop and think about them), the characters are vivid and true to life, providing a nice balance and depth to what would otherwise be a typical teen plot.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: A-
Voice: A
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: character suffering from cancer and facing possible death; kissing; very vague innuendos

Special Topic: “Yolenisms,” she said with a sigh, “Yolenisms.”

2009-05-06T18:46:00.000-04:00

What is a Yolenism, you ask?
Since time immemorial, authors have been plagued with the near-impossible task of toeing the line between true drama and melodrama. To put it simply: Not enough drama = boring. Too much = sap.
Perhaps the most difficult place in a book to create and maintain drama is the dreaded chapter ending, extended to the even more dreaded book ending. Those last few lines before “THE END”—they have to be meaningful, send shivers down the reader’s spine, leave us sighing with satisfaction at the perfect conclusion.
Unfortunately, when faced with this hurdle, even some of the most-respected authors have fallen into a trap: the repeated phrase trap, which simulates the feeling of drama without actually creating any. For example: “Can you end this chapter dramatically, author?” “I can try,” she said, gritting her teeth with determination. “I can try.”
If you pay attention, you’ll be surprised how often you see this pattern emerging in books and movies—as mentioned, pay close attention to the end of dramatic scenes. And you’ll be more surprised by how little you see it in real life. Like, probably, never. (Unless you count those English professors who go around in patched tweed jackets as real life…you might hear it from them…)
Calling the repeated-phrase-trap a Yolenism is a little nod to a very well-known author who is herself susceptible to this pitfall…her early books, in particular, are full of examples and will provide a nice smile on a rainy day if you go looking for them. It’s somehow encouraging that someone that famous and prolific can still make mistakes—so take heart, my friend.
Take heart.

Reporter's Review: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, by Rodman Philbrick

2009-05-06T18:41:00.003-04:00

Overall Grade: B
Blue Sky Press, 2009

Well, it seems war is a popular theme for children’s books in 2009, and Rodman Philbrick’s The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg is waving the flag on the Civil War front. The title character is a twelve-year-old orphan living with his older brother and cruel uncle-in-law in a little town in Maine. But when his brother is illegally sold as a replacement for a rich draftee to the Union Army, Homer must rise to the occasion and be the man of the family. He runs away to save his brother, and there his adventures begin.
While Homer’s adventures are worthy of a Mark Twain short story (perhaps we could throw in a couple jumping frogs?), they are nonetheless moving. The horrors of the Civil War are related with laudable attention to the sensibilities of the time and the narrator’s unique personal voice.
Note must be made that while this was certainly a thoroughly researched historical novel, it does contain one or two glaring anachronisms in speech. In addition, the dialect is perhaps a little overdone at times, and the author seems slightly prone to use of overdramatic phrases. Nonetheless, a very entertaining and enjoyable read that is sure to be devoured by boys and girls alike.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: A-
Voice: A-
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a (Although the cover…! Our condolences to the author…)
Believability of Characters: B+
Believability of Situations: B-
Overall Reading Enjoyment: B

Possibly objectionable topics*: many gory war details; child abuse/neglect

What should I read? Help me!

2009-05-03T17:35:00.003-04:00

I'm having a hard time finding new books (published in 2009) that meet the following criteria:
1) I haven't read it already!
2) It's YA or Middle Grade
3) My library system actually has a copy!
Either way, I seem to be having a hard time finding any lists of new books, so until I can get to a big bookstore...can anyone recommend good titles?
Please?
And does anyone know any sites that list new releases? I've kind of gotten stuck looking at Newbery and Printz prediction sites, most of which don't really get buzzing until later in the year.

Reporter's Review: Heart of a Shepherd, by Rosanne Parry

2009-05-01T14:48:00.003-04:00

Overall Grade: A
Random House, January 2009

Ignatius (known as “Brother”) Alderman is twelve years old and the youngest of five brothers who work on a cattle ranch with their father and grandparents. Brother has never been quite the same as his brothers—three of whom are in the military (like their dad) and all of whom are tougher ranchers than Brother thinks he will ever be. But when his dad’s army reserve unit is deployed to Iraq, Brother is left to be the man of the house with all his brothers away with army training or college or military high school. He handles the conflicts and dramas of ranch life with courage and hope, and eventually finds his calling in an unlikely way.
Heart of a Shepherd was a believable, moving story told by a talented new author who brings grace and tangibility to her words. Rosanne Parry brings the experience of a young rancher to life so realistically that as a reader you can practically smell the horse sweat and see the stars in a clear mountain sky. This story is full of drama and emotion, handling difficult issues with a sensitive and credible touch.

Literary Quality: A
Plot: A
Voice: A
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A
Humor: n/a
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: A+
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A+

Possibly objectionable topics*: injury of secondary character in a war, death of secondary character