World at War: Winnie's Great War

Winnie's Great War. Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. 2018. Little, Brown. 244 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "Do you want to hear the story of your Bear?" I asked Cole one night while sitting on his bed.

Premise/plot: Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne was inspired by Christopher Robin Milne's love a real bear, Winnipeg, in the London Zoo. Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut offer readers an imaginative glimpse into Winnipeg's life. Her story begins in a Canadian forest and ends in a London zoo. Along the way she makes many, many friends: some animal friends (squirrels, horses, a rat) and human friends as well (Harry Colebourn and others in the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, zoo keepers and visitors). This one focuses on the war years--1914 to 1918.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, LOVED this one. It does have a sad chapter when Bear's mother is killed by a trapper. But. It also has plenty of wonderful moments.

I love that is based on a true story. Lindsay Mattick's great-grandfather was Harry Colebourn. He purchased a bear cub for $20 at a railway station in 1914. This bear became a mascot of sorts in his unit. Readers get a glimpse of what life was like for soldiers as they prepare for war. It was Harry's love for Winnipeg that led him to loan/give her to the London Zoo before being shipped overseas to Europe.

This one also celebrates storytelling. The framework is a mother telling her son bedtime stories.

Original audience born circa 2009 to 2012.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

No Nap! Yes Nap!

No Nap! Yes Nap! Margie Palatini. Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. 2014. Little, Brown for Young Readers. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mama says, Nap. Baby says, NO NAP! Nap, yes, says Mama. Yes yes yes! Nap, no! No no no!

Premise/plot: Will Baby take a nap? How long will it take to get Baby to nap? Will Mama need a nap too?!

My thoughts: I like this one. I do. I think the enjoyment--in part--comes from not overthinking it. How can you overthink a picture book? By worrying about the dangers of baby talk. By seeing the short, simple incomplete sentences as a threat to your child's language acquisition. By judging the mom for everything she does or doesn't do right. By seeing the BABY not as humorous or realistic but as a super-dangerous role model, a threat or danger to your own child. Read what you want to read to your child, with your child. Be as scrupulous as you want. But here's the thing...in my personal opinion...kids aren't taught to misbehave or be naughty through books. Naughtiness comes naturally. Even if you never pick up No Nap! Yes Nap! chances are that a power struggle over nap time will occur at your house if you have a little one.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Thunder Boy Jr.

Thunder Boy Jr. Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Yuyi Morales. 2016. Little, Brown. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Hello, my name is Thunder Boy. Thunder Boy Smith. That's my real name.

Premise/plot: Thunder Boy does not like his name. He doesn't like that it's not a good, normal name. He doesn't like sharing the exact same name as his father. He wants his own name. A name that he can pick himself. A name that suits him and no one else. Will he ever get a new name?

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the text of this one. I think it works very well. It is both emotional and funny. (Hard to be both, in my opinion!) I didn't love, love, love the illustrations, however. (Illustrations are so very, very subjective. Even more subjective, in my opinion, than the text ever is.)

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Thing About Jellyfish

The Thing about Jellyfish. Ali Benjamin. 2015. Little, Brown. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

The Thing About Jellyfish is a middle grade novel showing one girl's reaction to a former friend's unexpected death. To say she STRUGGLES would be an understatement. She breaks down, or shuts down even. Suzy (Zu) turns to science for the answers. But her obsession with finding THE answer leads to more trouble. Though she herself doesn't see it. To Suzy there has to be one definitive answer to WHY her friend drowned. And until she proves her theory, she is going to stay obsessed with jellyfish.

I have very mixed feelings about The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. At times I loved it. At times I hated it. I didn't consistently feel any one way about it. Perhaps this is directly connected with how I felt about the characters.

Zu (Suzy) is at times likable and infuriating. On the one hand, her account very much focuses in on her as a victim. Poor Suzy, doesn't fit in, she doesn't belong. Suzy grew up having one really good, solid friendship. But as the two girls grew--Franny is her name--they grew apart. That is Suzy stayed exactly the same as she always was. And Franny started growing up, becoming older, more in touch socially. Zu becomes increasingly ANGRY with Franny. She takes this venomous anger to EXTREMES. If she'd merely felt all angsty and angry and hurt and confused and whatnot, I'd have sympathized more. I really would have. But because she chose to act out, well, I have a really hard time relating to Zu. Socially awkward misfit, yes, I can relate to that. Not having anyone to sit with at lunch time, yes, I can do that too. Not really wanting to talk unless you have something important to say, unless you feel really heard, I can get that to in a way. But it's the extremities that Zu goes to that keeps me from identifying with her in the end. For example, Zu is out of touch with right and wrong in big ways, extreme ways. The end of school incident between Zu and Franny is a great example of how out-of-touch she is. Not to mention the whole, it would be a great idea for me to steal money from my parents and travel to Australia to meet a perfect stranger.

I actually liked several of the "minor" characters in this one. I really liked the boy who befriends her and calls her "Belle." And I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the science teacher. So there were definitely things I enjoyed about this one. But there were also things that I didn't enjoy, things that troubled me.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Red Pencil (2014)

The Red Pencil. Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Shane Evans. 2014. Little, Brown. [Source: Library]

I found The Red Pencil to be a mostly fascinating read, even if it was written in verse. (Do remember that I've said many times that verse novels aren't exactly the best match for me personally). In fact, I found the verse to be strong: that is very well-written. The book itself, though perhaps a tiny bit slow in the first dozen pages or so, was emotional and compelling and hard to put down. The strength of the poetry actually helped me connect with Amira, the twelve-year-old narrator of The Red Pencil. What I didn't enjoy quite as much, perhaps, are the illustrations. Part of me knows that to the character, Amira, drawing is essential. She expresses herself through drawing: she draws with a stick in the sand/on the ground. Throughout the book, this is just an important part of who she is, how she sees her world, how she copes. So I could see why the book is illustrated. But even so, I personally didn't "love" the illustrations.

So. What you should know. The Red Pencil is set in South Darfur, Africa, in 2003/2004. Readers meet Amira, her mom and dad, her sister (Leila), her best friend, her neighbors. (Particularly Old Anwar and Gamal.) One gets a sense of place and community. Readers come to know that what Amira wants, really wants, is an education. To learn to read. To learn to write. Readers also know that her mom is very opposed to the idea. (Her father is not opposed.)

Life does not stay the same for Amira and her family. Upheaval is coming. Her life will be disrupted. Things will be forever changed with the war--the unrest--the coming of the Janjaweed. Soon Amira finds herself a refugee living in a refugee camp....

The Red Pencil is a book to be experienced. I found it to be well-written. Is it as informative and as thorough as a nonfiction book would be on the subject? Probably not. The book focuses on an emotional connection, which I believe is just as important. It gives one a reason to care, a reason to look for more information, seek out more stories.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Tumtum & Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Tales

Tumtum & Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Tales. Emily Bearn. 2010. Little Brown. 416 pages. [Source: Library]

Tumtum & Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Tales features three stories starring some of my favorite mice: A Christmas Adventure, A Seaside Surprise, and A Circus Adventure.

In A Christmas Adventure, Tumtum and Nutmeg worry that the Mildew children (Arthur and Lucy) won't have Christmas this year unless they intervene. The mice read their letters to Santa. Arthur wants a toy car. Lucy wants a box of magic tricks. Can two mice give the children a Christmas to remember? Of course! Can two mice make an adventure of Christmas? Yes! Tumtum and Nutmeg seek to find the children presents locally. Baron Toymouse reigns over a nursery at a nearby house. (The children have long since grown up. He rules the former play room.) Baron Toymouse HAS a horrid reputation. But Tumtum and Nutmeg would risk just about anything to help the two children they've come to love so much. (They are more involved in Arthur and Lucy's upbringing then Mr. Mildew.)

In A Seaside Surprise, Tumtum and Nutmeg vacation with Arthur and Lucy (again). General Marchmouse also tags along. The two children are spending their holiday with their uncle or great-uncle. I enjoyed this adventure more than earlier ones, I believe. Or else I've come to appreciate the nonsensical General Marchmouse!

In A Circus Adventure, birthdays are celebrated. General Marchmouse has been invited to dine with Tumtum and Nutmeg. Unfortunately, he doesn't show up at his own party. Why? Well, he spies a present. It was Arthur's birthday as well. His uncle has sent a lovely present. A circus. A circus with a bus. General Marchmouse gives into temptation, he steals the bus and the ringmaster's clothes. He takes the bus for a trip outside and happens upon a circus in the meadow. A mouse circus of sorts. The book presents General Marchmouse at his best and worst. Can Tumtum and Nutmeg intervene and save all concerned?!

I was surprised that I liked/really liked ALL three stories. I was expecting to like one or maybe even two. But I really enjoyed all three stories. I was expecting to like A Circus Adventure the least, and, it may just be my favorite!!!

I would definitely recommend the six books I've read so far.
© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Courage for Beginners (2014)

Courage for Beginners. Karen Harrington. 2014. Little, Brown. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

I would definitely recommend Karen Harrington's Courage for Beginners. This middle grade novel is a compelling coming of age novel. It would pair well, I think, with The Swift Boys and Me by Kody Keplinger.

Mysti Murphy is a seventh grader with special challenges. Her mom is agoraphobic; for as long as Mysti can remember her mom has been that way. Her dad does it all: all the driving, all the errands. But the fall of her seventh grade year, her dad has an accident, and ends up in the hospital in a coma for several months. The guy who has been her best friend--by all appearances--decides to drop her. She won't fit in with his new "hipster" persona. He's decided that by wearing a hipster hat and being a huge jerk, he'll become more popular with people who count. Mysti definitely doesn't count. At least when there's a small chance that others are watching. Mysti struggles. No doubt. The book is about her growing pains--everything going all wrong at once. But does she have the strength and courage to face her problems and cope with them?

I enjoyed this one. I enjoyed spending time with Mysti. I was very glad that she got to make some new friends. I thought there was a nice balance of scenes between home and school.
© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Great Tales From English History #2

Great Tales From English History, vol. 2. Robert Lacey. 2004. Little, Brown. 288 pages. [Source: Library]

There are three volumes in Robert Lacey's series entitled Great Tales From English History. I loved, loved, loved the first volume. One of the reasons this series is so wonderful is the author's philosophy on history.

Our very first historians were storytellers--our best historians still are--and in many languages 'story' and 'history' remain the same word. Our brains are wired to make sense of the world through narrative--what came first and what came next--and once we know the sequence, we can start to work out the how and why. (xiii)

Great Tales From English History...is written by an eternal optimist--albeit one who views the evidence with a skeptical eye. In these books I have endeavored to do more than just retell the old stories; I have tried to test the accuracy of each tale against the latest research and historical thinking, and to set them in a sequence from which meaning can emerge. (xiv)

The things we do not know about history far outnumber those that we do. But the fragments that survive are precious and bright. They offer us glimpses of drama, humour, frustration, humanity, the banal and the extraordinary--the stuff of life. (xvi)

The second volume begins in the reign of Richard II and ends during the reign of William and Mary. Highlights from this volume include:

• Geoffrey Chaucer and the Mother Tongue
• The Deposing of King Richard II
• Turn Again, Dick Whittington
• Henry IV And His Extra-virgin Oil
• We Happy Few -- the Battle of Azincourt
• Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans
• House of Lancaster: The Two Reigns of Henry VI
• The House of Theodore
• House of York: Edward IV, Merchant King
• Whodunit? The Princes in the Tower
• The Battle of Bosworth Field
• King Henry VIII's Great Matter
• Let There Be Light -- William Tyndale and the English Bible
• Divorced, Beheaded, Died...
• ...Divorced, Beheaded, Survived
• Lady Jane Grey -- The Nine Day Queen
• Bloody Mary and the Fires of Smithfield
• Elizabeth -- Queen of Hearts
• Mary Queen of Scots
• By Time Surprised
• 5/11: England's First Terrorist
• King James's Authentical Bible
• Roundheads v. Caviliers
• Behold the Head of a Traitor
• Charles II and the Royal Oak
• London Burning
• Titus Oates and the Popish Plot
• Monmouth's Rebellion and the Bloody Assizes
• The Glorious Invasion

I loved this second volume. I just LOVED it. Lacey has such a narrative gift. He informs and entertains! I loved his selection of stories. I read it in one sitting; I just couldn't put this one down!

Favorite quotes:

For England, Agincourt has inspired quite a different national myth. London welcomed Henry home with drums, trumpets and tambourines and choirs of children dressed as angels. Flocks of birds were released into the air and gigantic carved effigies spelled out the meaning of the victory--a David defeating Goliath.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers', were the words with which Shakespeare would later enshrine Agincourt's model of bravery against the odds--the notion that the English actually do best when they are outnumbered. This phenomenon came to full flower in 1940 during the Battle of Britain, when Britain faced the might of Germany alone and Churchill spoke so movingly of the 'few.' To further fortify the bulldog spirit, the Ministry of Information financed the actor Laurence Olivier to film a Technicolor version of Agincourt as depicted in Shakespeare's Henry V. 'Dedicated to the Airborne Regiments' read a screen title in medieval script as the opening credits began to roll. (22)

If the Wars of the Roses were fought by the men, it was the women who eventually sorted out the mess. By the late 1400s the royal family tree had become a crazy spider's web of possible claimants to the throne, and it took female instinct to tease out the relevant strands from the tangle. The emotions of mothers and wives were to weave new patterns--and eventually they produced a most unlikely solution. (38)

Wars and Roses...we have seen that roses were rare on the battle banners of fifteenth century England. Let's now take a closer look at the 'wars' themselves. In the thirty-two years that history textbooks conventionally allot to the 'Wars of the Roses,' there were long periods of peace. In fact, there were only thirteen weeks of actual fighting--and though the battles themselves were bitter and sometimes very bloody, mayhem and ravaging seldom ensured. (46)

 Connections to Horrible Histories:

Plague Song
Owain Glyndwr Song
Agincourt the Movie
Joan of Arc
War of the Roses Reports & Richard III Song 
Wives of Henry VIII
Philip and Mary Love Story
Mary Tudor Song
The Axe Factor
William Shakespeare & The Quills
Spanish Armada Movie
Blue-Blooded Blues
English Civil War (Bob Hale)
English Civil War Song, Cromwell Laws, King of Bling

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (YA)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Jennifer E. Smith. 2012. Little, Brown. 236 pages.

From the prologue:
There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently. Imagine if she hadn't forgotten the book. She wouldn't have had to run back into the house while Mom waited outside with the car running, the engine setting loose a cloud of exhaust in the late-day heat. Or before that, even: Imagine if she hadn't waited to try on her dress, so that she might have noticed earlier that the straps were too long, and Mom wouldn't have had to haul out her old sewing kit, turning the kitchen counter into an operating table as she attempted to save the poor lifeless swath of purple silk at the very last minute...

From chapter one: Airports are torture chambers if you're claustrophobic.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight has to be one of the best, best YA romances I've read in years. This one is seriously giddy-making. It was practically perfect in every way. One of those oh-so-satisfying novels that keep you happy and satisfied from start to finish. One of those that almost from the start you know you're going to absolutely love.

So. The heroine of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is Hadley Sullivan. She is ever-so-reluctantly flying to London to be in her father's wedding. She's never met the woman destined to be her stepmother. Never wanted to have to meet such a woman. But she's to be in the wedding--a bridesmaid. So no matter how much she doesn't want to go, she has to go.

The big question...did she miss her flight on purpose?! No, not really. Not intentionally. But those four minutes--the four minutes that kept her from her scheduled flight turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. For she happens to meet Oliver at the airport. He's on his way to London. He's actually from there, he's just studying at Yale, as to why he's going back just now...well...that's best left a surprise.

If you love romances where it is all about the dialogue, then this one will make you oh-so-happy. So much is revealed about both Oliver and Hadley through their conversations. The whole novel just covers a little over twenty-four hours. And these two are sitting side-by-side on an airplane, so that is just one reason why there is so much conversation in this one...

One thing that I just LOVED, loved absolutely about this one, was the fact that a book came to symbolize so very, very much. And the book in question is Charles Dickens Our Mutual Friend, my favorite-and-best Dickens. And the novel even quotes some of my very, favorite lines. And these lines help clarify things for the heroine. So it was just a lovely thing for me!!!

I loved everything about this one. The writing. The setting. The dialogue. The characters. How their stories unfold...it's just a GREAT book, a great romance.

Read The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight

• If you want a new book, a new romance, to gush about!
• If you're a fan of teen romances
• If you're looking for a romance with substance, with actual character development
• If you're a fan of Jennifer E. Smith

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

How To Save A Life (YA)

How To Save a Life. Sara Zarr. 2011. Little, Brown. 342 pages.

"I am writing in response to your Love Grows post from Christmas day. I think I might have what you're looking for. It should be available on March 1. Or around March 1."

How To Save a Life by Sara Zarr is narrated by two teens, Jill and Mandy. Mandy is pregnant and wanting to give her baby up for adoption. She thinks Robin, Jill's mom, would be a good match. But she doesn't exactly want the adoption to go through normal, traditional channels. She wants things done her way. Robin wants a baby so badly. She is just desperate to fill the hole in her heart. You see, Robin and Jill are in grief--probably different stages of grief. Jill's Dad is dead, you see. Jill was always, always, always closer to her Dad. And she isn't quite sure how to (best) relate to her Mom. To be honest, Jill isn't sure how to relate to anybody these days. Not her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Dylan. Not her former best friends. No one. Anyone who challenges her to feel something...she runs from...until she meets someone from her past. A boy named Ravi. He may just help her see things clearly for the first time in months....

So Robin invites Mandy into their home. She welcomes her into their lives. She's willing to pay for all the expenses of the pregnancy. She is just so excited about the coming baby. Jill? Well, Jill is less than thrilled about getting a new brother or sister. In fact, she's ANGRY at her mom and angry at Mandy. What did Mandy ever do to her? Well, nothing really. But Jill is angry at her all the same. She is determined to not like her, determined to find reasons why this adoption is insane. She is sure that Mandy has more than a few secrets, has told more than a few lies...

Mandy has told a few lies...but are they justifiable? You may be the judge of that!

This is a compelling novel to be sure. It is emotional. It is well written. Of the two, I probably loved Mandy just a little bit more. Maybe because she needed to be loved a little more. I'll say no more than that. But even though Jill could be a mess, I still liked her, I still wanted the best for her. I wanted to see her wounds heal too.

I would definitely recommend this one!

Read How To Save A Life

• If you're a fan of Sara Zarr and you enjoyed her previous novels: Story of a Girl, Sweethearts, Once Was Lost
• If you're looking for an emotionally compelling (but not manipulative) read
• If you're looking for a good story about grief and loss 
• If you're looking for a story about broken families that need healing
• If you're looking for a realistic portrayal of teen pregnancy

The book trailer:



© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

I'll Be There (YA)

I'll Be There. Holly Goldberg Sloan. 2011. Little, Brown. 392 pages.

The days of the week meant nothing to him. Except Sunday. Because on Sundays he listened to pipe organs and pianos.

How resilient is the human spirit? How powerful is love? I'll Be There is a wonderfully bittersweet novel that answers those two questions. Readers meet Sam and Riddle Border, the two sons of a horrible, horrible man. Riddle has been sick most of his life--and needlessly so since medicine could greatly improve his life--what joy he has he gains from drawing extremely detailed mechanical pictures. His older brother, Sam, doesn't believe in God but takes comfort in church music whenever, wherever he can. They move a lot. His father is more than a little anti-government, anti-society (and that's just the start of it.)

One Sunday, Sam slips into the back row of a Unitarian church. There is a singer, Emily Bell, who is trying her best--and not really hiding her nerves--to sing "I'll Be There." She's decided to focus on one person, one face on the back row. And guess who that would be?!

Sam feels that Emily (though of course he doesn't know her name just yet) is singing this song just for him. And what they share in those few minutes changes everything...

Sam is strange--to be sure--especially to Emily's family and friends. He won't talk about his Dad. He doesn't have a phone. He won't give anyone his address. He won't talk about his past...at all. He doesn't go to school. He doesn't say much of anything about himself...but there is something about him that Emily loves and treasures.

This novel is bittersweet, it goes to some dark places before the end. But it was worth every intense moment...

What a great book! Very emotional, very touching!

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Smells Like Treasure (MG)

Smells Like Treasure. Suzanne Selfors. 2011. Little, Brown. 416 pages.

There are two types of people in this world--people who sit by their mailboxes and wait for a delivery from the Map of the Month Club and people who don't. You might be asking yourself, What kind of person would sit by his mailbox and wait for a map? An image might pop into your head of a nerdy sort of person with messy hair and pants that are too short. A soft sort of person who'd rather sit in his room and dream about treasure than climb a tree or ride a bike. A smart sort of person because map reading uses 2.5 million more brain cells than watching television. Did you know that the person you've just imagined is Homer Winslow Pudding? 

This is Homer Pudding's second novel. His first adventure can be found in Suzanne Selfors' Smells Like Dog. Once again Selfors assures her readers that Dog, our hero's oh-so-faithful companion, will be alive and well at the end of the novel. From the introduction, "I hate stories about dogs that die, and so I will never, ever write that kind of story. That is my solemn promise. In fact, I believe there should be some sort of punishment for people who write stories about dogs that die. Maybe they should be forced to peel gum off the bottoms of movie-theater seats, or file old people's toenails, or clean the shark tank at the zoo. That's what they deserve after bringing such terrible unhappiness into our lives."

So is Homer Pudding ready for his second adventure? Mostly. He has been looking forward to the county fair for months and months. But when he's banned--in part due to Dog's enthusiasm--on opening night, he's a little relieved to learn that L.O.S.T. will be meeting very, very soon. And their meeting will be to see if he will inherit his uncle's seat within the oh-so-secret-treasure-hunting-club. Zelda shows up in her cloud copter to tell him the news and take him to the club's clever tailor for his first professional treasure-hunting-suit. With a little lie or two, his parents are convinced that their son will be safe with Uncle Drake's good friend, Zelda, whom they've never actually met, for a week. The fair being a very good distraction, I think!

Zelda has told Homer that there is one club member that does NOT want Homer to become a member of the club. But can he figure out which member it is? Well, appearances can be deceiving. It looks like it's just a formality, until a former friend, Lorelei, shows up and starts telling smooth lies. Claiming that Uncle Drake promised her his seat in the club, that Uncle Drake gave her his membership coin. Many know she's lying. Many remember Uncle Drake speaking of Homer and how he is the one to inherit. But not everyone is eager to welcome Homer into the club, and well, this is a convenient way to make him earn it.

If Homer wants to be accepted into L.O.S.T. he'll have to prove himself worthy against his opponent. Both will receive the same clues. Both will have a sponsor member to provide transportation and such. Both will have to solve the mystery and find the "missing" coin that will be hidden somewhere--anywhere--in the world.

Can Homer prove that he has what it takes to be a real treasure hunter?

I liked Smells Like Treasure. I'm not sure that I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it like I did the first book. But it was nice to visit with Homer and Dog again. I liked getting to know the characters introduced in this second novel like Hercules, Homer's sponsor. I didn't like him immediately, in fact, I thought he was a bit annoying. But by the end of the novel, well, I had changed my mind. I think Hercules is better for having this real adventure.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Jane (YA/Adult)

Jane. April Lindner. 2010. Little Brown. 373 pages. 


The chairs in the lobby of Discriminating Nannies, Inc., were less comfortable than they looked. I sat stiffly in the one nearest the exit, where, feeling like an impostor in my gray herringbone suit from Goodwill, I could watch the competition come and go. 

As flawed as Jane is, I still found it giddy-making. April Lindner's novel, Jane, is a retelling of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Jane's "Mr. Rochester" is rock star, Nico Rathburn. This "bad boy" rocker has been on the right track for a few years now. He even has custody of his daughter, Maddy, which is why he needs a nanny. But not just any one will do. Jane Moore is chosen because she's clueless and classy. She's not one to read entertainment magazines, tabloids, and the like. She's more into art and classical music than most of her peers. She's good; she's honorable; she's boring. Or that is how she sees herself at least. But there is something about her that Nico can't quite resist.

I liked this one. I really, really liked it. The premise was great. I loved the decision to make Mr. Rochester a rock star struggling with his past and wanting a better future; a man who wants to redefine himself. The scenes between the two--which Linder did take some liberties with, by the way, worked for the most part. I found some of them to be giddy-making even. There were so many things that worked with this one. Was it perfect? No. Does it have to be? No!

What didn't quite work for me was the fashion of the novel. I get that Jane is plain. That she isn't really "of" the modern world. But I had a hard time believing her wardrobe all the same. (And even how she tried to style Maddy and Nico in a few scenes.)

I would definitely recommend this one.

Other reviews: Angieville, Steph Su, An Addicted Book Reader, Janicu's Book Blog, Elliott Review,

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Ninth Ward (MG/YA)

Ninth Ward. Jewell Parker Rhodes. 2010. August 2010. Little, Brown. 217 pages.

They say I was born with a caul, a skin netting covering my face like a glove. My mother died birthing me. I would've died, too, if Mama Ya-Ya hadn't sliced the bloody membrane from my face. I let out a wail when she parted the caul, letting in first air, first light.

Ninth Ward is a story of hope, love, endurance, and survival. Just a few weeks before Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Lanesha, our young heroine, turns twelve. While she is beloved by her grandmother--Mama Ya-Ya--Lanesha does not have many friends her own age. They've heard there is something different about her. That she can see the dead. Lanesha tries to make the best of it. Not that it is easy. But she tries. For they do speak the truth. Lanesha can see ghosts--her mother's ghost remains behind.

Ninth Ward is an emotional coming-of-age novel about family and friendship, about life and death, love and loss. It's a strong novel--one I won't be forgetting. It's a novel that I would definitely recommend!

Other reviews: A Patchwork of Books, Welcome to My Tweendom, Rasco from RIF, HappyNappyBookseller, Books Together.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins (MG)

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins. R.A. Spratt. Illustrated by Dan Santat. Little Brown. 239 pages.

Mr. Green desperately needed to find a new nanny for his children. In the four weeks since their last nanny left, he found himself actually having to talk to them, provide them with meals, and pay attention to them himself. And all this just had to stop. He had a job at a law firm helping rich people avoid paying their taxes. He could not be expected to look after his children as well.

Nanny Piggins wasn't always a nanny. She's formerly of the circus. She was the flying pig act. She's used to being shot out of a cannon. So even though she doesn't have any training in looking after children, she figures she can handle these three kids without much trouble. Derrick. Samantha. Michael.

Can a pig make for a good nanny? You be the judge. This children's fantasy is very silly, very over-the-top. I found it an enjoyable read. Believable? Not for a second. The character development just isn't there. But is it good for a few laughs? Yes! Nanny is a fun-loving, chocolate-loving, pie-baking wonder. Each chapter leads to a new adventure. And the adventures seem to get more extreme as the novel progresses!

If you enjoyed Lois Lowry's The Willoughbys, then you'll probably enjoy this one.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Smells Like Dog (MG)

Smells Like Dog. Suzanne Selfors. 2010. May 2010. Little, Brown Young Readers. 360 pages.

Dear Reader:
The following story is a dog story, but it is not, I repeat, NOT a sad dog story. I hate sad dog stories. I bet you do too. How many times have you picked up a book about a dog and just when you start to fall in love with the dog it falls down a well, or gets hit by a car, or somebody shoots it? Then you cry quietly in your bedroom because you don't know if the dog is going to live or die and it eats you up inside because there's nothing worse than not knowing if a dog is going to live or die.

First line paragraph chapter one:

What Homer Pudding didn't know on that breezy Sunday morning, as he carried a pail of fresh goat milk across the yard, was that his life was about to change. In a big way. What he did know was this: That the country sky was its usual eggshell blue, that the air was its usual springtime fresh, and that his chores were their usual boring, boring, boring. For how exciting can it be cleaning up after goats? And that's what Homer had done for most of his twelve years.

I loved this one. I really, really loved this one. It had me at hello, with its dear reader promise. Because look at the cover, don't you need to know that that dog is safe?! If it hadn't been for that promise, I probably wouldn't have read this one. Because I'm not the sort that trusts dog books. I'm not.

If ever a boy was in need of adventure it was Homer Pudding. Would you want to spend your life cleaning up after goats and doing other farm chores? Would you want your dad to tell you that the farm was going to be your responsibility one day? No. If you were Homer, you'd probably be dreaming up a better life too.

Homer spends his time dreaming about adventure. About treasure-hunting to be specific. He would just LOVE to have the kind of adventures his uncle has had. After his uncle's tragic--and oh-so-unusual death--Homer gets such a chance. And Homer's adventure begins quite simply with the arrival of a dog--his uncle's dog.

What I loved about this one was its quirkiness. The narration of this one is just right. It's got a bit of humor to it, but it has plenty of action and adventure and mystery. I loved the writing. I loved the characterization. I loved the pacing. I loved everything. Smells Like Dog would make a perfect read aloud choice.

Here's an example of the quirky humor:

Because the Pudding family always ate breakfast together at the kitchen table, it was the perfect place to share news and ask questions like, Whatcha gonna do at school today? or Who's gonna take a bath tonight? or Why is that dead squirrel on the table? (5)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sisters Red (YA)

Sisters Red. Jackson Pearce. 2010. June 2010. Little, Brown. 328 pages.

He's following me.

Scarlett and Rosie are sisters with more than a few secrets. Sisters with a (relatively) unique mission in life. To fight, fight, fight. To rid the world--well, maybe not the whole world, but their community at least--of Fenris (werewolves). You might say their introduction to this real world--the world of monsters--was quite brutal, both girls witnessed the death of their grandmother--Oma March--and this attack left Scarlett scarred inside and out. Joining them in their mission is a young guy (one that Rosie finds oh-so-dreamy), Silas. He comes from a long line of woodsmen.

But though these three fight together as a team--and are quite close in many ways--some things are changing, for better or worse. Silas and Rosie, well, they are changing. And Scarlett may have to deal with that.

I liked having both Rosie and Scarlett as narrators. When I was reading Rosie's chapters, I felt connected with her. I loved her. I could completely sympathize with her. See things from her perspective, see her side of things. Her need for her life to be more than just fighting, to be more than just battling evil. Her love for Silas. When I was reading Scarlett's chapters, I felt connected with her. I could see things from her side. Her passion--her obsession--to do anything and everything to protect people from the Fenris threat. The world may not know it's in danger--but for Scarlett, it's all too real. She can't forget for a moment, for a day, that she has a responsibility to protect others. She's a driven young woman, strong and powerful in many ways. And I have to respect that. Scarlett's choices are her own. Rosie's choices are her own. These two sisters love each other deeply, need each other deeply. But they want (and need) different things from life.

I thought Sisters Red was well-written. I would definitely recommend this one.

What do you think of the cover? I really liked this one. Though I must admit (a bit sheepishly) that it took me a few days to see the wolf on the cover!

Other reviews: A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy, Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf, Sarah's Random Musings, Tales of the Ravenous Reader, I Just Wanna Sit Here And Read, Extreme Reader, Bookworming in the 21st Century,

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Ship Breaker (YA)

Ship Breaker. Paolo Bacigalupi. 2010. May 2010. Little Brown. 326 pages.

Nailer clambered through a service duct, tugging at copper wire and yanking it free.

This futuristic novel wowed me. It is set on what was once the Gulf Coast. Nailer and his friends from the light crew are scavengers. They scavenge the ruins of what once was--mainly ships and tankers--looking for valuable (and now scarce) metals and other resources.

Loyalty is everything--and the crew is bonded together by blood. To join the crew you must take a blood oath to be there for one another. If you break your oath, then you're out. And being on your own in this crowd, in this community, something you want to avoid at all costs. Desperate times and all. You have to be a certain weight and height to be on the light crew--to fit places most wouldn't--and it's hard, demanding work.

Nailer's best friend is a young woman named Pima. These two are together (after a BIG, BIG storm) when they make an extraordinary find. They find a newly wrecked clipper ship--a private ship. And this kind of luck doesn't come along twice in a lifetime. As they are searching the ship and making a plan, they discover something even more surprising. The ship's sole survivor, a young girl named Nita. She's the daughter of a somebody. She's wealthy. She's unbelievably wealthy. What's to be done now? To trust or not to trust? Can someone that rich understand the depth of poverty? The desperation that comes along with not having enough to eat? of having no real place to call home?

I loved this one. Bacigalupi has created an intense world--dark and desperate and cruel in many ways--and given readers a unique cast of characters. It's a very compelling read. (Definitely one hard to put down!)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Nonfiction Monday: Dewey the Library Cat

Dewey the Library Cat: A True Story. Vicki Myron and Bret Witter. 2010. May 2010. Little Brown. 214 pages.

You find all kinds of things in a library book return box--garbage, snowballs, soda cans. Stick a hole in a wall and you're asking for trouble. I should know.

If you like cats, if you like libraries, if you like libraries that love cats, or cats that love libraries, then you should consider picking this one up. This is a children's edition of the adult book, Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World. (I haven't read the original, so I'm not sure how it has been adapted.)

What should you expect from this one? Cute cat stories set in a public library. I loved reading about Dewey. I loved reading about how the community loved Dewey. How Dewey interacted with people--young and old. How excited he was to be a part of it all. His habits. His likes and dislikes. I liked how the book tried to capture this cat's personality. I liked the little snippets from Dewey's point of view.

But. This one doesn't come without tears. I rarely cry with books. (I cry at plenty of other things.) But with Dewey, I couldn't help myself. Oh how I cried. And cried. And cried.

Still, I'm glad I read it.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Where The Mountain Meets the Moon

Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin. Little, Brown. 288 pages.

Far away from here, following the Jade River, there was once a black mountain that cut into the sky like a jagged piece of rough metal. The villagers called it Fruitless Mountain because nothing grew on it and birds and animals did not rest there.

Have you discovered Grace Lin yet? Her newest, Where The Mountain Meets the Moon, won a Newbery Honor. It's the story of a young girl, Minli, who leaves home (on the advice of a talking goldfish) in search of the Old Man in the Moon. The fish has told her the way to Never-Ending Mountain. If she finds him--when she finds him because this is one spirited girl--she is going to ask him an important question--how to change the fortune of her family. Along the way, she'll make a few friends--in particular one dragon friend, who wants to ask a question of his own: why can't he fly?--and have quite the adventure. This fantasy novels weaves in some Chinese folklore and has quite a fairy tale feel about it.

This one is just a beautiful book. Beautiful writing, fascinating characters and stories, lovely illustrations. Definitely recommended.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews