Hello out there. It's #IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.
I am still walking at least six days a week. I'm now up to 8.5 kilometers. I plot out routes to see different parts of the community and country around our small town. I plug an audiobook into my ears and head out. I feel disgustingly healthy, but mostly I am full of joy. In rediscovering the landscape of my youth I'm connected to the planet in a way I never was living in the city. I might even learn to love the prickly pear cactus.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK
Last week I had hoped to read and review a Netgalley title, The Incredible Nellie Bly a graphic novel by Luciana Cimino. It was downloaded onto my device and I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the text was painfully blurry at best, and mostly impossible to read.4 stars |
Find Fergus by Mike Boldt ๐
This was lots of fun. I really wish my grandkids were here for me to read it with them. Fergus is a bear who at first is not very good at playing hide and seek. With a little help from the author and reader he gradually improves. Eventually Fergus ends up challenging us to find a list of things hidden in the pages of the book.
Picture books in rhyme are difficult to pull off. This one works - mostly. The structure of the first part is different from the rest and it threw me off a bit. The second time round went better. I do love the idea that when we are loved, that love is with us all the time no matter what we do and where we go. The neon bright illustrations show happy children in diverse families.
5 stars |
Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade & Cozbi A. Cabrera (Illustrator)
Reading this makes me want to read more of Brooks' poetry.
I like a lot about this. I like the diverse group of friends. While the twins are Black, it's their twinness that drives the story here. I appreciate that a large component of what drives the problems between the two girls has to do with secrets the family was keeping from each other. Hopefully they all learn to be more honest with each other. This would make a great series.
Two half Korean girls and their Mother return to the small town in Washington State where their Halmoni lives. One one of the daughters, Lily, negotiates with a giant tiger that only she can see. She bargains with it to heal Halmoni, who is dying, but tigers are tricksters who rarely give you what you think you want. In the end, they get what they need.
4 stars |
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor & Robin Miles (Narrator)
Binti, a gifted mathematician, leaves her desert home and people to go to Oomza University on another planet. On the way the ship is attacked by the Meduse, an alien race at war with these people. Everyone except Binti is killed, but she is saved by her edan, a piece of ancient technology she had brought with her from Earth. It enables her to communicate with her captors and she ends up brokering a tentative peace between the two groups. In the process, she is transformed. If the next one had only been available I would have started it right away. I immediately put it on hold.
5 stars |
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
On the eve of his first child's birth, Sir Samuel Vimes, commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, gets caught up in a magical storm and ends up travelling back in time. He brings with him Carcer Dun, a psychopathic serial killer. Ankh-Morpork is in the middle of a revolution and both men get caught up in it. While Vimes is trying to maintain peace, Carcer Dun joins forces with the revolutionaries.
There is a saying by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, "The More Things Change, The More They Remain The Same." That's the big idea behind this book, except that through it all, Pratchett manages to make us care about all the individuals caught up in the foibles of history, however flawed they are. (Except for Carcer Dun) The more I read about Sam Vimes, the more I come to adore him - not quite, but almost as much as Tiffany Aching.
While a Feegle is introduced in one of the earlier novels, in this one, we get to really know the 'Wee Free Men.' They are Pictsies, a kind of Gaelic fairy folk. Don't get them confused with pixies or other fairies if you want to keep your teeth. This boisterous bunch of six inch, blue skinned, kilted little people love to steal, drink, fight, and tell lies. This group, the Nac Mac Feegles, make their home in a mound on the Chalk and consider Tiffany to be the witch of the land and their big wee hag.
Tiffany, only nine, manages to rescue Wentworth, her little brother, and Roland, the Baron’s son, from the Queen of the Elves. It is a gripping adventure wherein a talking toad, the Nac Mac Feegles and an iron frying pan play important roles in the rescue.
With the help of the Nac Mac Feegles and Miss Level, they manage to drive the Hiver off. Then Tiffany and Granny Weatherwax work together to put an end to it. The ending is not at all what you might expect.
When the hiver has control of Tiffany, she does the kinds of things that she might think of doing, but would never actually do. When she's finally dealt with it, she takes responsibility for what happened under its control.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MustReadIn2021 5/25
#MustReadNFIn2021 2/12
#MustReadPBIn2021 14/100
Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors: 7/25 one in progress
Books by Canadian Authors: 19/100
Canada Reads 2021 1/5 one in progress
Discworld Series 31/41
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 80/333
Find Fergus sounds fun! I wonder if there will be a sequel to Twins...I think kids would enjoy reading more about the characters.
ReplyDeleteFergus is fun! I agree with you about a sequel.
DeleteBinti certainly sounds both scary, at least at first, then intriguing, too, Cheriie. I noted the 2 picture books, & have the others on my list, own When You Trap a Tiger & still haven't read it! I hope soon! I'm so glad you liked Exquisite - me, too! Congrats for all the walking. I haven't gotten to that many, yet, but working on it. it sounds very fun to be working around your town! Happy March!
ReplyDeleteBinti is brilliant Linda. I am a wimp about scary books and this one didn't faze me.
DeleteI didn't think I would like Find Fergus as much as I did but it was surprisingly good!
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised too. Fergus himself is such and endearing character.
DeleteI agree that Twins would be a successful series. Find Fergus seems like fun, and there are a few others I need to find though. Thanks for all the shares, and also of your disgustingly healthy habits. I loved walking in the South Okanagan but it has been far too long since I have done so.
ReplyDeleteThanks Aaron. It's so delightful to have you back blogging.
DeleteI still need to read When You Trap a Tiger! And I'm woefully behind in my Terry Pratchett reading. My younger son loves the Discworld books. Thanks for reminding me of them, Cheriee!
ReplyDeleteThe problem with reading Pratchett is that a person can easily begin proselytizing about them. I fear I might be becoming one of them. There are whole communities on the internet that do nothing but discuss his work, especially the Discworld.
DeleteWhat a great set of books! I loved Measuring Up—it felt very accessible for young readers but also really deep! When You Trap a Tiger is on my shelf right now! I'm thrilled that you'll be reading Beetle & the Hollowbones—I really had a blast reading that book! Thanks for the great post!
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking forward to reading what you think of When You Trap a Tiger. There is lots of food mentioned in it. I ended up looking for a recipe for rice cakes!
DeleteOooh, I hadn't heard about Exquisite. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou are in for a treat!
DeleteI look forward to hearing what you think about Call Me Indian. And I keep meaning to read the Pratchett kidlit books -- I've read most of the adult Discworld and I've loved his other books such as Nation. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteNation is the book that turned me on to Pratchett's work in the first place. When I am done reading the Discworld I think I'll reread it.
DeleteGood for you with all the walking! I love your phrase "disgustingly healthy"! ha ha
ReplyDeleteI have Twins waiting here on my shelves - I need to get to that!
Sorry to hear your partner snatched The Sixth Extinction from you! It is SO good - can't wait to hear what you think.
I'm late visiting, but I hope you enjoyed your books - and your walks - this week!
Sue
Book By Book
I can't wait to get my hands on Exquisite! I did listen to it as a virtual read aloud with author Suzanne Slade and illustrator, Cozbi A. Cabrera splitting the reading up. However, there's just something about holding the book in your own hands. I'm so glad you enjoyed When You Trap A Tiger! And I'll have to see if I can find a local copy of Binti. Thanks Cheriee. My apologies for being so late this week...
ReplyDelete