Gentleman Jim

Title: Gentleman Jim
Author: Raymond Briggs
Published: 1980
Pages: 32
First Line: I must break out...

Ever read a book that makes you want to smile, cry, yell, and hug the main character all at the same time? This was the case for me while reading Gentleman Jim. Like most people, I know Raymond Briggs, for his work as a children's book writer and illustrator (The Snowman being the book that comes immediately to mind), so I was a little surprised to read this short graphic novel that is so clearly intended for an adult audience. It retained the sweetness and charm of his picture book illustrations, but it's characters were painfully real and dealing with some harsh realities of society.

Jim is an older gentleman who supports himself and his wife Hilda by cleaning toilets. The story begins with him contemplating this job, which he has been doing for thirty odd years and gets little satisfaction from. Surely there is something more he can do. Hitting up the wanted adds he considers some of the options before him... and it is here hat the reader starts to gain an understanding of his struggles. Jim is not simply under-qualified for this positions, he is intellectually, developmentally, unsuited to them.

As the story progresses, Jim's childlike enthusiasm and direction leads him to consider a career as a cowboy and then, upon finding that too expensive a career to set himself up in, a highway man. Jim must navigate the social and legal pitfalls of pursuing such a career, with very little actual understanding of the legal ramifications that are befalling him.

I truly just wanted to swoop in and rescue poor Jim. He was a kind-hearted soul with no ill-will intended to anyone (highway man aspirations notwithstanding) and he just could not seem to understand what all these problems were and how to make all these people (his neighbours, the police, the RSPCA, the council...) happy. In Jim, Briggs created an honest and touching representation of developmental delay in adulthood, which is so frequently under or poorly represented.

Briggs merges reality and fantasy beautifully in his illustrations to fully capture the way Jim's mind works and how he sees the world. The text and storyline is charmingly endearing, finding the perfect level of textually representing Jim's difficulties with language. You will read this book with newfound empathy.

Rating: 4/5

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We Were Liars

Title: We are Liars

Author: E. Lockhart
Published: 2014
Pages: 227
First Line: "Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family."


I spun violently into the sky raging and banging stars from their moorings.


I picked up 'We are Liars' as one of the books I'd seen floating around as popular but that, in actuality, I knew nothing about. As such, reading it was quite the pleasant surprise.

The book revolves around three cousins, Cadence, Johnny, and Mirren (privileged children from a wealthy renowned family) and their friend Gat (a highly idealistic young man from a significantly different background). The four spend their summers together on the family island (yes, they're that wealthy). Summer is their time - to be together, to live carefree in the sun, to read, play, and explore first loves. These four are everything to each other. They know more about each other than they know about themselves - or do they?

One summer, summer fifteen, their idyll is shattered. Something happens to bring their world down around them. Something Cadence cannot remember. And now she has returned to the island and is looking for answers. If only someone - anyone - was prepared to provide them.

I'm finding this book a little hard to review, only because of not wanting to give too much away. I enjoyed reading 'We are Liars' a great deal. I enjoyed piecing together events alongside Cadence, never entirely sure if we were on the right track or not. I enjoyed the family dynamics and intrigues, even if they were are a little overly dramatic at times. Cadence's mental state and slippery grasp on reality were integrated into the story in interesting ways.

At times, I found the characters a little unrelatable - the wealthy family just a little too elite, the 'poor' friend just a little too dogmatic in his beliefs - but none of this enough to draw me out of the story. It's a book that has made it onto my recommendation list for some of my older readers at school - two of which have already devoured it.

This was the first E. Lockhart read for me, but I shall be seeking out some more. 



Rating: 4.5/5



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PICTURE THIS!

There’s something so very special about getting a parcel in the mail – and something else special again when you know it contains books. My library got a lovely little package of books today and I was very tempted just to sit it on the circulation desk and gaze at it adoringly all day long. However (and even better!) both the library assistant and I knew it was full of picture books and neither of us could resist ripping into it and seeing what had been picked out for us.

And, honestly, who can resist reading their way through a stack of shiny new picture books? If you’re able to resist that you’re a stronger-willed person than I, that’s for sure. They were an eclectic collection today, and there were definitely some I enjoyed more than others, but there were one or two that I thoroughly loved and have already recommended to (read: pushed into the hands of) some students.

Title: Me and Moo

Author: P. Crumble and Nathaniel Eckstrom

Published: 2015

Pages: 23

This book has everything that makes for a winning picture book - adorable illustrations, an endearing narrator, and a simple, yet engaging storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Moo, chuckling along at the small jokes and absolutely fawning over the pictures. A quick read, even for a picture book, I encourage everyone to go and learn about the heart warming relationship between Moo and 'me'. 5/5

Title: Those Pesky Rabbits

Author: Ciara Flood

Published: 2015

Pages: 40

Another example of illustrations that had me delighted - I loved the huge roundness of Mr. Bear, but those little bunnies? So cute. I tried to feel sad for Mr. Bear, being swarmed by these 'pesky' new neighbours of his, but, truly, I knew where the story was going to end up and I was eagerly awaiting his happy new outlook on life. I wasn't disappointed. Charming story, adorable illustrations, beautiful all around. 5/5

Title: The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade

Author: Davina Bell

Published: 2015

Pages: 32

Normally with picture books, it's the illustrations that really draw me in. I, naturally, always love a good story, but usually it's the wanna-be-illustrator in me that's picking up the book in the first place. This is one instance where, despite enjoying the illustrations, it was actually the story itself that I found myself loving. The central character of The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade, Alfie, is a young boy with a rather nervous disposition. He's all set to play Captain Starfish in the school play, but at the last minute finds himself unable to go through with it. Alfie is blessed, however, with wonderfully supportive parents, who provide him with the love and wisdom needed for him to make his own progress. I don't know whether it was my own identification with Alfie's fear and anxiety, or whether it was just the virtue of the story itself, but I adored this one and am already looking forward to reading it again. 5/5

Title: Ride, Ricardo, Ride!

Author: Phil Cummings and Shane Devries

Published: 2015

Pages: 32

You never really have to go searching too far for a war-themed picture book. There are some truly fantastic ones out there, as well as plenty of mediocre ones, but I often feel that the sheer number of them out there makes it hard for any new ones to impress. I can't say that Ride, Ricardo, Ride will make it to the top of my go-to list for this theme, but it did have some interesting features of note. I particularly enjoyed that the soldiers themselves are never seen, nor even referred to as soldiers, but simply 'shadows'. I enjoyed the art work, though found the contrast between the highly saturated, almost oil-painting like main pages and the simpler, vintage-looking (think Blyton) line illustrations to be an interesting choice. 4/5

Title: This is Captain Cook

Author: Tania McCartney and Christina Booth

Published: 2015

Pages: 40

I can't quite decide if I liked this book or not, which is an uncomfortable place to be writing a review from. I thought the way in which the story was told (through the format of a school play) was quite interesting and something I'd never come across before. I really liked the quite realistic portrayal of the families, among whose silhouettes the reader is watching the play from, but the story and the play itself was quite dry and not necessarily an interesting read. I wanted to like this book more than I did, but it managed three stars from me on the basis of it's structure. 3/5

Title: Green Tree Frogs

Author: Sandra Kendell

Published: 2015

Pages: 32

Unfortunately this was another example of a book that didn't quite hit the mark. It was an excellent example of alliteration and onomatopoeia if you're looking for something for your classroom, but the story itself fell short - both as an example of a text explaining the development of frogs from tadpoles, and as one relating the beauty of growing up in a nature rich environment. Again, a book I wanted to like more than I did. 2/3

Eleanor and Park - Rainbow Rowell

Title: Eleanor and Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: 2013
Pages: 325
First Line: XTC was no good for drowning out the morons at the back of the bus.

Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive.

I try to keep up with the popular books of the moment - particularly those that are being read by my students. As such, when one of the senior girls from school asked me to read Eleanor and Park, a book that was already on my radar, I immediately went searching for it. I was delighted to find that both of my public libraries held a copy, but, sadly, both copies were unavailable. And so they remained. Not being a fan of the way my libraries organise their holding system, I often just try to luck it out and get it on or near the return date, but this book eluded me for over two months. Not to worry, however, for surely this just meant it was being well loved and it would be worth the wait.

Thankfully it really was. A quick stationary dart into town for work bought me right next to the library so I was able to duck in and pick it up. Then I made my mistake, I stupidly read a chapter while waiting in line at the circulation desk. Oh no. I was hooked pretty much off the bat. However was I to go back to work and actually work with this book sitting on my desk? Somehow I managed it with only a few distracting moments, but as soon as I got home it was time for the lounge and blankets and tea until that last page was read. I haven't read a book in one sitting like that for a long time, so that should be high praise in and of itself. But! Onto the book itself!

I wasn't too aware of the plot line of Eleanor and Park before I picked it up. I knew it was about first love, I knew there was talk of an upcoming movie, and I knew it was big with the Nerdfighter crowd (who have never steered me wrong before), but as for the actual details, I had none.

The me that's me right now is yours. Always.

Eleanor Douglas and Park Sheridan the protagonists of this novel, are both social misfits to varying degrees - Eleanor because she simply can't fit it, and Park in spite of it. Meeting on the bus on Eleanor's first day, the pair, despite the eternal and unwavering politics of a school bus, move from a place of isolation to true friendship and, ultimately, into the sweet clutches of first love.

More than the sweet simplicity of schoolyard romance, however, Eleanor and Park's relationship finds itself strained, and threatened, by Eleanor's home life - which is, by all accounts, far from ideal. With Eleanor struggling to stay afloat in a situation no sixteen year old should have to deal with, Park stands as a terrifying yet stable beacon of hope.

I've heard the book marketed as a read for any adult who wishes to remember the joys of first loves, and Rowell certainly delivers on this promise. She manages to deliver all the innocent joy of discovery and the bitter strains of heartache without falling into the saccharine or clichéd. She employees an uneven distribution of perspective, switching between Eleanor and Park even within chapters, but instead of being distracting or disjointed it only serves to further the sense of anticipation and joy between them. I feel as though using format to reflect emotion is often a difficult feat to pull off naturally, but Rowell champions it here.

I really felt myself getting swept away in the emotions of this book. Often when I read a romance between teen characters I can enjoy the plot, or appreciate the characters, but I often find the romantic development simplistic to the point of disbelief. The romance between Eleanor and Park develops just as quickly, to be sure, but I felt a truth to their emotions, and an authenticity to Rowell's words that completely won me over.

I would definitely recommend this to any YA lover! Particularly any John Green fans. 5/5

Read if you enjoyed:

• Looking for Alaska - John Green
• Paper Towns - John Green
• Life in Outer Space - Melissa Keil

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Sensitive Creatures - Mandy Ord

Sometimes I’m a little slow to see the huge benefits of any given situation, but when I get there I sure do enjoy it. I started my new job as a Teacher Librarian (finally, yay!) at the beginning of the school year and, until now, have been so busy trying to get my feet under me and figure things out that it wasn’t until today, five weeks in, that it clicked to me that hey, it’s Friday, and grabbing a nice little pile of books on the way out the door for some weekend reading is pretty much going to be a standing arrangement. So yes. Bring on the good times.

Title: Sensitive Creatures

Author: Mandy Ord

Published: 2011

Pages: 296

It’s nice when a randomly selected book turns out to be a pleasant read. I grabbed this one off the shelf as I left work today and spent quite the pleasant afternoon flicking through it on the lounge.

Australian artist, Mandy Ord, uses her quirky artistic style to paint a portrait of the everyday. With no over-arching plot, Sensitive Creatures is a collection of comics that celebrate life’s daily minutia – walking the dog, people who drive too fast, weird smells. Peppered throughout, however, is a sense of anxiety and the ways in which it can permeate a life. While far from the key theme of the collection, it was true and honest and, for me, was what made the novel.

I found Ord’s art interestingly unlike any other graphic novel I’ve ever read. I’m not sure if it’s actually lino-print or just highly reminiscent of them, but it added a strange grittiness that added to the everyday feel of the collection. It was a quick read, but an enjoyable one and I’d recommend it for anyone who’d like a gentle meander through some relatable moments. 5/5

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Books read in 2015

Total Books: 365

Fiction

• Abdel-Fattah, Randa - Noah's Law
• Asher, Jay - Thirteen Reasons Why
• Barr, Lollie - The Adventures of Stunt Boy and His Amazing Wonder Dog Blindfold
• Barrie, J.M. - Peter Pan
• Brayden, Melissa - Waiting in the Wings
• Carroll, Emily - Through the Woods
• Choldenko, Gennifer - Al Capone Does My Shirts
• Colfer, Eoin - Artemis Fowl
• Collins, Suzanne - Catching Fire
• Collins, Suzanne - The Hunger Games
• Collins, Suzanne - Mockingjay
• Condon, Bill - The Simple Things
• Cooper, Susan - King of Shadows
• Cowell, Cressida - How to Train Your Dragon
• Crossan, Sarah - Apple and Rain
• Draper, Sharon M. - Out of My Mind
• Essex, Bridget - A Knight to Remember
• Forman, Gayle - If I Stay
• Foxlee, Karen - Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy
• Gabaldon, Diana - Outlander
• Gaiman, Neil - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
• Genova, Lisa - Still Alice
• Gleeson, Libby and Freya Blackwood - The Cleo Stories: The Necklace and the Present
• Grant, Michael - Gone
• Green, John - Paper Towns
• Gruen, Sara - Water for Elephants
• Groth, Darren - Are You Seeing Me?
• Hand, Cynthia - The Last Time We Say Goodbye
• Hawke, Rosanne - Kelsey and the Quest for the Porcelain Doll
• Janu, Tamsin - Figgy in the World 
• Jonsberg, Barry - My Life as an Alphabet
• Keil, Melissa - The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
• King, A.S. - Glory O'Brien's History of the Future
• King, A.S. - Please Ignore Vera Dietz
• Lee, Harper - Go Set a Watchman
• Lee, Harper - To Kill a Mockingbird
• Levithan, David - Every Day
• Levithan, David - How They Met, and Other Stories
• Levithan, David, and Rachel Cohn - Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
• Lint, Charles de - A Circle of Cats
• Lockhart E. - We Were Liars
• Martin, Anne M. - Rain Reign
• Martin, George R.R. - A Song of Fire and Ice
• Morgan, Sally - Going Bush with Grandpa
• Morpurgo, Michael - War Horse
• Murphy, Sally - Roses are Blue
• Niffenegger, Audrey - The Time Traveler's Wife
• Niven, Jennifer - All the Bright Places
• Norton, Catherine - Crossing
• Orwell, George - Animal Farm
• Pitcher, Annabel - My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
• Pullman, Philip - His Dark Materials #1: Northern Lights
• Riordan, Rick - The Heroes of Olympus #1: The Lost Hero
• Riordan, Rick - The Heroes of Olympus #2: The Son of Neptune
• Riordan, Rick - The Heroes of Olympus #3: The Mark of Athena
• Riordan, Rick - The Heroes of Olympus #4: The House of Hades
• Sachar, Louis - Someday Angeline
• Selznick, Brian - Wonderstruck
• Sloan, Robin - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
• Spinelli, Jerry - Stargirl
• Spinelli, Jerry - Love, Stargirl
• Stead, Rebecca - When You Reach Me
• Stork, Francisco X. - Marcelo in the Real World
• Sweeney, Diana - The Minnow
• Tan, Shaun - Tales from Outer Suburbia
• Toten, Teresa - The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
• Valente, Catherynne M. - The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
• Walton, Leslye - The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
• Zevin, Gabrielle - Elsewhere
• Zorn, Claire - The Protected

Poetry

• Eckermann, Ali Cobby - Ruby Moonlight
• Ginsberg, Allen - Howl and Other Poems

Drama

• Maggs, Dirk, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman - Good Omens: The BBC Radio 4 Dramatisation
• Maggs, Dirk and Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere: The BBC Radio 4 Dramatisation
• Rose, Reginald and E.G. Marshall - Twelve Angry Men
• Williams, Tennessee - A Streetcar Named Desire

Non-Fiction (excl. NF picture books and graphic novels)

• Barrymore, Drew - Wildflower
• Dawson, James - This Book is Gay
• Day, Felicia - You're Never Weird on the Internet
• Fitzgerald, Isaac and Wendy MacNaughton - Pen and Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them
• Freeman, Pamela - Mary's Australia: How Mary MacKillop Changed Australia
• Giramonti, Lisa Borgnes - Novel Interiors: Living in Enchanted Rooms Inspired by Literature
• Hart, Miranda - Is It Just Me?
• Lear, Edward - Bosh and Nonsense
• Lodge, Yvette and M. Swan - How Was I Made? A First Book About Sex
• Martin, William Patrick - A Lifetime of Fiction: The 500 Most Recommended Reads for Ages 2 to 102
• McCuin, Judith MacKenzie - The Intentional Spinner
• Miller, Alice - The Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self
• Miller, Donlyn - The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child
• Mulgrew, Kate - Born With Teeth
• Oakley, Tyler - Binge
• Poehler, Amy - Yes, Please
• Pyle, Nathan W. - NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette
• Queensland Art Gallery - Portrait of Spain for Kids
• Reeves, Richard, Harvey Sawler, and Cecil Stoughton - Portrait of Camelot: A Thousand Days in the Kennedy White House
• Rubin, Gretch - The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
• Simpson, Alyson - Reading Under the Covers: Helping Children to Choose Books
• Strayed, Cheryl - Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
• T2 - What is Tea?
• Tan, Shaun - The Bird King and Other Sketches

Graphic Novels

• Backderf, Deri - My Friend Dahmer
• Bechdel, Alison - Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama
• Bertozzi, Nick - Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey
• Briggs, Raymond - Ethel and Ernest
• Briggs, Raymond - Gentleman Jim
• Briggs, Raymond - When the Wind Blows
• Butler, Nancy - Sense & Sensibility
• Caldwell, Ben and L. Frank Baum - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (All Action Classics)
• Carey, Mike, Marc Hempel, and Sonny Liew - Re-Gifters
• Castellucci, Cecil and Jim Rugg - Janes, Vol. 1: The Plain Janes
• Chauvel, David, Enrique Fernandez, and L. Frank Baum - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Collins, Stephen - The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 8
• Davis, Eleanor - How to Be Happy
• Davis, Rob - The Motherless Oven
• DeFillippis, Nunzio, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Christina Weir, and Kevin Cornell - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A Graphic Novel
• Deustch, Barry - Hereville, Vol. 1: How Mirka Got Her Sword
• Deustch, Barry - Hereville, Vol. 2: How Mirka Met a Meteorite
• Doctorow, Cory - In Real Life
• Fairfield, Lesley - Tyranny
• Fransman, Karrie - Death of the Artist
• Gaiman, Neil and Dave McKean - MirrorMask
• Gaiman, Neil and Dave McKean - The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch
• Gaiman, Neil, John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Charles Vess, Paul Johnson, and Roger Zelazny - The Books of Magic
• Gerrold, David - Tales from the Crypt #9: Wickeder
• Gownley, Jimmy - The Dumbest Idea Ever!
• Harris, Charlaine and Christopher Golden - The Cemetery Girl, Vol. 1: The Pretenders
• Kick, Russ (ed.) - Children's Literature: The World's Greatest Kids' Lit as Comics and Visuals (The Graphic Canon)
• Layman, John - Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice
• McClaren, Meredith - Hinges, Vol. 1: Clockwork City
• Millar, Mark, Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, and Morry Hollowell - Civil War
• Monster, Sfe R. - Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy Comic Anthology
• Muldow, Diana - Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book
• Novgorodoff, Danica - The Undertaking of Lily Chen
• Obata, Fumio - Just So Happens
• Ord, Mandy - Sensitive Creatures
• Riordan, Rick, Robert Venditti, José Villarrubia, and Attila Futaki - Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Vol. 1: The Lightning Thief (The Graphic Novel)
• Riordan, Rick, Robert Venditti, Attila Futaki, and Tamas Gaspar - Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Vol. 2: The Sea of Monsters (The Graphic Novel)
• Selznick, Brian - The Marvels
• Shen, Prudence - Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong
• Shiga, Jason - Empire State: A Love Story (or Not)
• Small, David - Stitches
• Stevenson, Noelle - Nimona
• Stevenson, Noelle, Grace Ellis, Brooke Allen, and Maarta Laiho - Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy
• Stevenson, Noelle, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke Allen, and Maarta Laiho - Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max
• Sugg, Joe - Username: Evie
• Talbot, Mary M. and Bryan Talbot - The Dotter of Her Father's Eyes
• Tan, Shaun - The Singing Bones
• Tamaki, Mariko and Jillian Tamaki - This One Summer
• Telgemeier, Raina - Drama
• Telgemeier, Raina - Smile, Vol. 1: Smile
• Telgemeier, Raina - Smile, Vol. 2: Sisters
• TenNapel, Doug - Ghostopolis
• Than, Gavin Aung - Zen Pencils: Cartoon Quotes from Inspirational Folks
• Tobin, Paul and Benjamin Dewey - I Was the Cat
• Tomine, Adrian - Scenes from an Impending Marriage
• Torseter, Øyvind - The Hole
• Vaughan, Brian K. and Fiona Sharples - Saga, Vol. 1
• Vaughan, Brian K. and Fiona Sharples - Saga, Vol. 2
• Vaughan, Brian K. and Fiona Sharples - Saga, Vol. 3
• Vaughan, Brian K. and Fiona Sharples - Saga, Vol. 4
• Vaughan, Brian K. and Fiona Sharples - Saga, Vol. 5
• Watson, Andi - Gum Girl, Vol. 1: Catastrophe Calling
• Weing, Drew - Set to Sea
• Willingham, Bill, Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha, Craig Hamilton, and James Jean - Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha - Fables, Vol. 2: Animal Farm
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha - Fables, Vol. 3: Storybook Love
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Craig Hamilton, Steve Leialoha, and P. Craig Russell - Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Tony Akins, and Jimmy Palmiotti - Fables, Vol. 5: The Mean Seasons
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, David Hahn, and Steve Leialoha - Fables, Vol. 6: Homelands
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Jim Fern, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Andrew Pepoy - Fables, Vol. 7: Arabian Nights
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Shawn McManus, and Andrew Pepoy - Fables, Vol. 8: Wolves
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy, Gene Ha, Joshua Middleton, Inaki Miranda and Mike Allred - Fables, Vol. 9: Sons of the Empire
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Aaron Alexovich, and Andrew Pepoy - Fables, Vol. 10: The Good Prince
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Niko Henrichon, and Andrew Pepoy - Fables, Vol. 11: War and Pieces
• Willingham, Bill, Mark Buckingham, Peter Gross, Andrew Pepoy, Mike Allred, and David Hahn - Fables, Vol. 12: The Dark Ages
• Willingham, Bill, Matthew Sturges, Russ Braun, José Marzán Jr., Mark Buckingham, and Andrew Pepoy - Fables, Vol. 13: The Great Fables Crossover
• Wilson, G. Willow and Adrian Alphona - Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal
• Wilson, G. Willow, Adrian Alphona, and Jacob Wyatt - Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why
• Wilson, G. Willow, Mark Waid, Takeshi Miyazawa, Elmo Bondoc, and Humberto Ramos - Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed

Picture Books

• Acton, Sarah - As Big As You
• Acton, Sarah - Hold on Tight
• Aliki - Mariathe's Story: Painted Words and Spoken Memories
• Allen, Emma and Freya Blackwood - The Terrible Suitcase
• Archer, Peter and L. Frank Baum - The Road to Oz
• Balla, Trace - Rivertime
• Balla, Trace - Shine: A Story About Saying Goodbye
• Bancroft, Jack Manning and Bronwyn Bancroft - The Eagle Inside
• Base, Graeme - Eye to Eye
• Bedford, David - Ed's Egg
• Bell, Davina - The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade
• Bentley, Peter and Daniel Howarth - Top Place Percy
• Bentley, Peter and Helen Oxenbury - King Jack and the Dragon
• Bentley, Peter and Russell Ayto - Dustbin Dad
• Blabey, Aaron - The Brothers Quibble
• Blabey, Aaron - Noah Dreary
• Blabey, Aaron - Thelma the Unicorn
• Blackwood, Freya - Ivy Loves to Give
• Blair, Karen - Baby Beats
• Bland, Nick - King Pig
• Bland, Nick - Monster Chef
• Brian, Janeen and Ann James - I'm a Dirty Dinosaur
• Britt, Fanny - Jane, the Fox, and Me
• Brown, Susie, Margaret Warner, Sebastian Ciaffaglione - Lone Pine
• Caisley, Raewyn and Karen Blair - Hello From Nowhere
• Carmody, Isobelle and Anne Spudvilas - Night School
• Champion, Tom Niland, Kilmeny Niland and Deborah Niland - The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies
• Chandler, Susan - The Greedy Rainbow
• Clement, Rod - Top Dog
• Cole, Babette - Princess Smartypants
• Connelly, Nicola and Anne White - My Dad is a Bear
• Crew, Gary and Craig Smith - Troy Thompson's Excellent Poetry Book
• Crew, Gary and Jeremy Geddes - Eilean Mor
• Crew, Gary and Shaun Tan - Memorial
• Crumble, P. and Chris Kennett - If You're Happy and You Know It!
• Crumble, P.and Nathanial Eckstrom - Me and Moo
• Cummings, Phil - Anzac Biscuits
• Cummings, Phil - Newspaper Hats
• Cummings, Phil - Ride Ricardo, Ride!
• Cummings, Phil and Sara Acton - Bridie's Boots
• Cunxin, Li and Anne Spudvilas - The Peasant Prince
• Davies, Luke - Magpie
• Dennis, C.J. and Dee Huxley - A Bush Christmas
• Dickson, John - Have You Met Scribble?
• Doyle, Roddy and Freya Blackwood - Her Mother's Face
• Dubosarsky, Ursula and Andrew Joyner - There Are Too Many Elephants in This House
• Dubosarsky, Ursula and Andrew Joyner - Tim and Ed
• Dumbleton, Mike - Meet Douglas Mawson
• Ellis, Carson - Home
• Emmett, Jonathan - Here Be Monsters
• Estella, Lucy and Matt Ottley - Suri's Wall
• Faille, Chris and Danny Snell - Jeremy
• Fenton, Corinne and Andrew McLean - Bob the Railway Dog
• Fenton, Corinne and Robin Cowcher - Little Dog and the Christmas Wish
• Ferrell, Sean and Charles Santoso - I Don't Like Koala
• Flood, Ciara - Those Pesky Rabbits
• Fox, Mem and Emma Quay - Baby Bedtime
• French, Jackie and Bruce Whatley - Fire
• French, Jackie and Bruce Whatley - Queen Victoria's Underpants
• French, Jackie and Bruce Whatley - Wombat Wins
• Fussell, Sandy and Tull Suwannakit - Sad, the Dog
• Germein, Katrina and Judy Watson - Thunderstorm Dancing
• Gibbes, Lesley and Stephen Michael King - Scary Night
• Gibbes, Lesley and Sue deGennaro - Bring a Duck
• Gleeson, Libby and Freya Blackwood - Banjo and Ruby Red
• Gleeson, Libby and Freya Blackwood - Clancy and Millie and the Very Fine House
• Gleeson, Libby and Freya Blackwood - Go to Sleep, Jessie!
• Gleeson, Libby and Freya Blackwood - Look, a Book!
• Godwin, Jane and Anna Walker - Today We Have No Plans
• Godwin, Jane and Andrew Joyner - How Big is Too Small?
• Goess, Carol and Tasmin Ainslie - Can We Lick the Spoon Now?
• Gouldthorpe, Peter - Ice, Wind, Rock: Douglas Mawson in the Antarctic
• Graham, Bob - Silver Buttons
• Gravett, Emily - Dogs
• Gravett, Emily - Wolves
• Greder, Armin - The Island
• Greenberg, Nicki - Monkey Red Monkey Blue
• Greenwood, Mark and Frané Lessac - Midnight: A True Story of Loyalty in World War I
• Greenwood, Mark and Terry Denton - Jandamarra
• Guest, Patrick and Daniella Germain - That's What Wings Are For
• Graham, Bob - How the Sun Got to Coco's House
• Graham, Bob - Vanilla Ice Cream
• Hamilton, Margaret and Anna Pignataro - B is for Bedtime
• Hartnett, Sonya and Lucia Masciullo - The Wild One
• Hathorn, Libby and Heath McKenzie - I Love You Book
• Hathorn, Libby and Roitva Voutila - Outside
• Heffernan, John and Freya Blackwood - Two Summers
• Hughes, Jenny and Jonathan Bentley - A House of Her Own
• Hurst, Elise - Adelaide's Secret World
• Hurst, Elise - Imagine a City
• Jolly, Jane and Robert Ingoen - Tea and Sugar Christmas
• Jorgensen, Norman and James Foley - The Last Viking
• Jorgensen, Norman and James Foley - The Last Viking Returns
• Kane, Kim and Sara Acton - Esther's Rainbow
• Kendell, Sandra - Green Tree Frogs
• Killen, Nicola - I Got a Crocodile
• King, Stephen Michael - Snail and Turtle are Friends
• Knight, Paula and Daniel Howarth - The Lion Who Lost His Roar, But Learned to Draw
• Kobald, Irena and Freya Blackwood - My Two Blankets
• Kwaymullina, Amberlin and Leanne Tobin - The Lost Girl
• Lahn, Dean - Bad Ned
• Lester, Alison - Kissed by the Moon
• Lester, Alison - My Dog Bigsy
• Lester, Alison - Noni the Pony Goes to the Beach
• Lester, Alison - Sophie Scott Goes South
• Lester, Alison, Elizabeth Honey, and the Children of Gununa - Our Island
• MacLeod, Doug and Craig Smith - The Windy Farm
• Matthews, Cecily and Freya Blackwood - Emily's Rapunzel Hair
• Martin, Carol Ann and Ben Wood - Underneath a Cow
• Martin, Marc - A River
• Martin, Marc - Max
• Mathews, Penny and Stephen Michael King - One Night
• McCartney, Tania and Christina Booth - This is Captain Cook
• McCleary, Stacey and Sue DeGennaro - One Funky Monkey
• McKenna, Martin - The Crocodolly
• McKimmie, Chris - Lara of Newtown
• McKimmie, Chris - Scarlett and the Scratchy Moon
• Metzenthen, David and Michael Camilleri - One Minute's Silence
• Mewburn, Kyle and Freya Blackwood - No Room for a Mouse
• Millard, Glenda and Annie White - Mbobo Tree
• Millard, Glenda and Phil Lesnie - Once a Shepherd
• Morgan, Sally and Bronwyn Bancroft - The Amazing A to Z Thing
• Morgan, Sally, Ezekiel Kwaymullina, and Dub Leffler - Frog Finds a Place
• Murdie, Rae and Chris Nixon - Meet Captain Cook
• Murphy, Sally and Janine Dawson - Fly-In Fly-Out Dad
• Newman, Lesléa and Amy June Bates - Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed
• O'Hagan, Jack and Andrew McLean - Along the Road to Gundagai
• Ohmura, Tomoko - Line Up, Please
• Palmer, Tony and Jane Tanner - The Soldier's Gift
• Parker, Danny and Freya Blackwood - Perfect
• Parker, Danny and Matt Ottley - Parachute
• Pitcher, Caroline and Jenny Arthur - Home, Sweet Home
• Pym, Tasha and Joel Stewart - Have You Ever Seen a Sneep?
• Quay, Emma - Scarlett Starlet
• Quay, Emma - Shrieking Violet
• Quinn, David and Devon Devereaux - The Littlest Bitch
• Roe, Katrina and Leigh Hedstrom - Emily Eases her Wheezes
• Rudge, Leila - A Perfect Place for Ted
• Russell, Paula and Gaye Chapman - My Sister, Olive
• Saxby, Claire and Graham Byrne - Big Red Kangaroo
• Saxby, Claire and Graham Byrne - Emu
• Saxby, Claire and Lizzy Newcomb - My Name is Lizzy Flynn: A Story of the Rajah Quilt
• Sedan, Paul and Karen Briggs - Kick with My Left Foot
• Shanahan, Lisa and Gus Gordon - Big Pet Day
• Shannon, David - Too Many Toys
• Smallman, Steve - Batmouse
• Smallman, Steve - Daisy Dinosaur Gets Lost
• Smallman, Steve and Rebecca Elliott - Storytime: The Wishing Stone
• Smith, Craig - Remarkable Rexy
• Snell, Danny - Seagull
• Stark, Ulf and Eva Eriksson - When Dad Showed Me the Universe
• Starke, Ruth and Greg Holfield - An ANZAC Tale
• Tanner, Jane - Love from Grandma
• Toft, Kim Michelle and Arthur Hamilton - I Can Swim a Rainbow
• Toms, Kate - There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
• Usher, Sam - Snow Day
• Walker, Anna - I Don't Believe in Dragons
• Walker, Anna - Mr. Huff
• Watts, Frances and David Legge - The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious Box
• Westaway, Kyle - Whale in the Bathtub
• Whatley, Bruce - Hunting for Dragons
• Wheatley, Nadia - Flight
• Whiten, Jan - Chooky-Doode-Doo
• Wiesner, David - Flotsam
• Wild, Margaret and Andrew Yeo - Vampyre
• Wild, Margaret and Deborah Niland - This Little Piggy Went Singing
• Wild, Margaret and Freya Blackwood - Harry & Hopper
• Wild, Margaret and Freya Blackwood - The Treasure Book
• Wild, Margaret and Judith Rossell - Bogtrotter
• Wild, Margaret and Julie Vivas - Davy and the Ducklings
• Wild, Margaret and Roitva Voutila - The Stone Lion
• Wild, Margaret and Ron Brooks - On the Day You Were Born
• Wild, Margaret and Ron Brooks - The Dream of the Thylacine
• Wild, Margaret and Terry Denton - Leo the Littlest Seahorse
• Wild, Margaret and Vivienne Goodman - Tanglewood
• Wilson, Mark L. - Angel of Kokoda
• Wilson, Tony and Laura Wood - The Cow Tripped Over the Moon
• Wolfer, Dianne and Karen Blair - Granny Grommet and Me
• Wyatt, Edwina and Gaye Chapman - In the Evening
• Young, Rebecca and Matt Ottley - Teacup

The Storyteller - Jodi Picoult

Title: The Storyteller
Author: Jodi Picoult
Published: 2013
Pages: 460
First Line: My father trusted me with the details of his death.

Fiction is like that, once it is released into the world: contagious, persistent. Like the contents of Pandora's box, a story that's freely given can't be contained anymore. It becomes infection, spreading from the person who created it to the person who listens, and passes it on.

It's been awhile since I read any Jodi Picoult novels, a realisation that surprised me as I never fail to enjoy them. 'Enjoy', however, is a word that I find so hard to use in reference to this particular novel.

Following her trademark move of picking hot button issue around which to revolve her story (capital punishment, organ donation, religion), The Storyteller introduces the character of Jozeb Weber, a more-than-model citizen in his nineties who, after befriending Sage, young local baker, confesses to being a Nazi soldier during World War II. What's more, he is asking Sage, the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, to forgive him before helping him die. No small ask.

The Storyteller is a layered, multi-generational story, weaving in the narrative voices of Jozef, Sage, her grandmother Minka, and Leo, the DOJ attorney from whom Sage is seeking counsel. The reader experiences the atrocities of WWII and life (and death) at Auschwitz, not only through the eyes of Minka, a then nineteen year old girl, but also through the eyes of the Jozef, a high ranking the Nazi officer at Auschwitz. These overlapping stories are, in turn, heart wrenching and sickening, tear inducing and angering. And through it all you cannot help but feel for Sage and the role she must play in drawing out these stories and finding herself in a position to pass judgement.

I make no claims to be a WWII historian, nor do I descend from family on either side of the war. I say this because I am aware that books dealing with narrative voices from the holocaust often provoke strong reactions in those with real life connections to events. I read this from a point of view of interest and as such, found the book to be a compelling and emotional read. There were points in the book that I had to put it down and walk away because it had upset me so.

I would have to say this this is one of Picoult's best works. While I find all of her novels moving, The Storyteller, undoubtedly because of the subject matter, carried a weight that I was not expecting when I started it.  5/5

Read if you enjoyed:

• The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Other Reviews Have you written a review for this book? I would love to include it, comment below and I'll add your link!

Books Read in 2014

Total books read: 53

• C, Chloé - Go Get a Roomie, Vol. 1
• Clark, Brian - Whose Life is it Anyway?
• Cohn, Rachel and David Levithan - Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 1
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 2
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 3
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 4
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 5
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 6
• Corsetto, Danielle - Girls With Slingshots, Vol. 7
• Danforth, Emily M. - The Miseducation of Cameron Post
• Davies, Valentine - Miracle on 34th Street
• Fitzgerald, F. Scott - The Great Gatsby
• Flynn, Gillian - Gone Girl
• Gere, Denise - Cupcakes: For Every Occasion
• Gray, Eva - Tomorrow Girls #1: Behind the Gates
• Grillo, Gabrielle and Lucy Sweet - WTF Knits
• Harris, Neil Patrick - Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Adventure
• Keil, Melissa - Life in Outer Space
• Kibuishi, Kazu - Amulet Vol. 1: The Stonekeeper
• Koyczan, Shane - To This Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful
• Kuhlmann, Torben - Lindbergh: The Tales of a Flying Mouse
• Lepard, Dan - The Great Australian Bake Off
• Lowry, Lois - The Giver
• Maguire, Gregory - Wicked
• McCoster, Kim - One Pot One Bowl: Rediscover the Wonders of Simple Home Cooked Meals
• North, Ryan - Adventure Time, Vol. 1
• Ozma, Alice - The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared
• Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie - All Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot Writes for a Spin
• Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie - At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much
• Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie - Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Knits Again
• Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie - Things I Learned From Knitting (Whether I Wanted To or Not)
• Peters, Julie Ann - Luna
• Picoult, Jodi - The Storyteller
• Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian
• Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades
• Roth, Veronica - Divergent #1: Divergent
• Roth, Veronica - Divergent #2: Insurgent
• Roth, Veronica - Divergent #3: Allegiant
• Rowell, Rainbow - Attachments
• Rowell, Rainbow - Eleanor and Park [read twice]
• Rowell, Rainbow - Fangirl
• Rowell, Rainbow - Landline
• Straczynski, J. Michael - Superman: Earth One
• Stillman, William and Jay Scarfone - The Wizard of Oz: The Official 75th Anniversary Companion
• Tan, Shaun - Rules of Summer
• Tan, Shaun - The Lost Thing
• Tan, Shaun - The Red Tree

Books read in 2013

Total books read: 36

• Butcher, Jim - The Dresden Files #5 - Death Masks
• Butcher, Jim - The Dresden Files #6 -  Blood Rites
• Butcher, Jim - The Dresden Files #7 - Dead Beat
• Butcher, Jim - The Dresden Files #8 - Proven Guilty
• Butcher, Jim - The Dresden Files #9 - White Night
• Card, Orson Scott - Ender's Game
• Dahl, Roald - Esio Trot
• Fine, Anne - Blood Family
• Flagg, Fannie - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
• French, Jackie - Dark Wind Blowing
• French, Jackie - Hitler's Daughter
• Gleeson, Libby - Red
• Gray, Nigel - Oliver Twist Finds a Home
• Hicks, Faith Erin - The Adventures of Superhero Girl
• Hornby, Nick - The Polysyllabic Spree
• Howard, Josh - Dead@17, Vol. 1
• Howard, Josh - Dead@17, Vol 2: Blood of Saints
• Howard, Josh - Dead@17, Vol. 3: Revolution
• Gaiman, Neil - American Gods
• Gaiman, Neil - Fortunately, the Milk
• Gaiman, Neil - Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
• Gownley, Jimmy - Amelia Rules, Vol. 2: What Makes You Happy
• Kuipers, Alice - Life on the Refrigerator Door
• Lake, Selina - Homespun Style
• Martin, George R.R. - A Song of Fire and Ice #2 - A Clash of Kings
• Martell, Nevin - Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Waterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip
• Melancon, Isabelle - Namesake, Vol. 1
• North, Ryan - Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die
• Palacio, R.J. - Wonder
• Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
• Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
• Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
• Riordan, Rick - Percy Jackson and the Battle for the Labyrinth
• Spence, Jon - Becoming Jane Austen
• Tamaki, Mariko - Skim
• Thompson, Jill - The Little Endless Storybook

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent; Insurgent; Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: 2012 / 2012 / 2013
Pages: 487 / 525 / 526

Since I read these books in such quick succession, one after the other, I'm going to cheat a little and review the trilogy as a whole inside of individual books. This was another series that I read on the insistence of students (it is so lovely to have kids so excited about books that they want to discuss the with you so try to read those books as soon as I can).

These books are rather popular at present, so no doubt you've heard of them or seen them (or the new movie) about, but just in case you haven't, here's the run down. The series takes place in a not-to-distant future Chicago. In this world, communities are few and rather closed in. When children reach the age of sixteen they undergo a testing procedure which determines their dominant traits and attributes and indicates which of five 'factions' they would be best suited.

Unlike a lot of other dystopian fiction that employs this trope, however, the choice is ultimately theirs, children can choose which faction, and which trait they which to guide their life - Abnegation (self-sacrifice), Erudite (knowledge), Candor (truth),  Amity (friendship), or Dauntless (daring). Children can choose to align their life with their families, or with what their testing indicates.

For those like Tris, however, testing reveals a shocking secret - she is Divergent. Equally skilled or suited to more than one faction. This way, history has shown, leads to great upheaval and chaos, not only within the individual them self, but for society as a whole. And so people like Tris are feared. And hunted out.

In choosing Dauntless, Tris takes a bold step away from her family and into a new life, but all is not entirely what it seems - and not just at the Dauntless compound, everywhere.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series - not as much as, say, The Hunger Games, but I would definitely recommend it to any fans as a similar read. The last book, however, I found disjointed and off putting as Roth employed an alternating chapter perspective change between Tris and, another main character, Four. This had not occurred in the first two books and I would often get a ways into the chapter before I realised it had shifted.

As an example of YA dystopian fiction it checks all the boxes - a young lead character with a skill above her peers, a love interest with a complication, separation from the parents, and a corrupt government. Through in some crumbling buildings and a cool zip line manned by some under-20s and you're all set to go. Not a bad read, by any stretch, just not anything out of the ordinary. 3/5

Read if you enjoyed:

• Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
• City of Ember - Jeanne Duprau
• The Giver - Lois Lowry
• Legend - Marie Lu (recommended by Lisa)
• Delirium - Lauren Oliver

Other Reviews Have you written a review for this book? I would love to include it, comment below and I'll add your link!

Teaser Tuesday (May 22)

Teaser Tuesday is  hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve  given!

 

Over the last few years I’ve had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory. My mind isn’t going - so far as I can tell - but it’s changing. (5)

The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember - Nicholas Carr

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore

Published: 2002
Pages: 506

 

I will never, ever, get to the end of my tbr list, because by the time I have finished reading a book I have uncovered five more to add. You know how it is. Because of this, it is not unusual for a book I am very excited to read to be forgotten in the depths of the pile, only to by pulled out by the passing word of a fellow book lover. This happened to me this week when Kyla mentioned that she was thoroughly enjoying her current read, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.

“Hey! I wanted to read that. I have it around here somewhere!” I cried. And so I went digging and the pair of us settled down with our respective copies to enjoy and, when she’s done, discuss the book.

I had not read anything by Christopher Moore prior to Lamb, and, though intrigued by the concept of this book, knew little of it beyond its basic premise. And such, I was not prepared for just how humorous the novel would be – I believe that I alarmed more than a few people with my public outbursts of hilarity.

Lamb, as implied by the title, is narrated by the character Biff (or Levi, called Biff), the best friend of the young Christ. He is not, perhaps, the most obvious choose for the best friend of the messiah, being the self-acclaimed inventor of sarcasm and somewhat of a sex fiend, but his heart is good and his loyalty strong. It is through Bif’s eyes that we witness the youth and adolescence of Christ, from when the pair meet at the age of six, through their travels and learnings, the banding together of the apostles, right through to the crucifixion.

I think, perhaps, that I had just the right level of biblical knowledge to thoroughly enjoy this book – just enough to realise and understand all the references, but not enough to have grown up with a strong knowledge that would prevent me from picking up this somewhat cheeky tale in the first place. This is not, I would think, a book for everyone, and yet despite this, I would applaud Moore for walking that fine line between irreverence and respect – because for all the humour and sarcasm of the novel, I do consider it to be, at its core, respectful to the message of the bible.

I enjoyed Lamb immensely – for its humour, for its clever interweaving of stories, and for its respectful translation of the morals and lessons of the bible. As I said above, I’m sure this is not a book for everyone, and I would love to hear from those of you who have read this book and who may have a differing opinion. Come chat to me in the comments below.

Books Read in 2012

Total Books Read: 37

• Black, Holly and Cecil Castellucci (ed.) - Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd
• Butcher, Jim - Dresden Files, Vol. 1: Storm Front, The
• Butcher, Jim - Dresden Files, Vol. 2: Fool Moon, The
• Butcher, Jim - Dresden Files, Vol. 3: Grave Peril, The
• Carter, Aimee - The Goddess Test
• Collins, Suzanne - Catching Fire
• Collins, Suzanne - Mockingjay
• Eisner, Will - 9-11: Artists Respond, Vol. 1
• Green, John - The Fault is in Our Stars
• Hack, William - International Quiddith Handbook, Version 5
• Hicks, Faith Erin - Friends With Boys
• Jenkins, Paul, Joe Quesada, Bill Jemas and Andy Kubert - Wolverine: Origin
• Loeb, Jeph, Michael Lane Turner and Peter Steigerwald - Superman/Batman, Vol. 2: Supergirl
• Loeb, Jeph, Carlos Pacheco and Jesús Merino - Superman/Batman, Vol. 3: Absolute Power
• Manguel, Alberto - A Reading Diary: A Year of Favourite Books
• Marías, Javier - Written Lives
• Moore, Christopher - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
• Naifeh, Ted - Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things
• Nancy, Ted L. - More Letters from a Nut
• Niffenegger, Audrey - The Night Bookmobile
• Norton, Mary - The Borrowers
• Smith, Jeff - Bones, Vol. 1: Out of Boneville
• Smith, Jeff - Bones, Vol. 2: The Great Cow Race
• Smith, Jeff - Bones, Vol. 3: Eyes of the Storm
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 2: Cycles
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3: One Small Step
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra, Goran Pavlov and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 4: Safe Word
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 5: Ring of Truth
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra, Goran Pavlov and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 6: Girl on Girl
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra, Goran Pavlov and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 7: Paper Dolls
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra, Goran Pavlov and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra, Goran Pavlov and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 9: Motherland
• Vaughan, Brian K., Pia Guerra, Goran Pavlov and José Marzán Jr. - Y: The Last Man, Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores
• Waid, Mark and Alex Ross - Kingdom Come
• Wells, H.G. - The Time Machine
• Wilder, Laura Ingalls - The Little House in the Big Wood

The Night Bookmobile - Audrey Niffenegger

Pages: 40
Published: 2010

 

I’m a big fan of giving books as gifts, though I don’t have many people for whom I would do this. I so enjoy the weeks of considering the perfect books, weighing up all my options. Even more than this, I enjoy receiving books as gift which, coming from a non-booky family, you can imagine that I don’t get very often. I am very fortunate, however, to have people like Wendy in my life, who recognises all too well how wonderful a gift a book can be and who gave me a beautiful book for my birthday this year.

She chose a copy of Audrey Niffenegger’s The Night Bookmobile – which as a book lover and fan of Niffenegger, I immediately fell in love with. After some debating with Wendy about its classification as either a ‘graphic novel’ or ‘adult picture book’, I have decided to go with the later, but with the caveat that it is indeed intended for adults – do not let its heavy use of illustration and picture book format sway you into thinking that it is intended for children.

Without giving you any spoilers (it’s only 40 pages – go, find yourself a copy), The Night Bookmobile tells the story of Alexandra, live long reader and booklover. One night, after a fight with her boyfriend, she heads out for a walk where she encounters a library mobile – one that operates only from dusk to dawn. Stepping aboard she peruses the shelves... only to come to the realisation that not only has she read all the books, these are all the books she’s ever read, right down to her childhood diary. The librarian explains that this is, in fact, HER library, that it is his job to shelve everything she ever reads. The following years for Alexandra revolve entirely around the bookmobile – the finding of it, and her, apparently fruitless, endeavour to gain the chance to work with it. Through doing so Alexandra is forced to evaluate her life, both as a reader and as a person.

Firstly, I cannot say how much I loved this book. It most certainly had its darker moments, but the core idea, that of the personal bookmobile really intrigued me. I starting thinking of all the books I had ever read in my lifetime, stacking up there on my bookmobile shelves. I started to think of all the books I started and never finished. And all the books I read in secret, too embarrassed to have their covers show – though I would never do it, I can’t help but imagine these poor books sitting there naked, their covers having been torn off. I started thinking about all the ebooks I’ve read, all the blogs and articles online – and I start to wonder if my bookmobile has a digital wing. The concept has crawled into my brain and it is not going anywhere.

Thought not as wordy as her novels, Niffenegger’s precise prose is again present here in The Night Bookmobile – but this time married with her simple but touching illustrations. It was a quick read (like I said, only 40 pages, and much of that illustration), but no less a moving one. In fact, I read it over several times in that first sitting, uncovering new details each time. If you’re a booklover, or a fan of unconventional stories, I recommend it heartily – and if you do read it, please come back and tell me, as I would love to discuss it with you in more detail.

5/5

Unchaperoned

You know that determined feeling you have when you park outside the library, the one where you're telling yourself that you're only going in for one book? What's more, you even know which book you're looking for, and exactly where it is shelved so you'll be in and out so speedy, nothing will be tripping you up today. You know that feeling?

I hate that feeling.

Because I know it's a lie.

I tell myself this all the time, and even trick myself into believing it, but even so, my inner self - the one nestled deep down in my brain, happily munching on popcorn and just waiting to revel in the fall out - knows that it is a complete and utter false belief.

All this is my way of saying that I've given up on the pretense. Having added the sixth book to the pile in the crook of my arm, I have secured myself a table and am sitting here telling the world of my inability to control my book gathering tendencies before I delve into my nice little pile.

 

 

• Written Lives - Javier Marías
  
• The Country of the Blind and Other Selected Stories - HG Wells
• A Reading Diary - Alberto Manguel
• Letters from a Nut - Ted L. Nancy
• Should We Burn Babar?: Essays on Children's Literature and the Power of Stories - Herbert Kohl
• 80 Great Poems: From Chaucer to Now - Geoff Page

9-11: Artists Respond, Vol. 1

9-11: Artists Respond, Volume 1 Will Eisner
Published: 2002
Pages: 196

This is probably not a book I would have picked up on my own accord – or rather, it’s not one that I would have gone looking for, but I was talking to my friend Denise, a fellow 00English teacher, about how she would like to use some of the images in the classroom and I was intrigued.

I’m not terribly (okay at all) politically minded and was a little concerned that the collection of comics contained within this volume would be more politically charged than I was prepared to deal with (particularly since this was on the top of the pile for my holiday reading). I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find that the large majority of the comics and images – in fact nearly all of them, focused on the stories of individuals and their experiences. There were quite a few images that had me transfixed – by both the beautiful imagery and the message it contained, and there were even those that had me in tears.

The artistic style employed throughout this collection was extremely diverse, and I would have to say this was a large part of its appeal and, what’s more, one of its biggest strengths. With its large number of contributing artists, many of the submissions are shorter, one page images or strips being the norm and the occasional double or three page spread appearing throughout. I can certainly see what my friend was talking about regarding using it in the classroom, but it made for an intriguing personal read also. I highly recommend it, and will be tackling the second volume next.

Teaser Tuesday (Jan 17)

Teaser Tuesday is  hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve  given!

 

Brian was moving from gargoyle to gargoyle with the ease of long practice when he heard the voices. He was so startled he almost lost his grip. (77)

A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin