These new Graphic novels just came upstairs today:
These are preludes to the "Blackest Night" story arc now running in the DC comics.
Green Lantern vol. 5 - Rage of the Red Lanterns - The Sinestro war is over, the Green Lanterns victorious. But an ancient prophecy troubles Jordan, as he seeks for the fate of the Green Lantern Corps.
Green Lantern vol. 6 - Agent Orange - with a war already raging, Hal Jordan fights a whole range of enemies on the front lines. Then the war spills over into the forbidden Vega System. Can Hal shed light on what makes this system so evil, and still end a war?
Green Lantern Corps vol. 4 - Sins of the Star Saffires - the powerful and beautiful Zamoans, led by their Queen, Star Sapphire, are out to "cure" the Sinestro Corps of their evil ways - by infusing them with Love!
Green Lantern Corps vol. 5 - Emerald Eclipse - Mongul attempts to establish his hold on the Sinestro Corps by enslaving the planet Daxam and making it the home world of his Corps. What does Sinestro's right hand man, Arkillo, think of all this? And will Sodam Yat, the Green Lantern known as Ion, fight to save his homeworld, which he's vowed to never return to?
And the second volume of Justice League
Tangent: Superman's Reign vol. 2 In the years since the Tangent world was last seen, a mind-reading, telekinetic Superman has taken control and brought peace, but at the cost of the world's freedoms. And as the walls between the Tangent Earth and the DC Earth being to fall, the Tangent Superman's visions are about to get even grander.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Booklists
I love book lists. I really enjoy finding things to read that I never would have tried on my own, and book lists are one way to do that.
So here are a few lists that may tickle your fancy:
Best Books for Young Adults 2010
Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2010
Amazing Audiobooks for Teens 2010
Browse them and see if you can find a new author, title, or series to try out!
So here are a few lists that may tickle your fancy:
Best Books for Young Adults 2010
Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2010
Amazing Audiobooks for Teens 2010
Browse them and see if you can find a new author, title, or series to try out!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Comfort Reading
On a day like today, snowy, cold and blustery, what I most love to do is curl up with a favorite book, lure one of my kitties onto my lap, and sip hot chocolate. Here are a fewo of my favorite re-reads:
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. You may have read the Lord of the Rings, or seen the movie, but the Hobbit is a different kind of experience. More friendly, a little simpler, the story is more folksy, although just as magical. Find out how Bilbo got the Ring that Frodo must destroy, and why Gandalf's fireworks are so admired in the Shire...
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. Yes, it is a little girl's story (and so is The Little Princess) but it is Soooo imaginative, and my heart just breaks for poor, neglected, unloved Mary every time I read about her. I root for Colin to walk again, and I wonder if poor Mr. Craven will ever find what he's seeking?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling. Yeah, I'm a fantasy lover - but Harry isn't just a fantasy book. He's a great kid in a tough situation - the book is a little bit scary, a little bit whimsical , and a lot adventuresome. Great reading for when you want to imagine an adventure of your own.
The Face in the Frost by John Bellairs. Prospero the Wizard is a crotchety old man, but his adventures are well worth reading. A bit scary, a bit silly, but all around good.
What do you consider to be your favorite re-reads?
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. You may have read the Lord of the Rings, or seen the movie, but the Hobbit is a different kind of experience. More friendly, a little simpler, the story is more folksy, although just as magical. Find out how Bilbo got the Ring that Frodo must destroy, and why Gandalf's fireworks are so admired in the Shire...
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. Yes, it is a little girl's story (and so is The Little Princess) but it is Soooo imaginative, and my heart just breaks for poor, neglected, unloved Mary every time I read about her. I root for Colin to walk again, and I wonder if poor Mr. Craven will ever find what he's seeking?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling. Yeah, I'm a fantasy lover - but Harry isn't just a fantasy book. He's a great kid in a tough situation - the book is a little bit scary, a little bit whimsical , and a lot adventuresome. Great reading for when you want to imagine an adventure of your own.
The Face in the Frost by John Bellairs. Prospero the Wizard is a crotchety old man, but his adventures are well worth reading. A bit scary, a bit silly, but all around good.
What do you consider to be your favorite re-reads?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
New Books came up!
Out of Sight, Out of Mind by Marilyn Kaye -- Gifted 1 -- Amanda, known as the Queen of Mean, is shocked to wake up one day in the body of Tracey, one of her victims. After she discovers that Tracey has the ability to become invisible, Amanda realizes that "Gifted" has a whole different meaning at Meadowbrook School. Can she win a place there, and can she help the girl she once despised?
Better Late Than Never by Marilyn Kaye -- Gifted 2 -- Goth Girl Jenna reads people's minds, but when her alcoholic mother is hospitalized, she's so relieved that her long-lost dad has returned, she ignores her own special ability.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow by Marilyn Kaye -- Gifted 3 -- Emily thinks her ability to see the future should be great, but her visions never make sense. Until, that is, other students start disappearing. Emily, Tracey and Jenna must unite to solve the mystery.
Zoobreak by Gordon Korman -- when Savannah Drysdale's beloved monkey Cleo goes missing from her yard, she, her doberman Luthor, and her friends Griffin and Ben set off to rescue her from the floating zoo where she's being held captive.
Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse - in this medieval tale, Johanna is maidservant to the renowned holy woman Dame Margery Kemp. When sharp-tongued Dame Margery announces that they are going on a pilgrimage to Rome, Johanna's misery truly begins, as she struggles to walk all day, cook, clean and carry water for a whole party of pilgrims.
Troll's Eye View by various author (Datlow, ed.) -- "a book of villainous tales" - tales told from the point of view of an unusual character or villain in the story.
Olivian's Favorites by Troy Cle -- Marvelous World 1.5 -- Louis collapses in pain, and when he wakes, he finds himself in deadly peril in the land of Midkemia. He must unite with two other human teens, find a gate out of this dangerous world, and master his newfound powers, before they can all escape. Being Olivion's Favorite is no easy task!
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe -- Cass can see ghosts - especially that of her sister Paige, gone these four years, but still sixteen. Cass doesn't like "breathers" and holds herself aloof, until Tim discovers her secret, and threatens to upset her world; he insists that she help him talk to his recently deceased mother. And then things begin to fall apart...
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines -- Lyn is a modern gladiator's daughter, and the rules of the sport are second nature to her family. However, the rules turn against the family after a gifted young fighter kills Lyn's father and captures Lyn's dowry bracelet--which means Lyn must marry him. To win her freedom, she must face her father's killer in mortal combat.
Guardian Angel House by Kathy Clark -- Susan and Vera are sheltered from the Nazis by a group of Nuns in this World War II adventure.
Malice by Chris Wooding (RBH) -- Everyone's heard of it, but nobody's read it - the secret strange comic about a world full of tricks and traps, overseen by the sinister Tall Jake. But if rumor is true, the kids in the comic are real. Jake is the first to fall into the trap, with Seth and Kady close behind. Can they make it out alive?
World is Mine by Lyah Beth Le Flore (RBH) -- Blue Reynolds has it all, and his best buddy Collin Andrews helps make sure it all happens; together they make a powerhouse team that will blow the world off the music industry!
Boy in the Dress by David Walliams (RBH) -- "Little Britain" star Walliams delivers his first novel, featuring illustrations by iconic illustrator Blake, best known for his collaborations with Roald Dahl. Walliams tells the story of a young boy who has a secret passion for fashion and is convinced by his sister to wear a dress to class.
Tangled by Mackler (RBH) -- four teens cross paths on a vacation in the Caribbean. As their stories unfold, each helps the other in unexpected ways to deal with their hidden feelings and secret fears.
Bite Me by Melissa Francis -- AJ works hard to ignore her vampire side, focusing on staying in school and out of trouble; but since her boyfriend became her stepbrother, things just haven't been right. Especially since she may have created a truly evil vampire on a night of ill-advised drinking.
Circle of Flight by John Marsden -- final book of the Ellie Chronicles -- Ellie and Gavin have one last great struggle ahead of them, as terrorists kidnap Gavin, and Ellie must not only rescue him, but win the final right to keep him.
Princess Plot by Kirsten Boie -- Fourteen-year-old Jenna lives with her overbearing, etiquette-crazed mother who refuses to divulge information about Jenna's father. Jenna is mysteriously cast to play the role of a princess in a film and is quickly swooped off to Scandia, a mythical European country whose real princess, Malena (who looks just like Jenna), is MIA.
I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones -- A Charmed Life Novel -- Bella misses Manhattan, but things aren't too bad in Oklahoma until her wrestler stepdad signs the family up to be on a reality tv show. And then, with cameras tailing her, she discovers a plot against the Truman High prom queen candidates.
Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd -- During his last summer at home, Dade meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid and falls in love. But just when true happiness sets in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer.
Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica -- Nate "Brady" Brodie is having a hard summer. He has a chance to win a million dollars, but will he be able to withstand the pressure and make the perfect throw? The money could mean the difference between his family losing their home, or not; and his best friend Abby is losing her eyesight. Nate knows she'll be with him no matter what happens...
Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson -- Bobby lives a reckless life in Dublin, so his mother moves the family to the Irish countryside. But Bobby suspects their cottage may not be as quaint as it seems, in this spooky novel about the darkness that lurks in forgotten corners and in tough teenagers.
Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan -- Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she’s tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy—or her father will be put to death.
Fat Cat by Robin Brande -- Rotund brainiac Catherine "Cat" Locke, a junior, becomes her own science-fair project "guinea pig," trying to live a prehistoric lifestyle for seven months. Out for revenge on former best friend/crush and detested rival Matt McKinney, she gives up cars, phones, TV, computers, and processed foods in her determination to win this year's competition. Cat's slimmed-down body attracts several boys' attention, and she expands her project to observe the effects on herself and others, coached in the social graces by her beautiful, brilliant girlfriend Amanda.
Journey of Dreams by Marjorie Pellegri -- For the peaceful highlanders of Guatemala, life has become a nightmare. Helicopters slash like machetes through the once-quiet air. Soldiers patrol the streets, hunting down suspected guerillas. Villagers mysteriously disappear and children are recruited as soldiers. Tomasa’s family is growing increasingly desperate, especially after Mama goes into hiding with Tomasa’s oldest brother. Finally, after their house is razed to the ground and the villagers massacred, Tomasa, Manuelito, and baby Maria set off with Papa on a perilous journey to find Mama and Carlos
Breathing by cheryl Herbsman -- Savannah and Jackson lock gazes and it is instant love. When Jackson helps her endure a life-threatening asthma attack, she becomes convinced that he is her life, as important to her as the air she breathes. But then he's called away...
Once a Witch by Carolyn McCullogh -- Tamsin's entire family have been witches for generations. Now 17, though, it has become apparent that her powers will never arrive. But when a professor at her new school mistakes her for her very talented sister, she foolishly agrees to help him find a lost family heirloom.
Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb -- When self-proclaimed geek girl Bethany Reynolds becomes the newest member of the varsity cheerleading squad, she realizes that there's one thing worse than blending into the lockers: getting noticed. Who knew cheerleading was so hard? Well, at least there's a manual, The Prairie Stone High Varsity Cheerleading Guide. Too bad it doesn't cover any of the really tough questions. Like, how do you maintain some semblance of dignity while wearing an insanely short skirt? What do you do when the head cheerleader spills her beer on you at your first in-crowd party? And how do you protect your best friend from the biggest player in the senior class? Bethany is going to need all her geek brainpower just to survive the season!
Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott -- Amy partied hard, and drank hard, and worse, until her best friend Julia dies in a terrible car accident. Now out of rehab, Amy is caught deep in grief, guilt and anger. will she ever awaken to the chance that she can live again, without Julia?
Kitchen Princess: Search for the Angel Cake by Miyuki Kobayashi -- this prose novel continues the romantic, thrilling adventures of Najika, the kitchen princess, originally found in the graphic novels of the same name.
Graphic Novels:
Graphic Classics Louisa May Alcott -- "Little Women" plus other gothic stories, poems and more, all written by the prolific Ms Alcott, and illustrated by a variety of authors.
Hatter M. vol 2 Mad with Wonder -- follow the bizarre adventures of Alice's bodyguard, and the Madman who stalks her, as well as the horrors dreamed up by Queen Redd.
Amulet vol. 2 Stonekeeper's Curse -- The walking house carries Emily, her brother Navin, Miskit, and the rest of the robotic crew to the watery city of Kanalis. They seek a cure for the poison that has sickened Em and Navin’s mother.But what they find is new allies and old enemies.
Natsume's Book of Friends vol. 1 -- Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he is a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko.
St. Dragon Girl vols 2-5
Kitchen Princess vols. 3-4
Yu-Gi-Oh R vol. 2.
Real Bout High School vols 1-5
Peach Girl vols 2-8
Batman. Monsters
X-Men. Worlds Apart
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers
Hound of the Baskervilles by Doyle
Gen13. World's End
Better Late Than Never by Marilyn Kaye -- Gifted 2 -- Goth Girl Jenna reads people's minds, but when her alcoholic mother is hospitalized, she's so relieved that her long-lost dad has returned, she ignores her own special ability.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow by Marilyn Kaye -- Gifted 3 -- Emily thinks her ability to see the future should be great, but her visions never make sense. Until, that is, other students start disappearing. Emily, Tracey and Jenna must unite to solve the mystery.
Zoobreak by Gordon Korman -- when Savannah Drysdale's beloved monkey Cleo goes missing from her yard, she, her doberman Luthor, and her friends Griffin and Ben set off to rescue her from the floating zoo where she's being held captive.
Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse - in this medieval tale, Johanna is maidservant to the renowned holy woman Dame Margery Kemp. When sharp-tongued Dame Margery announces that they are going on a pilgrimage to Rome, Johanna's misery truly begins, as she struggles to walk all day, cook, clean and carry water for a whole party of pilgrims.
Troll's Eye View by various author (Datlow, ed.) -- "a book of villainous tales" - tales told from the point of view of an unusual character or villain in the story.
Olivian's Favorites by Troy Cle -- Marvelous World 1.5 -- Louis collapses in pain, and when he wakes, he finds himself in deadly peril in the land of Midkemia. He must unite with two other human teens, find a gate out of this dangerous world, and master his newfound powers, before they can all escape. Being Olivion's Favorite is no easy task!
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe -- Cass can see ghosts - especially that of her sister Paige, gone these four years, but still sixteen. Cass doesn't like "breathers" and holds herself aloof, until Tim discovers her secret, and threatens to upset her world; he insists that she help him talk to his recently deceased mother. And then things begin to fall apart...
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines -- Lyn is a modern gladiator's daughter, and the rules of the sport are second nature to her family. However, the rules turn against the family after a gifted young fighter kills Lyn's father and captures Lyn's dowry bracelet--which means Lyn must marry him. To win her freedom, she must face her father's killer in mortal combat.
Guardian Angel House by Kathy Clark -- Susan and Vera are sheltered from the Nazis by a group of Nuns in this World War II adventure.
Malice by Chris Wooding (RBH) -- Everyone's heard of it, but nobody's read it - the secret strange comic about a world full of tricks and traps, overseen by the sinister Tall Jake. But if rumor is true, the kids in the comic are real. Jake is the first to fall into the trap, with Seth and Kady close behind. Can they make it out alive?
World is Mine by Lyah Beth Le Flore (RBH) -- Blue Reynolds has it all, and his best buddy Collin Andrews helps make sure it all happens; together they make a powerhouse team that will blow the world off the music industry!
Boy in the Dress by David Walliams (RBH) -- "Little Britain" star Walliams delivers his first novel, featuring illustrations by iconic illustrator Blake, best known for his collaborations with Roald Dahl. Walliams tells the story of a young boy who has a secret passion for fashion and is convinced by his sister to wear a dress to class.
Tangled by Mackler (RBH) -- four teens cross paths on a vacation in the Caribbean. As their stories unfold, each helps the other in unexpected ways to deal with their hidden feelings and secret fears.
Bite Me by Melissa Francis -- AJ works hard to ignore her vampire side, focusing on staying in school and out of trouble; but since her boyfriend became her stepbrother, things just haven't been right. Especially since she may have created a truly evil vampire on a night of ill-advised drinking.
Circle of Flight by John Marsden -- final book of the Ellie Chronicles -- Ellie and Gavin have one last great struggle ahead of them, as terrorists kidnap Gavin, and Ellie must not only rescue him, but win the final right to keep him.
Princess Plot by Kirsten Boie -- Fourteen-year-old Jenna lives with her overbearing, etiquette-crazed mother who refuses to divulge information about Jenna's father. Jenna is mysteriously cast to play the role of a princess in a film and is quickly swooped off to Scandia, a mythical European country whose real princess, Malena (who looks just like Jenna), is MIA.
I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones -- A Charmed Life Novel -- Bella misses Manhattan, but things aren't too bad in Oklahoma until her wrestler stepdad signs the family up to be on a reality tv show. And then, with cameras tailing her, she discovers a plot against the Truman High prom queen candidates.
Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd -- During his last summer at home, Dade meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid and falls in love. But just when true happiness sets in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer.
Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica -- Nate "Brady" Brodie is having a hard summer. He has a chance to win a million dollars, but will he be able to withstand the pressure and make the perfect throw? The money could mean the difference between his family losing their home, or not; and his best friend Abby is losing her eyesight. Nate knows she'll be with him no matter what happens...
Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson -- Bobby lives a reckless life in Dublin, so his mother moves the family to the Irish countryside. But Bobby suspects their cottage may not be as quaint as it seems, in this spooky novel about the darkness that lurks in forgotten corners and in tough teenagers.
Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan -- Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she’s tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy—or her father will be put to death.
Fat Cat by Robin Brande -- Rotund brainiac Catherine "Cat" Locke, a junior, becomes her own science-fair project "guinea pig," trying to live a prehistoric lifestyle for seven months. Out for revenge on former best friend/crush and detested rival Matt McKinney, she gives up cars, phones, TV, computers, and processed foods in her determination to win this year's competition. Cat's slimmed-down body attracts several boys' attention, and she expands her project to observe the effects on herself and others, coached in the social graces by her beautiful, brilliant girlfriend Amanda.
Journey of Dreams by Marjorie Pellegri -- For the peaceful highlanders of Guatemala, life has become a nightmare. Helicopters slash like machetes through the once-quiet air. Soldiers patrol the streets, hunting down suspected guerillas. Villagers mysteriously disappear and children are recruited as soldiers. Tomasa’s family is growing increasingly desperate, especially after Mama goes into hiding with Tomasa’s oldest brother. Finally, after their house is razed to the ground and the villagers massacred, Tomasa, Manuelito, and baby Maria set off with Papa on a perilous journey to find Mama and Carlos
Breathing by cheryl Herbsman -- Savannah and Jackson lock gazes and it is instant love. When Jackson helps her endure a life-threatening asthma attack, she becomes convinced that he is her life, as important to her as the air she breathes. But then he's called away...
Once a Witch by Carolyn McCullogh -- Tamsin's entire family have been witches for generations. Now 17, though, it has become apparent that her powers will never arrive. But when a professor at her new school mistakes her for her very talented sister, she foolishly agrees to help him find a lost family heirloom.
Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb -- When self-proclaimed geek girl Bethany Reynolds becomes the newest member of the varsity cheerleading squad, she realizes that there's one thing worse than blending into the lockers: getting noticed. Who knew cheerleading was so hard? Well, at least there's a manual, The Prairie Stone High Varsity Cheerleading Guide. Too bad it doesn't cover any of the really tough questions. Like, how do you maintain some semblance of dignity while wearing an insanely short skirt? What do you do when the head cheerleader spills her beer on you at your first in-crowd party? And how do you protect your best friend from the biggest player in the senior class? Bethany is going to need all her geek brainpower just to survive the season!
Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott -- Amy partied hard, and drank hard, and worse, until her best friend Julia dies in a terrible car accident. Now out of rehab, Amy is caught deep in grief, guilt and anger. will she ever awaken to the chance that she can live again, without Julia?
Kitchen Princess: Search for the Angel Cake by Miyuki Kobayashi -- this prose novel continues the romantic, thrilling adventures of Najika, the kitchen princess, originally found in the graphic novels of the same name.
Graphic Novels:
Graphic Classics Louisa May Alcott -- "Little Women" plus other gothic stories, poems and more, all written by the prolific Ms Alcott, and illustrated by a variety of authors.
Hatter M. vol 2 Mad with Wonder -- follow the bizarre adventures of Alice's bodyguard, and the Madman who stalks her, as well as the horrors dreamed up by Queen Redd.
Amulet vol. 2 Stonekeeper's Curse -- The walking house carries Emily, her brother Navin, Miskit, and the rest of the robotic crew to the watery city of Kanalis. They seek a cure for the poison that has sickened Em and Navin’s mother.But what they find is new allies and old enemies.
Natsume's Book of Friends vol. 1 -- Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he is a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko.
St. Dragon Girl vols 2-5
Kitchen Princess vols. 3-4
Yu-Gi-Oh R vol. 2.
Real Bout High School vols 1-5
Peach Girl vols 2-8
Batman. Monsters
X-Men. Worlds Apart
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers
Hound of the Baskervilles by Doyle
Gen13. World's End
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Book Review
The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones. Obviously, I love to read. Mostly I read fantasy, and sci-fi, and sometimes historical fiction. But day before yesterday, I picked up The Uninvited. It follows Mimi, a young college student who is leaving home to stay for the summer in Canada. She's had a bad experience with a professor/boyfriend turned stalker, and just wants to get away.
But when she gets to her Father's little rundown house on the river, she gets more than she bargained for; not only does she discover that she has a half-brother whom she had never met or even knew existed, but she discovers that there are weird things going on up here, as well.
Told from multiple points of view, Mimi, Jay, Cramer and others reveal a complex story of past and future events, linking lives over a twenty year timespan. The story is complex, the characters rich, and the setting evocative. If you like a suspenseful but not particularly violent story, interestingly and honestly told, you'll enjoy this one!
But when she gets to her Father's little rundown house on the river, she gets more than she bargained for; not only does she discover that she has a half-brother whom she had never met or even knew existed, but she discovers that there are weird things going on up here, as well.
Told from multiple points of view, Mimi, Jay, Cramer and others reveal a complex story of past and future events, linking lives over a twenty year timespan. The story is complex, the characters rich, and the setting evocative. If you like a suspenseful but not particularly violent story, interestingly and honestly told, you'll enjoy this one!
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Novel in Verse
Have you ever read a novel written in verse? The flow, the rhythm, the meaning of the message can all be very powerful. I have only read one or two myself, but I've really enjoyed slowing down, savoring each line and phrase, hearing the words roll around in my head.
Crank by Ellen Hopkins. Ellen's novels are all powerful stories of teens in crisis. When good girl Kristina discovers her alter-ego Bree, after becoming hooked on "crank", things go steadily further and further awry. Free verse illuminates her fall into the hands of the "monster" and how it affects her and those around her.
Shark Girl by Kelley Bingham. Poetry interspersed with newspaper clippings, letters and other ephemera tell the tale of a lovely, popular young woman who loses her right arm in a brutal shark attack. Her anger, despair, fear and dreams are all revealed in her poetry.
Rubber Houses by Ellen Yeomans. When Kit's younger brother Buddy is first diagnosed with, and then dies of, cancer, Kit is overwhelmed with grief. Spare, economical verse that parallels the baseball game Buddy loved, reveals her grieving and her eventual healing.
Amiri and Odette by Walter Dean Myers. Swan Lake is an opera, a tale of a beautiful princess turned into a swan. This is a modern retelling, in verse, violent and romantic, fantastical and realistic all in the same moment. It is wonderful!
Crank by Ellen Hopkins. Ellen's novels are all powerful stories of teens in crisis. When good girl Kristina discovers her alter-ego Bree, after becoming hooked on "crank", things go steadily further and further awry. Free verse illuminates her fall into the hands of the "monster" and how it affects her and those around her.
Shark Girl by Kelley Bingham. Poetry interspersed with newspaper clippings, letters and other ephemera tell the tale of a lovely, popular young woman who loses her right arm in a brutal shark attack. Her anger, despair, fear and dreams are all revealed in her poetry.
Rubber Houses by Ellen Yeomans. When Kit's younger brother Buddy is first diagnosed with, and then dies of, cancer, Kit is overwhelmed with grief. Spare, economical verse that parallels the baseball game Buddy loved, reveals her grieving and her eventual healing.
Amiri and Odette by Walter Dean Myers. Swan Lake is an opera, a tale of a beautiful princess turned into a swan. This is a modern retelling, in verse, violent and romantic, fantastical and realistic all in the same moment. It is wonderful!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Book Covers I Love
"You should never judge a book by its cover" is a phrase you hear over and over in the book world.
But the truth is, I do. And I would be willing to bet you do, too. A fascinating, exciting, mysterious, beautiful, wicked cover can pull you in faster than anything else about a book. Here are a few books that have covers I love:
The Arrival, by Shaun Tan - a graphic novel about the immigrant experience - the cover is a lovely sepia photograph of a man in a suit and hat with a suitcase in hand, confronting a strange little white critter of undefinable character, staring up at him with gaping mouth and perky tail. It feels both old-fashioned and otherworldly at one time, both comfortable and mysterious.
Because I am Furniture, by Thalia Chaltas is a mystery. The white cutout silhouette of a girl in a dress against a black and white room is intriguing, yet threatening. What is the problem that has rendered her no more than a cutout? Will she ever re-appear?
Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci. Red. A city lit by golden lights high above a concrete wall. A gaping drain hole, rushing floodwaters. Where is the water coming from? What is it draining into? What city lurks above?
Inexcusable by Chris Lynch. A blank field of whiteness, with nothing more than a girl's black bra discarded, accusingly, emptily, abandoned, meaningfully...
What cover do you love? What cover drew you in and made you read a book that you might never have otherwise read? Was there ever a cover that made you decide NOT to read a book? Why?
But the truth is, I do. And I would be willing to bet you do, too. A fascinating, exciting, mysterious, beautiful, wicked cover can pull you in faster than anything else about a book. Here are a few books that have covers I love:
The Arrival, by Shaun Tan - a graphic novel about the immigrant experience - the cover is a lovely sepia photograph of a man in a suit and hat with a suitcase in hand, confronting a strange little white critter of undefinable character, staring up at him with gaping mouth and perky tail. It feels both old-fashioned and otherworldly at one time, both comfortable and mysterious.
Because I am Furniture, by Thalia Chaltas is a mystery. The white cutout silhouette of a girl in a dress against a black and white room is intriguing, yet threatening. What is the problem that has rendered her no more than a cutout? Will she ever re-appear?Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci. Red. A city lit by golden lights high above a concrete wall. A gaping drain hole, rushing floodwaters. Where is the water coming from? What is it draining into? What city lurks above?Inexcusable by Chris Lynch. A blank field of whiteness, with nothing more than a girl's black bra discarded, accusingly, emptily, abandoned, meaningfully...
What cover do you love? What cover drew you in and made you read a book that you might never have otherwise read? Was there ever a cover that made you decide NOT to read a book? Why?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
New Books!
Shooting Star by Frederick McKissack - Jomo, a naturally talented athlete, starts taking performance enhancing drugs to be an even better football player, but finds that even as his game improves, he's losing control of the rest of his life.
Geektastic edited by Holly Black - short stories ranging from "Once you're a Jedi, you're a Jedi all the way" to "It's just a jump to the left" by Libba Bray, revel in teen geekhood.
Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne - Dark Guardian Volume 1 - Kayla works as a wilderness guide in the national forest where her parents were killed 12 years earlier; When Kayla meets Lucas, she learns that he is her guardian, and she has a destiny...
Crash into Me by Albert Borris - Four suicidal teens go on a "celebrity suicide road trip", visiting the graves of famous suicides, with the intention of ending their lives in Death Valley, Ca.
Taken by Norah McClintock - When Stephanie is abducted and abandoned in the woods, it takes all of her strength to survive.
Hancock Park by Isabel Kaplan - Becky's life is complicated; as she tries to fit in at her exclusive prep school and survive her parents divorce, she finds herself turning to her psychotherapist to cope, suffering anxiety and OCD. The author of this first novel was only 16 when she wrote it!
Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthea Liu - twelve year old Chinese American Paris Pan wants to fit in at her new school badly enough that she takes a dare to stay the night in a spooky woods, reputedly haunted by the ghost of a girl who died there years ago.
Gateway by Sharon Shinn - Daiyu, adopted at birth from China, steps through the St. Louis arch and finds herself in a new world where most everyone is Chinese, and discovers her new destiny.
Wicked Will by Bailey MacDonald - performing in the English town of Stratford-on-Avon in 1576, a young actress (disguised as a boy) and a local lad named Will Shakespeare uncover a murder mystery.
Year of the Horse by Justin Allen - Yen Tzu-lu, a child of Chinese immigrants, travels across the continent searching for a gold mine. He and his companions find danger, excitement, indians, soldiers and more...
Forest Born by Shannon Hale - Volume 4 of Bayern - when her beloved forest no longer gives her comfort and her brother Razo invites Rinna to the city to be one of Queen Ani's waiting women, she accepts, only to discover her own strength comes from unexpected places.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia - Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a newcomer to his small South Carolina town, whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her 16th birthday.
Geektastic edited by Holly Black - short stories ranging from "Once you're a Jedi, you're a Jedi all the way" to "It's just a jump to the left" by Libba Bray, revel in teen geekhood.
Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne - Dark Guardian Volume 1 - Kayla works as a wilderness guide in the national forest where her parents were killed 12 years earlier; When Kayla meets Lucas, she learns that he is her guardian, and she has a destiny...
Crash into Me by Albert Borris - Four suicidal teens go on a "celebrity suicide road trip", visiting the graves of famous suicides, with the intention of ending their lives in Death Valley, Ca.
Taken by Norah McClintock - When Stephanie is abducted and abandoned in the woods, it takes all of her strength to survive.
Hancock Park by Isabel Kaplan - Becky's life is complicated; as she tries to fit in at her exclusive prep school and survive her parents divorce, she finds herself turning to her psychotherapist to cope, suffering anxiety and OCD. The author of this first novel was only 16 when she wrote it!
Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthea Liu - twelve year old Chinese American Paris Pan wants to fit in at her new school badly enough that she takes a dare to stay the night in a spooky woods, reputedly haunted by the ghost of a girl who died there years ago.
Gateway by Sharon Shinn - Daiyu, adopted at birth from China, steps through the St. Louis arch and finds herself in a new world where most everyone is Chinese, and discovers her new destiny.
Wicked Will by Bailey MacDonald - performing in the English town of Stratford-on-Avon in 1576, a young actress (disguised as a boy) and a local lad named Will Shakespeare uncover a murder mystery.
Year of the Horse by Justin Allen - Yen Tzu-lu, a child of Chinese immigrants, travels across the continent searching for a gold mine. He and his companions find danger, excitement, indians, soldiers and more...
Forest Born by Shannon Hale - Volume 4 of Bayern - when her beloved forest no longer gives her comfort and her brother Razo invites Rinna to the city to be one of Queen Ani's waiting women, she accepts, only to discover her own strength comes from unexpected places.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia - Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a newcomer to his small South Carolina town, whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her 16th birthday.
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