Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

Happy hop day everyone.

This week I reviewed Divergent, The Dark and Hollow Places, a craft book called Play All Day, Entwined, Bitter End, Birthmarked, and America Pacifica (review to be posted Friday).

What is the book that you really don't want to admit to loving??

 

I was obsessed with VC Andrews when I was in high school and college.  I'd buy the books when they showed up at the supermarket and read them over and over and over.

The question this week is. .  

The question this week is. . .
"Since today is April Fool's Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?"


When I was in college the directors were always very slow at putting the cast lists up after auditions.  Sometimes we would audition in January and the list wouldn't go up till March.  Every day as soon as you got to the building you would have to go right to the board to see if the list would be posted yet.  So one day my roommate and I made up a fake cast list for The Marriage of Figaro.  We cast our teachers as all the parts and even included extra roles like Yoda for some of them.  Everyone was talking about it all morning and no one even suspected it was us and was sure that one of the well known jokesters had done it.

When I teach I enjoy seeing what I can get the kids to believe.  I once had a first grader ask why I always wore dresses (I did wear jeans on Fridays) I told them that I wore them because I was a mermaid and my legs were stuck together so I couldn't wear pants.  They believed me for about five minutes.  

While subbing I got sick of answering I don't know to kids when they asked me where they teacher was so I started making up outlandish things to see what reaction I'd get.  I told a group of high school freshman that their teacher was at space camp and they believed me, I'm sure their teacher was amused the next day. . .

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth takes place in a dystopian world where citizens are sorted into factions when they reach adulthood by personality traits.  The different factions take care of different parts of the government, the Abnegation faction where Beatrice grew up prides itself on it's selfnessless and is in control of the government.  While taking the assessment there is a problem with Beatrice's result, she does not fit solidly into any of the traits and is classified as a divergent.  However, it is dangerous being a divergent in a society that rewards a solid focus.

I was weary when starting Divergent.  I've read so many dystopians lately that seem to be written with a cookie cutter format but this one is different.  The world that Roth created is strong and interesting.  Beatrice (who goes by Trice) is strong and independent and true to herself.  When she chooses a different path than is expected she fights for acceptance and to earn a place in her new faction.  There is a romance but it isn't the focus and Tris in no way needs a man to enlighten or save her.  This dystopian is original and has the quality of Westerfields Uglies or Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games.

Appropriateness:  There are mentions of adults drinking and being drunk as part of society but the teenagers do not drink.  There is some sexual content and a scene which could be interpreted as the main character possibly having sex (although it is very vague).  The book is quite violent and contains many graphic fight scenes and murders.  The main character is 17.  I would put the interest level at 14+

The novel will be released in early May.  I received an ARC from Amazon Vine.

Waiting on Wednesday --Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking The Spine where bloggers talk about books they're excited to read.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, summary from goodreads. 

From bestselling, Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray, the story of a plane of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a desert island.
Teen beauty queens. A "Lost"-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to email. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.

How freaking awesome does that sound? 

The Dark and Hollow Places

 The Dark and Hollow Places, the third in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series follows Annah, Gabry's sister who has grown up in the ruins of New York City.  While leaving the Dark City Annah catches a glimpse of her sister Gabry and returns to the city.  She is found by Catcher Gabry's boyfriend who is immune to the virus who warns her of the Horde of Zombies (which are referred to by many different names).  The two then head to an island controlled by the recruiters (a super evil police force) to escape the horde and to find Annah's sister.

I did not like this installment as much as the other two.  The book was super dark, super violent and I never felt any hope.  Annah spends the majority of her time a prisoner on the island which is run by men that are so evil they're unrealistic.  These men have not a shred of humanity left in them and Annah is under constant threat of death, injury or rape throughout the entire book and is nearly raped several times.  The romance seemed more of convenience than of a connection between the characters.  The zombie scenes were fantastic and there were many scenes that had me engrossed.  Readers who enjoy true edge of your seat horror will love this novel it does have a completely different feel than the other two books in the series.

Appropriateness:  This book is violent and scary.  The main character is under almost constant threat of rape and death (although younger readers might not view the threat as rape).  Readers who have read the other two books in the series need to be prepared for the change in tone that comes with this novel.  I would recommend this book for readers aged 15+ that enjoy the horror genre (this is not a fluffy paranormal romance).  Each book in the series focuses on a separate character and each has a different feel so these books can be read out of order.

Top Ten Tuesday. Authors that deserve more recognition

Top Ten Authors That Deserve More Recognition

1. Richelle Mead who wrote Vampire Academy - Ok, she gets lots of recognition but I'd like her to be even bigger.

2. Kevin Bolger who wrote Zombiekinsand a host of grossout books that boys love.

3. Jessica Day George who wrote Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow and several other delightful fairytale adaptations.

4. Jennifer Holm who writes the Babymouse series.


5. Nick Bruel who writes the Bad Kitty series.


6.  Betty G Birney who wrote The World According to Humphrey and all of the other Humphrey the Hamster books.


7. Sarah Mlynowski author of Bras & Broomsticks (Magic In Manhattan) and a host of adult chic lit books.


8. Suzanne Collins for the series she wrote that isn't The Hunger Games The Underland Chronicles: Books 1-5 Paperback Box Set 


9. Sophie Kinsella author of Confessions of a Shopaholic and other hilarious chic lit novels.


10. Meg Cabot for her Adult Novels which never get the excitement that her YA novels get.  Size 12 Is Not Fat: A Heather Wells Mystery

Play All Day

Taro Gomi's Play All Day: More Than 100 Punch-Out Pieces! is a fantastic book full of punch out activities.  There are finger puppets and animals and boxes and it's all together in a book that's easily stored on a shelf or to be taken on vacation.

My daughter immediately pulled out a couple pages and started making a box.  The instructions are on the page and she completed it easily and then filled it with stuff (all kids have random amounts of stuff).  A couple weeks later she punched out the monkeys and had a ball playing with them.  I love these crafty punch out books that store easily and are filled with a wide variety of activities.

The activities are easy enough for a 5-7 year old to do without much help and there are instructions for each separate project throughout the book (although most are self explanatory).

Entwined

Entwined by Heather Dixon is a retelling of the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses.  The story is told from the point of view of the oldest princess Azalea.  When Azalea's mother dies and her father the king leaves and goes off to war Azalea and her sisters are in morning and while in morning they are not allowed to dance.  The girls find a secret passageway and make their way to a dance floor where they can dance unseen.  The girls go every night to dance and eventually find out that everything isn't as simple as it seems.

I loved this book.  I was a little unsure at first because it was HUGE (the finished product will be almost 500 pages), however the author did a fantastic job of pacing the story and providing interesting details to make for a magical book.  I was engaged and interested throughout the book and to the very end.  The girls are all named for flowers and their names are in alphabetical which makes it easy for a forgetful reader to know which sister is which and the author did a fantastic job making each character different in a book with such a huge cast of characters.  I was thrilled with the perspective of the oldest sister instead of the man who solves the mystery (as is usually told) and the trips to the woods were very well explained and logical.

Appropriateness:  Aside from a little scariness there was nothing in this book that readers would find objectionable.  The book is very long and very detailed and the heroine is in her late teens and thinking about marriage so I would put the interest age at 14+ with a note that younger readers who are interested in the story and not intimidated by the length would also enjoy the book.

Readers who are interested in the tale The Twelve Dancing Princess will also enjoy Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George.  There is also a rendition of the story in Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: The Complete Collection (although the soldier is really creepy and the sisters are somehow all the same age) that is available instantly though netfilx.

Review copy obtained from Amazon Vine

Bitter End

Jennifer Brown's Bitter End is the story of a young girl in an abusive relationship.  When Alex meets Cole everything seems perfect.  Things with Cole move very fast and when he becomes angry when she spends time with her best guy friend she excuses it, what guy would want his girlfriend hanging out with another guy.  Then insults and pinches turn to punches and control of her entire life.

I really enjoyed this book and see it as a great teaching tool for girls as to what the warning factors are in an abusive relationship.  While the book did at times remind me of a Lifetime TV Movie or after school special the characters were very relateable and Alex's thoughts behind her actions seem realistic. 

Appropriateness:  This novel has alcohol use, sexual content (although not descriptive) and an abusive relationship.  None of these behaviors are shown in a positive manner and it's a good piece for parents to discuss with their daughters and to discuss the warning factors of abusive relationships.

ARC received from publisher Release date in early May

I got a Kindle

How pretty is my Kindle?  I still prefer regular books but this will make my vacation luggage much lighter.

Birthmarked

Gaia's world is outside the wall.  She is a midwife and those outside the wall are required to give up three of their babies to the enclave inside the wall where they will live the privileged life every month.  When Gaia's parents go missing she suddenly questions her existence and the rules that her society has always followed.  She breaks into the enclave and finds that things there aren't as perfect as they've always seemed.

As the story continues the moral story of a perfect race and the perils of inbreeding and genetic manipulation (with an elementary genetics lesson wrapped in) becomes an engrossing one and Gaia has to make difficult choices to save herself and do what she knows is right.

Gaia is a wonderfully strong teen heroine.  She fights for what's right and won't let anyone or anything stop her.  If you liked Katniss from The Hunger Games and Tally from the Uglies series you'll love Gaia. 

The ending is complete yet leaves space for a sequel which I will be thrilled to purchase.

Appropriateness: There isn't any subject manner that will annoy adults.  No drinking, drugs, sex or graphic violence.  The romance is sweet and the heroine is the type of girl that parents would like their daughters to be.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

The question this week is. . 

give us five BOOK RELATED silly facts about you.

1. I sometimes say that I learned more history from romance novels than from my history classes in high school.

2. My daughter read me her first book while I was in the bathtub when she was three.  She read me books while I was in the bathtub quite frequently after that.

3. I've read Gone With the Wind so many times that I may have to get a new copy of the book.  Most of the time I skip the middle 50 pages.

4. I have my bookshelves sorted by genre but I couldn't decide if the Zombie books went with the dystopian books or the monster books.

5. I once got in a fight with my husband because he kept putting my books up for sale on half.com I told him if he loved me he'd buy me bookshelves.  I got bookshelves for my next birthday :)

 

The question this week is. . .

 "If you could physically put yourself into a book or series…which one would it be and why?"

I'd like to be a character in a fairy tale.  Perhaps one of the princesses in the Princess in the Pea. 

Strings Attached

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell follows Kit a performer who gets herself entangled in the mob.  Kit is working as a chorus girl when she is approached by the father of her ex-boyfriend.  He offers to put her up in an apartment if she is willing to contact his son at boot camp and keep him informed as to how he is doing.  He then gets her a job as a Lido Doll at a famous night club and things slowly spiral out of control.

While a enjoyed this piece of historical fiction I had major problems with the way it was written.  There were frequent interruptions in the plot for flashbacks that were not in sequential order.  These flashbacks often contained important information to the plot but were long and distracted from the flow of the plot.  Additionally, there were so many characters who were in the book for a short period of time that I had trouble keeping them sorted out.  It was a fantastic story but all the interruptions took away from the plot.

Appropriateness:  I wasn't sure why the book was marketed as a young adult book in the first place.  Although the main character was seventeen her behavior, interactions and life were that of an adult woman of the time period.  She lived alone and danced in bars and nightclubs.  Nothing about this book screamed teen to me (not that teens wouldn't like it, many teens read adult books.  As for inappropriate material, the main character works in a night club and gets herself tangled up in the mob but there is no sex or drunkenness.  I would recommend this book to older teens and adults who are fans of historical fiction.

Elephant Talk

Elephant talk by Ann Downer is a fantastic non fiction book about elephants and how they communicate.  It starts with a section on elephant herds and then discusses long distance calls, low frequency sounds, body language and scent, vibrations and elephant human relationships.

This is a beautiful book filled with information that animal lovers will find interesting.  The book is filled with beautiful elephant pictures that kids will love.  The information is presented in an interesting way that will keep kids interested.  The writing is intelligent and well researched yet readable for a younger audience.  The only think I felt would have added to the readability to the book is if the author included a glossary filled with the large number of vocabulary words that were used.

Appropriateness:  I would recommend this book to readers fourth grade and up.  The only reading level information I was able to find on it stated that it was for middle and high school grades.  It would be a fantastic book for a book report or a research project.  Unfortunately it's only available in library binding so I'd suggest requesting it at your local library if you don't want to shell out the $23 that amazon is charging for the book.

Violet Eyes

Violet Eyes by Debbie Vigue from the Once Upon a Time series is a retelling of the fairytale The Princess and the Pea.  Violet comes across a man on her farm who is hurt by a fall from a horse.  Violet finds that the man whose name is Richard is a prince, the two fall in love.  When Richard returns to the castle Violet's parents tell her that she is a princess and she heads to the castle to compete in a contest to be Prince Richards wife.

This was a delightful but simple retelling of a familiar tale.  Young readers will enjoy the companionship between the princesses and Violet's determination to win the challenges instead of taking the easy way out.  While I would have appreciated a little more character development the short length and simple romance makes this book one that young readers will be able to enjoy. 

Appropriateness:  This is a retelling that young readers will adore.  There is a bit of kissing but not enough that it would turn off even the youngest of readers  The story focuses more on the journey than the romance and it focuses on the strength and determination of the different princesses.  I would suggest it for the 10-14 year old crowd with it being appropriate for younger readers who are fans of fairy tales.

Awaken

  Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky takes place in a world where most spend their entire lives inside their home. Interacting with others only through a computer screen. Because many years ago terrorism and violence made people unwilling to venture outside their homes and thrilled when digital school (DS) was implemented and required. Maddie whose father is the founder of digital school has been under lock and key since she helped an opposition group get the passwords to take down the digital school system and has reformed her ways if not her beliefs. She meets a boy online and plans to meet him face to face at a study group. He encourages her to get out and experience the world without the barrier of computers.

Your Mom called, she wants you to stop texting and read this book.

Awaken takes place in a world where being on the computer all day is encouraged and face to face interaction is rare. It's a great exaggeration of how many in the present live their lives, this dystopian world that the author created was believable and well crafted. Maddie was a nice heroine with a rebellious streak. Although, there were times when I wanted to smack her because she was unable to see that she was being used. There were several fantastic car chases which made for entertaining reading.

Appropriateness: Maddie is rebellious and has no problems selling out her family for her cause. She sneaks out, lies to her parents, breaks the law, runs from police and meets strange men in person that she met on the internet. There are a few club scenes with no drunkenness and the sexual content is limited to kissing. Maddie is almost 18 and her love interest is 20. While there is a lot of law breaking and bad behavior the message is fantastic encouraging kids to step away from the computer and talk to people face to face. I would place the interest level at 13+

Review copy obtained from Amazon Prime.  Expected release date May 2011

Waiting on Wednesday -- Small Town Sinners

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking The Spine where bloggers talk about books they're excited to read.



 Isn't that a beautiful cover?

From goodreads:

The story of Lacey Anne Byers, a small town girl who is excited to star in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, until a childhood friend reappears and makes her question her faith.

Sounds  like a really cool book for teens.

Stolen

Stolen tells the story of Gemma who is kidnapped and taken to the Australian Outback by creepy Ty who has been stalking her since she was ten.  Emma slowly develops a relationship with Ty and becomes sympathetic to his problems and believing of the stories he tells her about her family developing full fledged Stockholm Syndrome.  The story follows Gemma from her initial kidnapping to the trial that follows after she escapes and has a satisfying ending.  The outback environment is described beautifully and is a character of it's own.

The story is written as a letter to Ty and this choice was the major negative of the book.  Ty is referred to as You at least three times as the start of a sentence in most paragraphs and it became very distracting and this almost made me put the book down. 

Appropriateness: This book is appropriate for middle to high school readers.  There was one scene where the heroine drinks a large amount of run, a mention of underage drinking with friends in a flashback.  There is no sex and the treatment that Gemma receives from her captor is not cruel.  Although it may make a reader look for someone following them there are no scenes of torture or rape.

Review copy received from Amazon Vine

Top Ten Tuesday. Pet Peeves

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish .  This week's topic is your top ten book pet peeves.

1. Books that don't end.  I don't mind a cliffhanger as long as there's a sense of finality to the book.  If books seem to end mid plot I'm irritated.

2.  Books that change size mid series.  I don't care about paperback vs hardback as long as the same size.  However, my Morganville Vampire series which switched from little paperback to huge hardback.  That's irritating.

3. Movies that claim to be based on a book that end up changing the entire point of the book.  Cough Avalon High, Cough Shopoholic.

4.  Books where the author seems to have no idea how old their audience is.  Lets see, I'll make my character 16 (characters all seem to be either 12 16 or senior in hs right?) but I'll make their romantic relationships thin and materialistic like they're 14 but then throw in a party with a drunken orgy and an attempted rape.

5. No Condoms.  You're writing to teens, would it kill you to put in a sentence or two about condoms if your characters are going to have sex? 

6.  Books that are marketed to the wrong audience or have characters that are just a bit too young for the age that would really love the book.  Such as the delightful book I just read Scones and Sensability  it was in the children's section right next to all those books about talking animals and had a 12 year old heroine when the book is based on a classic that ten year olds have no familiarity with and was a total romance.  Make the character 14 and shelve it in the teen section and it's perfect!  I do think they need a seperate section in between the children's and teen section though.

7.  Excess name dropping.  I would rather your book not be all about Jimmy Cho shoes and it's absurd that your character who is living in a foster home wears only designer labels.

8.  Sequel's that take YEARS to be released.  If you leave me on a cliffhanger please don't make me wait three years for a resolution. 

9.  Books for little kids that use bad grammar.  I'm looking at you Junie B. Jones's  No kids don't talk like that and I certainly don't want them writing like that.  Be a good example of writing for our little ones.

10. Series that go on forever without a plan.  Please don't continue writing books if you've run out of overarching plot.

Midway Monkey Madness

Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Stephens follows Beppo, Superman's pet monkey.  Beppo took a trip to the fair.  While he was at the fair a huge evil Gorilla named Gorilla Grodd was causing trouble at the animal sideshow.  Beppo has to work to save the fair using both his mind and his super powers.

Midway Monkey Madness is a super funny beginning chapter book.  There was just enough action but not enough to scare young kids.  The pictures were great because they went along with the story to illustrate the action in the plot.  The author did a fantastic job of creating a fun read with action words set in a large colorful to help the reader create more inflection.

I read this together with my daughter because it looked like a quick read and we had such a fun time reading it.  She did spooky laughs and loud ROOOAR's and POW POW POW's where the author had highlighted them and it made reading the book so much fun.  

Appropriateness:  This is a fantastic book for young readers.  I would recommend it both as a read aloud (or a read together, it's fun to do one page Mom and the next page Child with this one) and as a book for readers straddling the divide between picture books and chapter books.  While this book will be enjoyed by girls (and mine loved it) I'd like to highlight this book (and the entire series) as one that boys will love and adore.  It's comic book like with full illustrations super hero characters and fun plot will be sure to engage even the most reluctant of readers.  It is written at a second grade level with a lexile of 480 and a guided reading level of J

Netgally provided by the publisher.

Fairy books by Daisy Meadows

Daisy Meadows has several series that are perfect for girls who are just starting chapter books (either as read alouds or independently) .  There are jewel fairies and dance faeries and animal fairies (and many many more that I am missing).  Each series contains several books with easily predictable plots.  They follow Kristy and Rachel as they search for the fairies to save fairyland from whatever evil plot Jack Frost has cooked up.

I would buy these books by the box set so you have all of them set and if you're reading them aloud I would suggest that you only agree to read one series as you'll get bored after one set (because they all have the same plot).  My husband recorded himself reading them (each book takes about 45 minutes) a couple years ago and my daughter still likes to listen and read along occasionally.

These books are perfect for girls ages 4-8.  They have adventures and bad guys, are a little bit scary and most importantly the girls are polite and good role models and the girls use good grammar (unlike someone we know named Junie B Jones).  The lexile for each book is around 520 (guided reading level M) which puts them at a late second/early third grade level.  They're perfect for younger advanced readers and work well as read a louds for those being newly introduced to chapter books.

Scones and Sensibility

Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland follows Polly a romantic twelve year old girl obsessed with Pride and Prejudice and Anne of Green Gables.  She is wistfully romantic and talks like a character in those books (and her friends and family good naturedly put up with it) and decides that she wants to help her friends and family find romance.  Unfortunately she's more interested in her idea of the perfect relationship than what is the best for her friends.



 Scones and Sensibility is a delightful novel for the young romantic.  Polly's understanding of love and romance is fresh and innocent and a delight to read.  I finished the book quickly and was delighted in all of Polly's mishaps.  The references to classic romances will encourage young readers to pick up those novels (or watch the movie if they're not up to Jane Austin).

My seven year old daughter picked this one out at the bookstore.  When we got home I read the back cover and asked her if she liked romance as the book was all about romance.  She giggled and said that she liked romance a little.  I told her that I'd read it and see if I thought it was something she would like but that I thought she probably would want to wait till she was a little older but if she really wanted to she could read it.  After reading it I told her what it was about and how it was difficult to read and she decided that it could wait a few years.

Appropriateness:  There isn't any adult material in the book and the romance is tame enough that a young child would not be put off by it, the romance is mostly matchmaking.  However, because Polly talks like she is in the 1800's it is not an easy read.  The publisher lists it as at a mid fifth grade level.  I would recommend it to romantic 11-14 year olds who are looking for a sweet fun romance.   

How do I know if a book is appropriate?

I focus a lot on appropriateness on this blog.  This isn't about censoring or banning books but about picking the right book for the right kid and making sure that kids are aware of the content that may be in their book.  We often underestimate what our kids can handle and we underestimate what they can learn from books that feature characters with differing values. 

The Young Adult Audience 
The young adult genre is extremely broad.  It covers books that are targeted for 10-14 year olds , books that are targeted for middle school and up and books that are targeted for the high-school/adult crossover audience.  The characters in these books also range in age from 12-20.  Additionally many books that are stocked in the children's section are more difficult reads and enjoyable and appropriate for young teens and many books that are stocked in the Young Adult section are appropriate for younger readers. 

This makes picking a book even more difficult, epically for the younger middle school audience.  Subjects like sex and alcohol and drugs can be handled in drastically different ways.  A princess drinking wine at dinner during the middle ages for example is far different than a modern teenager getting drunk and driving away from a party and laughing off their bad behavior.  This is why the context of this adult behavior needs to be looked at before dismissing a book as too adult or "dirty." 

Should I let my child read what they want?
For the most part I believe that if a child wants to read a book then you let them read it.  If a child finds a specific passage uncomfortable they will either skim or skip the section (this is done quite frequently with romantic sections) or they will put the book down. 

Books are different than movies.  Books are a good place for kids to experience things that they may be uncomfortable with and they picture situations in the way that their imagination lets them as opposed to a directors version on a screen.  Additionally books feature a level of reflection that you do not see in television and film.  Characters reflect upon their decisions and the emotional repercussions are more evident than in film.

Why mention appropriateness at all if kids should be allowed to read anything? 

If parents know what their kids are reading then they can discuss topics that they may find objectionable with them or use the characters behavior as a stepping stone for a big talk.  Talk about decisions that the characters made and how they relate to the values that you hold in your household.

Additionally, if an adult is picking out a book for a child they can make sure that the book fits their level of appropriateness.  It's far different for a child to pick a book that they really want to read that has questionable topics for their age and for an adult to buy or recommend a book for a tween or teen that has questionable content for their age without first warning the child or parent that the book contains those elements.

Appropriateness isn't just about figuring out what is inappropriate, it is also figuring out what type of child is going to most appreciate a book.  Younger readers are less likely to be a fan of books where the romance is the focus.  Likewise a book with a really one dimensional romance or with very young characters is less likely to be a hit with older readers.  Some kids love action and violence while others love happy love stories.  The age of the characters as well as the reading level (in some occasions) and the overall feel of the book are a factor in if a child is going to appreciate a book.  I also try to highlight if a book seems like one that boys will enjoy because the great majority of young adult books are written towards a female audience.

Afterlife

Afterlife is the fourth and final book in the Evernight series.  In this book Bianca has turned into a wraith and Lucas (a former vampire hunter) has been turned into a vampire.  The two (along with Vic and Balthazar and the gang) return to Evernight Academy so that Lucas can learn how to deal with being a vampire.  Bianca has to come to terms with being a wraith and they must find out what Mrs Bethany plans on doing with the wraith's she's been trapping.

This was a nice finale to the series.  All four books linked together well and the story had a nice ending that wrapped up everything well.  If you enjoyed the other three books in the series you will not be disappointed.

Appropriateness:  There is no drug or alcohol use in this novel.  There also is no sex (although there was sex in the third book in the series).  I would recommend this books for readers 12+  The lexile for the series is around 760 putting it at about a fourth grade reading level.

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

The question this week is. .

Q. How did you come up with your blog name?

I wanted somthing simple and descriptive and easy to remember.  I think I got it with books your kids will love.

The question this week is. . .

"Do you read only one book at a time, or do you have several going at once?"



I only read one book at a time and if I stop reading a book I rarely pick it back up.  This is a big part of the reason I never enjoyed reading for school assignments when I was in school.  Reading a book a chapter at a time never worked for me.

Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink tells the story of Lia who finds out after her fathers death that she is part of a prophecy and must battle with her twin sister in a fight of good versus evil.  This first book of the trilogy follows Lia as she meets friends who will help her in the fight and searches for the missing pieces of the prophecy.

This historical paranormal is beautifully written.  The historical period and mythology make for an original read that is original and new.  I did find the writing to be slow at times and would have liked to have seen more of the romance.

Appropriateness:  There is nothing inappropriate in this book that would bother parents.  I would recommend it for older teens as it is a slower and more difficult read.

Waiting on Wednesday --

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking The Spine where bloggers talk about books they're excited to read.

This week's book is Wildefire by Karsten Knight.

Blurb from goodreads:

Ashline Wilde never received an instruction manual on how to be a 16-year-old Polynesian volcano goddess. If she had, it might have contained helpful warnings such as:

• Dreaming about your (thankfully) mortal boyfriend may cause your bed to spontaneously combust
• Oven mitts should be worn at all times.

Instead, Ash has to learn these life lessons the hard way as her dormant powers erupt at the most awkward times. In the wake of a hometown tragedy, Ash transfers to Blackwood Academy, a boarding school nestled in California’s redwoods, where a group of fellow gods-on-earth have mysteriously convened. As if sophomore year couldn’t get any worse, her storm goddess older sister, the wild and unpredictable Eve, resurfaces to haunt Ashline. With a war between the gods looming over Blackwood, Ash must master the fire smoldering within her before she clashes with her sister one final time, which leads us to life-lesson #3:

• When warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm. 

Sounds fantastic and original.  A volcano goddess and a special boarding school.  Looks awesome!

Devil's Kiss

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda follows Billi the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar.  The Knights Templar protect the human world from evil soulless creatures that roam the earth.  Billi is a tough girl who has lived a tough life with a father who cares more for the Templar's than for her. She finds herself fighting a war against the dark Angels who wish to bring a plague back to earth.

I had mixed feelings about this book, there were portions that were brilliant and the fight scenes were spectacular.  Likewise the mythology was complex and unique.  What was really missing was characters that were three dimensional and interesting and a social story to fill out Billie's life.  There was a huge amount of exposition and that may have been the problem with the book.  I have a copy of Dark Goddess (A Devil's Kiss Novel) the sequel to Devil's Kiss which I will read in a week or two, hopefully I will like it more.

Appropriateness:  This book is very dark and violent with a fairly complex mythology.  The lexile is 620 putting it at around a fourth grade reading level.  While there isn't any adult content I'd put the interest level at 14+.

I won this novel in a contest on Mundie Mom's

The Enormous Crocodile

The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl tells the story of a very naughty crocodile.  The crocodile decides that he would like to eat some children and he devises some tricky methods to accomplish this mission.  The story has been illustrated with delightful color pictures which make the book even more entertaining for young readers.

I bought this book along with a big pile of Dahl's books at a clearance sale.  I showed it to my daughter and then put it on the shelf and told her she could read it when she was finished with the book she is currently reading and warned her that it would be difficult but it was short so I thought she'd be able to handle it.  Unknown by me she decided to read this book on her own time and loved it.  She thought the story was very funny and finished it easily in an evening.

Appropriateness:  This is Roald Dahl so parents need to understand that the book is going to be a little scary and does not have a happy ending.  This book is very difficult (but short!) and has some big vocabulary words, making it most appropriate as either a read aloud or for advanced readers.  Scholastic lists the lexile at 410 (third grade) but puts the grade level equivalent as 5.6 which I'm assuming is related to the difficult vocabulary level.

Harry Potter is Not a Children's Book

Many parents seem to be in a huge rush for their kids to read Harry Potter.  As soon as their kids get beyond the Junie B Jones and Magic Treehouse books they run out and buy Harry Potter.  Even Amazon and Barnes and Noble list these books for 9-12 year olds.

What I see often that happens when elementary school readers are given Harry Potter is that they start the book, perhaps even making it through the second in the series and stop, deciding that they don't like Harry Potter and generally don't pick the series up again.  Their parents are confounded because every child likes Harry Potter and it is the ultimate chapter book so why not their child?

Harry Potter is HARD, much harder than most childrens and young adult (and adult) books.  Not only are they very difficult to read but the books are very long and there are seven of them which is a lot for a young reader. 

Additionally, Harry Grows up throughout the series and while he is fairly young when his adventures begins, he is an adult when the series ends, dealing with issues that to older readers can relate to more than younger readers.  The series is also very dark, the later books so much so that many adults find them scary.  Because of their length and reading levels I classify these books as Young Adult which are also appropriate for very advanced younger readers who are interested and motivated to read the series.

Here are the lexile rating and page length for all the books in the series.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:  Lexile: 880  Length: 320

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2): Lexile 940 Length: 352

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3): Lexile 880  Length: 448

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4): Lexile 880 Length: 752

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix: Lexile 950 Length: 870

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6):  Lexile 1030 Length: 672

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7): Lexile 980 Length: 784

That places the books from a sixth grade reading level to an eighth grade reading level (book number six).  Which means that elementary school age kids who are reading on grade level are going to find these book far more difficult than almost anything they have read, even at school.


My Fourth or Fifth Grader Loved Harry Potter and sped through all of the books!
You should be proud of your child and yourself.  You have a very good reader on your hands.  You should also encourage your child to reread these books again when they are in middle school so they can pick up what they probably missed the first time.  Part of the reason that these books are loved so much by librarians and teachers is because they are so difficult and many readers push themselves (YAY) because they are so enthralled in the story..


My seven year old has read books at a higher reading level than that so they're ready right?
Don't do it!!  The sheer length of these books is too much for kids that young.  If they're asking then get them the audio books.  Keep their reading to books that are shorter and wait till they are in third or fourth grade.  If they're audio book fans, that is always an option.

My child really wants to read the books but I'm afraid they're going to be discouraged as I know they are not super strong readers:
Try the audio books, they can listen to the books in the car or before bed (you could read them aloud but that will take months) .  Your child will develop literacy skills and enjoy the stories without being bogged down while trying to get through the text or struggle with the length. They can either read along with the audio books (my daughter loves to do this) or listen to the books without the text.  You can find the audio books in your public library. 


When is the right age to encourage my child to read Harry Potter?
These are young adult books that are perfect for a middle school aged child and are perfect for summer reading.  They are also generally on middle school recommended reading lists for schools that allow kids to pick their own books to read during silent reading periods at school.  The series is great for fourth or fifth graders who are advanced readers to start.

There are a few series, such as Percy Jackson, or The Underland Chronicles that are similar but not as quite as difficult or lengthy that are good predictors as to their readiness to read Harry Potter.  If your child has gotten through one of these series without difficulty then they should be able to handle Harry Potter.


The Harry Potter series is fantastic and one that I highly recommend.  However, parents need to be educated on the difficulty of the series, understanding that they are not the only books written for children and that your kids will be more likely to enjoy the series if they read it later rather than earlier.

There are so many wonderful children's books out there for kids to read.  Including ones that are filled with action and magic.  When you child first starts to enjoy reading for pleasure search for books that include topics they will enjoy and are written at a reading level that will not frustrate them.  Leave the 600 page difficult books till they are old enough to enjoy them without working too hard.

Take Two

Take Two by Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy is from a a series that follows twins Payton and Emma.

From the publishers website:

TWIN SISTERS PAYTON and Emma have learned that "trading faces" can lead to "twin-dentical" chaos, and they've promised never to do it again. But just to be sure that they've really learned their lesson, the school counselor has a punishment in store, and they're not going to be sitting through detention -- or hyperventilating through detention, in Emma's case. Instead, Emma's tutoring a math-hating eight-year-old boy who brings a creepy reptile to every lesson. Meanwhile, Payton has to keep an eye on his brother and help the drama club with their musical -- but she's not going to be onstage, she'll be under it! Oh! And the boys? They're identical twins too....

When things start spinning out of control, will it take another twin switch to sort it out? And just how many switches are going on at once? In the end, it's good to have a twin who's got your back as well as your face!

My daughter Katelyn read this book.  She thought that the book had a good story and  liked how each twin had a seperate personality,  She liked how the twins had to take care of a younger set of twins.  She thought that the story was really interesting and there were many surprises.  She thinks the book was long (304) pages but it was worth it because the story was so interesting and picked out another in the series when we took a trip to the bookstore.   

Appropriateness:  The book stars middle school aged characters.  There is some romance and some boyfriend girlfriend talk but no kissing.  I would recommend this book for the 4th-6th grade audience.  The lexile is 490 putting it at a third grade level which makes it very readable (even with the length) for 4-6th grade readers.

Follow Friday

The question this week is. .

Q. Just like Ashley said (love it) "Ashley the girl..." who are You the Boy/Girl, instead of You the Blogger?

 

I'm an out of work music teacher, mom and military spouse currently living in the Detroit metro area.  The recession has music teacher jobs impossible to find where I live so I'm staying home and volunteering until my husband gets orders for us to move someplace else (hopefully where there's a shortage of elementary school music teachers.  I spend a lot of time reading and watching old TV shows and I deliver meals for Meals on Wheels several times a month.  I'm so good at picking out books for kids who hate to read that I decided I should start a blog in addition to the reviews I already post at amazon.

 

 

Book Blogger Hop

The question this week is. . .


"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"


That's a hard question for me as I have no problem with buying books whenever I want them.  But, there are a few paperbacks that I'm waiting to be discounted. . .


Katelyn loves all the Sophie books. Sophie The Zillionaire is the one we're missing.



A True Princess by Dian Zahler Not a paperback but a book that I have on my list.  A fairytale retelling  of the princess and the pea


I've heard good things about Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon (the other cover is much cooler).


XVIby Julia Karr Another society is encouraging teenage sex dystopian.








 



When the Stars Go Blue: A Novel By Caridad Ferrer looks terrific.













For the rest I'd probably go through the childrens section and let the little one go nuts picking out books she thinks look cool.