After a long stint away from young adult fiction, I curled up last evening with a random book from the library. A Crooked Kind of Perfect, with a picture of toe socks on the front, seemed promising. Beyond the toe socks, it was also a first novel (the first book published by a new author). And I like picking up first novels. This one was published in 2007, author Linda Urban... and it's worth reading!
This is one of those books about a "normal" person. No fantasy. Nothing unimaginable. Involves a normal girl: not so cool, big dreams like any teenager and then having to live with reality instead, high school/middle school friendships and relationships; and her family and how they cope with life together (working hard, dealing with mental health issues, shortcomings and strengths). It shows the light and heavy sides of life together. Before you think this is a heavy book, it's not. It's light and fun and funny and fast-paced and delightful and has something to say with absolutely no pontificating. It's a believable voice, and the characters are all multi-faceted and interesting. Oh, and it's about music, too. I grew up in the world of music lessons and recitals and piano and competitions... so it brought back memories.
Linda Urban's first novel: a book that is full of optimism, and loaded with respect for the failures and successes of any kind of human being. And that is a terrific treasure.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Friday, September 24, 2010
Highly Recommended: Friesen
As I mentioned in my previous post, I haven't posted for a while. This means, either fortunately or unfortunately, I won't be posting about all of the many books I've read, but just about the ones that stick out to me.
One of the two authors that has really stuck out to me in a good way is Gayle Friesen. The first book of hers that I ever picked up was Men of Stone. Initially, I bought it not because I'd heard of her, but because I wanted to support a relatively new Canadian author, especially one from Abbotsford/Chilliwack who knew David Giesbrecht! (David Giesbrecht was like my second father when I was in elementary school, I was over at their house every day as their daughter was my best friend. He's an amazing person, and an amazing librarian.)
I thought Men of Stone was a good book - eminently readable, and a microcosm of real life. A good mix of humor, honesty, and entertainment. However, a few weeks ago I picked up The Isabel Factor, and I was blown away by this more recent book (2005). Friesen's writing reminds me even more of Kit Pearson's this time around.
(I've always admired Kit Pearson's writing to the extreme: someone who can take the nuances of relationships and make an enchanting, uplifting, realistic, nitty gritty honest story that means something real and is truly about growing up. Always worthwhile reading.)
The Isabel Factor, by Gayle Friesen, reminds me strongly of these strengths of Pearson's. Friesen takes a scenario that I always hated (summer camp) and brings out all the things that I hated most about it (cliques and competitiveness and popularity) and makes an extremely entertaining story out of it. I couldn't put the book down. And the entertainment is not due to sneaky plot lines or elements of fantasy, but of real people undergoing real disappointments in themselves and others, of the realizations that come with growing older, and finding oneself and the strength that comes with that. What Gayle Friesen also adds is a dry sense of humor and sarcasm that I thoroughly enjoy. Yes. It was yummy, and a worthwhile read!
Sigh. Oh, how I like quality literature for young adults.
I haven't read all of Friesen's books yet - but I will be on the look out for them. Watch out for this author. She's going to get some awards for her work, I'd bet on it.
One of the two authors that has really stuck out to me in a good way is Gayle Friesen. The first book of hers that I ever picked up was Men of Stone. Initially, I bought it not because I'd heard of her, but because I wanted to support a relatively new Canadian author, especially one from Abbotsford/Chilliwack who knew David Giesbrecht! (David Giesbrecht was like my second father when I was in elementary school, I was over at their house every day as their daughter was my best friend. He's an amazing person, and an amazing librarian.)
I thought Men of Stone was a good book - eminently readable, and a microcosm of real life. A good mix of humor, honesty, and entertainment. However, a few weeks ago I picked up The Isabel Factor, and I was blown away by this more recent book (2005). Friesen's writing reminds me even more of Kit Pearson's this time around.
(I've always admired Kit Pearson's writing to the extreme: someone who can take the nuances of relationships and make an enchanting, uplifting, realistic, nitty gritty honest story that means something real and is truly about growing up. Always worthwhile reading.)
The Isabel Factor, by Gayle Friesen, reminds me strongly of these strengths of Pearson's. Friesen takes a scenario that I always hated (summer camp) and brings out all the things that I hated most about it (cliques and competitiveness and popularity) and makes an extremely entertaining story out of it. I couldn't put the book down. And the entertainment is not due to sneaky plot lines or elements of fantasy, but of real people undergoing real disappointments in themselves and others, of the realizations that come with growing older, and finding oneself and the strength that comes with that. What Gayle Friesen also adds is a dry sense of humor and sarcasm that I thoroughly enjoy. Yes. It was yummy, and a worthwhile read!
Sigh. Oh, how I like quality literature for young adults.
I haven't read all of Friesen's books yet - but I will be on the look out for them. Watch out for this author. She's going to get some awards for her work, I'd bet on it.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Gossip Girl OMG!!
Okay... I haven't posted for a while. So I've saved up all the best and the worst of the last month or so to unload on you, my faithful reader.
Gossip Girl... a series of books by Cecily von Ziegesar. I suppose it also refers to a newish TV series based on these books. I would like to add that I have not seen a single episode of the TV show. I am telling you this so that you know I am coming from a clean slate.
The book I picked up was called It Had To Be You, the prequel to the series. Now, teen girl boy-and-popularity-based books are not my normal fare, but I thought I ought to branch out and see what was out there, and what was popular.
I am so sad. So sad that such books exists - and more sad because they are so popular. That book was a piece of crap. I didn't bother finishing it, I just couldn't. Can you say, "Hello, I'm here to tell you that life is about finding someone to have sex with and love you and that's all that matters, especially when you're in high school, and true love with him/her lasts forever, oh, and maybe let's go buy some clothes to fit on our perfect bodies, especially some lingerie." I thought Twilight was sad because it was all about nonsense (perfect and eternal love to die for while you're a teenager)... but Gossip Girl is just worse. Soft teenage porn. I can understand why it's popular. Titillating. Unrequited love. Requited love. Guy and girl mix-ups. Perfection. Being rich. Wildly dysfunctional families. BUT despite its popularity, it's certainly not literature, and it certainly has NOTHING I repeat nothing to help anyone understand the world, grow up, expand your mind, understand life.
Or maybe that's not the point of young adult literature anymore?
*tears falling*... okay, they're not really falling... but maybe they should be.
Gossip Girl... a series of books by Cecily von Ziegesar. I suppose it also refers to a newish TV series based on these books. I would like to add that I have not seen a single episode of the TV show. I am telling you this so that you know I am coming from a clean slate.
The book I picked up was called It Had To Be You, the prequel to the series. Now, teen girl boy-and-popularity-based books are not my normal fare, but I thought I ought to branch out and see what was out there, and what was popular.
I am so sad. So sad that such books exists - and more sad because they are so popular. That book was a piece of crap. I didn't bother finishing it, I just couldn't. Can you say, "Hello, I'm here to tell you that life is about finding someone to have sex with and love you and that's all that matters, especially when you're in high school, and true love with him/her lasts forever, oh, and maybe let's go buy some clothes to fit on our perfect bodies, especially some lingerie." I thought Twilight was sad because it was all about nonsense (perfect and eternal love to die for while you're a teenager)... but Gossip Girl is just worse. Soft teenage porn. I can understand why it's popular. Titillating. Unrequited love. Requited love. Guy and girl mix-ups. Perfection. Being rich. Wildly dysfunctional families. BUT despite its popularity, it's certainly not literature, and it certainly has NOTHING I repeat nothing to help anyone understand the world, grow up, expand your mind, understand life.
Or maybe that's not the point of young adult literature anymore?
*tears falling*... okay, they're not really falling... but maybe they should be.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Nostalgic moment
I was wandering through the library on Saturday, only to come upon one of my all-time favorite book series from when I was younger: The Mad Scientists' Club.
Author: Bertrand R. Brinley (1917 - 1994)
Illustrator: Charles Geer. I have to say, the illustrations were perfectly fabulous.
It's a series of 4 books about a bunch of teenage boys who never fail to become involved in anything of significance in their dreary little town - usually a mystery, a robbery, or a funny hi-jinx to liven up the town. They're an funny mix of a do-it-yourself MacGyver or Rocket Boys, and Anne of Green Gables. I recall that there was also a rival gang led by a nasty leader and having unlimited resources, adding to the hi-jinx.
I liked that there were about seven different characters in the club, and each chapter (a story in itself) was often featured around a particular character - you got to know them all well. One was a coward, one was a brainiac, one was solid but not so smart, one was a quiet librarian, one was the funny man, one was the ladies' man.... A teeny bit like The Three Investigators (anybody remember Jupiter Jones, Bob Crenshaw and Pete somebody-or-other?), but much funnier. The stories are creatively varied; anything from submarines to hot-air balloons to bank robberies to dinosaur eggs to town memorabilia. Most of all... I just liked how funny the stories were!
A group of friends having adventures, along with plenty of humor and a touch of poignancy. If you haven't read them, try them out! Start with any book in the series, no need to go in order. They'd probably be pretty fun to read out loud, too.
The books are: The Mad Scientists' Club; The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club; The Big Kerplop; The Big Chunk of Ice. And now that I'm writing these out, I realize I've only read the first two of these. Note to self: find the rest!
Author: Bertrand R. Brinley (1917 - 1994)
Illustrator: Charles Geer. I have to say, the illustrations were perfectly fabulous.
It's a series of 4 books about a bunch of teenage boys who never fail to become involved in anything of significance in their dreary little town - usually a mystery, a robbery, or a funny hi-jinx to liven up the town. They're an funny mix of a do-it-yourself MacGyver or Rocket Boys, and Anne of Green Gables. I recall that there was also a rival gang led by a nasty leader and having unlimited resources, adding to the hi-jinx.
I liked that there were about seven different characters in the club, and each chapter (a story in itself) was often featured around a particular character - you got to know them all well. One was a coward, one was a brainiac, one was solid but not so smart, one was a quiet librarian, one was the funny man, one was the ladies' man.... A teeny bit like The Three Investigators (anybody remember Jupiter Jones, Bob Crenshaw and Pete somebody-or-other?), but much funnier. The stories are creatively varied; anything from submarines to hot-air balloons to bank robberies to dinosaur eggs to town memorabilia. Most of all... I just liked how funny the stories were!
A group of friends having adventures, along with plenty of humor and a touch of poignancy. If you haven't read them, try them out! Start with any book in the series, no need to go in order. They'd probably be pretty fun to read out loud, too.
The books are: The Mad Scientists' Club; The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club; The Big Kerplop; The Big Chunk of Ice. And now that I'm writing these out, I realize I've only read the first two of these. Note to self: find the rest!
Friday, July 16, 2010
A new Canadian find!
I am excited to have found a new Canadian author that I think is excellent. Marthe Jocelyn is the name, and the book of hers that I picked up this week is called Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance.
I wasn't sure about the book during the first chapter, about the heroine, but very quickly I found the herione to be innocently naive, funny and attractive. The character's diary entries feel charmingly realistic for an 8th grader. The other characters are also normal people that I feel everyone can relate to in some manner.
The book is full of good writing (clear, succinct, humorous, believable, historically interesting, stylistically consistent, and a great touch with a neat juxtaposition of Mable's story she is writing for a friend and the actual story of her life). The characters are relatable, even in their worst moments. The development of the character of Mable goes quickly (but not too quickly) and far (but not unrealistically far). I hate to give away the story, but let's just say it's set in 1901 and Mable becomes involved in issues she had never even considered before.
Gotta love this author. Excellent writing!
I wasn't sure about the book during the first chapter, about the heroine, but very quickly I found the herione to be innocently naive, funny and attractive. The character's diary entries feel charmingly realistic for an 8th grader. The other characters are also normal people that I feel everyone can relate to in some manner.
The book is full of good writing (clear, succinct, humorous, believable, historically interesting, stylistically consistent, and a great touch with a neat juxtaposition of Mable's story she is writing for a friend and the actual story of her life). The characters are relatable, even in their worst moments. The development of the character of Mable goes quickly (but not too quickly) and far (but not unrealistically far). I hate to give away the story, but let's just say it's set in 1901 and Mable becomes involved in issues she had never even considered before.
Gotta love this author. Excellent writing!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Karleen Bradford
Well, I just finished the book Angeline written by Karleen Bradford. Karleen was born and currently resides in Canada, although she spent 34 years of her adult life in a variety of countries (her husband was a Foreign Service Officer). A brief autobiography: http://www.makersgallery.com/bradford/who.html.
She has written more than one book centered on the Crusades. The book Angeline outlines a coming-of-age journey of a young French girl who embarked on the infamous Children's Crusade, only to be sold as a slave upon disembarking in the Middle East (as was the real-life fate of many or most of the children).
I enjoy historical fiction! I certainly wouldn't call this book a Newberry Medal candidate, but it was well written. I was always interested to see what would happen next with the character of Angeline, and the minor characters were also interesting. More suitable for the younger of "young adult," I would think.
Cons: a bit simplistic in terms of situation, plot, and character development; the world of the Middle East wasn't brought alive for me. Also, I'm not sure of her choice to include a prologue outlining what was happening to the character (ie. she had been part of the Children's Crusade, was being sold as a slave)... I rather prefer having a story unfold at its own pace, let the mystery of what is happening be more slowly revealed (I hate reading the synopses on the back of books before I read them!)
I don't know that I'll pick up a lot more of her books - but I find I am wondering what her fantasy and contemporary novels might be like! Who knows... maybe I'll check them out. I always like to support a Canadian author!
She has written more than one book centered on the Crusades. The book Angeline outlines a coming-of-age journey of a young French girl who embarked on the infamous Children's Crusade, only to be sold as a slave upon disembarking in the Middle East (as was the real-life fate of many or most of the children).
I enjoy historical fiction! I certainly wouldn't call this book a Newberry Medal candidate, but it was well written. I was always interested to see what would happen next with the character of Angeline, and the minor characters were also interesting. More suitable for the younger of "young adult," I would think.
Cons: a bit simplistic in terms of situation, plot, and character development; the world of the Middle East wasn't brought alive for me. Also, I'm not sure of her choice to include a prologue outlining what was happening to the character (ie. she had been part of the Children's Crusade, was being sold as a slave)... I rather prefer having a story unfold at its own pace, let the mystery of what is happening be more slowly revealed (I hate reading the synopses on the back of books before I read them!)
I don't know that I'll pick up a lot more of her books - but I find I am wondering what her fantasy and contemporary novels might be like! Who knows... maybe I'll check them out. I always like to support a Canadian author!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
MacHale's Popular Pendragon
So... on to the Pendragon series by DJ MacHale.
General story: Three normal teenagers suddenly (for one) and slowly (for the other two) find themselves to be a vital part of an interplanetary battle between evil/chaos and good/peace.
Literary value: Low. Fast-paced entertainment, with a few insights into life and humanity. A bit of character development. Mildly entertaining, mild sense of humor. That being said, I got all the way to book 5 before I decided I just couldn't read any more (I think there are 10 books in the series). Toooooo predictable, and each book was more of the same.
Pros: I enjoy seeing books that involve teens in something bigger than themselves. I think kids these days (I'm generalizing here), lack purpose and involvement in something more important than themselves. Another thing I appreciate is that the characters themselves also seem to be pretty normal, no "special abilities" or larger-than-life courage. There is also a lot of creativity in the creation of these new worlds.
I'm wondering if there are religious overtones to the book - the evil guy is called "Saint Dane" - sounds like Satan to me!
Cons: doesn't grip me (I could easily put down the books without feeling much compulsion to pick them up again), they eventually get boring, and the literary value (see above) is low. HOWEVER, some of the kids in my youth group have really enjoyed the series! What can you do... they like what they like...
General story: Three normal teenagers suddenly (for one) and slowly (for the other two) find themselves to be a vital part of an interplanetary battle between evil/chaos and good/peace.
Literary value: Low. Fast-paced entertainment, with a few insights into life and humanity. A bit of character development. Mildly entertaining, mild sense of humor. That being said, I got all the way to book 5 before I decided I just couldn't read any more (I think there are 10 books in the series). Toooooo predictable, and each book was more of the same.
Pros: I enjoy seeing books that involve teens in something bigger than themselves. I think kids these days (I'm generalizing here), lack purpose and involvement in something more important than themselves. Another thing I appreciate is that the characters themselves also seem to be pretty normal, no "special abilities" or larger-than-life courage. There is also a lot of creativity in the creation of these new worlds.
I'm wondering if there are religious overtones to the book - the evil guy is called "Saint Dane" - sounds like Satan to me!
Cons: doesn't grip me (I could easily put down the books without feeling much compulsion to pick them up again), they eventually get boring, and the literary value (see above) is low. HOWEVER, some of the kids in my youth group have really enjoyed the series! What can you do... they like what they like...
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