Book review - The Executioner's Daughter

Title: The Executioner's Daughter
Author: Jane Hardstaff
Genre: historical fiction/horror
Similar books: Crispin: the Cross of Lead by Avi
                     Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
Rating:

Nicely written, but hard to recommend

Summary(provided by publisher): A child that is born to the river shall return to the river.
All her life, Moss has lived in the Tower of London with her father, who serves as the executioner for King Henry VIII. Prisoners condemned to death must face Pa and his axe—and Moss, who holds the basket that will catch their severed heads.
Twelve years you shall have. To love her. To hold her.
With the king sending more enemies to the block each day, Moss knows she can't bear to be the executioner's daughter any longer. She's desperate to see the outside world, especially the River Thames, which flows just beyond the Tower's walls. Even the chilling stories about the Riverwitch, who snatches children from the shore, won't stop her.
After that, the child belongs to me.
When Moss finally finds a way out of the Tower, she discovers the river holds more dangers than she imagined—including the Riverwitch's curse. The Riverwitch once helped Moss's family in exchange for a terrible bargain; now she expects Moss to pay the debt. 

My opinion: This is a rather lush historical novel. I like the depiction of the feudal system, it's simplicity and inequality, its joys and pains. Moss and her father don't have much. She meets serfs ho have even less, yet in their great poverty they find fun and generosity. These elements are fascinating to explore. The Riverwitch plot is lightly spooky and relatively easy to understand. While the ultimate resolution is a little predictable, the greater plot of understanding your family, your world, and your place in it better is a solid read and provides a great deal to discuss with middle grade readers. And therein lies the sticking point. This is an upper middle grade book, the age at which historical fiction, especially longish and description heavy, can be a tough sell. Not for casual readers but perhaps a good choice for strong readers, especially in a group setting.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Graphic Novel Spotlight: The Crogan Adventures

The Crogan's Adventures series by Chris Schweizer

Each of the three books in this series approaches a different moral concept, like loyalty or vengeance, and uses an historical tale to illustrate it. The stories start with a modern family having some sort of dilemma. The father tells a story from his family history with a broader example of the same issue. The first two books are less polished, but by book 3, Crogan's Loyalty, Schweizer's work truly shines. Book 3 explores the various loyalties that influence a person: loyalty to family, to government, to ideals. Sometimes these loyalties conflict with one another, the focus of this plot. 
In all three books, no simple conclusions are drawn. There are no easy answers provided, just concepts to consider. The exaggerated, cartoony nature of the illustrations balances out the more serious nature of the story, providing light-hearted moments. All told, these are entertaining and informative stories with a contemplative heart. A great supplement to historical curriculum as well.

Nonfiction book review - Faster, Higher, Smarter

Faster, Higher, Smarter by Simon Shapiro

This book works on two fronts. First, it appeals to sports-minded kids. As they are reading about feats of athleticism, they are seeing real life applications of science. Secondly, it appeals to science-minded kids, showing them that sports are more than just brute force. Books like this one bridge the divide between "brains" and "brawn" and everything in between. An admirable intent and the dynamic writing style in this one really succeeds. Even I, being inclined to neither science nor sports, enjoyed this one. Nicely done.

Book review - Far Out Fairy Tales

Title: Far Out Fairy Tales
Author: Joey Comeau, Louise Simonson, Sean Tulien, Otis Frampton
Genre: fantasy/sci-fi/graphic novel
Similar books: Fairy-Tale Comics edited by Chris Duffy
                     Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
Rating:

cute

Summary (provided by publisher): What do you get when classic fairy tales are twisted about, turned inside out, and reworked for the graphic novel format? Far Out Fairy Tales! Discover what Snow White would be like if she were raised by robots. Find out how Cinderella's story plays out when she walks the path of the ninja. Play along when three billy goats named Gruff get stuck inside a video game. Chase down the Big Bad Wolf with the help of a superpowered Red Riding Hood! Each fairy tale revision holds true to the spirit of the original while adding a modern twist to the classic tales we know and love. Experience fairy tales like never before in this innovative series of full-color comic books for kids!

My opinion: There is certainly no shortage of fairy tale retellings these days. This collection appeals to a rather young audience, mostly those just beginning to read independently. The settings in each story are unique, though the plots themselves are relatively standard. Motivations change slightly as well as resolutions, but at heart readers will recognize the pathways of these stories. The art is detailed and dynamic. It's a novelty but nothing groundbreaking. Very young readers will enjoy this, as plot familiarity will lend confidence. Older readers will be entertained by it once or twice and move on.

More information: Far Out Fairy Tales releases April 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGaley.

A quick skirt

Last week I set myself a goal to make a new skirt for Easter Sunday. Ideally, I wanted to buy a plain skirt at the thrift store that I would then embellish. Unfortunately, I didn't find such a skirt. What I did find was this sundress.

I'm not really a sundress sort of person and this dress is rather on the short side. But, with the sleeves removed just above the smocking, it became the perfect length for a skirt. I added an iron-on rhinestone embellishment. The skirt had two small stains but those were easily covered with some decorations. I figured birds fit in nicely with the tree I had already added.

The best way to add these birds would have been to embroider them. But this skirt is a jersey knit and you really need a stabilizer to embroider on a knit and I had no stabilizer on hand. These birds were drawn with fabric markers. In future, I'll probably redo them with embroidery.

Book review - The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl

Title: The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
Author: Melissa Keil
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Save Me, Kurt Cobain by Jenny Manzer
                     You Were Here by Cori McCarthy
Rating:

nice, a little slow

Summary (provided by publisher): Alba loves her life just as it is. She loves living behind the bakery and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon. She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends. The only problem is shes overlooked a few teeny details. Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared. And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails. Even her latest comic book creation is misbehaving. Also, the world might be ending-- which is proving to be awkward. As doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Albas life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, its the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems. 

My opinion: There are some things I really like about this book. Alba is very comfortable with her body and her personality. She and her friends don't worry about what people think of them. In fact, they might be a little too self-assured and Keil asserts their individuality a bit too strongly. And they are preternaturally talented as a group. In spite of these mildly unrealistic elements, they have very real concerns. They struggle with future planning. They want more but don't always know how to get it. Or, in Alba's case, don't even know what they want. And they don't necessarily come to any real conclusions. The plot is somewhat predictable and moves a little slowly. Given that it centers around a potential apocalypse (which is a nice parallel to the major life change that is looming for the characters) there isn't a great deal of drama. Not a good choice if you're looking for a thrilling read but nicely introspective.

More information: The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl releases to the American market April 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Pick 6: New Kids

Moving to a new town or a new school is a classic set-up for a youth novel, and with good reason. Finding yourself in a new situation, adjusting to new schedules and a new peer group; these are a solid framework for addressing personal and family issues. Here are six books published in the last six months that feature kids who recently moved to new towns as a primary character.

6 New books with kids new to town:

1. Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

2. Evie Brooks is Marooned in Manhattan by Sheila Agnew

3. Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer

4. Crystal Cadets by Anne Toole and Katie O'Neil

5. Sanctuary Bay by Laura J Burns and Melinda Metz

6. The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen Rivers