Blisstree » Reviews and Recommendations

Lovely Bones, a Review

Marcie — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:27:39 +0000

Young adults will be immediately drawn into Susie Salmon’s world, or rather, heaven, with the second sentence: “I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.” Immediately, the reader knows that Susie is dead and in Chapter One we see and feel her murder. The description is vivid and all too real, but the reader must feel it in order to be drawn into the story.
Sebold’s gift here is not in the imaginative plot of the story, but rather in the narration. Told in first person, Susie becomes an omniscient narrator from her interim heaven where she awaits her killer’s justice. She follows her family through it’s initial search, then grief, and finally, through its demise. She learns, despite her eternal age, to grow and to understand how the world exists without her in it.
Thankfully, Sebold gives us a happy-ending wherein Susie is granted a miracle and in turn is able to finally break her hold on Earth and her family. The story, despite its grim conflict, is touching, funny, and inspiring.

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Lovely Bones, a Review

Life in the Fat Lane, a Review

Marcie — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:31:11 +0000

Life in the Fat Lane

Cherie Bennett

GENRE: Realistic Fiction
THEME: Teenage Pressures, Stress, Relationships, Weight Control, Eating Disorders, Fitting In, and Self-Perception.
RL/IL: Young Adult: Grades 7-9.
PAGES: 260
Warnings: None

Beauty Queen Lara has the perfect life. She has the perfect parents, the perfect body, the perfect friends, the perfect boyfriend and popularity. What more could a girl ask for, especially one as sweet and giving as Lara? Can life really be that perfect?

After being crowned Homecoming Queen, Lara begins to rapidly gain weight. At first, it is only 10 pounds, then 10 more, and then 20 more. Soon Lara is the laughing stock of her high school; she has lost all of her perfect friends, and she starts to see how her parents really treat each other…as strangers who hate one another. Only her best friend Molly and her loving boyfriend Jett stick by her.

Doctor after doctor tell her that she is fine, but why does she continue to gain weight when she is eating less than 600 calories a day and working out for over an hour? This quick read is not only the story about weight loss and body image, but about finding oneself. Lara must either come to terms with her weight gain and accept herself for who she truly is, or wallow in her own self pity.

Somewhat trite and stereotypical, Bennett tries too hard to sound like a teenager. Lara’s conversations and monologues are sometimes forced and in the end her character seems flat. Although the story is interesting, it could be told more realistically.

I had the opportunity to meet Bennett and her husband back in the summer of 2003 when I was doing my grad work at the Oakland University. Both were wonderfully engaging people and love writing together. Kids will certainly find the book charming.

CONNECTIONS:
Swallowing Stones
Pretty Face

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Life in the Fat Lane, a Review

All You Want and Then Some – a Review

Mary Emma Allen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:00:49 +0000

All You Want and Then Some, a picture book by Carolyn McWilliams Brown and Illustrated by Deb Hoeffner.

I found this a delightful picture book based on an experience in the life of the author and her daughter. The narrator, Katie feels neglected because her parents are busy with a new baby and a toddler.

Then Bella, moves next door and finds time for Katie, as happened in the life of the author’s family. From Bella, Katie learns what it means to receive small acts of kindness, as well as give them.

A story with Christian overtures, All You Want and Then Some is charming in its solutions to a little girl’s problem and family challenges. Deb Hoeffner’s illustrations are very appealing, too.

In a future post, I’ll provide an interview with author Carolyn McWilliams Brown.

(Amazon Image)

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All You Want and Then Some – a Review

KidZui the Best Online Experience for Kids

Marcie — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:10:17 +0000

When I first learned about KidZui this past holiday I thought it was interesting and logged on to see what the buzz was about. My oldest son liked it because he was just getting into computer games but at the time we did not have an internet access for him (I just can’t let him use my work computer).

Over the last few weeks thousands of kids have voted for the animated movie they think should win the Oscar. And although the winner is surprising to me (I’m watching Wall-e win the Oscar as I write this), nothing seems to surprise the creators of KidZui anymore.

The core DNA of KidZui is for kids to have a place to air their opinions and search safely. So parents who are smart enough to tune into their Parental Control page can actually learn what their children are interested in and want. Parents can also receive detailed weekly email reports and always have secure access to an online parental website that details their children’s activities on KidZui. “The weekly reports not only keep parents informed about what their children do online, but also serve as family conversation starters. Through the parental account, parents can change the categories of content available, add and take out specific Web sites and see what their children are viewing online.”

What the best feature of KidZui is though, is that KidZui is safe. It was created by a father who saw how difficult it was to safely teach his children how to use the Internet…without his kids getting sucked into inappropriate sites or inadvertently downloading malicious content. At the time he first started brainstorming his children were only able to navigate 4 or 5 parent bookmarked sites.

KidZui has 1.5 million websites, videos, photos and games available to children.

If you have children who are just starting to navigate the Internet…I highly suggest starting them on KidZui. It’s FREE, safe, and you can have an entire computer dedicated to turn on directly to the page so they don’t have to touch anything else. Fabulous, eh?

Recognition

KidZui has received recognition from the following prestigious organizations:

· KidZui is proud to be an iParenting Media Award Winner

· KidZui is proud to be an iParenting Media HOT Award

· Gold Award Winner, 2008 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA)

· Recommended by Parents’ Choice

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KidZui the Best Online Experience for Kids

Go Ask Alice, a Review

Marcie — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:38:06 +0000

Go Ask Alice

Anonymous

GENRE: Realistic Fiction or personal Non-fiction
THEME: Growing up, Family, Responsibility, Drugs, Sexuality, and Identity
RL/IL: Young Adult, Middle School or High School
AWARDS:
PAGES: 205
Warnings: Sex, drugs, molestation, homosexuality
Alice begins her diary out of necessity. She is looking for someone to talk to, someone to share her feelings of isolation from her family and her world. Instead, her diary turns into a chronicle of drug and sexual abuse. Initially, her experimentation with drugs is an accident; her friends play an “adult version” of spin the bottle, spiking her Coke with LSD. After her fascinating experience, a good first trip, Alice begins to experiment to fit in, only to find out that drugs can not mask her loneliness and unfulfillment.
Alice deals with many teenage problems including the simple concerns such as popularity, sex, homework, weight, and freedom. However, the deeper Alice gets into drugs, the more serious her problems become. She must learn to deal with sexual molestation, severe anxiety, guilt about selling drugs to young children, and remorse for what she has done to her parents.

The horrifying truth to this novel is that Alice could be anyone of us. Go Ask Alicehas become a classic because of its realism and its universal message about drugs, sex, and the teenager’s everlasting quest for happiness and love.

I recommend that every teenager girl (and boy) read this book because it does tell a horrifying story of drugs. It doesn’t glorify drugs but it tells the truth.

CONNECTIONS:
Speak
Cut
Getting The Girl
Push: A Novel
Tyrell
Pure Sunshine
Candy

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Go Ask Alice, a Review

The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary

Marcie — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 05:29:41 +0000

The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary- Candace Fleming

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2008:
“The scrapbook technique . . . remains fresh and lively, a great way to provide a huge amount of information in a format that invites both browsing and in-depth study.”

Review, New York Times Book Review, November 9, 2008:
“The format of ‘The Lincolns’ may be aimed at young readers, but, given Candace Fleming’s unerring eye for the dramatic quotation (with the Lincolns, there were a lot of those), this birth-to-death biography of Mary and Abraham is hard to put down even for readers who know the story.”

This is one of the best designed Lincoln books that I have seen. The scrapbook design is a fabulous way for kids to learn about history because it is so easy to read. In fact, I used to teach Non-Fiction in this manner to my middle school students because so many text-books were moving to this layout. Graphs, charts, recipes (Mary’s recipe for Abraham’s favorite cake!) are easy to view instead of mountains of text that become overwhelming to kids. Even adults will love browsing this book and finding tidbits of information about Mary and Abraham.

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The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary

A Patchwork of Books – One of My Favorite Children’s Book Blogs

Mary Emma Allen — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:32:34 +0000

Amanda, a children’s librarian and blogger, does a wonderful job presenting reviews and insights into numerous books for tots through teens at A Patchwork of Books. She also has specific days of the week for reviewing and mentioning various types of books. For instance, Saturdays usually is reserved for picture books.

Then you’ll also find tidbits about Amanda’s life, along with other information concerning children’s books and reading. Stop by A Patchwork of Books and enjoy this blog as much as I do as I follow Amanda’s reading and life.

(ClassicPix image at Amazon)

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A Patchwork of Books – One of My Favorite Children’s Book Blogs

Jacob Have I Loved, a Review

Marcie — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:24:20 +0000

Jacob Have I Loved

Katherine Paterson

GENRE: Realistic Fiction
THEME: Growing up, Family, Twins.
RL/IL: Young Adult or Adult – Senior High School
AWARDS: Newbery Medal, ALA Notable Book, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, SLJ Best Book of the Year, Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice, and Fanfare Honor List.
PAGES: 244
Warning: none

Sara Louise Bradshaw grew up in the shadow of her beautiful and talented twin sister, Caroline. All she has ever wanted was her parents’ love, a great education, and affection from her best male friend. But Caroline takes it all. Growing up in Chesapeake Bay Island in the 1940’s Louise turns to the water where she is most comfortable and makes friends with a local fisherman who has returned after a long absence. When the war begins and her father needs help on the boat, Louise heads out to help him while her sister goes to the city to study music. Louise finds out that she is not happy at sea and realizes that she must try to find herself and make herself happy.

Perhaps written for a more adult audience, Paterson touches on coming of age topics and a woman’s adult struggles.

CONNECTIONS:
1) Bridge to Terabithia
2) The Great Gilly Hopkins

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Jacob Have I Loved, a Review

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, a Review

Marcie — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:09:34 +0000

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Chris Crutcher

GENRE: Realistic Fiction
THEME: Growing up, Family, Responsibility, Friendship, and Morality.
RL/IL: Adult; Senior High School
AWARDS:
PAGES: 216
Warning: Sex, abortion, violence, child abuse, suicide, religion

By the time Sarah Byrnes was three years old, her face and hands had been burned in an “accident”, her mother had left town and her father had sadistically refused reconstructive surgery. In turn, Sarah became tough, cold, and sarcastic, her way of dealing with her pain. In middle school she befriended Eric Calhoune (Moby), the resident fat boy and the two struggled through middle and most of high school as masters of intellect and revenge.

But when Eric joins the high school swim team and begins to slim down and make friends, Sarah is threatened and their friendship begins to fade. When Sarah finds out that Eric is eating excessively to “stay fat for Sarah”, she coldly threatens to beat him.

Eventually, Sarah’s past catches up to her and we find her in a psychiatric ward, speaking to no one, particularly her cruel father. Still entirely sane, Sarah escapes from the ward and her father stalks and almost kills Eric in order to find his beloved daughter. He would rather have her dead then have her reveal her horrid secret to the world.
Crutcher tells this coming of age story with many subplots: abortion, sex, suicide, religion, ethic, dating, marriage, and hypocrisy. Ultimately, Crutcher weaves both a dark and extremely moral tale.

CONNECTIONS:
Cut
The Chocolate War

Sloppy Firsts: A Novel
Body of Christopher Creed, The

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Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, a Review

Snow by Cynthia Rylant

Marcie — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:34:25 +0000

To me, snow stirs up excitement, anticipation, memories. I love snow. And, obviously so does Cynthia Rylant.

She writes eloquently about snowfall, how enticing it is to see, to anticipate more, to experience all their is about the touch, the sight, the feel of snow.

It’s not just about snow but about emotion and feeling.

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Snow by Cynthia Rylant