Fog Magic by Julia L. Sauer

Title: Fog Magic
Author: Julia L. Sauer
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: 1943
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  This is my favorite cover of this book and the one that I remember.  It gets the old fishing village just right and has the beautiful, soft and ethereal quality of the fog.

Review:
When I was a little girl I discovered this book on the shelf of my tiny school library.  I read it at least twice a year for the rest of my time at that school.  It was my go-to book when I was feeling sad or lonely (which, to be honest, was quite often) and I was the perfect book for a foggy, Newfoundland day.  Recently, while perusing the shelves at my favorite second hand bookstore, I came across Fog Magic and just about squealed in delight.  I am so happy to get to read this wonderful story again.

Fog Magic is the Newberry Award Winning book of Julia L. Sauer.  It is set in rural Nova Scotia in a tiny fishing village.  The main character is an eleven year old girl named Greta.  Greta has always had an unexplainable fascination with the fog.  From the time she could walk, her mother was constantly trying to stop her from wandering off into the mist.  While walking one grey, foggy day, Greta discovers that the fog doesn't simply hide her from the world, it also reveals a new world to her.  The fog allows her entrance to Blue Cove, a place that holds only remnants of a community in the bright sunshine but is alive with the hustle and bustle of life within the fog.  

I always love the magic behind Fog Magic.  I grew up in the fog, I saw how it will creep and sneak along the ground one day and roll in as if swallowing you up the next.  I loved the idea that you could walk into the mist and come upon something that was never there by the light of the sun but could exist in that liminal space that fog can create.  Sauer does an excellent job of describing the mystery of the fog and the rules of this world are fairly well defined.  The fact that Greta can only reach Blue Cove through the fog and that time is different there allows the story to move quickly through a year without being bogged down with day to day details.

The story is a simple one, but is enchanting in its simplicity.  We are able to see some of the key events in the lives of the people at Blue Cove and can really feel Greta's sense of other-worldliness in having prior knowledge of the outcome of these events but no way to change them.  She develops a simple and sweet friendship with Retha and becomes close with her family, who appear to know more about this mystery that Greta does herself.  I do wish that some of the minor mysteries, like what happened to make everyone leave Blue Cove or who Anthony really is, were answered as these are the questions that keep me wondering and wishing there was a sequel to this book. 

This book will always be a favorite of mine and it makes me happy simply to see a copy resting on my shelves, awaiting the next grey, foggy day.

Notable Quotables:
"Most of us live in two worlds - our real world and the one we build or spin ourselves out of the books we read, the heroes we admire, the things we hope to do." 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: Middle Grade
Gender: Both
Sex: None
Violence: None
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Sound Off Sunday - Book Clubs

Sound Off Sunday is a weekly event hosted by Reading Between Classes.  This is your chance to speak your mind.  Each week will feature a new question or topic on which you can share your thoughts.

This week's Sound Off topic is: Book Clubs

How many people have been involved, at one time or another, in a book club? And, how many people have watched the book club devolve into drinking and debauchery (well, maybe not quite to debauchery but at least drinking)?  Book clubs have become the chief dasher of hopes in my life.

I was part of an adult book club a few years ago.  It was the one evening that I escaped the drudgery of motherhood and wifehood and had an evening to myself.  We met every 6 weeks or so and whoever was the host got the honor of choosing the book for that meeting.  The group featured a group of women with varying tastes in genre and writing style, so we got to read pretty different books each weeks.  This went well for about 6 months.  Then things fell apart.  More and more people showed up having not read the book or, worse, did not show up at all.  Eventually, members starting leaving citing that they didn't have time to read.  SERIOUSLY?  You don't have time to read one book in 6 weeks???  If you joined a book club, you must have had some interest in actually reading, and yet, your life is filled with so many other things that you cannot even attempt to read one book in 6 weeks?  

Since it fell apart, I have missed the companionship that the book club provided.  I have attempted to find other book clubs in the area or to find like minded individuals in order to start one of my own, but none have arisen.  Last week, I discovered that a local bookstore which is a favorite of mine, is starting a book club.  I spread the word to my friends - no takers, I shared the link - barely a whisper.  I went to the first meet and greet in which we had planned to choose a book and lo and behold, found myself and one other person.  I was so disappointed.

I realize that reading is a solitary endeavor, but I seriously wish that I could find a way to find those like minded individuals.  The ones that read more than a handful of books a year.  The ones that live their online lives on Goodreads and their favorite book blogs.  The ones that will talk peruse a bookstore for hours and talk about their favorite authors (because the favorite books list is just far too long) ad nauseum.  I know there have got to be other YA readers out there because you are clearing second hand bookstore shelves before I can get to them so where are you?  Why am I the only one who feels passionate enough about my reading that I am willing to pull my behind off the couch once every few weeks in order to talk to real life people about it?

Book Review: How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller

Title: How to Lead a Life of Crime
Author: Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Release Date: February 21st, 2013
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions:  I like the cover art but I feel they could have done more with the graffitti concept.  It isn't something that would jump off the shelves for me.  I do, however, really appreciate the quality of the physical copy.  The slipcover paper is thick and has an almost gritty feel to it and I love that little surprise when I grab a book off the shelf and it feels different from everything else. 

Review:
How to Lead a Life of Crime is not at all what I expected.  Like many reviewers, I had anticipated that the author would approach this topic from a humorous point of view.  Instead, we have a story that include some incredibly dark elements.  Our main character, Flick, comes from an abusive household.  He is living on the streets after the death of his younger brother, Jude.  Flick is an accomplished pick pocket appears to be trying to prove something to himself.  He is close to another homeless teen, Joi (pronounced Joey), who runs an unofficial shelter for kids but still keeps her, and all others, at arms length.  Flick's greatest desire is revenge on his father, the man who beat him mercilessly and who, Flick believes, killed Jude in a fit of rage.

The story plays out at the prestigious Mandel Academy, a school that, on the outside, appears to be a safe haven for impoverished youth but, in actuality, is a prison that requires them to become predators to survive.  The school intends to benefit from "saving" these children by putting their new found criminal skills to use in order to gain an even tighter stronghold on the resources of not only the country, but the entire world.  Flick joins the school with the aim of surviving long enough to get intel on his father and then insure the man's destruction.  What he doesn't count on is the horror and depravity that he will discover within the walls of the Academy.

How to Lead a Life of Crime features some really fantastic characters.  Flick has some major flaws but is a kid that you can truly root for.  He has had a horrific childhood and survived to become a very strong and independent teenager.  I particularly enjoyed the hallucinations (possibly...) in which he saw his little brother as Peter Pan. 

They add a mysterious element and a touch of whimsy to an otherwise very dark novel and they allowed a setting in which we could see how vulnerable Flick truly was.  Despite how much I enjoyed Flick and despite all of the arguments to the contrary, he was a bit slow.  It seems to take him a great deal of time to realize the depth of depravity of the headmaster of the school and the lengths to which he is willing to go to secure his position.  And this, is where Joi comes in.  Joi is, quite literally, a joy.  Upon entering the school, she is able to see, very quickly, where the weak points are and how she can exploit them for her own aims.  The change in character from her commune to the school is remarkable - suddenly, she is strong, independent and can kick some serious ass. 

Her return to the story is a real turning point and I couldn't help waiting for a snappy 80's music montage as she cleaned house!  I will admit, the background characters in the book were a bit static.  Many of them blended together and I could never seem to remember which wolf was which, which, in the end, didn't appear to matter much. 

The pacing in this book is fantastic.  The first half builds on intrigue and is able to provide the reader with enough background on the school to understand its inner workings, without bogging us down with monologues.  The second half is where the action really picks up.  We have a great deal of plotting behind the scenes and lots of twists and turns.  Just when you think you have the plot figured out, the entire world turns on its ear and you realize you have no idea what is going to happen.  We are also allowed the chance to experience some major character growth, especially in Flick, and an overwhelming theme that, despite all appearances and stereotypes, everyone has value.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Allusion to sex, no descriptions.
Violence: Attempted rape, Hand to Hand Combat, Kidnapping, Murder by very Violent Means, Mutilation of Corpses
Inappropriate Language: Bastard, Jesus, Faggot, Shit, Piss, Bitch, Douchebag
Substance Use/Abuse:Underage Drinking, Prescription Drug Abuse,

Waiting on Wednesday (42)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen which is due to be released on February 25th.

 Jennifer A. Nielsen takes readers on an extraordinary journey in this final installment of the New York Times bestselling Ascendance Trilogy.

War has come to Carthya. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission.
But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya''s throne?
Rousing and affecting, Jaron''s adventures have thrilled and moved readers in The False Prince and The Runaway King. Journey once again with the Ascendant King of Carthya, as New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen brings his story to a stunning conclusion.

I am beyond excited for the conclusion to this trilogy.  The False Prince is one of those books that I can suggest to any student and I have not yet found one who didn't like it.  In fact, several kids are already begging me to finish my ARC already, so that they can get their hands on it.   

Books for Teen Boys

Disclaimer:  Yes, I realize all boys are not alike.  Yes, I realize that there are lots of boys who are natural readers.  However, as a teacher, I can tell you that there are a group of students who are very reluctant readers.  These are the kids who will resist all gentle nudges (and forceful shoves) towards the bookshelf and who will stare blankly at the wall for an hour rather than participate in silent reading.  I can also tell you that the large majority of this group are made up of teenage boys.  The teens I am referring to in this post are those boys - the frustrating, tear my hair out, just pick a bloody book already, teenage boys.  They are often the most difficult group to reach and are missing out on valuable opportunities for development of language, empathy skills and sheer enjoyment.  Reading may never become their favorite activity, but finding the right book can make a world of difference to their attitude about the whole reading experience.  This list below may help you get started.  This is in no way meant to be an exhaustive list, but I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of each book to engage those reluctant readers.

SERIES:

The Ascendance Trilogy features Sage, a character who is intelligent, witty and infuriating - in the most wonderful way.  All of my students love the first two books and the third is being released on Feb 25th (I can vouch for it being fantastic!).  It features kingdoms at war, but does not have the trappings of high fantasy that can bog some students down.

The Darkest Minds Trilogy has released two books and is due to release the third (as yet untitled) at some point in 2014 - I expect the fall.  In this dystopian world, a disease has swept through the young population, killing many and those left behind are revealed to have dark and dangerous powers.  The government, frightened of anything they cannot control have rounded the kids up in, essentially, concentration camps and we follow one of them as she attempts to break out.  This fast paced series is a hit with almost all readers.


The Lorien Legacies opens with I Am Number Four (yes, that movie) and continues with The Power of Six, The Rise of Nine and The Fall of Five.  There also appear to be a series of Novellas which can keep a kid reading this series for ages.  It features a mysterious group of teen who fled their home planet and have lived their lives on earth on the run from the Mogadorian, a race bent on their annihilation.  The series follows the different characters (each bearing a number) as they learn more about their powers, their past and how to defeat their enemy.


Rick Riordan has several series that tend to appeal to boys.  Each features a different set of gods and goddesses and there are some crossover characters that allow for easy transitioning.  The original (and most well known) Percy Jackson and the Olympians follows demi-god, Percy Jackson as he learns of his mysterious father and a world he never knew existed.  The Heroes of Olympus series crosses into the territory of Roman Mythology and The Kane Chronicles follows a brother and sister and features elements of Egyptian Mythology.

STANDALONES:

Each of these books features a strong male lead and has enough action to interest most boys.  I have never met a kid who didn't like Holes, or most books by Louis Sachar, for that matter.  The same goes for A.S King.  Ender's Game is fantastic for the kid who likes a little Sci Fi and is an easy sell with the recent movie still on people's minds.  How to Lead a Life of Crime is a lesser known novel, but a great read about a deadly school that trains young criminals. 

DUOLOGY:

I was actually surprised by how much the boys enjoyed Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares.  The series has a strong male lead, but the real star of the show is a ghost who can be sad and sweet one minute but ghastly and fearsome the next.  These books both have lots of action and the romantic element does not overtake the story.

CLASSICS:

These are probably the go to classics for boys, and I am sure they find themselves on many similar lists.  There isn't much new to say about them as they have been around forever, but they still stand the test of time and still hold that same appeal for many young readers.
 

ARC Book Review: The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: The Shadow Throne
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Feb 25, 2014
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions:  It fits nicely with the rest of the series, with a stand out color and one main symbol.  I am not a huge fan of the title as it seems a little generic and variations on that title are pretty common among fantasy novels.

The Gist: Jaron faces the biggest challenge of his less than easy rule.  Carthya is under attack from the neighboring kingdoms.  Imogen has been captured and Jaron will have to use every ounce of cleverness and wit to ensure her safety and to save the throne he worked so hard to reclaim.

Review:

As The Shadow Throne opens we are thrown into the action quite quickly.  I could have used a touch of backstory to remind me what happened in the last book but I understand that we have a limited amount of time in order to wrap up a considerable number of lose ends and to wage an entire war.

Jaron (Sage) is just as clever and calculating as ever.  My favorite plot points involved Jaron being a little shit, ie: talking shit, pulling pranks, being cocky in the face of tremendous adversity.  I often describe him to my students by saying "you will both love him and want to strangle him all at the same time."  In this novel, Jaron continues to have some of the greatest lines.  A particular favorite was "This is my offer.  I'll let you hang me twice.  I won't even put up a fuss the second time."  These wonderfully humorous quips remind me of my first reading of Harry Potter when he broke out the serious sass (sadly almost all of these were cut out of the movies). 

We get to experience some character growth with Jaron coming to understand the travesty of war and to emphasize with the choices of his father.  I think this will truly make him a better equipped king.  I was particularly pleased his coming to understand the role of women in his kingdom.  The book features a few scenes in which women come to the rescue and Jaron states "It would take entire lifetimes for the men of Carthya to deserve their women."  I thoroughly enjoy seeing this in writing, particularly in middle grade writing. 

The Shadow Throne does suffer from a little lag around the middle.  This section involves tons of talking and traveling. It became difficult for me to follow, or care, where all the soldiers are and battles are. I much preferred the intrigue of the first book to the war plans of this one.  It got to the point that I was actually skimming the dialogue because I just wanted to get back to the action.  Luckily, the pacing gets much better in the last third when we get back to Jaron's scheming and secret plots being revealed.  I was a little disappointed with the predictability of one of the major plot points (Spoiler: The number of people who were supposed to be dead but weren't really dead made this slightly reminiscent of a Moffat script.)  The ending also came out pretty much as expected, but it was pleasant nonetheless.

Overall, I was pleased with the conclusion to this trilogy, even if it was a tad predictable.  I loved the character of Jaron from the first book to the last and I anxiously await whatever Jennifer Nielsen has in store next. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: War, Torture, Death by sword, arrow, drowning.
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Stacking the Shelves (26)

Stacking The Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

BOOKS I GOT THIS WEEK:

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Fog Magic by Julia L. Sauer
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Extras by Scott Westerfeld
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

I picked up The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer for the boys in my class.  I wasn't a big fan of the first book, but I think it will appeal to those teen boys and I am always looking for new books for them.

Before I Fall is another one of those - I see it all the time and should probably read it - books.  I also have a few students who would love to get their hands on this.

A Great and Terrible Beauty has been on my list for some time and completes my collection for this series.  I make it a point to never bring books into the classroom unless I have the first one in the series and I have been looking for this one for ages. 

Uglies and Extras fall under the same sphere.  I had Pretties, but not the others.  Most of my girls have read this series but I would like to try it out myself.

Alice in Wonderland is the classic book my book club kids have chosen for later this spring so I thought I would get a copy early.  I am also hoping to pick up a few more, particularly if I can get one of those super old hardcover copies that have that oh so wonderful old book smell and feel.

Finally, finding Fog Magic on the shelf made me absolutly giddy.  This was one of my favorite books growing up.  I lived in a very small town (think under 1000 people) and other than my basically once a year trip to a bookstore 4 hours away, my school library was all that I had.  I devoured nearly all of the middle grade and teen books that were on the shelves and Fog Magic was one that I kept coming back to over and over again.  I must have read it two or three times a year, along with the Chronicles of Narnia and everything we had by Roald Dahl (The Witches being a particular favorite).