books read in March

[orangerful]

Well, this list isn't impressive at all. I think I had a lot of false starts this month, books that I tried and then tossed aside. I also reread two books for a book club I was hosting at work.

Moone Boy: The Blunder Years by Chris O'Dowd

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If you are interested in this book, GET THE AUDIOBOOK. There is no way I would have enjoyed it as much if it had not been audio. The narration by Chris O'Dowd and Nick Murphy was spot on.

The story was very cute but I would definitely say this is more tween/teen fiction rather than for kids. The main character is 12, but most of the humor comes from O'Dowd's character, the imaginary friend, and so it can be a little more on the mature side?

If you've seen the show, you know that it is set in 1980s Ireland and this has other problems for modern kid readers. There are footnotes explaining some 80s references BUT some of those are jokes so I'm not sure if anyone under 14 would really get them (or bother to Google them).

This is an odd book and I'm not sure who I would give it to. It is designed to look like a Wimpy Kid read-alike but it is probably not appropriate for that young of an audience. Between Martin's pseudo-swearing ("Flippin'!" "Bugger!") and a subplot involving feeling up a girl's boobs, this book is definitely a better pick for a tween/teen than kid. And it needs to be a kid who likes British comedy. And the 80s.



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Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Just as much fun as the first one! Love these girls!



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Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reread these for a book discussion I was hosting. This time, I read 'Saints' first, and wow, did it change my perspective. I was so worked up after reading 'Boxers', it was hard for me to care about anyone on the other side. So starting the story with "Four Girl" changed my opinion of her side of the story. Such an amazing set, high recommended, even if (like me) you know next to nothing about China and the Boxer Rebellion.



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Comments

[poniesandphotos.livejournal.com]

I think March was the month for false starts. The only book I managed to read all the way through was the Joss Whedon biography.

[kaitydid33087.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, I love Chris O'Dowd in the IT Crowd! I'll have to check that one out sometime. Thanks for the rec :)

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

You should watch the show! I haven't read the book, but the show was pretty enjoyable.

[qwentoozla]

I love Moone Boy the show, so I can imagine that Chris O'Dowd narrating the book would also be enjoyable. :)

[meepalicious.livejournal.com]

I just loved Boxers & Saints. I cried on the train about Saints, even. But now I want to try reading them again, Saints first. I loved Four Girl (her story stuck with me a lot more), but I'm curious about the perspective switch.

[snogged.livejournal.com]

I love seeing what other people read. :)

Chris O'Dowd was hilarious on the IT Crowd.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

[night-owl-9.livejournal.com]

I love it when audiobooks add something new with their narration :D It's so fun.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I love hearing audiobooks :)

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Wimpy kid is a huge hit at your library to? Sure is here. To the point I am getting sick of them. And let's not start into Adam Blade...

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Everybody loves Wimpy Kid, I think he is here to stay. I try to stay as familiar with I can with any new series that might be considered a read-alike because I get SO MANY kids who have read them all and want more. Timmy Failure is a good one. Not familiar with Adam Blade though.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Adam Blade is the writer of the Beast Quest series. And to say the kids here read them A LOT it would be a bit of an understatement. As soon as they cracked this thing with reading, they just... plow through them!

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

That series isn't as big at my library. I think we have them, but people don't knock down the door for them. The older readers LOVE the Wings of Fire series though, we can't keep them on the shelf!

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Hadn't heard about those. :-) Not sure if they're even translated!