Posts Tagged ‘adventure’

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Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

March 4, 2013

 

Navigating Early

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

 If you want a deeply layered story with thoughtful characters, then this just might be the book for you!  Navigating Early is also an adventure quest.  It took a while for me to start piecing it all together, but I loved it and didn’t want it to end.

At the end of World War II, Jack’s mother has died, and his father decides to send him to a boarding school in Maine.  It’s a strange new world compared to Kansas.  At first he tries to fit in with the other boys, but he ends up retreating into a friendship with Early Auden.  Early is different than the other boys (in today’s language he might be described as being on the autism spectrum).  When the two end up alone at school, Jack goes along on the venture Early has planned to find pi and a great black bear on the Appalachian Trail.  If you are a stargazer and a dreamer, you’ll love the many connections that Jack and Early make on their journey.

This is Vanderpool’s second novel.  She won the Newbery Award for Moon over Manifest, which is another complex and worthwhile read.

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Guts

December 3, 2012

Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books by Gary Paulsen tells the stories from his own life that inspired his fiction novels, such as Hatchet.

“In Guts, Gary tells the real stories behind the Brian books, the stories of the adventures that inspired him to write Brian Robeson’s story: working as an emergency volunteer; the death that inspired the pilot’s death in Hatchet; plane crashes he has seen and near-misses of his own. He describes how he made his own bows and arrows, and takes readers on his first hunting trips, showing the wonder and solace of nature along with his hilarious mishaps and mistakes. He shares special memories, such as the night he attracted every mosquito in the county, or how he met the moose with a sense of humor, and the moose who made it personal. There’s a handy chapter on “Eating Eyeballs and Guts or Starving: The Fine Art of Wilderness Nutrition.” Recipes included. Readers may wonder how Gary Paulsen survived to write all of his books — well, it took guts [publisher synopsis].”

We have an autographed, paperback copy of the book to give away!  To participate in the drawing for this book, leave a comment (at bottom of this post) with a valid email address.  A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, December 10, 2012.

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Bailey at the Museum

October 26, 2012

Well Bailey is back!  Bailey at the Museum is this author’s second book about an adorable dog.  If you haven’t already read about this big-eared mutt whose presence at school is unquestioned then you will enjoy Bailey at the Museum.  Bailey is thrilled to be going on a field trip to the Museum of Natural History with his class.  Everyone in class has a partner in the museum including Bailey.  Bailey is such a well behaved dog until his curiosity gets the better of him.  The large dinosaur display with all those bones beckon Bailey.  He has never seen such large bones that can be chewed on. Fortunately, the museum guard noticed this unlikely visitor to the museum and keeps Bailey out of too much trouble.  However, Bailey does mange to crawl into another display when he needs to take a nap, a teepee.  Our adventurous dog does end the museum trip on a high note and has a marvelous time.

This is just a fun book to enjoy with your child or in a group situation.  The storyline is easy to follow and Bailey’s comments throughout the book just keep you smiling.

 

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Recommended App of the Week

October 13, 2012

The Oregon Trail (iOS 2.2.1, Android 2.1): The classic computer game is now in an updated app form! Learn the history of Westward Expansion as you and your crew pack up and aim your wagon west. Practice problem-solving skills by deciding what to do in emergencies and budgeting money and food for the journey. Make sure to watch out for in-app purchases, though. $0.99 (iTunes), $0.99 (Android), recommended for ages 8+

 

 

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The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

October 11, 2012

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell
Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer describes the book as a “modern day fairy tale”.  The book is about twelve year old brother and sister, Alex and Conner falling into a book called “The Land of Stories.”  They meet up with many of the characters we know from the fairy tales by Grimm and Anderson.  Alex and Conner have to go on a scavenger hunt to find items throughout the kingdom that will help them get back to their world.  It is a light hearted fun adventure with some misadventure along the way.  Alex is a huge fan of the characters, such as Cinderella and Snow White, and acts like a star struck fan.  Conner is a no nonsense boy who doesn’t like being there.  It is a children’s book but I think anyone any age will enjoy it.

I picked the book up because I am a huge fan of Chris Colfer (he’s on Glee).  I listened to the audio book read by Chris Colfer.  I would recommend listening to it.  He made the book come alive.

Guest Reviewer: Cheryl (Haggard)

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Creepy Carrots

October 5, 2012

Creepy Carrots
By Aaron Reynolds

Life is great for Jasper Rabbit.  He loves carrots and eats them morning, noon and night.  In fact, his favorite carrot patch is called Crakenhopper Field where the carrots are fat, crisp and free.  What more could a rabbit ask for?   One day while Jasper Rabbit is leaving his carrot patch he hears a creeping sound.  He looks around and  sees carrots creeping along after him.  He can’t believe it, are carrots really creeping after him.   He sees creeping carrots in the bathroom, in the shed, his bedroom and now they are everywhere he looks.  He even tries to talk to his parents but they are sure he just has a vivid imagination.  Jasper Rabbit is desperate, no more creeping carrots.  He takes matters into his own paws and there are some happy carrots when he is finished.

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds is a funny and wonderfully illustrated book.  Peter Brown, the illustrator captures the emotions of Peter Rabbit and the carrots perfectly.  You will laugh out loud and want to share this book with others.

 

 

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Giants Beware!

September 20, 2012

Giants Beware!

By Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

This is actually one of the rare graphic novels that I had heard buzz about and was eagerly anticipating, so when I spotted it on our shelves one day, I grabbed it and read immediately! Claudette is our spirited heroine, who wants nothing more than to be the greatest giant slayer in the kingdom, just like her father. But her village is safe – not a giant in sight. Will that stop intrepid young Claudette? Of course not! With the help of her pastry chef brother and princess-in-training friend, Claudette will find her adventure if it’s the last thing she does! This book was so much fun; I absolutely loved all the characters and the humor is spot on. Highly recommended!

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Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirates by Kim Kennedy

August 31, 2012

Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirates by Kim Kennedy

Misty’s parents own an antiques store, and her father loves to check the obituaries each morning, because their motto is, “We buy the bucket as soon as you kick it.”  Kind of embarrassing parents, right?  But, when Misty finds a journal and a pair of glasses that let her see ghosts, the mystery begins.  With her friend, Yoshi, they discover that a few of the elderly people in town are descended from pirates, and they have spent years searching for golden statues of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades that the Black Adders wanted.  Will Misty and Yoshi be able to find the statues before the pirates?

The school year has started, and it’s time for students to read the 2012-2013 Bluebonnet nominees, before they vote in January.  I made time this summer to read a few while they were less in demand.  I think Kennedy’s book has a little bit of everything kids enjoy…mystery, adventure and humor.  Will it be one of their favorites?

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Deadweather and Sunrise

July 17, 2012

 Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey

Egbert’s life hasn’t exactly been a bowl full of cherries – he is the youngest child, constantly abused by his siblings, Adonis and Venus, and ignored by his father. Not to mention the vile pirates that share his island home. But things are about to get even worse for young Egg (as he is soon to be called) – his family disappears in a mysterious ballooning accident and it becomes quite clear that the gentleman who’s taken him in, the rich and powerful Mr. Pembroke, is trying to kill him.

This book has one of the most eye-catching covers I’ve seen recently - I mean, that image of the house on the cliff and the big pirate ship and the hot air balloon just screams that this is going to be a rollicking adventure story. And it certainly is. I was hooked on this delightful story filled with intrigue, high-seas adventure, pirates, betrayal, overcoming the odds, and just a little romance. Egg is such a wonderful narrator. He really struggles with his feelings about his family and has his own share of self-doubt about his worthiness and abilities. Egg is not the only wonderful character here. Girls will admire Millicent and boys will be attracted to her, too – her spunk and self-confidence are a nice contrast to Egg’s mild-mannered nature. And the pirates! Love them! They are exciting and interesting and, well, let’s be honest, they’re pirates! But I think my favorite character is Guts. What an absolutely perfect companion for Egg! Guts is daring and hostile, guarded and violent, but there are hints that there is a much deeper story behind his attitude, a story probably filled with pain. I love the twists and turns of this story – can Egg really survive? Or would it be best to just run away and hope he’s never found? I am absolutely thrilled with this book and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Egg, Millicent, Guts, and the pirates!

Look for this at one of the Plano Public Libraries soon!

-Sarah P. (Davis)

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Fake Mustache

June 26, 2012

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger, illustrated by Jen Wang

Lenny Flem, Jr. is surprised one day when his best friend, Casper, insists on buying the Heidelberg Handlebar #7, the greatest fake mustache ever invented. Soon, Casper starts acting weird and before he can get anyone on his side, Lenny is watching as a handlebar-mustachioed “man about town” begins robbing banks and even plans to run for President! Can Lenny, with the help of tween cowgirl queen Jodie O’Rodeo, show everyone who that “man about town” really is?
I, like many children in Texas, read and enjoyed Angleberger’s first novel, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda - the 2012 Bluebonnet Award winner. I don’t know what I can say about this book that I couldn’t be said about his first – it’s absolutely perfect for its intended audience. The chapters are short, the plot is ridiculously funny, it’s fast-paced and action-packed and the characters are interesting. I think this book will make a great discussion book – in the classroom or among friends. There are so many things to talk about! Angleberger has given us a very clever satire – kids won’t even realize it’s making such a statement while they’re reading. The book is funny – so much of what happens is completely absurd! But it also makes for a number of great opportunities to get kids asking what they would do, even if the situation is very unlikely to ever occur to them. I think kids will really like the characters, too – Lenny is just your average kid, very easy to relate to. And girls who’ve grown up watching Hannah Montana will get a kick out of Jodie O’Rodeo, while boys will see that she’s not your typical girly-girl starlet. This book is delightfully entertaining, but with lots of thought-provoking moments. A fun summer read!

 

- Sarah P. (Davis Library)

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