The Invention of Hugo Cabret

A Novel in Words and Pictures
by Brian Selznick

I heard about this book from the Provo Library's list of recommended young adult novels. A few weeks ago, the Romgi and I were in the BYU bookstore and saw that it was on sale; I've really been wanting a book to read, so the Romgi was nice enough to coerce me into buying it. School has been busy (midterms, yuck) but today I finally got a chance to sit down and read it.

And? I think it's a great book. The story is not superbly written, and definitely doesn't compare with my other favorites (Harry Potter, Phantom Tollbooth, Inkspell), but the way everything was presented was fantastic. It really is a novel in words and pictures: Selznick is a great artist and a lot of the book is his drawings. They serve to further the plot, not just illustrate what has already been said. Altogether the book is about 500 pages, but I read it in a little over an hour.

I definitely think you should check it out sometime, because it's a really unique approach to storytelling.

Crispin: The Cross of Lead

by Avi

For the first half of this book, I was in complete agreement with the decision to award Avi with the Newbery. Unfortunately, even though the story was still good for the other half, the hints and clues became so obvious that only a second grader could have missed the big "secret" of the book. What's more, I didn't feel like Crispin's transformation was very believable. The timeframe I understood really didn't allow for such a change, especially when the book was told in first-person and Crispin himself brushed over the details of how his character was developing.

That being said, I do think Avi picked an interesting setting for his novel, and did quite well presenting the way life would have been in that setting. If I were a second grader, I'd probably love the book. As it is...I like it. And that's good enough.

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog

by Gennifer Choldenko

Antonia "Ant" MacPherson is a sixth-grader who is convinced that her real parents have, for whatever reason, left her with the MacPhersons, and will someday (soon!) come back for her. Ant is sandwiched between two perfect blonde feminine sisters and has a hard time getting her parents (the ones she lives with) to commend her for anything. Her chihuahua, Pistachio, is the reason behind most of Ant's lies - her parents don't want the dog, who is old and needs to see a vet.

I really enjoyed the book, but it seemed to be a little somber for a children's book, in that Ant's parents seem so uncaring and harsh toward their daughter. However, I can concede that this may be simply because it's written from Ant's point of view, and she sees her parents as uncaring and harsh.

Either way, I think it's worth reading. Also check out Al Capone Does My Shirts by the same author.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney

I first saw this book in the "Recommended" section of People magazine (someone left a copy lying around the office). And last time I was at the library I happened to see it on the shelf while I was looking for a different book. So, the Romgi and I checked it out to read together.

It's definitely a fun book. The author does a really good job of capturing the middle school mentality. Even better, the drawings are hilarious. I guess the whole thing is adapted from a web comic. You can find the first few pages of the book at http://www.funbrain.com/.

Even though it was a quick read, it was well worth an hour of laughing. Read it...and remember why you're glad to not be in middle school anymore.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

by J.K. Rowling

I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that this is a great ending to one of the best series I've ever read. Rowling does an amazing job of tying everything together, and I'm still impressed by how carefully she thought the whole thing out. Seriously, it's fantastic.

Only, now what do we do? Harry Potter is over...

Momo

by Michael Ende

This is the only book I ever remember my dad reading to my siblings and I; I'm not sure that we even finished. But it is an excellent book.

Momo is a young girl who comes to live in an old amphitheater. Everyone in the little village loves her, because she helps them solve their problems. Actually, what Momo does best is listen: she listens patiently, and she listens with interest. Two men who were once friends and have entered a long feud go to see Momo, and with her "help" manage to sort things out.

The main theme of the book, however, is time. The Men in Gray have begun appearing throughout the village and city, although few people notice them. They work for the TimeSavings Bank, where people can deposit the time they save - and, supposedly, withdraw it later. The result of the Men in Gray is that the citizens become obsessed with saving time, whether by converting an inn into a fast food restaurant or by creating "child depots" where children will be out of the way, learning "useful" skills.

Momo is definitely not as intricate a story as Neverending Story, but it is well-written and captivating. The message is clear and applicable. Rating: read it, but read Neverending Story first.

Ida B.

by Katherine Hannigan

yesterday I picked up another 11 books from the library, including this. took about an hour and someodd minutes to read. I don't think most adults would be interested in the inner workings of a ten year old's mind, but it was really funny, and definitely a quick read. I'd probably give it to a girl about ida b.'s age, along with several of kate dicamillo's books.

Neverending Story

by Michael Ende

having seen the first neverending story movie numerous times, I was exceedingly perplexed when I came to the part of the book that correlated with the last 10 minutes of the movie: there were still roughly 250 pages remaining in the book. it turns out that the movie does indeed cover only the first half of the book. elements from the second half were used to build the plot of the sequel movie (the neverending story II: the next chapter), but in a very shoddy manner. it was a bit disheartening to read the second half; it would have made an extraordinarily enjoyable movie, had the plot been followed more faithfully. as with most book-to-movie transitions, the first half of the book was generally the same as the movie, although, of course, there was a much more intricate storyline. what I liked the most about the book as a whole was that it developed the main character so well, so believably. and it was not a simple good versus evil story. recommended for anyone who thought the movie was ridiculous, with a complete pansy of a main character.

The Saturdays

by Elizabeth Enright

my cousin told me I'd like this. when it wasn't availale in my hometown library last year, I read gone-away lake instead, which was a fun but not really memorable story. the saturdays is about four siblings who decide to pool their weekly allowance and do something fun each saturday. unfortunately, after having read e. nesbit's the story of the treasure-seekers and the wouldbegoods, I have a hard time being impressed with any collection of children less hilarious and well-developed than the bastables. therefore I feel no need to read anymore of elizabeth enright's melendy quartet. sorry.

Inkspell

by Cornelia Funke

I got a copy of inkheart a year or two ago, and unintentionally stayed up all night reading it. so I was disappointed when I heard that inkspell was a much less interesting story. however, I'd like to put in my two bits' worth and say that I'd place inkspell in my top 20 favorite books. (there really isn't a list like that, but someday I may make one.) I bought it to read the week before we got married, and I'm glad I had such a fantastic book to keep me occupied. it may be that some people think the story is too predictable; the fact that I, who seldom gives a thought to the obvious foreshadowing in novels, was able to figure the story out does lend some credibility to the argument. but I felt that it was altogether so well-written (and, particularly, so well-translated) that it is quite definitely worth reading. as a general rule I shy away from trilogies or series, especially in juvenile literature; I like a book to be self-contained and not force me to hunger after a second, third, fourth book to understand the story as a whole. and I was actually quite surprised to find an obvious opening for a third ink novel as the ending of inkspell. pleased, though, because I very much enjoy cornelia funke's writing. highly recommended to those who like juvenile fantasy.

The Thief Lord

by Cornelia Funke

I borrowed this from Mandy because she said it's a double-excellent book. Personally, I like Inkheart loads more. The Thief Lord is so much less of a complex story...and although the characters are likeable, I never felt like I really connected with them. Added to that, the plot seemed pasted together in places rather than properly flowing.

But, I've read much worse books than this. Maybe it just wasn't Funke's best piece of writing, or maybe I was just expecting something to equal Inkheart. Either way, this doesn't prevent me from reading (and hopefully enjoying) any of her other work.

Eragon

by Christopher Paolini

Another "free" book from that book club. I was possibly less interested in reading this than I had been in Inkheart, but, encouraged by the surprising success of Inkheart, I decided to start reading Eragon.

Yeah, disappointing. I'd heard all this critical acclaim about how Paolini was homeschooled and wrote this book at age Ridiculous, etc., etc.; but to me it was one of the most generic archetypal hero journeys ever written. I understand that it's similar to other great hero journeys because they have so much in common, but I felt like Paolini borrowed elements from every well-known story and pasted them together in a horribly obvious way. One word: predictable. And that was the biggest problem, because I almost never try to think about what's coming next - yet Eragon had no surprises, no twists, and no action intense enough that I kept turning the pages eagerly. Instead, I had plenty of time to let my subconscious work out the hints and foreshadowing, so that nothing caught me off guard.

I have a hard time believing that everyone else loves this book, and that it's been made into a movie, and that there are two more critically-acclaimed novels to follow. But apparently Paolini is a very good writer and I just happened to miss that bit of the book.

Inkheart

by Cornelia Funke

I made the mistake of joining a book club. You know, where you get so many free books as long as you buy a set amount in a set time period? Yeah, that was a bad idea. Anyway, this book was highly recommended based on the other options I selected, and it came for free. I have to say, though, that it didn't really look appealing. It sat on the shelf for a number of months. Then, before bed the other night, I picked it up to fend off the boredom of trying to sleep.

I read for four hours straight. And I think Inkheart is one of the best books I've ever read. The characters were well-developed, there were twists in the plot, it was a thorough and intricate story. Most impressive, perhaps, is that the book is translated from German. I'm amazed by the translator! The writing was magnificent!

Later I learned that there's a sequel of sorts, Inkspell, and I hope it's every bit as good as Inkheart. Recommended to anyone who likes children's fantasy.

Artemis Fowl

by Eoin Colfer

Believe me, I was reluctant to read such an overwhelmingly popular book as this, especially when I know it's the first of a series. For some reason I really dislike books in a series. I guess it seems to me like the author didn't have a good way of ending the first book, or a good enough plot for the first book, so he figured he'd just write a bunch of books and then it would be ok. (Perfect example: The Babysitters Club. Need I say more?) Anyway, Artemis Fowl is actually not that bad. I read it in my backyard lying on a blanket during a particularly nice afternoon, and came away with more than I was expecting. So maybe having low expectations is a good thing.

Colfer writes an interesting combination of children's fantasy and adult spy movies, and he does an impressive job of it. I can't say that I'll read any of the other Artemis Fowl novels, but I would recommend the first if you're looking for a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

The Story of the Treasure Seekers

by E. Nesbit

O the joys of E. Nesbit. The Bastables are absolutely hilarious, and I hope my kids are just as entertaining (and much less troublesome!). The five children attempt to recover the family fortunes that have been lost after the death of their mother. I liked this book much better than some of E. Nesbit's other writing; in fact, it's maybe one of the best books I've ever read. Ever. Please read it!

The Witches

by Roald Dahl

Brilliant! Dahl tells the story of a British boy whose parents die, and he lives with his Norwegian grandmother. She used to hunt witches and warns her grandson that witches are still around and are very dangerous; they aim to wipe out children completely. There's even a Grand High Witch who oversees all the witch activity throughout the world.

I have to say, the movie adaptation is really good. We used to watch it all the time when I was growing up. And honestly, I don't have any complaints with the book. Read it!