Young Reader in the Making

Young Reader in the Making

Monday, September 26, 2016

Book 543: A Weed is a Flower

A Weed is a Flower, by Aliki, Aladdin Paperbacks, 1988.

This beautifully illustration book is an excellent introduction to George Washington Carver for young readers.  The text is fairly simple, but the ideas conveyed are not.


Saturday, September 17, 2016

Book 542: The Girl in a Swing

The Girl in a Swing, by Richard Adams, Alfred Knopf, 1980.

I found this book at a second-hand story.  I remember reading Watership Down -- at least thirty years ago -- and liking it, so, for a dollar, I picked up this book.

This book is not really very much like Watership Down.  But the writing is still gently beautiful, as the plot becomes increasingly intense.  By the end of the book, I, like the protagonist, did not want to believe what I know.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Book 541: Sock Monkey -- Into the Deep Woods

Sock Monkey -- Into the Deep Woods, by Matt Danner, illustrated by Tony Millionaire, Fantagraphics Books, 2014.

I bought this book because I was able to get a copy signed by the illustrator.  So it was definitely worth the purchase price for that.

The illustrations for this very short novel were quite wonderful, but the writing felt a little flat -- almost as if it were being viewed through a screen from a distance.


Friday, September 2, 2016

Book 540: The Blood of Olympus

The Blood of Olympus, by Rick Riordan, Disney Hyperion, 2014.

I really enjoyed this series.  And I liked this book.  But this book didn't quite seem to be the ending we were promised.  Don't get me wrong:  I'm glad that so many of the other demigods emerged as heroes, but Percy and Jason didn't have to turn milquetoast for that to happen, did they?