Picture books for everyone

Weasels by Elys Dolan

I don't know about you, but it has never occurred to me to wonder what weasels do with their time. Yet, that is the concept of this book. Weasels plotting world domination. THe plot is fairly simple: the machine they built to take over the world has broken and they are trying to figure out how to fix it. Each page is packed with action. There are dozens of weasels carrying on conversations, carrying around huge drills, all kinds of things to discover. It's kind of like leafing through a Where's Waldo book and finding all of the little jokes inside. This makes it perhaps not the best pick for preschoolers but a fun read for elementary school kids.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
Young Houdini: the Demon Curse by Simon Nicholson
Having just solved a mystery in New York, Harry and his friends expect life to return to some semblance of normal. This is not to be as they find themselves drugged and on a train to New Orleans, sent on a mission for the mysterious Order of the White Crow. In New Orleans they find the city in an uproar. The mayor is in a strange state and rumors abound of curses and demons. At the heart of it all is a small Haitian community, people well loved by Harry's good friend Billie. 

I was quite fond of the first Young Houdini book and this one is proving to be just as thrilling a read. A nice, largely historically accurate, kid's mystery.

What did you recently finish reading?
Monster Motors by Brian Lynch
Vic Frankenstein bought a garage and salvage yard in Transylvania, Kentucky in hopes of starting over. The problem? When he enters the garage, Vic releases a monstrous car known as Cadillacula which sucks gas from other vehicles and leaves them rusted out. The more Cadillacula drinks, the more powerful he becomes. With the help of his robot assistant, Vic creates a vehicle that just might be able to stop it: Frankenride.

Pretty much every classic movie monster you can think of makes an appearance in this graphic novel. The resulting vehicles are kind of cheesy but mostly fun. This is no great literature but entertaining enough and worth a chuckle or two.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs
An exploration of super powers, good, and evil. 

A little business

Last year I participated in the 48 Hour Book Challenge hosted by MotherReader. This is a challenge in which participants read as much as they can over a 48 hour period. It's tough but a lot of fun. I just signed up to be a part of it again this year. When I did it last year, I used it as a personal challenge. I just wanted to see how many books I could read. This year I'd like my reading to accomplish something. I'll be making a donation to RIF (Reading is Fundamental), an organization that provides books to underprivileged kids, based on how many hours I read.  This year's challenge runs from June 19th through the 21st. I'll be posting updates as I go.

About the 48 Hour Book Challenge

About RIF

A quick overview of my results from last year

Book review - Scarlett Undercover

Title: Scarlett Undercover
Author: Jennifer Latham
Genre: mystery/mild fantasy
Similar books: Jackaby by William Ritter
                     Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
Rating:

a solid mystery

Summary: After both of her parents died (her father murdered, her mother from cancer) genius Scarlett was headed for trouble. A kind police officer helped her to graduate early and get started as a private investigator. It's a role Scarlett was meant to fill. A young girl comes into her office one day asking for help with her brother who has been behaving very strangely, especially after his friend's suicide. As Scarlett investigates, she is drawn into a world of supernatural cults and curses which seems to be continuing to circle back to her own family secrets.

My opinion: This is a modern mystery with an almost noir feel. It deftly incorporates magical elements without ever becoming true fantasy, more the suggestion of magic than anything else. In fact, the plot becomes more about faith than magic. It addresses belief after tragedy, doubt, intellectual faith, and zealots. While the early chapters suffer somewhat from rather stiff narration and adherence to the traditional detective format and language, a little reading persistence pays off in a solid conclusion. 
Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Books on screen

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH/The Secret of NIMH

There are three significant differences between the original novel and the movie version of this story.
1. In the book, Jenner is never actually seen. He has already left the colony and we hear the strange story of some dead rats, presumed to be Jenner and his group. This serves as a cautionary tale. In the movie, Jenner plays an integral role. He actively conspires against the others and even murders one in a quest for power making the movie version much darker.
2. In the book, the tests done by NIMH were specifically designed to test and increase the intellectual capacity of the rats. They escape out of a natural desire for freedom. In the movie the tests are all very cruel and almost haphazard. Their resulting intelligence seems to be a random side effect.
3. In the book, the rats use their knowledge of mechanics to create their lair, move to their new home, and move Mrs. Frisby's home. Science saves the day. The movie adds a great deal of, for lack of a better term, magic. Everything hinges on a mystical amulet that lifts the Brisby's home from the mud and which is powered by a courageous heart.
The other changes are mostly for cinematic effect (reducing the rats' story and plan, making Jeremy a comedic figure to counter balance the darkness of the plot). The one that confuses me the most is the name change. The movie makes the name Mrs. Brisby. Its a minor change but entirely unnecessary and a little disconcerting.

Book review - Cuckoo Song

Title: Cuckoo Song
Author: Frances Hardinge
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
                     Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
Rating:

surprisingly contemplative

Summary: After her near drowning, Triss feels wrong. There are great gaps in her memory. Her sister is violently suspicious of her. And she is ravenously hungry. Her efforts to figure out exactly what happened to her set her on a quest that will have her questioning everything about herself and will send her across the city for answers.

My opinion: [Mild spoiler alert] I'm a big fan of this trend of viewing mythological creatures through new lenses. Traditionally, stories about changelings have focused on the horror of the family when they discover what is now in their home. One doesn't consider horror on the part of the creature when it learns its true nature and purpose. Unlike this book. Not-Triss is such a desperate creature, wanting love and belonging (though one could say the same of Penny). This book actually turns a pretty focused lens on human nature - stubbornness, false authority, fear, desperation. Being so contemplative, the pacing is rather slow at times. A better choice for fans of tales of faerie than the casual fantasy reader.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Star Wars Peanuts

While this project isn't exactly a craft, it's the fruition of an idea I had while working on some crafts. While brainstorming my Star Wars craft projects I had this idea of Snoopy as Luke Skywalker and Woodstock as Yoda.