Picture books for everyone

Emma Kate by Patricia Polacco

There is plenty to love about this book. Firstly, the art is pencil drawings. Each object is carefully rendered, adding detail and contouring while maintaining the loose, sketchy style. Each page has a detail or two in color, adding nuance and an almost magical quality to the relationship between girl and elephant. Secondly, it's a book with a great twist at the end, one that never fails to delight both kids and adults when I read this at storytime. Smaller kids need a little bit of coaching to discover the surprise but this does not take away from their enjoyment of it.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
When two kids discover that the milk is all gone, their father runs down the street to buy some. He returns several hours later with a wild story of why it took him so terribly long just to buy a little milk.
I've been wanting to read this new Neil Gaiman book for some time now. With time travel, dinosaurs, pirates, aliens, and more it reminds me of To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street crossed with Doctor Who. 

What did you recently finish reading?
Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles (Dover Graphic Novel Classics) Adapted by John Green
Holmes and Watson investigate a family curse in this graphic novel adaptation.
The Hound of the Baskervilles is probably the most commonly retold Sherlock Holmes story. This version is fairly solid. The illustrations, while nothing spectacular, are solid and occasionally capture some excellent Holmes expressions. Not the best adaptation of Sherlock Holmes I've ever read but a good thrift edition of you're looking to save some money.

What do you think you will read next?
Niles Wormwart, Accidental Villain by D.M. Cunningham
Niles is determined to make waves at the science fair with his time travel wristwatch. No cliched experiments for this kid. Unfortunately, his experiment goes wrong and blows up the science wing of his school. In the wake of the destruction, Niles is sent of to Camp Mayhem. His father thinks it is a role-playing camp. In reality, it is a training camp for future villains.
This could be an interesting twist on the "kid finds out he is a superhero" plot. 

Peg dolls part 1

With not even a week until the craft fair, I'm frantically trying to finish up all of my projects. I've been painting a high quantity of peg dolls. Here are photos of a dozen of them. I'll share the rest with you next week. All the dolls were painted with acrylic paint and a clear coat of Mod-podge.

Book review - The Silence of Six

Title: The Silence of Six
Author: E.C. Myers
Genre: Thriller
Similar books: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
                     After by Francine Prose
Rating:

Very compelling

Summary: 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.
My Opinion: Internet safety/ privacy issues and hactivism make great plots for teen novels. This stuff is so important to think about as our lives become increasingly focused on the digital. While I got a little bogged down in tech speak a few times and occasionally flet like I was being scolded for my mild internet safety naivete, I was far more impressed by the issues of internet privacy, net neutrality, and ownership that came up than annoyed by those little reminders.
Apart from all of that, the writing is solid, the pacing excellent, the characterization believable. This is an action packed novel with an ending that is both satisfying and open for sequels. You won't look at your social media the same after you read The Silence of Six.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

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.