So reading can't compete with Social Media and On-Line Entertainment? Hmmm...

The Book Thief Stole My Heart

The last novel for the year for my monthly book club, and I believe we may have saved the best for last with The Book Thief.

Summary thanks to Goodreads:

"It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still. By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down."

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.  The group discussed this novel over lunch at our annual Christmas Book Exchange party. The vast majority of the ladies loved it, finding little fault with the writing or the gripping story.

I thought that it read like poetry at times; Zusak's prose is so beautiful. With Death as the narrator, The Book Thief is a creative and unique wartime story was written from the perspective of a young German girl.

Here is the author with his thoughts:

This novel should be mandatory reading in high school. It is not to be missed. 

SUPER EXCELLENT!!! Popularity Papers; Words of (questionable) Wisdom...

This was my favourite from the series:
#3.

Just when I thought that kids fiction was getting a bit predictable and boring, along comes Amy Ignatow to show me a new face of children's literature.

MOM'S TAKE NOTE: Amy Ignatow's Popularity Papers shine like a beacon of creativity and fun. These books are unlike anything I have ever seen or read, and I am raving about them to everyone that will listen. If you have girls ages 8-12, these are a must read!

On with my book review of the Popularity Papers:

A few weeks before Christmas, I came across Amy Ignatow's Popularity Papers at VV, and I was fascinated by the colourful cover. Being entirely illustrated by hand, and the narrative being hand written dialogue between two twelve year old best friends.  Julie Graham-Chang is a budding illustrator, so she draws all the pictures to illustrate the narrative. Lydia Goldblatt is her spunky friend who tries out new things, gets into pickles and generally is a scream.

They see eye to eye on most things and enjoy similarly quirky humour.  They are totally honest with each other and are a refreshing couple of girls. At times, they see themselves as outsiders to the mainstream school population, but they have each other, and as such, they encourage and maintain each other's unique personalities.

My Daughter and I now have a
Trunk List too!!!

There are currently 6 novels that make up this series, and when I bought Popularity Papers #3: I didn't realize that I was starting in the middle of the series.  Didn't make much difference though, as each novel is a stand alone snapshot of Lydia and Julie's antics. I have since read them all, (out of order too), and I can whole-heartedly recommend these books for any girl ages 8-12. I'm going to admit that I loved reading these books too, and found myself laughing hysterically in my bed at Julie and Lydia's antics. At times, I feared I was laughing too loud and would wake the kids.

Amy Ignatow is incredibly talented. She not afraid of difficult subjects and describes that from the perspective of a twelve year old girl. She shows Julie and Lydia supporting and encouraging each other through these life experiences. There are moments of true tenderness and and insight from a girls perspective.

Turns out Jen Mattocks is the Doctor's
daughter!

There are belly laugh moments, like the one here about Jen Mattocks.

It's a Beautiful Thing to be 12 and
full of Sunny Hope.

Amy Ignatow's Facebook page is a bit of fun and worth checking out:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Popularity-Papers/212256315882?id=212256315882&sk=photos_stream

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Where do I start with this novel...Not even sure of the genre really, but here goes my review!

Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (Who names their kid Ransom Riggs for real?!?) is his debut novel and it is an original story if nothing else. Set in the present and involving time travel to WW2, this story is about children who have fled the monsters of Europe and live in peace on an island off the western coast of England. Each child has a special gift ranging from the ability to levitate, start fire in the palm of one's hand, lift incredibly heavy items, speak with others but be entirely invisible etc.

Jakob, a boy from the present, is told by his dying grandfather to go back to the island, and help the children slay the monsters and stay safe. Jakob's family think that he is a troubled youth who is mentally disturbed and sees monsters. Check out the movie trailer which is not a spoiler:

The story twists and turns and is a very original. I have never read this type of novel, and I have to say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was unpredictable, and very entertaining. I thought the author did a wonderful job developing the characters and created a realistic world filled with demons and monsters.  It had some troubling parallels with the rise of Naziism and I found myself trying to figure out if the novel was a commentary on the triumph of evil over good, and the eradication of so many defenceless Jewish children by the Nazis.

The novel itself is really entertaining as Riggs includes many vintage photographs that were contributed by collectors. The photos compliment the story so well, and really fleshed out the story. Some of them are chilling, and I loved seeing them. I found myself wanting to read at all hours of the day, and I did think about the story throughout my day. Wikipedia classifies this novel as children's fiction...I think it's a bit scary for children so I would suggest young adults and older should give it a try.

Riggs is writing a sequel now called Hallow City, and it is planned for January 2014.

I recommend this one, and would love to hear what you think?