Tag Archives: 2012 Reads

Book 32 does not stand out to me at all. It’s the same old, same old.

A few thoughts on book 31: I can’t say that this is an outstanding book, even though I can see how it might have broad appeal to early teen girls. The situation is set up to pique a reader’s curiosity and the whole time when you read, you feel like you are a voyeur into these characters’ internal thoughts and feelings (and these are very shallow and immature feelings for the most part). It might be fun and thrilling for some, but I kept feeling “unclean” because reading the story felt like gossiping and the ending didn’t help cleanse my conscience. The narrative structure gets repetitive and tedious and loses momentum half way through the story. That said, there are moments of insight and revelation and these characters seem real enough. Certain plot advancements are not expected and I appreciated those.

Reading Book 31 even though I have not finished 30: I felt bogged down by lots of detailed information and that the original anticipation of following just a few strands so that there is a deep and large impact on this historical event didn’t materialize. It feels disjointed at times and I wonder how young readers will react to this if the only experience they have with this event is through reading this one book: would they form a clear large picture with small details filling in or would they be confused and baffled by so many people and happenings swirling around from page to page, chapter to chapter?

I love the author’s (book 29) skillful hand at metaphors. Each one is descriptive and totally accurate — helping the reader understand the characters very quickly and how the narrator feels about them. Also very grateful that although the first paragraph of the book is in first person present tense, the story took place in the narrator’s past and wisdom and observations and speculations of motives and emotions can be naturally inserted.

I need to figure out why the last 1/3 of book seems flatter than the first 2/3. I think the author, when trying very hard to incorporate the real events in history for this part, probably lost a bit of the writer’s intuitive spontaneity. A couple of invented events, although making the tale a little more exciting, actually make it less attractive to me because the strength of the book came from the rich inner life of the protagonist and when so many external things happen and get added to her experience, the unique tale suddenly became just another mundane historical fiction. That said, I am still very much impressed and felt the strong personal impact of that historical period in that town.

Book 29 has such a great voice. I’m already really into the character and curious about what’s going to happen next to her.

Book 28 starts off quite fun and clever. Hopefully it will give me some pleasure today!

Done with book 27. I remember a super smart little girl (about 4) who used to come to the public library and checked out a lot of books with her mom. One of the series that I couldn’t get her to take out is Amelia Bedelia. Most readers find the books and Amelia Bedelia’s incapability to understand higher level language expressions hilarious and amusing, but not this little girl. She expressed extreme distaste when she was presented with these books — because she couldn’t stand the stupidity of Amelia Bedelia. When I was reading book 26, I continuously felt like that little 4-year-old — that the protagonist is intentionally made to be so clueless so there would have been a bit “reveal” and “shock” toward the end of the story. The only problem was that she has not demonstrated such incapability elsewhere. And since we are seeing everything through her eyes and I already knew EXACTLY who or what of every situation as it arises, I felt impatient, and eventually angry, first toward the main character, but eventually at the author. I really don’t like being manipulated this way.

Book 26 was delicious! The narrative voice is so endearing and full of energy. I’ve always admired this author’s ability to capture childlike tones while offer the readers some insight into how growing up and learning something new is like — either expanding knowledge or being exposed to new and meaningful experiences. A lovely little gem of a book!

Moving on to book 26… don’t know which one to pick yet. Something meaty and heavy or something light and sweet? I think I want something light and sweet today. Book 25 did not hold my interest. The narrative style is heavy on “telling” and not enough on “showing” — so it feels draggy and since I did not quite sense a close connection or admiration for the main character who narrates the tale, it is hard for me to care what happens to them and the family.

Book 22 — rethinking it a bit. I realized that there are so many “clean tween” books featuring older girls (HS freshmen, 8th graders) for 10-year-old girl readers but this is a rare find of a mostly-clean title with something that 10-12 year old boy readers might be able to appreciate.

Finished books 22, 23, and 24. Book 22 is just ok — I enjoyed it, but nothing special. Book 23, a beginning reader by a well established author, is also nothing to be excited about. Now, book 24 — I cannot quite make up my mind about it. I think it’s quite a worthwhile book. I couldn’t put it down — really wanted to know what happened next. The ending is both completely devastating and yet extremely uplifting. Several points (specific events and descriptions) in the book make it a book on the higher higher limit of the 0-14 Newbery readership range — or to many, it will be beyond the prescribed range. I will recommend it to my students in 7th and 8th grade and I will make it available in my YA collection. Beautiful writing, solid and intriguing storyline, and very emotionally engaging.

Reading book 22 — the cover, trim size, and design say: BOOK FOR 3rd and 4th graders; the actual content of characters and events is completely surprising – first person high school view point about life as a HS boy and all that comes with it…. I can’t reconcile the two things in my head yet — don’t know whether it’s misdirection or brave, unconventional choices…

I realized that I forgot to post about book 19. It is not the most memorable book in the batch. It reads a bit like an almost polished 3rd draft of a really great idea of a story and its narrative form. But it didn’t quite read the finesse or the emotional impact that the author must have aimed for during the project. It might have been more successful as a novella in an anthology — if it had been distilled to its most startling scenes that really leave one singular strong impression. But, alas, it is presented as a novel and many of the passages are diluted and don’t hold enough power.

As a friend pointed out, reading book 21 has brought me unbound joy. I’m almost done with it and know that I’ll be sad to close the book after the last page. The author has such a way of presenting the characters that you simply KNOW them just by listening to their words and watching them act. There is little that you are told but much that you observe as an active participant inside the story — inside the head of a first person, wonderful narrator — wonderful not because this character tries to tell you a good story, but because this character is so interesting and charming and full of mystery. The book is not a fantasy — it is a story of political intrigues and of young and smart people surviving the conniving world of the ruling adults. I’m really pleased — and happy that my copy of the galley has not returned to me because it’s circulating amongst my students who all proclaim it being a really great read!

Finished books 18 and 19 over the holiday weekend. Enjoyed both — especially book 18. It’s innovative, it’s in the vein of a sub-genre that I have grown to really appreciate and I label it Fantastica Americana. Fantastica Americana is rooted in some time and somewhere in the United States, usually rural areas where people are still quite connected to the land. Some fantastic elements are interwoven into the daily lives of the characters and everyone takes that magic for granted. N.D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards series and Ingrid Law’s Savvy series fit the bill of this sub genre. Book 18 has a great and quite convincing magical element, explained aptly and kept consistent throughout the story. The resolution is not easily expected but better than the expectation. There is so much gentleness, so much love and care: about nature and about the people — and even a couple of sympathetic villains with more than 2 dimensions. It’s also an easy book to talk about — I just summarize it with a couple of sentences and the central concept grabs any kid reader I mentioned it to. I am waiting to hear some feedback from young readers.

Starting Book 18. So far, I really enjoy the tone of the writing — it’s folky and breezy and there is the promise of mysterious, magical intrigue ahead. I’m excited! And have to gush for a moment about the quality of paper and the choice of font — I love them both. The paper is slightly thicker than usual and it feels luxuriant to flip the pages. The font is a bit shorter than I’m used to and a bit rounder, but it reads well. Love that.

Book 15, done. It took me several picking-up and putting-down tries to finish. In between, other better books were read. This is not a bad book — I will recommend it to my students. And in certain aspects, it is an important book to have in the library. It adds a different kind of protagonist (different, but the same and quite universal) into the mix of many books for middle grade readers — especially girls who are trying to figure where they belong and how to navigate the complex road map of friendship. That’s one of the strengths of this title — taking a very common theme and presenting it more realistically and more sympathetically than many other such stories have done.

2013 Newbery Read, Book 17. Done. Such hilarity and I am impressed by the author’s ability to tell the story in two parts/two voices and each character has their own distinct flairs in their narrative tone. There is just the right kind of silliness, inventiveness, middle-grade romance, and a satisfying but not all that conventional ending (leaving room for more books in a series?) to make the book stand out for me.

2013 Newbery Read, Book 17. It’s fast paced and I am having a rumping good old time with it. Much needed since so many others have been so serious and weighty! This levity makes me happy!