Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick

Ben is now living with his aunt and uncle in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota.  His mother just died.  He never knew his father.  Always hard of hearing in one ear, he recently lost the hearing in his good ear because of lightning.  The only clues he has as to who his father might be is the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.  Rose is a deaf girl living in New Jersey.  Her parents are not sympathetic to her.  They keep her trapped in the house for fear of what could happen to her.  She escapes to New York City to stay with her older brother.  His story is told in words, hers in pictures.  And they’re told 50 years apart.  But the allure of the magic of museums ties these two stories together.

For the first part of the book, I was afraid that this was going to be just like Hugo Cabret.  Even though Selznick is now telling two stories, the format of Hugo was just so groundbreaking, no one had seen anything like it before.  We have seen something like this before.  And that’s not to say it isn’t good.  It’s a wonderfully written and told story.  I loved it.  It definitely became its own creation when the two stories started to twist together and you’re not at all thinking of Hugo.  Like with his last book, Selznick did massive amounts of research to get the experiences of what it was like to be deaf during each of the eras he discusses.  The work is seamless and believable, even when it surprises you.

Image taken from http://www.amazon.com.

Strutting It!: The Grit Behind the Glamour

Strutting It!: The Grit Behind the Glamour
by Jeanne Beker

The life of a model may seem glamorous to an outsider – traveling to exotic locations, wearing the latest fashions, being the center of attention and photographed looking your best.  But it’s far from the truth.  The days are long, the work is grueling, and getting a big break is RARE.  Beker’s book is sort of like a beginner’s guide to entering the modeling business.  Since she’s been around the fashion business for a long time, she’s seen the world that these women and men live in.  Be forewarned – modeling is not for the faint of heart.

When I read a review of this book months ago, I thought it sounded really interesting.  The result was kind of underwhelming.  I guess I was expecting more anecdotes from actual models, both aspiring and successful rather than just sticking to primarily the author’s point of view.  While I know I never will be a model (Beker addresses that good genes are key in making it in the top tier of the fashion world), I still get caught up in some of the celeb culture, which is probably what appealed to me about this book in the first place.  I appreciated that she incorporated the fact that not all models are runway models – catalogs and commercials use people who are more realistic in their body types; and she gives some encouraging advice to those girls who are considering being models either part- or full-time.

Image taken from http://www.amazon.com.

Every Thing On It

Every Thing On It
poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein

I wanted to have this review done in time for Banned Books Week, but I’m too late for that.  Shel Silverstein has been banned and challenged frequently.  Luckily, his works have been embraced by exponentially more people.

Who would have thought that 13 years after his death, we would be delighted with a fresh, new collection of Shel Silverstein poems and illustrations?  Eliminated from previous titles simply because they didn’t “fit,” Every Thing On It is a collection of original Silverstein silly poems and rhymes that readers of all ages will love just as much as his other works.

Reading Every Thing On It makes me want to revisit his prior works and compare them.  While the drawings and rhymes are still very much silly like his previous collections:

Lizard
A lizard in a blizzard
Got a snowflake in his gizzard
And nothing else much happened, I’m afraid,
But lizard rhymed with blizzard
And blizzard rhymed with gizzard
And that, my dear, is why most poems are made.

this collection is also very reflective.  Kids today may not catch it, but kids who grew up with Silverstein will feel his words pierce their hearts and make them wonder if they shouldn’t try “growing down.”  There was so much that I loved about these poems.  It seemed like he knew when he wrote these years ago, they would be enjoy for generations after he was gone. Whether you belong to the first generation of Silverstein fans or you have recently discovered him, this collection is one that should not be missed. And I hope it inspires you, too.

Writesingtelldraw
I’ve told you a hundred tall stories,
I’ve sung you a thousand sweet songs,
I’ve wrote you a million ridiculous rhymes
(Though sometimes the grammar was wrong).
I’ve drawn you a zillion pictures,
So being as fair as can be,
After all that I’ve writtensungtolddrawn for you,
Won’t you writesingtelldraw one for me?

Image taken from http://www.amazon.com.

39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers: The Medusa Plot

39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers: The Medusa Plot
by Gordan Korman

Hello, loyal readers!  I’m sorry that I’ve been MIA for about a month.  It’s been a CRAZY month!  I moved into a new home and have been keeping super busy with everything that comes with that.  I also went to a librarian conference and had tons of fun.  But hopefully things will settle down and I’ll be able to bang out some more reviews on what I’ve been reading (because I have been).  So without further ado…

After Amy and Dan found the secret to the 39 Clues, they thought their troubles would be over.  Far from it.  There are other powerful, cunning families and groups who want that serum for themselves.  The Vespers are one such group.  They nearly perfectly execute the seamless capture of Cahills around the world.  3 intended victims escape – Amy, Dan, and Ned – while 7 are captured and held.  The leader, calling himself Vesper One, promises to kill one captive every day that Amy, Dan and the other Cahills do not act on his command.  Vesper One’s command?  They must get for him Caravaggio’s “Medusa” – a famous painting.  The youngest Cahills from all branches must now work together to save their relatives and loved ones from this cruel group.

We are back again with this illustrious family and their powerful sway on the world.  I admit, I am hooked.  Fans will not be disappointed with this continuation.  The only thing that confuses me is the passage of time.  Suddenly it seems two years have passed – it hasn’t been two years since the last 39 Clues book was published.  It also seems that these characters have been cast – instead of the other agents you met along the way while playing along online, there are actual photos in the book of our characters and videos in the online experience.  They just seem too old in my mind.  But the energy is there and the book is definitely engaging.  I know this is one series I will see through to the end.

Image taken from http://www.amazon.com.