Review: The Dyerville Tales

The Dyerville Tales
By M.P. Kozlowsky, illustrated by Brian Thompson
Published 2014 by Walden Pond Press

In the aftermath of a fire, Vince has become an orphan. But there was no evidence of his father perishing in the fire, so when Vince finds out that his grandfather has died, it becomes essential that he get to the funeral. What better place for his father to finally return to his life? Through it all, Vince carries his grandfather's journal, full of fantastical stories, as he sets out to find his family again.

Another entry in my efforts to read more middle-grade (and most of those seem to have been fantasy of some sort), this ended up being not a good book for me. I never got interested in Vince as a character and there aren't really any other characters to share the spotlight. Reading a lot of fiction for youth has gotten me pretty accustomed to plots developing rapidly but things seemed to be moving too haphazardly in this book. I don't think Vince was developed well as a character. I couldn't really understand his fierce belief that his father was still out there somewhere - yes, I understand that his remains weren't found in the fire, but he never gives an explanation as to what he thinks his father has been doing all the years since, nor why he would disappear in the first place.

There are two narratives being told concurrently in this book - that of Vince in the present day and that of his grandfather's childhood, told through his grandfather's journal. I didn't feel like the fit between the two was natural and the transitions were also awkward. I had problems with the storylines in both, as well. The tale of Vince's grandfather was just a bit too bizarre for me - I could never fully believe in it, but I felt like the book was working really hard for me to believe it. As I said, I never connected with Vince as a character, and I also found his storyline a bit too unbelievable. I had a hard time being convinced that the orphanage director wouldn't allow him to attend his grandfather's funeral - to the point where she was hunting him down after he left of his own accord. I also felt the plot with the criminals on the loose to be almost completely unnecessary. The ending is both ambiguous and a bit too pat, a strange combination that doesn't sit well with me.

Ultimately, this book was not a good fit. Thanks to the publisher for a digital advance reader's copy, provided via Edelweiss.

Review: The Water Castle

The Water Castle
By Megan Frazer Blakemore
Published 2013 by Walker Childrens

Ephraim and his family have moved home - their ancestral home, that is. Their mother packs up the family and moves to a property in Maine, one that has been in their family for generations. His mother is desperate to help his father - he's suffered a stroke and nothing seems to be helping. When Ephraim begins to hear rumors of the Fountain of Youth being located on the property, he's sure he has the cure. If he can find the water, maybe he can save his dad.

Wow, I am so far behind on my reviews. As I mentioned earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of serving as a Round 2 judge for the Cybils, in the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category. I am, apparently, just now getting to writing reviews for the finalists in that category.

Before the finalists were announced, I had only read one of them (The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, click for my review). Thankfully, I had heard of all the others and had at least a passing interest in them (obviously, or I wouldn't have wanted to be an EMGSF judge in the first place). I was, perhaps, most interested in this title. It had gotten a stellar review from Betsy Bird (she of Fuse #8) and was even getting considerable buzz as a potential Newbery winner. It was the first of the finalists available from the library, so I dove in.

Unfortunately, I did not share Ms. Bird's enthusiasm. I was extra excited prior to reading because this books takes place in Maine, my beloved homeland. Imagine my even greater joy when I discovered that Blakemore is a librarian in Maine. How could I not root for this book?? I felt like Blakemore captured the beauty and quiet majesty of living in Maine wonderfully - this book made me miss my home state quite a bit (though I read it in the dead of winter, not a lovely time to be in New England). In fact, the writing was, for me, the book's greatest strength. Blakemore clearly has a way, and I'm impressed by the quality of writing in this book. Impressed enough that I'm eager to see what else she writes.

I also quite enjoyed the characters. Each child has a distinct personality and they work quite well together here. I liked the children from outside the family as well. The adults in the book are a bit more nebulous, but that's not terribly unusual in a book written for youth. Additionally, I loved how the events of the past affected the events in the present. I liked finding out the history of the Water Castle and all the families who had been involved with it over the years.

What lessened my appreciation for this book was the ending. While not inherently opposed to ambiguous endings, I have to feel that they're right for the story in question. In this case, I felt there were too many plot threads left hanging, too many questions unanswered. If I were an actual kid reading this, I would have been insanely frustrated to reach the end of this book and find out that's all there is. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Overall, I can easily see how this book became a Cybils finalist, but it was probably my least favorite of the bunch.

Program: Meet the Artist

In the fall, I pretty much chose artists for this program based on how quickly I could think of a way to emulate their art and its level of difficulty. Thus, we started with Calder, moved to Pollock, and finished the fall with Georges Seurat.

As before, I showed a short presentation on Seurat's life and work. The kids were astounded by Seurat's paintings - they couldn't believe that they were composed of dots of colors and how long it took him to finish a work. I explained how Seurat believed viewer's eyes would put the dots together to form the larger picture and how he used colors to express certain emotions.

After our presentation, we got down to creating our own works of art. I gave them all a small canvas to work with (I use watercolor paper as a stand-in for actual canvas in this program) and acrylic paints. We used the erasers of new pencils to create our dots, cleaning them off between colors (and actually managing to keep them clean enough that the pencils were still usable afterwards!). I encouraged the kids to sketch the picture they wanted in pencil first and then fill it in with their dots of color. One of the kids remarked that I must have been sad, as I was using a lot of black and brown in my painting (I was trying to make a beach scene and used those colors for the rocks and sand). I was pleased that they had made the connection between what I'd told them in the presentation and our own art, as I'm never sure if they actually absorb what I teach them.

The kids really liked seeing their paintings come together even though they were only using dots of color. I find myself really enjoying this program, despite not considering myself an artist at all. It's been fun to see the kids creating art.

Review: Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere
By Julie T. Lamana
Published 2014 by Chronicle Books

Armani is about to celebrate her tenth birthday and nothing is going to get in her way. If only people would stop talking about this fool storm that's threatening New Orleans. Unfortunately, that storm is about to get a name - Katrina - and change Armani's life.

I'm pretty sure I picked this up on a whim at ALA Midwinter but I'm very glad I did. Since then, this book has been getting some buzz, even popping up on some early Newbery contender lists. After finishing it, I can't say I'm surprised by that.

This book is just phenomenal. It's completely gripping, from the beginning chapters of Armani's everyday worries about turning ten to the harrowing chapters when the family is in the throes of Katrina. The chapters are short, keeping readers turning the pages at a frantic pace. I did not want to put this book down. It's fascinating and a bit mind-boggling to me to think that target readers of this book will either not have been alive or too young to remember Hurricane Katrina but Lamana does an amazing job of putting readers right in the middle of the storm. I visited the Gulf Coast six months after Katrina struck and, from what I recall, Lamana has done an excellent job portraying the storm and the aftermath realistically. This is a hard book to read because it shines a light on how terrible conditions were for survivors of the storm, but it's also incredibly important. She has done a wonderful job of showing how upsetting the events are without traumatizing readers. What will be most appealing to kids, though, is that it is an engaging tale of struggle and survival.

The characters are fantastic as well. Armani is one of the most interesting narrators I've encountered in recent history and I absolutely loved hearing this story in her voice. Similarly, I loved being introduced to her family, a cast of characters for certain, but believable and a lovely depiction of a family. I think Lamana has also done an excellent job of leaving clues throughout the book that come into play later on, like the bench Armani and her grandmother always sit on, the Boman family, and Uncle T-Bone's military service. It's so rewarding to see that everything is connected in some way. Armani's emotions are conveyed very convincingly and I'm incredibly impressed that this is Lamana's debut novel.

If I have one criticism of this book, it's that the ending is a bit too tidy. Yes, there is clearly some loss, but the fact that Armani is able to return to New Orleans so quickly after the storm seemed unlikely to me. Ultimately, the novel ends on a hopeful note, which is nice, though perhaps, as I said, a bit too tidy. Overall, however, this book excels on every level. I'm so glad I read it and look forward to sharing it with readers.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.

Review: The Foundry's Edge

The Foundry's Edge (The Books of Ore, book one)
By Cam Baity and Benny Zelkowicz
Published 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

Phoebe lives a comfortable life, even if it is tinged with sadness. She is still reeling from her mother's death but her father, an important man, has provided her everything she could ask for. However, when danger arrives on their doorstep, Phoebe finds herself following her father into an unbelievable world - a world of living metal. Is this the secret her father was kidnapped to protect? Can Phoebe, along with her begrudging servant Micah, rescue him?

The premise of this book sounded really interesting to me when I came across the ARC at ALA Midwinter. I was trying not to take home too many (as my house was already overflowing with books), but I wanted to give this a try. The notion of steampunk for middle grade readers really intrigues me and I'm always looking for unique fantasy to recommend to my readers.

I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did, which is always an unfortunate situation in which to find myself. Here's my main problem with this book: it is way too long. I didn't actually get interested and invested in the story or characters until probably 200 pages in, and that's just no good. Most people are not like me; they'll quit a book if they don't feel that connection within the first few chapters. It's my sheer stubbornness that forces me to keep reading books I'm not particularly feeling. In this case, I'm glad I stuck with it, because the second half of the book is quite good. The pacing picks up, the plot develops more rapidly, and I actually started to care about the characters. Taking the second half of the book alone, I think it's quite well done. The world of Mehk is fascinating and fleshed out really well. The characters come into their own. The journey to rescue Dr. Plumm feels dangerous and important. All in all, it's quite an exhilarating book for the second half.

But that's the problem. Readers must first have to slog through the first part of the book to get to the good stuff. And it will take a very persevering reader to do so. I'm torn on whether or not I'll be back for book two. As I said, by the second half, the book seemed to have found its footing, so I have hopes that book two will hit the ground running. I'll likely give it a shot, but I'm not sure how many readers will get into this one.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.

Release Day Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog

Prisoner of Night and Fog (book one)
By Anne Blankman
Expected publication April 22, 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Gretchen has grown up under the affectionate gaze of her Uncle Dolf, but, as she grows older, things begin to change. You see, Uncle Dolf is Adolf Hitler and he is steadily gaining power and prominence. Gretchen has always believed what he's told her, but when she meets a young Jewish reporter with questions about her father's death, she's not sure what to think anymore. Will Gretchen continue to be Dolf's beloved niece or will she search out the truth, no matter the cost?

As I've said before, I'm a big historical fiction fan. I'm also a big fan of taking well-known characters or historical figures and looking at them in a different light. So, when I spotted this e-galley, it was a no-brainer download for me. I was really intrigued by the notion of Hitler's niece and how a young person who has grown up in his shadow would view his rise to power.

Unfortunately, this book was a big old mixed bag for me. While it certainly was interesting reading about Gretchen and her opinion of Uncle Dolf (who, it should be noted, is not technically her uncle, but a family friend), other parts of the story felt too convenient or unbelievable for me. Actually, I found Gretchen's brother Reinhard to be maybe the most interesting character, and Gretchen certainly had plenty to deal with when it came to him. This book takes place in the early 1930s, so Hitler has not yet risen to the top of the political power; however, he is well on his way. Gretchen has grown up admiring him and believing what he's told her about Jewish people. The book focuses on what happens when Gretchen actually meets a Jewish person for herself. I had a little difficulty believing that Gretchen would so easily let her long-held beliefs about Jews go after a few interactions. Yes, Blankman does note her internal struggle with it, but the struggle feels false to me.

Similarly, Blankman does a fine job setting the tone and atmosphere of the novel - 1930s Germany is not a place I would have liked to have been. However, a lot of the information Blankman provides about Hitler's comrades and members of the National Socialist Party feels info-dumpy. A lot of it feels like a reading of facts about Party members, without a lot of characterization of them. In fact, I had a difficult time distinguishing between them all. Additionally, the romance felt too convenient for me. From the beginning, it was clear that Gretchen was going to fall in love with a Jewish man, and it never felt authentically developed to me.

The mystery of Gretchen's father's death seemed believable enough and gave the book the push to move forward, though, as I said, I was more interested in Gretchen's solving the mystery of her brother. I was disappointed upon reading the author's note to discover that this is going to be a series. While there is obviously plenty of fodder for more books about Gretchen and her relationship with Hitler (he hasn't even been elected Chancellor yet), I liked the ambiguous ending of this book. I will come back for book two because I'm interested to see how Blankman will handle the increasing bleakness of historical events, but I'll be back with some hesitations.

Thanks to the publisher for a digital advance reader's copy, provided via Edelweiss.

Review: Venom

Venom (Secrets of the Eternal Rose, book one)
By Fiona Paul
Published 2012 by Philomel

Cass lives a life of luxury in Renaissance Venice, though it hasn't been easy since her parents' deaths. Things only get more complicated, however, when she discovers a murdered young woman. Soon, she finds herself caught up in a mysterious world of secret societies - and finds her affections torn between two men.

Well, I like mysteries and I like historical fiction, so no real surprise as to why I picked this one up. I actually had an e-galley of this title, but it expired before I finished it. I didn't make it a priority to pick up the book and finish it post-publication, but, back before the Year of No Library Books began, I decided to try to finish up a few books that I'd left in similar situations.

This book is pretty much what I expected. It's a gossipy, fast-paced historical romance with a decent mystery thrown in. Though I'm a big fan of historical fiction, I don't often know much about actual history, so I can't really speak to the historical accuracy of this book. I will say that I don't think Cass would have really gotten away with as much as she does in the novel in actual Renaissance Venice - young women didn't really have a lot of agency back then. Maybe the lack of her parents would have given her more freedom, but I have my doubts.

That being said, my feelings for Cass are pretty neutral. I don't particularly like her, but I don't dislike her either. I find her interesting enough that I zipped through this book and I was involved enough in her story to find myself caring a bit about which love interest she should pursue. This perhaps speaks to the secondary characters being developed well enough that I did actually have an opinion on the love triangle and I'm interested to see what happens with it in book two.

The mystery is perhaps the lightest part of the story, but it does involve a secret society and murdered courtesans, so it's definitely got some intrigue. I called this book gossipy and I don't mean that in a negative way - it feels like a mystery that would be shared in darkened corners of secret rooms and whispered from friend to friend.

Readers looking for a fast-paced historical read with some swooning and intrigue thrown in will definitely find something to enjoy in this book.