Rutabaga's Reads 2013: Part 13

In this +Scholastic books compilation, there are a couple titles for the younger readers you know and a couple for the older. Please note that I have no material connection to anyone who works for Scholastic or authors any books marketed through the company. I am simply a bookworm who supports the Scholastic Brand!

But and For, Yet and Nor: What is a Conjunction? (Mar. 1, 2010) by Brian P. Cleary.

   Brian Gable, illustrator.

“But and For, Yet and Nor” is just one of many books in Cleary’s Words are CATegorical series. His series focuses on different parts of speech, but by avenue of high-spirited rhyme that presents grammar-learning in a fun, carefree way and not an I’d-rather-get-my-teeth-pulled way. In this book, Cleary concentrates on conjunctions, not only giving the definition of them, but especially by giving examples in word and type. To name a few, he explains how they can bridge phrases or link words and even brings up the common misconception that conjunctions can’t start a sentence. I think these books are terrific, and I highly recommend them for school and classroom libraries. They’re wonderful books for intermediate elementary students and their teachers.

            How many conjunctions can you spot in this summary/review?

Ladybug Girl (Mar. 13, 2008) by David Soman & Jacky Davis.

Little Lulu is Ladybug Girl. She’s got to find her own fun, because her parents have work to do. She momentarily puts on her pouty face, but finds adventure out-of-doors with her dog, Bingo, after her big brother denies her request to play with him. He tells her she’s too little, but she thinks that is ridiculous in her preschool-age way.

            Like so many children, Lulu finds adventure through her imagination. She’s a self-appointed hero with her trusty sidekick, Bingo. This cute tale provides a platform for empowering youngsters using a subtle, fun and kid-friendly approach. The watercolor and line illustrations catch Bingo’s adorably floppy ears and Lulu’s adventures, not to mention Lulu herself in her ladybug costume. She positively stands out amidst the almost-muted backdrops. But I suppose that is the point. After all, Lulu is Ladybug Girl, and she is not too little!

Spellbinding (Apr. 1, 2013) by Maya Gold.

When her teacher gives the class a genealogy assignment, sixteen-year-old Abby Silva discovers she’s the descendent of an accused witch of the Salem Witch Trials. As she delves into her ancestry, mysterious things occur: objects move without aid and things catch fire. Abby doesn’t want to believe that she willed those things to happen. She just wants to be a “normal” teenager, albeit one who’s less invisible and more confident. She wants her school’s “it” boy, Travis Brown, to look at her instead of his odious girlfriend. There’s also the baffling yet attractive Rem Anders, who lives and works in nearby Salem. He’s hot and cold, but perhaps for good reason. Can Abby make sense of her ancestry and who she is before a reckoning tries to make the choice for her?

            This book is like a much lighter version of Stephen King’s “Carrie.” This YA paranormal novel read more like upper middle-grade fiction. That doesn’t mean it’s a watered down book with no substance. It has plenty of conflict. There’s conflict of the regular high-school-garden variety in the forms of friend issues and mean girls. Then there’s the paranormal variety such as magic and ill-intentioned witches. It keeps the reader’s attention with individual characters and an easily-visualized setting. The ending is tied up like a nice bow. Could it have been darker and more intense? Sure, but not all books have to be, and it is fine that “Spellbinding” isn’t. After all, it’s by Maya Gold and not by Stephen King.

Splendors and Glooms (Aug. 28, 2012) by Laura Amy Schlitz.

Though he has more rags than riches, Gaspare Grisini is a master puppeteer. His prowess with the puppet theatre catches Clara Wintermute’s fancy, so he comes to the Wintermute home to put on a show for her twelfth birthday party. The daughter of a wealthy and renowned physician, Clara never wants for necessities and then some. The opposite is true of Grisini’s orphaned assistants, Lizzie Rose Fawr and Parsefall Hooke. Their clothes are shabby, recompense is miserly, and they never know if they’ll have enough for a next meal. To them, the Wintermute home represents everything they don’t have: doting parents, an abundance of food, warmth, riches. Clara is enamored with the puppet theatre, but then she disappears. Grisini is suspected of kidnapping her, and Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are determined to solve the mystery. As they investigate, they open up Grisini’s suspicious past and his wicked intentions. Unbeknownst to them, they flee London only to be ensnared by Grisini’s rival, an old witch with two inheritances to dole out. One is amazing, the other is deadly.

            Schlitz earned a Newberry Honor for this middle-grade, historical fantasy novel. This story mixes magic and mystery, mishaps and misdeeds in order to create a mystical literary concoction. The book is more serious than not, but it is richly written. It is dark, but not so dark that I wouldn’t let a twelve-year-old read it. For those concerned, British slang is used, and I did see one instance of a word that rhymes with “stitch.” The splendors of the book are wondrous and positive, whereas the glooms are frightening and nightmarish (to the characters, not to you). Schlitz’s narrative and characters are so well-drawn that one can’t help but be swept up into the story, unsettling bits and all.

Rutabaga's Reads 2013: Part 12

If you didn’t know before, I’m sure you’ve realized by now that my favored books usually fall into the young adult (YA) category. This compilation features all YA titles. If you enjoy reading YA novels, read on. If YA is not your thing, I encourage you to read on anyway. Even if you don’t find something that appeals to you, maybe you’ll find the next big read for a YA reader that you do know!

Everneath (Jan. 24, 2012) by Brodi Ashton.

There is an underworld known as the Everneath. Those who live forever are called Everlivings. Cole Stockton is an Everliving, which means he needs to completely drain the emotions off one person every century in the Feed to give him another century of “life.” Those that Everlivings feed off of are called Forfeits. They feed for a century in Everneath years, but that’s only six months in Surface years. Nikki Beckett is a Forfeit, but Cole’s surprised when she looks like herself after the Feed. She doesn’t know how that happened; she just kept thinking of her boyfriend, Jack Caputo. Because Nikki looks the same, Cole wants her to become an Everliving like him and capture the throne. Nikki wants to remain on the Surface, but she only has six months before the Shades claim her for the Tunnels for eternity. If she can prevent her return to the Everneath, she wants to do it, because finding the words to say good-bye to her family and friends is far more daunting.

            The initial thing I learned about this book was that it’s a retelling of the Persephone myth. The initial thing I thought when I read that the immortal characters feed on the emotions of others was, “Oh, they’re like vampires, except instead of craving blood, they crave emotions.” Is that weird? Yes. But the weirdest? No. I like the inspiration of the myth that the story comes from and Ashton’s first-person narration of Nikki shows the difficulty of building back up all that she lost (in feelings and relationships). I never had to muddle through the book, but sometimes the reading felt slower to me, though it gained speed near the end of the book. I think the plot is interesting, and I do wonder about the fate of the star-crossed lovers.

Illuminate (Mar. 6, 2012) by Aimee Agresti.

She’s that girl. The one who was found abandoned in the woods when she was five. Now Haven Terra is a sixteen-year-old outcast who’s ordinary, shy and super smart. Along with her classmates Dante and Lance, they receive prestigious internships at Chicago’s ritzy Lexington Hotel under the direction of the young, glamorous and powerful Aurelia Brown and her striking second-in-command, Lucian Grove. Aurelia wields great power and influence. Anyone who is important knows her, and everyone else wants to be part of her A-list group. Haven, Dante and Lance work alongside Aurelia’s striking cohorts known as the Outfit. They get access to the hotel’s exclusive nightclub, Vault, where each night is themed according to one of the seven deadly sins. Haven can’t seem to help falling for Lucian, but her gut tells her something’s off. The Outfit members seem more like robots, and she discovers that Aurelia has a very sordid plan with Haven as her number one target. Aurelia takes directions from the Prince, while Haven begins taking direction from … a blank book. What is Haven’s true role in all of this? Gone are her days of being ordinary, but she will long for those days before the end.

            It’s a confluence of meek and strong, good and bad, timid and powerful. For the most part, I think “Illuminate,” the first in a planned trilogy, is well-written. Her main characters are easily discernible, even Dante, who’s in the wings for most of the book. This YA paranormal suspense tale has none of the broodiness of Twilight, nor the lovey-dovey aspect. I wouldn’t say the book is arresting, but it is magical in its own mysterious way. Foul language is included, but it’s minimal. Watch out for the baddies, though. They’re not grim reapers so much as they’re soul reapers.

Of Poseidon (May 22, 2012) by Anna Banks.

To call them mermaids (or mermen) and to assume they have goldfish-like fantails is to annoy them. They are Syrena, and their powerful tails look like the dorsal fins of sharks. Galen Forza is a twenty-year-old Syrena prince, a Triton Royal. He meets eighteen-year-old Emma McIntosh when she walks into him, literally. Sparks fly instantly between them. Is it something known as the pull? Or, at least for Emma’s part, is the attraction just due to Galen’s handsomeness? Galen and his sister, Rayna, obviously in human form, are on land for a reason. At least Galen is. He’s the Syrena ambassador to the mostly unaware humans while Rayna is the beautiful but rude twin sister who’s avoiding her mate, Toraf. Galen’s had it on good information that there is a girl who can talk to fish. Signs point to Emma, but she doesn’t look like a Syrena. What does that mean? And even if she is of Poseidon, fat lot of good it does Galen, for he can’t rightfully be with her. Which is horrible, because Emma’s the only person he’s ever wanted to kiss.

            This is no Disney’s The Little Mermaid, but I still really enjoyed this novel. “Of Poseidon” is full of humor, teenage sarcasm and the right amount of seriousness to prevent the book from being watered down or tepid. This spirited tale has weight and lots of unanswered questions as the first in a trilogy. Emma and Galen are likable characters despite their sometimes obstinate personalities. Even Rayna is likable, if you can get past her hotheaded exterior. The budding romance is expected and predictable, but not unlikable. The only things I didn’t care for were Emma’s chapters in the first-person and Galen’s in the third. It would’ve flowed better if both narrative viewpoints were the same. But other than that, this fish-out-of-the-sea novel is entertaining!

The Selection (Apr. 24, 2012) by Kiera Cass.

The nation is no longer the United States – it is Illéa – but there is still an America. America Singer is the middle of five children and lives in a nation with a very strict caste system. She and her family are a Five (of eight castes). The system can be very strict, and if you’re caught doing something unacceptable, you suffer for it. Out past curfew? Jail time. Convicted of treason? Death. The Ones live a posh life; they are the royalty and include King Clarkson, Queen Amberly and Prince Maxon Schreave. Prince Maxon is coming of age, and Illéa tradition says that he must find a bride. Whereas a princess would’ve been married off to solidify relations with other countries, a prince married a woman of the people to keep up morale.

            Hence, the selection. America is pressured into applying even though Aspen, a caste below her, is the love of her life. She becomes one of the Selected and is whisked off to a palace to compete (in a ladylike way, of course) for a prince she thinks is boring and for a crown she doesn’t want. But when America actually talks to Prince Maxon, she finds that he isn’t the shallow, too-formal person she thought he was. He’s, well, he’s a gentleman. If Prince Maxon finds favor with her, can she discard her love for Aspen?

            This first in a planned trilogy is affable, but it isn’t wow. The dress descriptions are detailed, but other expected points are not. For instance, what does Illéa look like? And what of the rebel attacks? There are multiple attacks, but no one knows their purpose, and even if they do, there isn’t anything formative mentioned. In short, the book is quaint and charming, but it lacks in world-building. I like America’s headstrong personality, Aspen’s dedication to his family and Prince Maxon’s thoughtfulness. “The Selection” is pegged as a YA dystopian novel, but if you want to read dystopia along the lines of “The Hunger Games” or “Divergent,” this is not the dystopia you’re looking for. Think instead of “The Bachelor,” only in book form.

Unraveling (Apr. 24, 2012) by Elizabeth Norris.

There’s a clock counting down to something that’s likely catastrophic, as if the gelatinous material that used to be flesh and bones on unidentified victims wasn’t proof enough of something unnatural. Janelle Tenner is about to start her junior year of high school and already she has died and been brought back to life. By classmate Ben Michaels. The thing is, she’s never talked to him before. She has defined him as a loner who hangs out with the stoner crowd, along with his buddies, Elijah Palma and Reid Suitor. Her FBI-agent father is on the case regarding the victims and the countdown clock, and Janelle launches her own investigation in a very junior-agent sort-of-way with her best friend, Alex Trechter. Her investigation is going to bring her back to Ben and his buddies. She does attend school some of the time in the novel, manages to help junior agent Taylor Barclay save face in front of a superior (think “ulterior motives”), dodges family friend/agent Ryan “Struz” Struzinski, deals with her mentally unstable mother, cares for her little brother Jared, and even manages a day trip to Disneyland amidst all the chaos. The chaos that is Wave Function Collapse, manipulating molecular structure and multiverse. So pretty much she has to find a way to save the world!

            If you judged this book by its title, you might guess that it’s a dystopian novel, but it’s not. It is science fiction and romance for the YA set, though it’s not heavy sci-fi. Vulgar utterances are present throughout the book, and while it’s not laden with obscenities, they are present often enough, for anyone concerned. Some elements, such as Ben’s healing ability, could’ve been more fully explained (it is part sci-fi, after all), but the story is multi-layered. I appreciated how easy it was to get to know the characters, for they are fleshed out very nicely. Although it isn’t a dystopian novel, I think fans of that genre would like this novel. And likewise if you’re a fan of light science fiction and/or potential end-of-the-world stories.

Trondhjem's Pie & Ice Cream Social 2013

Most who know me know I like to put together an annual poem to promote the Pie & Ice Cream Social of the church that I grew up in. This year is no exception. The 2013 Social is on Sunday, Sept. 15, beginning at 5 p.m. This poem is the eighth one I've created for my home church.

Trondhjem’s Pie & Ice Cream Social 2013

Listen up, All! Please perk up your ears!

The Pie & Ice Cream Social’s almost here!

September 15^th is coming up quick;

Get here at five for your prime pie pick!

We’ll serve up our “famous” sloppy joe feast.

They’re messy, but worth it, to say the least.

Potato chips will accompany the meal,

And with donations freewill – what a deal!

If you want pie the most, that is all right –

You’re sure to find one to fit your pie appetite.

Will there be apple, strawberry or cherry,

Or something non-fruit? The choices will vary.

The silent auction takes place upstairs.

If the bidding is tough, some may “win” by a hair!

WELCA has a homemade quilt to raffle.

With tickets one dollar, the cost will not baffle.

Naatz Farms will be present to give wagon rides.

Their horses are pros, and they know their strides.

The donations for rides are always freewill,

So ride as much as you’d like to get your fill.

Our baked goods table will again be up.

It’s best to look at that after you sup

Unless you want a specific treat,

Then by all means, look before you eat!

Please join us on the 15^th at five.

TLC will be a busy, buzzing hive.

We all want to greet you, so please come out.

There’ll be much to see, of that there’s no doubt!

"A Simple Change" by Judith Miller

A Simple Change (Aug. 1, 2013) by Judith Miller.*

There’s a fast lane, even in 1881, yet Jancey Rhoder gives up her privileged life in Kansas City for a simple and humble one in the Amana Colonies in Iowa. She is torn, not to leave behind her suitor, Nathan Woodward, but to leave behind the youngsters she taught at Charity Home, an orphanage in the city. Her mother is very ill, and she wants to be in close proximity to her in order to help care for her.

            Life in the Amana Colonies brings unforeseen challenges to Jancey’s life, many of which might have been prevented if she’d made different choices. Like choosing to keep her curiosity to herself. Or choosing to stay in Kansas City. Or choosing God’s direction instead of surging ahead with her own plan. Jancey is faithful, has a good heart and means well, but sometimes her good-heartedness isn’t for the better. When things begin to go awry, who can she trust? Will she turn to Nathan? Her parents? The Amana elders? Ritter Hetrig, an Amana man around Jancey’s age?

            Jancey’s life doesn’t begin as simply as one might imagine from the setting. There’s a new way of life to adapt to, new rules to abide by and new personalities to meet. Jancey’s biggest struggle isn’t adapting to a new life, but in waiting for His answers in His time, not hers. And that probably resonates with most all of us. Knowing we want answers may be the simplest part, but the waiting can be the hardest. After all, patience isn’t a virtue because it’s easy to possess! While this historical Christian fiction novel is nice, it did seem to read slower than I would’ve liked. That said, I also think that works for the novel. Jancey’s life in the Amana Colonies is to be full of faith and honest work for the good of all (not just the individual), but at its core, it’s a simple life. Not simple as in plain and slow and boring, but in a serene way. The tone of the book matches that, though things do pick up speed in the final chapters.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”