Not your grandfather's vest

Today's craft is something I finished a couple of years ago. I'm rather fond of sweater vests and I had a pattern for a classic cabled vest and I wanted to do a unique twist on it. I found a variegated yarn that seemed to fit the bill. This is a worsted weight yarn from Hobby Lobby (their yarn brand is called "I Love this Yarn"). The colors remind me of Fruit Stripe gum. In every way but color it's a standard fit sweater vest. The armholes and neckline are a little off but I'm pretty pleased for this first vest attempt. The pattern came from an old knitting book and I bet there are some other vest patterns I could play with...

Book review - The Boy Most Likely To

Title: The Boy Most Likely To
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi
                     The First Part Last by Angela Johnson
Rating: 

a pleasant read

Summary: Tim used to be a major partier. In fact, his friends declared him the boy most likely to find the liquor cabinet, drive his car into a house, and drink himself to death. After getting kicked out of his prep school, he vowed to turn himself around. He's two months sober, living in a garage apartment, and working towards his GED. And he might just be falling in love with his best friend's sister, Alice. His chance at a better life is endangered, though, when his partying comes back to haunt him in a big way. 

My opinion: The Boy Most Likely To is actually a sequel (first book entitled My Life Next Door) but you don't really need to read the first one to understand this one. There were a few moments where I got the sense that Fitzpatrick was referencing something from the first novel but for the most part they didn't impede my understanding of the plot. While the general plot is familiar territory (former wild child finds out he has a baby with a kid he barely knows) the conclusion is fresh. The characters are solidly developed and likeable. While the plot arc is rather predictable, it's pleasant. This is a good book for an afternoon, light and entertaining.

More information: The Boy Most Likely To releases August 18.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Books on screen

Holes

A young Shia LaBeouf stars in this story of the seemingly cursed Stanley Yelnats who's sent to a work camp for a theft he did not commit. To my mind, this is Shia's heyday, fresh from relative success in the Disney channel series Even Stevens. The plot of the movie follows that of the novel fairly closely, even matching may of the small details (apart from the novel's description of Stanley as overweight). More importantly, the tone is spot on. While the details of the plot are rather ridiculous, the intent is fantastic and the way the stories of different generations weave together and meet up in the final scenes is marvelous. It's masterfully written by Sachar and solidly portrayed on the screen. In addition to LaBeouf's well-acted Stanley, this movie also features Sigourney Weaver as the menacing warden, John Voight as the blustering and cruel Mr. Sir, and Tim Blake Nelson and the bumbling "Mom". This movie doesn't get much attention anymore which is really a shame. It's one of the better film adaptations I've seen and well worth the viewing time.

Book review - Mechanica

Title: Mechanica
Author: Betsy Cornwell
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas
                     Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Rating:

An interesting twist on a familiar tale

Summary: Since her father's death, Nicolette has essentially been a servant to her stepmother and stepsisters. When she discovers her mother's secret workshop her world opens up and for the first time a future apart from the steps seems possible. With the help of some mechanical creatures (a fusion of clockworks and magic created by her mother years ago) Nicolette begins to create devices that may be the key to her independence. If only she can invent something amazing and sneak out in time for the royal exposition. All she wants is a little shop and a life of her own. Is it possible that she will discover more?

My opinion: A lot of people are comparing this book to Marissa Meyer's Cinder but the two books really couldn't be more different. Cinder is solidly sci-fi. Mechanica is high fantasy. Nicolette is not the Cinderella we all know. she may be a dreamer but she's no soft girl waiting to be rescued. She's had a hard life which has left her somewhat rough around the edges, angry and closed off. While there is a "love at first sight" element, Cornwell also suggests that such "love" is likely simple infatuation. That real love takes time. Mechanica is a slower, contemplative read with technical and political elements. That slower pace will not appeal to everyone.

More information: Mechanica releases August 25.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Upcycled buttons

If you're anything like me, you probably have half a dozen promotional buttons hanging about in a drawer or a box somewhere. We get these buttons from politicians, movie theaters, or even from work. I'm not a big button wearer so I never know what to do with them. A couple of years ago I rounded up a bunch of these buttons and restyled them for a craft fair with fabric, wire, sequins, card stock, and Mod Podge. These two are the only ones I have left. They are, ironically, my favorite of all the buttons I made.

Book review - Goodbye Stranger

Title: Goodbye Stranger
Author: Rebecca Stead
Genre: realistic  fiction
Similar books: Hold Fast by Blue Balliett
                     Blue Gold by Elizabeth Stewart
Rating:

pretty eye-opening

Summary: Bridge, Emily, and Tabitha have been best friends for years. It has always been easy for them to live by their one rule: no fighting. Now that they are starting seventh grade, though, they are developing different interests and being friends isn't so easy. Meanwhile, Sherm is trying to work through some family issues through letters to his grandfather and an anonymous high schooler is hiding out from parents and friend troubles.

My opinion: One subplot in this novel is likely to garner a great deal of attention, focusing as it does on questionable photographs and online privacy. Almost more importantly, it's about sexual politics and gender inequality even among middle schoolers. We see a situation where inappropriate photos are spread around of both a boy and a girl. The girl's reputation and self-esteem are obliterated. She sees reprisals in school and among her peers. The boy gets only sympathy and some mild disapproval. That entire sub-plot is a great topic for discussion with young readers. The other kids stories, while less controversial, are no less compelling. Speaking of all those stories, it takes a very skilled writer to juggle not only multiple plots and perspectives but also multiple formats and tenses. Stead is clearly up to the challenge, producing a complex but cohesive plot. It's not all heavy either. Light-hearted, sweet moments keep this from becoming too much of a brow-creaser. 
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Baba Yaga's Assistant

Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola

I remember reading a Baba Yaga story once as a kid in a collection of "spooky" stories for Halloween. It was the only exposure to Baba Yaga I ever had growing up, which is a shame because they really are fantastic folk tales. The heroines in these stories rely on a combination of bravery, kindness, and cleverness. Their virtues allow them to rescue themselves (plus they must be "good" as Baba Yaga eats "bad" kids). While Emily Carroll's illustration style isn't my favorite, it is well suited to this story of a young woman unhappy with her life who seeks out Baba Yaga.