Mouseheart Review & Giveaway

MOUSEHEART

by Lisa Fiedler; Illustrated by Vivienne To

Audience: Ages 8 to 12 years
Fiction * Adventure * Animal Fantasy

Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster

May 20, 2014

IndieBound * WorldCat * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

ABOUT THE BOOK
Hopper is just an ordinary pet-shop mouse—until he escapes. Soon he finds himself below the bustling streets of Brooklyn, deep within the untamed tangles of transit tunnels, and in Atlantia, a glorious utopian rat civilization. 

But all is not as it seems. Hopper misses Pinkie and Pup, the siblings he lost in the escape attempt. Atlantia is constantly threatened by roving rebels who wish to bring the city to its knees. And there are cats everywhere, cats who would normally eat a rodent in a second, but leave the rats unharmed . . . and no one can seem to answer why. 

Soon Hopper is caught in the crosshairs of an epic battle, one that spans generations and species. As the clashes rage, Hopper learns terrible, extraordinary secrets. Deadly secrets about Atlantia. Painful secrets about his friends. 

And one powerful secret about himself.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK:
When I first heard about Mouseheart, there was a comparison to the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques.  Surprisingly, for someone who does not typically like animal stories, I loved the Redwall Series. It was fantasy at it's finest and a great cast of animals, with epic stories and battles and journeys.  As a result, I was curious to read this book.

Whereas, Redwall is completely set in some medieval time period, Mouseheart begins in a pet shop in of all places Brooklyn, New York.  Soon though, readers follow Hopper as he escapes with his siblings and ends up in a medieval setting under Brooklyn. Atlantia of course has rats and mice and  felines.  There are those that are friends and those to be leery of, and Hopper has to decide who is friend and who is foe.

Adventure stories are also journey stories and for our very unlikley hero, Hopper, he must find the strength and courage to overcome his fears, and discover who he really is.  As a warning, Mouseheart is the first book in a series and does leave readers with some unanswered questions, and a desire to read the second book. 

The artwork in the Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) was not complete, so, it will be interesting to see the final artwork.  I know from speaking with my ARC Group (several students who gather to read ARCs and book talk to other students), though the cover art is stunning, it did scare away some of my more timid readers. It is true that there is some suspense and definitely some worrisome parts, but I have certainly read scarier books geared for the Middle Grade audience.  Consequently, it may be helpful to read bits and portions from the book, in order to draw in readers who love fantasy adventure but may be concerned that the book is too scary for them.

The bottom-line: Students who love animal fantasy and adventure stories will thoroughly enjoy Mouseheart.

Professional Reviews: Kirkus | Publisher's Weekly

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Lisa Fiedler is the author of several novels for children and young adults. She divides her time between Connecticut and the Rhode Island seashore, where she lives happily with her very patient husband, her brilliant and beloved daughter, and their two incredibly spoiled golden retrievers. 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Vivienne To has illustrated several books, including The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins and the Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective series by Octavia Spencer. As a child, she had two pet mice escape. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, with her partner and her ginger cat. Visit her at VivienneTo.com.

Check out the official website here.

About the Giveaway:

One lucky reader has a chance of winning a special prize pack, which includes a copy of MOUSEHEART, THE SEARCH FOR WONDLA, and BELLY UP.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Simon & Schuster.  You must be 13 years old or older and have a US mailing address to enter the Giveaway.  To submit and official entry, please enter the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Jenny Han

Simon & Schuster (April 15, 2014)

Young Adult

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Amazon
Source: ARC for Review

Description from GoodReads:
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.
 
Thuy's thoughts on this book:
I just finished this book and I have to say wow, I really liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Though I've heard lots of great things about Jenny Han (I have her Summer series one shelf waiting to be read and have met her and find her think she’s funny and adorable), contemporary YA novels aren't usually my thing and I wasn't sure how I would feel about this. However, the pretty pink cover drew me in and I decided to give it a chance, and I’m so glad I did. Fantastically written and well developed characters and relationships make this a standout book for me.

It was hard for me to connect with Lara Jean when I first started reading. Her voice is a lot younger and more naive than what I expected of a 16-year-old in a contemporary YA novel. However, as the story progressed and I got into Lara Jean’s head, I found myself really liking her and relating to her in a lot of ways. Lara Jean reminds me a lot of myself at her age. She is quiet and, while not unpopular, is not a part of the cool crowd. She isn't afraid to be herself but she still cares about what people think of her. She's a little naive and is afraid to move outside of her comfort zone. In a landscape littered with cunning teen assassins and snarky mean girls, Lara Jean’s sincerity and earnestness is a refreshing change.

Another thing I loved in the book were the relationships. While I don’t have sisters, the sibling relationship between the Song sisters rang true. No one knows how love you and to hurt you as much as a sibling does. I loved how strong the family ties were and how they supported each other. There is no absentee parenting in this book. I was also happy that there was no insta-love. I am usually pretty wary of love triangles, but it worked here because all of the characters were well developed and I can see why Lara Jean would be drawn to both boys for different reasons.

The book had some good secondary characters as well, the standout for me being Kitty, Lara Jean’s little sister. She reminds me a little bit of Louise Belcher from Bob’s Burgers and I have a feeling that she will be ruling the world one day. It was also nice to see a little diversity in the book with a bi-racial main character.

My only small gripe about this book is that I wish the ending was a longer. It felt a little rushed and wished I’d had a little more resolution. I’ve heard that the finished copy of the book (I read an ARC) has a longer ending though and I am interested in re-reading the ending to see if it provides a little more closure. And good news is that there will be another book! Things were left open ended for Lara Jean and I am glad to hear that there will be another book in this charming series.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a sweet, quirky coming of age story that will appeal to fans of contemporary YA fiction and romance. Now that I’ve read Jenny Han I can see why her books are so popular and I plan on reading more of her books soon.

Special thanks to Aly to lending me a copy of her ARC. :)

Side note: Lara Jean bakes cookies on several occasions in the book. One noticeable time is when she upsets Kitty and bakes her a batch of snickerdoodles as an apology. SimonTeen cleverly included a recipe card with the ARC for snickerdoodles, and I made a batch to celebrate the book’s release.

Below are a couple of pics of the results. Yum!

Lara Jean's Snickerdoodles
*from allrecipes.com 

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Stir in the eggs. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. In a small bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the cinnamon. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, then roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar. Place them onto an unprepared cookie sheet, two inches apart.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be slightly brown. Remove from sheets to cool on wire racks.

Here's how they turned out:

For more information about Jenny Han: website | blog | tumblr | twitter | facebook 
________________________

Thuy can be found blogging at Nite Lite Book Reviews.  Her name Thuy - sounds like twee. Not thigh, thooey, or tweed. She is a lifelong reader, who usually reads Young Adult Fiction (Sci Fi/Fantasy in particular), Paranormal Romance, Romance, Literary Fiction, Comics/Graphic Novels, Mysteries, Cookbooks and Crafts/Knitting books. She loves dogs, zombies, knitting, movies and, of course, reading.

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving - Day 14

For the next few days I am going to keep things a bit short.  Somehow with my lack of planning I have several blog tours and giveaways happening.  It's amazing how sometimes I have nothing exciting to post and then I hit a week or two where I have a ton of stuff.  Regardless, I am amazed that my blog has been around for over three years and that there are people actually reading it.  For this, I am thankful.

....and since this is also picture book month, here is my daily picture book recommendation which I read with the 7 year old tonight:

Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic

by Robert Burleigh; Illustrated by Wendell Minor

Simon & Schuster (February 2011)

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Locomotive

Author/Illustrator: Brian Floca
Publisher: Atheneum (September 3, 2013)
Source: Copy from Publisher
Audience: 2nd to 5th graders
History * 19th Century United States * Locomotives

Description from GoodReads:
All aboard! From the creator of the “stunning” (Booklist) Moonshot, a rich and detailed sensory exploration of America’s early railroads.

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean.

Come hear the hiss of the steam, feel the heat of the engine, watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails, come cross the young country!

My thoughts on this book:
Recently, I had the chance to hear Brian Floca speak at the SCIBA Children's Breakfast.  Floca's newest book is about trains, specifically steam engine locomotives.  Readers experience the first transcontinental journey made by the crew and families, as this iron horse travels across the country. 

During his speech at the breakfast, Floca shared with the audience about the making of the book.  He spoke about his own travels across the country to stop at locations where the train would have made stops.  Many of these are identified in the book.  He shared about the various primary and secondary sources he researched in order to bring this story to life. And through photographs, the audience also had the chance to watch Floca's creative process and how each step from sketches to ink drawings to watercolor paintings brought the book one step closer to the book we can now hold in our hands.

Trains hold a fascination for many.  Young children love stories about trains, watching a train barrel down a track, or riding on a train at a local park. Many of these children grow up to still maintain the fascination and interest in trains.  The brilliance of Locomotive is that it makes readers feel like they are right there from the first "ring of hammers on spikes" to the incredible attention to detail that is within each illustration to the types of fonts used to emphasize specific words and phrases. 

Floca has another winner on his hands with Locomotive.  Look for a copy of this book at your public library or local independent bookstore and experience the magic of trains.
   
More information about Brian Floca:  website | blog | facebook | twitter | YouTube

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

#DollBones Twitter Chat - Archived Chat

Thank you to Holly Black for joining in for a fun twitter chat about her great Middle Grade novel, Doll Bones.  I enjoyed co-moderating with Sasha Reinhardt, who also graciously captured the chat and archived it using Storify.  If you missed the chat, you can check it out below.
 

#DollBones Twitter Chat - Mark Your Calendars

Several weeks ago, I read and reviewed Doll Bones by Holly Black.  It is one of my favorite books this year.  As a result of my tweeting about the book, others started reading it.  I thought it would be fun to do a twitter chat with the book.  Sasha Reinhardt, 8th Grade ELA Teacher from KY and blogger over at Middle Grade Reads, offered to co-host the chat.

As I thought about it, I began to wonder if maybe Holly Black would be able to join in.  I sent off an email to Simon & Schuster with my proposal for the chat and asking if Holly would be able to join us.  After several emails and some clarifying times and dates, it is official.  We are having a twitter chat.

Here are the details:

Date:         Thursday, August 15, 2013
Time:         8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific) - The chat will run for an hour.
Hashtag:    #dollbones

Closer to the date, I will post a little bit more about Twitter Chats for those who have never participated.

Until then, you have just under three weeks to find a copy of and read Doll Bones by Holly Black.  

Sasha and I look forward to talking about the book with everyone and having an opportunity to ask Holly some questions.

By the way, if you don't want to wait for August 15th or just want to talk about Doll Bones all the time,  you can join @daydreamreader and @epan11 for a #virtualbookclub on Aug. 5th at 9 p.m. EST!
 

Book Review - Battle Bunny

Author: Mac Barnett, Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Matthew Myers
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 22, 2013)
Source: An advanced copy
Audience: Ages 5 and older

Description from GoodReads:
Encourage creativity with this wildly entertaining picture book mash-up from the minds of Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett. Alex has been given a saccharine, sappy, silly-sweet picture book about Birthday Bunny that his grandma found at a garage sale. Alex isn’t interested—until he decides to make the book something he’d actually like to read. So he takes out his pencil, sharpens his creativity, and totally transforms the story!

Birthday Bunny becomes Battle Bunny, and the rabbit’s innocent journey through the forest morphs into a supersecret mission to unleash an evil plan—a plan that only Alex can stop.

Featuring layered, original artwork that emphasizes Alex’s additions, this dynamic exploration of creative storytelling is sure to engage and inspire.

My thoughts on this book:
Since Battle Bunny doesn't come out until October, I was thinking of waiting to review this one. However, after ALA, I started seeing some buzz on Twitter about it and thought I would post a review now. 

When I first saw the Folded & Gathered (F&G) for Battle Bunny, I  wondered a lot about this book.  After reading it, I realized this book was not a typical picture book or early reader? And this was not going to be a cute little read aloud either.   For a moment, I even questioned the state of mind of Scieszka and Barnett.  I mean absolutely no disrespect for either of these two authors.  Both are brilliant and very talented.  Let's take a look at the book for a moment. 

Battle Bunny begins in a manner that is reminiscent of a Little Golden Book. Here is the cover for Home for a Bunny:

Here is the cover for Battle Bunny.  See the similarity underneath all the scratch outs?

And when you open up to the first page of Battle Bunny, there is a sense that you are taken back to the 1940's and 1950's. 
   

Now turn the page, and the fun begins....

I like to imagine what the creative process was for Battle Bunny.  Did Barnett and Sciezska send the text for Birthday Bunny to Matthew Myers, who then sent back clean illustrated pages made to look like a Little Golden Book?

And if so, can you imagine his reaction, when receiving "edits" on pages like the one above after Mac and Jon had some fun?  Birthday Bunny has morphed into Battle Bunny. 

I realize that Mac and Jon may likely have been working in different states as they wrote this book, but I enjoy imagining that the two were sitting together with pencils out and a mad gleam in their eyes as they "re-wrote" the book. 

I wondered how much they shared with their editor in advance and how much was a surprise?  If I was the editor, I am not even sure where to begin in giving feedback. Did the editor get into the fun? Or did she just pull out an ice pack for her headache and reach for the anti-acids and let this creative team run ripshod over the book?

Regardless of the process, the end results are actually brilliant.  Now what to do with this book?

If you know of or have seen an earlier copy of this book, please talk it up with booksellers and librarians and teachers.  I am so thankful that many of my twitter friends get this book, but my fear is that there are many teachers who will not find this book or may not see the potential for how the book can be used in the classroom.

Yes, this book could be enjoyed one on one with a young child, but this will be an excellent text for discussion the writing and editing process with older students.  Locate all those old Little Golden Books in storage, pull out a document camera, and begin to have fun with this book.  

Though this site isn't fully functioning yet, check back closer to the release date for the website for Battle Bunny:  mybirthdaybunny.com

School Visit - Author, Tim Federle

About a month ago, I received an email from Once Upon a Time Bookstore asking if we wanted to host Tim Federle at one of our schools. My immediate reaction - well of course!  Then I looked at the date and wanted to cry. It was right at the beginning of testing.  So, after a few more emails and some logistical tweaking, we worked it out that Tim would come after school and meet with the Middle School Drama Class at Marshall Fundamental. Phew! 

By the way, for those of you who don't know, Tim is the debut author of BETTER NATE THAN EVER.  I love seeing all those copies of his book just waiting to be picked up. 

I knew that the fantastic teacher/librarian - Mr. Butler - had read the book and would do his best to prep the students.  Finally, the day arrived and Tim would be visiting.

We met at the library at the school.  Since it was a small group, we just pulled up chairs and hung out.

I had never done an author visit with Middle School students before.  They're a bit different from those elementary kids I normally work with.  But Tim was great with them.

He read some from his book BETTER NATE THAN EVER. 

He shared all kinds of stuff from his dance and theater experience to writing advice.  I think the students really enjoyed it.  A few of the students bought books and had them signed.

And though I don't have any pictures of this, the after event chat with Tim and a few folks was definitely the highlight on my afternoon.

Thanks Tim for coming out and hanging with the students at Marshall Fundamental.  And thank you to Once Upon a Time and Simon & Schuster for making the visit possible.       

Check out Tim Federle talking about BETTER NATE THAN EVER.

Enter to win a signed hard cover of BETTER NATE THAN EVER a Rafflecopter giveaway

Middle Grade Author Event of Epic Wonderful-ness!!!

A few months ago, Bridge to Books (Alethea and I are co-founders of this grassroots movement) was approached by Simon & Schuster with the opportunity to do an event with none other than Margaret Peterson Haddix (Missing Series) and Lisa McMann (The Unwanteds).

Seriously, how do you say "no" to this opportunity?  Better yet, why would you want to say "no"? I quickly responded "yes".  I figured all the details would work themselves out.  And they did.

We found a location - Thank you McKinley School in Pasadena for hosting the event in your beautiful library.  

Shannon Messenger shares a moment with Lisa McMann

Helen Stringer speaking to the crowd

In speaking with Kelly from Simon & Schuster, our two person panel grew to a foursome when we included debut author, Shannon Messenger (The Keeper of the Lost Cities) and Helen Stringer (Spellbinder). 

We had some great questions from the audience.

And our author panelists managed to show great enthusiams in responding to questions despite it being 106 degrees and the library had no air conditioning.  Definitely an amazing team of authors.

There was signing of books, and posters, and more books.  I am certain at one point Margaret Peterson Haddix thought we were never going to let her leave.  With 30 books to her credit, there were piles of books to sign.

Isn't this a lovely Middle Grade Author Panel? 

One of the highlights of the event for me was when Margaret read a letter from Jackie, my 11 year old niece who was out of town.  In her letter, Jackie credits Margaret's Shadow Children series as kick-starting her love of reading.   

Thank you Simon & Schuster and thank you Margaret Peterson Haddix, Lisa McMann, Shannon Messenger, and Helen Stringer for epic wonderful-ness and for delighting an audience of children, parents, teaches, and librarians on one of the hottest days of the year.

Some final thank you's to Kris and Maureen at Once Upon a Time in Montrose for all the book sales; Katie Ferguson for the wonderful photos of the event; and finally, thanks to all the Bridge to Books volunteers who set up, cleaned up, sold bottles of water and made people feel welcomed.

Hot Off the Press- Well Almost!

I try to do a Hot Off the Press! post on Sundays featuring newly released picture books.  Unfortunately, the last couple of weeks, I haven't found that many that I wanted to feature in this space.  However, I did just go through a stack of F & G's (folded & gathered - think Advanced Reader Copy but for picture books) and thought I would highlight an upcoming August release. Creepy Carrots was so much fun to read and I hope that you consider pre-ordering it.

Author: Aaron Reynolds | blog
Illustrator: Peter Brown | website
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: August 21, 2012

Description from IndieBound.org:

The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch in this clever picture book parable about a rabbit who fears his favorite treats are out to get him. 

Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.
He eats them on the way to school.
He eats them going to Little League.
He eats them walking home.

Until the day the carrots start following him...or are they?

Celebrated artist Peter Brown’s stylish illustrations pair perfectly with Aaron Reynold’s text in this hilarious picture book that shows it’s all fun and games…until you get too greedy.

Check out this great video of Peter Brown talking about his inspiration for the illustrations of Creepy Carrots:

The Creepy Carrots Zone from Peter Brown on Vimeo.

Book Review (Well sort of) - Zombie in Love

Author:  Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrator: Scott Campbell
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster (August 23, 2011)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 (Adults will love this too)
Source: Personal Copy (though I did see an Advance Copy)

Description from GoodReads:
Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He’s tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away?

I have a confession to make.  I think I have a penchant for macabre romance.  Not since Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi & Gris Grimly, though, have I become so enamored with a picture book love story.  When I saw an Advance Copy of this book, I knew I had to have it.    

"Mortimer was lonely."  What's a zombie looking for a date to Cupid's Ball suppose to do?  DiPucchio tells us just how to go about finding your perfect undead soulmate.

I have read a variety of picture books by Kelly DiPucchio but I think this one might be my favorite of hers from this year.  Zombie in Love is a good example of what happens when you take a great concept, add in some witty text including a nod to the Rupert Holmes' Pina Colada song, and top it all off with the perfect illustrations.  DiPucchio and Campbell have a hit with this book. Not only will it be a great read aloud to children at Halloween or well even Valentine's Day, but this will also appeal to adults (which is always helpful when you might be reading it a dozen times).

Recently, I had a chance to visit Nucleus Gallery in Alhambra, California for the Book Release and Art Exhibit of Zombie in Love.  Nucleus hosted a special party complete with a Zombie Prom Theme.  Scott Campbell, Illustrator, chatted with the audience (many whom were dressed up in Zombie Prom outfits), drew pictures of characters in the book, and signed lots of copies of Zombies in Love.  To check out the event, click here. 

Mortimer and Mildred made an appearance.

It was great hearing Scott talk about how Kelly's notes provided him with the direction for several of his illustrations.  And based on the questions from the audience, it sounds like many would like to know more about Mildred's back story.  There was some serious concern about whether Mildred had any friends, especially since Mortimer has a zombie dog and his worm buddies.

A few of Scott's illustrations from the book.

If you haven't picked up a copy of Zombies in Love, I encourage you to purchase one from your local indie bookstore or check it out from your friendly neighborhood library.  Or check out Nucleus Gallery's website for a limited edition print from Zombie in Love or a cool sticker sheet. 

For more information about author, Kelly DiPucchio, check out her blog:
http://kellydipucchio.blogspot.com/

You can follow her on twitter: @kellydipucchio

For more information about illustrator, Scott Campbell, check out his website: http://www.pyramidcar.com/

You can follow him on twitter: @scottlava 

An interview with Scott Campbell on the Simon & Schuster page, click here to read it.

Two Voices Review: Blood Red Road (Dustlands #1)

Author: Moira Young
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (June 7, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Book for Review
Young Adult * Dystopian * Apocalyptic

Description from GoodReads:
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back. 

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

We are trying something a little different with this review.  Blood Red Road is a book that we both wanted to read and review. Instead of just flipping a coin to see who would review it, Renée and I decided to both share the responsibility.  It was kind of fun processing the book together via Skype.  Since we had fun working together on this one, we decided to try it with another book in the future.  Let us know what you think of our Two Voices Review.

Blood Red Road has been on my "to-read list" since before it's release.  I always worry a bit if a book will live up to the hype.  Will the book that all of my friends love turn out to be the one that I don't like?  I am happy to announce that I devoured this book in one sitting and it was kind of late at night which is a positive sign.

Here's what I loved about the book -

The characters.  I love books that have great characters and not just the main character but all of the characters.  Saba, the main female character, starts off having no real idea of who she is or what she is capable of.  When her whole life changes in a minute, she begins on a journey.  A journey to find and rescue her brother, but also one where she learns more about who she is.  And Saba is tough!

And then there is Jack.  Yes, most YA fiction would not be complete without a love interest and Jack does a very nice job filling that role.  He is tough, and mysterious, and funny.  And a great match for Saba.  But there are more characters and they are just as essential to the book.  There are the Free Hawks, girl revoluntaries, and Ike, a friend of Jack's, and characters that you want to dislike and others that you want to know their secrets, and one annoying but brave little sister.

The setting.  The world has transformed into a very dangerous place.  Saba learns just how wild and dangerous the world is after her brother is taken.  Hopetown, one place Saba ends up on her journey, is anything but a place of hope.  It actually reminded me of the Wild West with a touch of Roman cage fighting thrown in for excitement.  Though the various locations that Saba passes through on her way to Lugh (her brother) are interesting, I really wanted to know more. How did the world fall into this state?  Who were the Wreckers?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and how Young wrapped it up.  I also liked how the author developed the "romance" part of the book.  I am not sure how to talk about it without spoiling the story.  (Renée, I'll leave that challenge to you if you want to take it on.)  However, I am hoping that the reference of Dustlands #1 means that there will be more to come - especially more of Saba and Jack.

 _________

Like Aly, I had heard a lot about Blood Red Road before it came out. It was yet another addition to the fast-growing collection of YA dystopian that was highly recommended by bloggers, so I thought, 'Why not?' Also like Aly, I was blown away by this totally original part-apocalyptic, part-dystopian world, with a wildly original guide in our fierce protagonist, Saba.

Characters were also the best aspect of the story for me. Saba felt like such a real person -- there were even moments when she really annoyed me. She made mistakes, she didn't always act her age, and beneath her tough exterior, she was vulnerable and innocent and felt completely relatable. Her relationship with her sister was one of the most frustrating/beautiful things in the book.... And Jack. I won't keep hammering on about everything Aly mentioned, but I really can't talk about what I loved about the book without mentioning him. Jack. There. I got it out of my system. Anything more risks me going into fangirl-mode and spoiling all the fun squeal-worthy details for you.

Another really interesting thing about Blood Red Road was the writing style. The premise of the novel is of a girl searching the wasteland (or "dustlands") that is post-Wrecker world. (We're led to believe that the world was destroyed, or torn down, by the Wrecker civilization who sound very similar to present day Western world.) Because of this destruction, formal language is gone and they speak in  broken, rural English slang. Except, not just the characters' dialogue is written like this, even the narration is written in this broken style. Words like 'figger' replace 'figure,' and other words are misspelt phonetically. It really immersed me in the story. I felt like I was really reading a narrative from a different culture and time.

There was also an interesting non-normal element to it. (I don't want to say paranormal, because it doesn't appear to involve vampires, faeries, or any kind of creatures.) There is a mysticism to the story that I liked, but it's very subtle. Is there any truth to the saying "written in the stars?" Are some of the old folktales about certain magical objects true? Are these animals just very intelligent or is there something more...? The novel doesn't bury you with fantasy, but I liked the small hints at something different that might be going on.

I don't want to repeat everything Aly said, but I really loved this book, so much of what she enjoyed, I enjoyed. I really hope there is a sequel, because even though the ending wasn't a cliffhanger, there are so many tangents and threads left hanging that I want need answers to! I want more Saba and Jack. I want more of the barren dustlands ruled by a corrupt and cruel government. Mostly, I want more exciting and original books like this on the market to gain popularity and attention.

For more information about debut author, Moira Young:

Official Simon & Schuster Author Page

Moira Young's LiveJournal Page









Check out the Simon & Schuster official trailer for Blood Red Road created by the talented Vania of VLC Productions.

Happy Book Birthday to Little Chicken's Big Day

Author:  Jerry Davis
Illustrator:  Katie Davis
Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry (April 19, 2011)
Audience: Ages 2 to 6
Source:  Advanced Readers Copy

Description from GoodReads:
"I hear you cluckin', Big Chicken!" That's the simple refrain that Little Chicken repeats to his mama throughout a typical day. But Little Chicken can be distractable . . . and when he wanders off and gets lost, the day becomes anything but typical. With subtlety and humor, this sweet little story sweeps through a wide range emotions using the simplest of language.
From husband and wife team Katie and Jerry Davis, this is a little book with a huge heart. The perfectly minimal illustrations and spare text belie the enormous message at its core: that with family, help is always just a cluck away.

Producing a children's picture book for toddlers and preschoolers that is entertaining for young children and for the adult who will be reading it aloud is not easy.  Some books are cloyingly sweet.  Others are a bit to sing-songy with the text.  Some books have great illustrations but lack memorable text, and then there is the opposite - poetic text with lackluster illustrations.  However, Little Chicken's Big Day from Jerry and Katie Davis may literally be my favorite picture book for this age group so far in 2011 (which is saying a lot since I probably have read over 300 pictures books since January). 

I am not sure whether I lost my heart to the refrain "I hear you cluckin', Big chicken" or the picture of little chicken strapped into a car seat.  Jerry Davis' first attempt at a children's picture book is impressive.  His text captures perfectly the amusing wanderings of this baby chick on his outing with mama chick.  From the time, mama chick gets little chick up and ready all the way to bedtime, readers will delight in little chicken's antics.  Of course, Katie Davis' illustrations amazingly depict the emotions of the story from the look on little chick's face while buckled into the car seat (the "I don't like being buckled in" face) to the happy relief of finding his mommy after wandering off.   Their collaboration has succeeded in producing a book that not only will have young children saying "again" upon reaching the end, but one that even mommies & daddies who are reading it will want to read "one more time".   


I look forward to future collaborative efforts from the husband and wife team of Jerry Davis and Katie Davis.  Little Chicken's Big Day will definitely be added to my list of books to give new parents or or as gifts to my favorite little friends. 


You can find out more about Katie Davis and her books at http://katiedavis.com/blog/welcome/
And you can find her on twitter: @katiedavisburps

And don't forget to watch the book trailer for Little Chicken's Big Day.  It makes me laugh and is probably my favorite book trailer of 2011. 

Book Review - Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Illustrator: Matt Faulkner
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 27, 2005)
Reading Level: Ages 4 to 10 years
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Description from GoodReads:

 

We the people of the United States...

 

Almost Lost Thanksgiving

 

Yes. That's right!

Way back when "skirts were long and hats were tall" Americans were forgetting Thanksgiving, and nobody seemed to care!

Thankfully, Sarah Hale appeared. More steadfast than Plymouth Rock, this lady editor knew the holiday needed saving. But would her recipe for rescue ever convince Congress and the presidents?

Join acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson on a journey of a woman and a pen that spanned four decades, the Civil War, and five presidents, all so you could have your turkey and eat it too!

 Thanks to @mrschureads on Twitter I have a new favorite Thanksgiving Picture Book - THANK YOU, SARAH: THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THANKSGIVING.  This non-fiction picture book tells the story of Sarah Hale.  A woman who was well ahead of her times.  Hale, a mother of five, had a well established career as an advocate, writer, and editor.  She even wrote "Mary Had A Little Lamb".  However, when she discovered that people were not observing Thanksgiving regularly and it was potentially going to be lost as a holiday, Hale began a 38 year letter writing campaign to convince the President to declare it a National Holiday on a set date.  It wasn't until 1863 and Abraham Lincoln that Hale finally met with success. 

Laurie Halse Anderson, though more well-known for her Middle Grade and Young Adult books (SPEAK, CHAINS, FEVER, FORGE, and more), tackles the re-telling of Hale's journey to rescue Thanksgiving in a delightful and humorous manner.  With a bit of irreverency in both text and illustrations, Halse Anderson brings alive Hale's perseverance and tenacity while Faulkner does an excellent job making the text pop with caricature style drawings.  At the end of the story, Halse Anderson challenges readers to "Pick up your pen. Change the world." And Hale certainly did that with her pen.

When I recently read the book aloud to a group of third graders, they were fascinated with the story.  Children wanted to spend time looking at the illustrations which definitely match the tone and intent of Halse Anderson's writing.  This is one book that I am going to need to keep several copies of so that I will always have one to loan out.

So what is your favorite Thanksgiving picture book or chapter book?