The Broke and the Bookish : children's books

Showing posts with label children's books. Show all posts

Thursday, August 21, 2014

A Cocktail and Conversation

Every other Thursday here at the Broke & The Bookish is A Cocktail Conversation time. One of the TB&TB members will pose a question to 2-3 of the other members of TB&TB crew about books, life, music, etc and then they'll answer and we can converse about it. So grab a cocktail & cozy up for some conversation. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, friends.

Lori says: So...I saw earlier this week that there is a new animated version of The Boxcar Children that just came out. That was the first series I remember starting to read. I loved how simply the children lived and how they were happy with so little, living in a boxcar. Though I am an only child, I remember being surprised that the siblings mostly got along. They were super resourceful--keeping drinks in the stream so they'd stay cool, stuff like that. I was totally impressed. I am not sure whether I ever actually finished reading that series--I think there are several books to it--but I own most of them and plan on passing them along if I ever have any children. I still love reading about people having to be resourceful and making it outside of "normal" circumstances.

Anyway, that got me wondering what was the first series you remember reading? Did you like it? Why?

Tahleen says: Boxcar Children was my first series too! I remember buying the first book for a friend's birthday party, and it sounded good so we got one for me too. I wasn't a huge reader up to that point, but I kept finding myself reading well past bedtime by the light in the hall, and it was usually one of these books. My dad said I shouldn't do that, and I would reply with pointing out how he always would say how he wished I would read more. I was just doing what he told me to, ha. I think I liked that they were mysteries, and I liked following the same characters. (Mysteries are still my favorites!) I'm not surprised you didn't finish the series, Lori--there are over 100 I think! I'm not sure where Gertrude Chandler Warner stopped writing, as I think it was taken over by ghost writers like the Babysitters' Club books (another good one), but there are a ton of them.

Bridget says: The first series I remember reading is Samantha's American Girl series. I remember liking it partially because there was a seven-year-old girl named Bridget in one of them, and at the time I was seven. I eventually moved onto Molly and Kirsten, and my sister had Josephina. When I was younger I had a much bigger interest in historical fiction, especially since the eras vaguely matched up with what I was learning in school, so I really enjoyed them. I wish I still had the books so I could pass them onto my little sister (she's six) and eventually to my own children, but I think we gave them away. I still have my Molly and Samantha dolls, though :D

Jana says: My first series was called Full House Michelle. I loved the TV show so much, and when they came out with a series of books about the youngest girl, Michelle, I was all over them. I'm pretty sure I owned all of them, actually. They read like an episode of Full House. They came out with a Stephanie series too, which I liked even better. Stephanie was my favorite Full House character. And her books had a little romance in them. Hehe.

Julia says: The first series I remember reading and loving is The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. I had always been a reader but at some point in my early grade school years, I fell off the reading bandwagon. I remember just guessing on books I had never read to pass my accelerated reading tests. Then I found The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and I fell in love with the Pevensie children. I devoured The Magician's Nephew and then didn't really enjoy The Horse and His Boy because the kids were gone. I stopped there, not knowing that the others in the series had Edmund and Lucy come back. But reading this series broke me into other books and I loved reading again. I think the next thing I moved to was the Choose Your Own Adventure novels. Those are amazing and would love to read an adult version sometime! I think they exist...

What about you? What is the first series that you remember reading? Did you like it? Did you finish? Why?

Friday, March 7, 2014

Lori Reviews Treasure Island

Title: Treasure Island
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Published: Cassell and Company, London, 1883
Where I Got It: I bought an old copy at a used bookstore ages ago, but finally read a copy on my Nook.

I was initially going to read Moby-Dick. I told my boyfriend that I wanted to just read one book at a time and not pick up another book until I finished and that I was starting with Moby-Dick. At some point on Sunday, after the grocery store, I realized that Melville just wasn't doing it for me. I really wanted to watch Muppets Treasure Island, but Zach wasn't in the mood. So I decided to start reading the book, figuring that this would be the next best thing.

In a way it was.

This book has been on my list for a very long time. It's just one of those books that so many people seem to have read.

There's a boy who finds a treasure map and convinces some rich, older men to finance a voyage to find the treasure. The crew is pretty sketchy. But things go well. Until they site land. Then there's a mutiny. And some more stuff happens that I don't want to give away because I think you need to both watch the movie and read the book.

As I read the book I had a good time picking out which Muppet played which character. Interesting tidbit--Miss Piggy's character is actually a man in the book and did not previously know Kermit. It was a great adventure, which I kind of needed because we got snowed in on Sunday night. Fortunately work was cancelled on Monday, which meant I was able to spend all bloody day in bed reading until I finished (reason number eleventy bajillion why I'm glad I have not procreated yet).

I think I would have loved this book to pieces had I read it about 16 years ago. It's a book geared towards children, so that kind of makes sense, but it's also a story that you can still love as an adult (particularly if you read it as a child). I still liked the book enough to give it 3.5 stars, but...

I spent a good part of the time asking Jim Hawkins what the hell he was doing! He kept separating from the group of good guys and getting in these bad situations with the pirates. You don't go off without telling anyone to get a little boat to board the massive ship (apparently with the idea of moving the ship around the island somehow) when there are pirates afoot. But that is probably a detail you would overlook as a child.

Previously my experience with this book was the Muppets movie, which is fun and funny. So they really glossed over a lot of the death that took place in the novel in order to make a family-friendly movie. They really kill people in this movie. Just pick them off with guns. Go in commando style and kill them at night. There was no Billy Bones-esque keeling over when he got the spot (Billy Bones actually dies of a stroke in the book). That was a bit surprising to me. But back in 1883, you wrote kids books that dealt with some darker themes, so it was not terribly out of place.

All in all, I liked the book. If I had any, I would read this to my own kids. But it is not the Muppets movie.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Movies you might not have known were books, part 2: Children's edition

Everyone seemed to enjoy my last post on movies you didn't know were books, so I thought I'd do another one. This time, I'm focusing on the children's movies. Some of these you might have known about, but I know one in particular blew my mind when I found out it was a book first. That book is

1. Mrs. Doubtfire based on Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine

Who knew Mrs. Doubtfire was a book, and by Anne Fine no less? When I saw this at the library I work at, I was floored.

2. Shrek, based on Shrek! by William Steig

The book is pretty different from the movie, I have to say, but I still love William Steig. I'm pretty sure the only similarity is that it's about an ogre named Shrek who goes to look for a wife. Though the ending isn't as happily-ever-after as DreamWorks decided it should be. Still, I like both.

3. The Great Mouse Detective, based on Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus

Who remembers this movie? Ah, the good old days. I kind of feel like I have to read this book now. Look at the delightful cover!

4. Jumanji, based on Jumanji by Chris van Allsburg

This one is probably much better known as a Newbery-award winning book, but some people still might not know. Again, the book is pretty different (alas, no Robin Williams character, who I just realized is making a few appearances on this post's list), but both are very enjoyable.

5. Fly Away Home, based on Father Goose: One Man, a Gaggle of Geese, and Their Real Life Incredible Journey South by Bill Lishman

I guess they figured no kid would want to see a movie about a guy who wanted to see what would happen if he tried to lead some Canada geese south, so they threw in Anna Paquin and made the geese orphans. Check out Lishman's Wikipedia article here, which kind of explains what he was trying to do.

6. Homeward Bound, based on The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

Okay, okay, I know most everyone knows this is a book, but I figured I'd throw it on there for the hell of it. This movie has a pretty great soundtrack, by the way. Oh hey, one cool thing I just noticed in writing this post is the family that owns the pets are called the Burnfords, which is the name of the author. Also, look—it was a Disney movie in 1963 too.

There you have it, folks. Any that I missed? I love having my mind blown by stuff like this, so don't hold back.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Tahleen reviews: "Liar and Spy" by Rebecca Stead

Title: Liar and Spy
Author: Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books, 2012

Rating: 4 stars

Georges, named after the painter Georges Seurat, just moved in to a new apartment building after his parents had to sell their house, due to his father losing his job. This makes life even more difficult for Georges, because a) he doesn't really have any friends, and in fact is bullied nearly every day, and b) he hardly ever sees his mother, who works at the hospital and has been there full days ever since the move.

On one of the first days in their new building, Georges and his dad find a sign for the Spy Club. On a whim, his dad writes the note, "What time?" and thus begins Georges's strange and unpredictable friendship with Safer, a boy his age who calls himself a spy. As Georges and Safer get deeper and deeper into investigating a neighbor whom Safer just calls "Mr. X," slowly we see that everything might not be as it seems.

I was really looking forward to reading Stead's newest novel, after her beautiful and captivating Newbery Award–winner When You Reach Me. I'm sorry to say I didn't love Liar and Spy as much as I was hoping to, but I am glad I read it and it is a lovely little story about friendship and confronting your fears.

Though I felt the story itself moved slowly, this is the type of book that you need to be patient with if you are going to get anything out of it. It is slim, so you're not necessarily slogging along waiting for the action to happen, but I personally did feel a bit antsy during the middle. However, in the end it was completely worth it and I felt full and happy after turning the final page.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of the book is standing up for yourself and facing your fears, be they worry for loved ones, bullies at school, or any number of smaller everyday fears. Georges handles being teased pretty well from what I gathered, though he is mostly passive and realizes he needs to do something if it's going to stop. Along the way, he forges new alliances that might just turn into friendships. Safer also has fears to conquer, though I'll let you discover those on your own.

All in all, I enjoyed Liar and Spy, especially toward the end, though it didn't live up to my expectations after having read When You Reach Me. But maybe that's unfair. It's still worth the read.

Disclosure: The publisher sent me an advanced reader's copy of this book.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Tahleen's Favorite Mystery Series

There are a lot of great mystery series out there, as I'm sure many of you know. I'd like to call your attention to two particular series that I'm a huge fan of—one is written for middle grade readers, but I highly encourage you to check them out. They're fast reads, and completely entertaining. The second series is written for adults, but they have great appeal for younger readers as well.

1. The Sammy Keyes Mysteries by Wendalin Van Draanen

I started reading this series in 6th grade, and haven't really stopped since. Sammy is snappy and sarcastic and very clever, especially when putting together clues that I can't fit together at age 24, let alone age 12. She's just really curious and will sort of spy to get the answers she wants, though she only does this in the name of justice. And this might annoy other people, but I absolutely love how she uses vocabulary that not many 7th-graders would—phrases and words that seem out of place but add so much to her character. Plus she names people according to how they appear to her if she doesn't know their names, which I think is hilarious.

These books do not shy away from tough stuff, either. In the 10 books I've read in this series, Van Draanen has included issues like homelessness, gangs, domestic abuse, underground meth labs, illegal gambling rings, and of course, murder attempts. These are no light mysteries with Scooby Doo endings; Sammy often gets herself into dark situations and narrowly escapes death a number of times. And yet, Van Draanen manages to keep the tone light throughout each book.

Also, did I mention she's secretly living with the Grams in an apartment complex for senior citizens because her mother is trying to make a name for herself in Hollywood? And that she has an archenemy named Heather who is hell-bent on sabotaging her? I still love these books. There are 12 in the series at this point in time, and I hope Van Draanen will continue to write them.

2. The Flavia de Luce Mysteries by Alan Bradley

Flavia is just a delightful character. Eleven years old and very precocious, this is a great mystery series with crossover appeal. Technically written for an adult audience, I've seen these on a number of lists for young adults as well. Flavia is the youngest of three sisters, with a single father trying to raise them alone after their mother's death when Flavia was just a baby. Fascinated by chemistry, Flavia has her own lab in their large estate, Buckshaw (despite her father's lack of funds—Flavia lets us know it was her mother who had money, not her father), and has a particular penchant for poisons. Though there are only three books in this series, Bradley will continue to add to it over the years. The fourth book is due to come out in 2012 and will be called I Am Half-Sick of Shadows. Oh yes, I forgot to mention: each title is a quote from some sort of literary piece, and I just love that. It looks like there will be six books altogether at this point. Jess reviewed the second in the series, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, on The Broke and the Bookish not too long after its release—you can read it here.

Not only are the mysteries engaging and have unexpected endings that aren't always simple, they are a little portait of life in rural England just after World War II. Anyone who likes reading about small towns will love Bishop's Lacey.

If you get the chance to listen to these, please do. The narrator, Jayne Entwhistle, is just perfect and I love listening to her. You can hear the relish in her voice as Flavia recounts particularly juicy tidbits. I'm eagerly waiting for book three, A Red Herring Without Mustard, which I requested on CD from the library.

So what are your favorite mysteries? Are they series, or do you have a standalone you love?

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Nathan's Take on "The Little Prince"

Book Title: The Little Prince

Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery

How I got it: I bought it a long time ago

Why I read it: Because it is an amazing book that I love

Rating: 5+ Stars

The Little Prince. This book has a special place in my heart. I bought it when I was about ten years old at a book fair. When I first read the book I am pretty sure I did not understand the real meaning behind that book. Or maybe I did... the point of the book is to show adults how to be a child again. Exupery spins a wonderful tale of a Little Prince who loves a flower for no other reason than the fact that she belongs to him.

The Little Prince visits many adults during his journey to Earth, most of which are concerned with "matters of consequence". The Little Prince is narrating these visits to a pilot, presumably Exupery, but we are never told who the pilot is. This little book is amazing in all regards. The imagery and lessons that are packed into this novella have had a profound impact on my life. I can only think to tell you to go and read it yourself, as anything more that I say about it will not do it justice, and it will not take very long to finish the book.

You will (99% guaranteed) be touched in some way by this intriguing and life-changing book. Fabulously written and presented.

Go and read it. Now. :-)

Monday, November 1, 2010

Jess' Review: The Penderwicks (Jeanne Birdsall)

Image found here.

Title: The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Author: Jeanne Birdsall (Web site)
Publisher: Yearling, 2007
Notes: I found this book at the library. I decided to check it out because someone on the Goodreads' College Students group had mentioned it.
A brief summary: Mr. Penderwick (the father) and his daughters Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty take a vacation, thinking of a rundown cottage. They come to a small cottage on an estate property called Arundel, owned by Mrs. Tifton, with whom the four girls battle. The four Penderwick girls, along with Mrs. Tilton's son Jeffrey, a dog (Hound), two rabbits, and a gardener, have many exciting adventures in three weeks.
My thoughts: If you liked Little Women but wished there was a more contemporary version, this book is definitely for you! I found all four girls delightful in their separate ways, and they had very complimentary personalities. Rosalind is the oldest and seems to view life with a more serious lens, especially since she remembers their deceased mother the best. That being said, Rosalind's life certainly gets more interesting at Arundel. Skye is the second-oldest; she's a bit more fiesty and tomboyish, though she adores math and minimalism. Then there's Jane, who is a romantic, and dreams of becoming a published author. She writes her own book series, featuring a character named Sabrina Starr, and persists in her writing. Finally, there is four-year-old Batty (short for Elizabeth) who is so delightful and charming you can't help but love her. I felt, as I was reading, that each girl needed her sisters. This book is full of adventure, love, and loads of youthful fun. Mrs. Tifton, the property owner, makes the perfect childhood enemy. She is unfriendly, near obsessive about her gardens, and rigid. You will grow to both dread and anticipate the Penderwicks' interactions with her!

Mr. Penderwick is an interesting character. A plant-lover, he spends quite a bit of time speaking in Latin or wandering off into the fields to research plants. He's certainly not a neglectful father, but his parenting approach (and strange interests) reminded me of Haviland de Luce, Flavia de Luce's father, in the mystery series.

Because of this, as well as the character names, it was difficult to remember that this is a contemporary book. It certainly doesn't have the same feel as Little Women, but I could easily see this being prim-and-proper England during the mid-20th century. Perhaps modernity has tainted my perception of children; it's hard to imagine inventive games, physical activity, and technology-less families anymore. This book certainly recaptured that experience for me, though. However, the scenario seemed at times slightly improbable for modern-day Massachusetts.

Despite the dichotomy between the setting and the plot, I adored the characters in this book, and I'm planning to check out the next installment of the Penderwick adventures when I'm at the library. The Penderwicks is a lovely, heartfelt novel that children and adults alike will love.

Rating: 4 stars

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

In Which Snickers Tackles Royalty and Children's Books

Title/Author: Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine, France, 1136 by Kristiana Gregory Published: November 2002 by Scholastic Inc.
How I Got It: Once upon a time, I owned it, but it disappeared with the passage of time. So I utilized the wonderful library.
Why I Re-read It: I stumbled across it on Goodreads, and had one of those "Oh, YEAH! I remember that book!" moments. I figured I should re-read it since I didn't really remember much, since I first read it as a kid.

The Review

Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine feels like a front: a way to teach kids "history", presented in the point-of-view of one of their own. Yes, I realize that's the whole point of the Royal Diaries books, but I expected a little more creativity presented in the story than what I received. It shouldn't FEEL like a front when you read it. I perceived this even as a kid, which is probably why I forgot all about Eleanor until I stumbled across it on Goodreads and was reminded of its existence. Gregory is very careful to remain true to both the diary format and the ADD mindset of a fourteen-year-old girl. As a girl, I read all of the Royal Diaries books, and I honestly don't recall any of them being quite this scatter-brained. It made it hard for me as a reader to remain engaged with the story. I remember what it was like to be a fourteen-year-old; I KNOW how hard it is to stay focused. But really, Gregory, for the sake of the story KEEP IT TOGETHER.

I should have gleaned more of Eleanor's personality than I did, especially considering that it's written in her point-of-view. Eleanor seems to have been deeply religious, or at the very least, unusually pious for a young teen. Other than that, I learned nothing particularly unique about her as a person. She had few wants and worries aside from her father's safety, and was never truly rebellious - sneaking out of the castle from time to time hardly counts as rebellious behavior in my book, as I would've done the same and more. She had opinions and observations about the world around her, but they don't make for a decent read. As a result, I perceived Eleanor to be a generally uninteresting person.

This is odd, considering that in the historical note at the end of the book, it is stated "That she was headstrong and spoiled is undisputed." (p. 161) I didn't get that impression at all. In fact, both the epilogue and the historical note were more entertaining than the actual story. I learned more about Eleanor than I would have otherwise, and lo and behold, she's a fairly interesting historical character. Who would've thunk it? The only time Eleanor displays originality in her actions and thoughts is her rather unorthodox way of meeting her husband-to-be, Louis VII: she marches down to where the prince is camped, only to decide that she'd rather jump in the river instead. One guess on who pulls her out of the river.

This is the only memorable part of the story, folks. Here's the page numbers (p. 124-126) so you can jump right to it thus avoiding all the uninteresting crap.

One could make the argument that "Oh, it's meant for kids and young teens, so it doesn't have to be quite so detailed as other historical fiction novels." To that I say, "Yes it does." I use Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria-France, 1769, another Royal Diaries book, as an example. It remains true to the diary format, and yet manages to be historically accurate AND engages the reader throughout the duration of the story.

It's also a kid's book. Imagine that.

I realize that Marie Antoinette and Eleanor are different people from very different eras. As a result, there's more information to go off of on Marie Antoinette than there is on Eleanor, simply because of the different times they lived in. I get all that; really, I do... but I expected more from Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine.

The Rating:
1 and ½ stars.

Eleanor gets 1 and ½ stars because while I didn’t hate it, I wasn’t entertained enough to give it an ok-rating of 2 stars.

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