Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

strictlytopsecret · Apr 29, 2013

Love, Aubrey was incredible. Heart wrenching and brilliant.

I started Wednesday Wars this morning, and so far, I am impressed. The voice is fabulous.

Smish · Apr 29, 2013

strictlytopsecret said:
I just started Love, Aubrey. When I'm only a few chapters in and already loving it, that's usually a pretty good sign.

I've read that one so many times that my copy is falling apart.

Smish · Apr 29, 2013

I finished A Dog Called Homeless. It's a lovely little book.

Now I'm reading The Plot Whisperer because I can never seem to master plotting. I have no problem creating fully developed characters and unique settings, but none of that matters without an interesting plot.

strictlytopsecret · Apr 29, 2013

Smish said:
Now I'm reading The Plot Whisperer because I can never seem to master plotting. I have no problem creating fully developed characters and unique settings, but none of that matters without an interesting plot.

Have you seen Alderson's YouTube videos? Pure awesomeness - short, sweet, to the point. Very helpful.

strictlytopsecret · Apr 29, 2013

Ok, Wednesday Wars was just awesome. Growing up, Shakespeare, life in the late 60s, and crazed rats - what more could you ask?

If every middle grader read Love, Aubrey and Wednesday Wars, I think the world would be a better place. For many reasons.

And yes, I do wax hokey at times. This is one of those times.

sissybaby · Apr 29, 2013

I fell in love with Love, Aubrey, also. Wish I could write like that.

Just finished The Wizard of Dark Street. It was a fun little mystery, but it lacked something. I must be getting jaded.

Morrell · Apr 30, 2013

sissybaby said:
It was a fun little mystery, but it lacked something. I must be getting jaded.

Or maybe just discerning.

Smish · May 1, 2013

I checked out Liar and Spy and Shooting the Moon from the library.

Britwriter · May 2, 2013

OK, so we're reading The Day my Butt went Psycho, and much as I thought it was ridiculous when glancing at it in B&N, once I'd read a few pages, I love it!

I can't imagine buying it to read to myself, but if you have a bunch of giggling kids to read it to, it's a riot. Hilarious!

The Great White Butt, pirana butts, and more. If you have a kid to read it to, I really recommend it. Or, if you just have that sort of sense of humor.

sissybaby · May 3, 2013

Hmm, Britwriter. That one sounds a bit bizarre. But now you've piqued my interest.

Read one of the Templeton Twins - don't remember which. I can see why it would be very appealing to MGers, and it was a fun read, but the constant back-and-forth with the narrator kind of drove me nuts.

Now I'm reading A Greyhound of a Girl, and I am enjoying it. I love the voice. I'm sure what attracts me to it the most is that the women are Irish, and refer to their mothers as Mammy. My maternal grandmother was known as Mammy by everyone, and it brings back so many precious memories.

But the ghost aspect has a lot of appeal, too!

JQ377 · May 4, 2013

Britwriter said:
OK, so we're reading The Day my Butt went Psycho, and much as I thought it was ridiculous when glancing at it in B&N, once I'd read a few pages, I love it!

I can't imagine buying it to read to myself, but if you have a bunch of giggling kids to read it to, it's a riot. Hilarious!

The Great White Butt, pirana butts, and more. If you have a kid to read it to, I really recommend it. Or, if you just have that sort of sense of humor.

I remember reading that when I was in 5th grade! My friend let me borrow it to read while they were playing kickball. It was ridiculous but really funny in a kind of gross-out way.

Clubmonstar · May 5, 2013

sissybaby said:
Now I'm reading A Greyhound of a Girl, and I am enjoying it. I love the voice. I'm sure what attracts me to it the most is that the women are Irish, and refer to their mothers as Mammy. My maternal grandmother was known as Mammy by everyone, and it brings back so many precious memories.

But the ghost aspect has a lot of appeal, too!

I've just ordered 6 copies of this book for my school for guided reading. It's been nominated for the Carnegie Award. Haven't actually read it myself yet, but I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it.

Britwriter · May 24, 2013

I just finished The Year the Swallows Came Early, and loved it. It reminded me of Touch Blue, and also Sway.

Just started Capture the Flag. It's not so much my type of thing, but so far, I'm enjoying it.

sissybaby · May 25, 2013

I just finished Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool.

It. Is. Phenomenal.

JoyMC · May 25, 2013

I just finished The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams. Loved it! I guess it was a bestseller in the UK but doesn't seem to have made such a splash in the US. Perhaps because the author is a famous comedian there? I hadn't heard of him. But wow, this book is so lovely. And the illustrations are by Quentin Blake! Of the Roald Dahl books!

Here's one of my favorite lines:

"You complete &^#^@*!"

Oops, sorry. I know even though real children do swear, you mustn't have swearing in a children's book. Please forgive me, I really am &^#^@*! sorry.

Kitty Pryde · May 25, 2013

sissybaby said:
I just finished Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool.

It. Is. Phenomenal.

I agree! When is she writing another book?

JoyMC said:
I just finished The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams. Loved it! I guess it was a bestseller in the UK but doesn't seem to have made such a splash in the US. Perhaps because the author is a famous comedian there? I hadn't heard of him. But wow, this book is so lovely. And the illustrations are by Quentin Blake! Of the Roald Dahl books!

Here's one of my favorite lines:

"You complete &^#^@*!"

Oops, sorry. I know even though real children do swear, you mustn't have swearing in a children's book. Please forgive me, I really am &^#^@*! sorry.

I loved that book, and Mr. Stink as well. Both books cover topics we are very afraid to talk about in the US, especially to children (not sure how it is in the UK...): transvestites (kid ones no less) and mentally ill homeless people. I haven't read his other books but I want to!

Do you watch Little Britain? The author is one half of the show. It's really really funny.

I read The Templeton Twins Have An Idea, which is hilarious. A bit like A Series of Unfortunate Events, but way better. I liked it and I started reading it aloud to the fifth graders. They love it and beg for it! I did a writing lesson based on it and the writing they came up with was amazing.

I also read a book called We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea, part of an old series (Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome). Love it! The title kind of gives away the big plot point, but it was still pretty exciting. Now I'm reading a new book semi-based on that one, called Summer At Forsaken Lake, which is okay but I'm not wild about it.

A.C. Thomas · May 28, 2013

Hey everyone. Been a while since I posted around these parts

.

Just finished up two new books - The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos and The Tribe: Homeroom Headhunters by Clary McLeod Chapman. Both were good books though different from one another.

sissybaby · May 28, 2013

Finished Zebra Forest this morning. Wow. Lots of heavy stuff for MG, but I think it was done quite well.

This is a new book from a debut author. I was a little surprised at the darkness of it (kids live with a grandma that is dealing with heavy emotional issues and isn't actually 'there' for them most of the time). They live a very reclusive life, and then an escaped convict takes them hostage - and that's just the beginning of the issues. It all goes downhill from there.

A lot to think about for MG. But I felt it definitely had an MG voice.

tinker · May 28, 2013

I finally read "The Paper Bag Christmas"
Loved it! :snoopy:

(Yeah, yeah, I know it's spring...

)

summerb · May 29, 2013

Haven't read Love, Audrey or Wednesday Wars, so adding to my list (which is LOOoooOOng) and also adding The Day My Butt Went Psycho, because duh.

I just finished Unlucky Charms by Adam Rex (True Meaning of Smekday) but I thought it was kind of disappointing. It was just as quirky as the first book, Cold Cereal, but lacked the cohesiveness of plot. Just felt like a placeholder to get to book number three. Not cool.

Also just finished My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, which was serious and light-hearted at the same time, and I really, really enjoyed. Although, be forewarned, it is quite heartbreaking at times.

Am currently beta-ing a ve-e-ery long high fantasy MG piece for a friend, and wishing I could get to some of these light-hearted quick reads on my list.

profen4 · May 29, 2013

Picked up SEVEN WONDERS by Peter Lerangis - half way through and actually loving this book. Has anyone read it?

A.C. Thomas · May 29, 2013

profen4 said:
Picked up SEVEN WONDERS by Peter Lerangis - half way through and actually loving this book. Has anyone read it?

Started on it. It's pretty good so far. Interested to see where he takes it.

wordartist · May 31, 2013

One of my favorite MG books published in the past couple of years is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. I'm a sucker for unusual things happening in an ordinary setting to ordinary people. I also like the way this crosses genres. Is it science fiction? Time travel? Mystery? Historical fiction? School story? It's all of them, and there's something in me that likes that.

Morrell · May 31, 2013

Welcome, Wordartist. I love that book, too. I also have AR connections (mom grew up in Dyess; I went to UCA in the late 70s.)

redfalcon · Jun 2, 2013

I am reading the Cirque Du Freak series now. It's great to get into a series that is already complete.

I am also thinking of tracking down "The Great Brain" series by John D. Fitzgerald. These are the books that got me hooked on reading.

Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

strictlytopsecret

practical experience, FTW

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

strictlytopsecret

practical experience, FTW

strictlytopsecret

practical experience, FTW

sissybaby

Morrell

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Britwriter

sissybaby

JQ377

Clubmonstar

Britwriter

sissybaby

JoyMC

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

A.C. Thomas

Angie Thomas

sissybaby

tinker

Winging it!

summerb

profen4

A.C. Thomas

Angie Thomas

wordartist

Morrell

redfalcon