A Kiss in Time

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn, published by HarperTeen, 2009.

An updated take on the classic Sleeping Beauty story, told in alternating point of view with Talia (the princess) and Jack (the boy who wakes her with a kiss).

I found Flinn's chapter structure to be very interesting. Instead of simply alternating between one protagonist or the other, she offers part one from Talia's point of view, part two from Jack's point of view, then part three with Jack and Talia, alternating chapters between their points of view.

I was impressed by the way Flinn indicates a significant amount of time has passed between part one and part two with the opening line: “What they don't tell you about Europe is how completely lame it is.” Completely lame cues the reader that we now have a modern narrator. By and large, Talia's speech did seem authentic for an eighteenth century person.  Malvolia's backstory makes her a fascinating villain  - but to say anymore might be a spolier.

A wonderful romance filled with wit and humor.

Flinn also has a retelling of Beauty and the Beast called Beastly.  A feature film based on the book is due out this summer. I look forward to reading the book before seeing the film. You can read more from Alex Flinn on her blog: I Plan to be a Diva Someday....

Stars Beneath Your Bed

Stars Beneath Your Bed: The Surprising Story of Dust written by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Ann Jonas. Published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2005.

I have a tiny confession: picture books scare me. I know what you're thinking: there's just 32 pages, less than 800 words. What could be scary about that? Well, you try telling a complete story with a beginning, a middle and an end in less than 800 words. You'll see just how hard it is!


But April Pulley Sayre makes it look easy. She even helps unravel the secrets of the universe and she does it with just a few words on each spread. That's because she has found the right word for each sentence. Not a word that will work, or something close, but THE word. And doing that is magical.

My current work in progress, a young adult mystery set in the dust bowl had a lot to do with me selecting this book from Sayre's impressive list of non-fiction picture books.
I was a bit surprised to find the intriguing title doesn't appear exactly in the book, only as an inference that “the dust beneath your bed might be from Mars.”
This spread also has the most unusual text layout with the words: “floating, swirling, sprinkling, bits of you and me and soil and stars” moving from right to left down the page. This placement gives the words a life all their own, almost making them seem to dance. The beginning of most lines of text in the book start to the right or left of the previous line, mirroring the gradual descent of the dust acted on by the forces of gravity. But on the space spread, gravity isn't quite as strong. The dust lingers, suspended, floating before reaching the bottom of the page.

The Green Glass Sea

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages, published by Recorded Books, 2007.

Excellent audio production on this historical novel. If you haven't yet discovered audiobooks, I highly recommend them. Listening during a commute is a great way to fit more books into your life. (once again, so many books, so little time!)

 
But, back to the story (a finalist for the Quill Award and winner of many state awards). The alternating point-of-view of two girls from very different backgrounds thrown together at Los Alamos during World War II provides the reader with a more complete picture than could be achieved with just one narrator. The vivid descriptions create a spellbindly complete world for complete reader immersion.
 
I've not yet had a chance to read Klages' sequel, White Sands, Red Menace but I look forward to it. 

Writing Goals and Resolutions

Updating my blog on a regular basis ranks very high on my list of writing goals for 2010.
I've read a mountain of books in 2009 (I'd guess somewhere around 125 since I average 10 a month) but I've fallen behind on sharing those.
I took the time today to figure out how to make doing that a little more simple and I'm all set to start out the new year - the new decade - with lots of children's book recommendations. I hope to also share a bit more of my own writing news throughout the year.

In the meantime, hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's Eve. Here's to writing and reading in 2010!

Perfect Chemistry

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles published by Walker and Company, 2009.

Elkeles has done a fabulous job in this modern take on the Romeo and Juliet story. Instead of Montagues and Capulets, she has Latino Blood and Country Club. She tells the story in alternating first-person point of view and both co-protagonists are fully fleshed out, intriguing characters.

Both characters grow and change, providing a strong internal arc. But the book also has a very solid plot.
Elkeles makes excellent use of foreshadowing.  Doses of humor break up the tension. Thoughtful use of Spanish words and phrases in the text was extremely well done.

The sequel is due to come out in May, 2010. You can bet I'll be getting it.
Here's a sexy book trailer for Perfect Chemistry.



More Personally
Enjoyed meeting authors PJ Hoover, Michele Bardsley, Jordan Dane and fellow Vermont College student Stacy Nyikos at the Red Dirt Book Festival in Shawnee, OK. The community coming together to talk about books can be very inspiring. I look forward to sharing my thoughts on their books soon.

The Magician's Elephant

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick, 2009.

DiCamillo uses omniscient third to put the reader in everyone's mind, including the elephant. The vague location and lack of an exact time add to the fairytale feel of this story that is sure to charm readers.
 
Here is a video of DiCamillo reading the first chapter

Don't Look Behind You

Don't Look Behind You by Lois Duncan, published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1989.

Being told that life as you know it is over, that you have to move to another state and assume a new identity might indeed seem like the end of the world. Especially if you're seventeen and Prom is just a couple weeks away.

Told in first person, this story definitely falls into the category of suspense rather than traditional mystery as April and the reader wait for the hitman to catch up with her family. Following the story of a teen forced into the witness protection program because of her father's testimony is a compelling setup. April (who later becomes Valerie) makes several mistakes that results in the hitman finding the family's home. 
 
I found this was also made into a TV movie starring Patrick Duffy in 1999. Several of Duncan's other books have also been made into movies including Hotel for Dogs.