re-imagined fairy tales

The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ok, so i had no idea that colfer was some guy on a tv show that i hated.  if i had, i never would have read this book:)

on the whole, it was imaginative, fun and with just the right amount of silliness.  i liked the main characters.  i really liked the evil queen's back story and i loved the way little red riding hood turned out.


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easy guys read

Chase Against Time by Steve Reifman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

REIFMAN, Steve. Chase Against Time: Chase Manning Mystery #1. 140p. Brown Books. March 2012. ISBN: 978-1-61254-031-3. $12.99. F.

Gr 3-5
Chase Manning is hoping to make the Sixth Grade Honors Orchestra next year and tryouts are today.  The only problem is there might not BE an Honors Orchestra if the school can’t raise enough money by auctioning off an expensive cello at the annual fundraising dinner.  When the cello on which everyone has pinned their hopes goes missing, the principal turns to Chase to find the guilty party.  Who would want to sabotage the school music program? Chase has until 3pm to find it before the fundraiser will be canceled and Apple Valley Elementary will lose its music program forever.  A fun mystery with lots of red herrings and a likable main character.  The quirky, real time spin gives a sense of urgency to each chapter as Chase follows the clues to the culprit.  The characters and situations are not wholly believable (teachers seem to give Chase free reign), and the supporting characters lack depth, but kids who have graduated from Scooby-Doo will like Chase’s genuine character and perseverance.  Recommended to fans of Encyclopedia Brown by Donald Sobol.

-Terry Ann Lawler - Phoenix Public Library, AZ.


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very sweet illustrations

Ship's Cat Doris by Jane Simmons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SIMMONS, Jane. Ships Cat Doris. 164p. Orchard Books. June 2012. ISBN: 9781408308967. $8.99. F.

Gr 3-5
When Doris is adopted by Cap and Bosun as the new Ship’s Cat, he thinks he might just be the luckiest cat in the world....until he meets mean Madge the dog, Jasper the bully cat and frightening Frida the hen.  All of whom HATE him! And, as little Doris gets bigger, so do his problems!  On the ship, Doris learns how to make friends, how to stand up for himself and how to deal with the loss of a good friend.   A sweet, understated tale of finding one’s place in the world.  Doris’ journey to finding out that everyone is a culmination of their pasts is a good lesson for all children.  The real delight, however, are the charming black and white illustrations throughout. Whether in words or in art, Simmons has a rare talent for showing an entire world with very few strokes.  Recommended to fans of Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

-Terry Ann Lawler - Phoenix Public Library, AZ.


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pirates:)

Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

egg's mother died in childbirth and left him with older siblings venus and adonis who take every chance to smack him around and trick him.  egg's overworked father looks the other way as well.  in fact, hardly anybody even talks to egg except the kitchen pirate.  the one from the ugly fruit fields would talk to egg if he had a tongue...  when egg's dad takes them to sunrise island unexpectedly, egg finds himself in a heap of trouble.  pirates are actually trying to save him as respectable men hunt him down to kill him.  all over a treasure that probably doesn't exist.

a very funny book with lots of twists and turns and some very lovable kids.


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it's the end of the world and we know it.

The Last Policeman: A Novel by Ben H. Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

definitely not a new concept.  in fact, there is a movie just out on the same premise.  last days of earth, we know an asteroid is coming.  we can't stop it.  if we try to nuke it we'll have thousands of smaller, radioactive asteroids hitting the earth instead of one big one, in one place.  so...what would you do with six months to left?  hank palace does what he would have done anyway.  he solves crimes.  when he has a hanger (suicide) that looks suspicious, he sets out to find the killer.

i loved hank.  he is such a likable goofball of a guy.  he is the kind of person who says things like high as a satellite.  he is utterly respectable and earnest.  you can't help but root for him:)  can't wait for book 2!


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i won't forget you betty

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

budo is max's imaginary friend.  budo is also the longest lived imaginary friend he knows about.  other imaginary friends usually die in kindergarten when their imaginers forget about them.  but not budo.  max has a great imagination and he's also very lonely.  when max gets into trouble, budo sets out to save him and learns about what is really  most important in life and in death.

i loved this book.  really.  i haven't ever read anything quite like it before, so it was very original to me.  i also loved budo.  he's such a great character.  i am also probably biased due to my own memories of my imaginary friends, betty and gur-gur.  i can still remember what they looked like:)


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along the way

Farther Away: Essays by Jonathan Franzen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

FRANZEN, Jonathan. Farther Away: Essays. unabridged. 7 CDs. 8.5 Hours. MacMillan Audio. 2012. ISBN: 978-1-4272-2148-3 $34.99. NF


National Book Award Winner, Franzen offers up his latest batch of essays, speeches, book reviews, interviews, musings and more.  An eclectic collection, the author dissects several novels of historical significance, says goodbye to his friend and fellow author David Foster Wallace and imagines an interview with the State of New York.  Franzen writes vignettes about his life from house sitting and childhood road-trips to bird rescuing in Malta with friendly but militant Audubon members.  Sometimes hilarious sometimes sentimental, each piece is a little window into the soul of the popular author.  His meandering treatises on things like technology and love can be slow at times, but just when you think you’ll fast-forward, he switches to another topic.  Narrated eloquently by Franzen himself alternating with Scott Shepherd; a good move to break up the tracks, giving the reader some variety.  Recommended to fans Franzen’s previous works including: How to Be Alone: Essays.
-Terry Ann Lawler - Phoenix Public Library, AZ.



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