Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Review: The Ask and the Answer


The Ask and the Answer
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



For the book talk, see http://thebooksupplier.com/2011/08/30/review-the-ask-and-the-answer/



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Monday, August 29, 2011

Review: Monsters of Men


Monsters of Men
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I ordered this one online. When I bought the first, the bookstore didn't have the second, but did have the UK version of the third. Now I'm a little disappointed that I didn't pick up the third book before. Needless to say, the Chaos Walking trilogy is probably my favorite young adult trilogy right now. I'm so excited for the release of  A Monster Calls in September. There's something so vivid about Patrick Ness's writing that makes me want to read even more. 





 

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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower


The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



What measure can we use to compare two people's suffering? Is one worse than the other? Does the fact that one person has a harder time of it mean that someone else's suffering is invalid?

I read a number of the reviews here on Goodreads before I finally decided to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and it seems like people are split fairly well down the middle on whether or not they like this novel.

The novel was weird to me, if only because it's not the kind of novel that I usually read. When my mother asked me whether or not I liked it, I told her it's fantastic.



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Review: Addie on the Inside


Addie on the Inside
Addie on the Inside by James Howe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Every once in a while, a student will show me that they're world aware. It's always so moving to me when kids show that they're familiar with something other than the digital world. Addie reminded me of those students. There was a conversation she had with another girl about why she cared if a celebrity was being beaten by her boyfriend--it didn't effect her directly. The response she gave was the response I should have given to the kid who asked me why he should care about the genocide that happened during the Holocaust, or the genocide going on in Darfur.
James Howe uses beautiful language to depict a girl who is trying to find the balance between being who she is and being who she thinks people want her to be. This novel in verse is definitely worth a read.



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Monday, August 8, 2011

Review: If You Come Softly


If You Come Softly
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this novel, the story about how people from different ethnicities come together and the view of the outside world, and I think about my brothers. And my boy cousins. And all the students I have who have told me that they want to be Black. It's not something I've ever understood. And maybe, after reading If You Come Softly I hope maybe you'll understand where I'm coming from. 





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Saturday, August 6, 2011

Review: Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading


Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Both Tommy Greenwald and Rick Riordan started writing books because their children didn't like to read. I think it's interesting how, while the two gentlemen had similar motivation, they outcomes were very different. I think Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading will be a fought-over addition to my classroom library.



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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Review: The Monstrumologist


The Monstrumologist
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Something about this, and I don't know if it was the fact that it was told using a journal, or that the crazy monster-hunting guy was called in, reminded me of Bram Stoker's Dracula. I'm going to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the gore, the monster hunting, and the trying to figure out why Warthrope demands that Will Henry (who is always called by both his given name and his surname) stay away from John Kearns.
Book talk to come.



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