Miss Print’s Re-Prints is a weekly feature that will post on Saturday. Each week I’ll highlight reviews and other posts I wrote during a previous month in this blog’s run.
Currently I am Re-Printing 2007 posts.
September 2007: Volume 3
September 16, 2007: The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld–“The story is about vampires, of course. And music. But it’s also about friendship and relationships. Westerfeld artfully describes the vicious cycle some friendships have when one friend is always taking whatever the other has to give. He also shows how, sometimes, you have to keep those friends even when it’s the last thing you want to do.” You can talk about the Uglies series all you want. But this vampire duet of Westerfeld’s is pure gold. Magic.
September 19, 2007: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson–“Strangely, for a novel where the narrator doesn’t speak to other characters, one of the best features of this novel is Anderson’s dialogue. Even though Melinda rarely has anything to say to other characters, the dialogue flows, Anderson making used of ellipsis and asides in the narration to fill in Melinda’s half of the “conversations.”” This book is YA canon. If you haven’t read it yet, go pick up a copy right this second.
September 21, 2007: Zen Shorts by Jon Muth–“This is a great book to read with older children because even if they don’t get the philosophy, the stories are approachable and they’ll get something from it. (Even youngsters will enjoy the pictures.) It’s a great introduction to philosophy, a fact that becomes clear after reading the afterward, for “students” of any age. Muth does an admirable job creating a picture book that children and grownups can enjoy together.” My first picture book review!
September 26, 2007: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli–“Technically speaking I love everything about this book: the characters, the story, the cover art. This one has the full package. Spinelli’s writing throughout the story is perfect. He captures Leo’s fascination with Stargirl as well as his equivocation as he is forced to choose between Stargirl and “the crowd.”” I still love this book a lot. It’s really a classic. Not to mention flawless.
September 26, 2007: Fix by Leslie Margolis–“Margolis really looks at the plastic surgery issue from all sides. The book is interesting but also informative. By the end of the novel, it’s clear that there is no right answer about getting (or not getting) cosmetic surgery. But Margolis intelligently examines all sides of the issue highlighting the risks and the motivations that can lead a girl to the operating table.”
September 30, 2007: The New Policeman by Kate Thompson–“Thompson expertly entwines these two seemingly disconnected narratives throughout the novel. The common thread between them remains the music that literally runs through the novel. Chapter breaks are denoted by sheet music for traditional Irish songs whose titles relate to the story in addition to the strong affinity all of the characters have for music. By the end of the novel, Thompson ties together both stories creating a sensational end to a truly enjoyable book.”
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