Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Summary: 15-year old Liz is hit by a car and killed, and finds herself in Elsewhere, a place where the aging process is reversed and everyone is getting younger, until they are sent back to earth again as babies.
Rating: 4 out 5
Comments: I started this book a year or two ago but I can't remember why I didn't finish it (I hadn't gotten very far). It is an amazing book, and so original. Even if you have a pretty good idea of what life after death will be like, this book will have you examining what you really believe. Liz is upset because not only will she never turn 16 and get her driver's license, she also will never grow up and fall in love. But she discovers that Elsewhere is much like earth, and that by leaving, she will miss out on her second "life." I would recommend it to anyone. It is a young adult book, but I think readers of all ages will enjoy it.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Teacher's Funeral
The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts by Richard Peck (juvenile fiction)
Summary: Russell Culver, a fifteen year old boy growing up in the midwest at the turn of the century, has his world turned upside down when his recently deceased teacher is replaced by his older sister.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Comments: Peck is best known for his Newberry honor book, A Long Way from Chicago, and Newberry winner, A Year Down Yonder. I loved both of those books, and this book didn't disappoint. I think it is a lot harder to find a book that a 10-year boy would like than a book a 10-year old girl would like, and this book definitely would appeal to the boys and girls alike. The main character, Russell, wants nothing to do with school, but dreams of taking off to the Dakotas and farming there. His experiences are hilarious and the supporting characters (Flopears and Little Britches, among others) are intriguing and fun. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading Peck's books to my own children when they are a little older.
Summary: Russell Culver, a fifteen year old boy growing up in the midwest at the turn of the century, has his world turned upside down when his recently deceased teacher is replaced by his older sister.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Comments: Peck is best known for his Newberry honor book, A Long Way from Chicago, and Newberry winner, A Year Down Yonder. I loved both of those books, and this book didn't disappoint. I think it is a lot harder to find a book that a 10-year boy would like than a book a 10-year old girl would like, and this book definitely would appeal to the boys and girls alike. The main character, Russell, wants nothing to do with school, but dreams of taking off to the Dakotas and farming there. His experiences are hilarious and the supporting characters (Flopears and Little Britches, among others) are intriguing and fun. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading Peck's books to my own children when they are a little older.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Book of a Thousand Days
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Summary: The story of Dashti, maid and "mucker (one who helps to heal through song) to Lady Saren, who survives banishment to a tower, to find that she is the only one who can save the people from evil Lord Khaser.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Comments: Of course anything I read after Breaking Dawn was going to be a little hard to get into. But this was a good book. Not my favorite Shannon Hale (that would be Austenland), but I did enjoy it. Hale always writes such believable female lead characters, and this book was no exception. Lady Saren was annoying (although I think she was supposed to be), which really seves to prove just how strong Dashti is. And although she isn't beautiful on the outside, it doesn't really matter. The boy falls for her anyway. That's always fun.
This book is loosely based on a fairy tale, but seemed original and refreshing to me. I am just not a huge fan of fantasy/fairy tales, which is why I didn't LOVE this book, but it was a fun read.
On a personal note, I love how Shannon Hale has been standing up for Stephenie Meyer, and defending author's in general. I think I can appreciate her books so much more when I understand her motivation for writing them.
Summary: The story of Dashti, maid and "mucker (one who helps to heal through song) to Lady Saren, who survives banishment to a tower, to find that she is the only one who can save the people from evil Lord Khaser.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Comments: Of course anything I read after Breaking Dawn was going to be a little hard to get into. But this was a good book. Not my favorite Shannon Hale (that would be Austenland), but I did enjoy it. Hale always writes such believable female lead characters, and this book was no exception. Lady Saren was annoying (although I think she was supposed to be), which really seves to prove just how strong Dashti is. And although she isn't beautiful on the outside, it doesn't really matter. The boy falls for her anyway. That's always fun.
This book is loosely based on a fairy tale, but seemed original and refreshing to me. I am just not a huge fan of fantasy/fairy tales, which is why I didn't LOVE this book, but it was a fun read.
On a personal note, I love how Shannon Hale has been standing up for Stephenie Meyer, and defending author's in general. I think I can appreciate her books so much more when I understand her motivation for writing them.
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