ABAW February 10th Edition

My Recent Reads

First Light by Rebecca Stead

This is the first novel by this year’s Newberry winner.  The main characters are Peter and Thea, who live in completely different worlds.  They manage to find each other and to reconnect those two worlds separated for generations by snow and ice.  A great middle-grade read.  

A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Chang Compestine

A collection of short spooky stories set in China, marked “Young Adult” by our library.  The stories are arranged as a banquet, with a menu for a table of contents, and food and death are important elements in each tale. Some of these were a bit grim, others were thoughtful and creepy.  After each story Compestine has a basic explanation of the cultural significance of some story elements as well as a relevant recipe.   This is a fun collection that might appeal to fans of Goosebumps and other creepy stories.  

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

We’ve read this book twice, both times out loud.  The inventive and lyrical language of the book lends itself to fun out-loud reading.  Haroun’s father is a storyteller, but after a family upheaval dad has lost his gift of gab.  Haroun sets off on a wild fantasy to help restore the flow of his dad’s stories as well as saving the source of that flow—the Ocean of the Sea of Stories—from the nefarious plot of a fiction-hating poisoner.  With fairytale elements, imaginative characters (genies, mechanical birds, Plentimaw fishes) emotional honesty, and outright silliness, this book would appeal to middle-grade readers, but is also easy to follow for younger kids.  The glossary includes an explanation of the names in the book, many of which are Hindustani in origin.  I cannot recommend this one enough.  

Sonar X9’s List this year

As we progress through our year, I hope to have the Sonars comment on the books they’ve read.  Mostly I’ve missed them on these, but I did manage to squeeze out the most basic responses on a couple.  

Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires:  (Sonar X6) This one was very funny.  

Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves

Wolverine by Barry Lyga

Discover Mini Manga! by Christopher Hart: (from me) if the number of tiny manga scribbles around the house is any indication, this one is a worthwhile drawing book.  

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (#1) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (#4) by Jeff Kinney:  (Sonar X6) These books are all very funny and silly.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd Ed. Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci - Second time through (from me) I’d like to read this one just to see what keeps bringing X9 back to this one.  But I think the repeat showing is enough to recommend it.  I suspect the content might be more suited to middle-grade and higher.  

Dawn (Warriors, the New Prophecy #3) by Erin Hunter - Abandoned: (from me) No straight answers on why he quit this one.  He started it very enthusiastically, devouring the first couple of chapters in one night.  Then, meh, he totally lost interest. 

Sonar X6

This one is turning into a great devourer of books as well, but not on the one per week rate.  He finished this one last night.  

The Misadventures of Benjamin Bartholomew Piff  by Jason Lethcoe:  It was cool.  It’s the second book in a series.  I would kind of like to read the first.  

What We’re Reading Right Now

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell

Mossflower by Brian Jacques

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (2010 Newberry Winner)