Opening line: “Death stalked the
spider, pre-algebra book in hand.” I've got to admit, I really like that opening. Texting the Underworld is about twelve year old Conor O'Neill who lives in
South Boston with his parents, younger sister and next door is his Grandpa or Grump as
he is lovingly called. Conor's little Irish neighborhood is home to
the frequent sounds of car alarms and the screech of owls, but Grump
knows that those sounds are really the “keen” of a banshee come
to weep for the person about to die. So when red-blond headed Ashling appears to
Conor foretelling that someone in the O'Neill family is going to die, he knows that he must come up with a plan to protect them. Poor Conor though doesn't know who it is and Ashling isn't telling either. Ashling just wants to experience as much as she can of current time before completing her task for the Lady of the
Other Land. But, how will Conor keep Ashling a secret from everyone else while making
sure that no one sees her keen, because if they do they too will drop
dead.
One of the strengths of Texting the
Underworld is the characters. We have Conor, who is scared of spiders
and is afraid to sneak out at night with his Grandpa. Despite his flaws he is really a likable guy and grows throughout his journey. Booraem also introduces
Grumps, who I really liked the best. Grumps brings with the Irish history and traditions of the O'Neill
family and fills in all the necessary gaps about the lore. And then there is Ashling, who provides the humor as she tries to learn about modern day society via Trivial Pursuit cards no less. Booraem doesn't hold back in Texting the Underworld with its themes of death and going so far as to place Conor in the difficult position of determining someones fate. Overall a great story that incorporated lots of mythology from Babylonian to Irish to Scottish when delving into the afterlife. Review copy received as a part of authors blog tour giveaway at http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2013/08/texting-underworld/ a big thank you to both. ETA: Review copy donated to school library.
One of my favorite parts about volunteering for the school library is when all the new books the Librarian ordered come in. I always love perusing the covers and flipping through the pages. So today, I have two picture books to share. From Goodreads "Boot and Shoe were born into the same litter, and now they live in the same house. They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed. But they spend their days apart- Boot on the back porch because he's a back porch kind of dog, and Shoe on the front porch because he's a front porch kind of dog. This is exactly perfect for them. But then a crazy neighborhood squirrel arrives....and everything goes topsy-turvy!. Marla Frazee's Boot and Shoe are adorable. I love the illustrations and silly humor. There are great concepts of over, under, around and through and a nice message of how we each can like different things. The Second Book is about a little Goldfish who lives in a fish bowl all by himself. On day one, he swims around his bowl and each day thereafter something new happens in his little bowl. Eventually, Goldfish ends up with a clutter of other fish and he just wants to live in a bowl all alone. But what Goldfish finds is that it isn't all that he thought it would be. Great messages with cute illustrations throughout.
Heidi wakes up in a grouchy, grumpy gloomy mood. After being homeschooled with her younger brother, her mother decides it's time for Heidi to start second grade in the public school. Heidi isn't very happy about the new arrangement, even her favorite outfit of black jean skirt with striped black-and-white- striped tights isn't enough to cheer her up. To make things worse, on Heidi's first day she gets picked on by meanie Melanie. What's a girl to do? Heidi decides it's time to pull out her special Spell Book that has been handed down in her family and teach mean Melanie a lesson. O.K. This is where the action ends. With a great premise of a witchy girl going to school and wonderful illustrations by Priscilla Burris whats not to love? Oh yeah, cliffhanger ending. I found this to be a very different approach to a chapter book for young readers and really hope it doesn't continue with each book. I just picture unhappy little faces wondering what happens to mean Melaine. Guess they'll have to pick up Casts a Spell to find out. And I really recommend those who read the first have the second available, it's the kind of book that someone who is interested in early chapter books would like.
I found Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret as iBooks free ebook of the week selection. It would make a great pick for five to seven year olds.
Destiny is such an interesting subject.
Whether it's destiny that brings two people together or the future
that we are destined for. In Emily Elizabeth's case, her destiny was
predetermined by her mother in the way that she named her after the
famous poet Emily Dickinson. When your mom is an English-professor
who writes greeting cards and loves poetry a nudge from her to follow in your footsteps seems obvious. Emily's mother even
goes one step further by inscribing "Emily Dickinson is one of the great poets. The same will be said of you one day." Emily's mother also hides special dates, developmental stages and the name of Emily's father among the pages of the poetry book. But Emily's passion lies with collecting happy endings and writing romance novels and letters to her favorite author Danielle Steele. Plus, Emily doesn't even get poetry. So when Emily looses her special book, she is afraid that destiny is taking a terrible turn for her. Emily, Wavey and cousin Mortie begin a desperate search through used bookstores and thrift stores to find her precious book. Overall, I enjoyed the characters in the book. I loved the interactions between Emily and Wavey, and cousin Mortie was hysterical. Mortie wants to be in the military when he grows up, so he develops a plan for finding the book and puts it in Morse code. He also performs reconnaissance as they go in search and is the overall backup. Although I could see how the story was going to end pretty early on, there was lots of humor in letters that Emily writes to Danielle Steele and in the situations that Emily, Wavey and Mortie find themselves in. The only person that I really didn't understand was Emily's mother and how she left Emily's finding her father to fate. Not wanting to mess with or change Emily's fate by telling her his name. A very good story that questions whether destiny is within our control or is it just up to chance. My copy was from the public library.
Angie Sage is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes such books as Magyk, Flyte, Phsik, Queste, Syren, Darke, and her final book in the series, Fyre. She has also written and illustrated numerous picture books as well as the series Araminta Spookie, for which I have read the first. For those not familiar, the series began when "the seventh son of the seventh son" (Septimus) was stolen but thought to be dead. Over many books, Septimus comes to learn about his family and some of his destiny to become an Extra Ordinary Wizard Apprentice. There is plenty of charms, incantations and Magyk. Yet, there is also time travel, ghosts, dragons and deep within mysterious forces and dark wizards that are trying to regain their power. I don't think I could ever do the entire series justice in one review so, I'm going to focus more on my thoughts. Overall, I thought this would be a daunting task to bring everything together. Being the last in the series, Fyre has a lot of history and loose ends to tie up. That and it had been a few years between my reading each of the books. I mean Magyk was published in May of 2005 and Darke was in 2011. Yet, I still found it was like coming back to a familiar place. All the characters I enjoyed were here, all be it now they were taking on more adult like roles. Princess Jenna was soon to be crowned Queen, Beetle was now the Chief Hermetic Scribe and well Septimus is an Apprentice to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia. I kinda felt like I did when I read the Harry Potter Series and the Edge Chronicles, sad that it was ending but comforted by the fact that I could start it all over again if I wanted to. Plus it seems that Angie Sage is also working on a new trilogy that will include the world of Septimus. My review copy was from the library.
It's hard to believe that it is already my little blogs Book Birthday. Just think, one year ago I decided to put you out into the world. I've watched you grow and thanks for all the followers who continue to follow and comment on the blog. It is really appreciated and you truly are the best!!
Today I'm excited to talk about The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. I first saw this book as a part of the Harper Collins Browse Inside feature back in June, up for offer were the first six chapters. I was captured by the cover and illustrations by Iacopo Bruno. I also really loved the premise that Chainani set up with the two schools (one for good and one for evil). Plus there was the bonus feature of this wonderful trailer. Can't say that I've looked at to many of them, but this one catches the eye.
Within the town of Gavaldon, on the “eleventh night of the eleventh month” the School Master comes and kidnaps two children for the School for Good and Evil. Sophie is most likely girl who will end up in the School for Good. She after all has been dreaming and grooming to be a princess her entire life. With her eye for fashion and love of pink, she is a shoe in. Agatha, on the other hand seems to be destined for the School for Evil. When you grow up in a cemetery wearing all black and chase people away all the time, you really get a reputation for being evil. But good and evil are not just black and white and when Agatha and Sophie seem to be placed in the opposite schools, everything turns to a shade of gray.
The School for Good and Evil is an
interesting take on what constitutes good and evil. In the
beginning, Chianani leads us to believe who is destined to be the princess and who
is the witch. But Agatha and Sophie don't even know what lies within
their hearts. The first quarter of the book Sophie is trying to
switch schools with Agatha and Agatha is trying to find a way home to
Gavaldon for them. Lots of emphasis is placed on telling the reader
how unhappy Sophie is with the circumstance. Both try to convince
everyone under the sun that there has been a horrible mix-up. When
Agatha and Sophie manage to get into the School Master's tower, they
come face to face with the Storian. Once Storian has begun the girls
story, they must follow it to its end. The School Master also
informs them that a princess and witch can never be friends and the
only solution to their problem is to solve a riddle. “What's the
one thing Evil can never have and the one thing Good can never do
without?” The School for Good and Evils illustrates how beauty is
not just how we look on the outside, it is also in the life we live
and actions that we take. Overall, I would say I see a little Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and a smidge of Darth Maul thrown in for good measure. A fun fairy tale retelling and Book Two is set to be published on April 15, 2014 with this new beautiful cover.
