Ghosts of Tupelo Landing (2014)

Ghosts of Tupelo Landing. Sheila Turnage. 2014. Penguin. 368 pages. [Source: Library]

I enjoyed reading The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing. I am not sure I loved, loved, loved it as much as the first book, Three Times Lucky. But I'm not sure that matters. What I loved most about the first book is still present in the second.

Primarily what I love about both books is the narration by Miss Moses LoBeau (Mo). I love, love, love her voice, her narration. She's a wonderful character. I love seeing things through her eyes. I love getting to spend time in her community, getting to spend time with her own, unique family, getting to spend time with her friends. This is a book that is just oh-so-easy to enjoy. The writing just has an oh-so-right feel to it.

Mo and her best friend, Dale, have a challenge or two to face in this mystery. Miss Lana has just bought--impulsively bought--an old inn that is haunted. When she bid at the auction, she had no idea that it was haunted. (Not that Miss Lana believes in ghosts.) But Mo and Dale in their exploring before and after, know that it is in fact haunted. And, I believe, it is Dale that impulsively signs him and Mo up to interview the ghost for a history assignment. Regardless if it was Mo or Dale following an impulsive, this quick and hasty decision proves challenging from start to finish. How can they prove the ghost is real? Especially since they don't see it or feel it every time they visit the inn? And even if they happen to capture the ghost in a photo, how are they going to ask interview questions and record the answers?!

Ghosts of Tupelo Landing is a mystery novel. There is a mystery--from the past--to be solved from the community's past.

What I liked best about this one is the characterization, the setting, the writing itself. I also really liked meeting the new kid in town, Harm Crenshaw. I wasn't thrilled with the actual mystery in this one. The ghost story itself.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Tell Me (2014)

Tell Me. Joan Bauer. 2014. Penguin. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

I have loved some of Joan Bauer's novels in the past, titles like Rules of the Road and Hope Was Here. I didn't exactly love, love, love Tell Me. Not as much as I was hoping to anyway.

Tell Me is a middle grade novel starring a twelve-year-old girl named Anna. She's been involved in drama--acting--for most of her life. Her current job, her current role, is dressing up as a cranberry for a store at the mall. She loves to dance and be silly and crazy, anything to bring in a crowd. Change is coming, however. Anna isn't exactly welcoming it. Her parents have been fighting a lot. She fears divorce is coming. She loves her Dad oh-so-much. But even she can't deny that he's had problems with controlling his anger since he lost his job. He has changed, their family dynamics have changed. Now her parents are separated and in counseling. Her mom wants her to spend the summer with her grandmother. Her mom needs her to spend the summer with her grandmother. Even though this isn't the way she thought she'd be spending her summer, she handles it relatively well. She arrives. She meets new people. She gets a new role: this time dressing up as a petunia. She makes new friends. She learns to trust herself. She learns to speak up. She learns to ride a horse.

One day, presumably while dressed up as a petunia in the library, she witnesses something disturbing. She sees a scratched-up van arrive in the parking lot. Their is a scared-looking girl being dragged by an Asian woman. They want to know where the bathroom is. Minutes later she sees this same girl try to make a run for it in the parking lot. Anna's instincts say that this girl--this girl that appears to be around her own age--is in big, big trouble. She needs help. Probably. Definitely. Could she be a kidnap victim? Anna is frantic to remember as much as she possibly can. She records all the details she can remember--and she adds to this list throughout a week or two. She is determined to do something, to act, to not let this go until she knows the girl is safe. The local sheriff is unconvinced. But. Anna is one stubborn girl. Surely there are adults that will listen, that will act.

I liked this one. It was a quick read.
© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Seven 2014 Picture Books

Santa Clauses: Short Poems From the North Pole by Bob Raczka. 2014. Lerner Publishing Group. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

December 1rst
Wishes blowing in
from my overfilled mailbox--
December's first storm.

I enjoyed reading Bob Raczka's Santa Clauses. The book is a poetic countdown to Christmas. Each of the twenty-five poems is written from Santa's perspective. Each poem is dated. Each poem is haiku. I found this to be a delightful read. I loved some of the poems. I liked all of them, for the most part, but there were a few I did LOVE. The book gives young readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at Santa's life. Very cute.
Some of my favorites:

December 3rd
Mrs. Claus making
an angel, becoming a
little girl again.

December 10th
The north wind and I
whistling to "Let It Snow!"
on the radio.

I would definitely recommend it. I've read it a few times now, and I just love it more each time.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

A Little Women Christmas. Heather Vogel Frederick. 2014. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

For people who LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, I think this one is well worth reading and rereading. I have read the novel once or twice, certainly enjoyed it well enough, but it's never been one that I've gushed about or LOVED passionately.

This picture book focuses on one of the Christmases written about within Little Women. The 22nd chapter of Little Women. The illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline are wonderful. If you're a fan of his work, you'll probably want to seek this one out because they are BEAUTIFUL.

I do think it is a picture book for older readers. I think it's a beautiful book for fans of the book or movie.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Once Upon An Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters. Oliver Jeffers. 2014. Penguin. 112 pages. [Source: Library]

It opens with the premise: "If words make up stories, and letters make up words, then stories are made of letters. In this menagerie we have stories, made of words, made for all the letters."

Once Upon An Alphabet is indeed a book of twenty-six "short stories," one for each letter. The stories can best be described as odd and quirky. I think you have to have a certain sense of humor to "get" the stories and how they all fit together, if they indeed do fit all together. (Some do fit together. I know. But do all twenty-six fit together? I'm not as sure of that.)

This one will definitely be for older readers, not preschoolers. This is NOT Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. But I wouldn't say that it's a book that would appeal to one and all, a book with universal appeal. I could see how some readers might LOVE it and others not so much.

I liked some stories, some letters, better than others. A few I didn't like at all. A few I really did enjoy. But I didn't LOVE this one. I do think it's an interesting premise, however.

Text: 3.5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3.5 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

Penguin in Peril. Helen Hancocks. 2014. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

One afternoon, three hungry cats ran out of food. They searched the house high and low and found three gold coins. They set off for the grocery store. On their way, the cats passed a movie theater. A movie called The Fishy Feast was playing. They handed over the three gold coins and went in. 

Three cats are inspired by a movie, The Fishy Feast, to kidnap a penguin. Why do they want a penguin? The way they see it, a penguin can catch fish for them. But will the kidnapped penguin agree to such a scheme? Or will the penguin find a way to escape? Will the cats' scheme result in a bounty of fish or in jail time?!

I liked this one. I can't say I loved it particularly. But I thought it was creative and playful. Definitely worth reading at least once.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 5

The Animals' Santa. Jan Brett. 2014. Penguin. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

"It's your first Christmas Eve, Little Snow. The animals' Santa comes tonight!" Big Snowshoe told his little brother. "Who is the animals' Santa?" Little Snow asked. "We don't know who he is," Big Snowshoe said. "Did you ever see him?" Little Snow asked. "No," the forest animals chimed in. "But we find presents from him on Christmas."

For those of all ages who love Jan Brett, who love, love, love Jan Brett, I think you'll find much to love and appreciate in her newest picture book, The Animals' Santa. The Animals' Santa is in many ways similar to her previous books. (Incredibly detailed illustrations with animals and nature as the subject.)

In The Animals' Santa readers meet Little Snow, Big Snowshoe, and their animal friends. Every animal is happy to share what he/she knows about the "animals' Santa." One by one, they recall what they've received in previous years, trying to show Little Snow, the skeptic, that the animals' Santa is real, and, that he is coming that night. Every animal seems to have an idea of *who* the animals' Santa might be. But all the talking does little to change Little Snow's mind.

Readers will discover along with Little Snow and all the other animals just who the animals' Santa is. I was a bit surprised by the twist in this one, it was not who I was expecting it to be.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

The Book With No Pictures. B.J. Novak. 2014. Penguin. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

There are no illustrations in this picture book. The book exists in order to make adults reading aloud to children say silly things in silly voices. That is the oh-so-simple premise. That words can be entertaining even if they aren't accompanied by pictures. The premise isn't a bad one necessarily. That being said, I want pictures in a picture book. The text can be as over-the-top and silly and ridiculous as can be. It can say things like "My only friend in the whole wide world is a hippo named Boo Boo Butt". It won't change my mind, I still want pictures.

I don't think it takes a picture-less book to get adults to read dramatically and make listeners giggle. I think that is just a part of reading books aloud to kids. Depending on the book, of course, some books may be funnier than others and allow for more opportunities.

The book is also "interactive" in that it addresses the reader directly. This has been done in other picture books, better picture books with actual illustrations. My favorite happens to be We Are In A Book by Mo Willems. And earlier this year there was Help! We Need a Title!

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: none
Total: 3 out of 5

The Great Thanksgiving Escape. Mark Fearing. 2014. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

It was another Thanksgiving at Grandma's. "You can play in here with the rest of the kids," Gavin's mother told him. "We'll call you when the turkey's ready." "Have fun!" Gavin's dad called. But Gavin knew it was not going to be fun. Not fun at all. "Hey," someone whispered. It was his cousin Ronda. "What do you say we break out of here and head for the swing set in the backyard?"

How much fun will Gavin have on Thanksgiving at his Grandma's house? More fun that he expected at any rate, in large part due to his cousin, Rhonda. These two sneaky kids team up. The mission: escape the house and actually have some FUN. But it won't be easy. There are obstacles on the path to freedom. And one of those obstacles is "the GREAT WALL OF BUTTS!" There are also zombies to avoid. (Who are the zombies? The teenagers in the basement that are playing video games or on their phones/tablets.) There are SO MANY people in this house: dozens of adults, dozens of kids, dozens of teens. Gavin's family must be HUGE or else Grandma invited the whole neighborhood. Either way, Gavin is going to have a memorable Thanksgiving.

I didn't love this one. I didn't hate this one. I've never really found a Thanksgiving book that I actually loved.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Death of a Schoolgirl (2012)

Death of a Schoolgirl (Jane Eyre Chronicles #1) Joanna Campbell Slan. 2012. Berkley Trade. 340 pages. [Source: Library]

My expectations were low, so I was quite pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable this Jane Eyre mystery was. It may not be perfectly perfect from start to finish. There might be a paragraph or two here and there that bothered me. (For example, I didn't understand why Mrs. Fairfax was pushing Jane Eyre to take the family diamonds with her on her visit to Adele's school. Here she was going to check on the child's welfare, and Mrs. Fairfax is urging her to take jewels so she can dress up for her hosts in London?! I don't know if part of me thought it was foreshadowing--for better or worse--but when she put them in her reticule, I wanted to shout WHY are you traveling with expensive jewelry?!?! Why?! And sure enough--predictably enough--Jane Eyre gets robbed on her way to London. See! I told you not to take the family jewels!) But for the most part, I found the book to be an entertaining read.

Mrs. Rochester (aka Jane Eyre) is a new mother. She loves, loves, loves her new baby boy. But. When she receives a short letter from Adele with a French message included asking--begging--for help, she decides to leave her husband and son behind to check on Adele at her boarding school. If all is well, if it is just Adele being Adele, being childish and wanting her own way, then she may leave her at the school. If the school is less than ideal, if she does not like what she sees--how she sees the children being treated, if she thinks Adele's misery is justifiable, then she may take her out of the school. Because Jane Eyre was beaten up by the thief, because she doesn't particularly look RICH and IMPORTANT, she is initially mistaken as the new German teacher who was supposed to arrive several weeks earlier. That first day Jane Eyre is a bit flabbergasted and too overwhelmed to correct anyone. She has just learned that one of Adele's classmates was murdered. Eventually, one of the teachers convinces Jane that she should continue the deception, that she should resume her teaching duties temporarily and watch over the students herself. She debates what is best. Should she take Adele immediately to safety and let others solve the crime? Or should she become an amateur detective herself and work as a team with others to help solve the case?

Is Jane Eyre the best detective ever? Not really. But to me that almost doesn't matter. I liked spending time in her company. The setting intrigued me. I had never placed Jane Eyre in the Regency time period. But here we have the sequel set during the reign of George IV, and Queen Caroline, the scandalous Queen Caroline has not died yet. This places the book within a specific time frame. The sprinkling of historical details may not speak to all readers. Little details can be easily dismissed or ignored. But to me it's the little things that help ground a book. The book does deal with prejudices and judgments: how the lower classes feel about the upper classes, how the poor feel about the rich, how the rich feel about the poor, do they see them as human, are they compassionate and kind, or, haughty or cruel. One of the characters is VERY prejudiced against French people. Again and again we see characters making judgments or being judged. Sometimes the people that are being judged in certain situations are making judgments about others just a chapter or two later.

There were places I loved this one. There were places I merely liked it. But at times it just felt RIGHT. Maybe it didn't feel RIGHT cover to cover. But I read it quickly and enjoyed it very much.
© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Absolutely Almost (2014)

Absolutely Almost. Lisa Graff. 2014. Penguin. 304 pages [Source: Library]

I loved Absolutely Almost. I think I loved it at least as much as Umbrella Summer. Maybe even a little bit more. I don't know. Time will tell. I don't actually have to choose between the two, right?! I can LOVE two GREAT books by one very talented middle grade author, can't I?!

Albie is the protagonist of Absolutely Almost. His narration gives the book a just right feel. It's a satisfying read about a boy who struggles with meeting expectations: his parents, his grandparents, his teachers, his own. He's never good or great, he's always only almost. Almost good at this or that. Almost ready for this or that. And this oppressive almost gets him down now and then. Not always, mind you. I don't want to give the impression that Albie is sad and depressed and unable to cope with life. Albie is more than capable of having a good time, of enjoying life, of appreciating the world around him.

I really appreciated Graff's characterization. Not only do readers come to love (in some cases I imagine love, love, love) Albie, but, all the characters are well written or well developed. Albie's parents at times seem to be disconnected, out of touch with who their son is, what life is like for him, what he wants, what he needs. But just when I get ready to dismiss them as neglectful or clueless, something would happen that would make me pause and reconsider. Readers also get to know several other characters: his nanny, Calista, his math teacher, Mr. Clifton, and his friend, Betsy. For the record, he does have more than one friend. But Betsy is his new friend, his first friend that he makes at his new school. It is their friendship that is put to the test in the novel. It is his relationship with Betsy that allows for him to progress a bit emotionally. If that makes sense. (So yes, I know that his best-best friend is Erlan. But Erlan has been his friend for as long as he can remember, probably since they were toddlers. He's completely comfortable in that friendship. Their friendship does come into the novel here and there. But for me, it wasn't the most interesting aspect of the novel.)

I loved the setting of Absolutely Almost. I loved how we get to spend time with Albie in school and out of school. I loved how we get to see him in and out of his comfort zone. I loved that we got to see his home life. We got to see for ourselves how he interacts with parents. I love how Albie is able to love his parents even if they don't really make him top priority. Especially his Dad. Albie's need for his Dad's attention, the right kind of attention, can be FELT. Albie held onto hope that one day his Dad would find time to spend with him, that one day his Dad would see him--really see him. There were moments that hope lessened a bit as Albie gave into his emotions-of-the-moment. But Albie's love for his dad always won out at the end. His hope would return.

The writing. I loved it. I did. I think the quality of the writing was amazing. There were chapters that just got to me. Their were paragraphs that just resonated with me. The writing just felt TRUE.

Absolutely, Almost is set in New York City.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Glass Sentence (2014)

The Glass Sentence. S.E. Grove. 2014. Penguin. 512 pages. [Source: Library]

The Glass Sentence has an intriguing premise with incredible potential. As soon as I heard the premise, I knew I had to read it. And, in many ways, it is a premise-driven novel. And there's nothing at all wrong with that, not when the premise is so unique. What is the premise? A Great Disruption occurs (roughly 1799) which fragments time itself. Continents and countries are displaced in time, if you will. So explorers are not just traveling from place to place, but also time to time. It makes exploring even more dangerous and unpredictable. Some societies want to forbid travel between Ages, want to stop foreigners from coming to their land, want to forbid travelers from leaving.

In The Glass Sentence, readers meet Sophia Tims. Her parents are explorers that have been missing most of her life. She has been raised by her uncle Shadrack, a cartologer. He insisted that her parents leave her behind. She was just three. She loves him, she does, but she misses her parents. She holds onto the hope that they'll come back OR that she'll go off adventuring and find them. Shortly after the novel opens, he begins to teach Sophia what he knows. He begins to share his secrets with her; he tells her that there are many different types of maps. That maps can be written on things besides paper. They can be written on glass, for instance, or even water. She's looking forward to learning...

But. Just when it is getting started, Sophia returns home to learn that her uncle has been kidnapped and that his study has been destroyed. Sophia and a new friend, Theo, a former zoo exhibit, team up to save the day. Can they find her uncle? Can they rescue him? Can the bad guys be defeated?

The world building works. It's an interesting and complex world. And, as I said, the premise has great potential. It's just an exciting sounding premise with plenty of appeal.

I liked it. I did. I didn't quite love it as I was hoping. But it was well worth a read.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

You Wish (2010)

You Wish. Mandy Hubbard. 2010. Penguin. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Kayla McHenry is the heroine of You Wish. It is Kayla's sixteenth birthday. If Kayla was getting to spend the day as she wished, she might not mind her birthday quite so much. But Kayla doesn't have any say in her birthday party. Her mom is an event planner. And her daughter's sixteenth birthday party is the perfect place to showcase her skills to clients and potential clients. Yes, most of the guests are strangers to Kayla, and the one person Kayla herself invited to the party oh-so-politely requests permission to not come so she can go on a date with her boyfriend. Yes, from the start readers know that Nicole is NOT best friend material.

Kayla makes yet another birthday wish as she blows out her candles. But for the first time in sixteen years, it actually comes true. For better or worse. Her wish that was granted? That ALL her previous birthday wishes will come true. A roomful of gumballs. Her rag doll coming to life. Ken as a boyfriend. The sudden ability to speak Italian fluently. Almost all of Kayla's wishes are regrettable. But the one she most regrets, OR, should I say the one she most WANTS to regret, is her wish that BEN would kiss her. Ben has been her dream guy for several years now. Nicole got up the courage to ask him out a few months ago, now he is HER boyfriend.

Kayla's life has become crazy since her sixteenth birthday. And since the wishes are coming true one day at a time, Kayla knows that almost anything could happen in the next two weeks...

I wanted to like You Wish. I did. I thought the premise was wonderful. Some of the wishes were very well done. Like when Kayla went from flat-chested to full-figured overnight. Like when KEN showed up and started following her around believing that she is Barbie. But despite all the fun, I thought the novel was very weak in terms of characterization and relationship building.

Stuff happens to Kayla because of her wishes. The end. No other characters are given any depth at all in the novel. Especially Ben and Nicole. Readers are treated to almost three hundred pages of Kayla obsessing over Ben. In a way, it was nice that readers never got to see Nicole as an actual human since the whole plot is about how Kayla and Ben are meant to be together forever. But I can't really enjoy a novel with no characterization. Yes, it was fun and playful and a quick read. But a favorite? I just can't.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Peter Pan (1911)

Peter Pan. J.M. Barrie. 1911/2008. Penguin. 207 pages. [Source: Review copy]

All children except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, 'Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!' This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end. 

Peter Pan may be far from perfect when all things are considered, but, it certainly can prove a delightful reread now and then. Though I haven't seen the musical in years, I first became familiar with this story through the musical: the dialogue and the songs. So when I first read it fifteen years ago (or so), it felt familiar from the start. Tinker Bell was fierce, a very jealous and very stubborn fairy. Peter Pan was oh-so-arrogant and a bit obnoxious, quite thoughtless. Wendy and her brothers, well, I had to admit they were a bit thoughtless as well. But there was something touching about Wendy. And then there are all the other inhabitants of Never Never Land: the Lost Boys, the Indians, and the pirates led by Captain Hook, to name just a few.

The book is dated, very dated, and to modern readers it may not hold up well. The place is sculpted, in a way, by the dreams and fantasies of children. Wendy and her two brothers, for example, imagine a lot of things: playing Indians, playing pirates, visiting with mermaids, playing with wolves, etc. It is an island, a land, like no other. All fancy--make believe, if you will. I find it delightful, very delightful at times. It is not my favorite, favorite children's book by ANY stretch of the imagination. But I think it's a fun one to know.

Quotes:

Mrs. Darling loved to have everything just so, and Mr. Darling had a passion for being exactly like his neighbors; so, of course, they had a nurse. As they were poor, owing to the amount of milk the children drank, this nurse was a prim Newfoundland dog, called Nana, who had belonged to no one in particular until the Darlings engaged her. (4)

Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. (6)

Of all delectable islands the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact; not large and sprawly, you know, with tedious distances between one adventure and another, but nicely crammed. When you play at it by day with the chairs and table-cloth, it is not in the least alarming but in the two minutes before you go to sleep it becomes very nearly real. That is why there are night lights. (8)

"Why, what is the matter, father, dear?"
"Matter!" he yelled; he really yelled. "This tie, it will not tie." He became dangerously sarcastic. "Not round my neck! Round the bedpost! Oh yes, twenty times have I made it up round the bedpost, but round my neck, no! Oh dear no! begs to be excused!'
He thought Mrs. Darling was not sufficiently impressed, and he went on sternly, "I warn you of this, mother, that unless this tie is round my neck we don't go out to dinner tonight, and if I don't go out to dinner tonight, I never go to the office again, and if I don't go to the office again, you and I starve, and our children will be flung into the streets."
Even then Mrs. Darling was placid. (17-8)

"That is not Nana's unhappy bark," she said, little guessing what was about to happen; "that is her bark when she smells danger." (24)

It was a girl called Tinker Bell, exquisitely gowned in a skeleton leaf, cut low and square, through which her figure could be seen to the best advantage. She was slightly inclined to embonpoint. (26)

"You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And so," he went on good naturedly, "there ought to be one fairy for every boy and girl."
"Ought to be? Isn't there?"
"No. You see, children know such a lot now, they soon don't believe in fairies, and every time a child says, "I don't believe in fairies," there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead." (33)

"Second to the right, and straight on till morning." That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you see, just said anything that came into his head. (45)

Tink was not all bad: or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good. Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time. They are, however, allowed to change, only it must be a complete change. At present she was full of jealousy of Wendy. (57)

The lost boys were out looking for Peter, the pirates were out looking for the lost boys, the redskins were out looking for the pirates, and the beasts were out looking for the redskins. They were going round and round the island, but they did not meet because all were going at the same rate. (58)

One could mention many lovable traits in Smee. For instance, after killing, it was his spectacles he wiped instead of his weapon. (67)

"Aye," the captain answered, "If I was a mother I would pray to have my children born with this instead of that," and he cast a look of pride upon his iron hand and one of scorn upon the other. Then again he frowned.
"Peter flung my arm," he said, wincing, "to a crocodile that happened to be passing by."
"I have often," said Smee, "noticed your strange dread of crocodiles."
"Not of crocodiles," Hook corrected him, "but of that one crocodile." He lowered his voice, "It liked my arm so much, Smee, that it has followed me ever since, from sea to sea and from land to land, licking its lips for the rest of me."
"In a way," said Smee, "It's a sort of compliment."
"I want no such compliments," Hook barked petulantly. (68)

There was not a child on board the brig that night who did not already love him. He had said horrid things to them and hit them with the palm of his hand, because he could not hit with his fist; but they had only clung to him the more. Michael had tried on his spectacles. To tell poor Smee that they thought him lovable! Hook itched to do it, but it seemed too brutal. (159)

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Fair Weather (2001)

Fair Weather. Richard Peck. 2001. Penguin. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

Is Fair Weather my absolute favorite novel by Richard Peck? In all fairness, how could I really ever choose? Sure, I love, love, love some more than others. Some I've reread more than others. Some I've recommended more than others. But most that I've read (so far) have been worth it. Fair Weather is no exception.

World's Fair. Chicago. 1893. I really enjoyed so many things about Fair Weather. I liked the three Beckett siblings. I liked the narrator, Rosie. I liked the younger brother, Buster. I liked the older sister, Lottie. I liked the fact that Lottie had a big, big secret. I liked the extended family. That Grandpa. He's SOMETHING. I loved, loved, loved every scene he was in. He was FABULOUS. I wish more children's books had such wonderful grandparent-characters. I really really enjoy books that focus on the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. My favorite, favorite chapters in this one are the two chapters that focus on his best day ever. They also happen to mention Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. I liked the aunt as well. She wasn't quite as quirky as the grandpa--but who could be?! I was glad to see how hosting her family for a week changes her--for the better. The details. I love historical fiction BECAUSE I love history. OR. Do I love history because I love historical fiction?! I love how this one is grounded in real-life details. I loved learning more about the World's Columbian Exposition. I loved the little things, the descriptions, the scenes. I love how it captured the feel of The Midway. It made me want to read more, to learn more. I also loved the Chicago setting.

A few weeks ago, I happened to watch Annie Oakley (1935). I had seen the musical, of course, but this one really impressed me. Reading Fair Weather and "experiencing" the show through fiction--through characters that I had come to really care about--was really fun for me!

I definitely recommend this one!

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Impossible Knife of Memory (2014)

The Impossible Knife of Memory. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2014. Penguin. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

The Impossible Knife of Memory is an intense read. Hayley Kincain, our heroine, has endured more than her fair share of problems. Her father, a soldier with PTSD, is incapable of taking care of himself. He's unable to hold a job. He's unable to keep his word. Hayley has to be the responsible one, she's raising herself essentially, and looking out for her dad too. It isn't easy. He has drug and alcohol issues. He can be violent and start fights. He can be a stubborn, fierce opponent. Hayley and her dad have returned to his hometown. They are living in her grandma's house. She is attending a (real) school for the first time that she can remember. She is struggling to learn the rules that most of her classmates have known for years. But she's got one great best friend, and, a potential love interest as well.

The Impossible Knife of Memory is a wonderful novel about broken people, very broken people. I definitely liked Hayley. I really, really loved Finn, her boyfriend. I really liked Gracie, her best friend. I was glad we got to know some adults as well: Andy (the dad) and Trisha (the "stepmother").

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Grimm Conclusion (2013)

The Grimm Conclusion. Adam Gidwitz. 2013. Penguin. 368 pages. [Source: Library]

I loved the first book in this series, A Tale Dark and Grimm. I loved the "Hansel" and "Gretel" siblings. Seeing their story told and retold and expanded and adapted. The writing was unique and fresh and just fun. I struggled through the second book, In a Glass Grimmly. The focus was again on a pair of siblings: Jack and Jill, I believe. But for some reason, the book was a chore for me. The writing that had so delighted me in book one was just obnoxious to me (remember, reading is so subjective!). I just didn't connect to the characters or delight in any of the plot twists. So I had low expectations for the third book, The Grimm Conclusion. Would I love it? Would I hate it? Would I be annoyed or delighted? The answer? I liked it. If I were to compare it my reaction to the first book, "like" is the perfect word. To clarify, the first half of the book I would have dared say LOVE. However, the second half of the book had some problems. (When the characters start hearing the narrator in their heads, when the characters visit the narrator in his classroom and meet his students, when they hear the teacher/narrator tell stories, when they listen to the narrator/teacher/author READ A Tale Dark and Grimm and In a Glass Grimmly out loud. When they have a heart-to-heart discussion on emotional health. Maybe not all readers will disconnect from the story at those points and find fault.) If I were to compare it to my reaction to the second book, I would say it might be really really close to love. While I didn't love, love, love every single chapter in this third book, I connected and engaged with it in a way that I never did with the second. So it was definitely more successful for me!

Jorinda and Joringle. The third book focuses on this pair of siblings. I liked the stories touched upon and twisted and adapted and expanded.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Six Picture Books

There, There. Sam McBratney. Illustrated by Ivan Bates. 2013. Candlewick. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Little Hansie Bear, who loved to pretend, thought it would be fun to walk like a duck. Unfortunately he fell over sideways into a deep-down ditch. He hurt his knee and couldn't get out again. His dad came to help. 

I am not usually one who gushes over Sam McBratney. Guess How Much I Love You is not my favorite or best book ever. But. I really did find myself liking his newest book, There, There. It is the story of a father and son. It is the story of two not-so-good days. It is a tender story about comfort: showing love, giving support, cheering up.

Little Hansie is not having a good day. It starts when he's pretending to walk like a duck, but, that's just the first injury of the day. His father comforts him with hugs and a calm there, there. But Hansie isn't the only one who needs some love. His father, who was NOT pretending to be a duck, needs some love too. And Hansie knows just what to say and do to make his dad feel all better.

I really loved, loved, loved the illustrations. If I didn't love the illustrations so very much, I might not love the book so much. The text is good: very sweet. But the illustrations, for me, make it extra-special.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

Bear In Love. Daniel Pinkwater. Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. 2012. Candlewick. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

A bear lived in the woods. He had a little cave, just big enough for him. Every morning, the bear would crawl out of his cave, rub his eyes, stretch, and feel the morning sun. Then he would look around for something to eat.

I really, really adored Bear in Love. Bear is a lovable character. I love, love, love the fact that he likes to make up his own songs and hums. I love his personality. I just do. Someone else must have been watching Bear too. Someone else must think he's special too. For Bear has a secret admirer. Someone who leaves him presents. It starts with one little carrot. But that's just the beginning. Bear likes having a friend, even if he doesn't know who his new secret friend is. Soon Bear starts leaving gifts in return. Will Bear ever stay awake long enough to discover who his new friend is?!

I loved this one. I thought it was a great story. The illustrations, well, I loved them too. There was just something charming about them!

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

I Haiku You. Betsy E. Snyder. 2012. Random House. 28 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Your everyday song,
my favorite alarm clock--
good morning to you!

I found this collection of poems charming. I did. The poems are short, of course, because they're haiku. I like the emotional nature of the poems. These are poems of joy, of love, of friendship, of family.

For example, I just love this one:
you hug away tears,
making boo-boos all better--
best teddy ever 

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Pigs in Pajamas. Maggie Smith. 2012. Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Penelope Pig has been planning a party, a sleepover party for Saturday night. All around town, pigs are putting on pj's. They're packing and snapping and zipping up tight. We're pigs in pajamas, to Penny's we go--in prints, plaids, and pinstripes, a sleepywear show!

Pigs in Pajamas is playful, very playful. It is a celebration of the letter P. If the alliteration in the text doesn't convince you that P is a wonderful letter, perhaps, the illustrations will. Yes, this picture book has illustrations worth paying attention to every little detail.

Overall, I liked it.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Rain! Linda Ashman. Illustrated by Christian Robinson. 2013. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Rain!
Rain!
"Nasty galoshes."
"Blasted overcoat."
"There goes my hair..."
"Is it raining cats and dogs?"
"It's raining frogs and pollywogs!"
"Hippity-hop!"

Rain has dual narrators. One narrator is a very grumpy old man who does NOT like the rain, not at all. The rain is ruining his day. He's a complainer through and through. The other narrator is a child who LOVES the rain, who is so very excited to go out in the rain and play. When these two cross paths that morning, something happens. Will the old man lose a bit of his crankiness?

I liked this one. It is simple. There isn't a lot of text. The illustrations are very expressive.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

The Day The Crayons Quit. Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. 2013. Penguin. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

One day in class, Duncan went to take out his crayons and found a stack of letters with his name on them. 
Hey Duncan,
It's me, Red Crayon. We need to talk. You make me work harder than any of your other crayons. All year long I wear myself out coloring FIRE ENGINES, apples, strawberries, and EVERYTHING ELSE that's RED. I even work on holidays! I have to color all the Santas at Christmas and ALL the hearts on Valentine's day! I NEED A REST! Your overworked friend, Red Crayon

Quite simply, I loved, loved, loved this one. I read it months ago, but, I put off reviewing it because I knew that I could never do it justice in a review. I knew that I could never express just how clever and fun it was. I also knew that I would be tempted to quote from every crayon's letter. I knew that would be too much.

Have you read this one? What did you think? I loved the premise of this one. I liked the creativity of it. I liked the personality of it. And I adored all the "kid art." The ending was very fun!

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10


© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews