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)

Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School [Series; Nomination]

  The Keepers of the School series is the latest from Andrew Clements. Aside from the Things Trilogy, he usually doesn't delve into series books, or mysteries for that matter (though his book Room One was a Edgar Allen Poe winner). But this is by far some of his best middle grade fic work.
 Benjamin Pratt goes to Oakes School, at least for the next month. Once school lets out for summer vacation, the historic location is being torn down so that an investment company can build a sea-side amusement park. Ben is fine about this, glad even. Until the janitor bestows upon him the great and mysterious honor of Keeper of the School. Now it's his responsibility to save Captain Duncan Oakes School from being condemned, but can he do it in one short month?

   Each book in this series takes place in a few days or a week, which would seem to be very rushed. However, I thought that We the Children and Fear Itself (the first two books) were interesting and very well paced. At first I was a little confused by the plot, and thought it was completely unbelievable. Kids are in charge of school? But it's a little more complicated than you would think. As a late teen, I was thoroughly impressed by the deep characters, plot, and suspense, even though it's geared towards ten year olds. Can I see the events in this series happening? Yes. Do I have any clue how the series is going to end? Nope. Is the main villain totally creepy and worthy of a mystery movie? YOU BET!

  One thing that I truly appreciate about this series is the high involvement of adults. They aren't the main characters, but they certainly aren't stupid or put in as an afterthought. Many authors stay away from adult characters in children's novels because they 'meddle' too much, but I think it is unrealistic to say that a kid can go about something monumental without the help (and hindrance) of their elders.

  What mystery lovers can enjoy while reading this series is the classic elements of a treasure hunting that takes place in each book as well as the good-old sleuthing adventures that we all loved as a kid. Nautical elements are also woven through, with sailboat races and compass roses and bells. I learned more boating terms from these books than any other I've read before!

   Above all, Keepers has everything you could want in a middle grade fiction series. The right level of suspense, good characters, and secret compartments. Don't forget the sailboats!

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



NOMINATED BY: Jessie V.

BENJAMIN PRATT & THE KEEPERS OF THE SCHOOL series by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Adam Stower
Antheneum Books, April 2011-Present, Length Approx 175-200 pages, age range 7-10 [recommended to older readers as well]
 Mystery (YA)

#1 We the Children
#2 Fear Itself
#3 Whites of Their Eyes

Red Rain by Aubrey Hansen [nomination]

Red Rain is the premier novel from Aubrey Hansen. The book is a Science Fiction/Mystery set in the year 2148, after the one world government has successfully piled all of the Christian families into internment camps. Anyone with a religion or faith in God was sent to live in one, unless they signed a document of agreement that they will never talk about it again. The story is in the point of view of a seventeen year old Christian girl, Philadelphia. Her father is a scientist.

At first it seemed like this was an average end-times/dystopian plot, but there was something about the way that Ms. Hansen wrote this book... I couldn't stop reading the sample chapter, and then I found out there was an audio book, and listened to the whole thing until three in the morning. Every time you think you know where it's going to go, you don't. And then you get to the middle of the book, and you get blown away. And then you get to the next chapter, and it happens again. She just has a way of putting it that sounds new and gets you trembling near the end, and you love every minute of it. Some complain that the ending was too rushed (probably to leave openings for sequels), but it seemed alright, and the last paragraph was so brilliant, I didn't get it until thirty seconds after I finished reading. The characters develop through to the last page!

Some of you may know I'm the last person to read science fiction. So when I kept hearing about the book, I shrugged it off. WARNING: If you are one of those genre snots like me, do NOT pass up this book because of it. And if you think you're too good for the book because it doesn't have a Lucy Maud Montgomery or Charles Dickens writing style (I.E. flowery), then you are a stick in the mud and I need to give you a frowny face sticker (and you're probably the only person on Amazon that voted it one star). Because the simplistic writing style actually COMPLIMENTS the setting, and the whole thing. You'll be smacking your head.

What I really appreciate about this book is that for the first time in years, even though I thought the plot was predictable, I couldn't guess a single thing that was going to happen. That was more shocking than anything else. Haha. Also, Philly relies on God to get her through hard times in a way that is more satisfying than most Christian fiction books.

And in case your wondering, there ARE a few nit picks or minor plot snags, but they weren't significant enough to remember.

In September of 2011 she self-published the novella, made a snazzy audio book narrated by Grace Pennington (I cannot recommend that ENOUGH, it was so amazing), and has successfully made it big--big enough that many of the blogs I went on had a promotional button for it since it came out. I finally caved in January and 'read' it, and it was totally worth it.

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

NOMINATED BY: Jessie V.

Red Rain by Aubrey Hansen

CreateSpace, 2011, Length 94 pages, Age Range 12+ "mild thematic elements and some action-violence" (but I didn't think it was that bad)

Science Fiction (YA/Teen)