Reviews pf Picture Books

Life has been very crazy, trying to work on my own writing, do all sorts of fun summer things, I am actually missing reading, a lot. But what I CAN always make time for is reading picture books to my little girl. Here is what I think of these ones!

WESLANDIA
by Paul Fleischman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (the signature I got)
Published August 1, 2002 (first published 1999)
Paperback, 40 pages

Placement in the Pile: Reaching New Heights

Summary:
WESLANDIA honors the misfits—and the creators—among us.

Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above him and bear a curious-looking fruit. As Wesley experiments, he finds that the plant will provide food, clothing, shelter, and even recreation. It isn’t long before his neighbors and classmates develop more than an idle curiosity about Wesley - and exactly how he is spending his summer vacation.

Review:
I always loved this book. I was introduced to it while I was doing my student teaching for my Elementary Education degree. It was fun, the illustrations were beautiful and it really encouraged kids to use their imaginations, and taught them that it was okay to be different. The outsider kid does something really cool - eventhough it isn't normal, and becomes the coolest kid on the block!

Reading it again the narrative was a bit choppy, but I still love this one. My daughter was intrigued I think by the illustrations more than the text though.


MY LITTLE SISTER ATE ONE HARE
by Bill Grossman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (signature)
Published September 29th 1998 by Dragonfly Books (first published 1996)
Paperback, 32 pages

Placement in the Pile: Between Reaching New Heights and Top Picks

Summary:
For young readers who love to giggle, his uproarious counting book recounts the lively tale of little sister eats everything from one hare to nine lizards, "including their heads and gizzards!"


Review: So so cute. A great counting book with great rhythm and rhyme. Along the lines of "I Swallowed a Fly" type story. My daughter thought it was really really cute, but of the three books I bought it wasn't her favorite at the time I read it to her. Which is why I placed it a bit lower....for her reaction not mine. I think she just needs to be a little older so she can pay attention to the hilarious pictures and the story they tell more. Super cute counting book though!


BEDTIME AT THE SWAMP
by Kristyn Crow (signature)
Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan
Published August 1st 2008 by HarperCollins
Hardcover, 32 Pages

Placement in the Pile: Top Picks!

Summary:

Splish splash
rumba-rumba
bim bam boom!

It's bedtime at the swamp—except somebody's not ready. Somebody's still splashing in the water and the mud.

Is there a monster on the loose?

Kristyn Crow has taken every child's worst nightmare and transformed it into a frolic through swampland. With funny illustrations and a catchy refrain, this story won't scare little monster too much before bedtime.

Phew! That was a lot! But I wanted to share it with you! I love supporting authors and buying books, I only wish I had the time to read more and money to buy more!

Review: So fabulous in every way. My daughter ADORES this book. Crow writes with a great rhythm that makes you want to clap your hands and is reminiscant of something you would sing around a campfire. My little one likes to march around our front room to the "Splish, Splash" chorus type sections.

Only bad part was the "monster" looks a lot like an alligator to a two year old, they should have made him a different color or added more funny spikes or spots or something.

In My Mailbox (15)

I know this is WAY not on the right day for the meme, but as Sunday was Father's Day and I was busy all weekend I didn't get this out until today. But I coudln't NOT share with you all the fabulous books I got this week. I am excited!

From Publishers:
HOUSE OF DOLLS
by Francesca Lia Block
Illustrated by Barbara McClintock
Published June 1st 2010 by HarperCollins Children's Books
Hardcover 61 pages

Summary:

In a little house from another time, with lace curtains in every window and paintings hung in gold doily frames, Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene live a warm and cozy life. They wear fancy dresses, bake play-dough cakes, and spend their days enjoying one another's company.

For the three dolls, life is small but good.

But life is not good for Madison Blackberry, the owner of the dollhouse. Her grandmother pays more attention to the dolls than to her. The dolls have one another, but she is lonely in her big, empty apartment.

Then one day, as things always do—even for dolls—everything changes.

This beautiful story from the acclaimed team of Francesca Lia Block, author of such novels as Weetzie Bat, and Barbara McClintock, author and illustrator of many picture books, including AdÈle & Simon, brings to life the power of love, family, and friendship.

Books I Bought: (I got all of these books at the Writer's Conference I went to, so they are all signed! Squee!)
GLIMPSE
by Carol Lynch Williams (LOVE this girl!)
Published June 22nd 2010 by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Hardcover, 496 pages

Summary:
Just a year apart,
the Chapman girls
were as close as
sisters could be.
Hope could always
count on Lizzie,
and Lizzie could
always count on Hope -
always.

But even sisters have
secrets. Big secrets.
And if Lizzie has her
way, she'll take the
biggest secret of all
to her grave.

THE WAY HE LIVED
by Emily Wing Smith
Published November 1, 2010 by Flux
Paperback, 240 Pages

Summary:
Six stories. Six voices. One reality.

Monday’s Child has just lost her brother, but that’s not why she’s crazy. Tuesday’s Child is a star and wishes she wasn’t. Wednesday’s Child is obsessed with getting revenge. Thursday’s Child is on a quest to find herself. Friday’s Child is in love with a dead guy, and Saturday’s Child is in love with a guy in gray sweats–who isn’t her boyfriend. And the child born on the Sabbath day is the one to set it all in motion.


THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX
by Mary E. Pearson
Published September 1st 2009 by Square Fish (first published April 29th 2008)
Paperback, Paperback, 288 pages

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma — so she’s been told — and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She’s been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won’t anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions. What happened to Jenna Fox? And who is she really?

FABLEHAVEN
by Brandon Mull
Published April 24th 2007 by Aladdin (first published June 14th 2006 by Shadow Mountain)
Paperback, 368 Pages

Summary:
For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken -- Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good -- powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.

Books I Won: (at the conference)

ADELINE STREET
by Carol Lynch Williams
Published March 1st 1995 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Hardcover, 185 pages

Summary:
Eleven-year-old Leah ultimately comes to terms with her younger sister's death.

A warm, funny, family story that deals with overcoming grief and finding inner strength.

To 11-year-old Leah Orton, Adeline Street was the best place on earth to live. But since her sister Kelly's death, the old neighborhood only reminds her of better times. Recent additions to Adeline Street, like the new church and its stern preacher, seem like intrusions. So do many of Leah's confusing new emotions, like her changed feelings for her best friend, Tom, and her sudden understanding of her friend Vickie's frightening secret. Yet as Leah reaches out, she is surprised to find comfort and some good laughs in unexpected places.

Picture Books I Bought:
Many of you know I have a 2 year old, so I have been trying to share my love of books with her by getting her some signed books of her own!

WESLANDIA
by Paul Fleischman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (the signature I got)
Published August 1, 2002 (first published 1999)
Paperback, 40 pages

Summary:
WESLANDIA honors the misfits—and the creators—among us.

Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above him and bear a curious-looking fruit. As Wesley experiments, he finds that the plant will provide food, clothing, shelter, and even recreation. It isn’t long before his neighbors and classmates develop more than an idle curiosity about Wesley - and exactly how he is spending his summer vacation.

MY LITTLE SISTER ATE ONE HARE
by Bill Grossman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (signature)
Published September 29th 1998 by Dragonfly Books (first published 1996)
Paperback, 32 pages

Summary:
For young readers who love to giggle, his uproarious counting book recounts the lively tale of little sister eats everything from one hare to nine lizards, "including their heads and gizzards!"







BEDTIME AT THE SWAMP
by Kristyn Crow (signature)
Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan
Published August 1st 2008 by HarperCollins
Hardcover, 32 Pages

Summary:

Splish splash
rumba-rumba
bim bam boom!

It's bedtime at the swamp—except somebody's not ready. Somebody's still splashing in the water and the mud.

Is there a monster on the loose?

Kristyn Crow has taken every child's worst nightmare and transformed it into a frolic through swampland. With funny illustrations and a catchy refrain, this story won't scare little monster too much before bedtime.

Phew! That was a lot! But I wanted to share it with you! I love supporting authors and buying books, I only wish I had the time to read more and money to buy more!

Review RADIANT SHADOWS by Melissa Marr

RADIANT SHADOWS
by,

Melissa Marr

Details:

published April 20th 2010 by HarperCollins (first published April 2nd 2010)

Hardcover, 340 pages

PLACEMENT IN PILE: Top Picks

Summary:

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.

Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

REVIEW: Wow, I loved this book! I was hooked right from the start, and stayed up late to finish it. This and WICKED LOVELY are now my two favorites in the series. I can't wait for the last one! (Melissa just announced a few days ago that DARKEST MERCY is being released in February of 2011!) I loved Devlin. Melissa creates characters that are complex and believable and dang sexy! ;) This book will grab you and not let go until you finish the last page and then leave you dying for the next one. Of course, the last one will probably be Aislinn's POV again, because while I would enjoy continuing to read about Devlin and Ani, their story is complete enough that I think to finish the series, she will have them be invovled in the next book; but it has to go back to where it started. Aislinn, Keenan and Seth. That was my only problem with this book, was that she and Keenan are completely absent from the story, except to say that Keenan is missing or something. Um, what? But that's all we get told. So... anyway, other than that it was fabulous. It also gave even more depth into the Dark Court and Irial and Niall as well as the High Court, Sorcha and her twin War (Bananach). I love it when books I'm told are great, really live up to my expectations (or exceed them).

Only one more and this series will be done! Have you read it? What did you think?

Review WHITE CAT by Holly Black

WHITE CAT

by,

Holly Black

Details:

published May 4th 2010 by Margaret K. McElderry (first published 2010)

Hardcover, 310 pages

PLACEMENT IN PILE: Reaching New Heights... almost a Top Pick

Summary: Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.
Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love -- or death -- and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

Review:

Whoa. This book is mind-bending. It was confusing, and intriguing (as you're trying to figure out this alternate reality and what's happening and what his past really is, etc.) and completely engrossing. I guessed some of the twists, but that didn't make them any less awesome. There were also some that took me by surprise. I can't wait for the next one. This is a dark, crime drama, with romance and magic and suspense and more. Her writing is fabulous and the plot is intense and well thought out. Has anyone else read it? If not, go do it so we can talk about it!

Where Am I?

Well folks, once again my reading has slowed way down, and my focus is more on my writing. But don't worry I am still around, I have some great books, reviews, giveaways and even author interviews in store. So don't give up on me! ;) Thanks to my fabulous co-bloggers who keep on plugging when I am such a slacker!

As for my writing, this week I am attending a conference in the afternoons and I am so in love with it. I LOVE surrounding myself by authors and learning about the intense craft of writing. Seriously, you cannot know how much learning and work goes into a published work unless you go to one of these. I HIGHLY suggest them for anyone who loves books, author or not!

Have you ever been to a conference? What was the biggest revelation about writing and books you had by going to one?

Review THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER by Stephenie Meyer

THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER

by,

Stephenie Meyer

Details:

published June 5th 2010 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (first published June 2010) Hardcover, 178 pages

Placement in Pile: Somewhere between middle and reaching new heights

Summary:
Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.
In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.
All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.
Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagines, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trus. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

REVIEW:

This was a hard one to place - it is a fun and interesting read to give you new persepective on Bree (and her reactions at the end of ECLIPSE) and on this whole other side to the story. However, it wasn't absolutely amazing or anything. I enjoyed it, it was a fast, easy read, and worth it if you're a Twilight fan. But Twilight and Eclipse are still my two favorites from the series.

I hope to see something new from SM soon, to see how she's grown as a writer, and what she's going to do next. If you've read it, what did you think?

In My Mailbox (14)

Sorry this is a day later than normal for the meme. Thanks as always to The Story Siren who hosts this meme.

From Publishers:

I had a BIG week! So I am just posting the covers and pub date for you rather than giving you a summary cause that would be LONG!

SETH BAUMGARTNER'S LOVE MANIFESTO
by Eric Luper
Published June 1st 2010 by Balzer + Bray
















DEATH ECHO
by Elizabeth Lowell
Published June 1st 2010 by William Morrow













LOVE BITES (Vampire Kisses #7)
by Ellen Schreiber
Published May 182010 By HarperCollins

TOUCH
by Francine Prose
Published June 1st 2009 by HarperTeen








MANIFEST
by Artist Arthur
Published August 1st 2010 by Kimani















INSATIABLE
by Meg Cabot
Published June 8th 2010 by William Morrow

Review SEA by Heidi Kling

SEA by Heidi Kling

Published June 10th 2010 by Putnam Juvenile

Hardcover, 336 pages

Placement in Pile:
Middle of the Stack to possibly Reaching New Heights

Summary:
Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.
And Sea’s real adventure begins.

Review:
I'm so torn on this book. I liked it so much that I read it in one sitting. (And believe me, lately that hasn't been happening a lot. But, we'll talk about those books another day).



So what hooked me? It was the prologue. While I'm in the throws of writing my own novel, I've read articles, and heard from many agents and publishers that prologues are out. They're old business. Well, if I thought that once, I don't any more. Heidi Kling rocked the prologue in a seriously intriguing way. The one page entry hooked me, line and sinker, baby.


Unfortunately, when I reached the end of the novel, I found that the prologue that spurred me to reading the entire book (no potty breaks, nothing), no longer made sense. And that, my friends, is something that didn't work for me. So, in truth (ha, can you tell I've been reading a lot of regency too lately?), I loved 90% of the novel.


I also give props to Ms. Kling for tackling the cultural differences between Americans and Indonesians in a light, fun, and witty way.


My suggestion, go out and read this one.

My Cover Opinion

Thanks so much to ALL of you who commented on the Cover post yesterday! I loved all of your insights. I think it is very interesting that it was almost an even split!

I agree that the covers convey completely different things so it is very interesting that they are all covers for the same book! And I can see how each of them relates to the story.

Now, my reaction to each.

When I was first hearing about this book it was with the original cover. I thought it was really cute and made me think of a young ballerina, a piano player and something captured under glass. I was excited about it and thought it would be just a nice cute read with lots of romance and magical element -- seemed right up my ally!

I also like the fact that it is a graphic and not a live model. I like a lot of live models, but I see so much of them lately, that having a book that sounded good to me not have a photograph cover was something I enjoyed.


Then I requested the book and got the ARC with this cover! I loved it to be honest. I loved that the item under the glass dome was distorted from view. I thought the model was gorgeous and her torso was beyond extremely long. This cover really made me want to read this book.

It reminded me of the covers for A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray, which the cover was the first thing that caught my eye. I was even more excited about the story.


Then I saw this cover after I started reading it and thought....it has nothing to do with the title of the book, which I assume will be a big part of the story. The model looks more like Nimira the main character, yes, so I could see why they changed it, but I was still a bit disappointed.

However, when I finished reading the book I LOVED this cover the most! It truly shows more of the story than even the title (which honestly is only very loosly related to the story in my opinion.) This cover with the key is fabulous.

So, there you have it. An interesting commentary on covers, what they portray who they attract and even a bit on titles (which could be a post all on it's own).

Covers?

Okay, I know I am late jumping on the subject bandwagon of the cover of MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore, but I just read the book recently myself. For our review posted by my co-blogger Guinevere go HERE.

I will state right now, that this post is more about what YOU as the reader prefer to see on a cover, not the controversy over the appearance of the character on the cover. I hashed that out with my post about LIAR by Justine Larbalestier, so check that out HERE.

I knew the cover had changed around from original publication in the UK and Australia. Here is that original cover.


Then the ARC I received was this:


And the final publication (after a similar controversy over the race of the model on the cover of the ARC) was this:


Regardless of race of the character, which cover image and concept speaks to you more? Which would you pick up? I really want you to comment! I will give you my opinion later so I don't interfere with yours! ;) Please comment people!

Review THESE IS MY WORDS by Nancy E. Turner

THESE IS MY WORDS
by Nancy E. Turner
Published January 22nd 1998 by Regan Books
384 Pages

Placement in the Pile: Reaching New Heights

Summary:
Inspired by the true story of the author's pioneering great-grandmother, this mesmerizing saga tells of the emotional, intellectual, and romantic awakening of a spirited young woman, Sarah Agnes Prine, of the late 19th century in the American West.

Review:
This book was a very good read. I was entrapped by the character's voice and life. She was spirited and strong willed and lived the awful hardships of a life in the Arizona territories during the late 1800s.

I was worried that the narration of the book would bother me, but it really was done so well that I loved it instead. It is written in journal format, and thus when she is relaying conversations there are no quotation marks etc. On top of that, she was only educated at home, and never had formal schooling so some of the grammar etc. is off. But Sarah Agnes Prine is someone you can't help but love.

We read this for my book club and it was such a fun book to talk to friends about. We just sat there going over and over almost everything in the book listing it as "my favorite part". Then we were lucky enough to have a phone conversation with the author about the book, the history of her grandmother and how writing the subsequent books came about. (Yes, there are two more books, but this is definitely a stand alone read if you want it to be.)

I adored the love story, I was shocked at how hard her life was, and yet how wonderful it could be at the same time. This one isn't YA but I suggest it for all readers who are ready to deal with some of the harder issues in the content. Such a fabulous story!