Forgotten

The Land of Forgotten Girls came out before Hello Universe, which won the Newbery last year.  Last year Kelly published You Go First which I actually liked better than Universe.  I also really liked TLOFG more than HU, but still these three are really great books.  This one was good even though I really didn't like the main character.  I could understand why she was so unlikable, having had a really raw deal all of her young life, but wow, she was just super not likable, which made her more real. 

Sometimes

I think that I am far too old to connect with someone far younger than I.  The main character of Red Polka Dot in a World Full of Plaid just seems SO young to me that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I might have.  I can't say if this is a fair reading of the book, though.  I expected Maxine to have more understanding, a greater sense of the people around her and herself, but then I think, what do I know about being 18 anymore?  And could it be that other, more mature 18 year old book characters are simply TOO old.  I have criticized books before for having teen characters who have all of the right answers and can spout poetry, so why did Maxine's innocence bother me so much?
I like RPDIAWFOP's look at faith, though.  That was well done.  So I could recommend this, but I would like to see what real 18 year olds think about it.
I loved Varian Johnson's The Parker Inheritance, it was one of the best books I read last year and and will keep reading him.  I am just curios as to what others thought about the thoughts and feelings and actions of Maxine and how "real" they were.

Really Different

Courtney Summers has written a great book in Sadie and has told it in a unique way, as the book alternates between Sadie's POV and a podcast like Serial.  She has told it so well that the idea of book told at least in part as a podcast doesn't come across as a gimmick or cheesy.  And because of the nature of podcasts, this book was just meant for audio and so really enjoyed the listen.  I got so caught up in it that it was one of those books that I had to listen to the end and then go back just because the suspense was killing me. 

'Scuse Me While I

Meet the Sky was sadly, not as memorable as I would have liked it to have been.  As I wish all books were!  As they all deserve to be, because an author pours out his or her heart on to the page and then puts it out there for all to see.  And so I wish I could remember the books that I read as they deserve to be remembered.  I am sure that others will remember this one.  It just didn't stick with me.
The Carolinas recently faced Hurricane Rita and so this was timely.  I love people who live in Charleston, SC and in Chapel Hill, NC who had to evacuate and so this was on my heart and mind as I read this book.  But still it didn't stick.  Or maybe what did stick was the relationship between the main character, Sophie and Finn.  I didn't like Sophie or Finn as much as I should have, I guess.  I also wish that McCall Hoyle had gone into more of Meredith's story.   I can recommend this book, but for me, it was a four star instead of a five.

Timely

Probably books like Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish are timely at any time.  It's just that "these days" (the years the locusts ate, it seems) MVDSS seems especially meaningful.  Pablo Cartaya is also the author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora which I absolutely loved. 

Relationships are Complicated

especially when someone has been in an abusive one.  When I am Through with You was really good.  It made me think a lot.  I am not sure if the narrator is a reliable one.  It left me with a lot of questions.  I gave it 4 stars, really would have given it 4.5 if I could have, but maybe 4.9 would be better.  I am not sure.  It did make me feel very uncomfortable.  And I think that I wrongly take it down from 5 for that. It was just pretty creepy....

Nikki Grimes

Love her. 
Love all of her books.
Loved A Girl Named Mister. 
What a portrait of God's love and grace and kindness and people who try their best to live the way in in which He calls us. 
Thank you, Ms. Grimes. 

I Bet David Levithan Would Be Cheering Him On!

Reading The Art of Starving, I couldn't help but think of David Levithan.  How proud he must have been of Matt for the way he wanted so badly to thin!  If he were shipping characters he would probably be shouting, "Tell that to Julia who needs to lose a few pounds!"
Excellent book.  I loved so much about it that it has to be my number 2 pick, behind Dear Martin for the Printz Award. 
Funny and frightening and beautiful and painful and so real. 
I admit though that I wonder if I felt so much for this book because I myself struggle with food.  Those voices in Matt's ear were so familiar.  Especially the way he envied those around him who seemed able to eat without worry.  I loved this book.  If this is Mr. Miller's first novel, wow, I can't wait to read the next one. 

Katherine How Great Thou Art

I like the way that that Quakers talk in Lyddie.  I really liked Lyddie.  But that is not surprising, knowing the author is Katherine Paterson.  There are some very funny lines in Lyddie.  And the power of reading is subtly shown here.  This takes place in Lowell, MA and there still in an area in Lowell known as The Acre.  Bette Davis was born there, in Lowell. There is a lot to learn here.  And just an excellent story to enjoy. 

It-lee

I have never been to Italy and never had a desire to go, except to see all of the incredible art.     But after reading Love & Gelato I think I would like to go!  This was a very sweet story about love and parenthood and loss. 

Unexpected

I hadn't read too much about Jumping the Scratch before I started it, but I knew it was by Sarah Weeks, of course and I find her books to be just so very, very good.  And this one was no exception.  Thoughtful, painful, beautiful.  Real.  Yeah.  Great, great book.  I didn't want to read it at first, because the cat dying and all, but the description of the book tells you that right up front.  I mean, man, if a cat is going to die, then that is the way to tell it.  Let us know first!  Excellent. 

This one wasn't all I wanted it to be

I really want to love a book.  I mean, I think authors are incredibly talented and disciplined.  I can't even imagine being about to write a book, I have a hard enough time with writing a blog post that makes sense.  So every book I read, I want to give it 5 stars and mean it!  But for me, Lemons was one of the few books that I took a star from after a few days, instead of adding one.  That's not to say that was terrible.  It probably is a 3.5 star.  But it just didn't seem Newbery to me.  Maybe if I weren't reading it for the Newbery group, I would have rated it higher, not holding it to an "is this Newbery-worthy" standard.  But then again, I don't think I would have finished it if not for the group.  Again, not that it's a bad book.  It's a decent book.  A good book.  I am sure people love this book!  It just didn't hold my attention really, sadly. 

Very Interesting Concept!

See You in the Cosmos was really good.  Such a neat way it done, recordings on an iPod that Alex hopes to send into space where aliens can find it and learn all about life on earth.  It is neat!  But there is so much more-- mental illness, deadbeat dads, death, brothers and sisters, all kinds of things.  Just a great book.  Am I ready to say Newbery material?  Sure, yes!  But did it wowowowowow me?  Sadly, no, not wowowowow.  Just maybe wow.  Let's see what the next books will bring!

A Disco Inferno

Once I saw the Burn Baby Burn was written by Meg Medina who wrote Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass.  I bought it.  And I am so glad that I did.  I didn't know anything, really about 1977 in New York, and that is to my embarrassment.  There was the black out, and Son of Sam.
I knew about Son of Sam, but not that much.
Burn Baby Burn isn't about the Son of Sam or about the Black Out, per say, it is the story of a young girl, Nora, and her senior year in high school, her father who has a new family and seems to have forgotten is first family, except that he is sometimes on time with the rent check, even though he is very financially well off, her brother Hector who has serious anger issues and violent tendencies and now a drug dealing and drug using problem, and her first experience with love.
The ERA movement is also a back ground to Burn Baby Burn and while the 70s usually leave me a little cold, not sure why, this book was one I couldn't put down.  Medina is just such a great storyteller and Nora is so real.  Excellent.

Powerful Listen

I think that Seek would be a powerful book to read, but I KNOW it was a powerful book to hear.  It's Paul Fleischman at his very best.  Paul is the son.  Sid is the dad.   Both are amazing.  Rob Radkovitz is writing a school paper, a memoir. He is reflecting back upon the father that he never knew and how that has impacted him.  It is a portrayal of love and understanding and family.  So very, very well done.

That was...weird.

Weird isn't really a bad thing.  And Wink Poppy Midnight wasn't a bad book. It was just really, really weird.  It was poetic magical realism and floaty and heady and all of that.  And that isn't bad.  And it was really well written.  It was just really weird- for me!
Many write ups and ads for the book say that if one is a fan of Holly Black and/or We Were Liars, they will enjoy WPM.  I can totally see why that would be true.  This was more lyrical than those  WWL or any Holly Black book I have read, but I haven't read many.
It is told from three POVs.  The female characters are pretty unlikable, but yet still likable.  And the guy character was very likable in my opinion.  I was a little bit confused by it all, but I got the gist.  It's a smart book, I think.  And I didn't see the twist coming at all.  But it was a little too out there for me to give it more than 3 of 5 stars.  But that says more about me than the book.

The Ants Go Marching

At first I was put off by the language and masturbation jokes that fill the first few pages of We Are the Ants. Not because of the subject or the words but because I thought "this is approach has been done to death," thinking of Grasshopper Jungle and Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian.
But I read some reviews and I kept on reading and I am so thankful that I did. The book ended up being so much more than that and as I wrote this, I can't tell you with any certainly if there was any more swearing and/or masturbation stories. I actually would wager that there wasn't, but I wouldn't bet my life on it, but yeah, I would ante up some cash.
Thing is, I got sucked right into the story because there is A LOT in this story.
Here is the question that faces our hero: if you could press a button and save the world from destruction, would you do it?
So many issues arise in this book and it is so real-life. I mean, I hope there aren't too many teens who are dealing with: a loved one's dementia and decisions surrounding her care, a long-absent father, a boyfriend who committed suicide, a still-born baby, bullying, rape, depression and alien abduction all at once.
There are adults who deal with all of that at once, yes, I know for sure, but a 16 year old? I hope not too many.
Still because I sadly do know people who have had these kinds of troubles and more heaped upon them at once (okay-not the alien one) the book is completely real-life believable.
Is this Printz-worthy? In my humble opinion, I definitely think so.

Today

I saw Mr. Jerry Spinelli at the PSLA Conference in Hershey.  I heard him speak with Alan Gratz.  Of course, I had my Once in a Lifetime Amazing Spinelli Experience right here at the Hershey Lodge so many years ago.  When I saw Mr. Spinelli later in the exhibit hall I had to tell him how much I felt blessed by that time, all of those years ago.  He was so gracious and kind and let me take a picture of him and Lobster.  It was magical!

Eggs was magical, too.  A story of friendship and loss of a loved ones, either through abandonment or death.  And it was just magical and hopeful and tear and smile worthy.  Again, this Mr. Spinelli has done it, captured a real voice, well, real voices, of a 9 year old boy and a 13 year old girl.
Great book.  Highly recommended.

Normal is...

There are all of those sayings, well maybe there is just one saying, you know that one "normal is just a setting on a washing machine"?
What is "normal"?
There is no way to define normal, is there, really?
And even in the book title, Define "Normal" the Normal is in quotes.  And I know I have made air quotes around that word when speaking it aloud.
This book reminded me a bit of Don't You Dare Read this, Mrs. Dunphrey.  But not in that I was bored or feel like I didn't need to read it.  It was different enough.
This was very good.  And addressed the fact that every one has their own pain and problems and we can't rate or rank pain.

Perspective Matters

Had I read Dinner with the Smileys when I was younger, I would have probably enjoyed it more. When I was Sarah Smiley's age, maybe.  Maybe.  I am just not sure.
I came into it with a really positive attitude.  (I always try to think about my what my attitude was when I started a book when I end up not liking a book). I really was thinking I would enjoy this!
First of all I consider myself to be very patriotic.  I have tremendous respect for those who serve in our armed forces and for their families, for the sacrifices they make and for their bravery.  The other thing is, I am just starting to facilitate a non-fiction book group (super excited about this) and the group has picked this title and so I am just excited in general.  Also, it was recommended to me by my dear friend and she loved it!
So was I expecting too much?  That does happen sometimes!
But no, I really don't think in this case it was.
The first thing that bothered me was the realization that Sarah Smiley is a professional writer with weekly newspaper columns.  When I read the blurb, I didn't remember learning this.  I thought it was just a "regular" mom who was inspired by her family's situation and started posting on Facebook maybe, about these dinners and it all came from there.
But there just seemed someone a little...I don't know- at least different from what I thought when I realized she is an established writer.
The second thing that bugged me is TOTALLY minor and ridiculous, but I didn't like that she didn't know what the word ovulation meant.  I mean, that is just weird.  And maybe she did and she pretended she didn't know what it was in the book in a tongue-and-cheek way, just joking about not knowing what it was.  It was just weird.  And again, seemed a little disingenuous to me, like the fact that she is a professional writer.
The other thing, the biggest thing, is that while she does mention that some people have it so much worse than she and her boys did, I just couldn't get way from thinking, "Lady.  Some people's daddies and mommies will never come home."  I feel terrible feeling that way.  She DOES admit to that.  But I think combined with her being a professional writer, when I read "75 of our friends came to the airport to great him" when her husband is home from his deployment, I just couldn't help but think"hmmm."
But Sarah Smiley is young.
And she does seem like a lovely person.
And I can't imagine what it would be like to be away from one's spouse for a year while he or she is off serving in the military around the world.
But I thought about all those non-professional writers who won't be gathering with 75 of their closest friends, some of whom are Boston Red Sox ball players to greet their loved one home.
And I think it would be awesome if she continues to live out the rest of her life that way!  I wish everyone could.