Books on screen

How to Train Your Dragon

This is one of those books where I actually saw the movie first. And I loved it. I love this movie. Recently I got my hands on a copy of the book. It was a lot of fun too. At first glance, though, they have nothing in common apart from a handful of names. The book is funny; the movie is far more serious. The dragons in the book talk; in the movie they don't. The vikings in the book must train a dragon when they are young; in the movie they kill them. Basically the entire plot is different. These differences can seem overwhelming but at heart the two stories actually achieve the same thing. We have this young hero who has a different way of seeing things, a different approach to life, that while challenged by hsi peers eventually proves useful. Both are excellent and well worth your time.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
The Silence of Six by E.C. Myers
Max used to be best friends with Evan. Things changed after Evan was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Between the diagnosis and the effects of his new medications, Evan drew away from his friends. Max hadn't talked to him in quite some time when Evan hacked a live-streaming presidential debate, asking the very cryptic question "What is the silence of six and what are you going to do about it" before killing himself. Immediately after Evan's suicide, officials lock down all of the details of the debate and simply knowing Evan makes Max the target of a national investigation. 
I'm only a few chapters into this novel but it holds a lot of promise. I'm a fan of books that encourage the reader to consider political issues, the role of technology in our lives, and to question everything. 
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Creed by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie
On their way to a concert Dee, her boyfriend Luke, and his brother Mike run out of gas. With temperatures plummeting and emergency sirens sounding, they take refuge is a small, seemingly abandoned town. But nothing is as it seems in Purity Springs. When the inhabitants appear in the morning, Dee and her friends realize that the leader, Elijah, poses far more danger than the storm.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Stone Cove Island by  Suzanne Myers
This one promises a decades old murder mystery in the aftermath of a hurricane. Could be pretty awesome.

Book review - Death Coming Up the Hill

Title: Death Coming Up the Hill
Author: Chris Crowe
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
                     Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
Rating:

Technically very impressive

Summary: It's 1968 and Ashe is 17 years old. The Vietnam war is an ever present concern. Ashe pays careful attention to the death toll posted daily in the newspaper. His mother pushes him to get into a good college in hopes that he can get an exemption from the draft. His history teacher tracks the death toll as well and teaches his students about the realities of war. As if political concerns weren't enough, Ashe's home life isn't great. His parents have never gotten along and only stay together for Ashe's sake. When his mother's secret is revealed, Ashe is forced to make some tough decisions for himself and his family.
My opinion: I find the technical aspects of this book incredibly impressive - a single syllable for each American soldier killed in Vietnam in 1968. Just the thought of all the revision necessary to make that happen blows my mind. Apart from sheer technical admiration, it really is a good story. Even though, as a verse novel, there are real limits as to how much information we can receive, Crowe does an excellent job of connecting the reader with the subject. The ending is open, which can be a little frustrating. Overall, it is a satisfying read.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Sock monsters

My craft fair prep continues (though somewhat derailed by a twelve hour power outage yesterday). These little monsters are made out of a really fun package of socks. The first dolls with the wide mouths have large wiggle eyes. The ones with the puckered mouths have eyes made out of pompoms.

My Halloween face

I have never purchased a Halloween costume. Growing up, we made our costumes out of things we already had around the house. That habit of making unusual costumes out of the commonplace has followed me into adulthood. This year's costume is the most store-bought I've ever had. I found a cow costume at a discount store. The hood and gloves were missing so it was ridiculously cheap. A t-shirt hood with craft foam ears and a pair of stretch gloves easily replaced the missing pieces. And because I can't do anything simply, I didn't want to be a plain old cow. So this is the variation I came up with.

Super cow, defender of Earth

Accompanied here by Zippety as Captain Underpants

I also considered another variation, rejected because someone suggested it might make me look like a flasher cow. Plus it covered up my tail. 

Doctor Moo

 

 

Book review - Killer Instinct

Title: Killer Instinct
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: mystery/thriller
Similar books: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
                     The Body in the Woods by April Henry
Rating:

What a relief. A sequel that lives up to the promise of the first book.

Summary: Cassie's mother trained her to read people. It comes easily to her and has served her well, especially now that she's part of a clandestine FBI team. Called the Naturals, these teens have skills well suited to crime solving - lie detection, emotion reading, statistics and spacial reasoning. Together they work to solve cold cases. Now they are being pulled into an active case. A killer appears to be copying the crimes of the father of one of their own. The only way to help Dean is to stop the killer before he takes any more lives.
My Opinion: I really liked the first book in this series, The Naturals, so I was both excited and wary of this second novel. Barnes does not let the reader down. This is just as exciting as book 1, with new complications, the program hanging in the balance, and beginning to peer more into the personal lives of the team, and further character development. I was a little less happy with the eventual identity of the killer, but that  is a minor complaint. If the series continues in this vein it could be pretty excellent.
More information: Killer Instinct releases November4.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Happy Halloween!

I'd like to invite you to join me on a little reading journey. The year is 1992. I am 8 years old and my third grade teacher frequently reads aloud to us. In the month of October she reads us Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe. By the end of the first chapter, I am completely hooked. That year, I read every book in the series as fast as I can, including Return to Howliday Inn which is released that spring. 

This is probably the edition we read from

Fast forward a decade. Like all beloved books, Bunnicula has slowly drifted out of my life. My younger brother, now 10, has read the series too and tells me about a new book in a related series, It Came From Beneath the Bed. I read it and agree with him that it's ridiculous but funny. This is my reintroduction to Bunnicula and company and I wonder if it will hold up to another read. Again, I race through all of the books. I fall back in love with the slightly dim but loyal Harold, the suspicious and dry Chester, the mysterious Bunnicula. I rediscover the vivid atmosphere and fun loving humor of the series. And I praise the Howes for being awesome.

Fast forward one more decade. Now that I am a librarian, Bunnicula has become one of my perennial recommendations for slightly scary books. And I have one more new experience with Bunnicula. I have to confess, I'm not a fan of audio books. I look around, I don't know what to do with my hands, and I get distracted. But I'm determined to try them so I can recommend them to patrons. So, I decide to give the Bunnicula audio book a try with the idea that if I know I love the story I will pay more attention to what is happening. To my delight, I discover that this audio is read by Victor Garber, who I adore. It's one of only a handful of audios that I manage to listen to in its entirety. 

And that is why I will continue to recommend Bunnicula to young readers. When a book sticks with you your entire life, you know it is something special.