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May reading
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From: Suzi Steffen <suzisteffen>
Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 09:33:04 -0700
Hello, CCBC folks.
I'm new here, coming from Child_Lit, Adbooks, and YALSA-BK. I'm a writer and a writing teacher, usually for college or community college students, but in the summers I teach in the University of Oregon's Summer Enrichment Program for TAG-identified 7thth graders. This summer I'm teaching a class on writing about art, a King Arthur lit class, and an "Outsiders in YA" lit class.
In May, I have been reading many a book. I started a review blog so that I could keep track of my reading; otherwise, I feel I'm not getting anywhere as the pile of TBRs just keeps on growing. Here's the May list: http://www.livejournal.com/users/connorgal/2005/05/
Some of the highlights include David Almond's THE FIRE?TERS, Arthur Dorros' UNDER THE SUN, Nina Kiriki Hoffman's THE STIR OF BONES, E. Lockhart's THE BOYFRIEND LIST, and, lately, a spate of Diana Wynne Jones books. The first of these weaves history, class, love, family, and friendship into a tapestry held together by gorgeous language, emotional honesty that I find quite breathtaking, and a growing sense of how the outside world (nuclear bombs, in this case) affect the fabric of a working-class town. Just gorgeous.
UNDER THE SUN impressed me because of its content and the details in the book, which is about a boy from Sarajevo during early times of the war. It's at once terrifying, fascinating, tender, and honest, and I very much admire this book. Sometimes the narrative bogs down, but the details of sight, sound, smell, and the main character's emotional life kept me interested.
Nina Kiriki Hoffman's A STIR OF BONES (and THE RED THREAD OF MEMORIES, which I'm reading right now) captured me with its story of an emotionally abused child and her search for ways--even tiny ways--to find her own path in a tightly controlled world.
THE BOYFRIEND LIST is one that I thought would be fluffy, like Alex Bradley's 24 GIRLS IN 7 DAYS, but I was mistaken. Indeed, the story does center on a break-up, but the main character's voice has strength and wit. I found her honesty bracing and her story affecting.
Diana Wynne Jones is the writer of many a clever J and YA book. I read much of her work last summer, but I had resisted the Chrestomanci series until this month. I found the series somewhat uneven, but THE MAGICIANS OF CAPRONA (third in the quartet) had the most beauty, complexity, and freshness.
I was also struck by two narrative poetry cycles: FORTUNE'S BONES: THE MANUMISSION REQUIEM by Marilyn Nelson and SLAVE MOTH by Thylias Moss. For teenagers studying slavery, I think SLAVE MOTH would add depth and complexity to their understanding of history, as FORTUNE'S BONES would for middle-grade readers.
As I said, I'm in the middle of Hoffman's RED THREAD, and I'm also in the middle of the ever-inventive and enjoyable Terry Pratchett's THE AMAZING MAURICE AND HIS EDUCATED RODENTS. I expect to finish both of those today. I have THE RACE TO SAVE THE LORD GOD BIRD and LIZZIE BRIGHT on the top of my to?-read pile--if I don't get distracted by recommendations from CCBC-ers!
Looking forward to this list, Suzi Steffen Eugene, Oregon
Received on Mon 23 May 2005 11:33:04 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 09:33:04 -0700
Hello, CCBC folks.
I'm new here, coming from Child_Lit, Adbooks, and YALSA-BK. I'm a writer and a writing teacher, usually for college or community college students, but in the summers I teach in the University of Oregon's Summer Enrichment Program for TAG-identified 7thth graders. This summer I'm teaching a class on writing about art, a King Arthur lit class, and an "Outsiders in YA" lit class.
In May, I have been reading many a book. I started a review blog so that I could keep track of my reading; otherwise, I feel I'm not getting anywhere as the pile of TBRs just keeps on growing. Here's the May list: http://www.livejournal.com/users/connorgal/2005/05/
Some of the highlights include David Almond's THE FIRE?TERS, Arthur Dorros' UNDER THE SUN, Nina Kiriki Hoffman's THE STIR OF BONES, E. Lockhart's THE BOYFRIEND LIST, and, lately, a spate of Diana Wynne Jones books. The first of these weaves history, class, love, family, and friendship into a tapestry held together by gorgeous language, emotional honesty that I find quite breathtaking, and a growing sense of how the outside world (nuclear bombs, in this case) affect the fabric of a working-class town. Just gorgeous.
UNDER THE SUN impressed me because of its content and the details in the book, which is about a boy from Sarajevo during early times of the war. It's at once terrifying, fascinating, tender, and honest, and I very much admire this book. Sometimes the narrative bogs down, but the details of sight, sound, smell, and the main character's emotional life kept me interested.
Nina Kiriki Hoffman's A STIR OF BONES (and THE RED THREAD OF MEMORIES, which I'm reading right now) captured me with its story of an emotionally abused child and her search for ways--even tiny ways--to find her own path in a tightly controlled world.
THE BOYFRIEND LIST is one that I thought would be fluffy, like Alex Bradley's 24 GIRLS IN 7 DAYS, but I was mistaken. Indeed, the story does center on a break-up, but the main character's voice has strength and wit. I found her honesty bracing and her story affecting.
Diana Wynne Jones is the writer of many a clever J and YA book. I read much of her work last summer, but I had resisted the Chrestomanci series until this month. I found the series somewhat uneven, but THE MAGICIANS OF CAPRONA (third in the quartet) had the most beauty, complexity, and freshness.
I was also struck by two narrative poetry cycles: FORTUNE'S BONES: THE MANUMISSION REQUIEM by Marilyn Nelson and SLAVE MOTH by Thylias Moss. For teenagers studying slavery, I think SLAVE MOTH would add depth and complexity to their understanding of history, as FORTUNE'S BONES would for middle-grade readers.
As I said, I'm in the middle of Hoffman's RED THREAD, and I'm also in the middle of the ever-inventive and enjoyable Terry Pratchett's THE AMAZING MAURICE AND HIS EDUCATED RODENTS. I expect to finish both of those today. I have THE RACE TO SAVE THE LORD GOD BIRD and LIZZIE BRIGHT on the top of my to?-read pile--if I don't get distracted by recommendations from CCBC-ers!
Looking forward to this list, Suzi Steffen Eugene, Oregon
Received on Mon 23 May 2005 11:33:04 AM CDT
