Picture Book Author: Oliver Jeffers

LOST AND FOUND       By: Oliver Jeffers        4 Stars                         DVD: 5 Stars (Favorites!)

Like many of the entertainment forms, I found LOST AND FOUND at my local library. The movie was the first thing I noticed. The cover was brightly colored with the simple picture of a penguin and boy floating in an umbrella. It was too much for me to ignore. Who said you can’t judge something by the cover? When the cover stated it was based on a picture book by Oliver Jeffers, I had obtained it as well as the sequel, UP AND DOWN.

I watched the movie with a few choice little ones; one of which always chose to follow the movie along with the picture book. I am sure it will sound familiar to some of you that even when an entertaining movie is on everyone still has other electronics out. As if the one activity is simply not enough to allow your full attention. That was not the case with this movie. Like the book, it is a story of few words causing everyone to pay closer attention. The kids were compelled by the movie and were completely lost in the story of friendship.

LOST AND FOUND is a story of a penguin that appears on a boy’s doorstep. The boy, thinking the penguin is lost, tries to find out where he comes from and return him to his rightful home. This leads to a trip to the South Pole. Over the course of the story the boy realizes the penguin was actually just lonely and a close friendship evolves.

The reason I gave the movie more stars (and added it as one of my favorites) was based on the fact that you get more of the story and relationship of the characters. You see how the boy wants to do the right thing, yet he doesn’t seem overly friendly to the penguin. The penguin is just one of those characters you can’t help but adore. In fact, this movie was so adorable I could barely stand it. Even the little ones seemed to feel emotions for the characters friendship that make the story endearing to all of us. Add in the brilliant colors and simplicity (yet detail within its simplicity), I just couldn’t help but be completely entranced within the story.

 

I had to read other books by Oliver Jeffers as I was enthralled with his story-telling ways. I haven’t read all of them, but below is a list of a few favorites.

 

THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY             5 Stars

What literary person wouldn’t love the idea of books increasing our knowledge? Plus, the illustrations are amazing! Many of the pages illustrate pages of other books as the background. Other times there are random words, letters, maps and numbers strewn about. Then when you get to the end there is a bite mark on the corner of the book as if the boy had taken a chunk out of the exact one you are reading. Brilliant.

 

HOW TO CATCH A STAR                     4.5 Stars

The illustrations are still good, but not quite as creative as THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY. The ending of the story is just to perfect to not love the entire book.

It's a Divergent World

THE DIVERGENT SERIES                      By: Veronica Roth                   5 Stars

I don’t remember exact how I ran across this series. If it was a recommendation I thank whoever did so. I just know I have been a fan from the first book. I am over the whole trilogy idea. I can see the reasoning behind it as a publishing money maker, but it seems like more like a trend or an idea that everyone else is doing it so why shouldn’t we? However, I have never felt this way about the Divergent trilogy. It is a series that I am frequently recommending to almost everyone I talk to.

DIVERGENT

While going to school I signed up for a program where I can read snippets of books and provide a review of them. Of course they want favorable reviews so they try and gear these books to what you would like. As part of my profile I wrote of my obsession with the Divergent book and my desire that a miracle would occur and the second book would magically be pushed to an earlier publication date because it was just killing me to wait. With as many books as I read it was truly a miracle to be so obsessed with one book to totally ignore all of the other books I enjoy. Yes, this is that book.

Veronica Roth’s character development is superb. She makes you a part of Tris and her adventures. It is almost impossible to separate yourself from her when the book is finished. The action will keep you up all night in a reading marathon that is worth the red rimmed eyes and the attitude problems from sleep deprivation.

In this dystopian novel there are 5 factions. These factions were formed by society to cover all the reasons that past civilizations have failed. The factions would focus on that specific character trait in order to ensure that society will function in the upmost fashion. The factions are:

* Abnegation: Selflessness to overcome selfishness
* Amity: Peace to overcome war
* Candor: Honesty to defeat dishonesty
* Dauntless: Bravery to defeat cowardice
* Erudite: Knowledge to defeat ignorance

You are considered divergent if you have an aptitude for more than one faction. The divergent are aware when they are put in a simulation, such as the test administered in order to determine your aptitude. The simulations are almost like a dream. It is an alternate reality where actions and decisions help define the person.

We find out that the protagonist, Tris, is in fact divergent. What Tris soon figures out is that being divergent is a dangerous thing. There are people who will stop at nothing to eliminate them. Tris ultimately chooses to switch her faction allegiance from her parents in Abnegation to her own choice of Dauntless.

Tris has to go through an orientation of sorts to help her fit in with her new peers. At the end of this training orientation the dauntless initiates are required to complete a final test to prove their worth. Tris soon finds out that if you don’t pass the final test you are left factionless. Being factionless is considered by many to be a fate worse than death.

As Divergent progresses we fight with Tris as she tries to survive long enough to participate in the final test. In her quest to become dauntless, Tris soon finds herself wondering if it is worth fighting for a faction that has become corrupt. Like all the factions, the original manifestos have become skewed. Dauntless has begun to view bravery as recklessness and masochism.

INSURGENT AND ALLEGIANT

In order to not give away any national security secrets, I will not talk much about these two books in order to protect those who would rather not have the surprises ruined. With that being said, I did give Insurgent 4 stars instead of 5 like the other two books. I only did this because my favorite characters seem to lose their way and for that reason it was harder for me to read the book. It was almost like I was a proud parent or a best friend who even though I wanted to know what was going on in the Divergent world, I still disliked seeing those characters that way. However, those emotions and actions were necessary to totally understand the point of the story as it concludes in Allegiant.

Allegiant allowed all sorts of relationships to flourish. The characters in the book receive a deeper understanding of what it means to strengthen bonds. In response the reader’s love for the characters skyrockets to new levels.

As I understand, Veronica Roth is taking a little heat with certain points in the story. While yes, there were some difficult things within Allegiant, there were all necessary to show the full scope of the characters growth and to stay true to the characters we have come to love. She provides her perspective on such events at https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/5119494-about-the-end-of-allegiant-spoilers?page=3#comment_85978617 BEWARE OF THE SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T COMPLETED THE SERIES.

FOR THE FUN STUFF:

First off, if you love Four as I do, you will love the news about the 5 short stories from his perspective. All of these shorts are in eBook form. Free Four: Tobias Tells the Story (Divergent #1.5) was published in 2012. This short is the knife scene from Divergent

       

That was originally going to be the only one, but this year Miss Roth announced that there would be 4 more. They all appear to tell more about Four’s life pre-Tris. The Transfer (Divergent # 0.1) was released in September. This book was about Four’s simulation test to determine which faction he had the aptitude for. It closes with his faction decision as well as how he ends up with his nickname.

I gave both of these books a 5. In fact, with as busy as life is with reading new books, I didn’t plan on reading the whole series again before Allegiant was published. The Transfer changed my mind. It reminded me why I love the books and I couldn’t resist dropping the rest of my life plans while I indulged once again in the divergent world.

The remaining books are set for the following publishing dates:

The Initiate (Divergent # 0.2) Publication on December 17, 2013

The Son (Divergent # 0.3) Publication on January 21, 2014

The Traitor (Divergent # 0.4) Publication on February 11, 2014

On February 11^th all of the shorts will be sold in a physical book for those who don’t have the resources to read or just refuse to read an eBook.

THE FUN CONTINUES:

I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t contemplated which faction they would choose. Even before I found the following book I had already decided which faction I would be born into and which one I would choose. For you who are curious you can take a test in the book The World of Divergent: The Path to Allegiant (Divergent # 2.5). I was able to obtain this eBook for free from Amazon.

The World of Divergent lists the reasoning behind the character names and they change to fit their new identities later on, a list of the factions, their manifestos, and a quiz to determine your faction (thank goodness it is not a simulation).

You might question which faction I chose. Let me tell you. My parents are both very unselfish. They have worked in the medical fields since before I existed. I grew up in a small town where EMTs and firefighters were considered volunteers and it was not an occupation. Both of my parents gave selfishly day after day. Based on this I am sure I would have been Abnegation like Tris. However, like Tris I also thought I was not selfless enough to stay in that faction.

In the series the characters have to make their decision at the age of 16. To be honest I have no idea what I would have picked at that age, but I can guarantee it would not be the one I would pick today. That faction is Erudite. Yes, even after reading the book it would still be Erudite.

I have this love for learning that just did not exist when I was in high school. Unfortunately, even if I chose Erudite now I am sure I wouldn’t have made it past orientation. I really am not that smart, I just work hard to make me feel like I am.

My second choice would be Amity. Actually, this would probably be what I would have picked in high school. I might not have liked the idea of gardening back then, but I wish I was better at it now. I am sure that peace would have been a valued characteristic for me either way.

I can tell you for sure that I would never make it in Candor. I have way too many secrets that need to be kept. Dauntless probably wouldn’t have been an option either. I have quite a few fears and don’t see myself getting any braver over them.

When I took the test in the book it did confirm Erudite, however it gave me more options that I wouldn’t have previously considered. Still not much for Candor, but there was more Dauntless than I expected. One thing is for sure, even if I have a slight aptitude for other factions, I could never be Divergent. Divergent are aware in their simulations. I can’t even tell that I am in a dream until after I wake up and realize that I wasn’t really killed by a giant troll in the forest above my parent’s house. Hallelujah!

Another fun topic is the fear landscape. We discover that Four obtained his name as he only had 4 fears. I believe I would have a multitude more. I am sure some of the same fears within the book would appear as well as about 50 others. Some of these must really be true as a few come in the form of reoccurring nightmares. Some might even be combined fears, but here is a possible list:

* Not being able to breath
* Drowning
* Enclosed Spaces
* Heights
* Spiders / Insects
* Losing my Mind
* Not being Prepared
* Not being Prepared for Important Relationships
* Betrayal
* Debt
* Corruption
* The Untrustworthy
* Did I mention Going Crazy?
* Being Attacked
* Probably many more…

The fun doesn’t end there, but this post is forever long so, unfortunately, it must. I hope you enjoy the Divergent series as much as I did. A special thanks to Veronica Roth for bringing so much fun and happiness to my life. Happy Reading Everyone!

Slightly Late Father’s Day Picture Book

FArTHER                      By: Grahame Baker-Smith                  5 Stars             Favorites!

I have cut down on my book purchases for various reasons (money, space, time to re-read books when there are so many other books to read, etc.). Now the only books I purchase are ones I have read and loved in the past, thus I will eventually re-read them. FArTHER is a book I will consider purchasing in the future. It is an incredible picture book based on the relationships of father and son as well as following dreams. (I did want to post this book for Father’s Day, but life got in the way. Oh well.)

FArTHER is a story of a father who dreams of flying. His life is taken over in the effort to make wings to fulfill this dream. His obsession led him to many times forget his son, but the times he came out of his trance, father and son spent long hours playing and having fun.

One day the father is called off to war, never to return. The boy grew and eventually his father’s dream of flying was manifest within his own life. The son started by reworking his father’s wings. By reaching farther he is ultimately able to fly.

The story ends with the son’s son and the possibility that the same dream will come to him. It leaves you wondering how the grandson will take the dream of flying even farther (hot balloon, airplane…).

While the story is told well enough by itself, it is further enhanced by the flawless artwork. The cover of the book was enough to grab my attention and stand out among the hundreds of books I see every day. With all the books I want to read, I tried to push this one aside, but I was drawn to its irresistible force of attraction.  It is a book I could stare at forever.

Baker-Smith uses tones of steampunk (even if you don’t like or understand that genre, you should still check it out). The father’s house is high on a rocky cliff overlooking a sea and a distant city. Keeping true to the setting the colors are in cool hues of blue, green, and purple, neutral colors consisting of white, gray, black and brown with a warm tone of gold mimicking the sun.

The only color that deviates from the theme is red. Upon the first few times of reading the book I understood the red to represent a trail, leading to something important, or even portraying a great accomplishment. Upon digging a little deeper, I came to understand that when the red was used as a poppy it is a sign of remembrance to soldiers. After reading the story again I realized it is also used as foreshadowing for the father. Then again the red is used in other contexts, such as in a kite and when the son pursued his father’s dream and succeeded; leading me to believe that it does have additional meaning than just remembrance.

Baker-Smith was awarded the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) Kate Greenaway Medal in 2012 for distinguished illustrations. This is a well-deserved award as the more I study FArTHER, the more I get. It is one that has layers of meaning and beauty.  

All Things Willie

Imagine my surprise when I read one incredible book where one of the main characters is a lady named Willie, only to pick up my next great read and find out the main character is a man also by the name of Willie. I have a saying that I use when things just seem to fit together so perfectly, almost as if it was planned to fit so perfectly. That saying usually deals with the universe, most frequently: When the Stars Align. little bit of magic happened with these two books.

 

OUT OF THE EASY       By: Ruta Sepetys                     5 Stars

Josie’s mom is a prostitute in 1950s New Orleans. In fact, Josie is even named after a famous brothel madam who died on Valentine’s Day, the same day as Josie’s birthday. Fortunately, Josie has no desire to follow in her mom’s footsteps. She has excellent marks in school and it is her dream is to attend college anywhere by in New Orleans. To make this dream possible she works in a bookshop in addition to cleaning her mother’s brothel house, where Willie is the madam, in the French Quarter.

On New Year’s Eve a respectable man ends up dying in the French Quarter (shortly after having a drink with Josie’s mom), who has recently left town with Cincinnati, a John from the brothel house with mob ties. Even Willie doesn’t approve of Cincinnati and tries to convince Josie to cut ties with her mother. In a progression of events, Josie finds herself thrown into a situation where she must decide what family truly means and discover if family will trump her dreams of leaving the Big Easy forever.

Sepety’s first book was Between Shades of Gray (not to be confused with 50 Shades of Grey). That book put her on my top authors list. Maybe it has been long enough since I read it, but I think I liked this book even better as Out of the Easy was a world that made slightly more sense to me. Sepety’s writing is phenomenal, definitely securing her as one of my favorite authors.

 

SUTTON                       By: J. R. Moehringer               4 Stars

Ok, I have to be honest. I never did finish Sutton, but that is not because the book was not good. I was enjoying it, but I couldn’t get through it fast enough and then life happened and it was due back at the library before I could finish it. It wasn’t a book that I had to know about the ending, because I could do a little research and find out what Willie Sutton was all about. I even learned about the Sutton Law, which I am not totally sure the book was going to cover anyway. Since there are too many other books to move on to, I decided I had to let Sutton go and just live with the knowledge that, yes the book was informative and I was intrigued, but the time came to move on.

Easter: Love & Sacrifice

THE MOURNING DOVE: A Story of Love        By: Larry Barkdull                   5 Stars

 

 

This is a short story that can be read in an hour or two. Even though the book ends on Christmas Day, I have come to think of it more as an Easter story. It has become my annual tradition to read it in preparation for the holiday. It is an incredible reminder of Christ’s love and sacrifice on behalf of every single one of us.

The Mourning Dove opens three days after the death of 9-year-old Hannibal’s parents from a car accident. Hannibal moves in with his grandfather, “Pop”, who has been a widower for three years. The story covers about a year worth of adventures where Pop ultimately teaches Hannibal over and over the importance of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and the importance of remembering.

There is one point in the story where Pop saves baby kittens from their certain death. Within a short amount of time the mother cat brings Pop the biggest and fattest mouse she could find. While Hannibal and a friend voice their disgust at the mouse being left at the feet of Pop, he quickly points out that the mother had made the biggest sacrifice she could in her appreciation for the safety of her kittens. Pop mentions that some debts can never be repaid, but “always remembering is payment enough” (Barkdull, 1997).

While this lesson is a great one, it doesn’t do the book justice compared to the rest of the material found in the few short pages. There is power in these stories. They are ones that should be remembered, especially this Easter day.

            Barkdull, L. (1997). The mourning dove: A story of love. New York, NY: Golden Books.