Wonderland, by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew

Wonderland, by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew, is about what happens right after Alice has visited the White Rabbit’s cottage.  The story focuses on Mary Ann, the housemaid, and how she gets mixed up in her own Wonderland adventure.  It’s very well-written and stands up on its own: even if you are only familiar with Alice’s story and have not read the books, you will still be able to enjoy Wonderland.  That being said, you will appreciate it more if you have at least read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.  Also, watch the animated Disney film (it’s a trip!): the illustrations are meant to look like the Disney characters, but the artwork is a style all its own and very beautiful.  It’s a laugh-out-loud read, and great for ages 8 and up (though teenagers and adults. will be quicker to understand some of the wit and humor than most children).

Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, by Maria Padian

Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, by Maria Padian, is a feel-good novel about two best friends who are going their separate ways for the summer.  Eva is going to a ballet summer program in New York City, while Henry (short for Henriette) is off to a prestigious tennis camp in Florida.  It’s the first time both girls have been apart for an extended period of time.  While Jersey Tomatoes is a lighter read, it does deal with some serious issues.  Each girl has an overbearing parent who seems to want nothing more than to live through his or her daughter’s talent.  While Eva is passionate about dance and Henry lives tennis, both also feel conflicted and even dislike what they’re doing at times.  They are constantly dealing with issues that are specific to what they do. In the end, the story asks these questions: What are the important things in life?  Who are you as a person?  How are you going to react if put in a given situation?  What is the right decision to make?  All in all, this is a very good read, and a healthy read, for girls 14-15 and up.  I really enjoyed reading it.  There is a lot of tennis lingo, but it does not take away from the story.  I don’t know anything about tennis and very little about ballet and I was able to follow Henry as she plays her game and Eva as she becomes alive on the dance floor.  Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best is also a good one for those who liked reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.

Shadow on the Mountain, by Margi Preus

Shadow on the Mountain, by Margi Preus, is just as good as her first novel, Heart of a Samurai.  The two books are not companions to each other, but they are written in the same style and are both well-research historical fiction novels for the reader 10 years old and up.  Note that Shadow on the Mountain is not to be released until September 2012.  I highly recommend it for those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction and/or read Margi Preus’ first book.  Shadow on the Mountain is about the boy Espen who, at age 14, is running “errands” for the Norwegian Resistance during World War II.  As he grows older and his work for the movement becomes more dangerous, he learns and understands more about how the world he was born into changed so drastically and seemingly overnight.  Through the eyes of various characters in the story, we see how different their motivations are and why they choose to act the way they do.  If anything, Margi Preus shows how history is never black and white, and emphasizes the importance of critical thinking.  

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus, is really good! It is based on a true story about Manjiro, a 13-year old boy from a fishing village in Japan who, along with four others, is shipwrecked and eventually picked up by an American whaling ship in 1841. Since this is at a time when Japan was closed to foreigners and did not welcome back Japanese people who strayed too far from Japan’s borders (whether of their own volition or not), Manjiro must make the decision of whether he will try to get home anyway or join the crew. What happens next turns into the adventure of a lifetime. Preus does an excellent job of describing the cultural differences between the East and the West and the conflict that is constantly within Manjiro, even as he takes in the wonder of seeing and experiencing things beyond his wildest dreams! The book has a glossary at the back of technical terms and some Japanese words (which was very helpful), and a bibliography of the author’s resources, for those who, like myself, wish to know more about this period of history and its lasting effects today.

The Sandman Volume 2: The Doll's House, by Neil Gaiman et al

I believe the Sandman Volume 2: The Doll’s House, by Neil Gaiman, is much darker than the first Sandman book. It is still a good read though; while I have not read many DC universe comics, I think that Gaiman’s contribution with the Sandman character gave the DC universe a different feel. The personifications of Dream, Death, et al., feel more universal because such beings appear in many tales from around the world. The Doll’s House is not for the fainthearted, and it is definitely for mature readers. I look forward to progressing with the series.

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom, by Susin Nielsen

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom, by Susin Nielsen, is about 12 year old Violet and her anger and sadness about her parents' divorce. Her parents don't quite understand her acting out and Violet gets in trouble a lot. Mixed in with her feelings are her love for her parents (of course); note also that much of her anger is directed toward her father, since he is the one who left. Eventually, the lesson that Violet must inevitably learn is that people are not perfect, and the only thing to be done is to make the best of a sad situation-but not before she makes her own attempts to set things right. This story is a good one to read for anyone, but will also speak in particular to preteen girls whose parents are not together anymore and are having trouble adjusting to the new living environment.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, by Joe Schreiber

Okay, so I was not sure what to expect when I read Joe Schreiber's Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, but I enjoyed reading it all the same. This is a good book for a teenage boy reluctant reader (15 or 16 and up). Perry's family has been hosting a foreign exchange student during his last year of high school, and as a last gesture of kindness before she leaves to go back home, Mom makes Perry take her to the prom. However, Perry soon learns that Gobija is not quite the person she seemed to be.... It's a fast-paced read, with short chapters and lots of action. It is humorous, but it gets intense really fast.

The Sandman Volume One: Preludes and Nocturnes, by Neil Gaiman et al

Wow! I finally read Volume One of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. How do I begin to describe it? Lord Morpheus, the King of Dreams, has been mistakenly summoned and is trapped. He bides his time, waiting for the right moment to escape and take his revenge...but it is so much more than that (after all, there are about 9 other books after this one, plus a bunch of spin-off series). I did not realize that the Sandman was actually a character created for the DC Universe: I thought he was an original creation of Mr. Gaiman's! In any case, Preludes & Nocturnes is definitely for a mature reading audience. If you like Neil Gaiman's prose or just want a good graphic novel to read, check this one out!

Manga Man, by Barry Lyga and Colleen Doran

Last week I read Manga Man, by Barry Lyga, and it's pretty funny. The premise is that there is a Rip between our 3-D world and the 2-D manga world. Ryoko ends up in our world because of the Rip, and until the ex-army scientist doctor guy who made the machine that facilitated the Rip can fix said machine, Ryoko must learn to live on Earth. It's really well drawn (illustrator is Colleen Doran) and it's a light read. If you read a lot of manga and other types of comics, you will definitely appreciate Manga Man. I was laughing as I read it.

Nightmares and Fairytales, Volume 2, by Serena Valentino

SO the definition of this graphic novel is "scarily cute", or maybe "cutely scary". Nightmares and Fairytales: Beautiful Beasts, by Serena Valentino, is about a rag doll named Annabelle. Annabelle tells stories to her current owner Gwen of her past owners, and several of those stories happen to be re-imaginings of tales such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "Little Red Riding Hood". Some stories are darker than others, so if you're into that, this is the book for you. I would say ages 13 and up is an appropriate reading audience age threshold.

The City in the Lake, by Rachel Neumeier

I haven't read a good stand-alone fantasy novel in a while. The City in the Lake, by Rachel Neumeier, is like a fairy tale, though not based on any one we are familiar with. She takes elements of fairy tales, though, and weaves them into her story. It's beautifully written, and a more sophisticated read than (dare I say it) the Harry Potter books. I would say readers 12 and up would enjoy it, if they have a more advanced reading comprehension level and want to read something a bit more complex than Percy Jackson's books (which are still fun to read).  Also check out Neumeier's The Floating Islands.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista, by Bianca Turetsky

The Time-Traveling Fashionista, by Bianca Turetsky, is perfect for any girl (or boy!) who loves fashion, old movies, and time-travel. 12-year-old Louise loves vintage fashion, and receives a special invitation to a vintage fashion sale. She finds the perfect dress and tries it on. Can you guess what happens next? For ages 12up.

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage, is set in a small town in North Carolina, and gives us a brief glimpse into the life of Mo LoBeau, 11 years old and rising 6th grader. Oh, and by the way, it's a murder mystery set in the summertime. I really enjoyed reading it. I especially loved the relationships Mo has with her adoptive family, friends, and neighbours.  Mo is a crackup: she's full of spunk and a tomboy.  For ages 10 (possibly a more emotionally mature 10) to 11 and up.

Marvel Fairy Tales, by C. B. Sebulski

Marvel Fairy Tales, by C. B. Sebulski, is a collection of fairy tales and classic stories featuring well-known Marvel characters. They're all rather fun, though of course I preferred some over others. I loved the artwork; it's really neat seeing these re-imagined superheroes starring in such familiar tales as Peter Pan and Red Riding Hood.

Shadows on the Moon, by Zoe Marriott

Shadows on the Moon, by Zoe Marriott, is a darker retelling of Cinderella set in a made-up part of Japan. Not quite a heavy read, but Suzume's story is emotionally charged. I would say 15 and up, or a mature 13/14, is the ideal age range for a reader.

Y The Last Man: Unmanned, by Brian K. Vaughan et al

I read Volume One of Y: The Last Man: Unmanned, and I have also read Volume 2: Cycles and Volume 3: One Small Step. So far, so good! The first book pretty much sets up the story and introduces us to some very important characters. I don't want to go into it too much for those who haven't read it: I myself did not really know what to expect. All I heard was that the series was and is good. Sometimes, I prefer to let the story unfold as I read.  This is definitely a series for mature readers.

Monster Volume 1, by Naoki Urasawa

This is just a picture of the first one, but this is an 18-volume manga series by Naoki Urasawa. I have finished the entire series. It's a really well-written and well-drawn mystery/thriller set in Germany, about a Japanese doctor who becomes entangled in a serial-murder case. Highly recommended!!

Habibi, by Craig Thompson

Habibi is EXCELLENT. For those of you already familiar with the graphic novel, I highly recommend this to you. If you are new to the format, this is a heavy read (literally and figuratively-the book clocks in at over 450 pages), but it's a beautifully drawn and written story about a girl surviving on her own somewhere in the Middle East. You will find yourself spending just as much time appreciating the artistry as you will reading the words.

Liberator, by Richard Harland

Liberator qualifies as steam-punk literature. It's pretty good, though I suggest reading Worldshaker first. Richard Harland is an Australian author, so the third installment may be a while in coming.  Worldshaker establishes the characters and the overarching storyline: an alternate history where the major countries of the world have taken over different parts of it.  Large populations of people from England, Russia, Japan, etc., live aboard huge juggernauts that are capable of traveling by land, sea, and air.  Col Porpentine is a member of a high-class family on Worldshaker (that is the name of the British juggernaut, complete with in-residence Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert).  In the first book, he meets a Filthy (one of the lowest social class-the people who keep the juggernaut running far belowdecks), a girl named Riff, who challenges everything Col has been brought up to believe.  What follows is an adventure in which Col must decide where his loyalties lie and consider true nature of the current political and social system in which he has lived his whole life.

Ruby Red, by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red is about a girl who has the time-traveling gene. Really good summertime read! Translated from the German, this is the first of three books (which have already been written and released in Europe). I am looking forward to the U.S. release of the second installment!

A Confusion of Princes, by Garth Nix

Garth Nix is a great author. If you like Ender's Game and/or Star Wars, or just general science fiction, this is a good one!  Also check out Mr. Nix's other books: Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen (the aforementioned three constitute a trilogy), his Seventh Tower, the Keys to the Kingdom series, and Shade's Children.

Wonder, by R. J. Palacio

Everyone must read this book. It's a great story with a universal message, and it really makes one think about how we treat others. The Golden Rule comes to mind.  Augie is a boy who was born with numerous facial deformities.  By the time he's 10 years old, he's had many surgeries and looks very different from other children his age, though he does not suffer from mental or emotional development disorders.  He's been homeschooled, but chooses to go to a regular private school for his 5th grade year, knowing that there are many issues he will have to deal with once he is there.  Wonder is a truly inspiring story about family, friendship, and the importance of treating other people with respect and kindness.

News flash: I am finally back, after sitting for and taking 4 CPA exams-3 of them passed, with one more to find out about in August!  But anyway, I have taken to posting "Mini Book Reviews" on Facebook and just now started duplicating such reviews on Goodreads.com and will now triplicate (is that a word??) on this blog.  I have learned that a book review is easier to read if it is one paragraph or less, which is not to say that longer book reviews should not be written.  Note that if I really believe a book is worth writing about at length, I will write about it at length.  My re-vamped objective with this blog is to reach people I am not connected with on Facebook or on Goodreads.com and people I may not know and will not ever know.  This is my thing: I love reading, I love giving recommendations, getting recommendations, and spreading a love of literacy and learning to all.  Happy reading!