Book review - Oliver and the Seawigs

Title: Oliver and the Seawigs
Author: Philip Reeve
Genre: Fantasy
Similar Books: Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
                     Claude on Holiday by Alex T Smith
Rating:

Odd, but surprisingly entertaining

Summary: After ten years of adventure, Oliver's family has settled down to live a regular life. Their very first day in the family home, his parents go out to explore some mysterious islands in the bay and vanish. The islands, it turns out, are alive. Oliver climbs aboard the last island and heads out to get his parents back. He and the island, along with a grumpy albatross and near-sighted mermaid, must track down the other islands at the Hallowed Shallows.
My Opinion: Firstly, anyone who reads through a description like that and decides to read the book is deserving of admiration. I appreciate like-minded odd folk. Being brutally honest, this is a weird little book. But funny and entertaining. Mr. Culpeper, the albatross, is like the curmudgeonly neighbor from any number of sit-coms. Iris, the mermaid, is a little flighty but defies the standard of mermaids. She's decidedly her own person. Actually, most of the main characters are distinct individuals, little caring what others expect from them. Add in greedy villains, green sea monkeys hatching from sea weed, and wigs made out of beach debris and this is a very entertaining read. And my download didn't actually have any of the illustrations. I imagine the illustrations would make it a real hoot.
More information: Oliver and the Seawigs releases July 22.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
 

Graphic Novel Spotlight: Monster on the Hill

Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell

This book explores monsters in a way you've never seen them before. In a world where each town has it's own monster who regularly rampages through the square and gives the townsfolk something to look forward to, Stoker-on-Avon had gotten the short end of the stick. Their monster, Rayburn, is depressed and hasn't rampaged in years. Plucky orphan Timothy and the slightly-mad scientist Dr. Charles Wilkie must turn Rayburn into a proper monster before the horrible Murk destroys the town. With a great, unique, story, Monster on the Hill also bears an awesome cartoony style with a muted color palate that lends an air of sophistication. This book is clever, funny, and doesn't take itself too seriously. It can be read straight by young readers but there's plenty of nuance for older readers too.

Great levels of verbal and visual humor

Awesome detail and color palatte

 

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
Shipwreck Island by S.A. Bodeen
12 year old Sarah is furious. First her father married a woman after a short romance, moving in Yvonna and her two boys. Now, the adults have announced that the five of them will be taking a sailing vacation to Fiji together. Five days on a sailboat with people she can't stand? No thanks.
I'm a huge fan of re-tellings/re-imaginings of classic stories and though I've never actually read the Swiss Family Robinson I'm quite looking forward to seeing how this one plays out. The first couple of chapters, while nothing overly amazing, have been pretty enjoyable so far.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Mind Blind by Lari Don
Ciaran's always been involved in the family business: using their innate psychic abilities to do covert jobs for people. It's mostly illegal and often dangerous. Ciaran's used to being a liability. His gifts are so strong that he is usually overwhelmed by other people's thoughts and emotions. Now, this weakness has put the whole family in jeopardy. He's racing to collect some vital evidence before the family can track him down.
I think I mentioned this one on last week's list. It sort of got pushed down in favor of some other reading. While it was kind of slow to start, once I really got into it I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Ciaran is a very likeable character, vulnerable and self-effacing. And because the book involves mental abilities it takes place very much in the character's heads, allowing us to form close connections with them. A pretty exciting read.
 
What do you think you will read next?
The Bridge from Me to You by Lisa Schroeder
This one is told in alternating voices, poetry and prose. Could be amazing.
 

Guest review - Slated

My friend Elizabeth Murphy joins us again for a guest review. This book I've read myself and thoroughly enjoyed so I was excited to see what Elizabeth thought.

Title: Slated
Author: Teri Terry
Genre: youth fiction
Similar books: The Program by Suzanne Young
                     Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Rating:

Summary: Some time in the future. Teenagers are controlled by having their memories erased (being "slated") if they do something wrong or commit a crime. They have to relearn everything and are given a new family. They are trained to "control" their emotions and are monitored with a wrist device. Getting angry or violent can mean death. But, Kyla starts to feel anger and remembers things from the past, and sometimes in her dreams. Unsure of what is real or not, she and her boyfriend (also "slated") begin to question the systems and those who are controlling them.
Your opinion: The plot is completely believable and I can see it happening in the future. No more teen "gangs" or teen "crime." Kids are not allowed cell phones and their computer usage is monitored. All this is enforced by "Lorders" who look down on anyone under the age of 20. If you "misbehave" you are taken by the Lorders and "slated", your memories wiped and you get to start over. However, what happens if it doesn't work? What happens if the technology fails? Very readable, moves right along, and I can't wait to read the next book.

I've always wanted to be an Ewok

I spend a lot of time on the internet looking around for cool stuff to make. When I spied this Ewok scoodie on Geek Crafts (my favorite source for all things geeky and crafty), I knew I had to attempt one of my own. Luckily I already had the perfect shade of orangey-brown yarn lying around my house. Some salvaged leather type cording was the perfect finishing touch.

I'm quite pleased with the result

I suspect I'll get a lot of use out of this come fall/winter. I also dug up some green yarn that would look pretty awesome paired with charcoal grey ears....

My Velma Dinkley face

Two years ago, as part of our summer reading program, we had a teen program on forensics and police procedure. For added fun, several of us on the staff dressed up as members of Mystery Inc (aka the Scooby Doo gang) So, here I am as Velma Dinkley. It's hard to see here but the outfit included orange knee socks and brown shoes.
 

Jinkies, it was fun.

Book review - Skies Like These

Title: Skies Like These
Author: Tess Hilmo
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Similar books: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
                     Three Bird Summer by Sara St. Antoine
Rating:

A pleasing read with a lovely setting

Summary: Jade's not happy to be spending her summer in Wyoming with her Aunt Elise, a quirky character who's cooking experiments tend to end in disaster. Then she meets Roy Parker, a local boy obsessed with Butch Cassidy. Roy's dad had to close his hardware store and Roy is determined to reopen it, no matter what it takes. He takes his inspiration from his hero, Butch. And he wants Jade to be his Sundance Kid.
My opinion: There is so much to love about this book. The characters, even the dogs, are distinct and quirky. Even Roy's nemesis has a little bit of depth. The plot, while somewhat simple, does have a few twists. The real strength to this book, though, is the setting. Hilmo describes all of the setting with real depth and beauty, a love of nature which is pervasive. I particularly loved the stargazing scenes. This is a great book for middle grade readers who are starting to look at the world a little more closely.
More Information: Skies Like These releases July 15th.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.