Review: Earth Girl by Janet Edwards

This will not be the review you are expecting. In fact, this is not a review I expected to ever write.

Earth Girl by Janet Edwards is touted as a dystopian tale set 750+ years in the future. Most reviewers, however, are quick to point out that if a reader is looking for a dystopian novel where the world is awful and the protagonist has to overcome fearful circumstances, as in Hunger Games or Divergent, this is not it. In fact, those books make this book look downright Utopian in contrast.

The protagonist, Jarra, is stuck on Earth because of some genetic handicap which makes it impossible for her to travel or live on other worlds. Only other such handicapped people are stuck on Hospital Earth. They are even called names like "ape" by other humans who aren't handicapped and stuck on planet Earth. When Jarra graduates from school she applies to take a history course with exos from other planets pretending that she is from a military family rather than divulging that she is handicapped. She knows if she does reveal this information to her classmates she will be ostracized and ridiculed by them and she just wants a chance to prove that she is smart and capable. Jarra does show her classmates how capable she is and even ends up with a love interest, though there are no steamy love scenes.

Edwards writing is strong. Her world-building is interesting and creative. Her characters are a bit one-dimensional but likable, for the most part. In a lot of ways the drama and conflict in the book comes across as a bit milquetoast, just a bit bland. There are no hold-your-breath moments in this book. However, generally speaking I liked the book fine. But my beef with the book isn't so much with the story as it is with the actual published book. Prometheus Books, the American publisher of Earth Girl, made a publishing decision that nearly wrecked the book for me. They printed the book using a too small font for easy reading. They used 10 point font, I think, or used a font that looks really little. The book has the normal trim of most YA books at 8 1/2" by 5 1/4". The book is only 262 pages. It is font size that is the bug-a-boo. I thought of it all the time as I read. Everyone that looked at it said, "Wow, that font is tiny." With normal YA eyes maybe it wouldn't be so difficult to read as I found it to be with my old eyes. This is about the size font one would expect to find in a mass produced paperback, not a regular-sized hardcover YA book. I am guessing that the publisher attempted to keep the page-length of the book down by decreasing font size rather than encouraging the author to edit out some of the lengthy descriptions of the world.

My recommendation to the publishers is to choose a larger font for the paperback version of the book. To readers, since the book is still not available in paperback, select e-book or audiobook, if it is available in this format, or purchase a page-magnifier.

I warned you that this review wouldn't be what you expected. Well, here it is. Publishing decisions really do affect the readability of books. From now on I am opening up books to have a look at the font before I decide to read the book or not. Hope this helps you make an informed decision, too.

Sunday Salon, Feb. 16

Secret Garden Tea House in Sumner, Washington

Weather: Partly cloudy. It was raining earlier this morning and more wind is expected later today.

Friday: No school. A snow make-up day that was built in to the schedule. I spent it inside because the day was super windy and blustery. I only made one trip outside---to retrieve the garbage can lid from the neighbor's yard.

Yesterday: My daughters took me out to a special high tea at a sweet tea shop in a neighboring town. It was my birthday gift from the two of them. We were there for over two hours and drank so much tea and ate so many little delightful foods that we were simply stuffed when we left.

Remains of a tea party at the Secret Garden Tea Party

A day of eating: When we got home my hubby was out purchasing items for a big family dinner. Thankfully he didn't prepare the lovely dinner of roasted pork tenderloin with apples and onions , asparagus, strawberries, and bread until several hours later. Everything was delicious. After dinner I had a piece of birthday cake from my favorite local bakery. Spoiled girl.

Tomorrow: Is another day off work, this for President's Day. I'm not really sure why we have this holiday.

Soups of the week: Chicken Chili Soup and Minestrone. I learned something about using pasta in soup. It is good the first day, not so good the second. I will modify this recipe next time to add the pasta to the soup bowl, not the pot. Otherwise both soups were excellent.

Favorite video of the week : Mobiledia. (Click link.) Rick Mereski spent 44 days traveling 38,000 miles across 11 countries just to film this one minute video. It makes me want to get up and MOVE (travel.)

Books read this week:

• Inside a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz...This was an audiobook selection which was both a positive and negative experience. I was a captive audience while I listened in the car and parts of it were less than thrilling. But because of the format I was able to run it in the background of may life while I cooked dinner and moved around the house and I still caught most of the information. It has caused me to look at my dog differently.
• Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd...a delightful introduction to graphic design and to Chip Kidd's own art. I was completely fascinated by both the book and the topic.

Currently reading:

• Earth Girl by Janet Edwards...I have less than 20 pages to go on this dystopian/utopian book.
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman...my current audiobook selection. Thi book is surprisingly scarey.
• How to Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig...I am still enjoying this book immensely.
• The Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin...I'm reading this for Black History Month.

Have a fabulous week.~

Review: Mister Orange by Truus Matti

Mister Orange by Truus Matti won the 2014 Batchelder Award for books translated into English in this case from Dutch. The book was translated by Laura Watkinson. Ordinarily I don't read and review Junior books but decided to read this one as part of my own challenge to read all the 2014 ALA Youth Award books.

The year: 1945. The place: Manhattan. Mr. Orange is told from the perspective of Linus Muller, the third of six children, whose parents own a grocery store. Linus' oldest brother Albie volunteers to fight in World War II, and it's his departure that sets the story in motion. When Albie leaves, Linus takes on new responsibilities, including grocery deliveries to customers. Among his customers is a man who has come from Europe and is an artist, but Linus never quite catches his name, so he names him Mr. Orange for the crate of fruit he delivers to him each week.---Goodreads. 

Mr. Orange befriends Linus and helps him put the war into perspective. He also talks to Linus about art, though the boy doesn't learn the name of his new friend, Piet Mondrian, until after the artist's death.

The short little story piqued my interest in the famous Dutch artist and his work. After reading the book I spent some time on the web reading more about Mondrian's life and looking at copies of his work.

In real life Piet Mondrian did come to New York just prior to World War II, sponsored by a person who appreciated his art. Mondrian was delighted to be in a large city and looked at the move as a positive for his life and his art. He spent the last year of his life working on Victory Boogie-Woogie. It wasn't quite finished at the time of his death.

Mondrian, Piet. Victory Boogie-Woogie.1944. Geementemuseum, The Hague, Netherlands.Wikipedia, Victory Boogie-Woogie. Oil and Canvas on paper. Feb. 15, 2014.

Would I recommend this book to anyone? Yes. It was a quick little read and introduced me to an artist I was unfamiliar with. Will I buy it for my library? No. High school students seem to be able to sniff out junior-level books and don't want anything to do with them. I will, however, look for a biography or an art book about Mondrian.




 

Snapshot Saturday, Feb 15

We love our coffee. We drink fair trade coffee that is roasted in Bellingham, Washington or Equal Exchange coffee which is supported by our church. My husband makes the best cup of coffee of anyone I know. I am so spoiled. When we go out to a coffee shop I never like their coffee as much as what I can get at home. I wish I could send you smell-vision so you could enjoy our coffee, too.

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.

Book Beginnings and Friday 56, Feb 14th

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the one you are currently reading.

Book: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron

Book Beginnings:

I still remember the day my father took me to the cemetery of forgotten books for the first time.

Friday 56:

'We'll meet again, Daniel. I never forget a face and I don't think you will either,' he said calmly.

My thoughts: I've only read one other book by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. It was a YA horror story. This one has the makings of the last. I haven't gotten to page 56 yet in my reading but in skipping ahead for this exercise I've just learned that the speaker has no face, hence the comment about not forgetting a face. Eek!

Several people have told me to read this book and I am quite looking forward to it, if it doesn't scare me too much.

Best Audiobooks of 2013

 My favorite way of consuming is a book is through a well-narrated audiobook. Here is some information about the best of the best YA audiobooks from 2013.

Audiofile Magazine (December/January Issue):

• Far Far Away by Tom McNeal, read by W. Morgan Sheppard. 

"W. Morgan Sheppard embodies the haunting aspects of this dark tale...[He] is the voice of Jacob Grimm. Sheppard's tone conveys Jacob's tenderness toward his charge [Jeremy Johnson Johnson.]"---Audiofile

•  The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton

"Patton's narration enriches this contemporary fantasy...His drawl hints at the social divide between prep school boys and the less fortunate...[His] softened tones add to the suspense."---Audiofile

•  The President Has Been Shot by James Swanson, read by Will Patton

"Patton is purposeful and precise as he narrates...With brisk and urgent pacing, Patton voices each factual nugget and lets it hang momentarily before passing on to the next."---Audiofile

• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman

"One of Lowman's great strengths is the way she portrays the vulnerability of [Rowell's] characters."---Audiofile

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, read by Lin-Manuel Miranda
• A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty, read by Fiona Hardingham
• Darius and Twig by Walter Dean Myers, read by Brandon Gill
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunhil Mohatra

The Audie Awards are announced in May. Here is a list of the audiobooks that won the 2013 Audie Awards for teens.

Odyssey Awards

“The nine members of the Odyssey committee were taken to other lands, times, and situations as they listened to hundreds of audiobooks and joyously chose the best,” said Odyssey Award Committee Chair Ellen Rix Spring. - ALA/Odyssey Award Page

• Winner: Scowler by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne (YA)

"In this gripping and horrific tale, Kirby Heyborne’s flawless narration features humming, clicks, and sounds that are not of this world."---from the ALA website

• Honor books:

1. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunhil Malhotra (YA)
2. Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, read by James Naughton (Junior)
3. Matilda by Roald Dahl, read by Kate Winslet (Junior)
4. Better Nate than Never by Tim Federle, read by the author (Junior)

My favorites. I listened to 25 audiobooks this past year that would be considered YA (or that I think young adults would like.) Many were published in previous years. Of the books that were published in 2013 here  are my favorites:

• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunhil Malhotra. I like it when books that have two narrators also have two voice actors reading the parts. Both Lowman and Malhotra did an excellent job with their parts which helped me, the listener, to really empathize with the characters.
• The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton. I am not only wild about Maggie Stiefvater and her writing but I am also wild about Will Patton and his work as a voice actor. I think I could listen to him all day. I haven't listened to The President has Been Shot yet but I just realized that Patton is reader so I have placed it on my TBR list. (BTW-Dream Thieves is the second book in the Raven Cycle series. Start with The Raven Boys.)
• Far Far Away by Tom McNeal, read by W. Morgan Sheppard. Mr. Sheppard is the perfect Jacob Grimm. I LOVED the work that he did on this audiobook. As people were debating potential Printz Award book this book was mentioned all the time. Most people didn't think it was perfect enough to win. I thought otherwise. I felt that the book and the audiobook were nearly perfect and it is thanks to the work of W. Morgan Sheppard I am sure!
• The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, read by Brandon Espinoza and Phoebe Strohl. I really enjoyed this book while I was listening to it but the memory of that experience has faded a bit. Here is what I said in my review about the audiobooks: "The narrators, Brandon Espinoza and Phoebe Strohl, must have needed oxygen between their reading sessions. They read the book at such a breakneck speed, building the tension with every new chapter."
• Here is the my list of all YA audiobooks from last year. Click the hyperlinks on the titles for my reviews.

I haven't listened to Scowler and The President Has Been Shot. All the other YA books I have either read or listened to them on audiobooks. Two more books for my list...:)

Happy listening!

Snowy Sunday Salon, Feb. 9

Weather: Snowy. It started snowing around 5 PM last evening. We woke this morning to a lovely world. My husband, a dedicated National Guardsman, had to sweep off the car before he could leave for his week-end duty.

Winter Olympics: What was your favorite scene of the Opening Ceremony? Mine was the ballet with the ballerinas covered by cords of lights/string. (See below.)

Poetry Out Loud regional competition: Yesterday was the Puget Sound regional competition for Poetry Out Loud. Jared, from GKHS, did a nice job but didn't win a berth to go on to the state contest.

Poetry Out Loud contestants, Jared W. is far left.

Yesterday: I attended the celebration of the life of a husband of a friend. He was very athletic and had many, many friends. It was a privilege to join in the celebration of John's life. I am praying for his wife that she can find comfort in family, friends, and her memories.

Soups this past week: Barley Beef (favorite); Zuppa Toscana (better than last time); Ravioli and Broth (ravioli and marinara is better); Greek Lamb Meatball and Yogurt Soup (interesting but very tart flavor. A little goes a long way.) The "soup diet" is working. I'm down 12.5 lbs.

Books read this week:

• Mister Orange by Truus Matti, translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson. The winner of the Batchelder Award for best book translated into English for children. I read this as part of my reading challenge to read all the YA- ALA Award books of 2014.
• Allegiant by Veronica Roth. The third book in the Divergent trilogy. Now I know why everyone who has returned it told me that they didn't like the ending.

Currently reading:

• How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig...I am so bummed that this book wasn't around when my children were young.  If you have young children, get this book. I am not kidding.
• Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein...this book has been on my bedside table since before Xmas and I am finally getting to it.  It won the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens in 2014. I am reading it for my same reading challenge, to read all the ALA YA Award books of 2014.  Join me!
• Inside a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz...this is the most boring audiobook I've ever listened to but I am staying tuned-in because it is a current book club selection.

“Become major, Paul. Live like a hero. That's what the classics teach us. Be a main character. Otherwise what is life for?” ― J.M. Coetzee

TTT: Ten Books that Made Me Cry (reprise)

Top Ten Tuesday Topic of the Day: books that made me cry.

I participated in this meme back in November 2010. 

Here is the link to my original list of Ten Books that Made Me Cry (Nov. 2010).  

To avoid repeating books from that list today's list is...

Ten Books that Made Me Cry Between Dec. '10-Feb. '14

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler...if someone is breaking up I'm all about the tissues. I had several bad break-ups as a teenager and these types of books hit nerves directly linked to my tear ducts.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys...I don't see how anyone could read this book with dry eyes. It is about human rights injustices placed on women and children of Lithuania under the Stalinist regime.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay...the shocking Holocaust story set in France, based on factual events.

October Mourning: a song for Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman...the tragic death of Matthew Shepard, a young homosexual man told in beautiful and evocative poems.

Faithful Elephants: a True Story of Animals, People, and War by Yukio Tsuchyia... I cry everytime I read this children's book about the purposeful death of elephants in a Tokyo zoo during WWII. Innocent animals as victims of our awful war.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green...I listened to this book as I was driving to/from work but had to turn it off because I was crying so hard, making driving difficult. I bet this book is on just about everyone's list if they've read it.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell...No spoilers but suffice it to say Elanor's home life sucks and Park is so loving and thoughtful. Both things made me cry.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick ...Leonard Peacock is suicidal and the only person who seems to notice or care is a teacher. It breaks my heart.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini...Hosseini is the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Need I say more about why I found myself crying while I read it.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell...there were just a few moments in this book that I found my eyes tearing up. No big boo-hoos though.

What books have you read recently that made you cry?

Super Bowl Sunday Salon

Photo from Seattle PI

Weather: overcast and cold. It has been rainy all week. This coming week the weatherman tells us will get cold, maybe even a flake of snow. We'll see.

Super Bowl today: The Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos in the big professional football game. In case you are wondering who we are rooting for, it is the Seahawks. And they deserve to win. Why? Because this is only the second time they've ever been in this final game of the season. They are the only professional football team in this region of the country, so all of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana deserve to have a winning team at least once! The team has really come together this year and so has the fan base. There are 12th Man flags everywhere, including our house. We will be watching the game with relatives who live nearby. Go Hawks!

Feed My Starving Children: is an organization that puts together nutritional food packets (called Manna Packets). The food is shipped to areas around the world experiencing high poverty and to feed hungry children. The branch in our town supplies meals for children in Haiti. A group of about 30 from our church donated a few hours on Friday to help put together the packets. We put together 936 packets which is 5616 meals. The room was electric with God's spirit as over 200 people packed more than 78,000 meals in less than two hours -- enough to feed one nutritious meal to 215 children each day for a year. What a night.  (See photo of us with our hairnets.)

Nearing the end of untangling the mess caused by the library system outage. It was down for almost six weeks, but the messes that were made to student accounts are still an issue. This past week we tried to finally identify all the weird fines and reassign books that were wiped off accounts. We are almost there. Then we can turn our attention back to just regular operations of running a high school library.

Printz book awards announced: The ALA made it's grand announcements of all the book awards for the year. Three of our Mock Printz books were selected, including the winner Midwinterblood by Marcus Zusak. Two honor books on our reading list were:  Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell and Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner.

Tailgate party at church: there was a lot of excitement at church today around the Seahawks game so we played it up. Our coffee fellowship was called a tailgate party and everyone was encouraged to wear the team colors. Children were called up to sing a song and most were sporting their Seahawks gear.

Notice all the Seahawks emblems and colors on the kids

100 years-100 Books: Our local library celebrated its 100-year anniversary last year. To mark the occasion, patrons were encouraged to read 100 books during the year. Those who accomplished the feat were honored in a reception yesterday and given a t-shirt, a shopping bag, and a new library card with the recognition on it. I was among those honored. Take a look at all my new gear and at the photo of what the first library in Puyallup looked like.

The first library in Puyallup.
 Books were loaned out of this shack!

I'm part of the town's 100 Book Club!

Soup of the week: Thai Shrimp and Corn Soup. It was different but good. I am trying to make a big effort at varying up the soups I make so we don't get sick of eating soup all the time. I learned a new skill making this soup, too, which was how to add eggs to soup to give them that stringy egg look. Easy.

Books read this week:

• March (Book 1) by John Lewis...a graphic biography about this famous Congressman and his work with Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights movement. I recommend it.
• The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell...not a favorite. I won't be recommending this book to anyone. If you have read this book and liked it, I'd like to hear from you.

Currently reading:

• Allegiant by Veronica Roth...this is book three in the Divergent series and it is my audiobook this week. I'm about half finished and the action just picked up.
• How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig...I am enjoying this book quite a lot. In fact I am currently working on memorizing a few lines from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and nodding violet grows,
Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet muskroses and with eglantine.

Have a hallelujah kind of day! 

Your teachers love...

Snapshot Saturday

I asked the teachers of the school to give me titles of books that they love and then made a display of those books yesterday after school. I can't wait for Monday when the students come in and they see all the books their teachers love. I also sent these photos out via e-mail to all the teachers hoping that all those who didn't participate after the first round would jump in now!

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads