Yogurt or Yogurt Soda?

At the beginning of 'A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea,' the storyteller Khanom Basir shares two matching rhymes about yogurt and yogurt soda that are used at the end of the story to reveal whether a story is truth or fiction. (Maast is the word for yogurt, doogh is yogurt soda.)

If a story was fiction, the poem starts out with yogurt.

Up we went and there was maast,
Down we came and there was doogh.
And our story was doroogh (lie!).

If a story was true, the poem starts out with yogurt soda.

Up we went and there was doogh,
Down we came and there was maast.
And our story was raast (truth!).

And so, at the end of the story, you wait for the first line of the rhyme. Was the story yogurt or yogurt soda?

Saba has a murky memory of the day, but one she firmly believes happened--seeing her mother and twin sister, Mahtab, get onto a plane and leave Iran for America. But those around her, in her rural community in northern Iran, believe that Mahtab is dead. As Saba grows up with her friends Reza and Ponneh, three surrogate mothers, and a distant father, she tells stories of how she imagines her twin's life in America. She imagines her twin facing life confidently and bravely, facing challenges that are very different but at the same time very similar to Saba's difficult life in Iran. Are these stories yogurt or yogurt soda? Are Mahtab and her mother alive and well in America?

'A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea' was a bit slow-moving, but ultimately a lovely book. There were several especially touching relationships--the semi-dysfunctional and close friendship among Saba, Ponneh, and Reza; the father-daughter relationship between Saba and Agha Hafezi; and the marriage and deep love between the elderly Agha and Khanoom Mansoori. 4.5 stars.

Punk Rock and True Love

In 1986 Omaha, Park is just trying to survive high school, which isn't easy since he's only Asian (well, half Asian) kid in his high school. His life gets turned upside down when Eleanor shows up on the bus one day. Eleanor is big (tall and wide), ginger, and has an... unconventional wardrobe. As a result of bus politics, Park is guilted into giving her the other half of his seat and slowly a friendship develops. Matters are complicated by Eleanor's rough home life and the fact that she feels the need to hide her troubles from Park.

This is Rainbow Rowell's first YA book and in my opinion, she hits it out of the park. She perfectly captures the anxiety, confusion, and excitement of first love. I especially loved the slow buildup as Park, despite his feelings of awkwardness, woos Eleanor with comic books and good music. Both characters seemed incredibly real. The only criticism of the book I've heard is that some didn't like how focused Eleanor and Park were on their relationship, but they're 15! And in love for the first time! Of course they're going to be thinking about the other person all the time.

This book broke my heart and I can't wait to read her next one.

Five stars!

Burial Rites

If I had to choose one word to describe Hannah Kent's debut novel Burial Rites, I'd choose bleak. Before you close out this screen and rule out the book, let me tell you that it is a good type of bleak--chilly, dark, and harsh, with stories and characters that dig deeply into you. Burial Rites gives an alternate story and voice to Agnes Magnúsdóttir, who was executed in Iceland in 1830 for her part in murdering two men (incidentally the last instance of capital punishment in Iceland). History has remembered her as a heartless murderess and a witch.

Burial Rites offers an alternate story for Agnes's life. Having been condemned to death, Agnes is sent to live on a remote farm with district officer Jón Jónsson, his wife, Margrét, and two daughters, Steina and Lauga. She is frequently visited by Tóti, the newly-minted, uncertain assistant reverend who has been tasked with bringing Agnes back to God through lecture and fear before her death.

The family is initially horrified to play host to Agnes and want as little to do with her as possible. The reverend, Tóti, struggling to find his feet, does something that ends up rather radical. Instead of preaching and lecturing to Agnes, trying to scare her into redemption, he chooses to listen to her. Slowly, Agnes begins to share her life and her side of the story.

I used the word bleak to describe this book earlier. Part of that has to do with the subject matter--murder and anticipating one's death. There are not any moments of levity that come to mind. But bleak also describes the setting. Life in rural Iceland in the 1830s is a daily struggle against a harsh (but beautiful) landscape to simply survive. Agnes works alongside the family, and slowly they begin to listen to her as well, finding a person behind the label of monster and murderer. And when winter keeps them inside, they also begin to listen to Agnes.

Hannah Kent's writing matches her story--stark, down-to-earth, but also lyrical. Burial Rites is a very well-written book, and particularly impressive for a debut novel. Here's a small sample for you:

“Those who are not being dragged to their deaths cannot understand how the heart grows hard and sharp, until it is a nest of rocks with only an empty egg in it. I am barren; nothing will grow from me anymore. I am the dead fish drying in the cold air. I am the dead bird on the shore. I am dry, I am not certain I will bleed when they drag me out to meet the axe. No, I am still warm, my blood still howls in my veins like the wind itself, and it shakes the empty nest and asks where all the birds have gone, where have they gone?”

 Beautiful. But bleak.

Kent could have found herself constrained by her characters, limited because most of them were real people. But she manages to bring Agnes, Tóti, and the family to life, along with the Icelandic landscape. The almost-but-not-quite-mother-daughter relationship that grows achingly slowly between Agnes and Margrét was particularly moving.

My only criticism of the book was that at times it seemed to depend a bit too much on Agnes simply retelling her story. At the beginning of the book, her story and the retelling was woven into the plot and daily life on the farm. However, as the book continued on and Agnes began to share the events leading up to the murder, we spend a lot of time sitting by the fire listening to Agnes sit and simply recount what happened. Because it is winter and there isn't much plot-wise going on, Kent tries to add variety by switching between points-of-view, but it is only partially successful.

I recommend Burial Rites, especially if you've enjoyed the work of Geraldine Brooks or Barbara Kingsolver. Burial Rites will be published in September, but if you're like me and like to match your books to the season, I'd hold onto this one for late fall or winter.

4 stars.

I received an ARC of Burial Rites through NetGalley. Burial Rites will be released on September 10, 2013.

Newbery Award Winners--the 1920s

Over a year ago, Colby Sharp and Mr. Schu started the Newbery Medal Reading Challenge, encouraging people to read all of the books that have won the Newbery Medal (awarded every year since 1922  "to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.") I love many of the Newbery winners, so I decided to accept the challenge.

Here are some of my favorite Newbery winners, as an example:

    

When I started, I was four or five books behind. I just checked. Colby Sharp and Mr. Schu recently reviewed Kira-Kira, the 2005 winner. What about me? Oh, well, I'm happy to announce I've finished all of the winners from the 1920s!

Which isn't even a full decade of winners.

Why has it taken me so long to read eight children's books? Because, honestly, the early winners just aren't very good. I'm not an expert on children's literature, but a lot has changed in attitudes and the style of writing for children since the Newbery Medal was first awarded.

So, in order to spare you all from early Newbery-induced boredom, here is a brief summary of what you're missing (or not).

The Story of Mankind
by Hendrik Willem van Loon
Winner of the 1922 Newbery Medal
0 Stars

The Newbery Medal gets an inauspicious beginning with a non-fiction book: The Story of Mankind. The version I read was 704 pages. Now, I usually like history. But reading this was like having a very intelligent but condescending grandfather sit you down on a rainy day and give you a seven-hour speech on history, at time giving little asides on how now we should understand how important history is and why would we ever want to read a novel (gasp) when history is so interesting.

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
by Hugh Lofting
Winner of the 1923 Newbery Medal
2.5 Stars

Do you remember the Doctor Dolittle movie with Eddie Murphy? Yes, I try to forget about it too. The book has very little in common with the movie. A very well-behaved boy goes on a journey with Doctor Dolittle, who has learned to talk to animals, and various animal friends to save Doctor Dolittle's friend/colleague Long Arrow. Some kids might actually enjoy this one.

The Dark Frigate
by Charles Hawes
Winner of the 1924 Newbery Medal
1 Star

"Yay! Pirates!" was my initial reaction when I read the description of The Dark Frigate. That was probably the most exciting part of the whole reading experience. Seriously. I fell asleep a lot while reading this book. In fact, I can't really tell you what happened in this book.

Tales From Silver Lands
by Charles J. Finger
Winner of the 1925 Newbery Medal
2 Stars

The curse of the condescending, grandfatherly narrator continues. In this book, we have a bunch of folktales collected from Central America and South America. The stories were interesting, but not written to be engaging at all.

Shen of the Sea
by Arthur Bowie Chrisman
Winner of the 1926 Newbery Medal
1.5 Stars

We move from a collection of real South American folktales to a collection of made-up Chinese folktales written by an American. There might have been a bit more variety in the stories compared to Tales From Silver Lands, but they come off stereotypical and seem written to teach a lesson instead of tell a story.

Smoky the Cowhorse
by Will James
Winner of the 1927 Newbery Medal
1 Star

I don't really like Westerns. I never went through a horse-loving phrase as a kid. In fact, I avoid inspirational horse movies, which seemed like its own genre for awhile. So, a life story of a cowhorse narrated by the horse himself in a strange dialect never had a strong chance of impressing me. The story ranges from Smoky's idyllic childhood, time under a loving owner, through a variety of challenging and abusive situations. Will he ever get escape?!

Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon
by Dhan Gopal Mukerji
Winner of the 1928 Newbery Medal
2.5 Stars

Just as Smoky was a horse telling his life story, Gay-Neck is the story of a...pigeon. Yes, a pigeon. I went into the book with very low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Gay-Neck is a carrier pigeon in India who has various adventures and serves as a messenger in World War I. Mukerji shared several interesting tidbits about Indian cultures, Buddhism, and raising carrier pigeons.  This is also the first of the Newbery books set in other countries where the author is actually from the country he's describing (India), which means less painful stereotyping.

The Trumpeter of Krakow
by Eric P. Kelly
Winner of the 1929 Newbery Medal
2.5 Stars

The Charnetski family escapes to Krakow after their home is attacked by Tartars, bringing with them their family heirloom--a pumpkin (okay, the actual heirloom may be hidden inside). They find a home with the help of a local scholar,  and essentially adopt the girl who lives upstairs with her uncle when he becomes fixated on the study of alchemy. This book definitely has the most interesting plot of all the Newbery Medal winners so far, but everything that happens in the book is just too convenient and simple. Also, the children are too sickeningly well-behaved, polite, and smart to be believable.

These first eight books have made me appreciate how much children's literature has changed and, in my opinion, improved. Of these books, The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle is the only one I can imagine handing to a child. I maybe would give Smoky the Cowhorse to a kid if hypothetical kid was really interested in horses and westerns, but it would hurt a bit.

On to the 1930s! First up is Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, which appears to be the memoirs of a doll. I'm sure you can appreciate how enthusiastic I am to begin.

Wish me luck. I think I'll need it.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

So, if you haven’t heard yet (how’s life under that rock?), Neil Gaiman published a new book last month—‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’. Both of us, Zelda and Madeleine, loved the book.

Zelda: I have no negative things to say except it ended too soon. I read the inside flap description but that doesn't do the book justice.

Madeleine: I usually read a lot about a book before it comes out—the official description, the blurbs, and maybe a few reviews. When Gaiman first announced the book, there was no description, just the beautiful cover. As the publication date approached, I liked not knowing what to expect, so I avoided all descriptions and reviews. It was a good choice—I went into it without preformed opinions and was blown away by the story.

Zelda: The only thing that could have made this better is if Neil Gaiman read it to me himself.

Madeleine: Neil Gaiman read a bit of it to me! Well, me and a couple hundred other people. I was very lucky to get to see him when he stopped for a reading in Minnesota. Here’s a blurry picture from my phone that proves how close I was (third row).

Madeleine: I almost felt bad going—he had been up until 3 AM the night before signing things. Here I am promoting author abuse by attending his readings. But he was very gracious about everything. The evening as a whole was wonderful. And, you know, I proceeded to contribute to author abuse by getting my copy signed.

Zelda: You mentioned the cover earlier. Let us discuss the cover for a moment. Gorgeous. Just stunning. I love the title, the font…everything.

Madeleine: Did you know? There’s a picture on the back of the book of a child standing on a drainpipe—that’s a real picture of our esteemed author. I’ve heard that the book is a bit autobiographical. I can definitely see the unnamed narrator as a young Neil—bookish, thoughtful and aware, and able to see the supernatural in everyday life.

Zelda: I’ll admit, I cried a little bit before I even really knew the characters. For such a short book I was surprised at how much I cared about the characters and for how well developed they were.

Madeleine: At the reading, Gaiman talked a bit about how the book came about. He usually chooses to write his books, and plans them out. ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ started out as a short story for his wife. He couldn’t tell where the story was going, but kept writing. He finished and looked at this word count and realized he had written a novel. I wonder if the characters and the story felt so real and organic, because they weren’t planned out, but came from some subconscious pool (or is it an ocean?) of story and myth.

Zelda: Gaiman has always impressed me but this was so creative and engaging that he brought himself to a whole new level. This was better than I thought it would be and I just want to tell everyone I see to read it. Maybe I am gushing too much and now someone will read this and then be disappointed, but I can't help it.

Madeleine: I agree.  ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ may be my favorite book by Neil Gaiman yet. It’s a simple story, but it’s dark and beautiful and evocative.

Zelda: Just go read it. All I can say is you won't regret it.

Dad Is Fat

Jim Gaffigan is my favorite comedian. I don't mind swearing but I love that he can make me laugh until I cry and still be considered a clean comic. He can make ordinary things hilarious, like cake and bears. I adore his standup and have seen him live once. Someday I will meet him and it will be fabulous!

This book was really funny but not as funny as his standup. I almost wish I would have listened to it but I couldn't wait for the audio to be returned so I read it myself. He reads the audiobook so the jokes would have stuck with me a little better. Next trip I take I will bring it with me.

This book is pretty much all about his family and the trials of having five children in a tiny apartment. It was as diverse as his standup but I still enjoyed it. It got a lot funnier toward the end but it was a quick read that had me smiling and laughing. If you don't care to read about family and kids then you should skip this one. There aren't many jokes that aren't family based. He even pokes fun and being considered  "Family Friendly" which in his mind is "Great I am boing and awful. Kids love it so parents will hate it." I got a kick out of that.

If you've never listened to Jim Gaffigan stand up Beyond the Pale is where it's at. "It" being quality entertainment and quotes you can use on a daily basis. I quote Jim Gaffigan most days and if I don't actually quote him, I'm thinking about it.

I think I would have given this book 5 stars if every chapter had a different subject that he joked about. It was funny and I liked that it was pretty much all about his family but it could have been a little better. That being said I still give this 4 stars since it still made me laugh a lot and Jim Gaffigan is awesome.

We wish you a scary Christmas ♫

With NOS4A2, Joe Hill truly steps out of his fathers shadow and becomes a master of horror in his own right.

I read his Heart Shaped Box a few years ago, partially because of the cover and partially because of the blurb by Neil Gaiman. It wasn't until after I had finished and went looking for more information on this new author that I discovered his pedigree. I've since read 20th Century Ghosts and Horns, which until today was the only horror novel to make me cry.

NOS4A2 is the story of a 140 year old, creepy man who steals children and takes them to Christmasland. What is actually about, however, is the depths of a mother's love and how far she'll go to save her children.

Victoria McQueen has had the strange ability to find lost things since childhood. She simply hops on her bike and after riding through a covered bridge near her house, she finds herself exactly where she needs to be. Her ability is so strong that she's able to continue riding through the bridge long after it had been torn down. One day as a rebellious teenager, she runs away looking for trouble and ends up in Christmasland. She's the first person to show up uninvited, so of course Charlie Manx, the only resident is *very* interested in her. She's able to escape this horror land, but has beenb haunted ever since.  Fast forward 12 years: Vic is living with the first guy she met after escaping Christmasland and their son, Bruce Wayne. Awesome name, right? Except that they all call him Wayne for some stupid reason.  Oh, and Vic is getting phone calls from the dead children of Christmasland. When Charlie Manx returns and kidnaps Wayne, Vic will and does do everything in her power to save him.

The tension in this book was almost unbearable! It took me 2 weeks to finish, but that's only because I'm taking summer grad classes, but every second I spent away from this book was agony.  I could not stop talking it up to random people I'd meet out and about, and when I teared up at the end, people just couldn't resist asking what I was reading. All of the characters were so well written I can't gush enough. Read this book.

**You'd think that a book where Christmas is the scariest part would be less terrifying during the summer. For instance, The Snowman by Jo Nesbo would have much worse had I read it in winter. But somehow, the fact that most of NOS4A2 takes place in July makes it all the more frightening.
**How screwed up do you think it would be to grow up in the King household?