Tag Archives: 2012 Reads

Book 75 is excellent!!! The young narrator’s voice is slightly mature for the age, but it is fitting because the life experience of the character makes the insights and resourcefulness believable. I am impressed at the depth, complexity, and realism of emotions the author manages to illustrate through a fairly short story. There are moments that I had to suspend my disbelief — willingly so because I cared too much about the welfare of the characters — and thought that this “realistic fiction” really borders on “a happy real life fairy tale.” But, hey, that’s why we read, right? The young readers will definitely find the happy ending satisfying (and not too forced) and be fascinated by the events showcasing the struggles (and the successes) of these fictional peers.

In the hands of a highly accomplished and skilled storyteller, book 74 definitely entertains! Following similar formula as the author’s previous, highly popular books, this title features lightly incompetent and immature adults, resourceful and compassionate young protagonists, exciting (and sometimes dangerous) events, and easy-to-grasp humor. Many young fans of the previous books will gobble this one up happily.

A change of pace for me to read a low middle grade (2nd and 3rd?) book that is fun and breezy. The author turns everyday school and family life into small drama full of crises and inventive resolutions. It feels authentic and I can see many children enjoying the protagonist’s adventures.

I thought there was some overwriting (too much figure of speech thrown into the passages) at the beginning of the story — and it did not quite draw me in right away, but for the majority of the tale (85% or so after the set-up), I was thoroughly engaged: both by the loving parent and the singular and sorrow-stricken child and the weird effects these two have on those on their weird road trip. This reminds me a bit of Because of Wynn-Dixie but less precious and seems more realistic. It also has an ending that is believable and uplifting without becoming sappy. I will say book 72 is outstanding!

Honest, haunting, depressing, thoughtful, intriguing, and brave: these are some adjectives that I could attribute to book 71. It definitely turned out to be highly unlike what I thought the book was about: instead of being a murder mystery with lots of tension and drama, it is contemplative, pleading, and it does not offer a crowd pleasingly easy ending. This is not a book that I can lure young readers into reading by telling them some tantalizing tidbits from the tale: I want them going into the story knowing that they will encounter something tough and might be emotionally hard to process. I also don’t see this as a book designed for “children” as much as for slightly older readers and for the author as a way to close a long lasting, achy wound. I am pleased to have read it, though, and will recommend it to my teen readers.

On a blog mostly about children’s books, may I use WTF? to describe my final reaction to book 70? I just did! Reading through the book, repulsed and confused for the most part, I was hoping that perhaps the final scenes/chapters/resolution would have wrap the story up and give me some worthwhile reason to have to wade through the entire book so my small “wtf’s” can combine and become a big “Oh, I GET it!! Wow… so brilliant… ” but… um… nope… it left me with a STRONGER sense of lament: of wasted time (which could have been spent on reading more enjoyable or revelatory books.) But, a nagging doubt is pulsing in my mind, too — perhaps this IS the most brilliant book of 2012: it surely is the most different book, with its surreal and totally repulsive settings and major events, its unapologetically non-scientifically sound explanations of WHY the beings exist, and its host of characters that perhaps are meant to be allegorically significant but my feeble mind simply cannot grasp all their meanings. I need time and discussion to make sense of the book and why some readers seem to think it highly worthy. (One possible worthiness comes from demanding readers to unpack the emotional and ethical turmoil of the main character and the other might be that it does not offer easy two-tone answers: nothing seems entirely black or entirely white. ) There are definitely gaping holes (both emotional and logical) in the telling and those are what, to me, eventually, bring down the worthiness of the book.

Delightful and fast-paced, book 69 definitely has strong child appeal — reminding me slightly of the Klise sisters work, especially the Regarding the … series. Outlandish setting and outrageously exaggerated characterization, balanced with a few normal, gentle, quiet kind of souls — and suddenly you have this interesting story with a gentle but important message of being true to oneself and what really matters in life, without ever being too didactic. The happy ending is well suited for a sunny kind of humorous story.

I’m still digesting the many literary aspects, topsy-turvy events, exposition of emotions, and the author’s sly way of revealing the characters’ past histories in book 68. The book is surely a feat: highly inventive and richly layered. I did not, however, have a strong emotional attachment to the story. Mildly curious and expectant of horrific events (as how it is described on the jacket flap) were my most prominent feelings to the book. The story never got really scary which to me is somewhat disappointing. And as the story progressed, I started missing the strong sense of melancholy and darkness the story started with – since it became more of an adventure, survival, friendship, and redemption story than the potential tale I imagined in my head: out-of-the-box macabre with elevated philosophical revelations. Perhaps I expected too much.

This interesting historical event in book 67 was somewhat familiar to me already — having read and seen movies about them — but the author manages to make the story about the people involved a truly fascinating one. Even though the author never hides the truth or makes it mysterious from page one, there is still a sense of suspense: readers wonder how and when the world would find out the real events behind the hyped up story. I sense the author’s deep compassion toward all who were involved: their motivation, their odd passions, and their actions were all clearly delineated without boring long exposition paragraphs… the text and structure of the chapters flow naturally and keep the readers engaged. I find this an outstanding nonfiction!

I had been waiting to read book 66 for a while and it definitely did not disappoint!!! It’s short, powerful, suspenseful, witty, wise, sometimes painful, and so well crafted. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to re-read it! This, like book 65, is told from a first person middle school boy’s point of view — and like book 65, both boys sound authentic: even when they are being wise and observant, you don’t feel that the authors are speaking from their experiences accumulated through the years. These kids THINK and TALK like kids.

Book 65 is a solid realistic contemporary story that feels genuine and earnest. Earnest is sometimes my code word for “trying too hard and I think the young readers might find it too preachy to appreciate it.” In this case, though, I feel that the young readers who liked 50 Cents’ Playground or Paul Volponi’s Black and White will definitely find both the characters and the events authentic. It is also gentle enough for pre- or early teens: especially because the main character/narrator does not get into the most serious situations as some of the others in the story. (Unlike Black & White, where the main characters are the ones accused and arrested for their crime.) However, since it is so gentle and so positive: I do feel that it lacks the punch toward the end. And it might not be a truly realistic solution for troubled youths…

Reading book 64 felt incredibly intimate: there are so many details (never boring, never detracting) that make the reader feel right there and then with the characters. And the characters! Fierce, honest, full of passion and so real — even though they’re from a much earlier time, and a very different place from the one the reader is in. The story transports and transcends. (I dislike the cover or the back cover copy that highlights ONE event in the story: although it being a crucial turning point, it gives the false impression of what the flavor of the book truly is.) This is a quietly powerful book — the adventures are as much with-out as with-in — but for that it is a lot more effective and makes a lasting impression. So glad to have followed some of my goodreads friends’ recommendations (and not my superficial first impressions!) Now, onward! Started two books tonight and put them both down… not in the right mood. Going to look for a 3rd option.

Dark, humorous, gruesome, full of earnest intents, child-pleasing, potentially controversial … book 63 made me ponder and wonder a LOT. As a reader, I devoured the book and its many twists and turns with a high level of delight and often marveled at the narrative voice: how it keeps a great balance of “teaching some wise lessons” and “presenting tales that will just sucker the young readers/listeners in” and how it has that leaping-out-of-the-pages, simply begging to be read aloud and shared quality. I cannot WAIT to read this to my students in the fall.

In my assessment, book 62 (which arrived as I was leaving New York and which both I and my 13-year-old daughter promptly were attracted to by the handsome design) is probably above what we consider “presentation for 14-and-under audience” level. However, it gave both of us great pleasure to read the selections and served as a great quick airplane read for her. She kept exclaiming: “This is so great! Oh, I love this one!” And I couldn’t agree with her more: the form and the content both work and of course, it is one of my favorite subgenres: fairy tale reworked (with a somewhat sinister twist.)

It was effortless to read book 60 — because it did not demand any mental power or deep thoughts to get through it. The book reads like a made-for-TV movie featured on Friday nights in the summer on Disney Channel: very little that challenges my thoughts or expectations. I can see pre-teens gobbling it up and thinking that this must be what it’s like as a high school senior… Drama drama and pressure pressure. The individual first person present tense (yup, that again) voices also are not that distinct. The dialogs feel authentic, although all very clean and proper. And these teens can definitely hold focused conversations for long stretches of time… (unlike the real high school kids I know whose thoughts jump around every where and each conversation tangent is triggered quickly by random thread starters within the original conversation.) Being a slow reader, I spent a lot more time than the two hours usually demanded to watch a TV movie and I’d say that I felt my time was a bit wasted without deriving more (or even as much, depending on the actual movies) pleasure out of it. Now, on to 61: a completely different kind of book :)

Book 59 reminded me along the whole way why I LOVE to read. It’s books like this — so gloriously dark and with so many amazing turns of phrase and such brilliant characterization! The sense of place and time is vividly palpable. Only potential issues: it might be deemed too sophisticated/old for the Newbery criteria, and the ending is a bit convenient and too “bright” in contrast with the mostly dark tone through the book.

Yay! Book 59 is in THIRD PERSON, PAST TENSE — and it starts off beautifully with quite a bit of intriguing bits of information: plus, the cover is done with slightly coarse paper. It feels different and interesting to the touch. I think this will be a wonderful read but probably not for young/middle grade readers.

Book 58 is a fun read while you’re at it — because you DO, like the characters, want to find out what happens to each of the characters and the relationships in the neighborhood. And I appreciate that author’s letting the young protagonist grapple with some moral gray areas in the tale — although since EVERYTHING works out so perfectly and beautifully, and since all the morally questionable deeds the young child performed resulted in her being viewed as the true heroine of the town, the end of the story feels really black and white and the questionable becomes celebrated. I don’t know that I feel entirely comfortable with this outcome. A couple other potential problems: The action that offers the central conceit through out the book is just not plausible; and the first person narrator slips into super grown-up talk mode once in a while.

The Epilogue of 53 thoroughly changed how I view the book (at this point — I know I’ll have to rethink and reread and reconsider many times — and change my minds over and over, too) — there is a great honesty and a passion for teaching — not just being didactic — young people how to evaluate and review evidences and how to care deeply for so many aspects of each issue.

I kept not finishing book 30 but eventually did it today. My final impression of this well researched, handsomely designed and laid-out book of an important historical event is quite positive. Although I feel that along the way the main threads regularly got distracted by very detailed recounts of the background information and lost the momentum several times, the ending brings all the lines back to a strong crescendo. I applaud the clarity, the hard research work, the conscientious documentation, and the palpable sincerity and earnestness.