Books Read in March

Don't laugh at the amount of Children's books on this list! I could not find my reading groove this month. :-\ Maybe if I wasn't up all night reading livejournal LOL!

Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


3.5 Stars -- I really liked the little stories and the characters and I wish it could have been longer.




Extreme Opposites by Max Dalton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is hilarious. This is the kind of book you get a kid when they are little for the discussion of opposites and as they get older they can appreciate the twisted, dark humor. For example, "Too High" is a picture of a little girl who cannot reach the top of her GIANT birthday cake. "Too Low"? A guy climbing down a ladder who sees THE DEVIL! LOL!!!

Yeah, we had a good giggle at the desk while reading this one. Parents and child will enjoy this book which would make for a fun baby shower gift.




Dragon Quest by Allan Baillie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Beautiful book with a great story. Perfect for that kid who loves dragons and knights. Would make for a good storytime book if you had an old enough audience, maybe skip a few pages here and there if the crowd is smaller. Also good for school visits.




The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble by Frank Cammuso

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Super-cute, clever, and a quick read.




Beginning Pearls by Stephan Pastis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


3.5 stars. I love Pearls Before Swine but I am unsure about how I feel about this new trend in publishing, putting together "children's collections" of newspaper strips that are pretty safe anyway. I mean, nothing that objectionable happens in a regular strip of Pearls. True, some of the humor does fly over kid's heads because of a concept or the language used. And the little "chapters" introducing each character were a nice touch, but I can't shake the feeling that this is just a cash-in on the whole Wimpy Kid style book craze.

Though on the OTHER hand, so few households get daily newspapers anymore, I'm not sure how a child would be exposed to Pearls any other way! When I was a kid, my parents got the newspaper and I read the comics every morning as part of my routine while eating breakfast. We get most of our news from the Internet now so I doubt a family would spend the extra money to have it delivered a day or two later in paper format just to read the funnies.

So, in short, Pearls Before Swine gets 5 stars from me, but the whole "children's collection" trend made me mark this down a couple stars.




My Little Pony: Pinkie Pie and the Rockin' Ponypalooza Party! by G.M. Berrow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Perfect book any My Little Pony fan. Berrow really captures the show, with it's quirky cartoon antics and little jokes for the grown-ups. Easy enough language for newer readers but interesting enough story to even keep the older elementary school kids interested. Sorta curious about the rest of the series now!




Reality Boy by A.S. King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There is a reason A.S. King gets my "favorite author" tag. She has yet to disappoint me when it comes to realistic fiction about young adults facing difficult situations. Notice I didn't say difficult young adults or troubled teens. These are stories of good kids who have dealing with life as best as they can.

"Reality Boy" is about a young man who, as a child, was featured on a reality tv show and became infamous for defecating around his parents house. Now he is in high school, and as you read the story you find out about what happened in that house his entire life and how he is dealing with it now.

It's not for the faint of heart. It's a tragic story. Gerald has been damaged by his family and it's sad to read about how it all happened. This may not be my favorite of King's books, but it is still a solid story. Adults and teens should read her books and sit down to discuss.




Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book gets 5 stars for just being genius. Not only is the story hilarious, it's a very clever idea! And this book could inspire many kids to scribble in their old picture books, which both horrifies me (the librarian side) and intrigues me (the art side).

Before you give this book to your kid, hit up the flea market or used book sale at the library and buy a bunch of old picture books that have no sentimental value for you and include them in the present.




Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great collection. I may need to buy this one for my personal collection.




Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #2 by Zack Whedon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


So far, this feels very true to the 'verse and true to the characters. Really impressed with the writing and I even like the art style, which is always tricky when a comic is based on a tv show with such recognizable faces.




View all my reviews

How Is Technology Changing TV Narrative? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital St...

Wanted to share this because rogueslayer452 and I were talking about Legend of the Seeker and Firefly and the "what if it was on TV today" scenarios and I felt this was relevant to that discussion.

The Friday Five for 4 April 2014...

Originally posted by ariestess at The Friday Five for 4 April 2014...

film/tv/entertainment!

1. What is your favorite novel to screen adaptation?

The first movie that came to mind is Fantastic Mr Fox though the movie is less of an adaptation and more loosely inspired by the book. And I'd like to say the Lord of the Rings but as I've never made it through the books, I feel sorta unqualified to list it. OH OH Jurassic Park! That one holds a special place in my heart as I adore both the movie and the book and I think they both stand up on their own still.
2. What novel to screen adaptation did you hate, when you had liked the book?

Hm, I've been very disappointed in several movie adaptations but I'm having a hard time thinking of one I truly hated. I know there must be some but I think I blocked them out.
3. When was the last time you went to the cinema and what did you watch?

Last month for MUPPETS MOST WANTED! :D Not as good as the previous one, but still SO MUCH FUN!
4. Sugared or salted popcorn?

For the movies? Salt and BUTTER!
5. Cinema or DVD?

Depends on the movie, I suppose. I find for comedies and action movies, it's better to see them on the big screen with a big crowd so you get the buzz from everyone having fun. But smaller, more "arranging matches" movies I prefer on DVD so I can watch in silence.(sic)

April Questions - Five Books

faeriesfolly asked that I Rec 5 books. Recent or not. (and I feel like it's okay for me to do this at work because Reader's Advisory is part of my job, yeah?)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams -- my all time favorite book. Love it to pieces, can quote it on demand (though I usually don't want for a demand and just quote it anyway). No other book makes me laugh so much.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- the more serious end of the scale, Zusak's beautiful novel, narrated by Death, observing a young girl as she navigates life and childhood in Nazi Germany.

Shopgirl by Steve Martin -- Bittersweet, melancholy, and poetic, I just love this book and everything about it.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King -- fantastic YA novel about a boy dealing with being bullied, his parents, growing up and everything else a teen deals with on a daily basis. I love King's stories because she always has this little big of magic mixed in. Not enough to call it a fantasy. In the book, the boy escapes his torment in his dreams each night where he hangs out with his POW Grandfather in Vietnam...

Blankets by Craig Thompson -- gotta have at least one graphic novel in the mix and this is one of my all time favorites. Great coming of age, first love story, so beautifully drawn and honest to a fault. <3