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Savvy by Ingrid Law

Posted by Lahni in Children | Newbery - (2 Comments)

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Mibs Beaumont is about to turn thirteen and in her family that is a BIG deal because at thirteen, your savvy begins to show itself.  One of her brothers caused a hurricane on his thirteenth birthday and her other brother has a way with electricity.  But just two days before her birthday, Mibs’ father, who comes from the non-savvy side of the family, is involved in an accident that puts him into a coma that’s he’s not coming out of.  Mibs decides that she needs to get to him because she’s sure that she can pull him out of his coma.  So she sneaks onto a bus along with some others (some accidentally, some on purpose) and the adventure begins.

This book was a quick, fun read.  I loved the writing.  It was a little bit silly, but not overly so, just enough to make it fun to read.  I liked this book but I didn’t love it and I can’t quite figure why.  It just didn’t grab me like some books do.  It was fun and well written and there was a good, original story with even a little bit of a message but somehow it just didn’t do it for me.  I liked the characters but sometimes they were just a little too much, or not enough.  Now, I realize I’m not the target audience for this book and that may have something to do with my disappointment in the book.  I was just expecting a little more from a book that won a Newbery Honour (2009).

Book Review: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Posted by Lahni in Challenges | Children | Newbery - (1 Comments)

mountainmoonWhere the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Read for: Newbery Honour Book 2010, Global Reading Challenge – China, Asia

This is the third in my quest to read all the Newbery Honour Books and the Newbery winner from 2010.  To be honest, I don’t think this one is at the same level as the other two I’ve read.  I enjoyed it, but it just doesn’t compare to the first two.

This one reads like a fairy tale or a fable (I should sign up for Once Upon a Time – this would be a perfect read!) but it also contains other tales within the text.  I believe that most of these are based on traditional chinese folktales.  Minli, a young girl who loves stories, lives in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain – a mountain that will allow nothing to grow.  Of course there is a story to explain the fruitlessness of the mountain!  Minli’s mother is unhappy with their fortunes and isn’t afraid to let it be known.  So Minli decides to go in search of the Old Man of the Moon to ask him to improve their fortunes.  As she journeys she meets many people who all have lessons to teach her.

I actually did enjoy the story and the lessons contained within it but I’m not sure it’s all that great for children.  I don’t know if it’s just because I read it over a longer period than I normally read a book or if I was just distracted this week, but I found the tales within the story caused confusion.  I’m just not sure a child would be able to follow and make the connections between the tales and the main storyline.

I did love the illustrations though.  You can see that the cover is beautiful and there were several colour illustrations in the book that are gorgeous.  Over all, I liked the book but I’m not sure I agree with it’s being included as a Newbery Honour Book this year.

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Book Review: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Posted by Lahni in Children | Newbery - (2 Comments)

9780805088410The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly- Newbery Honour Book 2010

So, I’ve decided to read all the Newbery Honour books since I’ve already read the winner.  I want to know if I agree with their choice!

I chose to read this one first because of the cover.  Isn’t it fun?  Anyway, Calpurnia Tate is a twelve-year-old girl with six brothers, three older and three younger.  She lives in Texas at the turn of the century (the 20th that is).  Her grandfather is distant and most of the kids are afraid of him (if not all), until Calpurnia goes to him with a question about grasshoppers.  He tells her she’s smart enough, she should figure it out herself.  When she figures it out she reports to him and they begin to develop a relationship based on their mutual interest in the natural world.

The book is really about Calpurnia’s relationship with her grandfather.  There isn’t a major plot and while I really liked the book, I can see that it might not appeal to the younger audiences like When You Reach Me would.  That being said, I still think I would have enjoyed this book as a twelve-year-old…I just can’t see reading it to my seven-year-old anytime soon.

But, I did really like it.  Calpurnia was a likable protagonist and her brothers were entertaining as well.  There was also a coming-of-age aspect to the book, both for Calpurnia and some of her brothers.  I like the Kelly’s writing style as well.  I can’t quite put my finger on what appealed to me but it did.  I can see why this was chosen as one of the honour books, and I would recommend it but I also see why it didn’t win the actual prize.  Not because it isn’t good, but because When You Reach Me is better.

Book Review: When You Reach Me

Posted by Lahni in Children | Newbery - (0 Comments)

when-you-reach-meWhen You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Wow, I loved this book!  It was such a quick easy read (probably because I’m not the target audience).  I can see why it won the Newbery Medal this year.  I haven’t read the rest of the honour books yet so I can’t say for sure that it was the best one, but I’m working on it!

Twelve-year-old Miranda, who lives in New York City with her mother, begins to receive mysterious notes.  She doesn’t know who they are coming from and she doesn’t quite understand what they mean either.  On top of that, her best friend Sal, got punched for no reason on the walk home and that caused him to stop talking to her entirely, there is some weird homeless guy living on her street creeping her out and she keeps bumping into the guy that punched Sal, and he doesn’t ever seem to remember her.

This book was so sweet.  Miranda is a totally believable twelve-year-old and a likable one too.  She has some friend issues but she works them out in the end.  What I liked most about the book was that I felt it was uplifting.  Miranda has some problems but nothing insurmountable.  Lately, it seems like there have been a lot of books with children who have truly depressing lives.  I liked that Miranda had a pretty happy life.

I loved the ending.  I don’t want to give anything away because the surprise was what I liked the most about it.  This was a sweet little book that I was able to read in an afternoon.  A definite recommend.  I can’t wait until my seven-year-old is just a little bit more mature so I can read it to him.

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Book Review: A Wrinkle in Time

Posted by Lahni in Challenges | Children | Classics | Fantasy | Newbery | Science Fiction - (3 Comments)

a_wrinkle_in_timeA Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Read for: Banned Books Challenge

I’ve been meaning to read this book for a very long time.  It’s been sitting on my night stand (where I keep my TBR in the next month pile) since September because I planned to read it for Banned Books Week.  But I just never got around to it.  But then a friend told me that I had to read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, but that I should probably reread A Wrinkle in Time first.  So I finally picked it up.  I remember loving this book when I was younger.  In fact, I remember it as one of the books/series’ that made me love reading!  I read it several times and loved it every time, but I was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as an adult.  But I did!  I think I may like it even more now because I think I have a deeper understanding of the novel now.

I’m surprised that this book has been challenged/banned because it apparently has anti-Christian ideas.  I found it just the opposite.  I think it has very strong religious themes.  People may have been offended by the “witches” and I’m not sure that if this book were published today it would have any problems with it.  They have their hands full with all those evil Harry Potter and Twilight novels! :)

There were a few things that bothered me about the book but I think it’s mainly because I am not the target audience.  The pacing of certain events were a little too fast for me, with not enough character development but I know it’s perfect pacing for a younger audience.  I think children need the story to happen faster, but they also have a better ability to accept the characters relationships without a whole bunch of lead-up.

I’m so glad I was able to enjoy this book as much as I did as a child and I can’t wait to reread the rest of the series.  I also can’t wait until my oldest is mature enough to read it to him.  I love reading to him my favourites from when I was young and I really hope that by doing this I can teach him to love reading and books as much as I do!  28-1(This is the cover of the copy that I had as a child.)

Book Review: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Posted by Lahni in Children | Newbery - (2 Comments)

taleofdespereaux

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

I just finished reading this with my six-year old and we really enjoyed it.  Afterwards we watched the movie and they were quite different.  I actually liked the book a lot better than the movie.

Despereaux is an unusual mouse who instead of nibbling on books, like he’s supposed to, prefers to read the books.  One day, in the castle, he hears music and follows his ears to find the king singing to his daughter the princess.  He is so absorbed by the music that he forgets himself and speaks to the humans.  When the other mice find out about this grevious offense, he is sent to his death in the dungeons.

Meanwhile, Roscuro, an evil rat living in the dungeons has been the cause of the death of the Queen and the subsequent outlawing of soup, spoons and rats.  Roscuro is angry at not being allowed out of the dungeons and into the light and begins to plan his revenge.

Also introduced in the story is Miggery Sow, a poor, near-deaf, serving girl.  It is through this girl that Roscuro plans to take his revenge on the Princess.

This was a fun story with a good message and my son and I both enjoyed it.  I’ve definitely read better and more captivating books, but I would still give this one a 7/10.

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