Review of The Hoboken Chicken Emergency

Author: Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Illustrator: Tony Auth
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 112
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12

Description from GoodReads:
Arthur is sent to find a Thanksgiving turkey, but returns with a 266-pound chicken with a mind of its own in a fresh new look at everyone's favorite feathered tale. B&W illustrations throughout.

Part of my reading goals this summer is to catch up on reading a number of middle grade books on my "To Be Read" list. So far I have read about six Middle Grade books and have really enjoyed nearly every one of them. Here is one of the six that just kept me laughing...

Daniel Pinwater's The Hoboken Chicken Emergency was recommended to me a few months ago. I'm not certain but I think it might have been originally released in 1977. However, it is one of those stories that continues to work even years later. To elaborate on the GoodReads description the story is basically a tale of friendship between a boy named Arthur and a 266 lb. 6 foot tall chicken named Henrietta. Shortly after Arthur brings Henrietta home, his father tells him to take her back to her original owner. It seems that in the short time that the two were together they bonded and now Henrietta wants to find Arthur. In Henrietta's attempt to find Arthur, she proceeds to scare the residents of Hoboken and cause utter chaos. Will Arthur find Henrietta in time?

This book is funny. You can't help laughing at Arthur's attempts to train Henrietta or how everyone mistakes Henrietta for everything from a polar bear to some kind of alien life-form. The mayor and city councils' attempt to capture Henrietta is just plain comical. However, I truly admire any writer who can write humor for elementary age students. You have to have just the right combination of making it seem real and funny without going too far over the edge. Pinkwater does a great job with the humor in this story. It is funny, touching, and just an enjoyable little book.

If you are looking for a fun read for girls or boys (though boys might appreciate it more) this summer, I would add this to your list. The reading level recommendation states 9 to 12 year olds but it can easily be read by 7 & 8 year olds. The humor and easy writing style will appeal to reluctant readers as well.

Have a great summer and don't forget to grab a book and read,
-Aly

Fantasy Friday (and Contest!): Forgive My Fins

Forgive My Fins, by Tera Lynn Childs

Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 293
Reading Level: 13 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High


I usually read an author’s book before I interview them, but I’m glad I waited on this one. I was actually more interested in reading it after I did the interview. (You can find the interview at www.yalitreview.libsyn.com)

From GoodReads:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

What I enjoyed most about the book was the imaginative portrayal of the mermaids. The images the author used were amazing and it was easy to see everything (especially in Thalassinia). The mythology is great and very believable. I wanted to be a mermaid after reading this!

The characters are good, too. I’ve heard some people mention that they didn’t like Lily’s sea-inspired slang, but it didn’t bother me. I prefer it when slang and swearing coincide with a character’s background. It made Lily feel more realistic. Her reactions to conflict were also natural for someone in her position. Her co-star, Quince, is the quintessential foil for Lily. They played off each other pretty well.

Here’s a slight spoiler alert, though, so be warned. I can’t address the aspect of the book I didn’t like as much without giving a little away…

On GoodReads, I only gave this four stars because I’m really tired of the right guy/wrong guy thing. It’s been done to death and I wish that there was some way around making the guy a character despises into the guy she loves. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like the book, and I’m interested in reading the next one – I’m just done reading book with this cliché in them for a while.

All in all, this was a fun read. If you like the teen fantasy/romance, you should definitely pick this up. And here’s your opportunity… I’m giving away a signed copy of Forgive My Fins!

To enter:

1. Tweet and/or Facebook a comment and link to this contest.
2. Leave a comment here on the blog with your name, age, and a link to your Tweet/Facebook.
3. Email blogger@yaliteraturereview.com a brief paragraph about what you’d be like as a mermaid.

The contest winner will be chosen by the emailed paragraph, so have fun and be creative with it. You can include anything you’d like about being a mermaid (how it would be underwater, interacting with other people, finding a mermate, etc.). You have until July 7th to enter. The contest winner will be announced that day and a blog post with the winning paragraph will be posted on the blog.

Good luck! And until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Middle Grade Monday: The Higher Power of Lucky

Author: Susan Patron
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Pages: 134
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12 years old
Source: Purchased/Own
Newbery Medal: 2007

Description of book as taken from GoodReads:

Lucky, age ten, can't wait another day. The meanness gland in her heart and the crevices full of questions in her brain make running away from Hard Pan, California (population 43), the rock-bottom only choice she has.
It's all Brigitte's fault -- for wanting to go back to France. Guardians are supposed to stay put and look after girls in their care! Instead Lucky is sure that she'll be abandoned to some orphanage in Los Angeles where her beloved dog, HMS Beagle, won't be allowed. She'll have to lose her friends Miles, who lives on cookies, and Lincoln, future U.S. president (maybe) and member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. Just as bad, she'll have to give up eavesdropping on twelve-step anonymous programs where the interesting talk is all about Higher Powers. Lucky needs her own -- and quick.

But she hadn't planned on a dust storm.

Or needing to lug the world's heaviest survival-kit backpack into the desert.


Recently, I have been catching up on reading Middle Grade Fiction from my TBR pile. Susan Patron's The Higher Power of Lucky had been highly recommended and I knew if I could just sit down with it I would probably love it. There is something about Middle Grade stories that can be amazing and Patron's book has it all. Characters that come alive, a setting that feels like you can step right into it, and a sense of hope that reaches in and touches you in deep places. Long after putting it down, you'll find yourself thinking about Lucky and her life in Hard Pan, a teeny-tiny town out in the California desert.

Lucky lost her mother at age 8 due to an accident. Consequently, Lucky lugs around a survival bag just in case. After the death of her mother, Lucky's father arranges for his first wife to move from France to be Lucky's guardian. Brigitte misses France and Lucky is afraid that one day Brigitte will return to France and she will be forced to go to an orphanage. Inspired by the stories that Lucky hears while eavesdropping on various 12 Step Programs, she decides that if she can find her "higher power" she will know what to do. When Lucky believes that she has hit "rock bottom", she decides to runaway from home. The journey teaches her what family really is and helps her to finally deal with the loss of her mother.

As I reading The Higher Power of Lucky, I just knew I wanted to share it with my students. I want to do more than just recommend this book. Though I know both boys and girls will enjoy reading Lucky's story, I am almost afraid that some of my reluctant readers won't give it a chance. I want to make sure that students meet Lucky because I know if I can just get them to meet her they will love her as much as I do. Hence, this will be a story I use either for a book club or a classroom read aloud.

I encourage you to pick up The Higher Power of Lucky. It will make you laugh, and cry and believe just a little more.

Happy Summer Reading,
- Aly

Steampunk Sunday: Leviathan

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld; Illustrated by Keith Thompson

Publisher: Simon Schuster
Pages: 434
Reading Level: 10 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High


Close friends will know that I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time. I saw Scott Westerfeld in Houston before Leviathan came out and he shared a few of the gorgeous illustrations with us. It was amazing! Now it’s time to review the book…

From amazon.com:

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. The Leviathan is a living airship, the most formidable airbeast in the skies of Europe.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way - taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

I probably should’ve known this already, but the mix of fabricated animals and machinery surprised me when I started reading Leviathan. I don’t know where my mind was, I guess, but it’s nice to be surprised! Lol. The weaving of the two “worlds” in this is seamless and makes for extremely interesting reading. I also really loved seeing how fabricated animals and machinery made for opposite sides of World War I.

I can’t really say anything about the plot or characters that can’t already be summed up in the words, “Scott Westerfeld is a masterful storyteller.” If anything, I can say that I wish I was as good as he is at intertwining character and plot, giving a beautiful setting, and staying as true as possible to history in a Steampunk novel.

So I’ll also touch on the illustrations. Really, just a touch… They’re gorgeous.

It’s a little difficult to review a book that is so well-crafted. It’s art, and that is amazing to read. Oddly enough, I didn’t find the story compelling enough to finish the book in eight hours. I didn’t feel the need to stay up until I was finished with it. I suppose that I could write a lot more about that, but I won’t here. Just know that in my head, I’m wondering why Twilight did so much more to enrapture me than Leviathan, when (sorry guys) Leviathan is the superior book.

(Don’t send me hate-comments for that, lol. I love, love, love Twilight, but we must all call a spade a spade sometimes…)

I will highly recommend Leviathan, though. It’s truly a beautiful piece of storytelling, and you won’t regret reading it. This is one that I think will appeal to boys, reluctant readers, and anyone who enjoys a good tale.

Until next time, go read something good!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Hourglass

Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen (March 9, 2010)
Pages: 339
Reading Level: YA
Source: purchased at bookstore


After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas seek refuge with Black Cross, an elite group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend--the vampire Balthazar--all her secrets threaten to come out.
 
Soon, Bianca and Lucas have orchestrated Balthazar's escape and are on the run, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they run, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything--but can it survive what's to come?



*** WARNING: THIS SERIES SHOULD BE READ IN ORDER. REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOK(S) IN SERIES.***


This third installment in the Evernight series is another knock-out. In this third book in the series, Lucas and Bianca have found a way to be together after the "fall of Evernight Academy" at the end of Stargazer, but  Mrs. Bethany and Evernight are hot on their trail to get back Bianca, all the while Bianca's choice of whether to become a full vampire or not is slowly running out of time. The stakes are higher (and sharper!) in this one, for sure.

Basically, everything I liked in the first two books holds the same for this one. The character development is still exceptional, and we see different sides to these characters who thought we already knew. Mrs. Bethany has always intrigued me in this series -- I never particularly liked her, but I knew there was more to her than meets the eye -- so I was glad to see her character return. Her role in Evernight Academy and the paranormal activity around the campus is slowly revealed to us (although, I still have a few lingering questions for Book 4) and I like that I can never quite peg her as "good" or "bad." Another character we see more of in Hourglass is Bianca's best friend from the school, Raquel, since Raquel leaves with Bianca at the end of Stargazer. I really liked the direction her character went in, because up until now, she has been mostly playing the victim, and there was just a lot of anger and resentment for her character. Seeing Raquel in these new environs and being strong and having her own interests was refreshing, because her character was one of the few in the series who I previously thought was "unnecessary."

In keeping with the character growth, I really liked where Lucas went in this book. I've always loved Lucas' character, but sometimes he came off as stubborn, especially in how he reacted to his and Bianca's problem that she would/might become a vampire and he would remain human. In Hourglass, and I'll try not to go into too much detail, but Bianca's body is making it increasingly obvious that she cannot keep denying who she is supposed to be, which makes for many great scenes where Lucas is forced to put his prejudices aside and take care of her. I really loved this depth to their relationship, because while I always believed that they really cared about each other, there was always something missing. Seeing Bianca's fluctuating health and Lucas' response to that was really great and really made me like them as a couple.

There is more to this novel than the YA romance, though. Balthazar has returned and ends up in the hands of Black Cross, making for inevitable conflict and some decent action sequences. (Side note: I am not a huge fan of Balthazar's character, but I've heard that Claudia Gray is planning to write a spin-off series for his character, so if you feel that his presence is lacking as the Evernight series goes on, you might want to look out for her upcoming books.) And along with the action, is still the question of what the wraiths and vampires have to do with Evernight Academy and why both sides seem to be hunting or haunting Bianca. This storyline is not developed to its fullest, but enough information is shared to have you waiting on tenterhooks for the fourth (and I think, final) book.

Aaaah. the wait is going to be so long, especially after this ending. I would definitely classify the ending of Hourglass as "cliff-hanger." So many tensions present in the novel come to head in the last few chapters: unlikely alliances are formed, unexpected changes occur, and so much more. The pace fluctuated somewhat throughout this book, but the final pages are absolute page-turners. What are we going to do until March 1, 2010 when Afterlife comes out?


Until next time,
Happy Reading!!

Review of Shadow Hills

Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Publisher: EgmontUSA (July 13, 2010)
Pages: 400
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ARC for review

Description (as taken from GoodReads):

His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her.

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

I have been interested in reading Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus since November 2009 when I heard about it from Kami Garcia. I quickly added it to the list of the books I intended to read for The Story Siren's (Kristi) 2010 Debut Author Challenge And then in late December 2009, I won an ARC contest from Anastasia Hopcus which included the first chapter of Shadow Hills. As I came to the end of the first chapter, I felt like a cruel joke was being played on me. What?! No more to read?! Consequently, I became giddy when I actually obtained an advance reader's copy of Shadow Hills.

In an effort to write a spoiler-free review, I am going to focus on how Shadow Hills lives up to my "this is a good book" criteria. My criteria looks at readability, characters, twists on the paranormal theme, and ease in recommending it.

There were two things that quickly jumped out at me while I was reading Shadow Hills. An author should write in a way that engages the reader from the first chapter. I am pretty adamant about this. There are too many good books out there to waste time struggling through the first 100 pages of a book waiting for something to happen or for it to become interesting. Just as with reading the first chapter of the book, when I was able to finally sit down and read Hopcus's novel, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to find out more about Persephone “Phe” Archer and the world of Shadow Hills. Part of what really gripped me was how Hopcus is able to reveal her characters' secrets without confusing me or irritating the heck out of me.

As for Anastasia Hopcus's characters, may I just say one word - Zach. Yes, hot boy with powers. I truly think I have a new fictional love interest. Despite Zach's hotness factor, what really is brilliant on Hopcus's part is that both Phe and Zach are equally matched. I am not going to reveal too much because I would then be spoiling it for readers, but let's just say that Phe is no wimpy teenage girl. I will also say I loved all of the secondary characters. There are some characters that you should really dislike and some that you should really like. Plus, I liked Phe's friends despite their very realistic flaws.

My third criteria is a difficult one for many books. There seems to be only so many twists or variations on the same theme. Shadow Hills was refreshing in that I didn't feel like I was reading the same vampire/werewolf/faery/angel book that populates the shelves of bookstores in over abundance. The history of Zach, his family and the townies and the evolution of their gifts and abilities was fascinating. Phe's ability is different than Zach's but presents with its own unique history. Though the connection between the two was not fully developed, I truly sensed that this was intentional and that in the next book we will gain a deep understanding of the connection between the two.

Can I recommend Shadow Hills? That would be a definite YES! Enough said!

After reading the book, I did have one thing I struggled with but you will probably laugh when you hear it. Let me just say, I grew up in New England. I went to college in New Hampshire and I lived in Massachusetts. And I have lived in Los Angeles. October is cold in Massachusetts. After all these years living in Southern California, when I go home, I freeze. Phe is from Los Angeles. When I think about her clothes, I just kept wanting to run after her with a jacket or a heavy duty sweatshirt yelling "You forgot something." See I told you that you would laugh?!

Shadow Hills is a great debut novel, and I am already pining for book 2. Really, Hopcus has to stop doing this to me. I am totally looking forward to seeing how Phe's abilities grow and how she learns more about her connection to Shadow Hills. And well, yeah, I want more Zach but that goes without saying.

Contest: Here's your chance to win a copy of and ARC of Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus -You will get one point for each item below (for every point you get an additional entry). The more items that you complete the more chances to win.

1. Leave a comment about why you are interested in winning the book
2. Tweet about this contest - please include @alybee930 in the tweet so I can keep track of the tweets
3. Comment it about the contest on your Facebook Page (leave the link in the comments section)

This contest is open to International Readers as well as those living in the United States.

Contest will end on Sunday, June 27, 2010.

Middle Grade Monday: Quantum Prophecy

Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening, by Michael Carroll

Publisher: Puffin Books
Pages: 264
Reading Level: 10 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

As some of you know, I am always on the lookout to find good books for boys. I have several on my shelf right now, but I’ve noticed that it’s becoming easier to find them. It was definitely easy to pick this one up, and it was more than easy to read it.

All the superheroes and supervillains disappeared ten years ago, so Danny and Colin are shocked when they discover their own powers. They’re even more surprised when they learn about a prophecy, foretold by one of the old superheroes. Now, the two boys will need to figure out all they can in order to save themselves from losing everything they know and love.

Quantum Prophecy is fast-paced, and interesting. It was really nice to get a “paranormal” book that had nothing to do with vampires, werewolves, or ghosts. And superheroes aren’t super-trendy right now, either, so reading this was quite refreshing for me.

The characters are fun. The viewpoints shift around a bit too much for my preference, but not to the point where it was confusing at all. The two boys that the story centers around are easy to like and cheer for as they encounter their conflicts. Even though I’m not a boy, I feel like boys will find these characters relatable.

The plot is very interesting, also. Like it suggests in the title, there is a prophecy, though it’s all revealed slowly and there are still nuances missing – which makes me interested to read further in the series. Plenty of action surrounds the characters and the plot. I will say that I was slightly disappointed in some of the more predictable aspects of the book, but it still wasn’t enough to make me say I didn’t like the overall story.

I highly recommend this one to young boys. So, parents, or aunts and uncles, if you’re looking for one that would make a good gift, get Quantum Prophecy. It’s still flying under the radar, but I think the concept is fresh enough and the characters are interesting enough that it’ll soon gain a good following.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate