Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd)
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 224
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Review (and Cybils)

When Conor wakes up one night with a monster outside his window, he isn't afraid.  He expected a monster, ever since his mom started her cancer treatments.  But this monster is different, and he wants something painful from Conor.  Will Conor be able to face this monster that pushes his understanding of himself and his mother beyond what he is comfortable with?

Things I Liked:
This is a thoughtful and tough little book.  I liked the combination of realistic situations and real tragedy as well as a sort of fantasy element.  I think this book is one that I'd definitely label magical realism.  I was interested in the monster - what it was, what it represented, why it was there, what it was doing, etc.  I think the idea of it and the things we slowly understand about it make the book compelling.  But really, it is the ideas and the hard look at what life is like when you have a terminally ill family member that make this unforgettable.  I liked how it wasn't glossed over, how Conor made mistakes and the struggles he has fitting his home life and his school life together.  The issues he faces and the personal demons are so realistic they will make you cry.  A lot.  Beautiful story, beautifully told.  I first read the book on my kindle (thank you NetGalley), but hated the format for the illustrations (which was more like a non-format).  I did finally check it out from the library and got to appreciate fully the beauty of those illustrations.

Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit, I found some of the details of the monster's story a bit distracting from Conor's story.  There were some really complex and abstract concepts thrown around in relation to Conor and I am quite sure I didn't fully grasp them.  I kind of wanted something I could nail down and understand.  And I really questioned the kid-appeal of this one for the Cybils.  I just couldn't see a general interest in such a dark and sometimes quite depressing book.  Something that I can't quite put my finger on is holding me back from giving this one five stars.  But I absolutely recommend it.

Read-alikes:
This one is pretty unique, maybe a little like Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
one or two

mrg-factor: none 

v-factor: -> 
not so much violent as raw and a bit scary in places

Overall rating: **** 

What did you love about this book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Mini Reviews 5: (Mostly) Audio Fun

Here we are again! I'm starting to love these minis. They are lots of fun to write and I feel less pressure when I do write them. Three of the five were audiobooks, so I figured the title was (mostly) accurate. Enjoy!


In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1990
Pages: 256
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Fun
Series: Song of the Lioness, Book 2

Alanna's further adventures, as squire to Prince Jonathan, become even more dangerous as she continues to masquerade as a boy.  A dangerous and powerful magician is out to get not only her but those she cares about.

My thoughts: I loved watching Alanna grow into herself, accept herself as a woman, and learn to love.  She is still the same person, which I think is fabulous, but she has new parts to herself and has grown even more.  I thought it covered a lot of time in a very short book.  Which isn't bad, but it just seems like a lot happens and happens quickly.  I was also rather surprised at the direction it took. I figured the stuff that happened at the end would only come at the end of the entire series.  I'm happy to be wrong and look forward to seeing where the next books take me!  This was another audiobook and I still love the narrator.  She portrays Alanna so well and does a few accents to help me keep the characters separate.  I love the characters and the setting and just everything about this series.  This is my kind of story.  
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The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley, adapted by Yuri Rasovsky
Publisher: Zorro Productions and Blackstone Audio
Publication date: April 2011
Source: Audiobook won from Devourer of Books
For: Fun
Series: There are lots of Zorro books

Don Diego, a foolish and weak but rich young man, is being forced into taking a wife by his father.  He attempts to woo the smart and independent Lolita Pulido.  But her heart belongs to the dashing, daring, brave Zorro, a masked menace to the corrupt officials in the town. 

My thoughts: This was a good old fashioned, swashbuckling story.  I love Zorro stories (though I've never read one, so I'm basing it on the movie), but this one was just perfect, complete with do-gooder outlaw, beautiful lady, and corrupt leaders.  While the story is a bit simplistic, black and white, and just plain obvious, I think it is meant to be that way.  And it still is charming.  I really liked the full cast narration (Val Kilmer was not hard to listen to).  The accents and the voices and the sound effects made the story truly come to life. 
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A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1962
Pages: 280
Source: audiobook from the library
For: Reread (for 50th Anniversary post)
Series: A Wrinkle in Time Quartet, Book 1

Meg does not fit in anywhere in her life, at school and even at home.  She's always fighting people and in trouble.  But when she gets a chance to find her father who's disappeared and to travel with some unusual new friends, she jumps at the chance.  And life will never be the same for her and her family.

My thoughts: I've already talked about much that I liked in my post about sharing this book.  But, I love the characters and the epic journey feel of the story.  I loved how broad and how huge its scope is - travel in space and how time and science play a huge part of it.  But I also love the religious aspects.  I know many people don't, but I am a religious person and found those parts added a layer and meaning to the book that resonated with me.  And yet, the book is still very strange, odd, and confusing even.  I wish I'd read it as a child.  My biggest complaint on this reread (er, relisten?) was that it was read by the author.  While this added another aspect of passion and meaning, I found her voice very annoying.  And I absolutely loathed Mrs. Which's voice, which had a strange echoing effect that bothered me to no end.  Definitely listen to one not narrated by the author.  She wrote interesting books, but she was not a good narrator.
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Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Publication date: October 2011
Pages: 272
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Review

Izzie is content with her life, she has a sweet boyfriend and a great best friend.  But life gets turned upside down when an interesting new guy, Tristan, shows up and a mix up in magical potions leaves her feeling confused.  Even more distressing is the strange creatures that begin stalking Izzie.  Will she figure out her feelings for Mark and Tris or will she be destroyed by monsters before she gets the chance?

My thoughts:
To be honest, I've seen nothing but loathing surrounding this book. Perhaps it was best that I had low expectations.  I liked how Izzie fought the idea of being attracted to someone based only on some stupid potion.  She didn't want to have that choice taken from her, but she was also a huge jerk both to Mark and Tristan.  Izzie had some interesting things about her, but much of her was just annoying.  I was glad that she changed and grew in many ways over the course of the book, but I just didn't enjoy reading it.  None of the parts seemed to mix together well.  It felt disjointed like its parts didn't quite fit together.  And I was disappointed that it seemed to lack Harrison's unique style and writing.  I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters.  Tris and Mark were just not interesting.  The quick exchanging of affections that occurs is unreal (though possibly intentional).  The whole thing felt like it was unpolished (mind you, it was an ARC, but even for an ARC, it felt that way).  The bones of the original story were there and fairly interesting, but it just didn't play out well.
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Frost by Marianna Baer
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 400
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series:

When Leena finds out she has a new roommate foisted on her during senior year, she is anything but happy.  But when it turns out to be Celeste, she is livid.  Celeste is eccentric, loud, complaining.  And Leena was sure this year would be perfect, since she and her friends are staying in Frost House, an adorable little house set off by itself in the woods.  But when strange unnerving things begin to happen to Celeste, Leena may discover there is more going on at Frost House than she could have imagined.  Or did she imagine it?

My thoughts: This book was very, very creepy.  The atmosphere, the small details all building on one another, all these elements made the whole thing completely horrifying (as it was supposed to).  I also really liked the teenage-ness of the characters, especially, the slow building picture of what Leena really is like, what she does.  She isn't even sure who she is herself.  There is also a Gothic undertone to the whole story that made it even more spooky and thrilling.  I was sufficiently terrified into avoiding my closet for a time.  And I have to admit, it is definitely not my kind of book.  I don't like being freaked out, and I don't like disturbing stories.  It was just not the kind of book I usually enjoy and not one I recommend, unless this is your kind of story.  But, it's a great psychological thriller for those aching to be terrorized by the mind.

Any thoughts on these books?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: October 2011
ISBN: 9780062014511
Source: Library

Liesl has been imprisoned in the attic for months, thanks to her cruel stepmother.  But, when the ghost Po appears and helps her make a great escape, she embarks on a journey to a place she once knew.  Will, the alchemist's apprentice, has only seen Liesl from afar, but he already wonders if they will be friends.  An accidental mixup leads their two lives together in unexpected and unusual ways.

Things I Liked:
I loved the magical and wonderful setting.  Despite a world without color and sun and warmth, the characters blaze from every page.  Leisl and Po and Will may start out sad and lonely and pitiable, but they each seek and find what they need to change and be happier.  I think that mostly, this story will please those who want a sweet, fairy-tale-ish journey that transforms a dreary world into someplace vibrant.  Hand this one to your magic-loving tweens.  Of course, it comes with Oliver's signature gorgeous descriptive writing too:

Now she remembered.  And so she squeezed her eyes tight and climbed down the tower of months she had been in the attic, reaching back adn back into the rooms of her memory that were dusty and so dim she could catch only little, flickering glances of things. p 42-43

She repeated the word ineffable clearly, three times, in her head, lingering over the gentle slope of the double fs, like the soft peaks of the whipped cream she remembered from her early childhood, and this made her feel slightly better. p 44

Things I Didn't Like:
Po's "it" thing bugged me the most (neither girl nor boy, thus "it" throughout).  But not enough to make me stop reading.  In places it had some This Is The Theme going on and the ending was practically tied up with a bow (but not in a way that ruins it, somehow).  Overall, though, a fun read.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me a bit of The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none 

mrg-factor: none 

v-factor: -> 
a little bit, nothing terribly frightening

Overall rating: ****

Were you a ghost story reader as a kid?  I think I avoided them, mostly cause I thought they were all "scary" (though this isn't really).

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Publication date: September 2009
ISBN: 9781606840061
Source: Library

Tristan Benway, butler to the Bellweathers, has decided it's time to find a new position.  He's put up with dangerous animals inhabiting the lighthouse, tricks and antics from the obnoxiously loud triplets, and good deeds gone awry from their sister.  After all, there is only so much a respectable man can handle from this zany and incorrigible family, right?

Things I Liked:
This was a sweet, quirky, awesomely crazy middle grade read.  I adore the Bellweather family, complete with evil up-to-no-good whispering triplets, saving humanity sister, and endangered-dangerous-animal-lover brother.  This book inspired much laughter and made me want to be a kid again so I could love it properly.  A delightful romp that will make you think your family is very normal, even if the butler doesn't think so.  I loved this

Wanted: One gentleman possessed of nerves of steel and impeccable  organizational skills.  Applicant must know how to set a formal dining table as well as the best method of large-animal sedation.  Lunatic-asylum experience is helpful.  Interested parties please reply to Tristan Benway c/o Lighthouse on the Hill. p 68-69

Things I Didn't Like:
You know, I'm just going to stick with I loved every minute.  Sometimes being an adult can really be a drawback when enjoying a nice wacky kids book.  Hand this to your middle graders who like a bit of silliness.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of Savvy and Scumble by Ingrid Law
Also a bit like the Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none
(unless being snapped at by an endangered albino alligator counts...)

Overall rating: *****

What's your favorite quirky kid book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: April 2010
ISBN: 9780439269704
Source: Library

 

Neftali is definitely a dreamer.  He is always being distracted by the beautiful things he sees around him - a leaf, a beetle, a pinecone.  He loves to think about them and wonder at their beauty and even to write what they inspire in him.  But his father is not satisfied with this.  He wants his son to grow up and be successful.  It is not possible to do that with your head in the clouds.  Will Neftali be able to please his father and himself or will he have to sacrifice one of them?

Things I Liked:
This book was so whimsical and, well, dreamy!  I loved the magical feeling that Ryan infuses throughout the story.  Neftali's daydreams and beautiful collections bring interest and fun to an otherwise very painful story.  This story was so sad, but also hopeful.  It was heart-breaking to watch the interactions with his father and how Neftali seems never to please him, despite his sincere desire to be loved.  The writing very much reflects the whimsical and magical feeling, being both poetic and simple.  An interesting look at just what Pablo Neruda's childhood might have been like.  Some favorite parts:

His mind wandered: To the monster storm raging outside, which startled the roof.  To the distant rumble of the dragon volcano, Mount Llaima, which made the floors hiccup.  To the makeshift walls of his timid house, trembling and cowering from the roar of passing trains.  To the haphazard design of the room with incomplete stairs, which might have led to a castle on another floor, but had long been deserted in the middle of construction. p 15 

How could he be absentminded when his head was so crowded with thoughts? p 73

Neftali felt the river breathing beneath him, as if keeping time to the slow and sorrowful tune.  His heart filled with the beauty and the peacefulness of it all.  He felt as if he were on the brink of something magnificent.  p 148

The rhythm of his rain-soaked childhood became a sequence of words.  His memories of the understory of the great forest burst into lyrical phrases, as resinous as the sap of a pinecone, as crisp as the shell of a beetle.  Sentences grew long, then pulled up short, taking on the tempo of the waves upon the shore, or swayed gently, like the plaintive song of a lone harmonica. p 344

Things I Didn't Like:
I really think this is not going to have wide kid appeal.  I had a hard time finishing it because it was just so strange at times.  I definitely think it would have helped if I'd read some of Neruda's poetry or was more interested in him.  The story is interrupted by fanciful imaginings and philosophical questions so often that I wonder if kids will lose interest. It will definitely take a special kind of child for this one.  

Read-alikes:
Nothing comes to mind, except maybe The Magician's Elephant by Kate Dicamillo

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
more cruelty than true violence

Overall rating: ***

Anybody a big advocate for this title? I'd love to hear others' thoughts.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Keeper by Kathi Appelt

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

Keeper by Kathi Appelt
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9781416950608
Source: ARC provided by publisher

 

Keeper was betting on the blue moon day to be one of the best in her life.  But, when things don't go at all as planned, she sets off on an adventure to find her mermaid mother, who will make everything ok again.  But, when her small boat is sucked out to sea instead, she will find herself even more alone than she thought and wondering just where her mother could be.  Will she find what she's looking for?

Things I Liked:
This was a sweet and imaginative story.  Keeper is a fun character and I loved watching the story of her disastrous day play out a little at a time.  I remember feeling like the end of the world came every time you did something wrong and your parents were angry.  The magical realism elements and fantasy were fun too - I liked hearing things from the "beasts" point of view and also the don't-know-if-it's-true-or-not mermaid parts.  Appelt does a nice job of combining real stories with just enough magic to make us wonder what is true and what's fantasy.  She has such a distinctive style and voice that reminds you of just how a child might think and speak.  It is a little like the voice in Savvy and The Girl Who Could Fly.  Here are some favorite parts:

Over the years BD had found a while host of missing objects - the odd sock, a misplaced spoon, the tiny key to the lock on Keeper's diary, one of Signe's peace-sign earrings, loose pages of homework.  He also found other things, things that weren't missing until he found them, like one-of-a-kind seashells and tiny abandoned puppies, including Too, who was adopted by Dogie, their next-door neighbor.  He even found shooting stars and stripey geckos, things that came and went.  But right now BD wasn't so much a finder dog as a worry dog.  p 31 of ARC

Now a fear as deep as the ocean zipped through Keeper's body, her biggest fear ever, one so deep, she knew not to ever, ever say it out loud, not ever.  And then today, it had crawled out of her like an ugly toad: If a girl's own mother can swim away, what would keep everyone else from leaving too, especially if that same girl caused so much trouble?  p 105 of ARC

Things I Didn't Like:
I think the part that didn't work so well for me was all the stories going on at once.  There was a lot of skipping around in perspective and place and time.  I didn't care very much for the adults' stories and thought some of them were a little extraneous and didn't really move Keeper's story forward.  Also, the present story's action felt like it was moving so slowly that I got bored sometimes too.  I think kids who love longer fantasy or magical realism books might like it, but it might turn off others who are looking for a little more action. 

Read-alikes:
Savvy by Ingrid Law
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

Any thoughts about magical realism?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Retro Friday Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Publisher: many
Publication date: 1910/1911
ISBN: many
Source: audio download from library

When Mary Lennox is sent to England to live with her uncle, she finds everything is very different than what it was in India.  She has no servants to wait on her hand and foot and no one cares if she is lonely or sad.  When she discovers a secret garden, she finds an outlet for her anger and begins to transform just as the plants do from winter to spring.  She also helps her cousin, Colin, to change from a sickly, weak and spoiled little boy to a strong healthy one. 

Things I Liked:
I'd forgotten just how magical this book was.  My husband and I listened to it on a road trip and it really is delightful.  Even my husband laughed and enjoyed the story.  We especially loved the accents and voices that Josephine Bailey used (top notch, really, she was great).  The story sucks you in and the magic of the secret garden seems so real.  I loved listening again to how Mary changed and then helped to change Colin and he helped to change his father.  A beautiful story of growing up and the magic of nature.  Seriously, I felt so nostalgic listening to this, remembering adoring this story when I was younger.  I can't wait until I have kids I can introduce to this story for the first time.

Things I Didn't Like:
Not much I can think of.  A great story that still has remarkable appeal for kids today (and adults, apparently).

Read-alikes:
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
And really a hundred other classic children's stories, simply for nostalgia

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

What's a book you loved as a child that you still love as an adult?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: August 2010
ISBN: 9780316043076
Source: Library

Lanesha has never had much in the world.  What she does have is Mama Ya-Ya, who has taken care of her since she was a baby.  Mama Ya-Ya has a gift for being able to see the future, so when she catches a glimpse of Hurricane Katrina coming for their Ninth Ward home in New Orleans, she sees devastation.  Lanesha must draw upon the strength within herself in order to save both of them from the destruction.

Things I Liked:
This was such a sweet story with great characters.  I'm surprised it didn't have more of a Newbery following, since it seems very much like one adults would love and cherish and choose for awards.  It is beautifully written with some powerful and heart-breaking things that happen to Lanesha.  In fact, it was also a bit terrifying to actually feel what it must have been like during the hurricane and flooding after.  I loved Lanesha for her strength and the way she saw things, not to mention the supportive adults in her life, her teacher and of course Mama Ya-Ya.  A well-written tear-jerker that portrays what it might have been like during Hurricane Katrina.  Some favorite parts:

I need everything Mama Ya-Ya teaches me.  And I need everything that school teaches me, too.  I need all the signs.  Dreams.  Words.  Word problems. Math.  Like air, they make my mind breathe. p 31

I start home but I don't run.  I walk.  Everything is topsy-turvy like in Alice in Wonderland.  Except it's a white cloud's fault, not a rabbit hole's.  A white cloud spinning across the TV has turned my neighborhood upside down, inside out. p 86

Things I Didn't Like: 
As I mentioned, I think this is one that adults will love, but kids are not going to be as eager to pick it up or as thrilled to read it.  The fantasy elements are pretty light, almost an afterthought.  But, it is a sweet story that some fans of more realistic fiction will enjoy.

Read-alikes:
Kinda like One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Kept reminding me of (a much younger) Ruined by Paula Morris (but really only for the ghosts and the New Orleans setting)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some scary parts during the storm and flood

Overall rating: *****

Would you have loved a book like this as a child?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko
Publisher: Dial
Publication date: February 2011
ISBN: 9780803735347
Source: ARC sent by publicist

When India, Finn, and Mouse have to make a sudden move from their house to live with an uncle, none of them are very happy.  Not to mention, their mom can't come with them right away.  But their plane ride to Colorado is anything but typical.  Making a strange landing in a very odd place, they must figure out just where they want to be and quickly, because time is running out.

Things I Liked:
What a strange and wacky story!  It was actually quite fun to have them sort of "wake up" is this weird place and experience all of these strange things.  The quirk factor is quite high in this book and it made for an unpredictable read and a lot of twists and turns that are unexpected.  What I think I enjoyed most was that underneath the silly and strange aspect, there was meaning and purpose that could be recognized, even if not everyone will find those things.  A strange tale with surprising depth and heart.  Here's a favorite part:

And then there's Bing, her invisible friend.  We've told her scientists don't have invisible friends, but she insists we're wrong.  I don't know where she gets her information.  Do all invisible friends know each other?  Is there a clearinghouse for invisible facts?  A social network?  A chat room?  These are the kind of questions you find yourself asking around Mouse. p 3 of ARC

Things I Didn't Like:
Sometimes I just didn't follow what was happening.  It got so strange and random that I couldn't figure out anything and felt very lost and confused.  I'm not sure many kids are going to love this, but definitely give it to the ones who love the weird and quirky.

Read-alikes:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Coraline by Neil Gaiman

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some minor scary stuff

Overall rating: *** or **** (can't decide)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 2008
ISBN: 9780316036733
Source: Library (audio download)

 

The Mysterious Benedict Society are all together for a fun reunion, but things don't turn out quite how they expected.  When the discover that Mr. Benedict has been kidnapped, they must follow his trail of clues to find out where he is.  But along the way, they will fight off ten men and the other goons who work for Mr. Curtain.  Will they find Mr. Benedict before it's too late for him and for themselves?

Things I Liked:
It is a complex, mysterious, and very exciting story.  I love how each of the characters is unique and has particular characteristics that make them all essential to their quest.  It had lots of twists and turns and plenty of action that kept me listening and wondering what these remarkable kids would do next.  A fun and smart adventure for kids not afraid of a longer and more complex story.

Things I Didn't Like:
I think it dragged on a little too long for me.  I listened to this one on audio, so that might have contributed to it, but it took me forever.  Not to mention, I did not really like the narrator.  He was a older man with a scratchy voice that wasn't particularly suited to the children in the story.  I'll definitely be reading the next one instead of listening.  I am not sure how much appeal this series will have for kids, but I think an older tween who can invest the time and effort into a chunky text will love them.

Read-alikes:
Read the first book, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
A bit like the Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some frightening things and a little violence

Overall rating: ***

Do you find it easier to stop listening to an audiobook or to stop reading a book when you aren't into it? (I tend to have a hard time with both, apparently.)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Societyis a group of top secret agents - children with peculiar talents and skills who passed a series of mysterious tests. The four children who manage to survive the tests - Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance - find themselves going undercover on a dangerous mission. Can they figure out what strange things are happening at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened before they are caught?

Things I Liked:
I loved the story - it is interesting, exciting, and, of course, mysterious. I don't want to say much about the actual plot, since I wouldn't want to ruin it for you. The characters and their interactions were just plain fun. It has kind of the tongue-in-cheek type humor that I love so much. I think middle graders (and older kids) will really enjoy this series. Here are a few of my favorite passages:

The crying boy had begun flipping through the test now - there appeared to be several pages - and with each new page his sobs grew louder and more desperate. When he reached the end, he began to wail.
"I'm afraid loud weeping isn't permitted," said the pencil woman. "Please leave the room." p.21

"I tied her shoelaces to the desk," she whispered. "With my toes." p.211

In horror, the boys watched her raise the slimy, dirty, half-chewed glob of candy above the table top to examine it. Reynie's eyes swiveled to the Executives, who, having been disappointed in Kate's shoes, were now asking her to show her empty hands, then checking for stickiness under the edge of the table. He looked back to Constance and saw the realization hit her, her eyes widening in alarm. And then, an instant before Martina glanced up to see it, Constance popped the licorice into her mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it. p.393

Just reading them again makes me remember how much fun it was.

Things I Didn't Like:
It seemed a bit long, which may turn off some kids from it. There seemed to be a lot of information included, but could possibly have been left out.

Read-alikes:
Got the same kind of humor as:
The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
The Alcatraz books by Brandon Sanderson
A Series of Unfortunate Eventsby Lemony Snicket

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
(that I recall)

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
a short fight sequence, not really described

Overall rating: ****

How much of the humor do you think kids get out of these kinds of books? Do you think the authors include some of it for the enjoyment of adults?

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I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

When You Reach Meis an interesting tale of how a person's actions can impact those around them. Miranda and Sal have been best friends forever, until one day when Sal is punched for no reason and begins to shut Miranda out of his life. Now she must try to understand the clues someone is leaving her, to figure out why Sal avoids her and how that someone knows so much about her.

Things I Liked:
I loved the time travel element that is slowly revealed. Also, I felt like the emotions of Miranda, her dealing with friendship and school and family, all felt very real. I also really enjoyed the overall story arc - the plot. The humor was also very welcome:

"The hose is all cracked-looking and about a hundred years old, and Mom always says that if there's an actual fire it will be of no use whatsoever and we'll have to jump out the window into the neighbor's garden. It's a good thing we live on the second floor." p.11

"So you're saying this diamond chip is just sitting there minding its own business, and then suddenly a bunch of kids land in the diamond chip's broccoli patch..." p.104

Things I Didn't Like:
It seemed a little too vague, like there was not enough explained, or not enough details included. I was also just a bit disappointed after all the hype that I didn't think it was that fabulous.

Read-alikes:
The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt, for humor and middle school feel
A Wrinkle in Timeby Madeleine L'Engle - because it is such an integral part of the story

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
an intense scene for very young kids

Overall rating: ****

What do you think - is time travel possible? Would you want to travel in time if it were?

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I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta

Description of Mudvillefrom Amazon:

"Welcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring.
Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball. It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch."

This was a fun, quick read for baseball lovers. The touch of fantasy was very fun. I like Roy a lot, because he seems like a real kid with real mistakes, but he is also a genuinely good person. I also like his father because he is believable as well. I was conflicted about Sturgis, however. I was never quite certain who I should have been rooting for or whether I should like him. The ending was fairly well done, though I thought Sturgis' reaction was not exactly what I expected. One of the things I thought was especially well done was the lack of swearing.

RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: Nation by Terry Pratchett

*There's still time to enter my very first giveaway, click here to enter!*

Nationis the story of Mau and Daphne (also called Ermintrude, but really, who would want that name?) After a huge wave devastates Mau's island and wrecks Daphne's ship, the two of them must fight the ghosts of their past and the terrors of being alone, but together they can be the start of a new Nation.

The book started out kind of slow for me, even with Pratchett's sarcastic humor scattered throughout. However, even if a lot of the story was more psychological in nature than actual things happening, it became more interesting. I really enjoyed Mau's internal struggles with his religious thoughts and his realistic ones. It became a very well-crafted coming-of-age story for both Mau and Daphne.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
A few.

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
Some fighting.

Overall rating: ***