Mary

• Rated 5 stars

“A short read at just over 100 photo-enhanced pages, Iceberg, Right Ahead! is an excellent account of the Titanic, from its conception through the 1985 discovery of its North Atlantic resting place. Author Stephanie Sammartino McPherson has done a stellar job of laying out the story, humanizing the facts with personal accounts and conveying the horror and tragedy of the great ship’s sinking – and all in a straightforward, highly readable manner. Even though much of the story of the sinking was familiar to me, I was absolutely riveted. Less familiar, but just as interesting, were the sections on the aftermath – the American and British inquiries into the disaster, the formation of the ice patrols in the hope of preventing future accidents and the stories of some of the survivors.

While, because of the book’s short format, none are explored in great depth, Iceberg, Right Ahead! touches on many of the issues and controversies surrounding the Titanic – the insufficient number of lifeboats, the ship’s speed, the higher mortality rate of third class passengers and the failure of the Californian to render aid, among others. IMHO, Iceberg, Right Ahead! could well spur readers into further research on any or all of these issues. Fortunately, there is a wealth of material available for curious minds.

Aimed at the younger end of the YA market, the text includes parenthetical definitions of terms that might be unfamiliar to readers. (Example: “boatswain” – supervisor of unlicensed deckhands.) The book design is appealing and the many photos and other artwork illuminate the text well, adding great visual appeal. A timeline, a brief glossary, source notes and a bibliography are included along with mention of the fate of other famous ships of the Titanic’s era.

Iceberg, Right Ahead is concise, yes, but nonetheless, it’s a riveting telling of one of the most famous disasters of all time. I literally could not put it down.

Highly recommended.
”

Mary wrote this review Saturday, June 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Written for young audiences, Prince William & Kate: A Royal Romance nicely lays out the story of Prince William of Wales and his bride, Kate Middleton. The writing is straightforward, with very little in the way of speculation or gossip and the author has included definitions of some words that may be new to the intended audience. (Example: “perceptive” – able to see and understand things clearly.) The young royals are presented as real people with strengths and weaknesses and there is some explanation of the changing role of the royal family over the years. The book design is attractive and the photo quality is excellent.

While not for the seasoned royal watcher, Prince William & Kate: A Royal Romance is, all-in-all, a good introduction to the newlyweds for the pre-teen crowd.

Listed as for ages 9-12. I would drop that to, perhaps, ages 6-10.
”

Mary wrote this review Thursday, June 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“A fortune in gold, a possible curse, unexplained deaths, missing treasure maps and missing people... The story of the Lost Dutchman's Mine has them all and seasoned author Elise Broach (Shakespeare's Secret, Masterpiece) has chosen this fascinating piece of western lore around which to build her new middle school trilogy.

Set in central Arizona, the first of that trilogy - Missing on Superstition Mountain - introduces us to the Barker brothers - 11 year old Simon (the science lover with know-it-all tendencies), 10 year old Henry (the quiet reader who questions his own bravery) and 6 year old Jack (the feisty one with a quick temper). The Barker's have just moved to Superstition, Arizona from Chicago and, while they like the big old house left to their family by their (very interesting) Great Uncle Hank Cormody, the fact that nearly all of their neighbors in this much smaller new town seem to be away on vacation has left them bored. That changes quickly, though, when they chase their runaway cat up Superstition Mountain and come across a trio of human skulls neatly lined up on a canyon ledge. This discovery, along with the dire but vague warnings about the dangers of the mountain that they seem to hear from every adult they run into, leads the boys into an investigation of the area. Along with their neighbor, Delilah Dunworthy - who is also new to Superstition - they learn of the mysterious deaths and disappearances the area is famous for and about the legendary Lost Dutchman's Mine.

The stories that swirl around the Lost Dutchman's Mine vary considerably and Broach appears to be weaving elements of several versions into her appealing tale. In the Barker boys and in Delilah, she has given us characters who are resourceful, adventurous and who have the ability to be a bit reckless without being stupid (a sometimes fine distinction). Even though I felt they needed more depth - and I certainly hope to see them developed more fully in the next two books - I still liked these kids, particularly Henry, whose thoughts we're most often given access to.

The story itself is relatively familiar - kids make discovery, try to investigate on their own, run into some danger, make more discoveries. It's worked for years and it again works well here. Broach moves things along at a nice clip and readers are left wanting more, just as they should at the end of the first book in a series. Overall, Missing on Superstition Mountain has a rather old-fashioned feel to it, different in tone, but similar in feel to Jeanne Birdsall's wonderful Penderwicks series and very reminiscent of books I read and loved as a child and am happily sharing with my grandchildren now. I'm happy to have it as part of my collection and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

A good pick for boys and girls; may appeal to reluctant readers; could well spark an interest in western lore and legend.

Recommended.



Note: Artwork by Antonio Javier Caparo.

”

Mary wrote this review Thursday, June 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Twelve-year-old Eva Nine has spent her entire life living in Sanctuary, an underground compound where she is cared for by the motherly robot, Muthr (Multi-Utility Task Help Robot). She's never met another human nor visited the surface and she longs to do both, dreaming of a world - and of the companionship and love to be found there - that she's only seen glimpses of on scraps of paper. When Sanctuary is attacked, Eva is forced to escape to the surface alone, where she soon finds that the reality of life there is more amazing and puzzling than she ever imagined. It is also far more dangerous.

We share Eva's wonder and astonishment as she views the night sky for the first time and understand her fear when she first feels the heat of the sun on her skin and panics, thinking it will burn her. And it is those two things - wonder and fear - that drive much of the story. Eva is smart and brave, caring, curious and resourceful, but she is also young and inexperienced. The controlled amounts of knowledge that have been passed down to her prove to be woefully inadequate as well as either inaccurate or deliberately false (or perhaps a mixture of the two). It seems that everything Eva sees and experiences just leave her (and us) with more questions. Author Tony DiTerlizzi has done a very good job of allowing readers to share Eva's confusion and to be in on each discovery right along with her.

Because I found Eva so likeable and engagingly real, I really cared about her and wanted to share her journey as she sought to discover just who, what and where she is. Though I found the writing just a bit clunky at times and occasionally wished for the pace to pick up (possibly because I really, REALLY wanted to know what was going to happen!), my connection to Eva kept me involved in the story and certainly kept me turning the pages.

Lavishly illustrated (again by DiTerlizzi, whose artwork I so admired in Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, The Search for WondLa is also beautiful to look at. Through the art, DiTerlizzi not only shows us Eva's world, but beautifully conveys her wonder and curiosity as she discovers it. The drawings add tremendously to the whole, making The Search for WondLa not just a book but an experience.

The conclusion led me to believe that at least one sequel is planned (or had darned well better be). I'm already anxiously awaiting it.

Recommended.


Note: A very attractive website has been created for this book. There, readers can try out "WondLa-Vision" by holding certain pages of the book up to their webcam which activates an interactive 3D map. I don't have a webcam, so can't explore WondLa-Vision, but the demo on the website certainly looks intriguing! Visitors can also read or listen to an excerpt, play some games and download wallpapers, etc. This is a book website done right and I recommend a visit.

Paramount reportedly has optioned the film rights.

”

Mary wrote this review Wednesday, June 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“
The Map of Time is different. It's interesting, engrossing and rather, well - odd. Even weird. It's unlike any other book I've read and while I didn't close the cover thinking - Dang! That was the best book in the history of ever! - I liked it. In fact, I liked it quite a lot.

Attracted by the wonderful cover (which, IMHO, perfectly conveys the time and place and mystery of the story) and intrigued by the plot blurb, The Map of Time has been on my radar for some time. Author Felix Palma has crafted an original and intricately-plotted novel set in Victorian London and peppered with appearances by some of the well-known persons of the day. Bram Stoker. Jack the Ripper. Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man - and yes, he WAS call John Merrick in David Lynch's 1980 film). But it's Palma's use of H.G. Wells as a central character that particularly drew me to the book and that, once reading, most captivated me. Certainly Palma's depiction of Wells in these pages has made me want to learn more about the real Wells and has prompted me download some of his novels - last read during my junior high years - to my Kindle for a re-read.

While I found Wells to be the most fascinating character in the story, he is not the only one who is well-drawn. In what I feel is one of the strongest elements of The Map of Time, several of Palma's many characters are nicely fleshed out. As a specific character's depth and complexity were gradually revealed through the course of the book, my feelings toward that character continued to evolve. And that evolution drew me deeper into the story.

Wells and the paradoxes of time travel are the strongest of the common threads Palma weaves through the three parts of The Map of Time to help to tie the whole book together. In Part One, a young man struggles to deal with the murder - by Jack the Ripper - of the woman he loved. In Part Two, a woman unhappy with the strict social conventions of the Victorian age seeks something else in another time period and in Part Three, a Scotland Yard detective comes to believe that someone from the future is responsible for a series of murders.

Palma's writing is good but somewhat uneven. Passages that I found simply wonderful sat alongside those that rambled for far too long, those that were somewhat confusing and those so cluttered with minutiae that my eyes would begin to glaze over. Though "he" didn't bother me to the degree other reviewers have mentioned, the narrator was, on occasion, annoying. But once I was sucked into the story (which happened early enough on to rope me in for the duration), I could cope with the aspects of the writing that I found less than stellar.

The Map of Time has mystery, romance, sci-fi, history and murder, all set in an atmospheric Victorian London and garnished with steampunk elements. Characterizations are strong and the interesting and intricate plot has twists galore. Despite its flaws, I found The Map of Time well worth the read. I know it will stick with me. And should the sequels I've read rumors of materialize, I'll be reading them.

Recommended.


Notes:
Translation of The Map of Time to English from the original Spanish was done by Nick Caistor.”

Mary wrote this review Wednesday, June 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“When I first heard that Rick Riordan was setting another series in the same universe that he had created for Percy Jackson, I was both excited and a little wary. Excited because I had enjoyed that world and felt it had lots of potential for new adventures; wary because I feared the new series might not meet my expectations and that, if it didn't, it might somehow cast a pall over my affection for the Percy Jackson books. I need not have worried. The Lost Hero, the first book in that new series - the Heroes of Olympus - managed to meet all of my expectations and did so in a style that made me glad Riordan had gone ahead with the idea. While having read the Percy Jackson books is not a pre-requisite for enjoying The Lost Hero, I do think those who have done so will be able to immerse themselves in this world much more quickly and will enjoy the book more than those unfamiliar with Percy's story.

The Lost Hero introduces three new main characters - Jason, who has no memory of his life before page one of the story, Piper, a girl with "kaleidoscope eyes" (all together now - Lucy in the sky-yi with diamonds...) who has the gift of persuading people to give her things and Leo, whose clever and creative hands need to be always busy. As the story begins, the three are part of a group from a school for troubled kids on a field trip to the horseshoe shaped Skywalk that curves out over the Grand Canyon. Since the very existence of this Skywalk in real life kind of freaks me out (seriously, have you seen the pictures of it?), I wasn't particularly surprised when freaky occurrences ensued almost as soon as our new heroes stepped onto it.

Readers are pitched head-first into one of the first forays in a new battle the demi-gods will soon find themselves embroiled in. In short order we learn that the gods have gone silent and that Percy Jackson is missing. Jason, Piper and Leo are all having visions, dreams or reawakened memories, many of which revolve around Hera who, we discover, is being held prisoner. Along with a new Great Prophecy (Seven half-bloods shall answer the call/To storm or fire the world must fall/An oath to keep with a final breath/and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death), a new quest must be undertaken by the trio of newbies to find and free Hera.

I appreciate that Riordan continues to give us both strong female and ethnically diverse characters and that he seems able to hit many of the right notes in depicting teenage language, actions and emotions. For me, he has a knack for making his characters seem real and believable and, in The Lost Hero, he once again succeeds in making me care about them. My sympathy for and interest in the trio builds as details of their lives are revealed in the early chapters of the book (each chapter is told from either Jason, Piper or Leo's third person POV) and by the time they head off on their quest, I'm fully invested in seeing them through their adventures.

One of my favorite aspects of The Lost Hero is the inclusion of Roman mythology with the Greek that was the focus in the Percy Jackson series. I found the discussions of the subtle differences in the gods from one culture to the other really interesting and reading about them made me want to learn more about both.

Lastly, for those dying to know, Percy Jackson definitely plays a role in this series. How significant that role will be remains to be seen. Next up in the series is The Son of Neptune, due in the fall of 2011.

Highly recommended. Riordan has laid the groundwork here for another fun and exciting series and I'm already looking forward to the next book.
”

Mary wrote this review Monday, May 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Absolutely spiffing good fun!

The 5 star reviews are spot on for this terrific addition to the Harry Potter world. I finally got a chance to see it in person last night and I will be ordering one for myself and another to give as a gift to my brother, who I think will appreciate it even more than I do.

He & I were fortunate enough to visit the Harry Potter exhibit in Chicago last fall and, by choosing to go right after Illinois kids went back to school, we missed the crowds and were able to savor each costume, set and prop. (My favorite? The huge winged statue from the graveyard scene at the end of Goblet of Fire.) I even got to sit under the sorting hat! (Ravenclaw) Of course, there's a difference between seeing actual sets and props and in perusing pictures of them, but the creative minds responsible for putting this book together have done a fantastic job of making that difference as small as possible. The layout is exciting, the image quality (mostly) top notch and the extras - a Marauder's Map, a program from the Quidditch World Cup and another from the Yule Ball, among many, many others - are, IMHO, worth far more than the cover price on their own. (I was very tempted by the $35 Noble Marauder's Map when visiting the exhibit in Chicago, but chose to buy a nice replica of Harry's wand instead. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to get a Marauder's Map with this book even though I have to admit it's not quite as nice or as large as the one I passed up.)

While I understand the temptation felt by some of the other reviewers to do so, I'm not in the least inclined to tear this book apart to decorate or for any other reason. Instead, I'm incredibly pleased to have all this great info and these pieces of memorabilia all together in one attractive and high-quality volume. This is a book to pull out often and to pore over slowly, enjoying each tidbit, the remembrances and comments from the actors, the details on costumes and sets and make-up. The scrapbook look and style suit it perfectly and I'm so glad to have it and grateful that so much care was taken in its creation.

Very highly recommended.

Question: Does anyone have information on the Harry Potter encyclopedia thingy J.K. Rowling has mentioned compiling for publication? I haven't heard anything for awhile and am wondering if it's going forward. Seeing the pictures of Dolores Umbridge in this book last night reminded me of how much I detested her and I was hoping Rowling would let us know that Umbridge met some terrible end or, better yet, suffered deeply for her repulsive behavior. Not that I'm bloodthirsty or anything... Okayfine, maybe I'm a *little* bloodthirsty.

”

Mary wrote this review Monday, May 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Let me say right off the bat that, if you're new to the In Death books, I strongly suggest you start with the first book in the series, Naked in Death, and read the series in order. Watching Lt. Eve Dallas and Roarke meet, fall in love and work to create a relationship while struggling to come to terms with their horrendous childhoods is one of the most rewarding aspects of this series. Readers who have shared their journey from the beginning will, I believe, enjoy the series much more than those who start somewhere mid-stream.

That said, Indulgence in Death is the 31st book in J.D. Robb's terrific futuristic cop series and it starts out in Ireland with three of my favorite (and, IMO, not overly used) In Death scenarios: Eve and Roarke on vacation, Eve exposed to the countryside and all of the terrors it holds - cows! sheep! roosters! (oh my!) - and Eve doing something wonderfully loving and perfect for Roarke, which tends to get me a bit teary-eyed. The vacation is short-lived, though, and as soon as Eve is back in her comfort zone in NYC, a new case once again takes center stage. Odd murder weapons and victims that were at the top of their game are two aspects of a series of murders that send Eve and Peabody on a search for one of the scariest kinds of killer - one who kills solely for the thrill of it.

While not one of my top five favorites in the series, Indulgence in Death is a solid entry. Robb's superb pacing, her wonderful balance of dialogue and narrative and her ability to consistently weave plots that keep me guessing about either the murderer, the motive or the method (though rarely all three) are all at work here. As with all the In Death books, the mystery, for me, is only part of the appeal. The characters, their growth (or lack of it) and their relationships with one another are of equal importance. Eve in particular, continues to fascinate me and, in the last few books, I've felt that she is showing real growth in understanding others and in reaching out to them to provide the type of support or friendship they might need (Morris comes immediately to mind). I believe this deepening of her non-Roarke relationships to be great for her all-around emotional well-being and I'm glad to see it.

I consider the In Death books to be an almost perfect mixture of intrigue, police procedural, romance, humor and heartwarming moments. Opening each book is, for me, a lot like stopping by to visit old friends - the kind of friends I really enjoy spending time with. I love Eve. I love Roarke. I love Peabody. And I like and enjoy renewing my acquaintance with just about everyone else in this world, too. Even after more than 30 books, the series remains one of my favorites.

Happily recommended.
”

Mary wrote this review Monday, May 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“A companion book to the popular 39 Clues series, The 39 Clues: The Black Book of Buried Secrets is a good bet, not only for the series' most die hard fans, but for those of us seeking some closure to a few of the threads left dangling at the end of The 39 Clues, Book 10: Into the Gauntlet. The book answers some questions, forces us to ask a few new ones, dangles a few new mysteries in our faces and gives us a chance to catch up with several of the series' major players since Gauntlet's end.

Touted as the "ultimate guidebook" to the 39 Clues world, this is also a full color reference book to the fictional Cahill family, their various branches and to the history, famous historical members, founders and current agents of each branch. Information on branch strategies, strengths and strongholds, etc. is nicely laid out and more fun to read than I expected it to be. Author Rick Riordan, who wrote the first book in the 39 Clues series as well as the overall series arc has given us an attractive and interesting series overview that I'm happy to add to my collection even though I consider the "ultimate guidebook" description to be just a bit of a stretch.

The Black Book of Buried Secrets also serves as a bridge to - wouldn't you know it? - a new 39 Clues series set to launch in April, 2011 with The 39 Clues: Vespers Rising, the first volume in The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers. In the new series, the Cahills will have to band together to protect their secrets from the Vespers, another large (and reportedly quite evil) family who have been watching the Cahills for years and are determined to uncover and steal the sources of their power. After Vespers Rising, the series consists of six additional books that will be published between August 2011 and March 2013 from authors Gordon Korman, Jude Watson, Peter Lerangis, Roland Smith, Linda Sue Park and (!!) David Baldacci.

Recommended.

Minor & Totally Personal Quibble: As someone who only read the books and wasn't involved with the website or the cards that were parts of the 39 Clues world, I hadn't come across the photos of the characters before and I have to say, I'm not a real fan of them. I guess I prefer the images my own mind created of Dan & Amy (and everyone else) and that preference made the photos somewhat distracting for me. But, like I said, a minor quibble.

”

Mary wrote this review Monday, May 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“I loved Snowmen at Night (2002) and Snowmen at Christmas (2005), the two previous snowmen books by Caralyn (author) and Mark (illustrator) Buehner. They are, quite possibly, the books my grandchildren most often request (after all-time #1 Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, of course) and ones I never tire of reading to them. Because it's been five years since the publication of Snowmen at Christmas I thought we might have seen the last of this series, so I was thrilled to find that the Buehners' had created a new one!

In Snowmen at Night, a young boy, noting how the snowman he built seems differently shaped the morning after being created, imagines the wonderful games snowmen play during the night while humans sleep. Similarly, in Snowmen at Christmas, he imagines how snowmen might celebrate the holiday. The Buehners' again follow this successful idea in Snowmen All Year. This time, though, a child day-dreams about having his snowman with him year-round and imagines all the things they would do together if that were the case. The adventures he plans are simple pleasures - kite flying and swimming, a day at the beach, one at the zoo and another at an amusement park, firefly chasing and camping out under the stars. These are things my grandchildren have done with friends and relatives - even with me! - and I think that commonality will connect them more deeply with the story, helping to make it another favorite.

The rhyming verse is simple and pleasant, but it is the artwork that really shines here. The glowing colors and expressive faces are joyous and warm, engaging children and adults alike. My favorite pictures have the snowman blowing out the candles on a birthday cake (the cheeks!) and contemplating his next move in a game of chess, chin propped in mittened hands. Adding to the fun, hidden pictures are incorporated into the artwork and children will enjoy searching for ducks, rabbits, cats and dinosaurs. A good many snowmen also hide in these pages - some peeking out from behind buildings or trees, others shaped in clouds or found in the space between them.

The snowmen books are, simply put, great fun to read and a delight to look at. I'd love to have a dozen more from Caralyn and Mark Buehner but, for now, I'll content myself with the three they've given us. I look forward to sharing this newest one often with children I love.

Very highly recommended.
”

Mary wrote this review Monday, May 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )