Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

MsJudy · Jan 1, 2012

Finally got around to finishing The Name of This Book is a Secret.

It's taken me a while to figure out why I like it but can't love it. It's well-written, well-paced, I can see why a lot of kids would enjoy it and want to read more in the series. But it's like Lemony Snickett's books, where the narrator is always talking to you and the events are things that couldn't possibly happen. So you never lose yourself in the story and start believing it's real. With the Hunger Games, I had to remind myself--they're characters, the suffering isn't real. In this one, you're always aware of the author and the fact that it's all made up, so there isn't the same sense of I have to read on and find out what happens to everyone.

Does that make sense?

timp67 · Jan 1, 2012

All right, guys. About W1ldw00d. I am finding it a very easy book not to pick up, and reading has been slow. I didn't read anything about it prior, so found out it is an American N@rnia on my own. But in N@rnia, the animals are in control, and in W1ldw00d people run the magical forest and the animals are subservient, which kind of defeats the purpose. It is becoming a slog, sadly. The illustrations are a major saving grace. The book itself is so beautiful!

JoyMC · Jan 1, 2012

Oh, that's too bad, Timp. I enjoyed the Kindle sample and had it on my list of possibles to purchase with Christmas money, but then other things keep seeming more enticing. It may keep moving on down the list ...

I'm getting into THE AVIARY, which was slow to get started, but the mystery is picking up and I think I'm going to stick with it.

timp67 · Jan 1, 2012

Please don't let my opinion sway you away from a book you feel you might enjoy! I can be a weirdly picky reader.

JoyMC · Jan 2, 2012

Oh no pressure, Timp! It's not just you, although I have been following your posts on this thread for a while and am often very much in agreement with your pickiness.

But I think what I will definitely do is get it from the library so I can fully enjoy the illustrations, and save my ebook funds for something else.

SheilaJG · Jan 3, 2012

I almost finished The Lost Hero before Christmas, but it's such a big book I didn't want to take it with me. Smish, you were right, it is good. Better than the Egyptian one.

On my trip I read a book I checked out electronically from the library, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. I liked it okay. I thought it was going to have a good message about girls losing themselves in a relationship, and it sort of did. I also read Ship Breaker, which is also YA and really good. It brought to mind some advice I read recently from a book Judy recommended (I'm blanking on the title) - it said something like - when you create characters, you should make a character web - so that each character brings out something in the MC. You can define your character by showing who he is not. This author did that very well. (That advice was in Anatomy of Story, I looked it up. Great book.)

AnthonyPearson · Jan 3, 2012

Hey everyone,
I had an idea for a character/story where the chapters are episodic--independent adventures. Can you all direct me to some recent books that are similar in nature? I remember Encyclopedia Brown from the 80's. Winnie the Pooh more or less held contained adventures too.

I'd love to read a more current Chapter Book/YA book to get a sense of pacing. Plus I'm in-between books again.

(on a side note, I got Neil Gaiman's PB The Dangerous Alphabet for Christmas and holy cow, that book is wonderful. I heart Neil Gaiman.)

Marzipan · Jan 3, 2012

Hi Anthony. I can't really think of any recent novels that fit that description. Maybe take a look at books that are written in a journal/diary style like 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'? Just my two cents. If I can think of anything else, I'll post.

JoyMC · Jan 3, 2012

Hmmm ... Lauren Myracle's Winnie Perry series has one chapter per month in a year of the MC's life. So while things are somewhat connected and there is through-line, there tend to be self-contained storylines within each chapter. Things will leave off unresolved and maybe resolve months later or even in later books. But it's not adventure - it's contemporary, middle school girl stuff. Still, it might give a hint of what you're looking for.

MsJudy · Jan 4, 2012

A lot of recent chapter books are sort of episodic, with a sense of tying up loose ends or bringing it all together in the last chapter or two. Try Horrible Harry in Room 2B or Clementine and see if those come close to what you have in mind.

Louis Sachar's Wayside School stories are pretty self-contained.

Morrell · Jan 4, 2012

I'm trying to read some books with Newbery buzz over the next couple of weeks. Just finished The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman, which I loved! My review is here if you want to read it.

Kitty Pryde · Jan 5, 2012

Been reading a lot of books about quirky families. I'm an only child and I could NEVER write one of those books like Penderwicks where the family has its own unique culture. Anyway, I read a really old one, A Lemon And A Star, which was pretty entertaining. And then The Moffats by Eleanor Estes--probably a lot of people have read this one. I think I read it as a little girl because one scene seemed so familiar. Two kindergartners leave class on the first day of school unnoticed, cross the play yard to the UNFENCED-IN TRAIN YARD NEXT DOOR, climb into an unattended boxcar, and end up several New England states away

This books is set around the 30s I think. Man, kids today can't have any type of good adventures like that! Jealous! I have to read the sequels.

Now reading Wishing For Tomorrow, a sequel to The Little Princess by a different author, about what happens to the other girls after Sara leaves the school. Pretty good so far! How much must you hate children to name your child "Ermengarde"? I apologize to any Ermengardes or parents of Ermengardes out there, but my goodness what a name.

And picked up a book while in San Francisco to bring back to the classroom where I work, since 4th graders study California for social studies: Field Trip Mysteries: The Crook Who Crossed The Golden Gate Bridge. Pretty cute little educational mystery--very early MG. The teacher liked it so much he said he would order a set for the lower reading group to study in class

Marzipan · Jan 6, 2012

I'm an only child and I could NEVER write one of those books like Penderwicks where the family has its own unique culture.

Hear, hear. My brother is sixteen years my senior, and my parents also had small families. Can't wait to get around to reading The Penderwicks.

Today I started Darkfall by Janice Hardy. I'm stoked about finishing the series. If some of you haven't started reading The Healing Wars series then do so. It is fantastic!

DavidBrett · Jan 6, 2012

I'm reading "Casper Candlewacks in the Claws of Crime" by our very own Ivan Brett! Every but as hilarious as the first, and highly recommended!

Morrell · Jan 6, 2012

Kitty Pryde said:
And then The Moffats by Eleanor Estes--probably a lot of people have read this one. I think I read it as a little girl because one scene seemed so familiar ... I have to read the sequels.

Now reading Wishing For Tomorrow, a sequel to The Little Princess by a different author, about what happens to the other girls after Sara leaves the school. Pretty good so far! How much must you hate children to name your child "Ermengarde"? I apologize to any Ermengardes or parents of Ermengardes out there, but my goodness what a name.

I LOVED the Moffats--I think The Middle Moffat was my favorite, and I was also fond of Rufus M. I've loved everything I've ever read by Eleanor Estes. Pinky Pye, Ginger Pye, The Alley, The Tunnel of Hugsy Goode ... and one of my all-time favorites, The Witch Family. I need to reread the Moffat books some time soon, especially since my WIP is set in the 30s. Research, yeah!

I think I read that sequel to The Little Princess a year or so ago. I liked it at the time, but I remember very little about it, for some reason. Old age, probably!

MsJudy · Jan 6, 2012

The Kidd said:
Today I started Darkfall by Janice Hardy. I'm stoked about finishing the series. If some of you haven't started reading The Healing Wars series then do so. It is fantastic!

I didn't know the third book was out! Danthia hasn't been around much, I guess, or maybe I just missed the announcement. Anyway--that'll be next on my shopping list.

Marzipan · Jan 6, 2012

You're right. I haven't seen Danthia in a while, and I didn't hear about Darkfall until right after Thanksgiving, but it was released on Oct 9th. How did it slip under the radar?

Morrell · Jan 7, 2012

Read another potential Newbery--The Romeo and Juliet Code. I quite liked it, but after spending several hours in the company of Flissy, who insists she is a "proper British child", I am having to restrain myself from saying things like jolly good, ever so, and not half chuffed.

Oh, and don't be misled by the cover. This is not tween contemporary, it's World War II historical fiction.

My review is here.

Smish · Jan 7, 2012

One of my very best friends is an Englishman. And a genius. And quite obnoxious, most of the time. But anyway, if I spend more than a couple hours in his company, I end up with a mangled accent for a few days - very prim and proper with ya'lls sprinkled about.

Khanada · Jan 7, 2012

The Kidd said:
You're right. I haven't seen Danthia in a while, and I didn't hear about Darkfall until right after Thanksgiving, but it was released on Oct 9th. How did it slip under the radar?

I'm hoping she'll be back soon. I'm an avid reader of her blog, and she mentioned in her New Years post she'd like to get back to participating here.

-- Amy

Amarie · Jan 7, 2012

I just finished SAVING ZASHA by Randi Barrow and really enjoyed it. It's about a Russian boy who finds a German Shepherd in postWWII Russia when there were almost no dogs left in the country. Very easy to read and would be good for kids who need a story that moves along to help them keep going.

timp67 · Jan 7, 2012

One of my fave MG books about WWII is I GO BY SEA, I GO BY LAND by P.L. Travers of MARY POPPINS fame. A little girl, her brother, and an adult family friend must travel to America to escape the bombs in England. Their humor, bravery, and delight at the wonders of America is incredibly charming.

Amarie · Jan 8, 2012

Tim, thanks! I will put that on my TBR list. I was happy to see the Zasha historical, because I've had two different school librarians tell me historicals are very popular with students, but I know they are hard to get published.

MsJudy · Jan 8, 2012

Amarie said:
I've had two different school librarians tell me historicals are very popular with students, but I know they are hard to get published.

I've been trying to figure that out, too. I suspect it's like rhyming PBs. When they're done well, they sell better than anything, but very few people do them well. With historicals, you need all the research to be perfect, but then you have to let it fade away into the background of the story. Maybe too many of the historicals they see are too pedantic and text-booky?

But then the Dear America series sells so well. I would have loved to have had a series like that when I was young. But then, that's a big reason why I read. I want to be taken away to a time and place I can't visit on my own!

Amarie · Jan 8, 2012

MsJudy said:
I've been trying to figure that out, too. I suspect it's like rhyming PBs. When they're done well, they sell better than anything, but very few people do them well. With historicals, you need all the research to be perfect, but then you have to let it fade away into the background of the story. Maybe too many of the historicals they see are too pedantic and text-booky?

But then the Dear America series sells so well. I would have loved to have had a series like that when I was young. But then, that's a big reason why I read. I want to be taken away to a time and place I can't visit on my own!

I think the text-booky issue is a problem. They still need a good story with interesting characters. I tried reading some of the American Girl historicals with my daughter and they were just too slow and didn't hold her attention.

Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

MsJudy

timp67

Guinea pig in the laboratory of God

JoyMC

timp67

Guinea pig in the laboratory of God

JoyMC

SheilaJG

AnthonyPearson

Marzipan

JoyMC

MsJudy

Morrell

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

Marzipan

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas

Morrell

MsJudy

Marzipan

Morrell

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Khanada

Amarie

carpe libri

timp67

Guinea pig in the laboratory of God

Amarie

carpe libri

MsJudy

Amarie

carpe libri