Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

JoyMC · Jun 26, 2012

My daughter and I picked up PEGASUS: FLAME OF OLYMPUS by Kate O'Hearn at the library - it's the first of a trilogy already published in the UK. The other two won't be out here until next year, to my daughter's great distress. It's a Percy Jackson-style story with Roman gods on earth, a stolen object that must be returned to save Olympus AND New York City, etc. (And a blurb by Riordan on the cover.) But the main character is a girl, and Pegasus and Diana and the focus, mythologically.

I probably wouldn't have read it on my own, but my daughter LOVED it.

Now I'm starting CHAINED by Lynne Kelly.

MsJudy · Jun 26, 2012

Just finished One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin.

Wow. Just, wow.

It's a sweet, gentle book, like Penderwicks, but...dare I say it? Even better.

1) It's set in LA in a neighborhood that used to be an orange grove, exactly like where I grew up, and she got the details right.

2) There is a character named Gertrude Riggle. Which was the name of my sister's fourth grade teacher. You never forget a name like Gertrude Riggle.

3) There are plenty of adult characters involved, but none of them, not one, is impossibly wise and perfect. The kids solve their own problems, thank you very much.

4) And those problems are actually very, very big. But handled in such a gentle way, that the book never feels heavy.

After so many disappointing books recently, it feels really good to be able to recommend one so whole-heartedly.

JoyMC · Jun 26, 2012

Wow, Judy. High praise. I just placed a hold on it.

My daughter and I also just read The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson - the Katherine Paterson - just released last year and co-written with her husband. It's written in a very A.A. Milne sort of style. I found it strange - I don't think a debut author could get away with it, but she certainly can. The full color illustrations are great.

But again, my daughter loved it.

sissybaby · Jun 26, 2012

Thanks, MsJudy, for bringing another book to my TBR pile. I'm never going to finish them all.

I just finished reading The Beloved Dearly by Doug Cooney. it's about 10 years old, but I hadn't seen it.

I really liked it. Really, really. It has a lot of silliness with a bunch of misfit kids, but they are all so charmingly quirky and trying to put on a brave front when there is so much sadness in their lives.

The MC is always out to make a fast buck by dreaming up new business schemes. He decides to start a pet burial service, complete with all kinds of little special enticements, and it turns out to be a great idea. But then things start going south. Then at the end, I teared up and nearly had to quit reading.

Anyway, it's a very quick read and has a lot more depth to it than I figured from the cover and the beginning.

Kitty Pryde · Jun 29, 2012

Stayed up late last night reading a really intense historical called Crow. It's really made me ponder what works in MG. It was quite scary and discussed sex, rape, lynching, and thE ugly racism of North Carolina in 1898. The book talked about them in a simple way, but the MC is encouraged to look things up in the dictionary, so y association the reader is too. The book even talks about the need for kids to know what their community and family are going through, even if it's terrible. There was lots of n-words dropped, klansmen, white supremacists, offscreen rape of family member, and onscreen murder of family members, and words I wouldn't think to present to a young reader like "necktie party" and "high yaller".

It was a very fast paced and moving book, but I am not sure how I would present it to a kid. The MC is only 11, but I don't know if an 11 year old would be ready for this. Maybe a 14 year old.

Funny quote about adult ish content:

There was no reason to treat me like a child. I knew about sex; Lewis had told me. Men and women got together and had sex and made babies. Lewis's next-door neighbor...was a sex maniac, because she had six children and had done it six times.

Morrell · Jun 29, 2012

Reading The Secret Zoo, which had an interesting path to publication. It was self-published by the author in 2007, then got picked up by Greenwillow in 2010 after a chance encounter at one of his school talks.

Here's the story from PW.

I'm reading the e-version (on sale from Harper-Collins for $1.99 until July 1). I wish I could compare it to the print copy, as I'm curious how much revision/editing occurred for the reissue. Seems to me that they would edit a good bit, but if they improved it significantly, why would HC want the "old" copy to be floating around? The 2007 ed is the version they're using for ebooks.

It's engaging, and it has a neat premise (a secret world accessible through parts of the zoo that are off-limits to the public). I do think more could be done with the characters and their motivation. Kids who like Fablehaven would probably like this one, too.

sissybaby · Jun 29, 2012

I cheated a read a YA book yesterday, One Wish.

It was okay, but certainly lacked the fun and satisfaction I get from reading MG. At least it was G rated, which totally surprised me.

The MC just didn't have enough depth for me. She was just sort of blah throughout most of the book, and was so obsessed with being popular. It just didn't grab me.

And of course my library doesn't have One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street, so I had to put in a loan request.

But I DID win a $10.00 gift certificate from the adult summer reading program. So I left happy.

MsJudy · Jun 30, 2012

sissybaby said:
But I DID win a $10.00 gift certificate from the adult summer reading program. So I left happy.

Yeah for free money!!!

sissybaby · Jun 30, 2012

I agree, Judy.

This year is awesome because we have a new librarian in charge of the adult reading program, and she has a completely refreshing attitude about it.

Last year it was, "It must be an adult book and it must be checked out of this library."

This year it's, "I don't care what you read, what you read it on, or where it comes from. I don't even want to know the title. Just tell me you read for 20 minute increments six times and turn it in. If you want to do a book review, that's just another chance for the drawing."

I like her. I like her a lot.

And we had to cancel the water park because granddaughter woke up feeling puny this morning. She won't eat, so I don't want to take a chance of her causing them to close the pool down.

I'll take the older ones to the movie instead.

playground · Jun 30, 2012

Finally got around to finishing the third Fablehaven book. I was impressed. I'm growing to like the series a lot. Pretty excited for the fourth and fifth book. I remember Judy bringing up a book by Suzanne Collins called Gregor the Overlander. Without any spoilers, for those that have read it, it's an adventure fantasy one right? I notice it is a series, is it also a coming-of-age story? I'm noticing I really like that in middle grade fantasy.

MsJudy · Jun 30, 2012

playground_king said:
I remember Judy bringing up a book by Suzanne Collins called Gregor the Overlander. Without any spoilers, for those that have read it, it's an adventure fantasy one right? I notice it is a series, is it also a coming-of-age story? I'm noticing I really like that in middle grade fantasy.

Not really coming-of-age, specifically. It's more Alice in Wonderland (down the rabbit hole) only set in/under NY, and way more intense and violent than anything Alice ever found. It's dark. Very dark, in more ways than one. Very well-imagined, believable world.

Smish · Jun 30, 2012

I'm currently reading Eighth Grade Bites, by Heather Brewer.

Smish · Jul 3, 2012

I'm getting ready to start Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli. I know, I know. I'm a total Spinelli fangirl. How can I not have read this book, yet?

Kitty Pryde · Jul 3, 2012

GET THE TISSUES

JoyMC · Jul 3, 2012

playground_king said:
I remember Judy bringing up a book by Suzanne Collins called Gregor the Overlander. Without any spoilers, for those that have read it, it's an adventure fantasy one right? I notice it is a series, is it also a coming-of-age story? I'm noticing I really like that in middle grade fantasy.

I loooooove The Underland Chronicles. I would say there are coming of age elements, but it's definitely squarely in the adventure fantasy category. I've got three of them on my Kindle (including the first one), and it looks like they're lending-enabled. If by any chance you have a Kindle and want to borrow, PM me!

Marzipan · Jul 4, 2012

I just started Savvy and I'm already in love with the voice. I was really expecting something else, but I'm glad I was wrong about that something

Smish · Jul 4, 2012

The Kidd said:
I just started Savvy and I'm already in love with the voice. I was really expecting something else, but I'm glad I was wrong about that something

Yep, the voice is amazing in Savvy. The book's not perfect, but with a voice so amazing, it doesn't need to be.

MsJudy · Jul 4, 2012

I loved Savvy. Loved it.

The sequel (Scumble) took a little while to grow on me, but turned out charming in the end.

forshmonster · Jul 5, 2012

I'm crazy about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I adore the way Jeff Kinney characterizes Greg; he's so lovably misguided.

I just finished reading the Lemonade War series, which I also thought was very good. It's not perfect, of course, but I did enjoy the series quite a bit. I'm definitely eager for more from Jacqueline Davies.

MJWare · Jul 5, 2012

I know there was a ebook big sale last month (I got The Secret Zoo and one other one).
But, I don't recall seeing The Borrowers on the list?
My TBR pile is huge, but or $1.59 I'm think I'm going to pick it up (it's a classic that I haven't read yet).

Sage · Jul 5, 2012

I just read the first IVY+BEAN book. I'll be checking out the rest of them.

I started MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS. I read the first MM book from the library last year, but they didn't have it at B&N when I went on my most recent buying spree, so I got this one.

Britwriter · Jul 5, 2012

RuthD said:
Reading The Secret Zoo, which had an interesting path to publication. It was self-published by the author in 2007, then got picked up by Greenwillow in 2010 after a chance encounter at one of his school talks.

Here's the story from PW.

I'm reading the e-version (on sale from Harper-Collins for $1.99 until July 1). I wish I could compare it to the print copy, as I'm curious how much revision/editing occurred for the reissue. Seems to me that they would edit a good bit, but if they improved it significantly, why would HC want the "old" copy to be floating around? The 2007 ed is the version they're using for ebooks.

It's engaging, and it has a neat premise (a secret world accessible through parts of the zoo that are off-limits to the public). I do think more could be done with the characters and their motivation. Kids who like Fablehaven would probably like this one, too.

My kids read it, and liked it, but weren't that excited about it. They loved Fablehaven, but think Secret Zoo is weaker, and have no wish to read it again. When they don't want to read a book a second time, it means something - they are avid re-readers. They didn't tell me to pick it up and read it after them, so I haven't felt inspired to do so. It will wait until I have nothing else around to read one lunchtime.

Britwriter · Jul 5, 2012

forshmonster said:
I'm crazy about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I adore the way Jeff Kinney characterizes Greg; he's so lovably misguided.

I just finished reading the Lemonade War series, which I also thought was very good. It's not perfect, of course, but I did enjoy the series quite a bit. I'm definitely eager for more from Jacqueline Davies.

Did other people like Wimpy Kid beyond the first book? Maybe it was just me, but I got bored by them after the first one.

Sage · Jul 6, 2012

Sage said:
I started MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS. I read the first MM book from the library last year, but they didn't have it at B&N when I went on my most recent buying spree, so I got this one.

Teehee. I work in a lab, and happen to know a lot of species scientific names. So when I saw that the Frog Lady's last name was Ranidae, I knew it was the family name for frogs. :Thumbs:

Kitty Pryde · Jul 6, 2012

Sage said:
I just read the first IVY+BEAN book. I'll be checking out the rest of them.

I started MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS. I read the first MM book from the library last year, but they didn't have it at B&N when I went on my most recent buying spree, so I got this one.

I have no joke been to like 8 bookstores and the library and the scholastic book fair and STILL not found the second book. I was beginning to think I had imagined its existence. Glad you are enjoying it!

Britwriter said:
Did other people like Wimpy Kid beyond the first book? Maybe it was just me, but I got bored by them after the first one.

well...I read all of them and they are mostly all similar. Read the latest one though, it's great. Greg has some actual character development and rises ever so slightly above the level of self-absorbed douche. The kids where I work are really fixated on those books so I try to stay on top of them. I had to make a No Cheese Touch rule in the classroom. The Cheese Touch is not conducive to a good learning environment you may be surprised to learn.

Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

JoyMC

MsJudy

JoyMC

sissybaby

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

Morrell

sissybaby

MsJudy

sissybaby

playground

MsJudy

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

JoyMC

Marzipan

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

MsJudy

forshmonster

MJWare

Kidlit gang, Junior member.

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Britwriter

Britwriter

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue