What's New? Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

For review:

Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron. 170 p. Philomel Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, February 7, 2017. 9780399546983.

Publisher synopsis: In the tradition of Edward Eager and E.L. Konigsburg, a novel about the excitement—and the dangers—of wishing.

Tess and her brother, Max, are sent for the summer to their aunt’s sleepy village in the English countryside, where excitement is as rare as a good wifi signal. So when Tess stumbles upon an old brass key that unlocks an ornately carved gate, attached to a strangely invisible wall, she jumps at the chance for adventure. And the world beyond the gate doesn’t disappoint. She finds rose gardens, a maze made of hedges, and a boy named William who is just as lonely as she is.
 
But at William’s castle, strange things begin to happen. Carnival games are paid for in wishes, dreams seem to come alive, and then there's William's eerie warning: Beware of the hawthorn trees. A warning that chills Tess to the bone.
 
In a magical, fantasy world that blurs the line between reality and imagination, readers are left to wonder exactly what they’d wish for if wishes could come true. Perfect for fans of Half Magicand The Secret Garden—and for anyone who's ever wondered if magic is real.

Ms. Ephron is making her children's debut with this. 

 

Sharks! by Lori Stein. Animal Planet Chapter Books. 9781618934321.

Dinosaurs! by Laurie Stein. Animal Planet Chapter Books. Both are 112 p. Liberty Street/ Time Inc., October 18, 2016. 9781618931863.
Publisher synopsis: Animal Planet introduces information-packed nonfiction chapter books that are just right for pleasure reading and schoolwork.

Purchased: Went a little wild this week.

Best Man by Richard Peck. Unabridged audiobook on 4 compact discs. 4.5 hours. Read by Michael Crouch. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, September, 2016. 9781735288867.

Publisher synopsis: Archer Magill has spent a lively five years of grade school with one eye out in search of grown-up role models. Three of the best are his grandpa, the great architect; his dad, the great vintage car customizer,; and his uncle Paul, who is just plain great. These are the three he wants to be. Along the way he finds a fourth—Mr. McLeod, a teacher. In fact, the first male teacher in the history of the school.

But now here comes middle school and puberty. Change. Archer wonders how much change has to happen before his voice does. He doesn't see too far ahead, so every day or so a startling revelation breaks over him. Then a really big one when he's the best man at the wedding of two of his role models. But that gets ahead of the story.

In pages that ripple with laughter, there's a teardrop here and there. And more than a few insights about the bewildering world of adults, made by a boy on his way to being the best man he can be.

Memory of Light by Francisco X. Stork. Unabridged audiobook on 8 compact discs. 9 hours, 19 minutes. Read by Frankie Corzo. Scholastic Audiobooks, January, 2016. 9780545910934.

Publisher synopsis: When Vicky Cruz wakes up in the Lakeview Hospital Mental Disorders ward, she knows one thing: She can't even commit suicide right. But there she meets Mona, the live wire; Gabriel, the saint; E.M., always angry; and Dr. Desai, a quiet force. With stories and honesty, kindness and hard work, they push her to reconsider her life before Lakeview, and offer her an acceptance she's never had.

But Vicky's newfound peace is as fragile as the roses that grow around the hospital. And when a crisis forces the group to split up, sending Vick back to the life that drove her to suicide, she must try to find her own courage  and strength. She may not have them. She doesn't know.

Inspired in part by the author's own experience with depression, The Memory of Light is the rare young adult novel that focuses not on the events leading up to a suicide attempt, but the recovery from one -- about living when life doesn't seem worth it, and how we go on anyway.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston. Unabridged audiobook on 6 compact discs. 6.5 hours. Read by Jorjeana Marie. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, March, 2016. 9780399566028.

Publisher synopsis: Veronica Mars meets William Shakespeare in a brave and unforgettable YA heroine whose story will inspire and provoke.

Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn’t mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don't cheer for the sports teams; theyare the sports team—the pride and joy of a small town. The team's summer training camp is Hermione's last and marks the beginning of the end of…she’s not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black.

In every class, there's a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They're never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she's always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The rape wasn't the beginning of Hermione Winter's story and she's not going to let it be the end. She won’t be anyone’s cautionary tale.

I actually splurged and spent more than I am usually willing, on this one because of the words, "Veronica Mars meets."

The Magic Words by Cheryl B. Klein. 368 p. W.W.Norton & Company, Inc., September, 2016. 9780393292244.

Publisher synopsis: This master class in writing children’s and young adult novels will teach you everything you need to know to write and publish a great book.
The best children’s and young adult novels take readers on wonderful outward adventures and stirring inward journeys. In The Magic Words, editor Cheryl B. Klein guides writers on an enjoyable and practical-minded voyage of their own, from developing a saleable premise for a novel to finding a dream agent. She delves deep into the major elements of fiction—intention, character, plot, and voice—while addressing important topics like diversity, world-building, and the differences between middle-grade and YA novels. In addition, the book’s exercises, questions, and straightforward rules of thumb help writers apply these insights to their own creative works. With its generous tone and useful tools for story analysis and revision, The Magic Words is an essential handbook for writers of children’s and young adult fiction.

Scrooge #worstgiftever by Charles Dickens and Brett Wright. OMG Classics series. 90 p. Random House, September, 2016. 9780399550645.
Publisher synopsis: A Christmas Carol, one of the holiday’s greatest traditions told . . . in texts?!
 
Imagine: What if Scrooge, Marley, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and the whole Cratchit family had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this clever adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol! 
 
One grouchy old man who can’t stop asking “How did you get this number?!”
Three ghosts who communicate in the most modern ways, including one who ONLY uses emojis!
And a status update with the most “likes” ever: God bless us, everyone!
 
This retelling will cure even the worst bout of Bah hummingbird! #darnyouautocorrect 
 A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. 

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to (Not) Growing Up by Tommy Greenwald. Charlie Joe Jackson series #6. Unabridged audiobook on 1 MP3 CD. 3 hours, 15  minutes. Read by MacLeod Andrews. Brilliance Audio, August, 2016. 9781531846628.
Publisher synopsis: As graduation day approaches, Charlie Joe is starting to realize being a kid isn't so bad after all, in this hilarious, final installment of the Charlie Joe Jackson series.

Yes! Graduation day is finally here! Charlie Joe has been waiting for this moment his entire middle school career. This might even be the best day of his life. No more teachers! No more books! Just make it through the ceremony and he's free. But suddenly things around him are starting to change. Words like responsibility and college prep keep popping out of his friend's mouths. What happened to words like fun and pool party? And come to think of it, doesn't high school bring more teachers and more books? Maybe this whole growing up thing isn't such a good idea after all. Actually, being a kid is pretty darn fun! Surely Charlie Joe can figure out a way to put the brakes on growing up—and fast!

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the three magical children and their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz. Unabridged audiobook on 8 compact discs. 10 hours. Read by a the author and a full cast. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing, September, 2016. 9780735287365.
Publisher synopsis: The bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm takes on medieval times in an exciting and hilarious new adventure about history, religion . . . and farting dragons.

 
1242. On a dark night, travelers from across France cross paths at an inn and begin to tell stories of three children: William, an oblate on a mission from his monastery; Jacob, a Jewish boy who has fled his burning village; and Jeanne, a peasant girl who hides her prophetic visions. They are accompanied by Jeanne's loyal greyhound, Gwenforte . . . recently brought back from the dead.
As the narrator collects their tales, the story of these three unlikely allies begins to come together.

Their adventures take them on a chase through France to escape prejudice and persecution and save precious and holy texts from being burned. They’re taken captive by knights, sit alongside a king, and save the land from a farting dragon. And as their quest drives them forward to a final showdown at Mont Saint-Michel, all will come to question if these children can perform the miracles of saints.

Beloved bestselling author Adam Gidwitz makes his long awaited return with his first new world since his hilarious and critically acclaimed Grimm series. Filled with Adam’s trademark style and humor, The Inquisitor's Tale is bold storytelling that’s richly researched and adventure-packed.

Read by Vikas Adam, Mark Bramhall, Jonathan Cowley, Kimberly Farr, Adam Gidwitz, Ann Marie Lee, Bruce Mann, John H. Mayer, and Arthur Morey

Features medieval music performed by Benjamin Bagby of Sequentia.

That's what's new with me. What's new with you?

Sorry about That

I'm sorry about that crazy multiple posting of my "Waiting on Wednesday" post. I thought I pulled it down to edit but Blogger seemed to clone the post. I tried three times before I approached the problem differently. My bad. Have a great Humpday!

Waiting on Wednesday: Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

WoW is a weekly meme (or, was, since there hasn't been a post since late August) hosted by Breaking the Spine in which we share the titles we can't wait to release.

Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan. 304 p. Penguin Young Readers Group, January 31, 2017. 9780399186219.

Publisher synopsis: In this heartwarming and funny middle-grade novel by the New York Times bestselling author ofCounting by 7s, Julia grows into herself while playing a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz

 
Julia is very short for her age, but by the end of the summer run of The Wizard of Oz, she’ll realize how big she is inside, where it counts. She hasn’t ever thought of herself as a performer, but when the wonderful director of Oz casts her as a Munchkin, she begins to see herself in a new way. As Julia becomes friendly with the poised and wise Olive—one of the adults with dwarfism who’ve joined the production’s motley crew of Munchkins—and with her deeply artistic neighbor, Mrs. Chang, Julia’s own sense of self as an artist grows. Soon, she doesn’t want to fade into the background—and it’s a good thing, because her director has more big plans for Julia!
 
Bubbling over with humor and tenderness, this is an irresistible story of self-discovery and of the role models who forever change us.

I absolutely adored Ms. Goldberg Sloan's Counting by 7s and cannot wait for this.

Audiobook Review: Historical Fiction Double-header

Sigh. There was a time when I reviewed everything I read. Then, I reviewed only what I really liked. Lately, I realized that I am not even doing that! I never reviewed two audiobooks that totally blew me away this summer. So here's a double review of two historical fictions not to be missed.

Both of these feature totally fictional characters set during a notable historical event, neither of which, I am embarrassed to admit, I had ever heard. But then, I always learn the most interesting things by reading literature for young people.

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez. Unabridged audiobook on 10 compact discs, 12 hrs., 50 mins. Read by Benita Robledo and Lincoln Hoppe. Listening Library, 2016. 9780735289475. (Purchased)

Set in New London, Texas in 1937, where a deadly explosion  at a school killed scores of children, Out of Darkness tells the story of Naomi and Wash. Fifteen-year-old Naomi is Mexican and her five-year-old half-siblings are bi-racial. They've recently been summoned by Naomi's white stepfather to live as a family in New London. Her half-siblings mix easily but Naomi is immediately confronted with racial hatred aimed at Mexicans. All the boys in her high school make assumptions and all the girls hate her because of those assumptions compounded by her beauty and apparent disinterest. She does, reluctantly at first, become interested in Wash, an ambitious African American boy with college prospects. She and Henry, her step-father, share a terrible secret. Henry has supposedly repented and become a Christian, but with each passing day, his resolve waivers and Naomi finds herself the object of his advances. 

This just shredded my heart to bits. Nothing like listening to a book and knowing from disc one that lots of terrible things are going to happen. Evocative and layered, this elicited so many emotions-like falling in love with the characters and wanting to keep them safe; like the fury of unrelenting wrongs and injustice. This was one tough but powerful read. The audio performance was first-rate. The narration by new-to-me narrator, Benita Robledo was commanding. I will definitely be interested in listening to more of her performances. Lincoln Hoppe served as the voice of the "Greek Chorus." Highly recommended!

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Unabridged audiobook on 7 compact discs (8 hrs., 48 min.) Read by Jorjeana Marie, Cassandra Morris, Will Damron and Michael Crouch. Listening Library, 2016. 9780147525451. (Purchased)

Salt to the Sea is told from the points of view of four young people as the losing German army retreats from Russian forces across East Prussia. Joana is a Lithuanian nurse shepherding a group of refugees to Gotenhofan to attempt to gain passage on the ship, Wilhelm Gustloff. She encounters Emelia, a young Polish girl and Florian, a deserting German soldier. There's also the POV of Alfred, a delusional German Navy seaman who finds multiple ways of shirking his responsibility. Each hides secrets both tragic and dangerous. The chapters are short as the point of view shifts quickly from person to person. Be patient with the set-up for as the pieces of this puzzle begin to fit together, the suspense will prevent you from putting the book down (or, in my case, stop listening). So will the love you may be surprised to have for some of the characters. Even the secondary characters are so vividly drawn that I wept over some. 

I was unaware that the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustlaff was the worst maritime disaster in history. As she did in Between Shades of Gray, Ms. Sepetys brings a little known segment of World War II to vivid life. While all the characters are completely fictional, what happened to them in the book, really happened to refugees. 

The four performers did a wonderful job. Three of the four were new-to-me narrators. Cassandra Morris' performance as Emelia was particularly affecting. I'm not sure who voiced Alfred, but his portrayal was creepily smarmy as fitting Alfred. Great job. 

Both books will require a sophisticated reader for both structure and content with Out of Darkness being more appropriate to a high school reader. Out of Darkness won a Printz Honor in January and Salt to the Sea is getting some award buzz for the 2017 season.

Non-fiction-ish Review: Lift Your Light a Little Higher by Heather Henson.

Lift Your Light a Little Higher: the story of Stephen Bishop: slave explorer by Heather Henson. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. unpgd. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, September, 2016. 978148181420952. (Review from finished copy courtesy of publisher)

When I first read this back in July, my first impulse was to feature it in Non-Fiction Monday post until I realized that it is a fictionalized biography since it is written in the first person. I never did get around to writing a review. The book got buried on the bottom of the "to review" pile. Last month, Bookends Blog featured it along with James Madison Hemings in an article entitled Fictionalization in Non-fiction. I recently uncovered and reread the book while reorganizing the mess that is my desk. My review is followed by a couple of thoughts on the trend of fictionalizing Non-fiction.

Stephen Bishop was born in Kentucky around 1821. As a teenager, his master decided he would work as a guide in Mammoth Cave. He learned the cave, over 400 miles of mapped trails. He was not the only slave guide but he became the most famous because he was intelligent and well-spoken. He made many discoveries but did not receive credit for them because he was a slave. He quietly taught himself to read by helping tourists candle-write their names on the cave ceilings. His death is a mystery. The author writes in her author note that because of the dearth of information about his life, she chose to imagine him telling his story.

The illustrator, Bryan Collier, a large man who doesn't like small spaces, visited the caves for research and saw Stephen's candle-written signature. His dark hued collages invoke wonder and claustrophobia in equal measures. Each one invites the reader to pause and pore. Each one is more powerful than the last. The double-page spread where the author writes, "Because I am bought and sold, same as an ox or a mule; bought and sold along with the land I work," depicts an imposing ox with dark silhouettes superimposed on his body. Powerful stuff made especially jarring because with the page turn, the illustration depicts white tourists apparently having the time of their lives. 

Share this picture book widely. It's a powerful conversation starter. Don't forget to share the back-matter. I can't wait to begin some interesting conversations with my students.

I remember reading Jacqueline Woodson's Newbery Honor-winning Show Way aloud to most of my students (from grades 2 to 8) the day after the award was announced in 2007. I was impressed not only by the beauty and design of the book, but also by the fact though, Show Way was a family story, Woodson had it classified as a work of fiction since all of the elements could not be verified. She did the same thing with her luminous memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming. Invariably, students in class after class asked, "Is this true?" I asked them what they thought and after listening to their answers shared the answer. They proceeded to ponder big T and little t-truth. 

Only eight libraries in my cooperative own Lift Your Light a Little Higher so far. Seven of them have catalogued the book as biography. Technically, it's not though I'm tempted to put it there in my library myself. Thoughts?

Review: Pug Meets Pig by Sue Lowell Gallion.

Pug Meets Pig by Sue Lowell Gallion. Illustrated by Joyce Wan. Beach Lane Books, September, 2016. 9781481420662. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

I'm a big dog person, more specifically, a lab person. We've owned and loved three and were about to find a fourth. That is, until son #2 thought it would be a good idea to buy a German Shepherd puppy at the end of his third year of medical school. After a week, he realized that this puppy needed more attention than he had time to give (Ya think?). Since he purchased the pup from a breeder somewhere in the south and picked him up at the airport, sending the dog back was not an option. So we took him. 

If I were to own a small dog, it would be a pug. Or a beagle. I'd rather own a pug than a German Shepherd - or at least this one. I love him but he's very skittish, always hyper-alert and extremely protective of us. He needs lots of attention and stimulation. He needs a job.

I think I need a pug. Pugs are the coolest little dog breed ever. They are so ugly that they are cute. And, little as they are, the way their stocky little bodies move and stand, it's very "You don't want to mess with me, Dude." Which brings me back to Pug Meets Pig.

Look at that cover. Pug is facing off with Pig and he is not happy! Consider the front end-pages, Pug is a happy pup, content to be alone frolicking about his yard. Pug has a lovely home, a wonderful bowl, and he works hard in the yard. He has a great little dog house where he can chill. Until. Pig trots in all la-di-dah! Everywhere Pug goes - his food bowl, his yard, even his doghouse! There is Pig. Pug is going to run away. But, what is this? A pug-door? Hm,m.

Yeah, there are other adorable Pug books out there, but make room for this sassy sibling rivalry book. It's completely adorable from it's endpapers through its creamy, lovely illustrations. Pug Meets Pig is a fun read aloud and great for newly emergent readers as well. 

Visit the author's web page for more information. There's also an activity guide with curriculum connections. Additionally, there's a Pug and Pig Halloween book in the works for 2017.

Taking Stock - September

Total posts this month: 16
Total books read this month: 17
Total books read this year: 288

Challenges:
Audio: 7/79

Debut: 1/11

The Good: <crickets>

The Bad: Still not reviewing everything I'd like.

The Books: * = favorite
September (16)
272. (91) Super Happy Magic Forest by Matty Long (9/1)
273. (92) The Inquisitor's Tale: or the three magical children and their holy dog by Adam Gidwitz (9/3)*
274. (93) My First Book of Hockey by the editors of SIKids (9/4)
275. (94) The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan (9/5)*

Summer's over! Back to School!
276. An Ember in Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (9/6)*
277. Who Broke the Teapot by Bill Slavin (9/8)
278. A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord (9/9)*
279. Isabella for Real by Margie Palatini (9/10)
280. Run by Kody Keplinger (9/11)*
281. Audacity Jones to the Rescue (9/12)
282. Neil Armstrong is My Uncle: and other lies Muscle Man McGinty told me by Nan Marino (9/15)
283. Falling Over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick (9/16)*
284. Bunny Vs Monkey by Jamie Smart (9/19)
285. Pug Meets Pig by Sue Lowell Gallion (9/21)*

286. Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty (9/22)
287. A Torch against the Night by Sabaa Tahir (9/25)* 
288. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds (9/30)*