Once upon a time, there was a fabulous teen librarian who liked to read and to cook about as much as she loved to travel, and nearly as much as she loved a case of the terribles and her crusty sidekick, Le Creuset...
Naturally, I picked up. Friday was my birthday. The universe was all about my birthday, thoughtfully scheduling the Harry Potter 7 release for my special special day. But then. BUT THEN. As I was tidying up the library, about to head out to go see my magical high school dropout friends, I came across a folded up note which quite possibly could be called the best thing I've ever found abandoned in a library ever. I should preface by saying I was really sad when I stopped working in a children's room mostly because I thought my days of finding weird yet wonderful notes from the weird yet wonderful minds of children were over. But no. The teens have stepped up the game and the wit. Behold, the best thing I've ever found in a library ever:
Universe, I dare you to outdo this.
Blink and Caution, by Tim Wynne-Jones Candlewick Press ARC - Publication date March 2011 ISBN: 978-0-7636-3983-9
Blink and Caution are two invisible Canadian runaways living rough in Toronto. Blink, actually homeless, has run from his abusive family and finds himself living day to day, surviving by playing The Breakfast Game, or sneaking into hotels to eat leftover room service. A fateful round of the Breakfast Game game leads Blink to witness what appears to be a crime, and leaves him chasing lose ends and a photo of the alleged victims daughter. Caution has been living running from her own demons and living with a drug dealing older boyfriend. She realizes he's cheating and makes off with his stash of money. Both on the run, the two meet when one robs the other but has a change of heart. It's not long before these two are reliant upon each other when they find themselves in cottage country Canada in this fast paced, high stakes adventure. Tim Wynne-Jones makes us feel their pain, shame, and pride in being strong enough to run away, but shows us they need to be lost to help each other find themselves. This Canadian thriller has a surprising ending, and is best for teens aged 13 and up for mild sexual references, business lingo, and some philosophical soul-searching.
While I enjoyed reading this book, I thought it would be a lot crazier in the action/adventure department so I'm in turn pleased but not extraordinarily enthused. Except about the Canada parts...which I will get to. I think it's because the stakes seem high until they are laid out and because SPOILER ALERT: nobody gets hurt at all. It's more a story of kids with nothing and nothing to lose finding themselves; like I said in the review proper, these lost kids needed to lose themselves to find themselves and recover from their respective pasts. I personally enjoyed the Canadian scenery; as an alumni of a certain university in Kingston, Ontario, I spent a goodly portion of the first half of the book eagerly awaiting their arrival. Having lived there in fall and winter, I assure you that when Tim Wynne-Jones describes the desolate color of the sky ("The sky over Kingston looks like someone stuck a giant syringe into it and sucked out all the color," p 181), he is not exaggerating. Nor is he exaggerating when he describes the location of the Sleepless Goat and the Army Navy Surplus! It was like strolling down memory lane. Snaps for your invocation of vivid walks down Princess, Senior Wynne-Jones! You saved me a seven hour car ride and a trip through customs!
All in all, this is a fun book and while it may not be for everyone (judging from the somewhat anticlimcatic yet satisfying climax), it would be best for the 7th-9th grade crew (some mild sexuality and the need to understand why someone would choose to be lost required), and may be sellable to the type who only reads thrillers.
Book Talk Hook: Read the passage about Blink sneaking up to the lodge at the tail end of Chapter 29 - cliffhanger!
The Joshua Files: Invisible City. M.G. Harris (July 20, 2010). Walker & Co: NY. ISBN: 9780802720955.
ARC Copy from ALA Midwinter 2010.
Josh may be just your average English schoolboy, but his dad is a renowned Mexican archaeologist working on finding a lost ancient Mayan scroll foretelling the end of the world in 2012.But when he is killed in a very suspicious plane crash on a fact finding mission in Mexico, Josh is left with more questions than answers about his father’s work, his dealings with a beautiful young woman in Mexico, and most importantly, about whether or not the crash was actually an accident.Josh sets off to find the answers to his questions in Mexico with two of his friends, but things get fishy almost immediately and he is separated from them and on the run for his life in the Mexican jungle.Josh discovers not only what his father was looking, but also a city lost to the known world deep in the Mexican jungle, and more shockingly that his family is deeply entwined in the prophecy regarding the end of the world in 2012.This story is an adrenaline filled adventure with a several jolting pensive moments, and is peppered with interesting historical facts about Mayan civilization (like how to read hieroglyphs) and fun sci-fi twists.It is recommended for boys in grades 5-8, particularly series readers, as this appears to be the first of at least two (The Joshua Files).
I procured my ARC copy of this book back in January at ALA’s midwinter, when the pub date of May 2010 seemed a long way off.And look at todays date, when I am finally posting the review I just wrote.Well played, madam.Since I figured I needed to read more books clearly marketed to boys, it was the first in my giant stack I picked up, and I was actually pleasantly surprised, largely because the writing, unlike many of the boy market generated books, is actually pretty solid, and the story, while somewhat predictable at points, manages to feel original and exciting!The author isn’t afraid to shock his readers; I actually got a little teary after the loss of a certain character.Allegedly.With 2012 and the predicted end of the world around the corner, I think this is a fun book to pick up, and easy to sell to boys of the upper elementary/middle school years.Mostly, I really want to see the real cover.My ARC cover promises me that the “final cover will include special effect.”Like WHAT.Because magpie that I am, I like me some shiny things, Walker & Co.!
In related but not news, while going to post this, I discovered that it is not actually coming out until July 20th, and that the author is in fact a woman.To which I say well played, because I really thought that with the way this character thinks and talks, said androgynously named M.G.Harris did not possess a Y chromosome.Well played Lady Harris!Finally – what is up with the new cover?The art is really gorgeous...but my ARC cover is much more cool grown up thriller book looking.Behold:
If you are an eleven year old boy trying to look cool, which are you going to pick up? I think my point makes itself. But more importantly: Where are those promised special effects?
I have recently begun a project at work to film our book talks to help kids choose which books (from off of our 71 page summer reading list) to read for summer reading. It is a slightly more personalized way to get an idea or feeling about a book. Great idea, right? I KNOW. That's why I thought of it!
Except one small problem. I am now on the interwebs. And high def is unforgiving. And now I am well aware that the back of my head has hair that is doing crazy gravity-defying things. Today's book talk(s) for Dairy Queen, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, made this sad fact abundantly clear. Also, now you can make fun of my acting skillz. Or lack thereof.
Moral of the story: I need a hair cut (or them all cut, right Popstar?).
I have been meaning to post these since the dawn of time. Lies. Really though, since February 23rd, whence I first actually wrote them. SO. Here are some very brief annotations for two books. This was done for my work summer reading list. Liked later, and was impressed by the writing skillz on the first...but I'll just say that I really only recommend one of them. The one I liked. That is all.
Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunn
On a small island nation that reveres the English nation, tragedy strikes when a sign with the country motto “A quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” begins to loose its letters. With each fallen letter banned from being spoken or written under the fear of banishment or death, the islanders are in a race to find a new motto including every letter in the English language – before they are silenced all-together!
(Good for high schoolers who can appreciate the wordplay and/or are learning about exile).
Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
A young man sets off on a quest into the walled off world of Faerie to find a fallen star for his beloved, who has promised him a kiss if he brings it back to her. This new fairy tale is filled with adventure, humor, danger, romance, wit, and magic; in short, just what every non-Grimm fairy tale needs!
(Fun! Fun! I love fairy tales! Great for 8th-10th graders and older; some sexytimes if that is a concern for you. Probs an easier sell to girls than boys, but the added perk of a movie may sway reluctant readers.)
