Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

I just recently finished reading the book Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. It had been very popular among my peers while I was in college, but I just never got around to reading it at the time. So I thought I would see what all the fuss was about. After reading this book I understand why all my friends raved about it, though what struck me most was how strong of a sci-fi novel it is. No one seemed to mention how creative and detailed this future world was. Perfectly plausible concepts for creating hover boards, hover cars, bungee jackets, even hover elevators? The culture Westerfeld develops throughout the story is natural and new.

Through out the story our heroine, Tally Youngblood, grows from just another trick pulling ugly waiting for her turn to become "pretty" into a strong young woman responsible for her own actions and her own future. Even the writing style adds to the shift in the settings from a safe, perfect utopia to an unsure and dangerous world. Perspectives and morals are challenged.

I believe this would be a great tool in many upper middle and high school classrooms. It is a long book (a whopping 425 pages) however the plot flies. It is a modern, intriguing tale which will divide a classroom. Even in higher level courses it would be very effective in discussion on topics of ethics, morals, social norms, growth, health and countless other topics. I would begin a unit on this book by asking students "If you could change anything about yourself what would you change?" After students answered I would then pose the question "If someone offered you the chance to change everything you hated about yourself, to make you perfect and happy, would you take it?" Allowing a discussion to begin from the very start. If you do decide to teach this as part of your curriculum I suggest making sure your library is well stocked with the rest of the series; Pretties and Specials as students will be clamoring to know what happens next. I know I am!

New Spring Titles!

For this spring season we have gained many new titles in the warehouse. Several of these new books, specifically in the picture book section, have caught my eye, and I thought I might share.

First, there is a new, very colorful, Clarice Bean book. It is titled Clarice Bean, That's Me by Lauren Child. The book is very colorfully illustrated and abstract, talking about what makes Clarice, Clarice.










Next there is a new Elephant and Piggie book by Mo Willems. This new addition to the series is titled I am Going and is about Elephant's reaction when Piggy tries to leave. It is fun and humorous in it's depiction of a Elephant afraid to be left alone.


One of our new Pop-Up books is the Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods & Heroes by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda. With intricate pop-up illustrations this book summarizes many of the different mythological cultures from around the world. It covers Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse, Chinese, and Native American Myths. Both informational and fun, this would be a good book for young readers researching myths. A demonstration video can be found here http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m3JUEZRVIEJWCK


Lastly the book that made me smile the most so far this season is Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't) by Barbara Bottner. A humorously illustrated book about a reluctant reader and a crazy librarian. The book tells the story of a young first grader, who doesn't like any books, and thinks the librarian is crazy because she dresses up and reads all sorts of books to them. In the end our first grader has to do a project on her favorite book for Book Week. Frustrated because she doesn't like books, she is given a mountain of books to read by Miss Brooks, in the end figuring out that she wants to read about warts. It's a fun short story about a reluctant reader discovering the joy of a good book. A definite for all librarians.

Hold Still...

Set to be released this October is a young adult book titled Hold Still. The story of a high school junior whose entire life is changed when her best friend commits suicide. Author Nina LaCour writes with such intimate knowledge of the teenage spirit, you may find it hard to remember at times that this book is a work of fiction.

Hold Still begins during the summer, immediately after Caitlin's best friend, Ingrid, dies. The story quickly moves to the new school year and the problems that Caitlin is suffering with. Her favorite teacher is ignoring her, her parents are pushing her to get over it, her guilt when she starts making a new friend, and on top of it all her best friend is still dead. Caitlin finds Ingrid's most precious possession, her journal, hidden beneath Caitlin's bed. The journal opens her up to what was going on with her friend, things she never knew. She finally shares in Ingrid's pains and problems, but also in her hopes.

A book about heart ache, hope, and moving on, Hold Still is a wonderful piece of literature. It will draw you in to Caitlin's world, and you will feel everything that she does. You will cry, you will laugh, and you will root for Caitlin to over come. This is a wonderful story that will help you understand the pain and hardship that suicide causes.

I highly recommend this piece for high school aged students. It is a very strong piece and would bring out a lot of discussion among young people. The complex topics within the story make it easy for many to identify with the characters.

Luna: a Story of Acceptance

Luna is the story of a girl, Regan, and her struggle to understand and support her older sister, Luna. Only Luna isn't really her sister, but her brother. This book by Julie Anne Peters introduces teens to the world of a sister forced to keep her brothers biggest secret. It shows the pain that families can go through in such fragile situations. And it shows first hand how prejudice still lives and breathes in our society.

However this is not just a book about a transgendered boy and his transformation, if it were surely Luna would have been the main character. This novel is more about Regan, about how her brother's secret so consumed her, that she lost herself within it. Throughout the book Regan re-discovers her life, her friends, her interests, outside of her brother. The book is about being yourself, loving those around you, and most importantly loving yourself.

A quick look at some Picture book fun

One of the best children's author/illustrators has a new book out this season. Graeme Base is well known for his Animal based books containing hidden images in the pictures. Enigma: A Magical Mystery is Base's newest book. The story revolves around Bertie Badgerstone and his Grandpa. Grandpa used to be Gadzooks the Great, a famous magician. Now retired he performs his tricks only for his grandson, until one day his magic hat, cape and wand go missing along with Enigma his magic rabbit.

The other residents of Grandpa's retirement home, all enchanting magicians and tricksters of their own sorts, also have each lost a magical item used in their acts. Bertie goes on a quest to find the thief, in the end discovering that the best magic is the kind you imagine for yourself. The book is full of hidden surprises, secret codes and 'I spy' games. It works well as a group reader, teachers may find it especially useful while teaching about codes and patterns, or it can be read by a single child, providing activities to ensure many nights of new discoveries.


Those who enjoy Graeme Base's works will also appreciate a piece by Wallace Edwards, titled Monkey Business. A beautifully illustrated book about idioms, this short book will fit well into the classroom and is sure to get older kids rolling in their seats laughing. For younger kids Monkey Business offers a similar 'I spy' aspect as Graeme Base's work. See if you can find the monkey in each picture, if you can stop from laughing long enough.

Curiousity can kill...

However the threat of danger just because of your knowledge of something only succeeds to make you more curious. This is the very danger which is promised in the title of If You’re Reading This, It’s too Late . Scheduled to arrive in book stores this October, it a fun new mystery novel for young adults. The sequel to The Name of This Book is Secret by Psuedonymous Bosch, If You're Reading This, It's Too Late is a wonderfully intriguing novel with a sense of humor. The book begins with a contract of secrecy for the reader to sign. From the very first pages the author captivates the reader with a perfectly balanced mix of humor, wit, and danger.

When I first picked up this book I was curious, would this be another Series of Unfortunate Events ? As I read through the first chapter I was lightly interested, but slightly apprehensive that because I had not read the first book in the series I would not get the full benefit of the story. However as the author pulled me in further and further, re-introducing his characters for those who had never met them and leaving little asterisked comments on references from the previous book I found no problem picking up on earlier events. The story was well written, weaving high level vocabulary in with suspense and curiosity. The overwhelming effect of the work is a feeling of curiosity. The more you read, the more you need to learn about the characters, the strange secret societies and artifacts. At times the reader will find themselves so swept away by the book they will nearly be able to hear the whispering of the Sound Prism. However interspersed within the book are comedic pauses by the author. Comments upon characters appearances from the narrator's point of view, claims of lost pages, and even a written argument with the reader that will make you roll out of your seat laughing.

This would be a wonderful book to introduce students to mystery fiction, as well as science fiction. With a slight ring of the Sherlock Holmes novels of old, If You're Reading This, It's Too Late is a fun and light-hearted book for middle-school students, and will bring out the child in any adult. The author obviously had great fun when writing this work, which shows in the story. It is a creative breath of fresh air which will catch students with the laid-back writing style, and challenge them subtly with the complex plot and higher vocabulary. A very good suggestion for any school library.

Reviews with a Mission

Before we actually do any reviews on this blog, I felt it necessary to introduce myself as well as to describe the purpose of this blog. I am Amber Timlin. I have a Bachelors degree from Kutztown University for Library Science. I have been in love with books for as long as I can remember. Many of my young years were spent reading and being a little reviewer for my father, Tom Timlin, President of Jabberwocky Books For Kids. As a teen and a young adult I have worked with my father in this business, learning anything he will teach me. In college I took on a new perspective on evaluating books for children. I began to think not only how books could effect individual readers, but how they could be incorporated into the classroom, and used in an instructional manner.

It is the purpose of this blog to give teachers and parents an honest review of books and how they can be used to help children and students. As well as providing a place for those readers to comment and discuss these books and other related topics. Jabberwocky Books has always been dedicated to providing high quality reading material to young readers, and we hope that these reviews will further aide in getting these books into students hands, whether it is through one of our bookfairs, in a class, or from the library. Reading is important and we strive to help give every student a love of reading.

And so without further pomp or ado, we introduce this new addition to the services of Jabberwocky Books.