#IMWAYR March 27, 2017

#IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. The adult version of this meme is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. The kidlit rendition is hosted by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post. That first week, I was occupied with sewing and visiting my cousin in the hospital and just didn't get much reading in. Then we had company over the weekend so I scrapped writing that post.

I've had a better reading week this time round. I'm happy to state that my cousin has been released from the hospital and is now home. I've continued to sew like crazy. Although I'm not close to ready to start putting all the bits together, I finally decided to assemble one block of That Quilt to motivate me to continue on. I am impressed if I do say so myself.




BLOG POSTS THIS WEEK


PICTURE BOOKS

3 stars
Maxwell the Monkey Barber by Cale Atkinson CL

Maxwell is a cute little monkey who cuts and combs different animals hair. He's challenged when an elephant shows up, but manages to come up with a solution.
Although I likes the repetitious refrain, the rhythm of the poetry didn't work for me.



4 stars
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margriet Ruurs & Nizar Badr (Contributor) CL

There is so much to love about this book. These images are remarkable. Combined with the poems, they are profoundly moving. I appreciate that the money from sales of this book goes to support refugee groups. 

4 stars
The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story by Kallie George & Stephanie Graegin (Illustrations) CL

Stephanie Graegin's illustrations are poignant and stunning in this delightful tale of four woodland friends who help Santa deliver a dropped present. I was charmed by all of these characters, but especially the grouchy squirrel.



4 stars
In The Red Canoe by Leslie Davidson & Laura Bifano (Illustrations) CL

These beautiful illustrations and descriptive words capture a beautiful world of love and nature. The relationship between the child and grandfather is sublime. Unfortunately, the poetry didn't quite work for me.

4 stars
Ooko by Esme Shapiro

This is a delightful book about friendship and being who you are meant to be. The illustrations are charming.






5 stars
The Day I Became a Bird by Ingrid Chabbert, Raúl Nieto Guridi (Illustrations)

I am infatuated by anything these two artists create. At first I was kind of creeped out by this idea of trying to be someone or something you are not, in order to form a relationship with someone. Thankfully Sylvie, the bird fanatic, recognizes our hero for who he really is and loves him anyway. I think, perhaps, this is what good relationships are all about.


CHAPTER BOOKS

5 stars
Public Library Enemy #1 (Jasper John Dooley #6) by Caroline Adderson, Mike Shiell (Illustrations) CL

This book is just delightful! Jasper is devastated when, with the help of his father, he accidentally kills his library book.
He's terrified to go back to the library even though he really wants to read to Molly, the dog.
Before it is all over, there is a toast stand, a pet reading party, and lots of sweet humour and delightful surprises.

4 stars
The Missing Magic (The Magical Animal Adoption Agency #3) by Kallie George & Alexandra Boiger (Illustrations) CL

I was enchanted by this little chapter book about a girl who volunteers in a magic pet adoption agency. Clover does something she shouldn't, and this action causes near disaster for all the magical animals and people. To resolve the problem she has to learn to work collaboratively with Oliver, a fellow volunteer.

NOVELS

4 stars
Jake Reynolds: Against the Tide by Sara Leach CL

This is a solid short novel for readers moving beyond chapter books. Multidimensional characters deal authentically with friendship issues. There is enough tension and action to keep readers engaged.
I really liked how supportive the adults are and that even the troubled kid seems to find a redemption of sorts.
Now I'll have to go and read the first in this series.


Word of Mouse by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein Joe Sutphin (Illustrations) & Chris Grabenstein (narrator) 3 stars

This was an ok read. It reminded me of Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, but with less depth. Still, I think some younger readers will find it interesting, and perhaps could be persuaded to read the classic tale afterwards.
Here is a sample of the audiobook.



4 stars
A Rare Gift (Crystal Journals #1) by G.Rosemary Ludlow CL

This is the first in a series about a young girl who is 'chosen' by a magical crystal to be its guardian. The crystal takes her through time and space to help people who need it. At first Susan is very unhappy with this responsibility, but by the end of her first adventure, aiding a young orphaned boy on an immigrant ship on it's way to New York, she has accepted and even appreciates the challenge of the crystal. Ludlow integrates historical detail seamlessly in this novel.

3 stars
Pharaoh's Tomb (Crystal Journals #2) by G. Rosemary Ludlow CL

In this book Susan travels back in time to ancient Egypt and the creation of the crystals. She is adopted by an evil magician. Eventually, she makes friends with the grand vizier's son, but is instantly despised by Neferure, daughter of the ruler.

I appreciate Ludlow's ability to entertain and educate me about many aspects of life at that time. The book has plenty of action and suspense.

I want this to be 3.5 stars. It might have been more except that I had a hard time dealing with a plot that posits a young female character in conflict with other female characters, especially when the reason is jealousy over a boy.

3 stars
Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee & Emily Woo Zeller (narrator)

I wanted to like this more than I actually did. I appreciate the diverse cast of characters. Two girls, Samantha, a Chinese American, and Annamae, a runaway slave, pose as boys as they flee across America on the Oregon Trail. Along the way they connect up with a crew of three cowboys. There is just a bit of romance that will appeal to older readers.
I acknowledge that as a Canadian, I am woefully ignorant about the Oregon Trail. Still it bothered me was that there were so few mentions of the indigenous people who inhabited the country they crossed. It reads as though the group are travelling across empty landscapes. There are a few mentions of bow and arrows being acquired from different people, but the people themselves are profoundly missing.

4 stars
Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

I had a hard time with this book. It felt too much like Lord of the Flies, a book I hated when I had to read it in high school, a very very long time ago. I tried to ignore, and even skipped over some of the more intense violent bullying episodes. Eventually though, somewhere in there I was hooked on the story and couldn't stop reading. 

5 stars

Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Nothing compares to a brilliantly written middle grade novel! This is one of them. Sloan writes beautiful characters, puts them in situations where we get to watch them grow and mature, all the while making us fall in love with them. I adore this diverse collection of actors working on a theater production of The Wizard of Oz. I especially appreciate that the author shows us how important the arts are in our lives. 


5 stars
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

OMG! Swooooon. This book is so beautiful I had to keep writing down quotes from it. It takes place in one day in New York City. A young man of Korean ancestry and a young Jamaican girl whose family is about to be deported meet and fall in love. This is one of those books that you don't want to miss. I've come to the conclusion that if Nicola Yoon writes it, I'll read it.
It's almost impossible to come up with one quote that resonated most with me, but since I'm writing this on a Sunday, I'll give you this one:
"God is the connection of the very best parts of us."

CURRENTLY

I'm currently listening to Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. I've started a library book, The Left Handed Fate by Kate Millford, and Everyday Hero by Kathleen Cherry, a Chocolate Lily candidate. I've got another audiobook on the go, but I've forgotten about it. I think I have a netgalley title I should be attending to also.

UP NEXT

I'm digging into the box of Chocolate Lily contenders and plan to read Root Beer Candy and other Miracles by Shari Green as well as at least 2 others from there. There are two titles by Becky Citra, one of my favourite BC authors, in the box, but I'm saving those for when I need a special reading treat.

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MUSTREADIN2017 7/36

#MUSTREADNFIN2017 1/12, 1 in progress

50 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 11/50

Chocolate Lily (CL) 33/52

Goodreads Reading Challenge 110/333



Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt by Ben Clanton

Ben Clanton is Super Brilliant. 

We were first introduced to Narwhal and Jelly in Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea. This sequel lets us know what the two of them have been up to since then. 
It's worth the wait. 
First off, it's impossible to not connect to these characters. Narwhal and Jelly are flat out adorable. If you don't fall instantly in love with them, you probably have sociopathic tendencies.

In this book, Narwhal decides to be a superhero and Jelly decides to be his sidekick. It doesn't take long for them to figure out that becoming superheroes isn't easy. They have to come up with names, super outfits, secret identities and figure out what their superpowers will be. Once they determine the first three, Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt discover that finding their superpowers is going to be a challenge. The usual things like invisibility and super strength don't work for them. It doesn't worry them though. They will probably figure out their superpowers after lunch.

Following that delightful introduction, we see Super Narwhal doing some pretty super things like helping a starfish return to the sky, and cheering up a sad feeling Jelly. The two friends even write their own comic book, Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick. Eventually Super Narwhal's superpower is revealed, but I'm not going to spoil the book for you by telling you the ending. What I will tell you is that it is a brilliant twist to the expected. 

Clanton's illustrations work brilliantly with the text. Humor and sweetness combine to make his work appealing to a broad range of audiences. Older readers will enjoy reading this outloud to younger ones because of the emotions portrayed in characters faces, the spoof on serious superhero comics and the play on words, (especially in the  Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick comic.)

The page spread revealing the true super powers of real ocean creatures is a delightful integration of fact with fiction.

I am infatuated with this book for all kinds of reasons. I welcome that these two individuals are primarily gender neutral, but what I appreciate most are the messages about not giving up, and supporting, helping and bringing out the best in others.

Fans of Elephant and Piggie books will appreciate Clanton's less is more format. In fact, Clanton's Narwhal and Jelly are the perfect stepping up point for young readers ready to move on from these simpler titles. 

#IMWAYR March 12, 2017

#IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. The adult version of this meme is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. The kidlit rendition is hosted by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

This past week I have been thinking about and appreciating my high school sewing teacher, Mrs Netta Thompson. (Mrs T) The sewing directions for the quilt I am working are bizarre in places so I've returned to what Mrs T taught us about sewing curved seams, and while it might take me a bit longer, I'm getting better results. I've also started teaching my daughter in law to sew. I channeled Mrs T again as we started out creating simple bibs that involved many different skills. Here are our finished products.


I also managed to get enough done on my quilt that I can take some pieces into a fabric store and decide on what colours to use for the center of the arcs. 

BLOG POSTS THIS WEEK





PICTURE BOOKS


5 stars
Stephen and the Beetle by Jorge Luján Chiara Carrer (Illustrations) Elisa Amado (Translation) 

This is a deeply philosophical book that shows a young boy deciding to take a closer look at a beetle instead of stomping it. What ensues takes him into a different way of seeing the world. It's another picture book that works for children and adults.
4 stars

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers & Sam Winston

I loved the reference to books in the illustrations, but it was the beautiful text that absolutely wowed me in this book. I too "am a child of books. I also "come from a world of stories."


4 stars
Henry & Leo by Pamela Zagarenski

The story here is fine, but Zagarenski's illustrations make this book. This tale of a missing toy and it's return, blurs the lines between real and not real, in the world of magical thinking that young children inhabit.




5 stars
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas & Erin E. Stead (Illustrations)

This book is drop dead gorgeous with a deeply philosophical message about purpose and meaning in life. I want all my adult friends to read this one.




5 stars
Peace Dancer by Roy Henry Vickers & Robert Budd CL

Many different cultures have stories of a great flood that once covered the land. This one comes from the Kitkatla village of the Tsimshian nation. I agree completely that, "the lessons taught may be more important now than they were thousands of years ago." It's a powerful reminder of our intimate relationship to the natural world, whether or not we are aware of it.
Vickers' glorious illustrations are layered with supernatural figures. These connect us to a way of seeing a world that is deep in many dimensions of reality.

4 stars
Birds by Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek (Illustrator)

I adore Dronzek's illustrations in this striking book that pays homage to birds. I am very impressed how these two artists create tension just by watching seven birds on a telephone wire while waiting for movement.


4 stars
A Lion in Paris by Beatrice Alemagna

The illustrations in this book are so stunning I want to purchase a copy, cut them out, frame them and hang them on my walls. This is a quietly philosophical book that imagines how the lion statue at Place Denfert-Rochereau came to end up there.


CHAPTER BOOKS

4 stars
Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel by Charise Mericle Harper & Ashley Spires (Illustrations) Netgalley

I'm working on a blog post for this. In a few words, this is a charming story of a young girl who gets a special present from her grandmother. The interactive gift provides activities that continue on for a number of weeks. (I want to be this kind of grandmother) It's a story about making friends. Ashley Spires black and white illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this story. I hope it becomes a series.

4 stars
Tank & Fizz: The Case of the Battling Bots by Liam O'Donnell & Mike Deas (Illustrations) CL

This book is full of action and humor. I like that these characters are not human and nearly genderless. It's a combination of mystery, fantasy, and pure fun. The combination of graphic novel and straight text will make chapter book readers happy. It made me happy too.




NOVELS

4 stars
A Day Of Signs And Wonders by Kit Pearson CL

This is based on two real characters, Emily Carr and Kathleen O'Reilly. Pearson has imagined them meeting one summer day in 1881, in Victoria BC. The day is pivotal because it cements the two girls directions in life. Pearson has done an amazing job creating characters I couldn't help but admire and love. I am especially infatuated with her take on Emily Carr. For those of you who don't know of Emily Carr, she is a famous Canadian landscape painter.

4 stars
Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music (Amanda Travels #5) by Darlene Foster CL

Darlene Foster writes middle grade novels about two plucky girls, Amanda Ross, and Leah Anderson, best friends from different continents. These intrepid travellers visit different places around the world and solve mysteries. In this one, the two girls cruise the Danube river, hide a rare violin, rescue a homeless boy and learn a lot of geography and history before the trip is done.


ADULT NOVELS

4 stars
The Boat Rocker by Ha Jin & Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

I have no idea how this book came onto my radar, but when I found it available as an audiobook, I downloaded it. It isn't what I would call a comfortable read. I didn't even really like the characters, but it completely fascinated me. On the surface it's the story of an expat Chinese journalist researching and writing about his ex wife's novel and claims made about it. It's also about the power of the media and how it is manipulated for political purpose. While this book explores this issue with respect to China, it's an important book for what it reveals to us about the relationship between government, corporate interests and media here in the western world.

CURRENTLY

I have too many books on the go! I'm reading Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan, The Suffering Tree by Elle Cosimano (a netgalley title) and
I'm listening to Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott and Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee.

UP NEXT

I'm not sure since I've got so many on the go, but I will commit to reading the first two novels in G. Rosemary Ludlow's Crystal Journals series.

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MUSTREADIN2017 5/36, 1 in progress

#MUSTREADNFIN2017 1/12, 1 in progress

50 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 11/50

Chocolate Lily (CL) 25/52

Goodreads Reading Challenge 92/333