YA Fiction

Throwback Thursday – Blur by Steven James

BLURBlur-cvr.jpg (Book 1 in the BLUR Trilogy) by best selling author, Steven James, (Skyscape, 2014, $9.99, YA, Ages 12 and up) is a young adult suspense novel with a cinematic feel. Daniel Byers, a junior and the star quarterback on his high school football team, has a problem. Attending the funeral of a fourteen-year-old girl found drowned in Lake Algonquin would be hard for anyone, even for schoolmates like Daniel who didn’t really know her. And he feels slightly guilty for not having made an effort — he had seen her being ignored and even excluded at lunch and in the halls. But that doesn’t explain why he is the only one who sees her sit up in her coffin as he passes by it at the service. Or why she grabs his arm, calls him by name, and asks him to find her glasses.

Hooked yet? The corpse’s request along with her surviving twin brother’s suspicions set Daniel looking for a possibly murderous explanation for the girl’s drowning. As he continues to see real and apparently imaginary images blurring together before his very eyes, he has to decide how much to share about what he’s experiencing. Is he going crazy? Does he need help from his friends or his dad? And since this is high school, while dealing with these questions he also has to keep his football coach and college recruiters happy, and choose who to take to the Homecoming dance, an old friend or a mysterious new girl he likes that no one else seems to have noticed.

A fast, straightforward read, BLUR got my pulse racing along with the action. Sensitive types might wish for more “feels” and fewer ghastly chills, but most readers — especially younger teen boys who would like to be brave, stand-up guys like Daniel — will enjoy every minute.

– Reviewed by Mary Malhotra

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A Girl Called Fearless by Catherine Linka – Review & Interview

A Girl Called Fearless
by Catherine Linka

(St. Martin’s Griffin; $18.99, Ages 12 and up)
Review and Interview by Ronna Mandel

A Girl Called Fearless cover

Review:

Avie Reveare is an average teen in a not-so-average world. Like most teens, she loves music, hanging out with her friends, and is especially close with her best friend Dayla, and a childhood pal, Yates, whom she may or may not be falling for (also typical of a teen).

The time is now and Avie is living a well-off life in Pasadena, California. However, this being dystopian fiction, author Linka has had to create a believable America unlike our present one. This one is still reeling from the aftermath of Scarpanol, a synthetic hormone that was used in beef and ended up killing fifty million women ten years earlier. The end result – young girls are a protected commodity, contracted for marriage often by the highest bidder.

Females have been losing their rights since the Scarpanol tragedy and the Paternalist movement, which threatens to control them entirely, is causing many teenaged girls to flee to Canada. When Avie’s father accepts a marriage contract offer for his daughter from Jes Hawkins, a massively rich Paternalist running for governor and one of the sleaziest characters I’ve seen in print recently, she realizes she too must make a run for the border. Readers soon learn that escaping the clutches of a wealthy, well-connected wannabe politician, is a lot easier in theory than in reality. Avie, with the help of Yates, is forced to go underground, but in doing will she rise to the occasion, get involved in a cause she’s tried to avoid or succumb to the emotional and physical consequences of escaping her forthcoming marriage?

With A Girl Called Fearless, Linka’s created a page turner for teens that will pull them into her world immediately and keep them reading because they’ll care about Avie and what happens to her; the urgency of her situation tenable. Teen vernacular is captured perfectly, and Linka’s use of song lyrics and the anger behind them is also employed successfully in the storyline.

“Better Learn My Name”
By Survival Instincts
…
I’ve got a hundred names,
But it all comes out the same
I’m someone’s prize possession
Not a person. An obsession

Is it the end of the world as Avie knows it or can something good come from all the malice boiling just below the surface of everyday dystopian life? I recommend getting this YA novel as a gift this holiday season for that teen who might otherwise be attached to a cell phone for the next two weeks.

Q & A With Catherine Linka:

What is your book about?

A Girl Called Fearless and its sequel, A Girl Undone, are about Avie, a junior at a girl’s school in Pasadena who comes home from school one day and finds that her dad has “Contracted” her to marry a man twice her age who she’s never met. The book is set in Los Angeles today, but assumes that ten years ago, synthetic hormones in beef killed most adult women in the US, so teenage girls have become the most valuable and protected commodity in the country. Avie must choose whether to get married or run for freedom in Canada.

We’ve seen a lot of strong girl characters like Katniss from Hunger Games and Tris from Divergent. How does Avie compare?

I wanted to write about a girl who’s not a superhero-style character. Avie’s a typical teenage girl suddenly thrust into a situation that tests her to the max. She doesn’t think of herself as “Fearless” even though her friend Yates likes to call her that. I felt it was important to show young readers that many of us don’t know what we’re capable of until we are pushed to our absolute limits. At the end of book one, Avie says, “I am fearless,” because she has survived.

Authors tend to put themselves into their characters. How are you and Avie related?

Well, I’m obviously not a sixteen-year-old girl, but Avie and I share a strong sense of what is fair and just. Avie’s been insulated from what is happening in the world around her until she is Contracted to marry a man who is running for Governor of California. As she starts to see how the Paternalist politicians are manipulating men’s and women’s lives, she feels she has to act somehow. She can’t sit back and do nothing. I couldn’t sit back and do nothing, either.

What has surprised you about the reaction to A Girl Called Fearless?

One thing I never anticipated was getting emails from readers as young as eleven and as old as eighty-five. Younger readers seem to enjoy the story’s action and adventure, while older readers see the historic and political parallels between Avie’s America and the real world. And I never expected guys to read the book or enjoy it. Never! I’ve also been surprised that both grandmas and teens have thanked me for showing Avie choosing to wait instead of having sex.

We heard there’s a possible TV series?

Yes, the books have been optioned and a series is in development. It’s fascinating–and a tiny bit scary– to see how a book is taken from the page to the screen, because the author has very little control. But the lead screenwriters are geniuses, so my fingers are crossed things will come out well.

What was your biggest challenge when writing the first novel- was it creating a believable epidemic, believable characters or something else altogether?

The biggest challenge was initially the book felt like two books–before Avie leaves Los Angeles and after. I united the halves by making the businessman that Avie is Contracted to marry into a candidate for Governor of California from the Paternalist Party. This strengthened the political theme and heightened the stakes.

You sure seemed to have had fun writing the role of Avie’s skeevy intended, Jes Hawkins – was he one of the easiest to write?

I adore writing villains. They can have big, bold personalities, and it’s much easier to create a villain who possesses positive character traits than it is to write a hero and give him enough flaws to make him believable.

In addition to Avie and Yates, there are so many interesting characters in your novel – her teacher, Ms. A, a priest, Father Gabe, her gynecologist, Mrs. Prandip and her underground connection Maggie. For me though, my particular favorites were those living in the rebel enclave of Salvation. Were you inspired by anyone or anything in real life when you conceived of this community?

When I wrote Salvation, I wanted to give voice to a part of America that values self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, religion, and freedom from government control. I was inspired by stories of frontier settlers, but I also read books and blogs written by survivalists who wanted to be off the grid.

Without a plot spoiler, can you give us a tease about what we can expect in the sequel, A Girl Undone?

Avie faces some tough decisions. At the end of A Girl Called Fearless, she makes a promise, but keeping that promise puts her life at risk. The first book was about Avie discovering her inner strength. A Girl Undone is about choosing between what is best for her and what’s best for the country.

Despite the publishing industry saying that they’ve moved on to other genres, dystopian-themed stories remain extremely popular with teens.  To what to you attribute this? What’s the appeal?

I think the publishing industry gets bored with genres faster than readers do, but that said, I believe “dystopian” stories are popular because they are high-stakes action/adventure stories. In many ways, they are monster stories where the monster is government or technology out of control.

How do you differentiate sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian fiction for parents who want to know what types of books their kids are reading?

When people think of fantasy, they often think of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings where magic inhabits an Earth-like world. The conflict is often between those who practice good magic and those who use magic for evil.

Sci-fi differentiates itself from fantasy by offering a world transformed by advanced scientific technology, and the action often takes place away from planet Earth. Dystopian is usually set on Earth in the future, and involves a catastrophic event or technology fail that dramatically changed the society or government. The themes of both usually involve survival, or freedom from totalitarian control.

What is your current WIP?

Right now I’m reviewing the typeset pages of A Girl Undone that are due next week. I am also working with my publisher on how to make available a novella I wrote about Sparrow, a character from A Girl Called Fearless. We are considering putting it on Wattpad where readers could try it out for free.

Disclosure: I happen to know Catherine Linka who has reviewed many books for GRWR, however this did not influence my opinion about her novel.

Catherine-Linka.jpg
Catherine Linka, author of A Girl Called Fearless, St. Martin’s Griffin, Photo ©2014 Brad Buckman Photography

Meet Catherine Linka on her Thank You Sciba Book Tour.
In appreciation for the support of indie booksellers this year,
she can be found signing her debut novel, A Girl Called Fearless,
and hand selling children’s and YA books at the following stores.
She’s the best at helping you find the perfect gift!
Be sure to pick up several copies of her book.

12/18 Once Upon a Time, Montrose, CA

12/19 Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse, La Canada, CA

A GIRL UNDONE, St. Martin’s Press, 2015

ABA Kids Indie Next Pick

Winner SCIBA Book Award for YA Fiction, 2014

Nominated to ALA Amelia Bloomer Project, 2014

Website: www.catherinelinka.com

Twitter: @cblinka

Facebook: CatherineLinkaAuthor

 

 

 

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Get Happy by Mary Amato – Blog Tour

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GET HAPPY BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

Author Mary Amato is also a songwriter, just like the protagonist of her new YA novel, Get Happy (Egmont USA, October 28, 2014, $16.99, Ages 12+ ). This fact provides a fresh hook: readers who get curious about the songs soon-to-be seventeen year-old Minerva writes when she’s working through her feelings can go to thrumsociety.com and listen to performances of the actual songs.

A funny moment in the book rings true and reflects Amato’s musical background: Minerva wants a ukulele for her birthday. She thinks she’s made this clear to her mother, but the two are rarely on the same page. So when Mom doesn’t come through, what does the uke-less Minerva do? She spends so much time practicing on the instruments at the music store that the store manager bans her!

The friendships in Get Happy also feel very real. Finnegan is a real BFF whom Minerva can count on when she’s down. He also pushes her to do things that are good for her. Notably, he gets Minerva to audition for a job with a company called Get Happy. The job entails, well, a tail! Minerva has to dress up as a mermaid, following a script to entertain at birthday parties. The job generates some funny and poignant moments and also turns out to be a place to meet new friends. Fin and Min meet Hayes on the way to the audition, and convince him to try out, too. Hayes is tall and friendly, and a cowboy — at least when he’s dressed for work. Cassie is the perfect princess, so perfect that her clients love her. Minerva notices every moment Cassie shares with Hayes, and finds herself feeling jealous. She even stalks Cassie on-line, leaving nasty comments on her blog.

The main conflict in the book feels less completely realized, but definitely adds suspense, and a sense of commonality for readers dealing with separated or divorced parents. Minerva’s father left when she was just a baby, but now he’s trying to get back in touch. If he’s as bad as Mom says, he’s not worth knowing, but Minerva can’t help wondering about him. Who is he, really? Should she try to contact him? Will Mom find out about the package he sent Minerva on her birthday?

Reading Get Happy is a good way to discover different paths for self-discovery — art, work, friendship — and will be especially enjoyed by younger YA readers.

Learn more about Amato’s books for younger children and educational resources for her books at www.maryamato.com.

– Reviewed by Mary Malhotra

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE BLOG TOUR CONTINUES …

Saturday, October 25, 2014
Bring On the Books: Guest post and giveaway

Crossroad Book Reviews: Review and giveaway

Sunday, October 26, 2014
Reading Teen: Guest post and giveaway

Pinky’s Favorite Reads: Q&A and giveaway

Monday, October 27, 2014
Jean Book Nerd: Guest post and giveaway

Adventures in YA Publishing: Question and giveaway

Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Book Briefs: Q&A and giveaway

CherylRainfield.com: Guest post and giveaway

Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Unorthodox Mama: Review and giveaway

Bloggin’ ’bout Books: Review and giveaway

Thursday, October 30, 2014
Reading Nook Reviews: Q&A and giveaway

Fandom Monthly: Review and giveaway

Rockin Book Reviews: Review and giveaway

Saturday, November 01, 2014
Adventures in YA Publishing: Question

Sunday, November 16, 2014
Children’s Book Review: Guest Column and giveaway

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Complicit by Stephanie Kuehn

✩Starred Reviews – Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal & Booklist

complicit-cover.jpg

From the very first page of Complicit (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2014, $19.99, Ages, 14 and up), author Stephanie Kuehn keeps readers off-balance, trying to figure out what’s true and what’s right. The YA psychological thriller opens at 3:29 a.m. with the narrator’s phone ringing. “I like to be prepared,” Jamie says, “so I sleep with my phone beneath my pillow just in case someone calls. No one ever does of course.” But the phone is ringing, and already something doesn’t add up.

At breakfast, Jamie figures out the call was probably from his sister Cate, who has just been released from prison, much to the family’s dismay. Another problem for the reader: how could a teen do something so awful that even her parents and brother completely give up on her? On hearing that Cate is free, Jamie’s hands go numb, which is inconvenient because he has all sorts of routine high school activities planned for the day, including playing piano in the school jazz band. There’s nothing routine about the condition that occasionally makes his hands limp and useless, though: “even the big-shot doctors down at Stanford can’t figure [it] out”.

In other words, before the first chapter is over, it’s easy to like Jamie and empathize with him, but there are also already lots of questions about the past he shares with his troubled sister. It’s the beginning of a wild ride that forces the reader to consider the repercussions of shielding people from painful truths. Also, does hiding someone else’s bad behavior make you complicit in the crime?

I recommend this book to all teens and adults who like a thriller and can handle Hitchcockian violence — there are some horrors to imagine in Complicit, but the violence occurs off-stage. This is author Kuehn’s second novel. Her first, Charm & Strange, won the 2014 William C. Morris Award for outstanding YA debut.

Click here for downloadable discussion questions.

– Reviewed by Mary Malhotra

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Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Noggin by John Corey Whaley is reviewed by Mary Malhotra.

☆starred reviews – Publisher’s Weekly & Booklist

John Corey Whaley’s debut novel won the Printz and William Morris prizes in 2012. His latest YA novel, Noggin (Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2014, $17.99, Ages 14 and up), is a worthy follow up, with unique and lovable characters put into a situation that is intriguing, heartbreaking, and a little creepy.

Noggin is about a boy named Travis Coates who has just experienced a medical miracle. noggin-cvr.jpg Travis volunteered. He didn’t think it would work, and if it did, he didn’t think he’d come back for at least a hundred years, when everyone he knew and loved would be gone. It would be sad and lonely at first, but uncomplicated. Instead, just five years after ending his battle with leukemia by having his head cryogenically frozen, Travis finds himself in a hospital bed, alive and adjusting not only to the transplantation of a healthy body onto his old head, but also to the changes in his world.

In a way, the book picks up where John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars leaves off. Travis and the people who love him have experienced all the challenges and pain of losing a teenager to cancer. Travis wants to re-wind to before he got sick, physically and emotionally still sixteen and in high school, but the people he left behind — his parents, his girlfriend Cate, and Travis and Cate’s best friend Kyle — have gone through five years of letting go, growing up, and moving on, with varying degrees of success. Going to school (where the only thing that hasn’t changed is the presence of a hated math teacher) is difficult for Travis, but it’s even harder trying to reconnect with Kyle and Cate. Kyle has an awkward secret, and Cate avoids Travis entirely, which is not surprising considering she’s now engaged to someone else.

Noggin explores some hefty questions while somehow keeping a light and funny tone throughout. Flashbacks fill in the life old Travis had before he lost his head. New Travis deals with being a celebrity (or maybe a freak?), even at school where his only friend is a quirky, funny, and absolutely dependable kid named Hatton. Meanwhile, Travis thinks about the secret Kyle told him when he was dying. Should he let Kyle keep pretending it never happened? Travis wonders about the life and death of the boy whose body he is using and forms a support group of two with the only other surviving cryogenic regeneration patient.

But the Travis/Cate dilemma is the heart of the story. He wants her back. If love and loyalty are meant to be forever, is it healthy and normal to move on when your soulmate dies (sort of)? Or is it a betrayal? If Travis truly loves Cate, should he work to win her back, or stay out of the way of her newfound happiness?

I highly recommend this book. I immediately connected with Travis, and found myself wondering how my world might change if I checked out for five years. The Travis/Cate problem is one I love to hate — I don’t know how I would face it in real life! Most of all I appreciate Whaley’s realistic and hopeful take on how we manage to keep on living after experiencing loss.

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Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Pointe by Brandy Colbert is reviewed by Mary Malhotra

“Colbert builds characters whose flaws, struggles, and bad decisions make them real and indelibly memorable . . and it’s this complexity and empathy that set this gripping story apart.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Colbert has put out a stunningly poignant novel . . . Readers who discover this book will be unable to put it down.”—VOYA

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Pointe by Brandy Colbert, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014.

The narrator in Brandy Colbert’s debut YA novel Pointe (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014, $17.99, YA) could be a stereotypical prima-ballerina-in-training. Theo’s got the drive, the demanding instructor, the long, strong legs, the beat-up toe shoes. As you might expect, she commiserates with dancer frenemies, and escapes with school friends who have no idea what she goes through at the studio. She struggles with an eating disorder, too. But Theo is not a stereotype, and she has a lot more going on in her life than just dance.

The eating disorder, for example. It seems to be a response not to the demands of ballet but to two losses Theo suffered as a thirteen year old: her much-older first boyfriend unceremoniously dumped her, taking off without a trace; and her best friend Donovan was kidnapped. Pointe opens on the day four years later when Donovan is rescued from his kidnapper and returned home. Theo is upset that Donovan won’t see or talk to her. She’s also confused by news footage that appears to show he was happy living with his captor. She needs to understand why Donovan didn’t try to escape, especially once she realizes she knows the kidnapper — and will have to testify against him.

There is much to recommend in this book. Theo’s voice is real and raw, and she and her friends Phil and Sara-Kate make compelling, memorable characters. Their chemistry, like Theo’s warm relationship with her supportive parents, provides an island of hope in a choppy sea. The book’s natural presentation of diversity works well. Realistically, as the first-person narrator, Theo doesn’t announce that she’s African-American. Race doesn’t even come up until part way through the second chapter, when she recalls how she and Donovan bonded after a teacher mishandled a classroom discussion about slavery.

Parents sharing Pointe with teens may want to be ready to discuss some aspects of the book. Pot smoking is an accepted, routine activity for Theo and her friends. In fact, her love interest doesn’t just smoke; he also sells drugs to his classmates. He already has a girlfriend, too — but will that matter to Theo? There are sex scenes and references, and much of the sex is abusive, though Theo doesn’t realize it. Perhaps because of this, the scenes are not so explicit that the details got burned into my psyche. A last point to consider is best explained by including a spoiler, although you can skip the spoiler and walk away with this bottom line: if you start the book, be sure to finish it!

 

SPOILER: In case you want additional guidance before choosing this book, I’ll close out the review with the spoiler version of my “finish what you start” recommendation. Early on, Theo realizes that Donovan’s kidnapper and her first boyfriend are the same guy, Chris Fenner. This means he was actually twenty-six when she was thirteen, but Theo still thinks of him as her ex-boyfriend. She sees herself as an unlovable reject rather than seeing Chris as a pedophile. Eventually, she comes to the understanding that she and Donovan are both victims, that part of Chris’s crime was that he warped her view of sex and love. However, it takes her most of the book to get there; a reader without patience might give up while right and wrong are still upside down. Reading this book to the last page is not hard, but it is important.

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The Meme Plague (Memento Nora Series #3) by Angie Smibert

The Meme Plague, (Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Publishing, $16.99, Ages 13 and up) the third book in the Memento Nora series, by Angie Smibert, is reviewed by Ronna Mandel.

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The Meme Plague (The Memento Nora Series Book #3) by Angie Smibert, Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Book Publishing, 2013.

Here’s what the jacket flap says: In THE MEME PLAGUE, the final book of the Memento Nora series, Micah and his friends have each lost something—a parent, a relationship, a home, maybe even their own identities as they remembered them to be. But together, they can make sure some things are never forgotten. Election Day is coming, and Mayor Mignon is certain to be elected to Congress. It’s time to build a new electronic frontier (MemeNet), one that’s not controlled by the mayor and his cronies. It’s time to get out the vote and shake up the system. Will they succeed before it’s too late?

I decided to take my first dive into a dystopian world, one I usually don’t visit, and found it easy to lose myself in the futuristic east coast town of Hamilton where the main characters Nora, Micah, Winter, Velvet and Aiden live. Considering the controversy surrounding the NSA’s invasion of privacy, Smibert’s trilogy including her most recent, The Meme Plague, could not be more relevant.

It’s important to note that, to get my head around the dystopian society where most of the action occurs, I needed to read books one and two before I could attempt to follow book three. Smibert’s created a detailed world with wonderfully realized characters and a complex back story that would make it difficult for most readers to just pick up The Meme Plague without first finishing the others. Memento Nora (Book One) and The Forgetting Curve (Book Two) introduced and developed a time period not so far in the future in which government and business conspire to suppress free thought in individuals through mind controlling chips implanted in them. TFCs (Therapeutic Forgetting Clinics) are cropping up everywhere and savvy teens Nora and Micah, along with their friends, figure out that not only are their actual memories being whitewashed, but new, more government and corporation serving ones are replacing them!  This concept intrigued me and hooked me in, especially the idea of technology’s role in implementing such an oppressive plan and how hacking can have its pros and its cons.

A MemeCast, a pirate broadcast to citizens who have avoided getting chipped or have been chipped but refuse to submit, serves to disperse details about where legitimate information can be found. This underground movement has grown by the time The Meme Plague take place, and efforts to brainwash Micah about his father’s past (did he really betray his country as everyone’s been led to believe) only make Micah and his friends more determined than ever to fight back and expose the wrongdoing.

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Hilary Taber’s Top Ten Kids’ Books Authors

Here’s a different kind of list to kick off 2014. Please read what reviewer and bookseller Hilary Taber has entitled her Author Shout Out for Good Reads With Ronna.
We always look forward to Hilary’s take on what’s selling in her store and can just picture her standing up on a stage, behind a podium, announcing all these wonderful winners.

The Top Ten Authors That I Most Admire,

Why You Should Know About Them,

& Why I’m Giving Them a Coveted Bookseller Award

UnknownWell, folks, I’ve officially read over 400 hundred children’s books! This has given me a real perspective on the craft of writing, and what makes an author someone whose books I will recommend without hesitation. I’ve gathered together my top ten authors, and the reasons why I am their fan for life. Certainly, personal taste has a lot to do with it, but so does a winning streak of books. In each of these excellent books the writing (and sometimes the art as well) speaks for itself in terms of excellence. Each author, in their own way, has hit their stride with every book they write. So, from board books to young adult, here are my top ten author shout outs. I only wish I had a lovely statue with a bookseller on top in gold to give to each of you, but hope this star will suffice.

Best Board Books and Pop Up Books:

Winner: Petr Horáček

CBA - Coveted Bookseller AwardHis latest book, Animal Opposites, was a wonderful collection. Each illustration was so finely done.  There is pairing not just animals, but also opposite characteristics such as quiet and loud. Each pop up element was so beautifully done, and so pleasing to the eye. His board books are colorful, eye catching, and beautifully drawn. In this author and artist’s work, beautiful art meets a lively story. Strawberries Are Red remains my very favorite. Petr, you rock, and your books are this bookseller’s dream come true for the two and up set!

 

For more information, please visit this website – www.petrhoracek.co.uk

Best Picture Books:

Winner: Mo Willems

CBA - Coveted Bookseller AwardCan we ever have too much of Mo Willems’ books? I think not. Every book is so full of humor that appeals to both adults and children. Willems books are always story time hits. Do you know how rare that is? It’s very rare that I am able to sell a book that is more guaranteed to bring a smile and a laugh to the entire family. My favorite books are in the Pigeon series, but the beginning reader series of Elephant and Piggy has earned a special place in my heart for being such fantastically engaging beginning reading. Thank you so much, Mo, for your humor. Thank you for sharing it with us, and by sharing it you make reading so much fun!

 

For more information, please visit this website – www.mowillems.com

Best Junior Fiction:

Winner: Kate DiCamillo

CBA - Coveted Bookseller AwardKate, how can I tell you how much your books mean to me, and to all the children to whom I’ve sold them? Your books are so full of hope at an age when children are just beginning to learn that the world needs their hope. I’ve never met a child who wasn’t just in love with your work. The care you put into each book makes it shine like stars in the night sky. When I read a book written by you, I admire the effort you put into each book, and also the love. God bless you, Kate! My favorite titles include Because of Winn-Dixie, and Kate’s latest book, Flora and Ulysses about a girl named Flora who discovers a new best friend in the form of a squirrel, named Ulysses who has super powers, can write poetry, and can type!

 

For more information, please visit this website – www.katedicamillo.com

 

Winner: Jeanne Birdsall

CBA - Coveted Bookseller AwardWill I ever tire of reading about the charming Penderwick family? I really don’t think so. Every book is filled with adventure, and the reassuring presence of family. I’ve loved seeing each character grow and change to become the person that they can most fully be. Plus, there’s Hound, the Penderwick’s dog! I adore Hound. Little Women comes to mind as a possible “ancestor” of the Penderwick series. I so appreciate that every child can recognize some part of themselves in each of the sisters in the family, just as you can in Little Women. There’s something for everyone here in this lovely series of the changing lives of this most eccentrically beloved family.  This is a family who affirms that the person you are is fantastic. This type of personal affirmation is present throughout the books. In fact, you should be free to be yourself!

For more information, please visit this website – www.jeannebirdsall.com

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Fridays Featuring Flintridge – An Easter Basket of Books

An Easter Basket of Book Reviews from Hilary Taber …

Recently, I’ve realized that there are a wealth of words that we never use. “Haberdasher”, for example, or “perchance” are words that come to mind.  Certainly, “hodgepodge” falls into this category. During an Easter season when, if one is lucky enough, there are baskets filled to the brimful with a lovely hodgepodge of all sorts of delights, then surely there is absolutely nothing wrong with a literary hodgepodge. Who knows what I might put in this one? In the spirit of the whole thing, I’ve mixed all kinds of books together for this week’s reviews. Old will meet new, and these “introductions” will hopefully lead you to some new book friends. Just think of these reviews as the different kinds of candies you might find separately packed into those colorful plastic eggs in your Easter basket, and you can’t go wrong!

DreamFriends_JKT_mech2_sm_smDream Friends (Nancy Paulson Books/Penguin, $16.99) by You Byun, Ages 3 and up

This exquisite picture book débuted at story time last week at Flintridge Books and my young audience was especially appreciative of how many beautiful things we could find on each page. The main character, Melody, has a Dream Friend that visits every night in her dreams. Is it a huge, white dog? A huge, white bear? While we couldn’t settle on a definite species we all agreed that the Dream Friend is wonderful, and takes Melody on all kinds of adventures through a world filled with opal-like colors, tiny cats that look like potential astronauts, spiral staircases, giant tulips, and paper cranes that sail the sky. Through this dream world, Melody and her Dream Friend fly together. However, back in the real world of the schoolyard, Melody is in need of a friend. Will Melody be able to make a real friend who will understand how important and magical her Dream Friend is?

This is a treasure box of a book that is simply enchanting. Many smaller illustrations make the book fun to explore. On each page my story time pals picked out what illustration they would like to take home to have in their room if such a thing were possible. With a Dream Friend really anything is possible, and that is the charm of the story. With a happily-ever-after-ending this makes a wonderful bedtime story that I’m sure will leave a child wondering if they will make a Dream Friend of their own. Dream Friends is a Publisher’s Weekly starred reviewed winner, and I wholeheartedly agree with that!

TrixieTen-240x300Trixie Ten (Henry Holt & Co., $16.99) by Sarah Massini, Ages 3-7

Ah, poor Trixie Ten’s life is filled with the burden of brothers and sisters! Not just one or two of them, but nine of them. Trixie is the tenth child. All of her siblings are particularly annoying in their very own way. One always sneezes, another always stumbles on things, another always makes a sound like a roaring lion, and so on. How annoying! Trixie Ten can’t take it anymore! One night she grabs a trusty flashlight and leaves to find somewhere that is quiet, and definitely not filled with noisy siblings. Yet, when she finally finds that place, she’s not quite as pleased as she thought she would be. While it’s true that everything is very quiet it’s equally true that Trixie misses her noisy family! While Trixie Ten is gone, her family is busy counting everyone to make sure that the whole family is accounted for. In cozy beds they begin counting, “Wanda One, Thomas Two…” and so on until they get to Trixie Ten. On my! Where is Trixie Ten?! The whole family sets out on an adventure to rescue Trixie.

My young story time audience was just pulled into this book. Annoying brothers and sisters that you wish you could ditch now and then? I could just feel that they totally understood that! Yet it was the question of “Who are we without our family?” (that Ms. Massini cleverly poses) was what kept their attention until the very end. Highly recommended for any child, but can you imagine if you came from a large family how much you would connect with this story? Also, if you are a teacher, well here is a book that begs for some really great discussions about family, counting, and colors. Also, this book is a great basis for a fantastic craft. Every character is a fingerprint of a different color with a little face, making finger and hand print activities ideal. Have fun!

80171Fairy Tales (Liveright, $17.95) by e.e. cummings, illustrated by Meilo So, ages 5 and up

I made the discovery of this book a few years ago, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading the fairy tales that poet e.e. cummings wrote for his grandson. While a few of the stories would be more suited to a grown-up audience because of the symbolism, most of them are just fine for their intended audience. I especially like “The Elephant and the Butterfly” (these character are meant to be cummings and his grandson), and “The House that Ate Mosquito Pie”. They are both touching, beautifully written stories about unlikely friendships. A few lines just took my breath away. “A bird began to sing in a bush, and all the clouds went out of the sky, and it was Spring everywhere.” This next line just make me shiver it was so pretty, “In a little while the house heard a new sound, which was as if five or six (or maybe even seven) brooks were laughing about a secret; and this sound grew higher and clearer until the house knew that it was somebody singing and singing and singing.”

What can I write about writing like that? e.e. cummings is a poet whose prose in these stories is simple, yet profound. More than that I dare not venture, but I do hope you will find out for yourselves!

TangleKnotsRevisedBasket__2__2_394x600A Tangle of Knots (Philomel/Penguin, $16.99) by Lisa Graff, Ages 8-12

In this finely spun tale told in multiple points of view, almost everyone has a Talent that borders on being magical. Some have a Talent for knitting, for spitting, for whistling, but eleven-year-old Cady has a Talent for cake baking. She can take a good look at any person and match them up with the perfect cake. When Cady was left at Miss Mallory’s Home for Lost Girls, Miss Mallory had no idea that Cady would stay for so long. Having a Talent for matching her girls with the perfect family Miss Mallory has no idea who would be the perfect family for Cady until a series of events begins to unfold, each one mysteriously tied to the other, that reveal a Talent Stealer, a man with a Talent for tying knots, and a certain blue suitcase marked “St. Anthony’s” among other mysteries. Other child and adult characters join Cady with their secrets, Talents, and searches for Talents. This book is sure to please fans of Ingrid Law’s Savvy if what drew them to the book was the idea of people having varying magical talents and gifts. An intriguing puzzle for mystery lovers, and a thoroughly enjoyable book that links the Facts of the characters with their Fate. All through the book there are Cady’s recipes for cakes matched with all the key characters in the book which would be especially pleasing to young bakers. A Tangle of Knots earned a starred review from Kirkus, which was much deserved!

9780060846169Miki Falls: Spring (Book One) (HarperTeen, $8.99) by Mark Crilley, Ages 12 and up

Miki is beginning her final year at high school, and she’s determined that this year will be the best year ever. There is nothing so tempting a fate as to announce that very soon you will be planning to control everything, and Miki soon learns that lesson in the form of a tall, handsome new student named Hiro. There’s definitely something mysterious about this new guy in town, and soon Miki becomes determined to find out exactly what he is up to. Yet, as Miki learns, sometimes knowing someone else’s secret is a pathway to an adventure. This adventure will turn Miki’s life upside down, and challenge everything she ever thought she knew about love.

Although Miki and Hiro are high school students, I think that readers still in middle school would find it very enjoyable. It’s just enough romance (but not too much) for a young girl just beginning to be curious about love, and has enough action to keep the reader engaged for the rest of the series. I would definitely recommend buying at least the first two books in the series because once you’re hooked you can’t wait for the next sequel! I’m just beginning to explore the world of graphic novels for children and teens more thoroughly. “Miki Falls” really caught my attention because it’s so beautiful, and Mark Crilley’s experience as an American living in Japan is evident in every page. This may be seen in the thoughtful attention to detail in the scenery, which is done with an expert touch. Fans of “Fruits Basket” will be sure to enjoy this American foray into manga-inspired graphic novels.

HilaryTaberPlease visit the Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse today to pick up your copy of these great books, buy gifts, enjoy their extensive selection of other great reads  and relax over a great cup of coffee.  Also visit the website at www.flintridgebooks.com to keep up-to-date with story times, author events and other exciting special events. And when you stop by, keep a lookout for Hilary peeking out from behind a novel.

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Of Dragons and Music and Dangerous Secrets

Seraphina Strikes a Most Positive Chord

Seraphina ($17.99, Random House Books for Young Readers, ages 12 and up), by Rachel Hartman, winner of the 2013 YALSA Morris Award for Best YA Debut Novel, is reviewed by Grace Duryée.

Tensions are high in the kingdom of Goredd. The tenuous peace treaty between men and dragons threatens to snap just as Ardmagar Comonot, the leader of the dragon community, comes to Goredd to celebrate forty years of uninterrupted peace between dragon and mankind. The royal family struggles to keep the conflict at bay for just a little longer, while trouble bubbles up from beneath them anyway. Huge resistance groups form, riots break out, and worst of all, the brutal–and strangely draconian–murder of one of their own: the widely respected Prince Rufus leaves the family at a loss at the worst possible time. Amidst all of this excitement is Seraphina, the gifted music mistress of Goredd’s castle. Seraphina is tossed head first into this wild tangle of trouble, torn between what is right and what is safe, who she can trust and who she can love. 

Seraphina-cvr.jpgRachel Hartman, the creator of this world and of the heroic woman Seraphina, skillfully lures her audience into this intoxicating tale of dragons that can fold themselves into humans, musicians that fall in love with princes, and secrets so dangerous they scarcely can even be thought about.  Hartman has lovingly woven the details of the beautiful world she has created into the pages of this fantastically original novel, bringing her audience to truly care about the characters and their relationships with each other. 

Seraphina being a musician is incredibly appropriate in that the story itself plays out exactly like an epic ballad played on her flute. It’s swirling melodies and booming crescendos make Seraphina a song that resonates for quite some time in the hearts of fantasy fans.

Fans of the Eragon series, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings – or anything dragon-related – will surely love this refreshing read. The intricate worlds of Goredd and Seraphina’s mind, along with the incredible lore, will surely leave all fantasy-loving young adult readers craving more of Hartman’s universe, and counting down the days to the release of the sequel to Seraphina, entitled Dracomachia, currently set for release in February of 2014. 

GraceToday’s guest reviewer, Grace Duryée, has been an avid reader since childhood, and values the experience reading provides for every person, particularly children and young adults. This is why Grace has recently taken an interest in children’s literature, and has attempted to combine it with her other long-time love: writing. Grace and her cousin Hilary have recently begun preparations for their very own children’s literature blog, and are both very excited to get it up and running! Grace is 20 years old, and in her spare time she plays too many video games and reads books about dragons. In her not-spare time, Grace is the manager of the teen and children’s department at a Barnes and Noble as well as a college student pursuing her degree in Economics and Business. 

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Fridays Featuring Flintridge – Discovering Dragons

A Hoard of Dragon Gold: Mining Children’s Literature

for the Best Dragon Books

dlacey_1While shelving books one day recently in our children’s section at Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse, I heard a small voice behind me say, “Ummm…Hi! I was wondering…do you have more books like these?” A small boy beside me, about the height of my elbow, pointed at our row of The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D’Lacey. “What did you like about them?” I asked encouragingly. “Well, I just like the dragons a lot. I just do,” he replied. He sort of defensively rushed his words at me, as though I was about to disagree with him. The little boy could not have known this beforehand, but I myself do like a good dragon-filled book. I made sure to tell him that I am totally “pro dragon.” We had a grand time picking out some more dragon themed books for him to read.  Just about a week later, a young girl told me that she was looking for a new book. “I have read a lot of dragon books. A lot of them,” she announced proudly.  These young dragon aficionados have made me realize just how many books I have read with dragons as characters.  There really are a lot of fantastic dragon themed books! So, I’ve made a list of my favorites and included some more recently published titles. The books I have chosen to list here are personal favorites, but please feel free to add to the list, comment upon it, or mentally high five me! I think this “dragon mania” is going to be a lot of fun!

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch with illustrations by Michael Martchenko ($6.95, Annick Press, Ages 3-5)

1261666953princess-134x140Here is the classic story by Munsch that I grew up with myself. Elizabeth is a princess who is set to marry Prince Ronald, all ready for her own happily-ever-after.  However, the wedding doesn’t go as planned as the momentum of an unexpected chain of events moves the story disastrously downhill! Elizabeth’s castle is smashed, her dress is “toasted” by fiery dragon breath, and her Prince is gone. All this chaos is thanks to a recent visit by a fire-breathing dragon. With true gumption, Elizabeth defies fashion by putting on a paper bag and venturing forth to rescue her prince from the clutches of the dragon! When she finds the dragon, she outwits him by engaging him in showing off his fine array of dragon stunts. The dragon complies and becomes completely worn out. Ready for the twist? After all that hard work, Prince Ronald doesn’t want her after all. “Come back when you are dressed like a real princess,” he tells her. Well, too bad for him – he missed out on one amazing girl!

I first read this book as a little girl at my best friend Laurie’s house. When I finished reading it, I asked Laurie, “Why do you like this book? They don’t live happily ever after!” My friend (she’s a lawyer now) was always very pragmatic, even as a young girl. “She’s a princess. He’s a bad guy.” she replied with sort of a shrug. I had to agree that was true and together we concurred that we wished Elizabeth good luck with her next love. We just knew there had to be a special prince out there awaiting such a well deserving princess!

Good Night, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas with illustrations by Jennifer Plecas ($14.99, Dutton, Ages 4-7)

9780525463269LIt’s every knight’s job to slay the dragon when the dragon is found. We all know this to be true. Yet, what if a knight found three wide-eyed little dragons instead? What happens then? As the story begins, the Good Knight hears a loud roar and boldly ventures forth to save the day. However, instead of finding a dragon to fight he finds three little dragons that can’t sleep. It is at this point in the story that we enter into the all too familiar “getting ready for bed” scenarios that we all know so well! The Good Knight has to deal with a litany of little dragon demands – stories, songs, and glasses of water! Young readers and parents alike are certain to find much to identify with here. Of course, we also have the privilege of meeting one very good knight who can tuck a young dragon into bed just right. Good Night, Good Knight is a wonderful read aloud for just before bedtime. This is also available as an excellent Level 2 reader.

Dealing With Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book One by Patricia Wrede ($6.99, Sandpiper/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 10 and up)

150739Princess Cimorene is not your usual fairy tale princess. She wants to learn Latin, fencing, and how to cook. Are these qualities that her parents approve of? Certainly not! They are desirous of a daughter who follows pursuits they would deem to be more feminine. Her parents begin to plan her marriage to a prince who is just not quite as intelligent as Cimorene. In fact, he’s pretty much not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, if you catch my drift. Being whip-crack smart herself, Princess Cimorene takes the good advice of a nearby frog and decides to become the dragon Kazul’s princess. The princess refuses all efforts to rescue her from this life as a dragon’s “girl Friday.” I especially envied Princess Cimorene’s new responsibilities of organizing dragon treasure hoards, and categorizing their scrolls. Imagine what you could learn! Wrede’s humorous, well crafted book had me in smiles and giggles the entire time I was reading it.

The character of the dragon Kazul is just as sassy as Cimorene herself. You will meet a widely divergent cast of characters that includes interfering wizards and unusual friends. Princess Cimorene and Kazul the dragon find that together they must thwart an evil plan! This book is the perfect junior fiction pick for the dragon fan in your life provided that the reader likes a good dash of humor along side their fantasy reading. Fans of the book will be excited to learn that this is the first in a series of four books in “The Enchanted Forest Chronicles.”

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke ($8.99, Scholastic, Ages 10-13)

9780545316484_xlgBen is a lonely orphan who happens to meet Firedrake who is a silver dragon needing  help to escape to his ancestral home known as “The Rim of Heaven”. This is where dragons can live in freedom, safely away from humans. In this story Ben, Firedrake, a brownie named Sorrel embark on a journey to go to “The Rim of Heaven” so that Firedrake may live a better life. However, a powerful and evil villain named Nettlebrand, the “Golden One” is on their trail. Many countries are crossed as these three heroes meet magical beings and make extraordinary friends as they race to the Rim of Heaven. The question is, can they get there in time before their mysterious foe catches up with them?

Ms. Funke, the author of the famous Inkheart trilogy, does not disappoint her younger readers! She provides an amazing world, and an exciting race to a finish line that will keep readers enthralled until the very end. The author herself provides the most wonderful illustrations for the book. As an aside, in an act of sheer geekery, I bought the book for my own children’s literature collection (in its first printing) because there was a pop-up map in the middle of the book! I’m just such a sucker for a good map and it came in very handy as it showed the journey of our heroes from the very beginning to the very end of their exciting but occasionally perilous journey.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George ($7.99, Bloomsbury, Ages 10-14)

9781599902753Creel’s aunt and uncle have fallen upon hard times. In a moment of what Creel’s aunt deems sheer brilliance, she decides to provoke a local dragon into taking Creel hostage. Now, of course a noble and wealthy young lord will come to do battle with the dragon to rescue the fair maiden. According to her aunt he will then marry Creel, and all the family’s economic problems will be solved. The trouble is that the local dragon, Theoradus, is not interested in the slightest in taking Creel prisoner. In fact, he is much more interested in his hobby of shoe collecting. Creel herself is much more interested in escaping rather than being rescued. She wishes to journey to the city known as the King’s Seat to attain her dream of becoming well known as an embroiderer and having her own embroidery shop.  This was a skill with powerful implications that had been taught to her by her late mother.

What ensues is a pact between dragon and maiden. Creel is really in need of some new shoes to begin her journey. Theoradus will give her any pair of shoes she wants if she will ensure that the young lord will never come to bother the dragon. The sheer range of shoes that Creel gets to choose from is incredible. The collection has shoes with emeralds on them, children’s shoes, sensible shoes, and one very fine pair of blue slippers that fit Creel perfectly. Yet, there is some mysterious power about these shoes. Creel and her new slippers must make their way in the world as she journeys towards the big city. Yet, can she discover the true magic behind the dragon’s slippers?

The author, Ms. George, combines a winsome heroine, and even more winsome dragons in her tale of fine needlework, dreams worth attaining, dragons, and a bit of romance to keep things interesting. Do you dream of reading about dragons that collect shoes, stain glass windows, and one fussy dragon that caringly and fanatically adopts dogs? Look no further! Middle grade readers who are fans of Gail Carson Levine’s books such as Ella Enchanted will find a real treasure of a book when they read about Creel and her adventures. Creel’s adventures continue in the two sequels to this book.

The Last Dragonslayer, The Chronicles of Kazam, Book One by Jasper Fforde ($16.99, Harcourt, Ages 12 and up)

9780547738475Our heroine, Jennifer Strange, is a foundling attempting to run an employment agency inherited from her mentor, The Great Zambini.  This employment agency functions to find job placement for an occasionally unemployed group of wizards.  The trouble is The Great Zambini has disappeared leaving Jennifer to run the company of Kazam on her own. In an alternate world where Jennifer lives in the “UnUnited Kingdom”, British author, Jasper Fforde, populates his first young adult novel with quirky wizards, a Quarkbeast (don’t worry, he’s a tame pet with razor sharp teeth who is Jennifer’s loyal companion), and a dragon of course!  This is a world where the affects of the lack of magic have reached the level of a true energy crisis. For example, one of the wizards, once a great sorcerer, now must use his magical abilities to pilot his flying carpet as a pizza delivery service. Low on magic, this is tragically all the energy he has left.  A prediction of the last dragonslayer killing the world’s last dragon has everyone at Kazam wondering if perhaps the death of this dragon could mean the end of magic altogether.

Fifteen-year-old Jennifer embarks on a humorous yet adventurous quest to sort out these predictions, and to find out the truth about the last dragonslayer.  She must negotiate the plans of a greedy prince, equally greedy companies, while she is also trying to train a new assistant to help with wizard unemployment! There is never a dull moment at the company of Kazam.

I admire the author for his ability to create an intriguing alternate world that combines today with “some place out there.” This is a place where dragons can remember a home where they used to live under a violet sky with two moons.  Meanwhile in the same story, Jennifer can find her pet Quarkbeast at her local Starbucks! This tongue-in-cheek novel is sure to please Lemony Snicket fans or anyone looking for a truly original fantasy novel for middle grade to young adult readers. A twelve-year-old with a good vocabulary would enjoy this just as much as the young adult audience it was intended for. A second book in this series, The Song of the Quarkbeast, is to be released in the United States later this year.

My cousin and fellow voracious reader, Grace Duryée, has penned a fantastic review of the young adult novel, Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman which also features dragon characters. Please check it out next week on the blog! I think you will be very glad you did. I wish your children loads of brilliant dragon adventures. Remember to add to my list to your own hoard of dragon book recommendations! Happy reading, dragon fans!

HilaryTaberPlease visit the Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse today to pick up your copy of these great books, buy gifts, enjoy their extensive selection of other great reads  and relax over a great cup of coffee.  Also visit the website at www.flintridgebooks.com to keep up-to-date with story times, author events and other exciting special events. And when you stop by, keep a lookout for Hilary peeking out from behind a novel.

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A Year’s Worth of Top Picks for Book Gifts

It’s a Most Wonderful Time To Give Books as Gifts

Reviewer Ronna Mandel shares her selection of favorite books from 2012 to help make filling those stockings less stressful. There are really tons more I’d love to mention, so if  you are hankering to expand your list, just click here now to browse through the covers on our Pinterest page for more ideas.

  • 9780399256653_large_The_InsomniacsMost Original and Pro Mom Picture Book

The Insomniacs (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, $16.99, ages 3-5)
by Karina Wolf and illustrated by The Brothers Hilts.

  • Best Science Book

What Color Is My World?:
The Lost History of African American Inventors,
($17.99, Candlewick, ages 8 and up) by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
co-written with Raymond Obstfeld and illustrated by Ben Boos and A.G. Ford.

  • Best Board Books to Teach Colors and Opposites

9781419701801PANTONE: Colors ($9.95, Abrams/Appleseed, ages 1 and up).

Hippopposites ($14.95, Abrams/Appleseed, ages 2 and up) written and illustrated by Janik Coat.

  • Most Clever Follow-up Book

This Is Not My Hat ($15.99, Candlewick, ages 4 and up)
written and illustrated by Jon Klassen.

  • Most Uplifting Picture Book

Because Amelia Smiled ($16.99, Candlewick, ages 3-7) by David Ezra Stein.

  • Favorite Family Cookbook

9780761166030The Mom 100 Cookbook: 100 Recipes Every Mom Needs in Her Back Pocket  ($16.95, Workman Publishing) by Katie Workman with photographs by Todd Coleman.

  • Best Middle Grade Novels

LIAR & SPY ($17.99, Random House, ages 9-12) by Rebecca Stead.

Wonder ($15.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, ages 8-12) by R.J. Palacio.

  • Best Young Adult (YA) Novel

shadesofgray_bookBetween Shades of Gray ($8.99, Penguin paperback; ages 12 and up) by Ruta Sepetys.

  • Best Silly Books for Preschoolers

image.phpIcky, Sticky Monster: A Super Yucky Pop-up Book  ($12.99, Nosy Crow, ages 3 and up) by Jo Lodge.

Poopendous!: The Inside Scoop on Every Type and Use of Poop ($16.99, Blue Apple Books, Ages 4 and up)  by Artie Bennett.

  • Best Classics

51i9SMWImyL._SL160_BabyLit board book series including Dracula: A BabyLit Counting Primer and  A Christmas Carol: A BabyLit Colors Primer both by Jennifer Adams with illustrations by Alison Oliver ($9.99, Gibbs Smith, ages 1 and up).

  • Favorite Biographies

A Boy Called Dickens $17.99, Schwartz & Wade, ages 4-8) by Deborah Hopkinson with illustrations by John Hendrix.

Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing Up On Mount Rushmore ($16.99, Dial Books for Young Readers, ages 5 and up) by  Tina Nichols Coury with illustrations by Sally Wern Comport.

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Fridays Featuring Flintridge – For Fans of Young Adult Fiction

Catherine Linka shares her picks for …

Young Adult Fiction

Publishers just announced that the biggest readers of young adult fiction are adults. This doesn’t surprise me, because I read YA constantly. YA fiction offers the adventure and excitement lacking from many adult novels. YA emphasizes “story” over “form” and offers a faster pace than many adult novels. Finally, YA characters tend to change and grow through a story, and even tough, edgy stories end with at least a sliver of hope.

Many adult readers are familiar with YA fantasy and dystopian titles, but some of the best YA writing right now is historical fiction. I encourage you to check out these novels. They have bold characters, perfectly crafted settings and stories that are anything but boring.

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY ($8.99, Penguin paperback; ages 12+) by Ruta Sepetys.

The only WW2 novel to tell the story of the Soviets taking Lithuanians to concentration camps in Siberia. An amazing story of will and survival. Winner of numerous awards. Ironically, BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY is sometimes confused with another best-selling series.

GILT ($17.99, Viking Juvenile, Ages 12+) by Katherine Longshore.

Fans of “The Tudors” will love this unabashedly sexy novel about Catherine Howard whose secret affairs cost her her life. Told from the point of view of Kitty Tylney, her best friend, the terrific writing and perilous intrigue will keep you enthralled.

GRAVE MERCY ($16.99, Houghton Mifflin,  Ages 14+) by Robin LaFevers.

Chosen by independent booksellers as one of the best YA novels this year. Ismae escapes an arranged marriage and hides among nuns who train her to be an assassin for the God of Death. Sent to kill a traitor at court, she must choose between love and country. Dynamic character, perfectly crafted prose and a historically accurate medieval French setting.

OUT OF THE EASY ($17.99, Philomel/Penguin, ages 14+) by Ruta Sepetys

How could I not read this book when the first line is “My mother’s a prostitute.” Set in New Orleans’ French Quarter in 1950. Josie is a pragmatic girl and hard working student who wants nothing of her mother’s lifestyle and bad choices in men. When her mother is linked to a murder, Josie has to figure out not just her future after high school, but how to stay alive. (Coming in February!)

Please visit the Flintridge Bookstore today to pick up your copy of these great books, buy gifts, enjoy their extensive selection of other great reads  and relax over a great cup of coffee.  Also visit the website at www.flintridgebooks.com to keep up-to-date with story times, author events and other exciting special events.

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Fridays Featuring Flintridge – Basics on Bullies

Today Catherine Linka shares her picks of …


STORIES ABOUT BULLIES

Bullying takes all forms from power plays to violence, and most children today will run into it. They may be the victims or merely onlookers or they may turn out to be the bullies. Writers are tackling this phenomenon with books for all different age groups. The styles and tone of these books are all different so you can pick the book that seems right for your child. We aren’t going to stamp out bullying, but the right book can give a child the tools or reassurance he or she needs to cope.

 

THE BULLY BOOK ($16.99, Harper Collins) by Eric Kahn Gale

Perfect for 5th-7th grade readers. An average kid gets bullied and tracks down an instructional manual for bullies. Excerpts from the actual manual interspersed with text are especially interesting. A book that kids will really feel is true to their own experiences. Shows how bullying doesn’t have to be personal or something the target brought on. (Ages 8-12 years old)

 

WONDER ($15.99, Knopf Books For Young Readers) by R J Palacio

This book reminds me of A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY. The main character is a fifth grade boy who was born disfigured and is attending school for the first time. Told in several voices including those of his classmates and sibling. He has great impact on those around him. Palacio shows the emotions and reactions of everyone he has to deal with. Kids can see there are two sides to every story. Great discussion book. (Ages 8+) Adult readers LOVE this book.  NOTE:  Click here to read Good Reads With Ronna’s Amanda Hogg review of this terrific book

 

COLIN FISCHER by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz

Colin is a genius with Asperger’s syndrome and a penchant for mystery-solving. He is bullied, but ends up proving his bully’s innocence in a crime. Funny and sarcastic –supportive parents, but annoying younger brother.  Alternative for younger teens to THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME. Vague reference to oral sex.  The first in a series. (Ages 12+) November publication date

 

PLAYGROUND by 50 Cent (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson)

I got interested in Curtis after seeing Oprah interview him. He was thoughtful, not bombastic. PLAYGROUND is a semi-autobiographical novel. Eighth grader Butterball clocks another student in the mouth with a sockful of batteries and is court-ordered into therapy. This is bullying from the bully’s perspective. Butterball has reasons for his actions, but he’s also pressured into fighting by peers. Great discussion book for teens. Urban setting. Language. Sexuality. (fall paperback)

 

DEAR BULLY: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories ($9.99, HarperTeen) by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones

So many teen authors have dealt with bullying personally, they joined together and wrote an anthology of their own stories. Check out www.dearbully.com to see if one of your teen’s favorite writers is included and to read a story or two. Book is available in paperback in stores now. (Ages 14+)

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A New Golden Age of Epic Fantasy Fiction Shines On

Seraphina ($17.99, Random House Book for Young Readers, ages 12 and up) is reviewed today by Jason Carpenter.

When George Lucas conceived of his Star Wars galaxy, he saw beyond the here and now of giving the people a rousing good yarn. He envisioned a mythology, a world logical and responsible only unto itself, with fantastical creatures that nonetheless felt of flesh and blood.  And like Tolkien before him and Rowling after, the devil- or the grip of imagination- is in the details. 

Rachel Hartman infuses her expansive new novel Seraphina– the saga of an uneasy alliance between mistrustful species (sound familiar?) and the young royal court’s musician who may end up being the key to ultimate harmony or lynchpin to inevitable war- with an eye for Joseph Campbell-like character and plot machinations and an adherence to a painstakingly created medieval alternaverse.

The oppositional species are, in this case, humans and dragons, and as Seraphina begins, a murder of a member of the royal court bearing the trademark savagery of a dragon attack threatens to derail the anniversary celebration of a historical, but tenuous, peace treaty between the two sides. In the midst of this pomp, Hartman also fully realizes the emergence of a young girl’s identity, the fiercely astute Seraphina, torturous as it may be to discover that her mother was a dragon. In a genre dominated by young empowered male principals, it’s  a wonderfully acute choice.

Seraphina’s intended demographic, the young and young-at-heart, has proven they can handle the layered storylines, philosophical yearnings, and literal hundreds of major and minor characters that populate the modern fantasy epic. Indeed, Harry Potter’s enduring legacy may just be that it made digging intellectual sword and sorcery lit cool for a fresh generation of make-believers. This novel follows that template elegantly, and at over 450 pages with accompanying glossary, it’s weighty, as well.  The payoff- and it’s not the metaphoric allusions to our own world’s penchant for xenophobia- is in the small quirks of some strongly drawn supporting characters, particularly the reluctantly compassionate dragon mentor Orma, who cares for Seraphina in a way that his dragon demeanor would be loathe to reveal.

Seraphina does rise to rousing good yarn status, but its greatest triumph is in depicting grotesqueries that are anything but and a world that often doesn’t feel that far, far away after all.

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