Becky's Book Reviews: July 2024

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

July Reflections

In July, I read twenty-five books.

Books reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews

55. The Hunger Games #1 Suzanne Collins. 2008. 374 pages. [Source: Library]

56. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. J.K. Rowling. 1997. 345 pages. [Source: Library]

57. Beezus and Ramona. Beverly Cleary. 1955. HarperCollins. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [Star rating: 5/5]

Books reviewed at Young Readers

86. Finding Things. Kevin Henkes. Illustrated by Laura Dronzek. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

87. The Wolf in Underpants Gets Some Pants. Wilfrid Lupano. Translated by Nathan Sacks. Illustrated by Mayana Itoiz. 2020/2023. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

88. You're Going to Love This Book. Jory John. Illustrated by Olivier Tallec. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

89. Not a Smiley Guy. Polly Horvath. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

90. Proper Badger Would Never. Lauren Glattly. Illustrated by Rob Sayegh Jr. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

91. Oh, Are You Awake? Bob Shea. Illustrated by Jarvis. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

92. The Red Fruit. Lee Gi-eun. 2023. [November] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

93. Gravity is Bringing Me Down. Wendelin Van Draanen. Illustrated by Cornelia Li. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

94. Don't Trust Cats. (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog) Dev Petty. Illustrated by Mike Boldt. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

95. Bunny Should Be Sleeping. Amy Hest. Illustrated by Renata Liwska. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

96. No Cats in the Library. Lauren Emmons. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

97. I See a Rat. Paul Meisel. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

98. Roger Takes a Chance. (Book Buddies #4) Cynthia Lord. Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

99. Monti and Leo: A Newcome in Pocketville. Sylvie Kantorovitz. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

100. Dog Gets a Pet (Dog and Pony Show #1). Jeff Mack (Ready to Read Graphics Level 1). 2024. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

101. Cornbread and Poppy for the Win (Cornbread and Poppy #4). Matthew Cordell. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

102. Slice of Mallow (Slice of Mallow #1) Adam Foreman. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

103. The Greatest In the World (Tater Tales #1) Ben Clanton. 2022. 88 pages. [Source: Library] [Star rating: 3/5].

Books reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

37. Saved: Experiencing the Promise of The Book of Acts. Nancy Guthrie. 2024. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

38. Just In Case You Ever Feel Alone. Max Lucado. Illustrated by Eve Tharlet. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Bibles reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

15. The Open Bible (1975) King James Version. Royal Publishers/Nelson. 1272 pages. [Source: Bought]

15.5 New Testament and Psalms with Poems by Helen Steiner Rice (KJV). God (and Helen Steiner Rice). 1994. (Revell publishing house). 508 pages. [Source: Bought] 5 STARS.

Yearly and Monthly Totals

Books Read in 2024	215
Pages Read in 2024	55182
January
Books read in January	36
Pages read in January	6875
February
Books read in February	38
Pages read in February	9731
March
Books read in March	39
Pages read in March	6730
April
Books read in April	32
Pages read in April	9367
May
Books read in May	21
Pages read in May	10246
June
Books read in June	24
Pages read in June	8253
July
Books read in July	25
Pages read in July	3980

Saturday, July 20, 2024

57. Beezus and Ramona

Beezus and Ramona. Beverly Cleary. 1955. HarperCollins. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [Star rating: 5/5]

First sentence: Beezus felt that the biggest trouble with four-year-old Ramona was that she was just plain exasperating. If Ramona drank lemonade through a straw, she blew into the straw as hard as she could to see what would happen.

Unlike other books in the Ramona series, this one is narrated by Beezus. Like all other books in the Ramona series, it has a just-right feel about it. Beverly Cleary's greatest talent may be in her capturing what it feels like to be a kid.

Beezus, as you probably know, is Ramona's big sister. Ramona does steal the show in almost every book in which she appears. There's something unforgettable about her. But though the focus is on Ramona, this is still very much Beezus' book. It captures how she feels about her family, about Ramona.

"Beezus and Her Little Sister." Ramona LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to have The Littlest Steam Shovel read to her. Her parents are unwilling to read it to her--they have come to have no tolerance for it. But Beezus, well, she'll read it to Ramona, not that she likes it, but, she'll give in now and then. She gets the idea to take Ramona to the library to get a brand new book--for two weeks. Ramona picks a new book, but, it is still about steam shovels. She likes it so much, that she does something NAUGHTY so she can keep it for always. What will Beezus do since it was checked out on her card? Just how sympathetic will the librarian be?

"Beezus and Her Imagination" Beezus is in an art class. Ramona isn't supposed to be in the class with her, she's supposed to be playing outside in the sandbox. But on this occasion, Beezus finds Ramona in class with her. Could she get inspired by her sister's imaginary pet?! Could she earn her teacher's attention?!

"Ramona and Ribsy" Beezus invites Henry Huggins (and his dog, Ribsy) to her house to play checkers. It doesn't go well. Both Ribsy and Ramona have fits of sorts. And Ribsy ends up locked in the bathroom?! Beezus wishes Ramona was more like other people's sisters.

"Ramona and the Apples" Beezus is supposed to be watching Ramona while their mother does the grocery shopping. But. Ramona proves too much to handle. She sneaks into the basement and has her way with all the apples...taking one bite and just one bite from each apple. Will Beezus get in trouble? Can anything good come from all those ruined apples?

"A Party at the Quimbys" Ramona decides to have a party and invite other kids over to the house--without permission of course. What will Beezus and their mother do? This one ends in a parade. Among the guests, Howie and Willa Jean.

"Beezus's Birthday" Will Beezus have a cake for her tenth birthday?! It might not be as easy as you might think. Not with Ramona around. But with a little help from Aunt Beatrice, all might be well after all. Hint: If you have a sister like Ramona, don't read the story of Hansel and Gretel to her when your cake is in the oven!

I love the Ramona series. I do. I love, love, love the Ramona books. I think I read them dozens of more times than the Little House books. (I've recently reread these too.) I'm not sure Beezus and Ramona is my favorite of the series, but, it's a great start to a great series.

Monday, July 15, 2024

56. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. J.K. Rowling. 1997. 345 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter, our protagonist, is an orphan destined for adventures--and misadventures. Raised by muggles, his aunt and uncle, he is clueless that his parents were involved in magic--witch and warlock. Both attended Hogwarts. Though the Dursleys plan to send Harry to an ordinary school, well, fate (if you will) has other plans. He receives dozens--and dozens and dozens--of invitations to Hogwarts. No matter how much his aunt and uncle want to deny Harry his heritage--his legacy--they are thwarted. (One might sympathize with them if they weren't presented as Roald Dahl style caricatures. After all, if they treated Harry as their own flesh and blood, if they treated him well, if they truly, deeply had his best interests at heart...then one might argue that they are trying to protect Harry.

Much of the book is set at school--Hogwarts--and involves Harry interacting with his closest friends (like Ron and Hermione), his classmates, his professors, his enemies. Harry (and company) get in and out of trouble on multiple occasions. Harry does have a BIG ENEMY (one who is not to be named, perhaps). He does make a brief appearance towards the end of the novel.

My thoughts: I read this series for the first time (ever) in 2023. I did decide I wanted to reread. I definitely enjoyed *more* this time around. There were little details that I may or may not have missed the first time around, but have taken out some meaning now that I've read the whole series. I definitely had greater appreciation for the whole cast of characters. My focus had shifted a bit. While the first time around, I was uncertain on if I even liked it and would continue on with the series, this time around I knew better what to expect and where the story was heading.

Quotes:

If only the had had mentioned a House for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.
But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.
There were a hundred and fort-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.
As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all-- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.

55. The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games #1 Suzanne Collins. 2008. 374 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.

I have seen the movie more than I've read the book. I *believe* that this is my third time to read the novel. And it appears that the last time I actually read the book was October of 2012! I'm surprised by that.

This has been 'the year' for me revisiting this series. I've reread The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I've seen that movie adaptation twice. I've binged my way through the original movie trilogy. I've been intending to actually read the books themselves again. There is another 'prequel' coming next year, I think.

As I said, I've watched the movie so many times since 2012, it was so refreshing to discover--rediscover--the DEPTH and substance of the book itself. There are so many layers. Especially when you add in what you've learned from the prequel. One thing that may be super-super-super obvious is that Katniss (our heroine) is BROKEN and traumatized from the moment we meet her. She is strong and resilient and a bit hardened. But the death of her father, the failing of her mother to be an adult, a parent, the HARSH realities of the district, these have made the Katniss we know. She's a provider, a survivor. The Games definitely contributed to her PTSD, her trauma-induced mental and emotional distress, but it wasn't only the games. Life in district 12 is hard--difficult. Raising yourself and your sister is difficult.

I also was detail focused as I was rereading trying to observe things about all the districts and the characters--no matter how small--themselves. Again, so many layers if you've mainly spent time with the movies.

I do plan on reading the other books in this series. Rereading that is. 2012 may feel like a few years ago, but it's over ten.