Cybil Challenge

4 Cybils, 3 JMP Approved

2013, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge /

Johnny Mac Pippin and I started putting a dent in the stack of picture books from the Cybils shortlist. He liked three of the four we read today.

Black Dog was his favorite — probably because he likes dogs and I said the word dog a lot, so even when he couldn’t see the dog (or couldn’t tell that great big thing was a dog) he knew this was about dogs. Fun story.

Creepy Carrots was amusing for me and JMP liked it, too — though probably because I used some weird voices to make the carrots creepy.

A Home For Bird was cute. He liked this one too, though I doubt he’s ever seen a cuckoo clock. He did enjoy saying Cuckoo, Cuckoo over and over at the end.

The book he didn’t enjoy was Balloons Over Broadway. We didn’t finish that one together. The illustrations weren’t enough to keep his attention and the story was beyond him. Older kids, particularly those who have seen the Macy’s parade will probably like this a whole lot more than JMP did.

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Every Day

3 Comments / 2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Cybil Challenge, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

Every Day is the YA trouble book of all time — there will never be a YA trouble book that has more trouble than this one. It’s impossible.

Because A wakes up in the body of a different 16 year old every single day. This means A deals with every single YA trouble under the sun. It gets particularly problematic when A wakes up in the body of Justin and falls in love with Justin’s girlfriend and tries to figure out how he/she can have a relationship with Rhiannon (and Rhiannon tries to figure out how she can dump Justin and have a relationship with A.)

Oy.

It was interesting — mostly because we couldn’t figure out how this was going to end. Since A obviously couldn’t stay in someone else’s body. It did all wrap up with a neat, but sad, little ending. An ending I didn’t particularly like but an ending that made sense. As much sense as a book about someone who has no body of his/her own and moves around to a new body every day for his/her whole life can make.

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The Curiosities

1 Comment / 2013, Books in Bed, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, short stories, Young Adult /

I’m not a big fan of short stories — they tend to be too long, too short, do a bad job with back story or are too darn interesting and I’m left wishing I knew more. Overall, generally more frustrating than not.

So when I saw The Curiosities was a book of short stories, in the YA Fantasy/SciFi category of the Cybils shortlist — I wasn’t thrilled. I figured I’d just get it over with early and be done with it.

Turns out this is one of the best short stories compilations EVER. I particularly enjoyed the commentary between the three authors and immediately subscribed to their blog, The Merry Sisters of Fate so I can read more of their stories (I’ve already read several of their novels.)

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The One and Only Ivan

2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Fiction /

I’m not big on animal stories — particularly those that are fiction but based on a true story and extra particularly those written for kids. They’re just … too much.

So I didn’t expect to love The One and Only Ivan. The only thing it had going for it, in my early opinion, was that it was written by Katherina Applegate (who I really like.)

Turns out, I’m a sucker for books about gorillas and elephants and stray dogs and such. I’m awfully sad that I didn’t go to the Atlanta zoo and see Ivan in person before he passed away. That would have been cool. It also would have been cool if Ivan had really done all of those things to get himself and Ruby to the zoo…

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Errr, Seven Cybils: Children’s Poetry (Most, Excellent)

2013, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Poetry /

I have a love/hate with children’s poetry, so it makes sense that I have a love/hate with the Cybils shortlist books in the poetry category. I’m pleased to say that the first six I’ve read are mostly winners.

Let’s start with the “meh” books.

This is probably mostly me and my love/hate thing but it’s become clear that I just don’t love ocean/water animal poetry for kids. It makes me roll my eyes more often than not. So, while I didn’t hate these, I don’t love them either except for one. One of these puts it slightly above the others:

Water Sings Blue was fine. Ho hum. Seen one book of children’s ocean poetry, seen ’em a..

In the Sea‘s poetry tried a little too hard but OMG the illustrations make up for it. Fabulous. I’d read this one again — just for the illustrations.

Moving onto the books I loved, some of them I was really surprised to love. OK most of them I was surprised to love (see my love/hate issues above.)

Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs — hahahah, laugh out loud funny. If you have kids who love puns or want to teach them puns (and have no problems with death humor) this is THE BOOK. I must own this myself to read to JMP when he visits. hahaha.

UnBEElievables — I’m getting a little tired of books about bees but as soon as I feel that way or say that or type that, I feel guilty because … people, our bees are in trouble! I’d be tempted to put this in the same category with the ocean/water poetry above except… the poetry is pretty good, the tidbits about bees are just right and the illustrations are truly a work of art. *Love* I’d buy this one.

Book Speak — probably just me (and other bookaholics) but I loved it. I suspect most kids won’t love it. Librarians, teachers, parents who are avid readers will want them to but most… won’t. This is a book that has to hit exactly the right person or it falls flat. And kids are tough audiences for poetry.

Now, for the king of kings. Queen of queens. Best book of poetry in the world and everyone should drop what they’re doing and buy this because it means you’ll never have to buy, look at, read, pretend to like another book of animal poetry again. You also won’t have to buy a zillion non-fiction photo books about animals. This one does double duty and will save you money, time, and space on the shelf. I also can’t believe I’m saying this because this is the one I expected to really hate, hate, hate. National Geographic: Book of Animal Poetry. Amazing. Frost, Prelutsky, Dickinson, Lawrence are in here. The photos are National Geographic quality. It’s a high quality book. Best in breed, for sure.

Oops, overlooked Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses on my library cart — it was excellent. Retold fairy tales, most definitely for older, mature teens. One of the best of the retold anthologies (and I’ve read a lot of them.)

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Chomp

1 Comment / 2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites /

I like Carl Hiaasen but I don’t love Carl Hiaasen so I figured I’d enjoy Chomp but I didn’t know I’d really, really, REALLY enjoy Chomp.

The only problem with it (well besides the neverending supply of beer the “bad guy” seemed to have and his inebriation level, but it’s middle grade fiction — that’s to be expected) was that we listened to it on audio and… Dawson, yes that Dawson, was the reader.

I kept expecting Joey and Pacey to show up… that was a little weird.

Great Cybils selection. Great book for those of you who aren’t sure you like audio books.

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The Lions of Little Rock

2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge /

Here’s the problem with me and books in the Cybils Challenge — I reserve them at the library without knowing what they’re about.

The Lions of Little Rock was one of those books.

Little Rock in the 50s, so no, I wasn’t really surprised when Liz showed up at school and I knew immediately that Liz was trying to pass and this was not going to end well for anyone.

It was at that moment that I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like the book. In those early pages I had to keep reminding myself that this is a middle grade fiction book. This is a middle grade fiction book. And before long, I wasn’t having to remind myself of that. I could just enjoy the story. And, I really did enjoy it.

I do have one question — after Judy flew from Pine Bluff to Little Rock on New Year’s Eve, how did she get back to Pine Bluff? (It’s little things like this that stick with me and bother me.)

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Wonder

1 Comment / 2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Young Adult /

I will admit that I was prepared to be not-so-impressed with Wonder. Books that have glowing reviews cause me to put my hackles up and be overly critical.

But, it was tough to maintain that detached, critical air. Wonder was just too nice. Nice story. Nice characters. Nice family. Nice. Nice. Nice. Just typing that makes me want to NOT like Wonder but I just can’t do it.

Maybe because we listened to it on audio, and finished it up during our happy vacation to Door County — everything was awesome, including the happily ever after ending of Wonder.

Hell. Just go read it.

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