Book review - Waylon! One Awesome Thing

Title: Waylon! One Awesome Thing
Author: Sara Pennypacker
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Melonhead by Katy Kelly
                     Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look
Rating:

a solid read

Summary(provided by publisher): Waylon has lots of ideas for making life more awesome through science, like teleportation, human gills, and attracting cupcakes by controlling gravity. But it's impossible for him to concentrate on his inventions when he's experiencing his own personal Big Bang.
Arlo Brody is dividing the fourth grade boys into two groups. Waylon would rather be friends with everyone. Well, everyone except the scary new kid, Baxter Boylen.
Waylon's older sister, Neon, is shooting away from the family. He wishes everything would go back to the way it was before she started wearing all black and saying "What's the point?" all the time.
Just when it looks as though Waylon's universe is exploding, something happens to bring it all together again, and it is, without a doubt, One Awesome Thing

My opinion: This new offering from Pennypacker has all the charm of Clementine with a different quirk factor. Clementine was bod, impulsive, and borderline reckless. Waylon is more thoughtful and cautious. He's ruled by logic, science, and the wonders of the natural world. Now, Clementine's voice was instantly distinctive. Waylon's voice, on the other hand, is still developing. Of course, Waylon is older than Clementine was at her introduction so the more restrained voice may be a part of that. He's also dealing with different issues, concerns of bullies and fitting in with his peers, understanding the changes in his older sister. The plot is familiar but charming. A solid, gentle read for upper elementary.

Advanced Reader copy provided by NetGalley.

The Great Owl Repaint Project part 3

After moving all of my craft supplies were kind of muddled. Now that I've unpacked everything and gotten them back into a sensible sort of order, I've been able to get back into my typical crafting habits. Recently, that has meant working on my owl repainting. (Check out the previous owls, Clara and Leif) Here's my latest installment. 

The before:

 
This particular owl presented an unusual set of issues given it's high gloss finish. Even sanding didn't put a dent in the gloss. This has left the paint a little fragile but the acrylic finish coat helps.

The after:
 

I modeled the coloring after the Southern White-faced Owl

This owl is the mother of the family. Her name is Beatrice.

Book review - Flawed

Title: Flawed
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Genre: dystopia
Similar books: Rite of Rejection by Sarah Negovetich
                     Soulprint by Megan Miranda
Rating:

an interesting beginning

Summary(provided by publisher): Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.
In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which obedience is paramount and rebellion is punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

My opinion: The dystopia trend is definitely on it's way out. It seemed, recently, that every version of the oppressive society had been written. Ahern has brought us a new variation. Is it restrictive? Sure. But rather than limiting choice, it limits morals. It evaluates the decision making process of its citizens rather than their actions exclusively. In presentation, this is fairly standard. We see Celestine perfectly accepting of society's rules until they have a direct negative impact on her life and she finds herself the unwitting center of a burgeoning coup. I was intrigued by the role of the media and the political complexity of the plot. There is room for the future volumes of this series to go in some fascinating directions. Now, characterization isn't great. Celestine is the only truly distinct character. Most everyone she encounters is given a surface treatment at best. So, I'm intrigued but hesitant, especially as the dystopia genre is overdone. It's much harder for the author to distinguish her work.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Books on screen

Curious George

As is often the case with film versions of picture books, this movie bears little resemblance to the original book. Really, though, does it need to? Curious George is a pop culture icon. Kids who have never read a Curious George book know George. And honestly, the first book would not have made a particularly good movie. It has questionable morals and a less than solid plot. The movie is not based on the books so much as the spirit of Curious George. That's what makes this movie work. It truly captures the blend of mischief and wonder that characterizes George. Will Farrell is likeable as Ted (this naming of the man in the yellow hat is the one thing I don't particularly like about this movie) and the plot is kid friendly, yet complex enough to entertain the parents watching with them. 

There are two more Curious George movies (which I have not seen) and a PBS kids series (which I enjoy and thoroughly recommend).
 

Non-fiction book review - Whoosh!

Whoosh! by Chris Barton

I like non-fiction books like this one, that give the history of familiar, kid-friendly objects. This one gives not only the development of the Super-Soaker, but also a brief history of the life of Lonnie Johnson. The illustrations are appealing and strongly support the text. The narrative is easy to follow. While the details are few, a quick overview like this can be enough to inspire further research. Given the general appeal here (as well as a touch of nostalgia on my part - Super-Soakers were massively popular when I was in upper elementary school) Whoosh! gets the thumbs up from me.

More information: Whoosh! releases May 3.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The Nameless City

Title: The Nameless City
Author: Faith Erin Hicks
Genre: graphic novel/adventure
Similar books: Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
                     Avatar: the Last Airbender by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
Rating:

Summary(provided by publisher): Every nation that invades the City gives it a new name. But before long, new invaders arrive and the City changes hands once again. The natives don't let themselves get caught up in the unending wars. To them, their home is the Nameless City, and those who try to name it are forever outsiders.
Kaidu is one such outsider. He's a Dao born and bred--a member of the latest occupying nation. Rat is a native of the Nameless City. At first, she hates Kai for everything he stands for, but his love of his new home may be the one thing that can bring these two unlikely friends together. Let's hope so, because the fate of the Nameless City rests in their hands. 

My opinion: I'm very impressed by Hicks' range. I was enthralled by her mildly spooky but mostly real world in Friends With Boys. In this book, she handles an invented world just as deftly without oversimplification. There is a variety of cultures, a complex political situation with far reaching effects, poverty and changing world views, and the simplicity of friendship between kids on opposite sides of a situation. It reads like a fantasy book without magical elements. An excellent story in and of itself with plenty of room for growth, should Hicks write further volumes.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Preparing for spring

When we did a craft fair in March, we figured people would be looking ahead to Spring and gardening. With that in mind, I made some polymer clay garden pokes. My favorites are the snails with marbles for shells. I usually don't put a lot of thought into presentation at a craft fair, but we happened to have an empty plant pot and some packing foam lying around which made for the perfect display.