Thursday, December 19, 2013

The Land of Stories

What if the fairy tales you grew up hearing were, in fact, simply the history of another world?  What if you favorite characters like Snow White and Cinderella were real flesh-and-blood people?  What if all the fantasies you know and love were actually real?

And what if you could hop between your world and theirs and visit them?

This is the delightful premise of Chris Colfer's The Land of Stories.  Alex and Conner Bailey, twin 12 year olds who have grown up hearing fairy tales read to them from their grandmother's book of stories.  Upon their 12th birthday, their grandmother gives them the book as a gift, and Alex makes a startling discovery:  the book can become a magical portal to another world.  A world where fairy tales are real, with princesses and evil queens and wolves that speak.  After they accidently fall into that world, they must go on a quest to gather the items necessary to make their way home.  Along the way, they discover that not all is what it seems, and there are secrets to be uncovered everywhere they go. 

This book was recommended at an education conference I attended, and the premise intrigued me, so when it came up on my daughter's book order for a few dollars, I grabbed it.  I am so glad I did.  The book is fun, fast-paced, and opens up some interesting perspectives on well-worn stories.  Colfer's take on the way things could be is enjoyably refreshing.  The language itself is nothing startling, and by about 2/3 of the way through it, I started successfully guessing what was going to happen next.  None of that kept me from dropping everything for an evening to try and finish the book (after all, I had to figure out if I was right or not!).  The idea of fairy tales being real is not a new one, and neither is the concept of characters having different back stories than originally intended.  However, Colfer paints an interesting picture with his take on the tales, and it's worth reading the book to see where he takes the characters.

One fascinating - and controversial - topic addressed in the book is the idea of motives.  The Evil Queen from Snow White is given a history that explains why she did what she did.    Some have felt that by giving her a history, it is excusing the fact that she tried to kill Snow White multiple times.  As I read the book, I did see the author excusing the behavior, but merely explaining it.  I also think it gave the read something to ponder about news stories they read or gossip they hear - there is always more to the story at hand, good or bad.  Understanding someone's history does not have to whitewash their behavior - but it can help one see that not everything is black and white, villains have feelings too, and situations are usually more complex than is seen on the surface. 

I also appreciated the fact that Colfer chose to relate his stories with the original fairy tales.  He does not mention the sanitized versions of stories unless it is to scoff at them - instead, he uses the old tales, such as The Little Mermaid turning into sea foam because she would not kill the prince, or the Evil Queen making four different attempts on Snow White's life.  When we "clean up" these tales to make them "appropriate" for children, we lose the message of the original story as well as pieces of the culture from which it came.  Colfer's choice to stay as true to the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson is one I was glad he made. 

I plan to use this book soon with my students to talk about point of view and compare/contrast, so it has value on an educational level.  It is also valuable for the pure enjoyment of it.  Read The Land of Stories and travel to the place and time of the fairly tales of your childhood.  It's a ride that is worth your time.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
What I'm Reading Now: Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge

Top 5 TBR:
1.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2.
Shooting Victoria by Paul Thomas Murphy
3.
A Prophetic Calendar by Jill Shannon
4.
Forgotten God by Francis Chan
5.
The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordian

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Moon Over Manifest

Recently I received a box of books in my classroom through a program my school participated in involving Sunny D labels.  The end result was me with 20 new books for my classroom library - who-hoo!  It was like Christmas in October!  And of course the most fun part was that I now had all these new books to read!  I like to read as many of the books in my classroom as possible so I can recommend them to the right students.  I haven't read every book on my shelves, but I have read most of them.  I want my love of reading to spill over and splash my students, and I hope that in the years to come I can perfect the task of recommending books to students in a way that gets them excited about reading.  There is such a vast world out there to experience through reading, it truly is extraordinary. 

This is why I am now on my third review in a row that is on a book considered to be young adult fiction - and as much as I loved The False Prince, today's book has surpassed it.  It is one of the best stories I have read in a long time.  It was the 2011 Newberry Award Winner, and I cannot imagine the competition was that close with any other book.  It's that good.

Moon Over Manifest is the story of Abilene Tucker, a 12 year old girl from the 1930s who has been sent to her father's hometown of Manifest, Kansas to stay while he works on the railroad.  She is used to moving around and living on the road, and she lives every day with the expectation that her father is going to come get her.  In the meantime, she stumbles across a box full of mementos and some mysterious letters, and through these items along with the help of some of the townspeople she meets, she begins to uncover the story of Jinx, a boy similar to herself in his life situation who was in the town two decade before.  As their life stories overlap and intertwine with one another, Abilene begins to see the town, the people, and her own life in a different light.  There is much to learn about Manifest, and as she uncovers truths that have been buried for many years, the town's sign begins to weigh with a much heavier meaning: "Manifest...A Town With a Past."

This is a magnificent story.  It has it all.  Well, not much romance, I suppose.  But it has everything else.  It is the kind of story I absolutely love.  The author puts several lures out there to hook you right from that beginning.  Everything mentioned has significant meaning, and you don't understand how it all relates until the very last page.  The author does not leave out a single detail, and the story that unfolds is like an onion, unfolding layer after layer, until you are so overwhelmed with "a-ha!" moments that by the time you finish the book, you're exhausted.  I LOVE THAT!  This is the kind of book you can't put down.  It's a walk-through-the-halls-reading-and-try-not-to-bump-into-walls kind of book.  It's a be-careful-and-don't-burn-the-dinner-because-you-are-reading-while-you-cook kind of book.  And it's definitely the kind of book that, upon finishing, you will start over and read again, because NOW everything is much more significant than the first time. 

This book also holds a specific meaning for me because although the author names the town in the book Manifest, she states in the author's note that the book is really about the town of Frontenac, Kansas, which is a town just a few miles from where I live.  It's not just a fantastic story.  It's also the story of Southeast Kansas around the turn of the century.  It's the story of my own immigrant ancestors and how they came here for a better life.  It's about the control of the coal mines and the hold that they had over this area - and to some degree the hold they still have today, judging by what the mines did to the land and how they defined the people.  Many will read this book and see a great historical fiction story.  I read this book with personal pride knowing that the people on whom the characters are based are my people from almost 100 years ago.  The story of Manifest is the story of Southeast Kansas, and I am proud of my ancestors and who they were and who they became. 

In short: READ THIS BOOK. 

Rating: 10 out of 5 stars!
What I'm Reading Now: Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge

Top 5 TBR:
1.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2.
Shooting Victoria by Paul Thomas Murphy
3.
A Prophetic Calendar by Jill Shannon
4.
Forgotten God by Francis Chan
5.
The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordian

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The False Prince

I am bleary-eyed this morning, and it's been a while since I felt this way because I stayed up all night to finish a book...but what a book!!  I finished it in about 48 hours - could not put it down!  And on top of all that - it's not even an adult book!  It's for teens and young adults! 

The False Prince tells the story of Sage, an orphan boy in a fictitious medieval-age world who is bought from the orphanage by a mysterious, powerful stranger.  Three other boys are also chosen, and these four are pitted against one another in a contest to see which one of them can pull off their new master's plan: pretend to be the long-lost prince of Carthya in order to stave off a civil war. 

It's kind of like a cross between The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones.  Except for a younger audience, so it's not quite so gory.

Anyway, as the story wears on - told from Sage's point of view - twists and turns appear throughout the story, and you find yourself breathlessly turning the pages, waiting to see what happens next.  And just when you think you have it all figured out, there is a HUGE surprise awaiting everyone involved that turns everything in the far off land of Carthya upside down.  Nothing is quite as it seems...

This book is fast paced, well-written, and captivating.  I would recommend it to readers about 6th grade and up in a heartbeat.  I don't remember the last book I read that kept me up till 1:00 am to find out the ending.  This was worth every moment of fatigue.

As a side note, this would also be an excellent read-aloud book for middle school teachers.  There is so much you could do with inferences, point of view, and making predictions.  You could even read it through twice - once from one perspective, then a second time from another, knowing the ending.  It would also captivate a wide audience - boys as well as girls will love it. 

This is short and sweet because I don't want to give too much away.  Sufficient to say, this book is a quick read that is worth your time.  Set aside 48 hours and read it.  You won't regret it.

Whew!  I need a nap...

5 out of 5 stars.  Hands down.

What I'm Reading Now: Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge

Top 5 TBR:
1.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2.
Shooting Victoria by Paul Thomas Murphy
3.
A Prophetic Calendar by Jill Shannon
4.
Forgotten God by Francis Chan
5.
The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordian