Talk about the kidlit you're reading! - Page 17

Kitty Pryde · 06-15-2010, 12:03 AM

I love Fables. LOVE! But I couldn't get into Sister's Grimm. I kept wanting the big sister to do anything, but she didn't.

For more crazy criminal fairy tales, definitely check out "Mermaid's Madness" and "The Stepsister Scheme" and "Red Hood's Revenge" by Jim C. Hines. They take place in fantasyland, but with a very modern worldview. Jasper Fforde also has some, his Nursery Crimes novels that are set in the real world.

Kitty Pryde · 06-15-2010, 10:17 AM

After people reccing it in this thread, and my library FINALLY ordering a copy, I am reading "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place". It's a lot of fun to read. I have a suspicion about the ending, but we'll see if i got it right! I love anything that's old timey and funny. The children are adorable and hilarious. I love their poetry! ROFL!

SheilaJG · 06-16-2010, 06:38 PM

I am such a dolt. I wanted to download something for my ipod (that's - ipOd, not ipAd), something to read while waiting for kids, etc. I downloaded Stephen King's The Stand. In fact, I unknowingly downloaded the Expanded Version, which clocks in at 1200 pages or so (as a book, on my ipod, I'm on page 17,223 and I haven't even made it to Part 3.)

So I learned a couple things - I don't mind reading on my ipod for short amounts of time (waiting times), but I do not like it for extended reading (at night, in bed). And, secondly, I don't think Mr. King needed to expand the book.

To recover, I rushed to the library and picked up Laura Amy Schlitz's latest - The Night Fairy, and read it in one sitting (not hard - it's 118 pages with some pictures). What a well crafted little book! She is an amazing writer. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

My son and I are now reading Cosmic by the hilarious Frank Cottrell Boyce and we are both really enjoying it.

Smish · 06-19-2010, 11:34 PM

I'm reading the first book in Rick Riordan's new series The Kane Chronicles, and I'm not loving it. I'm only 1/3 through the book, and I could walk away. I won't, because I always finish books, and I LOVED the Percy Jackson series, so I'm hoping it gets better.

The thing is, there are lots of exciting scenes and events, but the way the story is being told isn't working for me. The very first page alerts readers to the fact that Carter and Sadie (the main characters and narrators) are alive and well and together, and they're telling the readers everything that happened.

Well, for me, that's boring. There's no sense of urgency, really. Why should I be invested in the battle scenes when I already know all is (mostly) well in the end?

Also, Sadie's voice is far more interesting than Carter's, so alternating between the two is kind of annoying. That's not such a big deal, but it does make me wonder if having two narrators is really necessary.

Meh. Not impressed so far. I'll report back when I finish this novel, which I'm in no real hurry to do.

adktd2bks · 06-19-2010, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smish

I'm reading the first book in Rick Riordan's new series The Kane Chronicles, and I'm not loving it. I'm only 1/3 through the book, and I could walk away. I won't, because I always finish books, and I LOVED the Percy Jackson series, so I'm hoping it gets better.

The thing is, there are lots of exciting scenes and events, but the way the story is being told isn't working for me. The very first page alerts readers to the fact that Carter and Sadie (the main characters and narrators) are alive and well and together, and they're telling the readers everything that happened.

Well, for me, that's boring. There's no sense of urgency, really. Why should I be invested in the battle scenes when I already know all is (mostly) well in the end?

Also, Sadie's voice is far more interesting than Carter's, so alternating between the two is kind of annoying. That's not such a big deal, but it does make me wonder if having two narrators is really necessary.

Meh. Not impressed so far. I'll report back when I finish this novel, which I'm in no real hurry to do.

I'm reading it too. I'm about halfway through and I'm having the same impression as you. For me, I keep forgetting who's doing the narrating. They sound different at the beginning of each chapter, but they both have this sarcasm that kind of gets lost and you easily forget which of them is speaking until something particular to each character is said. The beginning moved painfully slow to me too.

It's kind of a disappointment after Percy Jackson, which I loved. Ah well. I'll finish it too in a day or so.

Smish · 06-19-2010, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adktd2bks

I'm reading it too. I'm about halfway through and I'm having the same impression as you. For me, I keep forgetting who's doing the narrating. They sound different at the beginning of each chapter, but they both have this sarcasm that kind of gets lost and you easily forget which of them is speaking until something particular to each character is said. The beginning moved painfully slow to me too.

It's kind of a disappointment after Percy Jackson, which I loved. Ah well. I'll finish it too in a day or so.

It is a disappointment. I read the first four Percy Jackson books back-to-back in three days. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next one.

I was really looking forward to the release of the Kane Chronicles. Maybe my expectations were just too high.

EagerReader · 06-20-2010, 02:34 AM

I've just read THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, and loved the first half then for some reason skimmed the second half. Perhaps it's just a long book and I'm always short on time.

After reading some of these posts I also felt the need to revisit Ramona and...still love her.

My kids were reading SNAKEHEAD by Anthony Horowitz, so I commandeered it and am trying to keep an open mind.

I think I'm just a sucker for those old-timey type books.

Maybe because I'm so old-timey myself.

MsJudy · 06-22-2010, 06:42 AM

It being summer vacation and all, I'm alternating my reading between adult and MG. So after I finished OLIVE KITTERIDGE, which I enjoyed if you can "enjoy" anything so heartbreakingly bleak and honest...

I had to cleanse the palette with a little British fantasy.

First up: THE BEASTS OF CLAWSTONE CASTLE by Eva Ibbotson. It's only the second of her books that I've read, and I think she's going on my list of favorite authors. The perfect blend of humor, adventure and likable characters. When agents/editors talk about "the MG voice," I think they mean something like hers.

Now I'm reading Diana Wynne Jones' newest book, HOUSE OF MANY WAYS. It's the sequel to HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, which i enjoyed but not as much as the Miyazaki movie based on it. One thing I notice... DWJ's stories are becoming more charming and easy to read as she goes along. Some of her early books are a bit dense and full of mythology. Good, but a bit daunting to finish. But this one just zips along. wonderful pacing. I predict I'll be up late tonight...

timp67 · 06-22-2010, 06:51 AM

Just finished The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. Fun adventure, great rapport between the kids, but so violent. The Society truly suffers at the hands of the malevolent Mr. Curtain.

EagerReader · 06-22-2010, 09:10 AM

Bad guys just get badder, don't they? I always have a hard time reading about torturing children, even in novels. The worst I can manage in my writing is plain old death by sword and it never happens to the children.

SheilaJG · 06-22-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudScotKev

First up: THE BEASTS OF CLAWSTONE CASTLE by Eva Ibbotson. It's only the second of her books that I've read, and I think she's going on my list of favorite authors. The perfect blend of humor, adventure and likable characters. When agents/editors talk about "the MG voice," I think they mean something like hers.

I love Eva Ibbotson. And it's so true, that blend of elements you mentioned. Take the opening of Island of the Aunts: "Kidnapping children is not a good idea. All the same, sometimes it has to be done."

Which other one have you read?

On a side note, I watched Ella Enchanted with my son last night and, wow, did the screenwriters even read the book, or just the back copy?

sissybaby · 06-22-2010, 06:24 PM

Is Clawstone Castle the one about the gargoyles? Or am I thinking of something else?

I have this horrible tendency to read really fast - but I don't skim - but then I end up reading eight or nine books a week, and then a few months later I've forgotten the finer details of the story.

of course, it also allows me to read the same books over and over and enjoy them each time.

On a side note - I just read my very first graphic novel. Just grabbed several new books at the library without reading the jacket flaps - I was in a bit of a hurry. Anyway, I read the first book and grabbed the second. When I opened it and saw what it was I thought, "Oh, man, I don't read these things." But it was all I had left other than The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Children's Books, so I decided to read it anyway.

Surprised to find it wasn't bad. Very light reading, obviously, but I could see where it would appeal to a kid who wasn't big into reading.

Now I have to go check out some more Eva Ibbotson stuff. You guys keep me busy.

MsJudy · 06-23-2010, 01:04 AM

Clawstone Castle is about the wild white cows. And ghosts.

I've also read Ibbotson's WHICH WITCH? Thought it was very charming and proof that your MC doesn't actually need to be a child, as long as all the adults in the story ACT like children!

Yeah, Ella Enchanted the Movie was...something pretty unrelated to the book. I never will understand why they do that. Don't they think people will notice???

Although I will say that I loved how Miyazaki changed HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. In that case, the changes were actually improvements and made it a richer, deeper story about bigger themes. But Miyazaki is no ordinary filmmaker.

I haven't read the second Benedict Society, and now I'm not sure I want to. I feel the same way about the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Did it really have to get so violent? It takes some of the joy out the story, in my opinion.

SheilaJG · 06-23-2010, 01:54 AM

Miyazaki is brilliant. I think the Pixar guys paid him homage by including one of his characters (from My Neighbor Tortoro?) in Toy Story 3. Not a big character, but noticeable in the background. I haven't read Howl's Moving Castle, but I loved the movie.

I thought the first Skulldugery Pleasant was really violent, especially the scene where he is tied to the chair and tortured. Not just violent, but psychologically scary.

MsJudy · 06-23-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheilaJG

I thought the first Skulldugery Pleasant was really violent, especially the scene where he is tied to the chair and tortured. Not just violent, but psychologically scary.

The third book is much worse. (Spoiler alert) Important characters are killed, but what seems to cross the line for me is that our sweet young MC does some of the killing. I have a hard time with that.

My son loved it though. So it's not a problem at all for the target audience. Only for their parents.

Still, it's made me realize that I'll be staying on the other side of that line with my writing.

EagerReader · 06-24-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sissybaby

Now I have to go check out some more Eva Ibbotson stuff. You guys keep me busy.

Me too.

adktd2bks · 06-26-2010, 07:19 AM

Just finished The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, might write a review of it on my blog. It was ok - maybe a 4 on a scale of 5. I think that I'd probably read the next in the series just because of my darn curiosity, but it's not written as well as Percy Jackson was so I'm a little disappointed.

Smish · 06-26-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adktd2bks

Just finished The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, might write a review of it on my blog. It was ok - maybe a 4 on a scale of 5. I think that I'd probably read the next in the series just because of my darn curiosity, but it's not written as well as Percy Jackson was so I'm a little disappointed.

I'm still forcing myself to read it. I'm 3/4 through now. I normally read very quickly, but I just can't get into this book at all. I doubt I'll read any more in this series.

I can't wait for the new Olympians series to begin, though.

MsJudy · 06-26-2010, 08:06 PM

Interesting about Riordan's new series. I just wonder if he isn't rushing to get the books in print, and not taking the time to find something new and fresh. That's such a risk when authors settle into a series. How do you follow your own formula without getting stuck in the formula? How do you make sure you keep growing and getting better, when the people who should be helping you do that (agent/editor) need you to hurry up so they can get rich?

You guys are making me glad I didn't splurge on the full-price hardback. Neither of my boys is as excited about Egypt as they were about Greek mythology, so they aren't nagging me to buy it. Maybe when it comes out in paperback, or we'll get it from the library.

My younger son has been plowing along through Paolini's ELDEST for the past month... Talk about someone who needed a better editor...

Smish · 06-26-2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudScotKev

Interesting about Riordan's new series. I just wonder if he isn't rushing to get the books in print, and not taking the time to find something new and fresh. That's such a risk when authors settle into a series. How do you follow your own formula without getting stuck in the formula? How do you make sure you keep growing and getting better, when the people who should be helping you do that (agent/editor) need you to hurry up so they can get rich?

You guys are making me glad I didn't splurge on the full-price hardback. Neither of my boys is as excited about Egypt as they were about Greek mythology, so they aren't nagging me to buy it. Maybe when it comes out in paperback, or we'll get it from the library.

My younger son has been plowing along through Paolini's ELDEST for the past month... Talk about someone who needed a better editor...

I'll mail you mine when I'm finished with it. You can have it.

Kitty Pryde · 06-28-2010, 09:39 PM

I finally read "Kid Vs. Squid". It was moderately entertaining, though the MCs were not drawn in very much detail. My biggest disappointment was that the squid in question didn't show up until page 169, and she was dispatched without any trouble a scant 5 pages later. I call that false advertising! Also, she was not really a squid. Sigh. Quality squid literature is sooooo hard to find

vnNichols · 06-28-2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheilaJG

I haven't read Howl's Moving Castle, but I loved the movie.

The book is better. Sophie is far less passive. The movie is still ridiculously beautiful, though.

timp67 · 06-29-2010, 01:39 AM

Just ordered Clawstone Castle. And just finished Madame Pamplemouse's Incredible Edibles. Too slight for my tastes, really. The story was wafer thin. (Monty Python reference, naturally.)

vnNichols · 06-29-2010, 07:08 AM

Oh! And, I'm currently reading The Moorchild.

sissybaby · 06-30-2010, 06:07 AM

I'm just into Chapter 7 of the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, and I think it's one I'm going to have to buy. I don't do that too often any more because we have so many books and money is tight.

But I can't put it down. Kitty is right about the kids' poetry. And Agatha Swanburne's sayings sage advice slays me, too.

I keep getting a visual of Walk Like a Man.

Can't wait to finish this one. I interrupted an Eva Ibbotson to read it, but it isn't going to take long.

06-15-2010, 12:03 AM	#401
Kitty Pryde i luv you giant bear statue AW Moderator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lost Angeles Posts: 8,858	I love Fables. LOVE! But I couldn't get into Sister's Grimm. I kept wanting the big sister to do anything, but she didn't. For more crazy criminal fairy tales, definitely check out "Mermaid's Madness" and "The Stepsister Scheme" and "Red Hood's Revenge" by Jim C. Hines. They take place in fantasyland, but with a very modern worldview. Jasper Fforde also has some, his Nursery Crimes novels that are set in the real world. __________________ My student teaching project is helping my fifth graders put on a bone marrow donor drive and raise money for childhood cancer!

06-15-2010, 10:17 AM	#402
Kitty Pryde i luv you giant bear statue AW Moderator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lost Angeles Posts: 8,858	After people reccing it in this thread, and my library FINALLY ordering a copy, I am reading "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place". It's a lot of fun to read. I have a suspicion about the ending, but we'll see if i got it right! I love anything that's old timey and funny. The children are adorable and hilarious. I love their poetry! ROFL! __________________ My student teaching project is helping my fifth graders put on a bone marrow donor drive and raise money for childhood cancer!

06-22-2010, 06:42 AM	#408
MsJudy practical experience, FTW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: california Posts: 5,673	It being summer vacation and all, I'm alternating my reading between adult and MG. So after I finished OLIVE KITTERIDGE, which I enjoyed if you can "enjoy" anything so heartbreakingly bleak and honest... I had to cleanse the palette with a little British fantasy. First up: THE BEASTS OF CLAWSTONE CASTLE by Eva Ibbotson. It's only the second of her books that I've read, and I think she's going on my list of favorite authors. The perfect blend of humor, adventure and likable characters. When agents/editors talk about "the MG voice," I think they mean something like hers. Now I'm reading Diana Wynne Jones' newest book, HOUSE OF MANY WAYS. It's the sequel to HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, which i enjoyed but not as much as the Miyazaki movie based on it. One thing I notice... DWJ's stories are becoming more charming and easy to read as she goes along. Some of her early books are a bit dense and full of mythology. Good, but a bit daunting to finish. But this one just zips along. wonderful pacing. I predict I'll be up late tonight... __________________ represented by Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. Most happy.

06-22-2010, 06:51 AM	#409
timp67 Guinea pig in the laboratory of God Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: California Posts: 787	Just finished The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. Fun adventure, great rapport between the kids, but so violent. The Society truly suffers at the hands of the malevolent Mr. Curtain. __________________ Blog: Reader. Writer. Boredom fighter! Twitter Robots have a favorite book THE BOY WHO HOWLED from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

06-23-2010, 01:04 AM	#413
MsJudy practical experience, FTW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: california Posts: 5,673	Clawstone Castle is about the wild white cows. And ghosts. I've also read Ibbotson's WHICH WITCH? Thought it was very charming and proof that your MC doesn't actually need to be a child, as long as all the adults in the story ACT like children! Yeah, Ella Enchanted the Movie was...something pretty unrelated to the book. I never will understand why they do that. Don't they think people will notice??? Although I will say that I loved how Miyazaki changed HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. In that case, the changes were actually improvements and made it a richer, deeper story about bigger themes. But Miyazaki is no ordinary filmmaker. I haven't read the second Benedict Society, and now I'm not sure I want to. I feel the same way about the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Did it really have to get so violent? It takes some of the joy out the story, in my opinion. __________________ represented by Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. Most happy.

06-16-2010, 06:38 PM	#403
SheilaJG practical experience, FTW Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,484	I am such a dolt. I wanted to download something for my ipod (that's - ipOd, not ipAd), something to read while waiting for kids, etc. I downloaded Stephen King's The Stand. In fact, I unknowingly downloaded the Expanded Version, which clocks in at 1200 pages or so (as a book, on my ipod, I'm on page 17,223 and I haven't even made it to Part 3.) So I learned a couple things - I don't mind reading on my ipod for short amounts of time (waiting times), but I do not like it for extended reading (at night, in bed). And, secondly, I don't think Mr. King needed to expand the book. To recover, I rushed to the library and picked up Laura Amy Schlitz's latest - The Night Fairy, and read it in one sitting (not hard - it's 118 pages with some pictures). What a well crafted little book! She is an amazing writer. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. My son and I are now reading Cosmic by the hilarious Frank Cottrell Boyce and we are both really enjoying it.

06-20-2010, 02:34 AM	#407
EagerReader commaholic and adverb junkie Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 406	I've just read THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, and loved the first half then for some reason skimmed the second half. Perhaps it's just a long book and I'm always short on time. After reading some of these posts I also felt the need to revisit Ramona and...still love her. My kids were reading SNAKEHEAD by Anthony Horowitz, so I commandeered it and am trying to keep an open mind. I think I'm just a sucker for those old-timey type books. Maybe because I'm so old-timey myself.

06-22-2010, 09:10 AM	#410
EagerReader commaholic and adverb junkie Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 406	Bad guys just get badder, don't they? I always have a hard time reading about torturing children, even in novels. The worst I can manage in my writing is plain old death by sword and it never happens to the children.

06-22-2010, 06:24 PM	#412
sissybaby practical experience, FTW Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: somewhere, out there Posts: 2,567	Is Clawstone Castle the one about the gargoyles? Or am I thinking of something else? I have this horrible tendency to read really fast - but I don't skim - but then I end up reading eight or nine books a week, and then a few months later I've forgotten the finer details of the story. of course, it also allows me to read the same books over and over and enjoy them each time. On a side note - I just read my very first graphic novel. Just grabbed several new books at the library without reading the jacket flaps - I was in a bit of a hurry. Anyway, I read the first book and grabbed the second. When I opened it and saw what it was I thought, "Oh, man, I don't read these things." But it was all I had left other than The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Children's Books, so I decided to read it anyway. Surprised to find it wasn't bad. Very light reading, obviously, but I could see where it would appeal to a kid who wasn't big into reading. Now I have to go check out some more Eva Ibbotson stuff. You guys keep me busy.

06-23-2010, 01:54 AM	#414
SheilaJG practical experience, FTW Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,484	Miyazaki is brilliant. I think the Pixar guys paid him homage by including one of his characters (from My Neighbor Tortoro?) in Toy Story 3. Not a big character, but noticeable in the background. I haven't read Howl's Moving Castle, but I loved the movie. I thought the first Skulldugery Pleasant was really violent, especially the scene where he is tied to the chair and tortured. Not just violent, but psychologically scary.

06-26-2010, 07:19 AM	#417
adktd2bks addicted to books Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: midwest Posts: 1,400	Just finished The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, might write a review of it on my blog. It was ok - maybe a 4 on a scale of 5. I think that I'd probably read the next in the series just because of my darn curiosity, but it's not written as well as Percy Jackson was so I'm a little disappointed. __________________ Blog: http://addktd2books.blogspot.com/ Last edited by adktd2bks; 06-26-2010 at 04:44 PM. Reason: Added link for book review

06-26-2010, 08:06 PM	#419
MsJudy practical experience, FTW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: california Posts: 5,673	Interesting about Riordan's new series. I just wonder if he isn't rushing to get the books in print, and not taking the time to find something new and fresh. That's such a risk when authors settle into a series. How do you follow your own formula without getting stuck in the formula? How do you make sure you keep growing and getting better, when the people who should be helping you do that (agent/editor) need you to hurry up so they can get rich? You guys are making me glad I didn't splurge on the full-price hardback. Neither of my boys is as excited about Egypt as they were about Greek mythology, so they aren't nagging me to buy it. Maybe when it comes out in paperback, or we'll get it from the library. My younger son has been plowing along through Paolini's ELDEST for the past month... Talk about someone who needed a better editor... __________________ represented by Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. Most happy.

06-28-2010, 09:39 PM	#421
Kitty Pryde i luv you giant bear statue AW Moderator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lost Angeles Posts: 8,858	I finally read "Kid Vs. Squid". It was moderately entertaining, though the MCs were not drawn in very much detail. My biggest disappointment was that the squid in question didn't show up until page 169, and she was dispatched without any trouble a scant 5 pages later. I call that false advertising! Also, she was not really a squid. Sigh. Quality squid literature is sooooo hard to find __________________ My student teaching project is helping my fifth graders put on a bone marrow donor drive and raise money for childhood cancer!

06-29-2010, 01:39 AM	#423
timp67 Guinea pig in the laboratory of God Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: California Posts: 787	Just ordered Clawstone Castle. And just finished Madame Pamplemouse's Incredible Edibles. Too slight for my tastes, really. The story was wafer thin. (Monty Python reference, naturally.) __________________ Blog: Reader. Writer. Boredom fighter! Twitter Robots have a favorite book THE BOY WHO HOWLED from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

06-29-2010, 07:08 AM	#424
vnNichols Foxy Lady Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: California Posts: 94	Oh! And, I'm currently reading The Moorchild.

06-30-2010, 06:07 AM	#425
sissybaby practical experience, FTW Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: somewhere, out there Posts: 2,567	I'm just into Chapter 7 of the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, and I think it's one I'm going to have to buy. I don't do that too often any more because we have so many books and money is tight. But I can't put it down. Kitty is right about the kids' poetry. And Agatha Swanburne's sayings sage advice slays me, too. I keep getting a visual of Walk Like a Man. Can't wait to finish this one. I interrupted an Eva Ibbotson to read it, but it isn't going to take long.

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