Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

sissybaby

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I picked up Instructions by Neil Gaiman at the library yesterday. I had never seen this one, but I loved it. Absolutely and totally loved it.

He can say so much in so few words. I don't know how he does it.

Oh, and I loved Bliss, too. Lots more to it than just a silly book about magical baked goods.
 

Kitty Pryde

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Can anyone tell me the appeal of The Great Kapok Tree? I'm supposed to teach a lesson about it, but I am utterly underwhelmed. It's just preaching accompanied by artwork as far as I can see. I'm also a bit creeped out by how the author puts the little indigenous child on the same level as the animals (reduced to whispering in a logger's ear as he sleeps to preserve their tree).
 

MsJudy

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Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Preaching disguised as literature. But it does have great artwork for teaching about the rainforest, so I feel kind of stuck with it until I find something better.

And the premise is bogus. One man cutting down one tree is NOT the problem. Hundreds of teams of men bulldozing entire square acres of the rainforest--that's the problem. So one man dropping his totally useless little ax and walking away... not gonna change anything.

But here in Santa Cruz, all the hippies love it.

I'm having an issue with another book... and Smish is gonna smack me...

I totally cannot get into Stargirl. I know, it's Jerry Freakin' Spinelli! The voice is great. How can I be so totally underwhelmed by it?

Two reasons: It's all telling and hardly any actual scenes, so I feel like I'm being held off at a distance from it. The tension isn't really there, because it's all so clearly over and done with.

Plus once again I just don't believe it. Freaky new girl has a brief moment of total popularity? If only... I was a bit of a Stargirl myself in high school. Dressed freaky, the only hippy chick during the big-hair 80s. A few people harassed me; lots of people ignored me. Not one person copied me, that's for sure.

I don't know. I just don't feel pulled into the story at all. Once I get reading, it goes quickly, and I do plan to finish it, but... it's not calling me to put aside other things just to sit down and read. It's feeling more like a chore than a treat.
 

Britwriter

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I couldn't get into Stargirl either. :e2paperba

OK, so now I've had to put it on my amazon wishlist. Why do I feel more drawn to read books that some people don't like so much, than books that everyone raves about?
 

Smish

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I liked Stargirl, but couldn't get into Love, Stargirl (didn't finish it). And while I liked Stargirl, it's not one of my favorite Spinelli books. I adore pretty much all his MG novels, though. :D
 

MsJudy

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I liked Stargirl, but couldn't get into Love, Stargirl (didn't finish it). And while I liked Stargirl, it's not one of my favorite Spinelli books. I adore pretty much all his MG novels, though. :D

thanks for not smacking me...
 

sissybaby

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I'm reading Fetching, and finding it to be quite an enjoyable read. The comparisons she makes between middle schoolers and dog breeds is rather interesting. I also think she's done a great job of characterization.
 

Kitty Pryde

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I just finished Wonder. It was good, but not as moving as I thought it would be. It's about a kid with serious facial abnormalities, and all his friends and family. I didn't like how the protagonist was the precious brave little soldier and all the "good kids" loved him unreservedly and all the "bad kids" hated him without sense or reason. Real kids are more nuanced than that--real kids have bad traits as well as good ones, are nice sometimes and awful other times. Real friends don't love and worship their disabled friends 100% of the time just for being brave little soldiers. And given how sheltered and friendless the hero was before starting school in fifth grade, I cannot believe he would have enough social skill to navigate middle school successfully.

Now reading Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms (Small Change For Stuart in the UK). Really funny but getting off to a slow start.
 

SheilaJG

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I found out there's a new Frances Hardinge book out, called A Face Like Glass, so I downloaded the e-book and am prepared to have my socks knocked off. She is so incredibly imaginative.
 

sissybaby

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I was in McDonald's yesterday and a guy was there (assuming Dad) with two very young boys. He was reading The Fugitive Factor by Gordon Korman (maybe Corman, I was leaning forward and staring, and I didn't want them calling the cops). The kids looked totally engrossed. Wondering if it's a good series, but these guys looked about 7 and 5, so that's a good sign that they were listening.
 

JoyMC

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I just read Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner - I really liked it, and I would have loooooved it as a middle grader, with the inside scoop on elite ice skating. I really liked how it ended, but I won't say more than that.

Interesting to hear your review of Wonder, Kitty. I've got it on hold.
 

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Reading an e-book called Ebenezer's Locker, and enjoying it so far. I'm a sucker for "haunted school" stories. :)
 

Sage

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After my friend talked to me a lot about her Harry Potter fanfic, I got a craving, and now I'm rereading HP and the Philosopher's Stone (it's the UK version, yeah).
 

Marzipan

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Beautiful cover Sage.

I'm taking a poll guys, which should I buy and read next? Winterling by Sarah Prineas, The Next Full Moon by Carolyn Turgeon, or The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham? I'm kind of low on funds right now, but these all seem like amazing reads.
 

sissybaby

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The Kidd - I've only read The Winterling, but I thought it was a good read. The concept was intriguing to me and not at all what I expected.
 

Kitty Pryde

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Beautiful cover Sage.

I'm taking a poll guys, which should I buy and read next? Winterling by Sarah Prineas, The Next Full Moon by Carolyn Turgeon, or The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham? I'm kind of low on funds right now, but these all seem like amazing reads.

All three from the library? :D

I just finished Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms. It was okay, but nothing much happened until halfway through the book. Funny and cute story though.

PS Has anybody read the Six Crowns fantasy series? The cover said it was a cross between Redwall and LOTR. Also it is not doorstop-sized! I'm very excited about it.
 
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Marzipan

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I'll check out Winterling first then Sissy :) I want to read The Dead Boys, but I may put if off for a while because it is over 13.00 at the Kindle store and the hardback is selling for 16.00 and change. For a novel that only comes in at 30k words or so that feels steep.

I wish I could get them all from the library, but the nearest one is over half an hour away *cries*.
 

JoyMC

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I'll check out Winterling first then Sissy :) I want to read The Dead Boys, but I may put if off for a while because it is over 13.00 at the Kindle store and the hardback is selling for 16.00 and change. For a novel that only comes in at 30k words or so that feels steep.

I wish I could get them all from the library, but the nearest one is over half an hour away *cries*.

Have you looked into getting library books on your Kindle? I just checked those three titles, and The Winterling is available for Kindle from my library. A ton of great MG and YA books are.

Even if your nearest library system doesn't have a great ebook selection, there are other options. The Pittsburgh Public Library system used to allow people out-of-state to buy a $30 annual card that gave access to a terrific ebook selection. It looks like they've had to shut that down, but if you google around, you might find another system that does something similar.
 

Marzipan

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Have you looked into getting library books on your Kindle? I just checked those three titles, and The Winterling is available for Kindle from my library. A ton of great MG and YA books are.

Even if your nearest library system doesn't have a great ebook selection, there are other options. The Pittsburgh Public Library system used to allow people out-of-state to buy a $30 annual card that gave access to a terrific ebook selection. It looks like they've had to shut that down, but if you google around, you might find another system that does something similar.

You know, I never thought about that! I've never checked out an e-book from our library, but it would solve the problem of having to drive back to make returns. Thanks for mentioning it Joy. I'll check the web, and if I find anything like you mentioned, I'll let you know. It's worth a shot for sure.
 

Smish

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Re-reading Savvy. Then I'll read Alabama Moon, I think. It's been on my tbr list for quite awhile. :Thumbs:

And I went to Half Price Books yesterday and bought several books, including Chains and Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson. Those have also been on my tbr list for ages; it's about time I got around to reading them!
 

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I read Finally. Wendy Mass is one of my favorite authors, but this one was just okay. It felt a little contrived. Not much plot. And some parts were excruciating to read. I'm reading the series backwards, which doesn't help. I loved 13 Gifts.

Now I'm reading Camo Girl, which is amazing.