Review-The Tiger Rising

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press Published 2001, 121 pages of story, For ages 9-12--Young Adult

A 2001 National Book Award Finalist
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award Winner
Parents Choice Awards Silver Honor

More information about book:

http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/tiger.html

Kate DiCamillo

This book was bought by me for the purpose of reading/reviewing.

I have so far read three of Kate DiCamillo's books:

The Magician's Elephant and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I have on my bookshelf one more

The Tale of Despereaux. My goal is to also read Because of Winn Dixie. 

Twelve year old Rob Horton and his dad live in the Kentucky Star Motel in Lister, Florida. They moved recently from Jacksonville after Rob's mother died. Rob tries hard not to cry, he keeps his emotions packed up tight. He has itchy red blisters on his legs that his father puts ointment on every night. Rob is harassed and bullied by the other kids he is in school with. On the same day Rob discovers a tiger in a cage near where he lives, and meets a new girl at school named Sistine Bailey. The story has another important character named Willie May, she is the housekeeper at the motel. Wise and dramatic Willie May befriends both Rob and Sistine.

This book is a tear jerker! As an adult reading a young adult book I am sure I picked up on "things" that a young adult or child would not. The emotions that Rob is stifling is like a boiling cauldron inside of his body, eventually he will have to release a valve. The strained relationship between Rob and his dad is heart rending both of them need hugs, and absolutely grief counseling. 

I did of course love this book, it speaks loudly of the grief a child and husband go through in the death of a parent and spouse.

Willie May's character is noble beyond any of the other characters, she permeates wisdom. She is the Yoda of Lister, Florida. She is the anti-hero, the unsung hero. I don't mean to make light of young Rob, I just adore Willie May!

The author did a wonderful job of making the reader see through the eyes of twelve year old Rob. 

His experiences of being bullied in school is common to an extent for most of us, yet we are there in this story with Rob when he is terrorized. 

The tiger that is found in the story is a wild and awesome threat, yet Rob and Sistine are unafraid. An adult would be petrified, maybe the threat to them is minimal in comparison with the complex issues they are both having.

This is a short story, but memorable!

Blissful Reading!

Annette

Review-Chosen

Chosen, The Lost Books~1 by Ted Dekker
Thomas Nelson, Published January 2008, 260 pages of story, Young Adult

Ted Dekker's sites:

www.teddekker.com

thecircle.teddekker.com

Ted Dekker is also on Facebook and I became his 38, 936th fan!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/teddekker?ref=ts
Link to the Graphic Chosen Book 1:

Buy		Read

This book was bought by me for the purpose of reading/reviewing.

Chosen is a book about four young and confident recruits that are given a mission to retrieve four marked Catalina Cacti, and return by nightfall with out breaking a single needle. These four recruits stumble in to a more hazardous mission to find the seven lost books of history. The recruits are named Johnis, Silvie, Darsal, and Billos. Each of them are Forest Dwellers in a fantasy land that only Ted Dekker could create. There are several villians in the story, but these are not ordinary villians, they are dark and evil. The readers are introduced to the Horde, Teeleh, Shataiki, and a Scab. The Forest Dwellers pray and give praise to Elyon, which means God Most High. This is a Christian Fantasy Fiction written for young adult readers, but it is a favorite read among many adults.

This is the first Ted Dekker book that I have read and I am impressed! I am craving to read more of his books. He has two books that have recently been published and one that will be published soon.
They are:
Burn published January 2010
Tea With Hezbollah published February 2010
The Bride Collector will be available April 2010

I felt that most importantly Chosen is one of the best works of Christian Fantasy Fiction that I've read.
I am amazed at Ted Dekker's creativity, what a talent!
The story never stops, even to the last page the reader knows full well that there will be a book two.
The young recruits are typical of teenagers with angst, a mix of unbridled confidence and indecision, and
awkwardness.
The evil villains are loathsome and fearsome. The descriptions that were given of the villains gave me the ability to nearly smell them myself, and definitely squirm in my seat.
I love the allegory of the story from the beginning to the end.
Their world was described as mostly pale desert and sand, except for the seven forests. In the center of each was a green lake that they had to bath in daily. This kept their skin clean and pure.
There are several points in the story that is related to Christianity and for this I loved it even more.

In the Lost Books series Book 2 is Infidel, Book 3 is Renegade, and Book 4 is Chaos. All are available.

Blissful Reading!
Annette

Book Blogger Convention

The First Annual Book Blogger Convention will be held Friday May 28, 2010 in New York City.
The Key Note Speaker is Maureen Johnson.

Sick

I have been sick the past few days with a cold....I hope that is all it is.
I have felt well enough to read, check my email, check my blog's, then I go back to bed or my favorite reading chair.
I hope to have some reviews to post next week!

Blissful Blogging!
Annette

Guess What Today Is?

Today is my 46th Birthday!!!!
Annette

Review-"Music For The End Of Time"

"Music For The End Of Time" by Jen Bryant, illustrations by Beth Peck
Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, September 15, 2005, 32 pages
Ages 9-12

This book was borrowed from the library for the purpose of reading/reviewing.

This book is based on the real life experience of Olivier Messiaen a Christian French composer and pianist.
In 1940 he was captured and sent to the Nazi prison camp--Stalag 8A in Gorlitz, Poland. While he was there he was allowed to play a piano and compose music. He composed "Quartet For The End Of Time." A quartet of prisoners played the piano, violin, cello, and clarinet.
Please read the biography devoted to this composer:
http://www.oliviermessiaen.org/messiaen2index.htm

I read this book to my six year old granddaughter, not paying close enough attention that it was for ages nine to twelve. She sat still while I read this book, she listened attentively to the more lengthy story than most books she is read to. She was surprised to hear it was a true story. She told me it was a sad/happy book.
Music is magic, meaning music takes you to a place where your heart can soar beyond your present circumstances. Olivier was given the ability by a German prison guard to play a piano and compose music, and that took him to a place far away from the stark, cold, fear of prison. The story is told in a manner that a child of ages nine through twelve could understand, yet my six year old granddaughter liked and understood the story. The illustrations are subdued, probably masking the horrific life in a Nazi prison camp. The firearms that the Nazi soldiers hold are not defined (shapeless) and appear less frightening. Body expressions such as the face, slumped shoulders, the hands, they tell the story through art.
I felt this was a great book, the adult reader will need to be prepared for questions and further discussion considering the topic.

Blissful Reading!
Annette

Review-"Little Blue"

"Little Blue" by Gaye Chapman
Published in 2009 by Little Hare Books
36 pages, Ages 4-8

This book was borrowed from the library for the purpose of reading/reviewing.

My granddaughter and I both loved this book.
The words of the story are encased on each page, leaving the largest part of the pages for the illustrations.
The illustrations are breathtakingly beautiful, the dreamy colors of watercolor blues and greens are used throughout the story. Great attention to the details of rain drops, bubbles, hidden pictures in the trees, cupid bow lips on the children and their sweet facial expressions.
The story is of a little lost girl that meets a little boy, each share of where they live. It is a simple story, the ending is a delightful twist.
This book was first published in 2008 in Australia, but according to Amazon it was published in 2009 (I am thinking this was the date for America.)

Blissful Reading!
Annette 

Review-"From Cover to Cover"

From Cover to Cover, Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books"
by Kathleen T. Horning
Harper Collins Publishers 1997




This book was borrowed from the library for the purpose of reading/reviewing.

After reading this book on reviewing children's books, I see how naive I was in thinking I could just jump in to authoring a blog on reviewing children's literature!
I took nine pages of notes on this book!
This book was written with the primary audience being librarians. I feel I gained a wealth of information and hope that my blog in the coming weeks and months and maybe even years will show justice.
I loved this book! It was educating, enlightening, motivating, enriching, and I feel that I have gained knowledge that will stay with me.
The book gives the history of children's books, the various categories of children's books, information on the difference between mass market books and trade books, the things that children of various stages of development are sensitive to and like, how important illustrations and photo's are, questions to ask when comparing books, the structures in a fiction book, and help in writing a review.
My favorite quote from the book is "A great reader inside every child."
I may need to purchase this book, even after taking several pages of notes, I may need to refer back to this book in the future.

Blissful Reading!
Annette