Cameron's heart is weak. He does not know how long he has to live. But there's a doctor who believes that a heart transplant from a pig will give him a chance. And Cameron decides to take the chance. Pig Heart Boy is an incredible story, overwhelming me with all the ideas it encompasses. Life and death, family, friendship, betrayal, economic hardship, incomprehensible greed, animal rights ... The nuances of the story took my breath away. Cameron's parents fight all the time, and the thirteen-year-old boy hates it, especially as he knows he is central to many of their quarrels. Even when it comes to the idea of going through a 'procedure' and getting the heart of a pig, his mother isn't convinced, unlike his father. Worse, the entire procedure has to be hush-hush because Dr Bryce knows only too well that a transplant of this sort would attract unnecessary attention. Cameron realises … [Read more...]
Making Millions
Nicholas wants to go for a masterclass, but his parents refuse to shell out the money he would need. What do real friends do when a friend is in need? Even though Cass thinks that yet another class is strange, this masterclass is what her friend Nicholas wants. So, of course, Cass and the Bubble Street Gang need to make money - and quickly. While they're at it, they decide to become millionaires - there's no need to keep their dreams small, is there? And so, that's the Bubble Street Gang's next project - making millions. Making millions is not the only project that Cass has on her hands. She has a mystery to solve. There is an invisible boy in her class, and no one seems to believe her when she says that. She must get Invisible Boy to reveal himself, and she's determined to do so. Making Millions is a hilarious, heart-warming story, and I loved everything about it. As a child, … [Read more...]
Radhika Takes the Plunge
A little over a year ago, I read the picture book Clumsy! by Ken Spillman and I enjoyed it. It is a sweet, heart-warming story about a girl who is often called 'clumsy', 'careless', 'butterfingers'. That becomes her identity until her grandmother gives her a box of paints. I loved the simplicity of the story; that's what made me pick up Radhika Takes the Plunge. Radhika has an over-protective mother, who refuses to let her go swimming. For as long as Radhika lived in Delhi, she did not mind very much. When she moves to Australia, she is mortified by the fact that she has never been to a swimming-pool when everyone else has, or as she puts it, everyone else seems to be 49% fish. When her mother finally lets Radhika go to the pool, the girl takes the plunge - in more ways than one. Once more, I liked the story because of the simplicity of the style. To say that the … [Read more...]
A Place Called Perfect
I was a bit apprehensive about reading a book that promised to be 'Perfectly Creepy'. I'm not a big fan of creepy stories. But I loved the cover and the title intrigued me, so I picked it up and started reading. And before I knew it, I had finished the book. A Place Called Perfect is the story of a perfect town with just one problem. Somehow, people at Perfect soon become blind and need special rose-tinted glasses to see. Violet hates the place before she even goes there. She did not want to move, and she hates the fact that her father decided to take a job there without even consulting her. At Perfect, though, things become stranger and stranger. Her mother becomes the stereotypical Perfect housewife. Violet herself is expected to behave perfectly all the time - even variations in games during playtime are heavily frowned upon. Worse, her father vanishes and she begins to hear … [Read more...]
The 1,000-Year-Old Boy
"References to historical dates, places and words in old languages are accurate only in the sense of being 'not very'.Ross Welford in his Author's Note to The 1,000-Year-Old Boy Isn't that a promising note to an imaginative story? The 1,000-Year-Old Boy is about Alfie Monk, who has been eleven years old for a thousand years. To some, this may sound fantastic. But Alfie now just wants to grow up. Thanks to two life-pearls, panic and an accident, his cat Buffa and he cannot die naturally. This does not mean that they're immortal; rather, they're biologically immortal, meaning they can be killed. But until then, they do not age unless they can successfully use a second life-pearl. When you live for a thousand years, can you make friends? What happens if you don't age in an era when witches are burnt at the stake? And what about in modern times when you need documents … [Read more...]
Mockingbird
Several years ago, I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. That was when I came across Asperger's Syndrome for the first time. I read up bits and pieces about it, and was overwhelmed by the power of the brain and the ways in which it processes information. I picked up Mockingbird without knowing that it was written from the point of view of a girl with Asperger's. Caitlin's world is confusing - why do people speak in riddles? Why do people say things they do not mean? A beautiful, heart-wrenching read, Mockingbird explores grief, loss and healing. How can Caitlin find closure when her brother Devon - who always helped her make sense of the world - is killed in a school shooting? And can she help others find closure too? Is that what empathy is about? Unsaid rules that govern the world make Caitlin retreat into herself … [Read more...]
Stargirl
Sweetness is such a wonderful ingredient, and so rare in a YA novel. When Stargirl joins regular school after having been homeschooled most of her life, she is something of a phenomenon. She dresses strangely and does odd things. She seems to know everybody's name and everyone's birthday. She strums her ukulele and sings 'Happy birthday' to each one. She is the weird girl at school, but diverting enough to become popular. The problem, though, is that Stargirl does not seem to see a difference between 'us' and 'them'. At basketball matches, she cheers equally for both teams - for don't you feel elated when a team scores? Apparently, the answer is 'no'. Cheering for the enemy is unheard of, unthinkable. Yet, Stargirl does not care - or even seem to notice - when classmates begin to shun her. She continues to burst with spontaneity and love. So, Leo, who loves her but seeks … [Read more...]
Diamonds and Daggers
When Piotr's father is suspected of having stolen celebrity actor Betty Massino's diamond necklace, the boy's world seems to fall apart. For Piotr, the UK is home, but his father is fed up of being treated with suspicion simply because he is Polish. He is suspended from his job as a security guard, though he has not officially been charged with the crime because no incriminating evidence has been found. Yet, Piotr's parents have made their minds up. They're going back 'home' to Poland. Piotr is horrified by the idea. When he tells his friends that he is moving to Poland forever, they know that the only way they can prevent Piotr's family from leaving is by proving conclusively that Piotr's father is innocent. And so, the Marsh Road investigators begin to look for clues. They interview suspects and take notes. With Piotr's tickets booked, solving the mystery of the diamond necklace … [Read more...]
Catching Up: MG and YA Books
So many wonderful, wonderful books and so little time! Here are a few middle-grade and young adult books I read in the last couple of months. Gorilla Dawn I know a little about gorillas being endangered because I began to read up bits and pieces about it when I saw articles linking the fate of gorillas to the largescale use of palm oil. But even in the articles I read, I had no idea about coltan and its use in every electronic device we use. The threat that mining poses to gorilla habitat is real and frightening.(And so, first of all, all those who've been telling me I need to get a new phone, read this book.) I read Gill Lewis's White Dolphin years ago, but it stayed fresh in my mind because it is such a powerful story. I also had a fan girl moment recently when Gill Lewis retweeted a review I posted of Me and Mister P. Sky Hawk has been on my … [Read more...]
Touching Spirit Bear
I'm usually not one of those readers who sits and finishes a book in a day. Unless a story is really compelling, I get distracted easily. I have a hundred other things to do each day, and I do them without being drawn back to my book. I also usually keep track of a storyline, so I can return to a book a month later and continue where I left off. But Touching Spirit Bear drew me in and held me in the story. It moved me to tears more than once and was compelling enough to keep me reading, pushing away the guilt I usually feel when I ought to be doing something else but find myself reading instead. First off, I need to say that I am no one to talk about whether the references to Tlingit traditions are true or not. I honestly have no idea. Before this book, I had no clue about the concept of Circle Justice. I loved the story because it struck a chord. The rawness of emotion wrung … [Read more...]
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