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isaacblevins's Reviews (460)
Do you remember what middle school was like? Are you living it now? If you do, or if you are, then you know about those moments of panic that sometimes set in. I'm talking about those moments when you fear that someone might discover your deepest secrets...or what you really think...or what you have said. In The Map Trap, Alton Ziegler is having one of those moments. Obsessed with maps, Alton has never been one of the popular kids. When he decides to reach out to one of the kids in his class who is popular by sharing some of his secret maps, his whole world gets shaken. Those maps...they weren't just of places...they were of people...people who might not like that Alton had studied them so closely. Now the maps are missing.
Andrew Clements, author of the popular read-aloud Frindle, has created an honest and intriguing character in Alton Ziegler. A loner with obsessive tendencies, Alton gives voice to a whole group of young people who are normally just supporting characters. For a short book, Clements is able to pack in a lot of detail about his characters - details that really make this fictional world believable. There were at least five or six minor characters who I was just interested enough in to want to hear more about. It would have been very easy for this novel to become a twee morality tale with stock characters and a tidy ending. Luckily, Andrew Clements knows enough about young people that he is able to avoid such pitfalls. This is full, messy, and sometimes surprising, just like its characters...and just like real life.
This book should appeal to readers who like realistic stories about school and school related struggles that don't necessarily all come from the classroom. Readers who enjoy a good mystery will also enjoy working with Alton to discover who he can trust and who might be the "mapnapper". Curious readers might also be interested to explore one of Alton's favorite hobbies: geocaching. If you didn't think maps were interesting before you started The Map Trap, then you're sure to think so after you finish it.
Andrew Clements, author of the popular read-aloud Frindle, has created an honest and intriguing character in Alton Ziegler. A loner with obsessive tendencies, Alton gives voice to a whole group of young people who are normally just supporting characters. For a short book, Clements is able to pack in a lot of detail about his characters - details that really make this fictional world believable. There were at least five or six minor characters who I was just interested enough in to want to hear more about. It would have been very easy for this novel to become a twee morality tale with stock characters and a tidy ending. Luckily, Andrew Clements knows enough about young people that he is able to avoid such pitfalls. This is full, messy, and sometimes surprising, just like its characters...and just like real life.
This book should appeal to readers who like realistic stories about school and school related struggles that don't necessarily all come from the classroom. Readers who enjoy a good mystery will also enjoy working with Alton to discover who he can trust and who might be the "mapnapper". Curious readers might also be interested to explore one of Alton's favorite hobbies: geocaching. If you didn't think maps were interesting before you started The Map Trap, then you're sure to think so after you finish it.
There is a point in Kelly Barnhill's The Witch's Boy when everything came crashing down on me. I suddenly realized what the characters were moving toward and why they had to travel the path set before them. It was in that moment when this charming book became more than a fairytale. The novel tells the story of Ned, the son a of a farmer an a healer...or witch. His family has kept an ancient magic in check for many generations. It is also the story of Aine, the daughter of the Bandit King, who has watched as her father changed for the worst from the man she once knew. Together these two characters fight for their own survival and the survival of all they have ever known. Sometimes, however, going forward means letting go.
Barnhill's writing perfectly captures this world of magic and exploration. Her character's voices are true - which sometimes isn't found in fantasy novels where everyone seems to speak in a highborn, artificial way. Near the end of the book, as the conclusion begins to loom, the author writes such beautiful sentences that the images and sentiments nearly brought me to tears.
I highly recommend this book to young readers who love magic and adventure, but also to those who have known loss of one kind or another. This book has important things to say about grief and growing and there are many readers who I can imagine turning its pages while whispering, "...me too."
Barnhill's writing perfectly captures this world of magic and exploration. Her character's voices are true - which sometimes isn't found in fantasy novels where everyone seems to speak in a highborn, artificial way. Near the end of the book, as the conclusion begins to loom, the author writes such beautiful sentences that the images and sentiments nearly brought me to tears.
I highly recommend this book to young readers who love magic and adventure, but also to those who have known loss of one kind or another. This book has important things to say about grief and growing and there are many readers who I can imagine turning its pages while whispering, "...me too."
When Theo Tenpenny's grandfather, Jack, dies, she isn't sure how she's going to make ends meet, keep her family's house and take care of her rather unstable mother. Theo, however, is incredibly resourceful - and soon finds herself caught up in the mysterious history of a painting that Jack seems to have kept hidden for decades. Could the painting be the answer to her problems? Could it be the beginning to a whole new set of difficulties? Could it change the way she thinks of her grandfather forever?
Witty, creative, intriguing and filled with fantastic characters, Under the Egg is a wonderful novel and an exciting addition to the cannon of young adult literature. Many have compared it's art-centered mystery to that of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - but I'm not sure that comparison is accurate. While both books feature young people attempting to discover the history of works of art, Under the Egg is a much more satisfying investigation. Rather than having to sift through the files of an eccentric collector, Theo and her friends exhaust almost every resource available in their quest for answers. In addition, there is far more at stake than the curiosity of a couple of runaway kids from suburbia. This isn't to say that From the Mixed Up Files... is a bad book or that it doesn't deserve its status as a classic...Under the Egg just scratches a deeper itch.
This book is perfect for readers looking for strong female characters, history buffs, art fans and anyone who loves a good mystery. If you loved From the Mixed Up Files, you're gonna be head over heels for Under the Egg. Give it a try and see if you don't find yourself suddenly drawn to Google for more info about Renaissance art, lost masterpieces and a host of other subjects that I dare not mention for risk of spoilers!
Witty, creative, intriguing and filled with fantastic characters, Under the Egg is a wonderful novel and an exciting addition to the cannon of young adult literature. Many have compared it's art-centered mystery to that of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - but I'm not sure that comparison is accurate. While both books feature young people attempting to discover the history of works of art, Under the Egg is a much more satisfying investigation. Rather than having to sift through the files of an eccentric collector, Theo and her friends exhaust almost every resource available in their quest for answers. In addition, there is far more at stake than the curiosity of a couple of runaway kids from suburbia. This isn't to say that From the Mixed Up Files... is a bad book or that it doesn't deserve its status as a classic...Under the Egg just scratches a deeper itch.
This book is perfect for readers looking for strong female characters, history buffs, art fans and anyone who loves a good mystery. If you loved From the Mixed Up Files, you're gonna be head over heels for Under the Egg. Give it a try and see if you don't find yourself suddenly drawn to Google for more info about Renaissance art, lost masterpieces and a host of other subjects that I dare not mention for risk of spoilers!
What was your role in school? I mean, who were you then? The popular kid, the academic, the musician, the bully, the class clown? Miles has always taken great pride in being the prankster. When his family moves to a new town, however, he discovers that the role of school prankster may already belong to someone else in his new school.
This quick, funny novel filled with hilarious illustrations (...and useful facts about cows) is perfect for reluctant readers and avid fans of books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid. You won't find deep character analysis or beautiful language in The Terrible Two, but that's not what the ideal readers of this novel are looking for anyway! What you will find is entertainment and a wry smile on your face as the plot unfolds. For fans of Jeff Kinney and Tom Angleberger, this new series will prove a welcome addition to their collection.
This quick, funny novel filled with hilarious illustrations (...and useful facts about cows) is perfect for reluctant readers and avid fans of books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid. You won't find deep character analysis or beautiful language in The Terrible Two, but that's not what the ideal readers of this novel are looking for anyway! What you will find is entertainment and a wry smile on your face as the plot unfolds. For fans of Jeff Kinney and Tom Angleberger, this new series will prove a welcome addition to their collection.
My heart is full. It is full of a girl named Rose and a dog named Rain and the story they share. It is a story of great love, great loss and tremendous bravery - and a story that I will continue to ponder for a good while. Ann Martin has written a beautiful novel that is just as complicated and delicate as real life.
Rose is a young girl with high functioning autism who lives with her single father and eventually with Rain, a dog her father brought home for her one rainy night. Among Rose's interests are homophones, prime numbers and rules. In a world that is often confusing and frustrating, these topics bring her a great deal of comfort, but not as much comfort as Rain. When a hurricane blows through and Rain is lost in the storm, Rose works to find her dog...and ends up finding a lot more than she expected.
At the core of this story are Rose, her father, and her Uncle Weldon. Weldon and Rose's father grew up bouncing around the foster system. As adults they have grown into very different men. Since the novel is written from Rose's point of view, it is interesting to see how she interprets their personalities and how she responds to them. Rose's autism is depicted honestly and we see the difficulties she has, but also the ways she has learned to cope. So often authors fall back on stereotypical depictions of autism and seems to only feature difficult savants, but Martin rises above such a depiction. Rose is incredibly self aware and becomes increasingly more so as the book goes on. We see her grow bit by bit, realizing before she does that she is changing. When we leave her at the end of the novel she is not the same person we started with - and it is with much emotion that we see how all the aspects of her story have come together to create this new person.
I am recommending this book to all of my fellow teachers as a wonderful depiction of an autistic viewpoint. Young people will also benefit from spending some time with Rose and seeing the world through her eyes. If you enjoy coming of age stories or emotional stories of families, then this book will certainly appeal to you. If you love stories of the relationship between people and animals, then you'll love Rain as well.
Rose is a young girl with high functioning autism who lives with her single father and eventually with Rain, a dog her father brought home for her one rainy night. Among Rose's interests are homophones, prime numbers and rules. In a world that is often confusing and frustrating, these topics bring her a great deal of comfort, but not as much comfort as Rain. When a hurricane blows through and Rain is lost in the storm, Rose works to find her dog...and ends up finding a lot more than she expected.
At the core of this story are Rose, her father, and her Uncle Weldon. Weldon and Rose's father grew up bouncing around the foster system. As adults they have grown into very different men. Since the novel is written from Rose's point of view, it is interesting to see how she interprets their personalities and how she responds to them. Rose's autism is depicted honestly and we see the difficulties she has, but also the ways she has learned to cope. So often authors fall back on stereotypical depictions of autism and seems to only feature difficult savants, but Martin rises above such a depiction. Rose is incredibly self aware and becomes increasingly more so as the book goes on. We see her grow bit by bit, realizing before she does that she is changing. When we leave her at the end of the novel she is not the same person we started with - and it is with much emotion that we see how all the aspects of her story have come together to create this new person.
I am recommending this book to all of my fellow teachers as a wonderful depiction of an autistic viewpoint. Young people will also benefit from spending some time with Rose and seeing the world through her eyes. If you enjoy coming of age stories or emotional stories of families, then this book will certainly appeal to you. If you love stories of the relationship between people and animals, then you'll love Rain as well.
I needed to wait a while after finishing Rump before I wrote this review. I knew if I didn't then I would gush. Is it really that good - I think so...let me tell you why:
Fairytale reconstructions have been popular for a while now. Maybe it started with The Stinky Cheese Man, or with The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Either way, it spread to novels like Wicked and books/films such as Shrek. It's a genre that can be done very well - but can very easily be twee, overly clever and can too often become parody. When I picked up Rump, I prepared myself for another attempt at the genre with cynical characters to match my own outlook. What I found was something completely different.
Rumplestiltskin is a fairytale that I've often found confusing. There are plot points that seem to need more explanation. Why does the miller's daughter want to marry the king after his demands? Why does Rumplestiltskin want the child? Most disappointing is the discovery of the title character's name - a servant from the palace just overhears the little man say it?!?? That's it? Perhaps the reason Rump works is because it takes a story with so many holes and fills them. Starting with a story that needs strengthening is a different approach than most books of this type take. Usually, the story being reconstructed is one that was fine to begin with - which is why tampering often leads to lackluster results. If it ain't broke...
There are other reasons why Rump is a wonderful novel. Kursk Shurtliff created characters that are surprising and interesting and most importantly: dimensional. Even when characters are bad, we are reminded that they also have aspects that are good - or at least sympathetic. That isn't to say that there aren't some true baddies in the story, but they aren't nearly as interesting as those we find ourselves feeling compassion for despite our dislike or distrust. At the center, of course, is Rump himself who feels so weighted down by destiny that he might as well be buried underneath his self-spun gold.
Hand this book to all those young people who feel trapped by their own destiny - whether that means generational poverty, familial success or failure. As I finished reading the novel I immediately thought of a particular student who needs a reminder that he doesn't have to grow into the predictions already being made about him. Rump isn't without its flaws. The character of Red could have benefitted from more detail...and the link to another fairytale seems to be purposefully added as a route to a sequel or series. This, however, can be forgiven when the rest of the book is such a rich experience. Shurtliff seems to have spun gold out of a fairytale as weak as straw, and I hope she gets the credit she deserves.
Fairytale reconstructions have been popular for a while now. Maybe it started with The Stinky Cheese Man, or with The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Either way, it spread to novels like Wicked and books/films such as Shrek. It's a genre that can be done very well - but can very easily be twee, overly clever and can too often become parody. When I picked up Rump, I prepared myself for another attempt at the genre with cynical characters to match my own outlook. What I found was something completely different.
Rumplestiltskin is a fairytale that I've often found confusing. There are plot points that seem to need more explanation. Why does the miller's daughter want to marry the king after his demands? Why does Rumplestiltskin want the child? Most disappointing is the discovery of the title character's name - a servant from the palace just overhears the little man say it?!?? That's it? Perhaps the reason Rump works is because it takes a story with so many holes and fills them. Starting with a story that needs strengthening is a different approach than most books of this type take. Usually, the story being reconstructed is one that was fine to begin with - which is why tampering often leads to lackluster results. If it ain't broke...
There are other reasons why Rump is a wonderful novel. Kursk Shurtliff created characters that are surprising and interesting and most importantly: dimensional. Even when characters are bad, we are reminded that they also have aspects that are good - or at least sympathetic. That isn't to say that there aren't some true baddies in the story, but they aren't nearly as interesting as those we find ourselves feeling compassion for despite our dislike or distrust. At the center, of course, is Rump himself who feels so weighted down by destiny that he might as well be buried underneath his self-spun gold.
Hand this book to all those young people who feel trapped by their own destiny - whether that means generational poverty, familial success or failure. As I finished reading the novel I immediately thought of a particular student who needs a reminder that he doesn't have to grow into the predictions already being made about him. Rump isn't without its flaws. The character of Red could have benefitted from more detail...and the link to another fairytale seems to be purposefully added as a route to a sequel or series. This, however, can be forgiven when the rest of the book is such a rich experience. Shurtliff seems to have spun gold out of a fairytale as weak as straw, and I hope she gets the credit she deserves.
