As much as I loved the flavor of this one, I did find it a bit difficult to get into at first. This book isn't formatted so much with a story arc of cAs much as I loved the flavor of this one, I did find it a bit difficult to get into at first. This book isn't formatted so much with a story arc of characters to get attached to, watch grow, and then triumph over obstacles. Instead the overall journey is one of crossed paths amidst commentary on war and technological progress set is a melange of what outsiders might deem magic. I think I'd even like to reread it with a guide to get more out of it than my own personal enjoyment....more
Surprisingly fast paced and informative. Kim focuses on events without disregarding emotion but doesn't stray into wallowing in self-pity or despair. Surprisingly fast paced and informative. Kim focuses on events without disregarding emotion but doesn't stray into wallowing in self-pity or despair. To come out of her experiences with such a positive outlook she must be a pretty positive individual. I really appreciated that she shared her story, even the embarrassing but entirely excusable bits. Getting voices out of North Korea is difficult in this day and age but important not only to know about conditions there but to know more about ourselves. I thought the book also included interesting ideas of juvenile autonomy, family relationships, privilege, and awareness of brainwashing (for lack of a better term at the moment)....more
I found this story to generally be enthralling. A Japanese based historical fantasy was exactly what I was hoping for and what I got. The dual narratoI found this story to generally be enthralling. A Japanese based historical fantasy was exactly what I was hoping for and what I got. The dual narrators did a good job with the pronunciations and polite levels of accent. The spareness with which the story is told is admirable and really keeps the action moving while still painting a lovely picture of the place and period. Unfortunately I would have actually appreciated more description of the feudal Japan variant. I did find one of the plot points a bit out of place- for a keen woman Lady Maruyama makes a pretty strange choice there. Yes, there are hints as to why she might act in such a way but the pieces don't come together well enough to feel completely polished. The characters in general are appealing with hinted depth and a mixture of motivations despite the awe-inspiring sense of honor that pervades. The end is a bit disappointing but that just means that I need to get the second book in the trilogy sooner so I can find out what happens next!...more
While I enjoyed the read, I found the process of it almost perfunctory. Plot developments that I expected were interspersed with new developments thatWhile I enjoyed the read, I found the process of it almost perfunctory. Plot developments that I expected were interspersed with new developments that I found that I didn't care much about. The romance scenes were especially annoying in that they felt perhaps exaggerated and overly deep for the characters and their age- somehow they failed to convince me. All the same, the book still manages to appeal and if I hadn't already read it, I would still pick it up and read it again. I'm really not one for confusing prophecies (although these were remarkably clear) but the book may make a good movie in that there's a sense of wonder and charm to the world, characters, and (I'm ashamed to admit) the costumes that still manage not to disappoint despite a rather transparent plot....more
Unfortunately I didn't really get into this one. Rather than action through events, a lot of the story focuses on a psychological journey which left mUnfortunately I didn't really get into this one. Rather than action through events, a lot of the story focuses on a psychological journey which left me a little bored. Daniel does have some very nice moments of self realization and develop some interesting friendships but the conclusion to his "journey" seems a bit sudden and perhaps stated too obviously, leaving me feel as if the book was trying to give me everything rather than leaving room for my own interpretations. The language works well for the journal format and Daniel's voice comes through pretty clearly. As an american, I did have some difficulty placing him in South African culture before concluding through his last name (De Wit) that he is likely white and of Dutch descent although living in a working class suburb (Hillbrow in Johannesburg). Some of his friends I was left with more questions about than answers and really would have liked to understand the general setting and culture better rather than just focusing so closely on Daniel's experiences an perspective. On a side note, I wasn't particularly attracted to the dictionary words Daniel uses and defines throughout the text, although kids may have a different opinion since new words that are easy to understand can be a lot of fun (I'm particularly thinking about the Series of Unfortunate Events books here, although there isn't to much else in common). The book may also read better in a school setting than for individual entertainment, as there are some nice metaphorical discussions about sight and seeing as well as some discussion of Christianity that I was pretty uninterested in, especially on my own as a pretty knowledgeable reader. However, I'm pretty critical and I'd really love to know more about what other readers thought of the book....more
I was really not a fan of this at all. I think the execution of the art is rather excellent- the demonic reddish brown eyes of the chicks are even ratI was really not a fan of this at all. I think the execution of the art is rather excellent- the demonic reddish brown eyes of the chicks are even rather entertaining as is their awkwardly oversized and gangly legs. It’s the plot however that really turns me off. The first part with the masks is silly and a bit dumb but not too far beyond the realm of my beloved Elephant and Piggy books. However, the part where they start to play with the letter “A” completely confuses me. On the second read through I sort of got that it makes sounds with A’s in them (and H’s) but is it just me, or is that joke a little hard to get? It also doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the first part about masks and then the idea of the A being scared of them playing with the letter B is completely bewildering, especially as there are no sheep involved. Maybe I am a cranky, jaded adult who’s just no fun and kids will delight in the silliness of this book, but then maybe it’s the book that’s no fun....more
I thought this was a nice simple story but then I began thinking that maybe it was a little too simple. The storyline is pretty repetitive and, since I thought this was a nice simple story but then I began thinking that maybe it was a little too simple. The storyline is pretty repetitive and, since it ends with a somewhat heavy handed moral, I'm not sure if the payoff is worth it, at least as a book of its own. It may have worked a bit better as part of a collection of stories. The illustrations contribute to the simple appearance, keeping the background a consistent parchment texture/color and the pictures in black ink with a semi-continuous colored line in the background to represent which "world" is being shown. It just feels like there needs to be more detail, either in the pictures or the story, and not even necessarily both. I did like the textures of the animals and the Arabic text but over all I really wanted more richness and disambiguation of the figures and the two texts since they are all in medium-bold black lines....more
The book was quite interesting in the beginning as it imparts a really strong sense of Polish culture. It eventually lost its interest as Kaytek neverThe book was quite interesting in the beginning as it imparts a really strong sense of Polish culture. It eventually lost its interest as Kaytek never progressed from moderately tolerable to someone actually likeable. Overall, the story doesn’t seem to have a very strong arc, particular when Chapter 18 is left a moth eaten remnant by the author’s edits after being told that these parts were too scary by a child- very authentic and accurate, but not particularly enjoyable as a read. The best parts were definitely those in which Korczak’s views about the relationship between kids and adults and attitudes toward education were most evident. I found myself taking a rather academic interest in the book as treatise on childhood studies. I like the presence of the footnotes and the depth of the afterward but I’m not sure that the footnotes are the correct ideas to bring up or that the authors notes are even best suited to an afterward. Many of the ideas would have been useful before reading rather than afterward. Many of the ideas of race referred to the afterward but it was difficult to locate them while reading so I thought these things were actually more appropriate to include as footnotes than the geographic things that were mentioned....more
Well, this is an incredibly sad book. I'm sure some will ask if that means that it's not for children and while I try to come up with the words to wriWell, this is an incredibly sad book. I'm sure some will ask if that means that it's not for children and while I try to come up with the words to write to unpack if it is, I guess I'll start with my gut feeling that this is a book for children. The perspective is that of a child and it is certainly simply worded. It avoids graphic description but is still enough to bring a reader to tears. If children's books are full of happiness and joy, why can't they also depict sadness and hope? Because perhaps that is what the book is really about- the hope for an end to war and the suffering that it creates. In any case, the book is well done- the text is simple and would have been well-deserving of awards. The illustrations are soft with tender watercolors that combine realism with a gentle vagueness. ...more
This has a great cover and adorable endpapers. I rather like the illustrations a lot- the color palette of dusky browns, pale greenish blues, black, aThis has a great cover and adorable endpapers. I rather like the illustrations a lot- the color palette of dusky browns, pale greenish blues, black, and salmon/peach is really interesting. I did find the changing text color a bit confusing, especially since it doesn’t change based upon the speaker and the child and mother alternate dialog without dialog marks. The premise is really silly and cute and there are interesting facts woven in too. The design could have been improved by insetting the pictures of the animals going to sleep to separate it more from the people-oriented story. The text itself is a bit choppy but that seems to work for it. It has a nice sense of repletion and a good amount of words on the page to be able to hold a young child’s attention....more
This one is a bit different, since it is actual posts from a blog. I really enjoyed the richness provided by including pictures, poems, and selected cThis one is a bit different, since it is actual posts from a blog. I really enjoyed the richness provided by including pictures, poems, and selected comments. Considering that the posts are likely unedited and the translation doesn’t seem to be too far off from the original text, the writing is actually really good, even of the comment, which is a bit surprising. After seeing the actual blog, I liked the presentation online better than in the book, even with the helpful footnotes, introductory material, and partial list of people mentioned (which might have been better as footnotes when they came up and a map might have been nice too). Sometimes the pictures interrupt the text in a disruptive way in the book since they are on separate grey pages often with poems while the text sometimes continues past them. I missed the mini photos of visitors next to their comments in the book as well. I thought the printing was also too dark- some of the details get lost. Additionally, I thought that the credits for photos were confusing. The general assumption seems to be that all the pictures are Regine’s work unless otherwise noted but there are pictures of Regine, which I assume she did not take, that don’t have credits. It does become a bit repetitive after a while- Regine talks about her physical progress, her description of her mental state is honest and articulate but manages to be mostly sympathetic without being maudlin, she gets to go to a concert, she loves her friends, someone posts an inconsiderate comment, other people jump to her defense, etc. There is also a confusing comment on page 28 about a “wedding picture” of her mother and father than Regine supposedly took- yes it’s picky but the translator should have been clearer here. Overall, I’m sure that many will enjoy reading this book as thousands have enjoyed Regine’s blog but I’m also left a bit troubled by the premise. Why Regine and not another cancer patient? Yes, she writes prose well and has what may be some great photos, but how does a reader rationalize an idealized (maybe?) portrait with a human that is both good and bad and one of many who have suffered from cancer. In particular, I keep thinking about John Green’s discussion of “cancer perks” in his fictional novel “The Fault in Their Stars.” While the book mentions many cancer perks, I would have liked to see them questioned as well as the healthcare system that seemed to provide for all of Regine’s treatments in comparison with the financial ramifications that accompany illness in the U.S....more
The illustrations are pretty good and I wished I had had more time to look them over but even so I’m not sure that they would have held my attention. The illustrations are pretty good and I wished I had had more time to look them over but even so I’m not sure that they would have held my attention. Despite being pretty detailed, they repeated the previous page with only small detailed in order to focus on the building. Instead, the snarky comments of the decorative materials or the interior elements as they are moved into the building are really what makes the book. Unfortunately it ends up being a diatribe on greed that may pass over the head of children and if it does not, ends up being a bit too didactic for my taste. I think it might make a better video than book, in that the pacing could be more controlled and movement add to the meaning making. Because all of the visual perspectives were from the exterior of the houses, some of the really cool ideas are unpictured, such as the huge interiors of the concert in honor of one of the men’s Maltese. Additionally, I found many of the names borderline unpronounceable which took away from some of the humor. On one hand, I appreciate that they likely haven’t been doctored for American audience from the original language (German or French) but I also wish they didn’t detract from the story, not that it even has much flow to detract from. It is also worth noting that the physical design of the book is pretty great- the feel of the matte cardboard and cloth taped binding is good and the endpapers attractive....more
I was not particularly impressed. It seemed like a lot of words and had some difficulty keeping my interest, even as much as I love music and orchestrI was not particularly impressed. It seemed like a lot of words and had some difficulty keeping my interest, even as much as I love music and orchestras. There really isn’t a plot but is more of an informational book told through the rather thin guise of a mouse experiencing the orchestra. Some of the things that are funny would only be so if you knew the instruments and the sounds they made so that you aren’t scared with Maxi but instead can laugh at his fear being more knowledgeable. I really like that they include the music with the CD, as it really does follow the beginning of Bolero quite nicely. In this the audio recording of the story far exceeds the possibility of just a reader reading it aloud. The pictures were cute but easily forgettable except for the rather appealing layout of the very first page. They contain all the traditional elements of humor, almost in a Quentin Blake style, with pastel watercolors and rapidly done ink lines. However, the figures aren’t quite awkward enough to be funny on their own and often mask the far superior technique of the water colors underneath which are much more free, contributing the success of the first spread on page 3. I would have enjoyed the list of facts in the back better had they been interspersed in the text. Although the notes about the Iceland Symphony orchestra were very interesting and useful. These are picky things but the music on the CD is in the wrong order- Bolero should be before Fanfare for the Common Man. There’s also a typo at the bottom of a page toward the middle of the book- “…and all the woodwind played together.” Overall, likely good for a music teacher but not too exciting beyond that....more
While this one doesn’t really seem to be spectacular in any way, it was a pretty enjoyable piece of fantasy, solid rather than fancy. The premise isn’While this one doesn’t really seem to be spectacular in any way, it was a pretty enjoyable piece of fantasy, solid rather than fancy. The premise isn’t all that original- involuntary time travel has been done several times before- and there are scores of fantasy books with dire prophecies with twists unknown to the protagonist. However, the book has a good character with a touch of spunk who is fun to follow, enough but not too much romance so that it weakens her autonomy, and lots of historical ballgowns (yes, the clothing was one of my favorite parts of the book, as ashamed as I may be to admit it). I liked the setting- London is pretty cool, especially when explored through the multiple dimensions of its historical time periods all at once. I do have to say that at the end, I’m still not exactly sure what’s going on, but perhaps this is a good plug to go back and read the first book in the trilogy and look forward to the conclusion....more
Let’s start with the things I was missing: How old is Alek? At some times he seems young, maybe 5 or 6 and other times maybe a preteen at 12 or 13. WhLet’s start with the things I was missing: How old is Alek? At some times he seems young, maybe 5 or 6 and other times maybe a preteen at 12 or 13. What does he look like? Not that I especially care but we got some sketchy descriptions of a couple of the other characters? Who exactly are all these people? I had a lot of difficulty keeping people straight, especially since they have convoluted relationships (foster mother, half brother, neighbor, estranged brother, etc.). A diagram would have been especially useful, more so than a list of characters that’s a bit much for a short book. When (and maybe where) does this take place? I couldn’t figure out if this is fantasy, historical, or modern day reality in another country. Was the small horse a toy or a real horse? Eventually I figured this one out since it produced a skull but until then it totally could have been a furry toy horse with eyes that can somehow be all the colors at once. I even felt that the part of the book that describes the wrecking would have been confusing had I not read other books that were more descriptive. In general, I really struggled with the ambiguity of the book, especially since I couldn’t identify a reason for it. Is there a reason that Myna and Kotka are described as sweethearts that live together but aren’t married? There’s no reason that they have to be but this doesn’t really seem to be a book that’s intent upon deconstructing traditional ideas of marriage and sexual relationships. On the other hand, there were some things that worked, especially the ending. I really liked that Ravnar isn’t able to deal with his issues all at once but instead his progress is gradual and not-yet-finished at the end of the book. I found the cultural information pretty interesting but didn’t know what if anything it applied to and was curious where Thala came from as well. The language was often short and choppy but didn’t seem to read too badly. The book may actually work better as a read aloud where the listener can be more focused on imagining all that is not explicitly described. One last concern is over the translation of the word “soup” from which Alek’s old name “Doup” comes from. In the original Danish this would have been “suppe” rather than “soup.” ...more
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