I love historical fiction, and I love novels in verse. And I love Sarah Crossan's books. When all three come together, the chances of my not liking the book are very low! I've read two books (that I remember) about the potato famine in Ireland - Esty's Gold and Twist of Gold. They were both powerful stories, just like Where the Heart Should Be.When people are torn apart, when families die, when the divide between the rich and the poor continues to grow, what is morality? What must we do when the law is on the side of the mighty instead of on the side of the right? And worst of all, where do our loyalties lie when we fall in love?Nell is educated. She loves poetry and can quote it, both in Irish and in English. In fact, she always has a book of poems with her. Even so, she can be nothing better than a scullery maid in the Big House, the house that Lord Wicken rules with an iron … [Read more...]
Top Six Young Adult Books I Read in 2020
I've already shared two lists of books, but I think it's important to say - again - that reading levels differ widely, and in multiple ways. For instance, I know that as a child, my linguistic level (in English) was higher than that of some of my peers, but I often read books for children who were younger. I was still reading what was clearly children's literature, while friends of mine had 'graduated' to murder, romance and thrillers. A list of any kind must be taken with a pinch of salt, and this one is no different.With that out of the way, here are six young adult books I read and loved last year. Ben's parents want to conduct an experiment. They want to study different aspects of the same thing - his father is a behavioural scientist who is convinced that chimpanzees can learn a human language if the environment is conducive, and Ben's mother is writing a … [Read more...]
Moonrise
I've been so busy working with my online creative writing programme that I simply haven't had the time to write about all the books I've been reading. Two of them stand out, and one of those is Sarah Crossan's Moonrise.This is the fourth book that I'm reading by this wonderful writer, and it seems as if I can't get enough of her work. I began with the one I enjoyed most of all - One. I went on to Apple and Rain, which I loved for completely different reasons. Apple's poetry teacher, Mr Gaydon, is one of my favourite fictional teachers of all time! Toffee, somehow, was a little too sordid for me, so I didn't review it on my blog. Yet, it left its mark. I can't forget it.And now, Moonrise.With every beautiful verse novel I read, I realise how much I love this genre. The words are simple and sparse and for me, they create maximum impact because of this. A book like Moonrise … [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 DawnI 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...]
Seven Fictional Teachers I Love
It's Teachers' Day - the day when every teacher goes home with a mountain of cards. As a writer and teacher, how can I not celebrate all the fictional teachers I love?When I started writing this post, I thought, first, of all the teachers I've created in my stories. The Story-Catcher has very few; offhand, I can think of just the nameless coach in "The Nationals".Dragonflies, Jigsaws, and Seashells has three; perhaps because I started teaching a lot more ...? Mr Kaushik Natraj from "Treasure-Hunt", Miss Philips from "A Drawing Lesson" and Miss Kala Ramdev from "A Retired Teacher": I like Mr Kaushik most!Edited to add: My latest book Sisters at New Dawn is a school story, so it's full of teachers. I would love to know who your favourites are!Naturally, I then went on to think about all the fictional teachers I love, particularly in children's fiction. Here … [Read more...]
One
Every so often, you come across a book that brings life around you to a standstill. It makes you stop and feel more than you think you are capable of feeling. It makes you hug yourself and breathe, so that you don't get lost in the raw beauty of human emotion.And as I live in the pages of a book like One, I find myself wondering, How can anyone write so beautifully?One is among the most moving books I've ever read. Twice, I was able to sniff and move on. Once, I had to put the book away and let myself cry before I got back to reading.Tippi and Grace are conjoined twins. They are privy to every detail of each other's life, joined in blood and bone. They are both two and one, and this creates a bond that no one else can dream of sharing. They hold each other up, hooking their arms around each other's waists, waking up to each other's nightmares, and … [Read more...]