August 2008 - Posts
Welcome to Bethany to our new students and Welcome Back to those of you who are returning!
We at the library are excited you're back and we're ready to answer your questions regarding where to find things like the older print periodicals or the reference overflow, how to find information for your paper and so much more! Stop by the library's circulation desk, my office or send us an e-mail, phone call or IM! (If you're in a hurry, include your e-mail with your instant message so I can reply to you if I happen to be away from my desk for a little while).
Don't forget that we also have DVDs and CDs that you can check out!
I will also be continuing with the book reviews of what I've been reading as well as featuring various websites on Fridays. If you have ideas as to what you'd like to see here, send me an e-mail!
Also, check out the library's wiki, Viking Voyageur. You'll find a link for it directly below the blog on the library's webpage. I'll post any library updates there as well as on the blog. The wiki has a lot of pertinent library information that can help you with your homework, and even has links for things to do in the area!
Skulduggery Pleasant
By: Derek Landy
When Gordon Edgley suddenly dies, his niece Stephanie inherits more than she has bargained for. She also wonders about the mysterious man who appears at the reading of the will: his entire face is covered with a scarf and sunglasses. This man, Skulduggery Pleasant, receives an unusual parting gift from Gordon; advice. It doesn't make much sense to Stephanie, but then neither does her final gift from her beloved uncle: the majority of what he owns.
Stephanie and her mother go to Gordon's house to look at the house that will be hers when she turns eighteen and have car troubles. Stephanie decides to stay behind while her mother goes with the tow truck driver back into town. At first, Stephanie is fine being alone in Gordon's huge house, but when a disturbing phone call and a sinister visitor show up, Stephanie is in for more than she bargained for. Cue Skulduggery Pleasant.
Skulduggery is a detective, a smart-aleck (just like Stephanie), sorcerer and just happens to be a skeleton who walks, talks, and can use the elements of earth to his advantage, like throwing fire. He's a character with an attitude the reader will appreciate.
So what's the point of the story? Gordon had found a fabled scepter with massive powers and now Serpine (token bad guy) is after it and wants to bring back the Faceless Ones. Of course, this process will bring war to the Elders who don't completely believe Skulduggery and Stephanie when they warn them of the danger they're all in. They enlist help from Skulduggery's "friends," of which there is a lot more to them than what appears, to help solve the mystery. Betrayal and loyalty are a major point in this book: if you do nothing does that make you bad? If you do something that's ‘right' and it ends badly is that good? China Sorrows in particular is a character to examine closely. I expect to see more of her in future installments of this series: she's a complicated one and not clear-cut like so many characters in young adult literature are.
Chaos, magic, and a lot of smart-aleck comments abound in this book. It's a great adventure story with an intriguing main character in Skulduggery. For a skeleton, he's quite the complicated guy.
Recommended To:
- Boys - I know, Stephanie is a pretty major character, but the guys are going to love the whole walking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton thing.
- Fantasy lovers
- Those intrigued by the power of names
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
I really love that it shows Skulduggery and his use of the elements: earth, air, fire and water (earth is a last resort, by the way). You see the scarf of his snappy suit blowing in the breeze, the spray of the water just coming at his front, and the ball of fire he's ready to throw in his hands. (I love that in the story there's a price for the amount of magic that you use.) The title of the book is in raised, green letters which really stand out at the top of the page. When you get to the bottom I love the tag: And He's the Good Guy. Without that you'd maybe think he was the villain of the story and be expecting a completely different book.
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos
By: R.L. LaFevers
Theodosia knows a lot about Egyptian history and mythology because her parents both work at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her mother is in Egypt on a dig at the beginning of the story and Theodosia is anxiously awaiting her mother's discoveries. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for her, her mother tends to find things that have some pretty nasty curses on them and Theodosia spends her time getting rid of the curses. This might seem like a large task for a young girl, but let me assure you, she is up to the challenge!
Besides removing curses, she also tries to protect her parents who are ignorant of the black magic that surrounds them. When her mother returns with the Heart of Egypt in tow, Theodosia's life changes forever because this is no ordinary piece of black magic. It's much darker than Theodosia expects - it was Amenemhab's (an ancient Egyptian ruler) and he used it to bring destruction on his enemies. When Theodosia's mother brings it to England, she brings destruction to the country without even knowing it.
When the Heart of Darkness goes missing, Theodosia decides to take matters into her own hands. She enlists the help of her brother Henry and a young pick-pocket named Will and soon the three are in danger's way.
Will Theodosia be able to outwit the men that are intent on starting a full-fledged world war or will she fail in her mission? This deliciously quick read will have you on the edge of your seats rooting for her the entire time!
Recommended To:
- Mythology fans (if you like Percy Jackson you'll like these even though it is a different culture)
- Adventure fanatics
- Anyone who feels their parents are just not listening - Theodosia experiences this quite a bit!
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
We see Theodosia walking through the museum at night. Once you're involved in the story you'll know what she's up to as the lantern gives it away. It also provides some nice creepy shadows that seem to abound in a cavernous place like that. On the bottom left you'll see her beloved cat, Isis, whose temperament changes suddenly when a cleansing process goes slightly off-kilter. Will Theodosia be able to save her cat as well as her country?
On our shelves now!
The Battle of the Labyrinth: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
By: Rick Riordan
Warning: Previous plots may be given away!
With Kronos getting closer and closer to regaining form because of Luke's treacherous help, Annabeth, Percy, Grover and Tyson embark on a quest that would make the best of us go mad. In fact, one member of Camp Half-Blood does.
Camp Half-Blood is no longer the safe haven it once was for its campers. Kronos' rise is putting a very serious tone to the camp: they are preparing for war. They know that Luke is working with/for Kronos and that he's been looking for a secret entrance into the camp: one that has no magical border and that can be easily penetrated.
We know that our young heroes are going on a quest, and this time is more dangerous than the previous ones. How could I say that you say? Haven't I been reading these books? Yes I have. I have been devouring them. It's more dangerous this time because where they are going most definitely does not guarantee a return trip home. I know, none of their quests have. It's all in the title people. If you're familiar with your Greek mythology you'll know what the Labyrinth is, who made it, and why it's dangerous. If you don't know the danger part, well, you will after this book. Granted, it's more dangerous at this point and time because of Luke and Kronos, but even before them people went mad or just never came out after entering it.
On a side note, Grover is given one week to discover Pan before the Council of Cloven Elders revokes his searchers license. That would break Grover, but you will see the conclusion of this personal quest before the end of the book.
Also, I really appreciate the fact that although Percy is the title character in this series, the entire responsibility of the quests doesn't lie solely on his shoulders. Sure, he does have added pressure as Poseidon's son, but the responsibility is shared more evenly here (i.e. more than just Percy have been granted quests, and Percy has gone on his friends'-and non- quests without hesitation). The network of support among the half-bloods is something we should all learn from.
Recommended To:
- Greek mythology buffs
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
When I like an artist I like an artist. Mr. Rocco does not disappoint us this time either! The red! The glowing! Percy and his sword above Kronos' gold coffin! The Labyrinth! San Francisco! New York! And if I remember correctly, Colorado!
I haven't seen when the next book in this series is coming out (this one just came out), but you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be reading it!
All four Percy Jackson books are available in our library.
The Titan's Curse: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
By: Rick Riordan
Warning: Pursue at your own risk as part of a previous plot may be given away!
Percy, Thalia and Annabeth are on another mission: this time to help the satyr and their friend, Grover. He's found two new half-bloods at a school in Maine. He's also found the monster that wants to get to the new kids first. Right away, things start to go wrong, then get much worse when one of the gang goes over the side of a cliff.
Nico and Bianca di Angelo aren't so sure they're in the right hands at first, but when Artemis's hunting party shows up Bianca has found her way. The only problem is her brother isn't too happy about it because Bianca has joined the hunt. She has sworn her loyalty to Artemis and in return has become immortal, for the most part.
Artemis (the goddess of the hunt) has noticed monsters that have been gone for thousands of years starting to reappear. One in particular has her especially disturbed, so she sets off to slay it. The only problem is that she gets caught. (Let me tell you, it's no easy feat to catch or trick a Greek god.) Because of the possibility of Kronos coming back to power and destroying Olympus our young heroes set out on a new quest to find Artemis, their missing friend, and figure out the Titan's Curse. Oh, and they have about a week to do it all!
Will they succeed? Will the prophecy come true and they'll lose two of their party? Will they rescue their friend in time?
Recommended To:
- Fans of the 1st two
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
I'm loving the fact that John Rocco has read the book and includes relevant details in his covers. Again, Percy is part of the main focal point, but this time he's on Blackjack, a Pegasus. Yup, you read that right! And he's a great character as well! The vines that are seemingly holding them back - well, they come from quite an unlikely source if you've been following the series carefully! And the city! Well, you can just decide what/where you think it is!
On our shelves!
Jazz on a Saturday Night
By: Leo & Diane Dillon
What a fantastically short introduction to some of Jazz's greatest musicians! At the beginning of the text the authors give us an introduction to Jazz, where it started, what it is and how it has evolved. I love that! They also tell us that the ‘dream team' of musicians they have in this book did not all play together at the same time as portrayed, but that many of them played together at other times.
The story itself is very short, two lines to a page. The rhythm of the words being read out loud should enthrall even the youngest of listeners! Even when reading it silently you can literally feel the beats of the words roll off your tongue. It's magic I tell you!
Children (and adults) are introduced to Miles Davis, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Stanley Clarke and Ella Fitzgerald. There are no long lines or paragraphs to describe each person. You're basically given a name and what instrument they play. At the end of the book they have brief biographies of all of the musicians included in the text. They have also included their favorite jazz recordings from these musicians. I really love that because it allows children to be introduced to something new, provides them some additional information that would enable them to learn more about an instrument, person or a recording.
The illustrations are also fabulous. The Dillon's collaborative efforts on their works really make them shine. The backgrounds are mostly subtle which really allow the dark, bold colors of the focus stand out.
Another bonus with this book is that is comes with a cd. The Dillon's have a spoken introduction to jazz and the instruments that are shown in the book, plus an original song entitled "Jazz on a Saturday Night." This would be so useful in a lower-grade classroom introduce musicians and instruments in jazz.
Notes on the Cover:
It's a striking cover, I'll give you that much! The musicians at their various instruments playing and you can tell that they are very involved in what they are doing. No one is looking around and rolling their eyes or anything! The cover really demonstrates the passion these musicians had!
Recommended To:
- Teachers - what a great way to introduce a unit on Jazz music! It's fun and not full of dry facts and figures. Good times!
- Children who love music and like to learn more
- Everyone!
The cd is not inside the book. When you come to check it out ask for it at the Circulation Desk and we'll get it for you!
On our shelves!
Sorry the picture book reviews have been so sporadic all summer!
The Sea of Monsters: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
By: Rick Riordan
There may be information that will give away part of the plot of the first book. Don't say I didn't warn you!
After the successful completion of his very first quest, Percy goes back home to try out yet another school for the year. He's not quite ready to life at camp Half-Blood full time.
Percy makes a new friend in Tyson. The only problem is, Tyson is made fun of by all the other kids, and Percy gets made fun of for sticking up for him. On the last day of school during a game of dodgeball, Matt Sloan (Tyson and Percy's main enemy) and the "visitors" try to take out Percy, Tyson and everyone else on that team. The only problem is that Matt Sloan didn't know the "visitors" were giant cannibals. Yes, you read that right: giant cannibals! Unexpected but very much welcome help shows up in Annabeth.
Percy, Tyson and Annabeth head to camp Half-Blood. Monsters have been chasing Annabeth and it's a miracle they hadn't gotten to Percy sooner. (There's a reason for this that provides a nice twist in the story!) When the three join up they pose an even bigger threat to the Monsters, who are really out in force to stop them from getting back to camp.
When the kids arrive at camp they find out why the monsters are after the half-blood's: Thalia's tree has been poisoned (this is the tree that protects the borders of the camp) and the camp is no longer safe. When Percy receives a message from Grover he convinces Tantalus to send someone on the quest to retrieve the one object that will save the camp: the Golden Fleece. The only problem is, Tantalus doesn't send who Percy thought he would which leads to even more fun for us as we see the quest unfold.
Recommended To:
- Fans of the first one and all those that were listed!
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
Again, the entire cover really meshes will with the storyline. This particular cover shows one very action-packed sequence in the book and I think it displays it well. The red and yellow give off the idea of heat and fire, the rope bridge with three (well, that part's a little off, but we'll let it slide) people on it, the ship, the huge crevice and the cyclops eye. Very important story elements!
On our shelves!
The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
By: Rick Riordan
If you're looking for some great writing that provides nicely paced action this is the series for you!
Percy Jackson's reputation is that of a troublemaker. He gets kicked out of school after school, sometimes for things that are his fault, and other times because of things that just sort of happen to him. Take the last day of 6th grade for instance; Percy is to be disciplined for using a water-fountain to spray a mean girl from his class, but when he meets his teacher in the museum for ‘a talk' she grows wings and talons and becomes quite hideous. She also tries to kill him, but Mr. Brunner (the other supervising teacher) throws him an ink pen that turns into a sword that Percy uses to slash at Mrs. Dodds, which then vaporizes her when he hits her with the sword. When he goes back outside no one seems to know who Mrs. Dodd is, except for maybe Percy's friend Grover who looks like he knows something, but won't tell.
This is only the first chapter! After this we'll see Percy trying to survive his way to summer camp, find out who his father is, why he has so much trouble in school, and embark on a quest that will make the hair on your arms stand on end!
The Greek gods and goddesses are a major part of this series. Children (and adults!) will learn their Greek mythology through the creative use of these characters. Believe me; no one will forget who Ares is after this book! The clothing and personification Riordan gives the gods and goddesses is amazing - and it makes sense too! They dress how you may imagine them if they were to be wearing modern clothing instead of togas.
I will say that the quest is very entertaining. Percy and his friends encounter many people with many different kinds of tricks up their sleeves. Some the reader will see from a mile away, but for the most part you'll be wondering which god or goddess they're going to run into next!
Recommended To:
- Those who like their adventure stories
- Those interested in Greek mythology - you'll learn something and in a fun way!
- Boys - oh my goodness do I see boys completely enjoying these titles!
- Girls - there are some definite strong female characters that show up in this series
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
The sea? Check
Lightning? Check
Percy with a sword and Minotaur horn? Check
New York City Skyline? Check (Although it could be the artist's rendition of Olympus, but it's not how I picture it, so New York City it is!)
I love the colors - the whole cover reminds me of a turbulent sea, and not just the water. The greenish tint to the whole jacket really adds to the look of this book. Key elements from the story appear on this cover (water, the city, lightning, the sword, the Minotaur's horn and Percy himself). The image of Percy is especially important, but I won't tell you why!
On our shelves!
The Wednesday Wars
By: Gary D. Schmidt
Newbery Honor Book - 2008
Holling Hoodhood was an easy character to identify with: a father who's always right and gets his way - even at the expense of his children, a mother who does what dad says, a teenaged sister who won't help you when you tell her that your teacher hates you, and a teacher that hates him.
Well, the hate part is subjective. As a seventh-grade boy I can certainly see why Holling would think his teacher disliked him: he was the only student in class on Wednesday afternoons when the others were at their various religious institutions for classes. Holling's a Presbyterian, so he doesn't go to religion classes. Instead, Mrs. Baker has him cleaning chalkboards and erasers, until the fateful Wednesday when she has him start reading Shakespeare. It's no Treasure Island, but Holling finds many life lessons right in there in front of him. He even takes up Shakespearean cursing. That sounds bad, but in today's context they're nothing - in Shakespeare's time, well, then they were something! "Toads, beetles, bats!" His new talents even land him a spot in a Shakespeare play and he has to wear yellow tights with feathers...and believe me, just reading about his abhorrence of the yellow tights with feathers is enough to keep you going on this one!
There's a lot going on in this little book: the Vietnam War is in full swing, Holling's sister is a flower child (even though dad insists she isn't, and that there is no need for her to go to College since she'll already have a job at Hoodhood and Associates), rats, cream puff incidents, a near deadly accident, Yankee baseball players, Shakespeare, camping, dating, atomic bomb drills and so much more!
I should probably tell you it took me a little bit to get into this one. I've been deeply immersed in fairy tales, mysteries and the Victoria Era for quite awhile now and this was a real switch from those! If you find the beginning lagging a bit, keep with it - it's worth it in the end!
Recommended To:
- Those working their way through the Newbery Award Winners List - I know there are some of you out there!
- Real-life story fans
- Baseball fans
- Shakespeare fans
- Those curious about life in America during the Vietnam War- you'll see various perspectives on the war and how our opinions can affect how we treat each other
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
I like the chalkboard look to the cover - Holding spends some time with chalkboards and erasers. I also like the outline of Holding and of Shakespeare. Would I have picked it up just for its cover? No, I wouldn't have, but this is one of those cases where you miss out if you judge a book by its cover. I
On our shelves!
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
By: Sherman Alexie
This National Book Award Winner does not shy away from difficult subjects: best friends, fights, death, hopes and dreams and accepting who we are.
Arnold Spirit (Junior) is a smart-alecky young Indian boy who has spent the majority of his life being picked on and beaten up. He doesn't even question this; it's just how it is for him. The only person that truly will stick up for him is his best friend, Rowdy, but Rowdy is also the class bully (to put it bluntly).
Junior and Rowdy live on a reservation with their families and go to a small school that's not quite as bad as the other schools in other parts of the reservation. Junior is excited to get his Geometry book, but when he opens it up he sees his mother's maiden name written in the book and it makes him angry. He's angry because he's still learning from the same book his mother did and he just throws it hoping to hit something. Well, he did. It hit his teacher and broke his nose. But it also turns out it was probably the best thing he could have done. His teacher was a white man who had lived on the reservation for years. He stops by Juniors house and tells him that when he started the accepted punishment was to hit/beat the students and that he had probably broken a few bones in the process. He was supposed to beat the Indian out of those on the reservation. The day that Junior hits him with the book opened his eyes - it wasn't fair and he realizes this. He also tells Junior that he has a lot of potential and he needs to leave the reservation. Junior makes a terrifying, life-changing decision. He's going to go to the white kids' school in Reardan, 22 miles away. Getting to and from school is not easy - some days he has to walk the whole distance, but most of the time he hitchhikes if his parents don't have enough gas money.
This decision isn't just about bettering himself. His decision affects his entire community. No one leaves the reservation. They stay on, maybe work, almost definitely get drunk and don't amount to anything. Junior's teacher and family realize that in order to make more of his life he needs to go. Junior's ability to make such a drastic decision that flies in the face of reservation conventions is a difficult one. It earns him more than one black eye, but he knows it's worth it in the end.
Junior takes us through his freshman year of high school in a diary format. This book will most definitely appeal to boys in grades 7 and up. Fighting, girls, basketball, honor, respect, language and other issues that will appeal to boys show up. This book does not sugar-coat life on the reservation - Alexie does not hold back on the tough issues, but in the end that's why we can learn so much from this book. Arnold's personal take on the issues he faces and the cartoons that he draws to accompany his text are fabulous. Arnold doesn't shy away, and his cartoons can be quite funny or even extremely sad, but that's how he deals with his emotions. Sometimes all of us need a healthy way to deal with our feelings.
Recommended To:
- Anyone interested in life on an Indian Reservation
- Boys! I don't do this often, but this is a definite boy book (not to say that girls won't like it - I did!)
- Anyone trying to adjust to a new school/home/environment
- People dealing with bullies
- Everyone
Notes on the Cover:
The authors name is what strikes me on this cover. It's larger than the title of the book! And it's in a bright green! True, there's room on the cover for the book award sticker, but it's just kind of lacking for me. I picked this one up because I'd heard so many great things about it. The cover definitely had nothing to do with my interest in this one! But this is a great example why you shouldn't always judge a book by it's cover (yes, I do it more than I should).
On our shelves!
The Incredible Book-Eating Boy
By: Oliver Jeffers
Illustrated By: Oliver Jeffers
The concept of this book is just fabulous! It all begins by telling us that Henry loves books. I can relate: I love books too! The problem is that Henry doesn't love them quite the same way most readers do: he likes to eat them instead of reading them. He does start small; first a word, then a sentence, next a page, and finally, the entire book.
A marvelous benefit for Henry is that he gains knowledge through his consumption of the books. We even see what he's been eating/learning on almost every single page. The backdrops for the main illustrations are words or even different types of paper. Generally from a dictionary, these add to the story instead of detracting from it.
Henry is very excited to be gaining knowledge from all of those tasty books he's been enjoying. One day Henry runs into a problem: it becomes more and more difficult for him to chew and swallow his books. Then the unthinkable happens: Henry starts to lose his smartness. He'd been eating the books so fast they didn't have time to digest and they just became a jumbled mess in his stomach. Fortunately for us Henry didn't lose all of his smarts, he decided to open up one of those books and try reading it. He realizes that he can still become the smartest person in the world by reading books but, every once in a while, well, let's just say that old habits die hard!
Recommended To:
- Children who may hesitate to read on their own. This book shows reading in a fun, exciting kind of light.
- Adults - yes you! The concept and the text are just marvelous. Take a gander, I won't tell!
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
The cover is surprisingly simplistic when you compare it to the illustrations on the inside. I'm not saying I don't like it, quite the opposite actually. I like how Henry is off to the left with his mouth open wide and the books falling down - I really like how they're spaced out. The light background really makes the title pop, especially with the use of greens and a reddish/orange for the lettering. Also, check out the back cover. You may notice something a little off when you pick it up, but it gets even better when you read the disclaimer on the back: Please Do Not try to eat this Book at home. Love it, and love the other surprise on the back. You'll just have to come look at it to find out!
Oliver Jeffers Website
His website is beautiful and not what you would expect from a writer and illustrator of picture books. If you want to see his others (which all look fabulous) click on the letter B for his works. He also has other, more artistic works as well since he paints as well!
On our shelves!