It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA (11)

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen & Kellee from 

Teach Mentor Texts have adapted this to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

Each week I'll recap what I've read/reviewed the week before 

and then look ahead to what I am planning on reading/reviewing in the upcoming week.

Last week's book adventures:

February has been a slow reading month.  As I started in on the Caldecott Honor Books, I found I needed a bit of a break.  Let's just say that picture books in the 1940's are nothing like picture books today.  Even though, I wasn't able to read a lot of books the ones that I read were wonderful. 

 

Here is what I read from the past week:

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Maureen Johnson is best known for her contemporary fiction and humorous presence on twitter.  I was curious to see what she would do with a supernatural suspense that blends together an American teenager from New Orleans, an English Boarding School, and Jack the Ripper-like murders.  Johnson created an interesting premise and I am curious to see where book 2 takes us.
 

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin
Eugene Yelchin garnered a Newbery Honor with his first Middle Grade book.  A fast read with complimentary illustrations that provides the reader with a glimpse at the life in the Soviet Union under the reign of Stalin.  

Hades by George O'Connor
The fourth installment in O'Connor's Olympians Series and once again he brings together various figures in Greek Mythology and gives readers a new glimpse into well-known stories.  This installment doesn't just focus on Hades but also on Persephone and Demeter.  Fascinating read.

A Boy Named FDR by Kathleen Krull; Illustrated by Steve Johnson, Lou Fancher
Kathleen Krull explores the early life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and how early experiences shaped him into the president he would one day become.

Worst of Friends by Suzanne Jurmain; Illustrated by Larry Day
There appears to be an interest in Thomas Jefferson and John Adams lately.  This is the second one that has come out in the last few months about their friendship.  Jurmain continues through the years of their feud and eventual reconciliation.  A book to add to a collection of biographical stories on presidents and just in time for President's Day.

On Wednesday, I will be posting the nonfiction picture books I read this past week.  There were some fun ones in the pile.

Upcoming book adventures:
My goal this week - try to get back into a regular reading routine again and back on track with #Nerdcott (Caldecott Challenge).

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood - I started this one but didn't quiet finish it over the weekend.

Fake Mustache by Tom Angelberger -  Thanks to a friend I have an Advanced Readers Copy of Angelberger's newest book.  I can't wait to dive into this one.

So, what are you reading this week? 

Please share! And remember to check in at Sheila's or Jen & Kellee's blog to see what they and others are reading!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday (5)

As part of the Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge 2012 (Twitter: #nfpb2012), my goal is to read and review as many of the new non-fiction picture books that are released this year.  Wednesdays will be my primary day to post the reviews.

Here is my first foray into February nonfiction picture book releases.

A Leaf Can Be
Author: Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrator: Violeta Dabija
Publisher:  Millbrook Press (February 1, 2012)
Audience:  Ages 4 to 8
Source: Copy for Review and Giveaway

Some books defy my image of nonfiction.  I have to admit that I was truly a solid fiction reader and that nonfiction usually meant dry, boring, and connected to coursework.  As I have searched for nonfiction picture books, my beliefs about them are changing.  Seldom anymore do I utter the words dry and boring when reading these books.

The team of Laura Purdie Salas and Violeta Dabjija has created a beautiful book.  With the simple phrase "A leaf can be...", Salas explores all of the roles a leaf can play from a water ladle to food maker to frost catcher and more.  Dabjija's gentle and whimsical illustrations are a perfect match to Salas' sparse text making the book completely accessible for younger readers.  The end of the book takes each of the descriptors used in the book and explains them with more details.  There is also a glossary and some further reading which can both be useful resources for a teacher.

A Leaf Can Be would be a wonderful addition to a primary grade level classroom.  It would also make a lovely gift for a young child.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.).  If you do enter personal information, you comment will not be posted.

2.  You must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.

3.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 8, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on February 15, 2012.

4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.

5.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

6.  International participants are welcome to enter the contest.

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

Thank you to Kathy from I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Rachel Renee Anderson for co-hosting this giveaway hop.  Since this is a giveaway hop, don't forget to check the links to more giveaways.

Recently, I read The One and Only Ivan.   It is simply a beautifully told story of a friendship between a Silverback Gorilla and a young elephant.  It will make a perfect read aloud for an elementary classroom.  The giveaway is a copy of the book signed by author, Katherine Applegate. 

Giveaway Rules:

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.).  If you do enter personal information, you comment will not be posted.

2.  You must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.

3.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 7, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on February 14, 2012.

4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.

5.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

6.  International participants are welcome to enter the contest.

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased in Bookstore
Reviewed by: Renée
Fiction * Fantasy * Adventure * Romance

Description from GoodReads:
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

I loved this book so much. This has been sitting on my shelf for months, waiting for me to find some time to sit down and read it, and when I saw that it was recently awarded a finalist for the Morris Prize, I decided it was time to give it a try. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is unlike anything I have read in the young adult genre. While it will definitely appeal to fans of Graceling, Blood Red Road, and Tamora Pierce, this novel is something completely new and original (and Rae Carson's writing is incredibly beautiful).

The fantasy world in The Girl of Fire and Thorns is very special. The concept of someone being born every century carrying a Godstone -- a jewel on his/her stomach -- that marks her for greatness by God was a unique twist on the "chosen one" trope that comes up frequently in many pst-Harry Potter series. I loved the way that religion played such a strong role in shaping the characters' destinies, and how it placed this heavy burden on the protagonist, Elisa, to rise to the task. I know that many people, myself included, are wary of novels that even vaguely reference religion, but the spirituality in this book is not of the preachy converting sort. It's more a of a plot device that puts heavier responsibility on Elisa to fulfill her prophecy and acts as a means to emphasizing each character's unique traits, such as loyalty, obedience, and fear. The spirituality in this book definitely will not alienate or offend anyone, and is purely fictional.

Another unique thing about this story was the culture of the characters. Although, it is never stated, many of the characters have names like Alejandro and Humberto, and Spanish-sounding city names, which suggests that they might all be Spanish or Castilian. I really liked this, because the majority of mainstream YA focuses on White Americans or English protagonists, so it was nice to read about a different landscape, foods, architecture, and people for a change. Despite the fantastical/magical elements that characterize a lot of the action and plot development of the story, these cultural touches made it feel very real and excited the traveler in me.

While the writing was truly superb and mature, and the setting was special, the best part of the novel for me was the character development. Elisa is such a great protagonist. She is the overweight, moody, 'dark-skinned' second daughter to the king, and she undergoes such an amazing emotional transformation throughout the book. I liked reading about someone who was genuinely unpopular and insecure in an obvious way (with her being rather plump) and seeing her grow from that and become more than just what people see on the outside. I loved how Rae Carson handled the issue of being overweight and how she made Elisa's maturity and emotional journey something that is not solely tied to whether she loses weight or not. I also loved some of the secondary characters. There were definitely some guys that I loved in the novel -- some who I hope will become more than Elisa's friends and some who I hope just remain as close friends (but I won't spoil it by naming names). Also, I loved Ximena and, eventually, Cosme. I always find it refreshing when young adult books can include some strong female friendships or alliances, instead of always pitting girls against each other as competitors or scheming frauds. Even the villains in the novel were complex, and of a breed that I was not expecting at all. I finished this book and honestly felt like I was being parted from my friends.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is fantastic, and went immediately to my "favorites" shelf after reading. It is intense, and Rae Carson doesn't hesitate to hurt or kill off characters, so beware. You will become very emotionally attached. The action is non-stop, the heroine is strong, and the romance is so sweet, and it will leaving you dying for Crown of Embers (Book 2).

I write books about teens who must do brave things. I'm originally from California, but I moved to Ohio to marry my husband, who is the smartest and therefore sexiest man I know. We live in Columbus with my teenaged stepsons, who are awesome. My books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. I especially love to write about questions I don't know the answers to. Follow her on Twitter: @raecarson

Her website is: http://www.raecarson.com/ 

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday (4)

As part of the Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge 2012 (Twitter: #nfpb2012), my goal is to read and review as many of the new non-fiction picture books that are released this year.  Wednesdays will be my primary day to post the reviews.

If you are participating in the challenge and would like to link your recent reviews, please add your link to the Mr. Linky below.

My journey to read as many nonfiction picture books has been a lot of fun.  I am steadily working through the January releases and beginning to find a few February releases that have made it into the wild.  Here are the four that I read this past week.  I would gladly include any of these to a classroom or school library, and believe that teachers and students will enjoy sharing them in class.

The President's Stuck in a Bathtub: Poems About the Presidents
Author: Susan Katz
Illustrator: Robert Neubecker
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (February 8, 2012)
Audience: 2nd to 5th grade

Yes, I know that this is a book of poems.  However, each poem is written about a different president and includes a fact box on each president that supports the information in the poem.  An overall fun book - part poetry, part nonfiction - and just in time for President's Day.

The Camping Trip that Changed America
Author: Barbara Rosenstock
Illustrator: Mordecai Gerstein
Publisher: Penguin Group (January 19, 2012)
Audience: 2nd to 5th grade

Though this is more of a fictionalized telling of a fateful camping trip that President Theodore Roosevelt went on with naturalist, John Muir, there is still some great information in this book.  It also is simply an enjoyable read.  I also enjoyed Gerstein's illustrations.

I will be reviewing this one in more detail in the near future.  Look for the review and a giveaway as part of the nonfiction picture book challenge.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Author: William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer
Illustrator: Elizabeth Zunon
Publisher: Dial (January 19, 2012)
Audience: 2nd to 5th grade

Every once in awhile, I pick up a book and while reading it something really strikes me as interesting or unusual.  With this book, I was amazed by how young Kamkwamba was when he discovered the power of the wind.

This will be another book I will be reviewing in greater length in the near future.  I am also hoping to be able to feature either an interview or guest post with William Kamkwamba.  Did I tell you how much fun I am having with this challenge?

Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass
Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrator: James E. Ransome
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (January 24, 2012)
Audience: 2nd to 5th grade


After reading this picture book, I went in search of a biography on Frederick Douglass.  Though this book is a somewhat dramatized version of the real events, it really moved me emotionally as I read this book.  Just as much as slavery makes me angry, it makes me angry that people would withhold another person's right to read books.  And it makes me admire Frederick Douglass so much more for how passionate he became about reading and writing.

Don't forget to check in next week, when there will be more great books featured and always the possibility of a giveaway.