Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

Kitty Pryde · Jun 11, 2012

RuthD said:
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.

Yeah, I have mixed thoughts on that series. I do think she's getting better every book. But all the long confusing parts referencing the bizarre events of the previous books are tedious to get through. When she's in the moment with the protagonist, I love all the action and emotional drama. Her kids feel very true to life. I'm reading 13 Gifts right now.

And I love the idea that at your birthday, magical adventures happen to force you to grow into a more mature and capable person. I could use some of that right now!

We could call that book 29 Unemployments or maybe 30 Poor Life Choices.

DavidBrett · Jun 12, 2012

I just finished THE WAKENING, by Paul Stewart - a brilliant horror for young teens/upper MG, along the lines of Freddy Kruger for younger audiences (no killings, but more focused on the bizarre powers of the antagonist's over dreams).

SheilaJG · Jun 12, 2012

Still immersed in A Face Like Glass, by Frances Hardinge. She is just so original, a real joy to read. Her world building might start with what sounds like a ridiculous premise (a world where people have to learn facial expressions - rich people have hundreds, poor people might have only five, is thrown into turmoil by a girl whose every emotion plays out on her face), but she makes it so believable with her world building. And the writing is full of humor and wonderful imagery. On the dangerous job of making True Wines, wines with special powers, she writes:

"The two Wines were not yet ready to blend. The Addlemeau still needed to develop its undertones of vanilla, and the Smogwreath had not overcome its fear of strangers. Both, if disturbed, were quite capable of tearing strips off a man's soul like bark from a tree."

Morrell · Jun 12, 2012

Arrgh. My memory and google have both failed me. Can anybody tell me the name of the mg series about a girl who (I think) is a ghost hunter? Seems to me like she types on a typewriter, and I'm pretty sure in the cover illustration she wore glasses...
I know that's not a lot to go on. Maybe her name is Tilda, or Golda, or something like that. Or maybe not.

SheilaJG · Jun 12, 2012

Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator? Maybe?

Morrell · Jun 12, 2012

That's it! Thanks, Sheila!

t0dd · Jun 12, 2012

I'm currently reading "Ghost Knight" by Cornelia Funke. I'm enjoying it, but one detail surprised me; the title character (the ghost of a medieval knight whom the protagonist seeks help from) is described as being the bastard son of Henry II of England (and thus the half-brother of Richard the Lion-hearted). I'm amazed that a middle-grade children's book would actually mention bastardy. (If it was a young adult, I'd have been less surprised.)

DavidBrett · Jun 12, 2012

Awh... I thought you meant Ghost Huntress, Ruth...

Morrell · Jun 13, 2012

No, Sheila hit the nail on the head, David. Can't believe I was so close and couldn't come up with "Gilda".

Anyone looking for a beautifully crafted, compelling, memorable middle grade novel should read Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon. It's a quick read, too. I started it Mon evening while waiting for a prescription at Walgreens, and finished it Tues morning. It's that good.

SheilaJG · Jun 13, 2012

Ha ha! Yes, you were so close. It was the names you mentioned that made me remember it. Tilda - Golda - GILDA! yes!

Oooh, I will have to check out Camo Girl. Thanks!

Marzipan · Jun 13, 2012

I'm amazed that a middle-grade children's book would actually mention bastardy. (If it was a young adult, I'd have been less surprised.)

I'm not trying to one-up you bro, but I've seen much worse. One day check out Tangerine by Edward Bloor. I won't give anything away, but the book made me sick in parts, and I still loved it.

JoyMC · Jun 13, 2012

I just read Emma Jean Lazarus Fell in Love. Just as delightful as the first. (Well, maybe the tiniest bit less delightful, only because the delightfulness was no longer a surprise.) Does anyone know if there are plans for a third? I can imagine one centering around the next big life event that was set in motion in this one.

My daughter picked Ramona the Brave off the shelf yesterday - it's been over a year since we've read Ramonas, and it was so fun to settle back into her. There's no one quite like Beverly Cleary, is there? Ramona's the same age as my daughter in this book, and man, the child psychology is soooo dead on.

MsJudy · Jun 13, 2012

Finally forced myself to the end of Stargirl. I finally figured out what's wrong with it.

It's written like The Great Gatsby--the interesting character is NOT the narrator. And unfortunately, the narrator turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. So we're held at a distance from the real heroine, and the character we're forced to spend time with does NOT do the right thing in the end, so he isn't particularly likeable.

Meh.

JoyMC · Jun 13, 2012

MsJudy said:
Finally forced myself to the end of Stargirl. I finally figured out what's wrong with it.

It's written like The Great Gatsby--the interesting character is NOT the narrator. And unfortunately, the narrator turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. So we're held at a distance from the real heroine, and the character we're forced to spend time with does NOT do the right thing in the end, so he isn't particularly likeable.

Meh.

That technique of the narrator showing us the more interesting character works in some instances. A Prayer for Owen Meany leaps to mind. I wonder what the difference is. Maybe the narrator being "a disappointment"? I'm not sure what that means in the context of Stargirl, having not been able to finish it myself. And actually, I love Gatsby.

Maybe it's just personal preference - or can others think of other books in which the main character is not the most interesting, and it works?

MsJudy · Jun 13, 2012

Yes, I think it can work. And lots of people do like Stargirl, so it's definitely personal preference. I think for me, it's the combination of 1) being a bit like Stargirl myself and 2) the narrator trying to change her that made me dislike him. And he has the chance to redeem himself at the end, but doesn't. So... it left a bad taste in my mouth. Like diet soda. Not awful, but not quite what you were hoping for, you know?

Kitty Pryde · Jun 13, 2012

MsJudy said:
Finally forced myself to the end of Stargirl. I finally figured out what's wrong with it.

It's written like The Great Gatsby--the interesting character is NOT the narrator. And unfortunately, the narrator turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. So we're held at a distance from the real heroine, and the character we're forced to spend time with does NOT do the right thing in the end, so he isn't particularly likeable.

Meh.

I think that, to Stargirl, Stargirl is quite ordinary. She just does her thing and isn't too concerned with other people. But to the narrator (so memorable I forgot his name), she is the most magical and wondrous being he has ever encountered. We see her through his eyes because that's when she's at her most awesome. And part of that is because he's not that awesome, and because she helps inspire him to greater things. I don't even think a grown up Jerry Spinelli narrator voice could do her justice.

The sequel is narrated by her if that sort of thing would satisfy you

I am reading this book that is totally off the hook, called Wuftoom. It's about a kid who's really sick in bed. The doctor doesn't know what's wrong, and one day an evil worm alien squiggles up out of the toilet and tells the kid that he's turning into one of them. Then an evil fly alien shows up and asks him to betray the evil worm aliens to the evil fly aliens. It's squicky and I can't stop reading it. Like the best of all possible horror movies! It's a very interesting narrative of illness and also a gross science fiction adventure. Hurrah!

Morrell · Jun 13, 2012

Paper Towns is another with a narrator who is not the person of interest. But it works, because it's John Green.

It's been a long time since I read Stargirl. I seem to remember being annoyed with her b/c she was just too quirky and "precious".

Kitty Pryde · Jun 13, 2012

RuthD said:
Paper Towns is another with a narrator who is not the person of interest. But it works, because it's John Green.

It's been a long time since I read Stargirl. I seem to remember being annoyed with her b/c she was just too quirky and "precious".

I prefer the narrator of Paper Towns. The girl is a jerk IMO. I didn't really care if they found her or not. I just hoped he had a good character-building adventure. I thought his devotion to her illuminated his personality more than hers.

Marzipan · Jun 13, 2012

Paper Towns is another with a narrator who is not the person of interest. But it works, because it's John Green.

I was about to say the same thing about Looking For Alaska. Pudge is alright I guess, but I found Alaska to be a much more interesting character. I guess I liked it, again, because I could relate to Pudge. All of Green's strong female characters make me wonder who they are based off of sometimes.

JoyMC · Jun 13, 2012

Kitty Pryde said:
I prefer the narrator of Paper Towns. The girl is a jerk IMO. I didn't really care if they found her or not.

THIS. Exactly.

Smish · Jun 13, 2012

Kitty Pryde said:
I prefer the narrator of Paper Towns. The girl is a jerk IMO. I didn't really care if they found her or not. I just hoped he had a good character-building adventure. I thought his devotion to her illuminated his personality more than hers.

I agree completely. It's my least favorite JG novel, but not because of the narrator. I just couldn't stand the girl. The first half of the book is excellent. The second half is blah.

monkeymum · Jun 15, 2012

I know I'm waaaaaay behind everyone else here, but I've just finished Holes by Louis Sachar. What a fab book! Just in case anyone isn't familiar with it, the book is about a boy sent to a detention camp for a crime he didn't commit and how his fate is linked with his family's history. So tightly written, it seemed to me not one word was wasted. And how the stories linked up to give such a satisfying ending...it's one of those books that makes me look at my own work and realise I've got quite a way to go yet!

DavidBrett · Jun 15, 2012

I think my WIP is in the vein of Stargirl and Gatsby, then - the MC is not the protagonist, but rather his new friend who follows him on weird adventures. The protagonist is the Mulder of the pair, but we never know what he's thinking, or doing when the MC isn't around.

Unless you mean 'the narrator' in those books as in it's first-person...?

MsJudy · Jun 15, 2012

Narrator is the first-person character telling the story, yes.

t0dd · Jun 15, 2012

DavidBrett said:
I think my WIP is in the vein of Stargirl and Gatsby, then - the MC is not the protagonist, but rather his new friend who follows him on weird adventures. The protagonist is the Mulder of the pair, but we never know what he's thinking, or doing when the MC isn't around.

Unless you mean 'the narrator' in those books as in it's first-person...?

The true analogue here, I thnk, is Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Talk about the kidlit you're reading!

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas

SheilaJG

Morrell

SheilaJG

Morrell

t0dd

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas

Morrell

SheilaJG

Marzipan

JoyMC

MsJudy

JoyMC

MsJudy

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

Morrell

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

Marzipan

JoyMC

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

monkeymum

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas

MsJudy

t0dd