Category Archives: Young Adult

Friday Favorites, Young Adult

Friday Favorites: Shaun Tan

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It is a special thing to immerse oneself in the work of a creator of illustrated stories when that creator is highly skilled at both aspects of the work: the art AND the story. I have discussed just such an artist on Monday, David Mack. It seemed perfectly fitting to end the work week with another creative individual, who for years has inspired that same kind of excitement for me: Australian artist/storyteller Shaun Tan.

Rather than displaying examples of Tan’s work from a variety of sources, I am going to bookend the week by mimicking my David Mack discussion and discuss the wonder of Shaun Tan’s work by reviewing his latest book, which I read for the first time (and again a second time) this week:

Tales from Outer Suburbia.

Continue reading Friday Favorites: Shaun Tan →

Book Reviews, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Zoe’s Tale ~John Scalzi

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Zoe’s Tale ~John Scalzi

–published 2008
–336 pages, Tor Books
–4.5/5 stars

As I embark upon reviewing this, the latest novel in John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series, I must admit that I am feeling somewhat guilty. Over the course of the past two years John Scalzi has occupied a slot as one of my all-time favorite authors. I have devoured his books only to find myself with two conflicting emotions: satisfaction and the desire for more. So how is it that I am just now reviewing a book that came out in August of this year? I bought the book the minute it hit bookstore shelves! In fact it came out early and I was so excited that I brought it straight home and immediately started reading it. After all, it was the latest Scalzi! So what happened? Well, me–that is what happened. I was not in the mood for science fiction at the time, particularly as I was gearing up for hosting the R.I.P. III Challenge and was in a particularly gothic mood. I have never been secretive about the fact that I am a reader tossed to and fro by his reading whims and Zoe’s Tale was just not right for me at the time. Sure, I had enjoyed the first 90 to 100 pages that I read, but not the way that I wanted to. I wasn’t finding myself lost in John Scalzi’s universe the way I had been with the other three novels of this series. And so I did the unthinkable, I laid aside a favorite author with the sincere hope that it was just my timing that was off and that when I came back to Zoe and her perspective on the events covered in The Last Colony I would be able to give this author the reverence due his position in my ‘favorites’ hierarchy.

What follows will hopefully serve as an apology to Mr. John Scalzi and to all of you who would never dare to treat a cherished author the way that I have treated mine.

Continue reading Zoe’s Tale ~John Scalzi →

Book Reviews, Young Adult

The Graveyard Book ~Neil Gaiman

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(*Gasp* Is that an image of a ghostly hand, wearing the One Ring, on the cover?!?!)

The Graveyard Book ~Neil Gaiman

–published 2008
–320 pages, HarperCollins
–5/5 stars

If I had the opportunity to script it myself I could not have come up with a more perfect way to spend the first day of what is arguably my favorite month of the year: reading Neil Gaiman’s long anticipated new young adult novel, The Graveyard Book in its entirety. I started shortly after midnight, October 1st, and it was my companion throughout this work and fun-filled day. For all intents and purposes the book did not leave my side all day. It waited patiently for me on the bedside table as I slept. It traveled with me to work to sit in my office for a brief shared lunch. It traveled with me to my off-site meeting and then back to a serendipitous reading spot. It went with me to the comic shop on request to say ‘hello’ to my friend Jeff and it traveled back home with me for one enchanted evening. And now it sits again by my bedside awaiting a new journey…but more on that to come.

Continue reading The Graveyard Book ~Neil Gaiman →

Book Reviews, Young Adult

The Dangerous Alphabet ~Neil Gaiman, Gris Grimly

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The Dangerous Alphabet ~Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Gris Grimly

–published 2008
–32 pages, HarperCollins
–5/5 stars

“A piratical ghost story in thirteen ingenious but potentially disturbing rhyming couplets, originally conceived as a confection both to amuse and to entertain by Mr. Neil Gaiman, scrivener, and then doodled, elaborated upon, illustrated, and beaten soundly by Mr. Gris Grimly, etcher and illuminator, featuring two brave children, their diminutive but no less courageous gazelle, and a large number of extremely dangerous trolls, monsters, bugbears, creatures, and other such nastinesses, many of which have perfectly disgusting eating habits and ought not, under any circumstances, to be encouraged.” (from the introduction)

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Fantasy, Young Adult

Odd and the Frost Giants ~Neil Gaiman

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Odd and the Frost Giants ~Neil Gaiman

–published 2008
–97 pages, Bloomsbury
–4/5 stars

When you are a fan of a particular author, awaiting (im)patiently for their next story to arrive, it is a pleasure to discover that said author has snuck a story in under the radar. Such is the case with Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. This particular story was written specifically for World Book Day, an annual event in the U.K. and Ireland. The event is something I certainly think we could all get behind, as it promotes books and the love of reading. Though this book is not currently available in the U.S., for a mere British pound, plus reasonable shipping (on Amazon.co.uk), you can have your very own copy. And since they send it air mail it will arrive before your anticipation reaches a fever pitch!

The short review: Well worth the price to ship it to your door!

Continue reading Odd and the Frost Giants ~Neil Gaiman →