Novel Into Film

You knew it was coming. The annual, what books are being made into films this year segment of the blog. If you have been watching television you may have already been seeing the trailers for some of the upcoming spring movies. So here are the movies coming out this year. Please let me know if I have missed any.

Beastly
March 4, 2011
Book by Alex Flinn



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
July 15, 2011
Book by J.K. Rowling



Winnie the Pooh
July 15, 2011
Book by A.A. Milne



Mr. Popper's Penguins
August 12, 2011
Book by Richard and Florence Atwater

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
December 9, 2011
Book by Brian Selznick



Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules
Book by Greg Kinney



The Adventures of TinTin: Secret of the Unicorn
December 23, 2011
Book by Herge



Breaking Dawn
November 18, 2011
Book by Stephanie Meyers

Movies currently optioned or in production:
(italicized titles are currently in production and are a go)
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi

Across the Universe Book Review

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Amy has given up everything she has ever known, Earth, friends, Jason, in order to help colonize another planet. The one catch, it will take 300 years to get there. Wait, 301. So Amy and her mother and father are cryogenically frozen. But something goes terribly wrong and Amy is woken too early, 50 years too early. By the time they reach Centauri, Amy will be an old woman or possibly dead. She may never see her parents again.

Also on board are over two thousand workers who live on the ship as it hurtles through space toward their destination. After a terrible plague decimates the population, the people of the ship set up a system of control using leaders. Elder is training to be the next leader of Godspeed. He never questioned the way things were on the ship until Amy wakes up. Only Amy realizes that people should now walk around like zombies, Eldest runs the ship like a dictator, someone has changed Earth's history in the computers, and someone is trying to kill those who are frozen just like they tried to kill her.

Unlike some people, I make a very big distinction between science fiction and fantasy. Sci-fi is not fantasy for it doesn't contain magic and oh how I love some good old-fashioned sci-fi. Beth Revis does a stupendous job of bringing this world to life, the world of the Godspeed. Can you imagine living on a ship your entire life where you never felt a breeze, where the inside air is the same as the air outside, of never seeing the sun or moon or stars, of knowing about mountains only through pictures? Revis paints such a vivid picture of life aboard this ship and the reader can wholly relate to Amy who nearly goes mad with the idea of being trapped aboard a ship that does not contain any of those things that she loves.

My only criticism was in that I guessed who the "bad guy" was pretty early on. Some other things were obvious as well, but that is to be expected for we are Amy and we understand that people should not be walking around as zombies, so we feel her frustration and anger as she tries to get Elder to understand that things are not "normal". People do not act this way. This is a story of realization and discovery and asks the question, what lengths would you go to in order to make people happy? This is classic sci-fi with all the necessary elements with a rolling plot and impeccable timing and I look forward to hearing the author speak in Raleigh this week.

On a side note, the cover of this book is fascinating as it is double sided. I'll be honest, I may not have picked up this book if the kissing girl and guy had been showing. Take that book, I would not have picked it up. I don't like romance stories. But the cover with the ship schematics on it...that grabbed my attention.

Under the Jolly Roger Book Review

Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer

Jacky Mary Faber is up to her old tricks. After leaving Boston in chaos, she signs on to a whaler, eventually finding her way back to London and her beloved Jaimy. Instead she finds Jaimy in the arms of another woman. Jacky's usual impetuousness send her running straight into the arms of a press gang and soon Midshipman Jacky Faber finds herself and her womanhood up for grabs. Being Jacky, she soon finds herself in a world of trouble that makes her a Lieutenant and then a Captain and eventually, for it was inevitable, a privateer with her own ship.

My dear readers, you need to begin reading this series, because I am going to continue reviewing them and as much as I don't want to give things away, I can't stop reading and writing about it. These books are so much fun. Jacky is wonderfully misbehaved and the trouble she gets herself into is delicious. L.A. Meyer's attention to detail made me smile. I don't even know if everything described in the book is what a real sailor would do, but there is such an air of authenticity, that real or not, I believe it.

I think I am jealous of L.A. Meyer though. He has found such a wonderful character in Jacky, a character that a reader wouldn't mind following for years and years. Considering how much she has accomplished in three books (six years), one can only imagine what she will do in a lifetime. That is, if she doesn't find herself at the end of a hangman's noose. I am jealous that he found such a strong voice and brilliant plot ideas.

Please someone, say I am not the only one who has been reading these books!

Dark Materials: Reflecting on Dystopian Themes in Young Adult Literature

In December the New York Times ran an opinion peace regarding Dystopian young adult fiction and the reasoning behind it. The opinions expressed by writers and educators are as follows:

Paolo Bacigalupi, author of 'Ship Breaker', believes that the obsession with dystopia is because young people see the truth in the world around them and want that honesty and truth-telling in their fiction.

Maggie Stiefvater, author of the 'Shiver' trilogy differs in her opinion, stating that rather than truth, teens are looking for escapism. These dystopian worlds are not theirs and for that reason, they are enjoyable.

Jay Parini, poet and novelist and Professor of English and Creative Writing at Middlebury College says, "They [teens] feel trapped, forced into a world of tests that humiliate and unnerve them. And so we have "The Hunger Games” books by Suzanne Collins, or any number of young adult novels that eerily reflect aspects of our current world -- or the least attractive aspects of this world."

Scott Westerfeld, author of the 'Uglies' series and 'Leviathan' is under the impressions that teens are intrigued by the idea that the "system", the very thing that gives them rules and regulations, may fall apart. What an idea that in the end, all those tests and rules don't matter because it is about survival in the end.

Andrew Clements, author of 'Frindle' and most recently 'Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of School' series believes that in a world where we have video game death and constant news feeds, the world is darker and in consequence, so are readers. It is the same as reading horror stories, we live in a scary world, therefore we create and read stories that are even more terrifying.

Lisa Rowe Fraustino, an associate professor at Eastern Connecticut State University proffers that we as humans find some kind of comfort in the darkness. "The more we understand how small and powerless we really are against the immense forces that control our existence, the more we yearn to feel meaningful."

Finally, Michelle Ann Abate professor and author of 'Raising Your Kids Right: Children's Literature and American Political Conservatism' raises the questions "Is the role of these books to educate young people about the world in which they live, including its unpleasant aspects. Or, is it their responsibility to shield children from such elements?"


As for this blogger and writer and lover of Dystopia since I was twelve, I think that it is that Dystopian sci-fi asks the right questions, or more importantly THE question. What If? It is a question that scientists and philosophers and writers have been asking for thousands of years. The question has spawned great literature, momentous scientific achievements, and allowed people to dream of a future different from their own reality. Dystopian sci-fi is the darker side of that question, but it is still the same one. What if, in the future, we run out of a gas? What if the sanctity of life was completely taken away? What if our obsession with beauty and cosmetic surgery was taken to a point of normality? Teens think about these things all the time. They wonder what their world will be like. In the news we watch the rise and fall of nations and leaders, the destruction from a bomb, the constant talk of climate change, and teens wonder, what will their reality hold. Dystopian sci-fi is not a truth, it is one author's answer to one question, but is a question that must be asked and my favorite part of being a fiction writer is that I can answer that question.

Why do you think Dystopian sci-fi is so popular?

Brain Jack Book Review

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

In the not too distant future, the world is on the brink of war. A cyber war. Unknown enemies have destroyed Las Vegas, leaving behind a nuclear wasteland, Neuro-transmitters are all the rage, but seriously addicting, and terrorists threaten national security through hacking. Seventeen-year-old Sam, hacker extraordinaire, is the best at what he does, so good that he is enlisted to work for National Security, fending off would be hackers and hopefully preventing another incident like Vegas. But there is another threat, one that no one expects and this time the enemy is themselves.

In the vein of M.T. Anderson's Feed, Brian Falkner takes the idea of Internet downloaded directly to the brain to a whole different level. With the aid of well-thought out and visualized technical jargon, Brain Jack takes on a life of its own, rolling from one hack to the other, until the true enemy is brought to light. The basic concept...if you can hack a computer, could you hack a human brain? If you could erase the memory of a computer, what about a human brain? If you can add files, what about creating new false memories? The implications are mind boggling.

Amazing. From the beginning I was sucked into this world Falkner has created. Part action flick, part meditation on the powers and perils of technology, Brain Jack is a fast, fun read. Sam is one of those teens we all know...an extremely bright and talented person who walks, talks and lives for technology. He is vibrant, intuitive, and leaps off the pages as well as the other characters in this novel. My two favorites being Dodge and Vienna. The prologue captures the reader and doesn't let go. In fact, I think I will let the book talk for itself. You can also find this prologue on Amazon. I highly recommend making this and The Tomorrow Code part of your collection.

Right now, as you read this prologue, I am sifting through the contents of your computer. Yes, your computer. You. The one holding this book. I am reading your e-mails, looking at your digital photos and images you have downloaded off the Net opening your most private documents and having a good read, or a good laugh, depending on the content. To be honest, most of it is utterly boring. Except for a few files. You know the ones I mean. I know you don't believe me, and I prefer it that way, but think about this. When you bought this book, you used a credit card or a debit card. That created a record in the massive computer systems that the banks use. The systems they claim are impregnable. But they are on the Net. And nothing is impregnable on the Net. So I monitor hose systems for transactions with the ISBN of this book--that's the International Standard Book Number. You'll find it on the publisher's copyright page on page iv. Have a look now. It's 978-0375-84266-2. When your transaction went thought, I got an alert from one of my monitoring programs, and, as I had nothing better to do, I dug a little deeper. I got the credit card number from the transaction log, and that, with just a quick poke around in the "highly secure" databases of the bank, gave me your home address and telephone number. I cross-matched that with the Internet service providers in your area to find your broadband connection. Then I checked to see if you have a static IP (that's the electronic address of your home computer). You don't , so I raided your ISP's DHCP server to get your current IP. It didn't take me long to find out where your computer lives on the Internet. Your router's firewall was a joke--and not even a very funny one. The built-in firewall on your PC was another story, though. That held me up for a couple of heartbeats. I has to use your peer-to-peer-file-sharing client to slip a Trojan past your security and gain remote-administrator access, shape-shifting a little as I did it so as not to attract attention from your antivirus software. No matter. It took me less than ten minutes from seeing the transaction to obtaining complete access to your hard drive. So now, while you're reading this, I'm looking through your computer and having a great time. You could turn your computer off, but you'd already be too late. I could delete a few files, but I probably won't. I could change your passwords and lock you out of your own system, but I can't be bothered. And I won't crash your system or delete the contents of your hard drive or anything like that. I am not malicious or evil, or even particularly bad. I'll just quietly leave and erase any trace that I was ever there. But i know you now. I know who you are. I know where you live. I know what you've got. And if the time comes that I need something from you, something that you might or might not want to give up, I'll be back. That time is coming Sooner than you think. But in the meantime, don't worry about me. I'm not worrying about you. Right now, I've got a much bigger problems to think about.

James Frey and the Formula to Success

Author and professional liar James Frey is up to his usual shenanigans, duping the American public and minimizing literary merit. Let's begin at the beginning shall we.

James Frey was caught embellishing the details of his book A Million Little Pieces. Unapologetic, Frey did go on Oprah to plead his case and kind of apologize, but it was clear, Frey had sold over a million books and if it was a lie, so be it. Fast forward a couple years. A best-selling author James Frey walks into your college campus and promises you fame and fortune. He is starting a new publishing venture and promises that he has discovered the key to success and he wants you to come one board. Young author's (and some old) desperate to be published, sign on to James Frey's contract which will pay them $250, Frey has complete creative control, must be published under a pseudonym, and the author is not allowed to proclaim their authorship of the book for a year. Why would anyone sign such a contract? Because Frey has found the key to success and your book will be published. Isn't that enough? (read this great NYT article and this one) The Author's Guild has expressed serious concerns over these contracts.

So what is Frey's motivations? Apparently, he wants to produce the next Harry Potter. Mr. Frey has been aggressive: only developing ideas that have serial book potential, as well as obvious film, TV, merchandising and digital marketability. If it isn't going to be a TV show or movie then forget about it. All the buzz surrounding the book and film? A lot of that pre-published buzz came from Frey himself. He is determined the create the next commercial success and the fact that young writers are lining up behind him in hopes that he will make their books (not them) famous is enough. Should it be any surprises that Jobie Hughes (the true author of I am Number Four) was a huge fan of James Frey before working with him? In fact, I can imagine that only big fans of Frey's ego would be allowed to work with him.

To be fair, without its commercial film making appeal, this book may never have been published. It wasn't until Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg expressed interest in the film, did any publisher take ti seriously.

The book I Am Number Four has received mixed reviews with one thing for certain, it will not be winning any literary awards any time soon. It has made no significant cultural impact either, and is unlikely to be the next Harry Potter or Twilight. But it is being made into a Hollywood film with director Michael Bay at the helm, which promises for a lot of action and explosions.

Hughes has walked away from the project. He hired a lawyer, and they prepared documents requesting 20 percent of all future proceeds related to “The Lorien Legacies.” Hughes and Frey’s legal dispute have reportedly been settled, but the terms are unknown.

Here is my major issue with Frey. His key to success states that the author is a nobody and that you do not need to have a good book in order to have a best-seller, take it from him. Now, as an author I would be rather offended that someone is telling me they don't need my help, my name, or even literary quality to attract the masses. Also, how offensive is it to the art of writing and all the labor and love that goes into it, for a man to come forward and say that none of it matters, all that matters is the formula? But then, he also says he loves books, so which is it?

Personally, I would love for my future books to be wildly popular and (maybe) made into a film, but not at the expense of literary quality. I would rather write something brilliant that isn't a best-seller, but really connects with my readers in a way that they will carry the books with them forever. Commercial success is grand and all, but I refuse to sell my soul/book to obtain it. So in case you were wondering, I will not be reading the book as a matter of principle and I will not be seeing the film either.

A Crack in the Sky Book Review

A Crack in the Sky (Greenhouse Chronicles) by Mark Peter Hughes

Eli Papodapolous has lived in the domes all his life. Built by his grandfather and run by InfiniCorp, which his entire family runs, Eli's life is one of ease and comfort. However, something is wrong. The domes are hotter than ever, the sky advertisements are just plain weird, and the Foggers (those trying to bring down InfiniCorp) are trying to recruit him. Eli wants the truth, but not if it means betraying his family. Meanwhile, Tabitha is a traitor and she has learned that she must take care of herself to survive and escape InfiniCorp's relearning program, a high-tech brainwashing scheme. Neither Tabitha nor Eli realize that their quests are the same and they will need each other to find the truth.

A Crack in the Sky is a book with a very clear message concerning global warming, but a fresh voice, interesting what ifs, and fast paced plot save this would-be sermon. Eli is a character that children can relate to. He wants to please his parents and his family, but there are questions that demand answers and not even his loyalty can thwart his curiosity. This leads him on a path that is self-destructive, but with hints of a promise towards salvation. Tabitha too has questions, but perhaps believes a little too quickly what she is told and trades one lie for another. When confronted with possible truths, Tabitha loses her faith in everything which is possibly worse. There is also a third character, an altered mongoose who speaks with Eli telepathically and is their miraculous savior due to gifts that she isn't sure the full depth of.

The story itself is rather obvious. The domes were built to escape the global warming, a temporary solution until things cool down, however things aren't cooling down and the domes are beginning to lose their battle with the changing planet. Instead of letting people know of their impending doom, InfiniCorp chooses to keep everyone in the dark, brainwashing them into nonchalance. When Eli probes, it becomes clear that humanity will die a slow death completely unaware of what is happening. The company has chosen to be comfortable even though there were plenty of opportunities to take the harder less comfortable path that could have brought back the planet. Very preachy.

Again, the characters and plot twists are fun and interesting, a mash up of Dune, Logan's Run, and The Matrix. Hughes clearly thought a lot about the book, global warming, and characters thoroughly, making this far better than that Empty mess of a book. The cover art is beautiful, by Per Haagensen. I could have done without the author's note at the end, which was basically a note to young readers reminding them what the "message" of the book really is and that the series is fictional. It's as if the author doesn't trust his reader's enough to get it and to do their own research if they have questions. Another nice addition to the dystopian sci-fi genre.

Of Domes and Other Things

In the Arizona dessert there are series of interconnected glass domes and pyramids called the Biosphere 2. Originally conceived as a self sustaining ecological system the experiment was a miserable failure in the early 90's when it was revealed that the plants weren't producing enough oxygen and the people inside had to breach the airlock when one of the scientists' leg was broken. The biosphere was a realization of an idea that has intrigued science fiction writers and scientists for decades. Sci-fi writers see these domes of furtile places for the imagination, often representing oppression. However, scientists see these self-sustaining cities as possible habitats for human life in the moon or Mars.

Early science fiction (pre-Global Warming days) usually showed domes as space colonies. Various writers put domed cities on Venus, Mars, and the moon. Other writers used domes cities to show the ills of ouor society and government. In the short story by E.M. Foster "The Machine Stops", humans live in a vast series of rooms in an underground machine that provides everything they could ever need. However, the machine eventually breaks down causing the inevitable death of all its citizens. Arthur C. Clarke saw domes as a retreat in The City and the Stars, a modern day (1950's style) Eden.

The first mention of a domed city was in 1881 in the white supremacist fantasy Three Hundred Years Hence by William Hay, besides being full of only white people Hay's domed city is mostly used for agriculture. In 1905 H.G. Wells suggested A Modern Utopia where at least part of cities were covered over in glass. in 1931 Ray Cummings wrote Brigands of the Moon where people lived in small glass dome shelters. James Blish created the idea of a spindizzy in his series Cities in Flight in which cities could take off into space at will. Logan's Run originally published in 1976 built domed cities to escape polution and war. In 1982 Ben Bova published A City of Darkness where domes were playgrounds during the day, and terrifying by night.

But these are all adult books you say. Never fear, domed cities infiltrated children's literature as well. The Tripods series by John Christopher has humans living as slaves beneath alien domes (very similar to Battlefield Earth, which is never read due to its scientology affiliation, but is really quite good) In 2010 A Crack in the Sky by Mark Peter Hughes was published with the domes being run by a corporation that isn't admitting that the domes may be falling apart piece by piece. Some may even argue that Incarceron by Catherine Fisher could be considered a "domed" city. Songs of Power by Hilari Bell is about an underground domed city and Away is a Strange Place to Be by H.M. Hoover features space habitats, very similar to domed cities.

But just in case you thought this was all some kind of fictional enterprise, feast your eyes on the newest form of domed city from the minds of the Chinese.

Empty Book Review

Empty by Suzanne Weyn

The oil is running out faster than anyone expected and Tom, Nikki, and Gwen are stuck right in the middle of a change that may be the end of the world as they know it. Food shortages are on the rise, gas syphoning, and violence are becoming more and more prevalent, but all these teens want is a little normalcy. Tom wants Nikki, rich cheerleader, but Gwen is mysterious in a way that Tom finds attractive. Nikki's whole world is changing, and not for the better and she struggles with keeping a normal life and still looking good despite having to wear glasses. Gwen's mother left her and her brother years ago and they have managed just fine on their own until a freak fire and a super hurricane crash her world.

The premise of the story is great and fun to think about although not terribly original. (see Crunch review) Unlike Crunch, this book often felt preachy, with large amounts of info dumps in the first half of the book. Long conversations about manufacturing and the oil being depleted and a long list of products that are no longer available because of the oil shortage. Of course, as if this wasn't enough of a sermon, the author added a super hurricane created by global warming. Just in case you didn't get that the earth is going to be destroyed. One of the things I loved about Crunch was that it didn't matter why they had run out of gas, the point was that it was gone and people had to move on with their lives.

This is mostly a story about running out of gas with naive characters complaining about the gas costing $40 a gallon, having to wear glasses, and dumb crushes as a giant hurricane is hurtling towards them and they are running out of food. What I couldn't understand was that not a single person ever hopped on a bicycle until the very end. Everyone is still driving around with the gas prices at $40 a gallon or more. Are you kidding me? Not a single person saw this coming and built a windmill or have solar power or grow things in a garden? I can tell you, as an avid bicyclist, I already think gas prices are too high and know for a fact that people are already beginning to plant gardens and live more green. I do not think that people would allow gas prices to reach $40 a gallon and not do a single thing about it. At the very least, wouldn't people begin to hoard food?

On a writing level, I am afraid that all of the characters except for rich spoiled Nikki, sounded exactly alike. Without dialogue tags I would never know how was speaking. The constant grumbling about phones now working and lack of warm showers got old. There was never a character who tried to bring things into perspective. No character who though...hmm...maybe I should build a fire to make food. The news articles littered throughout the novel were written with the same voice as the rest of the book, making them feel less than credible and entirely like more info dumps.

The author is right about one thing. This is an issue that should be brought to people's attention, but I would hope that we and our government would not be as idiotic as the people in this book. I can promise you this...if the gas prices ever reached that point, I am sure more people would be riding public transit, bikes, and subways, because it is already happening. There would be incentives for building windmills and solar powered homes. Personal gardens would become the norm and the teens would have to go on with their lives and would not be bellyaching over cell phones not charging because we would have products like this. Humans are amazing creatures who can surely find other ways to survive and create electricity without oil...oh wait, we already are doing that.

Dormia Book Review

Dormia by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

Alfonso has a very unique gift, or perhaps it is a curse. Alfonso can do things in his sleep. But this isn't sleepwalking, because unlike the average sleepwalker who wanders around the house or perhaps make a sandwich, Alfonso climbs trees, repairs clocks, sword fights, and grows plants. In his small town of World's End, Minnesota, this may be strange, but Alfonso soon learns that he is a descendant from a lost and mythical land called Dormia, a place where the citizens are their best when asleep and the last city of Dormia will die unless Alfonso and his strange group of travelers can deliver a Dormian Bloom.

The premise of the book is great. A race of people who have the ability to do anything in their sleep. With the opening of the book the reader is dragged in as we find Alfonso literally up a tree and he has no idea how he got up there and being rather clumsy while awake, isn't entirely sure how to get down. Despite the beginning being set in Minnesota, this is definitely a high fantasy novel, and frankly if Minnesota had been named something like Andalasia (Enchanted reference) then the reader would never have known that this is supposed to be Earth.

Written by two authors, this is a high-energy fast paced novel that is just begging for a sequel. The cast of characters are varied although not well fleshed out. After reading this 500 page tome, I am still unsure of the motivations for a few of these characters. Why would a man who is not Dormian, follow a kid and his Uncle halfway around the world for a fight that isn't his? Alnfonso fights for this kingdom that he has never visited, isn't sure is real, and doesn't intend to stay with. This made him feel more like a puppet than a warrior. The whole country itself has secreted itself away from the world, reminding me of a North Korean Prison. Not exactly inspiring.

I was also unimpressed with the so=called smarts of our main character. Most of the "puzzles" he needed to solve were extremely simple and then he completely ignores clues given to him for another puzzle, which after solving so many of these mind-benders, it seems strange that he couldn't or wouldn't solve this last one. Also, as is often the case in fantasy novels involving any kind of magic, the character always seems to learn some new skill just before he needs to use it, which I have always found suspect.

What this book really suffers from though is a bad case of repetition. The authors often felt it necessary to remind the reader of poems, conversations, history, and descriptions that the reader has already been made aware of, which makes this book about a hundred pages longer than it needed to be. I admit, I am a skipper when I run across information I already know and as a reader I feel like I am being talked down to. Like the authors are saying, "Remember that poem ten pages ago? Well we don't think you do so we are going to spell it out for you again just to be sure you get it."

Although the book wasn't written badly, I often found myself reading just because I wanted to finish it. I have a bas case of have-to-finish-a-book-itis. There is enough adventure and fun elements to hold the attention of middle grade readers, but I think some editing of repeated details and a little more attention to character development would have really made this book great.

Unwind Book Review

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Under the new Laws of Life, parents have the option of "unwinding" their children any time before their eighteenth birthday. If your kid is a troublemaker, a hothead, or no discernable talents, they will take him or her and use their parts, all of them, to go to other citizens. Need a new heart, kidney, lung? There is always one available with the unwind program. Some religion even encourage parents to tithe one of their children for the good of others. But not everyone is going along with the program. Connor discovers his parents are going to have him unwound in a week, so he runs away. Risa is a ward of the state and is part of a population reduction in the state houses. When Connor runs out into traffic and her bus stops, Risa decides to make a run for it alone with a Tithe that Connor grabs called Lev. Together this unlikely trio must survive until their eighteenth birthdays.

In the vein of Rash by Pete Hautman and Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, Unwind is a sci-fi mind game that both repulses and inspires. All three children are well flushed-out with stories and histories that make this whole ordeal beyond terrifying. Lev's parents have told him all his life that he will be tithed and he wasn't afraid until that day Connor took him from the car and his Pastor told him to, "Run." Confused, Lev questions everything his parents have taught him and soon anger takes hold. Connor always knew he had anger issues, but he never imagined his loving parents would have him unwound. Risa never had parents and although a good pianist, she couldn't win the competition to save her own life.

On the logistical side of thing (and controversial side), I think the idea of Unwinding is repulsive, which is what Shusterman was aiming for. And it is also completely unrealistic. In the "history" of the book we come to understand that those who are Pro-Life and Pro-Choice agreed to this plan, which just smacks both groups in the face. No way would either think it is okay to dismember a person--a child--in order to have organ donors. That idea that any person would agree to the death of someone because they "believe" the person's soul lives on in others and doesn't die, is stupid. however, this is a fantasy, so we will, for the sake of the story, have to let it go.

The other interesting development in the story is the idea of storking. No longer do women have abortions (because the child can live in a group home and eventually be unwound), but you can also leave your child on the doorstep of whomever you wish and as long as they don't catch you, the baby is theirs for keeps (or until they have the child unwound). Now, just thinking about the state of overpopulation now, I would imagine this would be a very very bad idea. Plus, what if the family who is storked cannot support the child. Or the child is unloved, which is supposedly why this law was created, so that there were no more unloved and unwanted children. In fact, this entire world that Shusterman has created is very Spartan in nature.

As far as sci-fi goes, this is a good book that gets you thinking. The writing is well-done and the characters are believable, but I don't think we have to worry about this ever happening. Despite thousands of years worth of plagues, overpopulation, childhood diseases, and even Spartans...children are still valued and are likely to remain so.

Countdown Book Review

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

Franny would do anything for her life to be peaceful, but with the threat of nuclear war on America's doorstep, a feuding friendship, a shell-shocked Uncle, and a missing sister, Franny's life is anything but peaceful.

Part autobiography, part documentary, Countdown reads like narrative history and catches the essence of what it would be like to be a child in such a tumultuous time. Franny lives every day of her life afraid that this one will be her last. Will the Soviet Union bomb them today? Will she live to grow up or will her life be cut tragically short just like her Uncle's little brother?

My first memory outside of my own little world was when I was eight. I watched mesmerized as the Berlin wall was pulled down piece by piece. I had a million questions and my parents sat beside me, tears in their eyes, as they explained this weird terrifying world we live in. Deborah Wiles grew up during the beginning of that Cold War. Her first memories were of the fear of those times and in some strange way, I can relate. Except my parents were forthcoming with information and poor Franny is often left completely out of the information loop. As it stands this is really Deborah's story. Although Franny and her family are fictional it is clear that this is the author's time period. This is what she remembers. And by making a character to close to herself and her memories, the reader has a character they can relate to.

My only real criticism or perhaps question is the necessity of the essays of the different people throughout the book. They read like book reports written by Franny, but it felt too much like teaching and threw off the timeline sometimes since the essay would follow the historical figures far past the time portrayed in the book. I liked being rooted in 1962 and felt that the essays pulled me out of it.

Among my favorite parts of the book were the visual references with quotes, pictures, and speeches surrounding the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The story itself was engaging although really nothing terribly important happened. It's not really an adventure story, it's history and I can probably assume that it was some great therapy for the author. The book doesn't preach (except for the last page) and Ms. Wiles allows her young readers to figure some things out for themselves.

Although I think young readers will enjoy this book, I can't help but wonder if the children who grew up in this era, now grown with children and grandchildren, would enjoy it more. An opportunity to relive those moments through someone else's eyes and a reminder of how precious life and living it, is.

A Conspiracy of Kings Book Review

A Conspiracy of Kings by Meaghan Whalen Turner

I make no secret in that I absolutely love The Queen's Thief series. With the whit and cynicism displayed by Eugenides (aka the Thief), I instantly fell in love with him and the twist ending makes me grin every single time I read it.

In the fourth installment of The Queen's Thief series we now follow Sophos, (originally introduced in the first book and missing for the past two books) heir apparent to the Sounis throne. From the beginning, Sophos has been an embarrassment, terrible with the word, easily cowed, and not very brave, Sophos suffers silently as he is groomed to be King, a role that he desperately hopes he will never have to fulfill. His wish comes true when he is kidnapped, only to be sold into slavery to the very Baron who was trying to kill him. Under the Baron's nose Sophos works as a slave and he doesn't mind so much as the pressures of prince hood are gone. But his captivity is short-lived because despite all his apprehensions, Sophos is to be King. After his uncle dies, Sohpos inherits the throne, but a bloody war with Attolia and a civil war between his own barons as well as an "ally" that is secretly trying to control the country, Sophos knows he needs help. With the Magus, he escapes to Attolia to surrender to his old friend Eugenides, now King of Attolia.

Some may be frustrated by the fact that Eugenides plays a minor role in this book, but I absolutely love how this series has progressed. In The Thief and Queen of Attolia we followed Eugenides (Gen) exclusively. In King of Attolia we were in the head of one of Gen's guards who despises him. Even so, you find yourself rooting for Gen because the reader knows him so well. Now, with A Conspiracy of Kings the story has come full circle, bringing us back to a character from the first book. When Gen is aloof and cold towards Sophos, the reader knows that there is more to the King than meets the eye.

This installment is decidedly more political than the other three, but it fits the temperament of Sophos and this is definitely his book. Interesting point: None of the characters in these books are children, but they are middle grade books. Gen was perhaps a teenager in The Thief but that isn't made expressly clear. What does that say about children having to have characters that are close in age to them in order to enjoy the story? Perhaps it is this unusualness that has allowed me to enjoy this series from childhood to adulthood.

If you haven't read The Thief then I highly recommend you do so. And then real all the others. By the way, you will probably find the book with the Award Winners as it did win a Newbery Honor Award.

The Curse of the Blue Tattoo Book Review

The Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady by L.A. Meyer

Now that the crew of the Dolphin knows of Jacky's feminity, she can longer remain on board. With her share of the pirate's treasure the Captain "graciously" enolls Jacky in the elite Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls in Boston. Despite being separated from her dear Jaimy, Jacky decides to make the best of her situation andis rather excited that she, a lowly girl from the slums of London, will be learning how to be a lady But as you can imagine, Jacky, owner of a tattoo and quite a few stories, doesn't exactly fit in. Before long Jacky is up to her neck in trouble being arrested for led and lascivious behavior, falling under the suspicion of the crazy reverend next foor as a waitch, investigating a murder, and eventually being demoted to a servant girl. Maybe Jacky just wasn't meant to be a lady.

The second installment of Miss Jacky Faber is quite different from the first and yet just as fun. By now,t he reader is wel familiar with Jacky's shenanigans and it is no surprise the trouble he gets herself into. And that is wy you read. What is Jacky going to do now? So is it any surprise that when someone tries to press a friend of hers into service on a ship, Jacky drops her skirt, climbing into the rigging of the ship, and threatens to cut the sails? Never.

L.A. Meyer also does a wonderful job of describing an 1800 version of Boston. Having studies and lived there, I loves these descriptions. I could follow Jacky's every footstep having walked on beacon Street, Milk Street, and State Street. I could imagine the old State House well for I have been in it. The history and geography were wonderful and made the story feel so authentic and lovingly researched. Every detail was perfect and spot on.

The third book is on its way and I am very excited.

Bloody Jack Book Review

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer

Mary Faber has been forced to take care of herself since the day her Mum, Dad, and little sister die of plague. Joining the Rooster Charlie gang, Mary begs, borrows, and steals her way to another day of life. They sleep beneath a bridge and occasionally Mary uses her talent of reading to earn them a farthing or two. But when Rooster Charlie is murdered, Mary takes the opportunity to relieve him of his clothes, which he won't be needing anymore, and signs up to be a Ship's boy aboard the Dolphin. And so Mary becomes Jack or Jacky Faber, Ship's boy. Her adventures tale her all over the Atlantic, fighting the French, chasing pirates, and falling in love with Jaimy who has no idea that Jacky is a girl.

This story is absolutely delightful. It's Treasure Island and Alanna: The First Adventure rolled into one. Written in first person dialect, Jacky's quick tongue and bravery will make anyone fall in love with her, despite her propensity for trouble. And get into trouble she does. Nearly beaten senseless by one of the Midshipmen, almost raped (and that was when the sailor thought she was a he), the instigator of a bond between the Ship's boys that results in permanent anchor tattoos, as well as being carried off by a kite, and hung by pirates. And those are just her finer moments. Yet Jacky is a girl despite all her lies and admits that despite everything, she isn't really that brave. This is a breath of fresh air where many historical novels often have the tomboy girl absolutely hating her womanhood. Jacky is simply a survivor, but beneath everything, she is still a girl.

Need a good adventure story? This is it. I don't know if the boys would be as interested in the story as there is a lo of pining done by Jacky as well as some womanly problems that may make the boys blush, but if you are looking for a strong, smart, witty, and lovable protagonist then look no further than Jacky Faber. She will make you laugh and cry and want more and lucky for us L.A. Meyer has written eight books featuring our Miss Faber.

The Last Invisible Boy Book Review

The Last Invisible Boy by Evan Kuhlman

Illustrated by J.P. Coovert

Finne Garrett was an average kid with pinky peach skin and black hair until That Dreadful Day. That was when Finn began to turn invisible. At first it was a few white hairs. Shock s what everyone thought, but over the next few weeks, Finn's hair turns completely skin and his skin just as pale. Why? Is it really shock, or is he becoming a vampire, or worse, is he truly turning invisible?

The premise of the story is great; a boy slowly disappearing due to the death of his father. But that's all there is in the way of a plot. It reminds me of a lecture I once heard with Allison McGhee in which she admitted that plot often eludes her. Once, when a friend asked for some good plot ideas, she send back an email with these two words, "Albino squirrels." Not much of a plot, but it is a place to start. That is how I felt about The Last Invisible Boy. The idea itself was great, but it didn't really go anywhere. Finn has no actual character development in the story. If this was really a story about a kid getting over the death of a parent, then I was a little confused. How exactly did Finn move on? By planting a tree? By not hanging out in the cemetery as often? And most importantly, why was Finn turning invisible?

This story reminded me of many of the things I was taught not to do in writing. Info dumps all over the place. In fact, most of the chapters were written to give us another load of information about Finn, information that never really moved the story forward. Written in first person journal style, I was often confused by Finn's references to everyday being Earth Day and his insistence on mixing up his tenses. Strangest of all were the instructions to the reader where he tells them to write down something or stop reading. Do you really want your readers to put down the book they are reading? The other really important information was left out of the book. What did his father die of? I assume a heart attack, however young readers cannot be expected to assume this and for some reason Finn never actually says, which made me wonder if he even knew. When he finally explains "That Dreadful Day", I got the firm impression that none of the adults were forthcoming about what was going on, something that I don't think would happen if the child was twelve. Perhaps if he was younger, but twelve is more than old enough to know what is going on. Secondly, why was Finn turning invisible? Not even Finn seems to know and in the end I was a little annoyed because this was the promise of the story and nothing really came of it. Was it supernatural or not?

All that said, if I had a young child who was dealing with the death of a parent, particularly a father, I would recommend this book in a heartbeat because despite its plotlessness, the story itself may well help a child dealing with a situation like this,

My Reading Highlights of 2010

Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud:

Can I Play Too? (An Elephant and Piggie book) by Mo Willems

The Siren Song by Anne Ursu

The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes by Kelly Easton and Greg Swearingen

New-To-Me Series That On One Hand I'm Glad To Have Found, But On The Other, I'm Seriously Horrified That I'd Missed Out On Until Now:

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's boy (Bloody Jack Adventures) by L.A. Meyer

Sequel Happiness:

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Book That Made Me Crave Food:

Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

Most Enjoyable Bad Book:

Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith

Forgettable Plot Saved By a Fresh, Honest Voice:

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angelberger

Book I Was Most Surprised By:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Made of Pure Awesome:

The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

Crunch by Leslie Connor

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Newsgirl by Liza Ketchum

Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper

Best Book Hidden Under the Worst Cover:

Pride an Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

More Adorable Than Sparkling Puppies:

Birdie's Big Girl Shoes by Sujean Rim

YA Book Most Likely to be Loved By Adults More Than Actual YAs:

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Biggest Disappointment:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Books that Invoked Irrationally Violent Emotions in me:

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

Books I Loved For Their Imperfect Heroines:

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Best Vampire Book For Twilight-Haters:

Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

Worthy of the Hype:

Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems

Favorite Roadtrip Book (and MAN, there were a lot of them!):

Ranger's Ransom by Emily Diamand

Best Action/Adventure Book:

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Books that were weird just to be weird:

It's a Book by Lane Smith

The Boy Who Couldn't Die by William Sleator

Sci-fi's that made me think there is still a future for this genre (future, get it):

The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

Crunch by Leslie Connor

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

X-Isle by Steve Augarde

Books I lent out to people multiple times:

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Jumper by Steven Gould

The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

Worst Book of the Year:

The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan

Have a question about this list. Wonder why I loved or hated a book? Leave a comment...let's discuss.

Setting:New York City - Reality:None

Despite the lack of book reviews, I promise I have been reading quite a few books over the past few weeks, and through no fault of my own, many appear to have the same interesting trend. The trend being this: That more and more teens are fairly wealthy and live in New York City in apartments that are larger than their other rich friends but never have the one thing they want the most. For boys, this is often a girl, often blond and also rich who doesn't give the main character the time of day because she is currently going out with someone richer and/or manlier. For girls, they are usually searching for popularity and something equally mundane, while trying to squash their opponents/other girls. As an added bonus, these teens often find themselves searching for meaningful adult relationships with the parents who have neglected them due to their money. Take the following books into consideration:













Not to say that all these books are trash, in fact some teeter on the edge of being decent, and a few like The Boy Who Couldn't Die and Beastly are actually rather fun. But most are Sweet Valley High without the kitsch and teens are devouring books like this. Why? Is it because we all imagine what it would be like to be rich? But as you can see, it isn't just the book packaged mass produced series that contain this trend.

The second most popular setting appears to be all girl's boarding schools which is fascinating because although I know they really exist, a raise of hands as to how many people went or know anyone who actually went to one? Off-hand, I can think of only one acquaintance who I worked with ten years ago.

And why are so many books set in New York City? May I venture to say that I imagine for editors (the majority of which work in NYC), would find a book set in their stomping grounds to be more appealing that one set in Wisconsin? As a child who grew up in New Jersey, I used to imagine that New York City was teeming with children my age simply because I had read so many books set in that city that I used to imagine that this was where most of the children of the world lived. I used to imagine that there were roving gangs of children wandering the city treating one another cruelly with no parental supervision. Harriett the Spy may have been to blame for this notion.

All I know is, I am tired of reading about rich people in large apartments in NYC. I think it is time to return to my beloved genre fiction. I'm in the mood for a distant planet full of aliens or a land where the rich are nobility and everyone despises them for it. Any suggestions?

Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems

Trixie and Knuffle Bunny are back in this third and final tale of Knuffle Bunny and it is just as delightful as the others. In this tale, Trixie and her family are going on a vacation overseas. As any parent has experienced, it is very easy to misplace things when traveling and Trixie is no exception. Caught up in the delight of flying and visiting Oma and Papa, he leaves Knuffle Bunny on the plane and by the time they realize, the plane is headed to China!

One of the more uncommon themes in a children's picture book is the coming of age story. Some may argue that all picture books are a coming of age story, teaching the children who read them important lessons to help them in their growing up journey, but the Knuffle Bunny books have allowed children to watch Trixie grow from an unintelligible baby, to a little girl beginning preschool, to the cute blond who discovers happiness without her Knuffle Bunny. And I'll tell you, I may have shed a tear at the end. Okay, maybe more than one for the back pages of this book are incredible.

Mo Willems does it again. Knuffle Bunny is a cute, funny, coming of story, set in another country, with all the love and passion of the previous books. This one definitely deserves to be a Christmas gift.