Statistics Fun

 So the announcements last night were rather hit-and-run, were they not? I apologize for that. But now you get to read a very long ramble to make up for it! I think some of you may get a grin out of at least ONE of our fill-in responses.

Overall, the Verve Lit 2012 poll ended with 48 votes. I am very blessed with this, because I had been praying for about 50. Thanks to all those people!

First I'll start with the Series category. Most people skipped the other categories and voted in Independent. Only 17 people voted in Series, two votes each for Benjamin Pratt and The Red Blazer Girls. The other thirteen were filled in, and is where we got our winner!

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet - Goodreads describes this as a series about monsters and witches. One of the obviously-not-Christian reviewers couldn't get over how glad she was it had no inclination to Christian values.

Dragons in Our Midst by Bryan Davis - ... a series about a boy who finds out he was a dragon in a past life, and learns how to have faith. Whatever that means. Take what you wish from that synopsis.

Swipe by Evan Angler - A person must receive the mark in their wrist or they-don't-get-that-job-at-McDonalds. Yep. It got a lot of good reviews on Goodreads.

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Peter's Angel by Aubrey Hansen - This book releases next month from the winner of the Independent category. It's historical fiction.

Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan - Self explanatory. I think everyone has heard about this book, which is probably why someone voted for it. It's about wizards and menacing cloaks, apparently.

Pirates and Faith by Molly Evangeline (received 3 votes) - Winner of Series. I plan on reading the first book soon.

Provost's Dog by Tamora Pierce - Not really sure what this book is about. Wikipedia says it's a fantasy.

The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis - ...

The Destiny Trilogy (by Sarah Holman) - The independents took over ever category, didn't they?

Firmament by J. Grace Pennington

Then there was the Realism category. I was sad because the only book that didn't receive a vote was in the line up: The Running Dream. This is such a great book!
The Penderwicks - 4 votes ; Okay For Now - 3 votes ; Wonder Struck - 1 vote ; fill-in 8 votes...

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Swipe by Evan Angler
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
1984 by Geore Orwell (could some one explain to me how this is a children's book...? Anyways, in 1984 they spelled George without the second G.)
The Pirate Daughter's Promise by Molly Evangeline (2 votes)
Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell
The Destiny Of a Galaxy

Independent - only 7 skips.

Red Rain by Aubrey Hansen - 29 votes
The Destiny Trilogy by Sarah Holman - 8 votes
Fill-in: Johnny Vic by Ann Rich Duncan (Historical Fantasy) ; The Pirate Daughter's Promise by Molly Evangeline (3 votes)

Reader's Choice - 7 skips as well. I think people are sending me a message that they prefer Indie novels.

Firmament: Radialloy by J. Grace Pennington  - 26 votes
The Pirate Daughter's Promise by Molly Evangeline - 14 votes
The Charity's Diary Series by Elisabeth Allen - 1 vote -- Aw, come on! I feel rather bad that she only got one vote, her series looked utterly delightful. :-)

I plan on reading all three Reader's Choice books in this next year.



 And there are your stats! I don't know about anyone else, but I got a giggle out of George Orwell being voted for... I mean his work sounds very interesting... but I'm not sure how he fits our niche. Haha.

VOTE HERE VOTE NOW.

Tada! Voting is HERE. Nothing fancy, and you don't need to put any personal info in. I'll update this post with the options as soon as I can fix a few coding problems...

You may only vote once on the poll. Authors may vote for their own books. ;-D

 It has come to my attention that some people were voting for the same book in each category through the fill-in option. These extra votes will only count in the category one placed them in, and will only be valid if over three people add that book in the fill-in option.





By Category, your options are:

Series

• Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School by Andrew Clements
• The Red Blazer Girls by Michael D. Beil

Realism

• The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
• Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt
• Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick

Independant (Self-Published)

• Red Rain by Aubrey Hansen
• The Destiny Trilogy by Sarah Holman

Reader's Choice Wild Card

• The Charity's Diary Series by Elisabeth Allen
• The Pirate Daughter's Promise by Molly Evangeline
• Firmament: Radialloy by J. Grace Pennington

The Penderwicks [nomination]

Photo from Goodreads.com

 If you don't think The Penderwicks deserves to be called a timeless children's classic, then you are either living on a Neptune moon or you are completely flaming out of your mind. Or your a bitter, angsty teenager, but we won't go there.

 Any time I open up this book, I wish I lived in a cottage. And I dislike cottages, but really, while reading this it's hard to NOT want to go back to being ten, and have three sisters and a wild crazy dog named Hound and a friend named Jeffery. The Penderwicks takes all of the lovely things from the books we loved about summer vacation when we were pre-teen and puts it in a time capsule, one that is rightly buried on the grounds of Arundel, Number Eleven Stafford Street.

A few moments later, they were turning onto Stafford Street, and then suddenly Mr. Penderwick stopped the car in the middle of the road and everyone stared in amazement. What had the family expected from a rental cottage?  A cozy little tumbledown house with a few pots of geraniums in the front yard. Even Harry the Tomato Man's news hadn't changed that. If anyone had thought about it at all, they had figured snooty Mrs. Tifton lived in a cottage next to theirs and grew vegetables in carefully guarded garden plots.

 In any single given children's book about a family, one is more likely to get a headache keeping track of everyone in the family and what age they are then to get a grasp on what is going on. I have often read books where at the conclusion I am still forgetting who is oldest and who is not a cousin. Ah, nothing of that sort in this book. By the end of chapter one, Jeanne Birdsall makes sure we are at least acquainted with who is who in the Penderwick family; Batty being the youngest with the butterfly wings, and Jane is the second youngest, the whimsical and spacey novelist who wrapped her sandwich in the map. Which is why Hound ate the map, and why they are dreadfully lost. Rosalind is the oldest, and she is obviously so as she is the mediator of all fights. Skye... well once you meet Skye there is no mistaking who she is. Even though all four sisters star in every chapter, it's amazing how easy it is too keep up with it, because each sister is unique and hilarious. If some fig newton ever had the insane and outrageous idea to abridge this book some day (like they do to all the classics) they would have a tough job cutting any one of the characters out, because each is so vital and so important.

 And so I leave this nomination here, because you probably already know this book by reputation. I suggest you go check it out at the library forthwith, and enjoy yourself immensely, no matter your age. Though I must warn you, The Penderwicks of Gardam Street and The Penderwicks at Point Mouette will never be as awesome as the first book, so enjoy this one thoroughly before checking out the rest of this mini series.

 The only disappointment I had from this first book is that it wasn't even considered for the Newbery, or at least the Newbery Honor. But that is why we have VLA, to bring medals of honor to the forgotten and great books of the past decade. Whatever you do, don't let this one be forgotten!

Whatever edition this is, it looks really awesome! I wonder what country it's from.

 No official book trailer is available. You can't see it, but I'm pouting.

Have you read these books? Post your thoughts and discuss the books by making a comment.



NOMINATED BY: Jessie V.

THE PENDERWICKS (A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy) by Jeanne Birdsall
Yearling Books, 2005, Length Approx 262 pages, age range 7-12 [recommended to older readers as well]
 Realistic Fiction (MG)

The Running Dream [nomination]

 You know how some books start out utterly depressing and just get worse by The End? This wasn't one of those books. Jessica Carlisle thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a bus accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?  This book had so many good point, where do I start? Running Dream made me think of Soul Surfers [the movie], only more upbeat (!) and more conclusive. I know it's not fair to compare a true-life story with fiction, but that's just what this book made me think of: a girl loses a limb, and it stinks, but she's going to keep going forward. Only this wasn't tainted by Hollywood drama.

 Writing style: amazing. Just enough inner dialogue, just enough emotion without being too much, and you know exactly what is happening, because the style is very clear. Many times I get a headache from trying to figure out what the heck the character is trying to say. Especially when the main character is a high school student--yikes.

 Characters: diverse personalities, and can't be classified as 'all good' or 'all bad'.  Though everything is pretty straightforward with the people around her, it's not like they are some plastic robots from Mainstream Fictionville. For instance, Jessica's little sister is a moody junior high student (weren't we all), but she actually shows a range of emotions aside from angsty snarls. And for once, here is a story that isn't SUFFOCATED with boy drama! I don't know about you, but boy drama gets a little old after a while (*gives guy friends a look*). There was a smidgen of it, mind, you, but I think if you read this book you'll be satisfied with how everything turns out. ;-D (and not in a total cliche way, either)


 There was something small, almost nonexistent that I wanted to mention because it meant a lot to me personally. Yes, I do believe wholeheartedly in God the Creator. Yes, I love to read books with Christian views, as long as they aren't tainted with depressing, wishy-washy, inconclusive Contemporary Christian philosophy. However, this book doesn't really mention God, except once.
 Jessica, at one point in the book, says "I don't blame God for this."
 Wow. I almost started crying.
 This says more than many Christian books do today. 

 As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.
  
 The best part of this book? It felt refreshing. There were some bad times, good times, hilarious jokes, prom avoidance, and it told the story perfectly. I loved the ending.

 How is this different than all of the other books I gush about? Well... I don't just gush about a book to get on someones good side or to be perky. I do it because the novel says something, something unique. This isn't just a feel-good story (though it is in many ways). I can't describe it, because you really have to read it for yourself to understand that this isn't just a 'generic' hope story.
 I think this line from Ms. Van Draanen's website says it well:
  "There are certain things I believe we need to keep in our emotional arsenal as we navigate through life. Hope is a big one." 

 Hope is everything. It gets you to a point of positive believing.

  

Have you read this book? Post your thoughts and discuss the books by making a comment.


 NOMINATED BY: Jessie V.


The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Ember Books, 2011, Length 332 pages, Age range 12/13+ (accident and related issues not described at length)

(Young Adult/Teen Fiction)