11/28/11
11/21/11
11/15/11
What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire - Ages 9+
What-the-Dickens:
The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy
What's the Story?
A terrible storm is raging, and ten-year-old Dinah is huddled by candlelight with her brother, sister, and cousin Gage, who is telling a very unusual tale. It’s the story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who finds he has an attraction to teeth, a crush on a cat named McCavity, and a penchant for getting into trouble. One day he happens upon a feisty girl skibberee who is working as an Agent of Change — trading coins for teeth — and learns that there is a dutiful tribe of skibbereen (call them tooth fairies) to which he hopes to belong. As his tale of discovery unfolds, however, both What-the- Dickens and Dinah come to see that the world is both richer and less sure than they ever imagined.
What's the Buzz?
"At first, this story-within-a-story structure seems unnecessarily complicated and dark for a tale about tooth fairies (who might be smart-alecky and tough but are still fairies, after all). But it all makes a little more sense when you know that this novel was originally serialized in newspapers to provide a diversion in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina." - Kids Reads
"I really didn't think I was going to like this book. "The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy," the cover proclaims. Tooth fairy? The idea just didn't seem all that interesting to me. Boy was I wrong. This is so much more than a book about a tooth fairy." - Wands & Worlds
"With the dire situation of Dinah and her brother and sister, this book is a bit dark. But the intriguing story gives you the feeling of a light in a dark place." - Sonder Books
"Macguire certainly has a unique style of story telling. The best way I can think of to describe his writing is to say that it is clear that he ENJOYS his storytelling. You can tell that he really loves what he does. Sometimes you can almost see a grin in the way he dashes out a few details and in the way he expresses humor through his characters. He’s just having fun! " - 5 Minutes For Books
"... it starts out very slow. I wasn't surprised to read many reviews that said it was dull and they wanted to quit reading as What-the-Dickens dithers around trying to figure out what he is and what he should do. The story really picks up once he meets Pepper..." - The Childrens Literature Book Club
"If you have a small person between the ages of 9 and… well I refuse to stick an upper age limit on it, then you should get this book for them. Read it yourself first though!" - Book & Biscuit
"I think What-the Dickens can be read two ways: as a straight-across fairy tale aimed at mainly 5th-8th graders. Or it can be read with more adult undertones of religious and political themes. ... I wouldn’t say there is enough fodder for philosophical debates or personal paradigm shifts, but there is a little meat to gnaw off the bone." - Tree, Root & Twig
11/11/11
Puddlejumpers by Mark Jean & Christopher Carlson - Ages 10+
Puddlejumpers
What's the Story?
Ernie Banks, named for the legendary Chicago Cub shortstop, is a troubled, 13-year-old juvenile delinquent. Abandoned on the doorstep of the Lakeside Home for Boys when he was three years old, he’s now considered a “lifer,” a permanent ward of the state. His only proof that he once belonged to somebody is a vintage Ernie Banks baseball card, a crystal acorn he wears on a string around his neck, and a strange spiral birthmark on the bottom of his right foot.
As a last reprieve before being sent to a juvenile detention facility, Ernie is allowed to spend three weeks on a working farm. When Ernie arrives at the home of Russ Frazier, he learns that the widower’s baby was kidnapped years before. The single piece of evidence was a red quilt found in a puddle in the nearby woods. Fascinated by the town’s famous “Quilt Baby” kidnapping, Ernie is determined to solve the case. He teams up with Joey, a local tomboy, to investigate clues that lead them on a dangerous journey into a forbidden world of dark secrets, magic puddles, and the cavernous underground kingdom of the Puddlejumpers— eleven-inch tall water creatures with whom Ernie has a mysterious connection.
When destiny summons, Ernie must find the courage to save the Puddlejumpers from the Most Dark and lead them in battle against their mortal enemies. Only then can he find his way home.
What's the Buzz?
"Puddlejumpers is a magical story woven together by Mark Jean and Christopher C. Carlson. They have ignited their imaginations full force, creating a fast-paced tale with an intriguing plot, incredible creatures and memorable characters. Their colorful descriptions bring the story to life, spiced up even more with their bizarre sense of humor"- Kids Reads
"Puddlejmpers will make a good movie someday. It makes a pretty good book now, especially for readers who love action with a dash of mystery and characters that don’t save the day by making twelve stupid decisions before bumbling into the correct one." - Fantasy Magazine
"At first the book seems like a mystery, but then it switches gears into an adventure novel. At the end I was in awe. I won't tell you why because you just have to read it. All the characters are very interesting and all the people fit into the story perfectly." - Elizabeth @ Washington Township Public Library
"Although this is a fast-paced fantasy adventure, I was surprised to discover that the novel also has great heart. A modern story with a tip o' the hat to the best family classics, this is a book you'll want to keep for the family library and pass down to future generations." - YA Books Central
"The characters are well-developed and the heartfelt story is wall to wall with pulse-pounding excitement. Fans of Spiderwick Chronicles will love this book -- as did I." - Cool Kids Read Books
Where Can I Learn More?
If you'd like to hear co-author Christopher Carlson read the first three chapters of Puddlejumpers, go here & click on the Puddlejumpers cover.
11/10/11
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon & Dean Hale - Ages 10+
Rapunzel's Revenge
What's the Story?
Once upon a time, in a land you only think you know, lived a little girl and her mother . . . or the woman she thought was her mother.
Every day, when the little girl played in her pretty garden, she grew more curious about what lay on the other side of the garden wall . . . a rather enormous garden wall.
And every year, as she grew older, things seemed weirder and weirder, until the day she finally climbed to the top of the wall and looked over into the mines and desert beyond.
Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale teams up with husband Dean Hale and brilliant artist Nathan Hale (no relation) to bring readers a swashbuckling and hilarious twist on the classic story as you’ve never seen it before. Watch as Rapunzel and her amazing hair team up with Jack (of beanstalk fame) to gallop around the wild and western landscape, changing lives, righting wrongs, and bringing joy to every soul they encounter.
What's the Buzz?
"The Hales seem like they’re having a ball with this story, and they like to mix in generous helpings of other myths and legends to flesh out the action. (Also, a couple other fairy tales find their way into the telling of Rapunzel’s Revenge, but it would take an evil stepmother to give them away here.)" - Graphic Novel Reporter
"Shannon and Dean Hale take Rapunzel's story, make Rapunzel totally kick-butt, plunk it down in a magical version of the American Old West, and add a little Jack (and the Beanstalk). It's fantastic." - Abby the Librarian
"Yee haw! Shannon Hale and her hubby Dean have taken the tired old princess-in-a-tower-tale and re-imagined Rapunzel as a rootin’ tootin’ cowgirl, complete with scarlet lassoin’ braids, and a sassy sidekick named Jack (yeah, he of the magic bean fame)." - Reading Rants
"For the first time, the story of a girl locked in a tower by an evil stepmother and her excessively long hair makes a certain amount of sense. Shannon and Dean Hale give Rapunzel character and motivation — she’s active, making choices, instead of someone bad things are done to." - Comics Worth Reading
"This is a story of growth, revenge, love and friendship that is both entertaining and absorbing. The colorful illustrations and witticisms complement each other in the telling, and the reader is allowed to experience the actions, emotions and hair-whipping brawls of the main characters as a result." - Dallas Library
"After reading the first 30 pages of Rapunzel’s Revenge I knew two things: 1) that I loved this version of Rapunzel with the force of a thousand thunderstorms and 2) that I would be glomming Mrs Hale’s backlist pronto. " - - The Book Smugglers
Rapunzel is a spunky, smart, strong heroine who triumphs mightily over villains and insurmountable odds to make her world a better place. - Ya Books Central
"Part fairy tale, western, romance, and comedy, Rapunzel's Revenge is a wild ride you'll never forget! I couldn't put this book down. Rapunzel is one of the greatest heroines you'll ever meet. The expressive sketches in this graphic novel make the story come alive, with humor written within the graphics themselves. Loved it!" - Symborse @ D.R. Hill Middle School
"The Hales are funny writers -- there were many asides and humorous bits that worked extremely well. A lot of that credit, of course, goes to Nathan Hale and his art work." - Estella's Revenge
"This clever and compelling take on the Rapunzel fairy tale is sure to delight readers who have a fondness for graphic novels, high adventure, the Wild West, romance, and magic."- Looking Glass Review
"This is going to be the perfect graphic novel for reluctant readers, fairy tale lovers, readers who love fairy tale retellings, and anyone who loves books that make you laugh out loud. I can not wait to pass this one onto my students." - The Reading Zone
"Sidekicks, villains, kidnappers, and giant sea serpents fill these brightly illustrated pages. This is a fun read, that will appeal equally to girls and boys. A fractured fairytale that goes deeper, Rapunzel's Revenge is a must for graphic novel readers." - Tweendom
"There is enough action, adventure, head-thumping and hog-tying to keep the story moving briskly along -- this is no sissy fairytale. Keep your eye open for guest appearances by other fairytale characters, and be ready for the humor tucked into both the illustrations and the text." - A Year of Reading
"The Rapunzel retelling itself is witty and unusual, and I love how the Wild West is seamlessly included in the story. It provides an adventurous backdrop for the characters, and gives Nathan Hale a lot of scope when it comes to his excellent artwork." - Wondrous Reads
"... don’t let the comic book panels fool you, this is a humdinger of a book rich with enough detail and subtext to keep even the most advance readers busy (while the interplay of text and images can help readers on the other end of the spectrum)." - Miss Print
"If you don’t love this one… I’ll grow super-long braids and ride off into the sunset." - Shelf Elf
Where Can I Learn More?
Lots more about the book at author Shannon Hale's Website. (Psst, even though it's off topic, dig around on the site and find the "Dragon's, Abby's and Hags" adventure and play along. It's fun!)
Shannon's husband and co-author Dean Hale has a site as well. Be sure to stretch your brain before you visit because Dean's site is full of twisted stories, and you don't want to cramp.
Web comics, Illustrations & Lego's. Who doesn't want to visit artist Nathan Hale's site?
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