Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Skottie Young

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2013

It’s utterly inappropriate and out of time for me to review a NEIL GAIMAN book.  Especially after it’s been released and reviewed by hundreds.  Maybe thousands.  Still, why not?

Gaiman’s dedication is lovely “For my late father, David, who would have told the tale with delight, and for my son, Michael, who would never had believed a word of it.  With love.”  Reading this book intended for younger children is just fun.  Don’t let your age get in the way of believing.  Even when the ponies with blue stars show up.

With their mother away on a business trip, the children discover there is no milk for breakfast.  Naturally, their father goes to get some, but he’s gone sooooo long. When their father returns, he explains the odd things that happened to him.  Aliens, pirates, Professor Steg’s Floaty-Ball-Person-Carrier and all manner of other people.  After all, it’s all true.  And there’s the milk to prove it.

For students reading alone, this is best for grades 3-6.  But, read it to your kindergartner!  Read it to your 1st grader.  Read to your middle schooler. (I will!)

Highly recommended:  All ages

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Mass

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Copyright: 2013

Two weeks ago I review the first book in the series Throne of Glass.  I was lucky enough to get the second book yesterday at the public library.  Very lucky.  Actually, I often think that the second book in a trilogy is a necessary evil.  Not good by itself, but providing the necessary information to have an exciting end.  Sometimes, I think we get so caught up in the idea of trilogies, that we don’t realize we didn’t nee the second book – it’s main ideas could have been incorporated to one of the other ones.  There are notable exceptions.  Catching Fire was too good to be missed!  So is Crown of Midnight.

I admit that I wanted Celaena to the person that she is.  I hoped for it.  I like her and I didn’t want her to be an assassin.  But she is an assassin.  So how could I like her?  She’s the King’s Champion but hates the king.  She’s an 18 year old who wants to live her own life freely, but can’t.  And maybe others around her are actually in worse positions.  Should she trust the Captain of the Guard?  Or the Prince?  Or the Princess Nehemia?  Celaena sets out to learn to read the Wyrdmarks.  Will it help?

Will Celaena tell one secret too many?  And what is the truth about magic?  Too many questions with some surprising twists and turns keep the story moving along.  The author has said the next book is out Fall 2014.  I’m almost tempted to tell you to wait til you have all three and can read right through.  But, maybe not.   Read the first two and enjoy the wait.

Highly Recommended:  Grades 6 & up

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Publisher Harcourt Children’s Books
Copyright: 2012

The cover of the paperback version I read of this book had an author’s quote saying roughly that if Neil Gaiman and the Grimm Brothers had a child who was a writer, it would be Ms. Kontis.  Such a combination advertisement was irresistible.

Sunday is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter.  Her father is a seventh son.  With that genetic makeup, you can be assured that an adventure is at hand.

Sunday is the youngest, overlooked daughter.  Her only comfort is her writing, but her stories have an unfortunate effect of coming true.  So Sunday tries to write only her history, so nothing will change.  She befriends a frog, who is, of course, a magicked prince.  Then her aunt arrives from Faire, her frog friend disappears and things get interesting.

Enchanted is one of those books that throw as many fairy tales as possible in one situation.  You can have a fun time with a classroom discussion seeing how many references you get in just one chapter.  It’s a fun read and the subtitle (Woodcutter Sisters book #1) did not scare me away.  It shouldn’t scare you either.  Enjoy the book!

Recommended: Grades 5 & up

Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2012

To start at the end, I am planning to purchase the three e-book prequel novellas.  Just saying.

18 year old Celaena Sardothien, a renown assassin,  is plucked from the death camp by the Crown Prince.  She is to fight for the position of King’s Champion.  The same king that sent her to the death camp in the first place.  The Captain of the Guard doesn’t trust her but is sworn to protect her.  Magic is gone from the world, but magic seems to be killing the Champions.

A mystical queen from the long distant past tells Celaena to win the position of Champion and clear the menacing evil from the palace.  Who should she trust?  Why does everyone not appear as they are?  Celaena must win through, but at what cost to herself?  And what choice does she have?

The story runs fast-paced and twists and turns quite unexpectedly.  Early on, its evident that there will be more books.  No matter.  I still enjoyed this one tremendously.  I just have to pick up Book 2:  Crown of Glass (released in Fall 2013).

Highly Recommended:  Grades 6 & up

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Between the Lines

By Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leeren the Lines

Publisher: First Simon Pulse
Copyright 2012

Continuing to pull out books from the YALSA Top Ten Teen Nominees (2013), I know when I see a Jodi Picoult book I need to read it.  Especially to find out if the book is appropriate for my middle school library.  I’ve read several Picoult books.  I won’t say I love them.  I will say that they effect me tremendously.  I rarely reread one simply because the emotional content is so huge, I can barely contain it.  She is an incredible author.

This book, written by Ms. Picoult and her daughter, is not a standard Picoult book.  Instead, we have a fairy tale.  15 year old Delilah is a loner.  She reads, especially fairy tales, plays chess and sits at the geek lunch table.  16 year old Prince Oliver is charming, handsome, witty, intelligent and a character in a fairy tale book.  And somehow the real Delilah and the character Prince Oliver find themselves able to talk and discover things.  Oliver wants out of the story.  Delilah needs a friend.  This is a lovely story of “what if” with books and characters.

The things that aren’t great in the book are numerous.  First, Delilah is in high school, but feels very middle-school(ish).  I don’t think the character works well.  The ending is simplified.  The story is cute and the pages in the printed book change color.  Really.  Every chapter is a different color and the colors don’t appear to connect to whether it’s real world or fairy tale world.  After the first 50 pages, it tends to be annoying.

Still, I think a number of kids will enjoy the story.  Part of my problem is probably being a Jodi Picoult fan.  This really isn’t one of her books.

Recommended:  Grades 5 & up

The Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan

(via NetGalley)

Daisy has moved schools frequently, but she’s really just trying to fit in.  Okay, so only her best friend knows she lives in a trailer.  And, maybe she has a little problem with electrical components like cell phones, etc.  The electrical surge in her tends to fry the electronics.  It’s weird, but the really weird is when she discovers Vivi trying to overdose to get to her ghost lover.  Daisy, her best friend Danielle, and Vivi are tied together dealing with a ghost.  A real ghost who uses Daisy’s “gift” of electricity to “break through”.  But everything is not what it seems.  The handsome senior, Kevin, is interested in Daisy. Vivi has a ghost boyfriend and Danielle’s on the outside.  Yet, there’s more that ties the three girls together.  Can Daisy get control of her “gift” in time to make a difference?  Does Daisy have what it takes?

This is a fast paced book that handles the pathos that is high school while exploring the ties that bind over times or even over lifetimes.

Recommended: Grades 7+

Challenging Reading? To Whom?

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Copyright: 2012

Sometimes I wonder if books we (the adults) consider challenging is really challenging to our kids or just to us.  If you found this book in your school library (middle or high) would you get upset?  A middle school can get away with not having this book in the school by claiming the lead character is a graduating senior.  Would you want this book to be available in your school library?  You be the judge, if you can read past page 8.

“Beautiful Music for Ugly Children” is the name of Gabe’s radio show which plays for one hour on the community radio station – midnight on Fridays.  Gabe, who is legally known as Elizabeth, is about to graduate high school.  He’s explained to his family that he really isn’t a girl – his body is just shaped that way.  He’s focused on playing his “B” side – being Gabe in public instead of just with his family.  Gabe’s a total music nerd and his radio show is an amazing hit.  Every week the Ugly Children Brigade follow his instructions to do cool, non-damaging stunts.  But what happens when the two sides of Gabe/Elizabeth collide?  Why do the guys get more upset with him than the girls do?

Gabe is a well-crafted character, even allowing for unanswered questions like where the name Gabe came from.  His family reactions aren’t overstated; if anything they are understated to the realities so many people face.  Gabe faces violence, disbelief and acceptance from some as the story takes you through his head and his heart and his life.   I really like the lines “That’s what bites about the future – there’s no way to predict it.  You just have to show up and see what happens.”

Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War by Thomas B. Allen and Roger MacBride Allen

Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph, Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Iron-Clads, High Powered Weapons and More to Win the Civil War by Thomas B. Allen & Roger MacBride Allen

Quick, which President of the United States holds a patent?  Okay, no fair, you read the title.  But what is the patent he holds?

The Southern states succession starts after Lincoln wins the election and before he is sworn in as President in March of the following year.  He died days after the end of the war.  Yet, he founded invention, provided land grants for colleges and land for the poor.

Did you know that Confederate soldiers could not shoot down surveillance balloons?  Any idea why?  Check out the book.  A little physics is involved.  You can handle it.

Recommended Grades 5 & up

The Odd Squad: Bully Bait by Michael Fry

 

The Odd Squad: Bully Bait by Michael Fry (via NetGalley)

Publication Date: February 12, 2013

It’s rough being the shortest seventh grader in the school.  Nick is shoved in his locker every day.  Maybe he should bring “the crazy” like Mr. Dupree thinks.  Or maybe he should be part of a larger group like the counselor suggests.  (Who really wants to be on the middle school safety patrol?)  But sometimes, when a kid goes too far, he finds that maybe the bully is the one in the mirror.

Michael Fry’s drawings make this a fast-paced, enjoyable and humorous book.  This is a great way of introducing bullies and ways of dealing with them.  Just having friends can make a difference in your world.

Recommended Grades: 4+

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Published:  September 2011

Sometimes you read a book to feel good.  Sometimes you escape.  Sometimes you explore.

This book is to have a good cry.  It is short.  It is intense, powerful, visual (the art is incredible), striking, lyrical (yes, really!), funny (in a weird way that diffuses the tension), and very, very sad.  Conor is expecting the monster.  Every night at 12:07 a.m.  Conor is afraid and is not afraid of the monster when it finally comes.  The monster tells Conor three stories.  Interspersed with those stories are the daylight hours of going to school, facing the bully, facing the sympathy, and dealing with, or more likely ignoring, his mother’s illness.

The monster’s three stories and Conor’s fourth one tie together brilliantly.  But, oh, the emotions that churn!  Yet, maybe we all need to speak with the monster and learn from the stories.

Recommended: Grades 6 & up.