Books on screen: Holiday edition

Eloise at Christmastime

Let's be frank: the book and movie here bear little plot resemblance. The book chronicles the everyday doings of an excitable, mischievous child at Christmas. She eats treats, decorates, sings, and exchanges gifts. The made for tv movie adds two dramatic plots: the romance between Bill and Rachel Peabody and Mrs. Thornton's pending eviction. The original illustrations supply the inspiration for at least the second of these plots (Eloise includes a drawing of a sour-faced woman with a poodle scowling at Eloise and Skipperdee). Most importantly, though, the movie truly captures the spirit of Eloise. Sofia Vassilieva not only resembles Eloise, she mimics her facial expressions and postures. And Julie Andrews is delightful as Nanny. This movie is a great one to add to your holiday rotation.

Non-fiction book review - Susan B. Anderson's Kids Knitting Workshop

Susan B. Anderson’s Kids Knitting Workshop

For the most part, the instructions in this book are very clear. Anderson provides plenty of simple, clear steps. A kid could almost teach himself/herself to knit with this book alone. The single exception is the cast-on instructions which I, a somewhat experienced knitter, found needlessly complicated and terribly confusing . I struggled to make those instructions work. Once I moved beyond that point, though, I found the bulk of the instructions very helpful and I liked that most of the projects were useful, practical projects. With guidance from an experienced knitter, this is a very helpful guide for the young crafter.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

 

Book review - Shadows of Sherwood

Title: Shadows of Sherwood
Author: Kekla Magoon
Genre: retelling/sci-fi
Similar books: Valiant by Sarah McGuire
                     Jack by Liesl Shurtliff
Rating: 

Fun, but not my favorite

Summary (provided by publisher): For fans of Percy Jackson comes a high-adventure retelling of the classic Robin Hood tale featuring a kick-butt heroine ... Robyn Hoodlum.
The night her parents disappear, twelve-year-old Robyn Loxley must learn to fend for herself. Her home, Nott City, has been taken over by a harsh governor, Ignomus Crown. After fleeing for her life, Robyn has no choice but to join a band of strangers-misfit kids, each with their own special talent for mischief. Setting out to right the wrongs of Crown's merciless government, they take their outlaw status in stride. But Robyn can't rest until she finds her parents. As she pieces together clues from the night they disappeared, Robyn learns that her destiny is tied to the future of Nott City in ways she never expected.

Kicking off a new series with an unforgettable heroine, readers will be treated to feats of courage and daring deeds as Robyn and her band find their way in this cruel, new world.

My opinion: On one hand, I liked the idea of this: a quasi modern gender bent Robin Hood. And I do mean quasi modern. They might have mopeds, holograms, and fully wireless tech, but the feel was more medieval. I kept expecting horses, armor, and cook fires. And while the base concept was sound, the execution has so much prophecy, near magic, and moon religion that it didn’t feel as much like Robin Hood. Clearly the first in series and not one I’d bother to continue reading.

Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book Review - Not If I See You First

Title: Not If I See You First
Author: Eric Lindstrom
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books:  Painless by S.A. Harazin
                      Song of Summer by Laura Lee Anderson
Rating:

compelling

Summary (provided by publisher): Everyone has secrets. Everyone is a secret.
Parker Grant is a junior in high school who loves to run, has great friends, and isn't afraid to speak her mind--especially when it comes to how stupid some people can be around a blind person like her. The only topic to avoid is how Parker feels about the boy who broke her heart in eighth grade... who has just transferred to her school. And as long as she can keep giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago, she'll be just fine. Right?
Combining a fiercely engaging voice with true heart, debut author Eric Lindstrom's Not If I See You First sheds light on the metaphorical blind spots that are a part of life, whether you're visually impaired or not. 

My opinion: Some Excellent stuff here. Seriously, excellent. So first of all we have Parker, a head-strong protagonist caught up in her grief and her own view of the world. We have the boy who wronged her and years of hurt between them. You have friends who keep secrets and are more than we or Parker suspect. The ending won’t suit everyone but it’s realistic and right up my alley. This is different than some of the teen fiction you’ll read this year but its certainly worth a look.

Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Brain Camp

Brain Camp by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan

This is a very atmospheric book. The muted color palate suits the story’s tone, as does Faith Erin Hicks’ illustration style. Make no bones about it, this is an odd story, something along the lines of mild horror. It is a bit graphic in a few scenes with mild blood, but not terribly so. It’s solidly plotted and characterized with a nice, slightly open ending.

Book review - Doctor Who trio

Titles: Doctor Who System Wipe
          Doctor Who Death Riders
          Doctor Who Heart of Stone
Authors: Oli Smith
             Justin Richards
             Trevor Baxendale
Genre: sci-fi
Similar books: The Creeps by Chris Schweizer
                     Rust by Royden Lepp
Rating:

a great choice for fans

Summaries (provided by publisher): System Wipe - The Eleventh Doctor finds himself trapped in the virtual world of Parallife. As he tries to save the inhabitants from being destroyed by a deadly virus, Amy and Rory must fight to keep the Doctor's body in the real world safe from the mysterious entity known as Legacy. 
Heart of Stone -  The Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory are surprised to discover lumps of moon rock scattered around a farm. But things get even stranger when they find out where the moon rock is coming from - a Rock Man is turning everything he touches to stone! Can the Doctor and his friends find out what the creature wants before it's too late? 
Death Riders -  The Galactic Fair has arrived on the mining asteroid of Stanalan and anticipation is building around the construction of the fair's most popular attraction - the Death Ride! But there is something sinister going on behind all the fun of the fair; people are mysteriously dying in the Off-Limits tunnels. Join the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory as they investigate . . . 

My opinion: While these are separate stories by separate authors they are worth talking about together. I’ve read a number of novels that were extensions of tv shows over the years with varying degrees of entertainment value. These three are all solid choices for Whovians. Funny, clever, and just the right levels of tension and absurdity. All three books read like an episode of the show. System Wipe takes us into outer space for a technological adventures. Death Riders is a more standard alien adventure. Heart of Stone takes place on earth and is also a good choice for those less familiar with the show. Not something I’d give to just any sci-fi fan but a great choice for a Whovian.

Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley