MrsBond in 2010

Every year I believe this will be the year Mt. TBR is demolished. Each year that list grows in ways I could never imagine!

The plan for this 2010 is to feed, nurture, even embrace Mt. TBR. The goal is to help it grow to a small planet. I plan to visit bookstores and libraries, chat with friends near and far, read lots of lt threads and keep up with reviews.

To start the year off, will be finishing Red Scarf Girl and a re-read of Le Morte d'Arthur.

My 75 reads:
1. Le Morte D'Arthur: Complete, Unabridged, Illustrated Edition.
2. The Lion & the Mouse, Jerry Pinkney
3. Snow, Uri Shulevitz
4. Falling For Rapunzel, Leah Wilcox
5. Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, DiCamillo, Kate
6. A Pirate's Night Before Christmas, Philip Yates
7. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution, Ji-li Jiang
8. David Livingstone (Chronicles of Faith), Dan Larsen
9. Graceling, Kristin Cashore
10. Ida B: . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World…, Katherine Hannigan
11. The Redheaded Princess, Ann Rinaldi
12. Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century: An Introduction, Second Edition, Kay Ann Cassell
13. Feed, MT Anderson
14. The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman, Margot Mifflin
15. Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli
16. Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan
17. Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan
18. Titan's Curse, Rick Riordan
19. Battle of the Labyrinth, Rick Riordan
20. Stone Heart: A Novel of Sacajawea, Diane Glancy
21. Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, Holly Black
22. Rikers High, Paul Volponi
23. The Name of this Book Is Secret, Pseudonymous Bosch
24. The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book), Michael Buckley
25. Fire, Kristin Cashore
26. Kingdom Keepers, The: Disney After Dark, Ridley Pearson
27. 6857::Fever 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson
28. Silverstein and Me: A Memoir, Marv Gold
29. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, Trenton Lee Stewart
30. Everyday Biblical Literacy: The Essential Guide to Biblical Allusions in Art, Literature and Life, J Stephen Lang
31. I is for Idea: An Inventions Alphabet (National Alphabet Books), Marcia Schonberg
32. Oodles of Noodles, Diana Hendry
33. The Big Book of Bible Fiery Tales, Allia Zobel Nolan
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.

Wonderful Plan! I think I'll join you! (okay, to tell the truth, that's what I've BEEN doing, just unstated).

Welcome back!

Glad to see you back with us again for 2010!

Love your plan for the year - my TBR is known as 'The BlackHole,' so I can relate to your planetary ambitions.

2/tloeffler - I so agree, this year I'm just declaring the obvious and removing the guilt!

drneutron and alcottacre - Thank you!

Hi Michele!

I look forward to following what you are reading and hope you'll include the books you read with your children? (I've got a 9 and 7 yo; girl and boy respectively.)

Good luck! I'd love to make a hefty dent in Mount TBR, but honestly... well, does it ever work like that on LT?!

6/ThePam - Absolutely! I've starred your thread, look forward to seeing what your family reads too.

7/ellipotten - I foolishly believed LT would help reduce my TBR pile. There is a small part of me that hopes my planning to increase the pile will result in the reverse, but I know that is very unlikely. There are just too many good books...

So there am I am, minding my own business while volunteering in the school library, when this book jumps in my hands: Smiles to Go. I was hooked by the end of chapter 1!

I am glad to hear good things about Smiles to Go! I really like Jerry Spinelli, but was disappointed by Eggs last year.

I liked, but didn't love Eggs. My daughter went off to school with Smiles to Go, so it will be a bit before I can finish reading.

Finally finished Le Morte D'Arthur: Complete, Unabridged, Illustrated Edition.
The first time I read (ok, skimmed) this I was a college student immersed in literature. I loved the language and imagery, truly felt transported to another time and place. With this second reading I see James Bond. Arthur roams the countryside, bedding/leaving damsels, fighting/killing whatever gets in his way, getting himself wrapped up in conspiracies and evil plots, all without losing his smirk. OK, maybe Malory doesn't mention the smirk, but you know it's there.

And in the picturebook category...

The Lion & the Mouse Pinkney, Jerry
I saw this at a conference last year but didn't have the chance to really look it then. Gorgeous watercolor illustrations tell the tale of the lion and the mouse (wordless picturebook). Includes Artist's Note.

Snow Shulevitz, Uri
It all begins with one little snowflake. Not much can come of something that small, right? Story follows a little boy with a dog as they see what happens to the city. Read this with the kids as snow began to fall, wonderful when the weather cooperates with story time!

Falling For Rapunzel Wilcox, Leah
The prince mishears Rapunzel and attempts to rescue her. She misunderstands everything he says, throwing everything to him except her famous hair. Very fun to read aloud. Even my 5yo son enjoyed this princess tale.

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride DiCamillo, Kate
First grade/new reader niece loves this series, she said I needed to try it. Very cute easy reader/chapter book.

A Pirate's Night Before Christmas Yates, Philip
Very funny pirate version of Twas the Night before Christmas. A great read-aloud! Glossary of pirate terms included at end.

Still working my way through the heart-wrenching Red Scarf Girl.

#12: James Bond, huh? It has been years since I cracked the cover of Le Morte D'Arthur, which I own, so I may have to give it a re-read this year.

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-li Jiang
Memoir of a young girl as she and her family live through the Cultural Revolution in China. Documents her struggle of who to trust - family or government. Text flows simply and beautifully. Includes: glossary. As a parent and teacher found this book challenging to read on an emotional level, so glad I finished.

David Livingstone (Chronicles of Faith) by Dan Larsen
Read this so I could convince my young nephew that it is worth reading. I don't know much about the subject, so I can't speak to the accuracy of the text. But I can say that this is one of the few missionary biographies that is readable for elementary kids. Chronicles the life of Livingstone with emphasis on his work in Africa. Pen and ink illustrations every other page. Recommend having a map of Africa handy to better visualize Livingstone's travels.

#14: I will have to look for Red Scarf Girl. It looks like one I would like. Thanks for the recommendation.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore, 3.5 stars
I looked forward to reading this book for quite some time. I love stories of knights and honor. I love when women are portrayed as strong and capable. Graceling certainly maintained my interest on these two points. Katsa and her grace are used and manipulated for a long time, then she (with some help from a friend) takes ownership and makes her own choices. I liked this story, but felt like the relationship theme was too pronounced (for my personal taste). There are also some plot decisions that seem a bit rushed, if not contrived. Despite these complaints the story grabbed my attention and kept it throughout.

Ida B: . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World… by Katherine Hannigan, 3.5 stars
Ida B. lives a good life. Her parents rescue her from the mean teacher, opting to home-school her instead. The family lives on an expansive farm, with plenty of trees. There is a never ending supply on fun available to Ida B., most of which she manufactures using her brilliant imagination. Then one day everything changes. Mom is diagnosed with cancer and it becomes painfully clear that this one little word seeps into every aspect of Ida B.'s life, altering it in ways she does not like. This book looks at a family crisis through the eyes of an honest and bold fourth grade girl. We see her struggling to deal with a suddenly quiet home, distant parents, re-entering school, and the loss of dear "friends."

Mrs. Bond, I had mixed feelings about Graceling myself. Here's part of what I wrote in my review:

==========

...My first observation was that I was over 100 pages into the book before anything of note seemed to happen. Yes, there was the evil king, and there were the sidekicks, the introduction of the love interest, and the introduction of a truly fascinating world, but honestly even at 150 pages I could have put the book down and walked away.

The writing on a technical level was okay. The descriptions were apt enough, but the character development seemed underdone, even for YA. ("Fire" fairly blazed in comparison and certainly had a better romance)

Overall, it's worth reading, but I'd have to warn anyone that there is a chance that you'll have to grind through some pages before the pace picks up. Some of the action scenes require a little imagination to figure out what's going on and towards the end you'll need to suspend your belief to accept what happens.

=======

Unlike other people, I really preferred Fire.

I recently took Fire off the TBR pile. I'm not sure I want to give
Cashore another try, at least not anytime soon.

I don't know. You might want to 'sip' at a few pages. It's really written differently. The plotting is more elaborate and the relationships between the characters more complicated.

But then, it never hurts to put things off a bit either. So what's up next for you, Mrs.Bond?

I am knee deep in reference sources for my class this semester. Sadly, fun reading has been pushed to the side. Although my daughter did say I must read The Redheaded Princess.

Sorry to hear that your class is keeping you from fun reading. I think you should listen to your daughter :)

>18 MrsBond: I picked up Fire because of the number of raves I read. I'm presently on page 283 and wondering now what the others found so great about it. Like you point out, it goes on forever without a hint of what is supposed to happen. Thanks for letting me know it's not just me.

Hooray! Class is nearly done! To celebrate I started Feed, loving it so far!

I am slated to read Feed this month too - it is one of my TIOLI books. I hope you enjoy it!

Finished Feed. Loved it, haunted by it. Rekindles my desire to live off the grid in a cabin in the woods, lol.

About 50 pages into The Blue Tattoo: the life of Olive Oatman, hooked already.

#25: I am glad you enjoyed Feed. I hope I like it as much as you did!

The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman, 4 stars
Olive Oatman and her family were travelling west - first to find religious Utopia, then gold. The family's adventure came to an abrupt end when their wagon was attacked by a small group of Indians. The only survivors were Olive, here sister Mary Ann, and brother Lorenzo. There are wide and varied tales of what happened to Olive over the next 5 years. Mifflin attempts to find the truth, relying on Oatman's own words, public records and other material. What is left is a story of a girl with ties to two worlds, but no firm place in either. An engaging read, The Blue Tattoo brings to light not just the life of a single girl, but also life in the 'old west.'

I really enjoyed this book. It read as though the author was conversationally sharing her research on the topic (in a very organized way).

Hi There!

It is interesting to visit here and find your description of a book regarding Indians and the old west. I am currently reading a wonderful book regarding Lewis and Clark's expedition and Sacajawea. Stone Heart is a small book and a delightful read.

I'm adding The blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman to my tbr pile.

Thanks.

Well, I went to add The Blue Tattoo to the BlackHole and discovered it was already there. I guess I had better bump it up some!

>29 alcottacre: ha ha! That happens to me all the time!

>28 Whisper1: Stone Heart: a novel of sacajawea sounds interesting, added to the pile!

I rediscovered this book on my shelves while I was trying to get some order. If you post your address on my LT home page, I'll send it off to you. I'll finish the book this evening.

Oh my. Black hole just got deeper.

Manic Magee was alright - not great, not awful, a perfect 3 star read. I can see why teachers love it, there are so many big topics to work with. It is somewhat frightening to look this book up on amazon and see more teaching tools than copies of the book.

My daughter danced her way to school today because I finally have the time to read Lightning Thief. Her copy is worn from being passed to all of her friends (not to mention her reading it 5+ times). I've read scattered chapters with her, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they make sense in the big picture!

Sharing a book with your daughter is a wonderful thing! I haven't read The Lightning Thief. I believe it was recently made into a movie.

I read Manic Magee last month. I agree with your comments. I did like it..I didn't love it.

She was excited about seeing the movie version until she learned that it was very different from the book. Like her mother, she is a bit of a purist when it comes to her books!

Michele

One of the few movies that adhered to the book was my all time favorite To Kill a Mockingbird.

Oh yes. To Kill a Mockingbird was such an excellent movie. I was disappointed in the Lightning Thief... and worse, it got The-This-Is-Sorta-Boring vote from my 8 and 10 year olds.

I've never known a film meet to meet the excitement or casting my imagination creates while reading a book. Never mind that most movie adaptations are just that, adaptations, and can't truly be compared to the original. Only exception - Ya Ya Sisterhood, hated the book, loved the movie.

Finished Lighting Thief. I get why my daughter has been so insistent that I read it! My random library pick of the week (Rikers High) will have to wait until I can devour Sea of Monsters.

I think the Percy Jackson series improves from book to book, Michelle, so you are in for some good reading!

Nearly completed Percy Jackson's adventures (Sea of Monsters, Titan's Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth) - these are so much fun to read! Battle of the Labyrinth is by far my favorite, I really hope the next and final installment maintains the same energy and pace. To teach my daughter a lesson about wise spending and patience, I wouldn't let her purchase the hardcover of The Last Olympian, so now I can practice patience while I wait for it to be available from the library.

Until then I'm enjoying Stone Heart: a novel of Sacajawea. Finding it a challenge to switch my brain from fast-paced-tween-adventure to what feels like a diary or journal.

#40: I do not think you will be disappointed in the last 2 Percy Jackson books (at least I hope not!)

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd by Holly Black, 3 stars
A fun collection of short stories, all celebrating our love, fascination, and sometimes obsession with movies, films, books, games, etc.

Rikers High by Paul Volponi, 4 stars
A young man is arrested for a crime he doesn't even understand. Due to some snags in the legal process he spends more time than expected on Rikers Island. He attends classes as part of the GED program, these lessons add to the unwritten curriculum of prison survival. Martin faces the ultimate final exam as he awaits his court appearance; I literally paused to pray that he would do the right thing. This is a gripping tale that will haunt the reader.

Stone Heart: A Novel of Sacajawea by Diane Glancy, 2 stars
Fictionalized diary of Sacajawea set along side excerpts of Lewis and Clark's expedition notes. While an interesting choice in writing style, it ultimately made reading a chore. The story has potential -- Sacajawea returns to her homeland, visits the ocean, raises her infant son while travelling on a long journey -- but is written in a format that reads much like the notes of Lewis and Clark, at times painfully dry. Whisper1 loved this book, even shared her copy. For an alternate view please look for her review!

#42: Rikers High sounds very good. I am currently reading a book along the same lines, True Notebooks.

True Notebooks sounds interesting -- added to the mountain.

#44: I hope you get a chance to read it!

If you haven't watched the PBS special,you might want to do so. Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan, Stephen Abrose and others did an amazing job with the PBS special, Lewis and Clark and the Corp of Discovery.

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/

I think my husband has that recorded, I recall hearing something in the background about Lewis and Clark while I was working through the Percy Jackson series.

The Name of this Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch, 4 stars
My 9 year old found this book in her classroom library. Later that evening she informed me that I MUST read this book and read it NOW (she finished it in one afternoon, a true sign of a good book). I can see why she and others devoured the pages -- this is an exciting tale wrought with danger, suspense and a mystery that is a little bit creepy. Cass and Max are a great team, albeit hesitant to work together. The narrator is reminiscent of Lemony Snicket, guiding the reader through tense moments, assisting with challenging vocabulary, and encouraging the reader to look away or simply stop reading to save themselves the agony of what might follow.

First in The Secret Series... since I have so many other books to read, I won't be running out to find the next book. But if falls in front of me at the library or bookstore...

#48: Looks fun! I may give it a try some time.

>48 MrsBond:: Now that sounds like a fun book! I'll look for it at the library.

Continuing the "tween" kick...

While at the library picked this up for my daughter, started reading it, told her she had to wait until I was done. The story was fun to read, thus removing any guilt I might have felt :)

The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book), Michael Buckley, 4 stars
Two sisters learn the truth about their family, and quickly enter into the family "business." Buckley creates a world where Grimm descendants protect and police Everafters (fairy tale creatures). It was a bit of a leap to accept the characters of Grimm's tales alongside the Carroll's Queen of Hearts of Shakespeare's Puck, but their personalities and special skills aid the story well.

End of the book includes a brief history of the tales -- how they came to be, how they have been transferred/shared, and how subtle changes are made each time. Appendix also has brief list of references to fairy tale anthologies and urls for online collections.

#51: I read that one, the first book in the series, and enjoyed it, but never read the rest of the books. Thanks for the reminder! I will have to get back to the series soon.

I had no intention of looking for Fire based on my lack of excitement after reading Graceling. When I couldn't find any of the books on my library list, saw this and decided to give it a try. Glad I did... Cashore's writing is stronger, she relies less on convenient coincidences to tie up lose ends. There are a few awkwardly worded sentences that hint at poor editing, but on second look they could be attributed to character personalites.

Fire by Kristin Cashore, 3.5 stars
Has the same feel as Graceling - a world that has many similarities to our own, with the exception of a few "gifted" creatures or people. Titled as a "Companion of Graceling" there is only one character who exists in both worlds. There is the same adventure, struggle for self identity, and finding of true companionship/love.

A subtle theme runs throughout the book -- we are all responsible for our own behavior. As family relationships are discovered the source of certain traits become known, the absence of others characteristics are highlighted. The idea that we all have choices, regardless of our past or present circumstances, could be a great discussion starting point with teens.

Kingdom Keepers, The: Disney After Dark, Pearson, Ridley, 2.5 stars
This book feels like a Disney production, in the same way the you can seen a short clip of a performance and know that it came from Disney World or a Disney Channel show. There is just enough of everything to make it appear happy, well-rehearsed, and a place you might like to be. Missing is depth, natural flow, and realistic serendipity. Kingdom Keepers is based on fictional Disney production (the DHI's), so it is fully in keeping with the Disney production model. The use of proper names for various park elements felt somewhat forced, at times making this little novel feel like a Disney advertisement. Readers barely get to know the main character, learning a little more than a name for the supporting characters.

To be honest, I don't like the Mouse, never really did, and this opinion colors my view on this book. If you don't have strong feelings against all things Disney, this will most likely be a fun read.

#54: I think I will skip that one. I do not care for Ridley Pearson's books.

I hope your next read is better for you, Michelle!

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, 4 stars
Fictional account of the yellow fever outbreak that struck Philadelphia in the fall of 1793, told from the perspective of a teenage girl who witnesses various effects and impacts of the illness on family, friends, and her community. Chapters begin with short quotes from letters, pamphlets and other accounts of the time.

Silverstein and Me: A Memoir by Marv Gold, 2.5 stars
This is the author's memoir detailing his relationship with Shel Silverstein. There is nothing truly extraordinary revealed, the book provides some slightly interesting detail to the outline found in the appendix. Not a painful read, but not exactly the most exciting either. (arc)

I read Fever 1793 last year. I like Laurie Halse Anderson's books.

Have you read Speak? If not, I recommend this one.

#56: I also enjoyed Fever 1793. I am glad you liked it, Michelle.

I think I will skip the Gold book. Does not sound like my cuppa. I hope you enjoy your next book more than you did that one.

Linda, just bumped Speak up the tbr list.

Strange to say, but it's great to finally reach the point where I can dislike books again -- I had been so immersed in coursework that any book felt like a great story!

Speak has become a classic in many high schools. We have 6 or 7 copies and they are always checked out. I hope that doesn't mean that many of our girls have gone through this type of experience but that maybe if they have the misfortune to experience it, they might have the strength to *speak* out.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart, 4 stars
A quartet of extraordinarily gifted children save themselves and their adult friends from the bad guys. Great vocabulary, excellent examples of noble heroism. Although I did not read the first book in the series, at no point did I feel out of sorts.

Think I'm moving out of my fiction kick, looking forward to taking my time rereading textbooks from previous semesters. Starting with The Power of the Media Specialist to Improve Academic Achievement and Strengthen At-Risk Students; so far it is interesting, but a little concerned that the authors refer to an Oprah episode to make a point.

Stumbled on a discount book store, picked up too many things! Easily justifed by my chosen profession (love my job!). :)

for the church library:
Everyday Biblical Literacy: The Essential Guide to Biblical Allusions in Art, Literature and Life by J Stephen Lang
Wonderful for use as a reference tool or simply browsing. Alphabetically organized, entries provide information on people, places and ideas common to that also have a Biblical connection. Entries vary in length, some are a short paragraph while others go on for several pages. Enjoyed the entry for "Jonah and the whale / Such a fish story..." which recounts the tale of James Bartley (In 1891 he spent 15 hours inside a whale and lived to tell the tale). Biblical references are minimal, no bibliographies, very rarely is a source cited.

for the kids:
I is for Idea: An Inventions Alphabet (National Alphabet Books)… by Marcia Schonberg
Twenty six inventions, from aluminum to odomoeter to zipper, are highlighted in this colorful picturebook. Each entry includes a simple sentence that names and briefly describes an invention. For older students or more specific discussion, a set of paragraphs describe the invention in greater detail. Appendix includes a set of 14 questions (answers included) that encourage readers to think more on what they learned while reading. Also at the end is a full page on patents - what they are and why they are important. Illustrations are large and colorful, showing the invention in use, most often the original version is depicted (wooden bicycle, old style radio).

Oodles of Noodles by Diana Hendry
What fun to read aloud! Ava and Ben's mom receives a pasta maker for her birthday - she is excited, the children are not. After Ava and Ben go to school their mom tries her new machine. It works too well, wrapping her and everything else up. The children run to her rescue. The type style varies, emphasizing certain words and attempting to visually appear like the object they describe. For example, noodles is always in a loopy script style. Illustrations are detailed and colorful. Consider reading it to celebrate World Pasta Day (October 25).

The Big Book of Bible Fiery Tales by Allia Zobel Nolan
Retelling of 5 Old Testament passages involving fire: sword of fire in Genesis 3; burning bush in Exodus 3-4; fire on mountain in 1Kings; chariot of fire in 2Kings, and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3. Illustrations are colorful with metallic inlays to draw little eyes to the fire. Vocabulary is simple, text describes the situation before the fire and explains why God sent the fire. Great for (preschool) Sunday School classes or bedtime reading.

#62: Nice haul!